Volume 075: Akka 1302 A.H. (1884–1885), Part I (5 of 5)

BH00451: In truth, it hath never been, nor shall it…

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

In truth, it hath never been, nor shall it ever be, fitting to offer praise and mention unto the Truth—glorified be His majesty and abundant be His favors—for the way to that privacy is barred, and the path to that mystery and mystery of mysteries is forbidden. How far removed is this visible assembly from that hidden sanctuary! Where is the path, and where is the way? To make mention with the Pen of that Ancient Being is like an ant making mention of the Desired One, and for the tongue to offer praise unto the Beloved of all creation is as a mere atom directing one to the Sun, or a drop pointing to the Ocean. Glory be unto God! Even thou knowest that the Unseen is sanctified, exalted, and free from the description of them that witness. And when this matter became clear and evident to them that possess insight and the people of the Most Great Vision, there remained no choice but to turn unto His chosen ones.

A hundred thousand praises and thanks befit and beseem the loved ones and the chosen ones of the Friend, who are detached from themselves and from the world, alive and steadfast through the name of the Desired One. Through tongue and utterance, through pen and deeds and actions, they summon the servants to the Dawning-Place of Revelation and the Dayspring of Inspiration. They speak with their tongues and gesture with their hands, and through movements of brow and head they draw the heedless to the realm of awareness and bestow wakefulness upon them that slumber. These are the branches of the Divine Lote-Tree who have attained unto the most great favor. The hand of bounty hath taken hold of all and established them in the most exalted station. Should “well done” and “well pleased” be uttered throughout the duration of the kingdom and the heavenly realm, they of understanding would not deem it befitting or worthy. Yea, by God! This hath been the will of the Truth—glorified be His majesty. Who can turn Him aside? The banner “He doeth what He pleaseth” hath been raised aloft, and the light of “He ordaineth what He willeth” hath dawned.

Glorified art Thou, O Thou through Whose command the Sun of Unity hath shone forth from the horizon of power and the Book hath revealed what lay hidden within it! Exalted art Thou, O our Chosen Lord! Thou art He Who hath manifested unto us Thy Cause, taught us Thy remembrance, made known unto us Thy path, and caused us to hear Thy call and guided us to Thy way. I beseech Thee by Thy pure bounty and Thine absolute generosity to aid Thy loved ones to remain steadfast in Thy love and to act according to what Thou hast sent down in Thy Book. O Lord! The servant, despite his poverty and faltering tongue, desired to make mention of Thy branch who hath attained unto the traces of Thy Most Exalted Pen and whom the tongue of Thy grandeur hath mentioned in the kingdom of Thy utterance. I beseech Thee, O God of the kingdom of earth and heaven, to protect him and ordain for him the good of both this world and the next. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all names and the Creator of the heavens. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O thou whose spirit is a sacrifice unto his holiness! The exalted letter arrived like a spiritual fragrance, perfuming the servant’s gathering, the servant’s station, and the servant’s home. With this withered sapling it did what the breezes of spring do with saplings and trees. After reading it with joy and delight, I approached the Presence where it was presented. This is what the Tongue of Will spoke, exalted be His utterance:

“O My Afnan! Upon thee be My Glory! The oppressors sought victory over Us through their might, but We sought victory over them through God, the Strong, the Prevailing, the Powerful. The Pharaohs desired to extinguish the light of God with their armies, the tyrants to shed His blood with their swords and ranks, and the Caesars to erase His traces with their strength, power and might. Thus did their souls entice them to a course of which they were unaware.

“Glory be to God! The Supreme Pen commanded the loved ones day and night to observe what is good and forbade what is wrong. In some Tablets this exalted word was revealed: Blessed is he who heareth and speaketh not. Should they witness good from anyone, they should reciprocate; should they witness harm, they should be patient and leave it to God. Beating, fighting, strife, contention, murder and plunder are the works of the beasts of the jungle of oppression and ignorance. The people of truth must be sanctified and pure from all these. All must strive for the betterment of the world. The world is but one country and mankind its citizens, if they but knew it. All must endeavor with perfect unity and agreement to rebuild it. He is the Counselor, the All-Knowing, and He is the Expositor, the All-Wise.

“Through the mention of the tongue and pen, the world of utterance has been adorned with order and arrangement. Nevertheless, each day they rise up with new utterances and calumnies to perpetrate oppression, and they attribute corruption—God forbid—to holy souls, as you have seen and heard. The blow of the deserters and atheists has struck the branches of the Divine Lote-Tree. The nature of that people is clear and evident to the Afnan. We beseech God to guide all and deprive them not of the waves of the ocean of utterance. The source and origin of the world’s corruption are the divines of the age. Sedition appears through those souls and returns to them. Each party looks to its leaders; if they turn away, the followers turn away. In all matters they follow those people. May God abandon them and slay them!

“Had the Wolf, or Raqsha, or their like been in apparent authority, they would certainly have martyred the prisoners. Yet His Majesty the Sultan, although he suffered harm from the ignorant, nevertheless of his own accord granted freedom to the confined and released the imprisoned. He giveth sovereignty to whomsoever He willeth. Verily He is the All-Knowing, the Powerful, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Wise.

“We make mention in this station of thy children and those with thee, and We give them the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of all worlds. The Glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon those with thee and upon those who love thee and upon those who hearken to thy word in this manifest Cause.”

Praise be to God! The effulgences of the Sun of divine loving-kindness have ever been and continue to be directed toward your honor. This servant, on some occasions when present before the Face, heard from the Tongue of Grandeur that which caused the spirit to grow and the heart to rejoice and quiver. Assuredly, at some time its effects will appear from the horizon of the world. The bounty and grace are of such magnitude that this servant is incapable of describing them.

As to what was written concerning the destruction of writings—yes, this occurred in Iraq, not here. In those days, by divine command, the sacred writings were consigned to the river of bounty. He said their effects would become manifest throughout all lands. In this land certain discussions arose, and consequently some correspondence, petitions and such were destroyed. The verses of God are preserved—the servant gives you these glad tidings and by your tongue says: “Praise be to Thee, O Thou Desire of the worlds!” Although this people, meaning the people of this age, were not and are not worthy to behold and read these verses, it is a bounty that has become the source of assurance for the servants, and a mercy that bestows spirit and fragrance upon the soul. Otherwise, considering what we deserve, despair would encompass the soul. The servant beseeches his Lord saying:

O God, my Goal, my Beloved! Thou art the Mighty, the Powerful. The power of the world is utter weakness before Thy power, and its riches absolute poverty before Thy wealth. If Thou shouldst deal with justice, woe betide us, and in truth we deserve it. But if Thou lookest with favor, how excellent is our state! One gleam from Thy Name, the All-Bountiful, would sanctify the world from the defilement of transgression, and one drop from the ocean of Thy generosity would purify all peoples. All souls gaze longingly toward Thee and all hearts are under Thy command. Whatever Thou doest is good—Thy love bestows eternal sustenance and Thy wrath confers the blessing of education. O Generous One! Bounty is Thy attribute and impurity is ours. Purify this dust and grant it true repose. Besides Thee there is no refuge, and except Thy path there is no path.

In any case, where am I and where are these utterances? Where was I and where have I gone? What was I saying and what do I now say? The reins have slipped from my hands and the thread is broken. Perchance Thy grace will take a few steps forward and mend these broken and severed things.

As for the letter of Jinab-i-Aqa Siyyid Husayn, upon him be the glory of God, which you sent—it was presented before the countenance of the Ancient King. This is what was revealed from the heaven of bounty and favor. His word, exalted and mighty is He:

“O My Afnan! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. The servant in attendance here has received what Husayn, upon him be the glory of God, sent to him.” Ask God to make the servants worthy of understanding these days and what hath appeared therein. Today one must act according to this exalted word: “Say: God; then leave them to their vain disputes.” For this is the Day of God wherein none is mentioned save Him. We have not fallen short in anything. The horizons have been filled with the signs and evidences of thy Lord, yet the people neither understand nor perceive. Eyes and ears were created for this Day, but the former were prevented from witnessing and the latter from hearing. Exalted is the Lord of Names, Whom neither the world’s rejection can diminish nor the acceptance of nations can exalt. He is sanctified above all that was and shall be. The glory shining from the horizon of My utterance be upon thee and upon thy mother and upon thy children and upon those who love thee.

Astonishment hath seized all, nay, the very essence of astonishment is astounded, for they have hesitated concerning that Station which is equivalent to all the Books revealed unto the Prophets and Messengers of the past and future, and some have even risen in opposition. Although these things must needs come to pass, for they have been recorded by the Most Exalted Pen in God’s Book, yet strange it is that they have rejected this Cause and seek to establish another. O God! If a Cause of such magnitude be rejected, what other cause in the world could be proven? The servant speaketh that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’an: “Leave them to plunge in vain discourse and play.”

Concerning the news, should their honors the Afnan and the most exalted ladies—upon them and upon them all be the Most Glorious Glory—wish to know, they have intended to attain the presence in these days, and this is the third time. We praise God for this, for He hath granted success and confirmation until they attained unto that which is mentioned and recorded in the Books. This evanescent servant ever beseecheth and imploreth the Self-Subsisting Lord that He may cause you to attain unto all good and manifest the means through His all-encompassing and prevailing power. He is the All-Conquering, the All-Wise.

Unto their honors the Afnan—upon them be the Most Glorious Glory—who are present in that land, I convey greetings, salutations, and utter nothingness and evanescence, and I beseech and implore them all that in their moments of commemoration and praise of the Lord of Names, they forget not this evanescent one, that perchance I may fulfill this mighty service. Glory, remembrance and praise be upon you, upon those with you, upon those who have attained your presence, and upon all who are steadfast and firm. Praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

It would be appreciated if you would send a copy of this writing, along with my letter, to his honor Aqa Siyyid Husayn—upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah]—as it might cause some to become aware or awaken one who slumbers. There was one item mentioned at the end of your letter regarding a sum and a draft, but no draft was found between the letters. This matter is mentioned solely for your information and nothing else.

The servant 29 Jamadiyu’th-Thani 1302

BH07635: Thou hast been mentioned repeatedly in the presence…

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

Thou hast been mentioned repeatedly in the presence of the Wronged One, and in each instance thou wert blessed with the mention of God. This mention is among the special divine bounties—one drop from its ocean bestoweth eternal life upon the world.

In all conditions fix thy gaze upon Him and seek aid from Him. Verily He aideth whom He willeth through a command from His presence, and He is the Almighty, the Powerful.

Say: Relinquish not wisdom, and act according to that which hath reached you from God. Today the Mother Book speaketh and the Mother of Cities is manifest. Strive that ye may not be deprived of His grace and prevented from His fragrances.

Mention of thee hath repeatedly flowed from the Pen, for verily He mentioneth him who hath mentioned Him and desired to aid His wondrous Cause. The glory be upon thee and upon those who have not violated God’s covenant and testament, and upon all who are steadfast and firm.

BH08169: The tale of falsehood hath been renewed. The people…

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

The tale of falsehood hath been renewed. The people of rancor and hatred have arisen against the friends of God and have striven, and continue to strive, with utmost diligence to lead the people astray. For years they deceived and misguided the people with tales of Jabulqa and Jabulsa and the Holy Land. Now they reflect not in the least upon what the Shi’ih sect hath gained, or what fruit their beliefs have yielded. By the life of God! Their portion hath been and shall be the flames, and ere long they shall find themselves consigned thereto. The barking ones from every corner are engaged in their clamor. Of late they have mounted the pulpit, determined to spend yet another thousand and two hundred years inviting the helpless people to a woeful destiny through mention of vicegerent and guardian, chiefs and nobles….

BH00215: Praise befitteth the most inaccessible, most holy court…

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

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

Praise befitteth the most inaccessible, most holy court of the Lord, the Desired One, Who through His Most Exalted Word on the Day of the Covenant hath exposed the dissension concealed in the hearts of the people of discord, and through that same blessed Word hath manifested the harmony of the people of concord. He is the One Who hath power to transform His bounty into retribution for the ungodly and His light into fire. With a single word He hath brought all to account and weighed them in the balance. Neither doth the acceptance of them that turn unto Him add unto His glory, nor doth the rejection of them that turn aside diminish it. He hath ever been independent of mention and utterance, and will continue to be so forever.

All creation standeth present in a single sphere, and the call from the direction of His grandeur embraceth all, yet thereafter through deeds and words their stations become diverse and their conditions scattered. Whoso accepteth and believeth in that which is best—he is of the companions of the Crimson Ark; and whoso denieth and turneth away—he is of the people of fire in the Book of God, Lord of the throne and of the dust. Blessings, peace, glory and praise be upon them who have not changed the bounty of God nor denied His sovereignty. These are they whom neither the hosts of the world nor the ranks of the nations did frighten, nor were they prevented by the intimations of those who disputed His verses, denied His evidences, and warred against His Self.

The servant beseecheth his Lord to open the eyes and aid all to justice and fairness. Verily He hath power over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but He, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

And further: the letter of that honored one and revered friend arrived. The servant perceived from it the fragrance of your sincerity and your turning to God, our Lord and your Lord, our Goal and your Goal, and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and the earth. After reading and becoming apprised of it, he repaired to the court of the Lord of creation. When it was presented before His Countenance, this is what was revealed in reply from Our Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower. His words, exalted be His majesty and universal His bounty:

In My Name, the Hearer, the Answerer

They have denied the Dawning-Place of My verses, which are equivalent to all the divine books of the past and future that have been sent down from the Kingdom of His utterance, and whatsoever was subsequently manifested was clearly visible and evident from His verses. They have clung to mere fancy. Such is the condition of the servants that they have newly arisen to voice objections through vain imaginings. Say: O ye who are bereft of fairness, what have ye understood of “He doeth whatsoever He willeth”? By My life! Through My Name the banner of “There is none other God but He” hath been raised aloft, and the standard of “He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth” hath been unfurled. Were they who are lost in fancy to ponder this most exalted and blessed Word, they would cry out and utter “We repent unto Thee, O God of the worlds and Beloved of the nations!” But conjectures and fancies have become an obstacle and a veil, and have deprived them of the light of the Sun of justice. Soon shall they know what hath escaped them in the days of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

In this Revelation, every word that hath dawned from the horizon of the Will of God, glory be to His majesty, all mention, nay all books, bow down before it. Where is the vision to see, and where is the hearing to hear, and where is the heart to understand? The state of the heedless is that they play with their own vain imaginings, even as they have been occupied therewith for a thousand and two hundred years and more. He who hath drunk from the stream of fancy is not worthy to draw nigh unto the Most Great Ocean, except through the grace of God, the Lord of the worlds.

With justice and fairness do I declare that if any soul be adorned with even a trace of fairness, he would testify that whatsoever hath in this day been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen sufficeth all mankind, and that all the pens in the world are powerless to expound its full meaning. If they acknowledge that God doeth whatsoever He willeth, then what meaning have their objections? And if they deny this blessed word, then the matter is settled and the verse returneth unto its Source, its Beginning and its End, and no further discussion is needed.

O my brother! For twelve hundred years and more, such souls were engaged in opposition, disputation and strife. During their debates, they would beat their heads against each other like elephants with their trunks, denying one another, nay, cursing and reviling each other from every faction to another. Yet on the Day of Testing, they all found themselves among the people of hell-fire, and neither their beliefs nor their deeds were of any avail, nor did they yield any fruit. Say: Consider then—what was the fruit of the deeds and the result of the beliefs of the Shi’ih sect who counted themselves foremost among the world’s factions and most learned among nations in their deeds and beliefs? This servant knoweth, and knoweth well—the fruit thereof was that they martyred the Lord of the world. Such souls and their like have been reared in delusions throughout the ages. How can they enter or even approach that station whereof He saith the dwellers of Sinai would be thunderstruck? Far, far be it! Save by emptying their hands of all they have heard and seen.

Great is the Cause and great is the Day! The heedless among the people of the Bayan cling to the same delusions as the Shi’ih sect, busying themselves with misleading men and women through the ropes of idle fancies, even as was done before. Say: Reflect a little on the lies of the past, that perchance ye may be warned. In one instance, this exalted word descended from the Kingdom of Utterance of the Lord of Names—glorified be His majesty:

“O servant in attendance! Blessed is the soul whom names prevent not from their Owner, and whom idle fancies deprive not from the dayspring of certitude.” They imagine these days to be like the days of old. Say: Nay, by My life! This is the Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds. This is the Day which Moses foretold, and which the All-Merciful revealed in the Qur’an through His words, exalted be He: “Lead forth thy people from darkness into light and remind them of the days of God.” Though the days of the manifestation of God’s Repositories may in one sense be called the Days of God, yet this Most Great Day is special, and in it is made manifest the Great Announcement. Say: Fear God, O people, and invalidate not the truth through your desires. When ye discover the fragrance of My utterance, and behold the lights of My horizon, and hear My call, arise and say: “Here am I, O Thou Goal of the world! Here am I, here am I, O Thou Beloved of all in the heavens and the earth!” End.

O brother! Man is bewildered as to what he should mention and what he should say. The Primal Point—may our souls be a sacrifice for all else but Him—declares that if He should pronounce upon the heaven the decree of earth, or upon the earth the decree of heaven, no one has the right to object or ask why or wherefore, and whoso sayeth ʿwhy’, hath indeed disbelieved. In this Most Great Revelation, whenever any name was mentioned in the Most Holy Court, verses were revealed specifically for that one from the heaven of divine Will. This was in accordance with the promise given in the Tablet to Hadrat-i-Ism-i-Jud—upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God—wherein He states that should names to the number of atoms be presented in the Most Holy Court, divine verses would be revealed specifically for each one. However, this bounty is assured and established only for those who have turned to Him, who are steadfast, and who are firm. And whosoever turns away, the light returns to its source while he remains in evident loss.

These objections all stem from lack of insight and fairness. In Iraq, a Tablet was revealed in the name of Siyyid Muhammad Isfahani. After some time, one day as They were proceeding in that direction and this servant was following at some distance, in the middle of the bridge, suddenly They said, without looking at this servant or turning Their blessed head in any direction:

“This Tablet is not for this Muhammad. Muhammad is a name that will attain to it after three thousand years.”

For God’s sake, have mercy upon yourselves and upon the servants. Do not embody the vain imaginings of the past and become the cause of the martyrdom of God’s loved ones. The world has no constancy. You were not and are not aware of the root of the Cause. If you deny the proof He has manifested, which is equivalent to all divine proofs and heavenly evidences, what can you establish?

Mulla Abdul-Khaliq, who was among the Shaykhi leaders, at the beginning of the Cause when the Primal Point—may our souls be a sacrifice for all else but Him—appeared in the garment of the Bab, showed acceptance and submitted a petition. Mention of him was revealed from the Source of Supreme Grace and outwardly perfect bounty was shown towards him, until a Tablet was sent specifically for him containing these exalted words—His exalted Word:

“Verily I am the True Qa’im Whose appearance you have been promised.”

After reading this, he cried out and arose in complete rejection, and because of him a group in the Land of Ta [Tehran] turned away. Say: O fair-minded ones! Today these objections are not befitting. You are not aware of the mysteries. Divine knowledge has encompassed and continues to encompass all things. Whatever has later become manifest was previously revealed with complete clarity from the Supreme Pen in the Suras, and all are aware and bear witness that this ephemeral one speaks with truth. Have they not seen the Suriy-i-Ra’is, or have they not read the Suriy-i-Muluk?

Some time ago this servant submitted some papers to one of God’s loved ones, but due to numerous occupations has not yet succeeded in completing them. I beseech God to enable me. Surely that honored one knows the reason. Night and day I am occupied with writing. Correspondence arrives from all directions, and in response Tablets are revealed from the heaven of grace, and this servant is occupied with transcribing them, and how many letters arrive addressed to this servant, requiring that answers be rendered! And beyond this weighty and momentous matter, for some time past another occupation has been established, engaging this evanescent one.

One must pray on behalf of the heedless souls. They are indeed very far removed and are unaware. Those souls must reflect upon what has occurred in the past and become mindful. This servant beseeches his Lord to aid them to achieve that which He loves and is pleased with, to make them be among the just, among those who repent, and among those who return unto Him.

Section 2: “As regards what they mentioned that some steadfast…”

As regards what they mentioned that some steadfast and upright souls appear distressed, and furthermore some, God forbid, deny knowledge to the Truth, glorified be His majesty, this evanescent one submits that it would be well for them to read for a time the revealed Tablets, that perchance they may become aware of a drop from the ocean of divine knowledge. Alas! Alas! “Not an atom’s weight in the heavens or the earth escapes His knowledge.” This is attested by that which hath been sent down from our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and the earth.

O brother! Not every soul hath been or is worthy of this court, nor is everyone privy to the mysteries of the Truth. The heedlessness of some hath reached such a point that they have not yet become aware of their own ignorance, for had they become aware, they would not deny knowledge to its Source. Wonder upon wonder! The steadfast and firm ones today are souls who, should all on earth become manifestations of names and embodiments of attributes and hesitate less than that regarding this Most Great Cause and Mighty Announcement, would see them all as non-existent and null. Blessed are the steadfast ones! O my beloved, where are the steadfast ones, where are the firm ones, and where are the upright ones? I beseech and implore the Truth not to deprive the world of the light of the countenances of the steadfast ones, the firm ones, the upright ones, the arising ones, the devoted ones, and the doers of good.

As to what they wrote concerning the verses revealed about that person: “Verily We have mentioned thee with a mention before which all mentions bow down.” Every letter that appeareth from the tongue of the Will of the Lord of the invisible and visible realms—all the letters of the world, the mentions of nations, and whatsoever they possess, all bow down before it. This distinction pertaineth to the mention of the Truth and the Word sent down from the heaven of Will. The whole world is mentioned before the Truth. Whosoever today attaineth unto the mention of the Truth hath attained unto all good. However, this station is contingent and dependent upon steadfastness, and in most Tablets this point hath been revealed. Should the entire world turn today in acceptance, the effects of the divine manifestation would appear in all. This station remaineth so long as the acceptance remaineth; otherwise “the manifestation returneth to the Manifester, and He returneth to His origin.” These matters are clear and evident, as hath been revealed with utmost clarity and explicitness in the Book of Certitude and other books, as well as in Tablets. Those verses were revealed two years ago, and those changes occurred afterward.

Say: O embodiments of vain imaginings! Break the idols with the strength of certitude and hold fast unto the Truth, glorified be His majesty. At one time a word is revealed concerning a person, and at another time He abrogates it. “He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth.” Reflect upon the abrogating and abrogated verses in the Qur’an. Were this servant to wish to mention all these degrees in full, he would be held back from matters a hundred thousand times greater than these mentions. And what hath been submitted and mentioned was due to the love that existed and exists for that honored one. Say: Have shame before God—at least be silent, that perchance ye may find a way to the Truth. Say: If the intent is to deny knowledge, they themselves are more worthy of it, as every fair-minded and discerning one would testify. In any case, it would be more fitting and seemly for them to occupy themselves with denying their own knowledge.

Convey greetings from this evanescent one to the loved ones in that land. I know not what has transpired, that those who have never had any knowledge are heeded, while those who have ever been with that renowned person go unheeded. Assuredly this is among the sublime mysteries of understanding. God preserve us! The glad tidings are that some time ago a Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was revealed specifically for you and sent, that your eyes might be consoled thereby and that you might find therein the fragrance of our and your Beloved. This letter is not to be given to anyone, for it would pass from hand to hand until reaching the ungodly, and those souls collect whatever of the sacred writings fall into their hands. They have stolen many of the verses of God, exalted be His glory. He verily is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. You may read it for any soul, that each soul may know its station.

As to what was mentioned regarding the Holy Days, they are the first and second of Muharram. However, wisdom does not at present permit their observance, for the heedless party—that is, the Shi’ih—have formed and continue to form other notions. Therefore this ordinance and other ordinances are for future days, and their time shall come. Thus hath spoken the tongue of our Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

As to what thou didst mention concerning Naw-Ruz: that day is a festival, whether the sun passes into the new year at the beginning of the day or at its end, for the sun’s effulgence on that day encompasses all its hours. Therefore that day is considered a festival from morning onwards. Likewise the Most Great Festival falls thirty-two days after Naw-Ruz—the evening of the thirty-second day marks the beginning of the Festival. Blessed is the soul that inhales the fragrances of this wondrous, this glorious Day and is not deprived of its splendors. In one of the prayers these exalted words were revealed from the Pen of the Lord of Names—blessed and exalted be His utterance: “O my Lord! This is a Day whose light Thou hast made holy, rising above the sun and its effulgence. I testify that it hath been illumined by the light of Thy countenance and by the dawning rays of the Morn of Thy Revelation.” This station is mentioned in the divine Holy Books. This servant concludeth with this much. Even this much that hath been and is mentioned increaseth the rancor of the heedless ones, for it hath been said: “A blessing unto the righteous, a curse unto the wicked.”

Never have we heard that should divine grace take hold of a soul, it would cause that one to turn away. There hath never been and is no doubt that no one is worthy by himself to be mentioned by God. That the Pen of the world’s Desired One engageth in mentioning His servants—this proceedeth from the effulgent rays of the Sun of grace. They said: “O servant in attendance! If the Most Concealing Name should conceal what is in a soul, and the Most Bountiful Name should mention that one with good, would this be cause for objection?” By My life! Should a soul be blessed by a breath of this grace, he would place the right side of his face upon the dust and cry out “I turn unto Thee, O Most Bountiful, O Most Generous!” Where is fairness? Where is the power to perceive? We beseech God to aid him to recite and read those same verses with an illumined heart and penetrating vision, that he might perchance catch the fragrance of the garment and not be deprived.

God is witness and testifier that this blessed word melts the liver. Now observe the grace and bounty of God—at what station it stands and at what degree our vain imaginings. We beseech God for reformation, seek His favors, and implore His grace. Were the sun of His justice to shine forth for but a moment, the entire world would deserve eternal torment, and were the sun of His grace to shine forth even to the extent of a needle’s eye, the very name of transgression would be erased and vanish from creation.

O my God, my Lord! We are weak and hopeful of Thy grace. We cling to the cord of Thy generosity and hold fast to the hem of the robe of Thy bounty. Leave us not to ourselves. O Mighty One, take the hands of the weak and deliver them from the abyss of idle fancies and desire. Thou art the Helper and Thou art the Powerful. We are helpless and we are weak. Without Thy grace, the spirit hath no comfort, and without Thy bestowal, the soul hath no effect. O Generous One! Adorn our unworthy deeds with the ornament of acceptance, and conceal our unseemly words with Thy forbearance. We have none besides Thee and desire none except Thee. Grant us shelter in the sanctuary of infallibility and bestow upon us dwelling beneath the canopy of Thy grandeur. Preserve us from the fire of self and passion, of idle fancies and transgression. We have no protector save Thee. We turn to the gate of Thy grace and await the wonders of Thy mercy. Do what befitteth Thy greatness and beseemeth Thy generosity and grace. There is no God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Generous.

Regarding what you mentioned about the blessed ring, this matter was entirely presented in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence. He smiled and said:

“Write that you shall attain, God willing. Be patient until God bestoweth upon thee His other favors. Verily, He is the Lord of all beings and the Lord of the Last and the First.”

The mention of the spiritual friend, Aqa Tahir, upon him be the Glory of God, who in previous years attained the presence, has been and is in the Most Holy Court. At this moment too He said to convey greetings to him and make mention of him from the Wronged One, that he may rejoice in My remembrance and be of the thankful ones.

This servant also conveys greetings to him and beseeches God, exalted be His glory, for confirmation especially for him. Wondrous and sublime verses have been revealed, and likewise mention of some who were in his letter. God willing, these will be sent these days. I beseech God that they may drink from the ocean of grace and be illumined by the lights of the sun of bounty—that is, that they may receive their portion from the hidden meanings in the divine verses which are, in truth, the heavenly food and the spirit of the Kingdom of eternity. Glory and praise and exaltation be upon you and upon those who have stood with supreme steadfastness and have said:

“God is our Lord and the Lord of the Throne and earth.”

The servant, 7th of Rajab 1302

On this day the letter of the honored friend Aqa Muhammad Hasan, upon him be the Glory of God, arrived. Convey greetings to him. God willing, his reply will also arrive. The dye and henna sent have arrived. The servant asks his Lord to send down for him that which will bring comfort to his eyes. Verily, He is the Generous, the Bountiful.

BH01382: How wonderful are the bestowals of the True One…

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

How wonderful are the bestowals of the True One, exalted be His glory! He granted His gifts unasked, and bestowed understanding undeserved, that every soul might attain unto the recognition of the Lord of “were it not for Thee.” And the recognition of Him is identical with the recognition of God, for the True One, exalted be His glory, hath ever been and shall ever remain unknowable, indescribable, and incomprehensible. “No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision: He is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things.” When He desired to adorn the realm of recognition, He created the intellect. It is the administrator and minister in that realm. Exalted be His bounty, exalted be His grace, exalted be His favor, exalted be His beneficence! The seen and the unseen, the visible and invisible, all are illumined and adorned by the effulgence of the Most Great Light, namely His Holiness the Seal, may our souls be a sacrifice for all else but Him.

O God, O All-Bountiful, O All-Merciful, O Self-Sufficing, O Peerless One! What can we say when all our utterances arise from vain imaginings, unworthy of Thy threshold and court? If Thou regardest justice, we are nothing and worthy of nothing, but if Thou lookest upon Thy grace, we are and have ever been worthy of every bounty. Thy name, the Concealer, hath ever concealed, and Thy generosity hath brought to naught the consequences of disobedience. Should Thy bounty bestow attention less than the eye of a needle, we would all become people of insight and knowledge, but should it turn away—God forbid—we would deserve a hundred thousand stings. O my God, have mercy on Thy weak ones, grant awareness to the heedless, and bestow steadfastness and constancy upon the aware ones. O Lord, deprive not Thy loved ones of the heaven of Thy grace and bounty. Grant that which befitteth Thy Most Generous Name, and bestow that which beseemeth Thy Name, the All-Bountiful. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the Great. There is no God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

The letter of that honored friend arrived, dispelling grief and bringing joy. In truth, it bestowed the blessing of reunion and entirely erased the hardship of separation. Praise be upon his hand and arm! If this servant should be remiss in responding to your correspondence, I hope to be forgiven, as I am occupied with numerous tasks and countless affairs—sometimes writing, sometimes planting trees, and at times engaged in various services. Surely the friends can testify to what has been mentioned, and certainly these services, being for the sake of God, are hoped to bring joy to the hearts of the friends and earn their good pleasure. However, the absence of a reply or its delay has never been and is not evidence of lack of love. God Almighty is witness that you have ever been and remain in my thoughts. Praise be to God that the affairs of the land of Kaf, according to what has been written, have been and are being resolved. God willing, may it transpire according to your wishes.

As for the [lambs] sent by the honored master, Sabri Efendi, upon him be the Glory of God, they arrived with the same mark and sign as mentioned. I beseech the True One, exalted be His glory, to confirm him in all conditions and grant him success. He is mentioned; this is what matters and, praise be to God, is present. On behalf of this evanescent one, convey greetings, praise, and glory to him. Likewise, I send greetings and glory to the honored friend, Aqa Ali-Akbar, upon him be the Glory of God, and I beseech God, exalted be His station, that they may be engaged in the mention and praise of the One True Friend in perfect health and well-being. The spiritual friend, Aqa Ali-Muhammad, came, but as there was no one to accompany him to Iran, the command for his return was issued. Whenever someone is found, we shall inform you. Convey greetings on behalf of this evanescent one. God willing, may they ever be successful.

As for the item sent by Aqa Abdu’llah, upon him be the Glory of God, it has not arrived, but they said, “We have accepted what has not arrived.” May God, exalted be His glory, grant reward, and they said, “From these that Sabri Efendi, upon him be peace, has sent, we shall use some with his intention in mind. Let him not trouble himself further. What we seek and desire has been and is goodly words, righteous deeds, and praiseworthy character,” and God willing, he has attained unto these. This evanescent servant also sends greetings and glory to him and beseeches God, exalted be His glory, for confirmation and support. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Hearing, the Answering One. I entrust Qurratu’l-Ayn and Qurratu’l-Ayn Inayatu’llah and ʿAta’iyyih Khanum, both of them, to God and seek their protection. It is hoped they will attain the highest degrees of grace and knowledge and be successful in serving the Cause. Verily, He is the Forgiver, the Bestower, the Mighty, the All-Wise. Peace, spirit, and mercy be upon you and upon those with you and upon God’s righteous servants. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

The servant 13 Rajab 1302

BH00185: How excellent, how excellent is the caravan of utterance…

Section 1: “How excellent, how excellent is the caravan…”

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

How excellent, how excellent is the caravan of utterance, bearing the gift of inner meanings! Each letter thereof brought forth the joy of roses, and each word bestowed the exhilaration of wine. From it emanated the freshness of the soul, and from its melodies proceeded a feast for the ears. Whatever interpretation is given accords with it, and whatever is said agrees with it. God knows that its mention heralded the days of attainment. It seems as though word and meaning in this station have become confidants, harmonious and embracing, for its words manifested the decree of meaning, and its meaning revealed the mystery of words.

The distinction and detail of this station transcend human comprehension, for they are intoxicated with the wine of pride and deprived and veiled from the outpourings of the days of manifestation. The condition of the various factions is known and evident and clear, requiring no mention. In one station, this exalted word was revealed from the tongue of the Lord of Names—exalted be His glory: “May God hasten His relief,” which yielded “May God hasten their punishment.” Yet it is astonishing that the people of the Bayan have not reflected upon the deeds and words of the Shi’ites, despite the fact that the falsehood of those souls and their rebellion became manifest to all the world. Nevertheless, these heedless souls are occupied with the words and deeds of those people.

This exalted word was revealed from the Supreme Pen in these days in response to the questions of Jinaab-i-Samandar—upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God. His word, exalted be His glory:

“Now it becomes clear that they have newly undertaken to renew the deeds and words of the past. They have adorned the steed of vain imaginings with the saddle of passion and set out for the journey to Jabulqa and Jabulsa. May God protect us and the company of those near to Him from the evil of these people.”

This evanescent servant beseeches night and day and seeks the protection of the servants, and likewise asks for their success and confirmation, that all might attain unto hearing and sight and not remain deprived of the ocean of divine mercy. This evanescent one is bewildered every moment—have the people of the Bayan not recognized the words and deeds of the past? The Shi’ites possessed not one word of truth; they uttered various calumnies in the name of truth, and those calumnies became the cause of the shedding of the blood of the Beloved of the world, and the Lord and Sovereign of existence was imprisoned in the prison of Akka.

That heedless faction considered themselves the highest of religions, and were so proud of what they possessed that, in the words of common folk, Pharaoh could not match their conceit. In the end it became clear that the Blessed Beauty, Whose mention occupied them night and day, they slew with their own hands. Now the people of the Bayan are newly occupied with their ancient utterances—may God forsake them and fight against them. They have not understood even this much: that today is the Day of God, wherein none is mentioned but Him. Although the days of every manifestation may in one sense be called the Day of God, yet this Day is, in all the Books, Psalms and Scriptures, specifically God’s and attributed to Him. By His exalted glory, with a hundred thousand hands I beseech and hope that He will, with His mighty hands, either prevent the people of the Bayan or guide them. He is powerful and mighty over all things.

Glorified art Thou, O God of earth and heaven and Lord of all mankind! I beseech Thee by that which was hidden in Thy knowledge, inscribed in Thy Book, and recorded by the Pen of Thy Command, to aid Thy servants to acknowledge Thy unity and confess Thy singleness. O Lord! Withhold them not from the ocean of Thy grace and the heaven of Thy bounty. Thou knowest what is in their hearts and hast power to transform and build them anew. They are Thy servants and Thy creatures; Thou hast manifested them through Thy bounty and fashioned them through Thy grace. I beseech Thee to protect them from the heat of the sun and the harm of the rains. Verily, Thou art the Chosen One. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Bestower.

And may peace and blessings be upon Thy loved ones and chosen ones who have cast away their desires, taking hold of that which hath shone forth from the Sun of Thy Will and the Sovereign of Thy Purpose. O Lord! They are they who have arisen to aid Thy Cause, and who have endured in Thy path that which hath caused the denizens of Thy dominion and kingdom to lament. O Lord! Aid them at all times to serve Thy Cause, to make mention of Thee and to praise Thee. There is none other God but Thee, the Powerful, the All-Conquering, the Almighty.

O Beloved of my heart! After partaking of the cups of joy from the words of that Presence, which were in truth the dawning-place of gladness and delight, I proceeded to the Most Exalted Station and presented myself before His countenance. Signs of joy and grace appeared upon that blessed face, and after several moments the Tongue of Grandeur uttered these brilliant verses, exalted be His utterance:

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

O thou who drinkest from the cup of My loving-kindness, and soareth in the atmosphere of My love, and gazeth toward My horizon, and art immersed in the ocean of My utterance! Upon thee be My glory and My mercy. We have heard thy call and answered thee before and after, and have mentioned thee in such wise as to be a blazing lamp before thy face in all the worlds of thy Lord. We complain unto thee of those who have been debarred from recognition after that which hath been sent down from the heaven of utterance—that which none can reckon save God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

By God’s life! Every person of insight and fairness is bewildered. They have not understood the Day of God and have not become aware as beseemeth it. For had they become aware, all would have arisen with perfect steadfastness to serve His Cause. They remain veiled from the Day when mankind shall stand forth and are occupied with the idle fancies of the past. By thy life! The baseness of the people and their lack of capacity hath reached such a state that until now the Supreme Pen hath not spoken in its true accent as it beseemeth. Through the sovereign Will and the pervading Purpose, the fingers of divine power have rent asunder the veils and the clouds, that eyes might be blessed with beholding and ears with hearing.

In truth, the powers of sight and hearing were created for this Day. Yet now it is observed that some of the ignorant ones still speak of the vain imaginings of the people of the Furqan. Such injustice and heedlessness hath reached such a point that they deny the Truth which hath ever been manifest before the faces of enemies, and standing, equivalent to all divine books from before and after, hath been sent down from the heaven of His utterance. Yet they fancy themselves to be believers and godly souls. All atoms are bewildered—to what do these heedless souls cling? God hath forsaken them.

We beseech the True One to raise up souls who will discover the sweetness of the Cause, the sweetness of utterance, and the greatness of this Day, and will find themselves detached and free from the world and all who dwell therein. Today, whosoever entereth beneath the shadow of the Divine Tree hath no need of the sun of the world, much less the glow of the firefly. We beseech God to assist you in such wise that you may, by day and by night, summon the servants to the horizon of the All-Merciful with wisdom and utterance, and give them to drink from the cup of steadfastness. Steadfastness is regarded today as the most great of all deeds in the sight of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. The light that shineth from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon those who are with thee and who serve thee and hearken to thy word concerning the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds.

O beloved of my heart! The ocean of bounty in relation to your honor is manifest with its highest waves, and the effulgences of the sun of grace are evident with perfect radiance. Exalted be His greatness, and elevated be His favors, and sublime be His gifts! Who can describe what hath appeared from the waves of the ocean of His utterance? Glory be unto Him! Glory be unto Him! Far is He above what I say or what others say. The servant seeketh forgiveness and repenteth for what his tongue hath uttered and his pen hath written. Verily, He is sanctified above what was and what will be.

One letter from your honor which was sent from the land of K, dated the thirteenth of the first ʿAyn, opened the gate of joy. Though presence is forbidden, yet the birds of correspondence are, through divine grace, in flight, and in truth, the fragrance of presence and meeting emanates from it. It somewhat soothes those aflame with the fire of separation and bestows according to capacity upon those thirsting for reunion. The letter of a true friend refreshens the friend and its mention brings to life the days of nearness and reunion. We beseech and implore the Exalted Truth that this gate may ever remain open and this bird may forever be in flight.

And concerning what you wrote about the aforementioned person, upon him be the Glory of God, this servant bears witness that repeatedly the Tongue of Grandeur spoke verses concerning him, from whose fragrance it was understood that repeatedly they had prepared for him a well of hatred and animosity, but God, exalted be His glory, protected him and he is still protected. Let him be assured that this humiliation has been and continues to be the cause of everlasting remembrance, and its end is good. There has been revealed for him that which shall testify for him in all the worlds of his Lord and shall be as a lamp walking before his face. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Now also a Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet has been revealed for him from the heaven of Will. You should deliver it that he may inhale from it the fragrance of his Lord’s favor and be made steadfast in His Great Announcement.

And concerning the mention you made of the honored leaves, his aunt and two daughters, upon them be the Glory of God and His favors, and likewise the mention of their being set ablaze with the fire of divine love—after this detail was presented before the Most Great Threshold, one Most Holy, Most Glorious Tablet was revealed from the heaven of the Will of the Lord of all beings. God willing, they will attain unto it. Likewise, two Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablets were revealed from the heaven of grace specifically for his two sons who were in the land of K. God willing, they will drink from the living waters of the words of the All-Merciful and attain unto a wondrous new life.

And concerning what you wrote mentioning the good news about the oppressed ones and the prisoners, after their release news came by telegraph from various directions. Indeed, His Majesty the renowned Sultan showed greatness. One day this exalted word was heard from the tongue of the Lord of Names. He said:

“O servant in attendance! Had the false Siyyid, who is known as the truthful one in the land of Ta, been the Sultan, he would have martyred those oppressed ones on the first day.”

Now all must pray for His Majesty the Sultan and ask for divine confirmation. This ends the quote. According to what was mentioned, of His own blessed accord He released the captives and showed favor.

And concerning what you wrote about the feast of the friends of God, exalted be His glory, in thanksgiving for the blessing of release, and the arising of assured and steadfast souls, upon them be the Glory of God, to serve this Cause, and the mention you made of their names—all these matters were presented before the face of the Lord of all beings. Each one was honored with the mention of God, exalted be His glory. By the life of our Beloved and your Beloved! They have attained unto a mention before which all mentions prostrate, and a light before which all lights bow down, and a name around which all names circle. Give them the glad-tidings of their Lord’s favor. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Compassionate, the Generous.

This evanescent servant beseeches God to confirm all in that which is the cause and reason for the perpetuation of existence. As commanded, the amount of one feast was specifically taken from what you sent for the Holy Presence, and the remainder was assigned to the beloved of hearts, Jinab-i-Samandar, upon him be the Glory of God, to take and do with as commanded, since some have been in great distress. Therefore, as commanded, it was bestowed upon those souls to be delivered. This is what was revealed from the Kingdom of utterance of our Lord, the All-Merciful, for those who have attained unto goodness and performed in His path that which was accepted. His word, exalted be His glory:

Section 2: “The mentioned loved ones have all attained…”

He is the Witness from His most exalted horizon.

The mentioned loved ones have all attained the grace of God, glorified be His majesty, and by the name of each one, the ocean of utterance surgeth and the sun of bounty shineth forth. We beseech God to enable all to attain unto the Most Great Steadfastness and to aid them in that which will cause the exaltation of His Cause.

We have made mention of Nun and Vav, upon him be My glory, and We implore assistance for him. Today is the day of sowing and reaping the fruit. Blessed are they who are occupied with the planting of goodly trees, that is to say, pure words and praiseworthy deeds. We have previously made mention of him with words that cause bodies to tremble, let alone souls and minds. Give him My glad-tidings that he may inhale the fragrance of My loving-kindness.

And We make mention of Ha’ and Sin. He arose to serve the Cause in days wherein trees were uprooted, blood was shed, souls were perturbed, mountains moved, the heavens were cleft asunder, and heroes fled, save those whom God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, willed otherwise. We have mentioned him before and after, and counseled him to preserve his station. I am, verily, the Commanding, the All-Wise. Remind him from Me of that which hath been revealed for him at this time.

We further make mention of Ha’ and Sin who hath believed in God, the Lord of the worlds. Various letters from him were presented by the servant who attends the Wronged One. Blessed is he and those who have attained unto the Kawthar of steadfastness in this mighty Cause. He hath ever been remembered and hath attained unto God’s grace. God willing, may they at all times hearken unto the rustling of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing and the murmuring of the Kawthar of the Merciful’s utterance, and become aware of the station of the Day of God and that which beseemeth it.

Convey greetings to Farajullah. He is enkindled with divine love. He must, throughout the days and nights, beseech and supplicate God, and ask Him to preserve this most exalted station, for the barking ones are striving with the waters of idle fancies and vain imaginings to extinguish the fire of God’s love. O Faraj! God’s relief hath come, yet the people perceive it not. The Hidden Treasure hath appeared, yet the people recognize it not. Behold the people of the Bayan, how they have hastened to the pond, forsaking the Most Great Ocean. What aileth them? How is it that they understand not? By God’s life! They worship idols without any proof from God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. It behooveth thee to ask thy Lord to preserve that whereon thou art. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

O Muhammad! Hearken unto the call of the Single One, Who summoneth thee in the prison of Akka to the supreme horizon and remindeth thee of that which hath been revealed in the Books of God, the Lord of the worlds. Under all conditions We counsel thee to be steadfast, for mighty is the Cause and the servants are weak. Blessed are they whom the chains of the ungodly and the clamor of the deniers have not kept back from the Lord of the Day of Judgment. Whosoever attaineth unto steadfastness hath attained unto all good. Praise the Object of all creation Who hath made mention of thee in prison. This mention is, in the sight of God, better and more praiseworthy than the treasures of the world. Know thou its value and be thankful. O thou who art mentioned at the Throne! We have made mention of My loved ones and have accepted what they have done in My path, and We make mention of My leaves and My handmaidens as a grace from Our presence. Verily, He doth not suffer the reward of the doers of good, men and women, to be lost.

We have revealed unto the aunt and her daughter that which beareth witness before the faces of the world to the loving-kindness of the Ancient King, Who proclaimeth at all times: “There is none other God but Me, the One, the All-Informed.” We testify that they both believed in God in the earliest days and manifested steadfastness in the Cause of God, the Exalted, the Great. Convey unto them My glad-tidings and remind them of My loving-kindness and bounty which have encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. They have ever been and continue to be engaged in service to God and His loved ones, and have in truth shown no remissness. We beseech God to ordain for them that which shall exalt their station and elevate their rank.

We make mention of the wife of him who ascended unto God, and of her who is with her, and of every handmaiden who hath believed in God and held fast unto His sure cord. Verily We have made mention of every leaf who hath clung to the Tree and turned unto and believed in Him Whom all on earth denied, save those whom God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, hath willed. Every servant who hath believed and every handmaiden who hath turned unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy, hath been mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One.

We make mention in this station of My handmaiden who attained the presence of her Lord while He was imprisoned through that which the hands of the heedless had wrought, and We make mention of her son and his wife, and I am the All-Knowing Remembrancer. The Sun of God’s loving-kindness hath shone upon all, and the souls mentioned have attained unto that which hath been the hope of them that are nigh unto God and of the sincere ones. All ears in the world are attentive that they might hear “O My servant” and “O My handmaiden,” and all eyes of the peoples are waiting for the Hand of Power to rend asunder the veil. How many souls expired in their longing for the Divine Day and attained it not. Now must the souls and handmaidens who have attained remember during the nights and days “Praise be unto Thee, O God of all worlds.”

At this moment the Tongue of Grandeur maketh mention of His handmaiden Shirin, and likewise of Firdaws. How many princes and princesses awaited these days yet attained them not, while handmaidens who were counted as lowly attained that which hath been the goal of all worlds. Bounty is in His mighty grasp—He bestoweth upon whomsoever He willeth. He is the Generous, the Merciful. We convey Our greetings unto Shirin and Firdaws and give them the glad-tidings of divine favors. Blessed are they both and joy be unto them. The glory shining from the horizon of My Kingdom be upon those who have attained unto My remembrance and have drunk the choice wine of steadfastness in My Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

Praise be unto Him, then praise be unto Him for what He hath bestowed upon us and sent down unto us from the heaven of grace and bounty that which cannot be equaled by aught in the kingdom of creation. The mentioned loved ones and the acceptable leaves have each drunk from the ocean of remembrance that which hath no likeness or equal. Now is the time when all things should speak “Well done! Well pleased!”—likewise that honored one and this servant—but what use is it when the people are seen to be intoxicated with the wine of pride? Has taste been forgotten, or have the senses become altered and confused? The ancient world hath attained unto new meanings, and the decayed bodies of utterance have appeared in wondrous attire, yet the people of the world are seen to be deprived and portionless. The command is God’s, the Overseer, the Self-Subsisting. He judgeth as He pleaseth and decreeth as He willeth, and He is the Commander, the All-Knowing.

This evanescent servant conveyeth his greetings and salutations unto each of the mentioned loved ones and secluded leaves—upon them be the glory of God—and beseecheth confirmation for each, for the ungodly and the treacherous lie in wait. I beseech God to protect them through His Name, the Preserver, and through His Name, the Powerful.

Concerning the honoured Leaf, upon her be the Glory of God, you wrote that you have entrusted her to God. He said:

“God willing, she has been and will continue to be under the glance of His favor. Convey My greetings to her on behalf of the Wronged One. Praise be to God, she has been blessed with meeting and serving you. We beseech God, exalted be He, to assist her and to ordain for her the best of what He hath decreed in His Book. Verily, He is powerful over all things.”

Your kindred have not been and will never be forgotten from sight, for the Sun of loving-kindness is ever-shining and manifest.

They had mentioned Aqa Muhammad-ʿAli, upon him be the Glory of God. After it was presented before the Most Holy and Exalted Presence, a wondrous and sublime Tablet was specifically revealed and sent for him. God willing, may he attain unto it and drink from the Kawthar of divine favor—a drink after which there shall be no thirst.

They had mentioned Haji Khalil and his nephew, upon them be the Glory of the All-Merciful. After presentation, this supreme utterance shone forth from the Dayspring of utterance, the Lord of Names. His exalted Word:

“Recently their names have repeatedly flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. Again convey My greetings to them and adorn them with the lights of the Self-Subsisting Name. Praise be to God, they have attained unto that which was mentioned and recorded in the divine Books of the past and present. I beseech for them success. May they gaze at all times toward the supreme horizon and be engaged in the remembrance of the Lord of the Kingdom of Names. We beseech God to protect them beneath the canopy of His grace and grant them the greatest portion of His everlasting bounties.”

This servant also conveys greetings and salutations to each one, and beseeches God, exalted be His glory, for everyone’s confirmation. Verily, He is powerful over all things. Until now, for everyone about whom you have written, answers have descended from the heaven of the Will of the Lord of Lords. It appears to this evanescent one that no name has been omitted by the Most Exalted Pen. God is sufficient as witness.

And concerning what you wrote that praise be to God, the loved ones and friends everywhere are at ease, He said:

“Ask God to assist all to act according to what hath been revealed in the Book from the Pen of Command. By the life of God! Had they acted upon the divine ordinances and commandments from the beginning of the Cause until now, you would have witnessed this day to be different from this day and this earth to be different from this earth. He Who possesseth the Mother Book beareth witness to this. The Wronged One dwelleth in prison, and that which would cause the manifestation of human stations and the tranquility and security of the peoples of the world hath been mentioned and continues to be mentioned, but few are found who act upon it. We beseech God to roll up the carpet of vain imaginings and to adorn the world with the lights of certitude.”

This evanescent servant tenders praise and glory to each of the loved ones of that land who have drunk from the eternal Kawthar and who are gazing toward the Most Exalted Horizon, and he begs confirmation for all. Verily He is powerful over all things. His Holiness the Most Great Branch and His Holiness the Most Mighty Branch—may my spirit, my being, and my essence be sacrificed for the dust of their footsteps—each convey their greetings and have shown such bounty and love that this servant is incapable and powerless to describe. Likewise, the denizens of the pavilion of infallibility and grandeur convey their greetings to your honor and to the Leaf who is related to your honor. Glory and praise and remembrance and thanksgiving be upon your honor and upon those who have arisen and declared:

“God is our Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and the earth and the Lord of the mighty throne.”

And praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The servant, 14 Rajab 1302

BH05739: A mention revealed by the One Who is mentioned…

He is the One Who gazeth from the horizon of the Prison.

A mention revealed by the One Who is mentioned for him who hath turned to the Countenance when the veils were rent asunder and the coverings were torn by the finger of God’s will, the Lord of all worlds. Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto the knowledge of God and the hand that hath taken hold of His perspicuous Book.

Thy mention was presented and the servant who was present before the Countenance read it. We heard it and have answered thee through this luminous Tablet. By God! The luminary of prosperity hath shone forth from the horizons of the Tablets, yet the people are in grievous doubt. Their vain desires have kept them back from God, their Creator. They are indeed among the heedless ones. The mountains have passed away and the Cry hath been raised, the Trumpet hath been sounded and the Herald hath called out, yet the people are in strange stupor.

Say: Glory be to Thee, O Dawning-Place of the verses and Dayspring of clear tokens and Source of the oceans of wisdom and utterance in the contingent world! I beseech Thee by the power of Thy Pen of destiny and by Thy might in Thy kingdom to make me steadfast in Thy love and speaking in Thy praise and detached from all else besides Thee. Thou art verily the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the Powerful, the All-Subduing, the Omnipotent.

O my Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and hoping for the wonders of Thy grace. I beseech Thee not to withhold from me that which is with Thee and which Thou hast ordained in Thy Book. Thou art verily the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

BH06003: O my leaf! Upon thee be My glory! Blessed…

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Informed

O my leaf! Upon thee be My glory! Blessed art thou, for from the beginning when the Sun of Revelation dawned from the horizon of the Will of God, exalted be His glory, thou didst turn unto Him and with complete love and affection arose to serve the Lord of all beings. Among men thou art mentioned before the Self-Sufficing, the Exalted. The friends of God have made mention of thy service, to this He with Whom is the Mother Book beareth witness. And We make mention of thy daughter who attained the days of her Lord. Her remembrance hath ever been before the Wronged One, Who testifieth to her turning, her devotion, her humility, her submissiveness and her service unto God and in His straight path.

And We make mention of thy other daughter and give her the glad-tidings of My mercy, My loving-kindness and My bounty which have encompassed the kingdom of earth and heaven. All thy kindred who have fixed their gaze upon the Most Exalted Horizon and who have held fast unto the Most Firm Handle have been and are mentioned in the presence of this Face. Praise ye the Beloved of the world Who hath enabled you to turn unto a Cause whereof all who are on earth remain heedless and veiled save those whom God hath willed, the Lord of all worlds. Upon you and upon those women who have believed in the All-Informed, the One, be the Glory of God.

BH07794: The Supreme Pen hath revealed wondrous and exalted verses…

He is the Single, the All-Informed!

The Supreme Pen hath revealed wondrous and exalted verses equivalent to all the previous Books, and hath likewise made manifest clear proofs. Nevertheless, an unjust people turned away and pronounced sentence of death upon Him. When sovereign might prevented this, they cast Him into prison. And now in the Most Great Prison He is occupied with the remembrance of the party of God.

I counsel thee and the friends to manifest the greatest steadfastness, for certain among the people of the Bayan have clung to previous vain imaginings and turned away from the Truth. God smite them! It is not known by what they believed and by what they turned away. We beseech the True One to protect thee and His party from the evil of such souls.

It behooveth thee to thank God for having turned unto thee from the direction of the Prison and remembered thee in such wise as cannot be equaled by what is with the kings and sovereigns. Praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds.

BH08272: The Most Exalted Pen beareth witness to thy turning…

He is the Witness from His most exalted horizon

The Most Exalted Pen beareth witness to thy turning and devotion to God, the Lord of all beings. This is a testimony that walketh before thy face like the sun in all the worlds of thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous. Be thou trusting in Him, confident in His grace, and holding fast to the cord of His Name, the Powerful. Be not grieved at what hath come to pass. By the life of God, it hath been and is pure good. Soon shall appear that which is hidden from sight. What behooveth thee is steadfastness in the Cause. What behooveth God is compassion and grace and glory and exaltation. We counsel thee to be steadfast, for He is the Ordainer, the All-Knowing. Should a malicious one bring thee news, leave it behind thee, as bidden by God, the Exalted, the Great. May the glory shining from the horizon of My Kingdom be upon thee and upon those with thee who love thee for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH10073: O Husayn, upon thee be My glory! Thou wert…

He is the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious

O Husayn, upon thee be My glory! Thou wert enkindled with the fire of the love of God and didst arise to serve His Cause, the firm, the mighty. Be thou eloquent in His praise, turn thy face toward His countenance, and fix thy gaze upon His bright horizon. With perfect wisdom strive to unite souls and to kindle hearts. He will assuredly assist thee even as He hath assisted and confirmed thee in this Great Announcement. Preserve thy station, then make mention of thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Glory be upon thee and upon those who have cast behind them the idle fancies of the past, and hold fast to the lights of the Sun of Certitude from God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH01246: Praise be to God who hath made knowledge…

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

Praise be to God who hath made knowledge a lamp and wisdom a light, and hath linked it to godliness through His word “Fear God: God will teach you”, whereby He hath made clear the proof and revealed the path. Through it the dove of utterance warbleth upon the branch of divine knowledge—verily there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Bestower. Praise be to God who hath preserved it through wisdom and commanded all to follow it. Through it the foundation of existence was established, the clouds of bounty rained down, and His all-pervading Cause appeared to all who witness and are witnessed. Exalted is His Cause, exalted His sovereignty, and exalted His greatness, His power and His might. He hath sent forth the Messengers and revealed the Books to manifest His grace and demonstrate His bounty and generosity.

He hath made them the dawning-places of His revelation, the daysprings of His Cause, the manifestations of His Self and the sources of His wisdom, until the Books were sealed with the Qur’an and the Messengers with the Lord of all creation, through whom the earth and heaven smiled and the gate of bestowal was opened to all in the kingdom of names. Upon Him be God’s peace, blessings, mercy, favors, glory, splendor, bounty and grace, and upon His family and companions through whom the horizons of the heaven of divine knowledge shone forth upon all in the realm of possibility, the fragrance of unity was diffused among all religions, and through whom God’s power and sovereignty were made manifest and the standards of His Cause were raised among His creation. These are honored servants who speak not until He hath spoken and who act by His command.

And further: thy letter which diffused the fragrance of love for the Best-Beloved of the worlds caused the breast to expand and adorned the heart with boundless joy. After its reading and perusal it was presented before His presence. He said: “O thou who holdest fast to the cord of divine knowledge! Heedlessness hath laid waste the world. The foundation of the word of unity is observed to be shaken through the dissension and cawing of the ungodly. The banner of God’s word hath been raised and planted at the highest station of the world for thirteen hundred years, yet now it hath inclined due to the transgressions of evil and wayward souls. By the life of God! These things have occurred only through the heedlessness and disobedience of the servants. Beseech ye God to assist the people of unity and purify them with the water of repentance and return, that all may turn with perfect unity and without hypocrisy toward the supreme horizon and seek relief from God, glorified be His majesty. He is the Generous One Who heareth and answereth the cry of the oppressed.

Glory be to God! Until now they have not discovered the cause of these new developments. We beseech God to assist the distinguished divines to that which preserveth the radiant Faith. Every soul must arise to redress what hath been lost, for if this matter is, God forbid, delayed, the beasts of prey will seize and plunder what remaineth. This Wronged One beseecheth God, glorified be His majesty, to assist thee in that which causeth the fragrance of eternity to be diffused. Rejoice thou in My remembrance of thee, then give thanks unto thy Lord, the Generous. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to ordain for thee from His Most Exalted Pen the good of the hereafter and of this world, and to make thee so firm, steadfast and upright that thou shalt see in existence naught save His manifestation, His signs, His power and His might.” We seal these words with the remembrance of God’s loved ones and chosen ones, that the fragrance of sincerity unto God, the Lord of all worlds, may be diffused thereby. End.

God is witness and testimony that from the beginning of the ignition of the fire of oppression in those regions and other places, they beseeched God in utter helplessness to extinguish it, and they said: O servant present, this word will be answered only when people awaken from the sleep of heedlessness and arise to remedy what has passed. In any case, for the generous ones no task is difficult. Through God’s grace and favor we have been and are hopeful that He will not deprive His servants of His infinite favors. Verily He has power over all things.

That honored one has always been and continues to be remembered, and it is hoped that this favor will be the cause and means of exaltation, ascendancy and elevation. This is not difficult for God.

Regarding the journey of Aqa Mirza ʿAli-Muhammad, upon him be God’s peace, they said the choice rests with that honored one himself—whenever wisdom requires it, he may proceed. Conveying mention and praise to the friends in that land is entrusted to that honored one. Peace be upon you and upon God’s righteous servants.

The watermelon seeds that you sent arrived, and after your letter, permission for another steamer was granted to Haji, the emigrant traveler. This favor encompasses that honored one and him, for he is present by proxy and has attained representation and been blessed with pilgrimage. All this is from God’s grace and mercy unto the Guardian of the hopeful ones and the Guardian of the sincere ones.

BH00659: Praise be sanctified above the recognition of all created…

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

Praise be sanctified above the recognition of all created things and the comprehension of all beings, befitting the court of nearness to the Holy Presence of the Desired One, Who has ever been and shall ever be sanctified above all names and attributes. The entire creation speaks His praise and acknowledgeth His bounty and generosity, yet none has claimed to have truly accepted Him, for how can they who are bound by limitations enumerate that which exists within the court of the Lord of the invisible and the visible? The private chamber of the unseen is sanctified above the gathering of manifestation and witness. Nevertheless, we servants submit with the utmost lowliness and supplication:

O Lord! O Self-Sufficient One! O All-Bountiful! O All-Merciful! Thou art He Whose mercy has preceded all and Whose generosity has encompassed all peoples and nations. Should the breeze of Thy wealth pass by, it would erase the very name of poverty from the world, and should the ocean of Thy forgiveness surge, it would remove all distinction between the sinful and the obedient. Thou hast loved oneness and unity, yet this evanescent one testifies that none hath truly understood Thy oneness. O Generous One! Deprive not Thy weak servants of Thy profound grace. Accept these unworthy mentions through Thy bounty. The world of being is but a token of Thy generosity, and the manifestations of all things are but signs of Thy manifestation. O Peerless One! Sanctify Thy servants and summon them to the seat of Thy loving-kindness. Deprivation from all else is possible, but from Thee it is neither fitting nor possible. O God! The eye is expectant, the face is turned toward Thee, and the heart is attracted. What Thou didst grant at first, withdraw not at the end. Thou art the All-Powerful, Thou art the All-Seeing. Praise be unto Thee, O Creator of heaven and Possessor of all names!

O Beloved of my heart! The perfumed spiritual leaf that was adorned with the mention of the people of inner meaning gave new life to the soul and strength of vision to the eye. In truth, each of its words was a messenger from the right hand of love and affection, and a fragrance from the rose-garden of longing and desire. It gave the power of smell to the nostrils and taste to the palate. Allah-u-Akbar! Such is the influence of the messengers and the penetrating power of the words of the sincere ones that a single word can transform hell into paradise and retribution into blessing. Thus it was that in the midst of sorrows that descended in these days, the gate of joy was opened and delight and gladness took hold of our very being.

His is the praise and the favor. He created both fire and light, and this contrast has been the cause of our recompense; otherwise His generosity would not accept punishment, and His mercy would not be followed by wrath. Glorified be His majesty, universal be His bounty, exalted be His station, and there is no God but Him! In all conditions the people of truth are patient and gaze toward the horizon of submission and contentment. After reading and becoming apprised of the esteemed letter, We proceeded to the exalted station and presented it before His Countenance. He said:

This Prisoner has ever besought and continues to beseech God, exalted be His glory, for their confirmation, and assuredly this prayer shall be answered, for He is the Hearer and Answerer of prayers. From Him is supplication and in His grasp lies its acceptance. The mysteries of the words “He doeth whatsoever He willeth” are beyond reckoning. Convey greetings from this Wronged One to all the friends in that land. We beseech God to protect them all and make them the sources and manifestations of His most excellent names. The petition of Ghulam-Qabli-Husayn was read before the face of this Wronged One in the prison. Blessed is he and joy be unto him. We beseech the Almighty to make him ever-mindful of Him, speaking His praise and standing firm in His service under all conditions. The peace of God and His mercy and blessings be upon you.

This evanescent one expresseth utter nothingness and evanescence before each of the loved ones and friends of God. To the beloved of my heart, His honor Aqa Siyyid ʿAli, upon him be 96 [Baha’u’llah], this evanescent one’s mention of nothingness is beloved, for if true evanescence is achieved, perpetuity is present in that moment. In such case, the decree of attainment is clear and established. God willing, may you ever adorn the garden of utterance with wondrous and exalted trees. The trees of loving-kindness have arrived. O beloved of my heart! The tree is present, the earth is present, the water is present—the matter rests with the planter and cultivator. We beseech God that by His blessed will and good-pleasure, He may bring about the means that are expedient. He is the Helper and Succourer in all things.

At this hour, when four hours of night have passed, this evanescent one, like lightning, was at times at the wharf and at times by the sea, and likewise near its gift-bearers. Through abundant searching, praise be to God, its palm trees, before bearing fruit, yielded in wondrous and lofty array fruit whose taste was love and whose flavor was the savor of life. How excellent was its fragrance which gave strength, and its mention which bestowed joy! If, for example, it seems trivial to true friends, God knows that with the Friend it is accounted as precious gems. Other trees were also seen and present. As time had passed and night had advanced beyond four, therefore the searching and investigating and observing and admiring and giving thanks were all deferred to the spiritual dawn.

The mention of dawn was made, and the elephant remembered India. From this mention was inhaled the fragrance of the dawn of the Day of Manifestation. Exalted be that Day wherein God was manifested unto all things through all names! By the life of our Beloved, in this station I am both mute and dumb. Another sight is needed and another power of hearing. Although it is hoped that through the prayers of those beloved ones, through patience every difficulty may become easy and every hardship become comfort. In truth, with His generosity no task is difficult.

In any case, I hope that tomorrow morning, through the endeavors of the gentlemen, I may be occupied with taking and carrying and digging and planting and arranging, and surely through the noble efforts of those beloved ones its fruit will appear, its stature will become lofty, and its shade will become brilliant. In truth, each was a palm grove that truly captured hearts and dispelled grief. It seemed as though the garden of delight had turned from Alexandria to Bahji, and from there to that small plot which His Honor knows contains the lamentation of the world and from which the tumult of nations is manifest and evident. However, I state with sincerity and declare with the tongue of truth that in these days this servant has no means beyond what they have sent, and there is fear that, God forbid, there may be delay in the assigned service and inability may become apparent.

I petition those beloved ones not to forget this evanescent one in times of leisure. This is the hope of this evanescent one. Convey greetings on behalf of this evanescent one to those blessed, assured, enkindled souls and those detached, attracted spirits. I have besought and continue to beseech from God, exalted be His glory, blessing and bounty and health for each one, being certain that He is the Hearing, the Responding One, and praise be to God, the Mighty, the Watchful. In Persia I used to hear them say: A new flower has come to market, My soul’s beloved has come.

However, it was not known who was the lover and who was the beloved, for in truth they were uttering meaningless words. But now it is observed that a whole world of meaning hath appeared from that which seemed meaningless, inasmuch as Jinab-i-Aqa Abu’l-Qasim arrived bearing a fresh flower whose fragrance was more delicate than the human spirit and whose sight was a hundred thousand times more sublime than beholding garden roses. After observation, examination and investigation, it became clear that this too was one of the favors of those beloved ones. Another night it came to bloom; truly it was a wondrous sight. This one flower excelled all flowers, for it had attained the presence [of the Beloved] and was adorned with the ornament of acceptance. These are the attributes of this sweet-natured flower which, according to the Beloved of hearts, His Holiness ʿAli—may God ennoble his countenance—was called Malonia. As long as the power of renewal exists in springtime and moisture in the morning breeze, may ye remain joyous and triumphant, hale and whole, abiding beneath the shade of the Sacred Tree.

Truly a wondrous thing hath come to pass. For several years this flower was planted, yet neither its blossoms nor its fruit were known, until in these days they appeared. And by chance, it was on a night when at dawn this servant was to recite in the Shrine the revealed sermon specifically for the new Most Great Joy. Taking up the sermon and the flower, I set out from ʿAkka toward Bahji. All began to utter words of praise and glorification. And in God’s handiwork, His is the praise in all conditions, and He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted. There is no God but Him, the Powerful, the All-Bountiful.

BH02823: O My leaf! Upon thee be My glory! Blessed…

He is the Comforter, the Consoler.

O My leaf! Upon thee be My glory! Blessed art thou and those like thee whom nothing whatsoever hath prevented from God, the Creator of the heavens. By the life of God, We have made mention of thee in such wise as all the treasures of the earth cannot equal. Thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, beareth witness to this. The Supreme Pen testifieth to the acceptance, orientation, humility and submissiveness of that honored woman before the face of God, and to her patience and tranquility in His Cause. Blessed art thou, O My handmaiden! Thou hast drunk the choice wine of patience from the hand of the favor of thy Lord, the Chosen One, and hast attained unto that which the denizens of the Most Exalted Paradise and the Supreme Heaven have attained.

The entire world hath been created for the knowledge of God, exalted be His glory, and on the Day of Manifestation all relationships are severed, for all relationships return unto Him. Each party was prevented by some matter, and each people were deprived by some mention, cause or calamity. Praise be to God that that leaf turned towards Him and attained unto the hearing of the divine call, and the calamities of the world did not prevent her from the Supreme Horizon. There hath befallen thee what befell Us in the Most Great Prison in the early days.

In truth the world is not worthy of attention. Blessed are they who soared on the wings of detachment and ascended through the love of God. For them have been ordained exalted stations beneath the pavilions of grandeur, under the shade of the Tree of Grace, in the Supreme Paradise and Most Exalted Heaven. I swear by the Sun of the horizon of sanctity, were the merest trace of that station to be revealed to all peoples, they would freely sacrifice their lives.

We beseech God to aid thee and make thee firm and steadfast in His Cause. Know thou the value of this Tablet. By My life, from its horizon hath shone the sun of the loving-kindness of thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous. We have mentioned him who ascended unto God with such remembrance as the denizens of the Kingdom of Names and every servant who heard and responded to his Lord when He came with manifest sovereignty make mention of. The Wronged One conveyeth His greetings to all the relatives and counseleth all to submission, patience, perseverance, remembrance and praise of God, exalted be His glory. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon them and upon everyone steadfast and firm.

BH02414: Praise be to God! The musk-laden fragrances of meaning…

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

Praise be to God! The musk-laden fragrances of meaning and utterance are diffused in every moment and instant, and the correspondence and letters of the friends of God, like caravans from Yemen bearing divine knowledge, are ever arriving. At all times the sweet scent of love wafts from the mention of the chosen ones to the nostrils of the soul. In truth, this is the mystery of life and its essence. They have attributed a spirit to the body and called it the soul—that spirit grows cold at the sight of Azrael, but this spirit endures until the trumpet of Israfil, nay until whatsoever God willeth.

The letter arrived and increased longing and reunion, though it also portrayed the might of separation. Praise be to God in all conditions! With perfect certitude I declare that without His favors we are powerless, nay non-existent and lost. Speech is from His special grace and the pen from His infinite bounty. The connection of the world, the fellowship and gathering of nations, and all stations and ranks are made manifest through these two. They are two mighty interpreters that He has bestowed upon His servants. Exalted is God, our Lord and your Lord, our Goal and the Goal of all in the heavens and earth! And peace and blessings be upon the Source of His Cause, the Ocean of His knowledge, and the Heaven of His wisdom, whom He named Ahmad in the Kingdom and the Comforter in the Gospel. His are the most beautiful names from God, Creator of heaven. And upon His family and companions through whom the carpet of idols was rolled up and the carpet of divine unity was spread among the people.

After perusing the letter and its contents, it was presented before His presence and this is what the Master (may our spirits be sacrificed for Him) spoke:

“We beseech God to assist them and ordain for them the good of this world and the next. Verily He is the Lord of humanity and the Sovereign of the throne on high and of earth below.”

Indeed, boundless joy was obtained from the attention of that beloved one, as there is hope that through God’s grace and help, the door of bounty will be opened to all and all will be enabled to visit the House of God. As for the arrangements for the visit, with wisdom it depends upon drawing lots and the consent of both parties, for if all were to set out at once it would cause disputes. People are weak—despite having complete trust, Satan sometimes casts doubts and whispers into heedless souls.

I send greetings to Aqa Muhammad-Qasim and Aqa ʿAbdu’l-Muttalib, upon them be 96 [Baha’u’llah]. We hope God’s grace will encompass their condition. Peace and praise be upon you and upon God’s friends and chosen ones.

The servant, 5 Sha’ban 1302

BH01322: Praise be to God Who created man and taught…

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

Praise be to God Who created man and taught him utterance, and made him a sign of His dominion in all creation. And blessings and peace be upon the Lord of the Messengers, the Ordainer of paths, the Manifestation of Names, the Banner of Eternity in the Kingdom of Creation, and upon His family and companions who held fast to divine assistance and attained to the Dayspring of dawn.

Thereafter, this evanescent servant was honored by your exalted letter which was truly the essence of joy and gladness, bestowing complete delight and opening the gates of reunion, for the yearning ones perceive from the book the fragrance of reunion. However, from what you wrote about the tribulations that had befallen, infinite grief was experienced—one word brought joy while another brought sorrow. Praise be to God in both conditions. Your honor has no news from this land. What has befallen it is the universal cause of the world’s grief. A few days ago, while at the mansion, one night as this servant was engaged in writing in His presence, suddenly an uproar arose. Later it became known that a group of Christians had, with utmost tyranny and aggression, beaten and abused some friends who were engaged in service, to such an extent that two souls nearly perished. Until now the physicians are occupied with their treatment.

After these abhorrent acts, they entered Akka and began complaining to the Pasha and others, claiming “Three of us were sent to another place by the Persians who attacked us,” whereas no one had molested those souls. It seems they were raised in the school of falsehood and grew up in the college of calumny. In brief, there were several days of dispute, and every soul said something, until finally it became clear and evident to the government that these prisoners and captives had not molested those heedless souls.

Tribulations and hardships have ever been and continue to be—sometimes the imprisonment of the friends in various lands, and at times the heedlessness of the people of this city. From the day they seized the beloved of hearts, Haji Siyyid Ali Akbar—upon him be the peace of God—in the land of Ta, verbal incidents also occurred in this land. Your honor is aware of the favor, grace and mercy of the Lord. Nevertheless, every day, nay every moment, they are engaged in deception and plotting, although all know that the world and all that is therein belongs to none but returns to God. Yet for a single dirham they cast themselves into peril and make themselves deserving of eternal punishment.

This servant beseeches God—exalted be His glory—to protect these servants and assist them in that which pleases Him. Verily, He has power over all things.

Your letter was presented before His countenance. He said:

“We beseech God to protect him and ordain for him the good of the hereafter and this world. Verily, He is the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth.”

End quote.

The souls present in service, the son and the honored lady—upon them both be the glory of God—send their greetings, and please convey greetings to those who are absent as well. We beseech divine confirmation for each one. We implore and beseech the Exalted Truth to assist all in that which He loves and is pleased with, and to increase your honor’s elevation and exaltation at every moment. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

Regarding what you wrote that his honor, my master—may my spirit and being be a sacrifice for the dust of his footsteps—has not shown any kindness for some time, this much is submitted: Your honor has ever been and continues to be mentioned before all. This is the truth of what was submitted. Otherwise, it is the multitude of occupations that sometimes prevents mention. Now matters have reached such a point that this servant is even prevented from responding to the letters of the friends in various regions. I beseech God to assist this evanescent one to serve His friends. Verily, He is the Hearer, the Answerer, and worthy to respond.

The people of the pavilion of grandeur and glory each send their greetings to your honor and the honored lady and those absent, and they beseech God for your honor’s confirmation, success, glory and elevation of station. Peace, spirit and mercy be upon your honor and upon those with you and upon those who love you for the sake of God, our Goal and your Goal and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and the earth.

The servant 9 Sha’ban 1302

BH05960: O thou who hast turned unto the Countenance! Rejoice…

He is the Speaker, the Manifest, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O thou who hast turned unto the Countenance! Rejoice in what thou hast witnessed and heard and seen at the horizon of the manifestation of Him Who conversed on Sinai, Who hath come and calleth out amidst all peoples:

“The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of the Throne on high and of the dust below.”

My Most Exalted Pen beareth witness to thy drawing nigh and thy presence, and counseleth thee to serve the Cause with wisdom and utterance. Verily thy Lord is the Master of the latter and the former ends. Convey My greetings unto My loved ones, remind them of My days, and give them the glad-tidings of My tender mercy and My grace which have preceded all created things.

We have made mention of thee before and at this hour, and have made this mention for thee a brilliant lamp that shall go before thee in every world of the worlds of thy Lord. He Who speaketh in all things beareth witness unto this, that there is none other God but Me, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious.

Preserve thou this most exalted station and say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who hast aided me to recognize the Dawning-Place of Thy Cause, whereby the limbs of them that turned away from God did quake, and the faces of such as held fast unto the Most Great Handle were illumined.”

The glory that proceedeth from Us rest upon thee and upon them that have cast away all else save God and have turned with radiant faces unto His most exalted horizon.

BH08192: A remembrance from Our presence unto him who hath…

He is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

A remembrance from Our presence unto him who hath turned towards God, the Lord of the worlds. The Most Exalted Pen beareth witness to thy turning, thy devotion and thy arrival in the Most Holy Court. Blessed art thou and joy be unto thee, for thou art among those who have attained unto the Book of God and His verses, and entered the Prison, and heard the call of the Wronged One. Give thanks unto God for this most great favor and be thou of the thankful ones. All these stations are dependent and conditioned upon steadfastness. Blessed are they that have attained thereunto. How many souls failed to attain unto this most exalted and glorious station.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God and the God of all, the Sender of the Messengers and the Revealer of the Books! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance that Thou disappoint me not from steadfastness and from that which is with Thee. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Generous.

BH09897: God, His angels and His Messengers bear witness…

He is the One Who gazeth from the Most Exalted Horizon

God, His angels and His Messengers bear witness that there is none other God but Him, and that He Who speaketh among the peoples is indeed the Goal of the world. Through Him the heaven of utterance was upraised and the sun of exposition shone forth, and that which was hidden in the presence of knowledge and inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Books and Tablets was made manifest. Rejoice thou in thy Lord’s remembrance of thee. Say: O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy wrongs and by what hath befallen Thee at the hands of the oppressors among Thy creatures, to assist me to be steadfast in Thy love and to ordain for me, by Thy Most Exalted Pen, the good of the world to come and of this world. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

BH11701: Take heed, O people of insight! Take heed, O…

In the Name of Our Lord, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious!

Take heed, O people of insight! Take heed, O people of vision! Consider, O people of understanding! Those who were exalted by the name of Truth and who, claiming faith in Him, sat at the head of assemblies, reclining upon the seats of opposition, who issued the decree for the shedding of His pure blood, who denounced as infidels His near ones and the sincere ones, and who counted the most wretched and the opposers among the pure and faithful—they attributed corruption to Him whose very breath is the cause of the life of the world. This is not the first day whereon they have violated the Covenant of God and His Testament. Reflect upon the past ages and centuries, when the ignorant among the people, claiming knowledge, visited upon the Dawning-Places of Revelation and the Day-Springs of inspiration that which caused the dawn to lament, the afternoon to weep, and the most exalted Paradise and the supreme Heaven to tremble. Yet God, exalted be His glory, has been and shall ever be with His party.

In the early days they were opposers, deniers and calumniators, and after the exaltation of the Cause, they occupied pulpits and mosques, claiming faith in the Truth while busying themselves with ensnaring souls. Such is their wretchedness that God, exalted be His glory, hath spoken that which sufficeth every hearer. His blessed and exalted Word in the Qur’an declareth:

“Truly, those among His servants who fear God are the learned ones.”

Though the outward learned ones have interpreted this according to their own desires, yet every possessor of insight and vision can perceive its meaning. Through this verse God, exalted be His glory, intended to make known to His servants the wretchedness of such souls; otherwise, with but a single word He could bring the entire world to naught. The measures of earthly power cannot restrain His might, nor can the ranks of nations prevent the manifestations of His power. Were His all-pervading wisdom to so determine, He could with a single letter strip the world of the ornament of existence. These are they who, in the name of Truth, have barred the way to Truth, and who, while claiming to love Him, have opened for themselves the gates of earthly adornments.

The opposers from among the people of the Bayan are today walking in those same footsteps. For one thousand two hundred years the misguided and misleading sect—namely the Shi’ih—both learned and ignorant among them, have occupied themselves with mention of guardian, successor, Imam, chief and noble, and such like, and such was the intensity of the hatred and animosity between their factions that each party would denounce the other as infidel and decree their death, while through the architects of suspicion and fancy they built up dominions. Finally, on the Day of Resurrection those suspicions and fancies were transformed into opposition and were visited upon the Lord of mankind that which was heard. This was the fruit of their beliefs, sayings and deeds. As to what will be the fruit of these new events, namely the objections of the opposers, the knowledge thereof is with God. Verily He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

And further: O beloved of my heart! Your grief has saddened this servant and the manifestations of divine love, and its smoke well-nigh approached the sacred, pure, mighty and luminous hem of God. Each oppressed soul is mentioned before the Throne. By the life of our Purpose! They have attained that which none can reckon save Him Who is the Reckoner, the All-Knowing. Blessed is the oppressed one who hath suffered in the path of God that which the chosen ones of God suffered throughout ages and centuries. If you remained awake at night, the Eye of God was with you—verily it slumbereth not. What fault had the Primal Point in the sight of the Ancient Beauty? What did the Seal of the Prophets do? Why did the Spirit ascend to the fourth heaven? Likewise the chosen ones and companions of those Daysprings of God’s Cause. You have many companions, but the Hand of God’s Power, exalted be His glory, is occupied with taking and giving. He is the Helper, He is the Giver, He is the Protector, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing.

Repeatedly from the Tongue of Grandeur hath flowed this exalted word—blessed and exalted be His utterance: “The tabernacle of order in the world is upheld by two pillars: reward and punishment.” Assuredly the reward of the friends and the punishment of the enemies will become manifest and evident. After hearing what befell you, the Tongue of Grandeur uttered this blessed word: “Verily We were with them when the oppressors rose up against them, and We did witness and observe, and verily We are the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.” Likewise the mention of that oppressed one who was wounded in God’s path has been and is before the Most Holy Court. Verily the Servant mentioneth him and giveth him glad tidings of the favors of his Lord, the Almighty.

Another matter: the letters of that beloved of the heart arrived consecutively and were answered, and specially for some of them wondrous and exalted Tablets were revealed, but their dispatch was delayed for wisdom’s sake. Now this brief message is sent, and likewise the receipt for the funds was honored with acceptance and distinguished by mention of its receipt. The request is that you convey greetings to each and all the kinsmen who are present in that land. By the life of our Purpose! The angels of heaven are grieved and saddened by the oppression that hath been wrought. This is what my Lord, the All-Hearing, hath informed Me. I beseech Him, exalted be He, to aid you, to grant you success, to protect you from the evil of His enemies, and to seize those who have denied His right, broken His covenant, and committed that which hath caused every fair-minded and discerning one to lament.

Glory, praise and salutations be upon you, O party of God in the earth and Hands of His Cause in the lands.

BH03018: Praise be unto Him, and thanksgiving be unto Him…

Praise be unto Him, and thanksgiving be unto Him, and glorification and extolment and grandeur be unto Him, and power and exaltation be unto Him…..

I beseech the Omnipotent, the Ancient One, through the endeavors of His loved ones, to sanctify and purify the world from rancor, hatred, tyranny, transgression, conflict, corruption, contention and all abhorrent and blameworthy deeds. In the nights and days this matter has continuously streamed forth from the tongue of the Lord of all names—assuredly its effects shall appear in the world and the earth shall be cleansed from the dust of vainglory and the smoke of ignorance. If the foolish ones among the people of the Bayan and the rabble among the people of the Furqan would allow it, the world would be seen as a piece of Paradise. As the poets of old have said, “What strange sorcery is this!” and so forth.

Without bloodshed or injury being inflicted, the spirit is taken. For twelve hundred years and more they recited the Book of God, the Furqan, yet failed to comprehend a single letter thereof. A hundred thousand mercies upon the people of the Furqan, for that group was, from the beginning, occupied in the school of vain imaginings with reading books of conjecture. However, the people of the Bayan witnessed with their own eyes that all they possessed from epistles, declarations, Jabulqa, Jabulsa and the Qa’im were lies and calumnies, and the fruit of the deeds of that rebellious group was the martyrdom of the Primal Point, may our souls be a sacrifice for Him. This Babi group follows in those same footsteps and repeats those same words….

The Herald, that is the Primal Point—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him—states, exalted be His words: “All exists so that on the Day of Manifestation thou mayest not remain veiled by names, but rather look to That by which names subsist in all things, even the mention of the Prophet, for that name is created through what God reveals.”…

Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of Names and Creator of heaven, for having caused us to hear Thy call and recognize Thy path and witness Thy revelation and behold Thy beauty. I bear witness that Thou art He Who was hidden in the unseen and veiled from all eyes. We beseech Thee by the sovereignty of Names to enable us to do that which Thou lovest and art pleased with. There is none other God but Thee, the Lord of the Throne and of earth below….

These are they from whom, in the earliest days, the fragrance of the love of God was diffused. That household is truly associated with His Name and is mentioned by Him. We have remembered and continue to remember them all, and We counsel them with wisdom….

We send Our greetings to the friends and counsel them to be truthful, trustworthy, pious, chaste, and loving, and to manifest that which will exalt their station amongst the peoples of the world. God, exalted be His glory, hath loved faithfulness. Blessed is the temple that hath attained unto this adornment and been honored with this most great distinction….

No adornment, no garment, no mark hath ever been or ever will be better for rulers than justice. Blessed is the ruler who hath illumined the world with the lights of justice and hath judged with equity between the peoples. A ruler who hath attained unto justice hath been recorded in the Most Great Book by the Most Exalted Pen as one of the near ones. His station with God is the most great, and his rank the most exalted. It is most difficult for rulers, ministers, governors and the wealthy to attain unto the effusions of the True Bestower—perhaps with the tongue, but with the heart, alas, alas! And should one attain thereunto, he would be mentioned as the most exalted of creatures in the presence of God….

All must hold fast to that which hath been enjoined upon them. In no aspect or matter should they neglect that which hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen concerning trustworthiness, religious duty, chastity, virtue, deeds and character. All should gaze toward the Most Exalted Horizon and strive to reform and remove that which causeth the servants to be troubled. Beseech God to adorn all with justice and fairness. Blessed are they who occupy themselves day and night with counsels and exhortations for the refinement of souls. These points should be mentioned before the faces of God’s loved ones lest anyone become heedless and occupy themselves with that which befitteth not these divine days. Verily He is the All-Knowing Counsellor and the Wise Expositor. There is no God but Him, the Most High, the Most Great.

In truth the loved ones of God, exalted be His glory, must be mindful at all times and take precedence in deeds and character. This is the station of man. Blessed be the All-Merciful Who hath manifested him and made him the dawning-place of His commandments and ordinances. It is hoped that through the hosts of love and reformation they may conquer the cities of the hearts of the world, that no trace of rancor and hatred may remain and their fragrance may be cut off. The oppressors and tyrants of the earth have in every age prevented good and the manifestations of the outpouring grace of the True One. They have turned away from a station the like of which the eye of the world hath not seen, yet count themselves among the faithful. Glory be to God! They cling to and accept a withered leaf while turning away from the Divine Lote-Tree. Such is the condition of the heedless ones. We beseech reformation and seek confirmation. He is the Powerful, the Mighty….

Any deed performed by anyone today is recorded as the king of deeds in God’s Book. Today is the day of service, victory, steadfastness, remembrance and praise. By the life of God! Today an atom is able to attain the station of the sun, and a drop is empowered to achieve the greatness of the sea, for the effulgences of the Sun of Revelation have encompassed the world. O people of God! Arise to assist the Cause of the Lord of creation with the utmost endeavor, wisdom and unity. Count time as precious, for centuries and ages cannot equal a moment thereof. To this has testified the Lord of the Day of Judgment in His perspicuous Book….

Whosoever today succeeds in paying the Huququ’llah is among those who have acted according to the commandments of God, exalted be His majesty, and have attained to that which hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. However, We have ever written and commanded that none should make demands. Whosoever of his own accord turns and pays the Rights of God with the utmost joy and fragrance, let it be accepted, but without this it was not and is not permissible. The heedless must be somewhat reminded. Action must occur with willingness. In all matters the exaltation of the Cause of God must be observed. We wrote before that if someone owned the whole world and were to give it all but diminish the dignity of the Cause by even a mustard seed, forsaking that wealth would be necessary and obligatory.

This is the command of God before and after. Well is it with them that act. The command to pay the Huquq was a bounty from God, exalted be His majesty, and its benefit returns to those who act upon it. All must give thanks to the True One, the Inaccessible, that He has enabled them to pay the Huquq. For a long time We held back the Pen and issued no command in this matter until consummate wisdom required its acceptance. God refuses to let matters proceed except through their proper channels. It is necessary to assist some and be considerate of others, but by the leave of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting….

This is what was revealed for Husayn-ʿAli, upon him be the glory of God. His blessed and exalted Word: O thou who bearest My name and gazest toward My horizon! Hear My call from the direction of My prison. There is no God but Me, the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. Say: O people of the Bayan! This is the Day [of God] wherein none save Him is mentioned, however much it displeaseth you and displeaseth those who have denied God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. They profess belief in the Bayan yet deny its Sender and Revealer. Nay, they perceive not. Their wretchedness hath overcome them and they have forgotten their past deeds. To this testifieth the Tablet of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. We counsel thee and those who have believed to show forth the most great steadfastness and that whereby the Cause of God, the Lord of the seen and unseen, may be exalted. The glory be upon thee and upon those with thee….