Volume 074: Akka 1301 A.H. (1883–1884), Part II (4 of 5)

BH00180: Praise, sanctified beyond pen and ink, befits the most…

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 High

Praise, sanctified beyond pen and ink, befits the most holy and most sacred threshold of the Beloved, Who hath educated the people of Baha through trials and guided them to the Kingdom of immortality. Exalted, exalted is He, the Almighty One Who hath caused the trees of the most exalted Paradise to grow tall through blood, and Who hath ordained that afflictions and tribulations, despite their intensity and bitterness, should taste sweeter than sugar in the mouths of His loved ones. He is the Beloved One Who hath not prevented and will never prevent His lovers from His path through hardship and adversity. By the life of our Beloved and your Beloved! If life be not sacrificed in His path, it is not worth a mustard seed, and if the essence of spirit be not offered up at His feet, it is baser and more worthless than stone. Yet none save the assayers of divine unity can recognize this essence. What portion can the sightless one receive, even should he enter the highest Paradise? And what can the deaf one hear, even should he draw nigh unto the Tree of Blessedness? The money-changers of this precious essence are those souls of whom He saith:

“They speak not until He hath spoken, and act according to His commandment.”

And likewise He saith: “Neither merchandise nor trade beguileth them from the remembrance of God.” Can it be imagined that death shall not overtake any soul? Nay, by God! “Every soul shall taste of death.” This being so, if it be offered up for the Beloved and sacrificed for the Desired One, it is assuredly better and more fitting. God forgive me for such mention, for it is a hundred thousand times more glorious and preferable than this—again, God forgive me! I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to illumine the eyes of all with the collyrium of knowledge, that all may witness, with their outward and inward eyes, that which the people of self and desire are deprived of beholding and forbidden from recognizing. Glory and praise be upon those whom nothing whatsoever hath prevented from turning to the Face after the passing of all things, and whom the clamor of the people of creation—who have been beguiled by the world’s ornaments and its colors, such that they have cast the Cause of God behind their backs—hath not frightened. Soon will God roll up their carpet and spread another carpet. Verily, He is the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Triumphant, the Powerful.

And further: thy letters arrived repeatedly. Praise be to God, each was a book that spoke and a truthful witness to thy acceptance, steadfastness, attention, submission and humility in the path of God, the Lord of the visible and invisible, and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and the earth. After reading and reviewing them, We approached the presence of the Lord of creation, and whatsoever was recorded in the letter was presented before His face and achieved the honor of His hearing. His word, exalted be His station, exalted be His utterance, and exalted be His remembrance:

In My Name, He Who is established upon the Throne of Utterance

O thou who speakest in praise of thy Lord! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. He remembereth thee at this time when sorrows have compassed Him round by reason of that which hath befallen His loved ones at the hands of the divines and rulers of the earth. Verily there is none other God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The servant who was present hath appeared and conveyed what was in thy letter, and this Tablet hath been revealed unto thee as a token of grace from Him Who is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. By My life! In tribulation the glory of Baha hath increased, and He hath spoken from His most exalted horizon, summoning all unto God, the Lord of all worlds.

Blessed is he that heareth and seeth, and woe unto every oppressor who hath perpetrated that which hath caused the denizens of the Kingdom, the dwellers of the realm of might, and the inhabitants of the pavilion of grandeur to lament in this resplendent station. Blessed is thy mother who hath arisen to serve the Cause and hath attained to serving My Name. We testify that she is a leaf who hath held fast to My Tree, who hath spoken My praise and clung to My robe in such wise that neither storms nor tempests caused her to fall, and who hath testified to that which God hath testified: that there is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Conceal the Cause and whatsoever reacheth thee from the direction of the prison, lest the hosts of the oppressors become aware thereof. Guard the Tablet of God even as thou guardest thine eyes. Thus doth He command thee, in Whose possession is the knowledge of all things preserved in a clear tablet. The mention of My Name hath never ceased to reach My presence, and the mention of those who have entered the prison for My Name and My love, and the mention of him who gave up his spirit in My path in that exalted station. He was named ʿAli in the Book of Names and the Unique One in the Crimson Scroll which none hath beheld save My all-encompassing knowledge.

God hath adorned the outer surface of the earth with his blood and its inner depths with his sacred remains. Say: O concourse of rulers! By God! We have not come to create mischief in your land or to lay hands on your riches and dominions. We have come to reform the world and to educate the souls of all nations. Fear ye God and be not of the oppressors. He calleth you to the most exalted horizon, while ye summon Him to the fire. The call of the oppressors is naught but manifest error. Consider Our Cause with the eye of justice and equity. He remembereth you for the sake of God and desireth naught from you. To this testifieth every fair-minded and discerning soul.

Thus have We adorned the heaven of the Tablet with the stars of utterance. Blessed is he who hath heard and acted, and woe unto the heedless. The glory that shineth from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon thy mother and thy father and thy two brothers and thy wife and thy two sisters and upon every man and woman who hath believed in God, the Mighty, the Beauteous.

O thou who hast turned thy face toward the Countenance! Hear with thy Persian tongue the call of the Wronged One. The Truth in the Most Great Prison is wronged and forbidden, and seeketh a helper. Say: O friends of God and ye who drink the choice wine of inner meanings! The helper hath not been and is not outward hosts, nor hath it been or will it be manifest armaments. Rather it hath been goodly words, righteous deeds and spiritual qualities. O people of Baha! Aid ye the Wronged One through the hosts of deeds and character, and likewise through the hosts of patience and resignation, lest there appear from anyone that which would sadden hearts and disturb souls. All the hosts of the world cannot equal these hosts. The cities of hearts and minds are conquered by these hosts. How many cities and villages have, through one pure deed, turned toward the highest horizon and clung to the hem of the Lord of Names! Blessed is he who hath found and perceived the sweetness of virtuous character.

I counsel thee to calmness, patience and discretion, lest anyone become aware of thy mention, thy turning and thy devotion. Any matter that is uttered by the tongue will spread and become known, especially if it occurs between two persons—every secret that passeth beyond two will be divulged. Trustworthy and assured souls have ever been concealing, protecting and faithful. But discernment is difficult, for none but God is aware of what is in anyone’s heart. Although through the wondrous grace of God and divine favors, the Cause and Will are bright and luminous as the sun, there hath not been and is not any harm in discretion. Praise be to God, this Most Great Revelation hath forbidden all from that which is repugnant.

The purpose of discretion is that if the people of doubt and fancy should become aware of thy turning to the highest horizon and the sending of tablets from the prison quarter, they would unlock the door of sedition and corruption with the key of doubts and fancies, and become the cause of clamor and croaking. The horizon of justice hath been seized by the clouds of tyranny, and the lamp of equity surrounded by the winds of oppression. Therefore they speak without awareness and walk without proof. In all cases We beseech the Self-Sufficient One not to deprive His servants and to grant them awareness. Verily He hath power over all things.

Convey repeatedly the greetings of the Wronged One to the honored mother, and gladden her with the favors of God. Her deeds are accepted before God and adorned with the ornament of His good-pleasure. Grace hath reached such a degree that in God’s Book she hath been named the Mother of the near ones. Let her preserve this lofty and most exalted station for the sake of the Lord of Names. He Whose name is ʿAli—upon him be My glory, My favors, My mercy and My remembrance—hath mentioned her repeatedly. Today is a day wherein if anyone should manifest the tiniest deed for the sake of God, it would be seen in the mirror of divine knowledge as greater than the heavens and earth.

Blessed are they that act! Blessed are they that attain! Blessed are they that are steadfast! Blessed are they that are firm! Convey greetings to all the family, both male and female, and gladden them with the splendors of the light of the Sun of utterance of the All-Merciful. Here endeth kindness for God’s sake, bounty for God’s sake, mercy for God’s sake. Compared to His favors, the favors of earth and heaven are as naught. Before His grace, the grace of all else is non-existent. From each letter of His utterance the kingdom of speech is stirred, and from each of His mentions the dominion of knowledge is enraptured.

What else can this servant say or write? Were it not for the sweet fragrances of the utterances of the Beloved of the worlds, the grief from the imprisonment of the Name of God and His loved ones would surely have caused spirits to be seized and would have banished all joy, delight and gladness into nothingness. In the early dawn their remembrance is my companion and intimate. By the life of our Beloved and our Goal, the lamentation of the heart has not ceased nor has the sorrow subsided. Yet despite all that was mentioned, since it is for God’s sake and has appeared in the path of His love, it merits an ocean of joy and deserves a heaven of delight. From the day this matter occurred, the Supreme Pen has not ceased to make mention in various tablets, nor has the Tongue of Grandeur chosen silence. His is the praise and glorification, and His is the thanksgiving in the hereafter and in this world. He can quench with one drop from the ocean of His utterance the thirst of one who has been parched for a hundred years, and with one breath of His mention He can bestow life upon one who has been dead for a thousand years and revive him.

This evanescent one conveys greetings and salutations to the people of that household and beseeches abundant good for each one from the Exalted Truth, especially for those who have migrated and attained, then for those who have migrated and attained. The mention of the honored matron, her eminence the mother, upon her be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah] the Most Glorious, cannot be contained in these pages, for her mention has been recorded and inscribed by the Supreme Pen in the Crimson Tablet, and her deeds are accepted before the Throne. This evanescent servant beseeches and hopes from the Truth that she may ever remain adorned with this most wondrous ornament and be embellished and honored with the crown of His love.

The mention that has flowed from the Tongue of Grandeur of His Holiness the Desired One is sovereign over all, and no thing among all things has equaled or will equal it. A hundred thousand blessings upon the soul that has attained to the mention of our Beloved and your Beloved, our Goal and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and the earth.

In these days, praise be to God, new letters have arrived from the honored gentleman, His Holiness the Name of God, upon him be from all 9 [Baha] most glorious. Blessing upon blessing, glad-tiding upon glad-tiding. This evanescent servant begs from the Truth that He may assist him to present that which is befitting and worthy. In these days, heart and hand and pen and ink all desire to write accounts for his honor, but time is like the phoenix and there is much work, as His Holiness the Name of God himself knows in detail. Among other things, in these days there are five locations where the honored travelers, upon them be the glory of God and His favor, are staying. If even a portion of their affairs are referred to this servant, it takes several hours. The matter of writing needs no mention.

Section 2: “On this day a detailed letter arrived…”

On this day a detailed letter arrived from him and was read twice in the presence of the Ancient Beauty and the people of the pavilion of infallibility and grandeur who were present. Once it was presented in the presence when some of the people of the pavilion of grandeur were present, then when others were present, He again commanded it to be read. Both grief and joy were felt from his mentions and statements—grief from the mention of imprisonment, and complete joy and gladness from the events he had mentioned. The gathering was very good indeed. It is very rare that all are present before the Presence. This is only due to the purity of heart of His Holiness the Name of God.

Regarding his mention of Mirza Asadu’llah, upon him be the glory of God, and his request for favors concerning him and his mother and wife, upon them be the glory of God, the matters were presented before the Presence. This is what was revealed for Jinab-i-As, as a bounty from God, the Lord of the worlds. He says, exalted be His glory:

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

This is a Book sent down by the Sovereign of Might unto one who hath taken God as his Lord instead of men, that he may rejoice in what hath been vouchsafed unto him from One All-Knowing, Most Bountiful. Verily, We have mentioned thee before, and in this Clear Book. His grace hath encompassed the world and its peoples, yet most of them remain asleep. They have not awakened at the Call, nor have they been roused by the Cry when it was raised between earth and heaven. We commanded the servants to fear God and called them to the Supreme Horizon. Every knowing and informed one beareth witness to this, yet they turned away and denied until they disbelieved in God, the Lord of this wondrous Day.

These are they who worship the calf and comprehend not, who mention the wolf yet perceive not. They hear the verses yet turn away from them; they behold the clear proofs yet remain heedless thereof. They have taken their own desires as lords unto themselves, to which the near servants bear witness. Blessed is he who is strong and hath cast away the world, and steadfast whom the might of nations hath not caused to slip. He is of the companions of the Crimson Ark. Woe unto him who hath remained heedless of this praiseworthy station. Joy be unto him who hath heard the verses of God, and unto the hand that hath taken His preserved Tablet. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon those who have held fast to the cord of their Lord’s loving-kindness, turning away from idle fancies and vain imaginings.

And this is what was revealed for the Mother of Alif and Sin. His words, blessed and exalted be He:

In My Name, the Manifest, the Witnessed

O handmaiden of God! The True One, exalted be His glory, hath appeared that all who are on earth might attain unto His recognition and presence. Yet after the rending of veils and removal of coverings, most were found heedless and denying. How many among the divines and jurists who considered themselves the most exalted of creation were counted among the most abased after the dawning of the Sun of Truth. God hath made their highest ones lowest, and their lowest ones highest. How many dwellers of palaces have returned to their graves, and how many possessed of might are witnessed in utter abasement. By the life of God! Abasement lieth in denial of God, and glory in faith in Him.

Do jewels, ornaments, palaces and thrones preserve man from divine chastisement? Nay, by the Self of God! Soon shall all that ye behold return to nothingness. Both the witness and the witnessed shall become non-existent and forgotten. O leaf! Praise thou the Beloved of the worlds, that thou hast been honored with His blessed word “O My handmaiden.” It behooveth thee to preserve this most exalted station through the name of thy Lord, the Most Glorious. Verily, He is with His remembering handmaidens and His remembering servants. The glory be upon thee and upon every believing man and believing woman who have believed in God, the Lord of the worlds.

And this is what was revealed for the consort of His Excellency Alif and Sin, upon him be 96 [Baha’u’llah]. His words, blessed and exalted be He:

In My Name, the Wronged One, the Stranger

This is a mention from Us and a Tablet from Our presence to those on earth and to a handmaiden who desired the remembrance of her Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous. We have at all times remembered those servants who heard and hastened when the call came to them from God, the Lord of the worlds. These are servants whom God hath described in His firm and perspicuous Book. O My handmaiden! How many a man was prevented from the Lord of earth and heaven through following his desires, and how many a woman heard, turned unto Him, and attained unto the knowledge of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. This is a Day wherein all things have testified to the Lord of the Throne and earth, yet most people are among the heedless.

Some turned away, some denied, some disbelieved, and some pronounced judgment against Him with such injustice as caused the Faithful Spirit to lament. O My handmaiden! Give thanks unto thy Lord for having aided thee to recognize the Dawning-Place of His signs, Who came with manifest sovereignty. We have remembered thee and those women who have believed in God, the Single, the All-Informed. Remind them on My behalf and glorify before the faces of My handmaidens who heard the call and answered their Lord on a Day wherein the pillars of the earth were shaken, the heaven was cleft asunder, and the Caller cried out: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Sovereign of this great Day!” The splendor of God be upon thee and upon the steadfast handmaidens and upon My steadfast servants.

Praise be to God! The rain of loving-kindness hath poured down, the ocean of compassion hath overflowed, and the sun of grace hath shed its radiance. This evanescent servant conveyeth his greetings and salutations to each one. May they, God willing, be confirmed in that which is today the lord of all deeds, namely steadfastness in the Cause of God after having recognized His Manifestation.

As to what was written concerning the beloved of the heart, Aqa Mirza Ayyub, upon him be the glory of God and His loving-kindness, and his wish and that of the honored mother, upon her be the glory of God—these were presented and were graced with acceptance. This servant conveyeth his greetings to the honored mother. The servant testifieth that she hath attained unto her Lord’s loving-kindness. Sufficient for her is that which the Supreme Pen hath testified in her behalf. Likewise, he conveyeth greetings to his beloved, T.B., upon him be the glory of God. In truth, they are remembered in this gathering; their mention hath not been forgotten nor have they passed from sight. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to aid and assist them in that which shall cause His mention to endure forever.

Although this prayer hath been answered before being uttered, for praise be to God, they have been blessed by the effects of the Supreme Pen, and there hath been revealed for them from the heaven of the will of our Lord and the Lord of earth and heaven that which shall testify to their endurance in both the earthly and heavenly kingdoms. Similarly, I convey greetings to their brother and seek confirmation and success for him. Verily our Lord, the Most Merciful, is the Compassionate, the Generous.

Concerning the Huquq which was given to Jinab-i-Amin, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s glory, Jinab-i-Amin himself wrote repeatedly about this matter in those days, and a receipt was sent to him. It is strange that it has not yet reached that honored one. Every soul who is enabled to pay the Huquq must receive a receipt for it. Jinab-i-Amin, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s glory, is authorized by the Truth, exalted be His glory, to receive the Huquq. He is adorned with this distinction and honored with this name. Blessed is he! The revealed Tablets which were requested specifically for the aforementioned souls were, as commanded, sent in this servant’s handwriting. God willing, they will attain unto them.

At this time, when one hour and ten minutes have passed from Tuesday night, the seventeenth of Dhi’l-Hajjih al-Haram, having turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon and the Supreme Summit, after arriving in the Most Holy Court, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these exalted words—His word, exalted and mighty is He: “O servant present! Write to ʿAyn and Ta, upon him be My glory: Thou hast ever been beneath the gaze of God’s favor, exalted be His glory. Be mindful at all times, for the remembrance of God hath ever been and is the cause of the heart’s enkindlement. Many are they who practice deception, artifice and guile. Guard thyself through the name of thy Lord, the Protector of what was and what shall be.

Be not grieved by the discord in affairs. Verily, He is with thee and will aid thee, and He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. However, in affairs take counsel. Accept not the word of every speaker, and be not assured by every soul. Conceal what We have sent thee; it behooveth thee not to acknowledge this matter before all faces, for some souls are weak and become disturbed by the doubts of the divines and the might of rulers, and this disturbance gradually leads, God forbid, to forgetfulness and even to rejection. It behooveth thee and the loved ones to beseech God to protect His servants from all that He loveth not. Verily, He hath power over all things.

We make mention of him who migrated until he arrived and heard and saw what was inscribed in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds. And We send greetings to the other who visited the House of the Friend and what the Glorious One built by His power, and We counsel him to remain steadfast in this mighty Cause. And praise be to God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.” End.

Praise be to God! From the horizon of every letter shineth forth the Day-Star of God’s loving-kindness. Blessed are ye and joy be unto you! This evanescent one again conveyeth greetings to them and beseecheth from the Truth that which containeth the good of this world and the next. The Purpose Who knoweth the purpose of them that purpose and the hopes of them that hope ordaineth for whomsoever He willeth the good of the hereafter and of the former life. Verily, He is the Lord of the Throne and of the dust, and He is the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful.

As to your mention of the seal, where am I and where is this name? How can I claim to be present when I count myself as lost? It is the ocean of grace that encompasses all, and the lights of favor that shine forth and continue to shine in every moment. In any case, I beseech God—exalted be His glory—with utmost humility and supplication, that He may recompense the trouble taken by that honored master, the Most Great Name—upon him be all the most glorious glory—and your honor and Aqa Siyyid ʿAli—upon him be the glory and favor of God. It is most clear and evident that this deed has appeared solely for the love of God, otherwise where am I and where are such matters? Since it has appeared for the love of God, it must truly be placed upon the eye, and oceans upon oceans of gratitude must be expressed.

Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad Karim—upon him be the glory of God—has arrived these days and, praise be to God, has attained infinite bounties. He has heard what most of the servants were prevented from hearing, and has attained what was inscribed in God’s books and scrolls. What he had with him arrived in accordance with your letter, and he will be returning these days. This servant beseeches his Lord to protect him and aid him in what He loves and is pleased with, to make him speak in His remembrance, stand firm in His service, move by His leave, and walk upon His straight path.

And as for the kohl of jewels that was previously sent, the hands of grace passed it from hand to hand until it reached the desired land. Your honor has truly taken excessive trouble, but this kohl, while highly distinguished in name, must in practice be asked of ashes what station they occupy. Praise be to God, the letter ends in jest—this is another gift from God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of the mighty throne. Glory and praise be upon your honor, upon those with you, upon those in your household, upon every steadfast servant and every steadfast maidservant, and upon everything that has attained to the praiseworthy station.

BH00581: All praise that is sanctified above the comprehension…

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

All praise that is sanctified above the comprehension of all who dwell on earth befitteth the most holy and exalted court of the Desired One, Who was not deterred by the might of the wicked or the clamor of the evil ones in these days when the fire of tyranny and oppression blazeth on all sides. At all times doth He, with the finger of His Will, with the tongue of His Purpose, and with the motion of His Eye and Brow, summon all unto the straight path which is illumined with manifest light. He is the Peerless One Whom neither the multitudes of the idolaters, nor the gathering of the deniers, nor the abundance of the atheists could hinder.

In times of hardship He proclaimed “Verily I am God,” and in the midst of tribulation He declared “There is none like unto Me.” At all times His glance of loving-kindness hath been directed toward His loved ones. By the life of our Beloved and the Beloved of all who dwell on earth and in heaven! In times when the leaders of the earth, both rulers and divines, arose with utmost determination and power to extinguish the light, the Luminary of utterance was seen to shine more resplendent and manifest from the horizon of divine knowledge. Thus, every letter of the verses that were revealed in the latter days in the Land of Mystery and likewise on the way, doth in itself proclaim and testify.

Yet these veiled people were not worthy to hear even a whisper, much less to hearken unto the Call that was raised from the Kingdom of utterance. Exalted is the Cause of our Lord, and glorified the Word of our Desired One and the Desired One of all who dwell in the heavens and the earth!

Glory be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of existence, both seen and unseen! Through Thy Name was the seal of Thy choice sealed wine broken. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy Kingdom and the revelations of Thy Dominion, and by the effulgent rays of Thy countenance which the eyes of them that are nigh unto Thee have not beheld, and unto whose precincts the birds of inner meaning and utterance have not attained, to send down from the heaven of Thy will that which will draw Thy chosen ones nigh unto Thee. O my Lord! Ordain for them to attain unto Thy presence and to stand before the gate of Thy grace, and to hearken unto that which the Son of Imran heard on the Sinai of Thy bounty and the Sinai of Thy mercy.

O my Lord! Aid them to enter the Most Great Scene that they may witness and behold that which no mortal eye hath seen. Thou art He Whom the will of the nations cannot frustrate, nor the manifestations of the world deter. Thou ordainest for whomsoever Thou willest the good of the world to come and of this world. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all creation. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Bountiful, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

May my spirit and my soul be offered up for your steadfastness and your constancy! The servant was sitting still and silent when suddenly he was stirred as though he had found the fragrance of the garment that had been diffused aforetime. Then did one of them that circle round enter with your noble letter. I took it, broke its seal and read that which the nightingale of your loving-kindness had warbled upon the branch of faithfulness, and I beheld the waters of sincerity that flowed from the fountain of remembrance and praise. When I had drunk and heard, I betook myself to that station which cannot be described by the descriptions of the world nor mentioned by the utterances of the nations, until I entered and attained the presence of my Desired One and the Desired One of all who dwell on earth and in heaven, and I laid before His countenance that which had streamed from your pen. The Tongue of Grandeur spoke that which, were it to be cast upon the dust, would cause the realities of spirits and minds to arise therefrom until a Day that hath no end and no termination shall overtake it. Exalted be His utterance, glorified His station, and magnificent His proof! He spoke:

In My Name that speaketh from the horizon of the world

O Afnan! Upon thee be My Glory and My Loving-kindness! Thou art he who hast attained unto the warbling of the doves of My knowledge upon the branch of Mine utterance, and whom the rapture of My Call hath seized and the sweetness of My remembrance hath attracted on a Day whereon My servants and My creatures have turned away from Me, save whom God, the Lord of Lords, did will. Thou wert standing firm in My service and speaking forth My praise when intoxication had overtaken all the dwellers of the earth—to this testifieth He with Whom is the Mother Book.

We have remembered thee once in the Prison, and again in the castle built upon a mountain, and yet again in this Castle which hath quivered when moved the Pen of God, the Lord of the Day of Creation. There hath befallen you in the path of God that which befell Me from the Daysprings of misbelief and the Dawning-places of dissension. We make mention of thee and of the Most Exalted Leaf, through whose grief sorrows have encompassed Me from every direction. Verily thy Lord is He Who speaketh the truth and observeth with justice on this Day which hath been named the Day of Return. We testify that she sacrificed her spirit in the love of God, the Lord of all mankind. We have, time and again, made mention of thy mother, and at this moment when the Tongue of Glory proclaimeth: The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Lord of all Religions!

Blessed art thou, and blessed is she, and blessed is thy son whom thou didst mention in thy letter. We had made mention of him before thy mention, as attested by the Tablets of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. The Glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon her and upon those who are with thee and who love thee and hearken unto thy word concerning this Cause whereby feet have slipped.

A hundred thousand thanks unto the Goal of all existence! Each day His favor is manifest and His grace evident, to such an extent that were all who are in earth and heaven to occupy themselves forever in His praise, they would fall short. However much the people of the world may strive and advance in this station, they find themselves at the first step. At one time this exalted word was revealed from the Dayspring of Revelation and the Dawning-place of inspiration—exalted be His utterance:

“God hath ordained for His Afnan that which, were less than a needle’s eye thereof to be disclosed, would cause all beings to swoon away.”

Though at present some may be affected by grief through the deeds of the idolaters, or be touched by abasement through the actions of the transgressors, soon shall the sun of glory shine forth and make the world aware of their station.

Whatsoever groweth from the earth or descendeth from the heavens hath been and is destined for the loved ones of God, and the Afnan occupy the foremost rank in the world. It behooveth thee to beseech God to strengthen them in preserving that which hath been ordained for them by My Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Book.

Blessed are they who have attained unto the hearing of the Word and who perceive the sweetness of the utterance of the All-Merciful. Heedlessness hath so seized the world that every living soul is bewildered. How many souls have been observed whose song was raised at one hour, while at another their lamentation and wailing was heard. Are they assured by the fidelity of the world? How can this be when it declareth at all times and confesseth its transience, and showeth forth its changes and variations? The wine of vain imaginings hath so seized them that even after witnessing and understanding they are seen to be heedless. Soon shall they behold that which they have been promised. The servant beseecheth his Lord to guide them unto His path and His balance, or else to cleanse the earth from their defilement. Verily our Lord is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

As regards what you wrote concerning Aqa Mirza ʿAbdu’r-Rasul, upon him be God’s loving-kindness, his petition was at one time presented before His Presence, and a Most Holy and Most Exalted Tablet was revealed especially for him from the heaven of the favor of the Best-Beloved of the worlds and was dispatched. God willing, may he be illumined by the effulgent rays of the Sun of divine utterance and drink from the ocean of inner meanings. This servant conveys his greetings to him and beseeches God, exalted be His glory, to aid him in that which diffuseth the fragrance of eternity. Verily He hath power over all things.

And concerning what they wrote about the Aqa-Zadih, upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory of God, mentioning his expulsion and what befell him, and afterwards expressing thanks and praise—after this matter was presented, the Temple of the Throne arose, walking and speaking that which this servant is unable to mention, until He said, exalted be His grandeur:

“Blessed is My Afnan, and joy be unto him! He hath spoken that which beseemeth the Days of God, the Lord of the worlds. We beseech God to aid him, to grant him success, and to send down upon him from the heaven of His grace that which beseemeth His sovereignty, the Protector of all who are in the heavens and on earth.”

This servant and his like are assuredly powerless to mention that which floweth from the Tongue of Grandeur. The drop is incapable of describing the surging of the sea, and the shadow was not and is not worthy to enumerate the rays of the sun. All dependeth upon His grace, favor and assistance. If He willeth, we have been and are enabled to render any service, otherwise we are indeed powerless. We are God’s and unto Him do we return.

To their eminences, the revered Afnans, upon them be all the Most Glorious Glory of God, I express my nothingness and convey greetings and salutations. The letter of his eminence, the honored Aqa Siyyid M, upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory of God, reached this servant and was presented before His Presence, and wondrous and exalted Tablets were revealed. At present there is a delay in making copies. God willing, they will be sent in these days. This servant beseecheth his Lord to quicken the earth through His signs and His sweet savors. Verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer. Glory and praise and honor be upon you, upon your first and your last, your outward and your inward, and the mercy of God and His blessings.

The servant 29th of Dhi’l-Hijjih al-Haram 1301

At this moment I was present in the Most Pure and Most Luminous presence of the Two Most Great Branches—may my spirit, my being, and my essence be sacrificed for the dust of their footsteps—and likewise before the Pavilion of Infallibility I presented mention of your praise and glory. Each one expressed special mention, special praise, special greetings and salutations and glory, which this servant should convey. May my spirit be sacrificed for their favors and my being for their tenderness.

BH06839: O Zayn, upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness!…

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

O Zayn, upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness! The servant in attendance before the Throne presented thy letter and that of the noble name, upon whom be My glory. At a time when the morning breeze of inner meanings was wafting and the birds of utterance were singing with joy, all that thou hadst mentioned attained the honor of being heard. Praise be to God, He hath adorned the world with an ornament and clothed it with a garment which the possessors of hosts and ranks and of might and wealth are powerless to remove. Say: All power belongeth unto God, the Goal of the worlds, and all majesty belongeth unto God, the Object of worship of all in the heavens and the earth.

These earthly manifestations are not and have never been worthy of mention. Say: These birds of the wilderness have another drinking-place and another station. Who is able to extinguish what God hath kindled with His white hand, and who can put out what the hand of thy Lord’s power, the Strong, the Dominant, the Mighty, hath set ablaze? The hand of power hath extinguished the fire of sedition. Verily, He is the One Who doeth what He willeth through His word “Be” and it is. Say: The mountain of the steadfastness of My chosen ones is not shaken by the winds of the world nor by the tempests of the nations.

Glory be to God! What hath possessed these people that they should imprison the friends of God and cast them into dungeons? Thou hast seen that Name of God. By My life! He desired naught save righteousness and prosperity from God, glorified be His majesty, and at all times he would beseech God, glorified be His majesty, for bounty, mercy, loving-kindness and compassion for all the peoples of the world. Naught but good was mentioned by him. Nevertheless, there befell him what befell him.

Likewise with the friends of God, ʿAli-Qabli-Akbar, upon whom be My glory—although he spoke with utmost truthfulness, it proved of no avail. They presented proofs and evidences. We were with them when they spoke the truth. Although one of the friends of God spoke somewhat unwisely, yet God forgave him as a grace from His presence.

And We make mention in this station of Abu’l-Fadl who hath been imprisoned for My name. Say: Be not grieved, for the day is approaching when the faithful will behold the daystar of justice shining in its full splendor from the dayspring of glory. Thus doth the Lord of all beings inform thee from His mighty prison.

As to what thou hadst mentioned regarding consultation, We have verily made it a ladder of ascent unto the heaven of success and salvation. Well is it with them that take hold thereof and preserve its station. Man’s ascent to the heaven of wellbeing and safety is indeed dependent upon the ladder of consultation. God willing, may the people of God hold fast unto it in all conditions.

O thou who hast attained unto My presence! The immoderation of some in the early days of the Cause was like violent and destructive tempests that uprooted the saplings of assurance and hope. Thus did the government turn away and the people become agitated, for they were heedless of the divine purpose and commandments and acted according to their own desires. Although the morning breeze of revelation was wafting and He Who conversed on Sinai was speaking, yet none witnessed from them any deed befitting the divine days. For this reason did the life of the oppressor gain extension until these days. Every person of insight beareth witness to what hath been mentioned.

O Zein! The clouds of oppression have veiled the moons of justice and prevented their light from shining forth, and the greatest veil has come between the Sun of Justice and the world. The cause and origin of this oppression have been and are the divines. They are the mighty veil and the dense cloud. Hearken unto that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’an:

“They have exchanged the favor of God for disbelief, and caused their people to dwell in the abode of perdition.”

Today, that which will cause the exaltation of the Word and the spread of the Divine Cause is the sanctification of the hearts of His loved ones from rancor and hatred and from whatsoever is unacceptable in God’s sight. I swear by the lights of the Sun of inner meanings that such souls have been and are under the glance of His favor. Their Helper and Succourer is God, exalted be His glory. The oppressor shall be in loss, and the oppressed shall triumph. How excellent was that which was spoken aforetime:

“Thine eyes are closed in slumber while the wronged one remaineth sleepless, Calling out against thee, and God’s eye slumbereth not.”

Today, pay no heed to outward powers. That which thou seest shall perish, but that which My Most Exalted Pen hath spoken unto thee shall endure. In this Revelation, God hath not and will not grant respite to the oppressor, and if any soul remaineth for numbered days, this is in accordance with the requirements of consummate wisdom. This is another matter. Thy Lord is, verily, the Mighty, the All-Conquering, the Powerful.

In all matters be vigilant regarding the Cause. In the darkness of oppression, be as a brilliant star, and in the midst of turmoil, be at peace through the Name of God. Take counsel together in matters, placing your trust in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Blessed art thou, O Zein, for having remembered My Name, the Wronged One, the Imprisoned, and for having mentioned it with glory in thy letter. He will surely reward thee with the best of rewards. Verily, He doth not suffer the recompense of the sincere to be lost.

As to what thou didst mention regarding My handmaiden and My leaf, We send her Our greetings from this exalted spot. Give her the glad-tidings of My remembrance of her, that she may thank her Lord, the Forgiving, the Generous.

Concerning what thou didst write about the sale of property, there is no objection. What is essential today is to hold fast to and engage in matters that will cause the elevation of the Cause. God will soon expand your sustenance and send down upon you a blessing from the heaven of His bounty. He, verily, hath power over all things. The selling of property for the purpose of acquiring another house is acceptable before the Face, and God, exalted be His glory, in all conditions hath regard for what is beneficial for His loved ones.

We make mention in this place of thy son Abdul-Husayn, that this may be a treasure for him in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds. Every mention that hath flowed from My Most Exalted Pen shall never be exhausted, and shall endure as long as My Most Beautiful Names endure. To this testifieth every discerning one who is endued with insight.

And We make mention of thy other son who hath been named Hasan. O Hasan! Be excellent even as God hath shown excellence unto thee. Then rejoice in His wondrous remembrance of thee. Verily, He hath remembered thee in the Most Great Prison with that which nothing can equal, if thou be of them that understand. Seize upon the remembrance of God and His loving-kindness, and be thou of the thankful.

And We make mention of Muhammad-Qabli-ʿAli and counsel him with that which will exalt his station among the servants and establish his remembrance in the Book of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Thus have We illumined the horizon of thy heart with the Sun of My wise remembrance. Be thou thankful to God for this great bounty.

O Habib! The Best-Beloved remembereth thee from the prison quarter, while speaking with manifest sovereignty. The conditions of the world cannot frustrate Him, nor the hosts of nations, nor the might of the oppressors. He calleth out with the most exalted call betwixt earth and heaven, and summoneth all to His straight path. He seeth the oppressors but as moths fluttering in the air. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken from His exalted station.

As to what thou hast mentioned concerning the trustees, all of it hath been accepted in the Most Holy Court, and its decree hath previously been issued from the Most Exalted Pen. However, their appointment in the visible world is contingent upon its time. Every matter, when its hour cometh, God shall manifest it in truth. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

Had We previously designated someone specifically and adorned him with the distinction of appointment, there would assuredly have befallen him that which would have grieved the Concourse of the Near Ones and the Supreme Concourse. However, after the extinction of the kindled fire and its subsidence, let the Council of Consultation designate them in utmost joy and fragrance. In that Council, let them hold fast unto whatsoever conduceth to exaltation, elevation, dignity, composure, goodly deeds, spiritual qualities, words of counsel, and the reformation of heedless souls, according to the requirements of the days, until God shall come with His command. Verily, He hath power over all things. At present, it is more expedient that these souls be confirmed by the signature of the friends in that land, for if the people of hatred and iniquity—that is, the divines of the age—were to become aware of those souls who have been designated by God, they would assuredly harass the princes and ministers with a hundred thousand lies, deceptions, and schemes, and would besmirch matters that are sanctified from the world and its affairs with the clay of their own suspicions and imaginings, presenting them before their presence. Verily, thy Lord speaketh the truth and guideth to the way. He is the Ruler, the Commander, the Holy, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

And at the end of the Book, We make mention of thee with another mention, that thou mayest rejoice in God’s bounty, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. We have answered thee and decreed for thee what thou didst desire, and We ask God to forgive that for which thou didst seek forgiveness. Verily, He is the All-Merciful from before and after, and He is the Forgiving, the Generous. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of thy Lord’s loving-kindness be upon thee and upon thy family and upon those who have attained unto this manifest Cause.

BH00722: The essence of praise and the jewel of glorification…

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

The essence of praise and the jewel of glorification befit the tracing of the Most Exalted Pen, which was not prevented from its call by the clamor of the divines nor the rattling chains of the composers. At all times it moved in the arena of wisdom and utterance in such wise that all the worlds of the unseen, by that movement, turned toward the Friend. Now it is hidden, but God shall soon make it manifest through His justice. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. This movement shall not be seized by stillness, nor shall this call be followed by silence. Blessed are they who have attained unto the hearing thereof. These are the people of Baha and the companions of the Crimson Ark, whose mention God hath revealed in the Qayyumu’l-Asma. There is none other God but He, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the Mighty.

Glory be unto Thee, O Thou at Whose mention all mention boweth down, and at Whose light’s dawning all lights humble themselves. I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou didst subdue all things and didst open the cities of the Kingdom of Names, to assist Thy servants in Thy remembrance and praise, and to enable them to act according to what Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. O Lord! This is Thy Day which Thou hast preferred above all other days and hast mentioned in the Books, the Psalms, and the Tablets. I beseech Thee by it and by what beseemeth it to send down from the heaven of Thy Will upon Thy servants that which will draw them nigh unto Thee, make them recognize Thy path, cause them to hear Thy verses, and teach them what Thou hast revealed in Thy Book.

Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth. Nothing can frustrate Thee, nor can any matter prevent Thee. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty. O Lord! Send Thy blessings upon Thy chosen ones and Thy loved ones who were not deterred by the might of the oppressors from turning to Thee, nor were they frightened by the pharaohs from facing toward Thy direction. Thou doest what Thou willest through Thy power and decreest what Thou desirest. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

The petition of that dear one was presented by this servant in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court, and was graced with hearing.

Concerning what thou didst ask about the earth and what the wise have said about it: in truth these matters have not yet been fully discovered. This is the truth, and beyond it is naught but error. However, the philosophers of this age, having received a portion of the light of this Manifestation, are more knowledgeable than those who came before. They have not yet fully discovered the number of planets; soon it shall be revealed and added to the previous count. This science is a fathomless ocean. Each fixed star has its planets, and each planet is a world among the worlds of thy Lord. Who can count the hosts of thy Lord therein, or the creations of His servants therein?

The spirituality of Jesus adorned the world of the Gospel, yet its people are heedless, walking in the wilderness of error and sleeping on the couch of negligence. They have not awakened from the trumpet blast, nor have they risen from the graves of their desires. Soon shall they witness the recompense of their deeds. Verily, thy Lord is the Just, the Wise.

As to thy question concerning the spirit and its movement, know thou that pure and sanctified spirits, detached from earthly conditions, have been and ever shall be the educators of the world of being. By the Life of God! After their ascension, they exercise supreme influence and power. They have ever been, and shall remain, all-encompassing and supreme. This station hath ever been guarded and preserved, sealed with the Seal of Divine protection, and treasured in the vault of infallibility. The tongue faileth to describe it, and minds and hearts fall short of comprehending it. The first interpreter, enthroned at the head of creation, is the tongue itself, which hath repeatedly confessed its powerlessness. What hath been mentioned regarding this station hath been solely through Divine grace and favor. Let this much be clear and evident: that pure and sanctified spirits who ascend from this world in the light of detachment are mighty causes for the education of the world and the appearance of crafts and wisdom.

In the first rank, the purpose of sending Messengers and revealing Books hath been this: the purification of souls, the refinement of spirits, and their sanctification and detachment. Blessed are they who today have attained unto the rustling of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing and have perceived the fragrance of His garment.

O friends! This is the day of pure deeds, the day of mention and praise. Strive ye that ye may attain unto that which shall cause the fragrance of being to be forever inhaled throughout all kingdoms. Say: Take ye the Book of God with the power that proceedeth from Him, then observe that which ye have been commanded therein. He, verily, is the Commander, the All-Wise.

As to what thou hast mentioned regarding business and transactions, these matters have been made dependent in the Book of God upon consultation. Let them consult with faithful and upright souls concerning their business dealings and the like, and whatsoever is decided, let them act upon it, placing their trust in God. This is God’s decree and His command. Blessed is he who heareth and acteth, and woe unto the heedless.

As to what thou hast mentioned regarding the Huququ’llah, this pertaineth exclusively to God, exalted be His glory. It must be sent to the Holy Court. The matter is in His hands. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. Since thou hast inquired, this answer hath been sent down from the heaven of bounty. This matter is obligatory upon all, and the honor of all lieth in its payment, for it is the cause of the purification of one’s possessions and the source of blessing and increase in bounty. Until now, people have been heedless of this matter. They strive to amass wealth, whether lawfully or unlawfully, to leave it for heirs whose fruit is unknown. Say: Today the Word of God is the heir, for the purpose of an heir hath been the preservation of name and trace, and it is evident that centuries and ages shall obliterate these remembrances. However, every word that hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen concerning any soul shall endure throughout the kingdoms of earth and heaven. This is the supreme bounty and the greatest favor. Let him who wisheth act accordingly, and let him who wisheth turn away.

Mention has been made of turning towards the prison. After the fire of oppression was kindled in the land of Ta, this land too was somewhat disturbed. False rumors arose. Therefore, wisdom dictated a pause. If they gradually turn, holding fast to wisdom, there is no harm. Acknowledgment is not permissible in any place. Trusting in God, let one or two set forth. In all conditions they must not let go of wisdom until the clamor from that land subsides. They must not change those practices which they have previously followed, as a wisdom from God, the Lord of the worlds. Today the gaze of all must be fixed solely upon the Most Exalted Horizon. Whatsoever He commands, that is the decree of God amongst His servants. To this testifies He Who speaks: verily there is none other God but Him, the Single, the All-Informed.

We convey greetings to the friends and enjoin upon them that whereby the Cause is exalted, namely deeds and character that cause the elevation and advancement of the Word of God among His servants. The glory shining from the heaven of My grace be upon thee and upon My loved ones who have turned with their hearts unto God, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Best-Beloved.

We convey greetings to the handmaidens of that land and give them the glad-tidings of the favors of God, exalted be His glory. All must, with utmost sanctity and detachment, be engaged in the remembrance of God throughout the days and nights. Every handmaiden of God who today attains unto hearing and is enabled to respond—she is recorded and inscribed among the leaves of the most exalted Paradise in the Book of Names. Rejoice, O handmaidens of God! Blessed are ye and joy be unto you! How many a man hath been debarred from the Truth, and how many a woman hath turned unto and attained recognition of God, the Most High, the Great. Praise ye the Best-Beloved of the worlds, Who hath chosen you from among all handmaidens and adorned you with the ornament of His own recognition. The glory shining from the horizon of My grace be upon you and upon those who have attained unto this glorious, mighty station.

BH01377: Praise be to God Who hath spoken that whereby…

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

Praise be to God Who hath spoken that whereby all things were attracted, and through Whom His path and His balance were made manifest, and whatsoever was recorded in the Books, the Scriptures, the Psalms and the Tablets. He, verily, is the Cleaver of the daybreak and the Sender of winds. There is none other God but Him, the One, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the Unconstrained. And may blessings and peace, shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of His grace, rest upon His loved ones and His chosen ones who have cast aside the ways of the world, holding fast to His straight path. These are servants unto whom God’s Book hath testified, both before and after, and the tongue of the All-Merciful hath spoken their praise in the Qur’an:

“They speak not until He hath spoken, and they do His bidding.”

Glory be unto Thee, O God of Names and Creator of heaven! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the pearls of utterance appeared and the fountain of Thy knowledge flowed amidst Thy creatures, to ordain for Thy loved ones, by Thy Most Exalted Pen, that which will draw them nigh unto Thee. Thou art He Who hath ever been, in the heights of bounty, mercy, loving-kindness and beneficence, and will ever continue to be even as Thou hast been from all eternity. There is none other God but Thee, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

My spirit be a sacrifice unto your remembrance! Your letter arrived and from its horizon shone forth the light of recognition. When I opened and read it, I found the fragrance of your words in the mention of our Lord, the All-Merciful. Then was I taken up until I entered the Most Exalted Paradise, the Station whereon the Ancient Beauty was established upon the throne of His Most Glorious Name. When I presented what was therein before His Countenance, the Ancient Lord turned toward me and spoke that which caused the ocean of knowledge to surge in creation and the light of recognition to shine from the heaven of proof. He said, exalted be His majesty and mighty be His utterance:

“O Zein! Blessed art thou that My Most Exalted Pen hath moved to make mention of thee morning and evening. By My life! The glances of My favor are directed toward thee and the showers of My loving-kindness are raining upon thee. Blessed be thine ear, for it hath heard My sweetest call in the earliest days; and blessed be thine eye, for it hath beheld My most exalted horizon; and blessed be thy heart, for it hath turned toward the Dayspring of My most beautiful Names; and blessed be thy hand, for it hath taken hold of My Book; and blessed be thy tongue, for it hath spoken My praise and glorification.” Thus doth the Lord of the worlds make mention of thee in the Most Great Prison with that which diffuseth the fragrance of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of all worlds.

The portion of that honored one from the treasury of the grace of God, exalted be His glory, hath been and is beyond measure. Thou hast partaken of one ocean of supreme bounty, one city of greatest favor, and one world of praise and glorification. No tongue is capable of uttering “well done,” nay rather, the Kingdom of utterance is needed to speak forth “well done and blessed be it,” inasmuch as the station of the manifestation of grace from the direction of Truth is such that this evanescent servant and his like are powerless and fall short of describing it. Exalted be His generosity, exalted be His bounty, and exalted be His loving-kindness and mercy!

When Jinab-i-Safar-ʿAli (upon him be 96) attained the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court, they promised that a Tablet would be specially revealed and sent for him. This time it was sent. I beseech God to assist him and all servants in that which is the good of all. It is most regrettable that lives should be wasted and pass fruitlessly. It is hoped that God, exalted be His glory, will make all aware and deliver them from this heedlessness, for had we not been heedless, cities opened in the name of Truth and wherein His mention was raised would not have fallen into the hands of the idolaters and enemies of the manifest religion. This is truth, there is no doubt therein.

Now must the sincere ones and the pure in heart, with utmost lowliness, beseech God, exalted be His glory, for the protection of the radiant Faith. The recompense of deeds is evident and manifest at all times, but where is the soul who will take heed, and where is the one who will be awakened? The sleep of heedlessness and the intoxication of pride have seized all and cast them like uprooted stones upon the earth.

Praise be to God that the blessed month of fasting became a cause of joy and gladness, though its end brought endless sorrow. Through divine confirmations and heavenly assistance, deeds were manifest according to our capacity, but it is difficult for such minor acts to efface or compensate for major transgressions. In any case, we seek forgiveness through goodly character and praiseworthy deeds—how much more so without them! Never have the deeds of a servant been worthy of the court of the Lord, unless His grace should take hold and His favor should assist.

BH01512: Praise be to the Adored One Who, in every…

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

Praise be to the Adored One Who, in every age and century, nay rather in every year and month, even in every hour and minute, awakens His servants through signs, tokens and allusions. As is evident, at every moment He appears in a new guise, and in every instant a new matter becomes manifest and an event occurs. Exalted is the All-Merciful Who sent down the Criterion unto them while they were in doubt concerning a new creation. Some are awakened and become aware of divine intentions, their awareness increasing, while others grow more heedless. In these days, were one to find hearing, every created thing would inform man of the mighty events and grievous trials which are the consequences of deeds, and would, in most eloquent language, make him aware. How many a stone hath melted from the fear of God, and how many a servant laugheth and playeth until chastisement seizeth him from every direction. And peace and blessings be upon the Point of Existence and the Manifestation of the Adored One, through Whom the world was glorified, and upon His family and companions who broke not God’s Covenant and His testament, and who sacrificed themselves in His path for the exaltation of His Cause and the manifestation of His sovereignty.

Thereafter, it is submitted that the beloved of the heart, his honor Muhammad Mustafa, upon him be the Glory of God, mentioned you, and likewise forwarded the letter you had sent to this evanescent one. Praise be to God, it indicated your honor’s love. We beseech God to assist and enable your honor in all conditions. After perusing the letter, it was submitted to His presence, and He commanded that your departure is necessary, and the sooner you hasten, the more advisable it would be, for in these parts the weather is unsettled and there are many people. Therefore, the sooner you proceed to the direction of the physician, upon him be His glory, the more beloved it is and has been. Be not grieved at not attaining His presence, for you have previously attained it many times. God willing, may you ever remain under the glances of God’s favor and be enabled to do that which He loveth and approveth. Say: Make resolution thy right hand, and prudence thy left hand, and reliance upon God the crown of thy head, and wisdom before thy face, then journey forth. This is nearer unto righteousness.

We have sent unto the physician, upon him be the Glory of God and His loving-kindness, that from which every seeker hath found the fragrance of his Beloved’s garment, and every pursuer the sweet scent of his Goal. Ask God to assist him to serve His Cause and to remain steadfast in that whereby the feet of the servants have slipped, save those whom God hath willed, the Lord of the worlds. We send Our prayers and glorification upon him who hath loved Me and turned unto My face, and upon thee, and upon those who have fulfilled their covenant and acted according to what they were commanded in the Book of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

God willing, your honor will proceed, trusting in God and committing all affairs unto Him. Convey my utter servitude and nothingness to the beloved of the soul, the honored physician, upon him be the Glory of God and His loving-kindness, and likewise to his honor the imprisoned one, upon him be the Glory of God, and to Muhammad Surur Effendi and others, upon them be the Glory of God. God willing, may all be engaged in His praise and mention, purely for the sake of God. These are days wherein a thousand sorrows appear at every moment, all being the results of deeds and actions. Matters have reached such a pass that the Islamic nation, which was the most powerful, greatest, most perfect and most rightful of all nations, has manifested such weakness that every person of conscience, every person of fairness, and every person of heart lamenteth over it. Verily, sighs ascend and tears descend, but most of the people are in evident delusion. They have not yet awakened and have not perceived the cause and reason for the afflictions. This evanescent non-existence beseecheth the True One, exalted be His glory, to enable us all. Verily, He is powerful over what He willeth. Peace and glory be upon your honor and upon God’s sincere servants.

BH02144: Praise sanctified above hearts and minds befitteth the King…

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

Praise sanctified above hearts and minds befitteth the King of Kings Who, through the waves of the ocean of utterance, caused the world of contingent being to acknowledge His oneness and become aware of His singleness. Exalted be His generosity, exalted be His grace, and glorified be His loving-kindness, His greatness and His favors. And blessings and peace be upon the Lord of the world and Sovereign of nations, through Whose advent heaven was honored and through Whose manifestation the kingdom of creation was adorned, and upon His family and companions whom God made the lamps of the cities of His knowledge, the lights of His dominions, and the stars of His heaven, and through whom He caused His religion to flourish and His Cause to be made manifest among His servants and creatures.

And further: your illustrious letter arrived swifter than lightning and brought fresh joy, for indeed heart guides unto heart. When you intended to write that love-inspiring letter, the heart here was expectant, ready and waiting. The swiftness of lightning in this regard is very slow and its feet quite lame. I beseech and implore God, exalted be His glory, not to deprive the world of this gift, that all may gather on one plane and become citizens of one homeland. In truth, were humanity to be blessed with the education of the true Educator, most of these visible means would be observed to be fruitless. But now it remains treasured in the stronghold of infallibility and hidden from all save whom God willeth.

As to the mention made of his honor the Afnan, upon him be from all nine [Glory] most glorious, and his honor Aqa Ahmad, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah], praise be to God the glad tidings of their well-being brought complete joy. This servant too extends his greetings and begs confirmation for them, yearns for their presence, beseeches their reunion, seeks their company, desires to be in their presence. Prayer is from the servant, acceptance from God—verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer.

And regarding the rice, his honor the Shaykh, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah], submitted his petition to the Most Holy Court and a most impregnable Tablet was sent especially for him, and this servant also mentioned something to him and as commanded mentioned the rice as well, and now too upon receipt it will be sent—do send it. And as for the writings, after submission They said it was not and is not advisable, rather even being in Beirut with writings is contrary to wisdom unless they keep them concealed and preserved in a firm, secure place, that is, in Beirut. End.

I beseech God to adorn the world with the ornament of trustworthiness and grant truthfulness and sincerity, that the properties of the servants may remain protected from the transgressions of the treacherous and the thieves, so that there may remain no need for concealment and hiding. He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

Two new packets arrived. God willing their reply will be sent. I extend greetings and nothingness to all the friends and masters. Peace be upon you and the mercy of God.

BH02374: Today all things are speaking this most exalted Word…

He is God, exalted be His station, the Most Great, the Most Powerful

Today all things are speaking this most exalted Word:

“He Who was promised in the Books of God and mentioned in the hearts of the Messengers hath come.”

O My Afnan! Today the Eternal God speaketh. All the near ones, the sincere ones, the chosen ones and the favored ones have given glad tidings of this Most Great Revelation and have made mention of the trials and tribulations that would come to pass, even unto the prison of ʿAkka. Blessed is the soul that hath arisen to serve and is engaged in such deeds and character as befit the Day of God. This Wronged One seeketh helpers, and helpers are deeds from which the fragrance of God can be inhaled. Verily doth the Glory of God forbid all from following their desires and command them to fear God, the Lord of all creation.

In one of the Tablets this most exalted Word was revealed: All the Prophets and chosen ones were commanded by God, exalted be His glory, to water the trees of human existence with the living waters of refinement and wisdom, that there might appear from all that which God hath deposited within man. Every tree hath its fruit, as is plainly evident. The purpose of all they have spoken and taught was, in one respect, the preservation of human dignity and station. Blessed is the soul that in the Day of God hath held fast unto the divine principles and hath not deviated from the true Law. The fruits of the tree of existence which are attributed to God, glorified be He, have been and are trustworthiness, religiousness, truthfulness and sincerity. And the greatest of all, after recognition of the unity of the Lord, exalted and glorified be He, is regard for the rights of one’s parents. This matter hath been mentioned in all the heavenly Books and recorded by the Most Exalted Pen. Consider what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’an:

“Worship God and join not any partners with Him, and show kindness unto parents.”

Observe how association with parents is linked with the recognition of the one true God. Blessed is every wise mystic who witnesseth and seeth and readeth and recognizeth and acteth according to that which God hath revealed in the Books and in this mighty Tablet.

Praise be to God that thou hast recognized that of which the peoples of the world, of whatever kind, are deprived. That which the Most Exalted Pen now commandeth thee is to make thy father pleased with thee, for the good pleasure of God, exalted be His glory, dependeth on this. We have, through Our special favor, acquainted thee with this matter. Act according to that which thou hast been commanded and be of the thankful ones. He will assuredly reward thee for thy deeds, purely for the sake of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The Glory be upon thee and upon My Afnan and upon those who are with thee and have believed in the One, the All-Informed.

BH02591: Ziyarat-Namiy-i-Awliya (Vahid)

For his holiness Vahid hath this been revealed, he who beheld the Countenance of God, the All-Glorious, the Almighty, and who in His path sacrificed himself, arose to serve His Cause and quaffed his fill of the draught of certitude from the Hand of his Lord, the Munificent.

He is supreme over His Cause and powerful over His creation

The first wave of exaltation from the ocean of grace of thy Lord, the Compassionate, be upon thee [Vahid] who art the essence of the Qur’an and possessor of the mysteries of the Bayan.

I testify that thou drank of the choice wine of His Revelation from the hand of His favor and grace, and attained the presence of Him Who was the Promised One in all the sacred Books, Scriptures and Tablets. Thou didst hearken unto the divine Call when raised and perceived its manifestation above the Exalted horizon on a Day when all the dwellers of the mortal kingdom rejected the Creator of the heavens. Thou hast, moreover, discerned the Most Great Announcement and inhaled the fragrance of the garment of the Lord of Days.

I testify that thou rendered victorious the Faith of God and His Cause through thy pen, thy tongue and thy hand until thou didst surrender thy life in His path and quaffed from the Kawthar (heavenly fountain) of self-renunciation in His name and in His love. Thou wast intoxicated from the spring of His Recognition and hath soared with the wings of certitude in the heaven of the murmur of thy God, the Lord of Grandeur. Over thy sufferings have all the atoms of the earth cried and the eye of creation wept.

I testify that because of thee all the treasures of earth appeared and all the pearls of sea were revealed. Through thee, the pinnacle of understanding was adorned with the crown of revelation. Thou art the one who accepted the choice sealed wine in the presence of all and drank thy fill in the Name of thy Lord, the Ancient of Days.

May the resplendent glory which hath dawned from the horizon of divine grace, and effulgent light from the heaven of sanctified justice, rest upon thee and upon those who have assisted thee. For they accepted the One that thou had accepted and repudiated those who had risen against thee. With thee and under thy shadow, they rendered the Cause victorious, having beheld thee and circled around thee.

O God, my God, creator of me and of the heavens, I beseech Thee by the pearls of the ocean of Thy Oneness, by the mysteries of Thy Book, and by lamentation of Thy loved ones in their separation from Thee, and by the tears of the pure ones on their remoteness from Thee, I invoke thee, O Thou Lord of indomitable Strength, by this sacred Tomb and by this exalted Shrine [Vahid’s], to forgive me and my father, and all those who for Thy sake have approach these sacred remains, and all those who have come and will come on pilgrimage to this spot.

O my God, I beseech Thee by him [Vahid] and those who have suffered martyrdom in Thy path to grant me and to those who remain faithful in Thy Covenant, the necessities of life. Thou art the All-knowing, the All-wise, Sovereign of creation.

BH02694: God beareth witness that there is none other God…

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

God beareth witness that there is none other God but Him, and that He Who hath come is verily the Dawning-Place of Revelation, the Manifestation of His Cause, and the Dayspring of God’s commandments, the Lord of all worlds. Whoso turneth unto Him hath turned unto the Object of all desire, and whoso turneth away is accounted among the most lost in the perspicuous Book. This is the Day whereon all things proclaim: There is none other God but Him, the Single, the All-Informed. This is the Day whereon the Balance hath been established and God’s straight Path made manifest. Blessed is he who hath turned toward Him and faced the Most Exalted Horizon, the station wherein the Lord of Names proclaimeth: There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

The Wronged One hath heard thy mention and witnessed thy turning unto Him. He maketh mention of thee with that which shall never cease to diffuse its fragrance throughout the eternity of God’s most excellent names and supreme attributes. To this beareth witness the Lord of all beings in this wondrous Tablet. Remind the people and bring them the glad-tidings of this announcement which the Books of God, the Mighty, the Beautiful, have testified unto. Say: O concourse of divines! By God, the ocean of knowledge hath surged and the Sun of utterance hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of your Lord’s will, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Take heed lest worldly leadership debar you from the Lord of Names. Cast away what ye possess and take hold of that which hath been given unto you from the Ancient Dispenser. Beware lest this world beguile you away from the Lord of the Throne and of the dust. Soon shall all that ye behold today perish, and sovereignty shall remain with God, your Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

Counsel all as We counseled them before, that there may appear from the earth what God hath desired. He is verily the Helper, the Gracious. Blessed is he who hath heard the Call and answered his Lord, and woe unto every heedless one far removed. O thou who gazeth toward the Most Exalted Horizon! The deniers have wished to extinguish God’s light through their oppression and their turning away. Say: Fie upon you! His Cause shall be made manifest as He pleaseth, despite you, O company of unbelievers! Be thou vocal in thy Lord’s remembrance and steadfast in service to His Cause. He shall aid thee even as He aided His servants aforetime. In His grasp are all who dwell in the kingdom of creation and command. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

Convey My greetings unto My loved ones there who have held fast unto the Sure Handle and clung to the hem of the mercy of their Lord, the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. The glory shining forth from the horizon of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon those with thee and upon them that have acted according to that which they were commanded by One mighty, powerful and ancient.

BH02931: Today from the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree…

In the name of the Compassionate, the Merciful!

Today from the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree is heard, in the highest degree, this most exalted Word: “Look not upon the creatures and their clamor, but rather to the Truth and His sovereignty.” The Most Exalted Pen declares: “Soon shall pass away all that thou dost witness and behold, and God shall spread another carpet.”

God willing, may that soul be enkindled by the fire of the Lote-Tree—an enkindlement through whose effect the warmth of the love of God may be generated in the heart of the world and may he be illumined with the light of the Cause in such wise that its traces become manifest and evident in all directions.

These days are adorned and blessed with the ornament of divine relationship and are known in the heavenly Books and Scriptures as the Day of God—no centuries or ages can equal a single moment of this blessed Day. Praise be to God, the special favor of God—exalted be His glory—hath been vouchsafed and that soul is numbered among the Afnan of the Divine Lote-Tree. Be thou thankful unto thy Lord for this great bounty.

In all conditions fix thy gaze upon the Most Sublime Horizon and act in such manner that thy fragrance may never be cut off, by virtue of the continuance of God’s most excellent names and most exalted attributes. All matters and all things return to extinction. That which is everlasting and enduring has been and shall ever be the Word of God. No traces and no names have remained nor shall remain. Whoso is blessed today with the blessed word of divine good-pleasure from the presence of God hath attained unto all good, and this word is like unto a treasure in the keeping of a true trustee—the hands of thieves and traitors cannot reach it.

Thus have We adorned the heaven of the Tablet with the stars of utterance, as a bounty unto thee. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Generous.

Say: O my God, and my Master, and my Hope! I beseech Thee by Thy rising up to promote the Cause, and by Thy being seated upon the throne of divine exposition, and by what hath befallen Thee at the hands of the Pharaohs of the earth and the tyrants of the lands, to aid me in that which beseemeth Thy days. O my Lord! I have turned with my whole being to the horizon of Thy grace and bounty. I beseech Thee to assist me in Thy remembrance and praise and service to Thy Cause in such wise that the vain imaginings of Thy servants may not hinder me. Verily Thou art powerful to do what Thou willest and in Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth. Praise be to Thee, O God of the worlds!

BH02957: As commanded, deliver from the land of Kha…

As commanded, deliver from the land of Kha the sum of fifty tumans to the honoured Dhabih of the land of K, and the sooner it arrives, the more pleasing it will be in the sight of the Best-Beloved. Likewise, send the sum of one hundred and thirty-three tumans and eight thousand to His Holiness Ismu’llah Jamal—upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory and all the Most Resplendent Light—to be delivered to the heirs of the late Ustad Ahmad who ascended to the Most Exalted Horizon while in prison. Obtain a receipt and forward it to the Most Holy Court.

They have decreed that in these days special consideration must be shown to the people of Sad, namely those souls who have been afflicted with all manner of tribulations in the path of God. Blessed are they, blessed are they, for they have borne hardships and have become intoxicated with the wine of steadfastness to such degree that neither the censure of the censurers nor the oppression of the tyrants could deter them in the Cause of God.

In one of the blessed Tablets specifically revealed for the loved ones of the land of Ta—those souls who were imprisoned for the sake of God and drank from the cup of tribulation—verses were revealed whose purport is this: Since ye have taken the cup of tribulation in the path of the Lord of Names and have drunk therefrom, now drink of the pure wine which floweth from the Fountainhead of the Supreme Pen. Blessed are ye for having attained this supreme bounty and for having been afflicted by the tyranny of the peoples in the path of the Beloved of the world. Since ye have drunk from the ocean of sorrows, now drink, by leave of the Lord of Revelation, from the ocean of joy.

For God Himself maketh mention of you in words that cannot be equaled by all that is in the heavens and on earth. Consider the world as a book, for all matters are recorded and inscribed in its outward form. Should anyone observe but a single page thereof, grief would never overtake him; rather, he would find joy and gladness circling round about him. In any case, all must today fix their gaze upon the horizon of the tender mercies of the All-Merciful with perfect certainty and assurance. Blessed is the soul whom the loss of all things deterreth not from that whereunto he was created. Verily, He Who hath given will give again, for He is the All-Powerful, the All-Bountiful.

On one occasion He said to this servant: Observe how We transformed those two holy souls when they presented themselves in the land of Zawra, adorning them with a new raiment. The eternal bounty and manifest blessing rained down upon them from the heaven of divine Will like a copious rain. After their return to the land of Sad, two petitions from them reached the Most Holy Court wherein they had beseeched this very station which they attained. Praise be to God that through divine grace and His all-embracing, all-encompassing mercy they attained to such a station that the tongues of the Concourse on High are moved to their mention and praise. This is now cause for gratitude to the discerning, occasion for remembrance to them that remember, and ground for praise to them that are endowed with understanding. Life was granted, bounty was granted, station was granted, blessing was granted—by the life of God, that was granted which cannot be comprehended through mention and utterance. And in their final days they attained to that which their hearts desired. All must behold the divine bounties vouchsafed unto themselves and others, and act in accordance with that which hath been commanded in the Book.

He is the Giver, He is the Powerful, He is the Bestower. Doth not the Kingdom belong to Him? Doth He not hold within His grasp the reins of all existence? Every created thing beareth witness to His sovereignty, His grandeur, His might and His power. He, verily, is the All-Conquering, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH02991: Your petition hath reached the Most Holy Court…

In the name of the Sun of Truth!

Your petition hath reached the Most Holy Court and the servant in attendance submitted all of it.

Blessed are those souls who in this Day have not been content with mere words, but have arisen to do that which beseemeth the days of God. No garment hath been or is more excellent for the temple of man than goodly character, and no crown better than the fear of God. This is the first ornament, whose radiance illumineth and brighteneth the human world.

Say: O friends! Hold fast unto that which is beloved in the sight of God. The Most Exalted Pen hath desired naught for itself, and whatsoever hath flowed and continues to flow from it hath been for the good of the servants. The souls mentioned have each attained the grace of God and their mention hath flowed from the Tongue of Grandeur. Blessed are they and joy be unto them.

All must today, with the utmost lowliness and supplication, seek steadfastness, for the clamor is raised high, the traitor follows behind, the thief lies in ambush, and the ungodly watch from their lookouts. Beseech ye God that He may protect all and shelter them in His mighty and impregnable fortress.

We send greetings to the handmaidens of God in that land and give them the glad-tidings of the grace and mercy of God, exalted be His glory. We beseech God that He may aid them to do that which is befitting, that they may, in utmost sanctity and detachment, engage in the remembrance of the Goal of all the worlds and attain the fruit of existence.

We convey Our greetings to the mother of the sanctuary and give her the glad-tidings of the favors of the Lord of Names and Attributes, and likewise to the handmaidens who are in mind. Blessed is he who remembereth her and assisteth her purely for the sake of God.

Blessed are the souls who have been and are in mind and who dwell beneath the shade of the Tree of Providence. The requirements of consummate wisdom have concealed their mention. By My life! Theirs is a goodly return.

The Glory be upon thee and upon My friends and loved ones and My male and female servants and upon those whom the clamor hath not prevented from the Lord of all beings in this […] the Mighty, the Wondrous.

BH03057: He is God, exalted be His station, the Greatness…

He is God, exalted be His station, the Greatness and the Power! Praise be to God Who hath revealed that which was hidden and manifested the Name that was supreme over all names—Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the realm of creation. Through him did God exalt His religion, reveal His treasures, spread His commandments and raise His standards. He is the First Name in the Kingdom of Names. Upon him be prayers and peace, and upon his family and companions until the Day of Resurrection.

And now, O beloved of my heart, thy letter hath brought joy to this servant, and the clouds of thy kindness have rained down delights upon him. When I read and understood it, I presented it, and the Master—may my spirit and the spirit of all else be a sacrifice for Him—said:

“O Nabil, God willing, mayest thou be blessed through divine favors and adorned with spiritual qualities. Fix thy gaze upon this word which is as light for dark days and as spirit for cast-out bodies: The hosts of God are praiseworthy character and goodly deeds. God is witness and testifier that thou hast ever been and art before Our eyes, and that the glance of Our loving-kindness is directed towards thee. To this do thy tongue, thy sight, thy heart and thy hearing bear witness. We beseech God to adorn that temple with the ornament of goodly character in such wise that its effects may become manifest and evident.”

And concerning what thou didst mention about what thou didst see, verily it beareth witness before all creation that He assisteth His Cause as He pleaseth. Beseech God that He may enable His servants to do that which will exalt His Word. Verily He hath power over all things. Something hath been prepared by the Wronged One, though it be but a trifle, and sent to thee that thou mayest know of My love for thee and My care for thee. Peace be upon thee, and the mercy of God, and His blessings. The end.

That beloved one is blessed, and his letter auspicious, and his name likewise blessed upon blessed. We beseech and implore God, exalted be His glory, that He may cause all to attain unto His perfect bounty and enable them to do what is befitting. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. Peace shining forth from the horizon of the Abode of Peace be upon you and upon those who love you for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH03179: Praise be to God Who hath opened the gate…

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

Praise be to God Who hath opened the gate of divine knowledge to all who dwell within the realm of possibility, and hath spoken forth the Most Great Word, whereupon the ocean of names surged, the kingdom of creation appeared, and the Dove of the Command warbled upon the branches. There is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the Chosen One. And the prayer shining forth from the horizon of His Will be upon the Sovereign of existence and Dawning-Place of bounty, through Whom the oneness of God was made manifest among the peoples, the horizon of the world was illumined, and through Whom God’s commandments and laws were sent down and His religion and mysteries were revealed. And upon His family and companions, through whom the sun of justice shone forth and the moon of grace appeared and the heaven of equity was raised up and adorned with the stars of loving-kindness and beneficence. Blessed is he who holdeth fast unto them and cleaveth to their hems, and woe betide the heedless and the doubtful. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

It is submitted that your letter indicating and testifying to your good health was received, bringing joy and delight. Praise be to God in all conditions. God willing, may you ever drink from the cup of grace and be occupied with His mention and praise. Soon will these diverse colors return to the one-colored pavilion of God, exalted be His glory. This morning, the seventeenth, while the lamp was lit and this servant was occupied with writing, mysterious circumstances appeared and the servant attained the presence, where mention was made of you and it was stated:

“God willing, may his mention remain eternal and enduring in the ledger of the world, throughout the duration of the kingdom of earth and heaven.”

End quote. Praise be to God, His grace hath been and continueth to be with you. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to aid all to achieve that which is beneficial for all and is His good-pleasure. The two letters that arrived were sent on—let them be forwarded. The wick and comb also arrived. It is requested that if wisdom permiteth, convey greetings to the friends and loved ones. This servant hath ever been and remaineth occupied with their mention. Peace be upon you and the mercy of God and His blessings.

BH03330: Visitation Tablet for His Holiness Nasir, upon him be…

Visitation Tablet for His Holiness Nasir, upon him be the Glory of God and His Light

In My Name, the Compassionate, the Bountiful Visitor

The first remembrance that dawned from the horizon of the Mother Book and the first light that shone from the horizon of the Countenance in the final return—upon thee, O thou who hast turned to God, the Lord of Lords!

I testify that thou didst acknowledge what the Tongue of Eternity acknowledged and didst witness what the Lord of the world and Goal of the nations witnessed. Thou art he through whom and through whose like the fortress of the Cause was strengthened among the servants and the mention of the Desired One was raised throughout the lands. Thou art he whom neither the clamor of the divines prevented from the Lord of all beings nor the power of princes from the Most Exalted Horizon. The Most Exalted Pen hath testified to thy testimony in the path of God, Creator of heaven, and to thy steadfastness until thy spirit ascended to the Most Glorious Companion.

Blessed art thou, O Nasir, for having heard and responded and believed and turned until thou didst enter and attain presence and didst hear what the Son of Imran heard on the Mount of Knowledge and didst see what the Beloved saw of the signs of his Lord, the All-Merciful. I testify that thou didst attain the lights of reunion and didst drink the choice wine of nearness and meeting from the hands of thy Lord’s bounty in the beginning and the return.

Thou art he who was patient in hardship and tribulation, and the people of the cities of justice and fairness lamented at what befell thee and thy like from oppression. By your calamities the sky was filled with smoke and grief took hold of the Dawning-places of Revelation and the Day-springs of Knowledge. Blessed are ye and those who seek your station and visit your dust and remember your days and what befell you and draw near through you to God, your Lord and your Goal and your Object of Worship and the Object of Worship of all in the heavens and earths.

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by those who were martyred in Thy path and soared in the atmosphere of Thy love in such wise that the power of the world could not hold them back from the Most Great Name, that Thou forgive me and my father and my mother and whosoever hath held fast unto Thy Strong Cord, O God of the worlds!

BH03741: O my handmaiden! Your call has attained the hearing…

He is the Witness, the All-Aware.

O my handmaiden! Your call has attained the hearing of the Wronged One and your turning has been honored by the gaze of the Intended One. Be not grieved by what has come to pass. The loved ones of God belong to Him and are associated with Him, and whatsoever befalleth them hath been and is in accordance with the requirements of wisdom, and its traces and fruits shall assuredly appear on earth and become manifest in the assemblage of the world.

Verily, he who hath ascended unto God hath attained the presence and visited a House which the Almighty built with the hand of His power, and a House which the Friend built by His command and will. As to the first, he entered it not, and as to the second, he departed not from it. Verily, he who visited the first and the second is among the people of inner meanings in this holy, mighty and inaccessible station. O my handmaiden! He hath attained that which causeth eyes to be consoled and hearts to be drawn. This station is most great.

That handmaiden must occupy herself at all times with the remembrance of the Goal of the worlds and be content with what hath been ordained from the Supreme Pen. Praise be to the Lord of the Kingdom Who hath mentioned thee through words with which none of the books of earth can compare, even to a single letter thereof.

Convey greetings from the True One to all the handmaidens in that land. They must remain so steadfast on God’s path that neither doubts and vain imaginings, nor the cawing of the crows nor the clamor of the deniers shall hold them back or keep them from the Truth.

Today the rain of bounty is pouring from the clouds of grace and descending. Blessed are the servants and handmaidens who have not been deprived and have taken their portion and share from the outpourings of God’s days. Today you are known by the Truth and associated with Him, and He sufficeth. Rejoice thou in this wondrous and glorious mention.

BH03600: Today all enkindled souls who have drunk…

He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great, the Most Exalted

Today all enkindled souls who have drunk from the cup of divine love and partaken of the ocean of inner meanings must arise to serve the Cause and guide people to the Most Great Announcement and the Straight Path. This exalted rank and most high station has been and continues to be reserved for the learned ones—those scholars who have turned to the supreme horizon and attained the highest summit, which is the station of recognition of God, exalted be His glory. They are as lights for the darkness of the earth and as stars for the heavens of understanding. Every learned one who today has attained the divine fragrances of these days is as the eye for the temple of the world. Trusting in the All-Merciful, he must engage in teaching the Cause with the utmost joy and delight. This is the deed that will accompany him through all worlds.

Some scholars today have deprived the helpless people of the Euphrates of divine mercy and the fountain of heavenly grace, while barring themselves from the eternal outpourings of God. Others have succeeded in hearing the rustling of the Divine Lote Tree and the shrill voice of the Supreme Pen, and have arisen to serve the Cause in such wise that God Himself bears witness: these are the people of the Crimson Ark whose names have been inscribed by the Supreme Pen in the Crimson Book. Blessed are they and joy be unto them! God willing, you will, through divine confirmations, illuminate the horizons of those regions with the light of faith and bestow the water of steadfastness, that perchance the weakness of the people may be transformed to strength and their agitation to tranquility. Verily your Lord has power over all things. He does what He wishes and ordains what He desires. He is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

BH04535: The Wronged One of the horizons calls out…

In the name of the All-Knowing Lord!

The Wronged One of the horizons calls out to the people of the Covenant and invites them to the highest horizon. The parties of the world, meaning the diverse peoples, sought throughout the nights and days to attain His presence, and with utmost humility and supplication they begged and hoped for the understanding of the Day of God. Yet when the Sun of Truth dawned from the horizon of Will, all arose in opposition and strove with the utmost effort and exertion to extinguish the divine light. Such is the condition of heedless, veiled souls. I swear by the effulgent rays of the Sun of Truth that whosoever attained and, at the time of the raising of the Call, was confirmed in responding—such a one is recorded and inscribed among the dwellers of the highest paradise in the divine Book. Blessed is the soul who was quickened by the name of the Friend and remained steadfast in His love and gave up his life in His remembrance. Blessed art thou, O brother! Verily he ascended to the Supreme Companion and God made him purified from the defilement of the world. Be thou thankful to thy Lord for this great bounty.

My Most Exalted Pen makes mention of him at this moment and says:

“O Hashim! Blessed art thou for having heard the Call and [responded to] thy Lord. We bear witness that thou didst turn and believe when the servants turned away, until thou didst fulfill thy pledge by the command of God, the Lord of the worlds. The glory shining forth from the horizon of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon those whom the affairs of the world did not prevent from the Most Great Name, and whom the might of the nations did not frighten from this Most Holy, Mighty, Wondrous Cause.”

BH04831: Thy letter was presented before the face…

He is the One Who standeth supreme over His Cause and Who prevaileth over His servants.

Thy letter was presented before the face of the Wronged One in the Most Great Prison, and the servant in attendance read it aloud. We heard thy call and perceived from it the fragrance of love. Thou hast spoken the truth, and We have answered thee through grace.

Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto the divine Word and acteth according to that which is in the Book. We counsel all to manifest courtesy and to perform such deeds as will cause the promotion of the Cause among the peoples. Ere long will the oppressor return to his abode, and the radiance of the Sun of Justice will illumine the world. Say: O friends! This is the day of goodly character and righteous deeds. Associate with all the peoples of the world with the utmost love. Whosoever heareth from you, it is for his own sake, and whosoever denieth, verily your Lord, the All-Merciful, is independent of all who are in the heavens and on earth. Blessed is the ear that hath heard, and the tongue that hath confessed that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath uttered from this noble station.

Thus hath the Pen of inner meanings spoken upon the branch of utterance, as a command from the All-Merciful Who hath come with an authority that they who are endowed with fairness and justice cannot deny. To this testifieth He Who speaketh in all things: There is none other God but Me, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The glory that shineth forth from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon those who have quaffed the choice wine of understanding in the days of their Lord, the All-Merciful. These are they who have attained in a perspicuous Book.

BH04886: O thou who gazest upon My countenance! Upon thee…

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

O thou who gazest upon My countenance! Upon thee be My peace, My mercy and My loving-kindness. Blessed art thou and blessed is thy father, through whom the fragrance of faith was diffused among the religions. He is among those whom God hath described aforetime in His perspicuous Book, saying—and His Word is most sweet—“honored servants who speak not until He hath spoken, and who do as they are bidden.”

By the life of God! Thou hast been and art before the Face. We beseech God, glorified be His majesty, to cause thee to attain unto that which draweth faces toward the Most Exalted Horizon. His honor ʿAli-Qabli-Akbar hath arrived and thy letter hath attained the honor of being heard. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to open a door before thy face and to rain down upon thee from the heaven of His grace the showers of mercy and blessing. Verily He is the Lord of creation and the One Who […] whereby the pillars of the transgressors were shaken and the faces of those near unto God were illumined.

Never hast thou been absent from Our sight, nor shalt thou ever be. We testify that there is none other God but Him, in acknowledgment of His oneness and confession of His singleness. There is none other God but Him, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Praise be to God, the Mighty, the Great. We convey from this station Our greetings unto the friends of God and His loved ones there, and We beseech God to cause them to hold fast in all conditions unto His Book and to act according to that which they have been commanded. Verily He is the Helper, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful. Peace be upon you all, and the mercy of God, and His blessings.

BH05122: This is a Book which the All-Merciful hath sent…

In the name of Him Who hath been wronged in the prison of the heedless.

This is a Book which the All-Merciful hath sent down from the Kingdom of Utterance unto him who hath believed in God, the Lord of all worlds. Should anyone ask thee of My dwelling-place, say: By God, it is in the Most Exalted Paradise—to this doth testify He with Whom is the perspicuous Book. And should anyone ask thee of My station, say: In the Kingdom of God, the Mighty, the Great.

Should a heedless one object to thee, saying:

“At one time He mentioneth His station in the prison, and at another in the Most Exalted Paradise—tell me truthfully which of these is more accurate,”

say: All that floweth from His Most Exalted Pen is truth from God, the Goal of all who know. Say: God hath changed the prison into the Most Exalted Horizon and hath named it with all names. He, verily, is the Ruler over what He willeth. There is none other God but Him, the One, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

O Muhammad-Qabli-ʿAli! Husayn hath mentioned thee before this Servant Who standeth before My face, and He hath revealed for thee this perspicuous Book. Take hold of it through the power of thy Lord, then do what behooveth this mighty Cause and say: Praise be unto Thee, O God of all worlds and Goal of them that know.

It behooveth My servants there who have quaffed the wine of Mine utterance and attained unto the fragrance of My wondrous knowledge to read this Tablet. Upon them rest My prayers and My mercy and My loving-kindness, and I am verily the All-Merciful, the All-Bountiful. The splendor that shineth forth from the horizon of My Pen be upon them and upon thee and upon those who have held fast unto My strong cord and My straight path.

BH05200: In My Name, the Manifest, the Witnessed

In My Name, the Manifest, the Witnessed

O handmaiden of God! The True One, exalted be His glory, hath appeared so that all who are on earth might attain unto His recognition and presence. Yet after the rending of veils and removal of coverings, most were found heedless and in denial. How many divines and jurists who considered themselves the most exalted of creatures were counted among the most abased after the dawning of the Sun of Truth. God hath made their highest ones lowest, and their lowest ones highest. How many dwellers in palaces have returned to their graves, and how many possessed of glory are witnessed in utter abasement. By the life of God! Abasement lieth in denial of God, and glory in faith in Him.

Do jewels and ornaments and palaces and thrones preserve man from divine chastisement? Nay, by God’s Self! Soon all they witness shall return to nothingness. Both witness and witnessed shall become extinct and lost. O leaf! Praise the Beloved of the worlds that thou hast attained unto His blessed word “O My handmaiden.” It behooveth thee to preserve this most exalted station through the name of thy Lord, the Most Glorious. Verily, He is with His remembering handmaidens and His remembering servants. Glory be upon thee and upon every believing man and believing woman who hath believed in God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH05152: In My Name, the Wronged One, the Stranger

In My Name, the Wronged One, the Stranger

This is a remembrance from Our presence and a tablet from Our realm to those on earth and to a handmaiden who desired the remembrance of her Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous. We have at all times remembered those servants who, when permission came to them from God, the Lord of the worlds, hearkened and hastened—servants whom God hath described in His perspicuous and decisive Book.

O My handmaiden! How many a man hath been debarred from the Lord of all being through following his passions, and how many a woman hath hearkened, turned unto Him, and attained unto the knowledge of God, the Mighty, the Praised. This is a Day wherein all things have borne witness to the Lord of the Throne and of earth, yet most of the people are among the heedless. Among them are those who turned away, those who denied, those who disbelieved, and those who pronounced judgment against Him with such tyranny as caused the Faithful Spirit to lament. O My handmaiden! Give thanks unto thy Lord for having enabled thee to recognize the Dawning-Place of His signs, Who hath come with manifest sovereignty. We have remembered thee and those handmaidens who have believed in God, the Peerless, the All-Knowing. Remind them on My behalf and glorify before the faces of My handmaidens who heard the call and answered their Lord on a Day wherein the pillars of the earth were shaken, the heaven was cleft asunder, and the Summoner cried out: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Possessor of this mighty Day!” The glory of God rest upon thee and upon the steadfast handmaidens and upon My steadfast servants.

BH05235: O people of the Manifestation! Hearken unto the Voice…

He is the Caller on Sinai

O people of the Manifestation! Hearken unto the Voice of Him Who conversed on Sinai from this Prison wherein is confined He before Whose sovereignty all created things have bowed down in adoration. Every appointed time hath been fulfilled, every sign hath been made manifest, every hidden secret hath been revealed, and He Who was promised hath come in truth, riding upon the clouds.

Blessed is the powerful one who hath arisen to serve the Cause, and the speaker who hath proclaimed: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Lord of Lords!” We have revealed that which lay concealed in knowledge and have sent down that which the Mother Book doth testify. How many a servant hath fled from the hosts of divine revelation, and how many a servant hath arisen and said: “Praise be to Thee, O my Lord, the Most High!” Blessed is he who hath remained steadfast, whom the clamor of those who have disbelieved in the Beginning and the Return hath failed to deter. And woe unto every one who hath turned away from Him through Whom the horizon of creation hath been illumined.

Let nothing grieve thee. Put thy trust in God, thy Lord, and say: “Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having made known unto me the Dayspring of Thy signs, the Dawning-Place of Thy lights, and the Manifestation of Thy Self, before Whom, when He appeared, all necks bowed down in submission. I beseech Thee to aid me in Thy remembrance and praise and in the service of Thy Cause in such wise that the hosts of every one who hath denied Thy right in the Hereafter shall not deter me. O my Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee, mine eyes fixed upon the wonders of Thy bounty. Have mercy upon me through Thy grace and loving-kindness, then send down upon me from the heaven of Thy favor that which befitteth Thy Name, the All-Bountiful.”

BH05934: O Iskandar! Time and again you have been blessed…

He is the One speaking from the Supreme Horizon

O Iskandar! Time and again you have been blessed with the remembrance of the Wronged One. You have perceived the fragrances of the garment of the All-Merciful’s utterance and attained unto the supreme horizon and the knowledge of the Lord of Names. Today, whosoever has turned towards Him has attained unto all good.

Your letter was presented before the Wronged One and the servant in attendance submitted all of it. Blessed is the tongue that speaks in remembrance of the Beloved of all creation, and blessed is the face that turns toward Him. We beseech God to grant what you have desired and to ordain that which is enduring and everlasting. Today is the day of arising, of remembrance and praise. With perfect unity and harmony, occupy yourselves with the reformation of souls. The entire world had been awaiting this blessed Day, yet after its appearance all remained dormant save those whom God willed. Hold fast to the Book of God and act according to it. By the life of God! It will bestow the water of everlasting life and grant eternal bounty. Convey greetings from the Wronged One to the friends in that land and remind them of that which hath been sent down from the Supreme Pen. Glory be upon thee and upon whosoever hath turned towards the Path of God, the Most High, the Most Great.

BH05788: The atoms bear witness to the Revealer of verses…

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

The atoms bear witness to the Revealer of verses, and all created things to the Manifestor of clear proofs. We behold the people in this Day struck down, save whom God, the Lord of mankind, hath willed. This is a Day wherein the Most Exalted Pen hath spoken both morn and eve, yet the people remain heedless and astray. How many a verse hath appeared in truth, and how many a light hath shone forth from the horizon of the Cause, yet the people turned away after beholding the proof and evidence. O concourse of the earth! Fear God, and deny not Him through Whom acknowledgment hath been established among the righteous and through Whom the very pebbles have proclaimed: The kingdom belongeth unto God, the One, the Chosen!

This is a Day whereof God gave you tidings in His Books, Psalms and Tablets. Fear God and cast not the Book behind you. Take hold of it with strength from your Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower. We have heard thy mention and have remembered thee with that which shall endure throughout the eternity of My most excellent names. He Who possesseth knowledge of the Book beareth witness unto this. Thus have We adorned the heaven of the Tablet with the stars of meanings and utterance. Blessed is he who hath drawn near and perceived the fragrances of revelation from this Station which God hath made among the most exalted of stations. The glory shining from the horizon of My Kingdom be upon thee and upon whosoever hath held fast unto the Cause when God came with power and sovereignty.

BH05853: The Supreme Pen conveys greetings to the people…

He is seated upon the throne

The Supreme Pen conveys greetings to the people of Baha and says: Today is the Day of God and on this Day the mention of anyone except Him beneath His shadow is not permitted. If a soul were to reflect upon what was revealed in previous Books, throughout his life he would exclaim: “Praise be unto Thee, O Revealer of verses!” The clamor of the ungodly and oppression of the heedless have bewildered the people—fear has prevented some, while worldly ornaments have held back others. We beseech God to illumine all eyes with the light of recognition, that they may behold the effulgences of the lights of the Countenance from the Supreme Horizon and attain unto that which none before has attained.

Say: O friends! This is the Day which the sincere ones, the pure-hearted and the near ones sought from God to attain His presence. Strive that you may not be deprived of the outpourings of the True Bestower and be not forbidden from the waves of the ocean of meanings. In all conditions hold fast to His cord and cling to His robe. He is the Deliverer, He is the Helper, He is the Bestower, He is the Protector, He is the All-Knowing and He is the All-Powerful. His is the praise and the glory and His are the most beautiful names, through the eternity of His Most Exalted Word.

BH06714: This is a Book sent down by the Wronged…

In the Name of Him Who ruleth over all names!

This is a Book sent down by the Wronged One unto him who hath believed in God, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. Therein He maketh mention of him who hath turned towards His most exalted horizon and hath voiced His praise amongst His servants. He, verily, is of those whom God, the Lord of what was and what shall be, hath described.

Blessed is he whom the turning away of all who are on earth hath not deterred, and mighty is he whom the conditions of every rejected world have not weakened—he who worshippeth vain imaginings and deemeth himself to be of those who have believed in God, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the All-Loving. Take heed lest the doings of the wicked sadden thee, or the oppression of those who have denied the Witness and the Witnessed strike fear into thy heart. By God’s life! Soon will God purify the earth from the defilement of those people who have turned away from the Countenance when Its lights shone forth from this praiseworthy station. Say: O concourse of the earth! Abandon what the people possess and take hold of the Book of God which hath been sent down from the heaven of the loving-kindness of your Lord, the Possessor of all existence. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken, as He walked in His inhabited house. The glory that hath dawned from the horizon of My mercy be upon thee and upon those who have testified to that whereunto the Truth, the Knower of things unseen, hath testified.

BH07385: In My Name, the Truthful, the Trusted One!

In My Name, the Truthful, the Trusted One!

O Sadiq! God willing, may you attain to true truthfulness and be adorned with the ornament of trustworthiness. Blessed is the soul who acts according to that which hath been revealed in God’s Book, both before and after.

I swear by the Sun of Truth that no Book hath been sent down except that it gave glad tidings of this Most Great Revelation and this Most Straight Path. Were it not for Him, no Books would have been revealed and no Scriptures would have appeared.

Yet the divines of this age and the theologians of this time have denied the Interlocutor of the Mount and have forbidden divine rights. Glory be to God! Like unto the Jews they wait, while the Promised One hath appeared, His banners have been hoisted upon the heights, and His mention hath encompassed all regions. Nevertheless, through the vain imaginings of rejected souls they remain deprived of the ocean of divine knowledge and forbidden from the sun of utterance. Thus have their souls enticed them, and today they remain unaware.

Praise be to the Object of all the world that thou hast attained to this most great bounty. Preserve this station through His Name. This is My counsel unto thee and unto God’s near servants.

BH07084: In My Name which is sanctified above all names

In My Name which is sanctified above all names.

Your mention hath been made in the presence of the Wronged One, and these exalted words have been revealed purely for the sake of God. In every letter thereof the sealed wine is concealed. Blessed is he who drinketh thereof and attaineth unto his goal. Know thou the value of these divine days and strive that thou mayest attain unto that from which the fragrance of eternity can be inhaled. The Day is manifest, the verses are being revealed, and the Beloved is visible. By God’s life! It behooveth all who are in the world to freely sacrifice their lives at the feet of the Friend. Today the divine bounty encompasseth all, and the Kawthar of utterance is visible before the faces of the world. How excellent is the state of him who hath attained thereunto and become detached and free from all else but God. We beseech God to assist His loved ones to accomplish that which beseemeth His days. Verily He is powerful over all things. There is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

BH07920: O people of the world! The Hand of Divine…

He is the speaker of truth and justice!

O people of the world! The Hand of Divine Bounty is offering the Kawthar of inner meanings—deprive not yourselves thereof. The Tongue of Grace is summoning all to the supreme horizon—render not yourselves destitute. Say: How long will heedlessness persist and folly reign? The human temple befitteth the robe of knowledge, not ignorance. While time remaineth, arise to redress what hath escaped you. By the Sun of Truth! This blessed Day hath, in the estimation of God, exalted be His glory, a station which none save Him can reckon or describe. Grieve not over anything. Be thou vocal with My Name, place thy trust in My Self, be assured of My Revelation, and stand firm in My love amidst My servants. Thus have We given thee to drink of My sealed wine through My Name, the Self-Subsisting. Drink thou thereof and be among the thankful ones.

BH08535: He hath been manifested with wisdom

He hath been manifested with wisdom

O son of Babi, upon thee be My loving-kindness and My mercy! God, exalted be His glory, hath greatly loved this name, for within each letter thereof is concealed the Most Great Mercy, inasmuch as the letter B was the source of the creation of all things, were one to reflect upon this throughout the kingdom. None can comprehend this save to a limited degree. This blessed name is composed of two B’s and one A. Were I to reveal the mystery of the A standing between the two letters, all who dwell in the kingdom of heaven would swoon away, how much more those who dwell in the realm of dust. Praise be to the Intended One of the world that thou hast attained unto that which most of mankind are deprived. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O God of Names and Creator of heaven, for having aided me to recognize the Dayspring of Thy Cause and the Dawning-Place of Thy testimonies, and for having made me one of those who have attained.

BH08024: Today all atoms are observed to be…

In the name of the Goal of all the worlds!

Today all atoms are observed to be in a state of utmost attraction and excitement, for they have perceived the fragrance of the garment of Joseph of inner meanings. Yet most of the servants remain heedless and deprived of it, even though all who dwell on earth were created for this blessed and wondrous Day. The divine Books bear witness to this utterance and His tongue of will testifies to these words. At all times, night and day, render thanks unto God and occupy thyself with His praise with thy outer and inner tongue, for He hath made thee aware of a Cause of which the people of the world are unaware, save whom God willeth. Take hold of the divine Books with the hand of certitude, and with a mighty arm shatter and cast down the idols of vain imaginings. Thus doth the Wronged One command thee from His manifest prison. The decree belongeth unto God, the Powerful, the Wise.

BH09655: O Zayn! Upon thee be the peace of God…

O Zayn! Upon thee be the peace of God, His favors, His grace, His bounty, and His blessing….

Some time ago, from the direction of the Most Sublime Horizon, the traces of the Most Glorious Pen were sent in the name of Mulla Baqir, upon him be My glory, to the land of N.J. through Afnan. God willing, may they find from the fragrances of revelation that which Jacob found from Joseph’s garment. Though the Cause of this Day is different and its fragrances are different, for the divine fragrance is diffused. Blessed is he who perceives it, and woe unto every doubtful denier….

BH09891: He is the Most Holy, the Most Great. God…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great. God testifieth that there is none other God but Him. This is the Day whereon the Caller hath cried out from a near place, and wherein that which was hidden in the treasuries of God’s protection, the Lord of all worlds, hath been revealed. He hath come to counsel the world and hath commanded all to observe the most great chastity and the fear of God in this momentous Announcement. The Wronged One hath heard thy mention and hath revealed for thee this perspicuous Book. Take it with the hand of submission and say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who hast remembered me in Thy Most Great Prison, and glory be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Desire of them that have recognized Thee!”

BH10686: O wronged exile! The Tongue of Grandeur and My…

O wronged exile! The Tongue of Grandeur and My Most Exalted Pen bear witness that thou didst hear the rustling of the Sadratu’l-Muntaha in the earliest days and didst respond to thy Lord, the Lord of all beings, and didst bear in His path what caused the dwellers of this ordained prison to be overcome with grief. Praise be to God, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling. May the glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of utterance rest upon thee, O thou in whose name this Tablet hath been sent down from God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.

BH10926: God is Most Glorious

God is Most Glorious

O Haydar-Ali, upon whom be the Most Glorious Beauty of God! God is Most Glorious! O Haydar, before Ali, upon thee be My glory and My mercy! I bear witness that thou hast arisen to serve the Cause of God and hast clung to the hem of teaching in days wherein the fire of discord hath been kindled in all regions. Blessed art thou and blessed is he who loveth thee and hearkeneth unto thy words concerning this Announcement whereby the pillars of the world have been shaken, save those whom God hath willed.