Volume 069: Akka 1299 A.H. (1881–1882), Part IV (1 of 5)

BH00110: In these days, at every moment, the meaning…

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

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

In these days, at every moment, the meaning of the blessed words “We shall make their highest their lowest, and their lowest their highest” is made manifest. All that was recorded in the divine Books of the past and present concerning the events to transpire on the Day of God is now manifest and evident. Yet the people remain veiled from comprehending it, for the ornaments of the world and its conditions have become a thick veil, preventing their eyes from seeing. Such heedlessness persists even while the world itself continually warns mankind of its own transience. With most eloquent utterance it declares that soon all that is witnessed within it shall change and return to nothingness. One of its calls is the thunder of cannons that rises from all directions, in an instant snatching multitudes from the realm of existence. Every possessor of sight and hearing testifies that its call is exceedingly loud and its message most potent. This call is manifested through the events that occur therein, betokening change and extinction.

Glory be to God! What has befallen the people that they take no heed and accept not the counsel of the counselor? They are occupied with vain imaginings and remain heedless of the Lord of all beings. They fancy themselves worshippers and celebrants of the Truth, yet the Supreme Pen cries out morn and eve, nay at all times, in its loudest voice, saying:

“Verily, He is innocent of you, O company of the most lost!”

Beyond this, all things bear witness, yet the people hear not. The sun of justice is veiled by the clouds of tyranny, and the countenance of equity is hidden by the darkness of oppression. One is bewildered as to what to say and who might listen. One matter has become the source of strength for the oppressors, while another has caused weakness among the just. Glory be to God! The people of deceit have attained perfect unity, clinging to it and thereby ruling over the peoples of the world, while the people of justice are seen deprived of this greatest bounty which is their special right. Although the unity of those souls is not true unity, still it has become the cause of their ascendancy. If the friends and chosen ones of God in all lands were to achieve unity, surely its light would encompass all horizons. In some places the fragrance of unity and concord cannot be detected, and this has been and continues to be the cause of the abasement of the Cause.

In any case, the letter of that spiritual beloved has refreshed the spirit, for from it was inhaled the musk-laden fragrance of the love of the Beloved of the worlds. After perusal it was taken to the Dawning-Place of the Most Great Signs and presented at the Most Holy Court, unto which nothing can be compared. His blessed and exalted Word declares, and may the spirit of all who dwell in the kingdom of utterance be a sacrifice unto its every letter:

I am the Sorrowful Speaker

O beloved one! There hath been sent down especially for thee that from which the fragrance of might and power and knowledge and utterance of the All-Merciful is manifest, evident and diffused. The Self of Him Who was promised in all divine Books through clear statements and explicit passages hath appeared and risen from the horizon of the world with the lights of His advent. Through His grace He hath made manifest the Path and guided all unto it. That which was inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen hath been revealed, and that which was hidden from all hath been explicitly mentioned. Nevertheless, the people remain heedless and veiled. Should all the world turn away from the Truth, no harm shall touch His Cause; nay rather, the turning away of creation is the cause and means of exalting God’s Cause, exalted be His glory. However, the grief and sorrow of the Wronged One stems from the lack of unity and agreement among His loved ones and friends.

O beloved one! Say: O people of the world! I swear by the Most Great Name that this wronged Herald hath spoken and speaketh for God’s sake alone, uttereth for His sake, and summoneth unto Him. He hath brought the equivalent of all that was revealed from the beginning of the world until the previous Manifestation, whereby the Messengers of God, exalted be His glory, established their proofs—nay, even more and greater than that. At last, observe with the eye of fairness and hearken with the ear of justice, that perchance ye may not be deprived of the pearls of the ocean of divine knowledge, nor be forbidden from that which is sanctified above all similarity and likeness.

Say: If a soul humbleth itself before His loved ones for God’s sake, doth this diminish or increase his worth and station? Say: Perform deeds for God’s sake and fix your gaze upon Him. Whosoever comprehendeth this station and tasteth its sweetness will surely pass beyond self and all that he possesseth, and will become mindful of and act upon that which exalteth the Cause.

We send greetings to the friends in that land. Truly, the fragrance of divine love is inhaled from them. Blessed are they in having attained unto God’s testimony in these verses, which nothing that hath been or shall be mentioned can equal. Yet We have preferred some above others. With thy Lord is the knowledge of all things, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. God willing, may they strive that each day may be seen as superior, more exalted and more glorious than the day before. No matter hath been or is hidden. Verily, He Who speaketh is the All-Seeing, the All-Informed. The breezes of divine favor waft during the nights and days, and the fragrance of the garment of His Revelation is diffused, yet no seeker is to be seen. Indeed, he who is deprived of sight is unable to distinguish and perceive. The Cause is in God’s hands, the Lord of the unseen and the seen.

The glory shining from the horizon of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto My good-pleasure and have testified to that which the Tongue of My grandeur hath testified in the kingdom of My utterance: Verily there is none other God but Me, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

The lamentation and cry of God—exalted be His glory and greatness—melts the body and dissolves the bones. From the beginning of this Most Great Revelation until now, in most Tablets there has flowed from the Supreme Pen and been recorded the command to unity, harmony, love and fellowship, as well as spiritual qualities and goodly deeds. Nevertheless, in some cities and lands things are seen contrary to what the All-Powerful has willed. What a pity, nay a hundred thousand pities, that in these days—one moment of which cannot be compared to countless ages—man remains deprived of the cup of contentment and forbidden from the ocean of grace. Do they not witness the upheavals, conflicts and death of one another? Have they received from God a document guaranteeing their permanence, or do they consider themselves independent agents? This servant, and you, and the souls of that land must beseech the Self-Sufficient One with complete humility, submissiveness and supplication to adorn the sleeping ones with the ornament of awareness and bestow upon the heedless the robe of wisdom. Verily thy Lord, the All-Merciful, is He Who oversees all possibilities. He doeth what He willeth through His power and ordaineth what He pleaseth through His sovereignty. He is the Almighty, the Powerful, the Praiseworthy.

As for what you mentioned regarding teaching, God willing may all be successful therein, for after recognition of God—exalted be His glory—and steadfastness in His Cause, this is and shall be among the greatest of deeds. Blessed are they who attain! Joy be to him who found the fragrance of God before his ascension and recognized Him Who was announced aforetime. He is indeed among the people of this lofty and luminous station. We beseech and implore God—exalted be His glory—to adorn all the friends with this most glorious ornament. In truth, the divine fragrance of love is inhaled from the people of that land. God willing, may all lands attain to that which is beloved before God.

Regarding what you wrote about Mirza Nabil-i-Qaini—upon him be the glory of God and His favors—praise be to God, he is successful in that from which most are heedless and veiled. The testimony of God—exalted be His glory—which hath flowed and been revealed from the Supreme Pen concerning him proclaims with the most exalted call among the people of the world: By the life of the Desired One! The passing of ages shall not change it, the succession of centuries shall not alter it, and annihilation shall not touch it. Joy and felicitations be unto him! O My beloved and O thou who art mentioned before the Beloved! If the people of earth would reflect even a little, they would realize that the welfare of all, outwardly and inwardly, has been and is to turn toward God—exalted be His glory.

The heedlessness of the servants and their vain deeds have appeared in the form of various afflictions and have encompassed the earth. According to what was ordained by the Supreme Pen, these matters have been seized by the fire of wars and the smoke of tribulations, and that flame is hidden in the lands of Iran. And surely this concealment will have manifestation and appearance, unless by virtue of holy souls who are firm, steadfast, assured and upright the greatest calamities and mightiest tribulations be prevented. Verily, He is powerful over all things. However, most of what hath been revealed from the Supreme Pen hath become evident and manifest, as most have witnessed, and the rest will surely become apparent and visible.

Heedlessness hath so encompassed the people of earth that tongue and pen are powerless to make mention of it. The tongue of this evanescent one’s heart is at all times uttering “Deliver us, O All-Merciful!”, and imploring His grace and mercy for all. For were He to unveil to the heedless what He hath unveiled to these servants, all would turn with heart and soul toward the Most Exalted Horizon and quaff the chalice of mystic knowledge in the name of the All-Merciful.

As to your mention of Aqa Muhammad-Kazim, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah], he hath attained unto that which is yet concealed from himself. This is a glad-tiding from this servant on behalf of the Desired One unto thee, O my beloved one, who art mentioned before the throne of my Lord. Some souls have won the race; God willing, may all attain to this station. From the day when, by Nimrod’s command, We entered into prison in this land until now, most of the notables of this realm have passed into oblivion, without trace, fruit, or mention. Nevertheless, those who remain are in no wise awakened. Glory be to God! Heedlessness hath become incarnate and hath prevented eyes from seeing and hearts from understanding. Would that they who have attained might know their stations, and that God, exalted be His glory, might cause all to attain this station. Verily, He hath power over all things.

Mention was made of those who are turned toward the House, upon them be the glory of God, His loving-kindness and His mercy. Praise be to God, they are reckoned among the twigs of the Divine Lote-Tree and are turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon. We beseech God to cause them to attain unto whatsoever wisdom requireth.

Regarding what thou didst write about the beloved Haji Mirza Haydar-ʿAli, upon him be every most glorious glory, on a certain occasion these exalted words were heard concerning him from the tongue of the Lord of creation, exalted be His grandeur:

“O servant! His eminence Mirza Haydar-ʿAli, upon him be My glory, hath borne many hardships in the path of God, exalted be His glory, and is engaged in serving the Cause with complete dedication. God willing, may he be assisted in teaching the Most Great News. May the True One grant capacity that the veiled people might drink from the Kawthar of the All-Merciful’s utterance and attain unto the love of God.

“O Haydar ʿAli! Thou art mentioned in My presence and art standing in service to My Cause. Thus hath the tongue of My grandeur testified at this time, even as We testified before and shall testify hereafter. We, from this station, pronounce Our glorification upon thee and upon those who have attained unto My sealed choice wine. Remember when thou wast sleeping and the breezes of My loving-kindness passed over thee and awakened thee in My days. Verily thy Lord is the Compassionate, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. Hold fast unto wisdom in all conditions. Thus wert thou commanded before and after, and at this appointed time. Blessed are they who aided thee and heard from thee that which thou didst utter concerning this binding Cause. Give glad tidings to My servants on My behalf, remind them of My remembrance, and pronounce glorification upon them from the True One, the Knower of things unseen.” End quote.

This evanescent one also conveyeth another greeting to him. He hath never been forgotten and never shall be. Whenever they pass by the known hill, mention is made of him and of that day when they sought a promise from the Ancient Beauty at its summit, and likewise a group of the loved ones, and in that elevated place divine verses were recited. Praise be to God, the deeds of the sincere are ever remembered. Verily, He doth not suffer the reward of the doers of good to be lost. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

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

As for your mention of the beloved of the heart, His Eminence Ibn-i-Ism’ullah’ul-Asdaq, upon them both be the Glory of God and His loving-kindness, a brief letter was sent some time ago in response to their missive, and after several days another detailed letter was submitted and dispatched. God willing, may they ever be blessed by the fragrances of divine verses. For some time these parts have been deprived of the adorning of peace and tranquility, and therefore responses to the letters of God’s loved ones were not sent and remained delayed. Now for several days some measure of assurance has been obtained, thus letters are being and will be sent, albeit according to what is possible. It is known that in this land too some of the servants, in their ignorance, have intended to rise up against others, therefore whatever wisdom requires shall be done.

As for your mention of their eminences Mulla Ali and Ibn-i-Shahid, upon them be the Glory of God, and the friends in that land, as well as the sons of Khalil and the heirs of Kalim, upon them be the Glory of God—this was presented at the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence. The Sun of the favors of God, exalted be His glory, has risen and shone upon each one, and some time ago mighty Tablets were revealed and sent. If opportunity permits and no impediment arises, this servant intends in these days to send correspondence to that sacred land. Convey my greetings to each one. God willing, you will relay these to each of them.

As for your mention of Furugh, Turbat, Faran, Rashkhvar, Hisar, the Land of Ba, that land, Shahrud, Bojnurd and Quchan—this was presented at the Most Holy, Most Glorious, Most Exalted Presence. This is what the Tongue of the All-Bountiful uttered to His loved ones in the lands, exalted be His grandeur:

O beloved of the All-Merciful in the lands! How many nights did the Ancient Beauty turn His face toward you and reveal unto you that which surpasseth in worth all the pearls of the oceans, all the fruits of the trees, all that is treasured in the earth, and all that is stored in mines and mountains! And how many were the days wherein ye attained the traces of My Most Exalted Pen, and its rushing sound was raised in your remembrance in such wise that the dwellers of Paradise and the Most Exalted Heaven gave utterance! Glorified be the Lord of Names and the Creator of the heavens, Who mentioneth His servants that have turned unto Him with such remembrance as before it all remembrance boweth down.

How many were the hours wherein ye were wrapped in the cloak of slumber while the Wronged One turned toward you with an eye that never sleepeth. Blessed are ye for having been immersed in the waves of the ocean of your Lord’s utterance, the Lord of all religions. Ye are they who have outstripped the world on a Day whereon the pillars of every learned one were shaken, the hearts of the mighty were perturbed, earthquakes seized the tribes of the earth, and the heaven brought forth its smoke. The Most Exalted Pen hath testified in your favor even as all things have proclaimed. Blessed are the people of Baha whose names have been inscribed by His Most Exalted Pen upon the Crimson Tablet. Thus hath the Command been revealed on this Day wherein tongues have been stilled and eyes have been transfixed.

Verily do We make mention of a land and say: Blessed art thou for having attained unto the remembrance of God in the beginning and the end. Thou art the one that hath been named by this Name from the tongue of thy Lord, the Most Glorious, at a time when the light of manifestation shone forth and the Speaker of the Mount spoke forth at all times. It behooveth thee to glory in this bounty and to shine upon all regions. There hath ascended from thee one who stood firm in My service, who spoke My praise, who turned his face toward My countenance, and who drew nigh unto My horizon wherefrom the lights have shone forth. We make mention of him and those whom God hath related unto him, and We counsel them with that which shall manifest their stations among the people. Hold ye fast unto the Book of God and His ordinances, and cleave unto that which shall exalt the Cause of your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful.

Section 2: “O concourse of divines and jurists in Ta…”

O concourse of divines and jurists in Ta and Ra! Behold ye, then remember when ye were turning toward My direction in the nights and at dawn, when ye arose to make mention of Me and to praise Me, and when ye were anticipating this Day that was promised in the Books of God, the Lord of lords. Yet when the promise was fulfilled and the door of bounty was opened, ye turned away, save those who perceived the fragrance of My raiment and were drawn by My most sweet call when it was raised from the most exalted station. Rejoice, O My loved ones in that place, then make mention of Me at morn and eventide. Beware lest the affairs of the world sadden you or the doubts of the evil ones veil you.

O Faran! Blessed art thou for having been named with a name from which the sincere ones perceive the surging of this Fire that hath been kindled from the Blessed Tree upon the snow-white earth. Thus doth the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing make mention of you from the luminous spot, this station wherein the atoms proclaim that there is none other God but He, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. We make mention at this moment of the loved ones of God within thee and give them the glad-tidings of this bounty that hath encompassed the horizons. Preserve ye your stations through My Most Great Name and take hold of My Book with the hands of power. Ye are in your lands while the Wronged One remembereth you in His Most Great Prison with that which attracteth the hearts of the righteous. Blessed is he who hath taken My Sealed Wine in My Self-Subsisting Name and hath drunk thereof despite those who have disbelieved in the Revealer of verses.

O My loved ones in Rishkhvar! The Chosen One remembereth you at a time when the fire of sorrows hath encompassed Him from every side. By God! He hath come with a power that nothing can prevent.

The sorrows of the world do not hold Him back, nor can the nations restrain Him. He speaks and utters what He willeth with power and sovereignty. Know ye the value of these days; then remember your Lord with such remembrance as would cause the very rocks to speak. Blessed are ye and those who love you for the sake of God, the Cleaver of the dawn. O people of Hisar! Ye were blessed by My remembrance aforetime, and at this hour wherein the Ancient King is seated upon the Most Great Throne in the most ruined of cities—yet God hath rebuilt it through His grace and transformed the prison into the Most Exalted Paradise. Blessed is he who witnesseth and seeth, and woe unto every heedless doubter. We have remembered you once before and have written down for you from Our Most Exalted Pen that which shall immortalize your remembrance in the holy Books and Tablets.

O Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of the people of the Palace who believed in God when the voice of the Herald was raised and the croaking of the raven was heard. Be thankful that ye have been mentioned before the Throne and that there hath been sent down to you from the Kingdom of utterance that which all creation cannot equal. We make mention of you and of your children and those whom We behold in the loins. Give thanks unto your Lord for this most great favor, then turn your faces toward the Spot before which all the sacred places of the earth have bowed down in submission. Verily your Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

O Verdant Land! Rejoice within thyself, for the Lord of Names maketh mention of thee and giveth thee glad tidings of that which hath been ordained for thee in the Book. O My loved ones in that place! We have remembered you time and again, and this is yet another time, and the Ancient Beauty hath turned His face toward you from His Most Great Prison on a day which God hath made the lord of days. We have found from you the fragrance of My love; We have mentioned you in this remembrance whereby faces have been illumined and bones have quivered. Blessed art thou and blessed are thy people who answered when the Call was raised and bore witness to that whereunto God had testified before the creation of earth and heaven. They that have ascended in thee have attained the grace of their Lord and have been adorned with the robe of forgiveness. We behold them in all conditions and hear what their tongues utter at eventide and at dawn. We have favored some above others, and We are the Mighty, the Bestower.

We make mention of the land named Shahrud. Remember, O Land, when We passed over thee and shone forth with a light that illumined earth and heaven. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing. We arrived in thee when thy people were heedless, and after successive years had passed, We raised up in thee one who would remember Me by this Name whereby the hearts of those endued with understanding were subdued. Blessed is the soul that remembereth Me in thee, and blessed is the servant who hath arisen to serve My Cause on this Day wherein mysteries have been unveiled. Beware lest the pharaohs of the earth, who have adorned their temples with the robes of learning and have committed that which hath caused all things to lament and the very pebbles to cry out, fill you with fear. Hold fast unto the cord of the Cause and grasp the hem of wisdom, and proclaim the Cause of your Lord with joy and fragrance.

O people of Ba and Shin! Remember when there appeared from among you one who arose to serve the Cause in such wise as to cause the limbs of the earth to quake and the foundations of all lands to tremble. He is the helper whose assistance was attested by the Tongue of Grandeur, and in whose praise there hath spoken that which was created by the Word of God, the Sender of the winds.

O Land of Ba! We have manifested from thee Our treasure and adorned it with Our first ornament, and sent it forth with power and authority. Through it were hoisted the banners of unity and raised the standards of oneness, and the Cock of the Throne crowed, and the Dove of the Cause warbled upon the branches. O My loved ones therein! Rejoice ye to remember Him Whom God hath remembered through that which My Most Exalted Pen hath spoken in the most sublime station. Know ye that what ye sent hath been presented before Us and hath been honored with the lights of acceptance, a bounty from God, the Lord of all men. We have mentioned every name that hath served the Cause in the days of God, the Manifestor of clear proofs. Blessed are ye, and joy be unto you, for ye have shown patience. God will soon exalt your stations and names in the earth. He, verily, is the All-Merciful, the Most Generous. By My life! The breezes of My favor waft over you, and from you We inhale the fragrance of My shirt which hath diffused its perfume through My Name, the All-Pervading throughout all regions. Be thankful unto God for this Most Great Remembrance, and place your trust in Him under all conditions.

We make mention of the Land of Ba and Jim that there may appear therein what God, the Knower of the seen and unseen, hath desired. Blessed is he who hath attained unto My days, who hath arisen to serve Me, who hath spoken My praise and hath turned unto My horizon whereby the regions were illumined. O people of Ba and Jim! Arise above heedlessness and desire. By God! The Lord of all beings hath come on a Day whereon the earth hath quaked and the mountains have passed away. Beware lest the world debar you from the Sovereign of the hereafter and the former times. Cast away what the people possess and hold fast unto that which hath been sent down from the All-Merciful. We counsel the loved ones of God to be trustworthy and sincere, and to act in ways that will elevate the station of man.

O Land of Qaf and Vav (Quchan)! Is there in thee one who remembereth Me, and hast thou been blessed by the breaths of My loved ones whom neither the conditions of the earth can weaken nor the hosts of the wicked frighten? O thou Land! Remember thy Lord: Hath the fire of My love been extinguished in thee, and hath he who was steadfast in My service and who spoke My praise—whereby the atoms cried out “The kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of the beginning and the end”—grown heedless? And We make mention of the cities whose names have not been mentioned; verily He is the All-Merciful, the Most Generous.

O people of Kha! The Lord of Names remembereth you and giveth you glad tidings of His mercy and His loving-kindness. He, verily, is the Most Generous, the Ancient of Days. He remembereth him who remembereth Him, and turneth unto him who hath turned unto Him, as a bounty from His presence; and He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. This is a Day whereon the Most Great Ocean hath surged and the river of thy Lord’s mercy, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, hath flowed. Deprive not yourselves of that which hath appeared in creation, and follow not every ignorant doubter. Cast the world behind you, clinging to the hem of the robe of God, the Lord of this mighty Day. The world hath been illumined by the lights of My Most Great Name, yet most of the people are heedless.

O ye who are transported with joy! Rejoice in that the Countenance of God hath turned towards you from this exalted horizon with such effulgent rays as have illumined earth and heaven and set aglow the hearts of them that have drawn nigh. We have made mention of you aforetime in words that no created thing in the kingdom of names can rival, and now We make mention of you in this remembrance which draweth you nearer unto God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We make mention of you in that which shall profit you in all the worlds of God—to this every discerning soul beareth witness. Blessed is he who hath been set aflame by the fire of the Tree of My Cause, who hath arisen to serve Me and hath spoken forth My beauteous remembrance.

O ye who are faithful! This is the Day whereon the rustling of the Sadratu’l-Muntaha and the flowing of the Kawthar of life are heard throughout all creation. Drink ye thereof in My Name, the Almighty, the Powerful. Beware lest the veils of the divines withhold you from the Lord of all names, or the clamor of the objectors, who have broken God’s Covenant and His Testament and have followed every accursed satan, debar you.

O concourse of divines! Come, come, that I may show you what your eyes have never seen and cause you to hear what your ears have never heard. Fear God, then judge with fairness this Cause, at Whose appearance all things have proclaimed:

“Blessed be the Lord of Names, Who hath come with manifest sovereignty.”

At this moment We make mention of My servant Ahmad, who gave the people glad tidings of this Most Great Name. He awaited My days and informed the people of My manifestation, and ascended before dawn unto the Most Exalted Companion, attaining that which was ordained for him by One mighty and faithful. Through him the sweet savors of divine knowledge were wafted among the servants—to this the Lord of creation, Who speaketh in this glorious station, beareth witness. We have mentioned him in numerous Tablets in such wise as hath brought joy to the eyes of them that are nigh.

And We make mention of him who was named Aqa before Ba’, who recognized the Most Great Name and responded to his Lord when the Call was raised betwixt earth and heaven. He was not shaken by the earthquakes of the earth, nor was he veiled by the veils of the divines, nor did he hesitate in this Most Great, Most Holy, Mighty, and Wondrous Cause. He attained true knowledge when the All-Merciful came with an authority before which the hosts of earth and heaven could not stand—to this every just and knowing one beareth witness.

O thou who bearest this name! Rejoice in that the Supreme Pen maketh mention of thee and saith: The first remembrance that issued from the mouth of the Will of thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Glorious, be upon thee, O thou who didst turn to the Most Exalted Horizon and didst cling to the hem of grandeur when people were in manifest confusion. I bear witness that thou didst turn thy face to the Countenance of God after the passing of all things, and didst believe in the One, the All-Informed. The rapture of thy Lord’s utterance seized thee in such wise that thou didst turn and acknowledge that which the Tongue of Grandeur had spoken before the creation of the world: “There is none other God but Me, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”

Thou didst arise in the love of God when the feet of the nations had slipped, save whom God pleased—thy Lord, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. God hath forgiven thee at the time of thine ascension, purified thee, and admitted thee into an exalted station. Blessed is he who remembereth thee with that wherewith the Tongue of Grandeur hath remembered thee. Verily thy Lord is the Rememberer, the All-Wise. Peace be upon thee, and glory be upon thee, and light be upon thee, inasmuch as thou didst believe in God when He appeared in truth and didst drink His choice sealed wine in His Name, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. Thus have We adorned the pages of the Book of Knowledge with the suns of remembrance and utterance. Blessed is he who hath heard, and woe unto the heedless.

If all who dwell on earth and whatsoever hath been ordained, created and is visible therein were to become tongues and endeavor forever to render thanks unto God, exalted be His glory, could they succeed? Nay, by Him Who holdeth my soul in His hand! Never could anyone adequately render thanks for this supreme bounty and mighty favor. He is ever engaged in mentioning His loved ones. Who can reckon what hath been revealed from His Most Exalted Pen for His chosen ones, His loved ones, His trusted ones and His servants? We beseech the Exalted One to make aware the peoples of the earth and not deprive them of this greatest bounty. Verily, He is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth, and He is the All-Conquering, the Almighty.

As to the mention that was made of the honored Afnan, upon them be His most glorious Baha, these exalted words were revealed some time ago from the Dayspring of utterance, the Lord of Names. He, exalted be His glory, saith: O thou who art present! These blessed, steadfast and enkindled souls have turned with utmost love, spirit and fragrance toward the Court of God. They have moved for the sake of God and emigrated in His path. This holy turning has been from God and unto God shall it return. They have turned from their earthly home to the most exalted habitation, the seat of the throne of the Lord of Names. They have chosen exile in My path and hardship and tribulation for My remembrance and love.

O thou who art present! Though they have borne mighty tribulations, yet by My life these are as naught compared to the ordained reward. God willing, may they attain to what God hath intended for them and be thankful for whatsoever hath befallen them. Blessed are they and blessed is he who loveth them and he who holdeth fast unto them, for God hath related them unto Himself and made them of the Afnan, and hath preferred some of them above others. Verily, He is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but He, the Mighty, the Bestower.

That which was recorded in the Tablet of Fu’ad from the utterances of God, exalted be His glory, this evanescent one hath mentioned, otherwise who can reckon what descendeth from the kingdom of the will of our Lord, and who can transcribe that which the Tongue of Grandeur uttereth at all times save through His grace, His might, His bounty and His all-pervading existence? This evanescent servant conveyeth greetings and salutations to all the friends of God and giveth them glad tidings of that which rejoiceth hearts and delighteth eyes. God willing, may the warmth of divine love adorn the body of separation with the garment of unity and concord. Verily, He hath commanded and commandeth all with that which profiteth them, and He hath counseled them in most of the Tablets to unity and harmony. How excellent is the reward of them that act! Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. May the glory shining from the horizon of eternity rest upon thee and upon those who are there and upon them who hold fast to the cord of God, the Strong One.

19 Dhi’l-Hijjah 1299

BH00163: Praise be to God Who hath subdued the world…

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

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

Praise be to God Who hath subdued the world through His Most Great Name. Verily, when He established Himself upon the dust, it became the Most Great Throne. The atoms bear witness that the All-Merciful hath appeared in truth and hath established Himself thereon through His Name, the All-Subduing over all names. He is the One Who, though He walketh in prison, walketh above the heavens. Exalted be the Lord of Names Who hath appeared and manifested whatsoever He desired, and seized those who denied His right and broke His Covenant and sent Him wrongfully to this Prison which the Supreme Pen hath mentioned in various Tablets. Exalted be the Lord of mankind and the Sovereign of the Hereafter and of the former times. I pray, offer salutations and glorification upon the Manifestations of His Cause and the Daysprings of His remembrance, who have stood with supreme steadfastness in days wherein the earth was shaken and the pillars of all lands were made to tremble. The servant beseecheth his Lord to confirm these souls in propagating His Cause and spreading His ordinances that the fragrance of His laws may be diffused among all peoples. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Great.

And further: your letter brought me glad tidings and guided me to your loving sentiments. When I read and found therein your arising to serve the Cause and your steadfastness in the love of God in this Day wherein the hearts of all beings were troubled save those who sought shelter beneath the shadow of the grace of their Lord, the Almighty, the Omnipotent, I turned and approached a station that cannot be mentioned by names nor described by what floweth from the creative Pen. I entered the Most Holy Court and presented that which had streamed forth from the fountain of your heart in the days of our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and earths. Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that which caused the fragrance of God to be wafted among all creation, saying, exalted be His grandeur and great be His majesty:

Through My Name, the All-Witnessing, and through My Name, the All-Seeing

Verily thy servant hath appeared and hath laid before the Wronged One that which hath shone forth from the treasury of Thy love and the repository of Thy devotion. We have heard and have answered thee with verses from which the sincere shall inhale the fragrance of the loving-kindness of God, the Lord of the worlds. It is as though I behold thee standing before the door inquiring about thy condition and what hath befallen thee in this firm and mighty Cause. Give thanks unto God for My remembrance of thee. Verily, He remembereth him who remembereth Him and guideth whomsoever He willeth unto His straight Path. O Nabil! The All-Glorious remembereth thee from the precincts of the Prison and announceth unto thee His bounty which hath encompassed all that are in the heavens and on earth.

Thou hast entered into a station wherefrom the learned of the earth have been debarred, save whom God hath willed, the Almighty, the Powerful. And thou hast heard that which hath been forbidden unto the mystics among the servants, save him whom the hand of thy Lord’s grace, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful, hath delivered. Thus hath the chalice of inner meanings sprinkled upon thee that which shall draw thee unto a station wherein the affairs of the earth shall not hinder thee from this manifest Cause.

Remind, on My behalf, My loved ones who have turned unto My heaven, who have voiced My praise and who have arisen to aid My wondrous Cause. Say: O people of the earth! By God, that which was treasured therein hath appeared. Fear ye God and be not of the heedless ones. This is the Day whereon the lips of the world have smiled, inasmuch as the Lord of Eternity hath been established upon the Most Great Throne. Hasten ye with illumined hearts, then advance with radiant faces unto His sublime horizon, and be ye not of the lost. By God! This is the Day of profit, were ye to know it. This is the Day for which the eyes of days have wept, and wherein hath appeared that which was recorded by the Finger of God, the Help in Peril, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

And when the Finger moved, the Supreme Pen prostrated itself—thus doth inform thee He around Whom circleth a preserved Tablet. When thou hast been blessed to hearken unto My call and hast quaffed the choice wine of Mine utterance, turn thy face toward God and say: Thine be the praise, O Thou Who art the Goal of the world, and Thine be the bounty, O Thou Who art the Beloved of them that have recognized Thee. My spirit be a sacrifice unto Thy favors, O Thou Who art the Lord of Names! How can I thank Thee when all who are in the heavens and on earth have confessed their powerlessness, and how can I praise Thee with my feeble tongue? I beseech Thee to assist me in remembering Thee and serving Thee, and to enable me to do that which beseemeth Thy mighty and exalted Revelation.

I seek and implore from God, exalted be His glory, that there might be found in the world one ear purified from doubt and misgiving, or one soul adorned with the ornament of fairness, that it might perceive the fragrances of the divine Day and comprehend the sweetness of His utterance. I swear by the Most Great Luminary that this servant regards himself with the utmost shame and embarrassment, for he has been enabled to recognize a Day that hath had and hath no peer or likeness, and moreover hath attained to a station wherein every day the equivalent of books is revealed from the heaven of His Will. Yet he witnesseth all people heedless and veiled by matters unworthy of mention. Glory be to God! The ocean is manifest, the Sun of Truth is shining, and He Who conversed on Sinai is calling out with the most exalted call, yet all are occupied with their selfish desires. O my Beloved! By Thy life, this evanescent servant hath not considered and doth not consider himself worthy of this Day. I swear by the Euphrates of inner meanings which now floweth from the right hand of the Throne that what I express is the truth—God is sufficient as witness.

God willing, may that honored one and this servant and those gentlemen who reside in that land become sanctified from all that hath not been and is not worthy of God’s days, and thereafter may we cling to the hem of His generosity and beseech Him to preserve us from whatsoever hath not been and is not befitting unto Him. A hundred thousand praises that He hath not deprived these servants nor forbidden them, but rather enabled them to hear His call. Now we beseech Him to preserve us beneath the canopies of His grandeur and the tree of His loving-kindness, and to so enkindle us with His verses that we may not be troubled by the world’s vexations nor held back from serving His Cause. Verily He is the One with power over what He willeth. There is no God but Him, the Triumphant, the Mighty.

As to what you had written about having to present the news of the friends at the Most Holy Court—God willing, may the friends in every land be assisted to perform praiseworthy deeds and to act according to what God hath revealed in the Book, so that their news may become the cause of joy and the source of gladness. They commanded: Write to Nabil—O Nabil! This is a Day wherein the earth telleth its tales and the heaven revealeth what appeareth therein. However, the tales of some lands have been and are the cause of endless sorrow. Were details to be mentioned at this point, the sweat of shame would drown most people. But since these are days when mercy hath preceded all and the heaven of generosity hath become manifest and the ocean of grace hath appeared before all faces, the All-Concealing Lord conceals.

Verily He loveth those servants who have heard and responded. Yet beseech God that He may sanctify all from that which hath not been and is not worthy of His Day. Verily He heareth and knoweth and seeth, and He is the Concealer, the Wise. We send from this station Our greetings upon the faces of My loved ones who have soared in My atmosphere and drunk the choice wine of My grace and have arisen to serve My wondrous Cause. Glory be upon them and upon those women who have believed in God, the One, the All-Informed.

O Nabil! Every fire thou hast seen and heard hath been extinguished, but the Fire in the Divine Lote-Tree speaketh in such wise that neither the clamor of the people, nor the hosts of the lands, nor the insinuations of the divines, nor the doubts of the jurisprudents can prevent it. It calleth out under all conditions with that which hath been commanded by the Mighty, the Powerful, the Omnipotent. By My life! It hath increased through tribulations and calamities. Can anyone know from what essence it hath appeared and from what power it hath emerged? Say: Yea, by my Lord! From the power of God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. Verily, we are God’s and to Him shall we return.

Concerning what thou didst write about certain loved ones who have journeyed to various regions for certain matters—I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to gather them all together in perfect health, joy and gladness, and to engage them in His remembrance and praise. And as for the beloved of hearts, Jinab-i-Varqa, upon him be greeting, praise and the glory of God, the Most Glorious—according to what was written, in these days he is proceeding in that direction. Wherever he may be, may he be assisted and confirmed. Since his place of residence is unknown, this servant hath delayed in responding to him, but God willing, after being informed, the remainder of life shall be spent in recompense.

As for the mention that was made of Haji Muhammad Aqa, Haji Ali-Askar, Jinab-i-Faraj Aqa and Aqa Mirza Ghulam-ʿAli, upon them be the glory of God—praise be to God, mention of them was made in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court, and each was favored by the grace of God, exalted be His glory. This evanescent one conveyeth greetings to each of them. May God willing, they be assisted in that which God loveth and be confirmed in that which shall perpetuate their names. Repeatedly hath mention of them flowed from the Divine Pen. By the life of our Lord, they have attained to that for which most of mankind hath died in regret. God willing, may they recognize their stations, preserve them in the name of Truth, and be confirmed in deeds from which the fragrance of eternity may be inhaled.

The world, in truth, was not and is not worthy of mention, was not and is not worthy of attention. In one of the blessed Tablets, in counseling and admonishing the servants, there is a passage which meaneth thus: He saith: How many were the houses from which at night were heard songs and melodies, yet in the morning there arose from them the wailing of grief. In such case, it behooveth every person of understanding not to let transient conditions engage him and deprive him of the eternal realm. Verily, the servant beseecheth and supplicateth, and God is the Hearer, the Answerer.

And concerning what was written about Mulla Qasim, upon him be the glory of God, and his special dedication to teaching the Cause of God—these matters were presented before the Divine Presence. This is what the Tongue of the All-Merciful hath uttered in the Kingdom of Utterance, His word, exalted be His majesty:

In My Name, the Mighty, the Bestower

O Qasim! We made mention of thee before, that the remembrance of the All-Merciful might attract thee to a station where neither the hosts of the world nor the clamor of the nations who have broken God’s Covenant and His Pact, and who have denied the Heavenly Table sent down in truth from the Kingdom of their Lord’s loving-kindness, the Mighty, the Powerful, shall frighten thee. Blessed art thou for having cast aside vain imaginings, hastening to the horizon of certitude. Behold and call to mind when Muhammad, the Apostle of God, came, and what the people committed in that glorious and resplendent Day. The divines first denied Him, then those who followed them without clear proof or enlightening Book.

The fire of hatred was kindled in their breasts to such extent that the Faithful Spirit lamented thereof. They cast the Book of God behind their backs and took their idle fancies—verily they are among the most lost in the Book of God, the Lord of all worlds. Then behold when the Spirit came, they arose in opposition in such wise that the earth with all its vastness was straitened for Him. By My life! There befell Him that which causeth every fair-minded and discerning one to cry out. Say: O concourse of earth! Reflect upon that which befell the chosen ones of God in generations past, and be not of the heedless ones. The world and all that is therein shall pass away, and ye shall be questioned concerning what ye have wrought with grievous wrong.

Convey My greetings unto those servants who have taken the chalice of true knowledge in My Name, the All-Merciful, and have quaffed therefrom through a command from One Who is the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days. Say: Blessed are ye for having turned unto God, the One, the All-Informed. The glory be upon thee and upon them and upon those who have laid fast hold on the Sure Handle in this blessed, holy, mighty and wondrous Day. Then hearken unto My other call from the direction of My Most Great Vision. Verily, He mentioneth thee yet again in this night, as a token of His grace, and He is the Compassionate, the Generous. Blessed be thy face for having turned toward God, and thy tongue for having moved to proclaim the Cause of thy Lord, the All-Seeing, the All-Perceiving. Be thou in all circumstances observant of the wisdom We have revealed in various Tablets and in this perspicuous Tablet. Thus hath He taught thee in Whose grasp are the reins of all knowledge, and hath acquainted thee with Him in Whose right hand is the Kingdom of the heavens and of the earth. Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

Section 2: “This evanescent servant conveyeth greetings unto them…”

This evanescent servant conveyeth greetings unto them and beseecheth God for support lest the veils of countries and the clouds of men should prevent him. The meaning of veils and clouds and pharaohs and tyrants and manifestations of oppression and every word from which the fragrance of wrath can be inhaled referreth to the divines of the earth who are seen to be deprived of God’s straight path. These souls have been and are the cause and source of corruption in the world, and through their decrees there befell the Manifestations of the Cause that which caused all things to cry out in lamentation. In truth they are ignorant, yet they adorn themselves with the ornament of knowledge before men.

Otherwise, the true scholar is as a crown for heads and as a heart for the body. Blessed is he who seeth him and loveth him and turneth unto him and attaineth his presence and consorteth with him, but purely for the sake of God and not for any other purpose. God willing, may the breeze of fairness waft and deliver the slumberers from heedlessness, that they may not remain deprived of the outpourings of the True Bestower in these spiritual days. Alas, a hundred thousand times alas! Years have passed and months ended and hours gone by and minutes come to their end, yet still the people of earth have not arisen from the couch of heedlessness. The world is heedless and man bewildered. The matter is in God’s hands, our Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

They wrote that Ustad Shir Muhammad went to Qaradagh and Ustad Jabbar (upon them both be 966 [Baha’u’llah]) went to Miyanduab. Mention of both was made in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence. He said:

“God willing, may Shir Muhammad be occupied with the mention of God, exalted be His glory, and be assured of His grace. Today it is binding and obligatory upon all to hold fast to that which God hath revealed in the Book. Today is the day of deeds and character. Blessed is he who acteth for God’s sake and walketh in His path. O Nabil, if thou seest him, convey My greetings unto him and give him the glad-tidings of My remembrance of him, that he may rejoice and be of the thankful ones.”

“O Nabil! We make mention of him who is named Jabbar, who hath believed in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. And We remember My loved ones in Miyanduab who have drunk the Kawthar of utterance in the days of their Lord, the Most Merciful, and have acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur testified before the creation of all possibilities: that there is none other God but I, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Loving.

And We remember My loved ones who were martyred in that place, as a grace from Us, and I am verily the All-Bountiful, the Mighty, the Beloved. I bear witness that ye believed in God and in what was sent down in truth, and ye heard His sweetest call and responded on a day wherein every mighty and powerful one was shaken. Ye are they who turned toward the Supreme Horizon when the Lord of all beings appeared, and ye attained that which most of creation was deprived of. He Who possesseth knowledge of what was and what shall be beareth witness to this. Ye endured in My path that which caused the Concourse on High to weep, until ye ascended unto the Supreme Companion through that which the hands of the oppressors who followed vain imaginings and idle fancies had wrought.

O company of martyrs! Upon you be the glory of God and His mercy, and the fragrances that have been wafted from the direction of His holy and blessed garment. I testify that ye believed in God and hastened with your hearts to the Most Great Ocean, and ye attained that which ye were commanded by the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. Among you is he who took a handful, and among you is he who drank cup after cup, and among you is he who hastened to the Most Great Ocean and drank therefrom in this praiseworthy station. Upon you be the light of God and His care, and the mercy of God and His grace, throughout the duration of the Kingdom and the Dominion.”

Those souls who attained martyrdom in that land have been repeatedly mentioned by the Supreme Pen. Convey greetings to all the remaining righteous ones in that land and give them the glad-tidings of that which hath been revealed from the Supreme Pen regarding their martyrs. A special grace hath appeared from the horizon of favor for them, such that were all on earth to become aware of it, they would turn toward the Friend. Blessed is the blood that was shed in My path, and the spirit that soared in My atmosphere, and the heart that drank the wine of My love, and the soul that ascended to My horizon, and the servant who took hold of My mighty Book with My strength. Thus have We commanded thee in truth. Act upon it as a command from Me, and I am verily the Commander, the All-Wise.

And concerning what you wrote about Aqa Yusuf, upon him be the mercy of God and His forgiveness, mention was made of him before, and the grace of God, exalted be His glory, was directed toward him. We praise God, the Exalted, Who forgave him and remembered him as a grace from His presence, and He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Regarding what you wrote about his honor the late exalted Mirza ʿAb, upon him be 66-9 [Baha’u’llah] and His favors, some time ago a Most Holy and Most Exalted Tablet was specifically revealed for him from the heaven of grace and was sent. God willing, may he be illumined by the light of faith and rest with utmost steadfastness beneath the shade of the mercy of the All-Merciful. The illustrious Nabil, his honor Nabil of Qa’in, upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, sent a letter some time ago wherein he made mention of one of the relatives of his honor the exalted one. If that beloved one deems it advisable, he may on behalf of this ephemeral one convey greetings to his honor the son, upon him be 66-9 [Baha’u’llah]. Perchance the fragrant breezes of the father may be inhaled from the son, and he may turn toward the right hand and receive his portion from the Book of the righteous. Blessed is his father! Verily he attained the mention of God before his ascension and after his ascension with a mention that nothing in creation can equal. To this our Lord beareth witness, and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and the earth.

Convey greetings on behalf of this ephemeral one to his honor Mirza-yi Bahar, may God the Exalted assist him. God willing, we hope they may rend asunder the veils and pierce through the clouds of glory, and be confirmed in that which is befitting this Day. Night and day this servant beseecheth the True One, exalted be His glory, that He may enable all to turn toward that which is adorned with the ornament of eternity.

Regarding the mention you made of the names of the friends and their gathering in your residence, it was presented at the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court, and specifically for each one of those names a most mighty and most exalted Tablet was revealed, and likewise specifically for the names of the friends which his honor Makhdumi ʿAb, upon him be the glory of God, and likewise specifically for the friends of Maraghih which his honor Ibn-i-Dakhil, upon him be the glory of God, had sent—all attained the outpourings of the All-Bountiful Lord and were adorned with the lights of the Kingdom. Should one reflect even slightly upon the boundless grace of the True One, exalted be His glory, such wonderment would seize him that he would become oblivious of himself and all else. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to give thanks unto Himself on behalf of His servants and to praise His Essence through His chosen ones and His friends, for it is most evident that the thanksgiving of any other than Him was not and is not worthy of Him. However, since He hath commanded His servants to offer thanks and praise, out of pure grace He hath accepted and doth accept it.

Regarding what you mentioned about his honor the exalted Sadr, may God have mercy upon him—at first he was heedless and opposed, but in the days of his turning toward the direction of Zawra, there appeared from him, according to his capacity, that which indicated acceptance and love. Then time and again he would ascend and descend until there came to pass that which was decreed by God. At that time he was greatly troubled and fearful. Then God’s grace encompassed him. Verily He is the One Who chooseth whatsoever He willeth, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. In any case, toward the end the True One, exalted be His glory, showed favor toward him. They stated that toward the end no act appeared from him that would cause grief to the Ancient Beauty. Moreover, in view of the favor that was and is extended to some of his relatives who are adorned with the ornament of the love of God, they commanded that none should speak aught concerning him save good words. Verily He is powerful over all things and knoweth all things.

Concerning what you wrote about the passage dealing with His Holiness the exalted Shaykh—upon him be all the most glorious Glory of God and all His most exalted exaltation—they are being sent according to the command of His Holiness the Most Great Branch (may my spirit and being be sacrificed for the dust of His footsteps). The purpose of this question to that sinful one was that he might become aware of his own ignorance and perhaps inquire about its meaning and turn toward the highest horizon. That unfortunate one was not successful, and the purpose of mentioning it was not that the Ancient Beauty would use those passages as proof for this Most Holy, Most Exalted Manifestation. He says:

“Verily proof is ashamed to be mentioned to establish His Cause, and consciences are embarrassed to turn to Him, and evidence stands at His door, and argument circles round His mighty throne.”

Countless similar utterances were heard from the tongue of the Lord of Names, and every fair-minded and perceptive person testifies that He cannot be mentioned except through Him and cannot be known except through Him. Some servants, both within and without, who walk in the desert of conjecture and the lands of fancy, have imagined that the Truth (glorified be His majesty) has claimed successorship and the like. Their tongues are silenced and their eyes are blinded. He is sanctified above all that they possess and exalted above their allusions and what their understanding comprehends.

I extend greetings, glorification and sincere regards to the gentlemen of that land, namely those souls who, detached from the world, abide beneath the standard of the grace of the Lord of Eternity. God willing, may they be illumined by the light of unity and manifest perfect harmony. Today the fragrance of unity is most beloved—if it is diffused, it is the helper and the assistant and the hosts of the Truth (glorified be His majesty).

In most Tablets these exalted words have flowed from the Supreme Pen. His word, exalted be His grandeur: “All must assist God through goodly deeds and spiritual characteristics.” And He says: “No host has been or is more powerful and exalted than praiseworthy deeds and character.” End quote. It is hoped that all may attain to this exalted rank and most high station. O friends! All bear witness to God’s grace and kindness. Among His countless favors is the mention that flows from the Supreme Pen concerning all, by night and day. Blessed is he who attains to the mention of our Lord and your Lord, and woe to the heedless. Strive that you may be crowned with acceptance and be mentioned in the Crimson Book as “you belong to God.” This is a mention from whose fragrance lovers have found no rest, and the possessors of insight have laid down their lives in its path. Strive, strive, O gentlemen! Time is like the red elixir—it rarely comes to hand. In any case, I beseech the True One (glorified be His majesty) to grant success to all, and I request that they too pray for confirmation for this evanescent one. We are weak ones at the door of His grace. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Powerful, the Ancient.

And concerning what you mentioned about the wild rose, since its mention was adorned with the mention of Mashhadi ʿAli, upon him be the Glory of God, it became a cause of joy and gladness. Praise be to God that a plant attained mention of one of the friends of God and thus achieved the highest nobility of being heard in the most exalted summit and ultimate goal. From this matter the stations of the steadfast and firm friends become known and are made evident to all the world. Soon shall be revealed the station of one whom the Supreme Pen hath mentioned. The Command is in the hand of God, the Lord of the First and the Last. Special verses were revealed for him before and after, and in this instance wondrous and exalted verses have been sent down from the heaven of merciful grace. God willing, may they become perfumed by its fragrances and illumined by its lights. This evanescent servant conveys greetings to them and beseeches the True One, exalted be His glory, that they may ever be assisted in that which causes the exaltation of the Cause and be confirmed in preserving their station before God, the Lord of the mighty throne.

The Glory shining forth from the horizon of eternity be upon you and upon those with you and upon those who have believed in God, the Powerful, the One, the Peerless, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

BH00241: The servant hath been bidden to be brief…

Section 1: “The servant hath been bidden to be brief…”

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

The servant hath been bidden to be brief in making mention of the chosen ones, by God, the All-Powerful, the Unconstrained, for time hath become as rare as red sulphur and correspondence is beyond count or containment. The matter is in God’s hands, the Lord of destiny. O my beloved! I have received what thou didst send in these days wherein the deeds of men have taken form and assumed diverse shapes—at times appearing as swords and spears, at others in the guise of cannons and daggers. Calamities and afflictions have encompassed all regions, yet the people remain in strange slumber. Successive years have passed, yet the tempests of wrath and the hurricanes of divine decree have not subsided, by reason of what the hands of men have wrought.

Blessed is he who, being endowed with insight, hath recognized the cause and hath arisen to inform the people and bid them arise to that which they have neglected in the days of God, the Lord of the worlds. On one day thou seest the fire of conflict ablaze amongst the servants, and on another thou hearest the sound of guns and rifles from diverse lands. How many cities have been swallowed up, how many lands laid waste by earthquakes, how many regions encompassed by other calamities through God’s decree, the Lord of all men, and how many lands submerged and lofty buildings fallen! All this was foretold by the Prophets of old from God, the Lord of Justice and Sovereign of Grace.

Blessed is the soul that perceiveth these matters, pondereth them, and is awakened thereby. Woe unto him who is so seized by vain desire as to be kept back from the Lord of the Throne on high and of earth below, until he returneth to his abode in the fires. Praise be to God, the Almighty, the Glorious, the Bestower!

In such days as these which the servant hath mentioned to your honor, he was gladdened by what you sent him, for from each of your words he detected the fragrance of the love of God—my Beloved and your Beloved, my Goal and your Goal, and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and the earth. When I read and discovered what was therein, the warmth of your love so enkindled me that I arose and turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon until I attained His presence and presented it. Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that whereby every inanimate thing was stirred, every bone thrilled, and every seated one arose. The servant is powerless to recount to your honor what he witnessed and beheld from the waves of his Lord’s ocean of utterance, the Lord of Names, nor can he cause thee to hear His sweetest call or show thee His most exalted horizon. Yet he mentioneth according to his measure and station that which was impressed upon the smallest of mirrors—the mirror of his heart. He—exalted be His majesty, magnified His sovereignty, and glorified His grandeur—said:

In My Name, the Hearing, the Answering, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful

ʿAyn. Ba. The Call hath been raised from the Most Exalted Right-hand Side from the direction of My Most Great Word: “Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Hearer, the Answerer!” The ears have been prevented from hearkening unto this Call save those whom God, the Lord of all worlds, hath willed. By this Call the Kingdom was attracted and proclaimed: “He Who is the King of Kings hath come with a sovereignty before which all who are in the heavens and earth cannot stand!” Through it the Fire of God was kindled and appeared from the Tree, and it spoke: “Verily, there is none other God but Me, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers!”

O Abdullah! By the life of God, the ear of Moses was blessed by this Call. Exalted is He Who made him successful, hearing, speaking, and bearing His firm and mighty Command. Say: O concourse of earth! Come, that I may cause you to hear what your ears have never heard before, and come, that I may show you what no eyes have seen except those whom God, the Omnipotent, the Mighty, hath willed. Blessed is he who hastened with his heart to the Most Great Ocean and attained unto it in the days of his Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous.

The servant in attendance hath presented thy letter, and what the dove of thy love uttered was read before the Wronged One. We heard it and answered thee with that which caused the Kingdom of Utterance to quiver, the birds of knowledge to soar, and all things to speak. O concourse of names! Draw nigh that ye may hear. By God! The ears were created to hearken unto that which hath been raised from the Most Exalted Horizon, as a command from God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Be grateful to God for this supreme bounty. Verily, He hath mentioned thee in various Tablets as a grace from Him, and He is the Ancient Bestower. A single letter of what We have sent thee surpasseth all that thou hearest and seest—thy Lord, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, beareth witness to this. The Glory shining from the horizon of thy Lord’s favor be upon thee, thy family, those who are with thee, and those who have believed in God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

Every soul should, with a hundred thousand tongues and utterances, beseech God, exalted be His glory, not to withhold His servants from this Most Pure Fountain and Greatest Bounty. Verily, He hath power over all things. Strange it is that the people of the world—to what do they believe and from what do they turn away? This great Cause hath encompassed the world and its signs are manifest from all directions, yet they cling to the spider’s web, remaining heedless of the glorious station and deprived of the fragrance of the utterance of the All-Merciful. They are unaware of what hath appeared in the earth. They seek naught but self-desire and show no sign save the flame of ego. They do what they are bidden by the imaginings of the ignorant ones, namely the divines.

Glory be to God! Such tyranny hath appeared from this group that the pens of the world are powerless to recount it. These souls are the concealing veils and the preventing barriers who, despite their countless iniquities, would recognize the truth of what hath appeared if they were to attain unto fairness for but a moment. Verily, He confirmeth whom He willeth as a grace from Him, and guideth whom He desireth unto His straight and manifest path.

Concerning what thou didst write about thy honored master, His Grace Mirza Ishaq, upon him be the Glory of God—in these days the Most Great Branch—may my spirit, my being, and my essence be a sacrifice for the dust of His footsteps—hath gone to the region of the Jordan River and is not present. However, the mention of him that was in thy letter was presented in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence. These sublime words were sent down from the heaven of the Will of the Revealer of verses. He saith, exalted be His grandeur:

He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed

The servant who was present brought a letter from one who loved Me, and therein was thy mention. We make mention of thee with this mention which, when it appeared from the Dawning-Place of thy Lord’s utterance, the Ancient of Days, all the mentions of the world bowed down before it. Thus hath the Pen spoken from this most exalted Station and supreme Height. He, verily, is the Compassionate, the Generous. Hold fast unto the Sure Handle. By the life of God! It hath appeared in truth. Blessed is he who hath attained thereunto, and woe unto the heedless. Remember when thou didst attain unto the presence in days wherein the Light shone forth from the horizon of Zawra. Thus doth the Most Great Announcement make mention of thee, whereby every firm foundation hath been shaken.

We counsel thee to remain steadfast in the Greater Steadfastness and in that whereby the Cause of God, the Lord of all men, is exalted. Cast away what the people possess and take what thou art commanded by One Who is Compassionate, Generous. Preserve thy station and thy kinship with the name of thy Lord. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Ancient. We, from this spot, send Our blessings upon thee and upon those who have turned to the Supreme Horizon when the Call was raised between earth and heaven, and who answered their Lord, the Speaker, the All-Seeing. Rejoice thou in My mention of thee. All the treasures of earth cannot equal it, as every steadfast and upright one doth testify.

They have attained to greater than what they intended. Would that the stations of divine favors were somewhat manifested among the people. By the life of the Desired One! All on earth would cry “Here am I! Here am I!” However, none save the Absolutely Wise One is aware of the requirements of the consummate wisdom. God willing, they shall receive the answer to their petition. This lowly one also offers greetings to them.

Regarding what you wrote about the mentioned sum that was of unknown ownership for a time—when this matter was presented before Him, He smiled and said:

“Blessed is he, for he hath spoken the truth. God willing, He shall grant the right unto them. He is verily the Wealthy, the Mighty, the Powerful.”

All your passages were presented. In truth, they brought joy to the Ancient Beauty. This is another bounty bestowed upon you. It is quite clear and evident that you have mentioned what you found in the correspondence. O beloved of my heart! All matters are clear and evident. This lowly one and others testify to what you have written. However, a hundred thousand thanks and praise be to the Desired One of the worlds that this matter caused the Ancient Beauty to smile. His is the praise and favor in all conditions.

And regarding what you wrote that the beloved of the heart, Varqa, upon him be the Glory of God, had promised the sacred, hidden, and treasured circle—his promise will, God willing, be fulfilled, and this evanescent servant will, by God’s grace, send it. I beseech God to grant generous hours and bestow an opportunity so that what was mentioned may quickly be accomplished. O my beloved! Two things are rare, nay impossible to find in the world: one is time for this servant, and the other is faith among the divines of the age. The Phoenix might be found, or the greatest elixir might come into being, or a true lover might find peace and tranquility, but for that other one, truly no solution has been or will be found, for it is a sign of God’s—exalted be His glory—wrath. And what is meant by the divines who are mentioned are the ignorant ones who are honored, respected and known among the heedless masses by the name of knowledge. Otherwise, He says the learned one is like the eye for the body of the world, and in another place He says like light in the darkness of days.

Section 2: “As to what you wrote concerning turning towards…”

As to what you wrote concerning turning towards the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence, this was presented, and this is what the Tongue of the All-Merciful spoke in the Kingdom of Utterance—exalted be His grandeur:

In His Name, the Mighty, the Bestower

O thou who hast turned towards My horizon! Thou hast attained unto the hearing of My call in My days and hast partaken of the choice wine of My love through My Name, the Manifest, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. We have called all mankind unto God. Among the people are those who have heard and responded, and those who have turned away and denied God, the Lord of the worlds. Say: O concourse of the earth! The Promise hath come, and He Who was promised hath appeared, and the verses of God, the Sovereign, the Most High, the Most Great, have been sent down. He hath verily revealed what He desired and commanded His servants with that which draweth them nigh unto Him. He, verily, is the Expositor, the All-Knowing. The world hath been adorned with the lights of My Most Great Manifestation, yet most of the people are heedless.

Praise be to the Desired One of the worlds, for He hath aided thee to recognize this most great station. The people are heedless and veiled from that which hath appeared. The veils of idle fancies have prevented their eyes from beholding the waves of the ocean of utterance and have deprived them from witnessing the lights of the Sun of Manifestation. Today the door of the most great bounty is opened wide, and the Hidden Mystery hath, in His own person, become manifest and evident. The heedless servants are veiled from that which profiteth them and are occupied with that which distracteth them. Blessed are they who have rent asunder the veils of idle fancies with the fingers of certitude and have broken the chains of vain imaginings through His Most Great Name. Soon will those who have suffered loss cry out “Oh, woe unto us!”

As to what thou didst mention regarding the meeting, the servant in attendance submitted: The first to seek this station for thee is he who desired Me and loved Me and attained My presence and entered the Most Great Prison by My leave and heard My call and arose before My gate—he who was named Varqa in My court. And after him, he who attained by turning unto My Self and directing himself toward My manifest and obvious path—he who was named Abu’l-Qasim and at times Nazir. Verily thy Lord is He Who detaileth, the Expositor, the All-Informed. Thou hast attained the light of permission from thy Lord, the Ever-Giving, the Bestower, the Forgiving, the Merciful. However, one must act in accordance with the requirements of wisdom, and without this it is not acceptable in the sight of the Wronged One.

Ye are among those souls concerning whose devotion and turning unto Him the Ancient Beauty Himself beareth witness, and whosoever attaineth unto this station hath attained unto all good. God willing, thou shalt remain firm and steadfast in this most exalted and sublime station. Today, any enkindled soul who, in consideration of divine wisdom, is deprived of visitation, shall assuredly have its reward recorded by the Most Exalted Pen. Be thou assured of thy Lord’s favor and be of the thankful ones. In all circumstances, keep thine eye upon wisdom. This is among the binding counsels of God which hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen in most of the Tablets. The glory be upon thee and upon thy family, both female and male, both young and old. Praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

The bounty of God—exalted be His glory—hath reached such a degree that it is more evident than the sun. In this case, the mention of this evanescent one would serve no purpose. I beseech God—exalted be His glory—to adorn thee with the ornament of His good-pleasure and to embellish thee with the robe of His acceptance. This is the ultimate station, and our Lord is the Master of all mankind.

We hear the call of every leaf that hath spoken and every maidservant who hath called upon her Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. We hear and We answer, for verily I am the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but Me, the All-Compelling, the Mighty, the Most Generous. Give praise unto Him Who is thy Purpose and the Purpose of all who are in earth and heaven. He, verily, hath aided thee until thou didst bear witness and desire that which beseemeth the Days of God, the Lord of Creation. Say unto her in Persian: Praise be to God that thy call hath reached the ears of the Best-Beloved of the worlds, and We have addressed thee with words for which all the handmaidens of the earth, whether queens or others, have yearned in vain and failed to attain. Know thou the value of this bounty and occupy thyself with thanksgiving to God, exalted be His glory.

The waves of the ocean of bounty are manifest and visible. Praise be to God, they wash upon His loved ones, and their drops shall, God willing, reach others that all may be made ready to recognize the Cause for which they were created and for which they were brought into being.

As for what thou didst mention concerning those souls who have quaffed the wine of utterance and stand firm in their love for the Best-Beloved of the worlds, mention was made of each one in His presence, and all convey their greetings and salutations to that spiritual friend. However, His Holiness Ismu’llah (66), may the Most Glorious of all Glory rest upon him, hath turned towards those parts. God willing, ye shall meet in a place of safety and security. Likewise, Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Abu’l-Qasim, upon him be the Glory of God, departed two months ago towards the regions of Iran. God willing, wherever he may be, may he be adorned with the blessing of health, which is considered the foremost ornament, and be engaged in that which exalteth the Cause of God.

His Holiness Ismu’llah J.M., may the Most Glorious of all Glory rest upon him, by divine command proceeded from the Land of Ta to Hadba, where he now resideth, until what may shine forth and become manifest from the horizon of God’s Will. The Command is in His hands; He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He desireth, and He is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Likewise, His Holiness Ismu’llah Zayn, may the Most Glorious of all Glory rest upon him, dwelleth in Hadba in the utmost joy and fragrance, occupied with the remembrance of God.

As for thy special mention of Jinab-i-Darvish Sidq-ʿAli, may the Most Glorious of all Glory rest upon him, he hath ascended to the Supreme Companion and the Ultimate Goal. Praise be to God that at the time of his ascension, the Concourse on High inhaled from him the fragrance of sanctity, detachment and divine love. This evanescent servant can testify that the worlds beyond were perfumed with the fragrance of his steadfastness. He was among those souls concerning whose visitation the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken these words: “The earth hath been adorned by thy presence.” That which was revealed concerning him is such that ages and centuries shall not alter it, nor shall extinction draw nigh unto it. Would that this servant had been with him!

Convey on behalf of this lowly one greetings and salutations to the friends in that land. God willing, may all be illumined by the lights of the Sun of inner meanings and adorned with the ornament of steadfastness. The days are passing, and ere long time and opportunity shall have elapsed. I swear by the ocean of utterance that each moment of these days is more noble and excellent in the sight of God, exalted be His glory, than successive years. That which is today necessary and obligatory, and most mighty and holy before God, is the unity of the friends of God, and thereafter goodly deeds and spiritual qualities, for these are accounted as the hosts of God, and by these hosts must the friends of the Ancient King conquer the hearts of all the peoples of the world. This servant hopeth that transient concerns may not deprive and debar them from their eternal station. In any case, I have and do beseech prayers from all, that perchance I may fulfill that with which I am charged.

At the end of your letter mention was made of the departure of the beloved of hearts, namely his honor Varqa, upon him be the glory of God, the Lord of Names, and likewise mention was made of their proceeding in that direction. God willing, may they arrive in the utmost joy and fragrance and occupy themselves with the mention of the Beloved of the worlds. We beseech the Lord to unite us through His grace beneath the shadow of His providence and the pavilions of His grandeur. Verily He is the Omnipotent over what He willeth, and within His grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and the earth.

Likewise they had addressed a letter to this servant mentioning their proceeding to that land. God willing, may they proceed in perfect health and well-being. For each of the names mentioned that were sent in the hand of his honor Aqa Khalil, upon him be the glory of God, a wondrous and exalted Tablet hath been revealed from the heaven of will. God willing, may they attain unto it and act according to what God hath desired, and may all be adorned with the robe of forgiveness. This is a glad-tiding from the servant unto them. Verily my Lord is the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. May the Glory that shineth manifest from the horizon of the providence of our Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and the earth be upon you and upon those with you and upon those who have attained unto the lights of the Self-Subsisting in the days of God, our Beloved and the Beloved of every knowledgeable and steadfast soul.

The servant, 19 Dhi’l-Hijjih 1299

The names mentioned in the letter of his honor Ibn-i-Dakhil, upon him be the glory of God, were presented at the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court, and for each one a wondrous and exalted Tablet was revealed from the heaven of bounty, and likewise for the names that were in the letter of the honored gentleman, his honor Nabil, upon him be the glory of God, sacred, impregnable and exalted Tablets were revealed from the heaven of grace and sent. God willing, may all attain and act according to what is contained therein.

BH00496: The servant beareth witness unto that which the Desired…

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

The servant beareth witness unto that which the Desired One of the world hath testified of His Own Self, that there is none other God but Him. He hath ever been in the heights of power and majesty, and in the summit of bounty and grace, and will ever continue to be what He hath been. The tongues of all created things have testified to His grandeur, and the temples of all contingent beings have bowed down before His sovereignty. He is the Single One, the One, the Self-Subsisting, Who cannot be known save through Himself nor described save by His Own Self. The Most Exalted Pen hath appeared and given utterance to that whereby the Kingdom of Names hath been enraptured, and through which He hath subdued the world and guided the peoples. Blessed is he who, having cast behind him his vain imaginings, hath turned unto his Beloved and his Goal; and woe unto him who hath denied God’s right and the rights of His loved ones, and hath forbidden his soul from drawing nigh unto the Most Exalted Horizon, calling it instead unto the promptings of desire.

O Thou Sovereign of the world, manifest amongst the nations! I beseech Thee by the Pen whereby Thou hast taught man what he knew not, to aid Thy servants and creatures to turn unto Thee, to arise before the gate of Thy bounty, and to set their faces toward the ocean of Thy bestowals. O Lord! They are the poor, and Thou art the All-Possessing, the Almighty; they are the ignorant, and Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Take hold of their hands through Thy power, might and sovereignty, and illumine their faces with the lights of Thy countenance and their hearts with the splendors of the suns of Thy knowledge. Thou art He, O my God, before Whose manifestations of generosity all bounty hath bowed low, and before Whose evidences of knowledge all learning hath become abased. I beseech Thee by Thy sovereignty and Thy majesty to ordain for the people of Thy realm that which will draw them nigh unto the gate of Thy mercy, cause them to speak Thy praise, and acquaint them with what Thou hast desired in Thy days. Thou art He in Whose grasp are the reins of the world and the controls of the nations. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

I offer prayers, peace and glory unto those whom neither the doubts of the learned could deter from the Lord of Names, nor the clamor of the mystics from the Most Exalted Horizon. These are servants through whom the Sun hath shone and the clouds have rained. All things have borne witness to their acceptance, their attentiveness, their turning unto God, their steadfastness, their praise, their firmness, their rootedness and their constancy in this Cause, whereby the servants have lamented and hearts have melted. These are among the choicest of creation in the sight of Truth. The Concourse on High and the dwellers of Paradise invoke blessings upon them morning and evening. Blessed is he who hath recognized their station, attained their presence, and heard from them the praise of their Creator; and woe unto him who hath remained heedless, turned away, denied, and retreated from this station which hath been ordained for him by the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

Thereafter, O beloved of my heart, the servant hath been honored with thy letter, which spoke in praise of our Goal and your Goal and the Goal of the Concourse on High and the dwellers of the pavilions of grandeur. I broke its seal and read its contents, and brought it to the Most Glorious Paradise, and after obtaining permission, presented it at the Most Exalted Horizon. Then the Tongue gave utterance in the Kingdom of Expression, saying—and His Word is the Truth:

O servant in attendance! Write to Muhammad-Qabil-i-Husayn, upon him be my glory: Praise be to God that from the beginning of the Cause thou wert blessed with that which most of mankind hath not attained. Thou didst turn to Him, heard the call, and wert blessed to respond “yea.” This was what was needed, and through God’s grace and favor thou didst achieve it. In the early days the Ancient Tongue proclaimed this exalted word: “This is not the Day of questions and answers. It behooveth everyone, when hearing the Call from the Supreme Horizon, to say: ʿHere am I, here am I, O Lord of Names! Here am I, here am I, O Creator of Heaven!”’ And thou didst attain unto this station. The Supreme Pen hath testified to thy devotion and sincerity, but this station is indeed most great. Thou must preserve it and be observed to become daily more enkindled in the Cause of God.

By Him Who revealed the Bayan and manifested the proof! All that is witnessed in the world will soon return to nothingness, while that which hath been ordained for His loved ones and chosen ones shall endure for as long as His names and attributes endure. Thy name is mentioned in the Kingdom and is inscribed by the Most Glorious Pen in God’s Book. Say: O my God and my Lord! I beseech Thee by the light wherewith Thou hast illumined the horizons of the hearts of them that are sincere in Thy days, and by the fire of Thy love which hath set ablaze the hearts of Thy chosen ones and loved ones, to aid me to be steadfast in that which Thou hast given me through Thy bounty, made known to me through Thy grace, and taught me through Thy loving-kindness.

O my Lord! Thou seest me, with my whole being, my spirit, my outer and inner self, turning toward the horizon whence the lights of Thy countenance have shone forth, and holding fast to the cord of Thy favors. I beseech Thee not to withhold from me that which beseemeth Thy days and that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones. Thou art He to Whose generosity every tongue hath testified, and to Whose power every utterance hath witnessed. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. I beseech Thee to protect me from those who have denied Thy truth and turned away from Thy sovereignty. Furthermore, I beseech Thee, O my God, by the Most Great Word whereby Thou hast subdued all things, to strengthen me in Thy remembrance, Thy praise, and the service of Thy Cause through the wisdom Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Great.

Praise be to God that through the loving-kindness of the Beloved of the world thou hast attained unto the Kawthar of the Merciful’s utterance, and these exalted words were revealed especially for thee. Well is it with thee and pleasing is it unto thee. Likewise a tablet was revealed and sent down from the heaven of will. God willing, thou shalt be assisted in all conditions with that which He loveth and is pleased with. From the beginning of the Cause thou didst stand at the gate and wert engaged in the mention of God. This station is most great. Although due to the meanness of the world and its worthlessness the stations of those who are steadfast, who have turned to God and are firm have remained hidden, yet this concealment shall last but a few days.

Soon will the effulgences of the lights of the Sun of bounty make manifest the stations of souls and reveal them to all the worlds. This ocean hath neither shore nor bottom, for its mention hath flowed from the Tongue of Grandeur and been recorded by the Most Exalted Pen. This evanescent servant hopeth that thou mayest shine forth like the morning star from the horizon of the heaven of God’s Cause. His is the command, in the past and in the future, and all are submissive unto Him.

You have remembered rightly concerning the delay in my letter, but God the All-Knowing bears witness that you have ever been present before my face and mentioned by my tongue. How could this ephemeral one forget that spiritual friend who from the beginning of the Cause has been turned toward the Truth? If my letters have been delayed, it is because night and day I am occupied before His face in transcribing the revealed verses, and furthermore letters from the friends arrive continuously and successively to such an extent that were it not for the assistance of the Beloved of the Worlds, this ephemeral one could never fulfill his duty to reply and accomplish that with which he is charged.

You yourself bear witness to what I have stated. As for what you wrote concerning your namesake, upon him be the Glory of God, and concerning his degrees of longing, yearning, firmness and steadfastness—indeed what you wrote is correct, clear and evident. I beseech the Exalted Truth, glorified be His majesty, to assist him in that which befits this divine Day. God willing, may he at all times drink from the Kawthar of the utterance of the All-Merciful and be enkindled with the fire of His love. These matters were also presented at the Most Holy, Most Exalted Threshold. A most wondrous, most mighty, most holy Tablet was revealed from the heaven of will especially for him. God willing, may he attain to its perusal and drink from the ocean of divine utterance that lies concealed within its words and verses.

His is the praise and the glory, His the bounty and the giving. He bestoweth as He willeth and withholdeth as He willeth. He is the Beneficent, the Giver, the Generous, the Bountiful. Convey my greetings to him.

Concerning what you wrote about permission to turn towards the Prison, it was presented before the Throne. This is what the All-Bestowing spoke in reply, exalted be His glory:

He is God, exalted is He!

Verily He loves your presence, and you yearn for His presence, His meeting and His reunion, which God has made the ultimate goal and the supreme cause for the appearance of creation and its resurrection. But the people and their deeds have come between us and you. Today the sun of justice is concealed beneath the clouds of oppression. This too is from the wisdom of God, your Lord and the Lord of the worlds. Be not grieved at separation, for verily whoever is truly enkindled with the fire of God’s love and attains to His love—the reward of meeting and reunion has been and will be recorded for him by the Supreme Pen. Verily He inscribes for whomsoever He wishes whatsoever He desires. There is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Wise.

From the moment of Our arrival in this prison, the Tongue of Grandeur hath proclaimed this exalted word: This land is seen to be outwardly at rest, yet inwardly it is in turmoil. Soon shall its inward state assume the place of its outward condition, and its outward condition the place of its inward state. Such utterances were heard repeatedly from the blessed Tongue. Perchance this may be one of the reasons for Our restraint. Nevertheless, We cherish the hope that through the infinite oceans of mercy, this station may be recorded by the Supreme Pen in the most excellent manner regarding the true chosen ones. The banner of “He doeth what He pleaseth” is raised through His Name, and the standard of “He ordaineth what He willeth” is manifest through His Command. The Kingdom of Will is agitated before His Will, and the Dominion of Utterance is submissive and silent before His Utterance. Who can measure this station by the standards of the world or by the scales of nations? All are bewildered. Verily we are God’s, and verily unto Him shall we return.

This evanescent one makes known to those who drink of the Kawthar of inner meanings that the friends must at all times beseech and supplicate the Self-Subsisting Lord that perchance the veils that have prevented the world from beholding Him might be rent asunder, and that eyes and vision might attain to that for which they were created. Today the Kawthar is flowing, the River of Divine Mercy is manifest, and the Sealed Wine is present. Say: O masters and friends of God! Strive that ye may attain to that which beseemeth you, and take your portion and share of that which is in this day being sent down from the heaven of God’s bounty and appearing from the ocean of His grace. I swear by the Divine Ocean of Knowledge that if in this day any soul should miss aught, its retrieval shall be impossible.

Convey greetings on behalf of this servant to all, and inform them of what hath been mentioned. God willing, may all be gathered upon the carpet of unity and soar in the atmosphere of oneness. Verily, He aideth whomsoever He willeth as a bounty from His presence. There is none other God but He, the Hearer, the Answerer. May the Glory shining from the horizon of our Lord, the Most Glorious’s favors, be upon you and upon those who have attained unto the days of their Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH00740: This is a day wherein voices have been raised…

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

This is a day wherein voices have been raised and pleasures transformed. It is as though earth and heaven have been turned to fire, and from the cannon balls there hath appeared that which causeth bodies to quake at its mention. From the sea riseth the rumbling of artillery, and upon land raineth down bullets from rifles. Come ye, come ye, O people of the world, that I may show you the manifestations of might and power, and the conditions of glory and grandeur. By God! The deeds of creation have been embodied by the command of the Truth, appearing at times in the form of fire, and at others in the form of smoke, and from these have earthquakes seized the tribes and parties.

O people of the earth, come ye, come ye! The servant desireth to ask of you one word—tell Me truthfully: Is there among you one possessed of sight and heart who might observe and ponder what hath befallen the lands from the cannons of aggression? Is there among you any fair-minded one who might judge what hath appeared in the contingent world? Is there any with ears to hear what hath been sent down of mysteries and tidings in the Book? The servant testifieth that He calleth unto the world with the greatest love and supreme compassion, yet the people turn not unto Him nor hear from Him, as though the intoxication of the cup of wrath hath seized them and prevented them from mercy, rest and tranquility. We are God’s and unto Him shall we return.

In these days, some of what flowed from the Supreme Pen in God’s Book hath become manifest and evident. Alexandria, which was adorned with the utmost ornaments and known for its wealth, might and riches, was in but a few hours observed to be impoverished, destitute and naked. Fiery shells rained down upon it from the wicked. Every ignorant one is bewildered and stunned, and every wise one thoughtful and warned. Pride and turning away have become the cause and reason for negligence, for had they acted according to what the All-Merciful revealed in the Qur’an, they would have ever been observed beneath the glances of His favor. The portion of the rebellious and transgressing ones shall surely come. The flame of fire is visible, yet its source is not known.

Those with true vision in the world are as rare as red sulfur—nay, rarer still. Strange that no one is aware and not a soul perceives. How many souls in these parts have witnessed and heard what was revealed before, yet still they are seen to be heedless. In truth, the Greatest Talisman is manifest. The servant beseecheth His Lord to have mercy on His servants, to guide them to His path, and to give them to drink from the Kawthar of His utterance. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

In one of the blessed Surihs revealed at the beginning of His arrival in the Most Great Prison, He—exalted be His glory—saith: “Know thou that God hath seized the greatest of those who passed judgment against Us, through His power and sovereignty,” unto His words, exalted be His majesty: “Soon shall We depose one like unto him and seize their prince who ruleth over the lands, and I am the Mighty, the Compelling.” How many souls did He seize through one of the greatest of the wicked ones, rewarding them according to their deeds, and then caused him to perish and be destroyed by the flame of His wrath, until he returned to his abode. The Command is in His hand. He seeth and knoweth what He doeth. None may object to Him. He is ever wakeful and watchful, while others are heedless and sleeping. The servant asketh Him, through His own tongue and the tongues of the world, to forgive them and us for what we have wrought in His days and to forgive our transgressions. Verily, He is our Master, our Lord, our God, our Goal, our Beloved, our Worshipped One, and the Worshipped One of all who are in the heavens and earth. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds!

O offspring of the heart of the Messenger and branch of the Divine Lote-Tree! My spirit and my soul be a sacrifice for your love, for your acceptance, and for your steadfastness! Days and nights have passed, and the servant has not heard your melodies upon the Tree, nor your songs upon the Branch. Though the servant has sins greater than mountains, yet this servant has a true and acceptable excuse before your presence, for correspondence has occupied me and affairs have prevented me. Tasks have multiplied and opportunity has diminished, and time is more precious than costly pearls—to this beareth witness the Lord of the world and the Goal of nations.

I submit that heedlessness hath overtaken this evanescent one, for my remembrance and consciousness are as heedlessness itself, nay greater—how much more so my heedlessness! I seek forgiveness from God, the Most Great, for every mention and deed. Until one day the Intended One said that a Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet had been revealed specially for the Afnan, upon him be His glory. “Write something too and inquire that he might write about all matters concerning the Most Exalted Leaf, upon her be His glory, of every kind, and submit them to the Most Holy Court. O Afnan! For some time you have concealed the affairs of the Most Exalted Leaf and have not submitted them. You must surely write and present them. Ye are beneath the domes of My glory, the pavilion of My grace, and the canopy of My grandeur.” Thus ended His words, and one Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was revealed specially for him and sent. His Holiness sent it and said: “O Afnan! Be not grieved by what has occurred. Soon thou shalt see and know what was hidden in God’s knowledge. Verily thy Lord has aided thee and will aid thee as He pleaseth. He is indeed the All-Conquering, the Almighty.”

I further submit that my nothingness and evanescence be conveyed to the presence of the honored teacher, upon him be all the most glorious glory of the All-Glorious, and likewise to the honored Afnans, upon them be all the most glorious glory of the All-Glorious. This evanescent servant expresses his nothingness and evanescence, and begs of God that each may be seen as a banner upon the highest standards of the world. Though by God’s grace they had already attained, and still maintain, this most exalted station before this servant’s submission, they have won mention that neither extinction can touch nor centuries and ages can alter. This servant has always intended to submit to your presence words demonstrating true sincerity, but until now has not succeeded.

In truth, he expresses shame before all and seeks pure pardon for God’s sake, for opportunity and time are like rest, and in these days do not exist in the world of being. All the chosen ones of God bear witness to the magnitude of this evanescent one’s task, and from all it is expected that they beseech God to strengthen this evanescent one that he might perhaps fulfill that with which he has been charged. Verily, He has power over whatsoever He willeth. May the Glory that shineth resplendent from the horizon of the providence of our and your Goal be upon you and upon those who love you for the sake of God, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the Wise. Praise be to God, the Mighty, the Great.

O God of Names and Creator of Heaven! Thou seest Thy branches and what they seek in Thy love and Thy good-pleasure. Among them are those who have clung to the cord of Thy grace, and those who have held fast to the hem of Thy mercy, and those who yearned to attain Thy presence and have been blessed with Thy bounty, and those who have left their homelands out of longing to visit Thy countenance. I beseech Thee, O Lord of Eternity and Sovereign of Nations, by Thy Most Great Name, to assist them in that which they seek in Thy love and Thy path. Then grant them the cup of Thy presence and the chalice of reunion with Thee, and draw them nigh unto Thee that their eyes may be gladdened and their faces illumined thereby. O Lord! I beseech Thee to place them beneath the shadow of Thy providence and to ordain for them the good that lay hidden in Thy knowledge and the grace that was treasured with Thee. Verily, Thou art He Whom nothing can frustrate and no affair can render powerless. Thou doest what Thou willest through Thy power that prevaileth over all who are in the heavens and the earth. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Hearing, the Answerer, the All-Bountiful.

The servant 27 Dhi’l-Hijjih 1299

BH00887: Praised be He Who hath revealed Himself and sent…

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

Praised be He Who hath revealed Himself and sent down what He willed, Who speaketh on the Day of Reckoning, Who summoneth all to love and fellowship, and Who guideth them to the straight path. Glory and exaltation be upon those who have sought the ultimate goal, the highest aim, the loftiest summit, and the supreme horizon, and who have aided the Cause of God with pen and tongue and with their wealth in the Day of Reckoning. These are servants who have attained unto the sealed wine, whose seal was broken by the finger of the will of His Name, the Self-Subsisting. They heard and responded and hastened until they reached the shore of the Most Great Ocean, from whose surging waves every hearing ear heard what the ear of Moses heard on Sinai of the mysteries of the Revelation. Blessed be their footsteps for their haste, their eyes for what they beheld, their tongues for what they uttered, and their hands for what they took with submission and acceptance of the Book of God, the Lord of all names.

Glory be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Goal of the world and the Beloved of nations! I beseech Thee by the Cause before which no cause can stand, to assist Thy loved ones and friends to serve Thee and Thy Cause. Then preserve them, O my God, from the promptings of self and desire, and draw them nigh unto the station wherein is heard the rustling of the Sadratu’l-Muntaha. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent over what Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all things. There is no God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Bountiful, and Thou art the Hearing, the Responding One.

Thereafter, it is submitted that your letter dated the first of Dhi’l-Qa’dah was received and after review was taken to the Blessed Presence and entirely presented. This is what the Tongue of the All-Merciful uttered in the Kingdom of Utterance, exalted be His glory:

He is the Witness, the Hearing One!

O Muhammad-ʿAli! Thou hast attained unto the recognition of God, glory be to Him, hast drunk from the cup of His love, and hast been enabled to serve His Cause. Know thou the station of this most great bounty and supreme gift, and occupy thyself with the mention of the Beloved of the worlds through wisdom and utterance. Soon will the rains of mercy and blessing descend from the heaven of grace upon every steadfast one. This is what is mentioned in the first life, and in the hereafter there is ordained for him what cannot be described by the tongue nor recorded by the pen. Glory be upon thy father, upon thee, upon thy brothers, upon those who have attained unto the presence, upon those who have believed in God and desired to draw nigh and attain His presence, and upon every one who hath turned and recognized this mighty Day.

This evanescent servant conveyeth greetings and praise, and beseecheth God, exalted be His glory, to assist the friends that they may arise to compensate for what hath been lost and remain steadfast in what they have learned. The Command is in God’s hands, the Lord of all worlds.

His Holiness the Name of God—upon him be all the most glorious Glory—hath mentioned you and expressed satisfaction, and likewise mentioned some of the friends who have drunk from the Kawthar of recognition of the Beloved of all creation. All praise be to God, they have attained unto the outpouring grace and are honored with the mention of the Goal of the world. This is a bounty that decline cannot seize and neither the heat of the sun nor the moisture of water can harm. God willing, may all be assisted to preserve this most mighty station.

The mention of those souls who were named in the letter of the one who is God’s Name was presented before Him, and unique, wondrous and exalted verses were revealed from the heaven of grace for each one. God willing, may they attain unto these and drink from their oceans of inner meanings.

Jinab-i-Mashhadi Isma’il, upon him be the Glory of God, arrived. Praise be to God, he was enkindled with the fire of love and spoke in remembrance of the Peerless Friend. The grace of God, exalted be His glory, took hold of him, for his pilgrimage and turning was accepted, even though he set out on the path without permission. However, henceforth you must observe the command, meaning prevent souls from disobedience. None should come without permission. The prohibition has been clearly revealed in the divine Tablets. If anyone comes without permission, their harm will be many times greater than their reward. His honor must arise to serve the Cause with utmost dedication, that its signs may appear in creation. Verily our Lord, the All-Knowing, is the Compassionate, the All-Seeing, the All-Hearing, the All-Informed.

As for the mention of Jinab-i-Aqa Ali, upon him be the Glory of God, praise be to God he is successful and has attained God’s grace. In truth, it is the sincerity of his honored father that has shone upon those regions. Once these words flowed from the tongue of the Divine Purpose, exalted be His utterance: “From that tree,” meaning his honored father, “enduring traces and ripe fruits shall appear.” This station is now concealed. The Herald of Truth and the Informer of Truth—exalted be this great bounty. May Jinab-i-Aqa Ali be successful in all conditions. Due to the upheavals in those regions and the ignition of the fire of sedition, they were prevented from coming to the Most Holy Court. They have permission to come. God willing, they will attain in days of tranquility and assurance. Verily our Lord, the Most Merciful, is the Bountiful, the Generous.

To Jinab-i-Aqa ʿAli Akbar, upon him be the Glory of God, I convey greetings and salutations. May he ever drink from the Kawthar of divine love and gaze toward His horizon of grace.

The mention of Jinab-i-Haji Muhammad Husayn, upon him be the Glory of God, was at the end of the letter. Blessed is he, then blessed is he! His mention was presented in the Most Holy Court. This is what was revealed for him from the heaven of grace, exalted be His utterance:

“O Muhammad Husayn! We have heard your call and answered you, and found from you the fragrance of love. We have turned to you from the direction of My Most Great Prison. Rejoice in that the Wronged One has remembered you while in the hands of the heedless. The world and all within it shall perish, but what has been revealed for you from My Most Exalted Pen in this lofty station shall endure. My Pen bears witness, and My tongue, both outward and inward, that there is none other God but He, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Be thou gazing toward My horizon, speaking My praise, and arising to serve My wondrous Cause. The Glory be upon thee and upon those who have attained the recognition of God, the Lord of all worlds.”

This servant conveys greetings and salutations to him, and congratulates him for having attained the mention of God, exalted be His glory. Blessed is he and blessed is he who has attained this mighty, exalted station. The Glory shining from the horizon of eternity be upon you all and upon those who are with you, and upon those who have acknowledged what God has acknowledged and what the tongue of His grandeur has testified when He was established upon His mighty throne. And praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The servant 27 Dhi’l-Hijjih 1299

BH06409: Praise be to God Who taught us the word…

Praise be to God Who taught us the word of unity, made known to us the decree of oneness, and guided us to the straight path….

Regarding what you wrote about the matter of the House, that beloved one is fully aware. There is and has been no objection to mentioning it and reminding people about it. All the people of Iraq, from the divines and princes and others, know that those properties belong here. That beloved one should mention this with wisdom and utterance. This servant is much astonished at the letter Mim. It is most regrettable that such a thing should appear from him—that he should sell or transfer to another a place that was specifically designated and associated with here. Where has justice gone? What has become of truthfulness? To which direction has righteousness departed? In any case, if anyone meets him, tell him on behalf of this servant: Do not do that which would cause the hearts of young and old to tremble. Such an act is most unbecoming of one like you. This servant of God has said and says: Whether you take counsel from his words or take offense….