Volume 084: Akka 1305 A.H. (1887–1888), Part I (1 of 5)

BH02578: Praise be to God Who established the decree…

He is God, exalted be His glory, the Grandeur and Power

Praise be to God Who established the decree of Divine Unity through the words “There is no god but God”—words uttered by the Dawning Place of His verses and the Dayspring of His commands, through whom the ocean of knowledge surged in the world and the fragrance of the Revelation wafted among the peoples. And upon His family and companions, through whom appeared the Straight Path and God’s firm and impregnable Command, and through whom were manifested God’s power and sovereignty and God’s might and dominion.

And then, O beloved of my heart, the servant has been blessed with your letter, each letter of which gave me glad tidings of the remembrance and praise of God and of your steadfastness in the word of Divine Unity that caused the limbs of the ungodly to tremble. The servant beseeches his Lord by His most beautiful names and supreme attributes to protect the believers from the evil of every remote oppressor and every sinful transgressor. When I read and understood it, I approached the Presence and presented it before His countenance. He—may our spirits be sacrificed for Him—said:

“Praise be to God Who guided you and caused you to recognize. We have heard your mention and your call and have answered you. We beseech God, exalted be He, to make you so steadfast in His Cause that you accept no mention, name or command but His, and to raise you to such a station that you hear the remembrance from your very hairs and limbs. He is the Powerful, the Mighty.”

Praise be to God, you have been and continue to be blessed with the Master’s loving-kindness and with mercy, grace, goodness and blessing from Him. We praise Him for this and thank Him for His bounty and generosity, for He is the All-Bountiful in the beginning and the end.

As for what your honor mentioned regarding the Physician and the imprisoned brother—upon them be God’s peace—and those below them, this servant, as commanded, wrote to the Physician about that. However, a letter arrived from him complaining about the inheritors and others. Today, as commanded, I wrote to him what would support him in what was ordained in the Book.

The servant remembers God’s loved ones there and sends greetings to them, beseeching God, blessed and exalted be He, to grant them success and confirmation and bestow upon them the good of this world and the next, and to send down upon them the table of grace and loving-kindness. Verily, He has power over all things.

Peace, praise and glory be upon your honor and upon those with you and those who love you and upon God’s righteous servants. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

The servant 10th of Muharram al-Haram 1305

BH00827: Lawh-i-Haft Pursish (Tablet of the Seven Questions)

In the name of the Lord of Utterance, the All-Wise

All praise be to the sanctified Lord Who hath illumined the world through the splendours of the Daystar of His grace. From the letter “B” He hath made the Most Great Ocean to appear, and from the letter “H” He hath caused His inmost Essence to be made manifest. He is that Almighty One Whose purpose the might of men can never hope to frustrate and the flow of Whose utterance the hosts of kings are powerless to halt.

Thy letter was received, and We perused it and heard thy call. Within it were enshrined the precious pearls of love and the hidden mysteries of affection. We beseech the peerless Lord to enable thee to assist His Cause and to lead those who are sore athirst in the wilderness of ignorance to the water of life. His might, in truth, is equal to all things. That which thou didst ask of the Ocean of Knowledge and the Orb of Insight hath met with His acceptance.

The first question:

“In what tongue and towards what direction doth it behove us to worship the one true God?”

The beginning of all utterance is the worship of God, and this followeth upon His recognition. Sanctified must be the eye if it is to truly recognize Him, and sanctified must be the tongue if it is to befittingly utter His praise. In this day the faces of the people of insight and understanding are turned in His direction; nay every direction inclineth itself towards Him. O lion-hearted one! We beseech God that thou mayest become a champion in this arena, arise with heavenly power and say:

“O high priests! Ears have been given you that they may hearken unto the mystery of Him Who is the Self-Dependent, and eyes that they may behold Him. Wherefore flee ye? The Incomparable Friend is manifest. He speaketh that wherein lieth salvation. Were ye, O high priests, to discover the perfume of the rose garden of understanding, ye would seek none other but Him, and would recognize, in His new vesture, the All-Wise and Peerless One, and would turn your eyes from the world and all who seek it, and would arise to help Him.”

The second question concerneth faith and religion. The Faith of God hath in this day been made manifest. He Who is the Lord of the world is come and hath shown the way. His faith is the faith of benevolence and His religion is the religion of forbearance. This faith bestoweth eternal life and this religion enableth mankind to dispense with all else. It verily embraceth all faiths and all religions. Take hold thereof and guard it well.

The third question:

“In what manner shall we deal with the people of this age, who have each chosen to follow a different religion and who each regard their own faith and religion as excelling and surpassing all the others, that we may be shielded from the onslaught of their words and deeds?”

O lion-hearted one amongst men! Regard the afflictions endured in the path of God as comfort itself. Every affliction suffered for His sake is a potent remedy, every bitterness is naught but sweetness and every abasement an exaltation. Were men to apprehend and acknowledge this truth, they would readily lay down their lives for such affliction. For it is the key to inestimable treasures, and no matter how outwardly abhorrent, it hath ever been and will continue to be inwardly prized. We accept and affirm what thou hast said, for the people of the world are indeed bereft of the light of the Orb of justice and regard it as their enemy.

If thou desirest to be freed from affliction, recite thou this prayer which hath been revealed by the Pen of the All-Merciful:

“O God, my God! I testify to Thy unity and to Thy oneness. I beseech Thee, O Thou Possessor of names and Fashioner of the heavens, by the pervasive influence of Thine exalted Word and the potency of Thy supreme Pen, to aid me with the ensigns of Thy power and might, and to protect me from the mischief of Thine enemies who have violated Thy Covenant and Thy Testament. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Most Powerful.”

This invocation is an impregnable stronghold and an indomitable army. It conferreth protection and ensureth deliverance.

The fourth question:

“Our Books have announced that Shah Bahram will come, invested with manifold signs, to guide the people aright…”

O friend! Whatsoever hath been announced in the Books hath been revealed and made clear. From every direction the signs have been manifested. The Omnipotent One is calling, in this day, and announcing the appearance of the Supreme Heaven. The world hath been illumined with the splendours of His revelation, yet how few are the eyes that can behold it! Beseech the peerless and incomparable Lord to bestow a penetrating insight upon His servants, for insight leadeth to true knowledge and is conducive to salvation. Indeed, the attainments of man’s understanding are dependent upon his keenness of sight. Were the children of men to gaze with the eye of understanding, they would see the world illumined with a new light in this day. Say: The Daystar of knowledge is manifest and the Luminary of insight hath appeared. Fortunate indeed is the one who hath attained, who hath witnessed, and who hath recognized.

The fifth question concerneth the Bridge of Sirat, Paradise, and Hell. The Prophets of God have come in truth and have spoken the truth. Whatsoever the Messenger of God hath announced hath been and will be made manifest. The world is established upon the foundations of reward and punishment. Knowledge and understanding have ever affirmed and will continue to affirm the reality of Paradise and Hell, for reward and punishment require their existence. Paradise signifieth first and foremost the good-pleasure of God. Whosoever attaineth His good-pleasure is reckoned and recorded among the inhabitants of the most exalted paradise and will attain, after the ascension of his soul, that which pen and ink are powerless to describe. For them that are endued with insight and have fixed their gaze upon the Most Sublime Vision, the Bridge, the Balance, Paradise, Hellfire, and all that hath been mentioned and recorded in the Sacred Scriptures are clear and manifest.

At the time of the appearance and manifestation of the rays of the Daystar of Truth, all occupy the same station. God then proclaimeth that which He willeth, and whoso heareth His call and acknowledgeth His truth is accounted among the inhabitants of Paradise. Such a soul hath traversed the Bridge, the Balance, and all that hath been recorded regarding the Day of Resurrection, and hath reached his destination. The Day of God’s Revelation is the Day of the most great Resurrection. We cherish the hope that, quaffing from the choice wine of divine inspiration and the pure waters of heavenly grace, thou mayest attain the station of discovery and witnessing, and behold, both outwardly and inwardly, all that which thou hast mentioned.

The sixth question:

“After relinquishing the body, that is to say, after the soul hath been separated from the body, it hasteneth to the abode hereafter…”

In reference to this theme there appeared some time past from the Pen of divine knowledge that which sufficeth the men of insight and imparteth the greatest joy to the people of understanding. Verily, We say: The soul is gladdened by goodly deeds and profiteth from the contributions made in the path of God.

The seventh question regardeth the name, lineage, and ancestry of the Holy One. Abul-Fadl-i-Gulpaygani, upon him be My glory, hath written in this regard, based on the Sacred Scriptures, that which bestoweth knowledge and increaseth understanding.

The Faith of God is endowed with penetrating might and power. Erelong that which hath flowed from Our tongue will outwardly come to pass. We beseech God to bestow upon thee the strength to assist Him. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful. Wert thou to obtain and peruse the Suriy-i-Rais and the Suriy-i-Muluk, thou wouldst find thyself able to dispense with thy questions and wouldst arise to serve the Cause of God in such wise that the oppression of the world and the onslaught of its peoples would fail to deter thee from aiding Him Who is the ancient and sovereign Lord of all.

We implore God to confirm thee in that which will exalt and immortalize thy name. Make thou an effort, that haply thou mayest obtain the aforementioned Tablets and acquire therefrom a share of the pearls of wisdom and utterance that have issued from the treasury of the Pen of the All-Merciful. The glory of God rest upon thee, upon every steadfast and unwavering heart and upon every constant and faithful soul.

BH00835: Praise be sanctified above the comprehension of minds, befitting…

In His Name, the Manifest One, Who speaketh in the Kingdom of Utterance

Praise be sanctified above the comprehension of minds, befitting the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court of the Beloved One, Who, through a single exalted Word, shining forth from the dayspring of the heaven of the Mother Book, caused the ocean of utterance to appear and its waves to surge forth, raised high the heaven of knowledge and adorned it with suns and moons.

Through it was the earth cleft asunder, the heaven of idle fancies rent apart, the pillars of idolatry shaken, the forces of tyranny brought to lamentation, and all the tribes of the earth seized with trembling—save those rescued by the hand of God’s bounty, the Lord of all worlds. Blessed is the soul that hath attained to hearing it and hath clung fast thereunto. Such a one is recorded by God among the gems of existence and inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen.

O Ahmad! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. Thy numerous letters were received, and the servant in attendance before the Face presented them, attaining the honor of their being heard. From every word was diffused the fragrance of steadfastness, devotion, arising to serve, orientation toward God, and detachment.

We praise God for His grace, His loving-kindness, and His favors in having aided you, drawn you nigh, and sent down for you that which calleth out in the realms of knowledge and wisdom, and for your humility and submissiveness to the Cause of God, the Lord of Lords.

O Ahmad! Hear once again the call from the Most Exalted Horizon: Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Single, the All-Informed. Say: O people of the Bayan! Fear ye the All-Merciful and follow not the desires of those who have denied the Day of Judgment. Whoso objecteth to this Cause hath indeed objected to God, the Lord of the worlds.

Say: Cast aside what the people possess and hasten to the good-pleasure of God. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken in a station wherein naught is seen save the lights of the Countenance and naught is heard save the verses of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

Thou didst hear the Call when it was raised from the Prison of ʿAkka, and thou didst behold the Most Exalted Horizon while the people were in manifest delusion. Blessed art thou for having acknowledged that which flowed from the Most Exalted Pen while the Wronged One was in this mighty stronghold.

Say: O peoples of the earth! The Lord of Heaven hath come from the Most Exalted Horizon with the hosts of revelation and inspiration. Fear ye God and follow not every deluded remote one—those who are moved by the tempests of idle fancies as they please. Verily, they are among the oppressors in the Book of God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne.

We have mentioned thee before with a mention by which the hearts of the sincere were attracted, and We have revealed for thee that which consoled the eyes of them that are nigh, and We have manifested for thee from the treasuries of My Most Exalted Pen the pearls of wisdom and utterance.

Be thankful and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the world, and glory be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the mystics.

We have lit for thee the lamp of divine knowledge in the niche of utterance and have preserved it with the glass of wisdom. Verily, thy Lord doeth what He pleaseth and ordaineth what He willeth.

Say: O concourse of the Furqan! Behold ye, then call to mind that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in this momentous announcement. Be fair in the name of God and follow not your ignorant divines who have violated God’s covenant and His testament when there came unto them the Kingdom of divine utterance from the presence of One mighty and powerful.

O people of the Bayan! Hearken unto that which My Herald hath spoken, and oppose not Him Who hath come unto you from the Dayspring of the Cause with a wondrous command.

O people of the Gospel! Read that which God hath revealed unto the Spirit, and be not of the wrongdoers. I am verily the Station unto which the Spirit ascended, were ye of them that comprehend. I am the Book from which all the Books of God have been expounded, were ye of the fair-minded.

That which was never manifest before hath now been made manifest—to this beareth witness the Tongue of Grandeur from this exalted Station. Purify your hearts from the dust of idle fancies, then aid Him through deeds from which every possessor of perception will inhale the fragrance of sanctity and the sweet savour of sincerity unto God, the Peerless, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Remind My loved ones there and gladden them with My tender mercy which hath preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth.

Say: O people of Baha! Beware lest ye be hindered by the cawing of every remote croaker. Soon will there come unto you one who speaketh according to his desires—he is assuredly of the calumniators in the Book of God, the Lord of the exalted Throne. Believe not in one who cometh unto you with that which causeth affairs to differ.

Say: Fear God, O people, and be not of the ignorant ones. Take ye the chalice of steadfastness in My Name, then drink from it in remembrance of Me, the All-Wise.

Say: Turn with illumined hearts unto the Most Sublime Horizon, detached from those who speak that which God hath not permitted them. Thus doth the Divine Lote-Tree instruct you, and the Tongue of God counselleth you in this Tablet from whose horizon hath shone the sun of loving-kindness and grace from One compassionate and generous.

When the wine of thy Lord’s utterance hath intoxicated thee and the Kawthar of divine knowledge hath attracted thee, say:

I beseech Thee, O my Lord, the Gracious, by Thy Command that dominateth all things possible, and by the splendours of the lights of the Sun of Thy manifestation, and by the pearls of the ocean of Thy unity, to make me speak in remembrance of Thee and hold fast to Thy cord in such wise that neither the Pharaohs of the lands nor the oppressors among the servants shall hinder me.

Then cause to appear from this servant of Thine, O my God, that which shall endure as long as Thy celestial dominion and Thy realm of might endureth.

O Lord! I am he who hath cast away idle fancies, hastening unto the lights of Thy countenance, and hath abandoned vain imaginings, running unto the court of Thy glory.

I beseech Thee by the lamp of Thy Cause and by that which was hidden in Thy knowledge to aid me in that which Thou lovest and approvest, and ordain for me the good of this world and the world to come. Verily, Thou art powerful over what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

Hear in the Persian tongue:

Praise be to God, thou hast been favored with His special grace and art mentioned and remembered before the Wronged One.

Convey to all thy kindred the greetings of the Wronged One and give them the glad tidings of the waves of God’s ocean of grace and bounty. Likewise to the friends in that land, that all may drink from the Kawthar of the utterance of Him Who is the Goal of all the worlds and be illumined with the light of steadfastness.

Unceasingly hath this word flowed from the Pen of the Ancient of Days in the Tablets: Verily the Cause is mighty, mighty, and this Day mighty, mighty. The eyes of the loved ones must be fixed upon the Supreme Horizon, and their ears attuned to the call of the Lord of Names.

Countless deluded souls are to be seen. In brief, should anyone speak that which God hath not willed, he is verily a lying impostor. To this beareth witness the Lord of Destiny from this Most Great Scene. Some have loved and do love discord.

Now it is binding, nay incumbent, upon all to shun any word that causeth discord, even should it proceed from those who circle round the Throne at eventide and at dawn. Today all must engage with illumined hearts in the service of the Cause and in exalting the Word of God. This is God’s irrevocable decree which hath been recorded by the Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Tablet.

The loved ones in every city and region must appoint teachers from among their own people to give unto the servants the glad tidings of what hath appeared and shone forth. His honor ʿAli-Qabli-Haydar is also very good and acceptable for those parts.

After reading this Tablet and hearing what is contained therein, send a copy thereof to the spiritual youth that he may be informed of what hath flowed from the Pen of the Lord of ancient days on this luminous night.

The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon those with thee and upon them whom the cawing of the crows and the doubts of the suspicious have not kept back from God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH00918: This is a Book sent down by the Wronged…

He is the All-Powerful, the Unconstrained!

This is a Book sent down by the Wronged One to him who hath witnessed and beheld the greatest signs of his Lord, and hath attained unto that which was recorded in the Books of God, the Lord of all worlds. Blessed is he who hath known that for which he was created, and happy is he who hath clung to the cord of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Thy letter hath come before the Wronged One. We have seen it and heard what was therein. We have answered thee with a Tablet through which the Herald hath proclaimed: The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the All-Praised.

O Afnan! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. Thy call hath reached Mine ears and thy letter hath come before Mine eyes. Verily thy Lord is the Hearer, the Answerer. Remember thou the days when thou didst stand before the face of thy Lord and wert seated before His mighty throne. Thou art he who heard the Call and turned unto the Supreme Horizon, and drank the choice wine of understanding from the hand of the bounty of thy Lord, the Gracious. There hath been ordained for thee from the Pen of the Most High that which the world cannot equal. Thus hath the Wronged One given thee glad-tidings in His Most Great Prison, that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Forgiving, the Merciful. When thou hast received My Tablet and drunk the choice wine of revelation from the chalice of My words, say:

My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having drawn me nigh unto Thee, and brought me into Thy presence, and honored me with meeting Thee, and given me to drink of the Kawthar of Thy utterance, and made known to me Thy momentous Message and Thy straight Path. I am he who, O my God, was heedless—the revelations of Thy loving-kindness taught me; who was asleep—the hand of Thy bounty awakened me; who was far removed—the manifestations of Thy grace drew me nigh. How can I recount, O my God, the wondrous tokens of Thy loving-kindness and what Thou hast sent down to me from the heaven of Thy Will and the kingdom of Thy Purpose? The evidences of Thy Most Exalted Pen and Thy mercy that hath preceded all things have encompassed me, such that Thou hast made me one of the Afnans of Thy Tree and associated me with Thine own Self. By Thy glory! Were I to possess a thousand souls at every moment and sacrifice them all in Thy path, they would not equal a drop from the ocean of Thy bounty nor a spark from the fire of the Tree of Thy Cause.

O Lord! Aid me to remember Thee and praise Thee and serve Thy chosen ones. By Thy glory, O Lord of Names and Creator of heaven! I desire that Thou make me, in all conditions, attracted by Thy verses, illumined by Thy light, clinging to the hem of the robe of Thy grace, and gazing toward Thy horizon, and to be in such wise that nothing in the world, neither strength nor power nor dominion, shall hold me back. Verily Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all things. I beseech Thee, O Manifestation of clear signs and Revealer of verses, by Thy Most Holy Book and what it containeth of Thy mysteries and knowledge, and by the suns of love and fellowship that have shone forth from the horizons of the hearts of them that are sincere among Thy servants, to ordain for me that which shall protect me from those who have violated Thy Covenant, and disbelieved in Thy proof, and disputed Thy verses, and denied Thy right.

O Lord! Thou seest me humble before Thy face and submissive to Thy command. Ordain for me the good of this world and the world to come. Verily Thou art the Lord of all men and the Lord of the mighty Throne and the exalted Seat.

O Afnan! The upheaval in this land has caused the delay in reply. From the earliest days until now, the Wronged One has been in the hands of enemies. Although the might, majesty and power of the peoples of the world have not and will never prevent the penetration of the Most Exalted Word and the power of the Most High Pen, yet since being wronged has been and is acceptable in the sight of God, therefore He has been made the target of the transgressions of the oppressors and aggressors. In the transformation of the prison into the Most Exalted Paradise there are signs for the discerning and evidences for those of insight.

That which hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen in the Tablets hath been and continueth to be made manifest. We beseech God to aid thee to do that which is pleasing unto the Friend. Some of the Afnan, upon them be the Glory of the All-Merciful, circle round and abide in peace and tranquility beneath the canopy of grandeur. The Command is in His hand; He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Almighty, the Powerful.

Regarding what thou didst mention about the afflictions of the people and their lack of awareness, what hath befallen and continueth to befall the people of the earth is the recompense of their deeds. Man and all things are bewildered. A group throughout ages and centuries cried out “O Qa’im!” and finally martyred Him. O Afnan! One day as We were walking in the land of Ta, the seat of Persian sovereignty, suddenly lamentations arose from all directions. Upon investigation, the wailing of pulpits throughout the cities and regions of that land was heard, uttering these words: “O my God, my God! The Seal of the Prophets and the Lord of all Messengers, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake, ordained us for Thy mention and praise.

The purpose was that through us Thy mention, Thy praise and the praise of Thy loved ones might be raised. Yet now the ignorant ones are engaged in cursing and reviling the Intended One. O my God, my God! Deliver us and protect us from the idolatrous souls.” In response to these exalted words, there was revealed from the tongue of the Lord of Names: “Verily We have accepted tribulations for the manifestation of the Cause and We are patient therein. He verily is the Concealer. He biddeth you to observe sublime concealment. He is the All-Patient. He counseleth you to show forth beauteous patience.”

O Afnan! Not a single pulpit remained in Iran except that upon it God, exalted be His glory, was reviled, and that was uttered which is forbidden to mention. Had not God’s mercy preceded, all would have perished. Two things have caused preservation: one, divine forgiveness, and the other, the deeds of certain souls who claimed to be related to the Truth. We beseech God to awaken those who slumber and illumine those who are heedless with the light of wisdom. He is the Mighty, the Powerful. We supplicate the Goal of all the worlds to aid thee and thy kindred to achieve that whose fragrance shall endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven.

Mention of the honored Afnan who was named Muhammad-i-Qablih-Baqir hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. He hath attained unto My remembrance, which hath been inscribed in God’s Book by the Ancient Pen. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

The Glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon those who are with thee and who love thee for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds.

The honored Amin hath ever made mention of thee and the Afnan. Each of the letters that he hath sent to this Servant hath been adorned with mention of the Afnan. Now We have turned Our attention in that direction, and therefore We make mention of him with a wondrous mention, that it may draw him and My Afnans unto God, the Lord of the worlds. Today the fragrance of the Revelation hath encompassed the world, yet most are deprived. We beseech God that He may assist His loved ones to achieve that which beseemeth the Day of God. In any case, convey the mention of the Wronged One to Amin wherever he may be, that he may rejoice and be numbered among the thankful ones.

BH00998: Praise sanctified above the comprehension of all the first…

He is God—exalted be His glory, to Him belong greatness and majesty!

Praise sanctified above the comprehension of all the first and the last befitteth the Lord of the Day of Judgment, Who hath spoken forth the Most Exalted Word, and through that Word raised high the banner of knowledge in the world of existence and unfurled the standard of being, and through that Word made manifest the ocean of divine knowledge and caused the waves of utterance to surge, upon which dependeth the existence of the world. None hath ever attained to the true understanding of that Word as it truly is. From but a single point thereof hath appeared the knowledge of all the first and the last. He is the Dawning-Place of the divine Books, the Day-spring of the revelation of the Lord of Oneness, and the Source of divine laws and ordinances. His are the four pillars, in each pillar lie hidden mysteries and treasured bounties. And when that Point bowed down before the effulgences of the lights of the Most Great Name, the Hand of His grace adorned it with the ornament of nearness and reunion, and from it appeared “B” which was joined unto “H”, and through this Point all things proclaimed “The Truth is come!”

Glorified art Thou, O Creator of the Point, its Ordainer, its Adorner, its Protector and its Helper! I bear witness unto that which the Tongue of Thy grandeur hath testified when Thou wert seated upon the throne of divine expression in the midst of all possibilities, and I acknowledge that which hath flowed from Thy Most Exalted Pen amidst all created things. I beseech Thee by the mysteries hidden in Thy knowledge and the verses treasured in Thy tablets, and by Thy Command through which the limbs of all names trembled while the hearts of the people of Baha were assured, to send down upon him who hath turned unto Thee and held fast unto Thee, from the heaven of Thy mercy, the rain of Thy bounty.

I beseech Thee, O Lord of the worlds and King of eternity, by the fragrant breezes of Thy verses and the lights of the dawn of Thy Manifestation, and by Thy breezes through which the dwellers of the graves arose, and by Thy signs through which was revealed the decree of resurrection and the trump was blown, to make me steadfast in Thy remembrance and praise, firm in Thy love, seeking refuge in Thy presence, and clinging to the hem of the robe of Thy grace. Thou art He Whom neither the happenings of the world nor the doubts of nations have hindered. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the Powerful.

Moreover, I beseech Thee, O Lord of Names and Creator of heaven, to assist the people of Baha to remain steadfast in Thy love, such that neither the oppression of the tyrants nor the rejection of the transgressors who have ascended the pulpits in Thy name and uttered concerning Thee that which caused the dwellers of the pavilion of Thy majesty and the tabernacle of Thy glory to lament—after Thou hadst created them for Thy remembrance and praise—may frighten them. Thou art He Who hath seen and heard what they have spoken thereon in Thy days, and Thou didst forbear despite Thy power and conceal despite Thy might. O Lord! Aid Thy heedless servants to behold that which hath appeared from Thee and to turn unto Thy horizon. Thou art He Whose mercy hath preceded all and Whose grace hath encompassed all, and Who hath named Thyself the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate, the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

O Lord! Ordain for Thy loved ones the good of the hereafter and of this world. There is no God but Thee, the Lord of the throne on high and of the dust below. Then forgive them through Thy bounty which hath preceded existence itself. There is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. O Lord! Thou seest Thy male and female servants turning unto Thee, hoping for the wonders of Thy grace. I beseech Thee by Thy name, the All-Forgiving, to forgive them through Thy bounty and generosity, and by Thy name, the Most Generous, to ordain for them that which will draw them nigh unto Thee. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and Thou art the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. O Jalal! We have heard the call of My loved ones, both men and women. Convey My greetings to them and remind them of My verses, and give them the glad tidings of My mercy which has preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth. O Jalal! Upon thee be the glory of God, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

Your letters, both past and present, have been received. Every word thereof testified to your acceptance, devotion and steadfastness. O Jalal! This Day is unlike other days and its utterance unlike other utterances. Whosoever attains unto the fragrances of the Most Exalted Word which hath been revealed from the Supreme Pen in the prison of Akka, and recognizes it, will become detached from the world and all that dwell therein, and will cleave with heart and soul unto the Truth. Blessed are they whom the veils of the world have not hindered and whom the doubts of the nations have not prevented from turning towards and accepting the Truth.

Praise be to God that thou hast sought the Most Great Ocean and hast attained unto that which hath been revealed by the Pen of the Ancient of Days in the Books of the nations. Thou didst arrive, thou didst see, thou didst hear the Call, thou didst behold the horizon, and thou didst acknowledge that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken. Blessed art thou and blessed are My friends in Nun and Ya who have not broken My covenant and My testament, who have drawn nigh and have drunk the choice wine of revelation from the hands of My bounty. We have remembered them before and remember them now that this remembrance may attract them to the Greater Steadfastness, lest their feet slip from the Path of God, the Lord of all worlds.

Convey My greetings to all and give them the glad tidings of the favors of God, exalted be His glory. Nothing whatsoever escapeth His knowledge. He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Today the call of the servants hath been heard, and the answer is at all times being revealed from the horizon of the Kingdom of utterance.

The honored Ismu’llah, upon him be My glory, hath repeatedly mentioned both thee and Mulla Shafi’, and in each instance he hath been blessed with the revelation of the Supreme Pen. This Wronged One hath ever remembered and will continue to remember His loved ones. I swear by the Sun of Truth which shineth from the horizon of the heaven of Revelation that every name that is mentioned in the presence of this Wronged One is blessed with the remembrance of God, exalted be His glory. The world hath not been, nor is it now, capable of manifesting the stations of His loved ones. Great is the endeavor and mighty the steed, but the field is not spacious enough. We beseech God—and ye should likewise beseech Him—not to deprive His servants and to grant them a portion of the bounties of these days.

He is the Generous One Who hath created the world for His servants. It behooveth the tongues of them that are nigh unto Him and are sincere in their love to be engaged day and night in His praise and glorification. This is meet for those who have turned unto Him and have perceived the fragrance of His utterance and the sweetness of His remembrance, the Mighty, the Wondrous. Praise be to God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne.

BH01083: Praise be sanctified above mention and utterance, befitting…

He is the All-Hearing from His Most Exalted Horizon!

Praise be sanctified above mention and utterance, befitting the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court of that Desired One Who caused the Kawthar of eternity to flow forth from the Most Exalted Pen, and through a drop thereof bestowed everlasting life upon those who have turned unto Him. This drop, in its first station and primary rank, appeared in the form of a point, and through it He brought forth from the realm of the unseen into the sphere of existence the knowledge of the first and the last. And when its service found acceptance, it became intimate with the letter Ba, and through it was raised aloft the knowledge that there is none other God but Him, and the banner of triumph and victory was unfurled. He is the One with such power that neither the might of all created things nor the force of all contingent beings can stay His will.

Blessed are those souls who have drunk from the Salsabil of the word “He doeth whatsoever He willeth” and have found themselves detached from the world and all who dwell therein. When thou hearest the shrill voice of My Most Exalted Pen and drinkest the choice wine of revelation from the cup of the bounty of the Lord of all beings, say:

“Glory be unto Thee, O Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens! I testify to Thy oneness and Thy singleness, and to Thy greatness and Thy power. I beseech Thee by the Lamp of Thy Cause whereby Thou hast illumined the world, and by Thy Most Great Name whereby Thou hast guided the nations, to make me in all conditions one who extols Thy praise, who stands firm in service to Thy loved ones, and who clings fast to Thy cord. O my Lord! Thou seest my turning towards Thy horizon and my orientation towards the lights of Thy countenance. I beseech Thee not to withhold from me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones, whom neither the swords of the enemies could prevent from turning to Thy Most Exalted Horizon, nor the clamor of the divines from Thy mention, O Thou Who art the King of earth and heaven, and Lord of the Hereafter and of the former days.

O my Lord! Thou seest the sinner who seeketh the ocean of Thy forgiveness and pardon. I beseech Thee by Thy generosity which hath encompassed the world to forgive my misdeeds and transgressions, and to ordain for me that which will keep me steadfast in Thy Cause in such wise that neither the oppression of the aggressors, nor the doubts of the suspicious, nor the signs of those who have denied the Day of Judgment shall hold me back. O my Lord! Withhold not from me what Thou hast purposed from the heaven of Thy grace. Illumine my pillars through Thy bounty and mercy, and my heart with the lights of the Day-Star of Thy Manifestation. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.”

A letter thou didst send to this Servant hath been mentioned before the Wronged One. The fragrance of acceptance and faith wafted therefrom. We beseech God to manifest from each of the loved ones of that land that which is conducive to the guidance of humanity, and likewise to cause to flow that which is the cause of life for the peoples of the world. This is not difficult for God. Consider Salman and Abu Dharr, to what station they attained after acceptance. His grace made Tammar one of the righteous, and His justice distinguished the virtuous from the wicked. This is the meaning of the words “He maketh your low ones to be high ones and your high ones to be low ones.”

Reflect upon the disciples of Jesus, son of Mary—they were engaged in collecting tithes and catching fish, yet through the rays of the Sun of proof they attained to such a station that they captured the world. For they detached themselves from all that they possessed and turned unto that which was with God and held fast unto it. They effaced their own will in the Will of God and arose to serve—such service that neither the might of the obstinate Jews nor the idol-worshippers could deter them from the Creator of all things. We beseech God to aid and protect all.

And yet, some of the people of the Bayan are occupied with matters that cause division and discord. They have abandoned the foundation and think only of finding a calf to which they may cling, thus becoming the cause of another sedition. All must beseech God, exalted be His glory, for that which will exalt His Word and cause steadfastness in it. The Most Exalted Pen counseleth thee to that which is the cause of preservation and elevation, and hath enjoined and continueth to enjoin wisdom upon all the friends of that land, lest there appear from them that which would disturb hearts and souls. The loved ones of that land have ever been and are beneath His gaze. We have mentioned him who hath ascended unto God with a mention whose fragrance shall not fade nor its breezes be cut off.

Verily it shall endure as long as the kingdom and the heavenly kingdom endure. To this beareth witness the Lord of might, when He was established upon the throne with manifest sovereignty. He who was named Muhammad-ʿAli in the Book of Names—upon him be the glory of God and the glory of all who are in the heavens and the earth. We have purified him from that which beseemeth him not and have raised him to a station whereof the pens are powerless to make mention.

We make mention of thy son who was named Muhammad-Hasan, and We have mentioned him with that which hath been revealed for him at this time from the rain of the mercy of his Lord, the Forgiving, the Generous.

O Rafi’! Today the Word of God hath been and is superior to a hundred children. Strive ye to attain unto the good-pleasure of the Friend and to manifest that which shall be recorded eternally in the Book of God. These are the true children, the true delight of the eye, and the true posterity. Thus hath spoken the Wronged One when sorrows encompassed Him through what the hands of the oppressors had wrought. O people of Baha! Grieve not over anything save that which hath befallen Us at the hands of the heedless. We have been patient in hardship and tribulation and have commanded the people of Baha to show forth beautiful patience.

We make mention of the mother of the child and give her the glad-tidings of that which hath been revealed on this night. Glory be from Us upon those who have taken the cup of immortality in My Most Great Name and have drunk therefrom despite every heedless and suspicious learned one.

BH01817: This is a Book which the Wronged One hath…

He is the One Who calls from His most exalted horizon.

This is a Book which the Wronged One hath sent down unto those who have quaffed the cup of utterance despite the people of the world and who have drunk in the name of their Lord, the All-Merciful, before the faces of all religions. We testify that they are among the people of Baha who have embarked upon the Crimson Ark which God sent down in the Qayyumu’l-Asma as a token of His grace—and He is verily the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

Hearken unto the call from the precincts of ʿAkka, from the Divine Lote-Tree: Verily there is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Blessed is the heart that hath turned to the Intended One, and the face that hath been illumined by the lights of the Countenance, and the hand that hath been raised up unto God, the Lord of all worlds. We have manifested the clear proofs and revealed that which was hidden in God’s knowledge—the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

The first requirement is the recognition of God, and the second is steadfastness in His Cause, the firm, the mighty. The Book speaketh and summoneth all to the Mighty, the Beautiful. The Most Great Announcement calleth out before the faces of the world:

“O people of the Furqan! Fear ye the All-Merciful. O people of the Bayan! Fear ye God and deny not Him but for Whom the Bayan would not have been revealed nor would the Primal Point have uttered a word from His presence.”

Thus doth the Pen of Revelation make known unto you, if ye be of them that comprehend. The Kawthar of utterance hath flowed from the Pen of the All-Merciful, yet most of the people are heedless.

Cast aside vain imaginings, holding fast to the Most Great Cord, and set aside idle fancies by the command of One Who is All-Knowing, All-Informed. In the Persian tongue, hearken unto the call of the Wronged One: All the friends are mentioned in the presence of this Prisoner, and the name of each one hath been inscribed by the Pen of God’s Will, exalted be His glory, in the Book. Ye must arise to serve the Cause of the Lord of all being with complete unity, and attract the hearts of the weak through your deeds and character, guiding them to the shore of the Most Great Ocean.

O My loved ones! Certain souls love those things that cause change and difference. Should anyone appear and utter a word from which the fragrance of discord can be detected, ye must counsel him with perfect steadfastness, with wisdom and utterance, that perchance he may turn to that which God desireth and be illumined with the light of unity and concord. O friends! Unity is the cause of the appearance of the lights of the Most Great Luminary throughout all regions. Say: God is our Lord and the Lord of the mighty Throne and the exalted Seat!

Today the gems of existence are those servants who have clung to the one true God alone and are detached from all else. Praise be to God that ye have attained unto this Word of the King of Words and this utterance which is the Sovereign of utterances. In these days when the divines of the earth are witnessed to be in manifest loss, hold ye fast unto wisdom and occupy yourselves with the mention and praise of God and the triumph of His Cause. In the days of the Spirit—may the spirit of all except Him be sacrificed for His sake—souls who were occupied with catching fish arose to render victory. This is not difficult for God.

Give thou the glad-tidings of the tender mercies of the Blessed Tree unto the leaves of that land. O handmaidens of God! By the Sun of Truth, in this word lieth concealed that of which all are unable to comprehend the significance, save whom God willeth. Every ear that hath been honored to hear the words “O My servant” and “O My handmaiden” hath been illumined with the lights of the Day-Star of divine favors and hath attained. Yet we beseech God to aid all to preserve this station. He is verily the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing. Know ye your worth and hold fast unto that which befitteth you. The glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My bounty be upon you, O My servants and My handmaidens, and upon those whom the ranks of the world have not prevented from remaining steadfast in this Great Announcement. Praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH03754: O Zayn’l-Abidin! We make mention of thee that thou…

O Zayn’l-Abidin! We make mention of thee that thou mayest rejoice and be numbered amongst the thankful ones. Blessed is thy father who attained unto the light of the Cause, who hearkened when the Call was raised betwixt earth and heaven, and who acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath uttered in Zawra and in this Most Great Prison. We counsel thee to be trustworthy, chaste, and faithful, and to that whereby the Word of God—thy Lord and the Lord of the Most Exalted Throne—may be exalted.

O Zayn’l-Abidin! Know thou with absolute certitude that goodly deeds and praiseworthy character have ever been and shall ever be the cause of the exaltation of the Word of God.

Say: My God, my God! Have mercy upon Thy servant, for Thou art verily the Most Merciful of the merciful. My God, my God! Forgive Thy servant, for Thou art verily the Forgiver of sins. My God, my God! Ordain for me that which is best for me, for Thou art verily the Trustworthy Ordainer. My God, my God! Aid me to serve Thee, for Thou art verily the Succorer of the worlds. My God, my God! Thou seest my transgressions; purify me from them, for Thou art verily the All-Powerful. My God, my God! Expiate my misdeeds, for Thou art verily the Bountiful, the Generous. O my Lord! Help me to act in accordance with that which Thou hast revealed, and enable me to fulfill that which Thou hast commanded me to do, for Thou art verily the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days.

O God! Send down Thy blessings upon Thy Prophets and Thy chosen ones who have circled round Thy Cause and aided Thee with the hosts of wisdom and utterance, and with the virtues which Thou hast enjoined upon all in Thy perspicuous Book.

O Zayn’l-Abidin! The bellowing of the calf is raised, and likewise the croaking of the croakers and the clamour of the mischief-makers. Beseech God to protect His servants from those who love discord and who set aside that which they have been commanded concerning love and unity.

Convey the greetings of the Wronged One to all those who are related to thee, and give each of them the glad-tidings of God’s favors, that joy and tranquility may take possession of them from God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.

BH04305: O Abul-Qasim! Thy letter hath come before the Wronged…

He is the Answerer in all conditions.

O Abul-Qasim! Thy letter hath come before the Wronged One in His Most Great Prison, and He hath heard thy call in remembrance and praise of God. Blessed art thou for having recognized the Ocean and its waves, and the Sun and its radiance. Ask thou God to assist thee to be steadfast in His Cause and to ordain for thee what He hath ordained for His chosen ones who have believed in Him and His verses, and who were so carried away by the rapture of the Divine Call that neither the hosts of the world nor the opposition of the nations frightened them. They turned with radiant faces and with their hearts toward the Most Exalted Horizon, saying:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of all beings and God of the throne on high and of earth below, for having enabled us to turn toward Thee when most of Thy servants and creatures turned away.”

Thus hath the Wronged One spoken out of His favor unto thee, that thou mayest be among the thankful ones.

We have indeed found from thy letter the fragrance of thy love. We beseech God to forgive thee and thy father and thy mother, and to inscribe for thee with the Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Tablet that which shall never cease to be remembered, as long as the Kingdom of God, thy Lord, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, shall endure. Say:

“My God, my God! Thou seest me turning toward Thee, clinging to Thy cord, and hoping for the wonders of Thy grace. I beseech Thee to ordain for me and those with me that which will draw us near unto Thee and benefit us in Thy days and throughout ages and centuries to come. There is no God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Generous.”

The Glory be upon thee and upon thy son who hath been named Abdul-Husayn in the Book of Names, and upon those whom neither the swords of the world deterred from the Most Great Name, nor the oppression of the divines from the Straight Path of God.

BH04348: O Muhammad! Ask the idols of the earth, namely…

He is the All-Knowing, He is the All-Speaking

O Muhammad! Ask the idols of the earth, namely the divines of Iran: According to your assertion, this Wronged One is false and untruthful. What did the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad, the Chosen One, do and what did He commit that made Him the object of the people’s derision, wrath, rancor and hatred? God forbid! According to the belief of the tyrants of the land and the pharaohs among men, that Holy Being was at fault. What fault was manifested by the Spirit (Christ)? This is a station whereof the Pen is powerless to make mention and the tongue fails to describe. And this is the station of the blessed, supreme Word which hath descended from the heaven of grace and the kingdom of utterance:

“There came not unto them any Messenger but they did mock at Him.”

Glory be to God! All that hath been mentioned they have heard and have also acknowledged, and yet they have uttered that which caused every seeing one to weep and every knowing one to lament.

The spiritual youth hath made mention of thee, and from the heaven of inner meanings this Tablet hath been revealed. Read and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Desire of the worlds, and glory be unto Thee, O Thou Who art mentioned in the hearts of the Messengers! I beseech Thee by Thy most great signs and by Thy call whereby the hearts of the Concourse on High were attracted, to make me content with Thy good-pleasure and to act according to what Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. Then ordain for me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones who have cast away the world and offered up their souls in their longing to meet Thee. O my Lord! Thou seest Thy servant clinging unto Thee and unto the cord of Thy bounty—deprive him not of that which Thou hast sent down in Thy Book. Verily Thou art the All-Bountiful, and verily Thou art the All-Forgiving, and verily Thou art the All-Patient, and verily Thou art the All-Concealing, and verily Thou art the Most Merciful, the Compassionate.

BH04283: From time immemorial hath the Ever-Exalted, the All-Sufficient, made…

In the Name of the one true God!

From time immemorial hath the Ever-Exalted, the All-Sufficient, made mention of His loved ones and continueth to do so. Though some may not, outwardly, have been blessed with the verses of the Supreme Pen, know thou of a certainty that their remembrance hath been uttered from the Tongue of Grandeur and recorded by the Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Tablet. The gaze of Him Who is the Goal of all worlds is fixed upon hearts and deeds. Blessed is the heart that is a treasury of the pearls of the love of God, and blessed is the soul that holdeth fast and acteth according to the Book of God.

His honor Muhammad-ʿAli, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, who hath ascended unto the Supreme Horizon—verily We have made mention of him in numerous Tablets. Praise be to God that the Concourse on High inhaled from him the fragrance of love for the Best-Beloved of the worlds, and there was sent down for him from the heaven of grace that which no pen can recount. Well is it with him! Happy is he! His kindred who have passed on have been and continue to be beneath the gaze of His loving-kindness. Convey to them all My greetings and give them the glad-tidings of God’s bounty. By the life of God! There hath been ordained for them that which no thing can equal. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

The people of the village, upon them be My glory and loving-kindness, must be occupied with service throughout the nights and days, and be illumined with the lights of the Day-Star of steadfastness. We beseech God to assist them with the hosts of the seen and the unseen, and to aid them to champion His Cause, the Mighty, the Wondrous. God hath forgiven thy father and thy mother. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous. Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH04584: O ʿAbdu’llah! Hearken with thy spirit’s ear…

He is the Speaker and He is the Hearer and He is the Answerer!

O ʿAbdu’llah! Hearken with thy spirit’s ear to the voice of the Wronged One. In the earliest days We arose, with no veil or covering, before the faces of the followers of all religions and proclaimed the Cause of God. We opened wide the gates of utterance to all the peoples of possibility. Some attained eternal life through the living waters of utterance, while others, due to the requital of their deeds, were debarred and deprived. The divines of the earth and the rulers, one and all, arose in opposition and brought to pass that which caused the denizens of the highest Paradise and the exalted Garden to weep and lament. How numerous were the afflictions and tribulations that were visited upon the Wronged One, most of which We concealed lest the loved ones and chosen ones of God be saddened thereby.

And when the light of the Cause had encompassed the horizons, the objectors of the Bayan emerged from behind the veil with designs against the Wronged One. Such is the conduct of the servants and the fidelity of that people. Now in most lands the barking ones are spread abroad, and this was among the tidings We mentioned in Zawra and the Land of Mystery and this land, whereof We informed all. All must take refuge in God, exalted be His glory, from the trials of these days and the corruption of souls. Perchance in this land too a barking will be raised up. We beseech God to preserve you and His loved ones from the evil of those who love discord. We ask of the Truth that He may assist them to unity and harmony. Verily He is powerful over all things.

BH04635: Justice declares: “Your letter has not yet reached…

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

Justice declares: “Your letter has not yet reached the Wronged One.” And Bounty proclaims: “O Lord of the world! Send down for him that which will gladden his heart and bring solace to his eyes. Verily, Thou art the Hearer, the Answerer.” We answered you before your letter arrived and made mention of My loved ones while they were still in the loins of their fathers and the wombs of their mothers. With Him is the knowledge of all things in a Book that speaks openly before the faces of the world. There is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

When your inner and outer vision has been blessed with beholding the traces, and you have been seized by the intoxication of the choice wine of your Lord’s loving-kindness, say:

“O Lord of the righteous and Master of the chosen ones! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance and the manifestations of Thy power to assist Thy servants in Thy remembrance and praise. Then ordain for them from Thy Most Exalted Pen that which will remind them of Thy days and draw them near to Thy holy court. O my Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I have turned to Thee, hearkening to Thy most exalted call and drawn by Thy mighty signs. I beseech Thee by the cooing of the Dove of Thy Cause to make me content in all conditions with what Thou hast ordained for me through Thy decree and destiny. Then write for me that which will be a companion to me in all the worlds of Thy worlds. Then send down from the heaven of Thy Will upon me and upon Thy loved ones the rains of Thy mercy and the dewdrops of Thy grace. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. There is no God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.”

BH04665: O friends! God declareth: Today is not the day…

In the name of the Lord of the World!

O friends! God declareth: Today is not the day for words. Give ear to the call of the Incomparable Friend and accept that which causeth mankind to become aware and bestoweth freedom. The words of all the Messengers of God have been uttered in the Books of the words of Him Who is the Desire of the world. Reflect. Today the Daystar of utterance is shining resplendently above the horizon of the heaven of testimony. It behooveth men to purify their ears from the words of the peoples of the world that they may discover the words of the Divine Messengers which are evident in these words. The Faith of God hath appeared and His handiwork is manifest.

Say: O servants! The true Guide hath come; hasten ye unto Him. The matchless Seer hath come and made straight the Way. It behooveth whoever hath heard this call to declare with his inner tongue:

“O Lord! Thy call hath revived and given life to the world. My face is turned towards Thee, and my soul yearneth to behold Thee.”

Thy letter was received. The light of affection was shining therefrom, and the fragrance of love was diffused from its contents. Arise to serve the Cause of the glorious Lord and deliver the glad-tidings to His servants of the dawning of the light and the advent of the Speaker on Sinai. Haply through thy guidance they will discover the Path of God and attain that which they desire at all times from the ocean of God’s bounty.

Say: O high priests! The Possessor of the world is come. His Way is unlike other ways, and His words are unlike other words. Hearken ye unto them and come towards Him. This is the Day of Victory, and no one hath ever witnessed or will again witness its like. These are the words of God.

BH05005: This Wronged One has determined to make mention…

In the Name of the one true God!

This Wronged One has determined to make mention of the handmaidens of God, exalted be His glory, so that the divine mention may attract the handmaidens of that land to the highest horizon, that all may take, with hands of certitude, the choice wine of utterance from the hand of the bounty of the Best-Beloved of the worlds and drink it in His Name. Ye are accounted before God as leaves of the Divine Lote-Tree and are related unto Him. Night and day, implore the preservation of this most exalted station. The whole world awaited this blessed Day and at all times beseeched God for the attainment of His presence. However, when the horizon of the world was illumined with the Sun of Revelation and the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree was raised, all were found deprived and prevented save a few.

Give thanks unto the Goal of the world that He assisted you and guided you to the Straight Path and His Great Announcement. Know ye the value of this most exalted station and occupy yourselves with His mention and praise. The world was and is ephemeral—soon shall decline lay hold of it. What endureth and lasteth is the mention of God, exalted be His glory. Praise be to God that ye have attained thereunto, and in the Most Great Prison mention hath been made of you with a mention whose remembrance shall never be erased from the world. He is the Bestower, the Kind. There is none other God but He, the Mighty, the One, the Glorious, the Help in Peril.

BH05243: O my leaf, upon thee be My glory…

In the name of the Goal of all the worlds!

O my leaf, upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness! Praise be to God, thou hast attained unto that for which existence itself came into being. The creation of the world was adorned with the ornament of being from nothingness for the knowledge of God, glorified be His majesty. But when the Sun of Manifestation shone forth from the horizon of divine will, all turned away and arose in opposition. That household, however, was illumined with the light of recognition—they heard the call and turned towards it, and in the path of the peerless Friend there occurred that which caused all things to wail and lament.

His honor Sad, upon him be the glory of God, the Lord of creation, arrived and witnessed and heard. For a time he dwelt beneath the pavilions of grandeur and reposed in the shade of the blessed Tree, and afterwards when the Luminary of permission rose from the horizon of will, he turned towards that direction. After his journey to the Sacred House of God, we beseech God to assist him in all conditions. Verily He hath power over all things. Know ye his worth and recognize his station. Verily thy Lord, the All-Merciful, is the All-Knowing Counselor. Glory be upon thee and upon thy son Ahmad who hath attained the trace of My Pen, and upon thy other son, and upon thy daughter who turned towards and believed in God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH05588: O Husayn! Your letter was received and testified…

In the Name of the One God

O Husayn! Your letter was received and testified to your devotion and acceptance. Praise be to the Goal of all the worlds that while the people of learning—meaning the divines of Iran—and the possessors of wealth and the holders of authority are deprived of the Most Great Ocean and barred from the straight divine path, you have attained. He made no mention of the owners of treasures and riches and cities and regions and ranks and thousands, but made mention of the owner of a camel. All matters depend upon and are suspended by the utterance of the All-Merciful. He bestowed such honor and favor upon the she-camel of Salih that mention of it has flowed and been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen in most of the Books, and likewise the servants upon the pulpits speak in its praise and glorification.

Praise the Goal of the world Who caused you to attain that which was recorded and inscribed in the divine scrolls and books. Turn your face toward God, then act according to what you were commanded in His Book. Hold fast to the Book and act according to its ordinances. This is the Most Exalted Word that hath appeared from the treasury of the Most Exalted Pen. If you act according to what was mentioned, the mercy and blessing will descend from the heaven of the favor of the Lord of Lords. He is the Generous, He is the Merciful, and He is the Bestower, the Kind.

BH05615: O concourse of loved ones! Hasten…

He is the Hearer, the Answerer!

O concourse of loved ones! Hasten to that which pleaseth God. Verily He commandeth you to that which shall be as a lamp unto you in the darkness of the earth and shall guide you to the straight path of God.

Every edifice hath been shaken at the mention of this Most Great Announcement, and the pillars of the world have trembled when the All-Merciful came with a manifest command. We have heard thy mention, wherefore We have mentioned thee and caused thee to hear that which was the hope of them that are nigh unto God.

Hearken unto the call from beyond the ocean of grandeur, from the Crimson Tree upon the luminous spot. Verily there is none other God but Him, the Single, the All-Informed. Take hold of the Book of God with such power that the doubts of them that doubt will not hold thee back. Arise to make mention of Me like a standard upon the standard of My utterance. Thus doth command thee He at Whose appearance the princes lamented and the learned were confounded and every knower was thunderstruck.

When the wine of My utterance hath taken possession of thee, say: Praise be unto Thee for having mentioned me and taught me and made me to know and guided me when the people were in manifest error. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance and the pearls hidden in the treasuries of Thy Pen, and by the power of Thy Word and the manifestations of Thy sovereignty, that Thou make me steadfast in Thy Cause and firm in Thy love. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH05563: O Ahmad! Hearken unto My call. Verily it draweth…

He is the Speaker in the Kingdom of Utterance

O Ahmad! Hearken unto My call. Verily it draweth thee unto the Kingdom of My nearness and the Realm of My presence, and remindeth thee of My verses, and beareth unto thee the glad-tidings of God’s mercy—thy Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers. Verily His grace hath preceded all created things—a bounty from thy Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. The Book hath testified before thy Lord, the Bestower, at the final return, yet the people are in manifest loss. They heard His verses and denied them. Lo! They are veiled in the darkness of vain imaginings. Soon shall they behold themselves in the fire.

When thou hast attained unto the traces of My Most Exalted Pen and art attracted by the breezes of revelation, turn thy face toward the House and say:

My God, my God! Thy call hath drawn me near, and Thy grace hath confirmed me, and the light of Thy manifestation hath guided me to Thy straight path and Thy mighty announcement. I beseech Thee by the cry of the sincere ones in the wilderness of separation and remoteness, and by the yearning of them that are nigh unto Thee in all regions, and by the Word which Thou hast made a light unto Thy loved ones and a fire unto Thine enemies, and by the Kawthar of Thy utterance which hath flowed from Thy Most Exalted Pen—to make me steadfast in Thy Cause and firm in Thy love, in such wise that the clamor of the heedless may not prevent me, nor the vain imaginings of the aggressive ones, nor the oppression of the tyrannical ones. Then ordain for me, O my God, that which will draw me nigh unto Thee and profit me and preserve me in all Thy worlds. Verily Thou art the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

BH05712: The Self-Sufficing Mystery speaketh: O My handmaid, and thou…

In the Name of Him Who knoweth.

The Self-Sufficing Mystery speaketh: O My handmaid, and thou daughter of My handmaid, hearken unto My call. Praise be to God that through His preceding mercy, His all-encompassing grace, and His all-pervading favors, thou hast attained recognition of the Dawning-Place of God’s verses and the Dayspring of divine revelation. How many among the learned remained deprived of this supreme gift, while thou hast attained unto it! The company of the divines at this time are not mentioned in the Most Holy Court, while thou art mentioned. Now consider what service thou hast rendered in return for this bounty. Say:

O my God, my Adored One, my King, King of Kings! I beseech Thee to aid me and grant me success, that I may act in accordance with what befits Thy days and engage in that which is worthy of Thy generosity and bounty. O Generous One! Guide the heedless to the ocean of awareness, illumine Thy handmaidens with the light of Thy Name, and assist them to perform pure and holy deeds and to acquire praiseworthy character. Unto Thee be praise and glory, unto Thee be grace and bounty. Thou hast guided this evanescent ant to the pavilion of Thy knowledge and given her shelter beneath the shade of the tabernacle of Thy majesty. Thou art the Bestower, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing.

BH06025: My God, my God! Thou seest one of Thy…

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

My God, my God! Thou seest one of Thy handmaidens and a leaf among Thy leaves who hath aimed at the Ultimate Goal, the Most Exalted Horizon, and the Supreme Summit. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Signs and by the power of Thy Command, O Lord of all beings, to ordain for this handmaiden of Thine what Thou hast ordained for Thy handmaidens who have turned unto Thee, hearkened to Thy call, and circled round Thy throne by night and by day.

O Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee, awaiting the wonders of Thy bounty and generosity. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me from the rain of Thy mercy in Thy days and the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty and bestowal. Verily, Thou art the Almighty Whom the hosts of the world cannot frustrate, nor can the clamor of the nations prevent Thee. Thou doest through Thy power whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the Powerful.

O my God! Send Thy blessings upon Thy loved ones who have not broken Thy Covenant and Testament, and whom the Manifestations of Thy power and the Daysprings of Thy might have not prevented. There is no God but Thee, the All-Possessing, the Mighty, the Great.

We make mention of thy son and daughter and give them the glad tidings of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of all worlds. Blessed are they and joy be unto them for having attained unto the traces of the Pen of their Lord, the All-Merciful, the Bountiful.

BH06065: We have mentioned thee before, and at this hour…

He is the One Who gazeth from His most exalted horizon.

We have mentioned thee before, and at this hour when sorrows have encompassed Us from every side through that which the hands of the wicked have wrought, hearken unto the Call from the Divine Lote-Tree: Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. He hath appeared and revealed that which draweth the servants nigh unto the most exalted horizon and guideth them to the straight path. Blessed art thou for having attained unto the verses of My Pen and held fast unto the cord of My love and turned toward My direction while the people were in a strange slumber. Their vain desires have withheld them from Him Who created them. Thus hath the Wronged One spoken in this Prison wherein the Herald proclaimeth: The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of Lords.

We counsel thee and My loved ones there to observe that wisdom whose decree hath been sent down in the Scriptures and Tablets. Blessed art thou for having cast away that which was with the divines and taken what came unto thee from God, the Lord of creation. We beseech God to assist thee to preserve this most exalted station and draw thee nigh unto Him at all times. The Glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My utterance be upon thee and upon those who have turned to the Source of the Cause when it appeared with power and sovereignty.

BH06796: O Ahmad, upon thee be My glory! O Ahmad!…

He is the Hearing and the Answering

O Ahmad, upon thee be My glory! O Ahmad! When thou hast received My Tablet and been blessed with the Kawthar of My utterance, say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having guided me when mankind was in manifest error, and for having caused me to turn toward Thee when the people were in grievous rejection, and for having enabled me to acknowledge the oneness of Thy Being when humanity was in severe denial. I beseech Thee, O Lord of the worlds, by Thy Most Great Name through which Thou hast opened the gates of bounty unto all nations, to make me in all conditions steadfast in Thy Cause, firm in Thy love, and immovable in Thy mighty Message and ancient Decree.

Thou seest me, O my God, gazing toward the horizon of the heaven of Thy grace and clinging to the hem of the robe of Thy generosity. I beseech Thee, O Possessor of existence, Who speaketh from Thy glorious station, Who prevaileth over both the unseen and the visible, to ordain for me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and trusted ones, and to decree for me the good of this world and the world to come. Verily Thou art the Powerful over all things through Thy word “Be” and it is. Praise be to God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.

BH06808: O My handmaid! We have heard thy call…

He is the Hearer, the Answerer!

O My handmaid! We have heard thy call and from the prison We have turned toward thee. How many are the princes of the earth who today are deprived of the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree and the shrill voice of the Most Exalted Pen, while thou hast attained and hast turned toward the Dawning-Place of verses, the Dayspring of clear proofs, and the Source of commandments and ordinances. Let not this most exalted station and most glorious rank slip from thy grasp. In all conditions, with the utmost lowliness and fervor, beseech the Self-Sufficient Lord to preserve this station for thee, for the atheists lie in ambush and have been and are lying in wait, and the barking ones are vigilant at their posts. Blessed is the soul whom the whisperings of the deniers have not deprived of the manifest Truth.

Say: Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having enabled me to turn toward Thee when most of Thy creatures turned away from Thee. O my Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and clinging to Thy cord. Ordain for me that which befitteth the heaven of Thy bounty and the ocean of Thy bestowal. Verily Thou art the Compassionate, the Generous. There is no God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

BH07341: O My maidservant and My leaf! We beseech…

He is the All-Eloquent, He is the All-Knowing.

O My maidservant and My leaf! We beseech the One True God to confirm thee and to record through the Most Exalted Pen the reward of attaining His presence. His loving-kindness hath encompassed thee and His mercy hath preceded thee. His Honor Sad, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, hath repeatedly been present before the Most Great Scene. His heart is a treasury of the love of God. Verily, We love him who loveth Him. That honored lady and the others should gladden him through manifestations of love and affection. We beseech God to confirm him in preserving that which He hath bestowed. He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

Thou hast ever been and art remembered. Strive, that thou mayest succeed in performing such deeds as will cause their fragrance to endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. Give thanks unto thy Lord and say: Praise be unto Thee for having mentioned me through the tongue of Him Who is the Dawning-Place of Thy Revelation and the Dayspring of Thy verses. I beseech Thee to make me steadfast in Thy love and Thy Cause. Verily Thou art the Almighty Whose power hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth.

BH07053: The Wronged One makes mention of him who has…

He is God, exalted be His glory, the All-Wise, the All-Speaking

The Wronged One makes mention of him who has turned to God, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting. Your name was presented before the Divine Presence, and the Revealer of Verses has remembered you in a Tablet from whose horizon shines forth the radiant light of your Lord’s loving-kindness, the Lord of all existence. Take hold of the Book of God with the power that comes from Him, then act according to that which has been sent down therein from the Pen of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. Beware lest the affairs of the world sadden you, or the might of the oppressors prevent you from drawing nigh unto the Praiseworthy Station. When you attain unto the Tablet and hear the call of the Wronged One, say:

My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having guided me unto Thy path, and made known to me Thy Most Exalted Horizon, and caused me to hear Thy sweetest call. I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by Thy Most Great Signs and by the lights of Thy countenance, O Thou Lord of all mankind, to make me detached from all else save Thee, to hold fast to Thy cord, and to cling to the hem of Thy grace. Then write down for me, O Thou God of Names and Creator of heaven, with Thy Most Exalted Pen that which will profit me in all the worlds of Thy worlds. Thou, verily, art the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the All-Bountiful.

BH07848: The Ancient King, in the Most Great Prison, makes…

He is the All-Knowing, He is the All-Seeing

The Ancient King, in the Most Great Prison, makes mention of His loved ones and counsels them as befits them. Blessed are they whom self and passion have not withheld from the Most Exalted Horizon and who have not been deprived of the choice wine of the Merciful’s utterance. O friends! The Truth is manifest, the Book is revealed, the evidences are visible, the path is clear, the proof is evident, and the Wronged One stands before all faces. We beseech God to assist His friends to act in accordance with that which hath been revealed and sent down from the Supreme Pen in the Book. Thy mention hath been made, and We have shown Our favor through these verses that the sweet-scenting breezes of God’s remembrance may assist thee and grant thee success in such deeds and actions as will cause the exaltation of the Word of God. We convey Our greetings to the friends in that land and give them the glad-tidings of the favors of God, exalted be His glory.

BH07581: He overshadoweth the Kingdom of earth and heaven

He overshadoweth the Kingdom of earth and heaven

Exalted be the Lord of the Realm of Might Who hath come from the horizon of power with a clear command and hath summoned both kings and subjects unto God, the Lord of the worlds. Among the people are those who heard and turned away, and those who turned towards the One, the All-Informed, and those who were so seized by the Kawthar of the utterance of the All-Merciful that they cast the world behind them, turning unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Thy name was mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One, and We have remembered thee with this wondrous remembrance.

Say: O concourse of the earth! By God, the Most Great News hath appeared and the Books of God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment, have been sent down. Fear ye God and follow not your desires. Follow Him Who hath come to you from the horizon of power that He may draw you nigh unto the Dayspring of God’s Revelation, the Lord of the visible and the invisible, the Lord of the Mighty Throne.

Thus have We sent down the verses and expounded them by Our command, and sent them unto thee that thou mayest give thanks unto thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

BH07904: He speaks from His most exalted horizon

He speaks from His most exalted horizon:

O My handmaid! In the days when the divines of the earth and the princes of the lands have risen up to harm this Wronged One, and when the people of the Furqan and some of the people of the Bayan have blocked the paths that lead to God, and through deception and guile have deprived the people from the shore of the divine ocean of knowledge, thou hast attained and turned thy face to the most exalted horizon and heard the call of the Lord of nations in the Most Great Prison. This is a great bounty. Say:

Praise be unto Thee, O God of Names and Creator of heaven, for having strengthened me, and caused me to know Thee and to behold Thee, and made me hear Thy most sweet call which was raised from the prison of ʿAkka. I beseech Thee by the Word through which Thou didst create all things, to strengthen me in steadfastness in Thy love in such wise that nothing whatsoever shall prevent me. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Dominant, the Powerful.

BH07986: O my leaf! When the rapture of My call…

He is the Hearer, the Answerer!

O my leaf! When the rapture of My call takes hold of thee, say: My God, my God! Thou seest one of Thy handmaidens turning toward the horizon of Thy prison and clinging to the cord of Thy bounty. I beseech Thee by the letters of Thy Book and by the Ha through which Thou didst manifest the station of pure Identity, to make me patient in the occasions of Thy decree and steadfast when the tempestuous winds blow. Verily Thou art the Creator of names and attributes. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Powerful.

O my Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee, detached from all else but Thee, and beseeching the ocean of Thy bounty and the sun of Thy giving. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy throne and the manifestations of Thy grandeur, and by the Tablet which none hath known save Thee, to make me in all conditions holding fast to the hem of Thy generosity, and speaking amongst Thy handmaidens in Thy remembrance and praise. Verily Thou art powerful over what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Strong, the Mighty.

BH08569: O ʿAli-Akbar! This Wronged One hath made mention…

He is the Hearer and the Answerer

O ʿAli-Akbar! This Wronged One hath made mention of thee at the Most Great Horizon, and continueth to do so. We beseech God to aid thee to assist His Cause. When thou dost inhale the fragrance of My utterance, say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having guided me and made me aware. I beseech Thee by the Kawthar of Thy utterance and the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty to assist me in all conditions to celebrate Thy praise and glorification and to serve Thy Cause. Thou art He Who, O my God, hath caused me to attain in Thy days, to turn toward Thy horizon, and to voice Thy praise. I beseech Thee to ordain for me all the good Thou hast sent down in Thy Manifest Book and Thy Mighty Tablet. O Lord! Thou seest me clinging to Thee and to Thy Cause, taking refuge with Thy presence, and holding fast to the hem of Thy garment. Deprive me not of that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and Thy trusted ones. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the All-Powerful, and worthy to answer prayer.

BH08702: We make mention of him who hath made mention…

He is God, exalted be His station in bounty and grace.

We make mention of him who hath made mention of Us, and We give glad tidings unto them that have believed in God, the Lord of the worlds. That which was hidden from all eyes hath been revealed, and that which was treasured in God’s knowledge, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, hath appeared. He who hath attained unto My call and acted according to what was commanded in My Book, verily he is of the inmates of the pavilion of My glory. Upon him be the Glory of God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. Say: My God, my God! Thou seest Thy servant clinging to Thy presence, seeking from the wonders of Thy grace that which will draw him nigh unto Thee, honor him with Thy presence, and adorn him with the ornament of Thy loving-kindness. I beseech Thee by the pearls of the ocean of Thy oneness and the movement of Thy Pen to ordain for him that which shall profit him. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

BH09567: In My Name, the Wronged One, the Stranger

In My Name, the Wronged One, the Stranger

We have spent all that exists in the path of God, and without any veil or covering We have called out before the faces of the world, inviting all to the highest horizon. Most of the people of the world arose in opposition. The divines of Iran issued a decree for the shedding of the blood of the Wronged One, and when the light of the Cause shone forth from every direction, the people of the Bayan arose in opposition. We beseech God to grant justice and not deprive His servants. He is the Bestower, the Merciful. We heard your call and have made mention of you. God willing, may you be blessed with divine favors and adorned with the greatest steadfastness.

BH11603: Praise be sanctified above the mention of all created…

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

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

Praise be sanctified above the mention of all created things unto the Manifestation of evident signs, Who befitteth and deserveth it, Who hath conquered contingent being through utterance. In the realm of lovers He is the Manifestation of Beauty, and in the world of perfection the Dawning-Place of the knowledge of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. He hath bestowed the water of life upon the thirsty and granted eternal life unto the dead. The denial of the divines hindered Him not, nor did the turning away of princes hold back His purpose. He hath rolled up the carpet of idle fancies and locked fast the world of vain imaginings. With utmost expansion He spread out a new carpet and summoned the drinkers of the Kawthar of certitude, bestowing upon each from His hand the chalice of immortality. Whosoever attained thereunto beheld himself detached from the world and all who dwell therein.

At this station the effulgences of the lights of the Most Exalted Word “Verily He doeth what He willeth” shine forth and entirely take possession of the world of being. This power is not diminished by the ranks of hatred, nor are the hosts of names an obstacle thereunto. By the cord of grace He drew those who were detached from the gulf of names unto the ocean of inner meanings. How lofty is the station of that being who hath attained unto this bounty, and how great the rank of that soul who hath won this most pure sustenance and this most great favor! Such a one beholdeth the people of the world as non-existent and seeth naught but the Truth. The croaking of the croakers hath not nor ever shall have any access to this arena. The tyrants and pharaohs—that is to say, the divines and doctors of the earth—are not mentioned at this station. He beholdeth the Peerless Friend Who hath come from the horizon of power bearing the banner “Verily He is God.” And whosoever hath found the fragrance of the Word of God hath attained unto true wealth and been adorned with the supreme ornament. Blessed are they who know, blessed are they who drink, and blessed are they who are detached!

Glory be unto Thee, O God of all beings and Educator of all things possible! I beseech Thee by Thy greatest signs and the breezes of Thy Revelation, O Lord of all mankind, and by Thy power which hath conquered all things, and by Thy will which hath subdued all names, to assist Thy loved ones to make mention of Thee and to praise Thee and to serve Thy Cause. Then aid them in that whereby Thy Being may be sanctified and Thy Reality glorified. O Lord! Thou seest him who hath turned unto Thee in numbered years and hath arisen to serve Thy Cause among Thy servants and Thy creatures, and hath testified to Thy oneness and singleness and to that which hath flowed from the Pen of Thy Command and been uttered by the Tongue of Thy grandeur.

Assist him, O my God, with the hosts of wisdom and utterance that he may subdue hearts through Thy Name and open the doors of souls with the key of Thy remembrance. I beseech Thee, O Lord of the world and King of eternity, by Thy Most Great Prison, to strengthen him with the legions of power and might, then inscribe for him by Thy Most Exalted Pen that whose fragrance shall never cease to endure throughout the eternity of Thy names and attributes. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

Send down Thy blessings, O my God, upon Thy loved ones and chosen ones who broke not Thy Covenant and Thy Testament, and who spoke among Thy servants that which draweth them nigh unto Thee and guideth them unto Thy path, and who heard in Thy path the taunts of Thine enemies, and who were visited in their love for Thee by that which caused the dwellers of the pavilion of Thy protection to lament. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

I render praise that thy precious letter was received—both the previous and subsequent ones—each attesting to that spiritual friend’s acceptance, orientation and steadfastness in the Cause of the Desired One of the world. After reading and becoming apprised thereof, on this occasion it was taken to the Most Exalted Presence and the Supreme Height, presented before His countenance and achieved the honor of His hearing. These are His blessed and exalted words:

In My Name, the Wronged One, the Stranger

This is a mention from Us to him who heard the Call when it was raised between earth and heaven, who turned his face and advanced with his heart toward the Supreme Horizon—the Station wherein the Lote Tree of the Uttermost Boundary called out from the pole of the Most Exalted Paradise: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of Lords!”—that the remembrance and praise might once again draw him to the Most Exalted Paradise, this Station whereon the Ancient Beauty and the Most Great Announcement was established upon the Throne with power and sovereignty. We have named this Station at times the Most Great Prison, at others the Most Exalted Paradise, and yet again the Supreme Paradise and the Heaven of heavens. Verily thy Lord doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Almighty, the Unconstrained.

We have mentioned thee time and again and have revealed for thee that which hath made the skin of the idolators to quiver and hath delighted the eyes. Nothing whatsoever escapeth His knowledge. He hath come from the horizon of might with the banners of signs. He stood before the faces of princes and divines, speaking that which caused all in the heavens and earth to swoon, save those whom God preserved through a power from Him and guided to the straight path. Each day there hath befallen Us that which hath caused the Tablet to lament and the Pens to cry out. We desired for them life, while they desired to shed the blood of the Wronged One without proof or scripture.

Say: O concourse of the earth! By God, the horizons of the world have been illumined by the lights of the Manifestation. Draw nigh with radiant hearts and follow not every doubtful idolator. This is the Cause foretold in God’s Books of old. Read what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’an and in the Scrolls, Psalms and Tablets. By the life of God! No Manifestation hath appeared except that He took My Covenant before His own, and no Book hath been revealed except that the fragrance of My mention and praise wafted therefrom. The Mother Book in the Final Return beareth witness to this.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Fear the All-Merciful, then judge with fairness concerning this Cause, at Whose appearance the verses bowed down in submission. Fear God, O people, and deny not Him through Whom the Trump was blown, the Bridge was set up, the heaven was cleft asunder and the mountains were moved. Say: Where were ye when they bound Me with chains and fettered Me with that which caused hearts to melt?

Remember My loved ones on My behalf, remind them of My verses, illumine them with the lights of My utterance, and give them the glad tidings of the heaven of My grace and mercy which hath preceded all who are in earth and heaven. Say: O friends of God in all lands! Take heed lest the clamor of the nations frighten you or the might of the wicked hinder you. Arise to aid the Cause through wisdom and utterance. Thus have ye been commanded in the Books of God, the Lord of Lords. Hasten to what pleaseth God—this is better for you. He Who speaketh in every condition beareth witness to this: There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

O Husayn! Hearken unto the call of Him Who is wronged. He hath remembered thee time and again, and hath given thee to drink from the Kawthar of divine knowledge through the hands of grace and bounty, and hath taught thee that which the servants were prevented from knowing. Blessed is he whom the might of those who disbelieved in God and broke the Covenant on the Day of Meeting could not weaken, and blessed is he whom the power of the servants could not hold back from standing, and blessed is he whom the clamor of the foolhardy could not silence from speaking. Thus hath the Pen of God revealed the pearls of wisdom and utterance, and thus hath the Most Great Ocean revealed that which was concealed within it, from God, the Cleaver of Dawn.

When thou art inebriated with the wine of My utterance and the waves of the ocean of My knowledge, say: My God, my God! Thou seest me advancing toward the Dawning-Place of Thy signs and the Dayspring of Thy clear tokens, and turning my face to the lights of Thy countenance on a day whereon most of Thy servants and creatures have turned away from Thee. I am he, O my God, whom Thy most sweet call and the sound of Thy Most Exalted Pen have attracted, in such wise that neither the happenings of the world nor the doubts of the nations have hindered me. I have laid hold on Thy strong cord and Thy mighty announcement wherewith Thou didst give glad tidings in Thy Books and through Thy Messengers.

By Thy glory, O Thou the Goal of the hearts of the mystics and the Beloved of the souls of them that are nigh unto Thee! The waves of the ocean of my hope can be stilled only by the light of meeting Thee, and the sorrow of my heart can be dispelled only by standing before Thy face. My God, my God! Thou hearest the cry of the lovers in their separation from Thee, and beholdest the yearning of them that long for Thee in their remoteness from Thy presence. I beseech Thee by Thy command whereby Thou hast subdued both the unseen and the visible, that Thou ordain for me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones who have, by Thy leave, attained unto the stations of nearness and reunion and meeting, until they stood before a door which opened upon all who are in earth and heaven. Strengthen me to remember Thee and to praise Thee and to serve Thy Cause and to stand before Thy face and to enter a station round which circle the Highest Paradise and the denizens of the all-highest heaven.

Alas, alas! I know not what Thou hast ordained for me by Thy binding command and Thy firm decree. By Thy glory! Because of this my liver hath melted, my limbs have trembled, and my whole being hath been shaken. Alas, alas! Should the decree of destiny prevent me from attaining unto Thy presence, O Lord of all being, I beseech Thee by the pearls of the ocean of Thy oneness and the lights of the sun of Thy grace and the mysteries that lay hidden in the treasuries of Thy Books and Thy Scriptures and Thy Tablets, that Thou write down for me, with the Pen of Thy bounty, the recompense of meeting Thee. O Thou at Whose finger’s motion Thy earth and Thy heaven are set in motion! I beseech Thee to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee in every world of Thy worlds, and to provide me with the good of the hereafter and of this present life. Verily Thou art the Lord of all names and the Creator of the heavens.

O Lord! O Lord! O Lord! O Lord! O Lord! O Lord! O Lord! O Lord! O Lord! Dispel the grief of Thy loved ones and Thy chosen ones, and remove their anguish through Thy power and might, and illumine their hearts with the lights of the Day-Star of Thy oneness. Then send down upon them, from the heaven of Thy bounty, the rain of Thy mercy. Thou art indeed the Almighty, unto Whose power all created things have testified, and all things possible have witnessed to Thy strength and Thy conquest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

We have desired to change from the most eloquent tongue to the luminous tongue, that God’s favor to thee, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling, may be completed, and His grace may be manifested once again, that thou mayest give thanks to Him by night and by day, at eventide and at dawn.

Today it is incumbent upon all to arise for the promotion of the Cause of God and engage in such deeds as lead to the exaltation of His Word. Today the river of divine mercy is flowing and the ocean of utterance of the All-Merciful is surging; the Balance is set up and the Path made clear; the proof is revealed. Yet the people of the world are seen to be veiled. Each day the cry of the Calf is raised. Beseech ye God that He may guide the people of the Bayan and protect them from whatsoever causeth division, that all may hold fast unto unity and concord. Unity hath ever been and will continue to be the cause of the exaltation of the Word.

Section 2: “Praise be to God that whatsoever leadeth…”

Praise be to God that whatsoever leadeth to strife, conflict and corruption hath been strictly forbidden in the Books and Tablets. The triumph of God’s Cause hath been and will ever be achieved through the hosts of goodly deeds and praiseworthy character. From the beginning of days this exalted Word hath shone forth from the treasury of the Most Exalted Pen: blessed is he who hath attained unto that which beseemeth the Day of God.

Your honor should inform and give glad-tidings to the loved ones in that land and its surroundings of that which hath dawned forth from the Dayspring of the knowledge of God, exalted be His glory. Awaken those who slumber and make mindful those who are heedless, that perchance they may become aware of that for which they were created and act as beseemeth them. We beseech God that all may drink from the Kawthar of steadfastness in such wise that no thing among all things, no matter among all matters, and no tale among the tales of the ancients and the moderns may withhold them from the Lord of the Day of Judgment. Say: Know ye the value of these days. Today He Who conversed on Sinai is seated upon the throne of Manifestation and speaketh forth. Whosoever drinketh from the Kawthar hidden within the blessed words “He doeth whatsoever He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth” shall find himself established upon the throne of certitude. This blessed Word shall guide the seekers to the ocean of faith and draw those who search unto the horizon of certitude. He shall see naught but God and regard all else as non-existent. Well is it with them that attain thereunto, blessed are they that drink thereof.

Ask thou God to assist His loved ones and aid them to recognize this most exalted station and to succeed in that which draweth them nigh unto Him in all conditions. Verily He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. And We beseech Him, exalted be He, to manifest through thee that which attracteth the hearts and souls and guideth them to a station wherein the hosts of doubts and allusions shall not prevent them, nor shall they be frightened by the ranks of those who have cast the Book of God behind their backs, clinging to their own idle fancies and vain imaginings. Make mention of the loved ones of that land on behalf of the Wronged One. By the Sun of Utterance which shineth from the horizon of the heaven of proof, the men and women who have turned towards God have been and are remembered in the presence of the Wronged One, and there hath been ordained for the steadfast men and steadfast women that which the world is powerless to mention. Thus hath the Tongue of the Wronged One spoken in His Most Great Prison, that thou mayest rejoice and be of those who render thanks.

Praised be God, the breezes of the All-Merciful’s utterance have wafted upon that spiritual friend from all directions. If the people of the world were in truth to attain unto but one word from the Book of Equity or the Volume of Justice, all would turn from what they possess to that which is with God. O beloved of my heart! The gate of equity is barred and the path of justice forbidden. The recompense of the nations’ deeds hath deprived them of the immortal waters and kept them from the straight path. They witness the divine verses descending like the spring rains and hear them, yet they deny and turn away. After that spiritual friend’s last letter, the blessed verse “We shall make thee to recite, so thou shalt not forget” was heard from the Dawning-Place of the Cause and the Day-spring of Revelation. What was written was correct, but the honored Afnan, upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, sent your letters, and likewise the funds you dispatched and other items all arrived and were accepted. Should any act proceed from this servant wherein forgetfulness or oversight becomes apparent, pardon is hoped for.

God is witness and testimony that night and day I am immersed in the sea of occupation—writings before the presence of the Intended One, as well as replies to letters and engagement with prison matters which each day appear in a different form and are marked by new events. It is therefore clear and evident to that spiritual friend what matters cause delay and postponement. God is witness and the All-Knowing that that honored friend hath ever been and continues to be mentioned before the countenance of the Intended One of all worlds. Your expressions in proving God’s Cause are in truth a treasure hidden with God, and there is and hath been no harm in attributing them to you or to Mir Samiy, upon him be the Glory of God, who stands in service. In one station He hath said “We make no distinction between any of them.” I beseech and implore God, exalted be His glory, to aid you to exalt the Word and manifest the Cause as He hath ordained. At this moment this exalted Word hath appeared from the Kingdom of utterance of the Lord of all beings. His word, exalted be His glory:

“O Husayn! With the key of the Most Great Name, open the gates of men’s hearts, and with the wings of detachment soar in this spiritual atmosphere, that those who tarry may follow and learn. We have ordained for thee that which causeth bodies to take flight, how much more the spirits.”

Praised be God, that beloved of the heart hath attained unto the supreme bounty, and there hath been revealed that which, should all on earth discover its sweetness, they would turn wholly sanctified unto God. You have been and continue to be confirmed, and with the sword of life you have broken the backs of the idolaters—a breaking that will not mend, which skilled physicians and accomplished healers are powerless to repair. Exalted be our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of earth and heaven and the Master of the hereafter and this world.

And regarding what you wrote concerning forgiveness, it was presented in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court, and these sublime words descended from the Kingdom of utterance of the Intended One of all worlds. His word, blessed and exalted be He:

“O thou who hearkenest to thy Lord’s utterance! Give thanks unto God for having aided thee and enabled thee and taught thee and caused thee to know Him and made thee speak His mention and praise amongst His servants. He hath aided thee as a bounty from Him and enabled thee as a gift from His presence and forgiven thee as a mercy from His side. By My life! Through My remembrance the ocean of forgiveness hath surged and the breezes of thy Lord’s tender mercy, the Forgiving, the Bountiful, have wafted. We beseech God to assist thee with the hosts of wisdom and utterance that thou mayest assist Him amongst His servants. Verily He is the Hearing, the Answering.”

I convey that in these days all must gaze toward a single horizon and hold fast to service to the Cause. Praise be to God, in most lands the light of the Cause is manifest, yet some among the people of the Bayan remained veiled and concealed in times of hardship. Now that some measure of assurance has been attained and seekers are evident, they have emerged from behind the veil like flies and seek to organize a party like the previous party. Glory be to God! If this was the purpose, why did they initially separate from the first path? And some, despite claims of faith and certitude, have been and are thinking of the Calf, seeking through a hundred thousand lies and calumnies to guide helpless souls according to their own desires. In any case, such souls have been and are rejected before God. Beseech the True One to protect His servants and not afflict them with the associating of the hopes of the ignorant. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. In all cases that spiritual friend must be vigilant and, to the extent possible, be occupied with protecting the servants. Verily He is the Helper, the Powerful, the Mighty.

Regarding what was written about Muhammad-Hasan and Mulla Muhammad-Taqi, upon them be the Glory of God, who requested mention of them in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence, after submission before the Presence these decisive verses descended from the Kingdom of the Will of Truth, exalted be His glory. The Lord, exalted and sanctified be He, speaks:

He is the All-Witnessing, the All-Informed

O Muhammad-Taqi! Thou hast attained unto the traces of My Pen following thy turning to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Thou didst hear and respond on a day wherein the servants denied the appearance of God and His evidences, and the greatness of God and His sovereignty. Thus did their lying tongues describe for them what they followed of every remote ignorant one. We have mentioned the people of the village with a mention before which every wondrous mention bows down. We counsel thee and those who have believed to show forth the Greater Steadfastness in the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds. The Dispensations have ended with this Most Great Dispensation and this Mighty Announcement. Whosoever claims a matter is verily a lying impostor.

The Tongue of Grandeur beareth witness to this, even as it bore witness before in a Book named the Most Holy before God, the Mighty, the Praised. Remember My loved ones there and give them glad tidings of My attention and My turning toward them and My mention and My loving-kindness. Verily thy Lord is the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days. Say: Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having given me to drink of the Kawthar of utterance and aided me to turn toward the lights of Thy countenance and to acknowledge that which the tongue of Thy grandeur hath spoken. Verily Thou art He Whom the conditions of Thy creation withhold not, nor the turning away of Thy servants. There is no God but Thee, the Strong, the Mighty.

And this is what was revealed for Muhammad-Hasan:

He is the Speaker in the Kingdom of Utterance

O Muhammad-Hasan! The Wronged One desireth to make mention of thee with that which will draw thee nigh unto God, the Lord of Lords. Hearken unto the Call from this Most Great Quarter, then give thanks unto thy Lord, the Possessor of Necks. Verily He hath appeared and made manifest His Most Great Cause. Blessed is he who hath recognized, and woe unto every doubting denier. Take the Book with strength from Us and rely in all matters upon God, the Revealer of verses. Let nothing among all things sadden thee, nor let the veils of those who have disbelieved in God in the return withhold thee. Take the cup of utterance in the name of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, then drink therefrom despite every denier who hath turned away from God, the Possessor of creation. Say: […]

My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having guided me and made me aware. I beseech Thee by Thy signs and Thy manifestations to assist me to remain steadfast in Thy Cause. Then ordain for me that which will protect me from the evil of Thine enemies. Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever Thou willest, and within Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

Praise be to God that these two souls who were mentioned have attained unto bounty and have been nourished from the chalice of the utterance of the All-Merciful. Well is it with them, and again, well is it with them. This evanescent servant remembers the loved ones of that land with praise, glory, exaltation and greetings. God is my witness that the loved ones of that land have been and are ever present before my eyes. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to make that land ready for the outpouring of the fire of love for the Desired One of all worlds, and I ask for each one that which hath had and hath no likeness or equal. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the All-Powerful, the Almighty. Glory, remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those who are with you, and upon all who are firm, steadfast, resolute and faithful. And praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH11891: The servant beareth witness to the oneness of God…

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

The servant beareth witness to the oneness of God and His singleness, and that He is the First and the Last, the Manifest and the Hidden. He causeth to enter whomsoever He willeth within the pavilions of His grace and the tabernacle of His glory. He, verily, is the All-Praised in His action and the All-Chosen in His decree. He hath guided those who are nigh unto Him to His most exalted horizon and ordained for them that which the pens of creation are powerless to recount. He is the Single One, the One Alone, the Almighty, Who hath aided some of His servants to spend in His path, such that they have spent whatsoever they possessed. To this do God’s servants and His chosen ones bear witness, and to their acceptance, their sincerity and their steadfastness. The servant beareth witness that all grace lieth within His grasp—He bestoweth it upon whomsoever He willeth. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. There is no God but Him, the Single One, the One Alone, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

He is the Sustainer. The contribution of the two brother cotton-carders, upon them be the glory of the All-Merciful, in the amount of eighty-six tumans, was received by the servant in the prison through Jinab-i-Amin, upon him be the glory of God, in the month of Safar 1305.

BH01797: Praise be to God Who sent down the Books…

He is God, exalted be His glory, the Greatest, the Most Powerful

Praise be to God Who sent down the Books and dispatched the Messengers, for verily there is no God but Him, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. Through them He manifested His sovereignty, completed His proof, bestowed His grace, and perfected His evidence. Through them He guided His servants to His Straight Path. Blessings and peace be upon Him after Whom there shall be no Prophet, through Whom His verses were sent down, His evidence appeared, His power encompassed all things, His Word was exalted, and its station was raised in the world among the nations. Exalted is the Ancient Lord Who sent Him and made Him stand in His own place in the realm of creation. And upon His family and companions who established the pillars of religion through His firm and impregnable Command.

And then—may my spirit be a sacrifice for your presence—the letter from the spiritual friend, his honor Aqa Darvish Ghulam-Husayn, upon him be God’s peace, which he had written to that beloved one, arrived and was presented before the Countenance. The Master—may our spirits be a sacrifice for Him—said: Mention of this Cause has been forbidden in the outskirts of this city and surrounding regions, for the people are weak and make no distinction between good and evil, guidance and error, benefit and harm. Although the loved ones of God have had and have no purpose except the reformation of the world and the refinement of the nations, nevertheless the divines, rulers and every faction have attributed pure righteousness to corruption and have understood building up to mean tearing down.

In such case what station remains for words and what place for deeds? In any case, mention of this Cause is not permitted in these parts. Beseech God to aid the servants to justice and fairness. He who knows does not deny, he who understands does not turn away, and he who comprehends does not object. Let one proceed with brevity and we make mention of Muhammad-Qabli-Mustafa—upon him be my peace. Remember him on my behalf and give him the glad tidings of my attention to him. We beseech God to preserve him and those with him from the evil of every stubborn oppressor and from the tyranny of every sinful transgressor.

O servant! Upon thee be My peace. Quickly pass beyond the border of Rum. In view of the promise of his honor Muhammad-Qabli-Mustafa—upon him be my peace—regarding meeting and encountering the mentioned souls, there has not been and is not any objection for two or three days. Convey greetings from the Wronged One. Firm counsels are necessary in wisdom. God willing, may you be enabled to mention and praise and spread and diffuse after passing beyond these bounds. Verily the Command is in His hand—He doeth what He willeth and decreeth what He pleaseth. He is the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the Wise. We beseech God to preserve His loved ones through His power that encompasseth the world, to guard them from the evil of His enemies, and to draw them nigh unto Him in all conditions. Verily He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

End. Praise be to God, the purpose has been achieved, for they have been adorned with the mention of the Beloved and illumined by the lights of providence. Blessed are they! The request is that they seek confirmation and ask for enablement for this poor one as well. Verily God is the Hearer, the Answerer. This evanescent servant conveys greetings to his honor Muhammad Mustafa—may God the Exalted assist him. For his presence and those with him, before and after, I have sought and seek enablement, and praise be to God it is assured of response. I convey greetings to his honor Aqa Darvish—upon him be God’s peace—and I beseech God for confirmation for him. Likewise I convey greetings to the other friends and have besought and beseech from God, exalted be His glory, confirmation and enablement and the good of this world and the next for each one. At this time mention was made in the Most Holy Court of his honor Haji ʿAli and their honors the most exalted ones—upon them be God’s peace. Praise be to God, all are mentioned and have attained the glances of providence. Praise be to God, first and last, outwardly and inwardly.

The servant 3rd of Safar 1305