Volume 071: Akka 1300 A.H. (1882–1883), Part II (7 of 8)
BH06186: He is the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth! Glorified…
He is the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth! Glorified be He Who hath spoken and caused all things to speak forth through this Name, at Whose appearance the limbs of the learned were made to quake, the idols were struck down, and every accursed satan lamented. Through it the decree of the Most Great Talisman was rendered null, the Evil One wailed, and the Faithful Spirit proclaimed:
“O peoples of the earth! We ask of you no recompense in this Cause. We summon you, for the sake of God, unto a noble station. Hearken unto the call from the Prison, from the Ultimate Tree, that verily there is none other God but I, the Forgiving, the Merciful. Hold fast to God’s grace and bounty, and follow not every ignorant remote one. This is the Day wherein the horizons have been illumined by the lights of the Countenance, yet most of the people remain heedless. They have cast aside the God of Names and followed what they were bidden by every sinful doubter. Grieve thou not at anything. Place thy trust in God, the Lord of this wondrous Day. Be thou thankful unto Him at all times for having remembered thee while in His mighty prison. Thus have We illumined thee with the lights of utterance and adorned thee with the ornament of My wondrous remembrance. The glory be upon thee and upon God’s sincere servants.”
BH06278: This is a Book sent down when the Wronged…
He is the All-Seeing, the All-Informed.
This is a Book sent down when the Wronged One was in evident sorrow. The oppressors have imprisoned My loved ones in Ta [Tehran] and other lands, whereat have wept the dwellers of the Most Exalted Paradise and the people of the Most High Heaven. The Tongue of Grandeur beareth witness to this from His sublime station.
O Buzurg! Hearken unto the call from the prison, then observe those who claim belief in the All-Merciful yet deny this News which God foretold through the tongues of those near unto Him. This is a Remembrance before which all remembrances bow down, and a Light which the machinations of those who have disbelieved in God, the Exalted, the Great, cannot extinguish. We counsel all to patience and forbearance, and shall seize the oppressors by Our command, for We are the Mighty Seizer. Be thou glad that thou hast been mentioned before the Wronged One. We have sent down for thee that from which thou shalt find the fragrance of thy Lord’s utterance, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Can anyone alter what God hath intended? Nay, by My Name, the Protector of all who are in the heavens and the earth! Thus have We adorned the Tablet of the Book with the ornament of My wondrous remembrance. Glory be upon him who hath turned toward My horizon and clung to My luminous robe.
BH06374: In My Name, the Mighty, the Great
In My Name, the Mighty, the Great.
O Qasim! The Lord of all mankind remembers thee in His days and gives thee glad tidings of this Revelation wherein the Speaker of the Mount proclaims: “There is none other God but Me, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.” We desired life for all who dwell on earth, yet they sought to put Me to death. We desired glory for them, yet they desired My abasement. They perceive not. They have denied God’s favor, rejected His proof, and disputed His verses that have encompassed both earth and heaven. Blessed is every face that hath turned, and every tongue that hath spoken, through this Most Great Remembrance, and every heart that hath turned to My praiseworthy station. When thou inhales the fragrance of thy Lord’s utterance, the All-Merciful, and hearest His sweetest call, arise and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of Names, and glory be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp lies the kingdom of command, O Creator of heaven!
I beseech Thee by Thy radiant countenance, by Thy dark flowing locks, and by Thy sweetest utterance, to make me steadfast in Thy Cause and ordain for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen the good of this world and the world to come. Thou art, verily, powerful over all things. There is none other God but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.”
BH06562: Glorified be He Who hath sent down the Utterance…
He is the One Who speaketh the truth in the Kingdom of Utterance.
Glorified be He Who hath sent down the Utterance and manifested the proof and summoned all who are in the realm of possibility unto a station wherein the tongue of grandeur proclaimeth: “There is none other God besides Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.” He hath come for the reformation of the world and the life of nations. To this testifieth He with Whom is the mighty Tablet.
O ʿAli-Akbar! Rejoice thou in My remembrance of thee, then give thanks unto thy Lord, the All-Bountiful, Who hath turned toward thee from the direction of the Prison and remembered thee with that which shall never pass away, if thou remainest steadfast in His Cause that is manifest. We have revealed the Cause and commanded all to observe what hath been sent down in the Book. Among the people are those who have acted in accordance with it and those who have cast it behind their backs—these are truly among the heedless ones in the Book of God, the Mighty, the Wondrous. The Glory be upon the people of Baha who have attained unto this Cause and have witnessed that which God witnessed before the creation of the heavens and the earth. Thus hath the Bird of Grace warbled and the Nightingale of Faithfulness sung. Blessed is he who hath attained, and woe unto every remote denier.
BH06489: That which is for the good of the servants…
In the name of the One Friend!
That which is for the good of the servants is the resignation of all affairs unto God, exalted be His glory, inasmuch as most of us are unaware of that which is harmful or beneficial. None except God, exalted be His glory, is truly cognizant of all things. True knowledge hath ever been, and shall always be, specially reserved unto Him. He is the All-Knowing, He is the All-Wise. Assuredly whatsoever He deemeth expedient will He reveal unto His loved ones.
O ye who have turned towards Him! Ye have won the prize of victory, and were this station to be unveiled, perchance some would perish from joy. At all times occupy yourselves with praise and thanksgiving and glorification of God, and hold fast unto His cord.
The Manifestations of tyranny and the Exponents of oppression, who are the divines of the age, have striven with utmost power and might to extinguish the light. Yet they have found themselves impotent and wanting, and ere long shall they find themselves in a most wretched abode. His is the command. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the All-Praised.
BH06793: In My Name, the All-Wise, the All-Knowing! O My…
In My Name, the All-Wise, the All-Knowing! O My loved ones! Be not grieved by the actions of those who, throughout all ages, have wronged God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment. Remember when the Spirit came, and what was inflicted upon Him by the Jews who cast the Book of God, the Lord of all worlds, behind their backs. Then observe what was visited upon Muhammad, the Apostle of God, by all the opposing factions. By God’s life! They are in manifest loss. Verily, whenever He came with the truth, the divines pronounced judgment against Him, and behind them stood the rulers of the earth, if ye be of them that hear. Then remember when the Day of God came—He through Whose mention the books of God were adorned aforetime and Whose manifestation was heralded by the Prophets and Messengers.
Woe unto the learned one whom knowledge hath deluded and kept back from God, the All-Protecting, the Self-Subsisting! Say: O ignorant one! Thou wert created for this Day, yet when it appeared thou didst turn away. O rejected idolater! He came to give thee life, yet thou didst pronounce judgment against Him. O heedless and veiled one! Thus hath My Most Exalted Pen spoken in the kingdom of creation. Blessed is he who hath hearkened unto this Call, and woe unto every remote and rejected one.
BH06648: He is the All-Witnessing, the All-Informed! The world hath…
He is the All-Witnessing, the All-Informed! The world hath been adorned with the appearance of the Ancient King, yet the peoples remain in astonishing delusion. They have cast the signs of God behind their backs, following every doubtful idolater. We have sent down for all on earth that wherewith the trees and fruits and mountains have been adorned, yet the people persist in discord and dissension, following vain imaginings while turning away from the Dawning-Place of knowledge. Thus have their souls enticed them, and they are reckoned among the wayward in the Book of God, the Lord of creation.
We have heard thy call and have answered thee, and have seen thy turning to Us and have turned to thee from the Most Exalted Station, and have remembered thee with that which shall never end, by the everlasting power of God, the Lord of lords.
Beware lest the greatest veil prevent thee from the Most Luminous Horizon, or the veils of those who have disbelieved in the Source and Return bar thee therefrom. Take what hath been sent down unto thee with strength from Us, and cast aside what is possessed by every heedless imposter.
The glory shining from the horizon of eternity be upon those who have heard and responded, and have drunk the wine of steadfastness from the hands of the bounty of their Lord, the Mighty, the Most Bountiful.
BH06875: In the Name of Him Who holdeth dominion over…
In the Name of Him Who holdeth dominion over all who are on earth and in heaven! O concourse of creation! Hearken unto that which the Lord of Names proclaimeth from His Prison in ʿAkka. He is, verily, none other than God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Every steadfast one hath attained unto the Most Great Ocean, every wayfarer unto the Supreme Horizon, and every seeker unto this noble station. How many a servant hath heard the call and responded to his Ancient Lord, and how many a one robed in authority hath disdained and waxed proud before God, the Lord of all worlds. We have created all for this Most Great Day—to this testifieth the Lord of Destiny in His impregnable Prison.
Say: O servants of the All-Merciful! Do ye not behold the ocean of divine utterance, do ye not hear the call of God, the Mighty, the Praised? Abandon what the peoples possess and hold fast unto that which ye have been commanded in His wise Book. Thus have We remembered thee and sent unto thee that whereby the eyes of them that are nigh are solaced. Take hold of the Book with the power of God. Verily, He will be with thee in every world among the worlds of thy Lord. To this thy Lord, the All-Informed, doth testify.
BH06748: By My life! My Pen lamenteth over what hath…
In the Name of Him Who is the Guardian over what was and what will be!
By My life! My Pen lamenteth over what hath befallen My Soul, and the Prison crieth out because of My oppression and what hath come upon Me in the path of God, the Lord of all worlds. We summoned all to the Water of Life, yet they pronounced judgment against My Person with manifest tyranny. We made clear unto them the Way and gave them glad-tidings of the bounty of the All-Glorious, yet they rose up against Us with grievous oppression. They seized My name and My chosen ones with such tyranny as caused the dwellers of the most exalted Paradise to weep, yet the people remain behind a thick veil. Say: O My loved ones! Let not the might of the wicked ones dismay you.
Leave behind all who are in the world, turning your faces toward My luminous horizon. Wrong not anyone, nor grieve over what hath befallen you. Put your trust in God, your Lord and the Lord of your fathers. Verily He seizeth the transgressors; nothing can frustrate Him. He seizeth every wicked one even as He seized in His days. Thy Lord is, in truth, the All-Powerful, the Almighty. The splendor that hath shone forth from the heaven of My tender mercy be upon thee and upon whosoever hath held fast unto the cord of God, the Most Strong.
BH06791: In My Name, the Wronged One, the Stranger
In My Name, the Wronged One, the Stranger
O Abu’l-Qasim! We have seen thy letter and heard the yearning of thy heart in separation from thy Lord, and We understood what thou didst desire of nearness and meeting. But the enemies have come between Us and thee, and have prevented the servants from that for which they were created. Blessed is the one who, strong in spirit, hath rent asunder the veils in the name of his Lord, the All-Bestowing, and hath voiced His praise amidst all possibilities with spirit and fragrance, with wisdom and utterance. He is indeed of the people of Glory in the Preserved Tablet of Names, and one who hath embarked upon the Crimson Ark in the name of God, the Possessor of all things and Creator of the heavens. Rejoice thou that We found thy letter adorned with the remembrance of God and sanctified from the mention of aught else but Him, and We observed thy turning unto Him, thy devotion, and thy sincerity towards God alone. Verily He, despite the sorrows that have befallen Him, remembereth thee in the Most Great Prison with that which the world cannot equal. When thou perceivest and findest this, arise in His name, the Exalted, and say:
“Unto Thee be praise, O Glory of the World! And unto Thee be thanks, O Thou Who answereth them that turn unto Thee, Companion of them that are nigh unto Thee, Lord of the mystics, and Beloved of the sincere!”
BH06444: O My Most Exalted Pen! It behooveth thee…
In the Name of Him Who rules over all horizons!
O My Most Exalted Pen! It behooveth thee to lament in these days, for the heedless ones have imprisoned My loved ones and committed injustice against them, in such wise that the dwellers of My celestial Kingdom and My Realm of Might have wept, as have the people of this forbidden station. By My life! We have heard the cries of the denizens of Paradise and the weeping of those near unto God on this memorable day. The oppressor rejoiceth and scoffeth as though he would abide forever on earth. Nay, by the Self of God that holdeth dominion over all that hath been and shall be! Soon shall he behold the recompense of his deeds and shall bewail his own self, and shall find none to help him. He Who possesseth the Preserved Tablet doth testify to this.
Thy letter hath reached Us, and We have heard that which was revealed aforetime by My Most Exalted Pen. Blessed is the tongue that hath spoken My verses, and the soul that hath soared in My atmosphere, and the eye that hath attained unto My beloved presence. We counsel the servants with that which beseemeth the days of God, the Lord of existence. Aid ye the Most Merciful through your deeds. Thus have We counseled Our servants aforetime and in this Tablet which beareth witness to that whereunto God hath testified: There is none other God but Me, the All-Subduing, the Self-Subsisting.
BH06419: Today the entire world is illumined by the effulgences…
He is the One manifest from His most exalted horizon
Today the entire world is illumined by the effulgences of the lights of the Revelation, yet most of its people remain heedless. The people of the earth are all withered, nay rather dead. They must be quickened through the water of wisdom and utterance and the life-giving Kawthar. Blessed is the soul that hath attained thereunto, blessed the eye that hath witnessed, and blessed the ear that hath heard. The hearkening to a single call is better in the sight of God than the deeds of all who are on earth. A hundred thousand regrets that they are deprived of this endless bounty and veiled from this infinite grace. Be not grieved by what hath befallen. Every soul is occupied according to his station. They have cast the station of God behind their backs and followed every heedless and remote one. Soon shall they find themselves in manifest loss. Rejoice thou in My remembrance of thee and give glad-tidings to My loved ones of My tender mercy and My grace which have preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth. Thus have We illumined the horizon of the heaven of proof with the luminary of utterance. Blessed be the mystic who hath attained and risen to serve the Cause, and woe unto them that are abased.
BH06617: In My Name, the Rememberer and the Remembered!
In My Name, the Rememberer and the Remembered!
Heedlessness hath encompassed the world and prevented all from the Most Exalted Horizon, save those souls who are immersed in the ocean of divine love. These souls prefer one atom of tribulation in His path above all that is in the world. These are they who are accounted as the people of Baha in the Book of Names. Blessed are they, for they have attained unto that which God, exalted be His glory, hath ever announced through the tongue of the Prophets and Messengers. Great indeed is this Day, and its greatness hath been revealed by the Supreme Pen in the Scriptures and Tablets. On this Day speaketh He Who conversed on Sinai:
“Verily there is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”
Thy letter was received and attained the honor of being heard, and the Sun of loving-kindness hath dawned from the horizon of grace. God willing, thou shalt attain unto that which thou hast sought. Rejoice thou in this manifest grace and say: “Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.” The Glory be upon thee and upon every maidservant who hath believed in God, and upon My maidservant who attained in Zawra and heard the call of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
BH06490: In My Name, the Most Holy above all names!…
In My Name, the Most Holy above all names! The Ocean of Divine Knowledge speaks at the center of contingent existence and summons all with spirit and fragrance to the All-Merciful, yet most of the people perceive not. Say: He has appeared with truth and speaks in every condition that there is no God but Me, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. I have come for the life of the world and the reformation of the nations. To this bears witness the Lord of Eternity from His praiseworthy station.
Your letter has come before the Wronged One in His Most Great Prison, and He has answered you with a Tablet from which flows the sealed nectar. When you attain unto it and drink thereof, praise God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. By God’s life! A single word from Me equals not what you behold today nor what exists in all creation.
Arise to serve the Cause in such wise that the veils of the Jews who violated God’s Covenant and His Testament and denied Him Who speaks ʿThere is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Loving’ shall not withhold you. Thus have We remembered you and sent this unto you that you may thank your Lord, the Mighty, the Beloved.
BH06768: This is a mention from Us to those who…
He is the All-Witnessing, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing
This is a mention from Us to those who have turned to God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, and who have testified to that which God Himself hath testified. Verily, they are honored servants. The servant who is present hath presented thy letter before the Throne, and this irrevocable epistle hath been sent down for thee. Blessed is he who hath attained the mention of God in His days, and woe unto every heedless and veiled one. He hath forgiven thee and absolved thee of thy misdeeds. Be thou thankful for this manifest grace. Stand firm in the Cause in the name of thy Lord. Verily, He witnesseth and seeth, and He is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. The splendor shining from the horizon of eternity be upon those who have heard the Call and answered their Lord, the Lord of all beings, Who hath come with the truth with a sovereignty that hath encompassed all that was and that shall be.
And We make mention of him who was named Hasan before ʿAli that he may rejoice and be of the thankful ones in the Book of God, the Lord of existence. Praise thy Lord for having turned toward thee from the precincts of the Prison and mentioned thee in such wise as nothing on earth can equal, did the people but understand.
BH06735: This is a Book sent down in truth, guiding…
He is the One, the All-Informed!
This is a Book sent down in truth, guiding the people to the Straight Path which God hath manifested in His mighty, wondrous Day. O people of Baha! Remember when My Name and My loved ones were imprisoned in the Land of Ta by reason of what the hands of the oppressors had wrought. Verily, he who first pronounced judgment against them was one named Sadiq. We seized him through Our might and returned him to his abode in the nethermost depths. Then We seized one greater than he, whereupon the fire of hatred was stilled and the Dove of the Cause cooed upon the branches. There is none other God but He, the Almighty, the Powerful. Nothing can prevent His Cause. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth, and He is the Mighty, the Unconstrained. To this testifieth what hath appeared on earth, both in the past and in the future. Well is it with him who is endowed with insight! We counsel thee to manifest supreme steadfastness. Thy Lord is, in truth, the Counselor, the Forgiving, the Bountiful. Be thou of such constancy that the clamor of the divines who have pronounced judgment against Me and My loved ones, without any proof or Book from God, the Lord of all worlds, shall not deter thee.
BH06884: O Nowruz, the servant who was present before…
He is the Herald between earth and heaven!
O Nowruz, the servant who was present before the Wronged One mentioned your name, and this Preserved Tablet was revealed for you, which had been hidden in the knowledge of God and treasured in the pavilion of grandeur, as a command from Him—and He is, in truth, the Knower of things unseen.
We have sent down the verses and manifested the clear proofs and given glad tidings to all of that which will profit them in every world of the worlds of their Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. Thereupon the servants rose up against Us and the divines issued decrees against Us with such injustice that the Maids of Heaven wept in their chambers and faces and cheeks were altered. Say: O company of the heedless ones! By what book did you believe in your Lord, the All-Merciful, and by what proof did you turn to Him? Bring it forth, if you have knowledge! Nay, by My very Self, the Truth! You have been impotent, as have all who dwell in the heavens and earth, to bring forth that which the Hidden and Treasured Name hath brought. When thou dost discover the fragrance of the divine utterance from the traces of the Pen of the All-Merciful, arise from thy place, turning toward the Dayspring of Revelation, speaking His praise and making mention of that which thou hast been bidden in His recorded tablet.
BH07313: In the name of Him Who speaks between…
In the name of Him Who speaks between the worlds. O Abu’l-Qasim, upon whom be the Glory of God! Do you recognize Who remembers you from the horizon of the prison, and do you see Who has turned toward you from His most exalted station? Say: Yea, by my Lord! He is my Lord, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Hearken unto that which the All-Merciful hath sent down in the Qur’an:
“On the day when thy Lord shall come, or some of the signs of thy Lord shall come.”
And when the Promise was fulfilled and the Promised One appeared, they denied Him, until they pronounced against Him that which caused the dwellers of the Kingdom to lament. Say: O people, read ye the Books of God that were sent down aforetime. Verily they bear witness to this Most Great Revelation, yet ye understand not. O concourse of divines! Fear ye God, and follow not idle fancies and vain imaginings. Follow Him Who guideth you to the Dayspring of certitude on this Day which was inscribed by the Supreme Pen and concealed in the knowledge of God, the Lord of Names. All things bear witness to this, would ye but understand. Thus have We remembered thee and revealed unto thee that which was and is the Water of Life for all that exist and will exist.
BH07191: In the Name of Him Who is sanctified above…
In the Name of Him Who is sanctified above all mention! We have heard the call of Our loved ones and have answered them, for verily I am the Hearer, the Answerer.
O Hasan! He Who hath shown kindness to the world and hath come with a sovereignty before which all the hosts of the earth combined cannot stand, maketh mention of thee at this moment. To this testifieth He with Whom is the perspicuous Book. Rejoice thou in My mention of thee, then render thanks unto thy Lord, the All-Forgiving, the Most Bountiful.
This is a Day wherein mysteries have been revealed, fruits have appeared, and the heavenly table hath been sent down; yet the people remain in grievous blindness. Hold fast unto the cord of thy Lord’s loving-kindness and say: O Thou Lord of all names! I beseech Thee by Thy most excellent names to ordain for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones who have offered up their lives in Thy path. Thou, verily, hast power to do as Thou pleasest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth.
We make mention, too, of thy family and those that are with thee, as a token of Our grace, for verily I am the Most Bountiful, the Ancient of Days. Upon thee and upon them be the glory from the presence of One Who is mighty and powerful.
BH07384: O Suhrab! God, exalted be His Glory, hath manifested…
In the Name of God, the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing!
O Suhrab! God, exalted be His Glory, hath manifested Himself for the reformation of the world and the education of its peoples. He hath made His Cause manifest, His Path evident, and His Balance established before all faces. This is that Day whereof He saith:
“The trumpet shall be blown, and all who are in the heavens and on earth shall swoon away, save those whom God shall please to exempt.”
Though the Cause is mighty indeed, yet its proof and testimony are seen to be clearer than the light of the sun. It behooveth thee to return unto God and repent before Him. Verily, He will forgive thy sins and blot out thy transgressions. Thy Lord is, in truth, the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous. Through His grace and mercy, God hath pardoned and overlooked grievous sins and great transgressions, on condition that one’s return be firm and one’s repentance steadfast and enduring. Thus doth thy Lord, the All-Merciful, counsel thee. Praise be unto Him, for He is the Most Generous of the generous ones.
BH07416: O Muhammad-Qabil-ʿAli! Your letter was received and your call…
In the name of the Desire of the world
O Muhammad-Qabil-ʿAli! Your letter was received and your call attained the honor of being heard. Today, whosoever has recognized God, exalted be His glory, and has turned to the Most Exalted Horizon, is among those souls whom divine bounties and favors seek out. God willing, may the peoples of the world attain to the sweetness of this most exalted utterance and achieve that which is befitting.
The Sun of Truth has appeared with perfect manifestation and effulgence, and the ocean of bounty is surging. Nevertheless, all remain deprived and veiled save those whom God, thy Lord, has willed. Verily, hold fast to the cord of the Command and place thy trust in God in all matters. Beseech the True One that thou mayest succeed in that which is worthy of the divine days. Blessed is the soul whose call has attained the Most Holy Court and who has been honored with a response from the Most Exalted Pen. Before God, such a one is mentioned among the most exalted of creatures and inscribed in the Book. Be thankful unto God for this manifest grace.
BH07347: O people of the earth! Hearken unto the call…
He is the One Who gazeth from His most exalted horizon
O people of the earth! Hearken unto the call of the Lord of Heaven. He summoneth you unto that which draweth you nigh unto the most exalted horizon—the Station wherein the Tree of the Uttermost Boundary proclaimeth: There is none other God but Me, the Peerless, the All-Informed. The Promised One hath come for the life of the world, yet the people have turned away and denied, following every froward satan. Say: O people of God! Blessed are ye, inasmuch as ye have heard His call and your eyes have beheld His horizon and your hands have taken hold of His perspicuous Book. They that have turned away this Day have no portion in the Book. God will soon seize them with His justice. He, verily, is the Just, the All-Wise. We have inhaled the fragrance of thy love and have sent unto thee this wondrous Book which proclaimeth throughout the world that there is none other God but Him, the Peerless, the All-Informed. Leave the people to themselves and put thy trust in God, the Lord of all worlds. He is, verily, with His servants and aideth them through the truth. He is the Mighty, the Powerful.
BH07206: We were gazing toward the prison in Ta (Tehran)…
He is the Hearer, the Answerer!
We were gazing toward the prison in Ta (Tehran) and saw the friends who were imprisoned without evidence or warrant. We heard their yearning in separation from God and saw their tears shed in love for God, the Exalted, the Great. Verily the oppressor was deluded by wealth until he rose against the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Say: Woe unto thee, O remote oppressor! Soon shalt thou see the Cause above thy head and thyself in manifest loss. Abandon that which deluded thee and take what hath come from God, that He may forgive thee and remit thy misdeeds, O heedless evil one! We heard mention of thee, made mention of thee, and sent thee this clear Book. Let not the affairs of creation grieve thee. Arise with supreme steadfastness in the Cause of God, the Lord of all beings, and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Desired One of the worlds! The manifest peace from the Abode of Peace be upon thee and upon those who have held fast to the strong cord of God.
BH07207: Thou hast been mentioned before the Throne every year…
He is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious
Thou hast been mentioned before the Throne every year until these years when My loved ones who spoke forth My praise and openly acknowledged what God hath sent down in the Mother Book were imprisoned. By this the Books of God have lamented and tears have flowed from the eyes of those through whom eyes were consoled.
The Wronged One remembereth thee when sorrows have encompassed Him from all sides. Say: His sorrow is a manifestation of His loving-kindness and a revelation of His grace. By the life of God! Were He to desire it, He would seize all through but one word from His presence. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the Unconstrained. Thou hast drunk the choice wine of revelation cup after cup and chalice after chalice. All this is from Our favor upon thee. Thy Lord is, verily, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. Blessed is he who hath drunk the cup of My praise and the Kawthar of My knowledge. He is among the most exalted of creation in the Scriptures and Tablets. The Glory be upon thee and upon those who have held fast to the cord of certitude, turning away from idle fancies and vain imaginings.
BH06997: O Leaf! Thy petition was read in the presence…
In the name of the Goal of all the worlds!
O Leaf! Thy petition was read in the presence of the Wronged One and was honored with His hearing. Praise be to God that the glance of the favor of the True One, exalted be His glory, hath from the beginning of the Cause until now been directed towards thee.
This is the most great bounty whose station hath not been and will not be limited by the understanding and knowledge of men. At all times doth the Divine Lote-Tree call out betwixt earth and heaven and summon all to the straight path of God. However, as pure and receptive ears are rare, therefore but few souls have attained and turned towards the Most Exalted Horizon. Praise be to God that thou art adorned with the most great honor and the most mighty kinship. Mention of thee hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen and is recorded in God’s Book. Be thou thankful unto thy Lord for this wondrous bounty. The glory shining from the horizon of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon those with thee and upon those who have been honored with this wise remembrance.
BH07136: God testifieth that there is none other God but…
He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great!
God testifieth that there is none other God but Him. He hath ever been sanctified from all peers and likenesses, and hath commanded all that which profiteth them in both beginning and end. Among the people are those who have heard and responded, and those who have turned away in such wise as to pronounce judgment against God, the Lord of lords. O peoples of the earth! Fear God and follow not the desires of your divines. By the life of God! They remain in their ancient error, worshipping their own desires and turning away from the All-Informed One.
When thou hearest My call, turn thy face toward My most exalted horizon and say:
“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Owner of Names, for having caused me to hear Thy call and recognize Thy days! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Name to make me in all conditions to hold fast to Thy cord and cling to Thy robe, to be set ablaze with the fire of Thy love and be attracted by the sweetness of Thy utterance. Thou art, verily, the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest, and within Thy grasp is the kingdom of creation. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Conquering, the Powerful.”
BH07190: We have heard thy call and thy lamentation…
He is the Ever-Present, the All-Seeing
We have heard thy call and thy lamentation, and witnessed thy turning and thy devotion. We beseech God to make thee one of the letters of His Book, and to purify thee from whatsoever is unseemly in His days, and to sanctify thee from the conditions of His creatures who are overcome by desire and who have turned away from the Lord of all beings. May He write down for thee, through His Most Exalted Pen, that which befitteth His loftiness and transcendence, through His bounty and generosity and favors. May He forgive thee through His grace and assist thee in that which diffuseth the fragrance of His good-pleasure, and draw thee nigh unto Him, and provide thee with the good of this world and of the next.
The Wronged One maketh mention of him who was named Husayn and giveth him the glad-tidings of My turning toward him and My remembrance of him, that he may rejoice and give thanks unto his Lord, besides Whom there is none other God, and through Whom was revealed that which was hidden in knowledge and recorded in the scriptures and tablets and books. He, verily, is the Straight Path and the Great Announcement through which the hearts of the righteous were assured and the hearts of the deniers were disturbed. Praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
BH07170: The Promise hath come, and He Who was promised…
He is the Witness, the All-Hearing!
The Promise hath come, and He Who was promised calleth the servants unto God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Say: He hath appeared with a Cause before which all the hosts of the world, and all the princes and kings, are powerless to stand. O people of the earth! We make mention of you at a time when sorrows have encompassed Us through that which the hands of the deniers of this blessed and manifest Light have wrought. They have imprisoned My Name and seized My loved ones, and there hath befallen them that which hath caused the Tongue of Grandeur to lament for them in a praiseworthy station. Beware lest the oppressors turn thee aside from the Dayspring of Justice. Hold thou fast unto the cord of grace, detached from every rejected idolator.
We make mention of the servants at all times and summon them unto the All-Merciful. Among them are those who have turned towards Him and those who have turned away and followed every heedless and veiled one. Place thy trust at all times in the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. He will assist thee through His command “Be,” and it is. Thus hath My Pen spoken and My Tongue made mention and My Face turned unto thee. Be thou grateful unto God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.
BH07965: O Ghulam-Rida! Hast thou heard My news and hast…
In the Name of the Most Holy, the Most Glorious
O Ghulam-Rida! Hast thou heard My news and hast thou learned what hath appeared in My days? Hast thou heard of My exile and My grief and My imprisonment and My tribulation? By the life of God, all My limbs and members and parts have offered thanks for what hath befallen them in the path of God, the Lord of all worlds. With His tongue He mentioneth His trials and recounteth them unto His loved ones, that they may know what hath come upon Him from His servants who were created by a word from His presence. There is no God but Him, the Commander, the Mighty. Say: O loved ones of the All-Merciful in all lands! Be not grieved by what hath befallen My chosen ones in the land of Ta. Hold fast to the hem of God’s robe and place your trust in Him. Verily He protecteth whom He willeth through hosts of angels, and He is the Almighty Whom the armies of earth have not frustrated and the ascendancy of the oppressors hath not hindered. Glory be upon thee and upon him who hath turned unto the One, the All-Informed.
BH07742: We have remembered all who have turned…
He is the One manifest from the horizon of the Prison.
We have remembered all who have turned to the All-Informed One. To this testifies God’s authoritative Word through which every wise matter has been detailed. At one time it speaks forth from the Mount, at another from this Spot which has been illumined by the lights of Revelation, and at yet another time it speaks in the form of the Pen: “The Promise has come, and the Lord of all being is seated upon His mighty throne.” When thou dost find the fragrance of My utterance and art seized by the choice wine of My remembrance, arise and say: “O my God! I testify that Thou canst not be known except through Thine Own Self, nor described save through Thine Own Being. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Exalted Pen to ordain for me the recompense of those who have attained unto Thy service in Thy days. Thou art God, there is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.” The light shining from the heaven of My will be upon thee and upon those who have held fast to the cord of unity by the command of God, the All-Knowing.
BH07707: He is the One Who gazeth from His most…
He is the One Who gazeth from His most exalted horizon. God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, and He Who speaketh is indeed the One through Whom the standards of divine unity were raised above all other standards and through Whom appeared the commandments of God, the Lord of the worlds. Blessed is the servant who hath heard the call, and woe unto the heedless.
The servant who is present hath presented thy letter and read it after permission was granted. We have answered thee with this perspicuous Book. Verily We answer every questioner and behold every one who turneth toward Us. Thy Lord is, in truth, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.
We counsel thee to be patient in this Day wherein the sighing of the Fire hath been raised up by him who disbelieved in God, the Mighty, the Most Praised. Be thou thankful unto God for having aided thee to recognize Him and mentioned thee in His exalted station. Be thou in such wise that nothing shall prevent thee from God. This is what We counselled Our servants aforetime and in this Great Day. Glory be unto them who have held fast unto My firm cord. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.
BH07925: In My Name, the Witnessing, the All-Hearing! O thou…
In My Name, the Witnessing, the All-Hearing! O thou who art mentioned! Thy mention hath been presented before the Most Great Remembrance, and the Lord of Eternity hath turned toward thee and maketh mention of thee in such wise as hath brought joy to the eyes of them that are nigh. Blessed is every one who hath turned toward My most exalted horizon, and every seeing one who hath witnessed and beheld My most great signs and heard that which the Speaker of the Mount hath spoken in this Most Great, Most Holy, Mighty, Wondrous Revelation. We send Our greetings from this station upon thee and upon him who was named Qanbar-Ali, that thou mayest give thanks unto God on this Day wherein that which was hidden in the knowledge of God, the Mighty, the Powerful, hath been made manifest. And We make mention of him who was named Qasim-Ali and his brother Baqir-ʿAli, and give them glad tidings of My loving-kindness and My favor which have encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. We counsel you with that which beseemeth man and the days of your Lord, the All-Merciful. Blessed is he who heareth, and woe unto the heedless ones!
BH07945: In My Most Great Name!
In My Most Great Name!
O Khayru’llah! The Wronged One of the world calls thee from the Kingdom of God and says: Thy book was presented and the servant in attendance submitted all of it, and it attained the honor of being heard by the Lord of Names. Blessed is the pen that spoke in His name, and the ink that flowed in His remembrance, and the tongue that uttered His beautiful praise. We heard thy call and responded with this most sublime and holy Tablet, that thou mayest know with clear certitude that the Truth, exalted be His glory, is the Hearer and Answerer, and His grace has encompassed the world. All the wealth and glory of the world cannot equal one word of “O My servant” from God. Blessed is he who has attained in His days, and woe to the heedless. Hold fast to the cord of steadfastness in such wise that nothing among all things, no learned one among the learned, and no prince among princes shall turn thee aside. Thus doth the Supreme Pen counsel thee from the presence of One All-Knowing, All-Wise.
BH07746: We have heard what indicated thy turning…
In His Name, the All-Seeing, the All-Informed!
We have heard what indicated thy turning to the Most Exalted Horizon and found that which bore witness to thy faith in God, the Lord of the worlds. By the life of God! If thou wert to become aware of this bounty, thou wouldst not exchange it for all the treasures of the earth. He Who holdeth within His grasp the Kingdom of the dominion of the heavens and earth beareth witness to this. Turn not unto the world and what is therein, and grieve not over what hath befallen the chosen ones. Soon shall the idolaters lament over their own selves, while the sincere shall find themselves in a station that nothing on earth can equal and which all the pens of the earth are powerless to describe. He Who speaketh at this moment beareth witness to this, testifying that there is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. And We make mention once again of him who hath remembered, that he may remember this Wronged One, the Exile, Who hath desired life for all the peoples of the world while they have risen against Him with manifest tyranny. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.
BH07604: In My Name, He Who is established upon…
In My Name, He Who is established upon the Throne of Utterance at all times! The Supreme Pen is occupied with the mention of the friends in such wise that the coldness of the world hath not chilled it, and the putrid waters of opposition have not prevented its heat. In the midst of tribulations and ordeal, it speaketh in praise of the Lord of the seen and unseen. Turn ye unto Him with radiant hearts, and be not of the heedless ones. Soon will the days pass, and ye shall witness the power of God, the Mighty, the Omnipotent.
Thy letter was received, and this Wronged One hath answered thee at a time when the lamentation of the oppressed is heard from the land of Ta and other regions, through that which the hands of the heedless have wrought. Grieve thou not over anything, and in all matters place thy trust in the Right-Informed One.
The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon him who hath held fast unto the cord of patience in that which hath befallen him in My straight Path. Praise be to God, the Mighty, the All-Wise.
BH07992: In My Name, the Hearer, the Answerer
In My Name, the Hearer, the Answerer
O Yusif! Your letter has come and been read by the servant who stands before the Throne. Verily your Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We have heard your call and answered you, and turned toward you from this exalted station. We found your letter sanctified from the allusions of those who have denied God, the Most High, the Most Great.
Blessed art thou for having turned to Him from Whom the world has turned away, though it was created for His manifestation—to this testify the Books of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. We mentioned thee before with a mention through which the Concourse on High perceived the fragrance of My Most Glorious Robe. Rejoice thou and be of the thankful ones. Beware lest anything prevent thee from this Remembrance, through which all things and the Lord of Names have called out. God hath come with His wondrous Remembrance. Verily We remember Our loved ones and counsel them to steadfastness in this Day wherein the clamor of every remote oppressor hath been raised. Thus have We mentioned thee from the precincts of the Prison. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Bountiful.
BH07932: In the name of God, the All-Knowing! O Baha!…
In the name of God, the All-Knowing! O Baha! This is a name through which the world was shaken and the nations were disturbed, and every remote oppressor. You have chosen a name from which, from every direction, are raised the roars of the ignorant, the clamor of the divines, and the howling of the wicked. Through this name every rock and clod has melted, yet the people are in a strange sleep. Your letter arrived and your cry attained the honor of being heard. God willing, may you be confirmed and arise to serve the Cause, which consists of goodly deeds and praiseworthy human actions. Verily, He speaks the truth and guides the way. We convey greetings to the friends of God and counsel them with what God loves, and we beseech God to gather all upon one word and not deprive you of the ocean of His bounty. He is powerful over all things, and He is the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing.
BH07960: O ʿAli-Akbar! The Wronged One of the horizons…
He is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth!
O ʿAli-Akbar! The Wronged One of the horizons in this Most Great Prison hath turned toward thee and maketh mention of thee. By the Sun of the heaven of inner meanings, if thou wert to discover the station of this mention, thou wouldst attain unto such joy that no sorrow could ever seize it, and thou wouldst forever utter “Thine be the praise, O Thou Who art the Desire of the worlds!” Know thou the value of the mention of the Wronged One and preserve this Tablet as thou wouldst thine eye, that it may be protected from the eyes of the treacherous and the ears of the thieves. Hearken unto what We have imparted unto thee and be of the thankful ones. Countless are the treacherous ones and many are the thieves. Beseech thou God to preserve the pearls of the ocean of faith and grant them shelter beneath the Tree of security and protection. Verily He is powerful over all things and worthy to answer prayer.
BH07944: In My Name, the Ruler over all names!
In My Name, the Ruler over all names!
O Khalil! Verily the All-Glorious makes mention of thee and counsels thee and those who have believed to show forth the most great steadfastness in these days wherein the fire of oppression has been kindled through that which the hands of the heedless have wrought. They have wronged My loved ones and imprisoned them throughout the cities and lands with such tyranny as has caused the Faithful Spirit to lament. We hear the cry of Our loved ones in Ta (Tihran) and in other lands. God shall soon seize the oppressors with His wrath from His presence. He is verily the Powerful over whatsoever He willeth. There is no God but Him, the Strong, the Conquering, the Mighty. O people of Baha! Be not grieved at that which hath befallen you. Hold fast to the cord of patience and resignation. Soon shall ye behold the Cause shining forth from the Supreme Horizon, despite those who have seized and plundered God’s sincere servants. Thus warbled the Dove of Utterance upon the branch of mystical knowledge. Blessed is he who hath heard and said: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the worlds!”
BH08590: O Muhammad-Rida! The Wronged One makes mention of thee…
He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.
O Muhammad-Rida! The Wronged One makes mention of thee from the Most Exalted Horizon and draws thee nigh unto Him in all conditions. Blessed is he who hath attained unto the days of God and hath appeared before His Book with joy and radiance. Render thou thanks unto God for having led thee out of darkness into light and for causing thee to hear His most sweet call while the people were in a strange slumber. Blessed art thou and blessed is he who speaketh in His praise and glory and who giveth the glad-tidings of this News unto the servants—the News wherewith the Books of God have been adorned throughout the ages and centuries.
Thus hath My Most Exalted Pen spoken in this spot which God hath made the point round which circle the denizens of Paradise and they who circle round the Throne at eventide and at dawn. The Glory shining resplendent from the heaven of grace be upon thee and upon them who have turned unto God, the Lord of Lords.
BH08343: The Book hath testified that there is none other…
He is the All-Seeing Witness.
The Book hath testified that there is none other God but Him, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. The verses have testified that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Loving. The gate of heaven hath been opened, and the angels and the Spirit have descended, yet the people see not. The hidden treasure hath appeared, yet the people understand not. We have heard thy call and have remembered thee in this Sealed Tablet, and have aided thee to turn towards God, and have sent unto thee that which draweth hearts unto itself. Rejoice thou in My remembrance of thee, and place thy trust in the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. Be thou in such wise that neither the veils of the world shall withhold thee, nor the doubts of them that have disbelieved in God, the Lord of all kings. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken in this spot which God hath made the point round which circle both the seen and the unseen.
BH08522: O My loved ones! I see My Name…
In the Name of Him Who is Sovereign over what was and what will be!
O My loved ones! I see My Name, the Wronged One, and My loved ones in the prison of the Land of Ta, inasmuch as they summoned the servants unto God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. They counseled the servants to trustworthiness, religiosity and faithfulness, yet they rose against them with an injustice at which the dwellers of Paradise and they that circle round God’s exalted and magnificent Throne have wept. They recited unto them the mightiest of what they possessed of God’s Books, yet they seized them with grievous tyranny. God, however, protected them in truth and sent down upon them tranquility from His presence—He is the Mighty, the Powerful. Thus did the Pen speak when the Lord of Eternity was in this sublime station. When thou attainest unto it, render thanks and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the worlds!
BH08044: Verily the drop desired to prevent the ocean…
He is the One speaking from His most exalted horizon.
Verily the drop desired to prevent the ocean, and the atom sought to veil the sun with the clay of fancy and imagination. His power and the mustering of his forces have deluded him. Say: Soon shalt thou find thyself in manifest loss the like of which the eye of creation hath not seen. Thus doth the Mother Book inform thee. By God! The clamor shall not prevent Us. We speak from the kingdom of names and summon the servants unto the Lord of creation. Whoso turneth unto Him hath attained all good, and whoso turneth away is assuredly among the people of the fire.
Grieve thou not at anything. Remember thy Lord at eventide and dawn. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having drawn me nigh unto Thee and caused me to speak Thy praise in days wherein the tongue of Thy grandeur hath spoken: The kingdom belongeth unto God, the One, the All-Compelling. The glory from Us be upon the people of Baha whom the craftiness of every deceiver hath not kept back.
BH08404: A gracious Book hath been sent down…
He is the One sanctified from all names
A gracious Book hath been sent down from the presence of God, the Lord of the worlds. Verily it guideth the servants to the most exalted Paradise and leadeth them to His straight Path. Blessed art thou, inasmuch as thy letter hath come before Us and We have heard from it that which the Tongue of Grandeur had previously uttered. Verily thy Lord is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Say:
Glory be unto Thee, O Thou by Whose Name all things were subdued and by Whose Will the names were transformed! I beseech Thee by the penetrating power of Thy might and the manifestation of Thine authority, to protect me from the venom of Thine enemies and the sting of the wicked ones among Thy servants. O my Lord! Thou seest me clinging unto Thee, turning unto Thee, and placing my trust in Thee. Preserve me, then, through Thy grace and favors, and ordain for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen that which shall profit me in all the worlds of Thy worlds. Verily Thou art the Almighty over whatsoever Thou willest, and within Thy grasp are the reins of all names. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Compelling, the Omnipotent.
BH08544: In My Name, the Sorrowing, the Stranger!
In My Name, the Sorrowing, the Stranger!
O Husayn! The Wronged One makes mention of thee from this Most Exalted Station which hath been built for the Lord of Names. Rejoice thou in this bounty and be of the thankful. He hath turned unto him who hath turned unto Him, and hath remembered him who hath remembered Him, through that which hath been sent down in His perspicuous Book. Beware lest the clamor of the world debar thee from the Lord of Eternity. Leave behind what the people possess and take hold of the Book of God with the strength that proceedeth from Him. Verily, He is with His servants who have turned unto Him. Beware lest earthly affairs and their variations hold thee back. Be thou steadfast in the Cause in such wise that the doubts of the suspicious ones who whisper in the breasts of men and speak according to their own desires shall not cause thee to slip. They are, verily, of the most lost ones in the Book of God, the Lord of all worlds. Hold fast unto the cord of thy Lord’s loving-kindness and place thy trust in Him at all times.
BH08388: In My Name, through which the Ark…
In My Name, through which the Ark of the Bayan was set in motion.
This is a Book sent down by the All-Merciful to whomsoever is on earth. Verily He is the One with power over whatsoever He pleaseth. He giveth and withholdeth, and He is the Single One, the All-Informed. O thou who hast turned thy face towards the Countenance! Thy mention hath come before Us. We have remembered thee and, beholding thy turning unto Us, We have turned unto thee as a token of Our grace. Verily thy Lord is the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. By the life of God! All the deeds of the world and all the morals of the nations cannot equal one word from Him. To this testifieth every fair-minded and clear-sighted one. He hath appeared and made manifest His Cause for the sake of God. Among the people are those who have cast aside vain imaginings, turning unto Him, and among them are those who have returned to the lowest of the low. Say: He calleth all in the evening and at sunrise, and at dawn and at eventide. Blessed is he who hath heard and responded, and woe unto the heedless ones.
BH08068: In My Name, the One Who is manifest…
In My Name, the One Who is manifest in the Kingdom of Creation!
O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of the loved ones of God with supreme joy in this springtime of sorrows. This beseemeth thee at this hour when the All-Merciful hath established Himself upon the throne and hath called out with the most exalted call, summoning all to His luminous and radiant horizon.
Thy name hath been mentioned before the Wronged One, Who remembereth thee through this Tablet that beareth witness to the everlastingness of the dominion and the Kingdom. Be steadfast in the Cause and speak forth in praise of thy Lord. By My life! The world shall pass away, and sovereignty shall remain with the Lord of Might.
Give thanks unto God for this Most Great Remembrance, with which nothing can be compared. Blessed are the people who understand.
When thou receivest My Tablet, place it upon thy head and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of all things, and O Thou before Whose Name all that was and shall be bow down in worship.
BH08531: O thou who art mentioned before the Wronged One!…
He is the Witness from the horizon of utterance!
O thou who art mentioned before the Wronged One! Hearken unto that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken: Verily there is no God but Me, the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. We have created creation for My days and sent the Messengers to give them the glad-tidings of this Revelation, through Whose mention the Books of God, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling, have been adorned. But when the Day came and the Cause was made manifest, the divines rose up in opposition, whereat the denizens of the realm of might cried out and every Messenger who came with the truth from God, the Lord of existence, lamented. Pride hath so seized them that they have denied God’s favor after its descent. Nay, they perceive not! Soon shall they behold themselves in the darkness of their deeds and shall say:
“Oh, what regret that we neglected our duty to God, the Lord of the Kingdom!”
Thus have We made mention of thee that thou mayest rejoice and give thanks unto thy Lord, the Mighty, the Loving.
BH09134: O ʿAziz! Those souls who count themselves mighty have…
He is the All-Seeing, the All-Informed.
O ʿAziz! Those souls who count themselves mighty have risen up to humiliate the friends of God. The divine friends have summoned all to eternal life and the light of oneness, while the enemies have ordered their banishment and imprisonment. But God has manifested what He desired, despite every ignorant remote one and every doubtful learned one. In all ages, the cause and reason for afflictions and calamities have been the ignorant divines. God protect us and you from their evil. They have pronounced judgment against Him Who created them with a word from His presence, and they perceive it not. Thus have We seized them in requital for their deeds. Soon shall they find themselves in an irrevocable torment. Grieve not thou over anything. Put thy trust in God and hold fast to His extended cord.
BH09104: O My loved ones in My lands! Hearken unto…
In the Name of Him Who is the Helper, the All-Sustaining
O My loved ones in My lands! Hearken unto My call which hath been raised from the Divine Lote-Tree that speaketh amidst the world and announceth unto all this momentous News. When its rustling was lifted up, among the people some were drawn to it and hastened until they clung fast to it, while others heard and turned away until they disbelieved in God, the Lord of all worlds. Say: O concourse of servants! By God, the hidden Secret and the treasured Symbol, whose appearance was heralded in the Books of God, the Sovereign of the Day of Judgment, hath been made manifest. When thou hast attained unto My Tablet and found from it the fragrance of My loving-kindness, render thanks unto Him Who made thee know and strengthened thee and guided thee unto His straight Path. Say: Praise be to God, the Lord of the mighty Throne.
BH08995: This is a Book sent down by the Lord…
In the Name of Him Who prevaileth over the earth and heaven.
This is a Book sent down by the Lord of Names to him whose name was mentioned in the presence of the Ancient Beauty in the Most Great Prison, Who hath appeared amongst the peoples and proclaimeth: “There is none other God but Me, the Single, the All-Informed.” O Muhammad-Sadiq! Hearken unto the call of Him Who hath been wronged. He remembereth thee from His forbidden habitation and gladdeneth thee with tidings of His mercy which hath preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth. Be thou steadfast in thy love and firm in the Cause of thy Lord, and unwavering in His path from which the feet of every doubting learned one have slipped. Give thanks unto God for that the countenance of Him Who hath been wronged hath turned toward thee from this manifest horizon, and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of them that know!”
BH08983: In My Name, the All-Subduing Over All Names
In My Name, the All-Subduing Over All Names
A Book which the All-Merciful hath sent down unto him who hath believed in God, the Lord of all worlds, that it may draw him unto the station of nearness and holiness and beauty, and acquaint him with that which beseemeth the days of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We have heard thy mention and have mentioned thee from My Most Exalted Pen, and We have witnessed thy turning and have turned unto thee from this sublime station. Blessed is the soul that hath sought the ultimate goal and the face that hath turned toward God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Rejoice thou in that thou hast been mentioned before the Wronged One and hast attained unto the verses of God, the King, the Truth, the Manifest. Nothing whatsoever, whether in earth or heaven, can be compared with them—to this testifieth every discerning knower. Glory be upon the people of glory who have not broken God’s Covenant, the Sovereign of this wondrous Day.
BH08959: Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God…
He is the One Who rules over all who are on earth and in heaven
Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God and Master of my spirit and Beloved of my heart! I beseech Thee by the fragrance of Thy locks and the sweet perfumes of Thy robe to draw me nigh unto Thee and protect me from the evil of the oppressors among Thy creatures. O Lord! Thou seest Thy sincere servants who have entered the stronghold of Thy Cause and clung to the hem of Thy bounty. I implore Thee to shield them from the evil of Thy servants and the oppression of Thy creatures. Then ordain for this poor one, by the pen of Thy grace, that which will cause him to turn toward Thee and speak Thy praise. Then decree for him, by Thy Most Exalted Pen, the good of this world and the next. There is no God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.
Thy letter was received and We have answered thee with that through which thou mayest commune with God, the Lord of all worlds. Rejoice thou at this and be thankful to thy Lord, the Hearing, the Answering.
BH08969: He Who speaks in the Name that is sanctified…
He Who speaks in the Name that is sanctified above all names
Say: O people of creation! By God, the Lord of all names has come with a Cause against which all the forces of the earth combined cannot prevail, nor can the might of those who have disbelieved in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, prevent it. Say: O heedless ones! Come, that I may show you the most exalted horizon of God and cause you to hear that which the Tongue of Grandeur speaks: Verily, there is no God but Me, the Mighty, the Loving. Your letter has arrived on a single page, thus demonstrating your unity, your orientation, and your agreement in the Cause of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. By the life of God! We found it blessed with the name of your Lord, the Possessor of existence, and We beseech God to ordain for you the good of the hereafter and of this world. Verily, He is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be” and it is.
BH09101: O people of fidelity! Hearken unto the call…
He is the Speaker in the Kingdom of Utterance.
O people of fidelity! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One Who remembereth you in the Most Great Prison and counseleth you concerning that which ye have been commanded in the Book. Beware lest the doubts of men hold you back from the Lord of creation. Ye have been created for this Most Great Day—know ye your station, O men of understanding. Hold fast unto that which beseemeth man. Thus have ye been commanded in the Book of God, the Lord of all men. The smoke hath risen and prevented eyes from beholding the Most Exalted Horizon. Woe unto him who hath turned away from the Truth, and blessed is the servant who hath heard and said: “Here am I, O Lord of all days!” We have remembered thee with a remembrance whose fragrance shall never cease. Be thou grateful unto God, thy Lord, at all times.
BH08892: The world is illumined and radiant through the effulgences…
In the Name of God, the Strong, the Triumphant, the Mighty!
The world is illumined and radiant through the effulgences of the Sun of Revelation, yet its people remain heedless and veiled, save for a number of the Letters of the Countenance of God, the Guardian, the Self-Subsisting. Thy mention hath been mentioned, and from the Most Exalted Pen this Most Glorious Tablet hath been revealed. God willing, thou shalt inhale its fragrance and receive a full portion from the utterance of the All-Merciful. Most of the people of the world did not attain to answering God, exalted be His glory. All heard the call, but with contaminated ears; for had they hearkened with attentive ears, they would surely have been enabled to turn and draw near. Give praise unto the Goal of all the worlds, Who aided thee to recognize a Cause from which the world remaineth veiled and heedless. Glory be upon thee and upon whosoever hath turned unto God, the Lord of all worlds.
BH09680: In My Name, the Most Ancient, the Most Great
In My Name, the Most Ancient, the Most Great
O Ali-Muhammad, upon him be the Glory of God! O Ali before Muhammad! Reflect upon the bounty of God, exalted be His glory. At the beginning of this night, which is the eighth night of the blessed month of Ramadan, this Servant was summoned to His presence. After attaining the presence before His face, the petitions from that land were honored to be heard, and specifically for all there was revealed from the Lord of Names that which no earthly things can equal. Rejoice thou in this mighty bounty! I swear by the Sun of Truth, were people to discover the station of but one word of these exalted utterances, all would turn with the utmost eagerness and longing toward the Daystar of the horizons. Thus hath spoken the Wronged One, as a token of His grace, that thou mayest be thankful and be among the steadfast ones.
BH09610: In My Name which hath appeared from the horizon…
In My Name which hath appeared from the horizon of heaven! O Isma’il! My Most Exalted Pen hath spoken both morn and eve in such wise that the horizons have been filled with the verses of thy Lord, the Possessor of all creation. Is there any thankful one who will arise to render true thanksgiving, and is there any speaker who will make mention of Him with true remembrance? Nay, by His Self, the One Who holdeth sway over all who are in earth and heaven! Cast aside what is with the learned ones and take hold of thy Lord’s Book with spirit and fragrance. Verily it shall profit thee in every world of the worlds of thy Lord, and verily it is the Lamp of God that walketh before thy face, by the command of God, the Lord of Lords. Hold fast unto the Book, then act according to that which hath been sent down therein from the Pen of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower.
BH09635: He is the One Who gazes from the horizon…
He is the One Who gazes from the horizon of heaven. O people of Baha! He Who is the Lord of Names makes mention of you—He through a mere gesture of Whose finger the heaven was cleft asunder, the earth was split, and the mountains were moved. Fear God and follow not your desires. Follow Him Who has come with the truth and called all unto God, the Lord of all men. Say: By God! That which you possess shall profit you not, as testifies the Mother Book which encompasses all. This is the Day wherein the Book proclaims and declares: By God! He Who revealed me in the eternities of eternity has come! Thus has the eye of understanding been gladdened by the utterance of its Lord, the Most Merciful. Blessed is he who has heard, and woe unto him who has turned away from the Dawning Place of clear proof.
BH09287: In the Name of the One Beloved Friend! O…
In the Name of the One Beloved Friend! O friends! The True Friend hath come to visit you and hath illumined the world with the splendors of the Sun of inner meanings. This is the time of joy and the season of gladness. Gather ye together in remembrance of the Friend and occupy yourselves with His praise and glorification. The deeds of this Day are accounted as the essence of all deeds. He hath manifested Himself upon land and sea, mountain and city and realm. Every person of insight hath attained unto His traces, while every blind one is deprived. How blessed is the state of the one who hath recognized Him and known Him in His new and wondrous attire. Such a one is among the people of truth and a wayfarer on the path of reality.
BH09426: He is the One Who speaks with grace…
He is the One Who speaks with grace. The Wronged One testifies that there is none other God but Him, and He Who has come with the truth is indeed the One through Whom was consoled the eye of Muhammad the Messenger of God and the company of the Prophets and Messengers, and through Whom appeared what was hidden in knowledge and treasured in the eternity of eternities. And I am the Truthful, the All-Knowing. Thy letter hath reached the Prison, and the Wronged One hath answered thee with this perspicuous Tablet, at the revelation of which all things proclaimed: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of all worlds.” Blessed art thou for having turned unto Him, recognized Him, hearkened unto His call and drunk the choice wine of faith from the hands of the bounty of thy Lord, the Gracious. Preserve thou this most great station, then render thanks unto thy Lord at morn and eventide.
BH09601: O Abu’l-Qasim! This Day belongs to God…
He is the One Who dominates all names
O Abu’l-Qasim! This Day belongs to God and is mentioned in the divine Books as the Day of God. Should anyone reflect upon that which hath been revealed in the divine Books specifically for these days, he would be amazed and would exclaim: “This is a great Day!” This is the Day whereon the Most Great Announcement proclaimeth and summoneth all to the most exalted horizon. Blessed is he who hath intended the Intended One, and whose face hath turned toward Him, and who hath acted according to that which was commanded in His perspicuous Book. In all matters place thy trust in God and commit them to Him. Assuredly He commandeth and executeth whatsoever the requirements of His consummate wisdom may be. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Powerful.
BH09432: Blessed is the soul who, in this day…
In the name of the one incomparable Lord!
Blessed is the soul who, in this day of darkness when the fire of the oppressors’ passions is aflame, adorns itself with the lights of the dawning of divine justice and, by the leave of the All-Merciful, drinks from the living waters—in such wise that neither the world itself nor the acceptance or rejection of its peoples can prevent it or deprive it of the fragrances of the days of God. We have heard thy mention and have remembered thee in this Most Sublime, Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet. We beseech God to aid thee in that which befitteth the Day of God. Take hold of the Book by thy Lord’s leave and say: This sufficeth me and sufficeth all who dwell in the heavens and the earth.
BH09709: O Nadhir! The All-Informed remembers you when He was…
He is the One dawning from the horizon of proof!
O Nadhir! The All-Informed remembers you when He was a captive in the hands of the transgressors. They seized Him and imprisoned Him in this noble place that what was revealed in the Books of God aforetime might be made manifest. He speaks the truth, but the people are in evident delusion. We arrived at this place and expanded its borders—this is what God foretold in the Books of the Messengers. Blessed is he who recognized and found the fragrance of divine knowledge, and woe to every remote scholar. When you attain My Tablet, give thanks to your Lord and say:
“Praise be to Thee, O Goal of the world, and thanks be to Thee, O Beloved of those who have recognized Thee!”
BH10116: In My Name which is sanctified above all names
In My Name which is sanctified above all names
O thou who hast been named with the two Most Great Names! Hearken unto the call of the Lord of Names, Who summoneth thee from the Prison of ʿAkka and inviteth thee to the Supreme Horizon—the Station wherein the Lord of all mankind proclaimeth: The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of the worlds. We counsel thee and those who have believed with that whereby the Cause of God, the Possessor of this wondrous Day, may be exalted. Say: O concourse of loved ones! Hold fast unto trustworthiness, chastity and faithfulness. He commandeth you that which profiteth you, and He is the Forgiving, the Generous. The Glory be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto this Most Great Remembrance and have turned towards His luminous horizon.
BH10112: In My Name, the One dawning from the Most…
In My Name, the One dawning from the Most Exalted Horizon!
O Mahmud! He who loved Me and desired Me made mention of thee. We make mention of thee through this wondrous mention, which, when it flowed from the Most Glorious Pen, caused all things to proclaim: By God! The Mother Book hath appeared, and it speaketh in every state, “There is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” When thou attainest unto My Book and findest the fragrance of My utterance, render thanks and say: “Praise be unto Thee, for I was among the heedless.” I bear witness that thou didst enter the prison and summon those in the kingdom of creation unto the Most Exalted Horizon, and didst endure the harm of the worlds. Praise be to God, the Forgiving, the Generous.
BH09812: In My Name which shineth forth from the horizon…
In My Name which shineth forth from the horizon of utterance!
The whole world in this promised Day is illumined by the lights of the countenance of the Lord of existence, yet some through unworthy deeds and actions have deprived themselves of its traces and fruits, while others have preserved it through His Name, the Self-Subsisting. How excellent is the state of that soul who hath attained to this station and hath not lost the divine bestowal. Praise be to the Goal of the worlds Who hath mentioned thee in the Most Great Prison. By the Sun of the heaven of inner meanings, nothing among all things can equal this bounty. Preserve it through My Name and be of the thankful ones.
BH10083: O Sharaf! We have heard thy call and have…
In the name of the Peerless Friend!
O Sharaf! We have heard thy call and have favored thee with an answer through these sublime and exalted verses. The entire world cannot equal a single word of the divine utterances. Such is the bounty that every one who has turned to God has attained the Tablet of God, exalted be His glory, and some possess multiple Tablets. The entire world has not and cannot render sufficient thanks for this bounty. Be thou therefore grateful for thy Lord’s favor through this manifest generosity. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds! And We make mention of thy daughter, Our handmaiden, and give her the glad tidings of My mercy that hath preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth.
BH10131: The foolish divines have laid aside the Book…
The foolish divines have laid aside the Book of God, and are occupied with that which they themselves have fashioned. The Ocean of Knowledge is revealed, and the shrill of the Pen of the Most High is raised, and yet they, even as earthworms, are afflicted with the clay of their fancies and imaginings. They are exalted by reason of their relationship to the one true God, and yet they have turned aside from Him! Because of Him have they become famous, and yet they are shut off as by a veil from Him!…
BH09785: O friends! Today the Speaker of Sinai is manifest…
In the name of the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing!
O friends! Today the Speaker of Sinai is manifest and evident, and upon the branches of the Divine Lote-Tree He speaks and proclaims. Hearken ye, and act according to the loving counsels of the Beloved. The Book is revealed, the Fountain is flowing, the Hidden is manifest, and the Promised One speaks. Turn ye with clear certitude that ye may hear and see and drink and attain. I swear by the Most Great Prison which hath become the Seat of the Throne—whosoever in this Day attaineth unto the hearing of but one word, he shall be recorded and inscribed as one of the denizens of the highest Paradise in the Crimson Tablet. Blessed is he who hath recognized, and woe unto every heedless doubter.
BH10061: O Baba Khan! Verily We have called all…
In the name of the Beloved of the worlds.
O Baba Khan! Verily We have called all to the highest horizon and guided them to My straight path. When the divine promise was fulfilled and the Countenance of the Promised One descended from the Kingdom of Names, all turned away, for they had clung to the path of conjecture and idle fancy. This is a Day whose greatness all the divine Books have testified to. Blessed is the soul that has attained unto it—such a one is recorded by the Most Exalted Pen in the Book of Names as being among the people of Baha. God willing, may you drink at all times from the choice wine of recognition and remain detached and free from the world and all who dwell therein.
BH10162: This is the day in which to speak. It…
He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great
This is the day in which to speak. It is incumbent upon the people of Baha to strive, with the utmost patience and forbearance, to guide the peoples of the world to the Most Great Horizon. Every body calleth aloud for a soul. Heavenly souls must needs quicken, with the breath of the Word of God, the dead bodies with a fresh spirit. Within every word a new spirit is hidden. Happy is the man that attaineth thereunto, and hath arisen to teach the Cause of Him Who is the King of Eternity. Thus have We adorned the Tablet with the drops of ink from My All-Knowing, All-Wise Pen. Praise be to God, the Most Exalted, the Most Great.
BH10529: In this day it is incumbent upon everyone…
…In this day it is incumbent upon everyone to meet the obligation of the Right of God as far as it lieth in his power. For a number of years it was not permitted to accept the payment of Huquq. Recently, however, We have issued instructions to receive it. Therefore the friends in that region should, as far as possible, collect the payments, and remit the amounts either to Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin—upon him be the glory of God—in Hadba, or to the Trustee of God in the land of Ya, who will forward them. The observance of this ordinance hath been and will always be conducive to prosperity, to divine increase and to salvation. Great is the blessedness of him who hath observed that which is prescribed in the Book of God, the Gracious, the Mighty….
BH11387: O friends! Be not afraid of the might…
…O friends! Be not afraid of the might of the ignorant divines. This earth and whatsoever existeth therein is not worthy of mention. Reflect upon your forefathers and consider the bones in the graves. All returned with empty hands….
BH02664: Praise be to God Who sent down the verse…
He is God, exalted be His glory—the Greatness and the Power
Praise be to God Who sent down the verse, bestowed the blessing, and revealed the heavenly table. In one sense it is interpreted as divine knowledge and heavenly allusions that were hidden in His knowledge, sealed with His seal, and treasured in the pavilion of His protection. In another sense it is interpreted as commands and ordinances, and in yet another as wisdom and exposition. Exalted is He Who sent down the proof and made manifest the way for His servants and creation. When the appointed time had come and the promise was fulfilled, He revealed the mystery of existence through which the ocean of knowledge and recognition surged in creation, and named him Muhammad in the kingdom of names.
He is the one by whose name the back of idols was broken and the winds of unbelief and tyranny were cut off. Through him the gates of the cities of knowledge and wisdom were opened and the peacock of recognition trilled among creation. He is the sovereign of the Messengers and the guide of ways. Upon him be peace from God that shall not cease for as long as the kingdom and realm endure, and prayers that shall not end for as long as the empire abides. And upon his family and companions who raised the palaces of recognition and laid the foundation of wisdom and exposition—those servants who acted according to what they were commanded by God, the Lord of the worlds, and aided His religion in such wise that the standards were planted in most lands and the fear of God encompassed all in creation.
Thereafter, the letter of that honored master arrived and was seen. Joy and delight were obtained. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, for health, well-being, blessing and bounty for your honor. He is the Hearer and Answerer. After it was brought to the presence, He said:
“We ask of God to aid him in that whose trace and fruit is lasting and eternal. We beseech Him to send down upon him a blessing from His presence and make him among the firm, steadfast and upright ones. He is the most powerful of the powerful and the guardian over all in the heavens and earths.”
To the presence of the beloved of the heart, the honored Shaykh—202 [Baha’u’llah], upon him be the peace of God—I convey greetings. God willing, may you ever be assisted and adorned through the special favors of the peerless Friend. Peace be upon you and upon God’s sincere and steadfast servants. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.
BH01323: Praise be to God, the Single, the One…
He is God, exalted be His station, the Greatness and the Power
Praise be to God, the Single, the One, the Unique, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Powerful, Who has taken unto Himself no partner nor likeness. He has manifested the Messengers to reveal His bounty and to demonstrate His grace—they through whom were opened the gates of knowledge and through whom were revealed the mysteries of His Self-Subsisting Name. He adorned the beginning with the ornament of the seal, and We made him the sovereign of existence and named him Ahmad and Muhammad, the Praised One, the radiant and effulgent Light shining from the heaven of God’s loving-kindness. Upon him and upon his family and companions, through whom the servants were humbled and the lands were conquered, be the glory of God.
Glorified art Thou, O Thou through Whose Name the choice wine did flow and the clear stream did run and the proof was made manifest! I beseech Thee by the Mother Book and by the Manifestations of Thy names in the beginning and the end, that Thou write down for Thy Afnan, by Thy Most Exalted Pen in the crimson scroll, that which shall cause their mention to endure through the perpetuity of Thy Most Exalted Word, Thy sweetest remembrance and Thy Most Exalted Name. O my Lord! Thou seest the one whom Thou didst single out for Thy loving-kindness and compassion, and didst aid him in such wise that he traversed land and sea until he entered the Valley of the Noble One and heard Thy sweetest call when he entered through the gate before Thy face, O Thou Lord of Names and Creator of heaven!
Praise be unto Thee, the Ancient of Days and the Desire of the nations, in that Thou didst call him to attain Thy presence and caused him to hear Thy call and to behold Thy beauty, and gave him to drink, from the hand of Thy bounty, the Kawthar of Thy presence. When the appointed time of reunion was fulfilled, he migrated once again by Thy leave and command, and desired to circumambulate Thy House which was built in Thy name by the hands of Thy chosen ones. I beseech Thee, O Lord of existence and Sovereign of the seen and unseen, to render all his deeds acceptable and all his efforts praiseworthy. Moreover, make his past works a treasure for him in the repositories of Thy protection and Thy preservation. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all things. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Powerful.
May my spirit be a sacrifice unto your honor! The servant has been blessed by the shrill voice of your pen and the trace of your ink. It was as if the thirsty one had attained the water of life, or the afflicted one the healing remedy of utterance. When I read and understood, I praised God, my Goal and your Goal, my Beloved and your Beloved, for the steadfastness of your temperament and health. And afterward, with utmost lamentation while you were in the bath, standing outside the bath, your prayer was offered. This is what the Kingdom of Utterance did speak:
O Afnan! Upon thee be My glory, My mercy and My loving-kindness! We have indeed found from every word of thy letter that was presented before the Face the fragrance of sanctity and sincerity, purified from the realm of idle fancies and vain imaginings. Blessed art thou, and blessed is the father who raised thee, and the mother who suckled thee, and the leaf who won thy good-pleasure, and the son who obeyed thee, and the servant who found solace in thy company.
Rest assured through the grace of the True One, exalted be His glory. That which is beneficial for the Afnan shall be made manifest and apparent. Special means have appeared and been made manifest this year particularly for the Afnan, but the eyes of the servants have been prevented from witnessing and perceiving them, save those whom God willeth. Whatever means become apparent, hold fast unto them and act with trust in God. Whatever means of excuse and severance become evident are specifically for the Afnan, for in no other year have such matters occurred. Verily, He is with thee in all conditions, and He is the All-Seeing, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.
Convey to all the Afnan and Leaves, one after another, greetings from the Wronged One, and show them kindness. They have been and are in Our sight. If the reward of this journey were to become manifest even to the extent of a needle’s eye, all would be adorned with such joy that the dust of sorrows of contingent beings and their peoples would not dim it nor prevent its radiance. Upon you be the Glory, upon you be Peace, upon you be the Mercy.
All things bear witness to the loving-kindness of the True One, exalted be His glory. Whatever else this servant might submit to your presence would be superfluous. Night and day, I beseech the Exalted True One to increase at every moment the success granted to you and the Afnan. Verily, He is the Answerer, the Kind, the Forgiving, the Merciful.
This evanescent non-entity further submits his utter nothingness to the presence of the noble Afnan and the Leaves of the Sacred Tree—upon them and upon them be all the most glorious Baha. Similarly, those souls who are engaged in service at this time have attained the honor of visiting through your presence, but this was witnessed and acted upon directly. This is yet another bounty from God, our Lord, our Goal, our Beloved, and the One worshipped by all in the heavens and earths. The Peace that is manifest, resplendent, and shining forth from the horizon of loving-kindness be upon you and upon those with you.
BH02256: Praise be to God Who was and will be…
He is God, exalted be His glory, the Grandeur and Power
Praise be to God Who was and will be as He has been, the Eternal, the Everlasting, Who is not overtaken by decline throughout all eternity. He has reserved eternality for Himself and evanescence for all else through His exalted Word “All things are perishable except His Face.” And blessings and peace be upon the noblest of His creation through whom was raised the banner of Beginning and planted the standard of Ending, and upon his family and companions who drank the choice wine of certitude and spent what they possessed in His path and strove in His Cause until the Dove of Unity cooed upon the branch of detachment that there is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.
And now, the letters of his honor Haji, upon him be God’s peace and favors, arrived bringing complete joy and perfect, complete delight. God willing, may he ever drink from the Euphrates of divine love and gaze toward the horizon of His grace. Indeed from his letter wafted the fragrance of sincerity, for with perfect steadfastness he had written that if word comes to spill what exists and arise, action must be taken immediately. These words flow not from tongue or pen except with firm, steadfast constancy. Blessed be his honor! Indeed he stands in service and speaks in praise. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to assist him in preserving this most exalted station. Verily He has power over all things.
As for the matter of the deceased, forgiven and blessed one, upon him be God’s glory and mercy, they said whatever his honor Haji, upon him be peace, can accomplish, let him do so, but only to the extent that no harm befalls him, meaning that no disturbance arise from the words of the heedless or harm of the corrupt, and matters be completed with joy and fragrance. And if in this regard some harm befalls the heirs, the Right will compensate and bestow. The intention is that his honor Haji should strive and endeavor in the will to the extent that no corruption arises, and beyond that is not permitted. The Command is in God’s hand—He does what He wills and decrees what He desires, and He is the Powerful, the Mighty.
As for his own things and property, let his honor Haji oversee them or send a trustworthy, astute person. This is what We decreed before and at this time. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to protect him and send down blessings from His presence, as He protected him through power and sovereignty. There is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Bestower.
God willing, may he be assisted and successful in all conditions, gazing toward the most exalted horizon and turning toward the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree. There is no God but Him, the Single, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the Wise. Peace be upon you and God’s mercy and blessings.
The servant 13th of Dhi’l-Qa’dih al-Haram 1300
BH01200: Praise be to God Who sent forth the Messengers…
He is God, exalted be His glory, the Most Great, the All-Powerful
Praise be to God Who sent forth the Messengers and revealed the Books for the guidance of His servants and His creation, and made known to them His path, and taught them His knowledge, and caused them to hear His call which is realized only through the call of His chosen ones, and showed them the horizon of His Manifestation, and made them speak His praise among His creatures, until Prophethood and Messengership were sealed by Him through Whom the heaven was cleft asunder and the moon was split and every hidden secret was revealed—He Who was named Muhammad in the Kingdom of utterance and by God’s most beautiful names in the hearts of the Daysprings of divine knowledge. The blessings and peace of God, the Lord of all beings, be upon Him and upon His family and companions through whom were established the decree of the beginning and the return, and the mystery of going and coming back, and what was inscribed by the Supreme Pen in the Scriptures and the Book.
These are servants whom the tempests of hatred did not move and the storms of hardship did not prevent. They arose to promote the Cause with such steadfastness as made the feet of the ungodly slip and the hearts of the deniers quake and the foundation of every heedless doubter shake.
And then, your letter arrived conveying news of the well-being of that spiritual friend and family with perfect eloquence and complete fluency. Praise be to God! Verily He preserveth whom He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth for whom He willeth.
Regarding what you wrote about the dervishes of the venerable Shaykh, the matter is exactly as you have written. You too should in all circumstances show forth love, for between the venerable Shaykh and our Master, His Holiness the Most Great Branch—may my spirit be a sacrifice for the dust of His footsteps—there exists friendship and love. The metaphorical is a bridge to the real. God willing, they shall be illumined by the light of reality and attain the station of “extinguish the lamp for the morn has dawned.” When a person of insight enters the path of spiritual wayfaring, after purifying and sanctifying the soul from all that God loveth not, multiple paths appear and he traverses them. This is why they have said “The paths to God are as numerous as the breaths of created things.” However, if through God’s grace the eye is blessed with the light of truth, it will be observed that the Truth is one, the Path is one, and the Cause is one. This is the station of unity that makes the limbs of the ungodly tremble and the root of heedlessness quake.
This servant and you must beseech God, exalted be His glory, not to deprive any soul of the ocean of His mercy and to illumine the eyes of all hearts with the light of recognition. He is the All-Powerful and in His grasp are grandeur and authority.
As for the properties of the honorable Nawwab, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah], he and a group of acquaintances are exerting their utmost efforts, as they have done before, and God willing they shall triumph and prevail according to the meaning of “the party of God shall be victorious.” That is, they shall obtain and deliver your rights. At present, according to the writing of the honorable Nawwab, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah], the power of attorney has not reached them. The honored master, the venerable Sabri Efendi, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah], is present there. Whatever manner they deem advisable, let them write a power of attorney with the seal of the religious authorities and send it. Here too we shall add several seals to it and send it. Indeed, the honorable Nawwab is most diligent in service. The inheritance of the wife of the venerable Khalil, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah], was with one of the divines; he went and made his claim. We beseech God to bless those souls who exert as much effort in accomplishing others’ affairs as their own with His special favors and with that which will profit them in the next world and in this. Verily, He has power over all things.
Convey my greetings to the gentlemen and friends. Furthermore, a needle case from Khurasan has been sent specifically for the honored friend, the venerable Ali-Akbar, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah]. Yesterday, which was the 13th of Dhi’l-Qa’dih the Sacred, it arrived here from the great city and is now being sent so that it may reach him. Some saffron has also been sent from here specifically for the venerable Ali-Akbar. Since he and his venerable and blessed late father, upon him be from all 9 [Baha] the Most Glorious, had a liking for it, therefore ten dirhams have been sent specifically for him; let it be delivered. Your gift, namely the dried curd, arrived and was well received. God willing, may you be blessed with its reward. I send greetings to the light of my eyes, ʿInayatu’llah, may God preserve him, together with his mother and sister. God willing, may they remain safe and protected under the shadow of God’s favor, exalted be His glory. Peace be upon you and the mercy of God and His blessings.
The servant, On the 13th of the month of Dhi’l-Qa’dih the Sacred, year 1300
May the honored brother, Aqa Lutfu’llah, God willing, be preserved and gladdened by the wondrous infinite favors. The trouble which this servant has imposed upon him—God willing, he will exert effort and strive to accomplish and complete it with the utmost joy and delight. The reward and recompense for this rests with God, exalted be His glory. Peace and glory be upon him.
BH11173: O Ali, upon thee be My salutation! A servant…
O Ali, upon thee be My salutation! A servant present here mentioned before the Wronged One the letter of his honor Haji, upon him be My salutation….
How many kings and dwellers of palaces have in an instant returned to their graves! Well was it said: “A crier called out to them after they were buried: Where are the couches, the crowns, and the robes?”…
BH03674: Your letter was received, bringing fresh joy and adorning…
He is God, exalted be His glory, the Most Great, the All-Powerful
Your letter was received, bringing fresh joy and adorning the horizon of love with a new radiance. Praise be to God that you enjoy the blessing of good health, which is the most excellent of divine bounties. Praise and thanks be unto Him through the eternity of His names and attributes. Regarding what the honored master Sabri Efendi (upon him be 66 9 [Baha’u’llah]) mentioned, it is correct, but this matter is very difficult since no one appears to be available now to organize these affairs. There are friends of every kind, but according to what was heard here, they say you yourself must go to the consul and make a declaration, and the consul must know you, therefore this becomes difficult for you.
Now it has been decided that you should represent the father and mother on behalf of the people of the Remembrance, and likewise whatever needs to be written should be written. Here His Honor Aqa Jamal (upon him be from all 9 [Baha] the Most Glorious) will write according to the religious law of Persia, and these people who are here will seal it and send it—perhaps it will be accepted, since His Honor Navvab (upon him be 66 9 [Baha’u’llah]) is making great efforts. The previous letter apparently did not reach him. Although this approach is not definitive—the definitive approach is what Sabri Efendi mentioned—but so that you do not incur new harm or fall into difficulty, for now what was mentioned will be written and sent, until God wills what He wills.
The command is in His hand and He has power over all things. To the gentlemen and family and light of eyes (upon them be the peace of God), I send greetings and praise. Peace be upon you and the mercy of God and His blessings.
The servant 19 Dhi’l-Qa’dah 1300
BH02184: Praise be to God Who hath sent down…
He is God, exalted be His glory, the Might and Power
Praise be to God Who hath sent down the Book and spoken therein the decree of the beginning and the end, and guided all thereby to the straight path. He is verily the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. And may the prayer that shineth forth from the horizon of the will of the Lord of Eternity rest upon the Sovereign of Nations and upon His family and companions, whose praise the ink and pen confess themselves powerless to describe.
And now, O beloved of my heart, his honor Shaykh Salman, upon him be the glory of the All-Merciful: As they were about to depart, it became necessary that this mere nothingness should present himself in the garment of words before your presence, that perchance he may be blessed by your gracious glance. According to instructions, his honor the Shaykh is commanded to arrange a feast for both men and women. The host shall be your honor, assisted by Aqa Mirza ʿAbdu’llah, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah].
The servants of the friends of God, 966 [Baha’u’llah] be upon them, whosoever takes action. Another matter: an ablution vessel which has twice been blessed by contact with the sacred Person has been bestowed specially upon your honor. God willing, may you be blessed with this supreme bounty. Likewise, a cloak has been specially bestowed upon his honor Aqa Muhammad Sadiq, upon him be the glory of God.
Another matter: the sum of ten tumans and one tuman which has been placed in the blessed name of His Holiness the Greatest Branch, Aqa Mirza Diya’u’llah, and His Holiness the Greatest Branch, Aqa Mirza Badi’u’llah, may my spirit be sacrificed for the dust of their footsteps, in the place of blessing, deliver to his honor the Shaykh that he may spend it as instructed. And funds have been allocated specially for some which, God willing, will arrive soon. This evanescent one extends greetings and nothingness to all the friends of God. May they ever be blessed by God’s grace and hold fast to wisdom. Two ignorant ones so deceived the companions of Ta that they became informed of all matters and brought about what they brought about.
Would that they had spoken truthfully! They resorted to such calumnies that one is ashamed to mention them. In every city, both in Iran and in these Ottoman domains, numerous spies have been appointed, and these spies speak whatever the ruler and oppressor desire. There is absolutely no truth in their words. The dust of falsehood has concealed the face of truthfulness. I beseech and implore God, exalted be His glory, to aid all to truthfulness. Verily, He is powerful over all things. May the peace that shineth from the horizon of God’s grace be upon your honor and upon those who are with you and who love you and who act according to what God hath revealed in the Book. And praise be to God, the Lord of the beginning and the end.
The servant 29 Dhi’l-Qa’dih al-Haram 1300
It was previously requested that if someone is departing, they send a small amount, that is, half a box of eggplant seeds. God willing, they have sent or will send them.
BH04037: God beareth witness that there is none other God…
In His name, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted
God beareth witness that there is none other God but Me, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. The world hath been illumined with the lights of recognition, inasmuch as the Kingdom of Utterance hath appeared in the realm of possibility, yet most of the people understand not. We have sent down the verses and manifested the clear proofs, and the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree hath been raised in the Kingdom of creation, yet the people hear not. They have cast the Revelation of God behind their backs, following every heedless and veiled one.
O Habib! Bear thou witness unto that whereunto God did testify before the creation of earth and heaven, and before the letter “K” was joined to the letter “N”: He hath indeed come with the standards of verses and a manifest sovereignty. Blessed art thou for having sought the Most Exalted Goal and turned unto the Countenance after the passing away of all things. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this bounty which all the treasures and riches cannot equal. Blessed is he who hath migrated, advancing toward the Most Exalted Horizon until he entered and attained and heard the call of the Wronged One.
Thus hath My Most Exalted Pen spoken when the Light was shining from the horizon of utterance and the Speaker of Sinai proclaimed: There is none other God but Me, the Lord of the visible and invisible. Take thou God’s tablet and its traces and place them upon thine eyes, and say: Praise be unto Thee for having honored me with this irrevocable Book. This is a tablet from which the sincere ones inhale the fragrance of the favors of their Lord, the Lord of existence. Thus have We illumined the horizon of the heaven of Command with the Day-Star of verses. Blessed is he who hath witnessed, and woe unto every heedless one who is rejected.
The glory shining from the horizon of eternity be upon thee and upon those who have testified to that whereunto God did testify when He came with a Cause greater than the creation of the heavens and earth, and with a remembrance whereby the slumbering ones were awakened and they that lay in the graves arose.
BH04134: 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 concealed in the veils of the Unseen and hath sent down that which guideth all unto God—exalted be His glory, exalted be His dominion, exalted be His grandeur, and exalted be His grace! And then, may my spirit be a sacrifice unto your honor! In these days when Shaykh Salman, upon him be the Glory of God, is departing for those regions, a number of travelers who are present in this land have, in accordance with His will, been given permission to depart. However, as funds for their return journey were not available, this evanescent one received fifty tumans from Shaykh Salman and some from another source, so that after attaining the bounty of His presence and meeting, and that which was recorded in the Scriptures and Tablets, they might return to their homelands with permission and leave. Happy are they, and joy be unto them! We beseech God to preserve them and aid them to preserve what they have achieved in His path. Verily, He is powerful over all things.
The purpose is that if any funds have arrived or will arrive from Abadih, they should be paid, for it was written that in any case these funds must reach Shaykh Salman. Beyond this, whatever course is followed will be acceptable. In truth, your honor has labored greatly in this matter and is engaged in service with perfect submission, contentment and love. This is a word which the Beloved’s tongue hath repeatedly uttered. A hundred thousand seas of “happy are they and joy be unto them” are needed in this station. The Glory be upon your honor.
The servant 29th of Dhi’l-Qa’dih al-Haram 1300
BH00882: O beloved of my heart and he who…
He is God, exalted be His glory, majesty and power!
O beloved of my heart and he who is remembered in my soul! This year the signs of grief have encompassed all, and the banners of sorrow have been raised. From all directions tribulation hath rained down upon the people of God. The enemies sit upon thrones of gold while the friends languish in prison. Glory be to God! Such heedlessness hath seized the negligent that they have become oblivious to that which profiteth them and are occupied with that which harmeth them. Were they to know, they would lament and cry out. They have regarded ephemeral dominion as lofty stations, to such extent that they have deprived themselves of everlasting bounties. Those whose sole thought was the betterment of the world have been seized unjustly, and now the cry of these oppressed ones riseth from diverse prisons.
God, exalted be His glory, will not overlook this injustice, for it hath occurred without cause. That beloved one of the Name of God—upon him be all My most glorious Glory—and likewise the friends of God—upon them be 966 [Baha’u’llah]—have witnessed and know that there is no purpose save reformation, education and fellowship. Their hearts are illumined by the light of the blessed Word “God is the light of the heavens and the earth,” and their tongues bear witness to that which God hath testified unto Himself, acknowledging and confessing it. These holy souls have been seized with utmost tyranny, though they themselves went forth and spoke with perfect steadfastness of truth and righteousness, such that the truthfulness of the world beareth witness to their truthfulness, and uprightness is manifest through their rectitude. It is evident then to what degree sorrows have reached and how high the dust of grief and anguish hath risen. The hem of grace was nigh covered with dust. The servant is powerless to make mention of this station. The matter is in God’s hands, the Lord of all mankind. This culminated in a new calamity which seized me with such sorrow that my heart lamented and mine eyes shed tears, for it pertaineth to your honor.
At the time of arrival in Beirut, they requested presence and meeting. They said that the honored physician—upon him be My glory—had been summoned for some time and had previously attained the presence and meeting. Now it is best that he act according to the wish of the honored physician and set out with utmost haste. Then what was destined came to pass and he ascended to the Supreme Companion. What more can the servant say regarding this other calamity and supreme catastrophe? After submission to the Most Holy Court, they spoke that which this servant is powerless to mention. At the end of the utterance, the tongue of the Kingdom spoke this supreme word: The honored physician hath this year borne numerous afflictions from every direction—on one side the hardships regarding the House, on another the tribulation of the friends in the hands of the wicked, and from yet another quarter news of this calamity. We beseech God to strengthen the honored physician—upon him be God’s loving kindness—and adorn him with the ornament of patience and forbearance. My Lord! Pour forth upon him patience from Thy presence and forbearance from Thyself. Verily Thou art the Forgiving, the Generous. The End.
Indeed a strange matter has transpired. That exalted deceased one suffered what he suffered in that path, and his possessions were plundered and looted. One named Abdul-Wahab, under the pretense of safeguarding them, himself plundered all the deceased’s possessions, both cash and goods, seizing them and revealing this to no one—despite Muhammad Mustafa, upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, being nearby in Alexandretta and Beirut. Yet he did not inform him, and he concealed it from Jasim, upon him be the Glory of God. That hunter was a plague that passed through this wilderness, and as mentioned, a falcon came and snatched from the owl what it had deceitfully taken possession of. And this added to the sorrows.
The purpose of mentioning this is not about the property, but rather such false beings who deceive the loved ones in the name of truth have been and are the cause of greatest grief. Although in most Tablets these exalted words are recorded, He says: “Believe not every speaker, and trust not every arrival.” There are many such utterances, yet the ornaments of the world are so attached to deceit that one is astonished. It is very clear and evident that the people of Iran do not freely turn to these directions. Most who are accused of treachery, theft and satanic deeds leave their homelands and wander about, claiming to each sect their way—to the Qadiri they claim to be Qadiri, to the Nimatullahi they claim Nimatullahi, to the Babi they claim Babi, and so forth. And the friends and companions accept merely on word and consider them truthful and trustworthy, although the companions of truth should be keen and perceptive. He says: “The believer is not stung twice from the same hole.” Nevertheless, these companions have been repeatedly deceived and are still not awakened. I beseech and implore the Truth, exalted be His glory, to assist all to that which is befitting.
As for what Muhammad Mustafa, upon him be the Glory of God, has written on your behalf requesting permission to attain the presence—this was presented. He said:
“Without doubt or uncertainty the physician desired to meet Us before and desires so in all conditions. He has attained again and again, and has drunk time after time. He has attended, seen and heard. He is indeed among the successful ones in a clear Book. Now, regarding the matter of the House, if their stay here is prolonged, perhaps new events will occur. If they are assured about this matter, they may turn to the Face, otherwise return is preferable until God brings about His decree.”
It is very clear and evident that the Wronged One has loved and loves meeting His loved ones. My physician bears witness to this, upon him be My care, mercy and glory. Peace be upon him and upon those with him, and the mercy of God and His blessings. End.
Praise be to God, the grace and favor are of such magnitude that they need no interpreter and seek no translator. The favor is as clear and evident as the sun. Blessed are you and congratulations to you. The servant sends greetings to Hazza and Shaykh Abul-Qasim, upon them be the Glory of God, and asks his Lord to strengthen them, make them successful, and ordain for them the good of the hereafter and this world. He is indeed the Powerful, the Mighty, the Omnipotent, by His Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted, Most High Name. The care of God, our Lord and the Lord of earth and heaven, be upon you and upon those who act according to what they were commanded in His Clear Book.