Volume 069: Akka 1299 A.H. (1881–1882), Part IV (4 of 5)

BH01535: O questioner! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged…

He is God, exalted be His glory in majesty and power!

O questioner! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. He summoneth thee unto God, the Sovereign, the Self-Subsisting. As to what thou hast written concerning the manifestation of the Cause and the completion of the proof, know thou that the proof hath been completed, the heavenly table hath descended, the earth hath been cleft asunder, the heaven hath been split, the mountains have been scattered, the trees have been uprooted, the seas have been frozen, the path hath been laid, the balance hath been set up, the trumpet hath been blown, the door hath been knocked, the hosts have been arrayed, the inevitable hour hath come to pass, the tribes have been shaken, the bugle hath sounded, and the voice of the trumpet hath been raised, when this most exalted Word was sent down from the Most Exalted Pen: My glory and grandeur bear witness that this is not the day for questions. It behooveth every soul, when the call is raised between earth and heaven, to leave behind whatsoever he possesseth, to arise and say:

“Here am I, here am I, O Lord of Names! Here am I, here am I, O Creator of Heaven! I bear witness that Thou hast appeared and manifested what Thou didst desire through Thy command ʿBe,’ and it was.”

O thou who strivest with thy words! Look with the eye of fairness. For years, the arrows of tribulation have rained down from the clouds of divine decree, by reason of what the hands of the wicked have wrought, upon the Truth and His loved ones, while thou didst repose upon the couch of heedlessness in utmost comfort. Now, in these latter days, when God’s testimony hath encompassed the world and His proof hath risen like the sun from the horizon of His Cause, thou hast clung to the ropes of the world’s soothsayers and their like, seeking to measure the Truth by a standard that is unworthy of mention. Return unto God Who created and nurtured thee, and say:

“O my Lord! I testify that I was heedless of the ocean of Thy knowledge and the heaven of Thy wisdom, and turned away from the Dayspring of Thy Revelation and the Source of Thy signs. I beseech Thee by Thy mercy that hath preceded all created things, and by Thy grace that hath encompassed all contingent beings, to forgive me and remit my sins. Thou, verily, art the Almighty, the All-Powerful. Thou art, in truth, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.”

O questioner! Sanctify thine ear that thou mayest hear the divine call, and cleanse thine eye from the dust and rheum of idle fancies that thou mayest behold the Supreme Horizon. Today the whispers of Satan are evident and the breezes of the All-Merciful are wafting. Cast off the former and take hold of the latter. In the name of the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the horizons have been filled with the signs of thy Lord, and such clear tokens have appeared that none but every heedless, turning away, denying one that is far astray would deny them. Observe the signs of God and ponder them, that perchance thou mayest inhale the fragrance of His garment and attain unto the Dayspring of Revelation. All that hath appeared in the world was previously announced in the divine Tablets with the most clear exposition. The Command is in His grasp, and He is the Mighty, the Powerful. This is the Day whereof the All-Merciful hath spoken in the Qur’an, saying:

“The whole earth shall be but His handful on the Day of Resurrection, and the heavens shall be rolled up in His right hand.”

If thou wouldst reflect a little, by the life of God, thou wouldst melt away in shame, for the Truth hath appeared in such wise as hath never been witnessed in all creation, and from His movement and stillness, His call and utterance, and all His ways, proofs, evidences and testimonies have become manifest and evident. Yet despite this, thou still seekest to know the Truth through conjecture and idle fancy. Cast aside what thou hast and take what is with God, the Lord of all worlds. Strive that thou mayest drink from the cup of everlasting life and not be numbered among those who swoon away. By the life of God! The trumpet hath been blown, and all who are in the heavens and on earth have swooned away, save those who have held fast unto His cord and clung to the hem of His luminous robe.

When thou hast received My Tablet and found from it the fragrance of My verses, go forth from thy house towards the wilderness and lament with the lamentation of the bereaved, and say, as many times as the number of the Greatest Name: “I repent before Thee, O God of the worlds!” Then turn thy face towards the Prison and say:

“I have come unto Thee, O Thou Wronged One of the worlds, with sincerity for Thy sake, in submission to Thy command, in humility before Thy decree, hoping for the wonders of Thy favor, and beseeching Thy ancient generosity, O Thou in Whose hand is the dominion of all worlds! I beseech Thee not to disappoint me of that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Great.”

BH01567: Praise be unto Him Who cannot be known through…

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

Praise be unto Him Who cannot be known through utterance nor described through proof, Who hath been sanctified above every evidence and argument and hallowed beyond all mention and praise. He hath ever been holy beyond the comprehension of created things and the conditions of contingent beings. Every knower hath testified to his powerlessness, every mystic to his limitation, every accomplished one to his shortcoming, and every sage to his ignorance. Exalted be His greatness, glorified His dominion, magnificent His power, and sublime His station! He it is Who gave Us the glad tidings of His appearance and His arising to establish His Cause, and through these glad tidings did the Prophets and Messengers give tidings to all who dwell in the kingdom of command and creation. Yet when He Who was mentioned appeared and the Promised One came, the people arose in opposition, in such wise that the dwellers of the most exalted Paradise and the inmates of the highest Heaven lamented.

Glory be unto Thee, O Thou the Desire of hearts! I beseech Thee by Thy greatness and Thy sovereignty and Thy might and Thy power to assist Thy servants to rend asunder the veils and to recognize Thy manifestation in the return. O Lord! They are the poor and the powerless, and Thou art the All-Possessing, the All-Compelling, the Almighty. Thou art He Who created the servants through the Word that proceeded from the mouth of Thy Will and preserved them throughout ages and centuries by the arms of Thy power. I beseech Thee to assist Thy servants and Thy creation to turn unto Thee and draw nigh unto the horizon of Thy Cause. Then preserve them, O my God, from the promptings of self and passion, by Thy Name through which Thou didst subdue all creation. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Wise.

Thereafter, your letters have been continuously received, and detailed responses to each have been submitted and dispatched. In your previous letter you had written that you would send His Eminence Ibn (upon him be the Glory of God) to Iraq, and a response was sent according to your letter. And in this letter which has now arrived, dated the 28th of Rabi’u’l-Avval, you sought permission to send His Eminence Ibn either to those regions or to these parts. Therefore this was submitted in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence, and this is what the Tongue of Utterance spoke forth in the Kingdom of Proof—exalted be His Word:

“God willing, may they be occupied at all times with service to the Self-Sufficient, Transcendent Cause and be focused on the horizon of wisdom. We have counseled him and do counsel him with wisdom. Any matter that today causes conflict and commotion, it is best to abandon it in the sight of the Lord of all beings. Glory be upon him and upon those with him and upon every wise mystic.”

Praise be to God, they are illumined by the dawning lights of the Sun of Grace. This is a bounty that tongue and utterance and pen and ink are powerless and incapable to mention and record and convey. Praise be to God that you have reached a station where you recognize the bounty and know its worth—and this station is very rare indeed. It must be preserved through the Name of the Powerful, the Mighty. Although this is the Day of vision, it is observed that the people are deprived of it. I beseech and implore God, exalted be His Glory, that you may ever drink from the ocean of grace and soar on the wings of detachment in the atmosphere of the love of the All-Merciful. Observance of wisdom is among those matters that you have repeatedly heard from the Tongue of Truth, exalted be His Glory. In all conditions you must look towards it.

Convey greetings and salutations on my behalf to the friends in that land. Sacred and exalted Tablets have been revealed from the heaven of Will specifically for certain souls—God willing they will receive them and attain unto them. May your relatives, God willing, dwell and rest beneath the Sadratu’l-Muntaha. One Sadrah is manifest and visible at the ultimate station, and one Sadrah is without end—glorified be He Who created them both and planted them and made them manifest and preserved them.

And glory be upon you and upon those with you and upon those who have testified to that which God hath testified: that there is none other God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

BH01612: He speaks in the Kingdom of utterance

He speaks in the Kingdom of utterance

Glorified be He Who hath appeared and revealed that whereby the hearts of them that are endued with understanding have been attracted, and hath sent down the Book as a token of His grace, and commanded all to act in accordance with what is therein. He is, verily, the Commander, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the All-Bountiful.

O people of the earth! By God, the appointed time hath elapsed, and the Self-Subsisting hath come, and through Him hath been fulfilled that which God foretold in the Scriptures and Tablets. Through Him the Known hath appeared, and the back of vain imaginings hath been broken, and the seal of the choice wine hath been broken. Come ye, and hasten, O people of light! This is the Day whereon the Great Resurrection hath occurred, and the Hour hath cried out before the pavilions of grandeur. By God, the most excellent of hours hath come. Blessed is he who hath drunk the Salsabil of Revelation from the hand of the bounty of his Lord, the Lord of the Final End. Woe unto him who hath broken the Covenant and his pledge, and denied that which the Book hath uttered.

The world hath been illumined by the lights of the Countenance, and hearts and minds have been set ablaze by the fire of the Word of God, the Lord of Lords. Beware, O people of the earth, lest the vain imaginings of the world withhold you from the Lord of all men. Cast away what ye possess, then turn unto the Most Great Ocean which hath appeared and spoken: “There is none other God besides Me, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.”

O Ali! We have heard thy call and perceived from it the fragrance of thy love. We have remembered thee in this Tablet, to which the Most Great Name in the world hath borne witness. Be thou grateful and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of all men!” Rejoice thou in My remembrance of thee and My turning towards thee from this Prison which God hath made the circumambulation place of the righteous. Say: “Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having remembered me by Thy Most Exalted Pen, and made known to me Thy path in the kingdom of creation, and strengthened me to recognize the Dayspring of Thy Revelation and the Manifestation of Thy Self, at Whose advent all things spoke and the mountains passed away. O Lord! Thou seest me turning unto Thee and turning away from Thine enemies. I beseech Thee to ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy loved ones who have cast away all else besides Thee. O Lord! The atoms testify to Thy generosity, Thy mercy, and Thy favors. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me of what is with Thee, then record for me the reward of attaining Thy presence. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the Powerful.”

We make mention of him who is named Muhammad, that he may rejoice in the verses of his Lord and be of the thankful ones. O Muhammad! Rejoice thou in that the Wronged One remembereth thee in His Most Great Prison and announceth unto thee the bounty of thy Lord, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

We make mention of him who is named Nasru’llah and We enjoin him and My loved ones to be steadfast in this mighty Cause. Give thanks unto God for having turned unto thee and mentioned thee in His decisive and impregnable Book.

We make mention of My loved ones there and counsel them with that which will exalt the Cause of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. O My loved ones! Be not grieved by the hardships of the world and its conditions. Soon will all that ye see today perish, and there shall remain for you what hath been sent down from the presence of One All-Knowing, All-Informed. Hold ye fast unto the cord of unity and soar with the wings of yearning in this perfumed and gentle atmosphere. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken from this noble prospect.

I bear witness that the Servant visited Me on thy behalf and on behalf of him who is named with M and H, and attained the honor of acceptance in this exalted station. The Glory shining from the horizon of the tender mercies of your Lord, the All-Merciful, be upon you and upon those who have attained unto this wondrous Cause.

As to what thou didst mention concerning the Huquq, We have commanded him who circleth round the Throne to write for thee what God, the Lord of the worlds, hath desired. When thou readest My letter and findest the fragrance of My utterance, say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of Names, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O Beloved of those who are in the heavens and on earth!”

I testify that through Thee the cock of eternity hath crowed, and that which was hidden from time immemorial hath appeared. I beseech Thee by the Name through which every door was opened, and every hidden thing was revealed, and every stammering tongue spoke forth, to make me in all conditions one who uttereth Thy Name, who standeth in Thy service, and who is aided to accomplish what Thou hast desired in Thy Book and sent down from the heaven of Thy Will. There is no God but Thee, the Munificent, the Powerful, the Forgiving, the Generous.

BH01650: This evanescent servant was gladdened by the sight…

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

This evanescent servant was gladdened by the sight of your letter. God willing, may you ever remain speaking in remembrance of the eternal Goal and gazing toward His horizon. These are days when not a single atom among atoms has been deprived of the lights of the Sun of grace, and not a single drop among drops has been forbidden from the bounty of the divine ocean. Every soul who has turned toward Him has attained the outpourings of the Most Exalted Pen, and concerning every heedless one the blessed and excellent word “rend asunder his veils” has been revealed. His grace has encompassed all things. If all the pens in the world were to write forever describing a single one of His infinite bounties, they would never complete it. Who can reckon what has appeared and will appear from the Kingdom of God, the Lord of all worlds?

After perusing your letter, this evanescent servant sought permission to approach the Most Exalted Horizon. After permission was granted, it was presented before His presence. This is what the Tongue of the All-Merciful spoke in the Kingdom of Utterance:

In My Name, the Wronged One

O Ghulam-Husayn! We made mention of thee before, and I am the All-Seeing Witness. We sent down verses for thee, and I am the Ancient Sender. We manifested clear proofs to all who are in earth and heaven, and I am the Kind, the Generous. We immortalized thy remembrance in a Book revealed for him who was named the Nightingale, and I am the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Therein did We make mention of My loved ones who soared in My atmosphere and acted according to what was revealed in My Book, and I am the Manifest Book. Every name that turned to the Lord of all beings was inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen, and I am the Trustworthy, the Faithful.

We counsel thee to patience and forbearance, and to trustworthiness which God hath made a crown for the heads of them that are nigh unto Him. Be thou of such character that thy very limbs shall testify for thee, and that the seal inscription “The Kingdom belongeth to God, Lord of all worlds” shall be seen upon thy brow. Dost thou perceive the fragrances of utterance? Dost thou hear the call of the All-Merciful? Say: Yea, this is through the grace of my Lord, the Forgiving, the Merciful. By My life! He that attaineth to true hearing ariseth to serve My Cause in such wise that neither the divines of this age who have become corrupt and have corrupted others, and who pronounced judgment against God when He came with a Cause before which all things that were and will be created stand powerless, can hinder him.

We make mention in this station of My nightingale who warbled upon the branches of the tree of My knowledge, and whose song is heard from the atmosphere of My loving-kindness, and then of those who are with him, and I am the Rewarder, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We send Our greetings upon them from this station and We cast upon them the verses of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Thus have We sent down the verses as a mercy from Us, that thou mayest be of the thankful ones. Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

Beloved is the soul who reads the divine verses and finds their sweetness. A bounty hath appeared the like of which hath never been seen in the world nor shall ever be seen. God willing, may we all be enabled to make up for what we have neglected in the divine days. O brother! Reflect upon His grace and with thy outer and inner tongue proclaim “Thine is the praise, O Beloved One.” How can one who hath seen no light comprehend mention of it? How can one who hath not reached the water derive any portion from describing it or gain any awareness thereof? The point is that souls who are today heedless and veiled are seen to be deprived of all bounties. It is better that we conclude our mention of heedless souls with the blessed word “Leave them to their vain discourse and play” and turn to mention of the friends of God. On behalf of this evanescent servant convey greetings to all and say: God willing, reflect upon what hath been mentioned and what is being mentioned, and seek assistance from the oceans of grace and loving-kindness and generosity, that He may assist all to know that which causeth enkindlement and love and affection and unity.

The glory be upon you and upon God’s chosen ones and loved ones in those regions and upon those who have attained to this mighty Cause. Praise be to God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

BH01665: O My Name! The letter from his honor Afnan…

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

O My Name! The letter from his honor Afnan Aqa, upon him be My glory and My loving-kindness, which bore your name, was mentioned by this servant in the presence of the Wronged One. May he, through God’s grace, be blessed in all worlds with the infinite outpourings of His Excellency the All-Bountiful. He is the One Who hath witnessed and seen from among the greatest signs of his Lord, and hath spoken and praised the Lord of all beings when he heard His call from His most exalted horizon. Thus did God testify for him from His Most Glorious Perspective. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Compassionate, the All-Generous. The glance of loving-kindness hath been and is directed towards him. The fragrance of God’s love hath at all times wafted from him. Beseech ye the True One, exalted be His glory, that He may aid all to achieve that which beseemeth this divine Day.

O Mihdi! The Most Exalted Pen hath, in most tablets, made mention of the greatness of this Day, and its mention hath been recorded in the divine Books and Scriptures of the past and future. Nevertheless, the people of the world are seen to be heedless and veiled therefrom, except those whom neither the affairs of princes nor the doubts of the divines have kept back from this Path which itself proclaimeth between earth and heaven. Blessed is the eye that hath seen, blessed the ear that hath heard, and blessed the heart that hath turned unto God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting.

We make mention of the Afnan once again, that he may give thanks unto his Lord, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted. O My Afnan! The fragrance of thy love hath wafted abroad, and every possessor of spiritual sense hath perceived it. Be thou fair in the Cause of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. Every tongue hath spoken in praise of God, but We behold those who claim knowledge to be in heedlessness and behind a veil. Blessed is the learned one who hath cleansed his heart with the waters of his Lord’s mercy, the Powerful, the All-Forgiving. They have cast the Truth behind their backs, yet they imagine themselves to be of the people of Paradise.

The divines of the age have been and are the cause of the heedlessness of souls and the veiling of servants, even as hath been sent down from the Most Exalted Pen in tablets past and future—that which sufficeth them that are endowed with vision. In all the Books mention hath been made of the opposition of rebellious and transgressing souls, yet in this Most Great Revelation a great number of divines have turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon and have quaffed from the Most Pure Wine. Whosoever hath today attained unto the recognition of the Truth is recorded with God among the divines and inscribed in the Divine Book. We have previously informed all servants of that which would cause the elevation of souls and the preservation of being. Beseech ye God that He may aid all and deprive them not of the splendors of the Sun of inner meanings and utterance. He, verily, is the All-Witnessing, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

O Afnan! The Beloved of all creation maketh mention of thee in the midst of sorrows. He, verily, loveth him who loveth Him, and turneth unto him who turneth unto Him. Thy Lord hath been named the All-Merciful in His mighty Book. We have veiled that which hath occurred before and shall occur hereafter, lest the heart of him who hath turned unto God, the One, the All-Informed, be saddened.

The Truth is today manifest in the Promised Land and seated upon the mentioned throne. This is the land that was referred to as the Holy Land in the Qur’an, and likewise in previous Books, and the call of the Prophets was raised in this wilderness. Yet its people are recorded and inscribed as the offspring of vipers, and this Wronged One, in the midst of this group, summoneth all parties unto God, exalted be His glory. Blessed are they that attain, blessed are they that hear, and blessed are they that know.

Mention was made of the Most Exalted Leaf and the honored mother, upon them both be the glory of God. Two most holy, most glorious Tablets have been revealed and sent specifically for them, and likewise specifically for the Afnan, upon them be the glory of the All-Merciful. God willing, they will deliver them that they may drink from the Kawthar of divine utterance. Let not the Most Exalted Leaf, upon her be My glory, be saddened by the delay and postponement. By My life! That which hath come to pass hath been in accordance with wisdom and expediency. With Him is the knowledge of all things, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Glory be upon thee, upon them both, upon them, and upon those who have drunk the choice wine of revelation through My name, the Best-Beloved.

BH01862: Praise be to God Who hath spoken and caused…

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

Praise be to God Who hath spoken and caused all things to speak that there is none other God but Him. He hath ever been in the heights of might and majesty, and the summit of grandeur and glory—He Whom the circumstances of tyrants have never frustrated nor the power of pharaohs ever daunted. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Strong, the Powerful.

Glorified art Thou, O Lord of the world and Desire of the nations! I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy bounty and the heaven of Thy giving, and by those who have not broken Thy Covenant and Testament and have drunk the cups of tribulation and adversity in Thy love, to assist Thy loved ones and chosen ones to act as befitteth Thy days. Then protect them from the oppression of those who have denied Thy truth and disbelieved in Thy signs. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and within Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

And now, O beloved of my heart, responses to thy previous and subsequent letters have been written and sent, and likewise in answer to the petitions that were enclosed with thy letter, wondrous and exalted Tablets have been revealed and dispatched. God willing, they will attain unto them. Similarly, in response to the petition of his honor M, upon him be the Glory of God, one Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet in the form of a prayer has been sent down from the heaven of bounty with manifest verses. God willing, they will attain unto it and succeed in reading it. May He open before his face the gate of grace from God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and earth.

After the revelation of the prayer, this evanescent servant stood before His presence and He said: “O servant present! Write to him who beareth My Most Truthful Name, upon both of them be My Glory: The True One, exalted be His glory, hath preserved his honor M, upon him be My Glory, from grave dangers. He hath ever been under the glance of grace. Say: Be thou assured, verily He is with His steadfast, firm and active servants.” And He said: “We have ordained for him that whereby his remembrance shall endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. It behooveth him to preserve this most exalted station in the name of his Lord, the Lord of all humanity.”

In very truth, whatsoever hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen concerning him remaineth permanent and eternal, in such wise that the passage of centuries and ages shall not efface it. This mention hath ever been and shall ever be preserved in the Book of God, and its effects have appeared and shall continue to appear. Well is it with him for having attained unto this mighty station.

He further said:

“We bid him to undertake—as a manifestation of service to the Cause and for the perpetuation of his name in the manifest world—that he should, with the utmost discretion, appoint a representative who would construct in the Prison Land an edifice named Mashriqu’l-Adhkar, and beside it a place for the righteous. This will benefit him in every world among the worlds of his Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful.”

In truth this is a great bounty concerning him, for permission hath been granted that it be built in this illumined and sacred land. His is the praise and favor for this supreme gift. This is a gate of grace through which infinite doors shall be opened unto him. It behooveth him to thank God for this manifest favor. Since he himself sought that which would cause the perpetuation of his mention, name and station, he was therefore blessed with this supreme bounty. Through it shall appear what he desired of the favors of his Lord in this world and the next. There is none other God but Him, the Ordainer, the All-Knowing.

BH01922: God beareth witness that there is none other God…

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

God beareth witness that there is none other God but Him, and He Who hath appeared in truth is indeed He Who was mentioned in former ages and inscribed by My Most Exalted Pen in the Scriptures of old. He is the Hidden and Treasured Name through Whose remembrance the pages of creation were adorned, through Whom the Fire spoke forth from the Mount, and through Whom the Throne was established upon the earth of manifestation. Whoso turneth unto Him hath turned unto the ocean of My knowledge and the heaven of My wisdom and faced the lights of My countenance. And whoso hesitateth for less than a moment hath denied My Self, turned away from My proof, disputed My signs and rejected My favor which hath been sent down from the heaven of My bounty that hath preceded all in the heavens and earth.

O thou who gazeth toward My horizon! Hearken unto My call which hath been raised from the precincts of My prison, then thank thy Lord for having turned unto thee and revealed that whose fragrance shall never be cut off throughout the eternity of His most excellent names. He is verily the Compassionate, the Generous.

We were seated upon the Throne and heard what the earth related of its tidings when the servant who standeth before the Face presented himself with a white leaf and submitted what was inscribed thereon in the presence of God, the Lord of all worlds. When We heard thy call and thy cry in the love of God and His meeting, We answered thee with this Tablet from whose horizon hath shone the sun of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, the Most High, the Most Great. Blessed be thine ear for having hearkened unto My call, and thy tongue for having uttered My praise, and thine eye for having turned toward My luminous horizon. We made mention of thee on a day We perceived from thee the fragrance of My love, in the Crimson Scroll by My Most Exalted Pen, in such wise as cannot be equaled by all the treasures of the earth. To this beareth witness He Who proclaimeth in every state that there is none other God but Me, the Manifest, the Brilliant, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

Thou art he who took hold of the Book with strength from thy Lord after the learned, the mystics and the princes turned away therefrom, save whom God pleased, the Lord of this mighty Command. Blessed is the scholar who arose to serve My Cause, made known unto men My path and guided them to the ocean of My mercy and the heaven of My loving-kindness. He is indeed among the most exalted of creatures in the Book of God.

Say: O concourse of princes! Beware lest the veils of the world withhold you from the Lord of all men. That which ye possess shall perish in less than a moment and ye shall find yourselves in manifest loss. Leave behind that which the tongues of men testify is perishable and hold fast unto that which endureth with God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. From this most exalted Station We send Our greetings unto those who have quaffed the wine of immortality in My Most Glorious Name, and We counsel them to observe supreme steadfastness in this Cause whereby the feet of men have slipped save those whom God, their Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing, hath willed.

Say: O servants of the All-Merciful! Hearken unto the call of the Lord of all religions. Verily it hath been raised through grace and commandeth you to that which hath been revealed in the Book from the presence of One mighty and powerful. Thus have We sent down the verses and illumined therewith the horizons of the hearts of those who have cast away idle fancies, clinging to the cord of certitude.

Glory be upon thee and upon those with thee and upon them that have acted in accordance with that which they were bidden by God, the Mighty, the Praised. Grieve not for what hath befallen thee. He verily consoleth thee in truth and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. There hath been built for thee by the hand of power that which shall not be touched by extinction throughout the eternity of My most excellent names. Thy Lord is indeed the All-Explaining, the All-Knowing.

BH02119: O Abu Talib! This Wronged One declareth: Praise be…

He is the Witness, Who heareth and is ready to answer!

O Abu Talib! This Wronged One declareth: Praise be unto God that thou hast attained unto that which is the cause of thy honor in all the divine worlds. This abasement of thine is the pride of all glories. God willing, thine imprisonment and that of the other friends of God will become the cause and reason for the freedom and deliverance of the peoples of the world. For four months this Wronged One lay under chains and fetters in that same land. So grievous was His incarceration that no eye hath ever seen its like. Prior to that, for a brief duration, He was also thrown into prison, which place is the true abode of God’s prophets and chosen ones. During the first imprisonment, which lasted but a short time, they showed Us kindness, but during the second imprisonment, they subjected Us to the most vehement cruelty and hatred. Nonetheless, under all conditions, We remained joyful and showed forth complete resignation and contentment, forbearance and tranquility.

O seeker in the path of God! Upon thee hath befallen that which befell this Wronged One, and thou hast followed His example in the path of God, the Lord of the worlds. Were the peoples of the world to discover the delight of this abasement for the sake of God, they would one and all offer up their lives and souls in order to obtain it. The life of these days is fleeting, and its gay livery hindereth the people from pondering their end and final destiny.

Hearken to the voice of the Friend! By reason of thine abasement, wish not abasement for anyone. The station of those who are ever patient and thankful is most great. Seek not save the One True God, desire only Him, leave aside thine own will, and fervently set thy face toward the good-pleasure of thy Lord. Set aside that which thou desirest, and take thou that which God—glorified be His majesty—desireth. With outward tongue and inward heart say:

O my God! I am he who hath confessed Thy oneness and Thy singleness, and who standeth present before Thee; I have cast away my own will and desire, hoping for that which Thou hast willed by Thine irrevocable command. My goal is Thee; my paradise is Thy good-pleasure. I beseech Thee, O God of the heavens and Fashioner of the sky, to confirm me in steadfastness in Thy love in such wise that neither the wrath of princes nor the doubts of divines may withhold me. O Lord! Unveil Thou unto them even as Thou hast unveiled unto me; then strengthen them to turn unto Thee and to direct their faces toward the ocean of Thy bounty.

Thou art He unto Whose loving-kindness and mercy and compassion the very atoms have borne witness. There is none other God but Thee, the Strong, the Prevailing, the All-Powerful. From this station We magnify, upon the faces of My loved ones there, and give them glad tidings of the bounty of God, and of His loving-kindness and mercy which have preceded all who are in the heavens and on the earth. We counsel them to that whereby the Cause shall be exalted and their stations raised among men. Blessed is he who heareth and acteth; and woe betide the heedless!

And We make mention of all My handmaidens who have heard the call and believed in God, the One, the All-Aware. Thus hath the Tongue of My greatness spoken in this station, around which the Concourse on high and the denizens of the Kingdom of Names have circled—yea, and those who have cast aside vain imaginings and have drunk of the Kawthar of certitude from the hands of the bounty of their bestowing, forgiving, generous Lord.

O Abu-Ṭalib! Upon thee be My glory, and upon My saints and chosen ones who have acted according to that whereunto they were commanded in the Book of God, the Mighty, the Wise.

BH02244: In the Name of the All-Knowing, the All-Wise! O…

In the Name of the All-Knowing, the All-Wise! O ʿAli-Akbar! We counsel thee even as We counseled thee before with that which will manifest the station of man in the contingent world. Exalted is the All-Merciful Who created the world by His command. He is verily the All-Bountiful, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Thou hast attained the presence of the Wronged One and heard what His tongue hath uttered in His mighty prison. Now that one hour hath passed from Monday night, this servant hath attained the presence of the Wronged One. We have desired to make mention of the friends of God who have drunk from the choice wine of oneness and who are gazing toward the Most Exalted Horizon, that all may attain unto the most great joy and drink from the ocean of gladness. The names of all have been and are before Us. Praise be to God, they have been and are assisted in benevolent matters from God and are journeying unto God, that is, their beginning and return have been from God and unto God. God willing, may the light of this station be seen manifest and resplendent before their faces, that they may thereby walk upon the straight and manifest path.

On this blessed night, suddenly mention was made of them and the face of the imprisoned Wronged One turned toward them. We beseech God, exalted be His glory, to inscribe them as the dawning-places of His most excellent names in the Book of Names by the Most Exalted Pen. Verily, He is powerful over all things and worthy to answer.

O friends! For some time the religion of God hath been seen to be weak, and the enemies have risen from all directions with the utmost oppression and tyranny. The sun of justice is concealed behind the clouds. Beseech and supplicate the True One, exalted be His glory, that perchance He may change this weakness into strength and this tyranny into justice. Hold fast to the cord of His grace and be confident in His loving-kindness. He is the Powerful One Who hath subdued the world by a single word and by two letters hath brought forth the manifestations of names and the dawning-places of attributes from the concealment of nothingness into the realm of existence.

Glory be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp is the kingdom of names and in Whose right hand is the dominion of all things! I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy bounty and the heaven of Thy grace that Thou write down for us that which befitteth Thy generosity and bestowal. O my Lord! We are Thy servants and Thy creation. We have turned toward the lights of Thy countenance and hastened to the shore of the ocean of Thy loving-kindness. Wilt Thou disappoint, O my God, Thy weak servants who have found no helper besides Thee, no ruler other than Thee, and no one merciful except Thee?

O my Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy power that hath encompassed all created things and by Thy mercy that hath preceded all contingent beings, that Thou send down upon us from the heaven of Thy bounty that which will cause us to be numbered with them who have hastened unto the river of Thy grace, who have held fast to the cord of Thy generosity, and who have clung to the hem of the robe of Thy loving-kindness. O my Lord! Thou art He to Whose greatness, power, glory, might and all-encompassing authority all things have testified. Look upon us, O my God, with the glances of the eyes of Thy mercy and ordain for us that whereby the eyes of Thy loved ones may be gladdened. Verily, Thou art the Almighty Whom nothing whatsoever can frustrate and no affair can render powerless. There is no God but Thee, the Doer, the Strong, the Mighty, the Powerful.

BH02528: In the Name of our Most Holy, Most Exalted…

In the Name of our Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Lord! The blessed letter of that spiritual beloved has inscribed wondrous lines of divine love upon the pages of the heart, breast, mind and soul. God willing, may the royal seal of the love of that Beloved, the Goal of all the worlds, be inscribed in clear script by the wondrous Pen upon all the tablets of created things.

As for what was written about not meeting—it is clear and evident that this servant is seeking this, and likewise that beloved one. In this case, even if the obstacles of the world should prevent it, this prevention holds sway only in outward form. Otherwise, in reality, the Joy of the world has not and will not prevent it. No sword can sever the inner connection, nor can the passage of time alter it. It has been and will continue to be.

And regarding what was written about sending a list of names to the Most Holy Court—after this servant turned towards the Most Exalted Horizon, he presented the details. At that moment, four holy and exalted Tablets were revealed from the heaven of the Divine Will, and He said:

“O servant in attendance! It behooveth thee to write what hath been revealed at this time and send it to Ism-i-Jud, that he may forward it to whomsoever hath loved God, acknowledged His grandeur and recognized His sovereignty, that the eyes of His loved ones and the eyes of those who have drawn nigh unto the Most Great Sea and drunk therefrom in His gracious Name may be gladdened by the Tablets of God.”

And regarding what was written about the wife of Nabil, these decisive verses were revealed from the heaven of Will—exalted be His grandeur:

“Verily, We gave her glad tidings aforetime through the mention of My Most Exalted Pen, and We mentioned her before her ascension and after her ascension. Verily We have forgiven her and purified her of all that is unworthy of God, the Lord of the worlds. And We make mention of God at this time with a mention from which the fragrance of grace is wafted between the heavens and the earth. O My handmaiden! Blessed art thou for having turned to God on a day when most of the servants turned away from Him, and for having heard the Most Sweet Call and attained unto the word ʿyea.’ By My life! This is an honored station. Blessed is every handmaiden who hath believed and attained, and woe unto every handmaiden who hath turned away from God, the Sovereign, the Single, the All-Informed. Rejoice thou in what We have sent down unto thee of the food of the Spirit from this heaven which hath been raised up through My Name, the All-Merciful. Glory be upon thee and upon those handmaidens who have taken the choice wine and drunk in My Name, the Mighty, the Inaccessible.”

The four exalted Tablets were also sent for that beloved one to forward. These bounties appeared at a time when the Ancient Beauty was showing signs of a cold. Verily the grace is in His hands and He is the Forgiving, the Generous, the Bestower, the Mighty, the Kind.

BH02599: Praise befits and is worthy of that Most Holy…

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

Praise befits and is worthy of that Most Holy Court, Who has made the letters of the friends the greatest gift and has ordained within their fragrance the fragrance of meeting and reunion. Exalted be His power, exalted be His grandeur, exalted be His compassion, and great be His favor! I beseech Him, exalted be He, to protect the people of truth from the oppression of the oppressors and the transgressions of the transgressors. Verily, He is near and worthy to answer.

The esteemed letter arrived while this ephemeral one was engaged in writing in His presence, and all of it was presented. They showed the utmost bounty and favor. The religion of God has become weak among the people due to the dominion of the ungodly, and these transgressors have been and are of two kinds: one group consists of those who have been nurtured in pride for years, and the other group consists of those who have become occupied with themselves and heedless of the Truth, showing no respect for divine ordinances and the counsels of the True Counselor. They have acted according to their own desires and become deprived of the Command of God. Verily He speaks the truth, but they do not hear. This is why Islam has reached the state that you now witness. All must beseech the True One, exalted be His glory, for the elevation and ascendancy of His religion. All have been and are under His gaze, each adorned with the ornament of His favor.

God willing, in this spiritual morn a sweet breeze will waft from the garden of inner meanings across the world, bringing joy to all, transforming the darkness of the world into light and its heedlessness into awareness. It would be a pity if the trees in the garden of inner meanings were to remain fruitless and without effect.

Regarding what was written about Darvish, it was granted. They said to tell him and obtain his promise not to stay beyond the specified days, as the gathering has grown too large and has truly exceeded wisdom. Regarding the honored beloved, his mention has been and is before the Most Holy Court. They said God willing he is confirmed in what is befitting. Whatever this ephemeral one expresses in service to him is truly insufficient. In any case, I hope for forgiveness. I remember the delight of the eyes of the people of purity. I send greetings and praise to Jinab-i-Aqa Mihdi and those with you.

BH02593: It is abundantly clear that this Wronged One has…

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

It is abundantly clear that this Wronged One has for successive years been imprisoned in the most desolate of lands and has, in the path of God, endured that which you and others have witnessed and heard. The tribulations that have befallen the Dayspring of the Light of Divine Unity are themselves a reminder, but only for those possessed of insight, whom the veils of human limitations have not barred from the Most Sublime Vision. Were you to reflect but briefly, you would testify that whatsoever this Wronged One uttereth is purely for God’s sake, and that He hath had and hath no purpose save God, glorified be His majesty, nor hath He been attracted to any direction—for He dwelleth in a station where the path of hope is severed.

Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One, and in these latter days deprive not yourselves of the Kawthar of the utterance of the All-Merciful, that perchance ye may receive a portion of the outpourings of the True Bestower and attain unto your share. As you have been a seeker after good, therefore that which is the cause and source of God’s perpetual favors hath been cast forth from His presence. Time and again hath the divine Hand of power preserved you and caused you to attain unto the most exalted summit in your first life. However, this station is confined to the transient days. Strive that you may attain unto the Kingdom that endureth—that is, through deeds befitting these days, that their fragrance may never cease from the realm of existence and may endure through the eternity of God’s names.

God willing, may transient conditions not withhold you from the Truth. Were you to reflect briefly, you would acknowledge what hath been mentioned and would arise to make good what hath passed. Say: Glorified art Thou, O God of Revelation and Speaker on Sinai! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance after the extinction of all things, and by the manifestations of Thy might and power in the kingdom of creation, to ordain for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen that which will draw me nigh unto Thee in all conditions.

O my Lord! The world hath occupied me from turning toward Thy horizon and hath prevented me from directing myself to the Dayspring of Thy Cause and the Dawning-Place of Thy Revelation. Therefore have I fled from myself unto Thee and have placed my trust in Thee. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me from the ocean of Thy bounty and the sun of Thy generosity. O my Lord! Aid me in Thy remembrance and praise in such wise that the veils of the world and the clamor of the nations will not prevent me. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

BH02722: O spiritual soul! Time and again hast thou been…

He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great, the Most Glorious

O spiritual soul! Time and again hast thou been favored with God’s infinite bounties. Thou hast drunk from the cup of His recognition and turned to His most exalted horizon. In days when the men and heroes of the earth were heedless and veiled, know thou the value of this most great blessing. He is the Confirmer, He is the Generous, He is the Merciful. Through His wondrous grace He took hold of thee and guided thee from the left hand of doubt to the right hand of certitude. On the Day of the Call thou didst attain to its answer. Observe how many divines and theologians remained veiled from the ultimate Purpose, while thou through God’s grace attained unto it. Thou didst drink from the ocean of knowledge and bore witness to the manifestation of Truth, exalted be His glory. I swear by the Sun of the heaven of inner meanings that if thou become aware of this most great, most exalted station, thou wilt at all times utter “Thine be the praise, O God of the worlds.”

We send Our greetings upon the faces of My handmaidens in that land who have believed in God, the Lord of the seen and unseen. Convey the greetings of this Wronged One to the handmaidens of that land. All those souls thou didst mention have been favored with God’s grace and in this hour have received their portion from the Kawthar of remembrance and utterance. Happy are they all.

O My handmaiden! We have heard thy cry and thy lamentation and thy sighing and thy calling in the days of thy Lord, and We have answered thee with that which nothing can equal. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Generous.

We make mention of him who was named Rida and counsel him to manifest the supreme steadfastness in this Most Great Cause whereby the mountains were shaken. The command is God’s, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

We make mention of thy father who attained God’s grace when every denier and deceiver turned away from him. We testify that he answered his Lord and turned to His Face on a day wherein the mountains were scattered. He was adorned with the ornament of certitude and drank the choice wine of recognition from the hands of the bounty of his Lord, the All-Merciful. To this beareth witness He with Whom is the Mother Book.

And We make mention of thy mother who turned to God, heard, answered and believed in God, the One, the Chosen. God hath forgiven her through His grace when she ascended to the Most Exalted Companion, a station none knoweth save the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of God’s grace be upon thee and upon thy father and thy mother and upon those who have acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken from the most exalted station.

BH02725: O Muhammad-Qabli-Kazim! The servant in attendance hath received…

In the Name of the All-Knowing, the All-Informed!

O Muhammad-Qabli-Kazim! The servant in attendance hath received the letter which thou didst send to Ism-i-Jud. We have heard it and answer thee by Our command. Verily thy Lord is the Hearing, the Responding One. Blessed art thou and those who have attained unto the lights of the Countenance when every heedless and remote one turned away therefrom. Ye are they who have found the sweetness of My verses and have drunk the choice wine of My loving-kindness and have held fast to the cord of My grace and have clung to My luminous robe. The more tribulation increased, the more did My revelation and exaltation increase. Verily thy Lord is the Powerful, the Mighty.

Say: Beware, O My loved ones, lest the affairs of the world and the tyranny which hath appeared from the darkness of the hearts of the nations sadden you. They desired to extinguish the light of God by what they possess. Say: Perdition betide you, O company of the heedless! And We make mention of My loved ones in that place who have believed in God and His verses and have drunk the choice wine of steadfastness from the hands of the bounty of their Lord, the Generous One.

And concerning what thou didst mention about Aziz—upon him be My glory—verily We have made mention of him before and after, and We have sent down for him that which causeth every mouldering bone to speak, and We shall soon send down what We have intended for him. Verily, give him the glad-tidings of this manifest bounty. Blessed art thou and they, and he who is named Abdu’l-Majid and Husayn and every servant who hath turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon, turning away from those who have disbelieved in God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. There hath come before the Face what one of the servants sent. We found him among the sleepers. He had been sleeping for successive years, and when he desired to awaken and arose and took a handful from the dust of idle fancies and desired to weigh therewith the Dayspring of Certitude and to know thereby the Lord of the worlds—Say: Be as thou wert. Verily He is independent of thee and of the divines of the earth and its mystics and of every doubting impostor. It behooveth him to cast behind him whatsoever is on earth, turning toward the Most Exalted Horizon, and to say:

“O my Lord! I have forsaken the religion of a people who believe not in Thee and who with regard to the Hereafter are themselves disbelievers.”

He hath abandoned what was fitting and held fast to that which is not worthy for the days of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Ask God to assist him and forgive his misdeeds and draw him nigh unto Him and guide him to His straight path. The glory shining forth from the horizon of My Most Exalted Pen be upon thee and upon thy brethren and thy sons and thy kindred and upon those who have acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken before the creation of the heavens and earth. Verily He is the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

BH02820: O My Beloved, O Ism-i-Jud! Upon thee be…

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

O My Beloved, O Ism-i-Jud! Upon thee be the glory of God and the glory of all who exist in the unseen and visible realms. The Pen desires to speak, but the ears of the world do not wish to hear. If I write “z” and “b”, “t” and “k” follow behind, and if we eat the same soup every day, it has not and will not have freshness. In the city they cook fava beans daily and serve chickpeas, following in the footsteps of their fathers. We do not like fava beans and chickpeas. What can be done? In any case, these words are excessive and may cause trouble and become bothersome. However, praise and thanks be to God, in the past year the world of being, by the command of the Sovereign Worshipped One, detached from spirit and wealth, attained their goal and visited and circumambulated the divine Ka’bah and His House.

The words “Pilgrimage to the House is a duty unto God” and “A proclamation from God on the day of the Greater Pilgrimage” so attracted hearts and souls that neither the clamor of plague nor the assault of the accursed cholera prevented the faithful from turning to and striving between Marwah and Safa and circumambulation. This brief mention is more fitting and sweeter than a hundred thousand lengthy accounts of the tales of Caesars and Persian kings and tyrants and Pharaohs and the transgressors of the Umayyads and the ignorant ones of the Abbasids. When thou goest before the Friend, convey the glorification of the Friend. The weather is sometimes clear, sometimes warm, sometimes cold, and sometimes cloudy. The ignorant one speaks crookedly and confusedly.

I know not what use or fruit these ravings have. This much I say: remembrance of the Friend is good and beloved and effective. When thou goest before the Beloved of the soul, the gift of the flowing soul is proper. This is good, this is beloved. If you go, you will relate, see and hear. My master, sometimes the pen sniffs the air. Until here was from it, but through divine bounty and infinite effort, if movement becomes possible and joy is attained through meeting the Friend, convey glorification and utter nothingness and complete evanescence. Glory be upon thy presence and upon him and upon those who love God and His friends. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH02899: The letter which his honor Aqa Khalil, upon him…

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

The letter which his honor Aqa Khalil, upon him be the glory of God, had written to you was presented in its entirety before the throne of the All-Merciful on the twenty-fifth night of the blessed month of Ramadan. This is what was revealed in reply from the presence of the Lord of the Beginning and the End. His word, exalted be His glory:

O Muhammad-Husayn! Praise be to the Goal of the world’s peoples, Who has graciously bestowed upon you that of which the learned ones, the literary figures, the mystics and the princes are deprived, save whom God willeth. Were souls who circle round to reflect upon this supreme bounty and mighty gift, they would, until their last breath without cessation, utter “Thine be the praise, O Lord of Majesty!” Beseech ye God that He may make all aware of their stations, or illumine their eyes with the light of recognition and show them. He is the Powerful, the All-Knowing.

His honor Khalil, upon him be my glory, had made mention of some of the friends. Praise be to God, all have their portion from the fruits of the Tree of Divine Unity, and at this moment the glance of favor is directed to each one. Blessed are they who in the days of God have been honored with mention by the Most Exalted Pen, and have drunk from His cup of recognition. And regarding his appointing you as his representative to attain the presence—this matter has been accepted. At some time, turn toward it on behalf of the friends of God who were mentioned in the letter, and attain to that which is intended.

Regarding Mirza ʿAli’s request—if God should will and desire it, He will reveal for him that which will bring joy to the eyes of those near to God.

His honor Muhammad before Kh-A has been honored with mention by God, glorified be His majesty. It behooveth him to thank God for having aided him and caused him to recognize Him in His mighty and wondrous Day. The friends of that land, one and all, are blessed with God’s favor. We have aided them as a grace from Our presence, and have preferred some above others as a command from Us. We send Our greetings from this most mighty, most holy, most glorious and impregnable spot, and We make mention of My handmaidens who have been mentioned before the Wronged One, and give them the glad-tidings of My mercy which hath preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth. And praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH02843: O Sulayman, strive that in the days…

In the name of the one true God, the Speaker!

O Sulayman, strive that in the days of the one true Friend thou mayest attain unto a station whose mention hath been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Book of Names. This Day hath no peer. God willing, thou shouldst drink, through the potency of God’s Name, from the Kawthar of inner meanings which today floweth from the Wellspring of the merciful Will.

The key to the treasured mystery and the hidden secret had ever been recorded and concealed within the divine Books and Scriptures, but today, through celestial grace, that Most Great Key hath become manifest and visible, and it was the Most Great Name of God, through whose blessing the gates of knowledge and wisdom have been and continue to be opened unto hearts. Speak thou through His Name, see through His Name, and find joy through His Name.

Most of the people are intoxicated and gladdened by that which is non-existent and lost, clinging to and occupied with mere illusions. God willing, through the grace of the Beloved of all creation, thou shalt emerge from the sheath of idle fancies that the essence of humanity may become manifest and evident amongst the servants.

Thy letter was received and read. We bear witness that thou didst hear and turn and didst attain unto that which God, the Lord of the worlds, did desire. We counsel thee to preserve that which thou hast been given of His all-embracing grace.

Say: O my God and the God of all things, my Lord and the Lord of all names! Thou seest and knowest that I have recognized and become certain that this Path is the most excellent and most glorious of all the paths of the world. Therefore have I chosen it as my path that it may lead me unto Thee and bring me nigh unto the court of Thy holiness. O my Lord! This is my face turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon, the Station wherein the lights of Thy countenance have shone forth, and this is my heart which hath attained the blessing of turning toward the direction of Thy bounty and grace. I beseech Thee by the revelation whereby the Tree did speak and the Mountain was crushed to dust, to send down upon me that which will dilate my breast and tranquilize my heart and loose my tongue, that I may raise among Thy servants the standard of Thy remembrance and praise, and make known to them Thy all-embracing grace and Thy straight Path, through the wisdom which Thou hast sent down in Thy Book.

O my Lord! Aid me in Thy days to serve Thy Cause, that I may thereby possess the mention of good throughout the perpetuity of Thy names and attributes. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

BH02916: O Ism-i-Jud, upon thee be My Glory! We have…

He is the Manifest, the Speaking, the Helper

O Ism-i-Jud, upon thee be My Glory! We have heard thy mention and hearkened unto thy call. No glory or loftiness can compare with this station wherein thy mention is heard and an answer of grace is bestowed. Where are they who gave up their lives yearning to hear the words “Listen, then behold,” and ascended with this longing? This is a station before which every station bows down and testifies to its exaltation. Praise be to God that thou hast attained the adorning of witnessing and hearkening, of circumambulation and meeting and reunion. Say:

O my God, my Lord, my Goal and my Beloved! I testify that by Thy Word Thou didst create me, and from the ocean of Thy bounty Thou didst give me to drink, and by the sun of Thy verses Thou didst illumine me, and with the ornament […] by Thy power to a station where I beheld Thy horizon […] O my Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy might and Thy power, and the penetration of Thy Cause, and the manifestation of Thy authority, to assist me in rendering thanks and praise unto Thee. I testify, O my God, that Thou hast given me that which Thou hast denied most of Thy servants and creatures. I am he who, O my God, hath acknowledged and doth acknowledge the wonders of Thy bounty and the manifestations of Thy generosity and the expressions of Thy grace which have encompassed me from all directions in Thy days. I beseech Thee to ordain for me that which will make me mighty through Thy name and wealthy through Thy riches and powerful through Thy power in the latter and former days. Verily Thou art the Lord of all beings. There is none other God but Thee, the Omnipotent, the Mighty.

O Javad! God willing, at all times thou shalt be speaking in praise and glorification of God, exalted be His glory. The servant in attendance offered thy letter before the Face and We found from it the fragrances of thy love and affection and thy turning and steadfastness. Know thou with certainty that His grace hath been and is with thee. Praise be to God! Thou didst move for God’s sake and wert with Him and art with Him. In this world thou art honored by His grace and in the other worlds thou art adorned with the ornament of His majesty. Be thou assured by this most exalted Word at the end of the letter of the Wronged One Who hath been imprisoned in the path of God, the Lord of Names. And We make mention of My name Mihdi, upon him be My Glory, in this station and We have ordained for him what he desired. Verily He is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous.

BH02954: The Sun of Truth speaks: O youth! Praise be…

He is the Speaker and He is the All-Seeing

The Sun of Truth speaks: O youth! Praise be to God that in the first days thou wert blessed through the bounty of the Lord of all beings. Thy mention shall never be effaced from the Book of God. That which will endure throughout the duration of the kingdom and the divine realm hath been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen concerning you. With utmost joy and delight be thou engaged in the remembrance of the Peerless Friend. Be thou gladdened by His love and vocal in His praise. Thy mention hath been and will continue to be before the Wronged One. In these days the name of God Mihdi—upon him be My glory—sought favor on thy behalf. God willing, mayest thou be blessed by divine grace and illumined by the lights of His countenance.

We make mention in this station of thy mother who believed in God, the Lord of the worlds, and drank the Kawthar of reunion from the hands of the bounty of her Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. We send Our greetings from this station upon thee and upon her as a token of Our grace, for verily We are the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days.

And We make mention of thy father through whom the luminary of steadfastness shone forth and the fragrance of certitude was wafted throughout creation. We testify that he cast behind him all idle fancies, turning his face toward this Horizon from which hath dawned the Sun of the Revelation of thy Lord, the All-Powerful, the Almighty. He it is who cast aside the books of the world and took hold of the Mother Book by the command of God, the Almighty, the All-Praised. He attained unto the most great steadfastness in such wise that neither the clamor of the wasps deterred him from the Lord of Lords, nor did the power of the divines frighten him from the Lord of Names. He forsook the world and turned toward the Most Great Prison—the place which God made the footstool of His feet and wherein He revealed that which had been hidden and treasured in His Preserved Tablet.

O ʿAli-Akbar! The Lord of Destiny hath turned toward thee and testified to that which surpasseth the treasures of the heavens and earth, and He giveth thanks to Himself on thy behalf. Verily thy Lord is the All-Loving, the All-Bountiful. The Light shining from the luminous brow be upon thee, O thou who hast spoken that which the Nightingale of Faithfulness spoke, and the Cock crowed upon the branch of eternity. Verily there is none other God but Him, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Blessed art thou and blessed is he who visiteth thee, by virtue of what the Most Exalted Pen hath spoken, and those who in this mighty Day have attained unto the recognition of God.

BH03103: A mention from Us to one who turned towards…

He is the Herald between earth and heaven

A mention from Us to one who turned towards Us when the divines of the earth turned away from Our Most Exalted Horizon, save whom God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, willed. When the Self-Subsisting appeared and the Hour came, the clamor of the servants arose and they stood up to extinguish the light of God, the King, the Mighty, the Great. How many a mystic turned away from the Known One, how many a learned one cast the All-Knowing behind his back and waxed proud before God, the Lord of the worlds. How many who had accepted broke God’s Covenant on His Day, and how many extinguished ones were enkindled by the fire of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. God’s Balance hath appeared in truth, yet the people were heedless of it. Say: Verily the Balance speaketh with truth, yet the people are in evident delusion. They hear the Call yet deny it, and they behold the signs of God yet turn away from them. How many a sign hath appeared in truth, and how many an evidence hath come forth from the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Thus have We illumined the heaven of utterance with the sun of thy Lord’s remembrance, the Mighty, the Powerful.

Say: O peoples of the earth, fear the All-Merciful and follow not your desires. Cast away what the people possess and take what ye are commanded by an Ordainer, All-Wise. He hath come from the heaven of utterance with the Kingdom of verses. Fear God and be not of the ignorant. How many a learned one cast the Book of God behind his back, and how many a mystic was seized by the winds of the world and withheld from the Most Exalted Horizon, and how many a sleeper heard the Call, arose and turned to His luminous horizon. When the breezes of revelation seize thee and the winds of thy Lord’s days attract thee, arise amidst the servants with power and say: O peoples of the earth! By God, the horizon of the Manifestation hath been illumined by the Promised One. Verily He hath come with the standards of verses and the hosts of meanings. If ye deny Him, by what proof can ye establish what ye possess? Fear God and be not of the lost. Thus have We illumined the horizon of remembrance and praise. Glory be upon thee and upon those whom the winds of the Manifestation stirred when the Speaker of Sinai proclaimed: There is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

BH03055: Render thanks to the Lord that through the confirmations…

In the name of the All-Knowing Announcer!

Render thanks to the Lord that through the confirmations of God, glorified be His grandeur, thou hast entered the lofty tabernacle raised in His Name and drunk deep of the river of utterance. Whoever recognizeth the Days of God, that soul is accounted among the inmates of Paradise in the Crimson Book. Beseech God to confirm thee in protecting this precious gem. By My life, were the assessors of the world to gather together, they would find themselves powerless to estimate its worth. Betrayers are many and trustees few. Some mistaken souls have forsaken the River of Mercy for a foul pond. Woe to them and to those who have denied God and His sovereignty and turned away from the Countenance shining brilliantly from the celestial horizon, after the annihilation of all things.

O thou the daughter of My uncle and of My sister! Give ear to My Call, then remember Thy Lord with such steadfastness that the promptings of the evil ones will not shake thee. May God enable thee to cling to the cord of the favour of the Desire of the world at all times, for no deed is more praiseworthy than this.

We mention thy son named Mihdi and give him the joyful news of the favour of his Munificent and Compassionate Lord. The poem he had previously composed in His tribute was received, and the servant in attendance recited what he had composed. We verily heard him and answered him with a perspicuous Tablet.

We send greetings to all the brothers and sisters. We hope from God that they have been and will continue to be protected by Him, glorified be His grandeur. This is a lofty station. May its effects become clear and evident!

Should the intended affair happen joyfully and with radiance, it is very praiseworthy. However, should it entail any harm for that handmaid or her relatives, it would not be praiseworthy before this Wronged One, for one must act according to the requirements of the time and the dictates of wisdom.

Jinab-i Ismullahu’l-Mihdi is travelling in that direction. Do thou that which is discreet. He verily enricheth and assisteth thee, and He is the Most Bountiful, the Most Generous.

Glory be upon thee and upon all the kindred who have clung to the sure handle and held fast to the hem of the garment of the Sovereign of the world.

BH03218: Praise be unto Him Who is sanctified from all…

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

Praise be unto Him Who is sanctified from all likeness and comparison, the Beloved Eternal One, Who is worthy and befitting, Who by one exalted Word guided the people of the Kingdom of Creation to the supreme horizon and bestowed upon them a portion from the chalice of His presence. Verily, He is the One Who, by His command “Be!”, hath power over whatsoever He willeth. Blessed is the soul who, detached from the world, hath turned toward the Most Great Ocean and drunk therefrom in the Name of Truth. Such a one is among the manifestations of the Word and the people of the Ark. O ye who drink the choice wine of utterance! Know ye the value of this Day and act as behooveth you.

O Abdul-Husayn! Thy letter was received and the servant in attendance before the Imprisoned One presented it, and thou hast been made to attain unto these sublime words and manifest evidences which have streamed forth from the Supreme Pen. God willing, thou shalt in all conditions be occupied with the remembrance of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Praise be to God that thou hast been and art the recipient of the favors of Truth, both in the past and at present, and hast received thy portion from the divine ocean of mercy. Be thou assured that He hath forgiven thee and thy father, and hath sent down for you both that which hath perfumed the heavens and the earth with its fragrance.

Convey My greetings to the handmaiden of God and say: Verily, He hath forgiven what is past. Guard thyself in the name of thy Lord in thy remaining days. Verily, thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Merciful. The word of forgiveness hath been sent down for thee from the presence of the All-Merciful. Act according to what thou hast been commanded in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds. God hath made chastity a crown for the heads of His handmaidens. Blessed is the handmaiden who hath attained unto this mighty station.

God willing, thou shalt be confirmed through the favors of the Lord of all being in that which is acceptable in His sight. If thou were to offer thanks with a hundred thousand tongues, it would not equal this blessed word which hath been sent down from the heaven of the Divine Will. O Abdul-Husayn! Convey to the handmaiden of God whatsoever hath streamed forth from the Supreme Pen concerning her, and give her the glad-tidings of God’s favor, bounty and mercy. The glory be upon thee and upon her and upon those who have believed in those regions in God, the Single One, the All-Informed.

BH03182: Praise be to God, thou hast emigrated twice…

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Informed.

Praise be to God, thou hast emigrated twice in the path of the One Friend and hast attained thy desired goal. This peerless bounty requireth gratitude, and gratitude for it is to remain steadfast in God’s Cause and to manifest such deeds and character as would attract the hearts of the heedless and the minds of those who hesitate. Through the grace of the All-Merciful, turn toward Iran with the utmost joy and fragrance. Speak for the sake of God, for a word spoken for His sake is like unto a tree whose fruit will surely appear in the world. Observe outer beauty: if but one ray from the divine name “the Beautiful” is manifested in a person, hearts and minds are seen to be attracted.

But by the life of God! The power and might of inner beauty is a thousand times greater and more glorious. Blessed is the soul that hath attained this most exalted station. Whosoever acteth according to and is adorned with goodly deeds, pure words and spiritual qualities—such a one possesseth inner beauty in the sight of God, exalted be His glory. Forget not the divine counsels and preserve the pearls of His love. We make mention in this station of thy father who hath ascended unto God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.

O Muhammad-Qabli-Ibrahim! The Wronged One remembereth thee for having turned to the Most Sublime Horizon and believed in God, the Creator of heaven and the Lord of Names. Verily thy Lord’s knowledge encompasseth all things. He is indeed the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We make mention of thee with that whereby thy remembrance shall endure. Be thou grateful to God for this mighty favor. Thou didst turn and hear the Call and respond to thy Ancient Lord, at Whose appearance from the heaven of the divine Command all necks bowed low and every mighty one was shaken. The glory shining forth from the horizon of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon those who have sacrificed their souls in this Straight Path. And praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH03263: Unto God belongeth the deeds of the sincere ones…

Unto God belongeth the deeds of the sincere ones, those who have been stirred by the Realities of the Sidrat’ul-Muntaha… As to what hath been written — that a certain soul was a believer and for many years a steadfast acceptor of the Truth, yet thereafter, by reason of the ways and words of certain others, hath turned aside — Glorified be God! If, God forbid, and by way of hypothesis alone, all the friends of God were to manifest unseemly conduct, displeasing character, and words devoid of purity, not so much as a speck of dust would thereby fall upon the hem of the Most Holy, the Most Pure Garment. How then could it be that a soul should turn away from the Truth on account of the deeds of others? Hath it not been heard:

Were all the dwellers of creation to turn faithless and denied, Not a particle of dust would settle on the hem of His Majesty’s tide.

All the peoples and sects of the earth do, in the greater part of their affairs, act contrary to that which God hath revealed — as ye have seen and heard. And according to the Shi’ih account, forty thousand souls were in attendance upon the Messenger of God — may the spirit of all else be a sacrifice unto Him — at the Farewell Pilgrimage, yet of this vast multitude, seven or eight are said to have remained steadfast and firm; and concerning the rest, that hath been said which ye have heard.

In any case, all are enjoined, in this Manifestation, to fix their gaze upon the very person of the Manifestation Himself, and to be rooted in certitude by that which appeareth from Him and by the Blessed Word: He doeth whatsoever He willeth and ordaineth whatsoever He desireth. If a soul were to immerse itself in the oceans of these words, and to be numbered amongst the stars of the heaven of constancy — as is recorded before God and inscribed in the Divine Book — then if that soul, God forbid, after faith and certitude were to become perturbed, this would be proof that from the very beginning it had not truly comprehended the Cause of God. Let all pray that they may at the very least fix their gaze upon the Word: He is not asked of that which He doeth.

The Truth hath never been, nor is He, answerable for the deeds of others or for whatsoever He hath willed or may will. How could it be that a soul would turn away from knowledge on account of the actions of the servants of God? Assuredly, confusion hath overtaken that person, for at times certain ones fall into error. God willing, may such a one be adorned with the raiment of certitude and, whilst yet in this contingent world, be occupied in the mention and praise of the Desire of the worlds — for verily He forgiveth whomsoever He willeth, out of His grace and bounty, and He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Generous….

BH03320: Verily, Faithfulness hath now shone forth in the temple…

Verily, Faithfulness hath now shone forth in the temple of majesty in the fairest raiment of beauty. It hath addressed all who are on earth and said:

O concourse of nations! Look upon My comeliness and My charm, upon My light and My radiance, upon My freshness and My tenderness; then render thanks unto Him Who hath created Me, sent Me forth, and made Me to appear in a lucid and resplendent light. Ponder upon My inmost being even as ye have gazed upon My outward form, that ye may come to recognize what mysteries have been concealed within Me and what treasures of the wisdom of your Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, have been treasured up in My reality.

Whoso truly knoweth Me shall never part from Me; for through consorting with Me doth man increase in honour and loftiness and height of station. This doth every fair-minded and discerning soul attest.

O concourse of existence! Within Me there dwelleth a maiden of Paradise, coy, pampered and tender, who hath not advanced a single span save in accordance with the will of God, the All-Powerful, the Almighty. The hand of loving-kindness hath clothed Me in the vesture of beauty and hath manifested Me endowed with bounty, with knowledge and with perfection. Blessed the one who turneth his steps toward Me, draweth nigh unto My very self, decketh himself with the raiment of My knowledge and My virtues, and is illumined with My shining light.

Should the sun of My beauty shed but a ray upon his city, thou wouldst behold it fallen in awe before her, or laid low upon its very foundations; yet would its rank and station thereby be exalted to such a degree as to render it independent of all other cities. In the days that are Mine thou wouldst indeed behold it among the most flourishing of the kingdoms of the earth—its blessings none can reckon save God, the Reckoner, the All-Knowing.

And when thou hearest the mention of Faithfulness and its call, then acquaint those who have believed with its advent, its station, and the manifold benefits whereby the lands and habitations of God are en­riched through it. Verily, it is the Herald, the All-Informed. Say: Hasten unto it, O people of Baha! It shall profit you in every condition and circumstance; unto this testifieth His guarded, preserved Book.

O thou who speakest forth the remembrance of thy Lord! By My life, wert that city to attain unto but one ray of its lights and one effulgence of its revelations, sorrow would not have encompassed Me, and the Cause would have stood forth in a station manifest and clear.

Do thou, then, make mention of the Wronged One amidst all existence with wisdom and with utterance, that perchance they may deal with equity in the Cause of God, the Lord of all the worlds. Glory be upon thee, and upon such as hearken unto thy words in God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne.

BH03748: O Taqi! Thou hast attained unto the Kawthar…

He is the All-Witnessing, the All-Informed

O Taqi! Thou hast attained unto the Kawthar of utterance from the hand of the bounty of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. This is yet another time—give thanks unto thy Lord, the Mighty, the Wondrous. We have made mention of thee in such wise as cannot be equalled by all the books of the world. To this beareth witness the Lord of Eternity, Who speaketh in the Most Great Prison that there is none other God but Me, the Forgiving, the Generous.

Thou didst hear the Call before, and now hearken unto it at this time. Verily it calleth thee and maketh mention of thee in such wise as shall cause thy name to endure throughout the duration of My most excellent names. Thy Lord is, in truth, the True One, the Trustworthy.

Grieve not at separation, for between thee and Us have intervened the manifestations of hypocrisy who denied the Sun after its dawning and disbelieved in Him Who conversed upon Sinai when His voice was raised from the Ultimate Lote-Tree that there is none other God but He, the Speaker, the All-Seeing.

Preserve thou this Tablet, then read it in the presence of the denizens of the most exalted Paradise. By the life of God! Through it are drawn the hearts of all beings. Thy Lord is, in truth, the Expositor, the All-Knowing.

Rejoice thou in My remembrance, lay hold on My strong cord, and cling to the hem of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Great. The Observer hath appeared and presented that which thou possessest. We have made mention of thee in such wise as shall solace the eyes of them that are nigh. He verily recordeth for whomsoever desireth the reward of attaining His presence. He is, in truth, the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but He, the Almighty, the Powerful.

We have found the fragrance of thy love and have turned toward thee from the precincts of the Prison. Thy Lord is, verily, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

When thou hast attained unto My Tablet and recognized the fragrance of Mine utterance, say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of eternity and the Imprisoned One amidst the nations! I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy patience and the mountain of Thy steadfastness and the sun of Thy favors to ordain for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen the good of this world and of the world to come. Thou art, verily, the Lord of the Throne and of the dust, and in Thy grasp is the control of names, and in Thy right hand are the reins of all things. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

BH03596: To be typed

To be typed.

BH03807: O loved ones of God in Manshad! In My…

O loved ones of God in Manshad! In My Name, the Hearer, the Answerer!

This Wronged One, on this blessed night of Ramadan, makes mention of the loved ones of the All-Merciful with wondrous praise and glorification. All things give you glad tidings of divine favor and the infinite outpourings of the Lord. Praise be to God that you have attained to that which the Truth Himself has borne. For four months this Wronged One was afflicted in the Land of Ta with imprisonment, chains, fetters and the taunts of enemies. Yet since it was in the path of the Beloved of the worlds, such joy and gladness took hold as cannot be described.

O loved ones of the All-Merciful! God, exalted be His glory, has been with you in all conditions. Whatever befell you has been recorded by the Most Exalted Pen in God’s Book. Soon shall you witness that which has been ordained specially for His loved ones. Strive that no word proceed from you that would prevent the outpourings. Preserve your stations through the Name of God, exalted be His glory. By the Kingdom of Utterance, great profit lies with you. God is awake and aware. Neither slumber nor sleep overtaketh Him. He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. That which befell you—its stations are a treasure from you stored in the treasury of the one true Goal, and He is trustworthy and hath ever loved and loveth trustworthiness. Rejoice in what the Tongue of Grandeur hath given you glad tidings of at this moment, and say: Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. Glory be upon you, upon your first and your last, upon those with you, those who aided you, and those who heard and responded to you. Verily He is the Single, the One, the All-Seeing, the Hearer, the Compassionate, the Generous.

BH03904: In the Name of Him by Whose fragrance…

In the Name of Him by Whose fragrance the garment was perfumed and the mountains were moved! This is a Book sent down from the Wronged One to him who hath been named Mustafa in the Kingdom of Names, that it may draw him to a station wherein he will arise and say with wisdom and utterance:

“The All-Merciful hath come with a sovereignty that neither thousands can prevent nor ranks can weaken. He summoneth the world unto the Most Great Name, whereby affairs have been transformed and religions have been shaken.”

O thou who art mentioned by My Pen! Arise to make mention of Me and to praise Me amongst My servants, and make known to them My Cause and My Path. Then impart unto them My Word whereby the Rock hath cried out and the foundations have trembled. Say: O heedless ones! By God, He hath come at Whose advent hearts were troubled and through Whom the fragrance of the All-Merciful was wafted throughout all lands. Say: Beware lest what ye possess prevent you from that which is with God. Cast away vain imaginings and hold fast unto the cord of the care of your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. This is a Day whereon neither the ornaments of the earth nor its hosts and arts shall profit you. Fear God and follow not every wicked deceiver. When the promise came to pass and the Dayspring of Manifestation shone forth, the divines turned away from Him until they pronounced judgment with such tyranny as caused the Concourse on High to lament, and behind them every discerning knower.

We have revealed the Cause and shown the servants Our most exalted horizon and guided them to the straight path. Confine thy affairs to making mention of Me among My creatures with the wisdom We have sent down in the Book. Thus have We illumined the horizons of utterance with the light of knowledge. Blessed is he who hath recognized, and woe unto every heedless doubter. Convey My glorification to My loved ones who have cast the world behind them in this Cause whereby feet have slipped. The glory shining from the horizon of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon him who hath turned unto God in his final return.

BH03857: This servant submits to your honor that the letter…

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

This servant submits to your honor that the letter of his holiness Afnan 92 [Muhammad], upon him be all the most glorious Baha, which you gave to this servant was read. And it so happened that at that very moment it was presented to the Most Holy Court, and the Sun of loving-kindness rose and shone forth in relation to him, and the Tongue of Grace spoke this most exalted Word—His word, exalted be His majesty: “We verily magnify the one who teaches My Cause and My Afnans who have attained unto My days and have arisen to serve My Cause. These are servants whom We have preferred above Our servants and Our creation, and We have written for them from the Supreme Pen in the Crimson Book a station which was in truth exalted, and We have related them to My Self and made them branches of My Tree.

To this beareth witness My Self, the Truth, and behind it My Book which was from the horizon of the Cause visible.” Should anyone reflect upon that which hath been bestowed upon them, they would declare “this is naught but a great bounty and a noble station.” His honor Muhammad, one of My Afnans, upon him be My glory, is engaged in serving the Cause. God willing, may he ever be assisted. “We verily assisted him before and manifested through him that which caused the fragrance of detachment to be diffused throughout creation. Thus hath spoken the Pen in this station which was through justice raised up.”

O Javad! The servant who is present hath presented his letter before the Wronged One. We have heard and answered. Verily thy Lord was ever-hearing, ever-answering. Give him the glad-tidings of that which hath been sent down for him from the prison, that he may rejoice in that which was from the heaven of revelation sent down. Glory be upon him and upon them and upon whosoever was steadfast in the Cause.

The sweet fragrances of divine grace and mercy have ever wafted in relation to the honored Afnans, upon them be all the most glorious Baha. God willing, may all…

BH03960: O Ni’matu’llah! Know thou that, according to what thy…

In the name of Him Who walketh and speaketh in the Prison

O Ni’matu’llah! Know thou that, according to what thy Lord, the Lord of all men, hath decreed in His Book, the favors vouchsafed by Him unto mankind have been, and will ever remain, limitless in their range. First and foremost among these favors, which the Almighty hath conferred upon man, is the gift of understanding. His purpose in conferring such a gift is none other except to enable His creature to know and recognize the one true God—exalted be His glory. This gift giveth man the power to discern the truth in all things, leadeth him to that which is right, and helpeth him to discover the secrets of creation. Next in rank, is the power of vision, the chief instrument whereby his understanding can function. The senses of hearing, of the heart, and the like, are similarly to be reckoned among the gifts with which the human body is endowed. Immeasurably exalted is the Almighty Who hath created these powers, and revealed them in the body of man.

Every one of these gifts is an undoubted evidence of the majesty, the power, the ascendancy, the all-embracing knowledge of the one true God—exalted be His glory. Consider the sense of touch. Witness how its power hath spread itself over the entire human body. Whereas the faculties of sight and of hearing are each localized in a particular center, the sense of touch embraceth the whole human frame. Glorified be His power, magnified be His sovereignty! These gifts are inherent in man himself. That which is preeminent above all other gifts, is incorruptible in nature, and pertaineth to God Himself, is the gift of Divine Revelation. Every bounty conferred by the Creator upon man, be it material or spiritual, is subservient unto this. It is, in its essence, and will ever so remain, the Bread which cometh down from Heaven. It is God’s supreme testimony, the clearest evidence of His truth, the sign of His consummate bounty, the token of His all-encompassing mercy, the proof of His most loving providence, the symbol of His most perfect grace. He hath, indeed, partaken of this highest gift of God who hath recognized His Manifestation in this Day.

Render thanks unto thy Lord for having vouchsafed unto thee so great a bounty. Lift up thy voice and say: All praise be to Thee, O Thou, the Desire of every understanding heart!

BH04047: The Wronged One testifeth that there is none other…

He is the All-Explaining, the All-Wise

The Wronged One testifeth that there is none other God but Him, and He Who speaketh is indeed the One mentioned in the Books, the Scriptures and the Tablets. Through Him knowledge hath appeared before the faces of the world and the Sun of Understanding hath shone forth from the horizon of this Heaven which was named the Most Great Prison in My perspicuous Book. We have manifested the Cause when the heedless entered into this mighty Stronghold. O peoples of the earth! By God, that which was hidden from all eyes and inscribed in God’s Books, the Lord of all worlds, hath appeared. Beware lest human conditions prevent you from the Possessor of Destiny Who proclaimeth:

“There is none other God but I, the Most High, the Most Great.”

The standard of Islam hath been reversed and its throne demolished by what the hands of the heedless have wrought—they who broke God’s Covenant and Testament and cast aside what was sent down from His mighty and wondrous Kingdom. Fear God and follow not your desires. Follow ye the straight path of God. Say: O concourse of divines! Fear ye the Lord of Names. He hath come with the truth with a sovereignty that hath conquered all who are in the heavens and earth. Through your oppression the Apostle hath lamented in the Most Exalted Paradise, and the Spirit in the Supreme Kingdom, and the Wronged One in this noble station. We summoned them to the Living Waters but they issued a decree against Us.

Lo! They are among the most lost. From the Pen of God, the Lord of this luminous Day: O thou who gazest toward My horizon, hearken unto My call. We have remembered thee in a Tablet whereby the Supreme Concourse and the dwellers of this glorious and mighty Scene are blessed. Glory be upon thee and upon those who have cast away the world, turning unto the Lord of Eternity Who hath appeared with the truth and spoken amongst the nations that which hath caused the limbs of those who denied God, the Almighty, the Powerful, to quake.

BH04122: O Mihdi! Blessed is thy father who migrated…

He is the All-Knowing Witness.

O Mihdi! Blessed is thy father who migrated from his home in his longing to attain the presence of God and appeared before the Throne when the Cause was veiled in manifest obscurity. He drank from the Kawthar of reunion before its manifestation and attained to the Hidden Mystery before its revelation. To this testifieth He with Whom is a mighty Book. He was with Me for numbered days in the prison of Mim. Thus doth his Ancient Lord make mention of him—He Who proclaimeth from the heart of the world: “There is none other God but Me, the One, the All-Informed.”

He is among those who were martyred in the path of God and who drank the cup of nearness and good-pleasure from the hand of the bounty of his Lord, the Generous. Blessed is he, again blessed is he, and blessed are they who visit him, even as the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken in His mighty prison. The glory shining forth from the horizon of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon the Sacrifice who ascended unto God, the Lord of all worlds. We have remembered him with that which surpasseth all that the people possess, and We remember him as a token of Our grace, for verily I am the Forgiving, the Merciful.

O Mihdi! We have heard thy call and have answered thee with this Tablet that thou mayest rejoice and be of the thankful. Say: Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having remembered me while I was among the heedless. I beseech Thee to assist me in Thy remembrance and praise and in that which Thou hast revealed in Thy perspicuous Book. And I beseech Thee to forgive me and my father and my uncle, and to remit our sins through Thy grace and generosity, O Thou through Whose Name the ocean of forgiveness surgeth in all creation, and the fragrance of generosity wafteth among the worlds, and the sweet savors of bounty are diffused throughout existence. Verily Thou art the Possessor of the hidden and the manifest. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH04211: To ʿAbdu’l-Wahhab, son of him who ascended…

To ʿAbdu’l-Wahhab, son of him who ascended to the Supreme Companion—He is the All-Knowing Witness

A mention from Us to one who heard the Call and turned to the Supreme Horizon—the station wherein the Lote Tree of the Uttermost End speaks forth from the luminous spot: “Verily there is no God but Me, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”

We mentioned thee before and mention thee at this time. Be thou thankful and say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Wronged One, the All-Mentioned, and glory be unto Thee, O Thou Rememberer, the All-Knowing.”

I testify that Thou didst arise with the Cause and didst manifest that which was hidden from time immemorial and treasured within Thy knowledge. Verily Thou art the Mighty, the Powerful.

Know thou the value of this Book. Nothing thou hast heard or seen can equal it—to this testifieth every fair-minded and informed one. The fragrance of utterance hath been diffused throughout all possibility. Exalted is the All-Merciful Who hath appeared and made manifest His straight Path.

We make mention of thy father who drank the choice wine from the hand of My bounty and soared in My atmosphere and acknowledged that which My tongue acknowledged and confessed that which My Pen proclaimed, and attained unto the Supreme Companion when he sought the most exalted Summit—the station which none save God, the Mighty, the Wise, hath understood. I testify that he heard the Call and responded to the Lord of all beings and turned to the Face after the passing of all things. Blessed is the tongue that uttered his remembrance and the soul that turned unto him, pure for the sake of its Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous.

O thou who art mentioned! Rejoice in what hath been sent down unto thee, then beseech thy Lord to strengthen thee in that which will cause thy remembrance to endure through the eternity of His most beautiful names. Verily He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. Glory be upon thee and upon him who hath attained unto this mighty station.

BH04339: O Razi! May you be illumined by the effulgences…

In the name of the Everlasting Seer!

O Razi! May you be illumined by the effulgences of the Sun of Truth, speaking in remembrance of the one true Friend, steadfast in His love and firm in His Cause. If you are poor, the All-Sufficient is with you.

When this Wronged One was beneath chains and fetters in the Land of Ta, two days passed during which nothing touched His lips and He possessed not a single coin. At that time He was the Most Affluent of all the world—one whose wealth was attained from the utmost degree of poverty, and who was not saddened or ashamed by abasement and worldly disgrace in the path of the Lord of all being. He was and is with you—grieve not.

After sorrow comes joy; be not downcast, for boundless relief follows. In this very world countless doors exist—God willing, they shall be opened by the finger of will, and new worlds shall be witnessed in this world. He loved and loves poverty, and sits and communes with it.

If thou sittest upon dust, grieve not—the Lord of the Throne is with thee. If thou art hungry, be not sorrowful—the place of heavenly food beholds thee. If thy night is without light, be not downcast—the Dawning-Place of light is present.

Verily, I commune with every poor one, sit with every lowly one, turn toward every oppressed one, and behold every grief-stricken one. The sweetness and delight of the utterance of the All-Merciful transforms and removes the bitterness of this mortal world. Blessed is he who has found the fragrance of My utterance and has held fast with patience to My straight path. Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH04278: In My Name, the One Who Rules over what…

In My Name, the One Who Rules over what was and what will be.

This is a Book which testifies before the world to that which the Lord of Nations testified before the creation of earth and heaven—that there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. We have heard thy call time and again, and have answered thee as a favor from Us. Verily thy Lord is the Compassionate, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

The ocean of utterance surged when stirred by the fragrance of thy love. Thus was the matter decreed, that thou mightest give thanks unto thy Lord, the Goal of all return. He who was named Muhammad came before the Wronged One in the Most Great Prison with thy letter, from which We found the fragrance of thy sincerity to God, the Lord of Lords. We sent with him that from which the sincere ones will perceive the fragrances of the garment from this Spot which God, the Lord of all directions, hath made. Then the servant who is present came with thy other letter and presented it before the Wronged One, and this Tablet was revealed for thee which speaketh the truth throughout ages and centuries.

Blessed art thou for having turned to My horizon, heard My call, spoken My praise, and arisen to serve My Cause whereby the mountains were shaken. We have accepted what thou didst in the prison. Give thanks unto God for this most great favor. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Be thou assured of God’s grace and mercy, then strive that there may appear from thee that which shall endure throughout the eternity of My most beautiful Names. Thy Lord verily aideth whom He willeth through a command from Him, and He is the Powerful over what will be and what hath been. The Glory shining from the horizon of grace be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto what they were promised in the Books, the Psalms and the Tablets.

BH04132: Praise be to God Who hath revealed…

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

Praise be to God Who hath revealed that which was hidden and manifested that which was treasured through the mystery of His Name, the Enchanting, which were it to be cast upon the mountains they would crumble, and upon the earth it would quake, and upon the heaven it would split, and upon the souls they would tremble, and upon the hearts they would be troubled, except for those preserved by the hand of might and power. He is, verily, the Mighty, the Unconstrained. And the essence of peace and the mystery of blessings be upon Him Who told of the Ancient Being in the world, through Whom were manifested God’s most beautiful names and His most exalted words and His most great attributes, and through Whom emerged God’s commandments and His laws and His sovereignty and His will, and upon His family and companions through whom the world attained to the Kawthar of knowledge and utterance and the choice wine of wisdom and exposition, and through whom were brightened the eyes of the people of divine unity and the fragrance of the garment was diffused among the people of truth.

And then, this evanescent servant hath attained unto your letter, from which every fair-minded one perceiveth the fragrance of love and affection and the sweet savors of nearness and unity. When I read it and understood it, I sought audience and presented it, whereupon He—may my spirit be a sacrifice for Him—said:

“Nothing will benefit him except persistence in what He hath intended for him, that he should hold fast to his occupation, placing his trust in God, the Lord of creation.”

The Truth beareth witness, and the fair-minded among creation, that whenever your letter reacheth this servant, joy and gladness seize him in every way and in every place. We beseech God to assist you and aid you and preserve you and grant you the best of what lieth with Him. Verily, He is the Judge, the Ruler, the Hearer, the Answerer.

BH04344: O Fadlu’llah! The All-Bountiful remembers thee with a bounty…

He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed

O Fadlu’llah! The All-Bountiful remembers thee with a bounty from His presence. He is verily the Powerful, the Forgiving, the Merciful. We have turned toward thee from the direction of the Prison and have remembered thee with that which was a light for the darkness of the earth, a Kawthar for all who thirst, and a spirit for the bodies of the worlds. Glory be to him who attains to My utterance, and exaltation to him who arises to serve My firm and mighty Cause. Rejoice thou in this Most Great Remembrance, then give thanks to thy Lord, the One Who rules over all who are in the heavens and the earth.

O Fadlu’llah! Praise be to God that thou hast attained to the grace of God [and thy remembrance hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen]. Blessed is the soul that hath today attained to this greatest bounty. Whatsoever thou hast done in the path of God is evident and manifest before God. Thy reward is with Him Who created thee and fashioned thee and aided thee in what thou didst accomplish on this straight path.

In the days of life, whatsoever thou hast done in truth returneth unto God. Praise be to God it hath been adorned with the ornament of acceptance. If thou wert to arise to offer thanks for this blessed word which hath shone forth from the Dayspring of the mouth of the Divine Will, for as long as the kingdom and the heavenly kingdom endure, it would verily be as naught. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the world and Desire of the nations, for having enabled me to recognize Thee and serve Thy chosen ones who have cast away the world in Thy days and turned to Thee in such wise that their blood was shed in Thy path. I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by them, to make me in all conditions steadfast in this Cause whereby the feet of the mystics have slipped. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

BH04345: Blessed are the friends of God and His chosen…

Blessed are the friends of God and His chosen ones who have grasped the cord of teaching with the wisdom We have sent down in the Book

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

O Qasim! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. He calls thee and makes mention of thee that thou mayest arise to serve the Cause of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Wise. Aid thou the Cause of God through wisdom and utterance, lest the clamor of those who have turned away be raised when the Countenance of the Ancient One came with a manifest light. Know thou that victory lies in teaching the Cause and in steadfastness in that which thou hast been commanded by the One Who is the Strong, the Ancient. Beware lest the affairs of men prevent thee from Him Who hath come with the truth with mighty sovereignty.

Say: Verily, He, from the Most Great Prison, summons the peoples unto God, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

We, from this station, send Our glorification upon the faces of Our loved ones who have cast behind them idle fancies and vain imaginings, turning unto the horizon of certitude, and upon him who turned to the Supreme Horizon and was named the Dove in the Kingdom of Names, and upon those who attained unto My choice wine, the mighty, the wondrous. By the life of God! Whoso drinketh thereof, nothing whatsoever shall prevent him from God, the Fashioner of the heavens. To this beareth witness the Lord of Names from His most glorious station. Blessed are they that hear!

O Qasim! Rejoice in that We have turned toward thee from this most exalted Station and have made mention of thee with that which hath diffused the fragrance of utterance. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Bountiful. We have heard thy call and have answered thee through this Tablet, with which nothing on earth can compare. Be thou thankful and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of them that know!

Glory be upon thee and upon him who hath spoken the truth in this mighty announcement.

BH04419: One must hearken with the soul to hear…

In the name of the one true God!

One must hearken with the soul to hear the call of the Beloved of the worlds which has been raised from the Prison. And whoever has attained to this supreme honor and mighty gift will not be held back from the Most Great Horizon and the Lord of Power by the adornments, riches and might of the world. The beauty of the world will not captivate him, nor will its dominion and majesty frighten him. He will drink of the Choice Wine that had been sealed through the name of the Self-Subsisting, in such wise that neither the clamor of the world nor the tumult of the nations will deprive him from the presence of the Friend.

O friends! Hear ye the call of the Wronged One, and act in accordance with what befits the Day of God. The rising and setting, the dawning and declining of the world proclaim on His behalf and make all aware of its change, transformation and evanescence. Blessed is the soul that is not occupied with its vain and transient conditions, nor with its unprofitable and worthless manifestations, and is not held back from the one true Goal.

Thy mention hath been made before the Throne, and this Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet hath been revealed in the most wondrous Persian tongue, that thou mayest drink from the chalices of the words of the All-Merciful the living waters, and remain firm and steadfast in the Cause of God. Be thou thankful and among those who give thanks.

Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. Glory be upon the people of Baha who have not broken God’s Covenant and His Testament, and have done that which they were bidden in His mighty Book.

BH04519: In My Name, the Almighty

In My Name, the Almighty

This is a Book known of God, the All-Protecting, the Self-Subsisting. Verily it calls all unto God, Lord of the unseen and the visible. Say: O people, fear God and follow not those who have disbelieved in God when He came with manifest sovereignty. By God’s life! They would make mention of the imaginary by night and by day, yet when He Who is known appeared, they denied Him and perceived not.

Every misbeliever has taken for himself a vain fancy apart from God. They understand not. They worshipped the unseen throughout ages and centuries, yet when He manifested Himself they denied Him, saying:

“It behooveth Him not to appear, for we have heard from our fathers that He is the Hidden Name.”

Say: By God! He is this One, and this is the treasured Mystery. Say: If ye desire the outward, verily He is this Speaker Who proclaimeth that there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Loving. And if ye desire the inward, verily He hath appeared but through this Name and speaketh but through this tongue, the Mighty, the Beloved. Say: Where is your goal, O company of vain imaginings? By God! If ye seek other than Me, it is but an idol unto you, did ye but know. He it is Who testifieth that there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. O thou who art dawning from the horizon of the Bayan! Reflect upon that which the All-Merciful hath revealed, and reflect upon that which the heedless have spoken. By My life! Were anyone to know what hath befallen My Self, he would weep both morn and eve. Read thou the Book, then render thanks unto Him for having revealed unto thee this assured Tablet.

BH04654: Verily We desire to give unto him who…

He is the One Who oversees all who are on earth and in heaven.

Verily We desire to give unto him who is named Elias the choice sealed wine through My Self-Subsisting Name, and We desire what Moses asked of God, the Lord of all worlds. Verily We have aided the children of Abraham in this Most Great Revelation and guided them to My Straight Path and assisted them to know Me and caused them to hear what Moses heard on the Mount of Recognition, and I am the Generous Giver.

Give thanks unto God for having made thee speak forth this Most Great Remembrance and for having caused thee to turn toward My luminous horizon. Be thou assured through thy Lord’s grace and say:

“O my God! I beseech Thee by the Most Great Announcement whereby the pillars of the world were shaken, to make me in all conditions hold fast to the cords of Thy grace and mercy and loving-kindness, and to stand firm in Thy Cause. Verily Thou art the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.”

Verily We have remembered the children of Abraham and the heirs of Moses in the letter Dal before Vav and given them glad tidings of My mercy that hath preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth. We have heard their call and answered them through Our grace, and I am the Hearer, the Answerer. And We remember them once again through these verses which have been sent down from the heaven of the grace of their Lord, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Convey My greetings unto them and then deliver unto them this clear Book that they may rejoice in this most great bounty and give thanks unto their Lord, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. The glory be upon thee and upon them and upon the son of him who was named David and upon every upright one who hath turned unto God.

BH04618: Praise be to God Who illumined the world through…

In the Name of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise!

Praise be to God Who illumined the world through the Light which shone forth and gleamed through His Most Great Name, whereby the Kingdom of Names was made to tremble and all the tribes of the earth lamented, save those whom He protected through His power and delivered through His grace. He, verily, is the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

O Fadl! We have witnessed thy devotion and heard thy call, yet We have withheld the Pen until this time, in accordance with the wisdom of God, the Lord of all worlds. We counsel thee and all who are on earth to be trustworthy, chaste and faithful, and to act in such ways as will exalt the Cause of God amongst all peoples. He, verily, is the Helper, the Almighty, the All-Informed. Blessed is he who hath cast away vain desire, holding fast to the Sure Handle, and woe betide the heedless.

The Wronged One calleth out at all times, summoning all to God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen, the Lord of the glorious Throne. Rejoice thou in the remembrance of the Wronged One, for He hath made mention of thee in His Most Great Prison. We beseech God to aid thee and grant thee success in that which He loveth and is pleased with. He, verily, is the Hearer, the Answerer of prayer.

Say: O God of Names and Sovereign of earth and heaven! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance, which shall endure after all things have passed away, to ordain for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen that which will draw me nigh unto Thee and enable me to act according to that which Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. Then decree for me, through Thy bounty and grace, the good of both this world and the next, O Thou Who art the Lord of the Throne and the dust, and the Lord of the exalted Seat!

BH04649: O My Most Exalted Pen! Speak forth…

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

O My Most Exalted Pen! Speak forth in the kingdom of utterance and remind the people of this Day, the mention of which hath adorned the Books of God, the Lord of all worlds. Let not the multitude of enemies, nor the gloating of the wretched ones, nor the doubts of the divines prevent thee. Beware lest thou regard the creatures and their doings. Speak forth that which thou art bidden by the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We have created thee for My remembrance and praise, and for that which the Tongue of My Grandeur hath testified in the kingdom of My utterance—that there is none other God but Me, the Almighty, the Powerful.

Say: O people of the earth! That which was promised in the Scriptures of God hath appeared, and He Who was hidden behind the veils of the Unseen hath come. Fear God and be not of them that turn away. Beware lest desire prevent you from the Lord of all creation. Cast away vain imaginings, turning unto the horizon of certitude. Say: This is the Day of remembrance and utterance, did ye but know it, and this is the Day of steadfastness and certitude, did ye but recognize it. This is the Day wherein the tongue of mercy speaketh, did ye but hear it.

O thou who hearkeneth! Hearken unto the Call that hath been raised from the precincts of the Prison. Verily it guideth thee to a station wherein the hints of the perverse ones and the doubts of the deniers shall not grieve thee. From this spot We send Our glorification upon thee and upon them that are with thee, and upon those who have inhaled the fragrance of the Divine Vestment in that land. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

BH04822: Your letter hath reached the Most Great Prison…

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Hearing.

Your letter hath reached the Most Great Prison, and that which was mentioned therein hath been heard. May you ever drink from the Kawthar of the eternal Beloved’s loving-kindness, and abide beneath the shade of the Tree of grace. There hath appeared on earth that which was hidden from time immemorial and will remain concealed forevermore. Blessed are they that have attained thereunto and have received their portion from the divine ocean of revelation.

All peoples rejoiced at the mention of this most holy, most exalted Day, yet when the Sun of loving-kindness shone forth from the horizon of grace and the world was illumined by the lights of His manifestation, all turned away save those souls who, with the arm of certitude, shattered the idols of idle fancies and were enabled to hearken unto the call of God, exalted be His glory. Whosoever hath this day attained unto the Goal—that is, hath recognized Him—is mentioned in the Perspicuous Book as being among those near unto God. Should you spend your entire life extolling God, it would still be as naught compared to this supreme bounty. Give thanks unto God thy Lord, for He hath remembered thee in the Most Great Prison through this luminous Tablet. Say: O my God! I beseech Thee by the Manifestation of Thyself and the Dayspring of Thy Cause to aid me to love Thee and to win Thy good-pleasure, and to stand firm in Thy Cause. I moreover beseech Thee, O my God, to ordain for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen that which shall profit me in the world to come and in this world. There is none other God but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

BH04759: O thou Muhammad-Sadiq! Upon thee be the Glory…

He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great, the Most Glorious

O thou Muhammad-Sadiq! Upon thee be the Glory of God! The Tongue of the All-Merciful hath testified of him who speaketh the truth, that he is indeed the Hidden Mystery, the Treasured Symbol, and the Sealed Book. He hath appeared in truth, and He is the Rememberer and the Remembered, the Witness and the Witnessed. The Tongue of Eternity hath spoken amongst the nations, and the Books of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, have proclaimed His Manifestation. Every Messenger sent with truth hath testified to Him, and every Prophet hath attained unto this Hidden News. Whoso hath attained unto Him hath attained unto the presence of God, and whoso hath turned away is accounted among the idolaters in the Preserved Tablet.

Thy remembrance was mentioned before the Wronged One. There hath been sent down for thee that which hath caused the hearts of the chosen ones to soar and all things to speak. The Cause hath come, and sovereignty belongeth unto God, the Mighty, the Loving. Rejoice thou in My remembrance and arise to serve the Cause of thy Lord, the Possessor of the seen and the unseen. Convey My glorification to My loved ones who have cast away all else but Me and have drunk the choice wine of steadfastness from the hand of My bounty, and say: By God! This is the Day wherein the Self-Subsisting hath come with His irrevocable decree. Beware lest anything withhold you from God. Verily, He hath appeared in truth and unto Him shall all return.

Glory be upon thee and upon them and upon those who have cast aside vain imaginings and idle fancies. These are My chosen ones in My realms and My loved ones throughout My lands. Upon them rest My prayers and My mercy and My grace and My loving-kindness, which have preceded all created things. Praise be to God, the Lord of this Promised Day.

BH04715: In My Name, the Forgiving, the Merciful!

In My Name, the Forgiving, the Merciful!

A remembrance from Us for those who have attained to recognition when the All-Merciful came and held fast to His mighty cord. Verily We have sent down the verses and manifested the clear proofs, yet the people remain in evident veils. Behold and recall when We seized the mighty one with a power from Us and a strength from Our presence. Verily thy Lord is the Powerful, the Mighty.

He showed pride before God and there befell him from his party that which caused the dwellers of the most exalted Paradise and the people of this noble station to lament. We rained down upon him from the heaven of justice the arrows of tribulation—evil was the rain of those who warn. There hath appeared in this Revelation that which never appeared before—to this testifieth every fair-minded and perceiving one. There hath been sent down from My Most Exalted Pen that which was hidden from all eyes. To this doth My truthful and trustworthy tongue bear witness. When thou findest the fragrance of My utterance, render thanks and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds!” I testify that Thou hast appeared and revealed to Thy servants that which draweth them nigh unto Thy most exalted horizon and acquainteth them with Thy straight path.

Nothing whatsoever escapeth Thy knowledge. Thou doest what Thou willest and ordainest what Thou desirest. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful. I beseech Thee, O Beloved of the world and Desire of the nations, Who hath appeared with the Most Great Name, that Thou disappoint me not from the rain-showers of the clouds of Thy grace and aid me to serve Thy Cause. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

BH04816: A Book from Our presence unto him who hath…

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

A Book from Our presence unto him who hath turned and attained unto the knowledge of God according to a prescribed measure. O Baqir! Didst thou but know the station of My Day, thou wouldst soar upon the wings of detachment in Mine atmosphere, and arise to celebrate My praise and glory amongst My servants. Verily thy Lord speaketh as He pleaseth; none can withstand His command. He doeth and ordaineth as He willeth, and He is the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. We have made mention of thee and of them that have believed in that land through verses from which the fragrance of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, is wafted abroad. We have been with those who were afflicted with tribulation in My path.

Verily thy Lord is He Who hath power over what was and what shall be. How many a learned one turned away from the Cause, and how many a learned one spent what he possessed in My path and bore hardships in My love, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. By God’s life! He hath left nothing unmentioned in the Book. Soon shall that which was hidden in His knowledge be revealed. Blessed is he who hath recognized what hath been sent down in this Tablet, and woe unto every heedless one who turneth away. O My loved ones in that land! Rejoice at My remembrance of you and My turning towards you from this Spot round which circle angels who are nigh unto God.

The glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My grace be upon you and upon them who have acted according to what hath been sent down in the Book by God, the Lord of existence. Whoso achieveth good deeds, upon him shall descend from the heaven of divine favor a mercy from His presence and a blessing from His court. He, verily, is the Mighty, the Glorious, the All-Loving.

BH04711: At this moment it occurred to this evanescent one…

He is God, exalted be His bounty!

At this moment it occurred to this evanescent one to submit a matter concerning items sent from the friends of God, so that this mention may become the cause of joy and delight. Therefore it is submitted that whatever each person sent arrived complete according to what was written, and the details were presented at the Most Holy Court, and all were adorned with the ornament of divine favor and mention of God, exalted be His glory. Of the fruit from that beloved one’s garden which was especially honored to reach His presence, He partook of several pieces. In brief, all attained His favors. In all conditions we must mention God’s bounties, observe His bestowals, and speak forth His praise and thanksgiving. Blessed is His bounty which attained acceptance, and blessed is the soul that was mentioned and attained the Beloved’s favor.

This evanescent servant has specifically written and sent this letter so that all the friends, leaves, and handmaidens of God may rejoice and drink from the ocean of God’s favor and become mindful through this mention. The purpose was and is to manifest the outpourings of the True Bestower and divine favors. God willing, may all in that land and its surroundings be present at the table of grace and partake of the heavenly feast. Verily He is the Giver, the Bestower, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Glory be upon you and upon them from the presence of the Mighty, the Great.

The servant

BH04708: To be typed

To be typed.

BH05231: He dawneth above the horizon of immortality

He dawneth above the horizon of immortality

O Mahmud! The Wronged One makes mention of thee from His All-Praised Station and gives thee glad tidings of God’s mercy and His loving-kindness, that thou mayest rejoice and be of the thankful ones. This is a Day wherein the ocean of bounty is in motion and the Lord of existence speaks: “There is none other God but Me, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.” I have manifested My Self and revealed that whereby the hearts of all who are in earth and heaven were attracted, except such as have violated the Covenant and denied this momentous News.

We make mention of thee through that which bestows wings upon them that desire to soar in this atmosphere from which can be heard the melodious warbling of the Bird of My wondrous utterance. O Mahmud! Thou hast attained unto divine favor. We beseech God that thou mayest remain steadfast in His Cause and be enabled to make mention of Him amongst His servants. We counsel thee to observe wisdom lest there appear that which may perturb the hearts of them that have turned towards Him.

Convey My greetings to all the friends in that land and say:

“Precious is this Day and mighty is this Cause. Implore ye God to protect you from the doubts of the deniers and the corrupt ones.”

At no time or age hath God, exalted be His glory, manifested Himself in such wise. All divine Books bear witness and will continue to bear witness unto this truth. He, verily, is the Herald, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

Glory be unto the people of Baha who have cast away idle fancies and drunk from the hand of His bounty the Kawthar of certitude.

BH05061: May my spirit be a sacrifice for your love!…

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

May my spirit be a sacrifice for your love! The servant has found the fragrance of utterance from your outward words which tell of the essence of love and affection. It is as though every limb of mine has a mouth and has tasted the sweetness contained therein in remembrance of the Beloved of the worlds. By your life, then by your life, the heart rejoices in your mention and your letter and your sincerity towards God alone. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist your honor in all conditions and to unite us in His presence. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Giving, the All-Informed.

The servant was gladdened by the breaking of a hand that had stretched forth in oppression and tyranny. We beseech God that other hands may meet the same fate—those who have acted as he acted. Verily He is the Just, the Avenger, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

As for what your honor mentioned regarding the house—everything that proceeds from your honor is excellent, excellent, as it was said of old: “Everything from the excellent one is excellent.”

And concerning what you mentioned about Iraq—the circle of evil has encompassed them, and this is what the Desired One has informed of in various Tablets. We beseech God to assist its people to return. Verily He is the Forgiving, the Generous.

And it is hoped, through your wondrous favors upon this servant, that you will graciously convey my greetings to those who are with your honor among the loved ones of God and those who are in Iraq, especially Jinab-i-Hajj Abbas and Jinab-i-Muhammad-ʿAli the imprisoned. Then the Most Glorious Glory be upon your honor and upon those who have been honored to serve you.

The servant. 19 Dhi’l-Hijjih.

BH05237: O Musa! The Lord of Names makes mention…

He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great, the Most Glorious

O Musa! The Lord of Names makes mention of thee and reminds thee of that which hath appeared and shone forth from the horizon of God’s Will, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting. We have sent down from the heaven of revelation that which profiteth the servants. He Who speaketh beareth witness that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Loving.

The Hidden Treasure hath appeared, yet the people perceive it not. The Mother Book hath been sent down, yet the people understand it not. They have cast the Book of God behind their backs, having followed every ignorant one who is rejected. Say: Fear ye God, and follow not those who have cast aside the Covenant of God and have done that which hath caused the denizens of the Most Exalted Paradise to lament in a praiseworthy station. Cast aside what your desires command you and take hold of that which ye have been given by God, the Lord of the Unseen and the Seen. Verily He hath appeared and made manifest that which hath caused the breezes of revelation to waft throughout the world and the fragrance of the garment to be diffused, did ye but know.

They behold the signs before their faces, yet deny them, and they hear the call of God, yet turn away from it. Say: Follow, O people of the earth, that which God hath ordained in His promised Day. Rejoice in that thou hast been mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One, and in that which hath been sent down for thee wherewith the near ones have attained. The splendor shining forth from the horizon of thy Lord’s will, the Creator of the heavens, be upon those who have laid hold on the Sure Handle and clung to the hem of the loving-kindness of their Lord, the Bestower, the All-Forgiving.

BH05488: This is a Book which the All-Merciful hath sent…

He is the Dawning One from the horizon of the heaven of grace

This is a Book which the All-Merciful hath sent down for all who are in the realm of possibilities, calling all unto a station to which the Supreme Pen, and those who dwell in the cities of names, and beyond them the Tongue of God, the Lord of all worlds, have testified. O people of Baha! Take heed lest the conditions of the world cause you to waver. Leave behind what the people possess and take hold of that which ye are commanded by One Who is All-Knowing, All-Informed. Hold fast unto wisdom and cleave unto that which God hath ordained in His precious and wondrous Book. This is a Day wherein every atom among atoms proclaimeth: The Revealer of verses hath come!

Hasten, O concourse of the hesitant ones, and follow not every accursed Satan. Take the chalice of utterance in the name of your Lord, the Sovereign of all religions—this is My Book, the mighty, the wise. Beware lest the conditions of creation sadden you and prevent you from this Truth that calleth out with the most exalted call: “He Who fashioned the heavens hath come! The Kingdom is God’s, the Dominant over all who are in the heavens and all who are on earth.” Blessed is the tongue that hath spoken His praise, and the eye that hath beheld the light of His countenance, and the ear that hath heard the melody of God from the direction of His mighty Prison.

Thereupon did all things speak forth at this time: “Blessed be the All-Merciful Who hath sent down this wondrous Tablet.” The glory shining forth from the horizon of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon those who have arisen to serve the Cause of their Lord, the All-Bountiful. Praise be to God, the Most High, the Most Great.

BH05421: God testifies that there is no God but Him…

He is the Witness from His most exalted horizon

God testifies that there is no God but Him, and that He Who speaks is indeed the Dawning-Place of His signs and the Dayspring of His clear tokens—He at Whose appearance the heaven was cleft asunder, the earth was rent, and its peoples lamented, save whom God willed, the Lord of all worlds. Through Him appeared what was inscribed in the Books of God, and His advent was heralded by the Point of the Bayan and before Him by God’s Messengers, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. By God! The Self-Subsisting has come, giving His sealed choice wine to drink to those near unto Him. Blessed is he who turned, partook and drank in My Name, the Munificent. Beware lest the affairs of creation hold thee back from the Truth.

Cast aside all else and take what hath come unto thee through His binding and wise command. Make mention of thy Lord with wisdom and utterance, that through it may be attracted the hearts of those who were heedless of this momentous News. Say: This is the News whereof God gave tidings in every age, and through it the horizon of utterance was illumined. Thus have We set forth the verses, sent them down in truth, and dispatched them unto thee that thou mayest be thankful and be of them that remember. Say: This is the Day of Utterance and this is the Day of Praise, would ye but know. Say: Make haste, O people, to gain what escaped you in the days of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. The glory be upon thee and upon those whom nothing whatsoever hath held back from God, the Lord of this wondrous Day.

BH05614: O Murad! God’s will is manifest and His purpose…

He is God, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing

O Murad! God’s will is manifest and His purpose evident. The heirs of Moses and the children of Abraham have in this Most Great Revelation attained supreme bounty. Beseech God that He may aid all to remain steadfast and to that which will exalt the Cause. The Cause is most mighty, and likewise the satans lie in ambush. God willing, may they soar in the atmosphere of the Merciful’s love on the wings of steadfastness and certitude.

The mention of the believers has been and continues to be in God’s Kingdom. By My life! Its effects shall become manifest and evident in the world. Convey on behalf of this Wronged One greetings to all and give them the glad-tidings of God’s favors. From the land of Ha and Mim the fragrance of sincerity is inhaled. Blessed are they who have taken the most exalted cup and drunk therefrom the sealed wine in My Most Glorious Name, despite those who have broken God’s Covenant and His Testament, who have denied His bounty and turned away from His manifest sovereignty. The Glory be upon you and upon those who have attained this mighty station. We, from this station, send Our greetings to My loved ones and to your brother, and We beseech Him to ordain for him the reward of attaining His presence and to write down for him that which shall profit him in all the worlds of His worlds. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Praise be to Him, for He is the Mighty, the Great.

BH05319: O handmaid of God, desire nothing from the Friend…

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

O handmaid of God, desire nothing from the Friend save the Friend, and seek naught from the Beloved save His good-pleasure. His favor is better than a hundred thousand children, and His good-pleasure sweeter than a hundred thousand worlds. If thou attain this station and achieve this blessing, thou art possessed of the Kingdom. This is the most great bounty and the supreme bestowal.

Thy letter was received and was honored to attain the glance of favor from the Dawning-Place of the Light of Oneness. God, exalted be His glory, hath remembered and will remember His servants and handmaidens. Forgetfulness doth not overtake Him—His station is sanctified above forgetfulness, let alone His Most Holy Essence. Give thanks to the Beloved of the world that He heard thy call and made mention of thee in the Most Great Prison with words that are more precious in the sight of God than all the treasures of earth and all its bounties.

Say: Glory be to Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp are the keys to the treasuries of glory and wealth, and in Whose right hand is the control of acceptance and prosperity! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Glorious Name, through which, when it appeared, all things spoke and the breezes of grace wafted over all who dwell in the kingdom of creation, to ordain for me that which shall profit me and remain with me in my world and my afterlife. O Lord! Thou knowest me better than I know myself, so write down for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen that which is best for me. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Ordainer, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH05565: O Akhtar! Your plea hath been heard…

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

O Akhtar! Your plea hath been heard in the Most Great Scene by the Lord of Power. The sweet fragrances of love were inhaled therefrom. By the Sun of the heaven of utterance! This is the Day of mention and praise, and the Day of steadfastness and faithfulness. The tongue was created for this Day and the ears for hearing the Call. Blessed is the eye that hath turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon, and the hand that hath been raised toward the heaven of His bounty. That which flowed from the tongue of love in praise and glorification of the Wronged One hath appeared and been made manifest. The servant in attendance made mention that the recompense thereof lieth with God, exalted be His glory.

Be thou happy and be of those who render thanks. That which is accounted as the most mighty of all deeds in the presence of the Throne this day is steadfastness in this mighty Cause. By My life! This is a momentous tiding wherewith God hath given the glad-tidings in His Books and Scriptures. Blessed is the soul that hath attained thereunto. We have remembered thee with that which shall never perish, throughout the eternity of My names and attributes. Give praise and say: Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds! Glory be upon those who have hearkened unto the Call and acted according to that which they were bidden by God, the Lord of Names, in this Most Great and Wondrous Revelation.