Volume 067: Akka 1299 A.H. (1881–1882), Part II (5 of 7)

BH00274: Blessed art thou, O thou whose face hath turned…

Section 1: “Blessed art thou, O thou whose face hath…”

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

Blessed art thou, O thou whose face hath turned to the countenance of the Lord of Names after the passing of all things, whose heart hath turned to the Most Exalted Horizon when it was illumined by the name of the Lord of all beings, whose tongue hath spoken in praise and glorification in days wherein the Ancient Beauty was established upon the throne of names, whose ears have heard the sweetest call raised from the Uttermost Lote Tree, whose hands have taken hold of the Book in the name of our Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and whose feet have arisen to serve the Cause in the kingdom of creation.

Glorified art Thou, O Thou through Whose light the horizons of existence were illumined and through Whose name was manifested whatsoever lay hidden or revealed! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance and the manifestations of Thy power to give Thy near ones to drink, from the hands of Thy bounty, the water of life in the realm of possibility. Then draw them, through Thy name, the All-Merciful, to such heights that whatsoever hath been created on earth—its bounties, ornaments, favors, adornments, veils, divines and mystics—shall not prevent them from arising to serve Thee, from meditating on Thy signs and tokens, and on that which Thou hast manifested through Thy power in Thy days, and that which Thou hast announced in Thy Books, Thy Scrolls, Thy Scriptures and Thy Tablets.

O Lord! Thou art He through one of Whose names those in the graves arose, the trumpet was sounded, and that which was recorded by Thy Most Exalted Pen in Thy Scrolls was made manifest, O Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens! O Lord! Thou beholdest me aflame with the fire of Thy love and ascending, by the ladder of trust and certitude, to the court of Thy mighty oneness. I beseech Thee, O Lord of the worlds, by the Most Great Name, at this moment when my fingers cling to the hem of the robe of Thy bounty and grace, and mine eyes are fixed upon the horizon of Thy loving-kindness and generosity, not to disappoint the people of Thy kingdom from that which Thou hast manifested through Thy power. Thou art He before Whose door of riches every wealthy one hath bowed down, and before Whose manifestations of power and expressions of might every possessor of strength hath humbled himself. There is none other God but Thee, the Just Ruler, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Furthermore, the fragrances of thy words have gladdened Me, and thy words have informed Me of that which hath brought solace to Mine eyes, expanded My breast and cheered My heart. When I perceived the sweet perfume of thy praise in thy love for thy Lord, and heard of thy steadfastness in the Cause out of love for Our and your Purpose, and Our and the dwellers of earth and heaven’s Beloved, I then desired to arise and appear before the Face, and presented that which was therein. Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that whereby the Sun of Utterance shone forth from the horizon of the kingdom of knowledge. He spoke, and His Word is the Truth:

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Informed

The oceans have appeared with their waves and the trees with their fruits, and the Dove of the Cause has sung upon the branches, yet the people have clung to the buzzing of flies, turning away from God, the Lord of lords. Verily, he who stood before the Presence and served Him through the nights and days, they have taken as a lord for themselves, turning away from Him Who created all beings with a word from His presence. Thus did their souls entice them in the days of God, the Master of necks.

O Asad! The servant in attendance hath presented thy letter before the Presence. He hath heard and answered thee with that which each letter thereof proclaimeth: “The Promised One hath come and God hath established Himself upon the throne of His Name, the All-Bestowing.” Blessed art thou for having turned when the divines and learned of the earth turned away. Joy be unto thee for having held fast to the cord of divine knowledge when the All-Merciful came with power and sovereignty. Say: O people of the earth! The Creator of heaven hath come and calleth out with the most exalted call, summoning you to the supreme height. Be fair and follow not those who worship suppositions and idle fancies.

Rend asunder, through His Most Powerful Name, the greatest veil. Thus doth He command you, before Whom the Mother Book hath bowed down. My Most Exalted Pen hath testified for thee by that whose fragrance hath spread throughout the kingdom of names. Preserve this most exalted station through the name of thy Lord, around Whom circle the beginning and the return. Thus have We revealed from the Pen that which was hidden in the knowledge of thy Lord, the Ancient of Days. Be grateful and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the world, and glory be unto Thee, O Sovereign of verses.” The glory shining from the horizon of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon those who circle round My will and hear thy utterance concerning this Cause at whose appearance the foundations were shaken. Praise be to God, the Lord of religions.

This evanescent servant testifieth that that beloved one hath expended and continueth to expend the utmost effort and endeavor in service to the Cause, and this is among the special favors of God, exalted be His glory. In truth, if one attaineth not unto this station, he will be seen to be bereft of the fruit of the tree of existence. God willing, may that beloved one ever be watchful, hearing, speaking and attentive.

Regarding what thou didst write about his honor the Sahib, upon him be God’s favor—praise be to God, he hath attained unto God’s favor, and we beseech God to assist him in that which is befitting this day. By the life of God! Were he to taste the sweetness of the utterance of the All-Merciful, he would surely abandon all that the world possesseth and turn with a luminous countenance unto God, the Ancient of Days, Who calleth from the supreme horizon and summoneth humanity—to this every fair-minded and perceptive one doth testify. This evanescent one conveyeth greetings unto him and beseecheth God for his success.

Mention was made of his honor ʿAli Pasha Khan, upon him be the glory of God, and it was presented before the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence. His exalted Word:

He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great

O Ali! Thy mention hath been honored by the hearing of the Wronged One in this impregnable and forbidden prison. O Ali! We have mentioned thee before with My verses and have turned toward thee as a token of My grace. Verily thy Lord is the Almighty, the Glorious, the Loving. Whoso turneth today to the Most Exalted Horizon is indeed the best of all beings before God, the Lord of existence. God willing, mayest thou be blessed with divine favors and arise to serve Him. The divine call is raised at all times, but most people understand not. The wine of heedlessness hath intoxicated all save whom God willeth. O Ali! Stand thou firm in the Cause with utmost steadfastness and speak in praise of God, exalted be His glory.

Today the true Purpose hath appeared and the world is illumined with the lights of His countenance. It behooveth everyone endowed with hearing, sight and heart not to deprive himself of the outpourings of this divine Day. Soon shall the world and all that is therein perish, and sovereignty shall remain with God, the Lord of the hereafter and of the former generations. Be thou assured of God’s grace and fix thy gaze upon His horizon. Verily He is with those who love Him and desire Him, and He is the Kind, the Generous.

This servant conveyeth greetings to him. It is hoped that he may at all times be blessed by God’s grace and receive his portion from the fragrances of His days. Verily He is the Protector of those who draw nigh, the Lord of those who turn unto Him, and the Goal of them that know.

As for the carpet that was sent for the small piece, it is present in Hudayba with His Holiness the Name 66, may all the Most Glorious Glory of God rest upon him. God willing, it will arrive. These matters depend on God’s grace and acceptance. Due to his acceptance, from the day it was mentioned, it was honored with acceptance even before its arrival. This is glad tidings from this evanescent servant to him. Regarding what you wrote about his book, Sabri Effendi has not yet arrived. Whenever the meeting takes place, what has been written will be carried out.

Concerning what you wrote about His Honor Aqa Mirza Ghulam-ʿAli, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah’s Glory], a most holy and exalted Tablet was revealed several months ago from the heaven of divine favor in his name, and mention was made of the deceased, the honored Jinab-i-Dhabih, upon him be God’s glory and favor, in detail in that Tablet. God willing, he will attain unto it. This servant conveyeth greetings and salutations to him and declareth that his honor should be so enkindled with the fire of divine love that it may cause others to be awakened. God willing, may he be confirmed and spend his youthful days in divine love.

His Honor Aqa Mirza Muhammad, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah’s Glory], who is engaged in transcribing the verses of God, exalted be His glory, and whose mention was in that beloved one’s letter, was presented at the Most Holy and Exalted Court. He saith, exalted be His grandeur:

In My Name, the Hearing, the Answering

O Muhammad! He who hath loved Me and turned unto My countenance and soared in My atmosphere hath made mention of thee, and the servant in attendance before the Face hath presented it. We have remembered thee with My wondrous and glorious remembrance. This is a Day wherein the Remembrance calleth aloud with the most exalted call, summoning all unto the All-Knowing, the One. Grieve thou not over anything, but rejoice in the Book of thy Lord. Verily, He is with His accepted servants. We have aided thee and taught thee that which the learned and mystics of the earth know not, save whom God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, willeth. Be thou steadfast in the Cause and firm in the remembrance of thy Lord in such wise that the allusions of the wayward, who have cast the command of God behind their backs and followed every rebellious devil, shall not veil thee.

Take hold of the Book with the power and might from Our presence. Verily thy Lord is the Ordainer, the All-Wise. We have forgiven thee and those whom thou hast mentioned. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Generous. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having taught me and caused me to hear and given me to drink from the Kawther of knowledge and honored me with this noble station. Verily Thou art the Powerful over whatsoever Thou willest through Thy Name, the Strong, the Mighty.

Section 2: “The servant beareth witness that His mercy hath…”

The servant beareth witness that His mercy hath preceded and His grace hath encompassed all existence, both seen and unseen. God willing, may He confirm all who are on earth that they may inhale the fragrances of His days and turn toward the direction of His grace. A hundred thousand regrets that they remain deprived of the lights of the divine dawn and are seen as mere rabble. Yet that which hath descended from the Kingdom of Will and appeared through His prevailing decree shall create attentive ears and grant the ability to hear, for the Divine Word hath ever been and shall ever be the bestower, the manifestor and the confirmer.

Mention was made in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence of Aqa Mirza Husayn of the people of Ba and Shin, upon him be the glory of God. This is what was revealed from the Kingdom of Power as a grace from His presence unto him. His blessed and exalted Word: O Husayn! Reflect upon what hath befallen the Wronged One in this Cause whereby every face was darkened, all tranquility was shaken, every foundation was made to tremble, every mountain was scattered, every steadfast one was made to quake, and every standing one did slip, save those who attained unto the grace of God, the Lord of all worlds. We arose for the Cause in such wise that agitation seized the people of the Bayan. When some measure of tranquility appeared, there emerged from behind the veil one who led the people astray and barred them from the straight path of God. They would flee from town to town from the onslaught of the wicked ones, yet when they felt secure, they arose against Us with manifest tyranny. The wicked ones are those divines who cast the ordinances of God behind their backs and took their vain imaginings as their lord without any clear proof or illuminating Book.

O Husayn! Rejoice in that the Lord of the world remembereth thee from the Most Great Prison and giveth thee glad tidings of that which He hath ordained for His loved ones in the Crimson Scroll from His Most Exalted Pen. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. Give thanks unto God for having aided thee to serve His loved ones and enabled thee to recognize this wondrous and glorious Day. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of all names and Creator of heaven! I beseech Thee by the Word through which the sincere ones were drawn and the believers did soar, to ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones who have held fast to the cord of Thy loving-kindness and clung to Thy luminous hem. O Lord! I have turned unto Thee, detached from all else but Thee. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me of that which lieth with Thee. There is no God but Thee, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

This was revealed for him who was named Ali in the Book of Names and was related to Kamaluddin, who attained certitude when all on earth lamented save whom God willed. His word, exalted be His grandeur:

In the Name of the Mighty, the Great

Thy mention hath gained access to the Most Holy Court, and the Wronged One hath turned toward thee from the horizon of the Prison, counseling thee to be trustworthy, religious, truthful, and steadfast in this mighty Cause. Blessed art thou and thy father who was attracted by the verses of his Lord in the early days and attained His presence when the Light was shining from the horizon of Iraq. This is the day of goodly deeds, the day of remembrance and utterance. God willing, may ye attain to that which exalteth the Cause of God. Goodly deeds are in themselves promoters of God’s Cause and have ever been so. Blessed is he who acteth according to that which hath been commanded by God, and woe unto the heedless. Ye are all mentioned before the Throne and adorned with the ornament of His favor. God willing, may ye succeed in preserving this most exalted station and supreme rank. The Glory be upon thy father, upon thee, upon thy mother, and upon those who are with you, and upon My black handmaiden who attained My presence and was illumined by the lights of My countenance and ascended to the Supreme Companion, the station whereof every knowing and informed one is powerless to mention.

And concerning what thou wrote about Aqa Muhammad-Rida, nephew of his eminence the martyred Dhabih, upon them both be the Glory of God, he hath been favored with God’s grace both before and after. Praise be to God, mention of him hath flowed from the Supreme Pen and his kinship to him who was martyred in the path of God is firm. Since his father is hesitant, his relationship before the Throne was given to his eminence the martyr, upon him be the Glory of God, and this matter was uttered from the Tongue of Grandeur in the Most Holy Court about a year ago. Blessed is he and joy be unto him.

This lowly one conveyeth greetings to him and beseecheth God to make him manifest in such wise in the love of God that the tongues of all created things shall testify thereto. By the life of the Beloved, this is an exalted and mighty station. Likewise, this lowly one conveyeth greetings and salutations to both aforementioned souls, upon them be the Glory of God, and the other friends in that land, and sayeth: God willing, may they be occupied with the remembrance of God throughout the days and nights. Let them not lose the opportunity, for the days are passing like lightning. While the waves of the ocean of utterance are manifest and the effulgences of the sun of inner meanings are dawning and evident, arise to serve and undertake that which exalteth the Cause of God. The service today is and hath been the teaching of the Cause. God willing, may all be assisted to give life to those dead in the wilderness of remoteness with drops from the ocean of nearness, and counsel them to the most great steadfastness. Verily, He assisteth whom He willeth and guideth whom He willeth to His manifest, shining and luminous horizon.

The matters have concluded, yet the fire of the heart knows no end, and the warmth of love has not been diminished by the opposition of those on earth. This is naught but from God’s grace—our Goal and the Goal of all worlds. In these days news arrived that packets from that beloved one and also from some of the friends had been sent to Muhammad Mustafa, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah], for him to deliver to the Desired Land. He had entrusted these to someone who was journeying to the Most Luminous Spot to deliver them. However, the highway robbers seized these items along with other things from the messenger and sent him away empty-handed. When this matter was presented in the Most Holy Court, they instructed:

“Write to Asad, upon him be the Glory of God, to consult about this matter. If there is a way to truly discover the purpose of Truth, it would be beloved—meaning, to know with absolute certainty that Truth has not come for conflict, disputation and corruption. Its purpose has been and is none other than the unity of creation, which is the cause of the exaltation of government and subjects. And if they truly arise for the elevation of the Word, We ask for him lofty station and supreme rank, and We guarantee it. Let them seek divine confirmation from God, exalted be His glory. If they reflect even a little, they will discover the greatest means of the world’s tranquility and what is beneath it. For some time now the earth has not found rest, and no one has known the reason. God, exalted be His glory, may confirm one of the princes and through him assist His Faith, and may the light of justice so encompass the earth that no trace of oppression remains—then shall you see therein neither crookedness nor inequality. Would that they discovered the will of God and remained not deprived of the outpourings and fragrances of the days of His manifestation.”

This servant submits that the Word should be delivered only after confidence and readiness of the place is established, and then only in summary, for in these lands some have shown acceptance while their purpose was investigation to determine the number of souls and the size of the community. However, in all cases, words should be spoken that convey the fragrance of goodness and pure benevolence. He is the Helper to success and the Protector of every truthful, eloquent and trustworthy one. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. Glory be upon you and upon whoever has heard the Call, and upon God’s chosen ones and His loved ones who have arisen to serve His Cause and have spoken His beautiful praise.

BH05832: The Book hath testified to the All-Mighty, the All-Bountiful…

He is the One speaking in the temple of the world!

The Book hath testified to the All-Mighty, the All-Bountiful, yet most of the people hear not. They have cast behind their backs the Cause of God, yet they understand not. The Mother of the Bayan calleth aloud unto all who are in the realm of being, yet the people remain lost in idle fancies and vain imaginings. The Mother of the Book hath spoken, yet they perceive not. The Promise hath come to pass and that which was hidden hath been revealed, and from His right hand hath flowed the river of God’s mercy, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Say: Where is the might of the foremost one and what he possessed? Where is his glory and his power and his ascendancy?

Where are his yellow hosts and his crimson standard? Where are his conditions and his ways? Where are his palaces and his followers? Where are his treasures and his ranks? Where is his strength and his grandeur? The angels have borne him to the grave, cut off from the world and its adornments and its ornaments and all that is therein. Thus doth the Most Exalted Pen inform you. He, verily, is the All-Forgiving, the All-Loving. Say: How long will ye sport with your idle fancies? How long will ye cleave to your idols? Cast away vain imaginings. The All-Knowing hath come with a sovereignty that hath encompassed both the unseen and the seen. Rejoice thou in My remembrance, then give thanks unto thy Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken, while in the prison through that which the hands of every rejected oppressor have wrought.

BH06342: O my handmaiden! One of My servants who has…

He is the All-Knowing Speaker!

O my handmaiden! One of My servants who has turned to My horizon and heard My call and spoken My praise has mentioned thee. He is named Ali in My mighty and wondrous Book. We have heard thy mention and have mentioned thee with that which shall endure as long as the kingdom and the realm of names endure, yet most of the people are heedless. Blessed is every handmaiden who has heard and turned and responded to her Ancient Lord. Woe to every servant whom vainglory has kept back from the Lord of the Manifestation until he denied God, the Lord of all worlds. O my handmaiden! Rejoice in My mention, for it is better for thee than every deed and every wise command.

Beware lest the veils of women hold thee back from the Lord of Names, or the deeds of the idolaters frighten thee from this clear announcement. By God’s life! My mention of thee is greater in God’s sight than the creation of the heavens and earth. Soon shall come a day wherein God will manifest what He has willed as a bounty from His presence, and He is the Almighty, the Powerful. And We mention My handmaidens in that place and give them glad tidings of My loving-kindness and My mercy which has preceded every mighty matter. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. The glory be upon thee and upon My handmaidens who have turned and believed in God, the One, the All-Informed.

BH07958: O Ali! Heedlessness has encompassed the world. No soul…

In the name of the one incomparable God!

O Ali! Heedlessness has encompassed the world. No soul is free and at leisure to reflect upon the Cause of God and that which hath been manifested from His presence. All are observed to be fettered by the chains of self and desire, save whom God willeth. The Book of God is speaking and the Word of God is manifest, yet sight and hearing are lacking. Although at every moment the world informeth man through its changes of its own extinction and maketh him aware of its passing, yet all are heedless and veiled. They were not stirred by the breezes of the spring of revelation, as if they were uprooted palm-trunks. The Tablets which thou didst request for certain souls have been sent. God willing, they will attain unto them. Verily thy Lord is the Hearer, the Answerer. Convey greetings from this Wronged One to the friends in that land and remind them of that which hath been revealed in the Book.

BH08399: This is a Book sent down by the Self-Subsisting…

In the Name of the Manifest, the Hidden

This is a Book sent down by the Self-Subsisting to whoever has cast away vain imaginings, turning unto God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. Blessed is he who has drunk the choice wine of certitude from the hand of the bounty of his Lord, the Most Merciful, and has turned away from those who follow idle fancies. Blessed is the soul that has attained unto the days of its Lord. Woe unto every heedless and veiled one! Say: Where is the might of those who entered therein, and where is their power and dominion, and where their wealth and glory and grandeur? They have returned to dust, alone, solitary, fearful, helpless, abject, humbled. Thus do We set forth the verses and make mention of that which shall be remembered by honored servants. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having enabled me to recognize the Dawning-Place of Thy Revelation and to act according to what Thou hast commanded me in a preserved Tablet. The splendor shining forth from the horizon of the tender mercies of the Most Merciful be upon those who have drunk the choice wine of certitude in the name of their Lord, the Possessor of existence.

BH00933: All praise, sanctified from the world and all its…

All praise, sanctified from the world and all its peoples, befitteth the Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Court of Him Who is the Object of all, Who through a single command brought into being creation from beginning to end, and adorned the beginning with the ornament of the end. Through Him were the idols of vain imaginings shattered—exalted be His might and His sovereignty! Though all the world rose up in opposition, He, through the Criterion, separated truth from falsehood, establishing truth in the most exalted station and consigning falsehood to the nethermost fire. Again, exalted be His might, His power and His sovereignty! Though in the beginning of the Cause He had no helper or supporter, that Holy Being arose alone to establish His Cause.

At times He caused the water of life to be shed upon the soil of existence, whence sprouted the saplings of acceptance and certitude, which grew to maturity. At other times He bestowed from the ocean of knowledge upon the decomposed bones of the earth, whereupon all were stirred to motion and gave voice to the blessed words “Blessed be God, the Best of Creators!” Again […] and the abasement of His enemies. Every soul who at first arose in mockery later arose in servitude, seeking forgiveness with a hundred thousand repentances, while others were consumed by the fire of ignorant prejudice and returned to their abode, which is the very essence of hell.

Glory be unto Thee, O Sender of the winds, Manifester of the dawn, and Ordainer of success! I beseech Thee by the Lamp which Thou didst kindle with the fire of Thy knowledge and didst make the Seal of Thy Prophets and Chosen Ones, that Thou aid Thy servants to be steadfast in Thy Cause. O Lord! Thou seest how the heedless have surrounded those who have turned to Thy most exalted horizon and clung to the hem of the robe of Thy bounty, O Thou Who art the Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens! O Lord! Ordain for Thy loved ones that which shall protect them from the evil of those who have turned away from Thee and disputed Thy proof and Thy testimony. Thou art He Whom nothing can frustrate and no affair can hinder. Thou givest and withholdest, and verily Thou art the All-Giving, the All-Restraining, the Almighty, the Powerful.

I pray and offer salutations upon Him through Whom the banner of Divine Unity was raised and the decree of promise and warning was sent down, and upon His companions who held fast to God’s Covenant and His Testament in such wise that neither the pharaohs of the people nor the tyrants of the age could turn them aside. These are servants in whose praise have spoken the tongues of the Prophets and Messengers.

Afterwards, it is submitted that one blessed night your letters were presented before His Presence. He said:

“We beseech God, the Most High, to grant them goodness and blessing as We have beseeched before. God willing, may they be assisted in all conditions with that which leads to exaltation, elevation and advancement. This Wronged One asks God for their success. He is verily the Helper, the Wise.”

End quote.

God is witness and testifier that this ephemeral one’s longing to serve those beloved ones cannot be described in writing nor be confined to verbal mention. Day and night, at special times, you have been and are remembered and in view. Truly, whenever your letters arrive, it is as if caravans of joy and delight enter the barren desert of grief and sorrow. Another beauty added to this beauty is that no matter how delayed the reply may be, you do not hold this servant responsible, as you know he is occupied in service.

Another submission is that, praise be to God, numerous gardens have been adorned with wondrous and lofty trees, brilliant and radiant flowers, and fresh, delicate herbs. However, the difference is that these gardens are still mentioned in the realm of remembrance and planted in papers, but it is hoped they will choose a location in the small plot and become a gathering place for eyes to receive bounty.

In any case, truly much trouble has befallen those beloved ones regarding the small plot—that is to say, mercy, or rather bounty (these last two words were uttered by the Tongue of the Intended One). The flowers, trees, blossoms, and the cleaner of the trees’ dust that you sent are all engaged in thanksgiving. The blessed deed itself is present and speaking; there was and is no need for mention by this servant. However, these days the small plot has displayed much splendor, the flowers have bloomed, the colorful fish are swimming in the pond, and even the weary birds of this land seem to have somewhat found their voice, as these days there appears some melody in their song. It is not known whether this is from the splendor of the garden or from the attraction of those intoxicated with the true wine. Though outwardly your place is empty, God is witness that you are present before the face.

Regarding what you wrote about the envelopes, by God’s grace all arrived, and concerning what you wrote about the trees and flowers, praise be to God, they went to smell the air and are very pleased and delighted with the garden’s atmosphere. The jars and pitchers, praise be to God, did not ascend to heaven and remain in their place. And that sweetness and those utterances which you wrote about from the Source of Grace concerning carrying the hyacinth to the farm—now too that same grace is manifest and visible, nay greater. May the Lord of nations grant that you may ever dwell in the pavilions of grace and rest in the garden of nearness.

Regarding what you wrote about the accounts and partnership, it was submitted at one of the special times. He said:

“It has been written with truth and rightness. God willing, may they ever drink from the cup of grace and gaze toward the horizon of justice.”

What is truly intended and desired has been and is the word of contentment. Praise be to God, they have attained unto it. If the entire world were to become tongues, they could not fulfill the thanks for a single one of God’s bounties. The spirit, peace, remembrance and glory be upon you and upon those who love you and remember you for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds.

Again I make representation. In one of the letters this passage, which was a source of joy, was noted: “The end is nigh and nothing could be achieved, and there is fear that our lot will come up blank and we will not be counted among the hosts.” After this submission, this reply was vouchsafed: “Your lot was inscribed by the Supreme Pen at the beginning of creation, and you are counted and designated among the hosts of ʿverily the hosts of God, they shall be the victorious ones.’ Happy are ye and joy be unto you!”

BH01760: In My Name, the Wronged One, in lands whose…

…In My Name, the Wronged One, in lands whose soil God hath blessed but whose people He hath cursed in Books which He sent down aforetime to the Prophets and Messengers….

O Ali! Give glad tidings to all the friends of God—tidings that shall ignite the peoples of the world, and bestow a grace that shall be the cause and source of everlasting joy and delight. Say: This is the Speaker on Sinai Who calleth you with utmost mercy and compassion, and this is that same Promised One foretold in all the Books and Scriptures, and this is that Day which hath been and shall be sanctified from the beginning that hath no beginning unto the end that hath no end. God willing, may all attain unto that which God hath desired and drink from the chalice of divine success, despite those who have denied Him Whom they invoke by day and by night. The mosques that were created and exalted by a single Word of God take pride therein, yet deny and turn away from its Creator, Source and Revealer. The Mother Book hath appeared and the Mother of Utterance hath been sent down, yet the people understand not.

God willing, may the lightning of divine yearning course through the body of the world like the arterial vein, that all may be set ablaze by that motion which engendereth heat—the heat of the love of God—so that all may unitedly gaze toward the horizon of God and arise to serve Him. The service of God is that which reformeth the world, not contention and conflict….

Today, every word that is spoken for God’s sake, or deed that is manifested for His sake, is like unto the sun amidst the deeds of the world, and is reckoned before the Divine Throne among the most excellent of deeds and is recorded by the Supreme Pen….

Glory be to God! The entire world today is seen to be waiting, as every sect among the sects awaits a Promised One mentioned in their books. Now that through God’s grace—exalted be His glory—the horizon of the world has been illumined by the lights of the face of the Most Great Name, and the appointed times in the books have been fulfilled, and all signs and tokens have been manifested and made evident, all are found to be heedless, veiled, deniers and opposers, save whom God wills. Not every lip is worthy of this Kawthar, nor every face deserving to turn towards it. How many souls there were who sought the water of life, yet none attained it save the Khidr of the age.

However, former ages had a different wisdom and station, and this age, which is illumined by the lights of the Most Great Manifestation, has another station and another glory, for the ocean of grace is surging and the sun of bounty is shining. Glorified be He Who has appeared and manifested what He willed, and sent down that by which the unified ones soar and the sincere ones hasten. Blessed are those souls who in this divine Day have attained to His recognition and been assisted to serve His Cause. They are among the choicest of servants in the sight of God, the Lord of creation….

BH04758: In My Name, the Most Great, the Most Ancient

…In My Name, the Most Great, the Most Ancient

O ʿAta! We have sent down verses unto thee and dispatched them by Salman who hath believed in God, the Single, the All-Informed. Thou art he whom vain imaginings have not held back from Him Who came with manifest sovereignty. We have preserved thee and protected thee as a bounty from Us, and verily We are the Almighty, the Powerful. Behold and then make mention of the people of the Bayan who denied the rights of God and His sovereignty, and turned away from Him Whom God made the point of adoration for the Concourse on High and the dwellers of the Cities of Names. They are indeed among the distracted ones. They hastened to the clay, turning away from the cooing of the Dove of the Cause which warbled upon the branches. He is God, there is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Great.

O ʿAta! Thou hast drunk from the Kawthar of bounty from the hands of bounty, and this is yet another time—drink thou again and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the worlds!” Thus doth My Most Exalted Pen move to make mention of thee. Thy Lord is indeed the Witness, the All-Hearing. The glory be upon thee and upon those who have turned unto Him and acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken in this noble station….

BH03445: Praise be to God Who, through His All-Subduing Name…

He is God, exalted be His glory, the Greatest and Most Powerful

Praise be to God Who, through His All-Subduing Name, hath been the Subduer of all who are in the heavens and on earth, and through His All-Knowing Name, hath encompassed all that was and will be. All things are held within His grasp of power and seized in the right hand of His will. He hath made clear the proof and revealed the way, guiding all to His supreme horizon and most exalted summit—the station adorned with the ornament of unity and beautified with oneness. The servant beareth witness, as have all servants borne witness, that there is no God but Him. He hath ever been one in His essence, one in His attributes, and one in His deeds and actions. And the resplendent prayers rising from the horizon of grace be upon the Lord of nations and the Beloved of the world, and upon His family and companions who held fast to the Sure Handle and arose to aid His Cause in the kingdom of creation.

And furthermore—may my spirit be a sacrifice for your remembrance and your steadfastness. O my beloved and my cherished one! The servant hath been honored by the fragrances of your ink and adorned with the ornament that flowed from your pen, time after time and again and again. I beseech God to grant you success and aid you, and to ordain for you the good of this world and the next. There is no God but Him, the Hearer, the Answerer.

As to what thou hast mentioned concerning the travellers: though it be contrary to wisdom, leave hath been granted for a visit of three days. It behooveth them to approach this land with gladness and joy, and to refrain on their journey from speaking to anyone about this Cause. Any mention or teaching of the Cause hath been forbidden in these regions.

The ephemeral one conveyeth greetings to His Honor Haji Abbas, upon him be the glory of God, and to the apple of the eye His Honor Husayn and his two brothers, upon them be the glory of God, and upon those who are with you and those who have believed in God, the Single One, the All-Subduing, the Self-Subsisting. There is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Beloved.

The servant 29 Jamadiyu’th-Thani 1299

BH00467: In the name of our God and the God…

In the name of our God and the God of all who are in the heavens and on earth

I was sitting silently when I was commanded to present myself. When I appeared, the Ancient Countenance turned toward me and said:

“O servant in attendance! Where is justice and its standards? Where is equity and its banners? Where is truthfulness and its lights? Where is faithfulness and its manifestations? Verily darkness hath encompassed justice, and tyranny hath usurped the place of equity. Is there any possessor of an illumined heart, a truthful tongue, a pure hope, and a steadfast expectation who would beseech deliverance from God, the Lord of the visible and invisible, the Lord of the Throne and earth, and the Master of the hereafter and this world?”

Thus did He speak.

Glory be unto Thee, O God of the world and Desire of the nations! I beseech Thee by the rain-showers of the clouds of Thy mercy and the pearls of the ocean of Thy utterance to ordain for Thy loved ones that which shall protect them from the tyranny of those who have cast what is right behind their backs and have arisen with an oppression at which the dwellers of the highest Paradise and the inhabitants of the most exalted Heaven have lamented. O Lord! Thou seest Thy chosen ones in the hands of Thy creation, and Thy trusted ones under the command of the treacherous among Thy servants. I beseech Thee by the blood of Thy chosen ones, the cries of Thy pure ones, and the yearning of Thy loved ones to aid us to remain steadfast in Thy Cause in such wise that what hath befallen us through the oppression of Thy creatures shall not prevent us. Then cause us, O our God, in all conditions to be among those who have cast aside their own wishes and have taken up that which Thou didst desire for them through Thy power and sovereignty. There is no God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Generous.

To continue: this servant attained that which soared on wings of longing until he reached the threshold of the gate that was opened before the face of all in the horizons. When I perceived from him the fragrance of humility and submissiveness before God, our Lord and the Lord of all things, I presented myself before the Presence and, after obtaining permission, presented it. When this was completed, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke, and His sweetest utterance was:

In My Name, the Wronged One

O Abu-Talib! Upon thee be My Glory! Rejoice in that thou hast been mentioned before the Divine Throne and hast recognized that which the people, despite their searching and waiting, remained veiled from. Thou hast borne in My path what My loved ones bore in ages and centuries past. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We have been with thee in all conditions—We hear and We see, and I am the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. There hath befallen thee some of what befell Us. Verily thy Lord is the All-Enumerating, the Mighty, the Wise. Thou hast heard for God’s sake what Mine ears heard, and thou hast seen for love of Me what Mine eyes beheld—eyes that neither slumber overtaketh nor are veiled by the coverings of those who denied the Day of Judgment.

O Abu-Talib! Be thou joyous through the bounties of God, exalted be His glory, in such wise that the sorrows of trials and their intensity may not prevent thee from the greatest gladness. This is the day of supreme joy and greatest delight, for the breezes of revelation are wafting and He Who conversed on Sinai is manifest and unconcealed. Blessed is the soul whom the might of oppression hath not debarred from the light of justice. Convey My greetings to the friends in that land. I swear by the Most Great Prison that there hath not been and is not any like unto them. The denizens of the Supreme Paradise speak their praise and the companions of the most exalted Garden turn toward them. God willing, may they succeed in preserving their stations. All must engage in the remembrance and praise of God with utmost joy and fragrance, unity and accord. The light of unity will cause the darkness of oppression to vanish and become non-existent.

What is meant by Pharaohs, tyrants, idols, oppressors, transgressors, rebels and the like that have been mentioned in the Divine Books, Tablets and Scriptures are the ignorant ones of the age who are known as divines. They are the foundation of corruption and the essence of rancor and enmity, for they have been and continue to be the cause of the people’s veiling and the fire of tyranny of these heedless souls. Whenever tyranny appeared from the company of rulers, it was due to the whisperings of these souls, and had they completely submitted to ignorant souls, not a single person of justice and fairness would have been found on earth. In the beginning of every Revelation, they arose in opposition and protest to preserve their leadership, and when the banners of the Cause were raised high and the Sun of Revelation shone forth, they counted themselves among the first believers and exerted mighty efforts to gain control over the people. Blessed is the learned one whom the conditions of the world have not deprived from the ocean of grace. He is accounted among those souls whose mention hath been recorded by the Most Exalted Pen in the Divine Books. Upon them be the glory of God, His mercy, His light and His bounty.

This evanescent servant is bewildered by the deeds of these heedless and ignorant souls. Hath there ever been witnessed a time, period, covenant or age when the divines of the time accepted the Faith at its beginning? Nay, by the Self of God, the One Who dominateth the world! Do these divines not reflect upon the Revelation of Moses, the Revelation of the Spirit (Jesus), and likewise the Seal of the Prophets (Muhammad)—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake—as to what was the cause and reason for the opposition of the divines of the age? In any case, this evanescent servant beseecheth God to adorn them with the ornament of fairness. If a soul were to be even slightly fair-minded, he would never tarry in this most great Cause. From the beginning of creation until now, no Revelation like this Revelation hath appeared and no eye hath beheld its like. All that was made manifest in the past is as a drop compared to this Ocean. Every person possessed of insight and wisdom will testify to the truth of this ephemeral one’s assertion. Glory be to God, our Lord and your Lord, our Goal and your Goal, our Beloved and your Beloved, and the Beloved of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

As to what you wrote regarding oppression, imprisonment and tribulation, in truth such afflictions in the path of God have been and ever shall be an imperishable treasure. Reflect upon the tribulations of kings: when first We entered the prison, verses were revealed from the heaven of divine will with these meanings—as His blessed and exalted Word declares, the Glory of God, exalted be His glory, has withdrawn honor from two groups: the rulers and the divines—as most have read. Likewise, when the light of Revelation shone forth from the horizon of the Land of Mystery, these tidings flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. Now observe how the one regarded as the foremost person in the earth—namely the Emperor of Russia—departed this world in utter abasement, as you have heard.

And all that befell him bore and bears no fruit. And the new Emperor has been so seized with fear that the poor soul cannot leave his residence, even though that unfortunate one has yet harmed no one nor has any reprehensible deed been witnessed from him. Nevertheless he is afflicted with this most grievous tribulation. Likewise reflect upon the other monarchs of the western realms, how they have all become targets for the arrows of tribulation. The whole world is now consumed with various fires, yet none knows the cause and reason thereof.

In brief, whatsoever hath come to pass and continues to pass is due to the deeds they have wrought. This evanescent servant beseeches God, exalted be His glory, to adorn those precious souls with the ornament of justice and fairness, and to protect them from the evil of the corrupt ones. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Glad tidings that beyond the wondrous, sublime, revealed and blessed verses in this letter, a Most Holy, Most Great Tablet was also revealed some time ago especially for you from the heaven of the favor of God, glorified be His majesty, and is now being sent. God willing, you will drink from the oceans of meaning that lie concealed within its words and take your seat upon the throne of joy. This is a most blessed day, yet the people of the world are deeply heedless. According to His command, you must hold fast in all conditions to the cord of wisdom, and preserve whatever holy tablets and letters arrive from the Most Holy Court and from this servant. It would be regrettable were the verses of God to fall into the wrong hands.

A secure place must be designated for the divine trusts—that is, the verses and words. Likewise the matter of sending petitions to the Most Holy Court and the revelation of replies must be concealed from all save trusted, steadfast and well-assured souls, for the people are unaware of God’s creation, favor and loving-kindness. They imagine that this Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted Revelation is, God forbid, a cause of sedition and corruption, whereas in all that is revealed and sent down from the heaven of divine will, all are enjoined to what is right and forbidden from what is wrong. A human being must be adorned with spiritual qualities and pure and holy deeds and actions. Whoever does not attain to this station is not accounted as human.

May God grant justice that they may observe and reflect upon the traces of the Most Exalted Pen with pure vision and illumined hearts, that they may not be deprived and remain without portion from the ocean of meanings.

Convey greetings and salutations on my behalf to the friends in that land and say: This is the day of endeavor, the day of action and the day of service. You must strive to sanctify the hearts of the world, through the Kawthar of utterance, from the doubts and allusions of the divines who soar on the wings of self and desire. Blessed is the one who attains to this most great bounty and seeks this most exalted station and loftiest summit.

The friends of God must at all times be occupied with fostering love, unity and the reconciliation of hearts. Once these blessed words were heard from the Dawning-Place of the Light of Oneness—exalted be His glory:

“The sun of justice derives its brightness from the light of unity.”

May the heads of all the peoples of the world be adorned with this most luminous and holy crown.

Another glad-tiding is that this evanescent servant, in accordance with the command, turned towards the Most Holy Court, and after attaining the presence, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these words: “O servant present, what were you occupied with?” This evanescent servant replied with faltering tongue that I was engaged in transcribing the verses that were specifically revealed for Jinab-i-Aqa Siyyid Abu-Talib. He said: “God willing, may they be confirmed in the service of the Cause.” And the service of the Cause in most Tablets has been through mention, praise and reconciliation. Blessed is the soul who held fast to wisdom and clung to consultation. Jinab-i-Talib has attained unto the divine Word and has been honored by His grace. God willing, may he act according to that which God loves. We counsel him and all my handmaidens and servants to show forth the Greater Steadfastness and that whereby the Cause of God, the Lord of all worlds, may be exalted.

God is witness and testifier that if all the peoples of the world were to attain to fairness even less than the eye of a needle, they would surely testify that the like of this grace has never appeared in the world. What benefit is there when the doubts and idle fancies of the servants have prevented them from beholding the lights of the Sun of certitude? All are seen to be blind save those whom God, the Forgiving, the Generous, has given insight. Praise be to God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. May the Glory that is manifest and shining from the horizon of the heaven of our Lord’s grace be upon you and upon those with you and upon your family and upon those who have attained unto the days of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

The servant 10th of the honored month of Rajab 1299

BH00328: This is a remembrance from Us unto him who…

Section 1: “This is a remembrance from Us unto him…”

He is the All-Eloquent, the Expositor, the All-Informed

This is a remembrance from Us unto him who hath turned unto God, the Lord of all worlds, and whose letter hath reached the Most Great Prison, and who hath been blessed to hearken unto the Wronged One whilst He was in the hands of the heedless. O Muhammad-Qabli, hearken unto the Call from the direction of grandeur, from the right hand of the luminous spot, from the Divine Lote-Tree: Verily, there is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We have heard thy cry and perceived therefrom the fragrance of thy love. We have turned unto thee and answered thee through this Epistle, from which the sincere ones shall inhale the sweet savors of the loving providence of their Gracious Lord.

How many a learned one hath been veiled by his learning from the Sovereign of all knowledge, and how many an illiterate one hath shattered the idols of vain desire in the name of the Lord of all mankind and turned with radiant countenance toward the supreme horizon. How many a mystic hath found mysticism to be as chains about his neck, barring him from the shores of the ocean from whose waves can be heard:

“The world hath been illumined with the lights of the Manifestation, and He Who conversed upon Sinai hath come with clear sovereignty.”

How many a divine hath been held back by the greatest veil from the Lord of Destiny, and how many an ignorant one hath rent it asunder through the name of his Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful. O Muhammad-Qabli, arise to serve thy Lord with wisdom and utterance. Thus hath the command been sent down from the presence of the All-Merciful, whilst most of the people remain heedless.

Among the people are those who have turned away from the Mother Book, clinging to such fancies and idle imaginings as they possess. This is the Day that was attributed unto God in the Books of the Prophets and Messengers. This is the Day whereon all things proclaim:

“The Lord of all names and Creator of the heavens hath come with a Cause before which all the hosts of earth and heaven are powerless to stand.”

Cast aside the people’s ancient tales through the power of thy Lord. By God’s life! Such tales have held them back from the supreme horizon. Verily thy Lord is the Expositor, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

Say: O people, be fair in the Cause of God which hath appeared with the truth, and follow not the vain imaginings of those who have cast behind them God’s Covenant and Testament, following every ignorant remote one. Break the idols of fancy through His Name, the Self-Subsisting, then turn with radiant faces toward the Dawning-Place of the revelation of your Lord, the Lord of all beings. This will profit you in the Hereafter and in this world, if ye be of them that know. This is a Day wherein that which ye possess of the interpretations of those whom knowledge hath made vain will profit you not, such that they have been prevented from the Sovereign of all knowledge, Who calleth aloud between earth and heaven:

“Verily there is no God but Me, the Omnipotent, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

Say: O concourse of divines, consider and remember when ye gave verdict against the Messengers of God in the past, denied God’s right and sovereignty, disputed His signs, and disbelieved in His firm and mighty Cause. Cast aside that which hath kept you from the path of God and take hold of that which ye have been commanded in His mighty Book. Open your eyes! By God’s life, the ocean of life surgeth before your faces and the fragrance of the All-Merciful wafteth through your lands. Fear God and be not of the wrongdoers. Your likeness is as one who holdeth fast to a single letter, turning away from the Most Great Book wherein are revealed the mysteries of what hath been and what shall be. Say: Come ye, come ye, that I may reveal unto you what ye possess of God’s Books and Scriptures and what was sent down unto My chosen ones from the First for Whom there is no beginning. Thus hath the Bird of Utterance warbled upon the branches and the Tongue of the All-Merciful in the Kingdom of knowledge, would that ye might know.

Say: Ye have taken a drop and cast the ocean behind your backs. What aileth you, O company of unbelievers? Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One from the direction of His Name, the Self-Subsisting, and arise to aid the Cause of your Lord, the Knower of the seen and unseen. Say: By God, the Wronged One calleth you for the sake of God, as witnessed by what hath befallen Him in His days at the hands of those through whose tyranny the Concourse on High have lamented and the eyes of those who have held fast to the Most Firm Handle have wept on this witnessed Day. Thus have We sent down the verses and expounded them in truth that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. The splendor shining from the horizon of the loving-kindness of the Lord of Names be upon thee and upon those who have been just in the Cause of God, the Sovereign of existence.

Praise be to God that thou hast hearkened to the call of the Lord of Names and turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon. Thy letter arrived and was mentioned by this servant in the presence of the Wronged One, and was granted audience. Blessed is every one who hath turned, every hearer who hath heard, and every seeing one who hath beheld the Most Exalted Horizon and the Supreme Summit. All sacred Books and Scriptures have testified to the greatness of this Cause, and the True One, exalted be His glory, hath attributed this Day among all days to Himself. Nevertheless, all remain heedless and veiled from its greatness. Strange it is that certain divines of the earth who are veiled have not yet reflected upon what caused the divines of past ages and former centuries to reject and oppose the Manifestations of the Divine Unity.

By My life! They are the great veils and the august shrouds that have been and continue to be the cause of preventing the eyes of the people. It is most regrettable that anyone should today deprive himself of the outpourings of the All-Bountiful One, for that which is lost today cannot be regained through human power. Stand firm for God’s sake and speak for God’s sake. Every word that proceedeth from the tongue purely for the sake of God is effective. The deeds of this day are recorded in the divine Books as the sovereign of all deeds. Strive that thou mayest be accounted as one of the trees of the eternal paradise in God’s Book and that thy mention may endure in the Book of the world.

As to your question concerning the reality of the soul, it is a divine sign and a heavenly essence which all the learned have failed to comprehend and all the wise have been powerless to understand. It is the first entity to speak of God, its Creator, to turn towards Him, to hold fast unto Him, and to bow down before Him. In this state it is ascribed unto truth and returneth unto Him; otherwise it is reckoned among the followers of self and passion and returneth unto them. Today, whoso hath not been hindered by the doubts of the peoples from attaining unto the truth, and whom neither the clamour of the divines nor the might of princes hath deterred, is accounted among the greatest signs in the sight of God, the Lord of all beings, and is recorded by the Supreme Pen in God’s Book. Blessed is he who hath attained thereunto and hath recognized its station and rank.

Regarding the stages of the soul, such as the soul that commandeth to evil, the self-reproaching soul, the inspired soul, the assured soul, the pleased soul, the soul that is well-pleasing, and the like—these have been mentioned before and the books of the people are replete with such references. The Most Exalted Pen hath had and hath no desire to mention these stations. The soul that is, in this day, submissive to God and holding fast unto Him—all names are its names and all stations are its stations. During sleep it hath no attachment to anything external, but remaineth at rest in its own station. All matters appear through their causes, and through causes do the stations of wayfaring, perception and vision vary. Consider the faculty of sight: it beholdeth all created things of earth and heaven, trees and rivers and mountains, yet through one small hindrance it may be deprived of all. Exalted is He Who created all causes, and exalted is He Who hath made all things dependent on causes. Every single thing among all things is a door leading to His knowledge, a sign of His sovereignty, a revelation of His names, a testimony to His majesty and power, and a path unto His straight way.

O Muhammad-Qabli-ʿAli! Give thanks unto God that We have turned toward thee from the precincts of the Prison and have made mention of thee with a mention wherewith the honored servants shall remember thee. Verily the soul, as it is, is a sign among the signs of God and a mystery among His mysteries. It is the Most Great Sign and the Herald that giveth tidings of the divine worlds. Within it lieth concealed that which the present world with all its capacity is powerless to mention or describe. Behold the Soul of God standing firm upon the ways of truth, and the commanding soul that hath risen in opposition and forbiddeth men from drawing nigh unto the Lord of Names, bidding them instead to wickedness and iniquity. Know ye that it is in manifest loss.

Section 2: “Consider the ignorance of the people, who, while…”

Consider the ignorance of the people, who, while knowing that none hath had access to the source of opposition, have yet spoken that which the ancients never uttered. Stand thou firm in the Cause with such steadfastness that every person of insight may perceive therefrom the fragrance of steadfastness in the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds. Say: O concourse of the ignorant! Come ye that we may examine the traces, for they will guide us to the straight path, acquaint us with what was hidden, and draw us near unto God, the One, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower. Say: Cast away what ye possess and take hold of that which ye are commanded in the Book.

By God! He hath come with such sovereignty as none can deny save those who have cast fairness behind their backs and have risen in tyranny. Say: Come ye, come ye, that We may show you the Sun at its noontide zenith. Fear God, O people, and be not of them that are astray. He hath come for your salvation and hath sent down for you that which will draw you nigh unto God, the Lord of all men. Cast off the rivulet, for by God, the Most Great Ocean hath surged before the faces of the nations. Turn ye unto Him and be not of those who saw the proof yet denied it, following every heedless doubter. Thus hath the Supreme Pen coursed in the arena of proof and demonstration. Blessed is he who hath attained unto its cry, and woe unto him who hath turned away from God, the Lord of the Final End.

As to thy question regarding whither the soul returneth after the dissolution of the body: if it be associated with truth, it returneth to the Supreme Horizon. By the life of God! It returneth to a station whereof all tongues and pens are powerless to make mention. Every soul that is firm and steadfast in the Cause of God shall, after its ascension, be the source from which all worlds derive their bounties. Such a soul is the leaven that giveth rise to the world and the crafts and visible things therein, through the command of the True Sovereign and the True Educator. Observe ye the leaven, how it requireth a leavening agent—and pure souls are the leaven of the world. Ponder thou and be of the thankful.

These stations, and likewise the stations of the soul, have been mentioned in various Tablets. The soul is a sign that is sanctified from entry and exit; it is both still and in motion, seated yet soaring. It beareth witness to a world that hath beginning and end, and likewise to a world that is sanctified from beginning and end. In this night thou observest a matter, and after twenty years, more or less, thou shalt behold that very same thing. Now consider what manner of world this is. Reflect upon the wisdom of God and His manifestations, and say:

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, my Lord and my Goal, for having enabled me to recognize the ocean of Thy bounty and the heaven of Thy Revelation, and for having given me to drink from the Kawthar of acceptance through the hands of Thy generosity. I beseech Thee by the lights of the Sun of Thy countenance and the fire of the Tree of Thy Cause to assist me under all conditions to serve Thee and to promote Thy Cause. O Lord! Thou art the All-Bountiful, possessed of great grace. The affairs of the world do not withhold Thee, nor do the hints of the nations render Thee powerless. O Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Self to open before my face, with the finger of Thy power, the door of Thy knowledge, then ordain for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen the good of the hereafter and of this world. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all beings. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the Omnipotent.

As for what thou hast mentioned, whether belief in Thee and Thy Manifestations hath different grades according to varying levels of understanding, or whether it hath but one reality—regarding this question, there arose in the past among the different sects of the Qur’an vain disputations that neither nourish nor satisfy. Such disputations are, in truth, as clouds and veils before new-born sight. However, for those whom God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy, hath endowed with insight, there are assuredly different stations and varying levels of comprehension. Observe and ponder the signs of creation. The Seal of the Prophets hath said: “Lord, increase my astonishment in Thee!”

As for what thou hast mentioned concerning the end of the physical world, the recognition of this station dependeth upon the vision of the beholder. In one respect it is finite, and in another it is sanctified therefrom. The Truth hath ever been, and will ever be, and likewise creation, except that the latter is preceded by causation. In this case the principle of unity is established and realized.

As for thy question about the celestial spheres, first it must be known what is meant by the mention of spheres and heaven recorded in the books of the past and present, and likewise how they relate to and influence the visible world. All minds and hearts are bewildered at this station. None hath comprehended it save God alone. The philosophers who have interpreted the age of the world to be many thousands of years have not in this period enumerated the planets. How many differences are visible and evident between the sayings of those before and after! And for every fixed star there are planets, and for every planet there are creations whose number the enumerators are powerless to count.

O thou who gazest upon My countenance! This day the Most Exalted Horizon is resplendent and the Call of God hath been raised. We have revealed in the Tablets: “This is not a Day for questions.” It behooveth whosoever hath heard the Call from the Most Exalted Horizon to arise and say: “Here am I, here am I, O God of Names! Here am I, here am I, O Fashioner of the heavens! I bear witness that through Thy Manifestation there hath appeared that which lay hidden in the Books of God and concealed in the Scriptures of His Messengers.” Verily, should any soul truly comprehend the utterance, let him arise with utmost endeavor to serve the Cause with wisdom and eloquence, in such wise that neither the clamor of the ungodly nor the croaking of the heedless shall deter him.

There hath appeared from the Most Exalted Pen such scientific truths as all on earth are powerless to comprehend, save whom God willeth. The Primal Point hath declared: “He it is Who in every condition proclaimeth ʿVerily I am God, no God is there but Me”’ and the Divine Lote-Tree likewise hath voiced this most exalted word and still doth voice it. Blessed is he who hath found the fragrance of the All-Merciful, detached from all else—he is indeed of the people of Baha in the Crimson Book. Blessed are they that have attained!

Well is it with thee for having turned unto Him and believed in this Day wherein the earth hath lamented and the heavens have cried out, wherein the limbs of all names have trembled and the feet of the learned have slipped—they who violated God’s Covenant and His Testament by following vain imaginings and idle fancies. Give thanks unto God for having aided thee, given thee knowledge, granted thee utterance, and taught thee that which hath guided thee to the straight path. We have indeed perceived the fragrance of thy love and thy turning unto Him and the burning of thy heart, and have therefore revealed unto thee this Book wherein We have set forth the verses as a command from Us. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the Bestower. We have seen thy condition and heard that wherewith thou didst commune with God. Verily He witnesseth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Behold, then remember what thou hast heard aforetime and what hath been manifested in this Revelation, and arise to serve the Cause with such steadfastness as shall make firm all feet.

Thus doth the Wronged One counsel thee from the precincts of the Prison, and make mention of thee with verses that shall never be exhausted. The splendor shining from the horizon of thy Lord’s bounty be upon thee and upon whosoever hath clung to the hem of God, the Lord of all creation.

BH00439: Glorified art Thou, O God of earth and throne…

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

Glorified art Thou, O God of earth and throne, Lord of all beings and Sovereign of the hereafter and the former times! I beseech Thee by the Crimson Ark which Thou hast made the dwelling-place of the people of Baha, to illumine Thy lands with the lights of Thy countenance and the hearts of Thy servants with the revelations of the Sun of Thy knowledge. O Lord! Thou seest them in the hands of the wicked among Thy creatures as captives and strangers. O Lord! The Pharaohs’ conditions, the tyrants’ wishes, and the Caesars’ designs have gained ascendancy over them. O Lord! The fire of hatred from the oppressors among Thy creatures and the rebellious among Thy creation hath encompassed them.

They pass judgment upon Thy chosen ones according to their desires and act according to their own inclinations in ways that cause the dwellers of the pavilion of infallibility and the tabernacle of grandeur to lament. O Lord! Thou hearest the sighs of the denizens of the Most Exalted Paradise at what hath befallen Thy loved ones in Thy days, and the cries of the inhabitants of the cities of names at what they have witnessed from the oppressors among Thy creation who pronounced judgment against Thee and sought to slay Thee by night and day. Verily Thou art the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Thou knowest and seest; there is no God but Thee, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

I beseech Thee, O God of the world, to protect Thy loved ones from the evil of those whose tyranny caused the dwellers of the Most Exalted Paradise to cry out, and to extinguish the fire that hath been kindled by rancor and hatred. O Lord! Thou art the Strong, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Glorious. The mighty among Thy servants cannot prevent Thee, nor can the power of those in the lands render Thee powerless. I pray and offer salutations and glorification upon Thy Prophets, Thy Messengers, Thy chosen ones and Thy loved ones who cast the world aside, turning to the pavilion of Thy grandeur which the hand of Thy power hath raised for the establishment of Thy throne.

O Lord! They are the lamps of Thy Cause, the suns of Thy wisdom, and the moons in the heaven of Thy providence. I beseech Thee by them, by the light of their faces, by the sweetness of their utterance, by their knowledge and wisdom, by their arising and their aid, by their patience and forbearance, by their humility and submissiveness, and by their steadfastness, to ordain for Thy chosen ones that which will protect them from the arrows of the idolaters among Thy servants and the spears of the heedless among Thy creation. The servant knoweth with absolute certainty that if Thou wert to reveal today unto Thine enemies what Thou hast revealed unto Thy loved ones, the wine of revelation would so overcome them that they would hasten to the ocean of Thy bounty and turn to the Most Exalted Horizon—the station from which the lights of the Sun of Thy countenance have shone forth.

O my God and my Beloved! Thou seest my tears and hearest my sighs. I beseech Thee to ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy loved ones from the Pen of Thy decree, of adversity and tribulation, lest any of Thy loved ones be saddened in Thy shadow. O Lord! The fire of Thy love hath set the world ablaze and by it the hearts of the peoples have melted. I beseech Thee by the Most Great Name through which mysteries have been revealed and traces have appeared, to make known to Thy loved ones what Thou hast ordained for them by Thy Pen, O Lord of all names and Creator of heaven, and to enable them to attain the station of nearness, sanctity and beauty—the station wherein whosoever reacheth it is not dismayed by what hath befallen or may befall him in Thy path.

By Thy glory, O Thou Goal of them that know! The servant loveth to show them what Thou hast ordained for them through Thy bounty, that it may so attract them that they would see every affliction as sweet for Thy good-pleasure and every hardship as comfort in Thy love. However, Thy wisdom hath prevented me from disclosure and Thy fear hath forbidden me from revelation. There is no God but Thee, the Powerful, the Exalted, the Commanding, the Sovereign, the Ruler, the Unconstrained.

O beloved of my heart, thou who art mentioned in the court of my Purpose and your Purpose, my Beloved and your Beloved, and the Beloved of all who are in the heavens and the earth! The fragrance of thy words hath revealed to me the intensity of thy longing and the blazing of the fire of thy love for God, the Lord of the worlds. When I drank the water of love and affection from the chalices of thy words, and found the sweetness of thy remembrance and praise of our Lord and your Lord, I betook myself to the Most Exalted Station until I attained the presence of His Countenance. And after gaining permission, I presented that which the nightingale of thy longing warbled upon the branches of thy knowledge. Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that which the world hath witnessed, saying:

In My Name, the Speaking, the All-Knowing

O Ali! The Wronged One hath heard thy mention and thy praise in the letter thou didst send to the servant in attendance before the Countenance, and We have revealed for thee that which hath attracted the hearts of them that are possessed of understanding. The Most Great Proof hath appeared, and the Lord of Eternity proclaimeth with the loudest voice: The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful! Say: This is the Day wherein the Mother of the Bayan and the Mother Book walketh and speaketh, while the people are in doubt and schism. We have sent down the proof and made manifest the way, as a grace from Us. Verily, thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. All things have testified to the Lord of Names, and the Supreme Pen speaketh and saith: By God! The Hidden One hath appeared with the banners of His signs. This is the Day wherein the Ocean of Utterance beareth witness to the Lord of Religions, and the Divine Lote-Tree speaketh and giveth the glad tidings to the servants of this Revelation, through which the horizons have been illumined.

O thou who soarest in the atmosphere of My love! Night and day, the Pen and the Tongue are occupied with the mention of the friends of God, and naught can equal even a letter thereof. Give thou the glad-tidings of the favors of the Lord of Names to the people of Baha, both manifest and hidden, that perchance the sorrows of the world may not prevent them from the Lord of Eternity. I swear by the Ocean of Divine Utterance that the survival of the world and its growth and elevation have been and are for the sake of the loved ones of Truth. The poverty that is now witnessed is the cause of wealth and riches, and likewise weakness is the cause of power and might. O Ali! The lights of the Sun of Justice shall emerge from behind the dark clouds and illumine the world. Convey My greetings to them that drink the choice wine of inner meanings, and say: Death is written once for every soul, and this is an irrevocable decree inscribed by the Supreme Pen in God’s Book. Blessed is the soul whose life and death are for God and occur in His path.

All must today observe wisdom and act in accordance with it, and arise to serve the Cause with the utmost joy and fragrance. Man hath been created for love and knowledge. Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto that which God, the Lord of all that was and shall be, hath desired.

By My life! These two days are not worthy of attention. Beseech God that He may enable all to achieve that which is loved and mentioned in His presence. Say: Drink ye My choice sealed wine in My Name, the Self-Subsisting. It will attract you to a station wherein the conditions of the world will not sadden you, nor will the clamor of those who have turned away from God, the Exalted, the Great.

Say: O friends! Know ye the worth of your stations and preserve them through the Name of God, the Most Glorious. Were the veil to be lifted and less than a needle’s eye of the station of God’s chosen ones be revealed, all the world would turn towards the Most Great Name. Now the manifestations, conditions and ephemeral beings of the earth have prevented the people from the Dawning-Place of the Light of Oneness. And what is meant by ephemeral conditions and colors are the divines of the age who are the cause of prevention. They are the greatest veil that hath intervened between the lights of the Countenance and humanity. Would that they had attained unto a drop from the ocean of knowledge! They have borne an ocean of vain imaginings and a city of idle fancies, and in the marketplace of heedlessness they seek customers. Their likeness is as one who hath been named “the Wolf,” whose deeds and allotted time have been set down by the Pen of the All-Merciful in the Tablet of Proof.

Say: O friends! In all circumstances fix your gaze upon wisdom and hold fast unto it. Put your trust in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. He is with you, hearing what your tongues utter and seeing your deeds. He, verily, is the Witness, the Hearer, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Upon thee be My Glory, and upon them, and upon whosoever was present before the Face and recordeth that which descendeth from the Kingdom of Utterance of his Lord, the Almighty, the Powerful, and upon those who circle round the Throne with manifest sincerity.

Praise be to God! That beloved one hath been and is adorned with the ornament of the grace of God, the Most Glorious. The world cannot equal this bounty, nor can the birds of the hearts comprehend it. Although for some time this evanescent servant hath not been enabled to reply to that beloved one’s letter, this was not due to any lack of sincerity. God, the All-Knowing, is witness and testifier that they are ever before mine eyes and present in my heart. Several petitions from that land attained the Most Holy Court and responses to some were revealed in those same days. Nevertheless, due to consummate wisdom and events occurring in this land and other considerations, there was delay until this time when, by the command and will of the Lord of Oneness, it was sent. God willing, they will attain unto it and drink from the Kawthar of divine utterance—a drink that the vicissitudes of time shall not efface nor remove from sight.

All the Prophets and Messengers have awaited this Day, as have the saints and chosen ones, and at all times they have beseeched and implored God, the Most Glorious, that they might be enabled to hearken unto this call and be honored and distinguished by the word of His good-pleasure. Soon will the stations of those souls who have drunk the wine of steadfastness and attained unto the Word of God become manifest and evident in the earth.

And concerning what you wrote about hearing that the Most Great Branch—may my spirit, my being, and my essence be sacrificed for the dust of His footsteps—hath chosen to travel: Yes, all that was revealed by the Supreme Pen upon first arrival in the prison hath become fully manifest and evident. At first arrival in the Most Great Prison conditions were exceedingly difficult, until the Supreme Pen gave the glad-tidings that the prison gates would be opened—whoso willeth may go forth and whoso willeth may enter therein. Until now, each year He hath journeyed in whatever direction He hath chosen and none hath objected; rather, all have shown the utmost submissiveness and humility. Had the existing souls moved according to what God desired, now would the whole earth be seen as one land. The details of this land remain concealed and unmentioned. Knowledge is with God, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

You made mention of the Devil of Cyprus having been released, as reported. Would that he were released and would associate with people for a while, so that what is hidden might become clear and evident. Consider, O beloved of my heart, how he was concealed behind numerous veils, city after city, while God, exalted be His glory, was alone in the hands of His servants. Yet when the banner “Verily He is God, there is none other God but Him” was raised in the most exalted station, the buzzing of flies emerged from behind the veil, uttering that which neither the tyrants nor Pharaohs of old had uttered. The tyrants and Pharaohs mentioned in every instance are, according to the explanation of the All-Merciful, the divines of the age who in every era and century have been the cause of people’s hindrance and veiling. I testify that they have gone astray and led others astray. Soon shall they find themselves in the lowest depths.

What you sent arrived and, praise be to God, was adorned with the ornament of acceptance. This evanescent one’s petition is that, should wisdom permit, convey my greetings to the friends in that land who soar on wings of steadfastness in the atmosphere of the love of the Beloved of the worlds. God willing, may you remain firm and steadfast in the Cause of the Lord of all creation with the utmost power, might, spirit and joy, and may you drink at all times from the living waters. This is the day for the manifestation of refined conduct, goodly character, and pure deeds. We beseech God to adorn all with these and to aid them to achieve in the assemblage of the world that which He loves and is pleased with. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. There is none other God but Him, the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful.

The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of utterance of our Lord, the Most Merciful, be upon you and upon those with you and upon those whom the affairs of creation have not hindered from the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH03436: O Muhammad! O thou who hast turned thy face…

In the Name of the All-Loving, the All-Bountiful

O Muhammad! O thou who hast turned thy face toward My horizon and hast expended what thou hadst in search of My good-pleasure! The Wronged One maketh mention of thee with that which shall draw thee to a station wherein the sorrows of the world and its conditions and its intimations and its manifestations shall not affect thee. Verily thy Lord is the All-Merciful, the Forgiving. Blessed be thy face, for it hath turned toward Him, and thy heart, for it hath attained unto the ornament of the love of God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. We have known thy sorrow and witnessed thy grief at what hath befallen thee through the decree of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. We counsel thee to patience and forbearance. By the life of God! He is in a station wherein hearts rejoice and eyes are gladdened. Were the world to possess any worth in thy Lord’s estimation, He would not have left it to His loved ones. To this testifieth the Preserved Tablet in His presence. We have desired to make mention of him at this time in this Forbidden Place—the Light manifest, resplendent and shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, the Most High, the All-Glorious.

Upon thee, O thou whom the attraction of the love of the Lord of Names hath drawn to the Supreme Horizon! I bear witness that thou didst inhale the fragrance of the Garment and didst seek the Ultimate Goal—the station whereof all the pens of the world are powerless to make mention. Blessed art thou, O thou who wast deemed small by the people but great in the sight of God, the Knower of things unseen. Joy be to him who remembereth thee and visiteth thee for the sake of God, the Lord of the seen and unseen.

O My Afnan! Sorrows have encompassed Us from every side through what the people possess in manifest wrong. They have cast the Cause of God behind their backs and followed every remote oppressor. They behold the signs of God, yet dispute them; they hear His call, yet turn away from it. They are indeed among the most lost. Will what they possess endure for them, or will their ornaments profit them? Nay, by thy Lord, the Supreme Ruler over all who are in the heavens and on earth! Thus hath the tongue of the Wronged One spoken in this holy, mighty and exalted station.

We send Our greetings from this Place to thee and to My Afnan who have remained faithful to God’s Covenant and Testament and who were among the firm ones. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH03566: O Afnan! By My life, sorrows have mounted until…

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

O Afnan! By My life, sorrows have mounted until they have reached the hem of the robe of thy Lord’s mercy, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful, by reason of what hath come to thee from My Most Exalted Pen, though I know that he who hath ascended hath attained unto that which most of the servants have not attained. He Who heareth and seeth beareth witness to this, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O My Afnan! By My life, wert thou to behold his station, thou wouldst thank thy Lord and say:

“I testify that Thou art praised in Thy deeds and obeyed in Thy command. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Praised.”

The Wronged One consoleth and comforteth thee in the Most Great Prison, and hath sent down for thee that which bespeaketh His mercy that hath preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth.

I testify that he hath soared to the Divine Lote-Tree and been attracted by the manifestations of thy Lord’s providence in such wise that every discerning one is powerless to describe it. The breeze of detachment hath wafted from the garden of this world, and every hearing ear perceiveth its rushing sound. That which is seen and unseen shall perish, and sovereignty over the Kingdom shall remain with God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment. We have remembered him and do remember him as a command from Us. Verily thy Lord is the All-Merciful, the Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

O My Afnan! He Who conversed on Sinai consoleth thee in what hath befallen thee, and the Desired One of the world remembereth thee while imprisoned by those who were heedless of God and His sovereignty, who disputed His signs and turned away from His manifest and shining proof. Know thou this most exalted station and convey My greetings to My leaves and Afnans who have held fast to the command of God, the Mighty, the Powerful. In all circumstances remain thou firm in the wisdom We have sent down mention of in the Psalms and Tablets, as a command from One All-Wise, All-Knowing.

The glory shining from the horizon of eternity be upon thee and upon My Afnans and upon those who love you and hearken to your words in this firm and mighty Cause.

BH03932: O my God, my Lord, my Support and my…

He is the First and the Last, the Manifest and the Hidden

O my God, my Lord, my Support and my Hope! My outer and inner tongue bear witness that Thou art God, that there is none other God but Thee. Thou hast ever been supreme over Thy creation and powerful over Thy servants. Thou didst send the Messengers and reveal the Books for the guidance of the people of Thy kingdom—a bounty from Thee. Thou art He, O my God, Whose mercy hath preceded all created things and Whose grace hath encompassed all existence.

I beseech Thee by the suns of the heavens of Thy Will and the pearls of the oceans of Thy knowledge and volition to draw me near unto Thee in all conditions and to ordain for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen that which Thou didst ordain for Thy loved ones and chosen ones whom Thou didst assist through Thy power and sovereignty to shatter the idols of idle fancies and vain imaginings, and whom Thou didst guide to Thy path. Thou art He Whom the might of the oppressors cannot frustrate and the ascendancy of the pharaohs cannot prevent. Thou doest what Thou willest and ordainest what Thou pleasest. Within the grasp of Thy power lieth the control of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

Wouldst Thou disappoint, O my God, one who hath sought the gate of Thy bounty, and wouldst Thou deny, O my Beloved, one who hath hastened to the shore of the ocean of Thy grace? I beseech Thee by the wonders of Thy favor to forgive me and remit my sins which have come between me and Thee.

O Lord! The poorest of Thy servants hath sought the ocean of Thy wealth, and the lowliest of Thy creation hath turned toward the horizon of Thy power. I beseech Thee by the Manifestation of Thy Self, the Dayspring of Thy signs and the Source of Thy Cause to ordain for me that which shall profit me in the hereafter and in this world. Verily Thou art the Lord of all humanity.

Then make me steadfast in Thy love and the love of Thy chosen ones, and assist me to act according to what Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. Thou art He from Whose knowledge nothing escapeth, and Thou art God, there is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH04562: O Ahmad, upon thee be My Glory! Hearken unto…

He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing

O Ahmad, upon thee be My Glory! Hearken unto My remembrance and My call, and unto that which appeareth from the Kingdom of Mine utterance concerning one of Mine Afnan whom We have illumined with the lights of the Sun of Our providence and purified from whatsoever is repugnant to Our good-pleasure. We were with him on the day he was born and at the time when he soared on the wings of detachment to the All-Highest Horizon and attained the blessing of nearness and sanctity and the presence of his Lord, and witnessed His greatest signs. By My life! The most great joy seized him in such wise as transcendeth the comprehension of men. The Tongue of Grandeur now maketh mention of him, saying: O Husayn, He Who is the H and the S remembereth thee from His mighty prison, that through His remembrance the chosen ones of God and His loved ones may remember thee—they who have testified to that which God Himself hath testified: that there is none other God besides Me, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

I bear witness that thou wast born in sanctity and didst ascend unto God with a countenance unaltered by earthly conditions and tribulations, until thou didst enter within the precincts of the mercy of thy Lord, the All-Loving, the All-Merciful. I bear witness that thou wert mature before attaining maturity, and wert strong in the Book of God, the Lord of the mighty Throne. Blessed is he who turneth towards thee and standeth at thy resting-place and visiteth thee through that which hath flowed from My Most Exalted Pen in this glorious station. We counsel Mine Afnan to patience and fortitude, and We console them in what hath befallen the Divine Lote-Tree through God’s irrevocable decree. The light that shineth resplendent from the horizon of God’s tender mercy be upon you and upon those who have attained unto His remembrance, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

BH04397: O Supreme Pen! Make mention of him who hath…

He is the Compassionate, the Consoler, the Mighty, the All-Knowing

O Supreme Pen! Make mention of him who hath soared unto the Sadratu’l-Muntaha and attained unto that which was inscribed in the Books of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O My Afnan! Whatsoever befalleth is in accordance with the consummate wisdom of God, especially in matters pertaining to the Afnan. Soon shall that which hath been mentioned reveal its effects throughout all regions.

The world itself at every moment testifieth to its own evanescence. What joy is there that grief hath not overtaken? What exaltation that change hath not pursued? What abode from which the wailing of weeping hath not arisen? And what might and power that the talons of weakness and impotence have not seized?

Yet, by My life, that which hath befallen you, though outwardly it appeareth as fire, inwardly it is light. The tongue of the Wronged One in this prison testifieth to that which hath been mentioned, and beyond it those who were created by God’s binding Word. Your tribulation hath grieved My heart and My Pen, for the Tree hath related you unto it and made you to be of the people of Baha in a perspicuous Book.

God willing, in all conditions you shall remain fixed upon the most exalted horizon and patient in that which hath befallen you. Convey on behalf of the Wronged One greetings to those who quaff the choice wine of inner meanings. Verily, We send Our greetings unto them and give them glad tidings of that which hath been ordained for them from the presence of One mighty and powerful.

Glory be upon you and upon those who love you for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH04675: Fix thy gaze upon this most exalted Word…

In the Name of Him Who shineth from the horizon of the Kingdom!

Fix thy gaze upon this most exalted Word, which is accounted as a pearl from the ocean of divine knowledge: “Cast away all else, then ascend unto My Kingdom.” God willing, thou shalt attain to this lofty and most exalted station. Mention of thee was made before the Wronged One, and the Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was sent in reply to thy letter.

God willing, thou shalt inhale the fragrances of revelation from the traces of the Most Exalted Pen, and shalt remain firm, steadfast and upright in the path of God, glorified be His majesty, that there may appear what hath been ordained for thee from God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. The intoxication of vain desire hath seized most of the people of the world, to such extent that they remain heedless and deprived of their true Purpose and Goal. That which they sought night and day with lowliness and supplication—from this they now turn aside when they behold it. Blessed is the soul whom the affairs of the world have not prevented from the Ancient Lord, and whom the intimations of the peoples have not deprived. All confess the transience of the world, yet still they cling to it.

We beseech God to assist thee to aid this Cause through wisdom and utterance, and to bring thee to a station wherein thine eyes and the eyes of thy loved ones shall be solaced. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Glory be unto those who have cast behind them vain imaginings, turning their faces toward the horizon whence hath shone the Sun of Certitude through this Name, whereby the Concourse on High rejoiced and every rejected satan lamented.

BH05017: All the peoples of the world were awaiting…

He is the Manifest, the Speaking One, the All-Knowing

All the peoples of the world were awaiting the Manifestation, and the appointed time for all nations came to pass, and the promised Sun rose from the horizon of the heaven of revelation and shone forth. Yet all remained heedless and veiled from Him, save those souls who broke the chains of idle fancies and blind imitation through the power of the Most Great Name, and turned with their faces toward the horizon of certitude. Reflect upon the earlier centuries: whenever a light appeared from the most exalted horizon, the divines and rulers strove to extinguish it, and did that which caused the cessation of the outpourings of the True One, the All-Bountiful. The divine verses have encompassed the world, and His evident signs have appeared and shone forth from all horizons.

Nevertheless, they are observed wandering in the wilderness of error. Grieve thou not over anything. Place thy trust in God, the Lord of the worlds. Then give thanks to Him for having aided thee to turn towards Him and for having taught thee that which was hidden from a great many of His creatures. Verily, He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We have heard thy call and read thy letter, and have answered thee with this Tablet. This is naught but a mighty favor. Know thou its station and say: Praise be unto Thee, O God of all who are in the heavens and on earth! We give thee glad tidings at the end of this Tablet of My loving-kindness, My grace and My mercy which have preceded all else. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

BH05704: This Wronged One, imprisoned, bears witness to the oneness…

He is God, exalted be His station of grandeur and power

This Wronged One, imprisoned, bears witness to the oneness of God, exalted be His glory, and to His singleness. He sent forth the Messengers and revealed the Books until the mission was sealed with the Seal of the Prophets. He is the One Who acts with free will—whatsoever He has willed or will will is enacted and effective. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. And He is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

We convey greetings to the friends of God and beseech Him not to deprive them from the ocean of His bounty. Today striving is necessary, and likewise meditation on the signs in the horizons and within yourselves. His exalted Word:

“And those who strive in Our path, We shall assuredly guide them to Our ways.”

Look ye in the Book of Certitude and ponder. Say: O friends, count ye the opportunity as precious and arise to make up for what was lost. Speak for God’s sake and strive and endeavor in God’s path. The Pen is forbidden from mentioning what is befitting, and the tongue from utterance. In all conditions, fix your gaze upon wisdom. We have enjoined wisdom upon all, before and after. Blessed is he who holdeth fast unto it and turneth away from what is forbidden in the Book of God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH06193: Glorified art Thou, O God of Names and Creator…

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

Glorified art Thou, O God of Names and Creator of heaven! I bear witness in this my station to Thy oneness and Thy singleness, and I acknowledge that which was acknowledged by the Manifestations of Thy Self, the Daysprings of Thy Revelation, the Recipients of Thy knowledge, and the Repositories of Thy wisdom—that Thou art God, there is no God but Thee. Thou hast ever been one in Thy Essence and one in Thy attributes, and wilt ever continue to be as Thou hast been from time immemorial.

O my Lord! Thou seest Thy handmaiden turning unto Thee, holding fast to the cord of Thy bounty, and clinging to the hem of the robe of Thy grace and generosity. I beseech Thee by the hidden gifts of Thy bounty and the manifest tokens of Thy grace, that Thou disappoint me not of that which Thou hast ordained for Thy handmaidens who have turned toward Thy most exalted horizon and hearkened unto Thy most sweet call.

O my Lord! Thou art He to Whose power and might all created things have testified, and to Whose grandeur and all-embracing knowledge all contingent beings have borne witness. Thou doest what Thou willest through Thy sovereignty and ordainest what Thou pleasest through Thy will. O my Lord! Make me in all circumstances steadfast in Thy Cause, whereby the hearts of Thy creatures were troubled and the limbs of Thy servants trembled. There is no God but Thee, the All-Powerful, the All-Forgiving, the Kind, the Generous, the Merciful.

BH06154: A mention from Us to the one whose letter…

He is the All-Knowing Witness.

A mention from Us to the one whose letter came before the Wronged One when He was among the heedless ones.

O Khayrullah! We have heard your call and have answered you as a mercy from Us, that you may give thanks to your Lord, the Generous. This is the Day wherein every hearer has attained to hearing the Call of God, the Lord of the Throne and of the dust, and every seeing one to beholding the lights of the countenance of his Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful.

Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God, my Lord, my Support and my Hope! I testify that Thou hast ever been in the heights of power, might and majesty, and in the summits of strength, grandeur and authority, and wilt ever continue to be as Thou hast been from time immemorial. I beseech Thee by the fragrances of the garment of Thy mercy and the sweet savors of Thy days to draw me nigh unto Thee and make me steadfast in Thy Cause whereby every edifice hath been shaken and every pillar hath trembled. Then assist me, O my God, to acknowledge that which Thy Tongue hath uttered and to act according to what Thou hast commanded in Thy Book. Verily Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest and in Thy grasp is the kingdom of names. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Wise.

BH08611: O My Leaf! Hearken unto the rustling…

He is the Kind, the Forgiving.

O My Leaf! Hearken unto the rustling of the Tree of My loving-kindness. It consoles thee in what hath befallen thee through the decree of God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. By My life! From its rustling is heard:

“Husayn hath attained the ultimate goal, the most exalted summit, and the Supreme Companion.”

Let not separation grieve thee, O Leaf, for he drinketh from the ocean of nearness and reunion, and hath attained that which cannot be mentioned in words. Thy Lord is verily the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted. We counsel thee to be patient and steadfast. In all conditions thou shouldst gaze toward the horizon of thy Lord’s Will and hold fast to the cord of resignation in whatsoever God hath willed and willeth. He is verily the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The Glory shining forth from the horizon of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon the leaves of My Tree who are moved by the winds of God’s Will, the Mighty, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

BH00600: Praise be hallowed above mention and utterance—praise…

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

Praise be hallowed above mention and utterance—praise that befits the most impenetrable, most holy court of the Beloved One, Who adorned the world with the blessed word “Look and thou shalt behold Me,” and honored sanctified, receptive ears with hearing it. He is the Almighty One Whom the weapons of the world prevented not from accomplishing His purpose, nor did human conditions deter Him from revealing the hidden mystery. By the sword of utterance He conquered the illumined cities of receptive hearts. With one cup of the wine of utterance He intoxicated the essences of creation, such that the Abrahams of the age turned toward the fire, and the sacrificial victims of the day hastened with utmost joy and attraction to the place of sacrifice, and unlike before, returned not alive but offered up their lives with complete longing. Exalted be their station, exalted be their rank! These are the souls whose mention all divine books proclaim, and to whose lofty station the company of Prophets and Messengers bear witness.

Glorified art Thou, O Thou in Whose grasp is the rein of all created things and in Whose right hand are the reins of all existence! I beseech Thee by the Name through which Thou didst send down the Book and manifest the signs, to ordain for Thy loved ones from the Supreme Pen that which will draw them nigh unto Thee in such wise that the conditions of creation shall not weaken them, nor shall the hints of those servants who have cast Thy commandments behind their backs and followed their own desires render them powerless. O Lord! Thou seest those near to Thee turning toward the horizon of Thy manifestation, and the sincere ones hastening to the shore of the ocean of Thy grace.

I beseech Thee by the sun of Thy loving-kindness and the heaven of Thy bounty to ordain for Thy loved ones that which befitteth Thy greatness and power. O Lord! Thou seest them clinging to the ropes of Thy gifts and holding fast to the hem of the robe of Thy generosity. Send down upon them through Thy might that which will preserve them from all else besides Thee and raise them to a station wherein they will arise to commemorate Thee, praise Thee and serve Thy Cause. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the light of Thy countenance and the fire of Thy Sacred Tree to aid all to turn unto Thee and draw nigh unto the court of the gate of Thy mercy. Thou art He Whom the might and power of creation cannot prevent. Thou doest and ordainest as Thou pleasest. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful.

To continue: this servant became acquainted with your mention, your praise, your submissiveness and your humility before God, our Lord and your Lord, our Beloved and your Beloved, and the Beloved of all who are in the heavens and the earth. When I gathered the ripe fruits from the fresh trees of your utterances, I turned toward the Most Glorious Horizon and the Supreme Horizon. When I attained the presence, I presented what was born of the maidens of your knowledge and what appeared of the pearls of your utterance. When that which was in your letter was completed, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke in reply, saying, glorified and exalted be He:

In My Name, the Wronged One, the Stranger

Thou art he who was present, heard and witnessed, and wast of them that testify, and didst attain unto that which was inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Books of God, the Lord of all men. Verily thy Lord is the All-Witnessing, the All-Informed. Blessed is the servant who hath attained unto the Day of God and hath heard that which the Lote-Tree of the Uttermost End hath spoken from its station, and hath taken the choice wine of revelation from the hand of the bounty of his Lord and drunk thereof in His Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous. Thou hast indeed reached the Most Exalted Goal and the Supreme Summit until thou didst attain unto that which none hath attained save whom God, the Lord of the worlds, hath willed. We counsel thee to preserve this Most Great Station. By the life of God! All that thou beholdest today shall perish, and there shall endure that which hath been ordained for thee by the One Who is the Almighty, the Ancient of Days. Read thou the verses of God with joy and fragrance. Verily they shall draw thee to a station wherein the affairs of earth shall not prevent thee from its luminous horizon.

O Zayn! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. God willing, the sweetness of utterance shall be made manifest with complete effect in thy taste. Thou art and hast been mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One. In these days if one looks to the veils of the people, the loftiness, sublimity, penetrating influence and all-encompassing nature of God’s Cause remain concealed. Assuredly this concealment shall be followed by revelation, and this contraction shall be transformed into expansion. I swear by the Sun of the heaven of inner meanings that the stations of God’s loved ones shall ere long become manifest as the rays of the sun and encompass the world. Those who in the great nations count themselves among the most learned of men and consider themselves among the civilized ones cling to matters more flimsy than a spider’s web and sacrifice their lives and wealth for their realization and manifestation, while this Cause, which is greater than the heavens and the earth, hath appeared and become evident among the people of Iran; nevertheless souls remain heedless of it and veiled from it.

We beseech God to make the people aware and not deprive them of the lights of the Sun of Truth. Verily He is powerful over all things. That which hath been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen shall assuredly appear in the realm of manifestation, even as most of it hath already appeared and become evident, and all have witnessed it.

O Zayn! Thy reward is preserved with God and shall certainly reach thee. Strive ye that steadfast and firm souls may remind people through healing and sufficient utterances. This is what is incumbent upon all. Verily He speaketh the truth and guideth the Way. Be thou joyous through God’s grace and assured by what He hath mentioned. God willing, mayest thou be adorned with the utmost trustworthiness, religiosity, truthfulness and sincerity, and mayest thou embellish the world with these sacred garments. Should the entire world arise with sharpened swords and attempt to prevent a single letter of God’s words that have flowed from the Most Exalted Pen from taking effect, they would surely find themselves powerless and in loss.

You had sought permission to turn towards the Prison. Praise be to God that you attained His presence and received an ample portion from the Kawthar of reunion. Now you must devote your energies to teaching God’s Cause. This has been and will continue to be the cause and means for the elevation of receptive souls. Strive and hold fast to this in the days and nights, that perchance people who have grown cold may be refreshed and enkindled by the Kawthar of utterance and the fire of the love of the All-Merciful, so that from the verdant and flourishing trees the fire of God’s Word might become manifest and evident. Ere long, the rewards of deeds performed for God and in His path will be revealed in the realm of vision and witness. Be not grieved. God willing, you shall attain to the ocean of joy. Verily your Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Ere long, infinite doors shall be opened before the faces of God’s loved ones. Verily He speaks the truth, and He is the True, the Trustworthy Informer.

Illumine the friends in that land with the lights of God’s Supreme Remembrance. We counsel them as We counseled them before, to show forth the Greater Steadfastness, and to be characterized by trustworthiness, religiosity, truthfulness and fidelity. By the life of God! Goodly deeds and praiseworthy attributes have been and are the hosts of God, and the conquest of the citadels of hearts depends upon these hosts. Verily He reminds them and teaches them that which profits them. There is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Powerful.

This evanescent servant at all times beseeches the True One, exalted be His glory, to assist that honored master to render such service in the path of the Cause that countless centuries and endless ages and epochs will not erase it. Great is this day, and whatever matter appears in it for the sake of God is greatest and most glorious. God is witness and testifier that your mention has been upon the tongue and your love in the heart, and God willing, through His grace it shall continue to be so. And I hope that you may attain to that which is the cause of good in this world and the next. And as for what you had besought from God, exalted be His glory, that He might adorn that land with the shining lights in the presence of His countenance, it was submitted. His word, exalted and mighty be He: God willing, they shall attain to that which they have desired. Verily He is the Observer, the All-Seeing, the Near, the Answerer.

This evanescent servant beseecheth that if it be deemed advisable and wisdom requireth it, greetings be conveyed on my behalf to the friends in that land. It is hoped that at all times they may partake of the fruits of the immortal Tree and drink from the ocean of divine love in such wise that neither the cares and sorrows nor the conditions and vicissitudes of the world may stay their progress or debar them from that which is beloved. Though to some the world may appear slow in its movements and progress, yet in truth, in the eyes of the people of Baha, it is seen to be swifter than lightning and closer to extinction than the twinkling of an eye.

In such circumstances, the friends of God must hold fast to that which is enduring and everlasting. By the ocean of truth! Today in the Most Great Prison, before the face of the Ancient King, the ocean of reality appeareth manifest and billowing. Were all the peoples of the world to inhale but a trace of the fragrance of His robe, were they to hearken unto but one of the revealed utterances, they would all forsake that which they possess and turn unto that which is with God. It is hoped that all the friends will concentrate their efforts on serving the Cause and cling to whatsoever will attract the hearts of men. May the glory shining from the horizon of the loving-kindness of our Lord, the All-Merciful, rest upon you and upon those who have hearkened and responded and have testified to that whereunto God hath testified: verily there is no God but Him, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. And praise be to God, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Best-Beloved.

BH02930: Today the essence of praise and the purest commendation…

…Today the essence of praise and the purest commendation belong to those souls who are seated upon the Crimson Ark in the name of the Lord of Creation, and who are adorned with the most great steadfastness. By the life of God! The radiance of their faces hath illumined the realms of utterance and knowledge, and the fragrance of their remembrance hath perfumed the domains of proof and explanation. These are the souls who were not hindered by the censure of the censurers, nor held back from their devotion by the derision of the scoffers. These are the essence of the world and the dawning-places of divine favors amidst all peoples. Blessed are those servants who have turned unto them and who have grasped the hem of their love. By the Lord of Eternity! Whosoever turneth unto them is recorded among the righteous in God’s Book. These are the people of Baha in the kingdom of creation, whom God hath described in the books of the past, in the Qur’an, and in the Bayan….

All the friends of God must adorn themselves with goodly character, befitting conduct and pure utterances. Praiseworthy qualities are as hosts that assist and support the Cause of God. Blessed are they who have conquered the cities of hearts with these hosts. This Most Great Revelation hath been and shall ever remain sanctified from creation and all that belongeth unto it. All must soar above the aspirations of the peoples of the world and strive to educate all who dwell on earth and guide them to the straight path—that is, to a station worthy of the human rank.

All the friends have endured reproach and derision in the path of God, glorified be His majesty, and have borne hardships, troubles and difficulties. Now they must not efface that which they have borne in God’s path, but must preserve their stations and ranks in the name of Truth. By the life of God! This is the Day of recompense and reward. Be not heedless of your condition. Know ye your worth. The world is like unto a mirage that shall soon return to nothingness. Today, every deed performed for God’s sake shall have its mention preserved and enduring. Today the greatest veil hath prevented mankind from beholding the Sun of Truth. Were this veil to be removed, all would be seen circling round, nay, circling round but one of those who have turned towards Him….

Praise be to God! The effulgences of the rays of the true Sun have encompassed the world. Divine grace hath been manifested in such wise that every possessor of knowledge and learning is powerless to comprehend it. Blessed is the soul that hath in these days attained unto His Word and been honored by His mention. One letter from the Book of the Kingdom cannot be equalled by the dominion of the heavens and earth. Ere long degrees and stations shall become manifest, and all that hath streamed forth from the Most Exalted Pen in the Tablets shall be witnessed. The Command is in His grasp—He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth, and He is the Almighty, the Powerful….

BH03877: He is the All-Seeing, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing!…

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing! The Books of God have testified to this Wronged One, Who hath accepted tribulation and calamity in the path of God, the Lord of all worlds. He is indeed the One Whom God’s Messengers have foretold. Blessed is the ear that hath heard His most sweet call as it was raised from His most exalted horizon. He is of them who witnessed and beheld the greatest signs of their Lord when all mankind turned away save whom God pleased, the Possessor of this mighty Cause.

By God! The Interlocutor of Sinai hath come, yet the people are in a thick veil. They have denied God’s favor after its descent and turned away from Him at Whose appearance the verses bowed down in submission. To this testifieth every possessor of illumined vision.

O Muhammad! Hearken unto the call of Him Who heard thy call ere it issued from thy lips. Thy Lord is verily the All-Hearing, the All-Responding. Blessed is thy house wherein God’s remembrance hath been raised and wherein have entered those servants who have held fast to the Sure Handle and clung to the hem of thy radiant Lord. Naught escapeth His knowledge. He heareth and seeth, and He is the Single, the One, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

Convey My greetings to My loved ones and give them the glad-tidings of My great bounty. Say: Beware lest the affairs of the world withhold you from the Lord of all names. Be as mountains in this Cause, at Whose appearance every firm edifice hath been shaken to its foundation. Say: Be united in your words, then aid your Lord, the All-Merciful, with wisdom and utterance. Thus have We commanded you before and after. He is verily the Commander, the All-Wise.

The kingdom and all that the people possess shall perish, but there shall endure for you what hath been sent down from My Most Exalted Pen in this glorious station. The splendor shining from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon them and upon thy son and thy kindred. Thy Lord is verily the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

BH07099: Glorified be He Who hath appeared and revealed…

He is the All-Knowing Expositor!

Glorified be He Who hath appeared and revealed that which was recorded in the Books of old by the Supreme Pen. He is, verily, the Omnipotent, the Almighty.

We have remembered those who have sought the ultimate goal and the highest summit, and We remember them as a token of Our grace. To this every fair-minded and discerning one doth testify.

O ʿAbdu’l-Karim! Abu’l-Hasan hath mentioned thee in his letter. We have sent down for thee this wondrous Tablet. Blessed is the face that hath turned, and the heart that hath drawn nigh unto God, the Lord of the worlds. Be thou steadfast in the path and firm in the Cause, giving voice to the praise of thy gracious Lord. Verily, He heareth the call and respondeth. He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Forgiving, the Merciful.

Ask thou God to assist thee to remain steadfast in this mighty Cause and to aid thee to act according to that which He hath revealed in His wise Book—that Book through whose appearance the clouds have passed, the breezes of revelation have wafted, the path hath been laid down, the balance hath been set up, and the nightingale hath warbled upon the branches. Sovereignty belongeth unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

BH06933: Bear thou witness unto that which God did testify…

He is the Helper, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed

Bear thou witness unto that which God did testify before the creation of the heavens and the earth: that there is none other God but I, the [Protector], the Self-Subsisting. We created creation for this Day and took from them its covenant through the tongues of those Whom We sent, as a token of Our grace, for I am, verily, powerful over whatsoever I desire through My word “Be” and it is.

Yet when the Day appeared, the servants turned away save whom God, the King of Kings, did will. Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto the recognition of its Lord, and woe betide him who hath been debarred from this glorious station. Give thanks unto God for having made known unto thee that which most of the learned ones have failed to comprehend. Thy Lord is, verily, the Mighty, the All-Loving. Be thou steadfast in serving the Cause, speaking the praise of God, and soaring in the atmosphere of His Will that encompasseth both the seen and the unseen. The glory shining forth from My most exalted horizon be upon thee and upon My loved ones in that place who have hearkened unto My sweet call from My glorious Prison.

BH08004: In the Name of the Mighty, the All-Wise! Praise…

In the Name of the Mighty, the All-Wise! Praise be to God! Through the effulgence of the rays of the Sun of Truth, the realm of the heart is illumined and radiant, and all the atoms of creation are engaged in the glorification and sanctification of the beloved Lord. Yet not every ear is attuned to hear it. Say: O friends! Strive ye to adorn yourselves with the ornament of divine virtues. The praiseworthy conduct that is manifested by the loved ones of God serveth as the educator, teacher and guide of all people. Whosoever is adorned this day with the ornament of pure deeds hath been recorded by the Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Book with the name of Baha—that is, they are mentioned as people of Baha in the Book. All must be manifestations and dawning-places of exalted attributes in the name of Truth. The days are passing like a breeze. God willing, may all be mindful of that which behooveth them and be sanctified from that which perisheth. This is the counsel of the Wronged One of the horizons.

BH08477: This is the Day wherein the Hour proclaimeth…

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

This is the Day wherein the Hour proclaimeth and saith: O God of the Kingdom and the Dominion! I beseech Thee by the power through which Thou didst subdue the world, to protect me from the terror of this Day. Verily, Thou art the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. Such agitation hath seized me that my heart hath melted from fear of Thee. Have mercy upon me through Thy grace and bounty, then preserve me from the hosts of the doubters. By the life of God! This is a matter at which the Most Great Trump was thunderstruck—how much more the servants who have clung to every ignorant doubter. Verily, thou hast held fast to the Most Mighty Cord by God’s leave, the Lord of ancient days, and hast clung to His luminous hem. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having made known unto me and taught me and revealed unto me that which hath gladdened my heart and cheered my eyes and dilated my breast. I testify that Thou art the Lord of all worlds, the Goal of them that know Thee, and the Beloved of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

BH09772: For him who serves the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar

For him who serves the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar

He is the Mighty, the Great

We make mention of him who has arisen to serve the Cause and has acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken—that there is none other God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Every soul who has turned towards God hath attained unto His mention and praise on a Day wherein the Call was raised between the heavens and the earth. Be thou thankful unto God for having been mentioned by the Most Exalted Pen, and for the Face of God having turned towards thee from this sublime station. Hold fast unto My strong cord and cling to the hem of My garment. Thus doth He command thee, with Whom is the mighty Book. The glory of God be upon thee and upon those who have acted according to that which they were commanded in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH00490: The servant beareth witness that there is none other…

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

The servant beareth witness that there is none other God but Him, and that He Who hath come with the truth is He Who cannot be described by attributes nor characterized by mention. Every mention hath bowed down before the manifestations of His mention, and voices have been hushed at the raising of His call, and tongues have been stilled before the waves of the ocean of His utterance, and eyes have been dazzled by the lightning flashes of the light of His countenance. Blessed is he who hath attained unto His day and inhaled the fragrance of His garment, and woe unto him whom vain imaginings have prevented until he denied Him Whom he had called upon in days past.

To continue: O my beloved, thy letter reached the servant, and he learned what was therein. When I perceived and found the fragrance of the words, I turned toward the Dawning-Place of verses until I attained a station round which circled the Concourse on High. Then did I behold the Ancient Beauty walking and singing, while I stood watching for the manifestations of His grace and the evidences of His loving-kindness. Then He turned to me with a face by whose light the earth and heaven were illumined, and He said: “What hast thou, O servant?” I submitted: “I have brought a letter from one of the loved ones,” and after permission was granted I presented what was in your letter. When it was completed

He spoke that Purpose by which the fragrance of utterance was diffused throughout all contingent being. I bear witness that with this tongue and this pen I am unable to mention what God revealed in that moment, but I shall mention for you what was impressed upon my heart from the lights of His utterance and what my power of memory hath preserved through His grace. He spoke, and His word is the truth:

“O thou who art present! His honor Thuraya hath been honored with the mention of the Lord of Names. Time and again have We turned toward him from the precincts of the Prison with words that are as the spirit of utterance itself. In every word there is a power which none save God can reckon. Through it hath appeared what hath appeared. I swear by the Sun of Utterance which shineth from the heaven’s horizon of proof that if all who dwell on earth were to discover the fragrance of but one authoritative word that hath shone forth from the Dayspring of divine revelation, they would all testify to that which the Supreme Pen hath pronounced, nay more, would sacrifice their lives and possessions to hear it.

The field and space are narrow, and the Divine Steed hath no room to gallop. God willing, may he be illumined with the light of certitude and stand firm on the straight path of truth. This is a station that cannot be limited nor described. We have summoned the whole world to the most exalted horizon and guided them to the water of life, yet we see them heedless, save whom God willeth, the Lord of all worlds. God willing, may he be assisted to mention the Truth, praise the Truth, teach the Cause of Truth, and serve the Truth. Today every thing among all things crieth out and saith: Let not time slip away. The ears and eyes and heart were created for this wondrous Day.

Arise in the name of God, glorified be His majesty, and with wisdom and utterance guide the servants of the All-Merciful to their true homeland, that perchance they may be freed from the abasement of self and passion and turn toward the most exalted summit. Blessed are they that attain! Blessed are they that turn unto Him!” End.

This lowly servant is so struck by the Kawthar of utterance that he beholds himself in an ocean of wonderment. What can he say and what can he declare? The Cause is more manifest than the sun and the bounty more exalted than heaven. All pens and papers and earthly pages, nay all the aforementioned planes, are powerless and incapable of mentioning its stations and bearing its ranks. My Lord suffices as witness.

As to what was mentioned regarding the official who ascended unto God, it was submitted. This is what the Tongue of the All-Merciful has spoken in the Kingdom of Utterance: Those souls who have arisen and are occupied in service for the sake of God have been and are remembered in His presence. Not so much as a hair’s worth of the doers’ reward has been or will be lost. If a soul were to become aware of what hath been revealed in the Crimson Scroll, he would testify to that which the Supreme Pen hath spoken. Blessed is he who hath proclaimed My Cause, and the ear that hath heard My call, and the eye that hath beheld My horizon, and the heart that hath turned toward My Kingdom, and the tongue that hath testified to that which My Tongue hath testified.

And likewise mention was made of Mirza Inayat which was submitted before the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence. This is what the Speaker of Sinai hath spoken: He is the Hearer, the Responsive One. O Inayat! Repeatedly hath thy mention been made before the Supreme Scene and the glances of favor have been directed toward thee from the direction of the Prison. Ask thou of God, exalted be His glory, that thou mayest be assisted in that which beseemeth the Day of God. Know thou with certainty that all that is on earth cannot equal a word that proceedeth from the Ancient Tongue. Blessed is the soul for whom the word of divine good-pleasure is specially revealed from the heaven of God’s bounty. This is that resplendent robe—whosoever is adorned therewith shall be mentioned, described and known throughout the kingdoms of earth and heaven. At all times have We commanded Our loved ones to that which profiteth them and forbidden what harmeth them. Had the servants acted accordingly, the light of the Cause would assuredly have encompassed the world. May thou be confirmed, God willing, in serving the Cause and in holding fast unto the cord of grace throughout all divine worlds.

And this is what was revealed for his honor the Mushrif: He is the One established upon the Throne through His Most Great Name. He Who was promised in the Book of God hath appeared and revealed what He desired. There is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Powerful. He hath borne in God’s path, the Lord of Names, such tribulations as attested by His Clear Book. Among the people are those who turned away from Him, those who disputed His verses, those who denied His proof, and those who pronounced against Him a grievous judgment. We have come from the heaven of grandeur with God’s testimonies, proofs, books, psalms and tablets that are possessed by all peoples and parties.

This is witnessed by whoever is adorned with the robe of fairness and speaketh with justice in the days of his Lord, the Hearer, the Responsive. At the dawn of this Day, the divines of Iran turned away, casting the Book of God behind their backs, clinging to the whisperings of the heedless. They are the ones who denied God’s truth throughout all ages and pronounced against the Manifestations of His Cause, the Dawning-Places of His Revelation, and the Rising-Points of His all-encompassing knowledge. Thus have We caused the water of life to flow in the rivers of the garden of utterance. Blessed is he who hath attained and said: “Praise be to Thee, O Thou the Goal of the mystics!”

And this is what was revealed for his honor Mirza Isma’il:

In the name of the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing

You were mentioned before the Wronged One, and these exalted words are revealed for the sake of God, that perchance their fragrance may be diffused and guide those endowed with vision to the Most Great Scene. The whole world hath been created for this Most Great Day, as recorded in most divine Books. How excellent is the state of the fair-minded one who speaketh for the sake of God and ariseth to serve Him. Service to the Cause is the refinement of souls from attachments. God willing, the friends shall, through the hosts of remembrance and utterance, take possession of the hearts of the people of the world. Contention and disputation have ever been and shall continue to be the way of the misguided ones.

As to thy question about souls after their ascension, these degrees and stations have repeatedly been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen, and some possess copies thereof. God willing, thou shalt observe them. But the counsel of this Wronged One is that thou shouldst hold fast with the utmost joy and fragrance to serving the Cause of the Beloved of the worlds, for it would be regrettable if these blessed days were to end with such remembrances. Be steadfast in what thou hast been commanded. He will, through the finger of might, open before thee a door wherein thou shalt witness and behold what thou hast desired from the ocean of thy Lord’s utterance, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. God willing, thou shalt be illumined by the lights of His countenance and drink from the Kawthar of certitude.

This evanescent servant conveyeth greetings and praise to all. God is witness that this evanescent one hath been and is occupied in this Prison with the mention of souls who are content, well-pleasing, firm and steadfast, and beseecheth from God, exalted be His glory, confirmation for each one. Supplication, imploring and entreaty are from the servant, and grace, bounty and response are from God, the One, the Powerful.

As to what thou didst write regarding the book being written in proof of the Revelation, and likewise another treatise on the nobility of the number of the Most Great Name—these matters were submitted by this evanescent one when the Ancient Beauty was residing in the mansion outside the Most Great Prison. His words, exalted be His majesty:

O Muhammad-Husayn! Time and again hast thou been illumined by the splendors of the Sun of divine remembrance, especially in this instance when numerous Tablets have been revealed from the heaven of Will addressed to thee. Know thou the value of this most exalted, most sublime station. If, through the bounty of the All-Merciful, thou drinkest from the ocean of utterance, the affairs of the world shall no longer grieve thee. Thou shalt attain to such joy and gladness that the troubles of the world shall neither prevent nor change it. Whether one striveth in My path or denieth Me—God willing, thou shalt be assisted in that which thou hast intended. Today, should anyone make mention of this Cause or speak a word in its proof, his name shall never be effaced from the Book of existence. Thus hath testified the Lord, the Lord of the Last and the First.

This evanescent servant beseecheth God to confirm thee in that which thou hast intended. Verily, He hath power over whatsoever He willeth.

And as to the fourth matter thou didst mention, it was submitted and He said:

“We named him ʿBird of Glory’ in the Book of Names. God willing, may he be enabled to preserve this station, for the world is in upheaval and the conditions of heedless souls are manifest while the fruits of the tree of sincerity remain hidden. Thieves lie in wait and devils in ambush, and the Cause is mighty, greater and most exalted above them both.”

This servant has mentioned and continues to mention that honored one at special times in the Most Holy Presence. Whatever you wrote, its answer has been revealed and is recorded in this letter. I seek earnestness for that honored one, and likewise steadfastness—these two are pillars for the edifice of human existence. And concerning your mention of conditions in those regions, in these days those areas are aflame—at times with the fire of war, at times with the instruments of corruption, and at times with the flames of greed. Surely that honored one has heard and continues to hear of these things. This evanescent one beseeches God to ordain means whereby the horizons of those lands may be illumined with the lights of the Sun of unity. Today is the day of service and the day of teaching the Cause. In this land and its surrounding regions, due to wisdom and other considerations, teaching has in these days been strictly forbidden in the Book. Blessed are they who in those lands attain to this most great bounty.

May the Glory which shineth resplendent from the horizon of the heaven of mercy be upon you and upon those who are with you in the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH03705: Praised be the work of those who have arisen…

Praised be the work of those who have arisen to serve the Cause in such wise that neither the clamor of the people deterred them nor the tyranny of those in the land frightened them….

And regarding the copy of the Risaliy-i-Madaniyyih [“The Secret of Divine Civilization”] which you sent, this is well-pleasing. God willing, may it bear fruit. The reason for its composition was that one day the Most Great Branch—may my spirit, my being, and my essence be sacrificed for the dust of His footsteps—was standing in the Most Holy and Exalted Presence when the Ancient Tongue spoke these words, exalted be His utterance:

“O Most Great Branch! It would be pleasing if some pages were written about the cause and reason for the prosperity of the world and its ruin, in such manner as would lower the prejudiced ones one degree, that they might become ready to hearken unto the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree which is raised high today.” Similar contents were heard from the Ancient Tongue. Therefore, the Branch of God wrote the Risaliy-i-Madaniyyih. Some people have imagined that the science of politics, which is the cause of order, security and the prosperity of the world, is confined to certain known persons. How evil is that which they have imagined! With Him is the knowledge of all things in a Clear Book. All politics is concealed and treasured within a single utterance. Blessed are they that observe! Blessed are they that comprehend! Were all that hath been revealed by God, exalted be His glory, in this station to be acted upon, all on earth would find themselves at ease and in comfort. However, eyes have been prevented from seeing and hearts from understanding, by reason of that which the hands of the servants have wrought before and after. Verily our Lord, the All-Knowing, is the Reckoner, the All-Informed….

O Abraham! God willing, mayest thou be stirred, refreshed and gladdened by the wafting breezes of the divine springtime of mercy. Reflect upon the attraction of the verses of God, exalted be His glory. How many were the Friends of the age who freely walked into the fire, and how many were the sacrificial lambs who never returned alive from the altar of sacrifice. If thou wert to become aware of the greatness of the Cause, thou wouldst prostrate thyself, and after raising thy head thou wouldst utter the blessed words “All glory be unto Thee”, and again bow down in prostration and utter another blessed word. The attraction of divine grace would so overwhelm thee that, were thy human frame to permit it, thou wouldst prostrate thyself unceasingly forever and utter one of the words of Him Who revealeth the verses. By My life! The Manifestation is more evident than the sun, yet remains veiled and concealed. Thus have the waves of the ocean of thy Lord’s utterance, the All-Merciful, appeared. Blessed are they who behold, and joy be to them who recognize. Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds….

He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing

O Ali! We were seated when the servant who is present entered before Us, and in his hand was a book which he presented after receiving permission. We heard it and have answered thee with this luminous Tablet. That which thou didst confide to God hath been honored through the hearing of the Wronged One, through Whom the horizon of knowledge was illumined and the power of God, the Lord of the worlds, was made manifest. We found thy letter purified from doubts and idle fancies. Thus hath God testified for thee that thou mayest be among the joyous ones. This is a testimony that shall walk before thy face in all the worlds of thy Lord. Be grateful and say:

“My spirit be a sacrifice for Thy favor, O Thou Who art wronged throughout all horizons!”

I testify that Thou hast appeared with that which every great creation doth circle round.

O Ali! We testify that thou hast attained unto the mention of My Most Exalted Pen in days wherein darkness hath encompassed all regions and every bearer of a burden cast off its load through fear of God, the Strong, the Mighty. We entered into prison and once again conveyed to the divines and princes that which God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers, did desire. Among them were those who cast the Book of God behind their backs, those who hesitated, and those who took it and placed it upon their heads, saying:

“I believe in Thee, O Thou through Whose appearance the Straight Path hath appeared!”

Blessed art thou for having attained unto God’s favor in His days and for having drunk the choice wine of remembrance from the cup of His wondrous utterance.

We counsel thee to preserve what thou hast been given through this Name through which every wise command hath appeared. We have found from thee the fragrance of My love and have caused thee to hear that which hath been sent down from the kingdom of My mighty, invincible Command. Thus have We revealed unto thee the pearls of the ocean of knowledge. When thou hast attained unto them, turn thy face toward God and say:

“I testify that Thou hast come from the heaven of grace with a manifest light.”

The glory that shineth resplendent from the horizon of the brow be upon thee and upon those who are illumined by the lights of certitude….