Volume 077: Akka 1303 A.H. (1885–1886), Part I (4 of 5)

BH00109: Praise be to God Who hath guided us…

Section 1: “Praise be to God Who hath guided us…”

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

Praise be to God Who hath guided us to His most sublime horizon, Who hath given us to drink from the sweet Kawthar of His utterance, Who hath blessed us with His presence and reunion, Who hath honored us with attendance at the court of His throne, and Who hath permitted us, through His grace and bounty, to make mention of Him and to praise Him. We thank Him and glorify Him, and we beseech His forgiveness in all conditions. Verily, He is the Forgiver, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

And now, the letter from that honored beloved one, dated the eleventh of Muharram, was received and achieved the honor of being presented before and heard by the Lord of the World. By the life of our Purpose and your Purpose and the Purpose of all who are in earth and heaven! The favors, gifts and bounties that have been sent down from the heaven of grace and revealed verses cannot be compared to anything. Mind and understanding have confessed their inability to reckon them. Were one to liken them to rain or to the number of grains of sand or atoms in creation, these would prove inadequate. Thus it is proven by clear evidence and manifest proof that His bounties have no likeness or parallel, nor will they ever have. Exalted be His bounty, sublime His grace, great His sovereignty and mighty His utterance.

After being informed, We proceeded to the Most Great Throne where it was mentioned in His presence. This is what the Lord of Return spoke in reply—blessed and exalted be His words: “We make mention of thee and have sent down unto thee from the heaven of grace the Kawthar of utterance, one drop of which is not equaled by all the seas of the world nor the books of nations. Be thankful and say: ʿPraise be unto Thee, O Thou the Desire of the worlds!”’ O Trustee! Thou art remembered; in most gatherings thy mention hath been made and hath flowed from the tongue of the Wronged One. Praise be to God, thou hast attained unto service and art freed from unseemly limitations. The Most Exalted Pen hath ever testified to thy service, love and acceptance.

In that which Haydar-ʿAli (upon him be the Glory of God) had requested, thou wert in the right, for thou hadst no means, and debt is not viewed favorably. The essence of wealth boweth down before thy poverty, for thy affairs are referred to truth. We beseech God that thou mayest ever be illumined by the lights of the Sun of wealth and detachment. Accept the Huququ’llah from any soul who offereth them with the utmost humility, submissiveness, joy and fragrance. Otherwise, verily thy Lord is the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Observe what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’an:

“O men! Ye are but paupers in your relation to God, but God is the Self-Sufficient, the All-Praised.”

It is not advisable to tarry long in the Land of Ta. Make thy days therein like unto the days of roses in the garden. Permission was previously granted for thee to turn toward the direction of thy Purpose. Turn thy face toward God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. By thy turning, all created things will turn unto God, the Revealer of verses and the Manifestor of clear proofs. Convey greetings to the friends in that land. Say: O people of God! The croaking of the raven and the braying of the ass have become loud. Protect yourselves through the Name of God, exalted be His glory. The Evil Whisperer of the world is engaged in spreading doubts. Strive that perchance the delusions of the past may not be renewed and helpless servants may not fall into the well of vain imaginings. For twelve hundred years they cried “O Imam!” and “O Successor!” and in the end they martyred One through Whose word a thousand Imams could be created. Fie upon them and their deeds and actions! They have committed that which neither the Jews nor any other people have committed.

The friends of the land of K arrived in perfect health and safety, and after circumambulating the Kaaba, they attained the presence of the Hidden Mystery. Happy are they and blessed are they. In the assemblies before the faces, the Tongue of Grandeur repeatedly made mention of that Beloved One, and each attained that which was recorded and inscribed by the Supreme Pen in the divine books. This evanescent servant begs confirmation and assistance for each one in preserving what has been bestowed. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Confirmer, the Helper, the Forgiving, the Generous.

Regarding what you wrote about his honor N, upon him be the Glory of God and His favors, praise be to God, he has been and continues to be successful. It is hoped that there shall appear from him that which will immortalize his mention in the Book of God. Especially at this time when I was in the Most Holy Court, mention of him flowed from the Tongue of Grandeur. By the life of our Purpose! No mention in the world and what is therein equals His mention of him. Blessed are those souls who in this wondrous Day have been adorned with the ornament of His favor and have drunk from the ocean of inner meanings. They have truly attained all good. Blessed are they and those who have attained through their deeds and their love and their affection for Him. His is the grace and bounty in all conditions. Verily He is the Speaker, the Commander in the beginning and the end. On behalf of this evanescent servant, convey greetings, praise, mention and salutations to him and to all the friends of God. I beseech for each one that which God, exalted be His glory, has promised and revealed in the Book. Verily He fulfills His promise and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Regarding what you wrote about his honor Aqa ʿAli Haydar, upon him be the Glory of God, praise be to God, he has attained the lights of the Sun of Truth and has drunk from the ocean of knowledge of God, exalted be His glory. It is hoped that he will become the source of great services, meaning the cause of the enkindlement of souls and that by which his mention shall endure throughout the duration of the kingdom and the realm. What that Beloved One mentioned regarding his enkindlement with the fire of divine love and his arising to serve the Cause is truth in which there is no doubt.

Regarding what was written about the honored beloved, his honor Aqa Mirza Abu’l-Fadl, upon him be the Glory of God and His favors, and likewise the allowance of his honor Aqa ʿAli Haydar, upon him be the Glory of God—this matter was brought before the face of the Lord of Destiny and attained the honor of His hearing. His blessed and exalted Word:

“Those who spend their wealth in the path of God, these are among the people of the highest Paradise in the Crimson Tablet. The Concourse on High and the Supreme Paradise send prayers upon them. Verily bounty is in His hand. He doeth what He willeth by His command, and He is the Powerful Commander.”

End quote.

Regarding the mention made of his honor Muhammad Ali Khan, upon him be the Glory of God, and the two brothers of his honor Aqa Ali Haydar—his honor Asad Aqa, upon them both be the Glory of God—praise be to God, both are mentioned at the Throne and have attained the favor of God, exalted be His glory. They have drunk from the wine of revelation and turned to the supreme horizon. This is from His bounty upon them. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Bountiful, the Generous. This servant also conveys greetings and salutations to the honored brother, his honor Khan, upon him be the Glory of God, and the two aforementioned brothers. I beseech God that in these days I may be enabled to send a reply to the letter of his honor Khan. The enkindled souls who are content and pleasing should at all times pray for one another and ask God to assist all to do what is befitting and worthy of His Day.

As to the mention of Aqa Muhammad-Rida, I beseech and implore God that He may assist him to praise and serve, and aid him in that whereby man’s station in the contingent world may be made manifest. Thus has the Tongue of God spoken before and will speak hereafter, for the Tongue of Grandeur has ever proclaimed this blessed word—He, glorified be His majesty, saith:

“O thou who art present! Beseech God to assist His loved ones that the station of man may through them be made manifest and evident in the contingent world.”

And as to the mention of the land of K and Q-M and the brethren Aqa Muhammad-Husayn and Mashhadi Muhammad-Rida, upon them be the glory of God, they are among those souls who have attained unto the word of contentment from the Lord of Names. That beloved one should convey on behalf of this evanescent one greetings and glorification to them.

And as to the mention made of Aqa Qasim, another brother of Aqa ʿAli-Haydar, it was presented at a special time before the countenance of the True One, exalted be His glory. Thus spoke the Tongue of Grandeur in reply—He, exalted and mighty, saith: “O Amin! The Most Exalted Pen testifieth that thou hast been and art occupied with the mention of the friends of God, and in every letter thou hast written to him who is present, there hath been mention of the chosen ones and the loved ones. May God grant thee thy reward and cause thee to attain His presence once again, that thou mayest hear what thou hast heard and see what thou hast seen. And as for what thou hast mentioned concerning Qasim, let him read what hath been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen at this time:

ʿO Qasim! The Wronged One maketh mention of thee for the sake of God and saith: When thou desirest to make mention of God, the Lord of the Throne and of earth, and the Sovereign of the hereafter and of the former times, arise from thy place, then turn thy face toward the Sacred House and say:

ʿMy God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having wafted the fragrance of Thy knowledge when the Day-Star of Batha shone forth from the horizon of Hijaz and Thou didst raise the standards of Thy victory amidst all peoples. I beseech Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of earth and heaven and by Whose command the Kingdom of Names appeared in the kingdom of creation, to aid me and Thy servants to turn toward Thy most exalted horizon and Thy most splendid seat. My God, my God! I am he who hath acknowledged and confessed his poverty before Thy riches which have encompassed the horizons, and his powerlessness before Thy might at whose manifestation the power of the mighty ones and the dominion of the princes were rendered impotent.

I beseech Thee not to disappoint me of that which Thy Most Exalted Pen hath ordained for Thy chosen servants who were not hindered by the intimations of the Dawning-Places of idle fancies from turning unto Thee and arising to serve Thee. O Lord! Grant me that which will take all power of choice from my hands and cause the winds of Thy will to move me as Thou pleasest. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. Then cause me, O my God, to be detached from all else but Thee, to be immersed in the ocean of Thy mercy and forgiveness, to hold fast to the cord of Thy bounty and to cling to the hem of Thy generosity.

Wilt Thou, O my God, turn away a poor one who hath hastened unto Thee, or a needy one who hath confessed to his powerlessness at the manifestations of Thy grace and the appearances of Thy mercy? Nay, by Thy Self! For I am assured of Thy power and might, Thy grace and mercy, Thy bounty and choice. There is no God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. There is no God but Thee, the Compassionate, the Generous.”’

This prayer is in itself effective in the world, for it hath flowed from the Tongue of Grandeur. Blessed is he who readeth it and attaineth unto it. God willing, may his honor Qasim become the vanquisher of the ego and base desire, and with utmost joy and fragrance succeed in its recitation. This servant beseecheth his Lord to assist him and enable him to read that which hath been revealed for him.

Another matter: as commanded, that beloved one should not tarry long in the land of Ta. As to what was mentioned in the second letter regarding the honored brothers—upon them be the Glory of the All-Merciful—and likewise concerning the sum given to the noble matron, the Mother of the Sacred Precinct—upon her be the Glory of God—and their being set ablaze with the fire of the love of God, and their humility and submissiveness, and their services for the sake of God—all these matters were presented in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court and attained the honor of being heard by the Lord of Names. Each was illumined by the rays of the Sun of Divine favor. Blessed are they both and joy be unto them. They have ever been confirmed in service and adorned with His grace. I beseech the Most High to send down upon them such blessing from His presence that the rains of the clouds of His bounty and the lights of the Sun of His mercy shall never cease to pour upon them. Verily, He is the Answerer of prayers. Some of the requested papers were sent previously, and are being sent again this time. God willing, they will arrive and be delivered.

As to what was mentioned concerning his honor Aqa Siyyid Farajullah—upon him be the Glory of God—and his accompanying that honored one: praise be to God, they were blessed with acceptance, attention, remembrance, praise, love and affection of the friends of God. His letters have repeatedly arrived, both to this servant and to His Holiness the Name of God—upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory—and all were presented before the presence of the Lord of Eternity and were honored with the lights of the utterance of the Beloved of the Worlds. God willing, their reply will also arrive. In these days, as indicated by that honored one, on behalf of the noble leaves, the two daughters of the paternal aunt—upon them be the Glory of God—and the friends of God—upon them be the Glory of God—tea was served for several gatherings in the Sacred Precinct in the presence of the Beloved of the Worlds, and this was written so that all may know that whatever reacheth that honored one is being delivered.

The mention of Aqa Muhammad Big, Aqa Muhammad Husayn Big, Aqa Ghulam-Husayn Big, and Aqa Turab Big (upon them be the Glory of God) was presented before the Most Holy and Exalted Presence. He says, blessed and exalted be He: O loved ones of the All-Merciful! Praise be to God, ye have been honored by the effects of the Most Exalted Pen, and your mention hath been recorded in the presence of the Wronged One, and in the Tablets that which diffuseth the fragrance of eternity hath been inscribed. Know ye your station and preserve it in the name of the True One, exalted be His glory, for the people of the Bayan cling to the vain imaginings of the past and strive diligently to lead men astray.

Glory be to God! Have they not witnessed the fruits of the deeds of the Shi’ih sect and have they not understood that they are once again clinging to the ways of that party? O party of God throughout all lands! Rend asunder with the fingers of power all veils, that ye may attain unto the lights of true unity. Today is the Day of God; none else is mentioned or existeth save Him. Take ye what hath been given unto you from God, the Lord of all worlds. Make firm your resolve, lest turbans and staffs and robes once again become the cause of vain imaginings and afflict helpless souls in the pit of doubts and fancies.

This lowly one conveyeth to each one greetings and salutations, and beseecheth from the True One, exalted be His glory, steadfastness for each one, that they may regard all else save God as non-existent and as naught, and may consider the doubts of the atheists and the signs of the opposers as if they had never existed. At this moment, before His countenance He saith, blessed and exalted be He: O thou who art present, write: O Amin, O Abu’l-Hasan! The Luminary of Batha and the Lord of Prophets (may the spirit of all else but Him be sacrificed for His sake) was sent by God unto all who dwell on earth, and diverse parties each spoke in their own tongue, and the differences of languages in the world are clear and evident and known to all.

God, exalted be His glory, revealed the Furqan, which distinguished between truth and falsehood, in the most eloquent Arabic tongue, and it was a proof for Arab and Persian and Turk and the diverse parties of the world. And this language is potent and comprehensive; therefore from the Most Exalted Pen it hath mostly flowed and been revealed in this tongue, and at times in the sweeter Persian tongue. He is not bound by any limits. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth, and He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

Section 2: “O Amin! The people of the Furqan prided…”

O Amin! The people of the Furqan prided themselves on the authority of the Furqan over the world, and the people of every religion on their Book, and the people of the Bayan on what they possessed. In this Most Great Revelation, like unto torrential rain, from the first day until now, night and day, verses have been revealed and evident proofs have shone forth equivalent to the books of the past and future now existing, and whatsoever shall appear in the future hath already been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen with utmost clarity. Nevertheless, they remain occupied with their vain imaginings and deprived of the effulgences of the sun of certitude. What hath afflicted their eyes and what hath prevented their ears? They play with their idle fancies and perceive not. By what proof do those souls who have denied this Cause seek to establish another? By the life of God! The Point of the Bayan lamenteth. The entire Bayan is like unto a ring upon the finger of the power of God, exalted be His glory; He turneth it howsoever He willeth.

Those souls who have denied this Cause perceive not by what proof they would establish another. By the life of God, the Point of the Bayan lamenteth. The entire Bayan is as a ring upon the finger of God, exalted be His glory—He turneth it as He pleaseth and moveth it as He willeth. May God, through His conquering power, grant the sun of justice and fairness to emerge from behind the clouds of deliverance, that perchance the people may attain unto the hearing and sight that befit these days. The ocean of the All-Merciful’s utterance hath surged, and the sun of grace and bounty hath reached its zenith. What station remaineth for the drop to make mention, and what measure for the atom to move? The Mother Book hath appeared and the Mother of Utterance speaketh. Exalted is our Lord and your Lord, our Goal and your Goal, and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and the earth.

Concerning what was written about Aqa Bala who is engaged in service to Jinab-i-Aqa ʿAli-Haydar, upon him be 96 [Baha’u’llah], it was mentioned. His blessed and exalted Word: “Verily We glorify his countenance” and We beseech God to assist him in service to His loved ones and ordain for him that which is for his good.

This evanescent servant conveyeth greetings and salutations to the friends in that land, namely the loved ones of God, exalted be His glory, and beseecheth God to make each one firm as a mountain and radiant as light, and to increase their vision and hearing at every moment that they may behold that for which they were created and hear that for which ears were made to hear.

Mention was made of Jinab-i-Aqa ʿAli-Akbar Bey, upon him be the Glory of God, and his enthusiasm and service in the Cause of God. Praise be to God, he hath been and is successful, ever arising to serve and speaking in praise and glorification of God, exalted be His glory. His mention hath repeatedly flowed from the Supreme Pen. At this moment his mention was made before the Countenance of the Goal of the world. We beseech God to open the doors of grace and mercy upon his face. Verily He answereth the prayer of the supplicants. Praise be to Him, for He is the Goal of the mystics. Glory, remembrance and splendor be upon you and upon those with you and upon those who love you for the sake of God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of all worlds.

The servant 6 Rabi’u’l-Avval 1303

He is God!

Praise be to God Who revealeth and will reveal as He pleaseth, and He is the Almighty, the Unconstrained. In one letter mention was made of the friends in the land of Q.M.S. and likewise of their being set ablaze with the fire of the love of God and their longing for the Most Exalted Horizon. Well is it with them and happy are they. Praise be to God that steadfast souls have been found and appeared in that land. Jinab-i-Haji Siyyid Khalil, upon him be the Glory of God and His favors, hath ever been mentioned in the Most Holy Court. God willing, may those regions be illumined by the light of his steadfastness. Likewise Jinab-i-Aqa Mir ʿAbdu’r-Rahim, upon him be the Glory of God and His favors. Indeed, details about them and praise of that Beloved of all were presented in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court, and all attained infinite favors. This is what the tongue of our Lord hath uttered in the Kingdom of Utterance. His blessed and exalted Word:

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Hearing

O Khalil! The path is clear, the proof manifest, the evidence brilliant and the testimony evident. Nevertheless, the people of the Bayan have clung to the vain imaginings of the past. Reflect upon the heedlessness of these people. With their outward eyes they have witnessed the loss suffered by the people of the Furqan and observed the fruits of their deeds and words, yet they remained unaware and took no heed. Say: Take heed, O ye whose darkness hath taken the place of light! Take heed, O ye whose whiteness hath appeared upon your cheeks!

They are unaware of the Day of God and have not attained unto the lights of true unity. Your honor should strive with utmost effort, detached from all else, to protect souls that perchance the vain imaginings of the past may not resurface and be renewed. The tale of those who went astray and led others astray hath returned. They say what was said before. With perfect deceit and guile they strive to lead holy souls astray. The outcry that was revealed and recorded by the Supreme Pen in the sacred scrolls and tablets hath been raised. Observe the Most Holy Book and that which was revealed concerning Kaf and Ra. Today it is evident how Ja’far and his son, from among the people of Kaf and Ra, have turned away from the Truth and opposed Him, uttering that which no heedless one hath ever said. They have turned away from Him around Whom the Primal Point would circle, and Who hath said “I believe in Him and I am the first to worship.”

We make mention of the Merciful One in this station, glorify Him, and counsel him to the greatest steadfastness. My Name hath mentioned him before My face. We have remembered him with that which no remembrance can equal. We remember all My loved ones who have remained faithful to the Covenant. We beseech God to draw them nigh unto Him in all conditions and to ordain for them that which He loveth and is pleased with. Verily, He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

O My loved ones in that land! The Trustworthy One hath mentioned you, and We mention you as a grace from Our presence, and I am the All-Knowing Rememberer. The Wronged One of the world hath remembered you in the Most Great Prison. Were the fruits of this remembrance to be revealed unto you in the measure of a needle’s eye, you would arise to serve throughout your lives and would regard all else save God as non-existent and as naught. Glory be upon My loved ones who have not been prevented by anything and who have not been veiled by the veils of those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of the worlds.

Divine mercy hath so encompassed all that no description can reach it and no obliteration can touch it. The tongue is incapable of mention and the pen unworthy to race in this field. Another tongue is needed that might succeed in offering praise to His loved ones and become engaged in mentioning His chosen ones. Among these is the mention of that land. Whatever this servant heard from the blessed tongue, were he to attempt to mention it, he would surely find himself powerless and wanting. Exalted is His bounty and magnificent are His bestowals.

As to your mention of Aqa Mirza Ghulam-Husayn, Aqa Mirza Siyyid ʿAli, and Aqa Mirza Muhammad-Baqir—may the glory of God rest upon them—and likewise your mention of their ardor, steadfastness and devotion, you have indeed spoken the truth. In reality, these three holy souls have arisen to render praise and service to the Cause, and sublime and wondrous Tablets have been specifically revealed and sent to them. After this matter was presented before His presence, He spoke—and His word is the truth:

“O Amin! These souls are remembered before the Divine Presence and have attained the favor of God, exalted be His glory. We have made mention of them with such praise as cannot be equaled by the treasures of the world nor by all that the nations possess.”

We beseech God to make each of them shine bright as the morning star in the heaven of certitude. Soon will God make manifest in the earth the stations of those who have turned to Him and have arisen to serve the Cause whereby the foundations of every learned one were shaken, the hearts of every scholar were perturbed, and whereby the great terror appeared and all who are in the heavens and earth were thunderstruck, save whom God willed, the Lord of the mighty throne. We beseech God to assist them in fostering unity and concord among the people of that land, and to aid them in spreading the Cause through wisdom, utterance, spirit and fragrances. Verily, He is powerful over all things. This servant also conveys to each one greetings and glory, and beseeches from God, exalted be His glory, the eternal and everlasting blessing.

Likewise mention was made of Aqa Muhammad-Rida of Muhammadabad—upon him be the eternal glory of God—and of his service to the loved ones of God, and praise was offered for his verses. This servant beseeches God, exalted be His glory, to assist him in deeds whose traces shall endure and persist, and to cause his flowing talent to stream forth in the rivers of His love. In truth, eloquence, articulateness, rhetoric and refined talent have been created specifically for the mention of God, exalted be His glory. Blessed is he and joy be unto him. This matter too was presented before the throne of the Lord, attaining the honor of His hearing. Thus did the Tongue of Grandeur speak:

“O Muhammad-Rida! By God’s life! Whosoever today has attained to a drop from this ocean and to a letter from this Book has indeed attained to all good, by the testimony of God, the Lord of the worlds. Blessed is the soul that hath not been hindered by vain desire from the Lord of all being, and that hath not been veiled by the veils of the people of the Bayan who have turned away from Him Who hath come from the heaven of divine will with verses that cannot be equaled by the books of the past and future. To this beareth witness the Mother Book in this mighty and exalted station. Say: Look ye at the Tree and its fruits, not at what the tongues of the transgressors have uttered. Say: O people of the Bayan! Come ye, come ye, that I may show you the Sun shining from the highest horizon of the world. Fear ye God and be not of the wrongdoers. Say: Cast aside vain imaginings and idle fancies. By God! The Self-Subsisting hath come with a Cause before which neither the heavens nor the earth can endure, were ye of them that comprehend. By God’s life! We see the people of the Bayan to be more lost than the people of the Furqan, nay more lost than all the peoples of the past. To this testifieth he who hath been given insight from God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

Thus hath the Supreme Pen spoken from the most sublime horizon. Blessed is he who hath heard and found the fragrance of the utterance of the All-Merciful in the realm of existence, and woe unto the heedless. The glory shining from the heaven of My utterance be upon thee and upon the people of My ark who have not been hindered by the paths of idle fancy from My straight path.

Mention was made of Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad-ʿAli-Bahram, upon him be the Glory of God. Praise be to God, neither the croaking of the croakers nor the doubts of the atheists prevented him from the Lord of the Day of Judgment. Glory be to God! Glory be to God! Souls have appeared who, in their unfairness, are without precedent from the beginning of the world until now, and have never come from non-existence into being. They have turned away from the ocean and abandoned the Kingdom of utterance, occupying themselves with vain imaginings and idle fancies. By the life of our Beloved and your Beloved, our Goal and your Goal, such souls have, since the inception of Islam, led people astray and afflicted them with vain imaginings and idle fancies. These matters are evident and need no detailed explanation.

In any case, mention of the aforementioned one has been and continues to be in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence. Praise be to God, he has attained to that which was inscribed by the Supreme Pen in the divine Books. We beseech and implore God, exalted be His glory, to protect him and adorn him with the imperishable ornament of His mention, that he may be a sign of the love of God amongst the people and steadfast in service to the Cause throughout the nights and days. In all conditions, this evanescent one seeks divine confirmation and assistance for that beloved one, that God, exalted be His glory, may increase it every moment and cause him to attain unto new and wondrous favors. He is, verily, powerful and mighty over all things. May remembrance, glory and exaltation be upon you and upon those who are with you and who love you for the sake of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

He is God, exalted be His majesty and His glory. Before the dispatch of this letter, two other letters from that beloved one arrived, one dated the twelfth of the month of Safar and the other the first of Rabi’u’l-Avval. Praise be to God, all attested to that beloved one’s steadfastness, service, recognition and devotion. All that was written was presented in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence. His blessed and exalted Word: “Verily, he hath spoken the truth.” Jinab-i-Amin is confirmed in service. In all letters he has made mention of the divine friends and their steadfastness, enthusiasm and devotion from N.J. and A.R. and Q.M.S. and Q.M. and K., and likewise has mentioned the friends in the land of T. and Sh. and Y. and other regions. May God, exalted be His glory, grant them all a reward through him. Verily, He is the Generous, the Bountiful. End.

Concerning what thou didst write about Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza ʿAbdu’llah and Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Ghulam-Husayn (upon them be the Glory of God), and likewise concerning their steadfastness, love and generosity which thou didst mention—all was presented in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence and attained the honor of being heard by the Lord of Names. His blessed and exalted Word:

“O ʿAbdu’llah! The letter from the Trusted One hath come before the Wronged One, wherein was thy mention. We have mentioned thee with a mention from which every possessor of smell perceiveth the fragrance of the utterance of the All-Merciful throughout all creation. Exalted is He Who hath appeared and revealed what He desired through a command from His presence, and He is the Mighty, the Powerful. Blessed is the soul who hath arisen to serve the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds. Verily he is among the people of Baha in the Crimson Scroll and among the companions of the Ark, the mention of which was sent down from the heaven of the Will of the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Verily those who have spent in the path of God and fulfilled their covenant—these are servants whom God hath mentioned before and will mention hereafter. Every truthful and knowing one beareth witness to this. O Ghulam-Husayn! Thy name hath attained the honor of being heard by the Wronged One, and He hath revealed for thee this Mighty Tablet. Blessed art thou and blessed is he who acteth in accordance with what hath been commanded in the Book of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist you both and to aid you with the hosts of wisdom and utterance, and to send down upon you from the heaven of grace and bounty a blessing from His presence. He is verily the Compassionate, the Bountiful, the Generous. The Glory be upon you both and upon every servant who hath attained to the service of God, the Lord of this wondrous Day.”

Here end the sprinkling drops from the ocean of inner meanings. He hath received the two names, upon them be the Glory of God. Grace is in His mighty hand—He bestoweth whatsoever He willeth and giveth to whomsoever He desireth. He shall not be asked of His doings, and He is the Mighty, the Unconstrained. Again, the Glory and the Great Glory and the Praise be upon you and upon every one who is steadfast, firm, resolute, upright and unwavering.

The servant 1 Rabi’u’th-Thani 1303

BH06542: A remembrance from Us to him who hath turned…

He is established upon the throne of utterance.

A remembrance from Us to him who hath turned unto the One, the All-Informed, that he may drink from the ocean of his Lord’s remembrance that which will draw him nigh unto Him. He, verily, is the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful.

O Muhammad! Hearken unto the call of Him Who hath been wronged from the precincts of the Prison. There is none other God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We have indeed revealed the evidences and sent down the verses, and We are the Ancient Sender-down. We have made plain the Path and brought forth the Proof as a bounty from Us, and We are the Bountiful, the Munificent.

When the Promised One came with the hosts of revelation and inspiration, all the divines of the earth turned away from Him save whom God, the Lord of this wondrous Day, did will. They rose up in opposition until they pronounced judgment against Us with manifest injustice. Blessed is the soul whom their doubts prevented not, who arose and said:

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

We counsel thee to be steadfast in this Most Great Cause, whereby the feet of the mystics have slipped. The clamor of the regions hath been raised. We beseech God to protect thee and those who have believed. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Powerful. The glory be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto this wondrous Day.

BH00161: All praise and gratitude beseemeth those who draw nigh…

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

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

All praise and gratitude beseemeth those who draw nigh unto Him, whose mention kindleth the Fire of God amongst His servants, and whose glorification illumineth the realm of the heart with the light of recognition. The fragrance of their love for God hath attracted the world of letters and fashioned them into embodied words. Exalted, exalted is He Who hath adorned His loved ones with the ornament of meaning and utterance, to such extent that the realm of speech standeth powerless to describe it. In truth, the living waters of human utterance have ever been and shall remain the fountain of life, for they revive withered forms and quicken those who lie dead in the wilderness of heedlessness and forgetfulness. Exalted, exalted is that Sovereign Who, through the breezes of His Most Exalted Pen, hath enabled all to attain unto the supreme heights—the station of the most great steadfastness. The Pen hath no power to soar beyond this station.

Glorified art Thou, O God of all created things and Educator of all beings! I beseech Thee by the fire in the hearts of them that are sincere, by the radiance of the faces of Thy near ones, by the waves of the oceans of their hearts moved by Thy name and remembrance, and by the enkindlement of the fire of their love in Thy days, to make them the ensigns of Thy guidance among Thy servants and the standards of servitude in Thy dominion, that through them may appear that which will draw Thy servants nigh unto Thy most exalted horizon and honor them with Thy recognition in the world of creation. Thou art, verily, the Almighty over what Thou willest, and Thou art, in truth, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. O my Lord! Send down upon them Thy blessings, throughout the everlasting dominion of Thy sovereignty, and ordain for them the good of this world and the world to come through Thy bounty and generosity. Thou art, verily, the Most Bountiful, the Most Generous, He Who commandeth, the All-Powerful, the All-Informed.

O Beloved of my heart and He Who is mentioned in my soul! Ages and centuries have truly passed wherein this servant hath not succeeded in sending that which would evidence my steadfastness in my love and devotion for you. Though it is clear and evident to the illumined heart what hath caused this delay and postponement of my letters, God the One beareth witness that not a moment hath passed except that I intended to importune that Beloved One. However, for every matter there is an appointed time and a fixed hour, beyond which this evanescent one hath no power to transgress. The command is in His grasp; He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. Yet the mention of that Beloved One hath ever been made in the Most Holy and Exalted Court.

Time and again have I heard from the tongue of Grandeur mention of that honored one and reference to the land of Mim. Though this ephemeral one may at times be heedless, the Ever-Abiding Lord existeth and His favors have never ceased for a moment. When one contemplates the manifestations of mercy and compassion from the heaven of grace and bounty, one is struck with wonder. May all creation be a sacrifice unto His favor, and all beings be a sacrifice unto His compassion! In any case, this servant remained watchful and waiting until the tree of hopes brought forth goodly fruit and the pen of recognition became laden with new words of love. After perusal, reading and understanding, I proceeded to the sacred station which is beyond the mention of the Concourse on High, and it was presented before the Most Great Throne and attained the honor of being heard.

This is what was uttered by the tongue of our Goal and your Goal and the Goal of all who are in the kingdoms of Command and Creation. His mighty utterance, exalted be His proof:

In My Name, the Witness, the Hearer

O thou who speakest in My Name, who hast drunk the choice wine of My love, who hast turned towards My horizon and who standest in service to My Cause! Hear My call whereby the world was set ablaze and the hearts of nations were stirred, whereby every pregnant one cast her burden and all in creation were seized by the stupor of heedlessness. Exalted is the All-Merciful Who hath rent asunder the veil with the finger of power and come from the heaven of utterance riding upon the clouds. He verily draweth thee nigh unto a station wherein no matter shall grieve thee, nor the opposition of those who have denied the Source and the Return. Take thou the chalice of joy in My Name, then drink therefrom what I have ordained, and I am the Commander, the Bountiful.

Thou hast attained unto My bounty in My days and unto tribulation in My path, and I am the All-Knowing Rememberer. My Most Exalted Pen hath testified to what thou hast endured in My love and what thou hast heard from Mine enemies who denied My proof, rejected My signs and rose up to shed the blood of My loved ones without evidence or Book. The world hath so deluded them that they have deprived themselves of this grace that hath encompassed all regions. By My life! They shall soon behold the recompense of their deeds. This is a truth in which there is no doubt, as attested by Him with Whom is the Mother Book.

The servant who was present came and read what thou didst send unto the Wronged One. We have sent down for thee that which shall give thee to drink of the Kawthar of life from the hands of favor and grace. O Ali! It hath grieved Me what hath befallen My Name Ali who sacrificed his spirit and his wealth with such steadfastness as amazed the Concourse on High and caused all things to speak forth his praise and his detachment throughout the nights and days. The Wronged One hath come for the reformation of the world, yet the peoples have committed that which hath caused the dwellers of Paradise and the inhabitants of this station to lament at eventide and at dawn.

Blessed art thou in thy migration and thy turning towards His people. We beseech God to ordain for thee the reward of what thou hast wrought in His path. He, verily, is the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. Convey My greetings unto the faces of My loved ones who have cast away what the people possess and have taken the Book of God with the hands of might and power. Remind them of what We have revealed in the Tablet and give them the glad-tidings of the favors of their Lord, the Lord of all men. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My Kingdom be upon thee and upon thy family and upon those who are with thee and upon every patient believer.

O Ali! The friends of God must at all times look to the exaltation of the Cause, and this cannot be achieved except through unity. Steadfast souls who are assured, content and well-pleasing must hold fast to that which promoteth unity and harmony, and must arise for God in this service. They must not look to themselves but rather to that whereby the Word of God, the Sovereign, the Self-Subsisting, may be uplifted. Whosoever attaineth unto this station, the hand of divine favor will take him and exalt him as it pleaseth.

Counsel each of the friends regarding those manners and characteristics that cause the gems of human qualities to be revealed from the mine of man. This Wronged One hath, throughout the nights and days, imparted to the souls who were present from among the neighboring community that which conduceth to everlasting life and eternal, abiding grace. Blessed is he who hath attained unto true hearing, and woe unto those who have turned aside. All atoms bear witness that this Wronged One, in bearing hardships and standing before the faces of the world, hath had no purpose except the reformation and tranquility of the nations. The steadfast souls must gird up the loins of endeavor and with all their power hold fast unto this most great Cause and most mighty service.

Unto Him be praise and glory, unto Him be gratitude and splendor! At all times His grace is manifest and evident. From time immemorial His glance of favor hath been directed toward His loved ones, and ever shall remain so. From the beginning of this Revelation until now, no seeker hath been denied, and no pursuer barred. The Beloved Ones themselves know and bear witness to this—there is no need for mention by this evanescent one. In truth, the waves of the ocean of mercy are never still, and the outpourings of grace never cease. The breezes of bounty waft throughout all nights and days, and the fragrance from the garden of inner meanings is diffused at every moment. Nevertheless, the mischief-makers among the people of the Bayan have denied it all and are occupied with vain imaginings. Nay more, they have denied the revealed verses and manifest proofs that have encompassed the world. They are seen to be more lost than the people of the Furqan. Woe unto them and unto those who have led them astray! This servant beseecheth his Lord to aid them to return and to assist all who are on earth to turn towards Him. Verily He is the Powerful, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

As to what was written about making arrangements in each city so as not to cause trouble, and so forth: God, exalted be His glory, is my witness that whatsoever cometh from those beloved ones hath been and ever shall be the cause of gladness of heart, expansion of the senses, and dilation of the breast. God willing, may this bounty never cease or be cut off. How fitting in this connection is this verse: “The remembrance of friends by the Friend is blessed.” I beseech God that He may bestow His grace and favor, that once again this dispersion and separation may end and be transformed into gathering together, that we may abide beneath the canopies of grandeur and occupy ourselves in these days with the mention of the Beloved of the worlds. Every desire and purpose that seemeth great in the eyes of men is easy for God, exalted be His glory. He doeth as He willeth and ordaineth as He pleaseth. He is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

Concerning what was written about turning towards the lands of S, Sh and M, after it was submitted to the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence, these sublime words were revealed from the highest horizon. His blessed and exalted Word:

O Ali! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness! God hath raised thee up and made thee manifest to arise for the service of His Cause. Among the greatest services in the sight of God hath been and is the harmonizing of hearts and the promotion of fellowship among souls. Hold fast at all times to this mighty command and most great service. God’s favor hath been and is with thee. Thy call hath been and is being heard. Nothing escapeth the knowledge of thy Lord. He witnesseth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. We have heard thy communion with God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds, and We have perceived the fragrance of thy steadfastness in this Straight Path. Blessed is he who heareth thy word in this Great Cause. Blessed are they whom riches have not kept back from the Lord of all beings, and who have acted according to what they were commanded in His perspicuous Book. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to unite the hearts of His servants and make them as one soul. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

The turning of those beloved ones toward various regions is acceptable in the sight of God. May you be confirmed in all affairs, God willing. I implore God that through your being, He may cause souls to arise who shall be aided and enabled to promote the exaltation of His blessed Word, and who shall, through wisdom and utterance, draw the people of creation to the most exalted horizon.

As regards what was written concerning Aqa Abdu’l-128, upon him be the Glory of God, after it was presented before the Most Holy and Exalted Presence, He said: “Excellent is that which the Most High hath spoken in reply,” inasmuch as it is not permissible to dispose of the Huququ’llah without permission, and whatsoever the aforementioned soul remitteth of the Huquq to be given to the poor is acceptable before His Face and adorned with the ornament of permission. O Ali! The payment of the Huquq returneth to benefit the working souls. If this matter were to be unveiled and its fruits made manifest, all would render the Huququ’llah from what they possess and deliver it. Beseech God to grant success unto His servants. God willing, may all be enabled to pay the Huquq. Convey greetings to his honor ʿAbdu’l-Husayn. We beseech God to send down upon him from the heaven of His bounty a blessing from His presence. He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous.

This mention which hath been revealed by the Most Exalted Pen concerning the aforementioned soul is better and more exalted than the treasures of the world and whatsoever is concealed therein. Happy is he! We beseech God, exalted be His glory, to kindle the fire of love that all may be set ablaze and become as wings one unto another, soaring together in the atmosphere of unity. They must be regardful of wisdom, and likewise of that love which causeth hearts and souls to be enkindled. Gatherings that do not exceed proper bounds have been and are necessary. Verily, He Who hath commanded us to observe wisdom hath taught us that which increaseth our love, our turning and our devotion unto Him. May God, exalted be His glory, aid His servants in all conditions with that which He loveth and is pleased with, and grant them success that they may not be deprived of the outpourings of His days.

As to their mention of Haji ʿAbdu’l-Karim, upon him be the Glory of God, it was presented in the most mighty, most exalted and most glorious station before the face of the Lord of Names, and this most exalted Word was revealed from the Dayspring of Will, exalted and blessed be His utterance:

Section 2: “In My Name, the Wronged One, the Stranger…”

In My Name, the Wronged One, the Stranger

O ʿAbdu’l-Karim! The horizon of the world is illumined and bright with the light of the manifestation of the Most Great Name. The path of attainment is clear, the proof is evident, the verses are revealed and the signs are manifest, yet the people are occupied with vain imaginings and idle fancies, save whom God willeth, thy Lord, the Lord of all worlds. In every age and cycle when the Morn of Revelation dawned and the blessed Tree sprouted forth by the command of the Lord of creation, the divines of the earth, its doctors and other servants assailed the Tree with sharpened swords. All divine Books bear witness to this fact. In the Book of Certitude there hath flowed from the Pen of the All-Merciful that which is the water of life for the people of the world.

Blessed is the soul that riseth up purely for the sake of God to aid His Cause and striveth for the reformation of the world and its peoples. We beseech God to aid His loved ones that they may, through the divine waters of counsel, purify the hearts of the world’s peoples from rancor and hatred. God willing, may you ever drink from the chalice of divine knowledge and take your portion from the ocean of utterance which is manifest and resplendent before the faces of men, and arise to serve the Cause of God with such steadfastness that the doubts and intimations of all who dwell on earth shall not hinder you. Verily, He is powerful over all things and worthy to answer prayers.

The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of thy Lord’s loving-kindness be upon thee and upon those who have taken the cup of steadfastness with the hands of power and might, and have drunk therefrom despite those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of all worlds.

This lowly servant supplicateth and hopeth of the one true God—exalted be His majesty—that He may confirm them, and render them successful in the service of His Cause. And as to the mention thou didst make of Mirza Sadiq and Mirza ʿAbdu’l-Husayn—upon them be the glory of God—after it was presented in the Most Holy and Inaccessible Court, these shining and particular verses were revealed in their behalf. His Word—blessed and exalted be He:

In My Name, the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful.

O Sadiq! Your name was mentioned before the Wronged One in His Most Great Prison. We make mention of you with that which guideth every seeker unto the Path, every thirsty one unto the Euphrates, every pursuer unto the Pursued, and every truthful one unto the Supreme Horizon—the station wherein the Lord of Names proclaimeth: “Blessed is he that heareth and hath a heart that turneth, and woe unto the heedless.” Whatsoever hath flowed from My Most Exalted Pen is verily the Water of Life unto all who dwell within the realm of creation. To this beareth witness He Who speaketh before the faces of the world: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Lord of all worlds.” When thou art blessed with My verses and perceivest the fragrance of My utterance, say:

“My God, my God! Withhold not from me the outpourings of Thy Most Bountiful Name in Thy days. O Lord! I am he who hath fled from his self unto Thy Self, and who seeketh from the wonders of Thy bounty that which shall make me steadfast in Thy Cause and firm in Thy service amongst Thy servants. O Lord! Make for me a lamp from the light of Thy knowledge that it may guide me unto Thee in every world of Thy worlds. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.”

And We make mention of Abdul-Husayn and give him glad tidings of My turning towards him from this far-distant Shore. We counsel him with that which exalteth the station of man in the contingent world, and with that wherewith We have counselled all in My Perspicuous Book. Strife and conflict have been forbidden, as hath been all that causeth grief to hearts and souls. Say: O peoples of the earth! Ye were created for harmony and unity. Fear the All-Merciful, and follow not the desires of those who have disbelieved in God, the Almighty, the Most Great. Verily, My Most Exalted Pen speaketh at morn and at eventide, and calleth all unto God, the Lord of Names. Among the people are those who have heard and turned unto Him, those who have turned away, and those who have pronounced judgment against the Wronged One without any clear proof from God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Be thou steadfast in the love of thy Lord, firm in His Cause, and vocal in His beauteous praise. Let nothing debar thee from this Straight Path. The glory shining forth from the horizon of My Most Exalted Pen be upon the people of Baha who have inhaled the fragrance of the Divine Raiment and have recognized that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken before the creation of all things. The Kingdom is God’s, the One, the All-Informed.

This endeth the passage. I beseech God—exalted be His glory—that He deprive them not of the fragrances of His days, that He make them steadfast in His Cause, and that He aid them with such confirmations that the veils and barriers of the people of the world shall neither hinder nor prevent them. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the One Who is powerful over whatsoever He willeth, and He is the Hearing, the Answering.

And this is what was revealed for Karbila’i Husayn, upon him be the glory of God. His utterance, exalted be His word and manifest His proof:

In the name of God, the One

O Husayn! Praise thou the Best Beloved of the world Who confirmed thee in turning towards Him in days when most of the people of the world are seen to be heedless and turned away. Know thou the station of this most great bounty and supreme gift. The world and whatsoever is therein cannot be compared to one blessed word that shineth forth from the horizon of the heaven of God’s Will. We beseech God to grant success in preserving that which He hath bestowed. This grace hath no equal. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Forgiving, the Generous. Strive that there may appear from thee that which beseemeth these days. Verily He counseleth His servants and He is the Counselor, the All-Knowing. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

To Him be praise and glory. Each one hath attained to that which hath been the desire of those who are nigh and sincere. This servant conveyeth greetings, peace and praise to them and to all other friends, and for each one I seek that which is like unto a shining light and like unto a penetrating and subtle spirit. Glory be to God! Despite this burning Fire and this shining Light and this clear Path, all are seen to be heedless and withered, nay rather dead, save those souls who have been illumined by the light of the Most Great Luminary and who, detached from all else, hold fast unto the Most Great Name. These are honored servants whom God hath described in His perspicuous Book: “Men whom neither merchandise nor traffic beguile from the remembrance of God” and who “speak not till He hath spoken, and who do His bidding.”

And concerning what was written that some are seeking and acknowledge the verses but for the assurance of their hearts they say “we will write something, place it in a box and seek its answer from the Most Holy Court accordingly”—after this was submitted before the Throne, these words were revealed from the Dawning-Place of Divine Revelation, exalted be His glory:

O Ali! The Most Exalted Pen hath revealed aforetime and thereafter that which leaveth no room for anyone to hesitate, turn away or object. Future events were clearly foretold beforehand by the Most Exalted Pen. The evidences are manifest and the Cause is brilliant, yet the people are in evident doubt. Kindness and courtesy must be shown to the souls mentioned. Say: Reflect on that which hath appeared and be fair in your judgment. By what proof have you accepted the Qur’an? Now you witness that which is a hundred thousand times greater than that. In truth, this is not the day for questions and answers. Previously this blessed verse was revealed from the Most Exalted Pen: “This is not the day for questions. It behooveth everyone, when hearing the Call from the Supreme Horizon, to say: Here am I, here am I, O God of Names! Here am I, here am I, O Desire of the worlds!”’

In truth one is bewildered. The lights of the Sun of Revelation have encompassed the world. The proof, evidence and testimony are more evident than the sun in midheaven. Yet they say that which the heedless souls have not said before or since. In these days some people from Manshad sought that which the assemblage of Ummu’l-Qura had sought. Nay, this lesser request was specifically answered by that which was befitting from the heaven of divine Will. It is very good for such souls to read it. Those who cling to such matters have never succeeded in attaining to faith, to this beareth witness our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of earth and heaven.

And concerning what was written about his eminence from the people of Mim, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory, it was submitted before His presence. This is what was revealed in reply from God, the Lord of Lords, blessed and exalted be He:

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

O Ali! We have remembered thy father with verses that neither the spirits of the world nor sacred books and tablets can equal. Every Book hath submitted when the Mother Book did speak. He Who hath spoken in every state beareth witness that there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Bestower. There hath befallen them in the path of God that which hath caused the Maids of Heaven to beat their faces and the eyes of them that are nigh to weep in the most exalted station. O Ali! Behold and then remember what befell My Name, the Most Exalted. By God! He sacrificed his spirit with such detachment as to astonish the Concourse on High and those who circle round the Throne at morn and eventide. We have remembered him and revealed for him that from which those nigh unto God inhale the fragrance of eternity, and the sincere ones that which none hath known save God, the Lord of all men. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My Kingdom rest upon him and upon those who were imprisoned through tyranny, for whom the Manifestations of the Cause have lamented in the highest paradise.

This Wronged One hath remembered all with a remembrance that shall endure throughout the kingdoms of earth and heaven. O Buzurg! Thy mention hath been and is before the face of this Wronged One in the Most Great Prison. Thou hast ever been and art beneath the glance of grace. By the Sun of the heaven of proof! All things have shared in thy tribulation. The atoms of creation, by the testimony of the Supreme Pen, have borne witness. Convey My greetings to the family of the martyr, his relatives and friends. Say: A station hath been conferred upon you which, were it to be revealed, would cause the people of the world to swoon away and all tongues to exclaim “Blessed be God, the Ordainer of this station!” Some time ago, a Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was specifically revealed and sent to each one. God willing, may all drink from the oceans of divine utterances and, with utmost joy and fragrance, occupy themselves with the remembrance of the Goal of all the worlds. The glory be upon you, upon your first and your last, your outward and your inward.

This evanescent servant also conveyeth greetings and salutations to each one and beseecheth God to aid all to remain patient and calm. Previously, numerous tablets were revealed from the heaven of grace and sent forth, and this time too, whatsoever was graciously bestowed shall be sent according to the command of that Beloved One. Their mention is and shall remain indelibly inscribed in hearts.

Concerning what was written about the departed and elevated Aqa Siyyid ʿAbdu’l-Hadi, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, some time ago there was revealed from the Supreme Pen specifically for him that which adorned the world with a new ornament. His is the grace and the bounty, His the generosity and the praise. There is none other God but He, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious.

Likewise, mention was made of the honored beloved, Jinab-i-Fadl, upon him be the glory of God and His favors. In these days he is frequently remembered. We beseech God, exalted be He, to protect him, deliver him, and send down upon him that which befits His generosity and bounty. The friends in that land should be mindful of his condition, but God is his Protector and He is the Protector of those who do good. To the friends of that land, one and all, I convey greetings and praise, and I beseech from the True One that through your influence He may set them all ablaze with such a fire as shall ignite the whole world. Likewise, I send greetings and glory to your household and relatives, and for each one I seek divine confirmation and assistance.

This letter concludes with mention of the Branches of the Blessed Tree—may my spirit, my being, and my essence be sacrificed for the dust of their footsteps—that its ending may be spirit itself, nay the spirit of spirits and the essence of essences. During the days of your imprisonment they were grieved and expressed sorrow. Praise be to God that after release from prison, all, together with the dwellers of the pavilion of purity and grandeur, were joyful. All expressed countless tokens of loving-kindness. Blessed be you and those with you. And they conveyed their glorification.

Peace, praise and glory be upon you and upon those with you, and upon those whom the affairs of creation have not prevented from the straight path of God. And praise be to God, the Exalted, the Great.

BH06408: Praise be to God Who has made clear…

Praise be to God Who has made clear to us His straight path, illumined us with the light of divine unity….

Reflect upon this Wronged One and what hath befallen Him. By the Sun of the heaven of the Bayan of the All-Merciful! We summoned all to the truth and called them to the straight path. We counseled them to perform goodly deeds and to manifest praiseworthy characteristics, that perchance the fire of divine love might be ignited in hearts with a wondrous flame and all might be illumined with the light of recognition. We interpreted the Word of God—the Furqan—which distinguisheth between truth and falsehood, and made the people aware of its meanings. This matter became the cause of hatred and animosity, and they perpetrated what ye have seen and heard. This hatred became a thick veil between the Wronged One and His loved ones….

BH00170: Praise and thanksgiving beseem the people of creation…

Section 1: “Praise and thanksgiving beseem the people of creation…”

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

Praise and thanksgiving beseem the people of creation and the Kingdom of Names, the chosen ones of the Creator of heaven, who were not prevented by the doubts of the divines nor the might of princes from attaining the Most Exalted Horizon. They gave of their wealth, they sacrificed their lives, and no earthly thing—neither glory, riches, possessions, circumstances, honor nor fame—became a veil or barrier to them. By the name of the Powerful One they rent asunder the veils, and by the name of the Omnipotent they cleft the clouds. Through the name of the Lord of Creation they crossed the river of names and attained unto the ocean of inner meanings. The cawing of the people of the Bayan did not hold them back, nor did the clamor of the people veil them. They arose to champion the Cause with such firmness that neither the devastating winds of the ungodly nor the tempests of the infidels could shake them. These are they who are described by the tongues of the Prophets and Messengers, they whose mention hath been made in the divine Books of both past and present.

Glory be unto Thee, O God of Names and Creator of heaven! The servant beareth witness that Thou art God, there is none other God but Thee. Thou hast had no peer, no equal, no partner, and no likeness. All things have testified to Thy oneness and the Concourse on High to Thy singleness. I beseech Thee by the manifestations of Thy power and the expressions of Thy grandeur, and by the Lamp of Thy Cause and by that which was within Thy knowledge, to assist Thy loved ones and chosen ones to serve Thy Cause. Ordain for them, through Thy all-encompassing Will and prevailing Purpose, that which will draw them nigh unto Thee in all conditions. Verily Thou art the Lord of all servants in the beginning and in the end. There is none other God but Thee, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

And further: I was seated in my place, reflecting on what had befallen the Lord of the world and Master of eternity in the Most Great Prison at the hands of the people of the Bayan, who have surpassed the followers of the Qur’an in loss, and who have spoken that which none before or after them hath ever spoken, and who have committed that which neither tyrants nor Pharaohs have ever perpetrated. At that moment Thy letter reached me. I opened it and read it, and found therein the fragrance of Thy love. Our purpose and thy purpose and the purpose of all who are in the heavens and on earth is one. When I understood its contents, I approached that Station which cannot be described by any description, nor mentioned by any mention, nor known by pen and ink, until I attained the presence of our Lord, the Lord of all creation.

Then did the Tongue of Grandeur speak: “What is in thy right hand?” I submitted: “A letter hath been delivered unto me from one of Thy loved ones who hath borne tribulations in Thy path.” He commanded me to read it, and when I had done so, the Tongue of the All-Merciful spoke in the Kingdom of Utterance that which no one can reckon. I found myself powerless and my pen halted, until He—may the spirit of all who are in the kingdom of Command and Creation be sacrificed for His sake—spoke in reply, exalted be His utterance and glorified His proof:

In My Name, through which the Euphrates of utterance hath flowed throughout all creation

O Husayn! Hearken to the rustling of My Most Exalted Pen. Verily it is raised from the right of the Luminous Spot at the Lote-Tree of the Utmost Boundary before the faces of all peoples. There is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The ears were created to hearken unto My call, the eyes to behold My signs and verses, and the hands to grasp My perspicuous Book. By God’s life! Nothing hath appeared except for My sake, and the ocean of utterance hath not surged except through My remembrance, and the sun of proof hath not shone except by My firm and mighty command. Blessed is he who hath heard the call and hath arisen to serve the Cause with such steadfastness as the doubts of the world and the clamor of the nations who denied God’s signs and His proof could not shake, clinging to that which they possessed from every heedless and remote one.

Say: Open your eyes! The ocean is before your faces and the light guideth you to God’s straight path. This is the day whereon the Most Exalted Pen hath spoken and the horizon of the world hath been illumined by the Day-Star of the Most Great Name, and every possessor of utterance and understanding hath testified that the Day is come, yet the people remain heedless, having followed their own desires. They are indeed among the most lost.

Behold and then recall what was committed by the previous faction who enter mosques to commemorate the name of their Lord, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate, and who would ascend pulpits to exalt the Word of God, the Lord of all worlds, and who deemed themselves the most learned and most understanding among all parties. Yet when the promise was fulfilled and the Promised One appeared, they pronounced judgment against Him with such injustice as caused the eyes of Grandeur to weep in their exalted station. Ponder their words and deeds on the Day of Retribution; thereby shall the matter become clear unto thee and thou shalt find thyself steadfast in this mighty Cause.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Fear the Most Merciful and follow not those who have denied God’s signs and His proof, and who turned away from Him when He came with manifest sovereignty. This is He Whose Covenant the Primal Point took before taking His own covenant. To this testifieth He Who speaketh in every condition that there is none other God but I, the Single, the All-Informed. By God! His Pen moved only to make mention of Me, and He arose from His seat only to derive power through My Name. Fear ye the Most Merciful, O people of the Bayan, and be not of the wrongdoers.

Verily the Point circleth around Me, and all that hath been sent down from the heaven of My Will surpasseth not the books of the past and future. To this doth the Tongue of Grandeur bear witness from this luminous horizon. Thus hath the Treasury revealed the pearls of His knowledge, and the Light His appearance and His radiance. Blessed is he who hath clear vision, hath witnessed and hath seen, and woe unto every heedless and remote one.

Remember My loved ones and friends on My behalf, and glorify them, and give them the glad tidings of that which hath been sent down from the heaven of My bounty and ordained for them by My Pen, and I am the Mighty, the Powerful. The servant in attendance hath attended and presented before the Wronged One that which thou didst send. We found in thy words the fragrance of steadfastness in this Cause whereby the feet of the learned have slipped, the hearts of the jurisprudents have been perturbed, and the back of every idolatrous doubter hath been broken.

Blessed is the tongue that hath spoken My remembrance, and the pen that hath testified to that which My Most Exalted Pen hath testified in the most glorious Kingdom, and the eye that hath beheld that which hath appeared from an ancient Commander. Say: My God, my God! I testify to Thy oneness and Thy singleness, and to that which Thou hast manifested through Thy power and Thy sovereignty. O Lord! The wine of the Kawthar of Thy love hath so intoxicated me that I have forgotten myself and my conditions. O Lord! Thou seest how my liver hath melted from separation from Thee and my heart hath been consumed by remoteness from Thee. Blessed is the land that hath been honored by Thy sweet fragrances.

O God! My heart is consumed in separation from Thee! Blessed is the land honored by Thy breaths, and blessed the spot that hath been ennobled by Thy footsteps. O Lord! Thou seest my tears and hearest my sighs in my separation from the place wherein was established the throne of Thy Revelation and from whence were wafted the sweet savors of Thy inspiration. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the heads that were severed in Thy path, and by the breasts that were pierced for Thy good-pleasure, and by the hearts Thou didst make repositories of Thy love, to ordain for Thy loved ones, by Thy Most Exalted Pen, the reward of attaining Thy presence. I am the one, O my God, who hath sought Thy sanctuary that I might stand before the door of Thy grandeur and hear Thy sweetest call and behold Thy most exalted horizon.

I implore Thee by the ocean of Thy bounty and the sun of Thy grace and the heaven of Thy generosity, not to deprive my ear of Thy call, though it be but a single letter, and not to render me, O my Beloved, deprived of the manifestations of Thy grace and the signs of Thy favors and that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones. Thou art, verily, the All-Powerful over what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

Praise be to God that they have been honored with the mention of the Lord of the worlds—a mention with one letter of which nothing that is witnessed can compare. That soul must, in accordance with the command, arise with complete determination to serve, that perchance the falsehoods of the past may not be renewed and the imaginary cities not be reconstructed by false hands. One destruction is better and nobler than a hundred thousand such constructions.

Consider how those unjust ones brought forth calumnies and what cities they built with lying hands. Those utterances of false souls appeared in the form of a sword and befell the Lord of the world in such wise that the eye of possibility wept. Those lies caused all the divines and their followers in the early years to engage in cursing and reviling their true Object of worship, and finally they pronounced the verdict for His death. Glory be to God! What intoxication seized them that all the Shi’ih divines were in error and had not attained unto a drop from the ocean of knowledge, for they all maintained that if anyone should assert His existence in the loins, such a one was an infidel whose death was obligatory—and thus did they kill. Glory be to God! What deed caused that from the inception of Islam until now not one of the Shi’ih divines was aware of this matter? By the life of our Beloved and your Beloved, the cause was the recompense of deeds and words.

O my beloved! The followers of the Bayan have again clung to the same vain imaginings and speak the same names. Strive ye and beseech God that perhaps the servants may be freed from these vain imaginings and attain unto the lights of true unity. Where are the heroes of the arena of inner meanings and the horsemen of the field of divine utterance? These are souls who have no purpose save the Truth and know none as existing save Him. They have passed beyond names and pitched their tents on the shore of the ocean of inner meanings. The clamor of the people of the Bayan and their croaking cannot prevent them. They are free and detached, have attained unto true freedom, and are severed from all else but God. Blessed are they and theirs shall be a goodly return.

In brief, whatsoever they ponder concerning the deeds of the former party and their fruits and convey to others becomes the cause of the steadfastness of the servants. Then they will not remain deprived of the Creator because of names, and will regard the sayings of twelve hundred years as though they had never existed. The signs have encompassed the world and the evidences are more manifest than the sun, yet they have said what no oppressor hath said and done what no party hath done.

As to that which they wrote concerning the permission, it was laid before the Most Holy, the Most Exalted Court, and was honoured with the privilege of attentive hearing. His Word—blessed and exalted be He:

O thou who hast turned thy face towards My countenance and gazed upon Mine all-highest horizon! The All-Merciful hath come down from the heaven of utterance with the standards of proof. He is the Hidden Secret and the Treasured Mystery. He hath, as a token of His grace, manifested His Self and hath, with the finger that doeth whatsoever He willeth, opened unto all who are in earth and heaven the gate of attainment unto His presence. Yet have the idolaters interposed themselves between Him and His loved ones, and perpetrated that which hath prevented them that were seeking from attaining their ultimate goal, their supreme pinnacle, and from appearing before the throne of thy Lord, the Lord of all names. Thus have their souls enticed them, and today they are in manifest loss.

O thou who hast drawn nigh! This Wronged One hath been encompassed by enemies from every direction. Most have heard what hath come from without. Now the people of the Bayan have arisen with utmost rancor and hatred. Say: O ye idolaters and heedless ones! Where were ye in those numbered years, and behind which veil were ye concealed? Most of the people of the world bear witness that this Wronged One, alone and without any veil or covering, called out before the faces of all men and summoned all to the truth. In those days, the limbs of all trembled from awe and hearts were troubled. Yet when the light became somewhat manifest and visible, they emerged from behind their veils with sword and spear, intending harm to the Desired One of all worlds. Such is the condition of heedless souls who, with utmost cunning, strive to lead men astray.

O thou who hast drunk the choice wine of utterance! This party and the various factions have been and continue to be the cause and reason for prevention. Yet, purely through grace and favor, We give permission for that honored one to turn towards the intended destination—but with such turning as would cause all created things to turn unto the Dawning-Place of the verses of their Lord, the Lord of Names and Attributes. This matter dependeth upon two conditions: first, that it be carried out with wisdom, spirit and fragrance; and second, the tranquility and stability of this land. Ask thou God to draw thee nigh unto Him and grant thee attainment unto His presence. If thou attainest thereunto, He is verily the Source and Master of all hopes; and if not, He shall write down for thee, with His Most Exalted Pen, the reward of attainment. Verily, He is powerful over all things through His word “Be” and it is.

Section 2: “Praise be to God that the effulgences…”

Praise be to God that the effulgences of the sun of permission have shone forth from the horizon of the will of God, exalted be His glory. In truth, the people of the Bayan have committed that which hath caused every possessor of insight to weep and every possessor of a heart to lament. Most wondrous of all is that the Intended One, from the heaven of Whose will there hath been revealed that which equalleth all the books of the past and future, and Who is now present, and likewise all that which is to appear hath been revealed with utmost clarity from the Pen of His will—yet despite this they have turned away from Him and occupied themselves with their own desires. It is not known what they have understood from the Bayan and what they have comprehended from the manifestations of the Prophets. By what proof do they reason and to what evidence do they cling? Fie upon them and upon those who follow them!

As to that which they wrote concerning the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar, it was submitted. His Word—glorified be His utterance, and exalted be His proof:

O Husayn! Excellent is what thou hast done. Hold fast to wisdom, the decree of which We have sent down in the scriptures and tablets. We have accepted thy house and adorned it with the ornament of acceptance. Say: Praise be to Thee, O Lord of the world, and glory be to Thee, O Master of all beings. Stand firm in service to My Cause, be vocal in My praise, take hold of My Book, cling to the cord of My Cause, and grasp the hem of thy Lord’s robe, the Mighty, the Bestower. Counsel the servants with that which We have commanded thee and that which We have revealed in the scriptures and tablets. Remind them of My verses, teach them what hath been revealed by My Pen, and make known to them the straight path.

In all circumstances thou must be mindful of wisdom and its requirements, and occupy thyself with teaching the Cause. Blessed art thou and thy father, whom We named Pir-i-Ruhani. Thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. We make mention of him at this hour with a remembrance whose fragrance shall endure as long as the names of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of Abbas-Quli, who hath ascended to the Supreme Companion, that his remembrance may endure as long as My most beautiful names and most exalted attributes. Say: The first light that shone forth and gleamed from the horizon of the heaven of inner meanings be upon thee, O Pir-i-Ruhani. I testify that thou didst turn to God and didst witness what God Himself witnessed before the creation of earth and heaven—that there is none other God but Him. He hath ever been sanctified above the description of all within the kingdom of creation, and will ever remain as He hath been. And I testify that thou didst attain unto the days of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, when the call was raised from the right side of the luminous spot beyond the crimson sea of grandeur.

Thou art he whom the blame of the blamer, the authority of any ruler, nor the doubts of any learned one could deter in the path of God. Blessed art thou for having attained unto the word “Yea” in the days of thy Lord, the Lord of Names. Thou wert assured of the signs of thy Lord, wert turned toward His countenance, and didst acknowledge that which was revealed from His presence in days wherein the various peoples lamented for fear of God, the Lord of Lords. I testify that thou didst drink the choice wine of utterance which flowed from the pen of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, and didst attain unto that which the Concourse on High and the dwellers of the Most Exalted Paradise have attained.

Well is it with thee, and blessed art thou and he who maketh mention of thee and remembereth thy days and what befell thee in the path of God, thy Creator, thy Fashioner, thy Provider, thy Quickener, and thy Resurrector. He was with thee in all conditions, hearing and seeing, and He is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful, the Witness in the beginning and in the end.

Praise be to God! The ocean of forgiveness is surging and Pir-i-Ruhani is in the utmost joy and delight. I swear by the Sun of the horizon of inner meanings that at the time of the revelation of this visitation tablet, all the Concourse on High, the angels, the Spirit, and the souls of the assured, lofty, content, well-pleased and tranquil ones were present before the throne of their Lord to hearken. The reins of grace are in His hand of power, and the bridles of loving-kindness and bounty are in His right hand of mercy. With one exalted word He can raise earth above the Pleiades. He is the Powerful One Who can bring forth a pure gem from a handful of dust and transform loss into profit. Night and day this servant seeketh His grace and bounty for himself and His loved ones, that all may, without clouds or veils, be turned toward His horizon and arise to serve His Cause. The Command is in His hand; He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth, and He is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

As to that which they wrote concerning Huququ’llah, it was honoured with the privilege of attentive hearing. His Word—blessed and exalted be He:

O Husayn! Concerning what was written about the Huquq, this has been raised to Our hearing. His blessed and exalted Word states: Whatever Huquq was owed by the spiritual elderly servant and you, We have pardoned it all. Be assured through the grace of your Lord and be among the thankful ones. We have accepted what you have done and what you have missed, as a bounty from Us and a mercy from Our presence. That which caused the Hands of the Cause to lament has befallen you in Our path. We have been with you in all conditions. Nothing is hidden from your Lord’s knowledge, and He is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. Then praise be to God that you have attained this great bounty and been adorned with the grace of Truth.

Blessed are you and those who love you for the sake of God, our Lord and your Lord, our Goal and your Goal, and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and earth. Another matter is that whatever Huquq and other payments that were sent to Haji Ahmad, upon him be the Glory of God, all of it has reached this evanescent servant. The servant testifies to his trustworthiness and religiosity. I beseech God the Exalted to strengthen him, make him successful, and make him among the steadfast ones.

Concerning what you wrote about the Fast—the Fast remains as it was, that is, the Fast of the Bayan, as explicitly mentioned in the Kitab-i-Aqdas. As for the obligatory prayer, it hath been revealed in such wise that should one recite it but once with a detached heart, he would surely find himself detached from the world. However, for reasons of wisdom it remaineth concealed for now and no command hath been given to observe it. Regarding what they have heard about the Fast of Ramadan in this land—since some of the friends acted unwisely and the heedless and antagonists became aware of it, therefore, as a matter of wisdom, the command was sent down from the heaven of the Ancient One to observe the Fast of Ramadan, lest the clamor of the heedless be raised. In all circumstances wisdom must be observed, even as the True One Himself, exalted be His glory, would attend the mosque in Iraq and likewise visit Kazimayn before the Cause was proclaimed. Prior to the proclamation of the Cause, it is necessary to hold fast to that which draweth people near, for were people to become fully informed and aware, a greater separation would occur and none would then draw nigh to hear the Word of God and hold fast to the straight path.

This ruling was specific to this land, that is, the Prison Land. In any case, all the servants must observe the requirements of wisdom so that no clamor be raised and the weak be not shaken. Reflect upon the Cause of the Seal of the Prophets, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake. During the limited years He was in Mecca itself, the ruling regarding the Qiblih did not change, but after the Cause was proclaimed in Yathrib, the ruling was made manifest and the Qiblih became known. The servant beseecheth his Lord to confirm the servants in turning unto Him and teach them that which will draw them nigh unto His holy court. By the Sun of Truth! The servants themselves have been and are the cause of their own harm, abasement and loss. God, exalted be His glory, through the power of the Supreme Pen, rent asunder the veils and spoke without concealment or hindrance before all faces, such that the lights of the Most Great Luminary became manifest from every land. However, the people of the Bayan arose in opposition and manifested the utmost rancor and hatred. Were it not for this dissension, the whole world would now be illumined and adorned with the light of unity.

Ask thou God to grant justice and bestow awareness upon the people. Those who had and have no knowledge of this Cause, upon observing some measure of tranquility, emerged from their holes. In any case, I beseech the Exalted One to guide those souls and not deprive them of the ocean of His bounty. However, it is very difficult, for they have committed that which neither Pharaohs nor tyrants committed. Would that the people knew what they have wrought and recognized what they have perpetrated!

Mention was made of Qarru’l-ʿAyn, Nuru’llah and Diya’u’llah, upon them be the glory of God. This was presented before the face of the Lord and attained the honor of His hearing, and each was distinguished by mention from the Supreme Pen. His blessed and exalted Word:

In My Name, the Speaking, the Manifest

O Light of God! The ocean of utterance is surging, and the Desired One makes mention of thee with verses that all the kings and rulers possess nothing to equal them, and gives thee the glad tidings of God’s grace and His favor, and of that which will draw thee nigh unto Him. Verily thy Lord is the All-Powerful, the Almighty. Say: My God, my God! I have turned to Thy most exalted horizon in my earliest days. I beseech Thee by the Manifestations of Thy power, the Daysprings of Thy signs, and the Sources of Thy clear tokens, to ordain for me from the Pen of bounty that which befitteth Thee, O Lord of Names and Creator of heaven.

There is none other God but Thee, the Omnipotent, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. O Light! The Wronged One makes mention of thee in such wise that thou wilt find from it the fragrance of the utterance of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Blessed art thou and blessed is he who hath heard and said: “Praise be unto Thee, O Desire of the worlds!” When thou attainest unto My verses, recite them. They will draw thee nigh unto the ocean of the utterance of thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur revealed Its utterance and the Will Its favor that thou mayest rejoice and be of those who are thankful. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having made me know Thee and guided me and drawn me nigh unto Thee and sustained me and made me speak in Thy remembrance and turn unto Thee. Verily, Thou art the Forgiving, the Generous.

O Husayn! We have made mention of the Light as a bounty from Us on this Day whereon the divines and doctors of the earth have opposed Us. When thou attainest and readest, say:

“Thine is the bounty, O Lord of the world, and Thine is the generosity, O Thou the Desire of them that know.”

The splendor shining from the horizon of the heaven of My Will be upon thee and upon thy kindred and upon all who are steadfast and upright. Praise be to God, the Most High, the Most Great.

The smoke of vain imaginings hath deprived the world from the Lord of mankind. In the Tablets revealed in Iraq and the Land of Mystery and upon first arrival in this land, all were informed about the appearance of the clamorous ones in diverse regions. You must protect the people and gladden them with God’s favors. Today if the people of God were to become aware of the error of the previous party and their words and deeds, they would find themselves firm upon the path of the Cause. One is astonished as to which deed brought about the punishment of the divines of Iran and their followers, such that in the early years not a single one attained the honor of nearness, and whatever they uttered regarding the Qa’im—may our spirits be sacrificed for Him—was all falsehood, as the Truth hath manifested. Were they to reflect a little, they would cry out and cleanse their ears from such mentions. In any case, I beseech God to assist you in promoting His Cause. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Convey My greetings to the friends in that land. Tell them:

“God willing, may you not be among those who, while claiming steadfastness, were deprived of the Truth by the word of a clamorer. You must be firm and steadfast as mountains in the Cause of the Desire of the worlds.”

Today is the day of service to the Cause, and the day of remembrance and praise. Blessed are they that hear, and blessed are they that act.

The glory and the praise and the exaltation be upon you and upon God’s loved ones there, and His mercy and His might and His honor and His favor and His generosity and His grace.

The servant, In the month of Jumada’th-Thani 1303

BH01579: Praise be to Him Who is sanctified above my…

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

Praise be to Him Who is sanctified above my praise and the praise of all created things. How can the praise of those beneath Him reach the court of His glory, after my certitude that all else was created by His command? The oceans of praise and the heaven of remembrance and utterance are reserved for His loved ones, whom the afflictions and hardships of the world did not prevent from the Lord of Names. They arose and spoke that which the Tongue of Grandeur had spoken before the creation of all things: Verily there is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Informed.

Thereafter, your beloved second letter, which you had written after returning from your journey, arrived—an arrival that refreshed the very spirit itself. It was as if it were cool living waters reaching one afflicted with thirst in intensely hot weather. Well is it with me and with you! After it was presented in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court, and after the prayer was presented, these verses were revealed from the heaven of the Will of the Goal of all the worlds. His blessed and exalted Word:

O ʿAli-Qabl-i-Akbar! Praise the Goal of the world Who hath mentioned thee in such wise that were it to be compiled, a manifest book would be witnessed wherein oceans of meanings lie concealed and hidden in its words, and wherein the mysteries of the Books are treasured in its letters. Glory be to God! Despite a greatness the like of which hath not been witnessed in the world, the transgressors have turned away and deprived themselves of the Most Great Bounty and the Mightiest Ocean. Soon shall their dominion be rolled up, and they shall find themselves in the fire. Convey to all the friends in that land the greetings of the Wronged One, especially to those souls who have drunk from the Kawthar of inner meanings and who are gazing toward the Most Exalted Horizon.

Wondrous and exalted Tablets have been sent down from the heaven of divine Will; from their horizons the light of grace is manifest. Blessed is he who hath attained unto the Tablet of his Lord. By the life of God! It is more precious in My sight than whatsoever hath been created on earth or treasured therein. Verily thy Lord is the Strong, the True, the Trustworthy. The splendor shining forth from the horizon of My Most Exalted Pen be upon thee and upon those who are with thee and who love thee for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds.

What else can this evanescent one mention after the dawning of the lights of the Sun of divine favor? Who and what am I? I am lower than dust and more traceless than nothingness. The flow of ink is from His boundless mercy, and the power of the pen is from the spirit of His favor. Who gave power to the hand and Who taught the ink? His grace and mercy have encompassed all and are evident as the sun. He is the Describer of Himself and the Praiser of Himself. He hath no need for mention by anyone. His is the creation and the command, and He is the Mighty, the Unconstrained.

In brief, each of the aforementioned souls have been honored to be mentioned in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court, and for each one hath been revealed that whose fruit shall endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven, if they be enabled, God willing, to preserve it. The thieves and betrayers lie in wait. For twelve hundred years what did they bring upon the people? They reared all in vain imaginings and idle fancies until, on the Day of Manifestation, its fruit became evident to all the worlds. God curse them! They have done what neither Nimrod, nor Shaddad, nor the Christians, nor the Jews have done. They have pronounced judgment against Him through Whom the rivers of meanings and utterance have flowed in the contingent world and through Whom God’s Law was established among His servants. Fie upon them and upon what their hands have wrought on the Day whereon the Herald proclaimed: “The Kingdom belongeth to the Creator of all existence!”

This evanescent servant beseecheth God—exalted be His glory—to aid and grant success to those souls who have unanimously determined to serve the Cause, that is, to educate and refine souls. Verily our Goal and your Goal, our Beloved and your Beloved, is the Hearer, the Answerer, and He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous. Glory and remembrance and praise be upon your honor, upon them, and upon whosoever hath clung to the cord of God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH03657: Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses…

He is the One Who speaks the truth in the Kingdom of Utterance!

Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses and through them opened the gates of divine knowledge to all who dwell in the realm of possibility. Exalted is the All-Merciful Who hath appeared and made manifest that which was hidden throughout all eternity.

O people of Baha! Hearken unto the call from the direction of the blessed white spot. Verily, there is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the Alone, the Self-Subsisting, Who hath summoned all to the most exalted station. Blessed is he who hath found the fragrance of the garment and turned toward the horizon from which the transgressors have turned away. This is the Day wherein the rapture of the divine call hath seized the Concourse on High and the dwellers of the most exalted Paradise, while most of the people remain wrapped in heedlessness and veils.

O Hamid! Give thanks unto God for having honored thee with attainment unto His presence and given thee to drink of the Kawthar of reunion from the hand of His bounty at the latter end. Be thou ablaze with the fire of My love, steadfast in service to My Cause, and vocal in My praise in such wise that the clamor of those who have disbelieved in the Beginning and the End shall not deter thee. Remember when thou wert present before the Countenance and didst drink the choice wine of utterance and hear the call of the Desired One from the Sinai of divine knowledge. We beseech God to aid thee in that which befitteth His days and to grant thee that whereby thy mention shall endure through the eternity of His most excellent names. Verily thy Lord is the Omnipotent over whatsoever He willeth. There is no God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

Thus have We sent down the verses and dispatched them unto thee that they might attract thee to a station wherein thou shalt cast silence behind thee and speak forth among the servants with wisdom and utterance. Look not upon the divines and their clamor, nor upon the princes and their turning away. Soon shall come a day wherein that which hath transpired in the days of thy Lord, the Lord of all men, shall be remembered. Convey My greetings unto My loved ones and mention unto them what We have revealed for thee, that they might arise to perform that which hath escaped them in the days of God, the Lord of Lords.

BH06497: The Divine Lote-Tree desires to make mention of one…

He is the One Who rules over all names.

The Divine Lote-Tree desires to make mention of one of its branches who sought it out, heard its call, soared in its atmosphere, spoke in its praise, and hastened towards it until he attained its presence and beheld its effulgences. We beseech God, exalted be He, to ordain for him that which will draw him near unto Him in all conditions. Verily, He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. There is no God but Him, the One Who speaks in the beginning and in the return.

O My branch! We have remembered thee time and again with that which shall endure as long as the Most Beautiful Names of God and His most exalted attributes endure. Give thanks unto God for this manifest grace. By My life! Whatever hath been created on earth cannot equal a single verse from thy Lord. He Who speaketh “there is no God but Me, the One, the All-Informed” beareth witness to this. Blessed art thou for having attained His presence and drunk the choice wine of revelation from the hand of the bounty of thy Lord, the Generous. Verily, He is with thee and hath ordained for thee that which shall gladden the hearts of them that are nigh unto God. The glory that shineth forth from the horizon of the heaven of My utterance be upon thee and upon those who love thee for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH07316: O son of Afnan, upon thee be My glory…

He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing

O son of Afnan, upon thee be My glory and My mercy! I saw thee before thou didst see Me, guided thee before thou didst ask of Me, and made thee known before most of My servants and My creation. Ponder thou the ocean of My loving-kindness and the heaven of My mercy and the sun of My bounty. Thy Lord is verily the All-Bountiful, the Compassionate, the Most Generous. There hath appeared before Us My Afnan whom God and His loved ones love, and thou wast mentioned. We make mention of thee at this moment with this perspicuous mention, and before this with a mention before which every wondrous mention hath bowed down in humility. The light of permission hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of the Tablet.

Draw nigh and be of the thankful ones. Under all conditions We counsel thee to observe the wisdom which We have sent down in the Book. Hold fast unto it, then act in accordance with it; otherwise ask thy Lord and the Lord of the throne and of the dust to ordain for thee the reward of attainment unto His presence. He, verily, hath power over all things. We send from this spot Our greetings upon thee and upon those who are with thee and upon those who love thee for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH07478: Today the true Beneficent One is manifest…

In the name of the one peerless God!

Today the true Beneficent One is manifest, and the sea of bounty is surging, and the effulgences of the Sun of generosity are visible and evident, yet none attained except a few among the men and women servants. These are the letters whose mention hath been in the Book of God, before and after.

We make mention of thy Lord with thy tongue saying: My God, my God! This is Thy handmaiden and the daughter of Thy handmaiden and a leaf from among the leaves of Thy Tree. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance and by Thy Name whereby Thou hast subdued Thy earth and Thy heaven, and by Thy wisdom wherewith Thou hast commanded Thy servants, and by that which hath flowed from Thy Most Exalted Pen in Thy days, to ordain for me that which profiteth me. Thou seest and knowest what profiteth me in every world of Thy worlds. There is no God but Thee, the Powerful over what Thou willest.

Ordain through Thy grace that which befitteth Thy generosity and bestowal. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Dominant, the Powerful.

BH09547: He is the One Who gazeth from the horizon…

He is the One Who gazeth from the horizon of the heaven of utterance. The Book speaketh with truth, but the people hear not. By God! The Cock of the Throne hath crowed, and the Dove of the Cause hath cooed, and the Nightingale hath warbled, yet the people perceive not. Blessed art thou for having cast behind thee what was with the people and turned to God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. We beseech God to aid thee and assist thee to be steadfast in His Cause, and to ordain for thee from His Most Exalted Pen that which will draw thee nigh unto Him. Verily He is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. The light shining from the horizon of My Most Exalted Pen be upon thee and upon whosoever hath chosen for himself a path unto God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.

BH09353: A mention from the Wronged One to him who…

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

A mention from the Wronged One to him who has turned with his heart to the Most Exalted Horizon and set his face toward God, Creator of Heaven, that he may give thanks, by night and by day, to the Lord of those who are in the heavens and on earth. Blessed is he whose strength the power of the servants cannot withhold, and blessed is he who stands firm whom the might of the oppressors cannot seat. The world and whatsoever is therein shall pass away, and there shall endure that which hath flowed from My Most Exalted Pen in this mighty Prison. Whoso hath turned today, verily he hath turned in all eternity past unto God, the Lord of the worlds. O people of God! The Ancient Beauty remembereth you and counseleth you with that whereby the Cause shall be exalted among the servants. He is, in truth, the Commander, the All-Wise. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto the lights of certitude.

BH00463: Praise, sanctified from all limitations and the recognition…

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

Praise, sanctified from all limitations and the recognition of any soul, befitteth the Lord of Mercy, Who hath raised the standard of “Verily I am God” to such heights that all hands fall short of reaching it and all tongues are powerless, nay mute, in its mention. Through it are all the peoples of the world known, while it is known through its own self. This is unique to this Most Exalted Revelation, whose Day is unlike all other days and whose light is unlike all other lights. In days when all were veiled, He spoke before the faces of the world in such wise that all bear witness. He summoned the entire world to unity and concord, and to that which adorneth the world of being and humanity.

He hath, through the burnishing power of His Most Holy Name, purified and sanctified the hearts of His loved ones, and through His All-Powerful Name hath removed from the realm of Baha all rancor and hatred which are characteristics of the divines of Persia. By “realm” is not meant the known realms of earth; within this realm lie concealed a hundred thousand worlds, though all remain heedless and veiled therefrom. A single leaf of its divine Tree speaketh and warbleth its praise in such wise as to draw to it heedless handmaidens and refresh them with the living waters of the love of the Peerless Friend. A hundred thousand blessings be upon the one who hath today attained unto true unity and hath turned his vision, heart and attention solely toward the Most Exalted Horizon. Such a soul hath, by the testimony of God Himself, attained true unity and is illumined by its light.

Glory, praise and exaltation be upon the loved ones of God, His chosen ones, and upon the leaves of God and His handmaidens, whom neither the riches of the world deterred nor the ascendancy of the nations frightened, who have held fast to the cord of His grace and clung to the hem of His bounty. Upon them, both men and women, be the mercy of God and His favors, and the compassion of God and His gifts, which have encompassed all existence, both seen and unseen.

And after, the letter of that honored leaf which was sent to the Most Great Name, upon him be all the most glorious Glory of God, was submitted to the Most Holy Court, and this evanescent servant presented it at a special time before the countenance of the Beloved of the worlds. After its presentation, these supreme words flowed from the tongue of the majesty of the Lord of creation—blessed and exalted be His utterance:

O Leaf! The Lord of Eternity hath desired the reformation of the world. All bear witness that We have forbidden all from harboring rancor, hatred and enmity which cause division and disunity. The Truth is, in and of itself, sanctified and distinguished above all else. No person of insight would deny this. Beseech the True One that He may grant eyes the power of vision. However, the ophthalmia of vain imaginings hath prevented eyes from beholding the Most Exalted Horizon. O My handmaiden! By the life of God, that which thou hast heard and seen cannot be equaled by a single verse. The people are heedless and veiled. We have breathed the spirit of life into the bodies of utterance, and the spirit of inner meanings into the bodies of words. Blessed is the soul that findeth and becometh aware—such a one is mentioned as the most exalted of creatures before the Truth. Thou hast ever been mentioned in the Most Holy Court. Strive that thou mayest attain unto that which beseemeth the bounty of the Truth, exalted be His glory. Convey My greetings to the handmaidens of that land, especially those who are engaged in serving the Cause.

The leaf who is the wife of Abu-Talib—upon her and him be the glory and favor of God—had some time ago sent to the Most Holy Court news of recent events in that land. It was seen. Blessed is she, for she hath attained unto serving My loved ones and hath borne hardships in My love and their love, seeking My good-pleasure. We beseech God to assist her, grant her success, and ordain for her the good of the hereafter and of this world. End.

God willing, the Most Holy, Most Great Tablet will also be revealed and sent specifically for the mentioned leaf—upon her be the glory of God. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, He is the Compassionate, the Generous.

And as for the mention they made of the honored beloved, Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Abu’l-Fadl—upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God—his mention has ever been and continues to be in the Most Holy, Most Great Court. And this time, after presentation before the Face, these exalted words were revealed from the Dawning-Place of verses—exalted be His utterance and glorified be His proof:

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Informed

O Abul-Fadl! Thou hast attained unto tribulation time and again in the path of God, the Lord of all names, even as the Wronged One did experience in most of His days. To this testifieth every fair-minded and discerning soul. Thou wert in the prison of Ta beneath chains and fetters. We have heard from the heedless what no ear hath ever heard, and We have witnessed what no eye in all the world hath seen, and I am the True One, the Trustworthy. Grieve not because of imprisonment, for it is characteristic of God’s loved ones and a practice of God that hath preceded. Thy Lord is verily the All-Wise Expositor. Thank God, thy Lord, for having aided thee to turn unto Him on a day wherein most of the servants turned away and the hearts of those who claimed knowledge without proof from God, the Lord of all worlds, were perturbed.

We have remembered thee and do remember thee with such remembrance as diffuseth the sweet fragrance of thy Lord’s tender mercy. He shall deliver thee even as He delivered His loved ones before thee. He hath power over all things. Hold fast unto wisdom in all conditions. We have enjoined this upon thee in numerous Tablets and in My Perspicuous Book. Take the chalice of utterance in the name of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, then drink therefrom despite every heedless and remote one. Remind the servants with wisdom and speak according to their capacity and station lest the clamor of the transgressors be raised.

O Fadl! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. In all conditions hold fast unto wisdom. From the inception of this Cause until now We have forbidden all people and the friends of God from oppression, transgression, conflict, disputation and treachery, for this Revelation hath come for the unity of nations and the betterment of the world. Its benefit returneth unto all, both to government and people. Nevertheless, until now they have not comprehended this evident and manifest truth. This decree hath been and remaineth firm. The Command of God is established and steadfast. Were heedless souls to reflect and ponder even briefly, they would behave toward the friends of God with utmost love, fellowship, harmony and unity. Beseech God, glorified be His majesty, to make the heedless aware and guide them.

The heedlessness of some people hath reached such a state that the Supreme Pen is bewildered. For twelve hundred years they claimed to love and beseeched God, glorified be His majesty, for the meeting with the Promised One by night and day. Yet when the clouds were rent asunder by the finger of divine will and the Day-Star of Revelation shone forth from the horizon of the world, all turned away. And now again the heedless walk the same path, that is, the deniers among the people of Bayan. Lo! They are accounted among the wrongdoers in the Book of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

O Fadl! Repeatedly have thy letters arrived and the servant in attendance before the Countenance hath presented them. The glances of favor have been and are directed toward thee. We beseech God to grant thee divine confirmation and success, to bestow patience and forbearance upon thee. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. Verily He shall deliver thee, save thee and draw thee nigh through His grace. He is the All-Bountiful, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

This evanescent servant hath ever besought and continues to beseech God, exalted be His glory, for your success. Although the frequency of writing hath prevented this servant from expressing love and affection, yet the heart hath not been and is not prevented. The remembrance of that beloved one hath been preserved and flows from the tongue most often. I beseech God, glorified be His majesty, to make that beloved one’s imprisonment blessed, that is, to make it the cause of the turning of denied souls. Verily our Lord, the Most Merciful, is the Powerful, the Mighty. I offer greetings and salutations, and I seek help from God.

Concerning what that leaf mentioned about some handmaidens newly turning to the Divine Law, this detail was presented in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence. His blessed and exalted Word:

“O leaf! The mention of the handmaidens has been heard, and each has received her portion from the waves of the ocean of the All-Merciful’s utterance. We beseech God that they may be assisted to preserve what has been bestowed. Great is this Day, and mighty is its station with God. Blessed is the countenance that hath turned to the light of His countenance, and the heart that hath turned toward His horizon. Convey to all the greetings of the Wronged One and give them the glad-tidings of His favors, that perchance the Divine remembrance and mention may detach all from aught else but Him and enable them to achieve that which beseemeth His days.”

The lights of the Sun of Grace have, praise be to God, encompassed all, given water to the thirsty, strength to the weary, and blessed the seekers with the lights of His remembrance. Who is the lost one whom His grace hath not sought? Indeed, this evanescent one, together with all the cherubim, the chosen ones and the pure ones, is incapable and falls short of mentioning even a drop from the ocean of His grace.

Regarding your mention of that heedless soul who spoke certain words five years ago—indeed, he spoke truthfully, for the source of vain imaginings had specifically announced that the Truth would appear after two or three years. Now six years have passed, and it is not known what became of that promise. Would that the deluded souls had understood and had not, through such lies, remained deprived of the Dawning-Place. Fie upon them and upon what their mouths have uttered! Truthfulness, fairness and justice have disappeared; they have taken fancy for certainty and fire for light. Such is the condition of the worthless masses. I beseech God to confirm that leaf and make her steadfast in His Cause with such steadfastness that all may testify to it. Until now, naught but goodness, kindness, love, and praise and glorification of God have been mentioned regarding that leaf. To this bear witness the fair-minded and those who hold fast to the cord of our Lord’s gracious favors.

Concerning what you wrote about being unable to free yourself from this anxiety, grief and sorrow except through His all-encompassing grace, this matter was presented. His blessed and exalted Word:

“O My handmaiden! Be thou glad through God’s favor. His mercy hath preceded and His grace hath encompassed all. The ocean of His generosity is surging and the effulgences of the Sun of His bounty are manifest and evident. With utmost joy, expansion, spirit and fragrance, occupy thyself with the remembrance of the Goal of all the worlds. Verily, He is with whosoever remembereth Him, turneth unto Him and placeth his trust in Him. He is the Helper in all conditions. There is no God but Him, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.”

May God grant that you may ever be joyous and enkindled with the fire of love in such wise that its effects may become manifest and evident. Verily, my Lord and your Lord, my Beloved and your Beloved, is the Compassionate, the Generous, the Oft-Forgiving, the Mighty, the Great.

The honored matron, the Mother of the Sacred House, upon her be the Glory of God, arrived and mentioned that leaf in the Most Holy Presence. I beseech Him, exalted be He, to aid thee through a power from His presence. Verily, He is powerful over all things and worthy to answer prayers. Praise be to God, the One, the Single, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. The Glory be upon thee and upon those handmaidens who have turned, heard, and responded on a Day wherein the Herald proclaimed:

“The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment.”

The servant 9th of Jamadiyu’l-Avval 1303

BH00812: those who are deprived of ears cannot attain unto…

…those who are deprived of ears cannot attain unto hearing. What can the blind behold of the Sun of divine power and the manifestations of the craft of the Eternal? And what can the deaf hear of the melodies of the nightingales of divine knowledge? The Tongue of God is speaking manifestly and evidently amidst the world, the Most Exalted Horizon is visible, the river of inner meanings is flowing from the Supreme Pen, and the Luminary of utterance is shining and gleaming from the highest horizon of contingent being. Nevertheless, all are heedless save a handful of the Letters of thy Lord’s countenance—namely, those souls who have quaffed of the sealed wine by the name of the Self-Subsisting and have attained unto the Kawthar of the knowledge of the Beloved of all possibility. These are the hosts of thy Lord, and none knoweth the hosts of thy Lord save Him….

…say: Reflect upon the deeds of the Shi’ih sect. For twelve hundred years and more they occupied themselves in mosques and pulpits with the mention of God, exalted be His glory. Each faction held fast to a cord and clung to a name, busying themselves day and night with cursing and denouncing one another, while counting themselves the most learned, most excellent and most understanding people in the world. Yet when the horizon of the world was illumined by the Day-Star of Revelation and the Speaker of Sinai appeared and spoke, all of them, both learned and ignorant, arose in the earliest years to oppose Him and issued decrees to cut down the Divine Tree. Say: For God’s sake, reflect upon the fruits of that sect’s deeds and judge with fairness. They attributed unbelief to the Dawning-Place of faith and the Day-Spring of God’s laws, and declared from their pulpits that which caused the Lote-Tree of the utmost boundary to cry out and the denizens of the highest Paradise to lament….

Say: This is that mighty announcement mentioned in the Qur’an, and these are those days about which God informed His Interlocutor. This Most Great Revelation hath ever been manifest in and of itself, needing no one to establish its truth. The equivalent of all previous and future books hath been sent down from the heaven of His Will, and whatsoever was to come to pass was clearly set forth beforehand by the Supreme Pen. Let them consider the Surih of the Kings, that perchance they may become mindful and distinguish truth from aught else.

Say: By God’s life! Thou hast no knowledge of the root of this Cause and art deprived of the ocean of wisdom. None hath understood the nature of this Revelation. The Point of the Bayan Himself hath testified and doth testify to this. He seized upon the essence of the Bayan, which is in truth like its spirit and crown, saying, blessed and exalted be His words:

“I have written a gem concerning His remembrance: He shall not be known through My allusions, nor by what hath been mentioned in the Bayan.”

Blessed is the fair-minded one who pondereth this blessed word and knoweth with absolute certainty that the Truth encompasseth and is not encompassed. The reins of the world’s understanding lie within His mighty grasp. The Point declared: “I am the first of them that worship Him.” He spoke not in jest but in truth. This is the Day of vision. Blessed is the soul that hath attained true insight and recognized the Desired One in this garment. Woe to the heedless! By God’s life! If any fair-minded person were to reflect upon these words of the Primal Point—“He shall not be known through My allusions, nor by what hath been mentioned in the Bayan”—he would find himself detached from the world and all who dwell therein….

The world was created for the recognition of this Manifestation. Deprive not yourselves, and withhold not yourselves from the Kawthar of the All-Merciful’s utterance. Hasten with your hearts; perchance ye may attain to that which was the purpose of the world’s creation—His recognition. The Point of the Bayan declares: Should anyone bring forth a single verse, turn not away but remain silent and seek from him, that ye may perchance attain to His grace. Likewise in the Book of Recompense He saith: “When ye hear of a Cause from Him, say not nay’ except as ye say God is greater than all things, all are created by Him, and all are His worshippers.”’

Now reflection is needed—that reflection which hath been mentioned in the Books past and future. Every fair-minded soul can understand from the utterances of the Primal Point that were this Manifestation not to appear, He would not have spoken thus. For today any soul is capable of composing one or two verses or more, and through the all-encompassing grace of this Manifestation, the loved ones of God speak and write that which the divines are powerless to match. In brief, since the Sun of Revelation had risen from the horizon of Him Who conversed on Sinai, He educated the people through these clear and explicit statements lest they be deprived at the time of His manifestation, or lest they commit that which would cause their eternal loss. The Cause of God is not child’s play, that every day someone should appear and cause division and difference….

In days when hearts were troubled and limbs trembled, this Wronged One stood forth unveiled before the faces of all peoples, called them to the Truth and guided them to the straight path. When the Cause was partly revealed and the Light manifest, they emerged from behind veils with drawn swords, intending to strike at the Dayspring of Divine Oneness. They said what no oppressor had said and did what no idolater had done. O servants! Hearken unto the scratching of the Most Exalted Pen and the rustling of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing. This is the counsel of Him Who is wronged to all on earth. Blessed are they that attain, blessed are they that understand, blessed are they that are fair-minded. Leave behind names and turn to the ocean of inner meanings.

Now certain ones among the people of the Bayan speak like the Shi’ih sect, and these souls too shall witness after a thousand years and more the fruits of their deeds even as the fruits of the deeds of the previous group. O people of God! God protect us and you from the evil of these ones. O people! Hear the call of the Wronged One. Cast aside these worthless things of the world and keep your garment pure and sanctified from the like of them. This is the counsel of the Wronged One. Blessed are they that act accordingly….

BH01759: The verses of creation have prevented the Pen…

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

The verses of creation have prevented the Pen from mentioning the verses of revelation. This is not a mere wind that bloweth, but rather the Lion of winds. Glory be to God! From every created thing are manifest and evident the signs of power. Exalted be His dominion and magnificent His might! Each of His creative works and each manifestation of His power hath been and is without equal, peer, similitude or likeness—how much more so His attributes and names, how much more His Essence! Blessed and exalted is He. True unity befitteth His threshold alone, but only if the Kingdom of His own utterance be made manifest; otherwise, God forbid that one such as I should attempt description or praise.

After offering praise and gratitude to God, exalted be His glory, and to His Prophets and chosen ones—may my spirit be a sacrifice for your presence—the elevated letter of this evanescent servant bestowed a new spirit, as the ancients have said: “He did unto me as the rain unto the meadow.”

After reading and becoming acquainted with its contents, it was submitted. They stated that what was written is true and approved. We have fulfilled some obligations and, God willing, through His bounty and grace we shall fulfill the others. We beseech God, exalted be He, to strengthen, assist and support him that they may not cease in their quest and that the friends of God may attain their answer. The Light of Beauty shed its radiance, love became manifest, and from that mention it entered the arena, and from that enkindled realm came the verse “Thou shalt not know.” It is He Who sent His loved ones to the place of sacrifice, and He is the Cause of the world’s attraction and unity. We beseech God to confirm all, that they may be set ablaze by the fire of love kindled by the Word of God. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Indeed, any mention that appeareth from the Dayspring of utterance will cause the elevation, exaltation and enkindlement of that soul. Therefore, we beseech God to send forth at all times that which giveth life. As for the countenance of God, He is generous—it shall be properly arranged. The remaining Tablets of Baku, along with two letters addressed to his honor, were sent and will reach the blessed presence. The answer to the mentioned letter hath been revealed, but will be sent later to be forwarded subsequently, for some of the handmaidens of God, such as the wife of the elevated and late Aqa Siyyid Abu-Talib—upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God—have submitted petitions. If her answer is not sent, she will surely be saddened, therefore that too shall be dispatched.

To his honor, my namesake—upon him be God’s peace—I convey greetings and praise. May he be preserved, God willing. He too must act with wisdom, for some people are corrupt and have neither recognized nor understood the value of generosity, love, and true manliness. In all cases, one must hold fast to wisdom. Verily, He is the Protector, the Mighty, the Powerful.

As for the mention of Aqa Mirza Safar ʿAli-Akbar from Tuyserkan, this servant conveys greetings to him. I beseech God to protect him and grant him sustenance from the purest fountain. Devils and demons lie in wait at their ambush points. I beseech and implore God not to deprive the seekers from their ultimate goal and highest purpose, nor prevent the pursuers from the effulgent lights of the Sun of inner meanings. Glorious is this day, and mighty is this Cause, yet the poor people remain heedless and unaware. We hope that the True Bestower will not withhold His grace and will grant that which befitteth His generosity. Verily, He is the Munificent, the All-Bountiful.

BH00484: The oceans of praise and gratitude, and the heaven…

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

The oceans of praise and gratitude, and the heaven of remembrance and glorification, befit and beseem the people of God, whom neither clamor nor barking nor bleating deterred from the Lord of Names and Creator of Heaven. They arose with supreme steadfastness to serve the Cause of the Lord of creation—an uprising that neither the might of the sword nor the pen could prevent. They are the manifestations of the power of God, exalted be His glory, whose mention hath been and continues to be recorded in the heavenly Books of former and latter times. In the Qayyumu’l-Asma He saith—exalted and glorious be His Word:

“And upon it are vessels of moist red ruby, wherein none shall embark save the people of Baha.”

Glorified art Thou, O Thou Who through Thy most exalted Word didst create earth and heaven, and through Thy Most Great Name didst illumine the horizon of the world—whereby existence was thunderstruck and feet did slip, save those whom the hand of Thy grace did protect. I beseech Thee, O my God and the God of all contingent beings, my Purpose and the Purpose of all created things, by the Dawning-Place of Signs and the Manifestation of clear evidences, to assist Thy Afnans, whom Thou hast related to Thyself and preferred above all other servants in Thy Books, Thy Scriptures and Thy Tablets, to serve Thy Cause and to stand firm in that which Thou hast commanded them in Thy Book. Then send down upon them from the heaven of Thy bounty that which will draw them nigh unto Thee in all conditions. Verily, Thou art the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

My spirit be a sacrifice for your steadfastness, your remembrance and your service! The honored letter dated the ninth of Muharram arrived and gave life to the body, for from each letter emanated and diffused the fragrance of the love of the Desired One of the worlds. After reading and reviewing it, I sought permission to present it at the Most Exalted Presence, and after receiving leave, it was presented before His face and was honored to be heard. His blessed and exalted Word states: “O My Afnan! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness! Thy letter arrived and the servant in attendance before My face made mention of it, and at this moment the effulgent rays of the Sun of inner meanings are directed towards thee.

Well is it with thee! Today the world is in need of the Word of God. The sacred Being of God has ever been and will ever be self-sufficient and independent. As He said before and at this time: ʿO people! Ye are the poor in your relation to God, and God is the Self-Sufficient, the Praiseworthy.’ Say: He hath come with the truth and was radiant with His lights, triumphant in His sovereignty, manifest in His signs, and sanctified in His exaltation and power. Nothing can frustrate Him and no matter can weaken Him.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Die in your wrath! By God, He hath come before Whom the verses bow down and voices are hushed. Fear God and be not of the transgressors. In this Revelation there hath appeared what hath never appeared before nor will appear hereafter. My Most Exalted Pen beareth witness to this, as doth that which hath appeared through My firm and mighty Command. Convey My greetings to the faces of My loved ones who have not been held back by the doubts of the heedless nor the insinuations of the opposers. The Glory shining and gleaming from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon you and upon those who are with you and who love you for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds.”

Glory be to God! What do the heedless people imagine? They deny the station from which, from the beginning of the Cause until now, the signs of grandeur and power have been manifest and evident before the faces of the world. What do they affirm? This servant’s very being trembles and his limbs quake with the fear of God at the mention of these stations. In all conditions, this evanescent one of no worth clings to the cord of grace and with the utmost lowliness and supplication implores and seeks bounty and mercy for the servants. Though mercy has preceded and grace has encompassed all, yet the words and deeds and actions of the transgressors have exceeded all bounds. In any case, we have never been and are not now in despair of the ocean of generosity and the sun of His bounty. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the All-Bountiful, the Generous One. He heareth and answereth, and He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Regarding what was written about the funds, some time ago this servant, as commanded, wrote to Jinab-i-Haji Mirza Abu’l-Hasan (upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God) and emphasized that if they had any of the Huququ’llah with them and if sending it would be accomplished with joy and fragrance, they should send it, otherwise not. Later Jinab-i-Amin forwarded some funds, and they were repeatedly written to, asking them to consult with him in all matters and act according to his judgment. In any case, God, exalted be His glory, was and is Self-Sufficient. They should, like Jinab-i-Amin (upon him be the Glory of God), hold fast to what is beneficial for the Cause and act accordingly. I beseech and implore God, exalted be His glory, to assist this servant and them and all to do what He loves and is pleased with.

Regarding Mr. F.Sh., upon him be the Glory of God, who requested a passage—four pages were sent, and God willing they will reach him and he will attain unto them. I beseech the True One, exalted be His glory, to assist him at all times to serve the Cause. Today it is incumbent upon all to strive, that perchance former vain imaginings may not intervene and the helpless people may dwell in perfect tranquility beneath the canopy of grandeur. The command is in His grasp, and He is the Commander, the Wise, and the All-Knowing Doer.

They mentioned Haji Muhammad-Rida, upon him be the Glory of God. Whatever was given before and after, Jinab-i-Amin himself, upon him be the Glory of God, has written about. I beseech the True One, exalted be His glory, to assist him to make mention and give praise, that perchance the sleeping ones may become aware and the dead may be adorned with the ornament of life. Mention of him was made in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court, and these exalted words were revealed from the Kingdom of utterance. His words, blessed and exalted be He:

“O Muhammad-Qabil-Rida! Praise the Beloved of the world Who enabled thee to recognize Him Whom all have been created to know, yet from Whom they remain veiled and debarred. This station is great—know thou its value and preserve it in the name of the True One, exalted be His glory. The people are heedless. By the life of God, were they adorned with the ornament of awareness, they would sacrifice their lives to obtain but one word of the divine words. Whosoever today attaineth unto the Word of God hath attained unto all good, and is more precious in the sight of God than all that lieth hidden and visible in the earth. Reflect upon the deeds and words of the former people and their fruits on the Day of Resurrection. Should anyone become aware and witness the fruits of those souls’ deeds, he would be adorned with the ornament of supreme steadfastness, would pass beyond the river of names, and would turn toward the ocean of inner meanings—a turning that neither ranks and multitudes could prevent nor the clamor of nations could hinder. Blessed is he who hath attained, and woe unto the heedless, and woe unto the transgressors.” End quote.

Praise be to God, once again they drink from the cup of the favor of the Lord of all beings. The essences of existence circle round this bounty, and the people of the Kingdom make mention of this favor.

Regarding the mention they made of Aqa Mulla Muhammad, upon him be the Glory of God, as well as the mention of his acceptance, devotion and enthusiasm—praise be to God, he hath attained unto this most great station. Any soul adorned with the ornament of fairness will recognize that of which the people of the world are heedless, and will turn to a horizon from which most of mankind have turned away. This most great Cause hath not appeared in such wise as to leave any soul room for excuse, hesitation, or anything less, save those whom divine wrath and the recompense of their deeds have prevented and deprived. If someone denies the sun, its rays and its light, then to what else can he hold fast and what can he declare? I beseech and implore the True One to purify eyes and ears through His grace, that none may be deprived of hearing and beholding.

Regarding what they wrote about Aqa Mulla Muhammad-Baqir, upon him be the Glory of God—His Holiness Ismu’llah Zayn, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, has also written something in this regard. God willing, may they be assisted and enabled to do that which will cause the exaltation of the Word of God.

Mention was made of His Honour Haji Mulla Muhammad Ibrahim, upon him be the Glory of God. I beseech the True One to confirm him in the remembrance of His Cause with wisdom and utterance, and to ignite within him such a fire that its traces may become manifest and evident in the world, and its warmth may endure throughout the kingdoms of earth and heaven. This lowly one conveys greetings and salutations to him and beseeches God, exalted be His glory, for assistance on his behalf. He must at all times be mindful of wisdom, as this binding commandment hath repeatedly flowed from the Supreme Pen. This lowly one offers greetings, salutations and praise to each of the Afnans of the divine Lote-Tree, and beseecheth for each that which is peerless. The Command is in His grasp; He ordaineth as He pleaseth for whom He pleaseth, and He is the Mighty, the Powerful. Glory, remembrance, praise and peace be upon you, upon those with you, and upon those who love you for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds.

Concerning His Honour the Physician, upon him be the Glory of God and His favours, they wrote that according to instructions it was written to him to provide details about the House—how much had been received, how much remained, and likewise what were the costs of repairs. In any case, matters should now proceed with utmost brevity until news arrives. Whenever news from him arrives I shall inform your honour. The honored Afnan, His Honour Haji Mirza Aqa, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, has also written something about repairs to the House. Thus far no reply has been sent to him as news from His Honour the Physician, upon him be the Glory of God, has not arrived.

The funds from His Honour Haji Mirza Muhammad, upon him be the Glory of God, arrived through His Honour Haji Siyyid Javad, upon him be the Glory of God, and was accepted and acknowledged. It was written to him in the letter this servant wrote in reply to his letter, and the receipt for the funds sent to Bushruyyih was dispatched—they will observe it and deliver it.

In these days the blessed place of your honour and the great gentlemen, the Afnans, is very empty, as the Greater Afnan, the Afnan of China, and the Afnan of Beirut have attained the presence. Praise be to God, they have repeatedly attained and continue to attain. Praise be to our Lord in all conditions, verily He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.