Volume 072: Akka 1300 A.H. (1882–1883), Part III (4 of 4)

BH05085: God testifieth that there is none other God but…

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

God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, and the Wronged One is in such grief as the eye of creation hath never beheld its like. To this beareth witness My Most Great Book, which hath been inscribed by the Pen of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O My leaf! O My handmaiden! Although sorrows have encompassed Us, yet the grief of the world hath not, and will not, prevent the Lord of ancient days from His Cause. Tribulation in His path hath been and still is beloved. May that leaf, God willing, be engaged with utmost joy and fragrance in the remembrance of the Best-Beloved of the worlds. Time and again thou hast been blessed with the mention of God, glorified be His majesty. Verily thy Lord is the Hearer, the Answerer. Blessed art thou, and thy mother, and whosoever is with you both among the loved ones of God, the Lord of the worlds.

His honor Varqa, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, hath been and is beneath the pavilions of grandeur. He is among those who have aided the Cause of their Lord and remembered Him in the night season and in the days. To this testifieth He Who speaketh in every state that there is none other God but Me, the Single, the All-Informed. The glory shining forth from the horizon of eternity from God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, be upon thy father and upon you all. And the peace and blessing manifesting from the horizon of the Abode of Peace be upon those who spoke before all faces until they were imprisoned in this Straight Path. Praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH05011: Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One…

He is watching from His most exalted horizon.

Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One and arise to perform that which beseemeth the Day of God. The Most Exalted Pen hath counseled all to be trustworthy and truthful and to manifest whatsoever befitteth the station of man. Yet some are so heedless and veiled that they seem not to have heard the call of the Wronged One. Some among the people are so overcome with heedlessness that they appear deprived of hearing, sight and understanding. The call of Truth is raised high, the Sun of Revelation is shining forth, and hidden mysteries are unveiled, yet all remain bereft thereof. We beseech God, exalted be His glory, not to deprive any from the lights of the Sun of Truth. He is verily powerful and mighty over all things.

We have mentioned thee before and do so again on this blessed and wondrous Day. Be not grieved by the cawing of the ravens or the oppression of the oppressors. The hand of God is above their hands and His Word transcendeth their souls. He is verily powerful over all things. The glory be upon thee and upon those who have turned unto Him, hearkened, and answered their Lord, the Forgiving, the Generous.

We make mention of thy son ʿAbdu’l-Husayn and give him the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness and mercy, that he may be of the thankful ones. Say: Act according to that which hath been revealed in the Book of God. Verily it shall profit thee in all the worlds of His worlds. He Who possesseth the perspicuous Book doth testify to this.

BH05598: O Aziyyih, may the glory of God be upon…

O Aziyyih, may the glory of God be upon her! O Lord, pour forth patience upon Thy loved ones and aid them against the wrongdoing people. In My Name, the Hearing, the Responding One! O Aziyyih! God willing, thou shalt ever hold fast unto that which God hath willed and cling to His most holy hem. Fix thy gaze upon this exalted Word, which is a brilliant lamp unto the light of utterance: “Whoso is for God, God is for him.” Blessed art thou and blessed are they who have cast away what they possessed, holding fast unto that which is with God, the Lord of all worlds.

Thy letters arrived repeatedly, but at times, due to wisdom, it was not expedient to send a reply until in these days when the Most Exalted Pen turned toward those regions and this Most Holy, Most Sublime Tablet was revealed and sent. God willing, thou shalt be gladdened by its fragrance—a gladness that shall neither alter nor change. That which was mentioned in Our presence shall not, God willing, be forgotten, nor will it ever be forgotten. Preserve it in the name of thy Lord, then act upon it, as bidden by the Wise Commander. Convey to the handmaidens of that household the greetings of the Wronged One, and We counsel all to be steadfast, whereby the back of the world was broken, save for those whom God wished. Blessed are those souls who have attained unto this most great station and have regarded all else save God as non-existent and null. Glory be upon thee and upon those handmaidens who have turned unto and believed in God, the Single, the All-Informed.

BH05731: The Promised One has rent asunder the veils…

He is the One dawning from the horizon of utterance.

The Promised One has rent asunder the veils and the Hidden Mystery has shone forth from the horizon of manifestation. He is the One intended in all divine books, mentioned and recorded therein, the One Whose presence all servants longed for and Whose advent they sought. Nevertheless, when the gate of reunion was opened and the breeze of attainment wafted, all remained heedless and unconscious in the wilderness of negligence, save whom God willed. Those who counted themselves among the foremost and considered themselves preeminent in knowledge and insight were deprived of His presence and veiled from the purpose and cause of creation. O handmaiden of God! Praise the Lord of Names, Who enabled thee to recognize a Cause from which men have remained deprived. By the life of God! This is a bounty that no other bounty in creation can equal. Know thou this and be among the thankful ones.

Now beseech God, exalted be His glory, to preserve thee and the women of that land from the smoke and to keep them steadfast in His Cause. Glory be upon thee and upon every maidservant who hath turned unto Him, attained, and remained firm in the love of her Lord, the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days.

BH05841: In My Name, the Wronged One, the Stranger

In My Name, the Wronged One, the Stranger

The denizens of My heaven have lamented at what hath befallen My loved ones who remember God at morn and eventide and who desire naught but the betterment of the nations of the world. To this doth the Lord of Eternity bear witness from a station wherein the Sun of Grace hath shone forth and wherein the atoms themselves testify that there is none other God beside Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

Blessed art thou for having turned unto the Countenance when the ignorant ones of the earth turned away from it. They, verily, comprehend not. The horizon of the heaven of My Hidden Name hath been illumined, yet the people perceive it not. They have violated their Covenant and cast behind them their Pledge, until they disbelieved in Him in Whom they had believed throughout ages and centuries. Say: O people of the earth! He Who was promised in the Books of God hath appeared. Fear ye the All-Merciful and follow not every heedless and veiled one. Give thanks unto God for having aided thee and caused thee to know Him and enabled thee to stand at a gate that hath been opened unto all who are in earth and heaven. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Merciful, the Kind. Cast aside the vain imaginings of men and take fast hold of the hem of certitude. Thus doth He command thee Who testifieth at all times that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Loving. Be thou steadfast in the Cause and make mention of thy Lord at eventide and at dawn.

BH06159: A mention from Our presence unto Haji Muhammad-Rida, who…

He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed

A mention from Our presence unto Haji Muhammad-Rida, who hath attained unto My days, heard My call, and testified to that which the Tongue of Grandeur did testify: that there is none other God but Me, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. We have sent forth the Messengers, revealed the Books, and announced unto the world this Most Great Revelation. The Books of God, the Lord of all worlds, bear witness unto this.

O peoples of the earth! Fear ye the All-Merciful, free yourselves from the veils of idle fancies and vain imaginings. Come ye, that I may show you the lights of God from this luminous horizon. That which lay concealed in the treasuries of knowledge hath been made manifest, and He Who was promised throughout the ages and centuries hath come. Every fair-minded one possessed of knowledge beareth witness unto this. O peoples of the earth! Cast away what ye possess and take hold of that which ye have been bidden by One mighty, powerful and ancient. Blessed is he who hath turned and attained unto the Word of God, and woe betide the most lost ones who cling to what they have, turning away from that which is with God, the Sovereign of this wondrous Day. Blessed art thou, inasmuch as thou didst turn and hearken and respond to Him from Whom the divines of the earth have turned aside, save those who drank the choice wine of steadfastness from the hands of the bounty of their Lord, the Almighty.

BH06699: The dwellers of the Most Exalted Paradise have raised…

…The dwellers of the Most Exalted Paradise have raised their lamentations by reason of what hath befallen the loved ones of God in the Land of Ta and other lands, as attesteth He with Whom is the perspicuous Book. We have seized the Dayspring of tyranny in that place and another soul who denied God’s right, the Lord of all worlds, and We give tidings to the third of a grievous punishment. We shall soon seize him with a devastating might from Us. Thy Lord, verily, is the Almighty, the Powerful. Even as We seized those who preceded them—verily thy Lord is the All-Compelling, the Severe….

BH06896: O Lord, pour forth patience upon Thy loved ones…

O Lord, pour forth patience upon Thy loved ones and aid them against the unbelieving people. He is the All-Commanding, the All-Wise. The Wronged One counsels His loved ones to patience and forbearance, to calmness and dignity. Verily We have committed all affairs unto God and have placed Our trust in Him. He is the best Helper and Protector. O Fayd’u’llah! The Wronged One makes mention of thee on this blessed day and commands all to patience and tranquility. Blessed art thou, for thou hast attained unto that which most of those on earth remain heedless and veiled from.

The honored Samandar, upon him be My Glory, sent a letter to this Servant, and at the time it was presented he made mention of thee. Therefore this Tablet hath been sent down from the heaven of loving-kindness especially for thee. He is the Bestower, He is the Kind. Are the oppressors able to find for themselves a friend other than Him, or discover one in any land or region? Nay, by His very Self, the True One! They are witnessed to be in manifest heedlessness. Soon shall they behold themselves in manifest loss. The Glory be upon thee and upon My loved ones in that place.

BH06723: This is an inscribed Book which the Self-Subsisting…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious!

This is an inscribed Book which the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling doth testify unto. Verily it hath been traced by the Finger of Power in this praiseworthy station. None denieth it save every rejected misbeliever. Whoso denieth it hath denied his Lord from all eternity. Unto this doth the King of Kings bear witness, Who hath spoken:

“There is none other God but Me, the All-Compelling over what was and what shall be.”

Verily he who hath acknowledged that which hath come down from the heaven of grace is of the people of Baha. Unto this doth the Dayspring of Revelation bear witness. And whoso denieth it is of them that tarry or of those who have disbelieved in God, the Mighty, the All-Loving. By My life! That which hath been inscribed in the Tablet shall bring solace to thine eyes when thou attainest unto it. Therefore praise thy Lord, the All-Merciful. In His hand lieth the kingdom of utterance. He sendeth down whatsoever He willeth. He, verily, is the Single One, the All-Forgiving. From this station We send Our greetings unto thy face and unto the faces of those whom vain desires have not kept back from God, the Lord of existence. Remind the people of that which hath appeared and shone forth, that haply they may inhale the fragrance of God in His days and may find for themselves a path unto His visible horizon.

BH07061: A mention from Us unto him who hath turned…

He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great.

A mention from Us unto him who hath turned towards the Tree which hath been raised upon the Mount of Divine knowledge when this Revelation appeared, whereby the Kingdom of Utterance was stirred and there was heard from it the call of its Lord, the All-Merciful:

“Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Forgiving, the Generous.”

The Mount flew with longing for this Revelation and Sinai awakened after being thunderstruck when the Trump was blown by command of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Blessed art thou and those whom the affairs of creation have not withheld from the Truth. They cast away what the people possessed and took hold of that which they were commanded by the Mighty, the Powerful, the Omnipotent. We counsel the servants of God to righteousness and the fear of God and to that whereby the station of man is exalted in the contingent world. Glorified be the All-Merciful, the Object of desire of all who are in the heavens and on earth. Hold fast unto the cord of wisdom and associate with the loved ones in a spirit of joy and fragrance. Thus doth the Wronged One command thee from the precincts of His mighty prison. And We make mention of thy son who hath been named Ya’qub and give him the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

BH06936: Verily the Book is established upon the throne…

In His Name, the Remembering, the All-Seeing!

Verily the Book is established upon the throne and hath sent down the Book as a command from His presence, and He is the Book. Verily the Tablet proclaimeth with the most exalted call, saying: O concourse of creation! By God, the Lord of Names hath come with a sovereignty that the circumstances of creation cannot prevent nor can intimations veil. Blessed is the soul that hath stirred and arisen and hastened to the Dawning-Place of remembrance, and woe unto them who have clung to vain imaginings, turning away from God, the Lord of all men. O My handmaiden! Hearken thou unto My call, then bear witness to that whereunto God did bear witness before the creation of earth and heaven, that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Bestower. He hath come for the life of the world, yet the peoples have pronounced against Him with an injustice at which the clouds have wept. Fie upon them and upon those who were debarred from the ocean of knowledge and denied God, the Lord of lords. Be thou thankful for this Most Great Remembrance and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who hast remembered me from Thy most exalted horizon and called me when I was among the people of the veil.

BH07379: In My Name, the Most Great, the Most Glorious!

In My Name, the Most Great, the Most Glorious!

O Rida! The Wronged One maketh mention of thee from the precincts of the Prison, and answereth that which thou didst beseech of Him. Verily thy Lord is the Just, the All-Wise. Blessed is the mention that hath come before the Most Great Remembrance, and blessed the petition that hath attained unto the hearing of God, the Lord of all worlds. We have heard thy call—rejoice thou and be of them that render thanks.

Beware lest the affairs of the world grieve thee or prevent thee from Him Who is the Creator of heaven. Abandon every matter and hold fast unto the Cause of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. And concerning what thou didst ask about the return- read thou the Kitab-i-Iqan which the All-Merciful revealed when the Light was shining from the horizon of Iraq. Thus doth the Lord of all horizons command thee from His exalted station. When thou hast attained unto My Tablet and the breezes of My Revelation have wafted over thee, arise and say: Thine be the praise, O Thou Who art wronged, and Thine be the glory, O Thou Who art the Goal of them that have recognized Thee. I beseech Thee to ordain for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen the good of this world and the world to come. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and within Thy grasp are the reins of all names. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

BH07941: He warbleth upon the branches

He warbleth upon the branches

O Husayn! The Wronged One hath made mention of thee when sorrows surrounded Him on account of what was wreaked upon Him by those who disbelieved in God and His signs, and turned away from Him after He came with manifest sovereignty. Blessed is the face that hath turned towards Him and the heart that hath accepted Him, and woe unto every heedless and remote one. Give thanks unto God for having made thee victorious in His days and guided thee to His straight path. Cast aside what is with the people, taking hold of what hath been sent down from My Most Exalted Pen in My Perspicuous Book. Thou hast been mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One, and this wondrous Tablet hath been revealed for thee. When thou attainest unto it, give thanks unto God, thy Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and the earth. Preserve this Tablet as thou wouldst preserve thine eyes. Verily thy Lord is the Confirmer, the Mighty, the Powerful. Glory be upon thee and upon whosoever hath heard My call and drunk the choice wine of revelation from the hands of My bounty, and upon every steadfast and upright one.

BH07889: O Ahmad! The rabble of the world have arisen…

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

O Ahmad! The rabble of the world have arisen to extinguish the light of the Ancient King, and with utmost striving have endeavored and continue to endeavor to destroy the Cause of God. However, God has manifested the Cause and will manifest that which He has willed, despite every heedless and remote one. The armies of the world and the ranks of nations have not prevented and will not prevent Him from that which He has willed. Blessed are those souls whom the clamor of the heedless did not prevent from the Lord of the Day of Judgment. They arose with complete steadfastness among the people and uttered the blessed words “God is our Lord and the Lord of all who are in earth and heaven.”

We beseech God to make thee successful even as He has assisted thee, and to establish thee firm and steadfast on His path. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. The Glory be upon thee and upon those who have attained to this mighty Cause.

BH08323: We have manifested the Cause and sent down…

He is the Everlasting One in His Name, the Self-Subsisting!

We have manifested the Cause and sent down the verses, but the people, except those whom God, the Lord of what was and what shall be, has willed, denied them after their revelation. The world hath been honored by the appearance of the Most Great Name, yet the people remain veiled in manifest delusion. The Light walketh before the face, and the Spirit proclaimeth: The Day is come, and this is the Beloved of the worlds. How many a servant hath heard and turned away, and how many a servant hath hastened, turning toward the All-Informed One. We have commanded all to act with wisdom and with that which profiteth the servants in the days of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. When thou hearest My call and attainest unto My Tablet and My traces, render thanks unto God for having adorned thee with the ornament of His novel remembrance and honored thee with His days, and for having sent down for thee that which the treasures of the heavens and earth cannot equal.

BH08505: O My handmaiden! We have remembered thee…

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

O My handmaiden! We have remembered thee with a remembrance whose fragrance shall endure throughout the duration of the Kingdom and the heavenly Realm. Bear thou witness to that which God Himself hath testified—that there is none other God but Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. He hath sent forth the Messengers and revealed the Books and made manifest that which was hidden in the treasuries of infallibility and concealed from eyes.

Seize thou the cup of salvation in the name of thy Lord, the Cleaver of the Dawn, then drink in remembrance of Me, the Mighty, the Beloved. Know thou that the cup is My Word, and the Water of Life is that which lieth concealed within it of the meanings which none hath understood save God, the Lord of existence.

Glorify the name of thy Lord, then remember Him at eventide and at dawn. Thus hath the murmur of the Water of Life been raised from the Book of the All-Merciful. Blessed is he who hath heard and hath said:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Goal of all desire!”

BH08080: The Most Great, the Most Glorious! We have adorned…

The Most Great, the Most Glorious! We have adorned the heaven of souls with the sun of trustworthiness and the moon of truthfulness and the stars of virtuous character, yet most of the people are heedless. Blessed is the soul who acts according to what was commanded by God, the Lord of the worlds. Say: Virtues are the stars of this heaven, and steadfastness is its sun and its sovereign, were you of those who know.

O you who speak in praise of your Lord, hearken unto My call and My cry and My lamentation at what the hands of the oppressors have wrought. Verily, He Who created the world by a sign from His Pen—they say concerning Him what none of the ancients ever said. We commanded all to the Most Great Steadfastness, but when the croak of the croaker was raised, the feet of every heedless and remote one slipped.

Be thou thankful to God for having caused thee to recognize the Manifestation of His Cause and guided thee to the straight path. Thus hath My Most Exalted Pen spoken when the Beloved was in evident sorrow.

BH08928: The Wronged One, Who hath called all to God…

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

The Wronged One, Who hath called all to God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, hath heard thy call. Say: O peoples of the earth, fear ye God and follow not the desires of those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of all worlds. Make your deeds for God, and your call in His Name, and your orientation toward His horizon, holding fast to the cord of patience. Verily He seizeth every oppressor who oppresseth His chosen servants, and He hath power over all things. We have read thy letter and answered thee from this mighty prison. Say: O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Self to make for me a lamp from the light of Thy Cause that it may go before my face, lest the clamor of those who have denied Thy truth and disputed Thy signs and risen to extinguish Thy manifest, resplendent, evident, shining and luminous light cause me to become heedless.

BH08987: He hath power over whatsoever He pleaseth

He hath power over whatsoever He pleaseth.

This is a Book sent down by the Wronged One when sorrows encompassed Him from every side. Verily He summoned the people unto God, yet they arose to harm Him in such wise as caused the dwellers of earth and heaven to lament. This is a day wherein the denizens of the highest Paradise weep by reason of what hath befallen the friends of God, the Lord of Names. He Who possesseth the Mother Book beareth witness unto this. They seized Us and imprisoned Us and prevented Us from that which was created for Us. Thus was the matter decreed in days wherein all things proclaimed: The kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of Lords. O people of Baha! We counsel you to be patient and forbearing. Place your trust in all circumstances in God, the Lord of the Day of Mutual Calling. Beware lest anything prevent you from God. Leave what the people possess, holding fast unto that which is with God, the Cleaver of the Dawn.

BH11256: Thy letter which thou hadst received from the beloved…

…Thy letter which thou hadst received from the beloved personage of Andalib, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s Most Glorious Glory, which he penned from the prison, arrived and was perused. In truth, the fragrance of steadfastness, contentment, and praise of the Lord of all beings wafted from it. May my spirit be a sacrifice unto his imprisonment, unto his tribulations, and unto those who were with him….

BH09622: Glorified art Thou, O my God and my Purpose!…

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

Glorified art Thou, O my God and my Purpose! Thou seest Thy chosen ones in tribulations beyond compare. The servants have risen against them without any proof or Book. They have seized them and imprisoned them and committed that which hath caused the earth to tremble and the clouds to wail. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy bounty and the heaven of Thy power to protect Thy chosen ones from the oppression of those who have cast Thy Book behind their backs and have acted according to their own desires in Thy lands and Thy realm. Thou art He to Whose power and sovereignty all created things have testified, and to Whose grandeur and might all possible things have borne witness. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Compelling, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH09878: Glorified art Thou, O Thou Who hast fulfilled Thy…

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

Glorified art Thou, O Thou Who hast fulfilled Thy Covenant and Thy Testament and Thy Promise, and hast manifested that which lay hidden in the treasury of Thy power and concealed within Thy knowledge! I beseech Thee by the light of Thy countenance and the fire of Thy Sacred Tree to ordain for him who hath turned unto Thee every good thing that was inscribed in Thy Book. O Lord! Aid Thou Thy loved ones, and them that aid them. O Lord! Thou seest that they have no refuge save Thee and no shelter except in Thee. Do Thou, therefore, O my God, deliver them from the hands of the enemies, and preserve them through Thy power, O Thou in Whose grasp lie the dominions of might and power! There is no God but Thee, the Strong, the All-Conquering, the All-Powerful.