Volume 074: Akka 1301 A.H. (1883–1884), Part II (1 of 5)

BH02570: O Muhammad-Quli! By the life of God, thou shouldst…

In the Name of God, the All-Knowing

O Muhammad-Quli! By the life of God, thou shouldst glory in the world. Thou hast heard what no one before hath heard, and witnessed what no one hath witnessed. All that appeareth from the deniers and the heedless in this Cause is the greatest proof of the truth of the Party of God. A hundred thousand blessings upon the one who freely gave up name and glory in the path of the Friend. The world cannot equal one pure deed. Soon shall the eye of understanding behold that which the tongue relateth.

We convey greetings and solace to all the relatives of Ali-Qabl-i-Akbar, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness. Give them glad tidings of My mercy which hath preceded them and My loving-kindness which hath encompassed them. Verily We have forgiven them and pardoned them and expiated from them that which beseemeth them not. Blessed is he who today holdeth fast unto repentance and attaineth unto the ocean of forgiveness from the All-Merciful. He is assuredly among the triumphant in the perspicuous Book.

Say: Know ye the worth and station of Ali. If a person becomes distressed for one moment from grief and fear, what will he do about perpetual fear and torment and wrath? Praise be to God that the effulgences of the Sun of grace have encompassed some and will encompass others. Soon shall they return unto God and arise to make good what hath escaped them. For every soul was somewhat heedless, or the might of oppression kept him from the Luminary of justice, yet in his days and nights he was occupied with the remembrance of the peerless Friend and was adorned with His love. And today, as it is the day of supreme joy and the ocean of loving-kindness surgeth before all faces and is adorned with the ornament of grace, seek thou from God that He may enable all to attain that which is the cause of salvation and prosperity.

O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! Many souls now yearn and hope to circle round His prison in His path and embrace its chains. By the life of God, these chains are preferable to a hundred thousand ornaments, for those are attributed to the Truth while these are from the sources of oppression. God protect us and you from the evil of these heedless ones. We have specially granted thee permission—accept thou it and be of the thankful. And We make mention of Muhammad and give him glad tidings of the loving-kindness of his Lord, the All-Bountiful. He should hold fast to the cord of justice and make mention of God with wisdom and utterance. Verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer.

BH04570: O My handmaiden Khadijih, upon whom be the Glory…

He is the Caller between earth and heaven!

O My handmaiden Khadijih, upon whom be the Glory of God! Time and again hast thou been blessed with the remembrance of thy Lord. I swear by the Sun of inner meanings that whosoever today achieveth with complete certitude and assurance any deed in the path of God, he hath attained unto all good.

Today the deniers and unbelievers are occupied with a hundred thousand tricks and stratagems to ensnare holy souls. We beseech God to protect His servants and handmaidens from association and fellowship with the ungodly, both men and women.

Today the Holy Spirit is present before all faces, and the Most Great Spirit is manifest and speaking above the nations, while the Maidens of Paradise on high, with wondrous and sweet melodies, give glad-tidings to the handmaidens of the earth of the supreme horizon, the most exalted Summit, and the utmost Goal.

Whosoever hearkeneth becometh detached and free from all save God, to such degree that apparent riches, visible bounties, and manifold favors hold no sway over him. Severed from all else, he turneth unto God, glorified be His majesty, clinging to the cord of His Cause and holding fast to the hem of His grace.

We beseech God to adorn thee with such an ornament that thou mayest shine forth amidst the earth like unto a pearl, distinct from all else. Now that thou hast inhaled the fragrance of the Tablet, strive that thou mayest attain unto all that hath been mentioned. Thy Lord is verily the All-Witnessing, the All-Informed, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

The glory shining forth from the horizon of eternity rest upon every handmaiden who hath attained and remained steadfast in the Cause of her Lord, detached from all else besides Him.

BH05196: O My handmaiden! Thy letter hath gained My audience…

In the Name of the Kind Friend!

O My handmaiden! Thy letter hath gained My audience and its words have been beheld by My glance, and the page hath been honored by the hand of Him in Whose grasp is the kingdom of the heavens and earth. Give thanks unto thy Lord and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Beloved of the worlds! Today the waves of the ocean of bounty are manifest and the lights of the Sun of grace are evident and radiant. Yet the people of the earth have, with their own hands, deprived themselves of this most great bounty. They have committed that which, God forbid, giveth rise to the fear that the outpourings of the All-Bountiful may cease, for the tyranny of the oppressors hath reached such a degree that none save God, exalted be His glory, can reckon it. Praise be to God, thou hast turned unto Him and attained His love. Know thou this most exalted station, then render thanks unto thy Lord, the Forgiving, the Bountiful. In all conditions hold fast unto wisdom and cleave unto its hem. Verily God hath forgiven those men and women who have turned unto Him. He, verily, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Ancient.

We make mention of him who hath ascended unto God and was named Radi in My Great Book. Upon him, and upon thee, and upon his sister whose name was presented before the Wronged One in this exalted station, be the Glory of God. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to aid thee and aid her, and to ordain for you both what ye desire. He, verily, is the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

BH05471: In My Name, the Speaking, the All-Knowing!

In My Name, the Speaking, the All-Knowing!

The Supreme Pen conveys greetings to the people of Baha and declares: All that hath befallen you in the path of love for the Lord of Names hath been mentioned in His presence and recorded in the Crimson Book. How many nights did sleep desert the eyes of the friends, and how many days were the sanctified hearts of the believers disturbed by the oppression of the tyrants!

Yet the Wronged One giveth you glad tidings and declareth that everlasting comfort, perpetual sustenance and eternal glory have been and shall ever be yours. Praise ye God, exalted be His glory, that His gaze hath been fixed upon the goodly deeds of His friends, and if during the days of tribulation anything unworthy of His Cause appeared, He hath, through His mercy and bounty, transformed it. Today the ocean of forgiveness is surging and the sun of bounty is shining from the horizon of grace. No tidings of the world can equal these glad tidings.

Hold fast unto the Most Firm Handle and cleave unto that whereby the Cause of thy Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful, may be exalted. We make mention of thy mother who hath turned unto God and attained unto His days, the Lord of the worlds. The servant who is present hath presented thy letter before the Face. That which the near ones perceive the fragrance of God’s bounty, the Mighty, the All-Wise, hath been sent down for thee and for her.

BH05968: In My Name, the Wronged One of the world

In My Name, the Wronged One of the world

O Husayn! He Who is imprisoned makes mention of thee with that which shall cause the remembrance of every soul who has turned unto Him and has quaffed the cup of everlasting life in the name of Baha to endure. Once did he drink it in His name and again in remembrance of the All-Wise. The servant who was present appeared before Us with thy letter and laid before Us what thou hadst written. We have answered thee with this clear epistle. We inhaled from it the fragrance of thy love and have turned toward thee from this luminous spot. Say:

O my God, my Beloved, and my Purpose! Thou seest me acknowledging Thy unity and confessing Thy grandeur and sovereignty. I testify that steadfastness cannot be established except through Thy might and power, and the heart cannot find tranquility save through Thy loving-kindness and grace. O Lord! Thou seest me attracted by Thy verses, turning unto Thy countenance, and clinging to the cord of Thy favors. I beseech Thee to forgive me and have mercy upon me through Thy mercy which has preceded all created things and encompassed all contingent beings. O Lord! I implore Thee by the breathings of Thy revelation and the manifestations of Thy grandeur, and by Thy Name through which Thou hast subdued the world, to aid me to serve Thy Cause in such wise that the clamor of Thy creatures and the might of those who have denied Thy signs may not deter me. Verily Thou art He Whom the conditions of Thy creation cannot frustrate, nor can the manifestations of Thy servants render powerless. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

BH06362: O Rubin! The Manifest Truth declares: Today the springtime…

He is the One Who rules over all names!

O Rubin! The Manifest Truth declares: Today the springtime of the All-Merciful has appeared, and the new saplings that were planted by the divine hand of training in the paradise of oneness have become manifest and visible with their ripe fruits and delicate leaves. However, the oppressors of the age—meaning the ignorant divines—have striven and continue to strive to cut them down. Say: O Pharaohs of the earth! If Pharaoh was able to extinguish the divine light, then you too shall be able to do so. But alas! alas! His will dominates the wills of all the peoples of the world, and His power has been and shall ever be penetrating, and His knowledge all-encompassing. We send greetings to the friends in that land, to the sons of the Friend and the heirs of Him Who conversed with God, both male and female, young and old. We beseech God to aid them all in that which is the cause of eternal life. He is powerful and mighty over all things. The glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon those who have acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken, that there is none other God but Me, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH06124: The True One, exalted be His glory, remembers His…

In the name of the Kind Friend

The True One, exalted be His glory, remembers His friends from among His male and female servants in the Most Great Prison—a remembrance that forgetfulness shall not overtake and the changes of the world shall not alter.

This remembrance in one station sits and warbles as a nightingale of inner meanings upon the branches of the Divine Lote-Tree, and in another station is a flowing stream in a spiritual garden, and in yet another station is a surging ocean from which they who possess pure and attentive ears hear “there is no god but Him.” Blessed is the soul that has today attained to the remembrance of God, exalted be His glory.

Today the ocean of bounty is manifest and the river of providence is flowing. We beseech God not to deprive any from His sea of mercy, especially those servants and handmaidens who possess a unified countenance. God willing, may you find the sweetness of the utterance of the All-Merciful and be occupied and intimate with His remembrance.

We convey greetings to all the handmaidens and counsel them to the Most Great Steadfastness. Blessed is the leaf that has clung to the Tree and the handmaiden who has attained unto steadfastness in the Cause of her Lord, the Mighty, the Blessed, the Holy, the All-Knowing, the Wise.

BH06390: O My leaf and My handmaiden! We heard thy…

He is the Counsellor, the Compassionate, the Most Generous

O My leaf and My handmaiden! We heard thy call. The servant in attendance submitted thy letter [before the face of the Wronged One]. We give thee the sweetest reply in the Persian tongue—hearken thou and render thanks to the Object of all creation. By the life of God, nothing can equal His Word! All that is witnessed is that those related to Dhabih have been and are beneath the glance of loving-kindness.

Strive thou to act in accordance with what befitteth the divine days. This Day hath no equal, for the Hidden Treasure hath been made manifest and is known by the Most Great Name. Thou must act with utmost steadfastness and in the manner that beseemeth thee. The True One, addressing My leaf, declareth: This is a great relationship. We beseech God to aid thee to fulfill its conditions. He is the Counselor, He is the Kind, He is the All-Knowing, and He is the All-Seeing. We convey Our greetings to Ali, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness. Verily he hath a station with thy Lord—know thou this and be among the thankful ones in My Perspicuous Tablet. The glory be upon thee and upon thy mother and upon thy brothers and thy sister, from One Who is Kind and Generous.

BH07280: In the Name of Him Who is the Goal…

In the Name of Him Who is the Goal of all worlds! Your letter which was sent in the name of this Servant reached the Wronged One and was entirely heard. Praise be to God, thou hast been and art the recipient of divine favor.

Some time ago a most exalted and holy Tablet was revealed from the heaven of grace, but there was delay in its transmission. We beseech God that thou mayest attain unto it and arise to serve in such wise, through the fragrance of the utterances of the All-Merciful, that the people of the world shall be powerless to prevent thee.

We have revealed a Tablet for Khudadad and sent it graciously that he may be among the thankful ones. Dear friend, ye are all remembered. Be not grieved by certain matters. I swear by the Sun in the heaven of divine power that erelong the friends shall behold their stations in the most exalted of places. Thy Lord is verily the True One, the Faithful.

The friends of God, exalted be His glory, both men and women, young and old, have been mentioned in His remembrance. By the life of God! The treasures of the world cannot be compared with His remembrance, as witnessed by every just and perceiving one.

BH07343: O My handmaiden and My leaf! Thou hast been…

He is the Witnesser from the Most Exalted Horizon

O My handmaiden and My leaf! Thou hast been mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One and hast not been forgotten. Today the glance of loving-kindness hath been directed toward the steadfast handmaidens of God, and will continue to be so. Blessed a hundred thousand times is the soul whom the heedlessness of the heedless and the oppression of the oppressors hath not kept back from the breezes of the Day of Faith.

The love of God, exalted and glorified be He, is like unto a pearl, and its abode is the shell of the heart. That We have likened it to a pearl is for the understanding of the servants; otherwise a hundred thousand pearls of the seas of inner meanings circle round the pearl of His love. Blessed is the heart that hath become the shell of this pearl. Such a one is remembered before God in all worlds and is inscribed in the Book.

The glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee. We have remembered him who sought, upon him be My glory and My mercy, with a mention that neither all the treasures nor all the riches of the earth can equal. Verily thy Lord is the All-Merciful, the Bountiful. The glory be upon him from God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH06931: He it is Who dawneth above the horizon…

He it is Who dawneth above the horizon of grace

Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One: He maketh mention of you from the quarter of His mighty prison.

We have, in very truth, made mention of thee aforetime, and have sent down for thee that which shall remain imperishable through the abiding of the Name of thy Lord, the All-Subduing, He Who ruleth over whatsoever is in the heavens and on the earth.

Verily, We counsel thee to that whereby thy station shall be exalted, and to this Cause before whose revelation the very limbs of every far-removed oppressor have trembled.

We likewise exhort the loved ones of God to patience and to steadfast endurance under all that hath befallen them in His straight Path.

Say: It behoveth you to entrust unto Me your creation, your sustenance, and your drawing nigh unto Him; for He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

Say: Let not the affairs and doings of men grieve you. Behold, then call to mind what befell the Messenger of God aforetime, and before Him the Spirit, and before Him the One Who held converse with God.

BH07913: O My handmaiden, O thou who utterest My praise!…

In the Name of Him Who is the Witness, the All-Knowing!

O My handmaiden, O thou who utterest My praise! We have remembered thee time and again, and have sent down for thee that from which the near ones have inhaled the fragrance of the loving kindness of thy Lord, the Forgiving, the Bountiful. Be thou not grieved at anything, but place thy trust in all matters in the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing. He manifests whatsoever He willeth through His grace, and He is the One Who chooseth as He pleaseth. Nothing whatsoever escapeth His knowledge. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Encompassing. Say:

Glorified art Thou, O Thou by Whose Face-light the horizons were illumined and by Whose Name the mysteries were revealed on the Day of Meeting! I beseech Thee by the pearls of the ocean of Thy knowledge and the fruits of the Tree of Thy oneness to ordain for me, through the wonders of Thy bounty, that which will profit me in all the worlds of Thy worlds. O Lord! Thou knowest me better than I know myself, and Thou knowest what is best for me. Through Thy generosity, decree for me that which befitteth Thy majesty and sovereignty. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Powerful, the All-Sufficing, the Answerer.

BH07931: O daughter of My servant Asdaq and wife…

In the Name of the One God!

O daughter of My servant Asdaq and wife of My servant Karim! Hearken unto the Voice of the Wronged One and hold fast unto that which is befitting in this Day.

Know thou the value of this Day and recognize its station. The tyranny of the oppressors and the hosts of the heedless move for a day or two like bubbles upon the surface of water, and then return to a state which, were anyone to behold it, they would seek refuge with God from its heat and from whatsoever hath been created therein.

This is the Day of the Balance and the time of the Straight Path and the moment of steadfastness. This is the Day wherein whatsoever lieth within man becometh manifest and evident.

We beseech God to preserve that house, and since it hath been raised up in His Name, may the sweet savors of His love never cease to waft therefrom. Blessed art thou and blessed are they whom the oppression of such as have denied the right of God, the Lord of all worlds, hath not deterred.

BH07914: In My Name, the All-Encompassing over all names! O…

In My Name, the All-Encompassing over all names! O handmaiden of God! Praise be to the Object of all creation Who, in this Most Great Day, has enabled you and blessed you with service to His loved ones. Whatsoever has appeared from you for the sake of God and in His path is manifest and visible before His countenance. Praise be to God that you have drunk from the cup of reunion and, through the bounty of the immortal King, have attained unto the shore of the ocean of attainment. You have witnessed that which the eyes of the world were anticipating, and heard that which the ears of those near unto God were yearning to hear. Convey My greetings to the handmaidens of that land—those who have drunk from the cup of steadfastness and are possessed of a single heart. Blessed are those handmaidens whom the clamor of the idolaters did not prevent from the Divine Lote-Tree, and whom the oppression of the tyrannical did not keep back from the love of God. Upon you and upon them be glory, and upon every handmaiden who has held fast to My Strong Cord.

BH07990: In the Name of the One Incomparable God! O…

In the Name of the One Incomparable God! O Yari! The One Incomparable Friend declares: The whole world hath been created for the recognition of the Ancient Lord in this Most Great Announcement, and hath been brought from nothingness into being. Yet when the morn of the divine Day dawned from the horizon of Will, all were found to be debarred and deprived, save whom God pleased. Well is it with thee for having drunk the Choice Wine sealed with My Self-Subsisting Name, and for having turned toward the Supreme Horizon on a Day wherein the limbs of all names trembled. Verily thy Lord is the All-Witnessing, the All-Informed. We counsel thee to observe wisdom, for the people are weak. The Lord, exalted be His glory, hath shown forbearance out of pure grace. Therefore must all be mindful of wisdom and treat mankind with kindliness and compassion. He, verily, is the Compassionate, the Bountiful. The Glory rest upon thee and upon those with thee and upon them that have attained unto the days of God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH08513: In My Name which shineth forth from the horizon…

In My Name which shineth forth from the horizon of the world!

O handmaiden of God! Hearken thou unto the call of the Wronged One. He hath heard thy cry and hath answered thee from the precincts of His Most Great Prison, as a token of grace from God, the Lord of all worlds.

The servant who attaineth Our presence hath presented that which thou didst send unto him. We have heard it and answer thee through this perspicuous Tablet. Render thou thanks unto thy Lord for having enabled thee to recognize Him Whom most of the world hath failed to recognize, save those whom the hand of Divine power hath delivered. Thy Lord is, verily, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. Rejoice thou, then be glad, then make mention of thy Lord Who hath mentioned thee with His mighty and praiseworthy remembrance. We make mention of thy cousin and give her the glad-tidings of God’s grace, the Most Exalted, the Most Great. We counsel her and My handmaidens with that which beseemeth them in the days of God, the Lord of the mighty throne.

BH08047: He hath dominion over the Kingdom of Names!

He hath dominion over the Kingdom of Names!

The Wronged One makes mention of His handmaids who have heard the Call, turned to the Supreme Horizon, and testified to that which the Tongue of Grandeur has testified: that there is none other God but Me, the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. Recognize thou the value of these days and give thanks to thy Lord, the Almighty, over what was and what shall be.

Various petitions have been received from the servants of God and His handmaids; We have answered them all with that which has diffused the fragrance of the loving-kindness of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Loving. Blessed is the handmaid who has arisen to serve My loved ones, and the servant whom the hosts have not frightened. Give thanks to thy Lord for having aided thee to turn unto Him and for having sent down for thee this blessed Book which calls out amidst the world and summons the peoples to God, the Lord of existence. We send Our greetings upon thee and upon the daughter named after Me who has attained My presence in this Forbidden Prison.

BH08547: O Khudadad! Today is the Day of Justice, yet…

He is the Speaker, the All-Knowing!

O Khudadad! Today is the Day of Justice, yet the demons of tyranny have oppressed the angels of justice.

The world is the abode of demons, and its course is crooked through their influence O wayfarer! Be thou in fear of the demons of this demon-haunted world

However, this oppression shall not endure. Ere long the light of the Sun of Justice shall illumine the darkened world. The hand of God is above their hands, and the will of God is above their wills. The Most Exalted Pen beareth witness that thou hast turned unto God at a time when most of the people have turned away from Him, and hast responded to thy Lord when most of the people were numbered among the silent ones. Rejoice thou in My testimony unto thee, in My turning unto thee, and in My mention of thee in this perspicuous Tablet. Convey My greetings unto My loved ones and give them the glad-tidings of My mercy and My bounty. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Generous. The glory be upon thee and upon them and upon whosoever hath held fast unto the cord of God, the Strong.

BH08492: O sister of Ali! I swear by the effulgent…

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Informed

O sister of Ali! I swear by the effulgent rays of the Sun of inner meanings before the Divine Throne, thou art remembered among the people of Paradise and in the Crimson Book this most exalted station hath been bestowed upon thee by the Most Exalted Pen. Know thou the bounty of thy Lord and be thou grateful to Him by night and day. O sister of Akbar! Blessed is thy brother. God beareth witness that from the beginning of the Cause he turned towards it, in days when all were seen to be deniers, hypocrites and apostates, save whom God willed. Thy deeds are accepted before the Divine Countenance and adorned with the imperishable ornament. The denizens of the Supreme Paradise are occupied with thy mention. We counsel thee to love thy brother and preserve thy station through the Name of God, the Most Glorious. Glory be upon him and upon thee and upon those women from whom the Supreme Concourse perceived the fragrance of steadfastness in this Most Great Announcement.

BH08810: The Great Day has appeared and the Great Cause…

In the name of the One Incomparable Speaker!

The Great Day has appeared and the Great Cause is resplendent. This is that same Day to which the divine Books have testified as to its greatness and grandeur. Today the heaven of utterance is adorned with the Sun of inner meanings, and the Great City has descended from the heaven of will, and the rivers of divine knowledge flow and surge forth from the Pen of the All-Merciful. Blessed is the one who turned towards it, whom the opposition of the wrongdoers did not deprive from the light of justice. Your letter was received and attained unto hearing. Praise be to God that you have recognized that of which the people of the world remain heedless and veiled. Preserve this most exalted station through the Name of the Lord of Names. Thus have We adorned the heaven of your acceptance with the lights of the Sun of thy Lord’s grace, the Kind, the Generous.

BH08814: Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses…

In the Name of Him Who shineth forth from the horizon of the world

Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses and manifested the clear tokens and hath spoken before the faces of the world through this Name, whereby the hearts of the nations were shaken except for those whom the hand of power did seize and whom He veritably preserved—and He is the Preserver, the Succourer. The call hath been raised between earth and heaven, yet most of the people remain heedless. Blessed is he who hath heard and turned and responded, and woe unto them that have turned away. When thou hast attained unto My verses and found the fragrance of My utterance, say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the worlds, and glory be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of them that know, for having made me to know and strengthened me to acknowledge that which Thy tongue hath spoken whilst the people were veiled by a thick veil. The splendor shining from the horizon of My Kingdom be upon thee and upon those who have turned to the Countenance with such steadfastness as the hosts of the wrongdoers could not prevent.

BH09111: He overshadoweth all names!

He overshadoweth all names!

O thou who hast turned towards God! Hearken unto the call of the Lord of Eternity from the direction of His Most Great Prison. Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. The servant who is present hath entered before the Throne and presented thy letter before His face. Verily thy Lord is the Hearing, the All-Knowing. Blessed is he who hath turned towards God and heard the shrill voice of His Most Exalted Pen on a day wherein every remote scholar turned away. Blessed is the unlettered one who hath attained and succeeded, and woe unto every scholar who hath pronounced judgment against the Dawning-Place of Revelation with manifest tyranny. When thou hast attained unto My traces, rejoice and say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp is the dominion of all who are in the heavens and on earth! Praise be unto Thee, for Thou art the God of the worlds and the Goal of them that have known Thee!”

BH09173: O leaf and handmaiden of Baha! God is aware…

In His Name, the Most High, the Most Great

O leaf and handmaiden of Baha! God is aware and bears witness that the honored Siyyid Abu-Talib, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, and you and your relatives have always been and will continue to be under the glance of divine favor. Whatever has befallen you in the path of God’s Cause, and likewise the deeds that have been manifested by you for the sake of God—all have flowed from the Most Exalted Pen and been recorded. Be thankful to your Lord for this great bounty. No good deed has been or ever will be lost—all are preserved and safeguarded in the treasury of divine knowledge, and their reward shall assuredly come. The glory from Us be upon you and upon those women who have believed in the All-Knowing, the All-Informed One.

BH09332: Praise beseemeth the Beloved Who hath, with the finger…

In the name of the peerless Lord, the One.

Praise beseemeth the Beloved Who hath, with the finger of His loving-kindness, opened wide the gates of true knowledge before the peoples of the world through the appearance of the Most Great Luminary. Blessed is he who hath recognized the divine days and attained unto boundless outpourings of grace. Today We summon all to love, unity, fellowship and concord, that perchance through the light of assured souls the horizons may be cleansed and sanctified from the darkness of tyranny, and all may acknowledge the oneness and singleness of God, exalted be His glory, and attain unto the ultimate purpose of creation. Well is it with thee for having turned unto God and believed in Him, the One, the Alone, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH09664: In My Name which hath shone forth…

In My Name which hath shone forth from the horizon of grace

O ʿAbdu’l-Karim! The Wronged One of the world maketh mention of thee. Thy letter was presented and the servant in attendance read it in its entirety. The fragrance of thy love was inhaled. Blessed art thou and blessed are those souls whom the tyranny of the servants hath not kept back from the Lord of creation. Thou didst make mention of the Name of God and of the Nightingale, upon both of them be the Glory of God. How excellent is the state of one who is occupied with the remembrance of the loved ones of God. We beseech God to adorn thy prayer with the ornament of acceptance and response. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. Glory be upon both of them and upon thee and upon those who have arisen to serve the Cause when the opposers arose in grievous tyranny.

BH10220: This Wronged One hath, in the nights and days…

…This Wronged One hath, in the nights and days, summoned the servants and handmaidens of God, exalted be His glory, unto that which draweth them nigh unto God. Some have attained to hearing but are deprived of action, while others are forbidden from both. Yet another group hath held fast unto both the first and the second. Blessed are those handmaidens who have held fast unto righteousness and are turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon. This is the Day of requital and recompense, and the Just, the All-Wise is seated upon the throne of His command. We beseech God that He deprive not His servants and handmaidens of this Most Great Announcement and this Supreme Mercy….

BH10680: O Iskandar! Your letter has been presented before…

He is the Strong, the Mighty

O Iskandar! Your letter has been presented before the Most Great Scene and this servant, present before the face of your Lord, the Possessor of Destiny, has read it and revealed for you this wondrous Tablet. Be steadfast in serving your Lord, speaking His praise, turning to Him, and soaring in His sublime atmosphere. He ordains for whomever He wishes the reward of attaining His presence. Verily your Lord is the Forgiving, the Generous. Blessed art thou and blessed is he who has attained the most great steadfastness in the Cause of God, the Lord of all beings. And woe to every heedless doubter.

BH01584: Glorified be He Who sendeth down the rain…

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

Glorified be He Who sendeth down the rain as He willeth and causeth it to descend as He pleaseth. Glorified be He Who bestoweth His favors as He chooseth and showereth them as a token of His grace upon His triumphant servants. Praise be to God Who bestoweth wealth and causeth it to descend by His command, for He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Glorified be He Who hath adorned poverty with the ornament of pride through His words: “Poverty is My glory.” Thus did the Tongue of Revelation speak aforetime, as every discerning soul doth testify.

The letter of that spiritual friend was received, and from its fragrance wafted the sweet savors of love for God and sincerity. The life of existence hath ever been and shall remain through the mention of the Desired One. Whosoever attaineth unto this hath attained unto all good. After reading and observing the letter, it was brought before the Most Holy Court, and all of it was presented before His Presence. He said: “O Ahmad, upon thee be My loving-kindness.” The servant in attendance read thy letter before the Face of the Wronged One.

The purpose of creation hath been and shall ever be the knowledge of God, exalted be His glory. This is the most exalted summit, the supreme horizon, the primal valley, and the ultimate goal. The eyes of them that are nigh unto Him are fixed upon it, and the hearts of the sincere are turned towards it. This is the station whose mention is as the water of life to every seeker, and is the straight path for every wayfarer. By the life of God! If the heart be connected to the mentioned ocean of utterance, it shall find itself free and unfettered. Praise be to God that thou hast drunk from the cup of recognition and attained unto the supreme bounty.

That which is incumbent today, after recognition, is service to the Cause through wisdom and utterance, and through deeds and character, for goodly deeds and praiseworthy character are the hosts of God, and are mightier than the hosts and armies of earth. Blessed is he who acteth according to that which hath been commanded in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds. Other stations have no worth or standing. Whatsoever is witnessed in the world of wealth, riches, treasures and the like belong to God. There is no shame in their absence, nor pride in their presence. By the Sun of the horizon of Truth! Today pride lieth in pure deeds and spiritual qualities.

Make thy provision the Word that hath issued from My mouth at the time of thy turning toward the land of Baha, thy shield the fear of God, and thy weapon humility and lowliness before the face of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. We beseech God to grant thee the good of the hereafter and of this world, and to send down upon thee that which beseemeth His grace and bounty. Verily, He hath power over all things.

This evanescent servant hath ever beseeched God, exalted be His glory, that He may strengthen thy father, thyself, and all the other brothers and relatives—upon them be the Glory of God—to mention Him, to praise Him, and to serve His Cause, and that He may ordain for them that which shall shine as a light in every world of His divine worlds. God willing, may they be as lamps of character in the world. In truth, thy father—upon him be the Glory of God and His loving-kindness—is adorned with qualities which the Prophets and chosen ones have mentioned from God, exalted be His glory. Blessed be he and those who walk in his footsteps, holding fast to his path.

Concerning what was mentioned about the matter of trade, it was presented, and He said:

“Act according to what the honored Afnan, Siyyid M.—upon him be My glory and loving-kindness—deemeth advisable. His wealth is God’s wealth. This is a firm, verified, and established command, to which honored servants bear witness.”

God, exalted be His glory, hath commanded engagement in craft, earning, and trade. Yours is the action, and His is the blessing and loving-kindness.

This evanescent servant beseecheth that He may adorn the trades with great profit. He is the Powerful, the Able. His is the greatness, the power, the might, and the majesty. There is no God but Him, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Peace be upon you and upon God’s sincere servants, and praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

The servant 14 Rajab 1301

BH02819: O beloved of my heart! The letter from His…

He is God, exalted be His station of grandeur and power.

O beloved of my heart! The letter from His honor the revered Muballigh, upon him be the glory of God and His mercy and favor, which was sent to that beloved one—truly each passage of it was a verse of remembrance and a source of joy. Praise be to God that it adorned the world of separation with the ornament of reunion. Separation is a burning fire; if it leads to reunion it becomes a fire heralding light, just as the Tree of Sinai first appeared in the form of fire and later manifested with a light above all lights. There hath appeared from His presence that from which every possessor of smell perceiveth the fragrance of eternity, by the testimony of the Supreme Pen, and none hath the right to speak a word when His testimony appeareth in the kingdom of creation.

In any case, all of it was presented in the Most Holy Court. He knoweth what His tongue hath uttered and what hath appeared from the waves of the ocean of His bounty. This evanescent servant beseecheth and hopeth from God, exalted be His station, that He will repeatedly ordain presence and meeting, so that we may circumambulate with His honor morning and evening. With both outer and inner tongue I offer countless glorifications to His honor and convey numberless greetings.

The letter from the beloved and honored Haji Mirza Mahmud, upon him be all His Most Glorious Beauty, cast upon the mirror of the heart the effulgence of the stations of love and affection. A hundred thousand thanks and praises be unto God, glorified be His majesty, that He adorned him with the ornament of favor and guided him to the ocean of reunion. Whatever he had written was presented in the presence and achieved the honor of being heard. His mention hath been and is in the Most Holy Court. The servant beseecheth his Lord to ordain for him the good of the hereafter and of this world. Verily He is the Lord of all beings and the One with power over whatsoever He willeth.

Furthermore, this servant ever presenteth in its proper place the mention of the honored Afnan of the Divine Tree, upon them be all His Most Glorious Beauty. It is most clear and evident that the mention of this servant was not and is not worthy, but mention in the presence of the King of Mention is accepted and beloved. However deemed advisable, please convey this evanescent one’s glorifications and greetings. Peace be upon your honor and upon those with you and upon those who love you for the sake of God.

BH03215: Praise befitteth the most holy and exalted court…

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

Praise befitteth the most holy and exalted court of the Intended One Who hath attracted the world through His supreme Word and guided it to the highest horizon. He sent forth Messengers to convey unto His servants that which would profit them, and revealed Books that they might hold fast unto His cord and be adorned with the ornament of awareness. His is the praise and the bounty, His the grace and the mercy, His the majesty and the power and the glory.

And now it is submitted that numerous letters from that honored beloved one arrived. Replies to some of them were written and sent. I beseech the glorious Truth to confirm that beloved one in that which is befitting. God willing, may they be ever mindful of the mention of God, exalted be His glory, standing firm in His service, turning toward His horizon and directing themselves to His countenance. Today all the friends and loved ones are commanded to observe wisdom. That beloved one must not forget this matter and must act accordingly.

Write to his honor the Musafir, upon him be My glory: We counseled you to observe wisdom. You must hold fast unto it. Deviation therefrom is not permitted, for its decree hath been sent down from the Supreme Pen. The people are heedless and oppressive, and have been and continue to be intent upon mischief. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. As for the matter thou didst petition before the Most Holy Court, which was favored with acceptance—act in accordance with what was commanded regarding it. This matter was mentioned before as well. He desireth for thee the good of this world and the next.

This evanescent servant beseecheth confirmation for that beloved one. He asketh his Lord to grant you success and aid in that which He loveth and is pleased with. Verily He is the Lord of all creation. There is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. I convey greetings and praise to the friends in that land, and I beseech God to make them all stand firm in His love and succeed in His remembrance. Verily He hath power over all things.

BH04613: Praise be to God Who sent the Beloved One…

He is God, exalted be His station, the Greatest and Most Powerful

Praise be to God Who sent the Beloved One and revealed unto Him the Criterion (Furqan) and established Him in His own station among all created things. Blessed is he who is illumined by His lights and heareth His call and acteth according to what He hath commanded through His wondrous Cause. He is indeed among the people of the Greatest Vista in the Book of God, the Lord of Power. And blessings and peace be upon Him and upon His family and companions, whom God made the mirrors of His Manifestation and the dawning-places of His remembrance and the repositories of His knowledge and the treasuries of His wisdom. And furthermore, may my spirit and heart be a sacrifice for your service and your self-effacement and your steadfastness.

Some time ago your missive arrived and bestowed its portion upon the eye, heart, ear and breast, each according to its capacity. God bless your honor! The reply was also submitted and dispatched in those same days as commanded. God willing it has arrived by now. Now too, as commanded, this evanescent servant has written and sent a letter to his honor Nabil the traveler, upon him be the glory and favors of God, which conveys the utterances of the Beloved. If your honor would dispatch it directly so that it reaches him in the land of H.M., it would be most appreciated. And furthermore, I extend greetings and salutations to the friends and masters who dwell in that land, and I beseech confirmation for all. Verily He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Generous. And praise be to God, the Almighty, the All-Wise.

BH00192: The essence of praise and utterance, and the quintessence…

Section 1: “The essence of praise and utterance…”

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

The essence of praise and utterance, and the quintessence of thanksgiving and explanation, befit and are worthy of the most holy, most sacred court of the Lord of all creation, Who, in the midst of the blazing fire of hatred, bestoweth the water of everlasting life and guideth all through the light of His supreme horizon. He is the One Who was not prevented by earthly afflictions, nor was He held back from that which beseemeth Him by the tyranny of the people. Throughout the nights and days, the tongue of grandeur speaketh and the waters of utterance flow forth continuously. Blessed are they who have turned with pure hearts, sanctified breasts, and radiant faces toward the countenance of God.

Today earth and heaven are illumined by the effulgences of the light of His face. Our Lord, the All-Merciful, hath indeed foretold this in the Qur’an through His exalted words: “And the earth shall shine with the light of her Lord.” On this day, the denizens of the highest paradise and the supreme heaven circle round with chalices and decanters, bestowing upon those who have turned unto Him. A hundred thousand regrets for those souls who remain submerged in the depths of idle fancies and vain imaginings. Glory be to God! The Greatest Scene is illumined and the Lord of Destiny speaketh, yet the servants, intoxicated with the wine of heedlessness, remain veiled. This servant, purely for the sake of God, mentioneth all the peoples of the world, morn and eve, with the utmost lowliness and supplication, beseeching God—exalted be His glory—that He may aid them all and guide them to the Dawning-Place of His Revelation. He, verily, is powerful over whatsoever He willeth and mighty to do as He pleaseth.

Glorified art Thou, O Thou through Whose Name the ocean of utterance surgeth throughout creation and the near ones hasten to the Dawning-Place of divine knowledge! I beseech Thee by the Name through which the dwellers of the graves arose and the Call was raised from the Mount, to assist Thy loved ones to stand firm in Thy Cause and to illumine their hearts with the lights of Thy knowledge. O Lord! Thou beholdest them turning toward Thy most exalted horizon and clinging to the cord of Thy grace. O Lord of all names and Creator of the heavens! I beseech Thee by Thy Self and by the Dawning-Places of Thy Revelation and the Day-Springs of Thy knowledge to send down upon them from the heaven of Thy bounty that which will draw them nigh unto Thee.

O Lord! Withhold them not from Thy sealed wine and the mysteries of Thy self-subsisting Name. Thou art He from Whose knowledge nothing whatsoever escapeth and Who is never frustrated by anything. Thou doest as Thou pleasest and ordainest as Thou willest. I bear witness, O my God, at the revelation of the lights of Thy countenance and the manifestations of Thy might and power in Thy days, to that which the tongue of Thy grandeur hath testified before the creation of Thy servants and before Thy heaven and earth—that Thou art God, there is none other God but Thee, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O my God! Send Thy blessings upon those who have inhaled the fragrance of Thy utterance, heard Thy call, and arisen to serve Thy Cause in days wherein every steadfast one was shaken, every patient one was terrified, every assured one was frightened, every firm one was made to tremble, and every people lamented. O Lord! Thou seest Thy loved ones beneath the talons of hatred and Thy chosen ones under the swords of the enemies. I beseech Thee, O Protector of the world and Deliverer of the nations, to free them from the oppressors among Thy creatures and the tyrannical ones among the people of Thy realm. Then ordain for them, by Thy Most Exalted Pen, the good of this world and the world to come. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Most Great.

And after this: the warblings of the Bird of Love, which, from the direction of that Well-Beloved, set its face toward the Most Exalted Goal, have so seized and borne away this lowly servant, that I swear by Him Who is the Desire of all worlds: the breezes of love can quicken the dead that lie in the wilderness of heedlessness, and can make the withered, parched saplings fresh and green again. Blessed is the soul that recognized the Days of God and attained unto the fragrances of His garment. Though such a one be seen standing among the meanest—nay, even in the rank of the sandal-bearers—yet, in truth, he standeth in the forefront of the world’s assembly. However far this chain be drawn out, it shall never reach its end by the Pen of Love. Ever shall the succor of the unseen and the hidden favor of God be sent down.

To proceed: after perusing the letter and becoming apprised of the tokens of love and affection and yearning and attraction of that honored beloved, I turned toward the Most Lofty Summit, and it was laid before the Throne. This is what the All-Merciful hath sent down from the Kingdom of Utterance. He—glorified and exalted be He—saith:

He is the Witness, the Hearer.

O thou who gazest toward My direction and hast turned to Mine horizon! Hearken unto My call from around My throne: Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Single, the All-Informed. I have manifested Myself for the reformation of the world and have summoned all unto the Most Sublime Horizon, yet the people call Me to the fire. What aileth these people that they comprehend not a single utterance from God, the Lord of all worlds? We had previously sent down unto thee that from which flowed the river of utterance throughout all contingent being. Exalted is the All-Merciful Who created thee, fashioned thee, and acquainted thee with that which was hidden from every great scholar. We make mention of thee at this hour when the Wronged One is seated upon the throne of prison through that which the hands of the oppressors have wrought. Blessed is the ear that hath been honored to hear My call and the eye that hath been ennobled by beholding the lights of My countenance, the Everlasting, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

The servant who is present hath laid thy letter before the Face on a dark night, and that which thou didst write hath attained unto the hearing of thy Lord, the Hearing, the Responding:

We have heard thy call and witnessed thy turning unto Us. We turn unto thee from this exalted and glorious station. Give thou glad-tidings unto My loved ones on My behalf with wisdom and utterance, then impart unto every steadfast one that which hath been sent down from the heaven of grace, as a token of Our favor, and I am the Ancient Bestower. We have pardoned those whom anxiety seized when the raven croaked and earthquakes overtook the loved ones of God, the Lord of the Sublime Throne. O My loved ones! Be not grieved by that which hath befallen you. Read ye what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’an:

“Our Lord! Pour forth upon us patience, and make firm our steps, and help us against the unbelieving people.”

Say: Beware lest the affairs of men grieve you. There hath befallen you in the path of God that which befell the Prophets and Messengers. By My life! The riches of the world and the treasures of kings and rulers cannot be compared with your grief in My path. Put your trust in all matters in God, your Lord and the Lord of your fathers. Verily He heareth and seeth, and He is the Almighty, the Powerful.

Say: Be ye assured of the grace of God and His mercy. He is with you and will seize those who have wronged you even as He seized aforetime. Blessed are they who are endowed with insight. Where is the serpent, and where is the wolf, and where is the king of Rome who imprisoned the Wronged One without proof or sin? To this beareth witness He in Whose grasp is the dominion of the whole earth and in Whose right hand is the kingdom of revelation and creation. Verily thy Lord is the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Conquering, the Omnipotent.

We make mention of Dhabih, who attained the recognition of God in the earliest days and quaffed the choice wine of inner meaning from the hand of the bounty of his Lord, the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful. He stood firm in the remembrance and praise of God and in aiding His Cause, the Mighty, the Wondrous. We have made mention of him in numerous Tablets and have revealed for him that which God hath made a testimony unto all who are in the heavens and on earth. In the Supreme Horizon he heareth that which the Speaker of Sinai uttereth from His mighty and impregnable station. The glory rest upon him and upon thee and upon thy mother and thy two brothers and thy two sisters, and upon him who hath been named ʿAli in the perspicuous Book. We were with him when he was speaking My gracious praise, and We revealed for him that from which those near unto God perceive the fragrance of eternity. Blessed is he and blessed is he who hath attained unto this mighty and impregnable station.

Praise be to God, all have been immersed in the waves of the ocean of meanings and illumined by the effulgent rays of the Sun of Truth. From the verses revealed, the divine favors are evident and manifest. This servant at all times seeketh confirmation and assistance for that spiritual friend and others. Praise be to God, the kindred of His Holiness Dhabih, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, have been and are beneath the gaze of His loving-kindness. God shall soon reveal that which is hidden from all eyes. God willing, may all act in a manner befitting the Days of God.

Concerning the mention made of the honored Khadijih Bigam, upon her be the Glory of God, it was presented before the Throne. Thus spoke the Tongue of Grandeur—exalted and glorified be His utterance: O Khadijih! God willing, mayest thou be adorned with the ornament of true kinship. This station is most great and cannot be attained except through detachment from all who have denied and turned away from God, the Exalted, the Great. Thy mention was made in the presence of the Wronged One, and for successive years that which evidenced the grace of God, exalted be His Glory, was revealed in thy name. Be thou grateful unto thy Lord for this great favor.

O youth! Give her these glad tidings from Me. We beseech God to assist her to remain steadfast in this firm and impregnable Cause. In numerous Tablets hath she been mentioned and wondrous and sublime Tablets have been revealed in her honor. God willing, may she be mindful as befitteth and speak in praise and glorification of God. It behooveth everyone to fix his gaze upon the Supreme Horizon alone. Blessed is the servant who hath attained unto this most exalted station, and blessed is the maidservant who hath attained thereunto.

This servant also conveyeth greetings and beseecheth God, exalted be His Glory, on her behalf for that which beseemeth His days. This servant hath repeatedly sent her letters. It is hoped that she will occasionally refer to them, as this causeth the increase of love. In these days one Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was specifically revealed and sent to her. God willing, may she drink from the waters of His mercy and receive her portion from the choice wine of His inner meanings.

Likewise mention was made of the honored Khanum Sultan, upon her be the Glory of God. It was presented in the Holy Presence. Thus spoke the Kingdom of Utterance: O My handmaiden! Thy mention was made in the Most Great Prison before the Wronged One. Therefore the Dawning-Place of Divine Revelation and the Day-spring of heavenly inspiration hath, from this remote spot, turned toward thee and summoneth thee to the Supreme Horizon, saying: Take, in the name of the Lord of the worlds, the wine of steadfastness, and drink it in remembrance of Him and in His love. By the life of God! Whosoever attained unto this, the clamor of the world did not withhold him from the Lord of eternity. Today the kinship of all hath been and is with God, exalted be His Glory. Hold fast to the cord of kinship with thy Lord, detached from all who are in the heavens and on earth. Thus doth the Mother Book command thee in this final abode.

Concerning the mention you made of Aqa Siyyid Ni’matu’llah and Aqa Siyyid Fathu’llah—upon them be the Glory of God—your second petition was in the possession of this lowly servant, and it was laid before Him from Whose knowledge nothing whatsoever is hidden. And there was revealed and dispatched for them a most holy and inviolable Tablet from the heaven of the Divine Will, dedicated unto them. As for the first one, whose name was mentioned in your letter, at one time it was submitted in the presence of the Imam of the Countenance, the Lord of creation; and these resplendent verses, specially addressed unto him, were revealed from the Kingdom of grace. He—glorified be His glory and great be His proof—saith:

Section 2: “O Ni’matu’llah! Whosoever hath attained unto this Cause…”

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing

O Ni’matu’llah! Whosoever hath attained unto this Cause hath attained unto the grace of God and the heavenly table sent down from the heaven of His Most Generous Name. Say: By God! The Most Great Announcement hath come, through which hath appeared the Straight Path of God. Blessed is he who hath heard the Call and turned unto the Most Exalted Word that hath proceeded from the mouth of the Will of his Lord, the Speaking, the All-Knowing. Beware lest the conditions of creation frighten thee. Hold thou fast unto the hem of Truth, detached from all who are in the heavens and on earth. Thus hath the Tongue of Revelation spoken, while seated upon a mighty throne.

It is abundantly clear that the grace of God, exalted be His glory, hath encompassed all, and His mercy hath preceded all else. However, O my spiritual friend, you and this servant and all other friends must, with the utmost humility and supplication, beseech the Exalted Truth that He deprive not His friends and servants of the outpourings of His days. Most people are heedless; they know not what hath come to pass, what hath been made manifest, and what realm this is. Would that the servant were granted permission to proclaim throughout the world that which would attract the hearts of all beings.

And as to your mention of Aqa Mirza Husayn—upon him be the Glory of God—his petition was laid before the Throne, and there was revealed for him a most holy and inviolable Tablet, dedicated unto him. Happy is he, and may it be sweet and wholesome unto him.

And as to what ye wrote concerning Hadrat Dhabih, who hath ascended unto the Most Exalted Companion, and likewise the mention of the hope expressed that he might attain unto martyrdom—this matter was submitted in the presence of the All-Sufficing, the Most High. This is what the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken. He—blessed and exalted be He—saith:

O youth! Verily thy father attained unto acceptance in the early days and quaffed My sealed wine in My Name, the Self-Subsisting. He is of those who accepted and believed and arose to serve the Cause until he was martyred in the path of God, the Lord of all worlds. His name hath been inscribed by My Most Exalted Pen among the martyrs in the Crimson Tablet, and We named him the Sacrifice in My perspicuous Book. Upon him be My glory and the glory of them who are in the heavens and earth.

The grace of the Goal of the world hath encompassed him. He was ever blessed with the mention of the Intended One and stood firm in service to the Cause. Blessed be his holiness and those who were with him and those who loved him for the sake of God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of the seen and unseen.

Regarding the mention of the honored lady and the leaf, the mother of Jinab-i-A.T. and his sister—upon them be the Glory of God, His mercy and His loving-kindness—a Most Holy and Most Exalted Tablet has been revealed and sent specifically for each one, from which the fragrance of God’s loving-kindness truly wafts. In this tribulation in the land of Ta, some of the leaves proved stronger than certain men, and this is a statement which this servant heard with his own ears from the Blessed Tongue: “Blessed are they and joy be unto them.” This servant conveys greetings and salutations to each one, and begs from God to ordain for each that which befits His loving-kindness and bounty.

Mention was made of the spiritual friend J. ʿAli Pash H.A.—upon him be the Glory of the All-Merciful. Praise be to God, he has been and continues to be mentioned in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence. This servant has repeatedly heard mention of him from the Ancient Tongue. When his letter was presented before the Throne, upon reaching his name, these supreme words shone forth like the sun from the horizon of the heaven of the All-Merciful’s utterance—exalted be His utterance, glorified be His bounty, and magnified be His favor:

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

O Ali! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness! That which befell thee of sorrows in the land of Ta during the tribulation hath been mentioned before the Wronged One. Verily, He was with thee and doth witness and see, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. The heedless ones have arisen to extinguish the divine light, and the band of the misguided have exerted their utmost effort to quench the fire of the love of the Lord of the worlds. What profit did Pharaoh gain, what fruit did he reap from his deeds, and what effect did his tyranny yield? With all his might he arose to shed the blood of children, yet in the end the divine hand of providence reared and manifested Moses in his own house. The divine will prevaileth over all things.

Reflect upon the tenderness of God, exalted be His glory, and the oppression of His enemies. For thirty-two years or more We forbade the people of God from contention, dispute and corruption. The clouds of decree rained the showers of tribulation upon them, yet they remained patient. They heard vile words, yet responded not. They witnessed the height of abasement, yet made no protest. They were slain, yet slew not. Nevertheless, the unjust people desisted not. Ye have seen the people of God—their patience, their tranquility, their forbearance, their compassion, their love and their dignity have been witnessed and are known to most, yet they have been branded as mischief-makers and people have arisen to harm them. Such is the state of mankind.

The Truth hath not and will never overlook the oppression of the oppressors, especially in this Revelation wherein each of the tyrants hath been requited. Consider the Sultan of Rum aforetime and those who circled round him. God seized them with the grasp of the Mighty, the Powerful, for without cause he sent the people of God to the Most Great Prison. Likewise consider Raqsha and the Wolf. Observe the Liar of the land of Ta who was known as the Truthful. Yet the heedless people have not awakened and remain utterly deprived of the ocean of knowledge and wisdom.

Your honor must in all conditions fix your gaze upon the Most Exalted Horizon and arise to serve the Cause. I swear by the Sun of the heaven of inner meanings, whosoever among you hath arisen in the divine path is preserved and treasured in the presence of God. These earthen fragments who pride themselves on their armies, ranks and oppression dissolve at the encounter of a little water. One fever extinguisheth the flame of pride, and the fire of greed and passion is quenched. Glory be to God! Yet they have not and will not become aware. Without cause they have intended harm to steadfast and assured souls. They have seized and imprisoned the friends of God with manifest tyranny, without crime or transgression.

By the life of God! They have regarded prison as paradise and counted oppression among the signs of justice, for these tribulations have befallen them in the path of the Beloved. Blessed is he who loveth them, remembereth them, serveth them and draweth nigh unto them. He is assuredly among the people of the most exalted Paradise in the Book of Names. To this testifieth the Wronged One of the horizons, Who speaketh in the prison that there is no God but He, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The glory be upon thee and upon those with thee and upon those whom the suggestions of the people have not caused to slip from My straight path.

Today every soul who hath turned unto Him hath attained that which none before him hath attained, and hath comprehended that which the people had not comprehended before these days. The servant beseecheth his Lord that the door of His grace may remain open before the faces of those who have turned unto Him, who have professed His unity, who have drawn nigh unto Him, and who are sincere. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is powerful over all things, and He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

And mention was made of Haji ʿAli, upon him be the Glory of God and His loving-kindness. After being submitted before His presence, the Ocean of Knowledge surged forth with these manifest and resplendent waves. His utterance, exalted be His majesty and abundant be His grace:

He is the All-Knowing Witness

O Ali! My Most Exalted Pen beareth witness that thou hast turned unto God and attained the choice wine of His love when every heedless and remote one turned away. Thou art he who answered thy Lord when thou didst hear His call, and acted in accordance with His commandment when thou didst recognize Him, and testified to that which the Tongue of Grandeur had testified before the creation of the world: that there is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The Mount hath been adorned with the lights of the Revelation, and the Sacred Valley proclaimeth, and the Hijaz giveth glad tidings unto the servants of what hath shone forth from the horizon of God, the Lord of the worlds. Joy hath seized the whole world while the peoples are in manifest loss, save those who have cast away that which withheld them from God and have held fast unto My strong cord. O Ali! Thou didst attain My Tablet aforetime, and We revealed therein that which draweth thee nigh unto the Most Sublime Horizon and attracteth thee to My luminous countenance. Blessed is the servant who hath recognized My days, and the soul that hath attained unto this mighty and wondrous Cause.

Say: O my God! I testify that I was asleep and the hand of Thy grace awakened me, I was heedless and Thou didst acquaint me with the wonders of Thy favor, I was hesitant and Thy most sweet call hastened me when it was raised between earth and heaven, and I was dead and the breezes of the dawn of Thy grace quickened me. I beseech Thee, O Beloved of the world and Desire of the nations, by Thy Name through which Thou hast guided Thy servants unto Thy straight path and sent down upon them that which made them mighty in Thy days, to aid me to be steadfast in Thy Cause. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest, and in Thy right hand is the dominion of earth and heaven. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Praise be to God that the honored one attained unto that which hath no peer or likeness. Some time ago, a letter from His Honor, the Beloved of hearts, Haji Mirza H.Y.’A.L., upon him be the Glory of God and His loving-kindness, reached this servant wherein detailed mention was made of him. After being submitted before His presence, a Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was revealed from the heaven of infinite mercy specifically for him and was dispatched. We beseech God, exalted be His majesty, and hope that He will assist him in that whose trace shall never be effaced from the world. Verily, He is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth, and He is the Strong, the Mighty.

As to what thou didst write regarding permission for his journey, it was submitted. He commanded: This year, it is best to wait, and later if wisdom requireth, permission shall be granted. In all cases they must be mindful of wisdom. All are commanded to this. In the days of sedition, whatsoever was spoken for God and in His path was adorned with the ornament of acceptance, and even if some negligence or heedlessness was manifested by a few souls, they were adorned with the ornament of God’s pardon, exalted be His remembrance. He saith, exalted be His mention: Take ye wisdom as a command from Our presence and a decree from Our court, and I am the Commander, and I am the All-Wise.

This evanescent one is grateful to God and rendereth praise, and remembereth Him at all times, for through pure bounty He hath manifested souls who are adorned with the ornament of His love and are engaged in His remembrance. That which is worthy of mention is, in truth, this station. The Command is in His grasp and He is the Mighty, the Powerful, the Great. The Glory shining from the heaven of the loving-kindness of our Lord be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto the remembrance of God, the Lord of the worlds.

The servant, on the 29th day of the month of Rajab, 1301

BH08502: O handmaid of God! Praise be to the Sovereign…

…O handmaid of God! Praise be to the Sovereign of the seen and unseen, Who enabled thee to recognize and acknowledge Him on a day when all were deprived and prevented. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my Beloved, for having enabled me to recognize Him Whom the divines, the mystics, the men of learning and the jurisprudents have failed to recognize. I beseech Thee, O my Lord, to aid me to stand firm and to do that which is pleasing unto Thee. Wisdom must ever be observed before one’s eyes, that forgetfulness may not overtake. This is God’s counsel to His servants and handmaidens. Place thy trust in God. Verily, the matter is in His hands. He doeth what He willeth with whomsoever He willeth. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the Unconstrained.

BH06473: O Lord! Pour forth upon us patience, make firm…

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

O Lord! Pour forth upon us patience, make firm our steps, and grant us victory over the heedless people who have turned away from Thee and opposed Thee and disputed Thy signs and warred against Thy Self and arose to lead Thy creation astray through a plot at which the dwellers of Thy celestial realm and kingdom have lamented. O Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Exalted Word and by Thy Most Beautiful Names to protect Thy loved ones from the evil of those who sought to extinguish Thy light through their doubts and insinuations and to quench the fire of Thy Divine Lote-Tree through their vain imaginings and whisperings. I beseech Thee, O Lord of existence and Sovereign of the seen and unseen, to guard Thy loved ones from their evil and their plots. Thou art He through Whose power all created things have testified and through Whose grandeur all contingent beings have borne witness. There is no God but Thee, the Protector, the Helper, the Succourer, the All-Bountiful.

The letter of Haji Muhammad, upon him be the Glory of God, containing nineteen (19) tumans, was received by this servant in the Prison through His Holiness the Afnan, the honored Mr. A.H., upon him be all the most glorious Glory, in the month of Sha’ban the Great in the year 1301.

BH06802: O my God and the God of the world…

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

O my God and the God of the world, my Lord and the Lord of all nations! I beseech Thee by the Most Great Name through which trembling seized the tribes, the thunder lamented and the clouds wept, to protect Thy loved ones from the evil of Thine enemies who have broken Thy covenant and Thy testament, and who have arisen to lead Thy creation astray after Thou hadst made the path clear to them and sent down proof unto them. O my Lord! Thou seest them turning away from Thy signs and objecting to Thy clear evidences, to such extent that they have opened the door of deception and doubt before the faces of Thy loved ones. I beseech Thee, O my God, by the suns of the heaven of Thy favors and the dawning-places of the lights of Thy countenance, to aid Thy loved ones to remain steadfast in Thy Cause in such wise that neither the doubts of the enemies nor the signs of the wicked may cause them to slip. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Sent by Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad-Rida, upon him be the Glory of God, an amount of nineteen (19) tumans through His Honor the Distinguished Afnan, Jinab-i-Alif and Ha, upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory, reached the servant in the prison in the month of Sha’ban al-Mu’azzam in the year 1301.

BH00650: Praise be sanctified from the First Translator, namely…

He is God, exalted be His glory, His greatness and His power!

Praise be sanctified from the First Translator, namely the tongue, and from the Second Translator, which is the Pen, befitting the Ancient Lord and the Beloved of nations, Who illumined the world with the lights of the Sun of Manifestation. If some eyes are incapable of perception, the cause is the ophthalmia of idle fancies and vain imaginings; otherwise, no deficiency can be attributed to the manifest, effulgent rays of the Sun. The possessors of hearing and sight bear witness that He is the Omnipotent One Who, with the arm of power, has shattered the idols of fancy and adorned the Hijaz with the light of truth. Through His blessed will, He has made the parched and barren plain the envy of the rivers of Paradise, and through the breezes of His grace and the rains of His mercy, He has adorned the sterile lands with a new raiment. He is that Sovereign Who caused Mount Sinai to crumble through a single revelation of His manifestation and bestowed fresh life upon the world through the Muhammadan Light. How many idols there were whose mention has returned to nothingness! He is the Dawning-Place of the most excellent names and the Day-Spring of the most exalted attributes, and He is the Source of Command in the world of creation.

Glory be unto Thee, O Thou through Whose remembrance the rivers of knowledge have flowed from the hearts of Thy servants, and through Whose name the horizons of existence have been illumined with the light of Thy love! I beseech Thee by the suns of the heavens of Thy knowledge and the stars of the firmaments of Thy grace to assist Thy loved ones and chosen ones to serve Thy Cause. Then protect them from the enemies of Thy Self. O my Lord! Thou seest Thy loved ones in the prison of the land of Ta, and Thou hearest their lamentation in their separation from Thee and their cry in their remoteness from Thy presence. I beseech Thee by Thy might and Thy power and Thy sovereignty to deliver them. There is none other God but Thee, the Strong, the All-Conquering, the Almighty.

And furthermore, this evanescent one submits to your eminence that your beloved letter dated the 12th of Jumada’th-Thani was received. For some time this servant found no opportunity to write a reply, as people were constantly arriving, some with permission and some without, and this servant was occupied day and night with fulfilling duties and services, as well as writing replies to petitions. Now, praise be to God, since their service has ended and some leisure has been obtained, I have troubled your fragrant thoughts and with these intrusive words, in all cases hope for forgiveness. God the One is witness that whenever good news arrives by letter, the heart is seized with fresh joy and new delight, for it is adorned with mention of the friends of God and brings glad tidings of your good health.

I beseech God, exalted be His glory, that this fragrance may ever be diffused and this breeze may continue to blow throughout the duration of the kingdom. The mention of loved ones is the key that opens the door of sorrow, and the countenance of the friends is the dawning-place of light in the darkness of the world. I implore and beseech the glorious and exalted Truth to make all hearts as one heart and make it the treasury of the love of His chosen ones, and to make all the eyes of the world as one eye and draw that eye to His horizon of manifestation. In such case that which no eye hath seen nor ear heard will be made manifest.

Such entreaty and supplication is befitting to be offered unto the Lord of Names, for His generosity has encompassed the world and His mercy has taken precedence. Exalted is our Lord and the Lord of earth and heaven! Exalted is our Goal and the Goal of all created things!

After reading and becoming informed, He proceeded to the Most Great Prison and it was presented before His presence. He said:

We beseech God to fulfill what He has willed in His path and to manifest from it that which will reassure His servants and gladden the hearts of His creation. O thou who hast attained unto the unity of God and His remembrance! This is the Day of mention and praise and service. All must turn their gaze away from the world and its peoples and fix it upon this matter. All things are manifest and revolve around this station, though the deniers and the heedless are asleep and, in their imagination, spin spider’s webs which they deem to be mighty fortresses. Soon shall they find themselves in manifest loss.

The religion of God and His Cause have become of no account. Most people have turned to alien pursuits and seek to acquire the customs of that group. Glory be to God! Where has vision gone and with what thoughts is the heart occupied, that at every moment the veils of heedlessness are seen to grow thicker? They have strayed from God’s straight path and clung to the ways of idle fancies and vain imaginings. Reflect upon the consequences of their deeds—most lands have been lost, and one who appeared from the Kingdom of justice and descended from the City of equity they deemed a corrupter and visited upon him that which the friends of God are unable to hear.

Your honor knows well how much effort and endeavor we expended over limited years to remove corruption, conflict, disputation and the like, yet this mighty matter was in no way acceptable to Iran, for the country’s leaders are preoccupied and have not pondered, even for a moment, upon the matters at hand, nor do they now. Would that they had turned to the sacred verses and reflected upon what has been revealed. Alas! Alas! The riders of the steed of passion have other thoughts and other fancies. We beseech and implore the True One not to deprive His servants of this supreme adorning. He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

This lowly one begs for your honor from the True One, exalted be His glory, such elevation and ascendancy as would cause the people of the earth to acknowledge and confess, for today it is the steadfast, firm, resolute and assured souls who have been and are the cause of the exaltation of the Blessed Word. He is the Protector and Encompasser of all things.

Concerning the incidents you mentioned that occurred along the way, and likewise the flooding of the Tigris—if the Tigris of Baghdad should flood, it matters not, but the sea of hatred has overflowed. We beseech the True One to protect His servants and to transform this turbulence into calm and assurance.

Regarding what you wrote about the lands and M., news has arrived but they have written that it passed peacefully. However, as long as wealth remains within one’s self, that person will never be considered pure from ungodly doubts and infidel allusions in the eyes of the people of Iran. This brief saying suffices:

“When gold and silver are complete, faith is established with them, though what they have is contrary to what God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, has.”

Concerning what you wrote about his honor and Muhammad Surur, upon him be [Baha’u’llah’s] glory, and the house where that beloved one resides—regarding this matter, after presentation, they said to write to his honor the physician, upon him be God’s peace and care:

“In any case, you must deal with him with forbearance, for if any word should arise concerning the friendship and love of the past, it might cause some to gossip, since your connection is to this place. And God willing, whatever loss occurs, we beseech the True One to grant compensation in return.”

Mention was made of the spiritual friend, his honor Aqa Mirza ʿAbdu’llah, may God’s peace be upon him. God willing, may he ever recline upon the couch of joy and dwell in the station of gladness and delight. Some time ago, this servant submitted something to his presence which was dispatched; God willing, it has arrived. Another letter from his presence dated the 21st of Jamadiyu’th-Thani was received. Praise be to God, repeated were the glad tidings of health and well-being, and renewed was the feast of remembrance. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to grant me the ability to fulfill my obligations of gratitude to His loved ones. But alas, alas! When does heedlessness grant respite, and when do deeds meet their requirements? I implore his presence to pray and seek divine confirmation from the Truth.

Regarding what was again written about the matter of ha and mim, at first it was very difficult, for they had written that the Vakilu’t-Tujjar, who is sometimes the governor’s deputy, had risen in opposition, the reason being that his honor the Traveler, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah], had a claim of two hundred tumans against him which they had requested. Hence these troubles arose, but afterward it passed. I beseech God to transform the essence of enmity and hatred into love and harmony, that all the people of the world may find rest. I send greetings to the friends of that land and beseech God that there may appear from them that which befits their station. The relatives of that Beloved One have been and are in mind. Conveying greetings to all depends upon the grace of that Beloved One. Peace be upon you, and the mercy of God, and His blessings.

BH01247: Praise be to God Who hath adorned the world…

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

Praise be to God Who hath adorned the world with the light that hath shone forth, risen, gleamed and flashed from the horizon of Hijaz, and hath caused all in the regions to speak and proclaim that there is none other God but Him. He hath ever been sanctified beyond mention and utterance, and exalted above the comprehension of all created things. Every mention boweth down before the effulgences of the lights of the Sun of His mention, and every understanding shrinketh before the dawning of the light of His knowledge. Glorified be His greatness, exalted be His might, and sublime be His station! He it is Who sent forth the Messengers to exalt His Word, to manifest His commandments, to establish His laws, and revealed unto them the Books for the guidance of His servants and creation, until it culminated in the Book that distinguished between truth and falsehood, which was named the Furqan in the kingdom of utterance, and was made an enduring testimony for all who dwell in the realm of possibility.

And the prayer that shineth from the horizon of the heaven of God’s loving-kindness, and the peace that gleameth from the kingdom of grace and bounty, be upon him whom God made a support for those near unto Him, a sovereign for the believers, a shield for the sincere ones, a fortress for those who seek refuge, and a mercy to the worlds. Were it not for him, the decree of Divine Unity would not have been revealed and the standard of detachment would not have been raised. And upon his family and companions who conquered the lands through his name, aided the Cause of God by his command, and strove in the path of God with true striving until most lands were illumined with the light of unity.

Glory be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of all created things and in Whose right hand are the reins of all possible things! I beseech Thee by Him through Whom Thou didst adorn the firmaments of the heavens of Thy glory and illumined the hearts of those near unto Thee among Thy creation, to send down from the clouds of Thy generosity that which will tranquilize the hearts of Thy servants and the hearts of those who have turned toward the horizon of Thy grace and favors. Thou seest, O my God, how tribulation and adversity have encompassed Thy dwellings and Thy lands. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy throne, the mysteries of Thy Book, the Manifestations of Thy revelation, the Daysprings of Thy knowledge, the Sun of Thy grace, and the Ocean of Thy knowledge which surgeth before the eyes of the world, O Thou Who art the Lord of eternity, to aid Thy loved ones and chosen ones, then preserve them, O my God, from the evil of those who have risen to spread corruption and have kindled fire in the lands.

O my God, Thou seest how the idolaters have encompassed those who believe in Thy unity; do Thou preserve them through Thy bounty and the arms of Thy power and might. There is none other God but Thee, the Omnipotent over what Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all things. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Thereafter, this servant received your letter and was gladdened by your mention and praise, and by what shone forth from the horizon of your sincerity toward God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of all worlds. I beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist you and aid you in His remembrance and to preserve you from the evil of every oppressor who hath violated God’s Covenant and His Testament.

As to what you wrote regarding Jinab-i-Haji Ali Baba, upon him be God’s grace and bounty, praise be to God he has drunk from the cup of grace. Though it be but a small portion, the light that has appeared is itself evidence of the grace of God, exalted be His glory, and will surely show the straight path. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, and hope that He will assist him to turn with his whole being to the Most Sublime Horizon and the Supreme Summit. His petition was presented before the Divine Presence and a most mighty and holy Tablet was graciously revealed in reply, written in this servant’s hand. I beseech God to confirm him and enable him to achieve that which He loves and is pleased with, for if one attains today to this supreme bounty, one has attained to all bounties—that is, those bounties that have existed from the beginning that has no beginning and will exist to the end that has no end. And if, God forbid, one remains heedless of this Cause, one will be deprived of all good things.

That the aforementioned personage attained to the mention of the Divine Purpose in his early days is clear evidence of the happiness stored within him, for many souls in distant lands have not yet attained to such special mention. Blessed be he!

As to what was written regarding the upheavals in that land, these are all fruits that have appeared from the trees of the deeds of the heedless ones. The enemies have surrounded the white faith [the Baha’i Faith] from all directions, yet no one perceives what is the cause and reason. May God grant justice that perchance they may arise to redress what has been lost.

Regarding movement, stillness and similar matters, these are contingent upon consultation. Whatever emerges from consultation, let it be acted upon with trust in God. After this matter was presented in the Most Holy Presence, it was stated:

“At present there is no preference for movement. Verily God is with the patient and those who trust in Him.”

End quote.

I convey greetings to all the friends and masters, and I beseech confirmation for all. Peace be upon you and upon God’s sincere servants.

The servant, at the beginning of the honored month of Sha’ban 1301

BH00229: Praise sanctified above the mention of the people…

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

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

Praise sanctified above the mention of the people of creation and the Kingdom of Names befitteth the most holy and exalted court of the Desired One, Who, in the midst of tribulation and adversity, hath caused the Most Exalted Pen to move, raised the call, directed His will, and caused the tongue of grandeur to speak in the kingdom of utterance. Exalted is His majesty, sublime His sovereignty, resplendent His signs, manifest His evidences, all-encompassing His traces, and brilliant His lights! Blessed is he who hath detached himself from the world, clinging to the Most Great Name, whereby the peoples have lamented, save whom God, the Lord of eternity, hath willed. Woe unto those who have been heedless, turned away and objected, until they arose to waste the Cause and said as Pharaoh said: “I am your Lord, the Most High!”

Glorified art Thou, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of all things! I beseech Thee by Thy Manifestation, Thy appearance, Thy might and Thy power, to make known unto those who have gone astray and led Thy servants astray, and to ordain for them that which will guide them to the shore of the ocean of Thy utterance, lest they transgress their bounds, stations and conditions. O my Lord! Thou knowest what is within their souls. If Thou willest, purify them from the defilement of their words and that which their tongues have uttered. O my God and my Master! Thou seest their heedlessness, their turning away and their objections, and hearest what they speak according to their desires.

Their words have prevented them from turning to Thee, and their deeds from directing themselves to the lights of Thy countenance. O Lord! Aid them to return unto Thee. Verily Thou art the Ever-Forgiving, the Pardoner, the Mighty, the Generous. O Lord! These are days wherein the ocean of Thy bounty hath surged and the fragrance of Thy grace hath wafted. I beseech Thee to write down for Thy Afnan, from Thy Most Exalted Pen, that which beseemeth Thy generosity and Thy favors. Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the Omnipotent.

May my spirit be a sacrifice for your service and for your steadfastness! Two of your letters, the first dated the 29th of Rabi’u’th-Thani and the second the 19th of Jamadi’l-Avval, illumined the world of separation and remoteness with the light of reunion, for a letter is like a mirror reflecting its sender, especially when adorned with the mention of the Beloved of the world—it is the dawning-place of life for humanity. This evanescent servant beseecheth God, exalted be His glory, to bestow and grant the blessing of reunion and meeting, for this is a blessing more complete and more excellent than the blessings of the world and the heavenly food sent down. All divine Books have given glad tidings of this station.

Blessed are they who attain! This station can be achieved both in presence and absence, for grace is all-encompassing and mercy is pre-existent. How many were the servants who attained the presence of the Countenance, yet the Most Exalted Pen neither confirmed nor approved; and how many who outwardly did not attain, yet the Most Exalted Pen testified to their orientation, turning, presence, attentiveness, meeting and reunion. Exalted is His bounty and great are His favors! And some have attained both—this is from a grace that nothing in the world can equal, as hath been witnessed by the Lord of Eternity and the Master of all nations. After reading your letter and learning of its contents, approach was made to the Most Exalted Summit, and after attaining the presence and receiving complete permission, all was presented before the Throne. This is what the Tongue of Grandeur spoke, blessed and exalted be His Word:

He is the Hearer, the Answerer

O thou who hast turned thy face towards My horizon, who art mentioned in My court and inscribed in My Book by the Pen of My will, and who dost soar in the atmosphere of My love! Hearken unto My call and My testimony that there is none other God but Him. He hath ever existed, sanctified above whatsoever the tongues of all created things have spoken, and exalted beyond all that hath been uttered by contingent beings. He is the One Whom the happenings of days have not hindered, nor hath He been veiled by the allusions of men. He hath come with the hosts of divine revelation and inspiration, and hath manifested that which lay hidden in the treasuries of His knowledge and stored in the repositories of His might.

Thereupon the servants and dwellers of the lands rose up in rejection and protest, to such extent that they denied the Books of God and His Scriptures and whatsoever was revealed aforetime unto His Prophets and Messengers. Say: O people of the earth! Be fair in the name of God—if ye deny this Most Great Cause and this Mighty Announcement, by what proof can ye establish that which ye possess? Would ye deny Him through Whom the standard of Divine Unity hath been raised in the heart of the world and the banner of His remembrance amidst all nations? Fear ye God and be not of the ignorant ones.

Peace be upon thee, together with My glory and My loving-kindness! Most momentous is the Cause, yet how heedless are the servants. From time immemorial hath the Supreme Pen revealed the greatness of this Cause. This is that which had been hidden from eternity, which the Prophets and Messengers alluded to both explicitly and implicitly, ever beseeching and yearning for His presence from the True One. Blessed are they who have recognized this blessed Day and partaken of its outpourings, which are the recognition of the Dayspring of Revelation and the Source of His verses.

Glory be to God! All the diverse peoples are engaged in the remembrance of the Truth and are expectant of His appearance, yet they remain veiled and heedless, save whom God willeth. Convey My greetings to the friends of God. Say: Today the fragrance of the robe of the All-Merciful is diffused, while the foul odor from the hearts of the idolaters is spread abroad. Hold ye fast to the cord of the Most Great Steadfastness and cling to the hem of grace. Should wisdom permit, summon the heedless souls to the Straight Path. Blessed is he who ariseth to serve the Cause and protecteth the weak from the craft and guile of the wicked.

We beseech God to aid His loved ones to such steadfastness that they may regard the world and all that is therein as non-existent, beholding themselves detached and free. Were God, exalted be His glory, to unveil even less than a mustard seed of that which He hath concealed, all would detach themselves from whatsoever they possess and would hold fast unto that which is with God. This is the Day whereon all that lay hidden in hearts shall be made manifest. Remember what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’an:

“O my son! verily if there be the weight of a mustard-seed, and it be in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, God will bring it forth.”

This is the station of justice which God, exalted be His glory, hath mentioned. Say: O friends! Strive that ye may attain unto that which exhaleth the fragrance of immortality. Today man can attain unto an everlasting sovereignty, and likewise eternal loss. The Command is in God’s hands. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

Glory be to God! This evanescent servant standeth bewildered and astonished, for that distinguished personage and others are well aware that in the days of tribulation, when the darkness of tyranny had encompassed all lands, this servant was occupied day and night in exalting the Word and raising up the Cause of God, to such extent that, by God besides Whom there is none other God, this servant found no time for sleep or sustenance. From nightfall the Tongue of Grandeur would speak, and this servant would be engaged in transcription in His presence. The heavenly food would descend in such measure that on some nights the dawn would break ere He commanded food to be brought. Likewise, on certain days and nights the Tongue of Grandeur would speak continuously for the guidance of the servants, until some light appeared in various regions and in every land a few souls were quickened by a wondrous new life in the name of God, glorified be He. Thereafter, cawing arose from every direction and braying was heard from every land. Such is the condition of the heedless and ignorant people, moved by every wind and clinging to every rope.

In all circumstances, I beseech God, exalted be His glory, that should they be capable of return, He may bestow His favor upon them and not deprive them of the ocean of His bounty in these days. Verily, He is powerful over all things. Ignorance bringeth man to such a pass that he becometh in no wise worthy of divine favors.

Glorified art Thou, O Thou Who art the Goal of all existence! I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy knowledge and the heaven of Thy Cause to protect me from such disobedience as would cut off my hope and deprive me of the fragrances of Thy verses and Thy clear proofs. O Lord! I beseech Thee to have mercy upon this helpless servant whose right hand is raised toward the heaven of Thy mercy and whose other hand clings to the hem of Thy bounty and forgiveness. Make known to Thy servants who have been heedless of Thy remembrance and praise and the recognition of the Dawning-Place of Thy Revelation and the Dayspring of Thy verses, and who have arisen to lead astray Thy loved ones who have set their faces toward their Ultimate Goal and their Supreme End. O Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Self and by them who circle round Thy throne to assist them with the hosts of the unseen and the visible. Verily, Thou art the Protector, the Most Exalted, the Ordainer, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Mention had been made of his honor Afshar, upon him be the Glory of God, and his relatives, upon them be the Glory of God. Praise be to God, each one hath been blessed by divine favors and wondrous, sublime Tablets were specifically revealed and sent to them. God willing, may they drink from the hidden oceans of inner meanings and attain unto the fragrances of the verses. They sent a letter to this servant which was presented at the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court, and whatsoever was revealed from the heaven of favor specifically for them, this servant recorded in reply and sent forth. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to make them and their kindred steadfast in His Cause and firm in its service. Verily, He hath power over all things. According to His command, they should peruse the Tablets that were sent and this servant’s letters which are adorned with wondrous and sublime verses, and deliver them.

Section 2: “As for the mention they made of his…”

As for the mention they made of his honor Haji Ali and his honor Aqa Muhammad-Rida and his honor Haji Muhammad, upon them be the Glory of God and His favors, they were mentioned in His presence and each one was blessed with the effulgent lights of the Sun of favor. This evanescent servant beseecheth God, exalted be His glory, to make His loved ones dawning-places of the suns of steadfastness and to aid them in that which will exalt His Cause.

And as for the mention of his honor Aqa Mulla Muhammad, upon him be the Glory of God and His favors, it was presented at the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court, and a Tablet of prayer was specifically revealed for him from the heaven of the favor of the Best-Beloved of all existence and was sent forth. This evanescent servant conveyeth greetings and praise to him and submitteth that this is a Day whose greatness is as evident as the sun. For ages and centuries certain people have nurtured others in doubts and idle fancies, and the wine of heedlessness so overtook them that even after the appearance and exaltation of the Word and the dawning of verses and the manifestation of clear proofs, they did not come to their senses and remained utterly remote and deprived from the Dawning-Place of certitude.

Now his honor who was mentioned must arise to serve the Cause through God’s favor and lead the heedless people from the desert of ignorance to the ocean of awareness and from the north of error to the right hand of guidance. In all cases, effort must be made lest the idols of vain imaginings appear again. The servant beseecheth his Lord to aid his honor to remember and praise Him and serve His Cause, and to ordain for him through His Most Exalted Pen the best of this world and the next. Verily, He is the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Regarding your mention of Aqa Muhammad-Ali from [location] and his intention to pay the Huquq several months ago, this servant also wrote about this matter and it was presented at the Most Holy Court. No response emerged from the Source of the Cause until these days when this supreme word shone forth from the Lord of Names—He says, exalted be His glory:

“O servant in attendance, write to the Afnan, glory be upon him, if the mentioned person has truly intended to pay the divine Huquq, let it be delivered to the mentioned souls. And likewise they had sought permission to turn towards the Most Holy Court—the sun of permission has risen. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to protect the friends from the evil of the opposers, deniers and deceivers.”

The distribution details were also sent—if received, your honor should deliver them. This servant sent the reply to their letter—God willing it will arrive. The beloved of hearts, Haji [name], upon him be the Most Glorious Baha, had requested several Tablets for the people of [location] and nearby village and had written repeatedly. In these days wondrous and exalted Tablets were revealed from the heaven of the All-Merciful’s will and were sent to be delivered to Aqa Muhammad-Ali or in whatever other way your honor deems appropriate.

Regarding Ishqabad and the attention of Ustad Ali-Akbar, upon him be the glory of God, to that direction which you wrote about—Ustad himself has written and sent the details of affairs, and a response regarding this matter was revealed from the Source of Will and was sent. They approved your honor’s action and it was adorned with acceptance. For a place that becomes a center for cities and villages belonging to the Russian state, acquiring lands and building there is very good. However, mentioning this to the governor is not permitted in these days. By command, silence is preferable for some time. Let Ustad be occupied with his work. If means become available and mention is appropriately made, then speaking a word would be harmless.

God, exalted be His glory, is aware and vigilant—whatever He wills, its means will appear more readily than [in the blink of] an eye. All friends must observe wisdom. This command has been repeatedly revealed in divine Tablets, even to the point of prohibiting declaration and acknowledgment. Indeed the Cause is in His hands—He does what He wills and ordains what He desires. None may say “why” or “wherefore.” A hundred thousand blessings upon the soul that gazes solely toward the horizon of God’s Cause and acts according to what is commanded. Such a one is among the people of unity, the companions of detachment, and possesses a tranquil soul. Upon them be the glory of God and the glory of those in the kingdom of Command and Creation.

Concerning what was written about the spiritual beloved, Aqa Mirza Asadu’llah, upon him be the Glory of God, the Most Glorious, and his attention to securing the release of the friends, upon them be the Glory and Favor of God—after this matter was presented before the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence of the Kingdom of Utterance, these sublime words were spoken, mighty and glorious is His utterance:

“Blessed is A. and H., upon him be My Glory, for he has been and continues to be concerned with securing the release of the friends of God. It behooveth him to be thus. We have chosen him and selected him for the service of My firm and mighty Cause. However, silence is preferable for a time.”

End quote.

This servant submits that the promise and offering of worldly riches to secure the release of the prisoners is not permitted in these days. On two occasions this evanescent servant heard two statements from the Tongue of Grandeur. One day He said: “O servant in attendance! The people of God must today remember this blessed verse which was previously revealed to the Seal of the Prophets, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake.” His exalted Word: “Our Lord! Pour forth upon us patience, make firm our steps, and help us against the unbelieving people.” From this blessed word it is understood that patience is acceptable and beloved before the Throne. Likewise, one day He said: “Verily the oppressor seeks victory over Us through cannons, rifles and armies, while We seek victory over him through the Strong, the Triumphant, the Powerful, the Mighty.” After these two passages, it was repeatedly revealed in Tablets: “He knoweth what He intended by that which was uttered by His mighty Tongue.”

Regarding what was written about the cawing of the crows, this is what the Supreme Pen foretold when it moved in the arena of utterance in Baghdad. Glory be to God! Souls who are entirely heedless of and uninformed about the Cause have said that which no idolater has ever said. May God protect us and your honor from the evil of these people. For long periods they have been occupied with collecting verses, tablets and wondrous, exalted books, and their intention is known and evident. Therefore it is not permitted henceforth to give divine writings to such souls.

In these days this servant has written several pages on certain matters, and since they contain divine verses and visitation tablets that have been revealed specifically for the martyrs in these days, they are being sent. Your honor should review them and then send them to Mirza ʿA.L., upon him be the Glory of God. There is and was no harm if they are presented in person to the idolaters, but giving them copies is absolutely forbidden, for they are occupied with perverting the divine verses. How small is their worth and station, yet how grandiose their words! Do they not see the sun and observe the waves of the ocean? If they deny this Call, this Cry, this Most Great News, to what cord will they cling and by what proof will they argue? From the pages that were written and sent to your honor, his station is known and his intention evident. Since this evanescent servant has seen those pages, he deemed it necessary to mention for the sake of God that which the dawning-places of fairness and manifestations of justice will observe, that they may protect the divine sheep from the wolves of the earth.

Furthermore, it is the plea and submission of this evanescent servant that greetings and salutations be conveyed to the honored Afnan of the Sacred Tree, upon them be from all Glory its Most Glorious. This is a kindness from your honor towards this evanescent one. May the Glory that is manifest, evident and shining from the horizon of the favor of our Lord and your Lord be upon your honor and upon those who love you for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds.

The servant 15th of the month of Sha’ban the Great, 1301

The Tablets for Behrabad and its surroundings have, in response to the request of the honored Haji Mirza H-Y, upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, and the spiritual beloved, the honored Haji Mirza Husayn, upon him be the Glory of God and His loving-kindness, been revealed from the heaven of grace and dispatched, together with this servant’s letter written in response to the honored Aqa Muhammad-ʿAli, upon him be the Glory of God. Your honor should peruse these and then send them to Khan Hasan, upon him be the Glory of God, and write to inform him that several months ago the honored Haji Mirza H-Y and the honored Haji Mirza Husayn specifically requested wondrous and sublime Tablets from the heaven of divine favor for the aforementioned souls. For some time no response was forthcoming from the Source of the Cause until they requested again repeatedly. The Tablets were then revealed and dispatched. Now Khan should observe whether those souls have not altered the cup; if not, he should bestow these upon them. Otherwise, their rightful recipients will become manifest. Knowledge rests with God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of all the worlds.

Another matter: When the letter that your honor wrote to this servant was presented in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence, a Tablet of prayer specifically for the honored Aqa Mulla Muhammad, upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, was revealed from the heaven of the All-Merciful’s Will, and two days later, while this servant was engaged in transcribing verses before His presence, yet another wondrous and sublime Tablet was revealed from the heaven of grace specifically for him. He has thus received this bounty twice through His generosity, munificence, and mercy. Your honor should deliver both of these. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is indeed the Bestower, the Compassionate, the Munificent.

BH00809: Pure praise and its essence befit the most inaccessible…

Pure praise and its essence befit the most inaccessible, most holy presence of the Beloved, Who, in the midst of tribulation, from the highest horizon, summons the people of the mortal realm to the straight path and the Great Announcement. This is that Announcement which all heavenly Books have foretold—in one place mentioned as the City that shall descend from heaven, in another referred to as Zion, in yet another as the New Jerusalem, and in other books as the Everlasting God and the Eternal Father. This is the Day of the Lord, the Day of God, the Promised Day, the Day of Resurrection, the Hour, the Sure Day, the Striking Day, the Day of the Trumpet, the Day of the Bugle, the Day of the Cry, and the Day of Sinai—that is, the Day in which He Who conversed on Sinai speaks forth and gives utterance. This is that mighty Announcement at which the very foundations of all religions have trembled and the limbs of the people of understanding have quaked, save whom God willed.

Blessed are they whom the trials of the Day of Resurrection did not withhold from the Lord of all names, and whom the might and glory of divines and rulers did not debar from the Sovereign of Names. Glory and wealth, hosts and battalions, multitudes and guns, rifles and arrows and swords of the world have held and hold no significance in the eyes of them that are assured of God. These are the knights in the arena of truth and utterance, the champions in the field of martyrdom and sacrifice, for their hearts have been joined to the Most Great Ocean, have been born of divine love, have drunk of its milk, and have been reared in the embrace of detachment….

He is the One Who speaketh from the Most Exalted Horizon

O Joseph! We have remembered thee time and again, and We remember thee in this hour when the clamor hath been raised by every remote oppressor. We counsel thee with that which shall cause the Cause of God, thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, to be exalted. Glory be to God! Man is bewildered by the deeds of heedless souls. It seemeth as though they regard themselves and the world as eternal, for were they convinced of its transience, they would not commit deeds that cause the denizens of the highest paradise and the Concourse on High to lament. How many palaces from which, in the night season, arose the warbling of nightingales and the songs of doves, and in the morning, wailing and lamentation appeared. Yet the heedless people took no heed nor were they awakened.

God, exalted be His glory, in all His books and scriptures gave the glad tidings of this most mighty, most holy Day and made promise thereof. But when the dawn of the Day of Manifestation was illumined by the lights of the Most Great Luminary, all were occupied with their own vain imaginings and turned away from Him. They forsook the divine table for perishable bounties. By the lights of the Sun of Truth! Were they to become aware of their loss even to the extent of a needle’s eye, they would abandon the world and all that is therein, and would destroy themselves with their own hands. What a loss for those souls who knew not the value of the Day of God and deprived themselves of its outpourings! All good is for the soul that hath not been deprived of the Ancient Beauty by the ornaments and colors of the world, and hath arisen with utmost steadfastness to serve His Cause. Verily, such a soul findeth itself in a station which both the Pen and the Tongue confess their inability to describe. We beseech God to assist thee to aid His Cause through wisdom and utterance. There is no God but Him, the Powerful, the Protector, the Mighty, the Bestower….

In My Name, the One Who dominateth over all who are in earth and heaven

This is the Day whereon the Self-Subsisting hath come and stood firm in His Cause in such wise that neither the might of the world nor the clamor of the nations who broke the Covenant on the Day of Separation and denied God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment, could deter Him. By God! The lamentation of the chosen ones hath risen in the Most Exalted Paradise by reason of that which hath befallen the loved ones of God at the hands of them that turned away from His countenance when its lights shone forth from the horizon of the will of their Lord, the Almighty, the Powerful. Among the people are those who turned away, those who denied, those who pronounced sentence for the shedding of My blood, and those who uttered that which caused the hearts of the sincere ones to burn. The hearts of the Concourse on High have melted by reason of what hath befallen the people of Baha, yet the people remain in evident blindness. Soon shall they behold the recompense of their deeds even as the serpent beheld it before, and after it the wolf, and before him the liar who pronounced judgment against My Name without clear proof or Book from God, the Mighty, the Great.

Say: O people! Read ye the Tablet of Ra’is and that which hath been revealed in the Tablets, that haply ye may return unto God and find the fragrance of the Garment. God shall soon seize them that have acted unjustly even as He seized the unjust ones before. The hosts of the world and the might of nations cannot frustrate Him. He doeth what He willeth, and He is the One, the Single, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Grieve thou not at anything. Rather, rejoice in the days of thy Lord. By God! The ocean of joy surgeth before the face. Blessed is he who hath witnessed and seen, and woe unto every heedless and remote one. When the breezes of revelation attract thee and thou hearest the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree, arise and say:

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, in that Thou hast made me to hear Thy call, and hast acquainted me with Thy Revelation, and hast confirmed me in turning toward Thy horizon, and hast taught me Thy straight path. I beseech Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of all created things and the control of all existence, by Thy Name through which Thou hast subdued both the Kingdom and the Dominion, to make me steadfast in Thy service, eloquent in Thy praise, moved by Thy will, attracted by Thy signs, and a herald of Thy Name with wisdom and utterance. There is no God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. O my Lord! Deprive me not of the pearls of the ocean of Thy grace, nor withhold from me the outpourings of the Sun of Thy loving-kindness. Thou art He Whom nothing can frustrate and no decree can hinder. All things have testified to Thy greatness and Thy power. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Conquering, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise….

BH05229: O Muhammad-Qabli-ʿAli! Reflect upon the world and whatsoever hath…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Ancient

O Muhammad-Qabli-ʿAli! Reflect upon the world and whatsoever hath appeared and been mentioned therein. All souls have been seekers of this blessed Day, and throughout the nights and days they awaited the appearance of the universal Manifestation of God. The divines, mystics and princes of the earth, whenever mention was made of the Qa’im—may our souls be a sacrifice for Him—would utter “May God hasten His relief.” Yet when the Sun of Truth dawned from the horizon of God’s Will, they arose with the utmost hatred and tyranny, to such extent that they martyred that Essence of being with the most grievous torment. By God’s life! All things have lamented at their cruelty, and beyond them the Supreme Pen hath wept in the Most Exalted Paradise.

Yet most of the people remain heedless. Such is the state of the world and its people. Thou, praise be to God, hast rent asunder the veil and, through God’s grace, hast shattered the idols of fancy and imagination with the strength of certitude, and hast turned toward the most exalted horizon. Preserve this lofty station in the name of Truth. Blessed art thou for being enkindled with the fire of God’s love, illumined by the lights of His knowledge, and for having accepted His Cause and Will. Verily thy Lord is the Truth, the All-Knowing, the Unseen. He heareth and seeth, and He is the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Loving. The Glory be upon thee and upon those who have drunk what thou hast drunk through My mighty, inaccessible love.

BH06198: Glorified art Thou, O Lord of existence and Educator…

He is the One Manifest from all directions!

Glorified art Thou, O Lord of existence and Educator of the seen and unseen! Thou beholdest me seated beneath the pavilion of Thy grace and standing through Thy sovereignty in Thy Cause. I testify that this is a standing which Thou hast made sanctified above sitting and stillness, and above standing and repose, and through Thy pervading power Thou hast made it elevated above all that can be designated by the name of anything. Therefore I beseech Thee, O Desire of the world, by this standing and sitting, that Thou make me steadfast in Thy remembrance and praise in such wise that the hosts of Thine enemies and the might of those who have denied Thy signs shall not frighten me.

O my Lord! I am he who has hastened from the west of passion to the east of Thy grace, and from the darkness of ignorance to the light of Thy knowledge. Doth it befit Thy sovereignty that Thou shouldst turn me away from Thy door after my certitude in the ocean of Thy bounty? And doth it beseem Thy might and power that Thou shouldst render me deprived of the wonders of Thy grace after my acknowledgment of the sun of Thy generosity and favor? I beseech Thee, O Thou Who hast made Thy recognition above the comprehension of Thy creation and creatures, to ordain for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and trusted ones. Verily Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

BH06643: He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious! We…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious! We have made manifest unto every possessor of insight the Path of God and His Balance. To this testifieth every fair-minded one endowed with knowledge. Say: Fear God, O people, and follow not every stubborn oppressor. We summon all mankind unto the Most Sublime Horizon, even as We summoned them before Our imprisonment and after it. He, verily, is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

When ears were honored to hearken unto the call of the All-Merciful, among the people were those who were attracted and said: “I believe in Thee, O God of the worlds!” How many a servant was so transported by the divine call that he became wholly detached from the world and turned with clear certitude to the Most Sublime Horizon, attaining such a station that he preferred all who believed above his own self. And among them was he who pronounced judgment against a thousand souls for the comfort of his own self. Thus have We reckoned and revealed in this wondrous Tablet.

When thou hearest the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree, remember thou the Wronged One and what hath befallen Him in the path of God, the Lord of the throne above and of the earth below. Verily thy Lord heareth and seeth, and He is the Lord of all men and the Master of both the hereafter and this world. There is none other God but He, the Forgiving, the Generous.

BH07187: We have mentioned thee before from My Most Exalted…

He is the Dawning One from the horizon of utterance!

We have mentioned thee before from My Most Exalted Pen, and We mention thee at this time that thou mayest give thanks to thy Lord, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. A letter hath come before the Wronged One wherein thou art mentioned. We have remembered thee with that which neither all the treasures of the world nor every hidden pearl can equal. Blessed is the tongue that hath testified to that which God hath testified, and the heart that hath been set ablaze with the fire of love for its Lord, the King of Kings. Say: O concourse of the world! By God, the Most Great Name hath come, which was inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in every unfurled scroll, every sealed book, and every recorded tablet. Say: Fear God, O peoples of the earth, and follow not those who have clung to the idols of fancy and vain imaginings. Leave what the people possess and put your trust in the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. He is with you, hearing and seeing. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Loving. Thus hath the horizon of utterance been illumined with the light of proof. Blessed is he who hath witnessed and seen. Woe unto every denier and rejected one.

BH06917: The Emperor of France was one who, in his…

…The Emperor of France was one who, in his words, was greater than mountains, and yet, in his deeds, was less than a mustard seed. In the days when the Most Holy Land was made the seat of God’s Throne, there was revealed from the heaven of divine Will a most holy and exalted Tablet addressed specifically to him. In that Tablet the Ancient Beauty had observed his kingly station, yet after its dispatch he failed to present a reply. Thereafter another Tablet was revealed from the heaven of God’s Will wherein He states, exalted be His utterance:

“We have tested thee and found thee remote from the Word”—meaning, We put thee to the test and found thee estranged from the Word. Among his utterances was this: “should there be found an oppressed one in the world who seeks justice, we shall come to his aid and deliver him from tyranny.” Nevertheless, he sent no reply to the divine Tablet and arose not to render assistance. After this episode He [Baha’u’llah] declared that he was as a cannon without shot—mighty in sound yet yielding no result.

Some people are found to be of his kind: in words they claim that which far exceeds their station, yet in deeds they are nothing, nothing, nothing. God protect us and you from the deeds of such as these and from their words. This lowly one’s petition is that if it be in accordance with wisdom and should you meet with any of the friends, convey my greetings to them. I beseech God to assist and confirm all to that which is pleasing to Him, and to make each one a dawning-place of steadfastness and a defender and servant of His Cause. Verily, He is powerful over all things. May the Glory that is manifest, evident and shining from the horizon of the heaven of our Lord’s loving-kindness be upon you and upon those who have believed in God, the Mighty, the Great. Praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise….

BH07305: This is the Day wherein the Hidden hath appeared…

He is the Dawning One from the horizon of eternity

This is the Day wherein the Hidden hath appeared and the Treasured One hath emerged and the King hath spoken in the Most Great Prison—the Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Omnipotent, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. O concourse of creation! Hearken unto that which the Lord of Names uttereth and announceth unto you the praiseworthy station. Say: The Path hath appeared yet ye turn away from it, and the Promise hath come to pass in truth yet ye perceive it not. Say: By God! The springtime of utterance hath come yet ye remain silent, and the Sun of certitude hath dawned yet ye flee from it. That which was hidden throughout all eternity hath appeared yet ye comprehend it not. Ye hear the verses of God yet dispute them, and ye behold the proof of the All-Merciful yet deny it, having followed the desires of them who have turned away from the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. Say: Cast aside what ye possess and what your divines possess, and take hold of that which ye have been commanded by God, the Lord of existence. That which hath been sent down in truth causeth all the books of the world to bow down before it, did ye but know. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken in His exalted habitation.

BH11523: O ʿAli-before-Akbar! Upon thee be the Glory of God…

In the Name of Him Who shineth from the horizon of the Kingdom of Utterance

O ʿAli-before-Akbar! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Lord of Destiny. My Afnan, upon him be My glory, hath informed Me of thy departure and thy journey with him whom God hath loved. Blessed is he who hath attained to the recognition of the Intended One, and the seeker who hath turned unto Him in this wondrous and glorious Day. We have manifested the Cause, revealed the verses, and summoned all to God, the Lord of the worlds. Yet when God’s proof appeared and His evidence was made manifest, the people turned away and opposed it through their own evil doings. They are assuredly among the lost. Among the people are those who turned away, those who opposed, those who pronounced judgment, and those who shed blood at the bidding of every remote oppressor. They killed and plundered in such wise that grief overtook the denizens of the most exalted Paradise and those whom God made the inheritors of His exalted House. The more they increased in their wretchedness, the more did the Glory increase in manifesting His firm and mighty Cause. By God’s life! Nothing hath deterred Us, nor hath the oppression of those who disbelieved in God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment, caused Us fear.

O ʿAli! Every deed performed for God’s sake shall be accepted. Work in the new land accordeth with wisdom, and the tongue of consultation hath confirmed it. Today all must arise with complete dedication to promote God’s Cause, but only when wisdom requireth it. In all cases, observe its requirements. For instance, silence is preferable to speech when wisdom so dictates, and likewise the reverse. In these days silence is nearer to piety, as its opposite causeth mischief. God, exalted be His glory, hath ever been and will continue to be mindful of His servants in all conditions.

O Akbar! May God willing, thou be assisted in that which exalteth the Cause of God. Whatsoever causeth tumult is unacceptable in the sight of the Wronged One. If a pure and holy land be found, deposit therein God’s trust, which is His Word. Otherwise, barren lands are not and never will be worthy. We have chosen wisdom and revealed it in the Book as a command from Us, and We are verily the Commander, the All-Wise.

Glory be to God! For ages and centuries people have been enslaved by vain imaginings and idle fancies, bereft of understanding. Even after the manifestation of the Cause and the dawning of the Sun of Certitude, they remain heedless and unaware. They are oblivious to and deprived of the gate of mercy that hath been opened today before the face of all the worlds, yet they inquire about tales of the ancients. In truth, most ears are unworthy of this call, though this is the Day of hearing and seeing. All are deprived of hearkening and forbidden from beholding.

Give thanks unto God for the turning of the Ancient Beauty’s countenance toward thee from His Most Great Prison, and for His revelation of that which delighteth the eyes of the Concourse on High and those who circle round the Throne at eventide and dawn. Praise God for having revealed for every name mentioned in thy book that which proclaimeth in the most exalted voice between earth and heaven and summoneth all unto God, the Lord of the Final Return.

We make mention of the friends of God in Yazd and in Alif and Ra [Ardakan], and counsel them with that whereby His mighty and impregnable Cause may be exalted. O My friends in that land! Beware lest the affairs of men prevent you from the Truth. Cast aside what is with the people, clinging fast to God, the Lord of lords. Beware lest the might of the world frighten you. Take the chalice of steadfastness in the name of the Dawning-Place of the light of oneness, then drink therefrom with mention of His name, the Mighty, the Bestower. It behooveth you to manifest that which will cause the hearts to tremble of those who violated God’s Covenant and Testament, who denied His signs and rejected His proof and evidence, until they pronounced judgment against Him with such tyranny as caused the clouds to lament.

O people of Baha! The treacherous ones and clamourers have risen in opposition—those ignorant ones who appear in the garb of the learned. By God’s life! They have manifested such tyranny as no oppressor had ever intended before. From the days when the Day-Star of the horizons shone forth from the horizon of Iraq, We informed all of the appearance of the clamourers and birds of darkness. The people of truth must be so steadfast in the Cause that the entire world will find itself powerless to prevent them. In this Most Great Revelation all are commanded to see with their own eyes and hear with their own ears. Whoso desireth to know Him, let him look with his own eyes.

Thus hath the Tongue of the Bayan spoken in the Kingdom of wisdom. Blessed is he who hath heard and hastened and drunk the choice wine of steadfastness from the hand of the bounty of his Lord, the Forgiving, the Generous.

Convey My greetings to My friends who have held fast to the cord of My loving-kindness and clung to the hem of My luminous robe. We make mention in this station of servants whose names were mentioned before, as a grace from Us upon thee and upon those who have drunk the choice wine of steadfastness in the days of their Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O Muhammad ibn Ghulam! The Wronged One desireth to make mention of thee that thou mayest find the fragrance of utterance in the days of the All-Merciful and be of those who are assured. How many were the servants who considered themselves among God’s chosen ones and the noblest of creation, yet when the winds of tests moved even as much as the eye of a needle, they broke God’s Covenant and joined the hosts of misbelief. After divine recognition, steadfastness is necessary. O friends! Guard yourselves through the name of Truth from Satan’s hosts. Falsehood hath spread its snares in the name of truth. Fear God and be of those who are firmly established. We beseech God to preserve all from the putrid pool and guide them to the living waters. He is powerful and mighty over all things.

And We make mention of him who is named Ibrahim that he may rejoice in My remembrance of him and be of those who stand firm in the Cause of his Lord, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. O Ibrahim! Today the thirsty ones are turned toward the ocean of God’s loving-kindness and the rebellious ones toward the river of forgiveness. Blessed is the poor one who turned toward the horizon of wealth and the stranger who set his face toward the most exalted homeland. And blessed are those whom the whisperings of devils did not prevent from the manifest horizon, who arose with supreme steadfastness in the Cause of the Lord of creation and spoke that which caused the denizens of the Supreme Paradise to rejoice. Blessed are they that have attained.

And We make mention of him who is named Asadu’llah and counsel him with My attributes and My character and with that whereby My mighty Cause may be uplifted. Take thou the Book of God with power from Him and be not of the patient ones. The promise hath come and the appointed time hath been fulfilled. The command is God’s, the Lord of the worlds. Blessed is the one standing firm whom Satan’s doubts did not cause to sit, and the steadfast one whom the signals of the rebellious did not cause to move, and the one who turned toward God whom the hosts of the oppressors did not frighten. Blessed is he who fulfilled God’s Covenant and Testament, and woe unto the violators. Beware lest vain imaginings veil thee or the traces of those who disbelieved in God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy, prevent thee.

We make mention of him who is named Javad and counsel him with that which beseemeth the Cause of God in this wondrous and glorious Day. Cast away what the people possess and take what thou hast been given by the One Who commandeth, the All-Informed.

We make mention of him who is named ʿAli-Akbar. Verily We have given him and those who have believed the glad tidings of the appearance of Him Who conversed on Sinai, Who was promised in the Tablets of God, the Almighty, the All-Wise. Be thou steadfast and firm in the Cause of thy Lord and say:

Praise be to Thee for having created me and manifested me. I beseech Thee not to deprive me of what is with Thee. O Lord! Thou hearest the clamor of Thy servants and creatures and what the oppressors among Thy creation utter. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest and in Thy grasp are the reins of all affairs.

O Muhammad-Rida! The Wronged One remembereth thee from the prison of ʿAkka. Be thou thankful unto thy Lord and be of them who render thanks. We have manifested Our Self and have sent down from the Kingdom of Utterance that which hath diffused the fragrance of the Ancient Garment throughout the world. Yet the peoples are in manifest loss. They have cast the Covenant of God behind their backs, clinging to their vain imaginings and idle fancies. Blessed is the strong one who hath broken the chains of allusions, and the one with insight who hath beheld what the Beloved beheld when He ascended to the Most Sublime Station by the command of the Ancient Ordainer.

O My Pen! Make mention of Muhammad-ʿAli and give him the glad tidings of My remembrance of him, for I am verily the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Cast aside what the peoples possess and take what thou hast been commanded by God, the Mighty, the Peerless. Let not the power of princes weaken thee, nor the whisperings of the devils hinder thee. Hold fast unto the Most Great Handle and say:

Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having remembered me, guided me and caused me to recognize Thee. I beseech Thee not to withhold from me what is with Thee. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

We make mention of ʿAbdu’r-Rahim and counsel him with that which will manifest the station of man in the contingent world and that which will exalt the Cause of God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. We have called unto all, yet the people hear not; We have manifested the Supreme Horizon, yet most of the people see not. Say: Fear God, O peoples of the earth, and follow not vain imaginings and idle fancies. O people! This is a Day wherein the sun of certitude hath shone forth from the horizon of thy Lord’s Will, the Mighty, the Loving. Be thou eloquent in My remembrance, turning unto My horizon, steadfast in the service of My Cause, and firm in My love, the Mighty, the Beloved. Thus hath the Tree of Knowledge yielded the fruits of utterance. Blessed is he who hath attained thereunto, and woe unto every obstinate infidel.

O Ghulam-ʿAli! God willing, thou shalt lay an impregnable foundation from the pure iron of certitude and build a mighty bulwark that the Gog of passion may not overcome the hearts of the people of God nor find a way therein. Reflect upon the Most Great News. By the life of God! Thou shalt find thyself in joy and delight, then in rapture and bewilderment. Thy Lord is verily the Expositor, the All-Knowing. Thou wert mentioned before the Wronged One, but We have tarried in responding. The Most Exalted Pen hath been silent for a time, as a wisdom from Our presence. Thy Lord is verily the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O ʿAli! The intoxication of pride hath seized the people and made them heedless of the Cause of God. In some lands, clamor hath been raised. The friends of God must protect themselves through His Name. Falsehood, clothed in the garment of truth, preventeth the people from the straight path, for were it to appear in its own garment, none among the servants would turn unto it. Hold fast unto the cord of the Name of thy Lord and be of them who are steadfast. Say:

I beseech Thee, O God of all beings and Educator of all created things, not to disappoint me of that which is with Thee, and not to make me one of those who turned toward Thee and then turned away, and who believed and then denied. Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever Thou willest, and within Thy grasp is the destiny of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

O Ali-Qabl-i-Akbar! For each of those souls whom thou didst previously mention, wondrous verses have now been sent down and dispatched from the Kingdom of the favors of God, glorified be His majesty. The delay therein was due to wisdom, and the reason is manifest and evident. Beseech God to preserve all His servants, to keep them steadfast in His Cause, and to confirm them in such deeds as will lead to its exaltation. Verily, He is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth, and He is the Strong, the Commander, the All-Wise.

As to thy intention to turn toward the Dawning-Place of divine verses, there hath been and is no objection to its achievement in a spirit of joy and delight. However, thou must be mindful of wisdom and not let slip the requirements of the time. Thus hath commanded He Who hath been the Ruler from time immemorial. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon My loved ones who have arisen and said: “We believe in God, the Lord of the worlds.”

BH02927: Praise be to God Who hath sent down…

Praise be to God Who hath sent down from the heaven of inner meanings the fruits of utterance and hath manifested from the Tree of Explanation the fruits of knowledge. Exalted, exalted is He Who hath spoken a Word and made it, in one station, a Speaking Book, in another station, a Cutting Sword, in another station, a Shining Light, and in yet another station, a Wondrous Garden. He hath commanded all to draw nigh unto it. Whoso turneth toward it is among those who are saved, and whoso turneth away is counted among those who perish in a manifest Book. I offer prayers and peace upon the First Point that appeared from the Mother Book and the First Utterance that emerged from the Will of our Lord, the Most Merciful—He Who was named Muhammad in the Kingdom, peace and blessings be upon Him, and Ahmad in the Realm of Might, and in the Divine Realm His are the most beautiful names and the most exalted attributes, for God made Him a mirror of His names and attributes, His manifestation and appearance, His conditions and His Will and Purpose.

Verily, He hath ever been the Speaker of the Word of Unity and the Herald of the Name of God in the world of detachment. And upon His family and companions, through whom the fortress of utterance was built in the contingent world and the banner of unity was raised upon the standards—those servants whom God preferred above His creation and made them lamps in His lands and the hands of His Cause among His servants….

Deeds that are in accordance with the Book of God are clearly distinguished among all deeds, like pure fragrance among all scents. He says:

“Set aside mere words. Adorn yourselves with goodly deeds and spiritual, luminous character.”

This evanescent servant hopes that the friends will be enabled to achieve that which is adorned with the ornament of acceptance before God. In truth, if a person is not enkindled with the fire of divine love and remains deprived of the companionship of true friends and counselors, his days are wasted and his life squandered, and he will return with complete regret and endless remorse. In such case, we must all raise our hands in supplication to the heaven of the bounty of the Necessary Being, and beseech His ancient generosity and wondrous, exalted grace that He may assist His servants to His good-pleasure and preserve them from the evil of the commanding self. He is the Powerful, and able to do all things….

O friends! The traces of goodly deeds and spiritual attributes are like a stream that branches from the Most Great Ocean, flowing and coursing eternally throughout all the kingdoms of earth and heaven. Strive that ye may not be deprived of this greatest bounty. The evil ones lie in wait and cling to various forms of deceit and trickery that perchance they might cause a doer of good to desist or turn a seeker away. The intoxication of pride has seized most, and the wine of disobedience has laid waste the edifices of hearts and minds. Blessed is the servant whom God has made to stand in service to His Cause, speaking His praise, acting according to what He has revealed in His Book, remaining firm and steadfast in His love, content with His decree, holding fast to His cord, clinging to His robe, placing trust in Him, and committing all affairs unto Him….

For some time, certain falsehoods and calumnies have been spread in these parts by the deceitful, for the people of these regions are unaware of this exalted path. They accept and continue to accept whatever any ignorant person might say, and the enemies of this Cause are many. Whatever the foreigners say in this regard, they consider correct and beyond question, even though all know that most foreigners have been and continue to be utterly oppressive, unjust, deceitful and cunning, save for a few….