Volume 078: Akka 1303 A.H. (1885–1886), Part II (5 of 5)

BH10050: O My handmaiden! I have heard thy cry…

He is the Hearer, the Answerer

O My handmaiden! I have heard thy cry and thy lamentation in the love of God, the Lord of the worlds. Thy letter hath come and the servant in attendance hath read it at the beginning of the night of Ridvan, and hath attained to the hearing of thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Blessed is the handmaiden who hath attained unto the Most Great Sea, and woe unto the queen who hath turned away from God, the Lord of all worlds. How many queens awaited the days of God, but when they appeared, turned away, following the dawning-places of idle fancies who turned away from the Face by following every heedless doubter. And how many a handmaiden, when she heard the Call, hastened and said: “Here am I, O Thou Goal of the mystics!”

BH00776: Praise and glory befit that intended Lord Who illumined…

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

Praise and glory befit that intended Lord Who illumined the world with the lights of His Most Great Name, Who guided with a single call and taught the way, Who bestowed upon the realm of dust distinction above the heavens. That call in every age is made manifest through a revelation and an effulgent light. He is the Living Waters for the thirsty and He is the True Spirit for the dead. The source of the attributes of the world hath been through Him and unto Him do they return. Yet ears capable of hearkening to this call are as rare as red sulphur.

Blessings and peace be upon the first ear that was blessed to hearken unto the call of the Lord of Names, and the first eye that witnessed and beheld the greatest signs of its Lord, and the first hand that was raised to the heaven of bounty, and the first foot that hastened to the seat of the throne of the Creator of heaven, and the first countenance that turned toward the lights of the Countenance, and the first light that shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of the Cause whereby surged the ocean of knowledge in creation and the mysteries of the Books were revealed through clear proof and evidence, and through whom the stations of revelation and inspiration were completed and the messages of God, the Lord of all beings, were sealed.

He it is Who informed the people of the Day of Resurrection and of the Hour which none knoweth save God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. He it is Who warned the idolaters who broke the Covenant and Testament and gave glad tidings to the believers of what was ordained for them in the highest Paradise and the most exalted Garden. And upon His family and companions, whom neither land nor sea nor anything whatsoever prevented from striving in His path and exalting His Word. The Most Exalted Pen hath testified that they strove in the path of God with true striving until the banner of unity was raised and the standard of detachment was hoisted in the name of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

Glory be unto Thee, O Light of the world and Manifestation of the Unseen amidst the nations! I beseech Thee by Thy mysteries hidden in Thy knowledge and Thy verses treasured therein that Thou ordain for Thy Afnan, whom Thou hast related to Thyself and mentioned from Thy Most Exalted Pen in Thy Scriptures and Tablets, the good of the hereafter and of this world and whatsoever beseemeth Thy generosity and bounty, O Lord of Names and Creator of heaven! O my Lord, send down upon them from the heaven of Thy generosity a mercy from Thee and a blessing from Thy presence. Then grant them that which will gladden their hearts and solace their eyes and bring joy to their souls. O God! Illumine their faces with the lights of Thy countenance, and their hearts with the effulgences of Thy knowledge, and their breasts with the lights of Thy mention and praise. Verily Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Strong, the Bountiful. And praise be unto Thee, for verily Thou art the Goal of the worlds and the Beloved of those who have recognized Thee.

My spirit be a sacrifice unto your mention and unto your service! The servant has attained unto the traces of your pen, from which every possessor of smell perceives the fragrance of your acceptance, your recognition, your orientation, your sincerity, your humility, and your submissiveness before the face of God, your Goal and the Object of worship of all who are in the heavens and earths. After its reading and perusal, it attained the honor of being heard before His presence. The Master—may our spirits be sacrificed for Him—said:

“O Afnan! Upon thee be My salutation. The first banner in the world was the banner of Islam, and the first standard was the standard of that party. They bore for the sake of God that which none other than them bore, and they strove in such wise as astonished all who were in the world, until the banner of ʿThere is none other God but Him’ was raised to the most exalted station. From their might, the limbs of various parties trembled, and through the power of those souls the pavilion of glory was raised up and the Euphrates of wealth flowed. What happened to that power, and where did that might go, and in what corner has that authority hidden, and by what has that majesty been prevented? By God’s life! The heedlessness of the people of unity became the cause of strength for the people of misbelief. Heedlessness reached such a state that the pen is impotent and falls short of its mention. Would that they were capable of hearing the cause and reason of what has occurred. By God’s life! The recompense of deeds has become embodied and rendered the strong party weak. Today all must return, detached from all else, and beseech God—glorious be His majesty—that perchance the departed glory might return and the lost power might appear and the sun of unity might rise from behind the clouds and mist and illumine the world with a new adornment.”

His eminence Kabir—upon him be My peace and My peace and My favor—has ever been and is mentioned before the Wronged One and present before His face. Praise be to God Who assisted him in that which is better for him than what is witnessed and seen. We beseech God, exalted be He, to ordain for him from His Most Exalted Pen that which will draw him nigh, strengthen him and gladden him. Verily He is the One with power over what He willeth, and He is the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days. Praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Remembrance and peace from the Wronged One be upon you and upon those who remember you and love you for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds.

We make mention of his honor Haji Muhammad-Rida—upon him be God’s peace—and we beseech for him success and confirmation, although he has been and is confirmed. Witness to this is his tranquility and establishment. We send greetings to all the friends in that land. We send greetings to his honor Mihdi. God willing, may he be successful in that which is the cause of exaltation and ascendancy, and likewise the satisfaction of the Afnan. We send greetings to his honor Siyyid Ibrahim. Praise be to God, they are occupied with service to the Afnan. We beseech from the Truth steadfastness and constancy for him. Verily He is the Powerful, the Mighty, and worthy to answer.

Praise be to God! The light of grace is radiant and resplendent, and the rain of mercy flows and descends. Ever before the Lord has he been mentioned and favored with loving-kindness and affection. God is witness and testifier that this station is sanctified above the mention of this ephemeral one. Where is the mention of this ephemeral one compared to the mention of those souls who have attained true remembrance? In view of the manifestation of humility, submissiveness and sincerity, these words have appeared and continue to appear from such a servant. Our silence is preferable to our speech, and our quietude is more exalted than our utterance. In all conditions God is witness and testifier that the mention and praise of the honored master, the Most Great Afnan, may the Most Glorious Glory of God rest upon him, has never ceased from pen and tongue.

Love for him is treasured in the heart. We beseech and implore God to gather all in the utmost joy and fragrance beneath the pavilions of grace, to bestow vision and revelation and hearing, and to confirm them. Verily our Lord, the Most Merciful, is the One Who has power over whatsoever He willeth, and He is the Compassionate, the Generous. To those who circle round, meaning those souls who are present with your honor, I convey greetings to each one, and I beseech God, exalted be His glory, for that which will cause their elevation and exaltation. He is the Mighty, the Powerful.

Another matter: His honor Aqa Mirza Majdu’d-Din, may my spirit be sacrificed for him, has arrived and become the cause of joy, happiness, gladness and delight. And according to what was mentioned, the apple of the eye, Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Mustafa, may God’s most exalted peace be upon him, has returned. What was sent has arrived. Ever has he been and continues to be mentioned, even as specifically in the presence they inquired of His Honor Majd, and loving-kindness was manifested from the Dayspring of Grace. Happy is he! God willing, may they be safe and attain to that which is befitting. Peace and remembrance and praise be upon your honor and upon those who are with you and upon those who love you and upon God’s sincere servants. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH01080: Praise be unto the Creator of the world…

In the name of God, transcendent is His glory, His grandeur and His power!

Praise be unto the Creator of the world and befitting unto the Sustainer of all nations, Who in His consummate wisdom hath bestowed upon every soul a gift and granted unto each a portion that can neither increase nor diminish. His ordainment cannot be altered by the world of destinies, nor can it find a way unto Him. He is the Sovereign Who hath adorned the world through the hosts of justice and equity. Intelligence is the first interpreter, and from it justice is made manifest, and through justice are ordered the affairs of nations. Blessed is the soul that hath been adorned with the ornament of justice and illumined with the light of intelligence. This raiment is, in the first degree, the most excellent adornment for the temples of kings.

Should they achieve it, they shall attain unto all good, and should they be deprived thereof, they are not worthy of mention. The Manifestation and Revealer of justice and intelligence is the Sovereign of existence and the King of the Divine purpose—namely, the Seal of the Prophets, may my spirit be a sacrifice for all who were at the beginning and at the end. He is the representative of the Truth, and He is the manifestation of the most beautiful names and most exalted attributes. Upon Him be blessings and peace, and upon His family and companions, the conqueror of lands and guide of servants.

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by the lights of the Sun of intelligence and justice to protect Thy believing servants from the evil of the ungodly who have broken Thy Covenant, denied Thy signs, and surrounded Thy cities and habitations. O Lord! Aid Thy loved ones to obey Thy Cause and to submit to the manifestations of Thy commandments and ordinances. O Lord! Withhold them not from the ocean of Thy good-pleasure, then ordain for them through Thy bounty that which will draw them nigh unto Thee. O Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Prophets and Thy chosen ones to inscribe for Thy believing servants, with Thy Most Exalted Pen, the good of all worlds among Thy worlds. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent over what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Powerful.

To continue: thy letter hath been received. Praise be to God, it brought tidings of thine health and well-being. After experiencing joy, delight and gladness, I approached the Presence and attained the honor of hearing these words from our Lord—may our souls be a sacrifice for Him:

“O Ali-Akbar! We beseech the Lord of Destiny and the Sovereign of mankind to aid thee in whatsoever is pleasing unto Him. In the early days We established rules and principles for the assembled souls, that all might attain, through God’s grace, to His manifest and hidden bounties. All this was done with the permission and leave of this Wronged One—some in Alif and Sin, others in Ba and Ya, and in Haifa and Akka, and Nun and Sad—that all might attain, through God’s grace and mutual assistance, to the good things recorded in the Book and the bounties ordained in His knowledge. The purpose was that they might be occupied and enjoy the bounties of these few earthly days, while beseeching God—exalted be His glory—night and day for the salvation of all on earth, that perchance through the grace of the sincere ones and the believers the fire of envy and hatred might be extinguished and all might gather as one soul beneath the shade of the Tree of Divine Unity.

Let them likewise supplicate and beseech the true Omnipotent One that the banner of peace and security might once again be raised aloft and the light of the words ʿThere is none other God but Him’ might illumine the world. All the friends of God must strive for the reformation of the world. If outward means are cut off, they must hold fast to spiritual means through humility and supplication. God is powerful and generous, His Will encompasseth all things and His decree prevaileth. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

“For thee and for him who hath ascended to the Supreme Companion, that land—namely the land of Nazareth—hath been designated. By no means relinquish it. Engage thyself therein, placing thy trust in God. We beseech Him to bestow His blessing and withhold not His bounty. This Wronged One hath never in His lifetime considered His own interests; whatsoever He hath uttered hath been for the good of His loved ones. Blessed is the servant who hath attained, the ear that hath heard, and the eye that hath seen. Under all conditions, remain mindful of the remembrance of God and act according to that which hath been revealed in the Book. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous, the Compassionate, the Mighty, the Merciful.” [End]

Praise be to God! Through His bounty thou hast attained, and in His prison what hath issued from the blessed Tongue shall enable thee to attain the outpourings of the True Bestower of abundance. Of this there is no doubt. O honored brother! We must seek divine confirmation from the Truth that we may act in accordance with that which exalteth the Word of Unity. From the recompense of thirteen hundred years’ deeds hath weakness resulted. Had our deeds been worthy of the court of the Self-Sufficient, the Supreme, assuredly the might of misbelief would not have seized us, nor would we have been afflicted with countless trials. Thou and this servant and all the friends must turn unto Him and seek deliverance from Him, that perchance His all-encompassing forgiveness may reach us and His mighty grace may grant salvation.

He is the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful. Convey greetings from this evanescent one to the friends in that land. All are remembered. For some time no word hath come from the honored master Sabri Efendi, upon him be God’s peace. God willing, may he be confirmed and assisted, and may He cause his affairs to proceed according to what He loveth and desireth. Likewise do I send greetings to the honored friend Aqa Muhammad-Rida, upon him be God’s peace, and to the others, and I beseech from the Truth the protection of all. Verily He hath power over all things and is worthy to answer prayers. Peace be upon you and upon God’s sincere servants.

BH03432: O thou who art beloved of my heart, remembered…

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

O thou who art beloved of my heart, remembered in my soul, enkindled with the fire of the love of my Lord, speaking His praise and glorification, and arising to serve His Cause! I swear by the effulgent rays of the Sun of Truth which hath shone forth from the most exalted horizon of the world that thy mention is remembered, thy effort appreciated, and thy deed accepted. Thy flame ever appeareth manifest and evident before the face of the Ancient King. A hundred thousand blessings and felicitations be upon that honored one, for he hath attained unto that which hath repeatedly been revealed from the Supreme Pen in the Tablets. Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds and Goal of the nations, for having manifested from among Thy Afnan one who hath clung to Thy Tree with such firmness that neither all that is in the world nor what is possessed by the peoples can sever him therefrom. I beseech Thee, O Lord of existence, by Thy generosity which hath encompassed all that was and shall be, to ordain for him from Thy Most Exalted Pen that which befitteth Thy grace and bounty.

Though I acknowledge, O my God, that my station doth not warrant his mention, for Thou hast related him unto Thyself and remembered him in such wise as none knoweth save Thyself, yet since Thou hast commanded me to love and mention Thy Afnan, I have mentioned him according to my station and capacity. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance to accept what my tongue hath uttered concerning them. Verily Thou art the Almighty Who disappointeth not the petitioners. There is no God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful. O Lord! Send Thy blessings upon him and upon those who are with him and who love him for Thy sake. There is no God but Thee, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, the Almighty, the Powerful.

He is the Confirmer

The letter from His Honor Afnan M.H. 92 [Muhammad], son of His Honor Afnan whom God hath made the manifestation of His dignity amongst His servants, together with one hundred liras, reached the servant in the prison. Likewise, all that His Honor the Revered One, upon whom be the Most Glorious Glory of God, had sent in previous years—both the cloth and other items including the carpet—all arrived in the honored month of Sha’ban 1303.

BH03772: My tongue, my heart, my pen and my limbs…

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

My tongue, my heart, my pen and my limbs testify to the oneness and singleness of God, and that He is the One who has power over whatsoever He willeth. The conditions of the world cannot frustrate Him, nor can the doubts of the nations. There hath shone forth from His most exalted horizon a brilliant light, a pervading fragrance, an articulate tongue, and a commanding Cause. Through His might, power and sovereignty He hath manifested whatsoever He desired in such wise that neither the might of princes nor the opposition of divines—who broke God’s covenant and His testament and caused their people to enter the abode of perdition—could prevent it.

Glory be unto Thee, O Subduer of the world and Benefactor of the nations! I beseech Thee by the Ark of Thy Cause which sailed upon the sea of names through Thy will and power, to aid Thy male and female servants who have aimed for the ultimate goal and the supreme height to remain steadfast in Thy love and in the exaltation of Thy Cause. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest and in Thy grasp are the reins of all things.

O my Lord! Thou seest and hearest that one of Thy Afnans hath mentioned one of Thy handmaidens and testified to her acceptance and her turning unto Thee. I beseech Thee by the sovereignty of the names to accept from her what she intended in Thy days and sent forth as evidence of her adherence to Thy commandments and ordinances. O my Lord! Forgive her and purify her through Thy grace and favor, then send down upon her at all times that which will make her steadfast in Thy Cause—that which was named in the Furqan as the Great Announcement and in the books of old by that which caused the faces of the believers to be wreathed in smiles. There is no God but Thee, the Hearer, the Answerer, and worthy of answering prayers.

The remittance of Amatu’llah Fatimih Bibi, upon her be the Glory of God, in the amount of eighty tumans, was received by the servant in the prison through the honored Afnan T.Q., upon him be, from all Glory, its most glorious portion, during the month of Sha’ban the Great in the year 1303.

BH00572: Praise and glory befit the friends of God, exalted…

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

Praise and glory befit the friends of God, exalted be His majesty, who, detached from all else, have arisen to serve the Cause with such steadfastness that no sitting was seen in their standing—nay, even in their repose they stand upright. Exalted are their stations and sublime their ranks in the presence of God, their Creator, their Fashioner, their Quickener, their Slayer, their Strengthener, their Revealer, and their Guide. These are the men who have ever championed the Cause in the arena of utterance. The heroes of the world are as sparrows before them, and the clamor of the nations in their glorious presence is but as a croaking. These are the horsemen of the field and the helpers of the Purpose of all worlds.

With the finger of certitude they have rent asunder the veils of idle fancies and shattered the idols. The chains of vain imaginings of the world’s peoples did not hold them back from the Most Exalted Pen. They have attained true understanding and are adorned with spiritual perception. These are the servants of whom He says they are the treasures of the earth and its repositories, for they are the pearls of wisdom and utterance and the trust of the All-Merciful. Blessed is he who recognizes them, attains their presence, serves them, and turns his face toward their countenances.

Glory be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Goal of both the seen and the unseen, Who art established upon the throne of grandeur in Thy praiseworthy station! I beseech Thee by the light of Thy countenance through which all lights have shone forth, and by the breathings of Thy love among the chosen ones, to assist Thy loved ones to mention Thee before the faces of all religions with wisdom and utterance. O Lord! Prevent not Thy chosen ones from turning to the horizon whence the sun of Thy presence hath shone forth, and deprive them not from arising before the door of Thy bounty and generosity. O Lord! Thou seest them turning toward the direction of Thy prison and holding fast to the cord of Thy grace. Ordain for them through Thy Most Exalted Pen the good of both this world and the next. Then write down for them the reward of attaining Thy presence, O Thou Who art the Lord of all names and the Creator of heaven. There is none other God but Thee, the Omnipotent, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Thereafter, the letters of that spiritual friend arrived repeatedly. Some were answered as time and opportunity permitted, while others were delayed due to the abundance of the revelation of divine verses, until some time ago when the beloved of the heart, Hadrat-i-Ism-i-Jud, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, sent a letter to the Most Holy Court. This servant presented it before His presence and it was honored to be heard, yet its answer was also delayed until these days when repeatedly my beloved, Hadrat-i-Ism-i-Jud, upon him be God’s grace and favors, beseeched from the heaven of the will of the Lord of all beings for a response. On this day, which is the last day of the revered month of Rajab, that letter was honored to be heard before the Throne, and afterward the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these sublime words, blessed and exalted be His utterance:

In My Name, the Speaker, the All-Knowing

O Abdu’l-Husayn! The Wronged One of the world proclaims: Today the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree is raised on high, and the Most Exalted Pen speaks from the highest horizon of the world. The earth is changed to another earth and the heaven to another heaven, yet the people of the world remain heedless and veiled. The dwellers of the graves have arisen at the breath of revelation of the Self-Subsisting Lord, while the living souls are seen as if dead. The intoxication of pride and heedlessness has encompassed the world and deprived it of the Ancient Lord. Blessed are the party of God, the people of Baha, who are like unto the surging ocean and like unto the sun, radiant and luminous. The darkness of the people of the Bayan does not hold them back from the light, nor do the doubts of the people of allusions deprive them of the horizon of the All-Merciful. Their hearts are sanctified from rancor and hatred. They hold fast to the cord of grace and cling to the hem of justice. The clamor of the vain ones has not prevented them from the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. They stand for God, speak for God, and turn their gaze toward God.

Convey My greetings to the friends in those regions on behalf of the Wronged One and give them the glad tidings of the favor of the Desired One of the world. Say: O party of God! Today the fragrance of divine revelation is diffused throughout the world and the spiritual breeze wafts at dawn. By the life of God, it imparts awareness and bestows eternal life! Say: Deprive not yourselves and veil not yourselves from the Lord of all possibilities through the idle fancies of the people of the Bayan. Reflect upon the former party and their utterances—what they proclaimed from their pulpits, what claims they made, and what became manifest from them on the Day of Reckoning. If you become aware of the deeds of those heedless souls and their fruits, you will remain steadfast on the divine path in such wise that names will neither prevent nor deprive you from the Lord of inner meanings.

O Abdu’l-Husayn! Repeatedly have you been blessed with the grace of God, exalted be His glory. We beseech God to aid you in that which befits His Cause and is worthy of His days. Convey greetings to the handmaiden of God. Say: Praise be to God that you have been blessed with the mention of the Wronged One, both before and after. Convey greetings from the Wronged One to the new handmaiden. Blessed is the handmaiden who has turned, heard, and attained to the knowledge of God, the Lord of the worlds. O handmaiden of God! The whole world has been created for the knowledge of the Ancient Lord and has been brought from nothingness into being. Yet in the divine days and the manifestation of the Eternal Beloved, all were found heedless and veiled save a few. Praise the Ancient Lord Who guided you, aided you, and bestowed guidance upon you. Since you have attained and possess the pearls of divine love, guard them from thieves and betrayers. This is the counsel of the Wronged One of the horizons. Know thou the station of the party of God, both men and women, and be occupied with praising and thanking the Lord of all beings.

Has anyone ever been, or is now, capable of recording the divine grace? Nay, by His own Self, the One Who dominates all who are on earth and in heaven! Every name that has attained the honor of hearing has been adorned and distinguished by the verses of God. Who is that lost one whom His grace has not sought? Praise be to God that those souls mentioned in that spiritual friend’s letter have attained the verses of God. This evanescent servant beseeches the Eternal Truth to aid them to remain steadfast in His Cause and to grant them their portion and share from the oceans of inner meanings that lie treasured and hidden within the Words of God. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. Two Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablets, in Arabic and Persian, were revealed specifically for his honor Aqa Siyyid ʿAli, upon him be the Glory of God. As commanded, this servant wrote and sent them. God willing, they will attain unto them. And regarding their request to sell their possessions and turn toward the Most Exalted Horizon, after this was presented before the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence, these manifest verses were revealed from the Kingdom of the All-Merciful’s utterance. His blessed and exalted Word:

The sale of possessions is not permitted. We beseech God to aid him to serve the Cause and to record the recompense of attainment unto His presence with the Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Book. Verily, He has power over all things. O Siyyid-i-Qabil-ʿAli! Say: My God, my God! Deny me not the breezes of Thy days, and deprive me not of that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones. O Lord! Thy separation and remoteness have destroyed me, and the fire of Thy love and affection has consumed me. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Signs, by the rustling of the Sadratu’l-Muntaha, and by the shrill voice of Thy Most Exalted Pen, to ordain for me in each world of Thy worlds that which will draw me nigh unto Thee and benefit me through Thy bounty and favors.

O Lord! Thou knowest what is in my heart, my soul, and my being, while I know not what is with Thee. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Bountiful. I lay before Thy presence that which none of Thy chosen ones has uttered: My Lord! Leave me not alone, for Thou art the Best of inheritors, or manifest through me that whereby my remembrance shall endure through the eternity of Thy Best Names and Thy Most Exalted Attributes. Verily, Thou art the Almighty Whom nothing can frustrate and no matter can hinder. Thou doest what Thou pleasest and ordainest what Thou willest. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful.

His is the grace and bounty, and His the bestowal and justice! The world hath been illumined by the splendors of the Sun of utterance of the All-Merciful, yet most hearts remain in their own darkness. This servant is bewildered in all conditions. Indeed, the recompense of their deeds hath prevented all and deprived everyone of their due recognition of the Intended One. This servant conveyeth greetings and glorification to the honored Siyyid, upon him be the glory of God, and likewise to the honored Khan, the host, upon him be the glory of God, and to the other friends. Blessed are they who today have been designated by the Most Exalted Pen as the party of God and have attained this most great kinship. All must recognize the worth of this supreme bounty, this eternal blessing and everlasting table. They must remain firm and steadfast in the Cause of the Lord of the Day of Judgment with perfect unity and accord.

O friends of Truth! The people are without fairness and are worshippers of idle fancies. For years they have worshipped and bowed down before the idols of vain imaginings. I beseech the True One, the Mighty, the Powerful, to protect His party and grant them the heavenly water of reality, that all may become intoxicated with the wine of knowledge and occupied with the remembrance of the Peerless Friend. The Command is in His grasp, and He is the All-Knowing, the Powerful, the All-Wise, the All-Judicious. A Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet hath also been revealed from the heaven of the will of the All-Merciful, specifically for the honored host. God willing, they will attain unto it and drink from its oceans of inner meanings. Peace and praise and remembrance and glory be upon you and upon those with you and upon all who are steadfast and firm, and all who are constant and trustworthy.

The servant. On the first day of the month of Sha’ban the Great, 1303.

BH00440: Praise be to God! The path is clear…

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

Praise be to God! The path is clear, the way is evident, the proof is manifest, and the banner of the Revelation is raised upon the highest standards. Yet the people remain heedless and veiled. Glory be to God! The fragrance of the divine raiment hath encompassed the world, and the lights of the dawn of His Revelation have illumined the horizons. Yet the unjust people remain heedless and deprived of all, for they are occupied with their own concerns and are far removed and barred from that which is with God. One stands amazed at what hath prevented their eyes from beholding the ocean of inner meanings and their ears from hearkening to the Word of God. The shrill voice of the Supreme Pen is raised both night and day. For what purpose was life created, and for what day was consciousness brought into being? What was the purpose of sight, and what of hearing? Blessed are they who ponder the Cause of God and discover its purpose. This exalted and blessed word was repeatedly heard from the Tongue of Grandeur, blessed and exalted be His utterance:

“O servant! Until they pass beyond the gulf of names, they shall not attain to the ocean of inner meanings. The people of former times throughout ages and centuries were worshippers of vain imaginings, yet counted themselves among the people of unity. They were the most lost among the peoples of the world, yet deemed themselves the most exalted and learned. On the Day of Revelation, the loss of those people became clear and evident to all, for both the learned and the ignorant committed that which no other people had ever perpetrated.”

Glorified art Thou, O God, Lord of all beings and the Object of all creation! I beseech Thee by Thy all-encompassing knowledge, Thy pervading Will, Thy pre-existing mercy, and Thy all-compelling purpose, and Thy triumphant power, to make known unto Thy loved ones and chosen ones that which will preserve them from all else but Thee and draw them nigh unto Thee. Then inscribe for them in Thy Scriptures and Tablets that which shall be a light unto them in all the worlds of Thy worlds. O Lord! Withhold them not from the rain-showers of Thy grace, nor from the outpourings of Thy days. Adorn them, O my God, with the ornament of steadfastness and fidelity. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all names and the Creator of the heavens. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Thereafter, this servant, on Friday the 4th of the revered month of Sha’ban, while seated in his place, wondering at the greatness of the Cause of God and contemplating the heedlessness and misguidance of the people of the world, at that moment received a letter from Haifa from Jinab-i-Aqa Siyyid Taqi, upon him be the glory of God, and in that letter was a letter from you which you had written to him. After seeing, reading and reviewing it, for the sake of God I proceeded to the Most Exalted Station and presented before His presence that which was mentioned and written. Blessed and exalted be His Word:

Verily, I am the Hearer, and I am the Answerer.

We make mention of the loved ones of that land, and continue to do so, and We give the glad-tidings of God’s special favors to the people of God. We have, out of wisdom, concealed the names, but in the Crimson Book they are recorded and inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen. By the life of God! They have attained unto that which hath no equal and no likeness. Soon shall the world return to nothingness. Every person of insight and understanding hath testified and continues to testify to the transience of all that is visible. However, that which hath been ordained for the people of God shall neither change nor alter. The hand of events shall fall short of its hem, and it shall remain sanctified and protected from the changes of the world.

O people of God! Know ye the value of these days and act as behooveth you. Today the heaven of inner meanings is adorned and illumined with the effulgences of the Sun of Revelation. From all directions is heard the cry “The Chosen One hath come,” and from all things is heard “The Lord of the Kingdom of eternity hath come.” The banner of “He doeth what He willeth” is raised, and the standard of “Verily He is the Truth” is unfurled and visible. Blessed are they whom the doubts and intimations of the people of the Furqan and the Bayan have not debarred from the horizon of the All-Merciful.

O Muhammad! Hear with thy inner ear the call of the Beloved of the worlds. We beseech God to adorn thee with the ornament of His most excellent names and most exalted attributes, for verily the hosts that aid and assist the Truth this day have been and continue to be goodly and acceptable deeds. Blessed is he who hath been named by the Spirit’s good-pleasure from the Pen of God, the Lord of lords. We testify that he turned towards God and attained His presence while people were in strange slumber. He was present, witnessed, and heard the call of the Lord of Names from His most exalted horizon, and acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur uttered when He came with power and sovereignty. We have mentioned him before in such wise that its fragrance shall endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. To this beareth witness the Mother Book in its most exalted station. Thus have We sent down from the heaven of grace and bounty that which draweth all near unto the Dayspring of Lights.

Convey thou the greetings of the Wronged One to the loved ones of that land and give them the glad-tidings of God’s favors. All are mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One and are recorded by the Pen of Revelation. No deed hath been or shall be hidden. All are manifest and evident before His face. He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. We beseech God to illumine all with the lights of His countenance and to set them ablaze with the fire of the Divine Lote-Tree, that all the peoples of the world may attain unto these twin bounties and arise with perfect steadfastness to promote the Cause of God. O people of God!

Today the Sun of Truth is shining and the light of divine unity is manifest and clear. Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto the lights of true unity and hath received its portion from the divine fragrances of this Day. Today some among the people of the Bayan are observed to be more lost than the previous parties. We counsel you to preserve the pearls of the love of God, your Lord and the Lord of your fathers and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and the earth. The glory from Us be upon you and upon those whom the clamor of the deniers hath not kept back from the Lord of the Day of Judgment.

Glory be unto God! Verses are being revealed like rain-showers from the heaven of divine Will, and He Who conversed on Sinai is seated upon the throne of Revelation and is manifest. Yet the faithless people remain veiled, save for a few. The smoke of idle fancies and the dust of self and passion have prevented the world from recognizing the Lord of Names. Say: O people of the Bayan! Are you content to cling to vain imaginings like the people of former times throughout the ages, and ultimately to occupy yourselves with cursing and denouncing from pulpits the One Who is your Goal and Beloved, and to issue decrees for the shedding of His most pure blood? Take heed, O ye who have eyes to see!

Take heed, O ye who have insight! For a thousand and two hundred years and more, each sect has clung to a name and engaged in conflict and strife, until on the Day of Reckoning there appeared from the learned and the ignorant of that sect that which caused the Eye of God to weep and the Pen of God to lament. This evanescent servant conveys greetings and glorification to the friends of God and those who drink the pure wine of truth, and declares that it is binding and obligatory upon all to arise to aid the Cause and to protect the helpless servants from the dawning-places of conjecture, that perchance former vain imaginings might not be renewed and suppositions might not veil the lights of certitude. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is powerful over whatsoever He willeth. There is no God but Him, the Protector over what was and what shall be.

As to what you wrote concerning Aqa Mirza Aqa and Aqa Mulla Rida, upon them be the glory of God, mention of them attained the presence of the Goal of the worlds and achieved the honor of being heard. This is what was revealed for them from the Kingdom of utterance of our Lord, the All-Merciful. His blessed and exalted Word:

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Informed

O Mirza Aqa! A letter reached the Wronged One in prison wherein thy mention was recorded, and it achieved the honor of being heard. These sublime words were revealed from the Dayspring of divine verses: Today the world is illumined with the lights of the True Sun of Divine Unity. Blessed are they whom the doubts of the deluded and the doings of the aggressive have not debarred from turning toward the countenance of the Ancient Beauty, which hath shone forth and is manifest from the supreme horizon. Say: O people! Rend asunder the veils of doubt and uncertainty and turn ye to the horizon of certitude. Reflect upon the former sect and take heed. We beseech God the Exalted to assist thee and those who have believed to act according to what hath been revealed in His perspicuous Book. Know thou the value of this mention, for from it wafteth the fragrance of eternity. Occupy thyself with the praise and glorification of the Lord of the Ancient.

O Muhammad-Rida! Hearken unto the call from the prison. Verily there is no God but Me, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. The ocean of knowledge hath surged through My Most Great Name, and the fragrance of the All-Merciful hath wafted from the breezes of what hath flowed from My Most Exalted Pen. Blessed is he who hath perceived and witnessed, and woe unto every heedless doubter. When thou hearest My call and attainest unto My verses, say:

My God, my God! Prevent me not from Thy remembrance and praise in Thy days, and withhold me not from that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and Thy loved ones. O Lord! The poor one seeketh the ocean of Thy riches, and the sick one the sea of Thy healing. I beseech Thee by Thy sovereignty which hath subdued all things, and by Thy command which hath dominated all names, and by the breezes of Thy days, to assist me to be steadfast in Thy Cause and to arise to serve Thy loved ones. O Lord! Thou seest me turning unto Thee, clinging to the handle of Thy bounty, and holding fast to the hem of the robe of Thy grace. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me of what is with Thee, then ordain for me that which shall be a lamp before mine eyes in every world of Thy worlds. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Powerful.

Praise and gratitude be unto Him! They have attained unto that which hath no likeness or equal. All the people of S, meaning those who are holding fast to the firm cord of God, and likewise the companions of the Mosque of Bardi—each one hath attained unto the mention of God, glorified be His majesty. This lowly one beseecheth God, glorified be His majesty, that He may cause all to be enkindled with the fire of the Sacred Tree—an enkindlement that neither opposition, nor heedlessness, nor clamor, nor tumult can extinguish. This is the day of remembrance and praise, of steadfastness and faithfulness. The evanescence of the world is evident and manifest to everyone; therefore, let not those possessed of keen vision and hearing be deprived of the Sovereign of the Kingdom of immortality. Ever hath this most exalted Word been heard from the Supreme Pen—may our spirit and the spirit of all in the kingdom of command and creation be offered up for His sake—His blessed and exalted Word:

O people of God! This is the day of remembrance and praise, and this is the day of steadfastness and faithfulness, and this is the day wherein the treachery of eyes and that which the breasts conceal become manifest, and this is the day wherein that which was hidden and treasured in hearts and minds is revealed.

Such utterances have repeatedly been heard. They must appreciate the value of these days and occupy themselves with that which is befitting.

O God of Names and Creator of heaven! I beseech Thee by the name of Baha, and the light of Baha, and the manifestation of Baha, and the mystery of Baha, and the knowledge of Baha, and the mercy of Baha, and the bounty of Baha, and the generosity of Baha, and the grace of Baha, and the days of Baha, and the utterance of Baha, and the wisdom of Baha, to assist Thy loved ones and Thy chosen ones to make up for what hath escaped them in Thy days. O Lord! Thou art the Generous and Thou art the Merciful. Withhold not Thy chosen ones from turning unto the ocean of Thy knowledge, and distance them not from the court of Thy nearness and Thy presence. Thou art He Who hath testified to Thy generosity through all created things, and to Thy grace through all contingent beings. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Generous. And praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp is the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

BH04705: Praise and glory befit the friends of the Beloved…

Praise and glory befit the friends of the Beloved One, Who has deposited in every created thing a sign of His signs, which in one station is a balance, and in another a path, and has likewise been designated by the Most Beautiful Names. He is the Guide of the servants and the Leader of all in the lands. That sign is evident and manifest like the sun—whosoever finds their way to it attains to the recognition of the Sun of Truth. It is the lamp that is continually replenished from the oil of knowledge, for were this replenishment to cease, that light would be extinguished. Blessed are they who have not veiled it through the veils of self and desire, and who have not prevented its light. Thus does the Supreme Pen—may the spirit of all in the kingdoms of command and creation be sacrificed for it—declare, exalted be His utterance:

“The eyelid, delicate as it is, can deprive the physical eye from beholding the world and all that is therein.”

For veils and glories there are countless expressions. Whatsoever does not bear the fragrance of divine good-pleasure has been and ever will be a veil. Blessed are they who have preserved both their outer and inner vision from the veils of self and desire through the Name of the Lord of all mankind. These are the possessors of penetrating sight, attentive ears, illumined hearts, expanded breasts, and speaking tongues. These are the Hands of God’s Cause among His servants and the Dawning-places of His knowledge throughout all lands.

This evanescent servant, with utmost humility and supplication, beseeches the Self-Sufficient One that His servants may not remain deprived of the stream of mercy, the ocean of bounty, and the sun of knowledge and wisdom, and that all may aim for that station and find their dwelling and refuge beneath the Blessed Tree.

Glory be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp is the reins of destiny and in Whose right hand are the controls of decree and fulfillment! I beseech Thee by the breezes of the dawn of Thy Manifestation and the fragrances of Thy days, to assist Thy servants to be steadfast in Thy Cause, to turn to Thy countenance, and to direct themselves to Thy horizon. O Lord! Deny them not the outpourings of Thy Most Bountiful Name. I testify that this Day is Thy Day, and this Revelation is Thy Revelation, which was hidden in the eternity of eternities and concealed from eyes and sight. Thou hast manifested it for the life of the world and the salvation of the nations. O Lord! Make clear to them the path that they may hasten unto Thee and recognize what Thou hast desired for them through Thy bounty and bestowals. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Protecting, the All-Powerful.

And further: the letter of thine honoured personage was received, breathing forth the fragrance of the love of the Well-Beloved of all the worlds. A hundred thousand praises and glorifications befit the Lord of Names, Who hath guided thee and awakened thy soul. His confirmation hath been as a lamp set before thee, illuminating thy face and thy path; and His assistance as wings outspread, sustaining and upholding thee. Though true knowledge is with God—glorified be His Name—and no one hath any portion thereof save as He willeth (for He, verily, is aware of all things, seeth all things, encompasseth all things, and hath power over all things), yet are these servants, in outward semblance, bidden to obey, and charged to behold the traces of His handiwork. The signs of His love have been diffused through thine effects. The Most Exalted Truth, the Inaccessible, beareth witness and testifieth that a joy hath appeared such as pen and tongue are powerless to recount.

And when I had perused and become apprised of that which was written and mentioned therein, I, with the wings of yearning, set my face towards the radiant Presence, the Luminary of all horizons and the Lord of the Day of Meeting; and all, with faces turned wholly towards Him, were honoured by attaining unto the privilege of hearkening. This is that which hath been sent down in reply, as a manifestation of His grace, His loving-kindness, His bounty, and His manifold favours—His Word, blessed and exalted be He:

In the Name of Him Who has been wronged, the Stranger

O Yahya! The Wronged One makes mention of thee from the precincts of the Prison, and summons thee to the All-Highest Horizon, and acquaints thee with that which will guide thee to the manifest, straight Path of God, and give thee to drink of the Kawthar of life which hath flowed from the Pen of the loving-kindness of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Take hold of it with the hand of submission and acquiescence, then drink thereof in His Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

Say: O concourse of the earth! By God, the Day hath come, and the seal of the choice Wine hath been broken in His Name, the Self-Subsisting. Cast away what ye possess, turning unto God, the Lord of all worlds. Beware lest the doubts of the divines and the allusions of the doctors hold you back—they who disputed God’s verses after their revelation and turned away from this Announcement wherewith Muhammad, the Apostle of God, and before Him the Spirit, and before Him He Who conversed with God, gave glad-tidings.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Fear ye the All-Merciful, and weigh what hath been sent down from the Kingdom of proof against what ye possess. Then be fair, and be not of the wrongdoers. Beware lest the calumnies of the people or the utterances of every associating soul who hath turned away from God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy, hold you back.

O people of the Bayan! By God, the Primal Point took My Covenant before His own. This is attested by Him Who proclaimeth in every state that there is none other God but Me, the Single, the All-Informed. By God, the ocean of the Bayan hath surged in creation through this Name, whereby the hearts of those who have disbelieved in God, the Exalted, the Great, have been shaken. Say: Beware lest the dawning-places of idle fancies hold you back from the Dayspring of certitude. Cast aside the people and what they possess, turning unto this Horizon from which hath shone forth the Sun of the loving-kindness of your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

By God, the books of the world and whatsoever is with the nations shall profit you not except through this Book which proclaimeth at the midmost heart of creation that there is none other God but Me, the Speaker, the All-Knowing. Convey My greetings to thy father. Say: We counsel thee to justice and fairness in this Cause through which the horizons of knowledge and wisdom have been illumined and every perspicuous Book hath been sent down. The Wronged One summoneth thee for the sake of God and guideth thee unto His straight Path.

It is mentioned in the Persian tongue that perchance all may be enabled to inhale the sweet fragrances of divine verses and attain their purpose. O youth! If thou speakest with justice, thou wilt testify that this Wronged One hath acted for the sake of God alone, doing that which was befitting and worthy of His Day, and hath never sought to preserve Himself. From the inception of the Cause until now, He hath raised His call in the most exalted voice before the faces of princes, divines, kings and subjects, outwardly giving all the glad-tidings of the dawning splendors of the Sun of Truth and guiding them to the waves of the divine ocean of inner meanings. Blessed is the soul that hath attained the fragrance of the All-Merciful’s utterance and turned toward the horizon of proof….

BH00277: Praise and glory befit those who are nigh unto…

Section 1: “Praise and glory befit those who are nigh…”

In the name of He who is the Most Glorious and Most Mighty

Praise and glory befit those who are nigh unto God, who rejoice in the hope of nearness and who live by the promise of His presence. Their life-giving waters flow from the Supreme Pen, and their growth springs from the remembrance and praise of the Lord of Names. No tongue can adequately describe this station, and the pen itself confesses its impotence. This is the station of them that are nigh—how much more exalted then must be the station of Him through whose Word the near ones, the sincere ones, and the devoted ones exist, and through whose sweet savors they endure and are made manifest. Glorified be His greatness, exalted be His power, and sanctified be His sovereignty, His remembrance and His praise.

Since the realms of hearts and minds fall short and are powerless to know His Essence, Who is beyond all likeness, it behooveth us to make mention of the First Creation, the First Remembrance, the First Light, the First Manifestation, the First Appearance, the First Knowledge, the First Utterance, the First Dawning Point, the First Rising Place, the First Orient, and the First Source, and to adorn the preface of every book with His Name. For He standeth in the place of God and is the Manifestation of the Absolute Light, through Whom were revealed from the dust the mysteries of origin and return, and through Whom the Dove of Utterance warbled upon the branch of knowledge. Through Him the world was illumined with the light of unity and nations with the mention of detachment. Through Him the waters of life flowed throughout all contingent being, and the might of God encompassed all lands. Through Him every seeker turned to the Most Sublime Horizon and every tongue was loosened in praise of the Creator of Heaven.

He it was upon whom verses were sent down, at times in Yathrib and before that in Batha, at times in the air and again above the air, and at times at the distance of two bow-lengths or closer. Exalted be His most sublime station and His most resplendent glory. Upon Him be the blessings of God, the Lord of all things and the Sovereign of the hereafter and of this world, and upon His family and companions whom nothing whatsoever could deter and whom the might of men could not weaken. They drew their swords by the command of the Lord of creation and strove with utmost devotion. These are the suns in the heaven of knowledge and the stars in the horizons of certitude. Blessed is he who recognizeth them, attaineth unto their stations, beareth witness to that which their tongues have testified, circleth round their wishes, and holdeth fast to the cord of their favors. He is of those whom God hath described in His perspicuous, mighty and wondrous Book. And praise be to God, the Mighty, the Inaccessible.

And further, O beloved of my heart! Your letter has reached me and brought me glad tidings of your health, your remembrance, your praise, your devotion, and your humility and submissiveness before God, our Beloved and yours, your Goal and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and on earth. When I read and heard from the melodies of the birds of divine knowledge warbling upon the branches of proof, the attraction of your mention seized me through the fragrance of your turning to the Supreme Horizon—that station which is illumined by the lights of the countenance of our Lord and your Lord, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. I turned to the Ultimate Goal and faced the horizon which shone forth from the utterance of our Lord, Creator of heaven. When I attained presence, it was presented before His Face, and the Master—may our spirits be sacrificed for Him—said:

“O Ali! Your mention has been made before the Prisoner both before and since, and you are adorned with the glance of favor. Praise be to God, your remembrance is spread abroad and your devotion shines forth like the brilliant sun. Every fair-minded person has testified to that which has appeared from you for the sake of God in this blessed Day. Blessed are you, and joy be unto you! We beseech the True One, exalted be His glory, to inscribe with the Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Book that which is lasting and enduring. Verily, He is powerful over all things and worthy to answer. Remind My loved ones on My behalf who have acted according to what they were commanded in the Book of God, Lord of the worlds. We beseech God, exalted be He, to aid them with the hosts of the seen and the unseen, and to send down upon them from the heaven of His grace His blessing from His presence. He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. There is no God but He, the Most High, the Most Great.”

This lowly one submits that the letter of that true beloved arrived and achieved the honor of being heard and seen before His countenance, but at that time this servant had no opportunity to submit a response. And on this night, which is the tenth night of the honored month of Sha’ban, while sitting facing the Qiblih and occupied with the mention of the loved ones of God, He is witness and testifier that you have not been and are not absent, and by the testimony of the Master—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him—you are present and standing firm. This testimony is greater than what this servant has mentioned or could mention. Ever have I besought and continue to beseech from the Self-Sufficient, the Exalted One, both inner and outer nearness, that we may dwell in the shade of the Blessed Tree and speak in remembrance of the Desired One. We seek divine success and heavenly confirmation that we may attain to that which has been revealed in the Perspicuous Book by the will of the Lord of the worlds.

Glorified art Thou, O God of existence and King of the kingdom of eternity and of the most exalted heaven! I beseech Thee by Thy Prophets and Thy chosen ones who arose to assist Thy Cause and spoke before the faces of Thy servants with Thy remembrance and with that which Thou didst command them in Thy Books and Thy Scrolls, and by the sighs of those near to Thee in Thy love and the tears of the believers in their longing to meet Thee, to ordain for Thy loved ones Thy nearness in the precincts of Thy mercy at the pavilions of Thy grandeur. O Lord! Thou seest them gazing toward the horizon of Thy Cause, turning to the lights of Thy countenance, and holding fast to the Tree which has yielded the fruits of Thy knowledge and utterance. Send down upon them, O my God, at every moment that which befits the heaven of Thy bounty and the ocean of Thy bestowal. Verily, Thou art the All-Informed, Whom nothing can frustrate and no affair can veil. Thou knowest the treachery of eyes and what the breasts conceal. Thou art the Lord of the Manifestation and the Caller from the Mount. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the Ancient of Days.

Concerning what they wrote about Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Ali-Akbar, upon him be God’s peace, truly the fragrance of love wafts from him. However, according to the command, that beloved one must observe wisdom and act according to its requirements. Repeatedly has this blessed word flowed from the Tongue of Utterance. Surely that beloved one and other chosen ones are holding fast to that which God has willed. This evanescent one conveys greetings to them and counsels as befits. He said write:

“O Ali! You are mentioned in the Book among the most exalted ones. You must act according to what you deem wise. In all conditions we beseech confirmation and success for you. Verily, He is the Confirmer, the All-Wise.”

And concerning the mention made of Jinab-i-Haji Baqir and his son Muhammad-Aqa, it was submitted. He said:

“We beseech God to confirm them in steadfastness in His love and to send down upon them from the heaven of His grace a blessing from His presence. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. O Ali! Upon you be My peace and My glory. Today you must hold fast to that which draws souls near. You must remind all of this matter, that they may attain to that which is the cause and means of the exaltation and unity of the servants.”

This evanescent servant beseeches the King of existence and the Educator of the seen and unseen to make steadfast these wondrous new souls and not deprive them from the ocean of His grace and bounty.

Concerning the mention made of the honored beloved H and S, upon him be God’s peace and care, and their being set ablaze with the fire of love—praise and gratitude be to God, and to Him be glory and favor. His grace seized them and His favor encompassed them. They saw and heard and drank. The servant asks his Lord and your Lord and the Lord of all in the heavens and earth to confirm him, to assist him, and to make him among those who aid His Cause and those who celebrate His praise. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Supreme, the Almighty.

Likewise mention was made of Jinab-i-Haji A.B., upon him be God’s peace and grace. After these exalted words were submitted, praise be to God, the receptive ones attained and drank from the Kawthar of mystic knowledge of the Beloved of all creation. We beseech God to guard the cities and strongholds of the people of unity with the hosts of the unseen, that they may be protected from the artillery of the ungodly, and to illuminate the cities of the hearts of His loved ones with the effulgent lights of the Sun of Truth. He is the Generous and He is the Powerful. His mention was made in the presence of the Wronged One and he attained to grace. Blessed is he and joy be unto him.

Section 2: “And likewise, after mention of Jinab-i-Anis, upon him…”

And likewise, after mention of Jinab-i-Anis, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah], this blessed word was revealed:

“O Anis! Upon you be My peace. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, at all times, that He may confirm you in that which is His good-pleasure. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. Be not grieved. We beseech Him to send down upon you a blessing from His presence and to ordain for you what will profit you in every world of His worlds. Verily, He is the Supreme over what He willeth and the Powerful over what He desireth.”

And after mentioning the name of Haji Muhammad-Baqir, upon him be God’s peace, this utterance hath issued forth from the Dawning-Place of knowledge: The world hath been saddened by the clamor of the idolaters and the tumult of the aggressors. The hosts of idolatry have encompassed the people of unity. All that hath come to pass hath been the recompense of deeds, as ye have witnessed. They have forsaken all matters and turned against these wronged ones, bringing about that which caused the rock to cry out and the clouds to lament. Now, that which shall ensure the salvation of the people is their return unto God, exalted be His glory, and complete repentance. There is no other path than this, no other way than this. Beseech ye God to strengthen all and to reveal the cause and means of deliverance. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Thank thy Lord, then remember Him at all times. Verily, He is with thee, hearing and seeing, and He is the Witness, the All-Hearing.

And after mentioning the name of Muhammad-Qabl, upon him be God’s peace, these pearls have shone forth from the ocean of knowledge and wisdom: Today all must aid the Truth, but through the hosts of goodly deeds and virtuous character. These hosts are reckoned as the hosts of God, and the hosts of God shall triumph. Blessed is the soul that hath inhaled the sweet savors of utterance and hath acted in accordance with that which is befitting. Praise God, thy Lord, and say:

My God, my God! I beseech Thee to make me one of Thy devoted servants who are firm in Thy Cause, and to protect me from the evil of the aggressors and the idolaters who have violated Thy Covenant and have risen to extinguish Thy light. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

And after mentioning Ali-Qabl-R, these stars have dawned and appeared from the horizons of the heaven of utterance: This Wronged One, in the Most Great Prison, hath remembered and continueth to remember the friends of God, exalted be His glory, and counseleth all to that which will exalt the Word of Unity. The idolaters are manifest today with utmost power, might, and dominion, yet these powers are as nothing and non-existent before the Dawning-Place of Authority. O people of unity! Cling ye to the hem of divine favor and strive to make amends for whatsoever ye have neglected in the ranks of servitude. Perchance the signs of God’s grace may become manifest and His overwhelming power may restrain the transgressing idolatrous souls. By the Luminary of certitude that shineth from the horizon of the heaven of proof! Should the believers return and hold fast to the firm and mighty cord, the world would be illumined and brightened by the light of the blessed word “There is no God but Him.” The believers shall be directed to the Most Great Prospect, while the idolaters shall find their abode in the fire. He is the Almighty over what He willeth, and He is the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting.

And He said: O Javad! One of the Most Exalted Names hath mentioned thee, and this mention hath proceeded from sincere love. Love layeth waste cities and buildeth countless towns and dwellings. The world is set ablaze by its fire and illumined by its light. With a single manifestation it overturneth the world, and with a single revelation it scattereth the peoples. Power is His power, and might is His might, and this ability hath been bestowed upon him by God. Blessed is the soul that hath been adorned with the ornament of love. But the love that is well-pleasing and remembered in the presence of God—we beseech Him to grant His friends that which beseemeth His bounty and generosity. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, verily, He is the All-Merciful, verily, He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Muhammad Qabil-i-Ha and Sin! Seek confirmation from the Truth, that He may assist thee to make mention and offer praise and render service to His loved ones. Thy mention was made in the presence of the Wronged One. We beseech God to aid thee to achieve that which manifesteth His loving-kindness. The Sun of His generosity hath ever been resplendent and the Ocean of His bounty ever-surging. Every sincere one hath attained and every truthful one hath reached his goal. We beseech Him to illumine the horizons with the light of unity, that all may abide beneath the shade of the Tree of Hope and act in accordance with that which hath been enjoined in the Book. His grace hath ever been manifest and His loving-kindness evident. Strive ye, that perchance ye may be enabled to perform such deeds whose radiance shall endure eternally in the heaven of actions. He, verily, is powerful over all things. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

Thou didst also make mention of Aqa Muhammad-Rida and Haji Hasan, upon them be the peace of God. After this was presented before the Most Exalted One, the Lord—may our souls be offered up for His sake—spoke thus: O Muhammad-Rida! We have heard thy name and make mention of thee with that which will draw thee nigh unto God, the Lord of the worlds. In this day the loved ones of God, glorified be His majesty, must turn with radiant faces and illumined hearts toward the Most Exalted Horizon, and with utmost humility and supplication beseech the Self-Sufficing Lord for deliverance, that perchance the people of unity may be preserved from the evil of the oppressors. Praise be to the Ancient Lord Who assisted thee and enabled thee to attain unto the blessed Word of Unity. By the life of God! If a soul should, with clear certitude, but once make mention of the blessed word “There is none other God but Him,” this is greater in the sight of God than the world and all that is therein.

O Hasan! I bear witness unto that which God did testify before the creation of the heavens and earth: that there is none other God but Him. He hath ever been sanctified above all peers and exalted above all comparison. He is the One to Whose singleness all created things testify and to Whose oneness all contingent beings bear witness. Blessed is the soul that hath acknowledged His unity and recognized that which hath flowed from the Pen of God, the Most High, in His perspicuous Book. We beseech God to open unto the hearts of His loved ones the gates of His bounty. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

O Ali! Upon thee be the peace of God, His loving-kindness and His mercy. The Wronged One desireth to make mention at the end of this epistle of him who is named Abbas, who hath acknowledged the Unity of God and recognized that which hath been sent down from the Kingdom of God, the Lord of the worlds. O Abbas! The Wronged One counseleth thee with that whereby the Cause of God, thy Lord, may be exalted, and He beseecheth Him, exalted be He, to assist thee and confirm thee in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to grant thee every good thing ordained for His loved ones. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

Say: My God, my God! I beseech Thee by Him Whom Thou hast made the Dawning-Place of Thy commandments and through Whom Thou hast manifested that which was hidden in Thy knowledge and through Whom the breezes of revelation were wafted and Prophethood and Messengership were sealed, to make me to hold fast unto wisdom and utterance and to cling to that which hath been sent down in Thy mighty Book. O Lord! Assist me to serve Thy Cause and Thy loved ones and to make mention of Thy beauteous Name. There is none other God but Thee, the Omnipotent, the Supreme, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

Such bounty hath been vouchsafed that every letter among letters doth proclaim “The Sun of Divine Favor hath dawned!” Would that there were tongues to the number of all created atoms, that from time without beginning unto time without end we might render praise for but a single letter of His Book. Yet even then would we surely find ourselves abashed and humbled. Who is able to praise Him as He deserveth to be praised, and who can make mention of Him as He should be mentioned? Every possessor of knowledge hath confessed his powerlessness, and every one endued with insight hath acknowledged his shortcoming. He testifieth that there is no God but Him, in recognition of His oneness, His grandeur and His sovereignty, and in acknowledgment of that which He hath revealed in His Book, the Impregnable, the Mighty. All praise be unto Him, for He is the Lord of all worlds.

Praise be to God that that Beloved One hath repeatedly been remembered, and this evanescent servant offereth greetings and praise in service to each of His loved ones, and seeketh for all divine confirmation and assistance. Every morn beareth witness and every eve is knowing and aware. At all times hath this servant beseeched from the ocean of God’s bounty, for His loved ones, that which in all His worlds would be their companion and intimate friend. In His grace have I been, and am, confident. Verily He is powerful over all things and worthy to answer prayer.

Peace and praise be upon you all, upon those with you, and upon God’s sincere servants. And all praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH03482: Praise, sanctified from the mentions of the world, befits…

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

Praise, sanctified from the mentions of the world, befits and is worthy of the Ancient Lord who through His will brought creation into being and through His utterance made manifest and established the order of the world and the tranquility of nations. And blessings and peace be upon His Prophets and Messengers, and upon their Master and Lord, Muhammad—may God’s blessings be upon him and his family and companions through whom was manifested God’s Revelation and Power and through whom was exalted God’s Word and Sovereignty. May my spirit be a sacrifice for your honor.

Your esteemed letter brought new glad tidings to the spirit and fresh collyrium to the eyes, as it conveyed news of your health and well-being. We praise God for this with praise sanctified beyond the limitations of contingent beings and elevated above the geometry of those in all lands.

Regarding what was written about Aqa Siyyid Nasru’llah, upon him be God’s peace, and the envelope addressed to him—as commanded, they should act in consultation however they deem advisable. Mention was made of the spiritual friend Aqa Mirza Husayn, upon him be God’s peace, favors and bounties. Praise be to God, he too attained mention from his Lord, as the letter was presented before His presence. He said:

“God willing, divine confirmations and merciful outpourings shall encompass him and the hand of divine power shall assist him. Verily He has power over all things.”

End quote. This servant also conveys greetings and praise to him and beseeches from God that which leads to the elevation of station. Similarly I send greetings to Qurratu’l-ʿAyn Husayn Effendi, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s peace. God willing, may he ever dwell in perfect health under the shadow of God’s Name. Peace, praise and glory be upon your honor and upon those with you and those who love you for the sake of God your Lord.

Another submission: Two arrival notices were sent regarding the matter of the ten liras that Aqa Mirza Husayn, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s peace, intended to send to Istanbul—they should give them to Aqa Faraj and deliver the other ten liras when possible. God willing, after Nazareth.

The petitions that were submitted to your honor were sent. As commanded, they should write a response.

The servant 23rd of the month of Sha’ban al-Mu’azzam 1303

BH00912: Praise befits and is worthy of that Intended One…

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

Praise befits and is worthy of that Intended One Who has placed in the letters of His loved ones the effect of the Water of Life, for it quenches thirst and removes weariness. The hand is His hand and the power is His power, glorified be the Creator! And blessings and peace be upon the Leader of all who are on earth, their Sovereign, their Educator, their Teacher and their Guide, and upon His family and companions who conquered the lands in the name of their Lord, the Master of creation.

And then, may my spirit be a sacrifice for your honor! The letter from your honor along with the accompanying correspondence arrived and attained the honor of being heard by the Master. He said: “O My Name! Upon thee be My peace and loving-kindness.” Whatever was sent, this servant present made mention of it. The letter of H and S ibn-i-Qubad (upon him be my glory) which he sent to this servant present was read before His countenance. Verily We heard his call and answered him. We found from his words the fragrance of his love and steadfastness. Blessed are those souls whom the ephemeral affairs of these two days have not deprived of the breezes of revelation nor prevented from the horizon of light.

Likewise was seen the letter of Siyyid Farajullah (upon him be my glory) which he sent to that honored one. Praise be to God, they have drunk from the cup of faithfulness. This is from God’s grace upon him. Also the letter of Aqa Muhammad Hashim attained the honor of being heard. We beseech God, exalted be He, to inscribe with His Most Exalted Pen for those whose names were present before the Wronged One in the Most Great Prison that which will draw them near unto Him in all His worlds, and to ordain for them what He has ordained for His loved ones and chosen ones, and to assist them with the hosts of the unseen and the visible.

Verily He is the All-Powerful, the Omnipotent, the Almighty. A hundred thousand blessings upon those souls who were not deprived by the ephemeral causes of the world from the eternal Kingdom of God. These are the people of the highest Paradise and the companions of the Crimson Ark.

O My Name! The petition of Haji Ahmad, upon him be My glory, has reached the Most Holy Court. We have heard his remembrance, his praise and his call in the love of God, his Lord and the Lord of the worlds and the Ancient King. We make mention of him and beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to strengthen him to remain steadfast in His firm and mighty Cause. We have seen what one of the aforementioned Sayyids sent, who was named Ali-Naqi. We have previously made mention of him in such wise that the sincere ones would perceive from it the fragrance of his turning to God and his steadfastness in His Cause. We beseech the Exalted One to ordain for him that which befitteth His generosity and favors. Verily, He is the Compassionate, the Generous.

Convey greetings from this Wronged One to the friends of God. Today, every soul that hath turned unto Him, his light is manifest before the Throne and his cause is evident. That which is necessary today is steadfastness in the Cause. The barking ones, in accordance with what hath previously flowed from the Supreme Pen, are striving with utmost hypocrisy to lead astray the people of the Covenant. By the life of God! They are in manifest error, wandering blindly in the wilderness of perdition. Their light and understanding have been taken from them in recompense for their deeds. Verily thy Lord is the Executor, the All-Wise.

Two days ago We observed the letter of Ali-Akbar, who hath emigrated and attained, which he sent to thee. They have mentioned a good deed. Blessed is he who remembereth and blessed is he who acteth. Out of grace and for the promulgation of such deeds as are acceptable in the sight of God, two Tablets were sent—one specifically for him who remembered and the other for him who acted. Would that all souls who are firm in the Truth and detached from aught else would hold fast to such lofty and goodly deeds. By the life of God! These deeds are and have ever been the hosts of Truth, and through these hosts the cities of hearts have been and will be conquered. We beseech the Exalted One to aid His loved ones, protect them from the evil of His enemies, and draw them nigh unto Him. Verily, He hath power over all things.

Those two Tablets were sent; let them be forwarded. Likewise, the letter of Muhammad-Hasan, upon him be My glory, arrived. We read it and make mention of him. We beseech the Exalted One to strengthen him and assist him in that which He loveth and is pleased with. The letter was adorned with the handwriting of him who loveth God and His loved ones, namely Rida, upon him be the glory of God and His mercy. Likewise with the mention of Husayn ibn Hasan from H.R., upon them both be My glory and My loving-kindness. Verily he traversed land and sea until he attained the presence and heard the call of the Wronged One. We have mentioned him and make mention of him, and We beseech God to manifest through him that which shall endure throughout the dominion of the kingdom and the realm. Praise be to God, the Transformer of hearts.

The letter concluded with mention of Muhammad ibn Marfu’, Shaykh Abu-Turab, who attained the presence and drank the wine of reunion from the hands of bounty. We beseech the True One to make him a true heir—heir to wisdom and knowledge, faith and certitude, and steadfastness. We beseech God, exalted be He, to strengthen him through His sovereignty and to ordain for him the best of what lieth in His worlds. Verily, He hath power over all things. The End.

Praise be to God! All letters sent to your eminence attained the honor of being heard, and each was blessed with sublime and exalted favor. According to your eminence’s command, they should send forth and dispatch the replies to the letters, and in each express that which causes hearts to be enkindled with the fire of the love of God. And regarding the mention of his honor AF, his holiness M.H., may the Most Glorious Glory of God rest upon him, which was in your eminence’s writing, after submission, the Lord, may our souls be sacrificed for Him, said: “O Mihdi, upon thee be My peace and My favor.” His honor Afnan, may the Glory of the All-Merciful rest upon him, is ever present before His countenance, and the effulgent lights of the Sun of bounty have been and are directed towards him. By the life of God! He is indeed beneath an extended shade, an upraised pavilion, and an elevated tree. Praise be to God, he has been and is confirmed, and we beseech from the Truth that His confirmation be his companion, His success his friend, His grace his intimate, and His favor his associate. Beseech from the Truth that He ordain his nearness, that is, in outward appearance. End.

Last week, His honor AF also sent this servant a writing, and while engaged in preparing a response, news arrived that His honor was intending to proceed to the Holy Place by way of Sidon. Therefore, the submission of the reply was left pending. I beseech and hope from the Truth, exalted be His Glory, that He may confirm and assist him in all matters.

And regarding the mention of departure, God willing, may they set forth on Saturday in perfect health and well-being, and return. And peace and praise be upon your eminence and upon those who are with you and who love you for the sake of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

BH11764: In My Name, the One manifest from My most…

In My Name, the One manifest from My most exalted horizon!

O ʿAli-Akbar! He Who is the Lord of Destiny makes mention of thee from His Most Great Prison and gives thee glad tidings of His grace and bounty. Verily, He is the All-Merciful, the All-Bountiful. Several letters from thee were received and each attained the honor of being heard in the Most Holy Court. Blessed art thou, for the fragrance of the love of God was wafting from every letter. Thou didst make mention of the deed of Qasim—upon him be the Glory of God. Such deeds are acceptable in the sight of God. We testify that his endeavor is appreciated and his deed meritorious. Solely for the sake of propagation, there hath been revealed from the Supreme Pen that which shall encourage those who have turned to God and are unified in His Cause. We beseech God to assist all to perform such deeds as will cause the exaltation of the Word of God.

O ʿAli-Akbar! A single deed performed for God’s sake may give life to many, and remembrance in the path of God is the water of life for the bodies of the chosen ones of God—that is, those souls who are firmly attached to Him and are detached and free from all else. We convey Our greetings to all and bid them to that which conduces to the elevation and enhancement of the Cause of God and human dignity. Blessed is he who was not prevented by the clamor of the deniers and the uproar of the opposers.

Give thanks unto God, thy Lord. Verily, He hath made mention of thee time and again, and hath revealed for thee that which giveth thee glad tidings of the ocean of His generosity, the heaven of His grace, and the sun of His bounty. Verily, He is powerful over all things. The promised luminous Tablets were previously sent. God willing, all shall attain unto them and drink from the ocean of their meanings. The Glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon those with thee, and upon them whom the opposition of the people hath not prevented from turning towards the horizon of God, the Luminous.

BH11768: In My Name that overshadoweth all names

In My Name that overshadoweth all names

O Qasim! Jinab-i-ʿAli-Akbar has made mention of your love, compassion and forgiveness. Since this deed is acceptable in the sight of God, the Most Exalted Pen has desired its promulgation, and this Tablet hath been sent down from the heaven of God’s Will that all may read it and cleave unto goodly deeds and praiseworthy conduct. Today, whatsoever deed is manifested from those who are nigh and the believers for the sake of God is effective and influential in the world. Blessed is the soul who, detached from all else, ariseth to do that which God loveth. The fragrance of a good deed hath never ceased, nor shall it ever cease.

We convey Our greetings to the friends in that land—that is, to those souls who are detached from all save God and who are gazing toward the Most Exalted Horizon. We counsel all to observe chastity, trustworthiness, faithfulness, mercy, compassion, generosity, and likewise wisdom. We beseech God, exalted be He, to ordain for thee through His Most Exalted Pen that which He hath destined for His chosen ones. Verily, He is the Lord of creation and the Lord of the throne on high and of the dust beneath.

At the end of this Tablet, We counsel all to aid the Cause of God through wisdom and utterance. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Help in Peril. Glory be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto deeds in accordance with what God hath revealed in His perspicuous Book. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to ordain for thee the reward of attaining His presence, of standing before His gate, and of mentioning and praising Him amongst His servants. Verily, He is powerful over all things.