Volume 069: Akka 1299 A.H. (1881–1882), Part IV (3 of 5)

BH00171: Praise sanctified above the mention of all created things…

Section 1: “Praise sanctified above the mention of all created…”

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

Praise sanctified above the mention of all created things befitteth Him Who is worthy and deserving, Who with His Self-Subsisting Name hath removed the seal from the choice sealed Wine and summoned all the peoples of the world, both high and low, to partake thereof, that all might drink from the same fountain and gather beneath the shade of the blessed Word, until upon every brow may be seen inscribed the seal “Verily, we are God’s.” This is the most exalted station, the most sublime habitation, and the highest rank. I beseech Him, exalted be He, to aid all to recognize this most sublime and most exalted Station, this ultimate Purpose. Verily, He is the Omnipotent over whatsoever He willeth, and within His grasp lie the reins of all who dwell in the heavens and on earth.

O beloved of my heart! The horizon of the servant’s heart hath been illumined by the dawning lights of the Sun that hath shone forth from the heaven of your praise of God, our Beloved and your Beloved, our Goal and your Goal, our Object of worship and the Object of worship of all within the kingdoms of Command and Creation. The Kawthar of your remembrance hath so transported me that I soared on the wings of detachment until I attained the presence of the Countenance and presented that which you had sent. Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that which caused faces to shine and hearts to melt, saying:

In My Name, the Wronged One, the Stranger

O bearer of the name Ha! Hearken with thy inner ear to the call of the Wronged One and convey it to God’s loved ones, that perchance the fragrant breezes of the utterance of the All-Merciful may encompass all contingent beings and enable them to attain their purpose. Most people are seen to be weak. The divine sages must impart the Word with perfect patience. The Herald hath said concerning this Revelation: “He it is Who in every state proclaimeth ʿVerily, I am God, no God is there but Me, the Lord of all things, and all besides Me are My creation. O My creation! Worship ye Me!”’ Nevertheless, the deniers, after hearing these words, rose up in opposition. By God’s life!

They know not what they say; they speak, but comprehend not. Fie upon them and upon those who followed them without clear proof from the presence of the All-Knowing Judge. That which was mentioned was the meaning of the blessed phrase “There is no God but God.” Say: Ponder upon it, O ye who are endued with insight! Ponder upon it, O ye who are possessed of vision! Say: O heedless ones! Fix your gaze upon this Word which, like unto the sun, hath dawned from the horizon of the divine Tablet. Return ye to the Sacred Writings, O ye who are endued with insight! Would that the deniers had returned to the Sacred Writings, that they might have attained recognition of the Beloved of all creation through the fragrance of His utterance. They are seen to be lower than all the peoples of the earth.

O Pen! Leave off their mention and make mention of Him of the letters Ha and Sin, whose letter the servant here present hath brought and presented before the Face, that he may rejoice and be numbered among the thankful. O bearer of the name Ha! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. Verily, He hath heard thy communion with God, the Lord of the worlds, and hath mentioned thee in such wise as naught on earth can equal. Thy Lord is, in truth, the All-Witnessing, the All-Seeing.

We make mention of My loved ones in that place, whose names thou hast recited. Verily thy Lord is the All-Hearing, the Responsive. From this station We send Our greetings upon them and give them the glad-tidings of God’s mercy and His loving-kindness. He, verily, is the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. We pray that all the peoples of the world may attain unto the sweetness of divine utterances. Were they to observe for but an hour with the eye of fairness, they would behold the truth and hear His utterances. However, the darkness of tyranny hath prevented their eyes from the Most Sublime Vision, and likewise their ears, preoccupied with earthly whisperings and the buzzing of flies, are deprived of the melodies of the Nightingale. Such is the condition of the people of the earth. God, exalted be His glory, is witness that any person of understanding can recognize the stations of the deniers through their works, deeds, actions and words.

That beloved one must engage in teaching the Cause of the All-Merciful with the utmost wisdom and eloquence. As to what was written regarding the delivery of the blessed Tablets and this servant’s petitions to their recipients, it is most evident that they have not failed in serving the Cause, and God willing, they shall never do so.

Concerning what was written about Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Shaykh A., upon him be the Glory of God, and likewise the dream seen about him and its interpretation relating to progeny which he himself interpreted after visiting the blessed Tablet containing the Most Great Verses that flowed from the Supreme Pen—these matters brought the utmost joy and delight, for he spoke the very word which in these days God, exalted be His glory, had spoken. One of the friends of God presented a petition to the Most Holy Court, seeking offspring from God, exalted be His glory. These sublime words were revealed from the heaven of the Will of the Revealer of verses, specifically for him. His exalted Word: Though children are among God’s great bounties and the fruits of the human tree, none but God, exalted be His glory, knows their excellence and duration of life. We give thee tidings of a fresh, eternal, and everlasting fruit, which in these days is God’s binding Word. It is dearer and more excellent than a hundred thousand children, for it is adorned with the ornament of perpetuity. Should one possess but a single word thereof, one would possess all good from Him. Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto the fruits of the Supreme Pen.

Indeed, his interpretation was an edifice for the fortress of utterance. Well is it with him! Praise be to God, he hath attained unto blessed Tablets, a single word of which cannot be equaled by all the treasures of the earth. God willing, he shall attain unto its fruits, both those mentioned and those which the faculty of understanding is powerless to comprehend. This evanescent servant conveys greetings and salutations to him. May he ever drink from the pure waters of the everlasting Kawthar and remain focused on and engaged in that which promotes the Cause of God.

As regards what you wrote concerning Mirza Hadi Dawlat-Abadi, it is truly a cause for regret. How is it that souls who from the beginning of the Cause were heedless and unaware have arisen with such audacity to turn away? Are the waves of the ocean of inner meanings concealed, or are the effulgent rays of the Sun of Truth hidden and veiled? Glory be to God! How can it be that when a Cause has encompassed the world and the banners of verses and standards of clear proofs are raised and visible at the highest station, yet a soul remains unaware and heedless of it? One stands astonished. The servant sees himself as one bewildered and astounded, and beseeches his Lord that He may guide all to justice and fairness.

Would that the aforementioned soul had traveled for the sake of God, purely for His Face, and this servant could have gone with him to Cyprus so that the hidden and concealed matters might become clear and evident to him. It is known and evident that this servant is not one who seeks conflict and contention. God willing, he has dealt and will deal with all in utmost truthfulness and love. The exalted Word of Truth bears witness to this—that there has been and is no purpose save to acquaint the veiled ones with the reality of the Cause. This servant was with him for twelve years in Iraq and the Land of Mystery. Truly a strange talisman has appeared in the world. God willing, may the True One, exalted be His glory, grant the eye of insight and adorn souls with the ornament of fairness. Verily He is the Hearing, the Near, the Responding One.

And as to their mentioning again His Honor Aqa Mirza Shaykh-Ali, upon him be 96 [Baha’u’llah], and writing that the imaginings of the heedless souls did not affect him and that he turned with one face, pure and luminous, to the lights of the Countenance—this is a station worthy of praise and thanksgiving. God willing, may they attain to this most exalted station in all conditions. Would that this evanescent one could meet with them once. Praise be to God, this matter brought joy and was presented at the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court. This is what the Tongue of the Intended One spoke in the Kingdom of Utterance, exalted be His glory:

“O Ali! By the life of God, this Wronged One has never regarded anything save the exaltation of the Cause of God. At a time when the people of Bayan were in hiding from the earthquake of the Hour, this wronged One in Zawra called out with the most exalted call to all on earth, summoning them to the straight path of God and guiding them to the supreme horizon. Likewise, when He arrived in the Most Great Prison, once again with the most exalted call We informed the kings and subjects of the earth about the Manifestation. Would that the servants in those parts might fairly consider and succeed in reading the Tablet which was sent down from the heaven of the Most Merciful’s favor specifically for the Sultan of Iran. By the life of God, all would proclaim ʿWe believe!’ Likewise the Sura which was sent down from the heaven of favor specifically for other kings. Glory be to God! How can one occupy oneself with vain imaginings and remain heedless of certain knowledge? All matters, both future and past, have been revealed with utmost clarity in those Suras. Nevertheless, like spiders they weave around themselves and arrange, in their own estimation, levels of knowledge and build palaces of utterance. Whatever has appeared in this Cause, its source is He Who speaks the truth in this station which has been named with the Most Beautiful Names in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds. God willing, his honor is confirmed in service to the Cause, which has been and is the teaching of God’s Cause. Nothing in this world and all it contains can equal this station. He in Whose possession is the Clear Book bears witness to this. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.”

End.

And as to that which they had written concerning the honored Sahib (upon him be glory and honor): it hath been, and is, altogether right. This day is such a day that man can attain a station which, at any other time, would be impossible. Thus, in one passage, this blessed word hath been sent down from the Most Exalted Pen:

“It behoveth you to make good, in the Day of God, that which hath escaped you; for to retrieve it hereafter is, and shall ever be, impossible.”

The knowledge is with God, the Lord of the Throne and of the dust, the Lord of the world to come and of the world that now is. Ended.

It is hoped that he may attain a station after which no regret or sorrow shall overtake him, and that he may be adorned with the blessed utterance, “Blessed be God.” Ye had written that your hope from the Truth—glorified be His majesty—was that ye might once again be vouchsafed the Kawthar of His presence.

This was submitted. This is what hath been revealed in reply. Exalted be His glory:

By My life! Thou hast attained unto the knowledge of God in His days; and the Most Exalted Pen hath borne witness unto thy turning unto Him, thy entering the Most Great Prison, and thy arising at the Door that hath been opened upon the faces of all who are in the heavens and on the earth. Verily thy Lord is the Remembering, the All-Knowing. Thou didst come forth and didst traverse cities and lands until thou didst attain unto the Presence of the Countenance, and didst hear, with thine own ear, the call of this Wronged and Stranger. Thou art he who hath attained unto that which was inscribed in the Books of God, the Lord of all worlds, on a Day whereon the servants turned away—save those whom the hands of the power of their Lord, the Mighty, the All-Powerful, delivered. Drink thou from the cups of the utterance of thy Lord—the Euphrates of mercy and loving-kindness—and be of the thankful. Thus hath the Most Exalted Pen moved in this darksome night, that thou mayest rejoice in that which hath been revealed unto thee from One All-Knowing, All-Aware. Ended.

As to what was written concerning the news of the passing of his honor Haji Mirza Husayn Khan on the twenty-second of Dhi’l-Hajjih, he was truly among the wise ones of that land. One day these words were heard from the Blessed Tongue—He said that in recent years nothing had appeared from him that would cause grief. If at certain times he made mention of matters outwardly, it was due to expediency. How much hardship did he endure, and how he would rush east and west on futile missions that profited him nothing! One day He said that had he become the possessor of but one word from God, it would have been better than all that he had seen and heard and done, or had amassed during his days. He was not entirely without fairness. This evanescent servant clings to the hem of divine favor and begs that He may not deprive any soul on earth of His wondrous and exalted outpourings. Verily, He has power over all things.

Section 2: “Regarding what you wrote about Haji Abdul-Ghaffar…”

Regarding what you wrote about Haji Abdul-Ghaffar—he and his brother, who was there before, transgressed against the Two Luminous Lights. His brother, Aqa Muhammad, after accepting the Cause, later clung to the great veils, namely the outward divines, and the cause of this was one of the women who opposed the people of the Bayan. It is strange that most of the relatives of those two Lights were heedless of their station, yet they, through divine grace, attained that which has no equal save through the will of God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. The sister of the King of Martyrs has been and continues to be under the shadow of God’s favor. Verily, He bestows upon whomsoever He wishes, and He is the Mighty, the Powerful, the Generous. God willing, may they preserve their station through the Name of God, glorified be His majesty, for the thief, the treacherous, and the liar have always existed and continue to exist. The servant beseeches his Lord and the Lord of all things to protect us from the evil of those who have broken God’s Covenant and His pledge, and cast behind them what they were commanded in the Book. He is verily the Strong, the Trustworthy.

As for the mention of Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Ibrahim, upon him be the glory of God, this lowly one submitted the answer to his letter, and there was specifically revealed from the heaven of the favor of the Goal of the worlds concerning him that which is sanctified above the description and praise of servants. It is hoped that they will attain unto it and drink from the hidden seas. Verily our Lord, the Most Merciful, is the Compassionate, the Generous.

As for the mention of Jinab-i-Aqa Azizu’llah, upon him be the glory of God, it was presented before Him from Whose knowledge nothing escapes. This is what the Tongue of Grandeur spoke while seated upon the Throne. His word, exalted be His glory:

O Aziz! Thy mention hath gained the ear of thy Lord in an exalted station, and We have sent down for thee that which testifieth to the favor of thy Lord, the All-Bountiful, the Ancient. We sent thee a Tablet before, and before it another Tablet that telleth of His grace which hath preceded all who are in the heavens and the earth. The letter of him who desired God and arose to serve Him hath arrived, wherein was thy mention. We have mentioned thee with this beautiful mention. Beware lest the affairs of the world withhold thee from the Lord of Eternity. Be aflame with a fire whereby shall be consumed the veils of the parties who turned away and disdained what they were commanded in the days of God, the Lord of the worlds.

Say: O concourse of the earth! If ye desire to drink from the Kawthar of life, by God, it hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen, and if ye desire the meeting, by the life of God, the Face hath appeared after the passing away of all things. Come ye, come ye, O concourse of the earth, and be not of the heedless ones. Can anything today make you independent of the Speaker of Sinai? Nay, by the Lord of Purification, were ye but aware. Cast aside the idols and hold fast to the hem of the grace of your Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Thus hath spoken the Mother Book as it walketh before your faces. Fear God and be not of those who turn away.

All letters and words bear witness to the grace of the Sovereign of Verses. How strange that despite His verses encompassing the whole world and His evidences shining forth like suns, these unjust people have arisen in tyranny and uttered that which no heedless and impure one has ever spoken. This servant, with utmost humility and supplication, calls upon the Self-Sufficient, the Most High, and beseeches Him to regard this through His grace and bounty, not according to the deservedness of His servants. Verily He is the Near, the Responding One.

As for the mention of the honored Aqa Siyyid Abu-Turab, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah], the Lord of the beginning and the end, it was presented before the Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Sacred Presence. These are His words, exalted be His grandeur:

That honored one and other friends of God who have truly drunk from the cup of inner meanings and are gazing toward the horizon of the Will of the Dawning-Place of the Light of Oneness should exert their utmost effort in teaching the Cause with the wisdom revealed in the Book, that perchance this heedlessness which has encompassed the world may be transformed into awareness through the Kawthar of utterance, and people may become conscious of that which is like water for the thirsty and like a healing remedy for the sick. If people turn to this Most Great Cause with wisdom, ere long the inhabitants of that land will join the ranks of the righteous. Today the people of the world seek to cling to various means and matters for the exaltation of their names, and they are so firm in this pursuit that they withhold neither wealth nor life, although they know that these endeavors have yielded and will yield no fruit. Yet the people of Iran, despite the appearance of this mighty Cause, this supreme honor and greatest gift, are observed lying unconscious in the wilderness of ignorance with utmost heedlessness and lethargy.

O Abu-Turab! Exert a mighty effort in reviving the people and gird up the loins of endeavor in serving the Cause, that perchance the people of the world may become aware of that which benefits them and bear witness to that which has been revealed from the Supreme Pen. The Glory shining and radiant from the horizon of grace be upon you and upon those who have arisen to assist the Cause with wisdom and utterance. The command is God’s, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower. As for what they had inscribed—that they were not present to submit a petition, and inasmuch as this servant hath perfect affection toward them and their merciful regard and attention toward this servant is complete, therefore I beseech that they may cause this correspondence to flow in accordance with the ordinance of unity—this matter likewise attained the hearing of the Sovereign of Names, and He declared:

“We have decreed that which he desired and ordained the law of unity as a command from Our presence, and We are the Commander, the All-Knowing.”

Here endeth the passage.

Praise be to God! That which the Beloved sought hath been crowned with acceptance in the sight of God. This evanescent servant, with perfect sincerity, offereth glorification and salutations in their service.

And as for what ye had inscribed concerning one of the sons of Khalil and the inheritors of the Interlocutor—His Honor Isaac, upon him be the glory of God—his petition was presented before the Countenance. This is that which the Tongue of the All-Bountiful uttered in response. He saith—exalted be He:

In the name of My Most Sacred, Most Great Name

O Ishaq! The Lord of all horizons calls you on this Day of the Covenant which was promised by the tongue of the chosen ones and inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the books of the Prophets and Messengers. This is the Day wherein the Mount calls out and gives the people glad tidings of this Revelation through which the Path has appeared and the Balance of God, the Lord of the worlds, has been set up. Your letter has arrived and We have heard your call and what you confided to God, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers. Give thanks to God for having aided you to turn towards Him when the learned of the earth turned away, save whom He willed. Verily, He is the Mighty, the Powerful.

Say: Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having caused me to hear Thy call, to recognize Thy verses, and to be guided to Thy straight path. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance and the manifestations of Thy might and power to aid me to stand firm in Thy Cause and to arise to serve Thee. Thou art He from Whose knowledge nothing escapes and Whom the affairs of Thy creation cannot frustrate. Thou ordainest what Thou willest through a movement of Thy Most Exalted Pen. There is no God but Thee, the Witness, the Hearer, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Glory be upon thee and upon those who have taken the cups of praise from the white hands in this Revelation through which all things have proclaimed: The kingdom belongs to God, the Goal of all worlds.

This servant also conveys his greetings to them. Praise be to God that this company has attained, in this Most Great Revelation, to the wondrous and exalted favors of God. This is the mystery of the statement heard before:

“He makes your highest to be lowest and your lowest to be highest.”

The glory of those precious souls was veiled. Praise be to God, the hand of the Unseen appeared and rent asunder the veil, causing the lights of the suns of knowledge to shine forth from the horizons of hearts. Verily, He is the Ruler, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. There is no God but Him, our Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and the earth.

Regarding what was written about discussions with Ibn-i-Ism’ullah-i-Asdaq, upon them both be 966 [Baha’u’llah], concerning the Minister’s discussions about the freedom of various nations and his efforts in this matter—may they be confirmed, for the execution of this mighty matter requires that in such matters they should hold fast to consultation, and whatever is found acceptable, acting upon it is beloved and approved. It is hoped that God, exalted be His glory, will in all conditions confirm that beloved one. Verily, He has power over what He willeth.

Regarding what you wrote about Jinab-i-Fayn Sahib, the command is that his honor should in all conditions observe and hold fast to wisdom. The covenant of that beloved one and Jinab-i-Mahbubi Aqa Mirza Asadu’llah, upon him be all the most glorious glory, was presented in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court. His exalted Word: Verily We shall fulfill what they have covenanted and remember them and give them glad tidings of what has been ordained for them from God, the Bestower, the Generous.

The mention of the evanescence and nothingness of this ephemeral servant in the service of the friends of God depends upon His grace. God willing, may all be assisted to demonstrate supreme steadfastness. Today is the day of service, the day of pure deeds, and the day for the manifestation of virtuous character. God willing, may the horizons of the heaven of humanity be illumined by these brilliant and radiant lights, and may the world derive illumination from those sacred rays. Today man is able to accomplish that which he would be powerless to achieve at any other time, even were he to employ every means at his disposal. It is hoped that the fire of wisdom may be kindled in hearts and its warmth may influence all lands.

Today the Kawthar of utterance is flowing and the Sun of Truth is shining. God willing, may they shatter the idols of vain imaginings through the power of unity. No might or power hath equaled or will equal the penetrating influence and potency of the divine Word. By the sword of utterance must the cities of hearts be conquered. Such utterances as these have formerly streamed from the Most Exalted Pen. This ephemeral one, however much he desires to be brief, heareth from the sighing of the fire of love “more, more.” Although there are now more than a hundred letters which this servant must answer, and although divine verses are being revealed in such profusion that, by God, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling, the power of recording them is unable to keep pace—O Beloved of my heart!—this servant knoweth not what to say. We had heard before that some were clinging to certain worthless idols that neither nourish nor enrich, but we had not witnessed it. I swear by the Most Great Luminary that this servant is bewildered and amazed, for he observeth that most people are turning toward the fire and turning away from the Most Great Scene. We belong to God and to Him do we return.

The glory shining forth from the horizon of the mercy of our Lord, the All-Merciful, be upon you and upon those who have attained unto that which His honored servants have attained. Praise be to God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.

BH00301: May my spirit be offered up for your remembrance!…

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 Glorious!

May my spirit be offered up for your remembrance! God willing, may they drink forever and always from the imperishable cup of bounty and remain occupied with the mention of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. The letter from his honor Aqa Mirza Haydar-ʿAli—may the Most Glorious of all Glory rest upon him—which was addressed to that beloved one, was presented at the Most Holy, Most Exalted Threshold. Praise be to God, [from each word thereof] streams forth the river of love. However, we must drink in the name of the Friend and make mention of Him before the Friend, and beseech God, glorified be His majesty, to cause this river to flow and surge in the [valleys of the hearts] of all the peoples of the world, and likewise cause countless rivers and endless tributaries to branch forth from it, and from the murmuring of each of these [pure, sweet] flowing rivers may the Most Exalted Word be heard in praise and glorification of the Lord of creation.

O what a murmuring, from which is heard at one time “Verily, there is none other God but He, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting,” and [at another] “There is none other God but He, the Mighty, the Beloved,” and at times is heard “The gate of reunion hath been opened and the Lord of Names hath come,” and yet again “The world hath attained to that which was promised in the Books of God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen.”

Following the presentation of these luminous words, there dawned from the Dayspring of verses His—exalted be He—utterance: God willing, may the true friends of God attract the peoples of the contingent world through the magnet of utterance, that perchance the vain imaginings of the world’s peoples might be transformed into certitude, darkness into light, tyranny into justice, ignorance into knowledge, weakness into strength, and poverty into wealth. He is the Helper and He is the All-Powerful, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

O Haydar-i-ʿAli! How numerous are the verses that have been sent down in thy name from the heaven of God’s Will! Know thou their worth and thy station, and be of the thankful ones. This Wronged One is occupied night and day with proclamation and utterance, and the servant in attendance recordeth them. Were it not for My protection and bounty and power, the world would [swoon away] at but a single gleam from the gleams of the Sun of My Word, through which the suns have shone forth in every world of the worlds of thy Lord, the All-Wise, the All-Informed.

Mention of his honor ʿAli-i-Naqi hath been granted the honor of being heard. We make mention of him and account him as one of those who have attained unto the Purpose, through Whose remembrance the Books of God, the Lord of the worlds, have been adorned. God willing, may they at all times hold fast to that which is conducive to kindling the fire of God’s love. They have been remembered in the past and will be remembered hereafter. We beseech God to aid him and ordain for him that whereby his mention shall be exalted. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

This servant offers greetings and praise. O beloved of my heart! In truth, this evanescent one remains perpetually bewildered and astounded, for he observes that the peoples of the world, from diverse nations and parties, are each striving with utmost determination to cling to some cause and exert themselves to the fullest extent to promote it. Yet this Most Great, Most Holy Cause, which has no peer or likeness in all creation, has appeared in Iran, while its people remain utterly heedless and veiled from it. This matter has been and continues to be a source of infinite regret.

Say: O people of the world! This is the Day wherein the Ancient King has proclaimed with the most exalted call. This is the Day of vision, for the greatest vista has appeared and the highest horizon is manifest and evident. This is the Day of hearing, for the Call of God is raised. Strive that ye may not be deprived of the outpourings of the All-Bountiful, nor be barred from the lights of the dawn of His Revelation. At every moment the Tongue of the All-Merciful uttereth words in the Kingdom of utterance such that were all the peoples of the world to taste the sweetness of but one verse thereof, or attain unto its comprehension, they would all arise to serve and achieve that which God desireth.

Concerning what was written about whether migration for the purpose of teaching should be undertaken alone or in the company of a companion—this matter was presented before His presence, and this is what the Tongue of Grandeur, exalted be His glory, spoke: One must act according to the requirements of the time and circumstances. If a trusted companion is available, this would certainly be preferable, for in strange lands situations may arise where assistance is needed. Otherwise, what one possesses might fall into others’ hands and become a cause of agitation among the heedless and hostile.

As for what was written about the consultation of the loved ones of God and their decision that the beloved of the heart, Ali-Qabl-i-Akbar, upon him be the glory of God, the Lord of Power, should remain in the land of Ta—this was presented and met with acceptance. Indeed, he should remain in that land and occupy himself with protecting the souls. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to confirm him in exalting the Word and kindling the fire of divine love. It would also be praiseworthy if the beloved of the soul, the son of the Most Truthful, upon them both be His most glorious splendor, would sometimes stay in that land. They should take the reins of the Cause with utmost determination and remind both the strong and weak souls, and those in between, of God’s verses and evidences, exerting great effort in teaching with perfect wisdom.

Regarding what was written about their visit to the land of H.M. with the beloved of the heart, the son of the Name of God—news of their arrival has reached us from that land itself, and the beloved one, the son of the Name of God, upon them both be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, has written a letter to this evanescent one detailing the matter. God willing, a response will be sent. I beseech God to confirm them in all conditions in teaching the Cause. May they be the cupbearers of the water of divine knowledge. Blessed are those souls who have taken and drunk in the name of Truth. Woe unto the heedless and the deniers.

And concerning what they wrote about openly proclaiming the Cause of God without concealment or secrecy, this matter that was submitted—He said that his honor Mirza has acknowledged his lack of wisdom, and the limit has been applied to him. However, God is the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. This matter became a cause of joy—verily He changes whatever He wishes to whatever He wishes, and He is the Powerful, the All-Knowing.

And concerning the detailed account they wrote about what befell them on the path in every respect—this was submitted to His Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence. He said: God willing, may they remain steadfast in service and speak in remembrance of God, exalted be His glory. Praise be to God, through their falling some of the dead have risen. For those souls who arise to serve the Cause of God, whatever befalls them is the supreme remedy for the world’s ills and the cause of life for the nations. By God’s life, in this station is concealed that which, were it mentioned, would cause souls to swoon away.

And concerning what they wrote about unity and harmony—in truth this matter has been and continues to be the cause of the exaltation of the Cause, the manifestation of the Cause, the ascendancy of the Cause, and the sovereignty of the Cause. His word, exalted be His glory: God willing, may the horizons be illumined by the light of unity and may all utter the blessed words “We are God’s.”

It was mentioned before from this station that if a kind companion accompanies one on the path, it is most fitting, excellent and preferable. Praise be to God, those loved ones have been and are successful. The Tablets which the beloved of the heart, the son of the Name of God the Most Truthful—upon them both be all His most glorious glory—had requested specifically for the mentioned souls have been sent down from the heaven of favor. In these days, God willing, they will be dispatched. The Command is in God’s hand, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the Wise.

This evanescent one submits that regarding the conditions for teachers, certain utterances were heard from the Kingdom of Utterance. What is in mind shall be mentioned: First, that whoever desires to teach God’s Cause must move with complete detachment, but should have sufficient means with them so that wherever they arrive, all their attention may be focused on conveying the divine word. In this regard, various utterances have previously been revealed from the Supreme Pen. God willing, they have and will attain to them. As commanded, wisdom and the requirements of the time must always be observed. Verily He is the Interpreter, the All-Informed.

Section 2: “At this moment while this servant was engaged…”

At this moment while this servant was engaged in writing, he was summoned to the Most Holy Presence. Their mention was made in His presence. He said: Write, O Haydar! Whatever has befallen you in the path of God, glorified be His majesty, is mentioned before the Wronged One and recorded by the Supreme Pen in God’s Book. We bear witness that you have attained and there befell you in God’s path what befell God’s chosen ones before and after. Be glad then and be of the thankful ones. And such utterances were revealed from the Kingdom of Will in this station that this servant is incapable of mentioning them all. A hundred thousand tongues would be needed to give thanks for this supreme bounty, this great favor and mighty mercy—nay, a hundred thousand worlds would need mouths and tongues that perchance they might fulfill this duty. Praise be to Him, then thanks be to Him.

With regard to the mention of Aqa Khudadad and Aqa Shahvirdi, upon them be the Glory of God, their mention has been particularly made in these days at the Most Holy Court. Praise be to God, they have attained His bounties and are recipients of His bestowals. Some time ago Aqa ʿAzizu’llah, upon him be the Glory of God, sent a letter and a Most Holy and Exalted Tablet was revealed and sent especially for him. God willing, may they ever be enkindled with the fire of love and illumined by the light of His favor, and wherever they may be, may they be occupied with the promotion of God’s Cause and be the cause of unity and harmony among the friends. It is hoped that the loved ones of God will preserve their exalted stations. If the station of but one of God’s loved ones were to be made manifest in the visible world, all would, involuntarily, find themselves in a state of complete humility and submissiveness. However, God has unveiled it to some and concealed it from others. Verily, He is the All-Powerful, the Unconstrained.

As to the mention made of Mulla Muhammad-i-Salmani, a Most Holy and Exalted Tablet was revealed and sent especially for him. God willing, may they deliver it that he might receive his portion from the treasuries of divine knowledge and inhale the fragrance of His favor. Likewise, mention was made of Aqa Abu’l-Qasim-i-Baqqal and others, upon them be the Glory of God. This was presented before His presence and verses of divine revelation descended from the heaven of God’s Will for each one. God willing, may they attain unto them and act in accordance with what is befitting. His Word, exalted be His glory:

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

O Abu’l-Qasim! The Wronged One remembers thee from the prison and calls thee to God, the Lord of the worlds. Blessed art thou for having turned to the Most Exalted Horizon and for having desired to take the cup of prosperity in the name of the Cleaver of the Dawn on this glorious and wondrous Day. How many a servant desired the days of his Lord, yet when the light of Revelation shone forth from the horizon of the Day, he turned away and was numbered among the idolaters. Be thou steadfast in the Cause in such wise that neither the oppression of every tyrant nor the hints of the heedless may weaken thee. The oppressor is he who denieth the right of God and turneth away from the Water of Life when it surgeth in His Most Great, His Most Mighty Name. Thus have We sent down for thee from My Most Exalted Pen that which shall gladden the eyes of them that are nigh unto God.

O ʿAli-i-Akbar! Say: By God! The Day is come and the Great Terror hath appeared, and the Lord of Destiny calleth all to His luminous horizon. The Path hath appeared and the Balance hath been set up, and the command belongeth unto God, the Protector, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Beware lest the conditions of creation cause thee to slip. Arise with supreme steadfastness in the Cause of the Lord of all being, Who hath come with manifest sovereignty. Say: O my Lord! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance, after all things have passed away, to aid me to be steadfast in this Cause whereby the feet of the mystics have slipped.

O Muhammad-i-Ibrahim! We found thy mention in the letter of one of Our loved ones and make mention of thee as a token of My grace. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. We counsel thee to observe truthfulness and trustworthiness, which God hath made to be the first ornament of the temple of man. Verily He is the Counselor, the Faithful. We enjoin all to observe righteousness and that whereby this sacred and manifest Cause may be exalted. Be thou steadfast in serving His loved ones and vocal in His beauteous remembrance. Take thou the cup in My name and drink therefrom in spite of the heedless. We make mention of thy mother as a token of Our grace. Verily thy Lord is the Rememberer, the Mighty, the Wise. The Glory be upon thee and upon her and upon thy daughter and upon every maidservant who hath turned unto God, the Mighty, the Most Praised.

We make mention of the Siyyid, before Husayn, that he may rejoice in My remembrance of him and be among those steadfast in this Cause, at whose appearance the pillars were shaken and souls were thunderstruck, save those whom God, the Mighty, the Powerful, willed. Hold fast to the cord of thy Lord’s grace in such wise that the words of the godless may not hinder thee. Remember God by night and by day. Verily He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Blessed is he who hath attained unto the knowledge of God on this Day which was promised in the Books of the Prophets and Messengers.

We make mention of the Siyyid, before Mahmud, and give him the glad-tidings of his Lord’s grace, that he may be among the steadfast. Today steadfastness is essential. The recognition of God, exalted be His glory, taketh precedence over all deeds, and thereafter steadfastness in His Cause. The friends of God must at all times be mindful of this. Great is the Cause and narrow is the path. Though the Sun of Truth hath shone forth in such wise that none hath excuse to tarry, yet eyes are clouded by the dust of vain imaginings and are prevented from beholding the light. This dust consisteth of the ignorant ones who appear in the guise of knowledge. They are the primary cause for preventing the people from the Truth. Beseech ye God to remove, through His complete power, these dark and gloomy clouds from the earth, that all may turn with pure and penetrating vision toward the supreme horizon and attain unto the effulgences of the light of His countenance.

Praise be to God! The sun of grace shineth forth from every word of God’s words, nay from every letter thereof, in such wise that the Sun of Truth is so manifest that every fair-minded soul acknowledgeth its existence, manifestation and appearance. Wretched is the one who remaineth deprived of it, and blessed is the one who attaineth unto it.

As to what was written concerning Rustam Beg, a wondrous and sublime Tablet hath been specifically revealed for him and sent to the beloved ʿAli, before Akbar, upon him be the glory of God and His favors. God willing, they will deliver it. Since mention was made of him in the beloved’s letter, it is therefore being sent to them. Likewise, may Amir Khan, God willing, attain unto divine bounties and drink from the chalice of eternity in such wise that he may find himself detached from the world and all who dwell therein. This lowly one conveyeth his greetings to each one and beseecheth God, exalted be His glory, for their success and confirmation. Verily He is the Generous Giver.

Sublime and holy Tablets were specifically revealed and sent for certain souls mentioned in the land of K. God willing, they have attained unto them. Indeed there hath never been, nor shall there ever be, any interruption in the outpouring of grace. May all existence be a sacrifice for His bounty. Glory and praise be upon your honor, upon his honor, and upon the manifestations of the Most Beautiful Names.

BH00307: O He who is our Most Holy, Most Great…

Section 1: “O He who is our Most Holy, Most…”

O He who is our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted and Most Glorious Lord!

Praise sanctified above the utterance and mention of all who dwell within the realm of possibility beseemeth the court of nearness of the Holy One, the Best Beloved, Who with a single drop from the ocean of knowledge hath adorned the first and the last with the ornament of life. He is that Sovereign Whom the descriptions and praises of the world cannot augment, nor can the denial and rejection of the peoples diminish. From time immemorial He hath been established upon the throne of power, speaking forth the words “I am the Truth.” The signs of His might are present in all things, and the tokens of His Revelation are manifest from every direction. The entire world existeth through His Word; should He desire, through another Word it would cease to be.

Whatsoever hath appeared and will appear from Him hath been according to His all-pervading wisdom. One sitteth upon the seat of glory while another lieth in the dust of abasement, yet when observed with the eye of insight, from the horizon of both doth the sun of justice shine forth resplendent. How sweet is His remembrance, how exalted His Cause, how manifest His justice! Glorified be His grandeur and exalted be His dominion. There is none other God but He, no Beloved besides Him, and no Object of desire save Him. He hath created all created things and brought forth all existence for this Day wherein walketh the Lord of Names and Attributes, with the hosts of divine verses on His right hand and manifest signs on His left.

Glory be unto Thee, O Thou through Whose will all created things were manifested and all contingent beings were set in motion! I beseech Thee by Him around Whom circle the Daysprings of Thy wisdom, the Repositories of Thy knowledge, the Dawning-places of Thy revelation, the Daybreaks of Thy Cause, and the Manifestations of Thy Self, to aid Thy loved ones and chosen ones to make mention of Thee, to praise Thee, and to serve Thy Cause. O my Lord! Thou seest how the world is consumed by the fire of heedlessness and desire, and how the hearts of them who are nigh unto Thee are melted by reason of what hath befallen them at the hands of Thy wicked servants who have cast behind their backs Thy Cause, violated Thy Covenant, disputed Thy verses, and warred against Thy Self. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the Most Great Word and by the lights of Thy countenance, O Thou Lord of all names, to transform this fire into light and to acquaint Thy servants with that which Thou hast ordained for them in this Revelation whereby the Sinai hath proclaimed:

“By God! He Who conversed with me hath come, and my Object hath appeared!”

O Lord! Thou seest Thy servants who are far removed; draw them nigh, through Thy name the Almighty, unto the shore of the ocean of Thy recognition. Verily, Thou art He Who hath ever been seated upon the throne of bounty, O Lord of all men! There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O my God, shower Thy blessings, O my Beloved, bestow Thy favors upon them who have quaffed the wine of Thy utterance in Thy days and who have, through Thy power and might, seized the reins of self and passion. These are servants whose service, remembrance and praise every Book beareth witness to, and all things testify to their elevation, their acceptance, their glory and their might. O Lord! Strengthen them through Thy might, aid them through Thy power, and illumine their faces in such wise that Thy servants and creatures may be enlightened thereby. Verily, Thou art He Whom nothing whatsoever can frustrate and no affair can hinder. There is none other God but Thee, the Strong, the Trustworthy.

And further, thy letter from which dripped the drops of affection arrived, as if thou hadst swum in the ocean of love, seeking the ultimate goal, the loftiest summit and the highest horizon. Praise be to God that thou didst attain unto the station of “God was”, and wast honored with hearing “there is none like unto Him”. And these exalted words shone forth from the Dawning-Place of utterance, the Revealer of verses. His words, exalted be His glory:

“O Husayn! Praise be to God that through divine grace thou hast attained unto that which was the purpose of creation. Thou didst hear and turn unto Him, and the intention of thy heart’s core became manifest until thou didst attain unto the visitation of the true Ka’bah and wert honored with the effulgences of the Sun of Manifestation. Blessed is he who sought, intended and attained, and woe unto him who was heedless and slept. O Husayn! The breeze of grace passeth over the trees of being at every dawn. Say: Today is the day of fruits, today is the day of hearing, today is the day of utterance, and today is the day of meeting. For all things an eye hath been ordained—some outward, some inward, and some both outward and inward. How excellent is the eye of the spirit that hath attained unto the vision of the Beloved of all creation. Today, from the whistling of every breeze the attentive ear heareth The Beloved hath come’, and from the murmur of every stream it heareth The Promised One hath appeared’. Adorn the temples of the friends with the ornament of the mention of the Intended One of all creation. Say: Know ye your worth and recognize your stations. At all times hold fast unto the Strong Cord, for the cawing of devils hath been raised. Although every possessor of hearing and sight beholdeth the Truth distinguished from all else in all respects, by the life of God, from the traces of the opposers and their words their station is evident and manifest. Verily He speaketh the truth, demonstrateth the proof, and guideth the way. There is no God but He, the Mighty, the Beautiful.”

The copy of the telegram thou didst send was indeed most apt—truly the electric current spoke completely and most appropriately. O beloved of my heart! From the beginning that hath no beginning to the end that hath no end, the source and dawning-place of oppression hath been and will be such souls. The spirits of such vile and impure ones are known by their evil-commanding nature, while Satan himself is characterized by the self-accusing spirit in the second degree. In truth, the fire of his self was derived from that fire—such as he are first, and Satan is second. May God protect us and you from their evil. They have attributed to Him Who is at all times that which they have attributed, and they have pronounced against Him at Whose mention they would stand in reverence of His name and in demonstration of their submission to Him—may God multiply their like, or rather, may God break their necks.

But thou didst write correctly. As this servant knoweth not to what this referreth, he somewhat departed from wisdom. I hope for forgiveness—I seek God’s pardon, the All-Glorious—for we are all commanded to observe wisdom. Once the Lord of creation uttered this exalted word: Had the rulers obeyed such persons who considered themselves leaders of the people, not a single person of truth would have been seen in any century of the centuries or any age of the ages. We beseech God to confirm the rulers of this age in not obeying such ignorant, heedless, satanic souls. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth, and in His grasp are all hearts and minds. In any case, the telegram was most fitting. God willing, may such telegrams always be sent to all regions, and may one always be engaged in uttering such praiseworthy words.

As for your mention of his honor [name], who has been afflicted with gout—it was not gout alone but rather chronic, deadly, and malignant diseases. They stated that every soul who entered into the Cause of the King of Martyrs was and will be afflicted with such accursed ailments. “The Book of A and S has come into My presence, therefore We have concealed it. Verily thy Lord is the Concealer, the Forgiving, the Generous.” Indeed he deprived himself. Now observe, according to one of the chosen ones, would it have been better to sacrifice his life in the path of the King of Martyrs, or to depart from this world with a sin heavier than mountains and in such abasement?

We beseech God to preserve these servants through His special grace. Repeatedly has this exalted word been revealed from the Supreme Pen, stating: “Verily the Cause is mighty, mighty!” As for your mention of his honor Aqa Muhammad-Hashim, son of Aqa Qadir, upon them both be the Glory of God, from the land of K, it was presented at the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court. His blessed and exalted Word: “O Muhammad before Hashim! Verily We have mentioned thee before, be thou of the thankful ones. We have sent down verses for thee that thou mayest praise God, the Lord of the worlds. We have heard and answered thee, and verily We are the Hearer, the Answerer. Be thou a doer of what is in My Book, and adorned with My virtues, and steadfast upon My straight path.

This is the day of trial. Say: Here am I, here am I, O Thou Goal of the world! Yea, yea, O Thou Beloved of the worlds! Verily the sea hath surged and the river hath flowed and the nightingale hath warbled and man hath come riding upon the clouds while the people are in manifest loss. Verily loss is for him who gaineth, and gain is for him who loseth for this Blessed and Great Name. Every gain that preventeth the servant from his Lord is a loss, and every loss that remindeth the servant of God is indeed a mighty possession.”

Section 2: “We make special mention of the friends…”

We make special mention of the friends in the land of K. Praise be to God, souls are observed to be enkindled. God willing, may they be steadfast in the Cause. God will soon make manifest their stations. Verily He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

As for what thou didst write regarding his honor Aqa Mirza Abdu’l-Hamid, upon him be the Glory of God, it attained the honor of being heard. His blessed and exalted Word:

“O Abdu’l-Hamid! Blessed art thou and blessed is he with whom thou wast when thou didst purpose to visit the House of God, the Most High, the Great. He visited and thou didst visit, and I am the All-Knowing Witness. He turned and thou didst turn, and I am the Hearing, the Seeing. He traveled through lands in his longing to meet Me, and thou didst travel with him until he attained and thou didst attain unto a place which the Concourse on High circumambulated, accompanied by tribes of near-stationed angels. We counsel thee with that through which the fragrance of sincerity unto God, the Lord of the worlds, may be diffused, and through which His Cause may be uplifted among His servants. And I am the Counselor, the Compassionate, the Generous.”

And this is what hath been sent down for the honored Haji Mirza Fadlu’llah (upon him be the glory of God). Exalted be His majesty:

O Fadl! Behold the divine favor vouchsafed unto thee. The whole world was created for this Day and for the recognition of Him Who hath appeared therein. Yet now all the peoples of the earth, save whom God hath willed, are seen to be heedless of the original purpose and veiled from the Most Great Manifestation, while ye are blessed with this supreme bounty. I swear by the Sun of Truth that one atom of the deeds of a soul that hath turned towards God is better and more pleasing before Him than the deeds of both worlds. Strive thou to preserve this lofty and most exalted station through the Name of the Lord of Names, for the cawing of the divines on one hand and the croaking of the foolish on the other have been raised.

Hold fast unto the hem of grace and cleave unto the sure handle, that perchance thou mayest not be deprived of the Lord of all being through the tales of old and the conditions of Lat and Uzza. By Lat and Uzza and every base word that hath flowed and floweth from the Most Exalted Pen in the Book are meant the ignorant ones of the earth who are known as divines. Know thou this and be of the thankful. Thou hast been blessed with My remembrance and hast drunk the choice wine of My loving-kindness. By My life! Nothing that thou beholdest can equal these. Thy Lord is verily the Perspicuous, the True, the Faithful. Glory be upon thee and upon every discerning believer.

This evanescent servant conveyeth greetings and salutations to the gentlemen, and beseecheth the exalted True One to aid them in that which profiteth them in all the worlds of His worlds. He is verily the Generous, the Munificent.

As for the mention at the end of the Book of the secretary—upon him be the Glory of God—and likewise Aqa Mirza Siyyid ʿAli and Aqa Ghulam-Husayn—upon both of them be the Glory of God—their mention was presented before His Countenance, and there was revealed for each that which all the world is powerless and incapable of describing. His exalted Word:

Verily We make mention of the Sh following the N and the M, that he may rejoice in the remembrance of the Wronged One Who hath borne tribulations and ordeals in the path of God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen. We have mentioned thee before and We mention thee at this hour wherein verses are sent down from the heaven of the will of thy Lord, the Lord of the most ancient Days. Say: Glory be unto Thee, O Thou through the movement of Whose Pen all things were set in motion and through its cry the dead were raised in the kingdom of creation! I beseech Thee to strengthen me to stand firm in this Cause which hath shaken every edifice and caused the hearts of Thy servants to tremble. My Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and speaking Thy praise. I beseech Thee to number me among the company of Thy chosen ones who have fulfilled Thy Covenant and who have said in all conditions:

“God is our Lord and the Lord of all things, our Goal and the Goal of all things, our Beloved and the Beloved of all who are in the heavens and the earth.”

My Lord! Aid me to serve Thy Cause and enable me to achieve that which Thou lovest and art pleased with. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Omnipotent.

And this is what was revealed for Aqa Mirza Siyyid ʿAli—upon him be the Glory of God—In My Name, the Most Ancient, the Most Great:

O Ali! Thou hast turned towards Us from that region and We have turned towards thee from the precincts of My Most Great Prison. Know thou the value of the days of God, then thank Him for having caused thy name to be mentioned by His Most Exalted Pen, as a token of His grace. He, verily, is the All-Knowing Rememberer. Be thou steadfast in My Cause, speaking forth My praise and drinking from the Kawthar of My love at all times. O Ali! The lights of Revelation have shone forth upon the Mount, and the Tree hath raised its call: “The Kingdom is God’s, the One, the All-Informed!” Behold the people and their heedlessness and error. They make mention of God at morn and eventide, yet when He appeared they pronounced judgment against Him with such tyranny as caused the Faithful Spirit to lament. O Ali! Were We to recount unto thee what hath befallen Us at the hands of the manifestations of tyranny, thou wouldst weep, and with thee would weep the Concourse on High and the dwellers of Paradise. We have therefore concealed it from thee and from them. Thy Lord is verily the All-Merciful, the Gracious. The Glory be upon thee and upon them who have shown justice in this mighty Cause.

This is what was revealed for his honor Ghulam-Qabl-Husayn, upon him be the Glory of God:

In My Name, Husayn

Thy name is remembered before the Wronged One. Know thou the worth of this blessed name and arise to render such servitude as befitteth the station of this Most Great Name. In all conditions, act and speak in ways that will exalt the Cause. By the life of God! Thou hast attained unto that which hath had and shall have no peer or likeness. Turn thy heart toward the Most Exalted Horizon and say:

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, and glorification be unto Thee, O my Aim, and splendor be unto Thee, O my Beloved, for having strengthened me, made me know Thee, enabled me, and guided me unto Thy straight path. I beseech Thee by the wonders of Thy bounty and the totality of Thy words to ordain for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen that which shall profit me in every world of Thy worlds. O Lord! Thou art the Strong, and I am the weak. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me of what lieth with Thee. There is no God but Thee, the All-Witnessing, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Reflect upon the divine favor. Whenever mention is made of one of the friends before His presence, the ocean of bounty surgeth with such waves that this servant and a hundred thousand like him are powerless to describe or recount it. May the whole world be a sacrifice unto His grace and bounty. The conveyance of this lowly one’s greetings and salutations to each of the friends of God is entrusted to your honor.

Another matter this evanescent one wisheth to mention is that no news hath been received from his honor Aqa Muhammad-Rida, upon him be the Glory of God, and his brother who bore the name of the Intended One, who emigrated and drank the cup of reunion from the hands of bounty. If wisdom permitteth and you meet with them, convey this lowly one’s greetings unto them. Praise be to God, they have attained unto His grace and are mentioned in the Most Holy Court. May the Glory that shineth resplendent from the horizon of the heaven of the grace of our Goal and the Goal of the world be upon you and upon those whose names thou hast mentioned and upon every steadfast and assured believer. Praise be to God, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the Wise.

BH00536: What this evanescent one wishes to submit to Your…

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

What this evanescent one wishes to submit to Your Presence is that the beloved letter from his honor Samandar, upon him be the glory of God, the Lord of Power, which was sent to that beloved one, was seen and after being reviewed was accorded the honor of being heard in the Most Holy Presence of the Lord of Creation, and these exalted words descended from the heaven of the will of the Lord of Names—exalted be His sovereignty and mighty His utterance:

“O Ism-i-Jud! In truth his honor Samandar, upon him be My glory, has his gaze fixed upon the Greatest Scene and stands firm in service. The veils of existence cannot obscure the fire of his love, nor can the clouds prevent its influence. If a sincere seeker were to reach out from distant places, verily he would find its effects. The servant in attendance submitted his requests, which attained the honor of being heard and both received answers. Glorified is He Who speaks and hears and responds, and glorified is He Who hath kindled in hearts and souls that which hath attracted them to the Truth, the Knower of all things hidden.

O Samandar! We have turned from this Station unto thee and have mentioned thee in such wise as nothing on earth can equal. We send Our greetings upon thee and upon those who have turned with their all to God, the Lord of the worlds. Give glad tidings of My remembrance and My attention to My loved ones. Blessed is he who hath held fast to the Sure Handle and hath drunk the choice wine of life from the hands of the bounty of his Lord, the Merciful, and was among the steadfast ones.

Convey to all the friends in that land greetings from the Wronged One. Say: O loved ones of God in the cities and regions! Know ye that power lieth in unity, and prosperity and success in steadfastness and concord. Beseech God that all may be assisted to remain firm in this Cause that hath caused the firm mountains to quake. O friends! Know ye the value of these days of the Merciful One. By God! The sun hath never shone upon their like or similitude. Seize ye the opportunity in My days, then restrict your affairs to the service of My Cause. God will soon exalt your stations and ranks thereby, and will manifest to all on earth your loftiness and elevation and what ye have endured in His path and what hath befallen you in His wondrous Cause. In all conditions the profit is with you and the loss with the enemies. Ye must at all times keep your gaze fixed upon the divine counsels and act according to what is in the Book. God willing, under the shadow of His grace, may ye be illumined with the light of justice and fairness, trustworthiness and religiosity, humility and submissiveness. The glory be upon you and upon those who are with you and those who love you.”

Among the wonders of divine bounty is that at the very moment when the letter arrived, this evanescent servant attained the honor of His presence, and after this response was submitted, this answer descended from the Kingdom of utterance of the Sovereign Lord: God willing, may the masters and nobles of that land attain unto new life through the water of the providence of God, exalted be His glory, and be occupied with and act according to what beseemeth His days.

Mention was made of his honor Haji Muhammad Ibrahim, upon him be the glory of God. This is what was revealed for him from the Supreme Pen as a favor from God, the Lord of all humanity. His exalted and sanctified Word:

He is the One Who speaketh the truth amongst the people

The Wronged One hath, in every condition, summoned all unto the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious. There hath not been a night or day but that the shrill voice of His Most Exalted Pen was raised in such wise that none can deny it save every froward infidel. By God’s life! We have not protected Ourselves. We have revealed the Cause with a sovereignty from Us and summoned both kings and subjects unto God, the One, the Unconstrained. The first to turn away from Us and oppose Us were the divines of the earth, whom We had honored with a word from Us and elevated by Our command. But when We came unto them, We found them to be among the wayward at the end.

Through their turning away the people turned away, and through their hypocrisy was kindled the fire of hatred, and there befell Us that which caused the dwellers of the pavilion of grandeur to lament at morn and eventide. We desired their life, yet they pronounced judgment against Us without clear proof or any Book. Blessed is he who casteth them behind his back, turning unto God, the Lord of Lords. We have heard of thy turning unto Us and have made mention of thee in the prison with verses through which the fragrance of the All-Merciful hath been wafted to all regions. Hold fast unto the cord of thy Lord’s loving-kindness and say: O my Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Name and Thy dominion that overshadoweth the world, to assist me to be steadfast in Thy love and to number me with those who have attained unto Thy good-pleasure. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

God willing, may their orientation and turning to the Truth, exalted be His glory, become the cause of their attaining infinite bounties. Regarding what they mentioned about the vision, God willing, it is a sign of the greatness of the Cause and of power and might. Power, might and victory have never been and are not dependent upon outward forces, armaments and weapons. Repeatedly from the tongue of grandeur was this word heard: Pure deeds, pure words, and praiseworthy character are counted among the mighty hosts of the Truth, exalted be His glory. The acts and deeds of the beasts of the earth have had and have no worth. One must conquer the horizons of hearts through the hosts of goodly deeds and praiseworthy character. No sword is sharper than the Word of God. If a few souls arise purely for the sake of God, speak for God and fix their gaze upon God, assuredly its effects will become manifest and evident in the world, as indeed they have become manifest and ye witness them. This servant also conveyeth greetings to that honored soul and beseecheth confirmation for him from the Truth, exalted be His glory.

Likewise mention was made of the honored lady, the wife of the departed and blessed ʿAbdu’l-Hamid Khan, upon them both be the Glory of God, and of that leaf’s measures of firmness, steadfastness and constancy. Praise be to God, that leaf hath attained the grace of the Truth, exalted be His glory. It is hoped she will remain so firm and steadfast in the Cause that the men of the world will be powerless to change, alter or prevent her—how much less the women of the earth. Mention of her was made in the Most Holy and Exalted Presence, and the Sun of Grace shone forth. Well is it with her and blessed is she.

At this hour this servant was present at the Throne when the Tongue of Grandeur made mention of the departed and blessed Mulla ʿAbdu’r-Rahim, upon him be the Glory of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. O what a mention! Were it to be cast upon darkness it would transform it into light, and were it cast upon dust there would arise therefrom a creation none can reckon save God, the Lord of the Return.

Thereafter mention was made of the spiritual friend Jinab-i-Mulla ʿAbdu’r-Razzaq, upon him be His glory. The Sun of loving-kindness has shone forth in such wise that this servant is incapable and unable to make full mention thereof. Blessed is he and blessed are those who have attained to His grace and bounty. In truth, this evanescent one is abashed before him. God willing, hereafter through His might and power that which was neglected shall be made good.

Furthermore, the letter of my spiritual friend Jinab-i-Abu’l-Ma’ani, that is Abu’l-Ma’ali, upon him be the glory of God and His loving-kindness, reached this servant, and likewise he presented a petition to the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence. This evanescent one laid all before His countenance. At that very moment, sacred Tablets were revealed from the heaven of oneness specifically for him and the souls mentioned, and were dispatched. This evanescent servant beseeches and hopes from God, exalted be His glory, that He may cause them to attain unto the visitation of these exalted Tablets. Verily, He has power over all things.

And one Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was also revealed and sent specifically for the noble lady, the mother of Jinab-i-Aqa Siyyid Ashraf, upon them both be the glory of God and His light. Mention of the martyrs of that land and the aforementioned noble lady has been and continues to be made in the Most Holy Presence. Verily, they are among the triumphant, by the Lord of all worlds.

One night, this evanescent one was in the presence of Him Who stands, when the Tongue of Oneness made mention of the friends of that land. Among the souls whose mention attained to the Most Holy Presence in these days was likewise that of Jinab-i-K-D and Aqa Akbar, upon them both be the glory of God, who is among those related to them. And some time ago a Tablet was revealed from the heaven of loving-kindness specifically for the second name and was sent to His Holiness, the Name of God M-H, upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory of God, that it might be delivered. Praise be to God, the ocean of divine bounty has been and continues to be directed towards those who have turned to Him, the sincere ones, the steadfast ones, and the firm ones. By His Own Self, the Truth, that which flows forth from the Most Exalted Pen at all times is such that those who would enumerate it are powerless to reckon it. To this bears witness every fair-minded and perceiving one.

Furthermore, I have been and continue to be mindful of my beloved Aqa Muhammad-Javad, upon him be the glory of God, the Lord of creation. This servant has ever besought and continues to beseech from God, exalted be His glory, his success and confirmation. One day the Tongue of Grandeur spoke this most exalted word, exalted be His majesty:

“O servant present! Make mention of Javad on My behalf. Verily, We send Our greetings from this station upon him and upon his family and upon her who attained unto My presence. Verily, We counsel her to make mention of My bounty and My loving-kindness and My mercy which has preceded all.”

End quote. God is witness and testifier that they have ever been and continue to be in view. God willing, may they be illumined by the lights of steadfastness and be established and renowned in the love of God. The light of the Cause has illumined most lands. Now all must hold fast with perfect unity and harmony that all may attain. This is the truth, there is no doubt therein. The servant beseeches his Lord to protect, through His Name, the stations of those who have turned unto Him and have borne hardships in His path. Verily, He is the Protector, the Trustworthy.

O beloved of my heart! The contents of the letter of my beloved, His Holiness Samandar, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, its answer has been revealed from the heaven of loving-kindness. Blessed and welcome tidings to him and to those with him and to those who love him and hear his word concerning the Cause of our Lord and his Lord, our Beloved and his Beloved. And the Glory and the Great Glory and the Peace and the Mercy and the Loving-kindness be upon his honor and his family and his offspring from God, our Lord and his Lord, our Goal and his Goal and the Goal of all the worlds.

Again salutations, praise and expressions of sincere devotion are offered in Thy presence. If Thou seekest a deputy and surety, verily the True One is present and manifest. He is indeed the best Deputy, the best Surety, the best Lord, and the best Helper.

The servant

BH00556: Lawh-i-Khartum

In the Name of the Comforting, the Compassionate, the All-Forgiving, the Merciful!

God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, and that He Who hath appeared is verily the Most Exalted Pen, the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, the Most Glorious Horizon, the Manifestation of the Unseen in the Kingdom of Creation, the First Exemplar among nations, the Temple manifested in justice, and the Light shining forth from the horizon of grace. Through Him the ocean of knowledge hath surged in the world, and that which was recorded in the Books of God, the Lord of all worlds, hath been made manifest. Blessed is he who hath attained unto this Most Mighty, Most Glorious Day, who hath recognized the Lord of the Beginning and the End, and who hath arisen to serve Him, detached from all else save Him. He is with Me in all My worlds—to this beareth witness My Pen, My Tongue, and the tongues of My commandments and ordinances in this Station which hath been adorned with the lights of the countenance of its Lord, the Manifest, the Luminous, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Most Exalted Pen! Thou hast made Me hear thy sighing, thy lamentation, and thy sobs for what hath befallen the loved ones of God and His chosen ones, and thou hast shown Me thy tears for My tribulation and affliction and what thou hast witnessed from My servants whom We created by My Word. O Pen, I testify that thy sorrows in the path of God cannot be reckoned by all the pens of the world nor by the tongues of all nations. Hast thou any joy whereby the hearts of God’s loved ones in His earth and His chosen ones in His lands might rejoice? Tell Me truly, O My Pen, and be not of the silent ones.

I testify that thy sorrow in My path is more precious than all joy before God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds, and thy remoteness for My sake was nearer than all nearness—to this testifieth every discerning knower. By thy sighing the Concourse on High hath lamented, and by thy crying out the Maids of Heaven in the Most Exalted Paradise have swooned away. God shall soon bring forth from thy sorrow oceans of joy and gladness. Be thou thankful and among those who praise. Were We to remove the veil from the face of this utterance, thou wouldst behold people hastening toward sorrows in the path of God, the Most High, the Most Great. How many a matter have We concealed as a wisdom from Us, and how many a mention have We withheld the Pen from recording as a grace from Us, and I am verily the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

O Pen! Make mention of him whom the heat of God’s love so seized that he became detached from all that he possessed and left his home, making for the Ultimate Goal and the Most Exalted Summit in days wherein agitation had overtaken the dwellers of the Kingdom of Names, and he drank from the cup of hardship and tribulation until he attained the presence of the Lord of all humanity and drank the choice wine of reunion, once in My Name and again in My love and remembrance, and gained the presence of the Wronged One in this Prison which hath been named by the Most Exalted Pen with all names.

O Ali! O thou who gazeth upon My face and circleth around Me! Thou hast heard the gloating of the enemies in My path and witnessed the turning away of the servants in their love for Me. How many an evening wert thou consumed by the fire of separation from Me, and how many a dawn didst thou hear abuse from Mine enemies. I testify that thou didst leave thy homeland and choose exile out of thy longing for My beauty and thy desire to attain My presence. Thou didst journey through the lands of exile—at one time thou wert with Me in the Most Great Prison, and at another time in another land, and from every land through which thou didst pass, all those possessed of a sense of smell could detect the fragrance of thy love for God, thy Beloved and the Beloved of all who are in earth and heaven.

O Ali! Thou didst dwell in Khartoum while the Self-Subsisting remembers thee from the prison with a melody unto which the ears of all things have been attracted. Blessed is he who hath heard the melody of the Wronged One when He makes mention of him who hath turned unto Him, set his face towards His horizon, soared in His atmosphere, circled round His will, submitted to His sovereignty, acted according to what He hath commanded in His Book, attained the streams of wisdom when he presented himself at His gate, and was illumined when gazing upon His countenance. O Ali! How many an eventide wert thou agitated like a fish upon the dust through separation from thy Lord, the Lord of the Final End, and how many a dawn wert thou disturbed like one stung in thy remoteness from the seat of thy Lord’s throne, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

O Ali! Where are thy sighs in separation and where thy tears in yearning? Where is thy standing at the gate and where thy submissiveness and thy call at the final end? Hath the breeze of thy life been cut off from the world, or hath the whistling of the Bird of Inner Meanings attracted thee to the Supreme Companion? Thou didst choose exile out of longing for the All-Glorious Homeland and accepted abasement for the exaltation of thy Lord’s Cause, the Lord of all creation. O Ali! We were with thee in thy journeys until they ended in the land named Khartoum, where thou didst encounter what was ordained for thee by the irrevocable, predetermined decree.

O Khartoum! Know thou the station of him who came unto thee, then honor his resting-place, by command of God, thy Lord. Thus hath the Wronged One commanded, Who speaketh in every condition that there is none other God but Me, the All-Protecting, the Self-Subsisting. We testify that thou didst sacrifice thy spirit in the prime of youth and the freshness of life for God, the Lord of the Kingdom of Signs. Blessed is he who hath visited thee and made mention of thee through that which hath been sent down from the heaven of thy Lord’s will. Thou art he whom the affairs of creation did not prevent from the Truth. Thou didst cast away vain imaginings and hasten to the ocean of certitude, the station wherein the Tongue of Grandeur speaketh that whereby every mouldering bone is quickened.

Thou art he who turned, who attained, who took and drank the choice wine of immortality in the name of thy Lord, the All-Glorious, when all in the kingdom of creation turned away save whom God, the Lord of the Hereafter and of the former times, did wish. Blessed is he who remembereth thy days and visiteth thy grave through that which hath been sent down from the Kingdom of Utterance from God, thy Lord, the Most Merciful. The days and nights shall pass away, and all that is seen and witnessed shall perish, but thy remembrance shall endure in the Book of God, the Just, the Wise.

O Ali! The Lord of creation remembers thee in the prison of Akka that thou mayest hear it in the Supreme Companion with the chosen ones of God and His sincere ones. Thus have My tongue and My Pen remembered thee as a grace from Us upon thee and upon those who heard and answered God, the Lord of the worlds. The glory shining forth from the Most Exalted Pen be upon thee and upon those who remember thee through this Tablet from which the sincere ones perceive the fragrance of My tenderness and My loving-kindness that hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and the earth.

O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of his father who turned his face toward his Lord and circled round the Throne for successive years, and was named Abdul-Rahim in the presence of God, the Lord of the worlds. O My servant Abdul-Rahim! Rejoice in that the Wronged One remembereth thee in His mighty prison and acknowledgeth for thee that which all the treasures of the earth cannot equal. The Tongue of God, the Speaking, the All-Knowing, beareth witness to this. We have remembered thee and then those whom God hath related unto thee, as a favor from Us upon thee. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

Remember then the handmaiden who turned to God until she came to this mighty, impregnable Prison, and attained the lights of the Throne and acknowledged what was uttered by the Tongue of God, the Mighty, the Wise. Then remember his brother, who was named Muhammad in the Kingdom of Names and turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon, this station from which shone forth the lights of the countenance of his Lord, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate. O Muhammad! I bear witness that thou hast turned to the Intended One and attained that which was inscribed in the Scriptures and Tablets by the Pen of God, Lord of the mighty Throne. This remembrance shall be with thee in every world of the worlds of thy Lord. Rejoice thou and be of the thankful ones.

O My Pen! Bear witness that thou hast remembered the chosen ones of God and His loved ones who circled round the Throne of thy Lord at dawn and at eventide. We bid thee remember his other brother who was named Hussein, to whom was entrusted the polishing of the pages whereon were inscribed, at morn and at eventide, the verses of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. And We bid thee remember his other brother who was named Ahmad, who chose exile that he might engage in that which was commanded in the Book of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Ahmad! Thou art in Alif and Sin, and the Wronged One remembereth thee from His luminous station. Then remember his sister who believed and attained the honor of circumambulation in days wherein men and women turned away, save whom God, the Almighty, the Powerful, wished. Blessed art thou and she who is related to thee and he who was named Abdul-Hussein, then those who attained this station and drank the choice wine of reunion from the hands of the bounty of their Lord, the Munificent, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

O my God, my Lord, my Master and my Hope! I beseech Thee by the Name through which Thou didst subdue the servants and all who are in the lands, and through which appeared the ocean of Thy wisdom and wafted the fragrance of Thy loving-kindness and flowed the river of Thy mercy, to pour forth upon them patience from Thee, then ordain for them what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones who cast the world behind them, turning unto Thee and hastening to the ocean of Thy bounty. Then send down upon them from the heaven of Thy Will a blessing from Thee and mercy from Thy presence. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and in Thy grasp is the kingdom of creation. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

Then behold, O my God, with the glances of Thy loving-kindness, him who was named Abdullah, whom Thou didst send to one who loved Thee that he might be a companion to him in the lands of exile and a helper in times of hardship and distress. O Lord! Inscribe for him the recompense of his deed in the Crimson Scroll wherein was recorded that which was hidden from all eyes. O Lord! Aid him through Thy confirmations to act in accordance with that which was commanded during his presence before Thee. O Lord! He is the one who followed Thy binding command and turned toward the prison wherein Thy chosen ones and Thy loved ones were imprisoned through that which the hands of the oppressors had wrought, and the heedless made them captives in Thy kingdom and took them until they brought them to that distant place.

O Lord! They are the ones who took the cup of tribulation in Thy love and drank therefrom out of longing for Thy beauty. O Lord! Aid them through the manifestations of Thy victory and ordain for them that which shall gladden the eyes of Thy loved ones. Verily Thou art He Whom nothing whatsoever can frustrate from that which Thou hast willed through Thy power. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. And praise be to Thee, O God of the worlds and Goal of all who are in the heavens and the earth.

BH00688: We have desired to make mention of him who…

In the name of Him Who is the Witness and the Witnessed!

We have desired to make mention of him who hath turned towards Us and hath uttered this Name through which the seal of the Choice Wine was broken and the Nightingale warbled upon the branches. The All-Merciful hath come with a Cause before which all who are in the heavens and on earth shall prove powerless. The horizon of Revelation hath been illumined, and the Mount hath called out: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of all worlds!”

O peoples of the earth! Hearken unto the call of Him Who is the Fashioner of the heavens, Who hath come with the Kingdom of Names. He speaketh at the heart of the world and summoneth all unto His Most Great Name, through which all things proclaimed when it was made manifest: “The Promised One hath come with His All-Compelling Name and hath spoken: ʿThere is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”’ Every ear hath been blessed by the melodies of Revelation, yet the heedless are in manifest error.

O concourse of men! By God, the Lord of Destiny hath come! He speaketh from His Most Sublime Vision concerning His hidden mystery. Fear God and be not of the ignorant ones. We have accepted tribulations for your salvation. Cast away what ye possess and take hold of that which ye are commanded in the Book from the presence of an ancient Commander.

Look ye and remember the generations of old. Where are the sources of vain imaginings and the dawning-places of idle fancies? And where are they who took idols as lords besides God? And where are the tyrants and pharaohs who violated the Covenant and wrought that which caused the dwellers of the highest Paradise and the inhabitants of the cities of names to lament at morn and eve?

O peoples of the earth! Beware lest the veils of the divines withhold you. By God! The ocean of knowledge hath surged before your faces, and the All-Knowing proclaimeth: “There is none other God but Me, the Manifest, the All-Wise.” By the life of God! Their cawing hath debarred men from the choice wine of Revelation when its seal was broken through My Name, the All-Powerful, the Almighty. Thus hath the Most Great Name spoken in the world, yet most of the people are among the heedless.

Say: O people of creation! Let not the affairs of the world withhold you from Him Who hath come with the Kingdom of eternity. Cast aside what the people possess and take what hath been given by your Lord, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

O Mohsen! Thy letter came to hand and We heard thy call when what was contained therein was presented by the servant in attendance in My Most Great Prison. We have answered thee with a Tablet through which every seated one hath arisen, every hesitant one hath hastened, every tongue-tied one hath spoken, and every heedless one hath turned towards God, the One, the Peerless, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

When thou readest the Tablet and findest from it the fragrance of the garment of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, turn thy face towards the Prison and say:

“Unto Thee be praise, O Lord of Names, and unto Thee be glory, O Creator of the heavens! I testify that Thou hast appeared and made manifest what was hidden behind the veils of the Unseen. I beseech Thee not to withhold me and Thy servants from the outpourings of Thy Most Exalted Pen. Thou art, verily, powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.”

We make mention of My loved ones in that region who were not kept back by worldly affairs from God, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting. We also remember Zayn who turned toward the horizon of Revelation when every ignorant one turned away. We counsel him to remain steadfast in the Cause of his Lord, the Most Glorious, and give him glad tidings of the mercy which hath preceded both the unseen and the seen.

O Rida! The Lord of Names maketh mention of thee from His Most Exalted Horizon that He may attract thee to a station wherein the conditions of earth shall not grieve thee, nor shall the power of those who have turned away from the Promised One cause thee fear. Give thanks unto God for having enabled thee to recognize Him and for having sent down unto thee these verses from His praiseworthy station.

O Pen! Make mention of him who is named Hasan, that he may rejoice in Thy remembrance and speak forth with wisdom and utterance among the concourse of creation concerning [this Cause] which, when sent down from the heaven of Revelation, the books of the past submitted unto it. Verily thy Lord is the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. Arise to praise and glorify with such steadfastness as the hosts of the earth, who follow vain imaginings and idle fancies, cannot hinder thee. Say: This is the Day of Utterance, did ye but know, and this is the Day of praise and glorification, could ye but understand. The appointed time hath come and the Promised One hath appeared with manifest sovereignty. He calleth unto the peoples from within the Most Great Prison and summoneth them unto God, the Mighty, the Loving. Thus hath the tongue of the All-Merciful spoken in the kingdom of utterance that thou mayest hear and give thanks unto thy Lord, the Possessor of the Promised Day. Glory be upon thee and upon thy sons and upon those who have entered beneath My extended shadow.

Then make mention of Abbas from the presence of the King of mankind Who hath called all unto the right hand of Paradise, the Spot wherefrom its very atoms speak forth that which the Interlocutor heard upon the Sinai of Utterance. Thus doth He command thee from Whose presence is a preserved Tablet. Give thanks unto God for having aided thee to turn towards this Cause, from which the daysprings of idle fancy have turned aside. We make mention of thy brother and those who are with thee and We send Our greetings unto them from this Spot which God hath made sanctified from the presence of every rejected transgressor.

O Hasan! Hearken unto the call of the Lord of the seen and the unseen. He maketh mention of thee from His most exalted station and giveth thee glad tidings of this Revelation which God foretold in the books of old. Verily thy Lord is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but Him, the One, the Peerless, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Hold thou fast unto the Sure Handle, then aid thy Lord through deeds and virtuous character. Thus was it revealed aforetime and at this hour. By the life of God! The treasures of the world cannot compare with a single word from thy Lord. To this testifieth the Lord of Eternity, Who speaketh in the Most Great Prison: “There is none other God but Me, the One, the All-Informed.”

Blessed is he who hath inhaled the fragrance of the All-Merciful and hath taken from the hand of His bounty the Kawthar and Salsabil. How many a learned one hath lamented My separation, yet when the ocean of My presence surged, turned away and was numbered among the idolaters. How many a mystic hath spoken My Name and yearned for My days, yet when the horizon of Revelation was illumined, pronounced judgment against Me without clear proof or perspicuous Book. How many a prince hath sought My house and circled round it in My name, yet when I manifested Myself, desired to shed My blood, following those who turned away from the Truth and advanced toward every remote scholar. Thus hath My Most Exalted Pen spoken that thou mayest hear and be among the thankful. And We make mention of thy brother who is named Hussein that he may give thanks unto his Lord, the Remembering, the All-Knowing.

O Pen! Make mention of Ali, that the rapture of his Lord’s verses may draw him to the station whereon is established the throne of My Most Great Name. O Ali! By My life, wert thou to taste the sweetness of My utterance, thou wouldst soar upon the wings of longing in the atmosphere of My Will and speak forth My praise amidst My servants with the wisdom We have enjoined upon all in My perspicuous Book. Beware lest the intimations of the ignorant grieve thee—they by whom every Prophet hath mourned and every faithful Messenger hath cried out. They made mention of Me by night and day, yet when I manifested unto them My Beauty, they turned away and perpetrated such wrong as caused the Concourse on High to lament, and those who bear the Throne of God, the Lord of this wondrous Day.

Say: O concourse of the earth! Take hold of the Book with the power of God and follow not your idle fancies. Fear God and be not of them that turn aside. This is the Day of Recognition, unto which the Concourse on High hath turned, and a company of the near-stationed angels. This is the Day whereon the Spirit proclaimeth before the Face: By God! He Who was hidden within the veils of the Unseen hath appeared. Hasten, O peoples of the earth, and be not of the wrongdoers.

O My loved ones in the West! Rejoice at My turning toward you, My drawing nigh unto you, and My remembrance of you. Beware lest the veils of the powerful withhold you. Be as mountains in the Cause of your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. Ye have heard the taunts of the enemies in My path; now hearken unto that wherewith the Tongue of Grandeur praiseth you in this station which God hath sanctified above all names. Blessed are ye and your fathers and your mothers, and those who love you and make mention of you and walk in My straight Path. The ocean of forgiveness hath surged in the name of your Lord, the Most Merciful. Give thanks unto Him for this great bounty. He hath indeed forgiven you and your fathers and mothers, and hath absolved you and them of evil deeds. He is verily the All-Merciful, the Gracious. My favor is complete, My proof perfected, the cockrel of My Throne hath crowed, and My testimony hath appeared, yet most of the people are deniers. The glory be upon you, O My loved ones, and upon those women who have believed in the One, the All-Informed.

O handmaidens of God in that place! We make mention of you as a bounty from Our presence and a mercy from Our court, and I am verily the All-Bountiful, the Most Merciful. Rejoice in My mercy and My loving-kindness and My generosity and My grace and My bounty which have encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth.

BH00921: Lawh-i-Raqsha

He is the All-Witnessing, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

A mention from Us to one who has turned towards and heard the Call of God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting, and answered his Lord on a day wherein most of mankind turned away from the Lord of the Beginning and the End. To this My Most Exalted Pen beareth witness as it speaketh from the prison:

“There is none other God but I, the True One, the Knower of things unseen.”

Blessed art thou for having turned towards God and acted according to that which thou wert commanded by God, the Mighty, the Loving. We bear witness that thou hast cast aside what thou didst desire and taken what God, the Lord of what was and what shall be, did desire. Grieve not for what hath befallen thee in My path. There hath befallen Us that which hath befallen no other servants. To this the Tongue of God beareth witness from His praiseworthy station.

O Habib! Rejoice in that the All-Forgiving hath forgiven thee and purified thee from transgressions. Verily thy Lord is the Compassionate. He hath seized the spotted one with His might and left him beneath the lashes of his reprehensible and abhorrent deeds. He was indeed the foundation and source of corruption. We unleashed upon him, before the Hereafter, a punishment in this world from which the denizens of the fire seek refuge with God, the Powerful, the Mighty.

The breezes of chastisement encompassed him from all directions, both before and after his soul’s departure. The angels of wrath drove him to the lowest of the low. We seize with justice and give through grace, and I am the Just, the Wise. He taketh and causeth grief; He giveth and bringeth joy; and He is the Kind, the Merciful. Justice hath its hosts, which are the requital and recompense of deeds, and through these the pavilion of order hath been raised in the world, and every transgressor hath taken hold of his own reins through fear of retribution. Thus hath spoken the Lord of Names; He is verily the Speaker, the All-Knowing. And We seized the wolf with an affliction which none save God, the Lord of all worlds, hath knowledge of.

This occurred in the first year he opposed My Name, the Ha. Verily thy Lord is the Severe Avenger. By My life! No medicine shall cure him, nor shall anything in the kingdom of creation heal him. It shall increase and not diminish until he returneth to his abode. Then shall he behold what neither mention can reckon nor any counter enumerate. And before him We seized the Chief through Our power, even as We seized those greater than he in bygone ages, and I am the Expositor, the All-Informed.

O Habib! Thy letter hath come and hath attained unto the hearing of thy Lord in this station wherein the Lote-Tree of the Utmost Boundary speaketh amongst mankind: “The Lord of Names hath come with manifest sovereignty.” We found in thy letter the warmth of thy love and witnessed thy being set ablaze by that Word whereby the hearts of those near unto God were enkindled. Rejoice thou in that the Wronged One hath mentioned thee while sorrows encompassed Him from those who were heedless of this mighty Cause.

And We make mention of the Shaykh who was named Hasan that he may rejoice in a remembrance whereby all things were attracted and every possessor of utterance proclaimed: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.” Give thanks unto God for having remembered thee with verses that cannot be equaled by what the eyes of the world have seen nor the treasuries of kings. Be thou vocal in My remembrance, soaring in My atmosphere, and steadfast in the service of My Cause, the Unshakeable, the Mighty, the Wondrous. Say: “Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having made known unto me that which the learned and divines of the age have not attained unto, save him whom Thou didst rescue through the arm of Thy power. I testify that Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.”

Happy is the eye that hath seen My signs, and the ear that hath heard My call, and the heart that hath turned toward My horizon, and the tongue that hath uttered My beauteous praise. O My loved ones! Drink ye from the Kawthar of life everlasting in My Name and sprinkle thereof upon every mouldering bone. By God! The very rock crieth out in ecstasy at the verses of its Lord, and the mountain soareth in its longing to attain the presence of God, the All-Speaking, the Witness, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of My loved ones in Mim before Alif and Za’, and remind them of the verses of thy Lord, the Creator of the heavens, that the rapture of thy call may draw them to a station wherein the Tongue of Eternity proclaimeth: There is none other God but Me, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful. Be thankful unto God for having remembered you while He was imprisoned by those who were heedless of the Beginning and the Return. We counsel you to remain steadfast in this Cause whereby feet have slipped. Beware lest the doubts of the people keep you back from the Name of the Self-Subsisting. Cast away what the people possess and take what ye are bidden by God, the Lord of all men. This is a Day wherein none is mentioned save God alone—to this do God’s Books, the Lord of lords, bear witness. From this spot We send Our greetings upon your faces and upon the faces of those who have turned with radiant countenances toward the countenance of their Lord, the Dayspring of lights.

We make mention of My handmaidens in that place who have quaffed the wine of My loving-kindness, who have turned toward My horizon and who have spoken My praise on a Day wherein the heaven brought forth smoke. O My handmaidens! Rejoice that the countenance of the Ancient One hath turned toward you from the direction of His Most Great Prison. He is, verily, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. Glory be upon you and upon those handmaidens who have believed in God, the Lord of the Day of Mutual Calling.

We make mention of My servant Ghulam-ʿAli and give him the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness and mercy, that he may give thanks unto his Gracious Lord. We have remembered thee out of Our grace, and We are the All-Knowing Rememberer. We have turned toward thee, and We are the Merciful Turner. O Ghulam! Turn thy face toward thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, and say:

Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of Names, for having remembered me and accepted my turning toward Thy luminous horizon. Thanks be unto Thee, O my God, for having acquainted me with the ocean of Thy knowledge while He was in His mighty prison. I beseech Thee to ordain for me and for Thy loved ones, by Thy Most Exalted Pen, that which Thou hast ordained for Thy sincere ones. All praise be unto God, the Lord of the worlds.

We make mention in this station of My loved ones in Qaf and Mim, and We remember them with that which diffuseth the fragrance of God, the Mighty, the Wise. O My loved ones! The Best-Beloved remembereth you in the land of exile while imprisoned by the hands of the heedless. Blessed are ye for having turned toward the Countenance, and joy be unto you for having won the grace of God, the Bestower, the Gracious. Arise with such steadfastness as shall cause the hearts of the ungodly to tremble—they who claim allegiance to the Bayan yet deny Him Who revealed it by His command. Thus have their souls enticed them, and today they are among the dead. Rejoice ye in My remembrance, then speak forth My praise, and when a clamorer cometh unto you, leave him to himself and turn ye toward the Most Sublime Horizon—the station wherefrom the rustling of the Sadratu’l-Muntaha was raised in celebration of this Remembrance, whereof God gave glad-tidings through the tongues of the Prophets and Messengers. Glory be from Us upon those who have acknowledged this Momentous News.

BH01175: Praise be unto that one true Goal, unto Whom…

In His Name, exalted be His glory, the most Glorious and the most Powerful!

Praise be unto that one true Goal, unto Whom all the peoples of the world, whether learned or mystic, noble or mighty, have confessed and acknowledged His oneness, and have likewise admitted their powerlessness to truly know His sacred Being as He is. He is the One, the Unique, the Powerful, the Mighty. When the waves of the ocean of bounty appeared, He brought forth creation from sheer nothingness through His most exalted Word, that all might be adorned, according to their capacity, with the knowledge of His sacred Being. He hath ever been a hidden and treasured Mystery, and will forever remain as He hath been—the One, the Unique, the Mighty, the Bestower. Every tongue hath been rendered mute before the waves of His ocean of utterance, and all hearts and minds have been bewildered before the dawning-lights of the Sun of His knowledge. He hath ever been sanctified beyond all praise and mention, and beyond all that the denizens of the kingdom of creation have uttered.

When the path was blocked and the quest proved futile, out of pure grace and as a manifestation of His greatest favor to humanity, He sent forth Books and Messengers that they might guide all creation to the highest horizon. These are the Manifestations of His Cause, the Dawning-places of His revelation, the Day-springs of His inspiration, and the Recipients of divine knowledge. Whoso hath followed them hath been reckoned among the companions of the right hand in the perspicuous Book, and whoso hath remained heedless hath been recorded among the companions of the left. All Books and Messengers reached their culmination in the Seal of the Prophets and the Lord of the chosen ones, unto whom was revealed the Book named the Furqan in the kingdom of utterance, through which He manifested His will and every wise command, and by which the Beloved lamented and the back of every remote misbeliever was broken.

Glorified art Thou, O Lord of Names and Fashioner of the heavens! I beseech Thee, by Him, and by His kindred and His chosen ones who have arisen to succor His Cause and to establish that which hath been sent down in His Book, to make us of those whom Thou hast described in Thy Book:

“Honoured servants; they speak not until He hath spoken, and they act according to His command.”

This servant beareth witness that they strove in the path of God in such wise that neither the blame of the blamer, nor the mockery of the idolater, nor the turning away of those who have strayed from Thy straight path, withheld them.

O Lord! I beseech Thee by them to send down upon Thy servants that which shall draw them nigh unto Thee, and make them to know that whereby the banners of Thy victory may be raised amongst Thy creatures. O Lord! Thou seest them amid the tyrants of Thy creation and the rebellious of Thy people. O Lord! Change Thou their weakness into Thy strength and Thy power, and their helplessness into Thy might and Thy sovereignty. O Lord! Thou art He Whom neither the conditions of Thy servants can render powerless, nor the turning away of Thy creatures can hinder. Thy power hath been witnessed by every man of strength; Thy triumph by every victor; Thy might by every possessor of might. O Lord! Disappoint not those servants who have confessed Thy oneness, acknowledged Thy singleness, and uttered the Most Great Word which Thou didst send down upon the Seal of Thy chosen ones: “God—there is none other God but Him, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.” And blessings and peace be upon Him, and upon His kindred and His chosen ones, from this day unto the appointed Day.

And now, O my beloved: thy letter hath arrived, and hath become the cause of joy and the source of gladness. And since it was adorned and embellished with the mention of the holy ones and the chosen of the True One—glorified be His majesty—this servant was seized with a boundless elation and delight. God willing, mayest thou ever drink of the choice Wine of love for the Beloved of all creation, and be eloquent and steadfast in the remembrance of the chosen ones of God.

And as to that which thou didst write concerning the departed, the exalted, the forgiven—thy revered father—upon whom are the ocean of God’s loving-kindness and mercy: in very truth this servant is powerless to recount his station and to extol his praise. Whatever may be said is not, and cannot be, worthy of him; for he was of those souls who were illumined and adorned with the lights of the Sun of steadfastness. The manifestations of divine favor toward him have been such that every pen is impotent and incapable to describe them. By the hands of loving-kindness hath there been built for him a house which the revolving ages and the passing centuries shall never alter. God willing, may that dearly-loved and honored one be occupied in perfect joy and fragrance; the eye of divine favor hath been, and shall ever be, turned toward thee.

Thou didst mention that the exalted one (upon him be, from every glory, the glory of the Most Glorious) gave thee glad tidings by that word already mentioned. The matter is even as he declared. Every discerning eye hath borne witness, and doth bear witness, to his knowledge; and every attentive ear hath testified, and shall testify, to his station. In view of the veils that encompass the people, this lowly one hath spoken, and speaketh, but briefly. I beseech the True One—glorified be His majesty—to confirm thee in that which He loveth and approveth, and to aid thee in that which is meet and seemly.

And as to that which thou didst write, that in thy stead there be performed that which is beloved: this servant hath been enabled to carry it out. Happy art thou therefor, and blessed is this poor servant! Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

I offer greetings of salutations and words of magnification to the honored brethren. God willing, may all, in days and nights, act according to the will of God, and hold fast unto that which He loveth. Verily He is the Protector of them that turn unto Him and believe in His Clear Book. Mercy and peace be upon you all.

BH01248: Praise be to God Who has guided us…

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

Praise be to God Who has guided us and you to His straight path, Who has taught us that which preserves us from the accursed Satan, Who has aided us in His remembrance and praise, and Who has made known to us that which, through His abundant grace, draws us nigh unto Him. And blessings and peace be upon His Messengers and His chosen ones, through whom the rains were caused to fall, the fruits appeared, mysteries were unveiled, standards were raised, and banners were planted, and upon those who followed them with pure hearts for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds.

And now, your letter, which was in truth a book adorned with the ornament of love and affection, illumined the tablet of the heart and strengthened the realm of vision. Praise be to God that through the confirmation of the true Gardener, fine and desirable saplings have been planted. If their water depends upon the discussions and consultations of assemblies, it would be difficult to observe any fruit. However, God willing, there shall fall from the heaven of grace and the cloud of justice abundant and continuous rains without delay or hindrance. God willing, may they be successful in all matters. The Ancient Beauty declares that all the friends must hearken with the ears of heart and soul to the counsels of the Wronged One and act according to them.

The adornment of the world hath ever been, and will continue to be, the wisdom revealed in God’s Book, and the adornment of man is through goodly deeds and praiseworthy character. For wisdom, various meanings have been recorded and inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Books of the Prophets. This is that wisdom of which He saith: “Whoso hath been given wisdom hath been given abundant good.” All must fix their gaze upon it and hold fast unto it. It is the lamp of the world and the guide of nations. Were this station to be fully described, time and space would not suffice. Wisdom is the fear of God, exalted be His glory. However, today that which is beloved is to guard the tongue from that which causeth clamor to be raised, and to consort with all men with kindliness.

O Ali, O thou who art mentioned before the Wronged One! Convey My greetings to the friends and say: God willing, may ye be dawning-places for the reformation of the world, adorned with praiseworthy characteristics, and in all conditions hold fast unto wisdom and depart not from it in your rising up, your sitting down, your speech, and your association with others. Wisdom is that by which man becometh beloved by all. O Ali! Care must be taken, for utterances of which people today are bereft of understanding and heedless have been and will be the cause of harm. Concealment is better than revelation, and silence is preferable to speech. Say to the loved ones: Hearken unto the counsels of the Wronged One and preserve them in such wise that forgetfulness may not seize them. Praise be to God that ye are enriched by the divine bounty and are occupied with His remembrance and praise.

From the blessed passages, Grace and Mercy are manifest and evident. No mention of this evanescent one is needed or necessary. Your letter was presented, and verily it caused joy and smiles to appear. It was as if a herald from the realm of freedom came unto the prison and gladdened its inhabitants with fresh fragrances and new utterances, offering the cup of joy and bestowing the chalice of delight. O how pleasant is your time, how pleasant your station, how pleasant your words, and how pleasant your deeds! God willing, may pleasantness be upon pleasantness, and joy upon joy.

However, regarding the wisdom that was mentioned, all the friends of God must truly hold fast unto it, for the people are unaware and heedless of the purpose. Therefore, one must speak words that bring tranquility to the servants and likewise cleave unto deeds that engender love.

As for what you wrote concerning the honored Mr. Siyyid Yahya, the spiritual companion Mr. Muhammad, and the beloved of the heart Mr. Ali Akbar, upon them be the Glory of God—all are gazing toward the direction of grace. These details were presented. All were previously mentioned, and after the presentation of this passage, each one was individually mentioned and showered with kindness. God willing, may all be assisted and succeed in that which God loves in all conditions. This evanescent one conveys greetings and praise to each one. God the All-Knowing is witness and testifier that they are before mine eyes. I beseech His exalted Self to send down upon your honor and upon them that which brings joy to the eyes and gladdens the hearts. Praise be to God, the Mighty, the Loving.

Regarding what you wrote about Haji Muhammad Baqir, upon him be the Glory of God, it was presented and a blessed tablet in this servant’s handwriting was sent specifically for him. May God, exalted be His glory, guide those intervening souls who are the cause of obstruction and prevention. This evanescent one sends greetings to Mulla Ali, upon him be the Glory of God. God willing, may they be successful, and likewise to the aforementioned one and those with him.

BH11705: These are verses of the Spirit that have verily…

He is the Mighty, the Help-in-Peril, the Beloved

These are verses of the Spirit that have verily descended from clouds of supreme sorrow, and wert thou to behold with the eye of the spirit, thou wouldst witness that its drops fall with the hue of blood, and thus doth it distill from clouds of grief, if thou be of them that perceive.

And besides these, in My right hand is the chalice of tribulation and in My left hand the cup of destiny, and thus hath the All-Knowing, the Powerful, the Wise ordained for My exalted Self. By God! The realities of all things weep at what hath befallen My Beauty, and then the realities of the Concourse on High at the adversities that have touched Me from those who were created by My word, if ye be of them that know. And sorrows have reached such a degree that the servants whom We had preserved in the treasuries of Our protection and safeguarded from the harm of the worlds rose up against My countenance. By God! The tongue cannot move to describe what hath befallen the Beauty of the All-Merciful, nor can the Pen flow to recount what hath descended upon the Ancient King, nor can the ink tell what hath trickled down upon the Lord of creation from these associators.

Then incline thou the ear of thy spirit unto all things, that thou mayest hear their lamentation, and then once again unto the realities of the Concourse of creation—by God, thou shalt hear their outcry—and yet again unto the tongues of the mystics in the station of eternity, whereupon thou shalt hear from them a grievous and tender cry, as though it issueth from the wellspring of sorrow, and they speak thus:

“By God! This is the Ancient Beauty among these people, and there hath befallen Him what hath befallen no one before.”

Therefore, O denizens of the chambers of Paradise, strike ye upon your breasts, then upon your heads, then upon your thighs in this sorrow that hath encompassed the Beauty of ancient glory.

O Rida! Thus have We related unto thee from the stories of the Cause, that thou mayest be informed of what hath befallen Us from these associators. Then know thou that these people have devised a plot which, by the True One, were all the devils to gather to comprehend it, they would confess themselves impotent—thus doth the Tongue of God, the Holy Sovereign, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, testify. Were We to lift for thee the veils of concealment, thou wouldst grieve in thy soul, and all created things would grieve thereat. Therefore have We concealed it and been patient until God shall bring about His purpose, for no matter occurreth save after His leave. He sendeth down what He willeth through the sovereignty of His Command, and He is, verily, powerful over all things.

Be thou steadfast in the love of thy Lord to such a degree that even if thou wert to become the only one in all the world among those who have believed in God and His signs, thou wouldst arise by thyself and help thy Lord to the extent of thy capacity, and be among the helpers. Thus doth it behoove thee and those like thee, that perchance some of the servants may become aware thereby and be among those who arise. Although We witness that intoxication hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and the earth, such that I find not in anyone the fragrance of life—nay, all are as dead before thy Lord, save those who have laid hold of the Most Great Handle in this firm and mighty Cord. Therefore hold thou fast, lest the winds of misbelief move thee, and be thou steadfast in the love of thy Lord, mentioning the people at all times and being of them that remember.

Then know thou that whatsoever God commandeth His servants, this is of His grace unto them; otherwise He verily supporteth His Cause by Himself and is independent of the help of the heavens and earth and of all the worlds—even as some of His servants rose up against Him and desired to slay the Youth, but God preserved Him with hosts of angels and brought Him forth from their midst and sent down unto Him verses of power[…]He hath sent down upon him verses of might and power, and thus doth He assist whomsoever He pleaseth through the hosts of His invisible realm.

Do they who have denied the verses of God imagine within themselves that they believe in God, the Mighty, the Most High, the Great? Nay, by My Self! The very name of faith shall never apply to them, much less its reality, were ye of them that comprehend. Say: Faith is to know the Manifestation of God’s Self and that which proceedeth from Him. How can one who hath turned away and denied that which he once believed be counted among the faithful? Say: This Day shall no soul’s faith profit it unless it detacheth itself from all who are in the heavens and on earth and entereth beneath the shadow of the Countenance. This is a revelation from One Who is All-Knowing, All-Informed.

Say: O people! Render not your deeds null and void, nor refute the truth with your own devices. Flee from your own selves, then turn unto God that He may forgive you through His grace. Verily, He is the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate. He forgiveth whom He willeth and chastiseth whom He willeth. Verily, He is the Single One, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the Bountiful.

And thou, take the chalice of life from the youth of the Spirit, then drink it in My Name, the Best-Beloved. Keep it secret within thyself and fear no one. Trust at all times in God, the Almighty, the Mighty, the All-Wise. Thus have We cast upon thee the verses of thy Lord that thou mayest be informed of thy Master’s love for thee and be among those who are steadfast in His love. And the glory be upon thee and upon those who have believed in God and turned away from the manifestations of Satan.

BH01451: In My Name, the Witness, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing!

In My Name, the Witness, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing!

O Mahmud! The Lord of the unseen and the seen makes mention of thee from this praiseworthy station, and gives thee glad tidings of God’s loving-kindness and mercy. He hath revealed for thee that whose fragrance shall never cease to endure throughout the eternity of thy Lord’s names, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Thy letter hath gained audience in this Most Exalted Horizon, a station round which circle the Concourse on High and the dwellers of the most sublime Paradise. Thy Lord, verily, is the Hearer, the Answerer.

The servant who is present brought thy letter and laid it before the Wronged One, Who hath called all to God, the Lord of the worlds. We found it purified from vain imaginings and adorned with the praise of thy Lord, the Lord of all men, at Whose appearance all things proclaimed:

“The Promise is fulfilled, and He Who was promised hath appeared with a sovereignty before which all in the heavens and earth stand powerless.”

Blessed art thou for having turned unto the Countenance when it appeared, and woe betide him who hath turned away from Him Whom God had announced through the tongue of every Prophet and trusted Messenger.

Say: O people of the earth! This is the Day of attainment, did ye but know it, and this is the Day of meeting, did ye but recognize it. The gates of grace have been opened by the finger of your Lord’s will, the Lord of all existence. By God! The verses have been sent down, the evidences have appeared, and the river hath flowed from the right hand of the throne of your Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. Say: O concourse of divines! Cast aside your learning and what ye possess of vain imaginings. By God! He Who is the Self-Subsisting hath appeared and giveth the near ones to drink of the sealed wine. Say: Beware lest your knowledge prevent you from the knowledge of God, or your books from the Book, at whose revelation every book sent down by God, the Sovereign, the Self-Subsisting, hath bowed down. Say: O company of the heedless! The horizon of the world hath been illumined by the Most Great Light, and all things have proclaimed with their loudest voice: “The Hidden Secret hath appeared!”

O Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who hath ascended unto God and was named Muhammad in the Kingdom of Names, that servants honored may remember him. Blessed art thou, O Muhammad, for having turned unto and believed in Him Who is the Goal when all on earth turned away, save those whom God, the Lord of what was and what shall be, did will. I bear witness that thou didst hear the Call and didst fulfill God’s Covenant, the Lord of all beings, and didst act as thou wert commanded on a day whereon trembling seized the dwellers of earth and heaven, save those whom God, the Lord of this promised Day, did will. The glory shining from the horizon of eternity be upon thee, O thou who gazest toward the Most Exalted Horizon and speaketh in the name of thy Most Glorious Lord, through Whom the rustling of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing was raised up in the Kingdom of creation. Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Beloved.

We bear witness that thou didst behold My horizon and didst speak My praise and didst shatter the idols of vain imaginings in My Name, casting behind thee the sources of conjecture, turning unto the Supreme Summit, the Station which is illumined by the lights of the face of thy Lord, the Lord of Kings. Thou art he whom the greatest veil did not prevent from the Lord of Destiny. Thou didst forsake what the people possessed, hoping for what is with God, thy Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Kind. We bear witness that thou didst hold fast to the Most Great Handle when the Lord of earth was established upon the throne of His Most Great Name, and the Kingdom proclaimed to Him Who appeared with the truth: “Verily, He is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen.”

O Muhammad! We make mention of him who made mention of thee and turned toward thy resting place and visited thee, by virtue of what the Most Exalted Pen spoke when the Wronged One was imprisoned by the hands of those who were heedless of the One Who remembers and is remembered. Thus did the heaven of utterance shine forth with the light of thy Lord’s mention, the Sovereign, the Self-Subsisting.

O Mahmud! The Most Ancient Pen speaketh in Persian that all the friends might drink of the living waters descending from the heaven of the utterance of the All-Merciful and attain unto the most great steadfastness. Convey greetings from the True One to all those related to him who hath ascended and been elevated. The names of all are mentioned before the Face and inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Book of Names. God willing, may they all engage in praising the Beloved of the worlds with the utmost joy and fragrance, with wisdom and utterance. We have remembered all the friends of that land. They must give thanks to God for this great bounty, for nothing that is seen or that is hidden can compare with a single mention from among the divine mentions. Know ye the value of this divine Day, count His favors as great, and preserve the pearls of His love in the treasuries of your hearts in His Name, for the slanderers and the treacherous have been and are lying in wait. Thus have We informed you before and in this wondrous Tablet. Glory be upon you and upon My handmaidens who have heard the Call from the direction of grandeur, and have believed in the One, the All-Informed.

BH11710: By the True One! That which hath been presented…

He is the Glorious, the All-Glorious!

By the True One! That which hath been presented before the Throne from thy words regarding thy recognition of the Self of God, thy steadfastness in His Cause, thy certitude in His commandments, thy turning unto His countenance, and thy reliance upon His Self, is better than all that hath appeared from him whom We adorned with a name from among the names between earth and heaven. Know thou, therefore, what thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted, intendeth thereby, that thou mayest find within thy heart the lights of God, the Mighty, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. This bounty shall endure for thee if thou remainest steadfast in the steadfastness of thy Lord and seeketh shelter beneath the shade of His mercy. Thus doth the Herald of the Cause give thee glad tidings that thou mayest be of them that rejoice in the glad tidings of the Cause. By God! Were We to find people of eloquence in this Revelation, We would assuredly cast upon them that which no ear of them that have passed before hath ever heard. Thus is thy Lord powerful over whatsoever He willeth, and He, verily, is the Supreme, the Beloved.

O Word of Victory! Behold with the eye of the Beginning these idolaters and what they say. By the True One! Naught issueth from their mouths save that which exhaleth the stench of malice, in such wise as to grieve the denizens of the Most Exalted Paradise in their crimson chambers and the people of the Realm of Divine Command in the heaven of eternity. Thus have the mysteries of the Cause been sent down in truth, and it is indeed a revelation from One All-Glorious, All-Praised.

Leave them to themselves, to that which they possess, and to that which proceedeth from their mouths. Cast their heads beneath thy feet, then emerge, detached from all veils and allusions, that thou mayest be empowered to speak in the kingdom of names with the name of the Sovereign of attributes, and warble with such melody, and sing with such voice, and cry with such cry, and beat such rhythms as would cause the manifestations of the mirrors to swoon, let alone those who are veiled and are immersed in the depths of their own selves.

By God, O Nasr! On this Day none shall be mentioned before the throne of thy Lord save him who hath rent asunder all veils and ascended unto the heights of holiness, the scene of thy Lord, the Most High, the Powerful, the Witnessed. Say: O people! Do ye cling to the frailest of houses and flee from the stronghold of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting? Are ye content with a mirage while depriving yourselves of this Sweet, Holy, Surging, Pleasant and Beloved Sea? Break all cups, then take the cup of independence from the hands of the youth of Glory, in My Most Holy and Transcendent Name. This is God’s command upon thee. Act, therefore, as thou art bidden and fear no one. He will protect thee through His sovereign protection and will sanctify thee from doubts in these days wherein the people are encompassed by the darkness of vain imaginings and are veiled within themselves.

Say: O people! By God, this is a Day which no other days have preceded, nor hath it been comprehended by the comprehension of any comprehender, nor the knowledge of any knower, nor the mind of any thinker, nor the sight of any seer, nor the vision of any beholder, save him who hath turned unto the Most Great Horizon, the Holy and Most Pure Scene of his Lord. Thus doth the Spirit speak, yet the people hear not.

Be thou steadfast in the love of thy Lord, then call the people to remembrance in this Most Great Scene, that perchance they may become aware within themselves and perceive within their own beings, and turn unto the Holy Dawning Place, and be of those whom nothing whatsoever in all that hath been created between the heavens and the earth can veil from that which was created between the heavens and the earth, and who find no rest save upon the seat of glory—a station of praised glory.

Taste thou the sweetness of remembrance from this Cup which We have manifested upon the Temple of the Tablet. And this is the station of glorious praise! Taste thou the sweetness of remembrance from this cup which We have manifested in the form of a Tablet and sent forth in truth, for verily We have ever been the Sender. We have dispatched it unto thee that thou mayest solace thereby thy heart, and that it may stir thee with a subtle and lofty movement wherewith all existence is stirred. Thus hath thy Lord’s favor been perfected unto thee and unto them that swim in the depths of this ocean.

We have ordained for thee from the divine Ridvan the spirit of fellowship, and for them who are steadfast in their love of God, their Creator, and are of those who remain firm. Then remind, from Our presence, thy kindred who have believed in God and His signs, and whom God hath assisted to rend the veils in these days wherein every soul is found behind a mighty veil. Then convey unto them that which hath appeared from the Self of the Most Merciful, that they may rejoice throughout all worlds and among the concourse of all realms. Then make mention of him who hath been named with the first letter of My name, the Most Pure, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the Inaccessible, that he may remember the Most Great Remembrance in this wise Remembrance.

BH01498: O thou who speaketh in praise, making mention…

In the name of the One Who is the Manifest, the Speaking, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing!

O thou who speaketh in praise, making mention of God, the Lord of all names! That which thou didst compose hath come before the Wronged One, and the servant in attendance hath recited it. We heard it and responded to thee at that time with an utterance that illumined the horizon of the heaven of understanding, as a token of grace from God, the Lord of the worlds. Clear proofs have appeared, verses have been sent down, and that which was recorded in the Books of God hath come to pass, and yet most of the people remain heedless. Blessed is he who, being strong, hath cast away vain imaginings and aided the Cause of his Lord with wisdom and utterance. He is indeed of the people of the Crimson Ark, whose decree hath been sent down from the Supreme Pen in a preserved tablet. Blessed is he who hath turned towards it, whom neither the opposition of the divines nor of the rulers hath kept back from this Straight Path.

Say: O concourse of servants! Be fair before God—if ye deny God’s proof and testimony in this Revelation, by what evidence can your own faith be established? Bring it forth, and be not of them that deny. This is a Day wherein the proof calleth aloud and the evidence crieth out. By God! The horizon of knowledge hath been illumined by the dawning-light of the appearance of your Lord, the Most Merciful. Fear God, and be not of them that hesitate. The cry hath been raised, the rock hath cried out, and the Divine Lote-Tree hath called, yet the people remain in strange slumber. The world hath so deluded them that they have been kept back from the Lord of all beings. By the life of God! Soon shall all they behold today perish, and there shall endure that which hath been sent down to thee from the heaven of the loving-kindness of thy Lord, the Gracious.

The whole world hath been, and still is, awaiting the days of His manifestation, and at all times they have been seeking and yearning to attain His presence and to comprehend the Day mentioned in the divine Books. Yet when the horizon of the world was illumined with the lights of the dawn of His Revelation, all were found heedless and veiled, save whom thy Lord, the Lord of the heavens and earth, did please.

Today all things are stirred and in motion through the breaths of the divine days. The tongue of the winds proclaimeth “The Messenger hath come,” and the tongue of the morning declareth “The Cleaver of the Dawn hath appeared,” and the Mount calleth out and saith: “By God! The Speaker hath appeared with a command before which none on earth can stand.” To this testifieth every hearing and seeing one. All bear witness to the transience of the world and behold its vicissitudes and transformations at all times. Yet they are so occupied with it that they have not hearkened to the cry and the call. Ere long shall all return to their graves with the utmost regret and remorse, and they shall find for themselves neither helper nor supporter.

God willing, may the friends of Truth who have drunk of the choice-sealed wine and are illumined by the lights of the Sun of certitude, enlighten the people with wisdom, that perchance they may not remain deprived of the heaven of grace and the ocean of loving-kindness. Whosoever is today nourished by the fruits of the tree of the Supreme Pen is reckoned among the people of the right hand and of certitude in the perspicuous Book. The cawing and croaking of the world’s people shall not keep him back from the Most Great Name and the Lord of Eternity. Beseech ye God that He may cause all to attain unto this most exalted and sublime station. He is, verily, the Munificent, the Gracious.

That which hath appeared from thy realm of attention in praise of the Truth, the servant present hath mentioned, and it hath attained the honor of being heard and accepted. In truth, these words are from the imperishable treasures preserved for thee with God. This is naught but a mighty favor. Give thanks unto God and say: Praise be unto Thee, O God of the world and Purpose of the nations, for having created me and manifested me and caused me to recognize the Dawning-Place of Thy inspiration, the Dayspring of Thy Revelation, and the Repository of Thy knowledge, and for having caused me to speak His praise in days wherein every learned one denied Him, every judge pronounced sentence against Him, and every ruler turned away from Him, save those whom the hand of Thy power and might did rescue.

I beseech Thee to assist me to be steadfast in Thy Cause and to arise to celebrate Thy praise and glory amongst Thy creatures. Thou art, verily, powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. O my Lord! Ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for the chosen ones among Thy servants who did not break Thy covenant and Thy testament, and who arose to serve Thee in such wise that the hosts could not prevent them from drawing nigh unto Thee, O Lord of all existence. There is none other God but Thee, the Giving, the Generous, the Forgiving, the Merciful.