Volume 077: Akka 1303 A.H. (1885–1886), Part I (1 of 5)
BH01190: Praise and glory befitteth the Lord of Names, Who…
He is God—exalted be His station, the Most Great, the All-Powerful
Praise and glory befitteth the Lord of Names, Who hath bestowed from the ocean of truth the pearls of inner meanings, and caused the waters of utterance to flow from the mountains of grandeur, and hath granted to every created thing a measure of His bounty and generosity. He hath guided the lovers of His beauty to the most exalted Paradise, and bestowed upon those who seek His nearness and reunion a portion from the garden of His presence. He is the All-Knowing One Whom the ignorance of the world could not deter, and the All-Powerful One Whom the might of nations could not withhold. The faith of all created things added naught to His station, nor did the rebellion of beings diminish aught from His grace and generosity. The cloud of His bestowal hath ever rained down, and the sun of His bounty hath ever shone upon all existence. Exalted be His grandeur, sublime be His loftiness, and mighty be His dominion! There is none other God but Him.
The letter of that honored master arrived, and like the morning breeze it gave freshness to the withered heart and revived the lifeless body, for it was adorned with mention of the Desired One, the Sovereign of the unseen and the seen. From the glad tidings of the well-being of that spiritual friend, a new world appeared and boundless joy was attained. They have said that the world was created through the command “Be” (Kun), and in the realm of truth, this “Kaf” is the “Kaf” of remembrance of friends, and the “Nun” is the endless bounty of love.
What you wrote was the essence of truth and a matter beyond dispute. After it was presented before His presence, He said—upon him be God’s care and mercy:
“He hath spoken the truth and uttered what is right. We beseech God, exalted be He, to aid him and make him successful, and to ordain for him that which shall benefit him outwardly and inwardly, and to open before his face the gate of glory and the gate of bounty and the gate of care and exaltation. Verily He is powerful over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but Him, the All-Powerful, the Almighty.”
End.
His honor Haji Ghulamali (upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah]) arrived and recounted the details of that servant’s tribulations, as well as the transgressions of the treacherous souls. Glory be to God! What has become of the world’s understanding? Where has justice gone? What has become of fairness, that people fail to distinguish between the causes of honor and abasement, between light and darkness? Trustworthiness has been and remains the cause of the world’s prosperity, while treachery is the cause of ruin. We beseech and implore God, exalted be His glory, not to deprive countries and regions of the lights of the sun of trustworthiness. What benefit has the treacherous one gained, and what harm has befallen the trustworthy? In any case, people are observed to be like children—education is needed, and an educator is needed.
Today among the peoples of the world, mention of love of country, patriotism and the like is heard to such an extent that there is not a single newspaper, gathering, or tongue that does not speak of this word and claim superiority therein. However, when put to the test, self-worship becomes clear and evident. Where are those souls of whom He says “and give them preference over themselves, even though poverty be their own lot”? And where are those souls who act for God’s sake and turn to God? The point is that they should speak with truthfulness and hold fast to deeds that are the cause of the glory of existence. The world of knowledge is illumined and radiant through the lights of the sun of truthfulness, and the world of vision is adorned and embellished through the effulgences of the light of trustworthiness. In short, now the clay pieces of the world praise themselves with the attributes of pearls, heedless that among creation there are and have been possessors of penetrating vision and attentive ears who can distinguish. To say more risks causing that honored one weariness.
I beseech God to adorn all with the ornament of truthfulness and uprightness. He is powerful and mighty over all things. They mentioned the influence, steadfastness and justice of those regions. These matters have been and are the cause of hope for many, and we beseech God to assist their manifestation, dawning-place and source at all times with the means of earth and heaven, that the orb of justice may rise from the horizon of Iran’s heaven with perfect light and radiance, without cloud or veil, and cast its rays upon all, in such wise that not a single atom remains deprived. Every deed has had and has its own effect. God willing, the effect of justice will reveal its fruit. Mention of justice and its influence brought boundless joy. Detached souls are educated under the shadow of the sun of justice, and through those souls the world is renewed and the orb of fairness appears. In this case, all will observe themselves in the cradle of peace and security with perfect joy and delight. We have been and are supplicating, and it is certain that God, exalted be His glory, will grant the response. Verily, He has power over all things. Peace and praise and glory be upon you and upon those with you.
BH05368: Your mention hath been and continues to be before…
In the Name of God, the All-Knowing!
Your mention hath been and continues to be before the Wronged One. We beseech God to aid thee to that which befitteth this blessed Day.
Today the believers in God must strive, wholly detached from all else, to protect the souls that have accepted the Faith, that perchance they may not be afflicted with the vain imaginings of the past. Should souls reflect upon the deeds of the previous party and their fruits, they would become firm in the Cause of God with such firmness that the hosts of the world would fail to move them.
Observe how many souls from the inception of Islam until now have wandered distracted in the wilderness of idle fancy. Not a single soul became aware of the Purpose or recognized the Cause. By God’s life! The people are in great drunkenness. Now is the turn of the people of the Bayan. God protect us and you from their evil.
Be not grieved by the world’s differences and the dispersion of affairs. Soon there shall appear what hath been ordained for thee from the Pen of Revelation. Thy Lord is, verily, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
Remember My loving-kindness, then recite My verses, detached from all else and clinging to My luminous robe. Glory be upon thee and upon thy majesty and bounty and upon those with thee. We have mentioned them before in such wise that no mention can equal it. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Bountiful.
BH09408: Glorified art Thou, O Thou in Whose grasp are…
He is the Mighty, the All-Knowing!
Glorified art Thou, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of the hearts of all nations! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Name through which the world hath been illumined, and by the yearning of the hearts of Thy lovers throughout all regions, and by the mysteries of Thy Revelation on the Day of Separation, to assist me to be steadfast in Thy Cause and to arise to serve Thee. O my Lord! Thou seest how the people of the Bayan have violated Thy Covenant even as the people of the Furqan violated it in Thy days. I beseech Thee to make me so firm in Thy Cause that I shall see in all the realm naught save Thy most exalted horizon from which the lights of Thy Revelation have shone forth, O Thou Who art the Lord of all names! O my Lord! Ordain for me what is best in this world and the world to come. Verily Thou art God. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
BH00443: Today the garden of praise is adorned…
In the Name of our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Lord!
Today the garden of praise is adorned with the names of the friends of God—those whom the possessions of men have not prevented from that which is with God, whom neither the wickedness of the atheists, nor the clamor of the ungodly, nor the tumult of the aggressors has debarred from the Most Great Ocean. Today, whosoever gazes toward the Most Exalted Horizon and clings to the Most Great Handle is accounted as one of the party of God. All friends must strive with utmost endeavor that they may be distinguished and honored among all peoples by this most great title and most exalted word. Behold the Truth with the eye of truth. Leave behind the pool of names created for the worshippers of names, that perchance ye may attain unto the ocean of inner meanings that lies before all faces. This evanescent servant hath ever mentioned the friends of God in the Most Holy Court according to his capacity, and hath sought divine confirmation for each one, purely for His sake. It is hoped that the party of God may in these days, which are attributed to the Truth, attain unto true unity—that they may see naught but the Truth and hear naught but the Truth, for in this Day none but the Truth is mentioned.
Glory be unto Thee, O God of the seen and the unseen, Who art established upon the throne of Thy Name, the All-Loving! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance and the dawning-places of Thy revelation to assist Thy people to be steadfast in Thy Cause in such wise that they may place the world beneath their feet, ascending unto Thy Most Great Name and turning unto it with their faces, their hearts, their breasts, their eyes, and their very veins, so that no name may remain in all creation save Thy name, O Most Merciful, and no description save Thy description, O Thou through Whom the Sun of Proof hath shone forth from the horizon of certitude. O Lord! Take the hands of Thy loved ones with the hands of Thy power, then preserve them from the evil of the people of the Bayan who have turned away from Thee and from that which Thou hast. Verily, Thou art powerful over what Thou willest, and Thou art the Forgiving, the Merciful.
Thereafter, thy letter was received, and likewise thy previous letter. After they were read and their contents noted, we approached the presence of the Lord of all beings, and after permission was granted, they were presented before His face and were honored to be heard. His word, exalted be His glory and universal be His bounty:
He is the One Who calleth from the Divine Lote-Tree by His Most Glorious Name!
This is a mention from Our presence to My loved ones and friends who have cast away the world in their longing for My nearness, My meeting, and the recognition of My mighty and great Self. O Mahmud! The All-Loving mentioneth thee from His glorious station that the utterance of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, may attract thee to the horizon of divine knowledge and cause thee to hear what the Son of Imran heard when he entered the wilderness of certitude and heard the call: “Verily, there is no God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.” We have mentioned those who have believed, both before and after, as the Tongue of Grandeur in this exalted station doth testify. This is a Day wherein from every word of God’s words a call is raised between earth and heaven.
By God’s life! Each one of these words hath a tongue, and each tongue hath a tongue. Were We to expound this station as it truly is, all who are on earth would be thunderstruck, save whom God willeth, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. O people of God! Cast aside all else, for He hath come with the truth and hath summoned all to the horizon from which hath shone the Sun of this Revelation, whereby the Hour hath appeared with its signs, and the mountains have been set in motion by the command of One Who is powerful and omnipotent. Beware lest ye be hindered by the croaking of every croaker, or the braying of every brayer, or the doubts of any learned one who hath pronounced against God, the Lord of all worlds.
Listen to the Divine Call in the Persian tongue. Throughout all ages and centuries, the divines and doctors of the earth have been the cause of rejection and negligence, for the Dawning Places of Revelation and the Daysprings of the Cause, at first, behold all who are on earth at one station and one rank, and summon all from what they possess to what God possesses. These matters conflict with the glory and leadership of the outward divines, thus they arise in opposition, contention and disputation. Even so have they done, and most have attained martyrdom through the decree of those oppressive souls. All corruption in the world hath been and shall be from such souls.
Consider Jesus, Son of Mary, Who came with proof from the intention of the worlds—all Jewish divines and idolatrous priests decreed His death. Reflect on the Seal of the Prophets, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him—the Christian, Jewish and idolatrous priests arose against Him. Consider the first appearance of the Point of the Bayan, may the spirit of all in the kingdom of the Cause be sacrificed for Him. The chief of all the divines of Persia in those days was Shaykh Muhammad Hasan Najafi. He arose in opposition at first, and afterward the divines of the lands and the heedless dead arose in opposition, and from the pulpits engaged in cursing and reviling the Master of the world.
Finally, through their decree that Holy Being was martyred. All know this matter, whether they witnessed or heard it, for several lying, heedless ones trained the people in vain imaginings and suckled them at the breast of idle fancies, and determined His appearance would be from Jabulqa and Jabulsa, such that if a soul spoke of His birth, they would immediately decree his death. In brief, those vain imaginings became the sword of cruelty that fell upon the Dawning Place of faithfulness. Now too, some among the people of the Bayan, whether turbaned or not, have renewed those vain imaginings. May God protect His servants.
Consider the Shi’ih sect—for centuries and ages they counted themselves the greatest, most learned and most discerning of servants. The fruit of their deeds on the Day of Recompense was that they arose to curse, revile and slay the Lord [of the worlds]. O people of God! Guard yourselves by the Name of God, glorified be His majesty. Take the cup of detachment and drink it in the name of the Creator of new creation. Stand firm in Him with such steadfastness that all the world shall be powerless to prevent you. Reflect on what hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen, that perchance the heedless souls may not prevent you from the effulgences of the lights of the Sun of unity, nay rather, may they be powerless to speak.
Today the water of mercy floweth, the Sun of truth shineth, and the ocean of knowledge surgeth. Whosoever attaineth thereunto is mentioned as the most exalted of creation before the Truth. These utterances have repeatedly flowed from the Pen of Him Who is the Manifestation of names and attributes, that all may preserve and protect them, and perchance remain preserved from the whispers of the slinking whisperer and the satans of the earth. The satans at first appear in the guise of friendship and through love lead man to hell. God protect us and you from their evil.
O My loved ones in Sarchah! The Lord of the worlds remembers you from His Most Great Prison and gives you glad tidings of that which hath been sent down for you in the Book of God, the Lord of lords. Beware lest the clouds of glory prevent you from the Self-Sufficing, the Most High, Who hath come from the heaven of grace with the hosts of revelation and the standards of inspiration. Blessed is he who ariseth and saith:
“O people of the Bayan! Fear God and reject not the truth through that which ye possess. Fear the All-Merciful Who hath come with power and sovereignty.”
Beware lest ye act as ye acted in former days. Cast away vain imaginings and idle fancies. The horizon of the Manifestation hath been illumined by the Day-Star of certitude. In former days ye committed that which caused the dwellers of the Most Exalted Paradise to lament, and those who circle round the Throne at morn and eventide.
We make mention of the people of Qaf who witnessed that which God witnessed in the beginning of the Cause when the Light was shining from the horizon of Iraq. That which We promised you in the Scriptures and Tablets hath been fulfilled. We counsel you to manifest supreme steadfastness in this Cause whereby feet have slipped, and to show forth trustworthiness and godliness and that whereby the Cause of God is exalted amongst His servants. We mentioned you before with a mention at whose appearance all other mentions bowed down in prostration. Be as mountains in the Cause of God. Thus hath He Who hath with Him the Mother Book commanded you before and after. O party of God in that land! Beware lest the doubts of the divines or the might of princes hold you back. Abandon the world, placing your trust in God, the Lord of all men. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon you and upon those who have arisen and said:
“God is our Lord and the Lord of earth and heaven and the Master of the beginning and the end.”
As to your having appointed this servant as your representative for circumambulation and visitation, praise be to God, on behalf of your honor and the friends of that land, I performed the circumambulation of the Point round which circle the near ones and the sincere, and the visitation was also accomplished. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to grant the reward thereof in this world and the next. Today that which is preeminent with God and is reckoned among the most exalted of deeds is steadfastness in His Cause, and so it shall ever be. God willing, may ye attain unto it.
Concerning what you wrote about having sent numerous letters without receiving replies, the reason for not sending responses has been and continues to be the volume of correspondence. God is my witness that whenever this evanescent one has found opportunity, he hath occupied himself with serving the friends and answering their letters. Communications and missives arrive from all directions, and due to the press of occupation it often happens that responses are delayed by one or two years. The loved ones of God should not be disheartened by such delay, for this servant’s excuse is as clear as the sun. Nevertheless, I seek forgiveness and beseech God, glorified be His majesty, for assistance in fulfilling this momentous task. The command is in His hand—He doeth what He willeth and decreeth what He pleaseth.
As to what was written that the friends in that region are dejected and saddened by not receiving news from the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence, this matter was presented at the station of “God was, and there was nothing else besides Him.” His blessed and exalted Word: The friends of God, glorified be His majesty, are all remembered and recorded by the Supreme Pen. The outpourings of the True Bestower are manifest and descending at all times. The friends in every land should gather together with wisdom and utterance in meetings and assemblies to read the verses of God, for the verses kindle the fire of love and ignite its flame. However, they must observe wisdom in all conditions, and gatherings of five to nine persons are sufficient. The locations must also be varied, for if they are held in one place, the heedless will become aware and cause commotion. Praise be to God, in all cities and regions the divine verses are present and visible. He is the Quickener of the world and the Gladdener of the hearts of the sincere ones and those near unto Him. Blessed is he who holdeth fast unto them, succeedeth in reading them, and becometh among the helpers of His Cause and the protectors of its reins.
That which hath flowed from the Supreme Pen is sufficient and standeth in need of no interpreter or expositor. This evanescent servant conveyeth greetings and praise to all the friends, and beseecheth for all steadfastness from the Exalted True One. Today is the day of remembrance and praise, for the Beloved of the world is manifest. Today is the day of steadfastness, for the clamorous ones are countless. Today is the day of true unity—whosoever is illumined by its lights is recorded among those near unto God in the Manifest Book. Strive that ye may attain to that which is intended, that ye may drink from the everlasting cup and partake of the eternal chalice, which is the recognition of the Purpose of the world and steadfastness in His Cause. Glory and praise be upon you and upon God’s friends there and in all regions, and upon every man whose foot hath not slipped from the Path. Praise be to God, the Lord of lords and the Master of the beginning and the end.
The servant 4th of Muharram al-Haram 1303
BH02665: Praise be to God Who hath made this world…
He is God, exalted be His station, the Grandeur and the Power!
Praise be to God Who hath made this world a manifest book and a mighty volume, and hath inscribed therein that which ordaineth its change and passing away, its turmoil and transformation and extinction. Blessed are they whom its conditions and manifestations and colors and ornaments and bounties have not prevented. And peace and blessings be upon Him Who was the cause of its appearance and the reason for its emergence and ascendancy and exaltation, and upon His family and companions through whom the banner of good was raised and the standard of evil was brought low, and through whom appeared what God desired, and upon those who followed them in spirit and fragrance and through whom was established what the All-Merciful had ordained.
My spirit be a sacrifice for your remembrance! The servant hath attained to hearing the cooing of the doves of your love in the gardens of wisdom and utterance, and hath recognized thereby your loftiness and acceptance and steadfastness and your being known among the religions. We beseech God to aid you in achieving every good thing ordained in His Manifest Book.
When I recognized and read it, I presented it before the Master, may our spirits be a sacrifice for Him. He said: O thou who art assured of God and His sovereignty! The attending servant hath presented what was in thy letter. We beseech God to raise through thee the banner of divine knowledge throughout all possibility. He is the Mighty, the Bestower. Peace be upon thee and upon thy son Husayn and upon the Light who was with me at all times. We beseech God, exalted be He, to preserve him and strengthen him and preserve thee and those with thee. He is the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Although the reply was delayed for a long period, yet O beloved of my heart, the occupation reached such a state that in mentioning it there is no mention of times and opportunity and mention of time and the like. And we thank God for having aided His servant at this time in presenting the reply to His loved ones in Iraq which you had sent before, and I beseech Him, exalted be He, to ordain for them and for us that which will draw us near and benefit us in every world of His worlds. Verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer, and He is the Watchful, the Near.
The servant conveyeth greetings to the friends of God there and beseecheth for them divine confirmation in all conditions. Verily He is the Helper in the beginning and the end. Peace and praise be upon your honor and upon those who are with you and who love you for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds.
The servant, on 4 Muharram al-Haram 1303
BH05597: In My Name, the All-Subduing over all names
In My Name, the All-Subduing over all names
O ʿAbdu’llah! Thou art remembered by the Wronged One, through Whom the eyes of grandeur have shed tears, and the Concourse on High have lamented, and the Prophets and Messengers have cried out. We arose to promote the Cause in the earliest days with such arising that the limbs of every established one trembled, and the heart of every powerful one was troubled, and the feet of the divines and theologians who denied Him in Whom they had believed did slip—nay, they comprehend not. They worship vain imaginings while thinking themselves to be the people of unity. Nay, by My Self, the All-Subduing over what was and what shall be! Through their turning away every denier turned away and every oppressor arose. To this testify honored servants whom neither the might of tyrants, nor the ascendancy of Pharaohs, nor armies and hosts could frighten. Thus have the rains of proof showered from the heaven of utterance. Blessed is he who hath witnessed and attained, and woe unto every heedless and veiled one.
We counsel thee and those who have believed to show forth the greatest steadfastness in this Cause whereby faces have been illumined. When thou dost inhale the fragrance of utterance from the Pen of the Most Merciful, arise and say:
“Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of Names and Creator of heaven, for having remembered me while I was in the prison of the enemies. I testify that Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Subduing, the Self-Subsisting.”
BH06821: In My Name, the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful
In My Name, the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful
O ye who gaze upon My countenance! There has befallen you what befell the Self of Truth. The heavens wept and the clouds lamented. Know with clear certainty that had the world been worthy, God, exalted be His glory, would never have delivered Himself into the hands of the enemy. To one possessed of insight, all that is witnessed is less than naught and returns to nothingness. Therefore, to those souls who have drunk from the immortal chalice and have been blessed with God’s special favors, it holds not the weight of a mustard seed. Be not grieved by what has befallen you. All has been recorded in the Book by the Supreme Pen. Soon shall the heedless behold the recompense of their deeds, and you shall witness your reward with God, the Most High, the Great. Were the idolaters to see what is ordained for them, they would surely lament, and were you to behold your stations, you would soar aloft. Thus has spoken the Tongue of Truth from the Most Exalted Horizon. Blessed is he who has attained, and woe unto the most lost ones who have deprived themselves of this glorious station. The glory from God, the Lord of the worlds, be upon you.
BH07439: In My Name, the Supporter, the Mighty, the All-Knowing!
In My Name, the Supporter, the Mighty, the All-Knowing!
The Hand of God took hold of him and His grace guided him. Blessed is the soul who saw the Path and followed it, such that the opposition of the peoples of the world could not prevent him from turning toward the Straight Path. The Path, in its primary degree and first station, is the Self of God, glorified be His majesty, Who calleth with the most exalted voice between earth and heaven. And in another station it is His ordinances and commandments which are recorded and inscribed in the Book by the Most Exalted Pen.
Praise the Object of all the world’s peoples that thou hast attained unto that which the learned of the earth are heedless and veiled from, save whom God willeth. We counsel thee to be steadfast, for thieves and treacherous ones exist who, should they find opportunity, would steal away the pearl of divine love. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist thee to preserve it through His Name, the Protector of all who are in the heavens and on earth. Verily He is the Mighty, the Powerful. Praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
BH00324: Praise, sanctified from the comprehension of all created things…
Section 1: “Praise, sanctified from the comprehension of all created…”
He is God, exalted be His station, the Grandeur and the Power
Praise, sanctified from the comprehension of all created things, befitteth that Eternal Lord Who hath, from time immemorial unto time everlasting, guided through His Most Exalted Word the people of the mortal realm unto the highest horizon. He sent forth the Prophets with clear proofs and evidences, with scriptures, tablets, books and testaments, that the diverse paths of the world might converge into a single path, and the manifold ways of the peoples into one way. And since it was intended from the beginning that the mystery of mysteries be revealed, He made it manifest in the Mirror of the Seal, and He is the Manifestation of the divine names most beautiful and attributes most glorious. With Him ended Prophethood and Messengership.
He is the true Baptizer, for He hath cleansed hearts and souls with the waters of divine knowledge. Even as Christ declared, He is the Dawning-Place of the light of unity and the Dayspring of the blessed word “There is none other God but Him.” Through Him was raised the pavilion of knowledge and wisdom in the contingent world, and the light of the All-Merciful shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of understanding. Upon Him be God’s blessings, peace, mercy and favors, and upon His family and companions who drew their swords in aid of God’s Cause, the King of Kings. Through them were the banners of victory raised throughout the lands, and the sun of justice shone forth upon all horizons. Through them were made manifest Paradise and its stations, according to His words, peace be upon Him: “Paradise lieth beneath the shadow of swords.” Peace, great and abundant peace be upon Him.
And further: thy noble letters arrived repeatedly, and all were received. Each appeared as a garden adorned with the flowers and blossoms of mention and utterance, its trees speaking in praise and glorification of God, its fruits manifest to those of humility and lowliness. For in truth every letter thereof bore the fragrance of divine love, and every word thereof indicated steadfastness in service to the eternal Purpose. O beloved of my heart and physician of my soul! Love is that which openeth the sealed doors and showeth the path of nearness and reunion. If I say it is light, this is the truth without doubt, for through it do lovers attain unto the lights of nearness to the All-Merciful Lord.
And if I say it is fire, this too is true, for it consumeth the moisture of lethargy and manifesteth the reality of heat. Glory be to God! Its might hath seized and conquered the hearts of kings, and bound the heroes of the world in chains. Whatever is said of it is but a drop from this ocean. Pens are powerless to describe it, let alone to describe its Creator. Glorified, glorified be He from being mentioned by my tongue or pen, or by the tongues and pens of the world and its peoples. I seek forgiveness before me and before all, and I turn unto Him in repentance. Verily, He is the Ever-Forgiving, the Merciful.
In truth, what shall I say—where was I and where have I fallen? My intention was to seek pardon from that Beloved One for the delay in response. That did not come to pass, and this transpired instead. The command is in His hands—He doeth whatsoever He willeth and ordaineth as He pleaseth. I swear by the peerless God, the All-Knowing, that the delay was not due to neglect, but rather stemmed from wisdom. For they have said that people are heedless and unaware of the purpose. Should a word be dispatched to those parts and be spread abroad, they would interpret and explain it according to their own vain desires. For most of the servants have been and continue to be vessels of ignorance and corruption, ever waiting to invalidate truth or to clothe falsehood in the garment of truth.
Even as the divines of Iran from the inception of Islam until now maintain that the Promised One dwells in Jabulqa and Jabulsa, and whosoever speaks otherwise, they pronounce his death sentence and mock the Sunnis, since those souls do not cling to such invented fancies but rather affirm and proclaim His birth. One is perplexed—nay, the world is perplexed—that from the earliest days until now, among all the divines who have come and gone, not one has been aware of the truth. Indeed, it is cause for amazement. We beseech God not to deprive these servants of the ocean of true knowledge. Given such profound ignorance, what can be said? What can the tongue utter and the pen record?
This lowly one is immersed in the ocean of wonderment, for it is observed that the people of the Bayan too have become occupied with the same vain imaginings, whereas today all Islam should hold fast to a single word—that is, the blessed word “There is none other God but Him”—and strive to protect God’s religion and God’s law from enemies. They have devoted all their energy to depriving these servants of all rights. The body of Islam lies exposed while the beasts of the world snatch and carry away its limbs and members piece by piece. The eye of justice weeps and the form of equity laments. Whatever befalls them, they say nothing, yet when true believers, who after God’s grace are adorned and illumined by the lights of unity, speak a word of counsel or show a path of protection, all rise up in rejection and protest. Such is the condition of the heedless ones. However, I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to unite all Islam through His conquering might and overwhelming power, and to aid them to act according to what He has revealed in the Book. He is the Powerful, the Mighty.
After observing and examining the noble letters, proceeding to the station, the details were presented before Him, and He said:
O Physician! Upon thee be My salutation and My bounty! We beseech the True One that He withhold not the world from the light of the Sun of Love, and deprive it not from the ocean of knowledge and wisdom. The world hath been encompassed by the smoke of heedlessness and seized by the dust of ignorance, to such extent that eyes are prevented and ears deprived, save whom God willeth. Today all must, with utmost lowliness and supplication, beseech the Self-Sufficient for the victory of His manifest Faith. The lamp of understanding hath been surrounded by tempestuous winds, and the horizon of the Sun of Justice hath been seized by dark clouds. We beseech Him to preserve the former in the glass of wisdom, and to remove the latter from the horizon.
This Wronged One’s counsel is that all associate with the servants of God in the utmost spirit of joy and fragrance. Every time hath its command, and every season its requirement. Noah did say “Leave not upon the earth any dweller from among the unbelievers,” while the Spirit (Christ) said “If Thou punish them, they are Thy servants, and if Thou forgive them, verily Thou art the Mighty, the Wise.”
At one time in the world of dreams, I attained the presence of the Messenger of God [Muhammad]—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him. Words were revealed from that Dawning-Place of the Divine Book, and utterances shone forth from that Ocean of Divine Wisdom. During His utterance He said: “Formerly I declared Paradise is beneath the shadow of swords,’ but in these days were I manifest I would say Paradise is beneath the shade of the Tree of Unity and Mercy.”’ After hearing this most exalted blessed Word, I said: “May the spirit of the world be sacrificed for Thy loving-kindness, for Thy bounty, for Thy mercy!” Thereafter there flowed from the Ocean of Utterance that which no pen hath the station to express, nor ink the position to reveal.
When I arose from sleep, for a time I found myself in such joy as cannot be described. That which was witnessed and heard transcendeth the understanding of the servants. We beseech God to confirm all and cause them to attain the Most Exalted Station, which is the station of knowing Him, that all may acknowledge the sanctification of His Essence from likeness and the exaltation of His Self from similitude. True acknowledgment is achieved and established when they act according to that which hath been revealed in the Book from the Supreme Pen.
Section 2: “That Beloved One and this servant…”
That Beloved One and this servant and the people of unity must all take refuge in God from the evil of those who are veiled by the Bayan, who mislead and train the servants exactly as the Shi’ih did. Glory be to God! Until now they have not realized what Day this is and what the Manifestation is. They drink from the spring of fancy yet count themselves among the people of certitude. They walk in the wilderness of conjecture yet consider themselves companions of assurance and conviction. God forbid that a party like the previous one, namely the Shi’ih, should appear in the world. Reflect upon the deeds of those oppressive souls—what they claimed and what they did, what they said and what they practiced.
At this moment I was summoned to the Most Exalted Summit, and after attaining the presence, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these words—exalted be His glory:
“O servant in attendance! Write to the Physician—upon him be My salutation—For a long time the Supreme Pen hath spoken about the deeds of the previous party. The wisdom in this is that later souls might become aware and informed, that perchance they might not be afflicted with previous vain imaginings. The deniers of the Bayan are occupied with the same vain imaginings. By My life! Until they pass beyond the gulf of fancy they will not enter the ocean of certitude, and until they traverse the path of names they will not attain to the lights of the Sun of inner meanings. This is the truth, there is no doubt therein.”
We beseech God to grant sight. The veils have been rent asunder by the finger of power, and it is hoped that the people of the Crimson Ark will not be afflicted with the idle fancies and vain imaginings of the past, nor will they defile their hearts and minds with the worthless utterances of this one and that. They had sent a copy of the letter written to Husayn, known as Sukhte. Glory be to God! How he has advanced! He has become an emigrant and has learned from the white bankers. What that beloved one has seen is but a drop from his ocean of nonsense. It would be well for him to send such writings far and wide. Ask ye God to bestow upon the eyes of the people of the world a subtle light. This servant hath seen many things and hath much in his possession, yet I pray and beseech all the friends to guide those veiled souls and remove from the world the foul odor of ignorance, folly, rancor and hatred. He is the Powerful, the Mighty.
If you inquire about the news of this land, praise be to God, all are well. For some time now the twin luminaries of the heaven of grace, namely His Holiness Aqa Mirza Diya’u’llah and His Holiness Aqa Mirza Badi’u’llah—may my spirit be sacrificed for their coming—and the people of the pavilion of purity have gone to Beirut and will return in a few days. The pilgrims to the House of God have been many this year, praise be to God, and have attained His presence. I beseech God not to deprive anyone and to aid and assist all to achieve that which He loves and is pleased with. Verily, He is the Hearing, the Responding One.
Mention was made of the friends of that land. After this matter was presented before the Master, He said: Convey greetings to all from the Wronged One. Verily We remember them as We have remembered them before, and We beseech God to protect them from the evil of every oppressor and to guard them with the hosts of the seen and the unseen, to aid them to act according to what is in His Book and to draw them near to Him in all conditions. Goodly deeds and praiseworthy conduct are God’s ladder among His creation. Through these every soul can ascend to the ultimate goal and the highest summit. Blessed is he who attains unto them, and woe unto him who neglects them. They must associate with all with fragrance and spirituality, with love and affection.
Love is the light of God among His creation—through it every light appears and the world is illumined by it. It is the cause of creation and its manifestation, as spoken by the Almighty:
“I was a hidden treasure and loved to be known, therefore I created creation that I might be known.”
Hold fast, O friends of God, to love and affection, to kindness and unity. Your station is above all stations and your conditions above all conditions, for you are the people of unity and the companions of detachment. Ask ye God, your Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and the earth, to protect you from the slings of the ungodly and the swords of the infidels, and to assist you against His enemies through His grace and bounty. Verily, He is the most powerful of the powerful and the most generous of the generous. Praise be to God Who is the Goal of the mystics and the Almighty over all who are in the heavens and the earth. End.
This evanescent one beseeches and implores God, exalted be His glory, to assist His friends to preserve the pearls of His love and that which will calm the fire of hatred in the world of creation.
As for the matter of the House, some time ago His Holiness A. and H., upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, wrote to this servant that the honorable physician, upon him be God’s peace and loving-kindness, had requested a power of attorney. This servant presented this before His presence and He said:
Half of the sum remains, therefore We did not wish to issue any decree in this regard. Half of the sum has reached them and We await the remainder, after which whatever is commanded will be beloved. God is witness and testament that We do not wish any harm to befall anyone, therefore the matter remains pending. We know not what the honored physician, upon him be peace, hath done. In any case, We beseech God to soon provide the means whereby this sum may be paid.
This evanescent servant continually beseecheth and imploreth for the exaltation, sublimity, glory and elevation of that beloved one. Were it not for the unwise actions of the friends, I would have caused much trouble. Praise be to God, that beloved one is remembered in most times. All the friends and pilgrims send their greetings and praise, and this servant conveyeth greetings and praise to each of the friends in that land. That land and those regions have ever been and continue to be before Our sight. For each one I seek divine confirmation that they may be assisted in that which will cause the exaltation of the Cause and may be strengthened with such steadfastness as is the mightiest foundation. Verily He will assist them through His grace, and He is the Mighty, the Powerful.
At this moment, having approached the Sacred Threshold, the Lord spoke thus:
“We send greetings from this station to the physician, upon him be My glory, and to the leaf who is with him, and to his son who hath been mentioned before and after in the presence of the Wronged One, and to the believers and the sincere ones. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.”
This servant also conveyeth greetings to the honored leaf and to the son, upon them both be the glory of God, and beseecheth God to ordain for them the good of this world and the next. Peace, praise, remembrance and glory be upon thee and upon those who have acknowledged and recognized the Word that there is none other God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
BH01022: Today the hands of God’s loved ones are raised…
He is God—exalted be His glory and power!
Today the hands of God’s loved ones are raised to the heaven of the bounty of the Bestower of gifts, beseeching relief and joy, and imploring victory for the Manifest Religion. They cling to the cord of grace and hold fast to the hem of generosity. The enemies of the Faith have surrounded the mighty and impregnable fortress. From every direction the idolaters have risen to extinguish the Muhammadan light and Ahmadic character. The tempests of misbelief and the storms of infidelity have nearly extinguished the light of divine unity. O people of the world! Arise and with perfect humility, submission and lowliness beseech the Self-Sufficient Lord for assistance, that perchance something may remain. Each soul is occupied with his own fancy and strives in his own affairs.
Glory be to God! The signs of the Hour are manifest and the evidences of the resurrection brilliant. The people of the pavilions of glory and the tent of knowledge are all grief-stricken. Eyes are deprived of witnessing and ears forbidden from hearing. The veils of greed and avarice have obscured all, and its fire has consumed the realm of insight. At every moment they sink deeper into the earth, yet remain unaware. As has been and continues to be witnessed, each year the grandeur of God’s religion and God’s Faith diminishes in the eyes of men due to the oppression of the idolaters and the hatred of the opponents.
Glory be to Thee, O God of existence, Who art established upon the throne of manifestation! I beseech Thee by the standards of Thy signs and the banners of Thy power, and by those whom Thou hast made the dawning-places of Thy revelation and the manifestations of Thy Cause and the daysprings of Thy most beautiful names, to protect Thy servants through Thy power which hath conquered all things and Thy might which hath encompassed the earth and heaven. O my Lord! Thou seest the believers beneath the claws of the ungodly. I beseech Thee by the light whereby Thou didst deliver Noah and his companions, and didst make the fire cool for Thy Friend despite his enemies, and whereby Thou didst manifest Thy straight path and make it the herald of Thy mighty News, to deliver them through Thy grace and bounty. Then have mercy upon them through Thy providence which hath encompassed all created things and Thy mercy which hath preceded all existing things. Then ordain for them what beseemeth Thy generosity. Verily, Thou art the Giver, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bountiful.
Thereafter, the letter of that honored one was a source of joy and gladness, for it was adorned with praise and glorification of the One True God. After its reading and perusal, we proceeded to the Divine Court where it was presented. He said: O servant of God! The world craves for reformation and the homes of hearts need repair. These matters have ever been and are dependent upon the hands of justice. Now, through the tyranny of the oppressors, the hands of justice are bound with strong and mighty cords. To loose them is the work of the right hand of power.
We beseech God—glorified be His majesty—to loose them and remove the clouds from before the face of the sun. O servant of God! Discernment has been taken away; the blind and the seeing, the deaf and the hearing, are deemed equal in the sight of men. Thou hast observed the letter that was sent. By God’s life! Astonishment is bewildered at this point. Would that Hussein had been asked what he understood from this and what people understand. By God’s life! He should return to his place. If thou wouldst reflect, thou wouldst become aware of the tribulations of this Wronged One. In brief, the vain imaginings of men have reached such a point as transcends description. Ask God not to deprive His servants.
The sun of divine wisdom is shining from the horizon of the heaven of knowledge, yet people follow ignorance and fancy. Consider the divines of Iran—what they were and what they did. Their words were praiseworthy but their deeds were like unto Nimrod’s. Nay, by God! They have wrought that which neither Nimrod, nor Pharaoh, nor any rejected idolater ever wrought. Those souls were the cause of division and the weakening of God’s Law. Furthermore, the people of the Bayan are even more lost than these souls, for despite being aware of their evil deeds, they yet follow in their footsteps.
We beseech the Most High to protect Us and thee and the company of the believers from their mention, their call, their deeds, their words, their counsels and their admonitions. For years they occupied the pulpits with their preaching, yet they themselves never acted upon a single word of it, as hath become clear and evident.
Convey My greetings to the friends of that land. We beseech God to aid them all and grant them supreme steadfastness. This evanescent servant also conveys greetings to the gentlemen and friends of that land. I beseech God—glorified be His majesty—to protect them all from the braying and barking of the brayants and barkers.
Regarding what was written about the Fast, no such news has been heard in this land. The firm command is that all should hold fast to wisdom. This word was ever heard from the blessed tongue and is likewise recorded in the Tablets. Divine wisdom is the protector and helper of the servants. Therefore, all must hold fast and cling to it. As commanded, convey greetings to all the kindred, both sons and others, and give them the glad-tidings of their Lord’s favors. God willing, may they ever drink from the cup of bounty and abide at rest beneath the Lote-Tree. We beseech Him to send down upon them His blessings and mercy, for He is the Most Merciful of the merciful ones and the Most Generous of the generous ones.
This evanescent servant also conveys greetings to each one and begs confirmation and assistance for all, and that which will endure through His remembrance. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Hearer, the Answerer. Peace and mercy and glory be upon you and upon those with you and upon those who act according to that which they were commanded in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds. And praise be to Him, for He is the Goal of all seekers and the Object of worship of all who know Him.
The servant 15th of Muharram al-Haram, 1303
BH00023: Tablet to Varqa I
All praise, sanctified beyond mention of glorification and exaltation and transcending that plane, befitteth the court of the Desired One Who hath ordained deeds to be the testimony to the truth of words….
Deeds are as mirrors, wherein that which is hidden in man becometh manifest and evident….
And then, O beloved of my heart, the spiritual hosts of utterance have routed and scattered the ranks of sorrow in praise and glorification of our Lord, the All-Merciful—a rout from which return appeareth most difficult. Well done to his hand and arm! God willing, may the Hand of God assist him, the Eye of God protect him, the Power of God guard him, and the Glance of God aid him in all conditions….
Love accomplishes strange and mighty works. Pure intention, pure deeds, the manifestations of detachment and its various aspects—all of these emanate from this source, that is to say, from love, and become manifest, evident and visible…. How many monarchs expressed their longing and desire to be engaged in some service or to be confirmed in some endeavor in this day, even as the late sovereign, His Majesty the Sultan, set aside a treasure in the name of His Holiness the Qa’im—may the spirit of all else but Him be sacrificed for His sake—and not a single coin thereof was spent for the intended purpose. Most monarchs have cherished and continue to cherish such a desire…
Mention was made of Aqa Mirza Muhammad Khan, upon him be Baha’u’llah. After this was presented in the Most Holy Presence, these manifest verses were revealed specifically for him. His word, mighty is His proof and exalted His praise:
He is the One Who rules over all names.
O Muhammad! We beseech God that He may aid thee to be steadfast in His love, in such wise that thou mayest acquire an eternal station in this transient world and remain ablaze with the fire of His love in this cold world. Today the faithful are able to attain a station beyond the reach of the hands of change and safe from the assault of extinction. We beseech God to assist him in all circumstances and enable him to achieve that which He has willed. He is the One Whose power cannot be frustrated by worldly conditions, nor can the clamor of the peoples prevent His purpose….
The heedless, cawing souls have understood this Revelation as they did the previous one. Until now they have not comprehended the Day of God and deceive the helpless people with vain imaginings and mentions of the past. By the life of our Purpose! They have not spoken one word in truth. Moreover, these souls who have chosen to walk in the footsteps of those people—had they understood the Day of God, they would have buried mention of guardian, successor and the like in the dust of oblivion. Until now they have not understood. Their gates—namely the four gates—became the cause of misguidance. Had those false words not appeared from those dawning-places of falsehood, the Point of Being—may our spirits be sacrificed for Him—would not have been martyred.
The Shi’ih party counted themselves the greatest of all parties and most learned of all through their affirmation of successorship. Later it became clear that the Jews were and are higher and more excellent than that people, for the Shi’ih party and their divines issued the decree to kill the Lord of the world, while the children of Abraham and inheritors of Moses in the lands of Ha and Mim and certain other regions attained to faith and certitude. Now again the cawing ones have clung to that same device and with those same mentions deceive some of the friends….
In My Name, the Forgiving, the Merciful
We have mentioned him before and after, and We mention him at this time that he may inhale the fragrance of his Lord’s favor in the Most Exalted Station. He believed and responded and ascended, assured and turning unto God, the Lord of the worlds. God hath purified him as a grace from Him and forgiven him as a mercy from His presence. He is verily the Most Merciful of the merciful. Blessed is he for having attained unto the mention of My Most Exalted Pen, with which nothing in all creation can compare—to this testifieth He Who is established upon the throne of His Great Name. The Glory shining from the horizon of My grace be upon him and upon every steadfast, firm and upright servant….
Today the Euphrates of knowledge is flowing from the right hand of the Throne, and the hidden and treasured mystery is revealed. Although outwardly the things of the world appear as before, yet, by God, its sun is different, its heaven is different, and its earth is different. Today the Revelation is new in all respects. Blessed is the eye that gazeth upon the horizon of the Revelation, and the ear that hearkeneth unto the Call and cleaveth unto God’s revealed ordinances. Such a one is among the companions of the Ark that saileth upon the sea of names by the leave of the Creator of Heaven. God willing, may they succeed in accomplishing that which hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen in the Book, and be confirmed in that which is adorned with the ornament of immortality and shall endure….
Concerning what thou didst write about His Honor Mulla Muhammad-Ali-i-Dih-Abadi, upon him be God’s everlasting glory, that he hath sought permission to attain the presence—after this was presented in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence, the horizon of grace was illumined with the lights of the Sun of Permission. His blessed and exalted Word:
“O Muhammad-Ali! Set thy face toward God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. It is permitted thee to approach the Most Exalted Horizon with a heart that is sanctified and with ears that are purified from all thou hast heard of the allusions of the divines and the doubts of the theologians who have turned away from God, the Sovereign of the Kingdom of earth and heaven. Place the world beneath thy feet, soaring in this atmosphere from which every possessor of smell perceiveth naught save the fragrance of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. Be steadfast with a steadfastness through which the fragrance of constancy may pass over all created things, and with a trust whereby all contingent beings may put their trust in God, the One, the Single, the Mighty, the Loving. Thus have We adorned the Tablet of Questions with the luminary of the Answer and illumined it with the Sun of Permission from the presence of God, the Lord of existence.”
Thus ended His words.
Praise be to God that the Sun of Grace hath shone forth and permission hath been granted. We beseech and implore the Exalted Truth that He may assist him to achieve that which hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen, that he may approach with an illumined heart, attentive ear, and penetrating vision, that he may attain unto that which was mentioned in the Books of God and hear that whereof the Prophets and Messengers gave tidings….
In truth, the remembrance of like-minded friends giveth strength to the spirit. This one is most beloved in this station. The remembrance of loved ones is auspicious to the Beloved. How it quickeneth! How it giveth spirit! The messenger of love’s fragrant breeze it is that keepeth the world enduring. Praise be to God, it is diffusing, reaching, coming and going. At last this fragrance shall encompass the world. Knowledge is with God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed….
BH02201: O thou who hast turned to God! Hearken…
He is the All-Seeing, the All-Hearing, the All-Answering!
O thou who hast turned to God! Hearken in this darksome night, wherein the light of utterance hath illumined the world, unto the call of the Lord of Names. They that account themselves among the learned and the perceiving have failed to hearken to the shrill voice of the Pen, being occupied with the imaginings of the peoples.
Throughout the ages and centuries, one of the sects that considered itself the most exalted of all creation and the most pious of all servants—namely the Shi’ih sect—was found, at the appearance of the divine Touchstone, to be the most evil and the most lost of all peoples. Night and day they would rise from their pulpits at the mention of the Qa’im’s name and cry “May God hasten His advent!”, but the result of these false words became “may God hasten their punishment.” All were consigned to hell-fire save a few, as both the learned and the ignorant among them, at the bidding of these souls, strove to extinguish the divine light and martyred the Dayspring of verses.
The cause and reason for this most great injustice was that certain lying souls united with that rejected sect and, through a hundred thousand tricks and deceits, brought forth mention of the Holy Land and of Jabulqa and Jabulsa and the like. Through false tales they firmly established themselves in the hearts and minds of that heedless sect, who even now await this evident Cause to appear from the imaginary Jabulqa. Far, far from it!
Now certain barking ones in the land of Kaf and Ra have arisen in rejection and denial, and are engaged in contriving similar imaginary matters. They have not understood that this is the Day of God, known by this supreme designation in all the scriptures, tablets and books. Despite this they have again clung to former names. Say: O infidels! If the people of the Furqan reaped any fruit from that to which they clung, ye too shall reap the same. Say: Fear God, O people, and be not of those who understand not.
This is a Day wherein none is mentioned save God alone and His loved ones who have arisen to serve His Cause by His decisive and wise command. Say: Today the books of the world suffice not, except for this manifest, evident and perspicuous Book. Today the Mother Book speaketh and the Interlocutor of the Mount hath appeared and is manifest. All matters have depended and shall depend upon His will. The Herald, the Primal Point, proclaimed “I am the first to worship Him,” yet these shameless people strive to lead the servants astray.
Blessed art thou for having drunk the wine of steadfastness from the cup of thy Lord’s utterance, the All-Wise. Preserve this station through My Name, detached from those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of all worlds. The servant who standeth before the Face hath appeared and mentioned thee unto his Lord. We have remembered thee with this wondrous remembrance. We have seen thy turning to God and heard thy call. We have answered thee with verses from whose horizon hath shone the sun of thy Lord’s grace, the Kind, the Generous. Glory be upon thee and upon all who are steadfast and firm.
BH04267: This is a Book which the Wronged One hath…
He is the Hearer, the Answerer.
This is a Book which the Wronged One hath sent down to him who hath attained the lights of My Name, the Self-Subsisting, and hath testified to that whereunto God testified before the creation of words and meanings—that there is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. This is a day wherein every soul that hath turned unto God hath attained, and every one possessed of hearing hath hastened unto God, the Lord of all worlds.
We made mention of thee before in the Kingdom of Utterance, and We make mention of thee at this time through this perspicuous Tablet. Thy letter was presented before the Face, and the servant who standeth before the Throne laid it before Us. We have heard and have answered, for verily We are the Hearer, the Answerer.
Beware lest the affairs of creation withhold thee from the Truth or the intimations of the heedless sadden thee. We beseech God, exalted be He, to aid thee to remember and praise Him, and to ordain for thee the good of this world and of the world to come. Verily, He is potent over all things.
O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of My leaf who hath ascended unto God, the Mighty, the All-Praised. We make mention of her in such wise as will draw her nigh unto the most sublime heights and the most exalted Paradise, and will cause her to enter a station wherein she shall behold naught save the effulgences of My Name, the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
Blessed is she, and blessed is the one who maketh mention of her after her ascension in the manner in which the All-Merciful hath made mention of her in the Kingdom of Utterance. Thus hath the Tongue spoken in this most sublime station. We have forgiven her and purified her at the time of her ascension, and adorned her with the ornament of My wondrous remembrance. Blessed is the soul from whom the Concourse on High shall inhale the fragrance of My garment. She is the object of circumambulation of My angels and the denizens of My mighty, glorious Kingdom. We beseech God to enable all to do that which He loveth and which pleaseth Him. Verily, He is the Most Merciful of the merciful ones. Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.
BH04914: O Faraj! Let thy joy and gladness and sorrow…
He is the Hearer, the Answerer!
O Faraj! Let thy joy and gladness and sorrow be for God alone. Be happy in truth and confident in truth, and be sorrowful only for His sake. All sorrows are forbidden save that which cometh from the tribulations of the Intended One. The radiant effulgence of the Sun of Joy hath taken hold of thee and the Tongue of Eternity speaketh with thee. I swear by the sweetness of the utterance of the All-Merciful that oceans of joy are concealed in this mention. Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. In all matters, place thy complete trust in Him with utmost joy and fragrance, delight and expansion, and commit all unto Him, and say:
My God, my God! My Lord, my Lord! I have turned to Thee, detached from all else but Thee, and have hastened unto Thee, hoping for that which will draw me nigh unto the threshold of Thy grace. I testify with my outer and inner tongue that I know not what profiteth or harmeth me, nor what exalteth or abaseth me. Thou art more knowing than I and than whosoever is in the heavens and the earth. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance and the manifestations of Thy grace and the oceans of Thy bounty and the revelations of Thy favors, to ordain for me, through Thy generosity which hath encompassed the world and Thy mercy which hath preceded all peoples, that which will profit me in every world of Thy worlds. Verily Thou art He through Whose will all things came into being and all possibilities were set in motion. Thy command hath preceded and Thy power hath encompassed all things. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Conquering, the All-Compelling.
BH05611: He speaketh from this transcendent station
He speaketh from this transcendent station
O Muhammad-ʿAli! The Wronged One maketh mention of thee even as He mentioned thee before. He, verily, is the One besides Whom there is none other God, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We have sent down the verses and manifested the clear proofs, yet most of the people remain heedless. The rivers have flowed and the trees have yielded their fruit and the mysteries have been revealed, yet most of the people remain asleep. This is a Day that cannot be compared with the centuries of old, as doth testify He Who is the Lord of Names, the All-Knowing Witness. Be thou steadfast in the Cause and arise to serve thy Lord. By God’s life! Soon shall the world and all that is therein perish, and the sincere ones shall behold that which hath been ordained for them by God, the Lord of all worlds.
Grieve thou not over anything. Rather, rejoice in My remembrance of thee, for it shall endure as long as My most excellent names and exalted attributes endure. Be thou thankful and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the worlds! We beseech Him, exalted be He, to ordain for thee the good of this world and of the next, and to decree for thee that which shall exalt thee through this Name amongst His servants. He, verily, is the Strong, the Mighty, the Powerful.
We counsel thee to observe wisdom in this Cause whereby the feet of the mystics have slipped. The Glory rest upon thee and upon those who have attained unto the recognition of this Day and have believed in Him Who hath come with manifest sovereignty.
BH05490: This is a Book sent down by the Wronged…
He is the One Who is manifest, evident and clear!
This is a Book sent down by the Wronged One, through Whom the Promised One arose and the Self-Subsisting spoke. The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. O Nabil, upon thee be My glory! After the Sun of Truth dawned from the horizon of manifestation and the call of the Speaker on Sinai was raised, the ignorant, unconscious people wandered in the wilderness of error and the desert of vain imaginings until this time. They have not become aware and have not awakened from the slumber of heedlessness. Woe unto them and unto those who led them astray!
The most degraded of all the peoples of the world have been and are those who turned away from among the people of the Bayan. They have denied Him Who brought that which is equivalent to all the divine Books, and they cling to their own vain imaginings. Until now they have not understood the Day of God. For one thousand two hundred years they disputed about the Qa’im, the Guardian, the Successor, the Chief, the Noble One, the Shaykhi, and so forth, and were occupied with denouncing one another as infidels. Now too the deniers cling to the same vain imaginings. What was the result for those souls and what will be the result for these souls?
Say: This is the Day of God, in which none is mentioned save Him, did ye but know. Say: The carpet of words and vain imaginings hath been rolled up through the coming of the King of Days with a manifest light [to the end of the Tablet of God].
BH08486: O Abu’l-Qasim! We make mention of thee…
He is God, exalted be His glory, unto Whom belongeth grandeur and majesty
O Abu’l-Qasim! We make mention of thee from the Prison, and give thee the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of all worlds. We counsel thee with that which beseemeth man and that which will cause the Cause of God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, to be exalted. In all conditions fix thy gaze upon the Most Sublime Horizon and drink from the chalice of steadfastness. How many kings and sovereigns who were expecting the days of the Revelation yet attained not unto its fragrance and were not enabled to hearken unto a single word. The same is true of the divines of the earth, save whom God hath willed. But thou, through God’s infinite grace, glory be to His majesty, hast recognized His days and drunk from the cup of His love. This is a great station. We beseech God to preserve thee and grant thee that which will strengthen thee to remain steadfast among all peoples. Verily He is the Helper, the All-Bountiful.
BH00955: Praise and glory befitteth the loved ones…
In the name of our Lord, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious
Praise and glory befitteth the loved ones of the Lord of all creation who, amidst the clamor of the divines and the croaking of the jurisprudents in the world of existence, acknowledged the supreme Pen and bore witness to all that hath flowed therefrom. These are they whom neither the doubts of men nor the tyranny and oppression of the dwellers of the earth could debar from the Lord of creation or deprive of the bounties of the Day of Return. They rent asunder the veils of idle fancies and vain imaginings through the Name of the Lord of all beings, and arose to serve the Cause with such arising as hath amazed the Concourse on high. Exalted be their stations, glorious their condition, and magnificent their steadfastness.
Glorified art Thou, O Thou through Whose Name the oceans of wisdom and utterance have surged in the realm of creation, and through Whose most sweet call the followers of all religions have been attracted! I beseech Thee by Thy Name which Thou hast made a light unto them that have drawn nigh unto Thee and a fire unto them that have turned away, and hast made it a blazing lamp unto them that have sought Thine all-highest horizon and held fast unto Thy path, O Lord of all names, to aid Thy Afnan even as Thou didst aid them through Thy power that hath subdued all things and Thy might that hath encompassed all that are in earth and heaven.
I beseech Thee, O Sovereign of existence and King of the seen and unseen, to send down upon Thy Afnan, who hath been attracted by Thy verses and enkindled with the fire of Thy love and hath sought Thy presence once again, through Thy bounty and favors, the rain-showers from the heaven of Thy grace and whatsoever beseemeth Thy greatness and power and generosity and gifts. O my Lord! Thou seest him turning unto Thee, uttering Thy praise and arising to serve Thee. Aid him through Thy bounty and power, then assist him with the hosts of wisdom and utterance. Verily Thou art the All-Merciful. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Conquering, the Powerful.
My soul be a sacrifice unto your service and your steadfastness! Your blessed letter was received—such a receiving that each of the ear, eye and heart took its share, for it was adorned with the praise and glorification of Him Who is the Goal of your desire and my desire and the desire of all who are in earth and heaven. After its reading, recital and perusal, I turned my face toward the lights of His countenance and presented it before the Divine Throne. This is what the Desired One hath revealed in reply. His blessed and exalted Word:
O Afnan, O Muhammad! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. Thy cries, lamentations and anguished pleas in separation and remoteness have been heard. Thou hast ever been before Our gaze, and thy purpose, deeds and intention are clear and evident before Our countenance. The days of attainment and presence before the Wronged One are remembered. Praise be to God, the Dawning-Place of generosity and bounty hath bestowed a favor whose mention the pens of the world are powerless and incapable to describe. Every possessor of sight and hearing beareth witness to this most exalted Word that hath flowed from the Supreme Pen. The smoke of tyranny and oppression hath encompassed the world, preventing those who seek from reaching their Ultimate Goal, their Utmost Purpose and their Supreme Summit, and depriving sight and hearing from beholding and hearkening unto that for which they were created.
Yet they are heedless that nothing among all created things can prevent or hinder the people of God. Their hearts have found their way to the Most Great Ocean and their eyes are enabled to witness the Most Exalted Horizon. These are the chosen ones mentioned and recorded by the Supreme Pen in the books of the past and future. O Afnan! Be not saddened by thy engagement in outward affairs, for God, exalted be His glory, hath ordained that your occupation is worship itself—this is a decree revealed in the Book aforetime. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to send down upon thee that which will gladden thy heart and solace thine eyes, and grant thee the good of this world and the world to come. There is none other God but He, the Ordainer, the Great. Upon thee be glory from the presence of the Ancient Revealer.
This evanescent servant hath beseeched and continueth to beseech the True One, exalted be His glory, that we may once again gather beneath the shade of the divine Lote-Tree of His loving-kindness. Whenever this servant beholdeth the Mazra’ih where the Throne was established, he remembereth the days of attainment to His presence. In truth, love is a wondrous essence—its will floweth more freely than the will of all who dwell on earth, and its influence is more potent than the authority of kings. Its effects are manifest and its power evident. Great is He Who created it and through it made firm the connection of the world. I beseech God, my Lord and my Goal and the Goal of all who are in earth and heaven, to extend to your honor a blessing from His presence and draw you near unto Him once again. Verily, He hath power over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but He, the Hearer, the Answerer.
Concerning what was written about the Semnan business, it was presented before the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence. These are the words uttered by the Tongue of Grandeur—exalted be His utterance and mighty His proof:
“If settlement can be reached with spirit and fragrance, it would be well; otherwise, proceed according to what the Afnan, upon him be My glory, deemeth advisable and make firm the partnership document. The command is in God’s hands—He ordaineth for whomsoever He willeth what He desireth, and He is the Commander, the All-Knowing.”
This evanescent servant beseecheth and hopeth that the True One, exalted be His glory, may grant confirmation and success in all matters. Through His loving-kindness, a drop becometh an ocean and an atom transformeth into a sun.
As to what you wrote concerning the honored beloved, Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Muhammad-Husayn, upon him be the glory of God and His favors, I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to confirm him, grant him determination, and cause his occupation to culminate in the printing of the Words of God. If, God willing, he attains to this station, he will have attained to every good. We beseech Him for confirmation in all conditions. Verily, He is the Hearer, the Answerer. That is, in this occupation and work in which they are engaged, I offer them greetings, praise, glory and splendor, and in all conditions I beseech for them whatsoever is conducive to loftiness, exaltation, and the perpetuation of name and remembrance. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Bestower, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Glory and remembrance and praise be upon your honor and upon those who are with you and who love you for the sake of God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and the earth.
BH03851: Glorified art Thou, O Lord of the Kingdom…
In the Name of our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Lord!
Glorified art Thou, O Lord of the Kingdom of Immortality and Sovereign of the First and the Last! I beseech Thee by the mysteries of Thy Dominion and the signs of Thy Kingdom to assist Thy loved ones to be steadfast in Thy Cause, then send down upon them from the heaven of Thy loving-kindness the rains of Thy bounty and from the clouds of Thy mercy the showers of Thy grace.
Thou art He at Whose separation hearts have melted and servants have lamented, and through Whose banishment the tears of them that are nigh unto Thee have fallen and the sighs of the sincere ones have risen. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance and by Thy Most Great Name—but for which the mysteries of Thy Book and Thy power and might would not have been revealed, nor would existence have emerged from nothingness—then I beseech Thee, O Sovereign of the world and Goal of the nations, by Thy most exalted Self and by that which lieth within Thy knowledge, O Lord of all names and Creator of heaven, not to deprive Thy party of that which Thou hast sent down in Thy Book and ordained for Thy chosen ones. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Powerful.
Then send down, O my God, upon him who hath turned unto Thee and acted according to that which Thou hast revealed in Thy Book, a blessing from Thee and a mercy from Thy presence. Then protect him, O my God, from the hosts of the Pharaohs who lay claim to knowledge without clear proof from Thee or evidence from Thy presence, and who have risen in opposition in such wise that they have pronounced judgment against Thee and shed the blood of Thy loved ones. O Lord! Seize them through Thy power, then strip their temples of the robes of Thy glory. Verily Thou art the Almighty, from Whose knowledge nothing escapeth. Thou doest what Thou willest and ordainest what Thou pleasest. And verily Thou are the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.
O my God! Send Thy blessings upon the Letters of the Book of Thy justice and the Leaves of the Tree of Thy grace—they who have spent what they possessed in hope of that which lieth with Thee. Verily Thou art God. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Generous.
BH04695: There hath come unto us the Dayspring of loving-kindness…
In the name of our Lord, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious.
There hath come unto us the Dayspring of loving-kindness, risen above the horizon of grace, and the luminary of bounty, which at every moment appeareth in the most wondrous guise, and, from the clouds of His munificence, bestoweth without stint whatsoever the land of true knowledge can reveal of manifold gifts, and whatsoever the ocean of inner meanings can disclose of the pearls of a new and resplendent wisdom. He is the Sovereign before Whose power the might of the world is abashed, and beside Whose knowledge the learning of the peoples is accounted as utter nothingness.
And when His mercy outstripped all things, and His favour compassed all that is, certain souls were awakened, and bore witness unto His guidance. Blessed, then, the soul that hath attained unto His recognition and hath apprehended the fragrance of His Manifestation. These are they who are the leaders of men and the guides of the servants of God….
Should the Hand of power rend asunder the veils, all would, with utmost haste, turn their faces towards the City of ʿAkka. Yet, in view of His consummate wisdom, the means are cut off and the barrier remaineth visible. From Him—glorified be His Name—I implore confirmation, that all may attain unto that which He loveth and is well-pleased with. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, Who hath never debarred a seeker, nor deprived a wayfarer. The heavens proclaim the signs of His exaltation, and the seas bear witness to His mercy. Who is there that hath strayed and sought not His grace, or that hath been denied His compassion? Whoso is for God, God shall assuredly be for him….
BH06803: O my God, my Lord, my Goal and my…
In the Name of our Lord, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious
O my God, my Lord, my Goal and my Hope! The servant testifieth to that which Thy Most Exalted Pen hath testified before the creation of earth and heaven, that there is none other God but Thee, the Peerless, the All-Informed. And he testifieth that He Who was hidden in the eternity of eternities through Thy Will and Purpose, and was treasured within the strongholds of Thy protection and preservation, did appear. And when the promise came to pass, Thou didst manifest Him through Thy power and didst send down upon Him that which no books of the world can equal, to reveal Thy Cause and Thy bounty and Thy generosity, and to make manifest that which was hidden in Thy knowledge.
But when He appeared and revealed Himself, the people turned away from Him and committed that which caused the land and the sea and all that is therein to lament, and the dwellers of the kingdom of Thy utterance and the dominion of Thy knowledge and power to weep. I beseech Thee, O Lord of all names, to assist Thy party who have not broken Thy Covenant and Thy Testament, who have stood with utmost steadfastness in Thy Cause, O Lord of all mankind, and have said: “God is our Lord and the Lord of the mighty throne.” Praise be unto Thee, O Goal of them that know and Beloved of the hearts of the sincere ones. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.
BH01581: May my spirit be a sacrifice unto thy presence!…
He is God, exalted be His glory, the Grandeur and the Power!
May my spirit be a sacrifice unto thy presence! What can this evanescent servant say or mention that would be befitting? It is most beloved that the beginning of every letter be adorned with the mention of the Lord of all beings and the King of origin and return. However, at times, when the certainty of non-arrival and attainment appears evident, the pen becomes still, the tongue silent, and the heart bewildered. In any case, since permission has been granted, we must praise Him with such descriptions and glorification as are acceptable among the servants. There is no other recourse, and this is the ultimate bounty. To Him be praise, thanksgiving, glory and splendor.
The blessed and exalted letter which was the cause of joy and gladness arrived. Like the spring rain to saplings and the special favors of God upon men, it hath showered upon this servant. Praise be unto Him and praise be unto His loved ones. Multiple letters have arrived; some have been presented and some have not yet found opportunity. God willing, they shall be presented.
Regarding the Afnan, His Honor Haji Mirza Siyyid Muhammad, upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, what you wrote—that is, his exact words—was presented in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence. He said:
“O My Name Mihdi, upon thee be My Glory! The call of the Afnan was heard. We are aware and cognizant of his grief and sorrow from separation and remoteness. Sorrow and anguish have seized him from every direction. God willing, may he not erase the days of presence from his sight. The remembrance and manifestation of that is the cause and reason for the defeat of sorrows. When the greatest joy comes, sorrow flees like lightning. O My Name! The Afnan is afflicted with both hardship and separation and exile, and other matters that are the cause and reason for heart-weariness. However, we beseech God to adorn him with such an ornament that the smoke and dust of the world may not change him, and likewise we ask for him that which is befitting and worthy. O My Afnan! Do not grieve, for the world is not worthy of grief. That which will gladden thy heart and the hearts of the lovers hath been ordained for thee. Say: Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.”
This evanescent servant beseeches God, exalted be His Glory, that means may be provided for them to return again, and that this evanescent servant may drink with them from the cup of reunion and meeting, time after time, repeatedly, cup after cup, chalice after chalice, in spite of those who have denied God’s signs and rejected His manifest and evident proof.
Regarding the mention made of the beloved one, His Honor Haji Aqa Muhammad, upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, after presentation They said:
“O My Name Mihdi! The mention of the mentioned one is mentioned before the Mentioned One. God willing, may they be blessed in all times and circumstances with the favors of the Desired One of the worlds. O My Name! In truth, they are striving and endeavoring to serve the Cause, unite hearts, and promote the divine laws. Praise be to God Who assisted him in establishing harmony and steadfastness. Some of the loved ones of that land have sent letters to the servant in attendance. If God willeth, favors shall be shown hereafter and replies shall be sent. Praise be to God, all are seen as links of one chain. The lights of their love are evident and radiant. Glory be upon them, peace be upon them.”
The fact that they had mentioned this lowly one brought two delights: one, their mention, and two, your honor’s renewal and repetition of that mention—blessing upon blessing. Praise be to God, the land has been adorned with the flowers, roses and fruits of love. I convey greetings, praise and glory to them, and likewise to the loved ones of God in that land. Peace and praise be upon your honor, upon the beloved ones, and upon those who are with you.
BH11612: That which hath shone forth from the horizon…
In the Name of God, Exalted be His Glory, His is the Greatness and the Power!
That which hath shone forth from the horizon of certitude hath been established through clear proof, namely that My praise and My mention cannot attain unto My purpose. The most exalted call from the highest realm befitteth Him not—how much less My mention and the mention of ones like Me, and My praise and the praise of ones like Me. Therefore We make mention, and We declare, and We say that mention and praise, from this day unto the day that hath no end, are reserved for the loved ones of God, glorified be His majesty—those souls who are seen to be evanescent and as nothing in the Will and Purpose of God, exalted be His glory, who stand with utmost steadfastness in the Cause of God, and who with spirit and joy speak forth His praise. These are the souls who are mentioned in the Books of old and of latter days, whom neither the doubts of the peoples, nor the signs of the world, nor the clamor of the ungodly, nor the commotion of the heedless have deterred. They have arisen and proclaimed with wisdom and utterance:
“Verily our Lord is the All-Merciful, and He is the Help in Peril in all times.”
And now, O beloved of My heart! Thy letter arrived repeatedly, news arrived, and praise be to God, the morn of hope hath dawned, in that, praise be to God, the Sun of loving-kindness hath risen and permission hath been granted. O Ibn-i-Abhar! Advance with such acceptance as would cause all created things to advance toward the Qiblih of the horizons, and turn with such turning as would cause all beings to turn toward the Dawning-Place of the verses and the Manifestor of clear proofs. Verily the Wronged One hath heard thy call and hath answered thee time and again. We beseech God to make thy pilgrimage accepted, thy endeavor appreciated, and thy turning unto Him a treasure and honor and store with Him. Verily He is powerful over all things.
As to what thou didst write concerning his honor Haji, upon him be the peace of God—blessed is he! Faithfulness is greatly loved in the sight of God. How excellent is the state of those souls who have ever fixed and continue to fix their gaze upon Him. In brief, all are adorned with the ornament of permission, and this evanescent servant beseecheth and imploreth God, glorified be His majesty, to distinguish all with His special favors and to adorn them with the ornament of acceptance. Come ye, come ye, O people of fidelity! Come ye, come ye, O ye who have borne hardships in the path of God, the Lord of Names! Come ye, come ye, O ye who have witnessed the waves and the blowing of tempestuous winds!
Come ye, come ye, O loved ones of God! Ye are they who have traversed land and sea and have remained patient in hardship and tribulation. Come ye, come ye, O people of the Covenant! Come ye, come ye, O companions of divine love! He Who is not known by what the tongue uttereth or what floweth from the Pen of creation hath called you. All this is from the loving-kindness of our Lord, the All-Merciful. Therefore let all turn with spirit and joy. Well is it with you, and may it be pleasant unto you. Peace and remembrance and praise be upon you and upon God’s loved ones and His friends.
BH00676: Your letter dated the twelfth of Muharram al-Haram was…
In the Name of our Lord, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious
Your letter dated the twelfth of Muharram al-Haram was received and attained the honor of being heard by the Lord of Names. His blessed and exalted Word: O Amin, your letter arrived and was presented by this servant. In truth, the sapling of existence has drunk from the waters of divine love. This is among the great bounties of the Truth, exalted be His glory. The rain of divine outpourings and the rays of the Sun of inner meanings have showered and shone upon all, yet all remain heedless save whom thy Lord willeth. O Abu’l-Hasan, the Lord of the hidden and the manifest declareth: O people of earth! Today the Mount hath attained the presence of its Interlocutor and the Lote-Tree hath reached its planting place. Blessed is the soul that heareth and findeth, and woe unto the heedless.
All that was in the correspondence from before and after is correct and acceptable, and whatever was [given] to any soul, before the Divine Presence a special course is destined. The Supreme Pen beareth witness to the trustworthiness and truthfulness of My Name Jamal, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, and you yourself have also testified, and he has ever spoken well of the friends of God. Nevertheless, some in the land of Ta have accused him—God forbid—of treachery. This is naught but a grievous sin. Beseech and implore the Composer of hearts and the Sovereign of existence that the few souls who have been blessed by the Supreme Pen may arise with complete unity, love and dedication to teach the Cause and aid it. This matter is essential and obligatory, and without it there is no salvation. In discord there is remote, remote impossibility, and in unity the horizons become illumined. In this matter, mighty effort is required.
Concerning what you wrote about the friends in Nun, Jim, Alif, Ra and other lands, each has been mentioned by the Beloved of the world, and from the ocean of divine verses there hath been revealed concerning them that which maketh all the seas of the world appear as but a drop compared to a drop thereof. Beseech the True One that they may preserve this most exalted station and not be silenced by the croaking of the croakers, the atheists and the deniers. May each be as a fire in the love of God upon a mountain and like the sun at the pole of heaven. And as for what reached Shaykh Muhammad Arab, it is necessary, nay obligatory, that he be looked after according to capacity by the Afnan and yourself.
Regarding the sum of 70 tumans mentioned by Jinab-i-Haydar-Qabli-ʿAli, upon him be the Glory of God and His favors, who wrote from the Land of Ta, there are in that land certain steadfast souls who have turned to God, and it is hoped that they will be confirmed and assisted in paying the Huququ’llah. Therefore, from the direction of the Supreme Pen this firm command is issued: if they succeed, let them deliver the amount of seventy to the oppressed ones in the Land of Mim, that is, to the relatives of the Martyr, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God.
Blessed is he who has been or will be assisted in this. Otherwise, God, exalted be His glory, is sanctified above what has been and is mentioned, and is above the world and its treasures. Whatever He commands, its fruits return to the servants themselves. Soon they shall see that which the Tongue of Grandeur has spoken before and will speak hereafter. And even if they present it with the utmost joy and fragrance and complete humility and submissiveness, O Amin, reflect upon the cotton-carders: from the beginning of their acceptance until now, they have arisen to serve the Goal of all the worlds with perfect steadfastness, love, joy and fragrance, to such an extent that the tongues of the people of God on earth speak their praise and the tongues of the Concourse on high in heaven proclaim their attributes. Exalted, exalted is this mighty and impregnable station! Ask God to increase their bounties at all times. Verily thy Lord is powerful over all things.
Now if anyone in the Land of Ta is enabled to do so, take it and send it; if not, then let it be. The Glory be upon thee and upon those who act according to what they have been commanded in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds.
Praise be to God! Through the effusions of the Most Exalted Pen—may my spirit and the spirit of all who dwell in the kingdom of the Cause be a sacrifice unto Him—you have attained. Some time ago the glad tidings of His gracious presence were given, and surely you have attained unto them. In these days there has been no new news except that Mr. Muhammad Ibrahim and Haji Ghulam-ʿAli—upon them be the glory of God—arrived, stayed for several days, and then, as commanded, returned to their homelands.
This evanescent servant ever beseeches and implores God, exalted be His glory, to protect His loved ones from the evil of the oppressors, the cawing ones, the doubts of the suspicious ones and the atheists. The key of grace and bounty is in His mighty grasp—He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth.
Consider how all the Shi’ih divines—may God forsake them—arose in opposition and issued the verdict for the execution of the Primal Point—may the spirit of all else but Him be sacrificed for His sake. Day and night, they and their followers busied themselves with cursing, execration and charges of unbelief, while the cotton-carders, despite them, crossed the bridge and partook of the choice sealed wine. May God protect the people from the evil of the divines.
The purpose of knowledge is the benefit of God’s servants, and this has ever been and will continue to be the crafts and trades. He has ever said and continues to say:
“Know ye the value of the craftsmen, for they have been and continue to be the cause and means for facilitating affairs.”
The foundation of religion is made firm through God’s Law, and the foundation of livelihood through the craftsmen. By knowledge is meant that knowledge whose benefits reach humanity, not knowledge that leads to pride, arrogance, plunder, oppression, tyranny and pillaging.
Merely upon mention of the name of one of the people of truth before that group, they immediately issue the verdict of unbelief, plunder and death for that helpless one. By the life of my Purpose and thy Purpose and the Purpose of all who are in the heavens and earth, that misguided and misleading sect—namely the Shi’ih—committed that which neither the Jews, nor the Magians, nor even the idolaters have done the like. God protect us and you from the evil of these people and from the evil of the people of the Bayan who have violated the Covenant and who walk in their footsteps and say what their desires command them. Verily they are among the most lost in the perspicuous Book.
I convey greetings and salutations to the friends in every land and beseech God to strengthen and protect them all, that they may not be afflicted with the vain imaginings of the past, and that through Ja’far and his sons Ahmad and others they may not be kept back from God’s straight path. Reflect upon the fabrications of the Shi’ih sect: for one thousand two hundred years they called the truthful one a liar, and the heedless people called the son of the Imam and the brother of the Imam himself a liar, and they were unaware. And all these things came to pass through the word of one like Ibn-i-Ja’far. That which befell the world, befell it. The Primal Point—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake—was martyred through the word of that vile one and two or three others like him, for they ruled that whosoever says the Qa’im is in the loins and must be born is an infidel whose killing is obligatory. Thus did that occur whereat the atoms of all created things wept. They judged contrary to what God had revealed in the Book.
We beseech God to deal with them according to His justice, not His grace. Enough trouble has been given; I shall not further impose upon that Beloved One and shall end this letter with these words: Glory, remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those with you and upon those who have arisen to aid the Cause of God, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. And praise be to God, the Most High, the Most Great.
The servant 15th of the month of Safar 1303
Multiple petitions have reached the Most Holy Court from Eliyahu. According to the Command, either something should be given to him so that he may be freed from debt and proceed to another land, or some occupation should be arranged for him. O Amin, although thou art poor, I know thy Lord is also poor, meaning He is sanctified from earthly ornaments. By the life of God! The treasures of the world are as non-existent and null before one drop from the ocean of His riches. Be thou assured. Verily thy Lord is the All-Possessing, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. The glory from Us be upon thee, and I am the Remembering, the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful.
BH00664: The ocean of praise and thanksgiving befitteth and beseemeth…
He is God, exalted be His station, the Greatness and the Power
The ocean of praise and thanksgiving befitteth and beseemeth the Lord of all names, Who bestowed existence upon the world and adorned it with the ornament of nations. He is the Omnipotent One Whose power no weakness can touch and Whose will no creation can hinder. And blessings and peace be upon Him Whom He sent forth and unto Whom He revealed His Book, and adorned Him with His most beautiful names and most exalted attributes, Who was named Muhammad in the world of creation, and upon His family and companions through whom the earth brought forth its fruits and the heaven shed its rain.
And furthermore, may my spirit be a sacrifice for your honor. Your letters from before and after have been received. In truth, they were a paradise reflecting praise and thanksgiving, and speaking of that which indicateth the Most Great Steadfastness. The servant hath found therein what the body findeth in the spirit, and what the niche findeth in the light. When I read and understood, I turned to the Station and presented it before His Countenance. The Lord—may my spirit be sacrificed for Him—spoke: “We beseech God to assist him through remembrance and to strengthen him through utterance in such wise that His light, His influence and His proof may be made manifest throughout all possibility. The Command is in God’s hands, the Lord of all religions.
O Zein! Upon thee be My peace and My glory, and upon My loved ones there. We counsel them in all conditions to that whereby the Cause of their Lord, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted, may be uplifted, and to draw nigh unto the Divine Lote-Tree and to turn with heart and soul toward the Most Exalted Horizon. Say: O My loved ones! We command you to that which will profit you in every world of the worlds of your Lord, and to righteousness and fear of God, and to turn away from those who have denied God, the Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens.” In all conditions they must fix their gaze upon the Truth, utter His praise and remembrance, and turn away from all else.
This is the command of the Wronged One, before and after. The purpose of turning away is to avoid association, not contention and conflict, and this applies to those souls who have arisen in opposition and objection and who have manifested rancor and hatred. These souls are known, and most are aware of their condition. O Zein! We beseech God to enable all to attain true unity and to grant them a portion from the ocean of the word “There is none other God but Him,” and not to deprive His servants of His boundless grace.
Aqa Muhammad Ibrahim and Haji Ghulam-ʿAli, along with two others—upon them be the peace and favors of God—arrived intending to visit the House, and praise be to God, they attained the Most Great Pilgrimage. This year was very pleasant for the pilgrims. In truth it was a blessed journey. Blessed are they who have attained. We beseech God, exalted be His glory, to grant success to all the peoples of the earth that all may attain. Verily, He is powerful over all things.
Another matter: As some funds were needed, twenty tumans were borrowed from the spiritual friend Aqa Muhammad Ibrahim—upon him be the peace of God—which your honor should convey to him. Although at first he was unwilling to accept it, they specifically stated it must reach him and he accepted. Your honor must pay it. And what the friends brought of gaz and other items was received.
Regarding what you wrote about the traveling companion, it is necessary, and Aqa Habibullah is permitted to be in your honor’s service, but they said after meeting he must return, as wisdom requires this.
Another submission concerns the sum due to Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad-Taqi, upon him be God’s peace. Its delay is in no way permissible. Indeed, they have performed a good deed and this act has been accepted. Let it be delivered to him. The souls mentioned who have turned to God with certitude, upon them be God’s peace, from among the people of S, H-M, N-R, Shah-Abad, B-R and T who have sought mention from that Presence—all have been honored with mention, one and all. He said:
“O Zayn, convey greetings to all these souls on behalf of the Wronged One, and counsel them regarding that which remains of their remembrances. This Wronged One has ever beseeched on behalf of all that which is like unto a lamp before their faces in all the worlds of God, exalted be His glory. We have counseled and continue to counsel all to unity, harmony, kindness, love and steadfastness, which are among the greatest of deeds. O Zayn, beseech God to protect His servants and deprive none from the ocean of recognition, the sun of certitude and the heaven of knowledge. Verily, He speaks the truth and guides the way, and He is the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Beautiful.”
And likewise convey greetings to the handmaidens of God. We beseech God to assist them all and ordain for each one the good of this world and the next. We make mention of the people of Marfu’ and console them, and we beseech God for the improvement of affairs.
This evanescent servant conveys greetings to each one and seeks divine success and confirmation for each. All must, at all times, with patience, calm and dignity, be engaged in the mention and praise of the Goal of all the worlds. Assuredly the outpourings of the True Bestower will embrace pure and holy souls and illumined hearts. Should hardship befall some, or difficulties arise, this has been and is due to God’s penetrating wisdom, exalted be His glory. Blessed are the friends and loved ones of God—theirs is a goodly return. The end of all things is good, for the ocean of generosity is surging through His name and the sun of bounty exists through His favor. He will never deprive His loved ones. Every person of insight bears witness to this truth. Glad tidings that He said:
“If God willing, We shall thereafter summon the people there one by one that they may attain and return.”
Concerning what you wrote about Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad Hasan (the Tailor), upon him be God’s peace, when it was submitted, He said:
“O Zayn, write to Hasan: O Hasan! Your lamentations have been heard and the yearnings of your heart have reached Us. The Wronged One hears your cries and supplications. You have always been and continue to be remembered. For years you have been engaged in service. We beseech God to grant souls fairness that they may not say that which they have not heard from the tongue of the Wronged One. Truthfulness has ever been and remains the characteristic of the people of truth. One must not be content with imaginings and conjectures. Say: O Hasan! Be not grieved. By the life of God, your grief has grieved Me. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to adorn you with the ornament of patience and forbearance, and His servants with justice and fairness.”
This servant also conveys greetings to him. God is witness and testifier that he is remembered most of the time, and all who circle [the Sacred Precinct] mention him with utmost love, kindness and care, and send their greetings. It is hoped that something may be written directly to him hereafter, as in these days the spiritual beloved Aqa Mulla Rida—he who spoke the truth before all faces—and he have written and sent letters. Repeatedly there has arrived from them that from which the fragrance of love and sincerity emanates.
At the end of the manuscript, when mention was made of His Holiness the Name 66 [Allah] al-Asdaq, upon him be from every 9 [Baha] its Most Glorious, before His presence, He said:
“Upon him be God’s peace, His care, His mercy, and His grace, and upon his son, and upon those whom God has related to him.”
This evanescent servant conveys greetings to each of the friends in that land. He Himself is witness and testifier that their mention has ever been the cause of joy and their remembrance the source of delight, and this is naught but through the bounty of the Lord, for they have borne hardships in His path and have tasted the poison of hatred in their love for Him. We beseech God to grant success to all and to confirm them in preserving what has been bestowed. Verily, He is powerful over all things. Peace, remembrance and glory be upon your honor, upon them, and upon every steadfast, firm and upright one. And praise be to God, the Exalted, the Great.
The servant 26th of the month of Safar al-Khayr 1303
BH01318: Through but one letter of His glorious Name did…
He is God—exalted be His glory, to Whom belongeth greatness and grandeur
Through but one letter of His glorious Name did the universe and all within it become manifest and evident. All that exists hath been and shall ever be through the effulgence of His bounty. Should any soul in all creation draw a breath contrary to that which hath been mentioned, every atom in existence would testify to his heedlessness. The heaven is a sign of His loftiness and the seas are tokens of His grandeur. Whatever we may say, the seeing eye beholdeth in but a single leaf among the leaves of the divine Lote-Tree His majesty, power, exaltation and favor. All came into being through His will, that it might tell of its Fashioner, its Creator, and its Originator. Neither reckoning nor comprehension hath any place in this realm, until the hand of grace bestoweth what it will and conferreth what it pleaseth. His might can raise a straw to the galaxies and elevate dust to the Pleiades. How many among the possessors of sovereignty, dominion and palaces hath His controlling hand returned to their graves in utter abasement. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.
The prayers and salutations of all peoples are befitting the most holy and exalted court of the Beloved, through Whose advent the heavens were adorned and through Whose presence the Night Journey was blessed. He is the source of the life-giving Kawthar amongst all possibility, through Whom the horizon of utterance was illumined, the ocean of inner meanings surged, and the decree of the All-Merciful was established amongst all religions. And upon His family and companions, who are the stars in the heavens of wisdom and the fish in the sea of power—they who aided and endured with patience, and theirs is the final abode.
The letter of that honored brother, which was in itself a new gift, arrived at the right place and the right time, for it came just as this evanescent one was intending to attain the presence. I took it, opened it, saw it and read it, then hastened until I reached the spot. When I arrived, the countenance of the Master smiled and He said—may my soul be sacrificed for Him—“What is in thy right hand?” I presented the letter, saying it had come from the direction of A. and S. When permission was granted, I read it. When the poem was finished, the countenance of the Master smiled again and He said—may my soul be sacrificed for Him—“O thou who art present! How beloved before God is the unity and harmony of the friends. Most often doth the word ʿunity’ flow from the Pen and tongue. We beseech God to confirm him and in every moment make him successful in remembrance. He is the Powerful, the Mighty.”
That you mentioned each of the loved ones individually in verse was most acceptable. Praise be to God that you were assisted to achieve that which is pleasing before the Friend. He said that its poetry is joy-inducing and its prose even more so, for the fragrance of love emanates from it. This quality keepeth the world alive and enduring. Love is like an essence—whatever remains after it is extracted from anything neither nourishes nor avails. We beseech God not to deprive the whole world from the lights of the Sun of His love. Your verses have been mentioned repeatedly and became the cause and reason for your remembrance. Time and again they commanded me to convey to you that they should consult on matters and then, trusting in God, act accordingly.
And they said the good of the world and its benevolence and kindness are directed toward you. Be not grieved, and be assured of the favors of God, exalted be His glory. His favor has been and is with you. In all conditions maintain the utmost joy and fragrance, such that whoever associates and companions with you becomes happy and delighted. Praise be to God, the carpet of gladness has been spread and the sun of God’s favor has risen. Speak in His remembrance, drink in His mention. Never let go of wisdom in any situation. It is not permissible to acknowledge matters which the ignorant are incapable of comprehending. Walk in the footsteps of the Wronged One. [End]
This servant conveys greetings, praise and gracious mention to all the friends of that land, and begs confirmation from God, exalted be His station, for each one. I ask God that His name be exalted through the unity, accord and sincerity of those noble souls. May their intention be the reformation of the world and the tranquility of all peoples. He is the Hearer, the Answerer, and He is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. The whole world has been and is specially for the friends of God, manifested according to the requirements of consummate wisdom. This is the evident truth, there is no doubt in it. Peace, remembrance and praise be upon you and upon the friends of God, the people of unity and the companions of detachment, whom God has described in His Manifest Book:
“They speak not until He hath spoken, and they do His bidding.”
And praise be to God, the Lord of what was and what will be.
BH02894: Through the Book the whole world with all its…
He is God, exalted be His station of grandeur and power.
Through the Book the whole world with all its mysteries is made manifest, and through its letters all things are brought to completion. May God come to the aid of you and us and all who dwell on earth. However, since this is a place of service and worship and station and rank and manifestations […], I beseech the Beloved of my soul and the Desire of my heart from God, exalted be His glory, that He may enable this evanescent servant to render such service as may bring joy to His loved ones. Verily He is the Generous, the Bountiful, and He is the Hearer, the Answerer.
The letter arrived bringing joy to this evanescent one and glad tidings for a number of the friends. The joy was attained and the glad tidings were conveyed. All accepted it with perfect humility and submissiveness. God, exalted be His glory, has made your Saturday into Friday. There will be a gathering there—a gathering which, God willing, will be the cause of the gathering together of the world beneath the divine Lote-Tree. However, besides those present, there were several others who heard these glad tidings. Surely on Saturday they too will attend your presence. According to instructions, the honored Ustad ʿAbdu’l-Karim, upon him be God’s peace, will attend your presence—not today, not tomorrow, but on that day. How excellent is the host and how excellent are the guests! Praise be to God, the Powerful, the Forgiving, the Compassionate.
Today many of your works were answered from before. The answer to the honored Aqa Mirza Mahmud was revealed and the answer to the honored Aqa Mirza Husayn was bestowed. A new letter was also written and sent in detail. This year, praise be to God, you were enabled to provide food and feasting time after time and occasion after occasion. In your words, may it continue! The Command is in God’s hands, the Lord of creation. You should be occupied with preparations while the guests are getting ready. I beseech and implore God, exalted be His glory, to grant that honored one such bounty that you may be enabled to accomplish such deeds each day. Peace and praise be upon your honor and upon all who are firm and steadfast. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.
BH00498: Praise be fitting unto the Lord of all desires…
In the Name of God, Transcendent is His Glory, His Grandeur and Power!
Praise be fitting unto the Lord of all desires, Who with a single effulgence illumined the horizons of discord with the light of unity and concord. His Will lent support and His Purpose penetrated through divine favor. Through that effulgence which encompassed the world through the radiance of the Muhammadan Sun, it seized all the palaces of the Caesars, the arches of the Chosroes, and the porticos of tyrants. In places where the banner of misbelief was raised, the standard of divine unity was hoisted, and gatherings once devoted to the mention of idols were transformed to circles remembering the Lord of all beings. In place of wine came the celestial stream, in place of darkness came light, in place of ignorance came knowledge, and in place of wealth appeared poverty. This poverty is a crown upon the head of the world’s wealth, even as He declared: “Poverty is My glory.” This is a poverty before which the world’s riches bow down and the wealth of nations stands in humility. No tongue can adequately describe this poverty, nor can any pen do justice to its mention. Exalted be His glory, exalted be His dominion, glorified be His grandeur, and mighty be His proof!
The essence of praise and glory, and the source of description and prayer, be upon Him and His family and His chosen ones and His companions—those who forsook their own existence in His path and became connected to the waves of the ocean of His generosity. He is the Mirror of the Most Beautiful Names and the Most Exalted Attributes. We call God the All-Bountiful, yet this bounty appeared through His existence; we name Him the All-Generous, yet this generosity shone forth from that Dawning-Place of the Ancient Light. Through a single decree, the Hijaz became the sun of the world and the Lord of all creation.
O my God! O All-Generous! O All-Merciful! Thou art He Who openeth doors without keys and manifesteth meanings without the existence of words. O Generous One! The people of unity are found between the fangs of the ungodly, and the people of sanctity are afflicted with countless tribulations. This evanescent servant beseecheth Thee by Thy Most Great Name to protect Thy loved ones at all times and adorn them with the raiment of infallibility, that the whole world may be illumined with the light of unity and hold fast to the cord of infallibility. Perchance through Thy boundless grace, one day the world may be adorned with that which beseemeth it. Thou art the Sovereign Whom the sovereignty of the world neither hindereth nor increaseth Thy station, and the power of nations neither compareth with Thee nor diminisheth Thee. By the hand of Thy loving-kindness and power, take the hands of Thy friends and grant them eternal salvation. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
And furthermore, O beloved of my heart! The epistle of divine knowledge, which was adorned with the praise and mention of the Beloved of all worlds, was received. Praise be to God that the temples of words and letters were embellished with the garment of certitude. In truth, each letter thereof was a key to unlock the door of divine love. I cannot describe this ark, nor can I praise it adequately, for its captain is the mention of God, exalted be His glory, and upon its banner is inscribed the blessed words “Verily, there is none other God but He.” The effect of this mention is evident, and the fruit of this description is manifest. The tree of remembrance bore befitting fruit, and the tree of sincerity yielded luminous leaves.
After its observation and perusal, it was presented before His presence, whereupon He said:
“Praise be to God! The signs are manifest, the fruits are present, and the grace is evident. Generosity hath assisted, bounty hath aided, and the water of loving-kindness hath enabled the saplings in the garden of inner meanings to become adorned with the leaves and fruits of divine love.”
O thou who art present! From that direction the fragrance of true love is diffused. The tongues of all travelers speak in their praise. The eye of existence is illumined and brightened by such souls. These are they who are endowed with insight from God, the Lord of the virtuous. We send greetings upon him and upon them, and We beseech the Almighty to assist them with the breaths of His grace and the means of the heavens and earth, that they may speak His praise and mention, and arise to serve His Cause. Verily, He is the Hearing, the Responding, the All-Powerful, the Almighty.
We make mention of ʿAbdu’l-Baha who hath attained that which most of the servants have not attained. God willing, may they ever gaze toward the horizon of the All-Merciful and be gladdened by His grace. Likewise, convey greetings from the Wronged One to the other friends. We beseech God to draw them nigh unto Him and to strengthen them in that which will exalt their mention among His servants, and to grant them success through wisdom. Verily, He hath power over all things.
This evanescent servant hath ever besought and continues to beseech from the Exalted Truth that which would cause the attraction of hearts, the unity of souls, and the concord of all who dwell on earth. The Lord is witness that I am abashed by these utterances, for praise be to God, as attested by the Lord, ye are possessed of insight and endowed with virtuous character. This is a mighty bounty and a great favor that hath been granted. No mention is befitting alongside this matter. How excellent is the saying: “When a hundred cometh, ninety is also with us.” Since ye are possessed of virtuous character, ye possess all good, and since ye are doers of good deeds, ye are masters of all excellence. Well is it with you, and again, well is it with you.
This evanescent one offers salutations and praise to each of the gentlemen and the friends of God, exalted be His praise. Yesterday afternoon, in His presence, He made special mention of that land, speaking in such a manner that each soul who intended to turn in that direction—that is, one by one—was mentioned. How beautiful are these verses in this regard:
Those words which that Friend did speak at that time, If they strike the night, day would from darkness climb. That dark night would brighten like morning clear; Those terms I cannot repeat or render here.
You know what the sun in Aries tells The flowers and the fields You know what the crystal water speaks To blossoms and young shoots Beyond this I am not permitted to say For the ocean cannot be contained in a stream
A hundred thousand praises and thanks to the Goal of all the worlds, Who bestowed His favor and showed His generosity, and Who gave this evanescent one and his friends shelter and abode beneath the shadow of His grace. All things bear witness that verily He is the Omnipotent over whatsoever He willeth, and He is the All-Merciful, the Most Bountiful.
According to your request, in the presence of the Most Holy Branches of the Sacred Tree—may my spirit, essence and being be a sacrifice unto the dust of their steps—greetings and praise were conveyed. All the circling men and women each expressed their loving-kindness. Truly, the lights of bounty were manifest, evident and radiant at their mention. The beloved of the heart of ʿAbdu’l-Baha—upon him be the peace of God, the Lord of creation—his blessed letter arrived, creating a world of joy and delight. Indeed, the meaning of the passage previously revealed:
“May my love make all my deeds and devotions as one single devotion, and my condition in serving Thee eternal”
was clear and evident from his letter, for to those endowed with insight, all letters culminate in and speak of two letters: Ha and Ba. I beseech and implore God, exalted be His glory, to confirm him with such confirmation that its light may illumine all horizons. After presenting this, He said before His countenance:
“Praise be to the Goal of the world that they were successful and found the path of the All-Merciful through the lamp of recognition. The veils of the world did not prevent his sight from witnessing, nor did the clamor of nations stop his hearing from hearkening. They are mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One and have attained to the bounty of God.” Before the appearance of the Sun of inner meanings, words have no station. Whatever is said or written was not and is not worthy. However, this nothingness and evanescence lends some luster to the work. His is the grace and generosity in all conditions. After establishing the station of sanctification and transcendence, He permitted every soul to call upon and mention Him according to its tongue and understanding. His is the praise and glory, His the favor and splendor, His the bounty and grandeur. Since a letter was previously sent to serve them, I did not trouble them this time, though even this much is a burden.
In these days, by divine decree, that occurred which darkened the world of light and veiled the realm of vision. The dust of sorrow encompassed all and the smoke of grief and anguish seized every space. Were it not for God’s grace and bounty, the loved ones and companions would have perished. Herein was manifested that which testified clearly and evidently to His bounty and grace, and from the Source of Utterance appeared what appeared. At the end He says:
“Verily Thou art the One with power over whatsoever Thou willest. If Thou should desire, Thou wouldst transform the mystery of sorrow into joy in Thy dominion, and the essence of grief into delight among Thy servants.”
And considering that in these days this matter occurred and, having been blessed with a considerable portion of the outpourings of the Pen, some patience and tranquility were attained—in truth, blessed are those souls who have ascended and were blessed with the fruits of the Tree and the tokens of the Pen. Many matters are not clear at present, but if He wishes, He will reveal what He desires, and He is the Mighty, the Unconstrained.
More than this cannot be disclosed, for in one place He has said these are the days of the Most Great Joy; in the presence of the Lord, sorrow is not permissible. All lamentation, crying out, and grief have been forbidden except for what has befallen Him. In any case, I beseech and hope from God that He may comfort all and grant patience and forbearance. The place of those beloved ones was indeed empty in the gatherings of these days. Though you were not present physically, assuredly you were present in spirit and sharing in all conditions. We are God’s and unto Him do we return. And in truth, even outwardly, the true representative of the direction of the Most Exalted Names was his honor Aqa Siyyid ʿAli, who shone like a star in the gatherings. His representation is sufficient and complete in the sight of God. The fragrance of the garment of grace continues to waft. Well is it with you.
The letter from the honored brother, his honor Aqa ʿAli-Akbar, upon him be God’s peace and grace, arrived and it so happened that it attained the presence and was opened by the blessed hand and read. He smiled, and all those present smiled. Give him glad tidings and convey greetings and praise. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to grant him such confirmation that he may ever be enkindled with the fire of God’s love and act according to His command. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Confirmer, the All-Wise. Peace and glory and remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those who love you for the sake of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.
BH00700: This is a Book which the Wronged One hath…
He is the Dawning Place from the Horizon of Proof
This is a Book which the Wronged One hath sent down unto him who hath turned towards the horizon of His Cause, soared in His atmosphere and recognized that which most of the servants have rejected. He is, verily, of those who have turned towards God.
O Muhammad-Qabli-ʿAli! Hearken unto My Voice from My direction: Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Forgiving, the Generous. Thy letter hath come before the Wronged One and the servant who standeth before the Face hath presented it. We have answered thee with a Tablet whereunto the tablets of the world and whatsoever is with the nations cannot be compared. To this beareth witness the Lord of the world Who uttereth at all times:
“The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Possessor of this glorious and wondrous Day!”
Be thou vocal in the praise and remembrance of God, and steadfast in the service of His Cause whereby the hearts of the learned were perturbed and the dwellers of the cities of names have lamented, save those whom thy Lord, the Forgiving, the Generous, hath willed. Say: This is the Day wherein the Mother Book hath been sent down, did ye but know it, and the Mother of the Bayan hath come, as attested by Him with Whom is the Preserved Tablet.
Say: O people of the Bayan! Fear the All-Merciful, and turn not away from Him by Whom the horizon of divine knowledge hath been illumined and the Nightingale warbleth upon the branches. Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. By God! The Bayan was sent down for My remembrance, the Book for My Name, and the Tablets for this irrevocable Cause. Say: Your clamor shall not prevent Me, nor the clamor of those on earth. I call out before the faces of the world and speak that which I have been commanded by the Lord of Eternity. To this bear witness My deeds and My call, but the people do not understand.
O Pen! Make mention of My loved ones there, that the remembrance of their Lord may draw them to the most exalted station.
O Ghaffar! The Chosen One maketh mention of thee when the wicked surrounded Him from every direction. I am He Who hath arisen with God’s Cause amidst the world and have manifested that which I was commanded before the faces of all people. When the Cause was revealed, there emerged from behind the veils certain wicked ones who desired to shed My blood without any proof or book.
O Yahya! The Book hath come; take hold of it with strength from Us and follow not those who have violated God’s Covenant and His Testament, and who have disbelieved in that which hath been sent down from the presence of a Mighty, All-Knowing One. Blessed art thou for having turned towards Our horizon when most of the servants turned away. Thus have We sent down the verses and expounded them in truth as a grace from Our presence, and We are the Mighty, the Bestower.
O Nur-Muhammad! The Wronged One remembereth thee from the prison quarter and giveth thee glad tidings of that which hath been sent down for thee from the Most Exalted Pen. Rejoice and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of Names! Thou art He Who hath manifested Himself for the life of the world and hath called all unto the Dayspring of bounty. Those who have turned away, they shall have no portion of this Most Great Sea. To this beareth witness the Mother Book in the most exalted station. Blessed is the face that hath turned unto the Face of God and the heart that hath turned towards Him on a Day wherein feet have slipped.
O Muhammad-Husayn! Hearken unto the call from the Lote-Tree beyond the Sea of Grandeur: Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Chosen One. I have come from the Dayspring of certitude with the standards of divine knowledge. Among the people are those who have turned towards God and those who have turned away—and he who turneth away is assuredly among the companions of the Fire. We counsel thee and those who have believed to show forth the utmost steadfastness in this Cause whereby the hearts of the wicked have been perturbed.
O Pen! Make mention of him who is named ʿAbbas-Quli that he may rejoice in My remembrance of him and be of the thankful ones. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having sent down unto me Thy verses and manifested unto me Thy clear tokens, and for having aided me to turn towards Thee. I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy verses and the sun of Thy bounty to make me steadfast in Thy Cause. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the Powerful.
O Ali! The Lord of creation makes mention of thee at a time when the hosts of the wicked have encompassed Him, and He reveals unto thee that which will draw thee nigh unto God, the Lord of all worlds. Take heed lest the might of the powerful weaken thee in the Cause of God, the Lord of Names, or the power of those who have denied God, the Mighty, the All-Praised, cause thee to fear. Arise with such steadfastness as will cause the hearts of the opposers to tremble.
O Pen! Make mention of Abdul-Ali and give him glad tidings of the favors of his Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. We counsel him to remember God and praise Him, and to that whereby His mighty and wondrous Cause may be exalted. Arise to serve the Cause in the name of God, thy Lord, and say: O people of the Bayan! By God, its Revealer and Sender hath come. Fear ye the All-Merciful and be not of the wrongdoers. Do ye deny the Ocean and regard the drop as an ocean apart from Me? Ye are indeed of the ignorant ones. By God, he who denieth this Cause cannot prove any other cause. The Books of God, both past and future, bear witness to this. Be fair and be not of the transgressors. We counsel thee to remember and praise God on this Day wherein the opposers have arisen in manifest sedition.
O Muhammad! The One, the Single, makes mention of thee from this most exalted Station that He may draw thee unto the supreme height. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Hold fast unto the cord of thy Lord’s favor and cling to His resplendent hem. Say: O my God and my Desire! I beseech Thee by the hidden and treasured mysteries, by Thy revealed verses and Thy manifest and brilliant evidences, to make me steadfast in Thy Cause and firm in Thy love. Thou art He Whom nothing can frustrate and no affair can weaken. Thou doest what Thou willest through Thy power. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Conquering, the All-Powerful.
We make mention in this station of him who is named Aqa Bala that the utterance of the All-Merciful may attract him to the supreme horizon and draw him nigh unto Him in all conditions. Blessed is he who hath cast away idle fancies and taken hold of that which he was bidden by God, the Lord of Lords. Thy name was presented before the Wronged One, and He hath revealed for thee that whose fragrance shall never cease to endure throughout the eternity of My most excellent names and supreme attributes. He unto whom is given the knowledge of the Book beareth witness to this. Rejoice thou in My remembrance of thee and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Revealer of verses! I beseech Thee to strengthen me in steadfastness in Thy Cause in such wise that the power of the wicked may not move me.
O Muhammad-Taqi! My Most Exalted Pen makes mention of thee in this fortress built of smoothed rock. When thou attainest unto this remembrance and perceivest from it the fragrance of My loving-kindness, arise and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who hast turned toward me from the direction of the prison, and thanks be unto Thee, O Thou Who hast mentioned me in such wise as to enrapture the hearts of the righteous. We counsel thee and them that have believed to observe trustworthiness, religious devotion, chastity, and that whereby God’s Cause may be promoted amongst His servants. Seize hold of that which hath been revealed unto thee with such strength as the hands of the infidels who have broken God’s Covenant and His Testament, and have turned away from the Countenance when it appeared from the heaven of utterance with wisdom and clear proof, are powerless to withstand.
O Tongue of My Grandeur! Make mention of him who is named Muhibb-ʿAli and give him glad tidings of verses that are unequalled by aught in the private or public domain. Blessed is he who, though seated, hath arisen to serve the Cause, and he who, though disobedient, hath hastened to the ocean of forgiveness. Thus hath My Most Exalted Pen spoken while the Wronged One was in the most sublime station.
And We make mention of My handmaidens in that land and give them glad tidings of God’s favor and bounty which have encompassed all who are in earth and heaven. Rejoice, O My leaves, in My remembrance and My loving-kindness and My mercy that have preceded all created things. By My life! The treasures of the earth cannot equal My remembrance. He with whom is the Mother Book doth testify to this.
O Muhammad-Qabli-ʿAli! We have made mention of thee at the outset, and have mentioned every name that was recorded in thy book, and have sealed the Tablet with thy name. Rejoice thou and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the worlds, and glory be unto Thee, O Thou Who causeth the rivers to flow! I beseech Thee to make me steadfast in Thy love and firm in Thy Cause. Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all created things. O my Lord! I beseech Thee to ordain for me that which is best for me. Thou knowest what is within my soul, while I know not what is with Thee. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the Unconstrained.
The servant who is present hath appeared and visited the Throne in thy stead, and hath attained the ornament of acceptance from the Wronged One, Who hath proclaimed before the faces of the world: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Sender of the winds.” Give thanks unto thy Lord for this most great favor and say: Praise be unto Thee for having remembered me when I was wronged at the hands of the ignorant. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to aid thee, to grant thee success, and to ordain for thee the best of what hath been sent down in the Holy Books and Tablets. The splendor shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon the people of understanding who have not broken the Covenant at their final return.
BH01198: O beloved of my heart! Your letter sent…
He is God, exalted be His glory, majesty and power!
O beloved of my heart! Your letter sent from the great city arrived, and likewise your previous letter from Cyprus. Praise be to God, it brought what was befitting—that is, praise of the One Beloved—and bestowed what was worthy—that is, joy and delight. His is all praise and glory in every condition.
First, I beseech that beloved one to accept my apologies for brevity, as the rains from the heaven of writing have left no time, and you yourself are witness to this. After presentation in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence, these supreme words flowed from the tongue of the Lord of all beings:
“O Asad! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. What thou didst write regarding Aqa Muhammad-Javad, upon him be My glory—mention of him hath ever been before the Wronged One. From the time he attained the presence in Iraq until now, he hath not departed from Our sight. Verily, faithfulness hath stood before My face and We have preserved his station and will preserve it. Verily thy Lord is the Compassionate, the Generous. In these days a Tablet hath been specifically revealed for him. God willing, he will attain unto it. We send greetings unto him and unto those in his household, and We have mentioned in the Tablet the leaf who hath ascended unto God, the Lord of all worlds.”
In truth, he hath ever been the recipient of divine favors, and this servant conveys greetings and salutations to him, beseeching from God, exalted be His glory, whatsoever He Himself desireth. Regarding what was written about Haji Muhammad-Rida, upon him be the Glory of God—that from Faran he awaits permission to turn toward the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court—after presentation, these blessed words were revealed in response. His exalted Word:
“He hath attained unto the luminary of permission to turn toward the Supreme Horizon with such turning as will cause all created things to turn. This beseemeth him who hath turned unto God, the Peerless, the All-Informed. We have mentioned him before and after. We beseech God to strengthen him to preserve what We have given him, for the Cause is mighty beyond all that is mighty. O Asad! The smoke of hypocrisy hath encompassed the horizons. The cawing of the ravens hath been raised in Jadhba and its surroundings. The time of its rising, before and after, is known and evident with God. Beseech God to grant such confirmation that they may distinguish the effulgences of the Sun of true unity from aught else. Verily, He is the Confirmer, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”
And regarding what was written about Aqa Muhammad, upon him be the Glory of God—that too was honored to reach the ears of the Goal of all worlds. His blessed and exalted Word:
“O Asad! Upon thee be the Glory of God and His loving-kindness. The affairs of this land and its stability are uncertain, and God hath never wished and doth not wish to deprive anyone in any condition. He hath never regarded and doth not regard the preservation of His own Self. He hath ever gazed with joy and delight toward the direction of loving-kindness to the beloved ones. Therefore permission is granted—turn as thou pleaseth. If he attaineth, he hath attained unto the Goal; if not, the matter is in His hands. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He desireth. And He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”
And mention has been made of the travelers and emigrants—all have attained to hearing, and each one hath been remembered before the Wronged One. God willing, they will act in accordance with that which is befitting and conducive to the exaltation of the Cause. At all times the Pen hath been occupied with the mention of the friends of the Desired One of the worlds. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to aid them through the means of the unseen and the visible, and to make them of those whom nothing whatsoever hath deterred from turning toward God, the Protecting, the Self-Subsisting.
Praise be to God, the Pen of Response is in motion and each question hath been granted an explicit answer. Verily our Lord and your Lord, and our Beloved and your Beloved, is powerful over all things and worthy to respond. In whatever land they reside, convey to the friends of that land and other regions greetings and salutations from this evanescent servant. For each one I beseech steadfastness that may cause the limbs of the people of the Bayan who have denied our Lord, the Most Merciful, to quake, and who have uttered that which none of the ancients had uttered.
And concerning that which was written about his honor, my brother, upon him be the Glory of God and His favors, it was again presented before His presence. His blessed and exalted Word:
“O Asad! Convey My greetings unto thy brother. We beseech God to ordain for him that which shall profit him in all the worlds of His worlds, to record for him the reward of attaining His presence, and to grant him the best of what is in His wondrous revealed Book.”
The response to this matter was previously presented in His presence and was honored with an answer. This evanescent one beseeches the True One to assist him in that which He loveth and pleaseth, and to ordain for him the good of the hereafter and of this world. Verily, He is powerful over all things. Peace and praise and glory be upon you and upon those who are with you and upon those whom nothing hath prevented from God, the Most High, the Most Great. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.