Volume 070: Akka 1300 A.H. (1882–1883), Part I (2 of 5)

BH11695: Glorified be He Who hath revealed unto us…

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

Glorified be He Who hath revealed unto us that which was inscribed in His Book and concealed within His knowledge; Who hath honored us with His presence and made known unto us the Dayspring of His Revelation and the Dawning-Place of His verses; Who hath guided us unto His Path and given us to drink of the choice wine of His utterance; Who hath caused us to behold His horizon and to hearken unto His Call—whilst ears were even as red sulphur in their deafness, and eyes were blind, and souls were inebriated, nay, struck down in their heedlessness. And glorified be He Who hath manifested that which lay hidden in the eternity of eternities, and hath sent down that before which the mountains have trembled. Verily, He it is Whom the marshalled hosts of the world have not deterred, nor the batteries of the nations withstood. He doeth whatsoever He willeth and ordaineth whatsoever He desireth, and He is the Omnipotent, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

And may the Peace that shineth forth from the City of Peace, and the Light that dawneth from the horizon of the providence of our Lord, the Sovereign of all mankind, rest upon those who have heard the Call and turned their faces unto the Most Sublime Horizon, and have wrought that which was enjoined upon them in the Scriptures and the Tablets. These are the lamps of guidance amidst all created things. Upon them do the Concourse on high and the denizens of the Kingdom of Names invoke blessings at eventide and at dawn—nay, at all times.

Furthermore: this servant hath received that which was revealed from the interpreter of thy heart, and hath detected therefrom the fragrance of thy sincerity, thy submission and thy humility before God—our Beloved and your Beloved, our Goal and your Goal, and the Goal of all who dwell in the heavens and on earth. When I received and recognized this, I soared upon the wings of longing until I attained the presence of the Countenance of the Lord of the Day of Severance, and presented that which was set forth in thy letter. When the reading thereof was completed, the Countenance of the Ancient of Days turned toward me, and He spoke that which caused the Most Mighty Ocean to surge. He said—and His Word is the sweetest of all:

In My Name, the Manifest, the Speaking, the Trustworthy

O servant of God! Rejoice in that the face of the Wronged One hath turned towards thee from this place which hath been named the Most Great Prison by the Lord of eternity. Thy Lord is, verily, the All-Hearing, the One Who answereth prayer. We have detected from thee the fragrance of My love, and We have turned unto thee from this remote spot and revealed unto thee that from which thou canst inhale the sweet-scented perfume of My luminous robe. Blessed is the servant who hath cast away vain desire and laid hold on righteousness. He is of the people of My crimson Ark, the mention of which was revealed in the Qayyumu’l-Asma, and which was announced by My Herald Who sacrificed His life for My sake, and proclaimed unto the people My manifestation, My advent, My dawning, My arising, and My Cause, firm and mighty. Blessed is the ear that hath heard the call of the Wronged One and the eye that hath beheld that which hath shone forth from the horizon of the will of his Lord, the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

O servant of God! The servant who was present brought thy letter and presented it before My face while the Wronged One was walking in this exalted spot. We heard it and have answered thee with that which diffuseth the fragrance of God’s bounty, the Lord of all worlds. We send greetings from this spot unto thee and unto My loved ones who have cast away what the people possess, yearning for that which is with their Lord, the All-Merciful, the Compassionate. We counsel them to fear God and to do that which exalteth His great Cause.

Say: O people of Baha, should anyone come unto you with the tablets of fire and the book of the wicked, cast them behind you and hold fast unto the Book of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Rejoice, O My loved ones! By God, through you the clouds pour down their bounty and the earth yieldeth its blessings and favors. Thus doth the clear Book that is with Him give you glad-tidings. Beware lest the conditions of men debar you from the Lord of creation, or the might of those in the land who have cast the Book of God behind their backs and followed every wicked transgressor cause you to fear. Hold fast unto goodly conduct in all conditions and cleave unto the hem of wisdom—a command from the One Who is All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Upon you be praiseworthy character and goodly deeds. These are God’s hosts on earth, as attesteth every discerning and insightful one. The glory be upon you, O My loved ones! Blessed be your faces and your ears. Ye have attained unto that which was the purpose in God’s Books of the past and of the future. Verily your Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Expositor, the Mighty, the Trusted One.

Praise be to God! The waves of the ocean of divine bounty have encompassed the friends. I swear by the Sun of the horizon of utterance that all the world cannot equal a single verse thereof. Today, all who dwell on earth are heedless and know not the fruits, mysteries and traces of the mention of God, exalted be His glory. For were the fruits of but one letter thereof to be cast upon those on earth, by God Himself the Truth, all would turn, detached from all else, to the most exalted horizon. O friend! The intoxication of heedlessness has seized all and deprived them of the outpourings of the All-Bountiful, save whom thy Lord willeth. How blessed is the one whose mention hath been made in the Most Holy Court. The Point of the Bayan, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake, hath said that all existence is for the purpose that one might be mentioned but once in His presence. Likewise, in exalting the Divine Word, these sublime utterances have issued forth from the Dayspring of the All-Merciful’s expression—His word, exalted be His remembrance:

“If one were to transcribe a single verse thereof, it would be better than transcribing the entire Bayan and all books written therein, for all shall pass away while that shall endure.”

Were one to reflect upon this utterance, the condition of those who have turned away from among the people of the Bayan and others, as well as the loftiness and sublimity of this Most Great Cause, would become evident and manifest. Blessed are the fair-minded! Blessed are they who know! Blessed is every learned one who hath attained unto this most exalted station and been adorned with the ornament of this Most Great Announcement!

I convey greetings and salutations to all the friends in that land and say: Today is the day of mention and praise, and the day of deeds for God’s sake. May you be assisted, God willing, in that which endureth and lasteth forever. Although through divine grace you have been enabled to make mention of God—exalted be His station and His grandeur—this is a station that description cannot encompass nor can the praise of all created things attain unto it. God willing, may this station be preserved through the name of the Lord of all mankind, for the Supreme Pen hath previously given tidings of the tablets of fire and the book of Sijjin and the croaking of the ravens and the schemes of the schemers. May God protect us and you from the schemes of every schemer and the deceit of every deceiver and the evil of every accursed satan.

I convey greetings and salutations to the honored friend, his eminence Aqa Mirza Ahmad, upon him be the glory of God and His favors. May he be, God willing, the recipient of the infinite bounties of God, exalted be His glory, occupied with His remembrance and engaged in His service. From the heaven of divine Will there hath been sent down especially for him, and likewise for each of the names mentioned in his book, that which brighteneth and illumineth the eyes of those near unto God and the sincere ones. In truth, any person of insight and hearing who readeth a single verse of the divine verses and findeth its sweetness will observe himself to be detached and sanctified from all who dwell on earth and whatsoever they possess.

Praise be to God that he hath attained unto perfect bounty and hath likewise become the cause of bounties. Blessed be he and they. The ocean of grace is so tempestuous that every fair-minded one is bewildered. There is no God but Him, the Revealer, the Manifester, the Bestower, the Forgiving, the Generous. And beyond that which hath been sent down from the heaven of bounty especially for him in this page, another Tablet hath also been revealed from the heaven of grace, and from the horizon of each word thereof, the Sun of the favors of the Sovereign of existence and the Lord of the seen and unseen doth shine forth and appear. Blessed are they who have attained unto Tablets that cannot be equaled by whatsoever existeth in the world.

The Glory that is manifest and resplendent from the horizon of the heaven of the grace of our Lord and your Lord be upon you and upon those who have been mentioned by the Most Exalted Pen of God in His perspicuous Book. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH02313: Praise be to God Who set in motion…

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

Praise be to God Who set in motion the spheres in the heaven of mystic knowledge through the winds of the will of His Name, the All-Merciful. When they moved, the light shone forth and spread across the face of the sky, becoming brilliant stars. Exalted is the Dawning-Place of verses through which mysteries were revealed in the beginning and the return. And blessings and peace be upon Him through Whom the Sun of Reality dawned upon creation and the Dove cooed upon the branch of Oneness—verily there is no God but Him, the One, the Chosen One—and upon His family and companions through whom lands were conquered and God’s laws flowed among the servants, and upon those who cast aside the world, turning to God, the Lord of eternity.

Thereafter, it is submitted that your letter arrived and brought joy and gladness both before and after. I beseech and implore God, exalted be His glory, to enable all to attain to what He loves and is pleased with. No station has been or is higher than this station. All good belongs to whoever drinks from the ocean of His good-pleasure, turns toward His direction and faces His countenance after the passing of all things. Praise be to God that you have attained to true blessing and are sustained by heavenly sustenance. This evanescent servant wishes to offer thanks with a hundred thousand tongues to God, glorified be His majesty, for He guided the Afnan to the Divine Lote-Tree. This has been and is one of God’s special favors. Now, due to current circumstances, its fruits are hidden from all eyes but are reflected in the mirror of knowledge in ways that none but God can enumerate. To Him be praise and grace in all conditions.

Regarding what was mentioned about Jinab-i-Harf-i-Shin (upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah]), and his deeds that were recorded—this news has been written and sent from various quarters. After it was presented, they stated that his deed was accepted and the service he rendered to the Afnan is like a crown among his good works. Well done to him for what he has attained. The petitions of this evanescent servant in this regard are known and need not be expressed. Verily He hears and knows and sees, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

Regarding what you wrote about certain matters, namely buying and selling—the affairs of this land are known and clear to you. Act as you deem appropriate. The command is in God’s hands—He does what He wills and ordains what He desires, and He is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

Light, remembrance and peace be upon you, and God’s mercy and blessings.

The servant, 2 Safar 1300

BH06789: In the Name of our Lord, the Most Great…

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

In the Name of our Lord, the Most Great, the Most Mighty, the Most Ancient, the Most High, the All-Glorious.

Glorified be He Who hath adorned the world with the robe of knowledge and of true understanding, and hath established the sincere in the station of His Cause amidst the concourse of all created things—such servants whose praise His Books and His Scriptures and His Tablets have voiced; through whom the horizon of certitude hath been illumined, and every mouldering bone hath been quickened. Such are the servants whom the hosts of the world have not hindered from turning unto the Most Great Name, nor hath the clamour thereof diverted them from this most holy, most manifest, most pure, most noble Cause. Upon them do the Concourse on high and the dwellers in the Cities of Names invoke blessings.

Glorified art Thou, O Mystery of existence and Desire of hearts! I beseech Thee, by the majesty of Thy Throne whereon Thou hast been established in Thy praiseworthy station, to preserve Thy servants, and Thy creatures, and Thy loved ones, and Thy chosen ones, from them that have broken Thy Covenant, disputed with Thy verses, denied Thy proof, disbelieved in Thee and in what is with Thee. O Lord! Thou art the Generous, the Possessor of boundless mercy and of perfect compassion. All existence, in the invisible and the visible, beareth witness to Thy bounty. I implore Thee, by the fragrances of the dawn of Thy Day—whereby the bones of Thy people were stirred within the graves—that Thou wouldst vouchsafe unto them the Kawthar of steadfastness from the hands of Thy bestowal, and ordain for them, by the Pen of Thy loving-kindness, that which Thou hast ordained for Thy trustees and Thy chosen ones. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Generous; and Thou art, verily, the Hearing, the Answering; Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

And after: Thy letter rejoiced my heart through that which I found therein of the fragrance of thy remembrance of Him Who is my Beloved and your Beloved, my Goal and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and on the earth. When I read it and apprehended it, the breaths of thy love and the waftings of thy affection stirred me; whereupon I arose, and turned towards the Goal of the worlds, and presented myself before the Throne, at a time when He was seated within the pavilion of His grandeur upon a mountain of the mountains. I laid before Him that which was contained in your letter. Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur uttered that whereof the tongues of the world and of the servant are powerless to make mention. Yet the servant will recount unto you somewhat of what he hath retained, through His power, His command, and His sovereignty—His Word, exalted and glorified be He:

In My Name, the One Who standeth above the heavens.

Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses, made manifest the signs, and raised the most exalted Call in the earliest of days. He, verily, is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Ever-Bestowing. He hath appeared and hath revealed unto the servants that which profiteth them in every world of the worlds of their Lord, the Mighty, the Chosen. Among mankind are they that have recognized and drawn nigh, and among them are they that have turned away and denied, following thereby every heedless doubter. Say: By God! This is the Day whereon the fragrance of the garment hath been diffused throughout the world, and the Most Great Name calleth aloud between earth and heaven, summoning East and West unto the most exalted horizon—unto that station wherein the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing crieth out: He is none other God but Him, the One, the Single, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

How many a sinner hath turned and attained, and how many a learned man hath waxed proud against God, the Revealer of verses! How many an ignorant one hath been seized by the attraction of the verses in such wise that he cast behind his back all that the people possessed, and hastened unto the Mighty, the All-Knowing. How many a poor man hath hearkened unto the melodies of the Bird of Eternity, and how many an emir hath turned away from God, the Lord of necks. Say: O concourse of the earth! Open your eyes, that I may show you that which hath shone forth from the horizon of Revelation. By God! The All-Merciful hath manifested Himself through His most comely Names. Turn ye towards Him, and follow not your idle fancies. Thus hath spoken the Most Exalted Pen, as a command from the Lord of the heavens. Blessed is he that hath an ear and hath heard; and woe betide every heedless, deceitful one!

This servant hath come with thy letter and laid it before the Countenance, and hath sent down for thee this Book which We have made the decisive word. If thou attain unto it, read it amid the heights of the sincere, and say: Praise be to Thee, O Dayspring of lights! We make mention of Our loved ones therein, and magnify upon their faces from this station. Glory, shining forth from the horizon of My providence, be upon thee and upon them, and upon every patient one who hath turned, and every discerning one who professeth the oneness of God. Ended.

Praise be to God! Through the effulgence of the lights of the Sun of meanings, those honoured souls, and likewise the company and the persons mentioned, have been illumined. Every remembrance that hath been, and is, vouchsafed by the Most Exalted Pen unto each soul is He, in truth, the Giver of life and the Sustainer thereof in the world; yet most men are heedless of this most great grace and this most noble bounty. The Primal Point—may the life of all else besides Him be offered up for His sake—hath declared:

“All is for this, that once His most holy Court may remember a soul.”

By night and by day, from the Dayspring of the utterance of the All-Merciful, the Euphrates of loving-kindness floweth; yet all are heedless, save whom God willeth. From God, exalted be His glory, we entreat and we hope that He will not deprive His servants of this most great mercy and this most mighty gift.

In one of the Tablets He saith:

“This day all things, whatsoever is seen, utter speech with two tongues.”

This is the Day whereon the earth shall tell out her tidings. Blessed the soul that hath attained unto the hearing of His sweetest Call; and blessed the face that hath turned unto the most exalted horizon; and blessed the tongue that hath spoken in remembrance and in praise.

And as to thy mention of the souls that have turned unto God: it was laid before the most holy, the most august, the most exalted Threshold; for each one a most precious, most glorious Tablet hath been revealed. God willing, they shall attain unto the perusal thereof, and shall inhale therefrom the sweet breaths of the All-Merciful. By the life of Him Who is the Desire of the world, what is seen can in no wise be matched with a Tablet of the Tablets—nay, with a single word of His words, yea, with one letter of His letters. Yet the River of mercy floweth in such wise, and the verses of God descend with such profusion, that until this day the eye of creation hath not beheld the like thereof. Though this grace hath reached such a station, its true worth may nevertheless remain, in the eyes of some, concealed as it is. Would that this servant might be strengthened to recount the traces and fruits thereof! Should all atoms become scribes, they would assuredly fail to describe the station of the Word of God. In such a case this lowly one would be accounted among the lost. I ask forgiveness of God the Great for that which my tongue hath uttered and my heart conceived.

And as to what thou didst write concerning the person mentioned—that some of the loved ones have not expressed satisfaction: in this day one must look to receptivity. Whosoever hath attained thereunto and hath acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken, he is remembered before the Countenance; for these are the days whereof glad-tidings have been given aforetime and thereafter. The Days of God are the time of mercy, of compassion, and of loving-kindness; for therein the heaven of bounty is uplifted and the sun of generosity shineth forth. Hence are some negligences forgiven. Yet, notwithstanding this, the friends must take heed and look with wisdom; for thus far, whatsoever name hath been mentioned in the most exalted, the most impregnable, the most holy Court, tokens of favor have been manifested in his behalf. Still, the friends must observe—this is a truth whereof there is no doubt—that it may well happen a denier claimeth friendship, while his intent is hypocrisy and espionage. The Blessed Tablets should be entrusted unto souls assured; and the person mentioned, God willing, is of the assured. Verily, He speaketh the truth and guideth the people unto His most holy, most mighty, most impregnable station.

And as to thy letter being adorned with mention of him who hath ascended unto God: what a station is this, a station unattainable by the remembrance of those who remember, nor by the praise of the knowing! In it the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken such words as shall never cease to shed their fragrance through the endurance of sovereignty and dominion, nor through the abiding of glory and might, nor through the perpetuity of His most beauteous Names.

And another letter from thee hath arrived, and from it the fragrance of the love of God hath shone forth. Praise be to God, in the Day of God ye have attained unto that whereof all men—whether divines, mystics, or others—are heedless, save whom God willeth. And as to their wish that, through thy agency, this lowly one should act in that which is the desire of all the worlds: on the night of the tenth day of the month of Safar this servant, with the letter, set out toward the most exalted Goal. After attaining presence and permission, that which was in the epistle was submitted. Thereupon the Tongue of God uttered words whereat bodies soared and spirits were transported. He—glorified be His majesty and exalted His most great glory—said:

In My Name, the Witness, the All-Informed.

O Husayn! We have remembered thee aforetime through that whereby the Sun of the loving-kindness of thy Lord shone forth. Verily, He is the Compassionate, the Generous. Rejoice thou in that which hath been sent down for thee from the Most Exalted Pen; it beareth witness unto thee in every world of the worlds of thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The King of religions hath come unto thee—once upon the mountain, and again in this lofty mansion which was built for the establishment of the Throne, at a time when its builder was heedless—despite them that imprisoned the Wronged One in this stronghold. The Throne of thy Lord hath been established in the highest station, and We have cast down the oppressor to the lowest of the low.

O Husayn! Consider the Will of God and that which the oppressors have willed in this wondrous Day. We desired their life and deliverance, and they desired My harm and My death; yet verily they are of the most grievous losers. This servant hath come with thy latter letter and laid it before the Wronged One. We have answered thee with this clear Tablet; and as to him who came from thee, We have accepted his service as a bounty from Our presence. We are, in truth, powerful to do what We will, and We judge what We desire.

Section 2: “Render thanks unto God for this most great…”

Render thanks unto God for this most great bounty; verily, He uplifteth whom He willeth by a command from His presence, and He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty. Remember My loved ones in My name, and bear them glad tidings of the loving-kindness of God, the Lord of the worlds. Say: Hold fast, O loved ones of the All-Merciful, to that whereby the Cause shall be exalted among the servants. Thus have We revealed aforetime and in this hour. Say: Beware lest the clamour of the divines withhold you from the Lord of Names; leave them behind your backs, turning unto the One, the All-Informed. Confine your affairs to that whereby your remembrance shall endure in the everlasting Kingdom of God, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

From this station We magnify them, and likewise My handmaidens who have turned unto God at a time when every far-removed knower turned away. O My handmaidens that are there! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One; verily, He remembereth you in this station which God hath made the place of circumambulation for them that draw nigh. Thus have We adorned the horizon of the heaven of utterance with the luminary of knowledge. Blessed is he that hath witnessed and seen, and woe betide the heedless. Glory from Our presence be upon thee, and upon whosoever hath drunk the choice wine of revelation in My mighty, My wondrous Name. Ended.

Praise be to God, time and again, that through the bounties of the Truth—exalted be His glory—ye have attained. One letter from thee had arrived previously; and on the day when the pavilion of Grandeur was raised upon a mountain of the mountains of this land, that there might be made manifest that which Isaiah the Prophet hath spoken in his Book, this servant stood before the Countenance and, in that most exalted station, presented the letter. There was revealed, for thee and for the persons mentioned therein, that which is an abiding treasure in His keeping. Likewise, a most holy, most impregnable Tablet was revealed for the people of Zirak—upon them be the glory of God. Praise be to God, the glance of loving-kindness is directed toward that region.

Some time ago, at an hour of hours, this servant set his face towards the most exalted Horizon; after attaining presence, the mention of the friends of the Land of Ba, and of the Leaf of Paradise—upon her be the glory of God and His loving-kindness and His bounty—and of the revered and spiritual lady—upon her be the glory of God—and of the other friends, was made. Likewise, the mention of the village of Zirak and the friends of that land flowed from the Tongue of Grandeur and was revealed; and in particular the mention of Haji Muhammad-ʿAli—upon him be the glory of God—was heard from the Dayspring of the utterance of the All-Merciful. And this exalted Word appeared from the Dawning-place of Revelation and the Ocean of bounty—His blessed and exalted Word:

“We have made them known, and We have taught them, and We have strengthened them unto My knowledge and My love. Blessed are they, and theirs is a goodly end. Blessed the unlearned one that hath attained; and woe betide the learned man whom his desires have beguiled, until he hath disbelieved in God, the Most High, the Great.”

O Muhammad qabl-i-ʿAli! We have heard thy call, and beheld thy turning unto Us, and found the fragrance of thy sincerity. We have made mention of thee in the Crimson Tablet through My Most Exalted Pen. Render thanks unto thy Lord for this clear bounty. Be assured that nothing escapeth His knowledge. He heareth the moaning of the longing ones, and beholdeth the lowliness of them that cleave fast. Magnify, in My name, My loved ones who are there, and remind them of My beauteous remembrance. Say: Blessed are ye, O My loved ones, in that ye have cast behind you the idle fancies of the divines, and have taken hold of that which hath come unto you from God, the Lord of the worlds.

Rejoice ye in this most great favor, and then give thanks unto your Lord, the All-Merciful, the Compassionate. We have remembered you once upon the mountain and again in this lofty station. Ye have attained unto the grace of God and unto the hidden, treasured Table—even this Tablet, from whose horizon the Sun of the providence of your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Praised, hath shone forth. We exhort you to pure godliness, and command you to that whereby the Cause of God, the King of the kingdoms of the heavens and of the earths, shall be exalted. We have also admonished you in My Leaf which We have named the Leaf of Paradise in My Wise Book; and We make mention of My Leaves and My handmaidens who remember God by night and by day, at morn and eventide. End

Such is the manifestation of loving-kindness, the like whereof a hundred thousand such as this servant would be powerless to recount. And whatsoever hath been sent from that land and from the Land of Ba hath attained unto the ornament of acceptance, and the names of each and every soul are remembered in the presence of God. Nothing escapeth His knowledge. And on a certain day this exalted Word shone forth from the Dayspring of the utterance of the All-Merciful—His Word, mighty is His majesty:

“The payment of the divine rights is conditioned upon ability; if any soul be not able thereto, verily He pardoneth him, and He is the All-Forgiving, the Generous.”

Ended.

Whatsoever cometh to pass must come to pass with spirit and fragrance. Thus hath decreed the Desire of the worlds, before Whom every knowing commander hath bowed. Convey ye these clear and firmly established verses unto him, that all may rejoice in the bounty of God and His immeasurable mercy—such rejoicing as the sorrows of the world are powerless to withstand, nor can they rise up against it. In truth, should a man possessed of insight behold the revealed verses of this Most Great Revelation, and likewise the shining utterances, the resplendent lights, the mighty appearances and manifestations, and ponder thereon, he will find himself overwhelmed with wonder—yet with a wonder that bestoweth complete detachment, and maketh him behold himself free and enriched beyond all that is beneath it. Blessed be ye, and blessed whoso hath attained unto this mighty grace.

The mention of certain assured and steadfast souls of that land—who have ascended and now abide—was heard from the Ancient Tongue, exalted be His mercy and magnified His bounty. By the life of Him Who is the Desire of the world! It was of such a measure that this servant found himself unable to number it. The Cause is in His hand: He doeth whatsoever He willeth and ordaineth whatsoever He desireth; and He is the Reckoner, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. This servant, a fading attendant, offereth unto all the friends of that land salutations and a mighty greeting, and saith: I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to confirm each one of you in that wherefrom the fragrance of immortality may be inhaled—namely, such deeds as shall be made everlasting in the Book of God. Blessed are the doers; blessed are the victors!

On this blessed night, an unending bounty was beheld from the Beauty of the Ancient One—glorified be His station and exalted His most great glory—may my soul, and the souls of all who are in the Kingdom, in the Dominion, and in the Realm of the Absolute, be sacrificed for His sake. The mention of that exalted, forgiven, accepted one—upon him be the glory of God and His mercy—was repeatedly made: “Would that I had attained unto that which he attained after his ascension!” And likewise the mention of others. God willing, all shall be made ready for that which no decline can seize, and which the accidents of time can never alter. The glory shining from the horizon of the providence of our Lord be upon you, and upon them that are with you, and upon those who, when they heard the Call from the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, cried out: “Here am I, O God of the worlds and Desire of the Messengers!”

And as to what ye wrote—if they desire to write aught, to whom should they send it? This servant is himself ready; yet on one condition: that they be not grieved should the reply be delayed. For it may happen that in a single day forty, or fifty, or more, or fewer petitions and letters must be laid before the most exalted, the most impregnable Court; answers must be written and dispatched from the Source of the Cause; and moreover I myself must submit replies. In such a case it becometh clear and manifest that opportunity is as the phoenix, and patience as a lover’s treasure, and gold as a pauper’s dream. God is witness and testifieth; the Inaccessible One is witness and testifieth, that by nights and days this servant is engaged. Were it not for the loving-kindness of the Desire of the worlds, this servant would be unable to accomplish any of these things. From all the friends of God and the wayfarers to the Ka’bah of the Everlasting it is hoped and earnestly entreated that they will beseech, from God—exalted be His glory—success and confirmation for this servant, that perchance he may acquit himself of this weighty charge. Verily, He is the Hearing, the Answering.

To all the friends of that land, one and all, I offer a mighty greeting and salutations, and I hope that nothing whatsoever may withhold them, or the friends of those regions, from the Lord of Names and the Fashioner of the heaven. Say: Take ye, in the Name of God, exalted be His glory, and drink ye with His remembrance, and say: “In His memory!” This is your beginning, and this is your end, your return, your exalted homeland, and your most lofty, most glorious refuge. Strive ye, that in truth ye may attain unto this high and most exalted station. Verily, He guideth you unto the most exalted horizon. There is none other God but Him, the Expounder, the Generous. The glory that shineth forth from the providence of our Lord be upon you, and upon thy brother, and upon those with thee, and upon them that have heard and answered their Lord, the Hearing, the Answering.

This lowly one further submittteth: that the honoured beloved, Haji Mirza Husayn—upon him be the glory of God and His loving-kindness—set forth from the Land of Shin unto the Land of Kaf-Ra and its environs for the purpose of teaching; and he likewise proceeded to Nayriz and sent an epistle to the most holy Court, and asked, for certain souls, for wondrous and impregnable Tablets. Wherefore, from the heaven of loving-kindness, verses were revealed and sent unto him, that he might deliver them unto those for whom they were intended in the city of Babak and in the township of Ravaz. Verily, He is the Guardian of the Messengers and the Confirmer of them that act.

The servant, On the 10th of the month of Safar, in the year 1300.

BH00427: Praise be to God Who hath spoken that whereby…

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

In the Name of Our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted and Most Glorious Lord

Praise be to God Who hath spoken that whereby the people were drawn unto Him, and through which the sincere ones hastened to the station of nearness, of holiness and of glory, and the unified ones to the place of might, grandeur and majesty. The wine of the utterance of the All-Merciful hath seized all who are in the realm of possibility, save those who violated the Covenant and broke God’s pledge on the Day of Meeting. Praise be to God Who hath manifested Himself through the name of Beauty to all regions; the first to attain unto this radiance were the lovers, whom every person of insight beholdeth in a state of attraction and burning. These are servants whom neither the conditions of the divines have withheld from God, the Lord of all names, nor the might of princes from the straight path. They arose and proclaimed:

“God is our Lord, our Creator and our Provider. We have believed in Him and held fast to the cord of His favors and clung to the hem of His mercy.”

Thus were they seized with such tyranny the like of which the eye of creation hath not seen, and there befell them in the path of God that which causeth bodies to quake at its mere mention. They arose and spoke until they sacrificed their lives in the path of God, their Goal and their Beloved. And among them was one who dwelt in His presence and abided under His shadow. The heat of love had seized him to such degree that he was set ablaze and soared in the atmosphere of the love of the All-Merciful. When he ascended, God purified him from all the odors of this world and the hand of grace admitted him to a station that cannot be described in words. There is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Unconstrained.

Thereafter, O My beloved, the Servant received your letter which spoke of your recognition, your mention and your turning to the Supreme Horizon. When I read and understood its contents, I repaired to a station which meanings cannot reach, nor utterance, nor can the bird of knowledge approach it. I was present and presented that wherewith you praised God, the Lord of the Throne and of earth, the Master of the hereafter and of the former times. When the letter was completed, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that whereby spirits took flight. He said, exalted be His grandeur and His greatness:

In His Name, the Hearing, the All-Seeing

O thou who gazest upon the Most Exalted Horizon! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One from the precincts of the luminous Spot, the Station which hath been mentioned in the Scriptures of God, the Lord of all worlds. That which was hidden from time immemorial hath been revealed, and He hath summoned all unto Him on a Day wherein the gentle breeze hath wafted and the Herald hath proclaimed: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” Blessed art thou for having turned towards Him and recognized Him when the servants turned away, save those whom God, the Lord of this resplendent Day, did choose. Blessed is he who hath arisen in My Name, and blessed is the silent one who hath spoken forth this mighty News. Thou didst attain unto My mention before, and now once again, as a token of grace from God. Blessed is he who hath attained unto the choice wine of revelation, and woe unto the heedless. We recount what hath befallen Us in this Most Great Prison. Verily thy Lord is the All-Merciful, the Bountiful.

The Bird of Faithfulness hath soared from the prison to the most exalted Summit, whereupon My Most Exalted Pen hath spoken that which nothing in the kingdom of creation can equal, as every fair-minded and perspicacious one doth testify. He hath attained unto that which cannot be mentioned in words. Give thanks unto God for this bounty, before which, when it was manifested, every possessor of distinction bowed down in humble submission. On the Day of Ascension, the Concourse on High and a company of angels and the Spirit welcomed him. Thus doth the Tongue of Grandeur make mention unto thee from this glorious station. We make mention of thy brother, thy mother, and thy sister, then those who are with you and have turned unto God, the Peerless, the All-Informed.

We send greetings from this Station to the loved ones of God in that land and give them the glad tidings of My mercy which hath preceded all things and My grace which hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. We make mention of My leaves who have attained unto the supreme steadfastness in the days of their Lord, the Sovereign of all beings, in such wise that their feet have not slipped from the Path of God, the Almighty, the Powerful. The splendor that shineth forth from the horizon of My mercy and the peace that hath appeared from the direction of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon them, both men and women, and upon those whom the affairs of the world have not kept back from this mighty and wondrous Cause. End.

What more can this evanescent servant submit? The suns of divine bounty in relation to His late Holiness—exalted be he—upon whom be the glory of God, the Most Glorious, and that revered personage and his kindred, shone forth resplendent and manifest from every direction. On the day of his ascension, they were made the recipients of such bounties as this servant findeth himself, in very truth, powerless to recount.

In the letters of certain among the sincere and the near ones, particulars have been set forth. On that very day there descended from the heaven of divine favour, specially vouchsafed unto him, that whose fragrance shall endure throughout the kingdoms of earth and heaven, God willing. Should opportunity present itself, an account thereof shall be transmitted to that spiritual beloved.

This evanescent servant giveth glad tidings unto the friends and companions of that land, inasmuch as they are remembered in the Most Holy and Inaccessible Sanctuary, as are likewise the people of that village.

Some time past, the tablet of the Leaf of the Most Exalted Paradise—upon her be the glory of God—was received, as was likewise the petition of the Greatest Holy Leaf—upon her be the glory of God. Both were submitted to the Most Holy and Inaccessible Sanctuary, and the utmost bounty was manifested.

There is hope that, through the grace and favour of the True One—exalted be His glory—the friends of God will hereafter be spared the burden of occupying this servant with matters whereof none save the Impregnable True One is aware. As to that which ye had written concerning His Honour the Cousin—upon him be the glory of God—it was submitted to the Most Holy and Inaccessible Sanctuary.

This is what hath been revealed for him from the heaven of the Will of our Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. His utterance—magnified be His sovereignty:

O friends of the All-Merciful! He says that this day is most beloved and blessed, for the Speaker of Sinai calls out with the most exalted call and the Dawning-Place of Revelation appears in the most glorious array. Whosoever attains unto it, the Concourse on High takes pride in mentioning him and the dwellers of the highest Paradise seek his presence. Praise be to God that thou hast attained unto the recognition of the Day of God and hast testified to that which God Himself hath testified. This hath been and is among the greatest bounties of God. By My life! He hath no peer or likeness. All who are on earth sought this Day, yet after its appearance all remained veiled save whom God wished.

They occupy themselves with two fleeting days and are deprived and forbidden from the eternal bounty and everlasting feast. Say: Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having aided me in a Cause from which the divines of Thy earth and the learned of Thy lands were hindered. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy Manifestation and the rushing winds of Thy grace to grant me steadfastness in Thy Cause. Unto Thee be praise, O Lord of Names, and unto Thee be glory, O Creator of the heavens! How can I praise and thank Thee for having remembered me in Thy prison and for having turned toward me while I was in the hands of the oppressors among Thy creatures. I beseech Thee not to deprive me of the outpourings of Thy days. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Exalted, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

Section 2: “This is what was sent down…”

This is what was sent down from the heaven of grace to Aqa Muhammad-Taqi, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah]. His words, exalted be His majesty:

In My Name, the Compassionate, the Bountiful

We heard thy mention and mentioned thee, and I am the All-Knowing Rememberer. We saw thee turning toward Us and We turned toward thee, and I am the One with power over what I will. We found the fragrance of thy love and sent thee the musk of inner meanings in the vessels of words, and I am the Bountiful Giver. Thou wert mentioned before by My Most Exalted Pen and this is yet another time, and I am the All-Wise Expositor. Give thanks unto God for this bounty and glorify Him with praise, and I am the All-Informed Educator.

This is what was sent down to Mulla Muhammad-Hasan, upon him be the glory of God. His words, exalted be His majesty:

In My Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous

O Muhammad-Hasan! Blessed art thou for having attained unto My days and heard My call and answered thy Lord, when those in all lands turned away save whom God, the Lord of the worlds, wished. Some time ago thou didst attain unto the mention of God. By the life of God! Nothing can equal it. Blessed art thou and blessed is he who hath attained unto this most exalted and most high station. The bounty is great, the seeker rare. They who are on earth have gathered around the putrid carcasses of passion and desire, and are deprived of the descended feast from the heaven of the bounty of God, exalted be His glory. Convey the greetings of the Wronged One to the people of the village.

The mention of all, whether male or female, and likewise the service of each one, is clear and evident in the Most Holy Court. No deed remains hidden. He is the All-Seeing and He is the All-Hearing. He testifies and sees, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. We send Our greetings from this spot upon them and We have accepted what they have done in the path of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Soon shall they behold the recompense of their deeds and actions in this Most Great, this ordained Cause. Hold fast unto the cord of unity that its effects may be manifest in all regions. Thus doth the Lord of the Covenant counsel you as a bounty from His presence, and He is the Mighty, the Loving.

Let not the affairs of men grieve you. The world shall pass away, and that which hath been sent down unto you from God, the Lord of what was and what shall be, shall endure. Glory be upon you and upon those who hold fast unto the Book of God and act according to what hath been sent down therein from the presence of an ancient Revealer. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

In the days when His Holiness the departed and exalted one, upon whom be all the Most Glorious Glory of God, was outwardly circumambulating, missives were sent to him from that land and from the people of the village. He gave all of them to this servant, and they were presented before the Throne. The purpose is that the gentlemen of that land and the people of the village should know that no deed is ever lost in the sight of God, nor shall it be, and each soul has been and shall be rewarded according to their righteous deeds. The service of each one has been accepted at the Most Holy Court—His is the praise, the thanksgiving, and the glory, and His is the kindness, the bounty and the grandeur. This evanescent servant beseeches and hopes that the All-Glorious Truth may make all aware and sustain them with the fruits of the Tree that is neither of the East nor of the West. Verily, He is powerful over all things. Let this blessed verse be ever before your eyes—the Most Merciful One says in the Qur’an, exalted be His Word:

“O my son! If there be (but) the weight of a mustard-seed and it were (hidden) in a rock, or (anywhere) in the heavens or on earth, God will bring it forth.”

All matters are manifest and evident, to this my Lord, the All-Seeing, the Kind, bears witness. How blessed is the state of one who in this Divine Day has recognized Him and has arisen to serve His Cause.

The servant beseeches his Lord to assist His loved ones to do what He loves and is pleased with, and whereby His Cause may be exalted in the Kingdom of Creation. Verily, He does what He wills. There is no God but He, the Most High, the Most Exalted. The Glory shining from the horizon of eternity be upon you and upon those who have clung to the hem of their Lord’s grace, the All-Forgiving, the Merciful. And praise be to God, the Mighty, the Wise.

It is submitted that His honor Karbala’i Aqa Husayn, son of the exalted departed one—may God elevate his station and upon him be the glory of God, his Lord—sent a letter to this servant, and its reply was presented, and there descended from the heaven of Divine Will, specifically for him, that which the world cannot equal. And he had mentioned the people of the village; the Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was revealed in this servant’s handwriting specifically for him, and in the letter which this servant sent to the aforementioned person, mention of the people of the village and the honored Leaf and His honor Haji Muhammad-ʿAli—upon them be the glory of God—was again revealed from the heaven of Divine Will and sent.

The purpose is that mention of the friends and loved ones has been and continues to be made in various places—some have outwardly received it and continue to receive it, and mention of others remains preserved in the Treasury of Infallibility until such time as grace may assist and deliver it. And one Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was revealed specifically for the mother and sister—upon them be the glory of God. God willing, they will be blessed by it and be gladdened by what was revealed for them. And praise be upon you from God, the Lord of the Manifestation.

The servant 20 Safar 1300

BH00158: Praise be befitting and worthy of that Desired One…

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

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

Praise be befitting and worthy of that Desired One Who, with a single word, rent asunder the thick veils and guided the peoples of the world to the highest horizon. Although this Most Exalted Word is one, yet diverse effects are manifested from it. At times the effect of the sword is witnessed from it, inasmuch as the conquest of sanctified hearts and the capturing of the cities of pure hearts and souls in this Most Great Revelation have been and continue to be through it. And at times the water of life flows from it and its effects become manifest, as was observed—how many thirsting ones in the deserts of separation and remoteness were given the Kawthar of reunion, and how many dead ones were brought to eternal life through its fragrance.

Glory be to God! The heedless souls who dwell in the wilderness of the abyss have taken darkness for light and the owl for the station of the nightingale. The very atoms testify to the heedlessness, ignorance, error and unawareness of that people. They are unaware yet bear witness; in the midst of non-existence they claim existence. Whatever they say is, in the estimation of those endowed with utterance, baser than the croak of a raven and less than the caw of a crow. They prostrate themselves before the bat while imagining themselves turned toward the Truth. He is indeed innocent of them and of those who followed them without any clear proof or command from God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Base nature and lack of understanding have reached such a point that they bow down in submission and prostration before the greatest calamity. After sixty years of life have passed, he has newly begun to play the lover, inviting the rabble of the earth to his abyss. Glory be to God! What strange seekers and wondrous objects of desire have appeared in the world! Has justice fled from among men, or has the sun of insight set? What has happened that those possessed of outward vision are deprived of seeing, and those endowed with ears are forbidden from hearing? We had heard before that some prostrate themselves before cows and others worship calves, but we did not properly verify these words and attributed them to the realms of conjecture and fancy. Now it is openly witnessed that they have forsaken the Lord of the Worlds and clung to worms. They have abandoned the river of divine mercy and turned toward the pus of hell.

This servant is bewildered as to what to say and what to write. That honored lady and other leaves and handmaidens of God and fair-minded servants bear witness that none of those stubborn deniers had any knowledge. This servant, by the command of the True One, exalted be His glory, was with him for years, and despite everyone’s knowledge of this fact, they never inquired a word about it from this servant. A path of conjecture and souls of fancy—that extended and this wayfarer. How weak are both the seeker and the sought, the wayfarer and that which is traversed! Now we have moved beyond the men—what does the greatest calamity say? In the beginning of the manifestation of the Primal Point—may the spirit of all in the kingdom of command and creation be sacrificed for Him—he and his two brothers were in the utmost enmity and hatred. Most of the people of that land are aware of this fact. In homes, gatherings and assemblies they said that which the pen is ashamed to mention. In this Revelation, considering a brief connection, they showed acceptance for a few days and then became occupied with satanic intrigues and corrupt deeds.

Now after sixty years new lovers have appeared—perdition unto the lovers and perdition unto the beloved! If you would reflect even briefly upon their conduct and behavior, you would behold the reality of the world which has appeared in varied garments. Glory be to God! Every person of insight is bewildered and every person of thought is deep in contemplation. When a person becomes devoid of religion, they say whatever they wish and do whatever their soul desires.

Gather together the handmaidens of God. Convey greetings from this evanescent one and say: Today is the day of vision, for the Truth is manifest and His signs are evident. Today is the day of hearing, for His call is raised. Hear and hold fast unto Him with such firmness that it becomes as fire for the hearts of the Greatest Denier and the deniers, male and female, and as light for the friends of God, exalted be His glory.

The fire of self and passion is ignited within him to such a degree that none but God can reckon its extent, and all shortcomings return to the souls who accepted him, for the servitude of those souls became the cause of overwhelming calamity. Until now, this evanescent servant had concealed some aspects of his conduct, but in this year which is 1299, there appeared from him that which had not appeared from the satans of the past or future—He Who possesses the Mother Book bears witness to this. For twenty years God, exalted be His glory, concealed his lewdness, and likewise did this evanescent servant, but this time it became necessary that some of his conduct be mentioned so that the servants of God and His handmaidens might become aware and recognize him.

In brief, every person of insight has perceived and continues to perceive, and the wicked are distinguished from the good. The Greatest Evil One whose affairs are all clear and known—blessed are those who discern and joy be to those who see. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. After the arrival of that honored one’s letter and becoming aware of its contents, turning toward the highest horizon and most exalted summit, it was presented in the Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Presence. This is what the Tongue of Grandeur spoke in the Kingdom of Utterance, exalted and glorified be His Word:

In My Name, the Manifest, the All-Informed

O My handmaiden! Today the divine call is raised from all directions, and every atom in creation is engaged in praise of the Revealer of verses. Yet all remain heedless and veiled. The peoples of the world, through nights and days, awaited the manifestation of the Truth, glorified be His majesty, and were gladdened by His remembrance and occupied with thoughts of Him. But when the Dawning Place of Revelation and the Speaker of Sinai appeared from the horizon of the heaven of inner meanings, manifest and visible, some turned away, others denied Him, some objected, and yet others issued decrees for His death. The peoples of the earth have ever been and shall ever be occupied with such reprehensible and rejected deeds, save those souls who have transcended the world and set their faces toward the Lord of eternity. These souls were not and are not deterred by the thunder of the cannons of the oppressors, the clashing of the swords of the deniers, the ranks of armies, the might of multitudes, the rejection of the learned, or the clamor of the renowned. They gaze upon the Truth and cling to His robe. These souls drink from the Most Great Ocean and are detached and free from all else.

God willing, may the greatest clamor not prevent the handmaidens of that land from the most pure wine. Say: O divine handmaidens! You are related to the Truth and are mentioned by His Name. Strive that the firm cord of this relationship be not severed but rather be strengthened at every moment. This is the day of remembrance and utterance, the day of the manifestation of stations and certitude, for the Desired One of all worlds is established upon His throne. Blessed is the soul that hath been illumined by the lights of the morn of revelation and hath attained unto the recognition of God, exalted be His glory.

By the Point of Unity that shineth from the horizon of the heaven of God’s Book, were the peoples of the world to observe fairness for but a single hour and reflect, they would be illumined by the lights of the revelation of Truth. For some, veils of glory have become barriers, and for others, turbans and staffs. Beseech ye God to rend asunder the greatest veil with the finger of power, that all may turn toward the supreme horizon and attain unto the effulgences of the lights of the Sun of Revelation.

Say: O handmaidens of Truth! Drink ye from the most exalted cup and partake of the highest chalice. A hundred thousand seas circle round this chalice, and thousands upon thousands of oceans bow before this cup. Be ye occupied with the remembrance of the Friend and drink from the stream of His love. The people who today count themselves among the followers of truth are lower than all others. Say: O ye sightless ones! Read ye the pages of the heedless and ponder upon them, that perchance ye may be freed from the depths of hell and make for the highest paradise.

Give praise to the Beloved of the world, Who hath remembered thee before and after. God willing, mayest thou become a cause of unity and turn to that which beseemeth His divine Day.

Praise be unto God that the Sun of divine benevolence is radiant and the heaven of His grace is exalted! There has not been, nor is there now, any need for the unworthy mentions of this servant. The utterances of the Concourse on High are as nothingness before the fragrance of His utterance, to say nothing of the moist and dry words of this servant and the like of this servant. I beseech and hope from God that He may assist the handmaidens of that land to achieve supreme steadfastness. God willing, may that honored woman remain occupied at all times with the mention of the Self-Sufficing, the Most High. If at times there is delay in sending replies from this servant, this has not been and is not due to any negligence.

God is witness and testifier that due to the abundance of correspondence, a year has passed since some of the friends of God have written, and still I have not been enabled to reply. I seek His help, that He may grant strength and power, and extend His invisible assistance, that perchance I may fulfill this important and momentous service. May that honored woman be intimately associated with the mention of God at all times and be gladdened with the greatest joy, for she has attained unto His remembrance and is mentioned in His presence. Know thou this mighty favor and say: Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds!

The petitions of the handmaidens of God were, in detail, laid before the most holy, the most impregnable Court. He said:

O handmaidens of God! The friends of the Beloved, both men and women, are accounted as leaves and fruits of the Blessed Tree, and all stand equally respected in one rank before the Most Sublime Vision. Distinction appears only through degrees of steadfastness, love, longing and devotion. “Verily, the most honored among you in the sight of God is the most righteous.” Through deeds are the stations of women and men made manifest; otherwise all are observed on the same plane, save those souls who have been specifically distinguished by the Most Exalted Pen.

We have enjoined upon all spiritual attributes, goodly words and praiseworthy deeds. O friends! Your station calls for kindness, compassion and mercy. Wrong not the handmaidens of God; conduct yourselves with the utmost gentleness and consideration. Have ye not heard what We have revealed in the tongue of the people? Ye are all fruits of one tree and leaves of one branch. The fragrance of this utterance can also be inhaled from the Most Holy Book.

By the Sun of Revelation! This station is evident throughout all utterances. The True One, exalted be His glory, hath commanded all from the Kingdom of grace in the Most Great Prison to love, fellowship, affection and unity. O friends! The lights of justice must be witnessed from you in such wise as to overcome the darkness of oppression. Were ye to hearken to what the Most Exalted Pen hath ordained, there would appear in the world that which would ensure the salvation and tranquility of all.

O Khadijih! Hearken unto the voice of Him Who is the Dawning-place of the Light of Divine Unity. We have counseled the men among the friends with that which is befitting, and likewise We counsel the handmaidens of God to quietude, dignity, love and fellowship. Males and females were created for harmony and union, not for discord and separation. At this hour, which is the beginning of noon, We counsel all to such deeds as will bring joy and gladness when heard. The end belongs to those who hold fast to righteousness, turning away from base desires. Praise be to God, the Lord of the Beginning and the End.

God willing, may the rays of the Sun of the Most Exalted Pen’s counsels illuminate the hearts of all on earth and lead them to true tranquility. O Leaf! When one contemplates the wondrous evidences of God’s grace and the manifestations of His favors, one is so overwhelmed with wonder as to be rendered speechless. Observe now and consider the revealed verses—each word hath been revealed with such loving kindness that every fair-minded soul can perceive its fragrance. All things are in motion and attracted today. Glory be to God! How is it that some are seen to be lethargic? It is hoped that through the manifestations of His infinite grace, hearts and minds will turn to the realm of love and fellowship.

God is witness that this ephemeral one beseeches Him night and day to illumine all with the light of unity and enable them to achieve spiritual attributes. He is the Hearer, the Answerer, the Powerful, the All-Knowing. God willing, may that honored woman give glad tidings to the steadfast women of that land, that all may arise to that which befitteth this divine Day. This servant also mentions the friends of God—that is, the men—with the utmost humility and supplication, beseeching God to enable them to manifest affection, love and kindness. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but Him, the Counselor, the Compassionate, the All-Knowing. May the Glory, manifest, resplendent, radiant, dawning and shining from the horizon of the loving-kindness of our Lord, be upon thee and upon the steadfast women who have drunk the Kawthar of steadfastness from the hands of their Lord’s bounty on this glorious and wondrous Day.

Section 2: “The servant 8th of Dhi’l-Qa’dah 1299…”

The servant 8th of Dhi’l-Qa’dah 1299

Another letter: That leaf which previously wrote two letters from the leaves Narjis Khatun and Sakinih Khatun, upon them be the Glory of God, was received. Praise be to God, the fragrance of love for the Beloved of the worlds was inhaled therefrom. God willing, may that honored lady be ever engaged in the remembrance and service of God. All that thou didst mention was presented in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence. Divine verses were specifically revealed for each of the aforementioned leaves. God willing, may they attain unto them and drink from the ocean of grace.

This is what was revealed for the leaf Narjis, upon her be the Glory of God. His word, exalted be His majesty:

He is the Hearer, the Answerer

O My handmaiden! O thou who gazest toward My horizon! Rejoice in that thou hast been mentioned before the Wronged One and verses of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, have been revealed for thee. Reflect upon the grace and favors of God. How many were the divines, scholars and jurisprudents who were occupied with the remembrance of God throughout the nights and days, who spoke His Name in the mosques and at all times beseeched and hoped to attain His presence. Yet when the Dawn of Revelation appeared and the lights of His countenance shone forth, all arose in opposition save whom God willed. Know thou the value of thy station and say:

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having made known unto me that which was hidden from the learned of Thy earth and the jurisprudents of Thy lands, and for having enabled me in such wise that Thy Most Exalted Pen was moved to remember me from Thy station and prison. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance and the fire of Thy Tree to ordain for this handmaiden of Thine that which befitteth Thy glory, Thy generosity and Thy favors. Thou art verily the Almighty, the Protector over what was and what shall be.

Blessed art thou, O Narjis, for having turned unto the Wronged One and having desired that which was recorded in the Books of God, the Lord of the worlds. Give thanks unto thy Lord, the All-Merciful. He hath adorned thy father with the ornament of forgiveness as a bounty from His presence, and He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous. As for what thou desired regarding the meeting, He recordeth its reward for thee and counseleth thee to pure fear of God and that which beseemeth the days of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur mentioned thee with that which nothing on earth can equal. Praise thou Him for this. He is verily the Hearer, the Answerer.

And this is what was revealed for her sister Sakinih, upon her be the Glory of God. His word, exalted and mighty be He:

In My Name, the Manifest, the Powerful over all names

O Sakinih! The Ancient Beauty remembereth thee from the Most Great Prison and counseleth thee with that which is the cause and source of elevation and exaltation. This is the day of pure deeds and the day of supreme steadfastness. God willing, mayest thou be so firm in the Cause that the clamor of the misbelieving men and women shall not deprive thee from the abode of verses. The satans appear in every name, form and temple, and lie in wait. God willing, mayest thou ever remain preserved beneath the shadow of God and illumined by the lights of His grace. Glory be upon thee and upon thy mother. We give her the glad-tidings of My grace and bounty which have preceded all who are in the heavens and the earth.

Praise be to God! The two handmaidens whom you mentioned have attained the supreme honor, and their remembrance hath been inscribed in the Book of God from the heaven of His will in these decisive verses. Blessed are they both, for they have attained unto that which hath no likeness or comparison. They have been granted that which they sought from the ocean of bounty, inasmuch as the word of forgiveness hath been sent down from the tongue of the All-Merciful concerning their father. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Benevolent, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

And concerning that handmaiden’s mention of the beloved of hearts, Haji Mirza Haydar-Ali, upon him be the glory of God and His favors, and likewise her mention of marriage—this matter was presented before the Countenance of the Beloved of the worlds and was honored with His permission. He said:

“God willing, it is blessed. Today, whosoever showeth sincerity, love and affection in any way to Mirza [Haydar-Ali], upon him be My glory, is mentioned before God, exalted be His glory, and inscribed in the Book.”

Indeed, from these blessed words can be inhaled the fragrance of infinite favors. Blessed is he who perceiveth and attaineth.

Another glad-tiding is that the mention of that handmaiden’s sons, sisters and daughter, upon them be the glory of God, which was in the letter, was presented before the Countenance of the Lord of Revelation, and from the heaven of grace special verses of manifest signs and goodly words were revealed for each one. God willing, they shall attain unto their perusal and reading, and act according to what is befitting.

This is what was revealed for Nasru’llah. His word, exalted be His majesty:

“In My Name, the Mighty, the All-Knowing!

O Nasru’llah! Hold fast to the cord of the fear of God and cling to the hem of sanctity. The dark dust of passion hath prevented the world from the outpourings of the Lord of all beings. Beseech God to assist thee with the greatest steadfastness. Whosoever attaineth unto it is accounted among the people of Baha in the Book of Names. Strive that thou mayest attain unto it and be freed and detached from the world and all who dwell therein. Thus have We remembered thee with this remembrance that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Remembering, the All-Wise.”

And this is what was revealed for Mirza Aqa. His word, exalted be His grandeur:

“In My Name, Which dawned from the horizon of the world!

O servant! Hearken unto the call of Him Who created the world for His knowledge, and sent down the Books for the manifestation of His Cause, and the Messengers for the proclamation of His laws and His days. He speaketh in every condition: Verily, there is no God but Me, the Wronged One, the Stranger.’ I have chosen abasement for the glory of the world, and tribulation for the exaltation of the people of Baha, and exile that the servants might attain unto the supreme homeland—the station which God hath made sanctified beyond every wondrous mention. When thou hearest My call and attainest unto My verses, say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who hast mentioned me with Thy tongue! I testify that Thou hast come for the salvation of the nations. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the Powerful.’ Thus have We remembered thee and revealed for thee that which hath diffused the fragrance of My loving-kindness and My mercy which have preceded all who are in the heavens and the earth.”

And this is what was revealed for him who is named Habibu’llah. His word, blessed and exalted is He:

“In My Name, the Mighty, the Bountiful!

O Habib! Adorn thy tongue with My remembrance, and thy heart with the ornament of My love, and thy head with the crown of steadfastness in this Great Announcement. Leave what the people possess and hold fast to My firm cord. Verily it will deliver thee and protect thee and give thee to drink of the choice wine of His love by the hand of His bounty. Verily He is the Giver, the Bountiful. When thou attainest unto My verses, give thanks unto God Who hath aided thee to recognize Him when the people were in manifest doubt. Thus surged the ocean when the breezes of revelation wafted in this time.”

This is what was revealed for the leaf who was named Malikah, exalted be His grandeur:

In My Name, the Compassionate, the All-Loving

O Malikah! Blessed art thou, for thou hast attained unto that which most men have been deprived of. God willing, thou shalt remain firm and steadfast in thy love and acceptance, for the winds of trials and tests are passing. The most exalted station, which hath no equal, is not freely obtained except through His grace and bounty. Especially in these days when dark smoke hath appeared in a certain place and hath deprived, and continueth to deprive, the eyes of some from beholding the light of the Countenance. In all conditions, fix thy gaze upon the Truth and cling to His hem. Verily, He is with every servant who is steadfast and every maidservant who remaineth firm. The glory be upon thee and upon thy mother and thy brothers, from thy Lord, the All-Bountiful, the Ancient.

This is what was revealed for the sister, exalted be His majesty and abundant be His favors:

In My Name, the Forgiving, the Merciful

O handmaiden of God! The Lord of all names hath turned toward thee from the Prison of Akka and inviteth thee to the supreme horizon. Blessed are those handmaidens who have been illumined by the lights of recognition and have partaken of the choice sealed wine of God. They are in truth men, nay rather the knights of the field. How many are the servants who are seen to be deprived of the lights of certitude through their vain imaginings, and how many are the handmaidens who have rent asunder all veils through the name of the Lord of Names and are gazing toward and turning to the One True God. Blessed is the servant who hath attained and the handmaiden who hath achieved.

This is what was revealed for another sister, exalted and mighty is He:

In My Name, the Counselor, the All-Knowing

O handmaid of God! Be truly observant and hold fast to the cord of His grace. The best raiment in all the world is the raiment of righteous deeds. Blessed are they who are adorned with this most holy and exalted ornament and who act according to that which God hath revealed in the Book. Precious indeed is this Day; know ye its value and turn unto that which is the cause and source of everlasting remembrance. He verily counseleth His servants and handmaidens. Blessed is every hearing and responding soul, and every steadfast doer of good deeds.

Verily, infinite grace hath been manifested, for several months ago a reply to that handmaid’s letter was written, but due to the upheavals in surrounding areas, wisdom dictated a delay in its dispatch. At this time, which is the end of the day on Monday, the thirteenth of the month of Safar, Haji Mirza Abu’l-Hasan, upon him be the glory of God, submitted a petition to the Most Holy Court and forwarded that handmaid’s letter. After its perusal and review, it was presented at the Most Exalted Holy Court. It was not expected that at this time the ocean of grace would outwardly manifest with such supreme bounty, as it was the time for dispatching correspondence, and on one hand, the revelation of verses. However, after review and presentation, the Sun of utterance immediately shone forth from the horizon of the grace of the Goal of all the worlds, in such wise that this servant had not the opportunity to write it all down. The atoms themselves bear witness to His grace, His loving-kindness, and His mercy. Upon the mere mention of each of the names, manifest verses descended from the heaven of God’s Will, as hath been and is being witnessed.

Let that handmaid give the glad-tidings of God’s grace to all. That which is most important of all matters today is the unity of God’s loved ones. How excellent is the state of one who becomes the cause of unity and recognizes the station of those who have preceded and those who stand firm. He verily guideth whom He willeth unto His straight path.

Indeed, God’s grace towards that handmaid hath been manifested in such measure that were you to offer thanks throughout the duration of the kingdom of earth and heaven, you would not be able to render thanks for even a single letter of that which hath been revealed. This servant, that handmaid, and all who dwell on earth are powerless and wanting, and we beseech His aid that perchance we might render some service in His Day, or that a soul might appear, detached in His love.

This servant conveys greetings and salutations to the mentioned souls and likewise to the handmaids of God in that land, and supplicates success for all. He is verily the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. There is no God but He, the Most Exalted, the Most Great.

As for what was written concerning the Huququ’llah and likewise the pilgrimage journey, according to the command, two-thirds of the Huquq should be spent on good works, meaning the new life, and one-third should be sent to the Most Holy Court. And if possible, from what is to be forwarded to the Most Holy Court, nine tumans—the number of the Greatest Name—should be sent to Jinab-i-Samandar, upon him be the glory of God, for him to deliver to Jinab-i-Javad-i-Dhakir. These matters are beloved and acceptable when their means are available and they are accomplished with joy and fragrance.

Salutations and praise be upon the leaves who have turned unto God, who are steadfast and devoted, who sing upon the tree of divine knowledge. Verily, there is no God but He, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

The servant 13th of the month of Safar, 1300