Volume 085: Akka 1305 A.H. (1887–1888), Part II (1 of 5)
BH01140: O people of Baha! Hearken unto the Call…
He is the Speaker in the Kingdom of utterance
O people of Baha! Hearken unto the Call from the luminous Tree, that verily there is none other God besides Him, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The Mother Book speaks and says: The All-Bountiful has come in His retreat. Fear God and be not of the heedless ones. The Mother of the Bayan calls out: O people of creation! The All-Merciful has come with a host from the Supreme Concourse. Turn unto Him and be not of the lost. The Mother of Tablets speaks and says: O peoples of the earth! He Who conversed on Sinai is established upon the throne of Revelation. Withhold not yourselves from drawing nigh unto Him. This is what ye have been commanded in the Books of God and in this perspicuous Tablet.
O Kazim! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. Thou art he who has turned unto My horizon, who has held fast unto the cord of My loving-kindness, and who has arisen to serve My Cause and to make mention of Me and to praise Me amongst My servants. We beseech God to assist thee and to aid thee with a host of the near angels. Blessed is the tongue that hath confessed that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken, and the eye that hath been honored with beholding His luminous direction. We have sent down for thee aforetime that which the riches of all the servants cannot equal. To this beareth witness the Lord of creation in His mighty prison. We have mentioned thee in numerous Tablets, drawn thee nigh unto the shore of the Most Great Ocean, and guided thee unto My straight path.
Blessed is the servant who hath cast away what he possessed and hath hearkened unto that which I have uttered in remembrance of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Say: O people of the Furqan! Have ye not heard the call of your Lord, the All-Merciful, in His words “On the day when all men shall stand before the Lord of the worlds”? This is the day whereon the horizon of grace hath been illumined and the Self-Subsisting hath appeared with His sealed choice wine in His hand, saying: Come ye, come ye, and be not of them that tarry. This is the day which the Books of God, the Sovereign of the Day of Judgment, had promised. Say: O people of the Bayan! By the life of God, the Point of the Furqan and the Point of the Bayan bewail you in the most exalted Paradise. Fear ye God and be not of the oppressors. If ye deny this most great favor, by what proof can ye establish that which ye possess? Be fair, O people, and be not of them that are abased.
The gate of heaven hath been opened and the Lord of Names hath come with the standards of His signs. Give thanks unto your Lord for this most great favor which hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. Say: The river of utterance hath flowed from the Pen of your Lord, the All-Merciful. Draw nigh and drink thereof in the name of your Lord, the Mighty, the Wondrous, Who hath stood before all faces and called all unto the One, the All-Informed. Thus hath the Most Great Ocean spoken amongst the nations, causing the limbs of them that have denied God, the Mighty, the Powerful, to quake.
O Kazim! Verily My Most Exalted Pen desireth to make mention of thy brother who hath ascended unto God, the Protecting, the Self-Subsisting. At the time of his ascension, the Concourse on High perceived from him the fragrance of My love, the Mighty, the Well-Beloved, and the hand of grace admitted him to a station whereof the pens of the world are powerless to make mention. To this beareth witness He with Whom is the Preserved Tablet. The light that shone forth from the horizon of the grace of the Manifestation, and the first fragrance that wafted from the garment of thy Lord’s mercy, the Sovereign of existence, rest upon thee, O thou who didst turn unto the Most Exalted Horizon when they who are on earth turned away therefrom. We testify that thou didst hear the Call and didst turn unto it and believe in God, the Lord of the invisible and the visible, and remained steadfast in the Cause in such wise that the doubts of them who denied the decree of resurrection did not deter thee. Thou didst attain unto the recognition of God and His signs, and didst hear His most sweet call when it was raised betwixt earth and heaven, and didst drink His choice sealed wine sealed with His Self-Subsisting Name.
Thus hath the Most Exalted Pen spoken in this praiseworthy station. Glorified art Thou, O God of existence and Sovereign over what hath been and what shall be! I beseech Thee by the mysteries of Thy knowledge and the breezes of Thy days and the waves of the ocean of utterance in the contingent world, to send down upon him who hath ascended unto Thee, at every moment, a mercy from Thee and a grace from Thy presence. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. All created things have testified to Thy generosity and all beings to Thy loving-kindness. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful.
O Kazim! Give thanks unto God for having revealed unto thee and unto thy brother that whose fragrance shall never cease to persist throughout the duration of the kingdom and the realm above. A letter hath come from Salman, upon him be My glory, wherein mention was made of him who ascended unto the Supreme Companion. By reason thereof, grief seized those who circle round the Throne at eventide and at dawn. We console thee and comfort thee with verses that have no equal in all the earth and heavens. Verily thy Lord is the All-Patient; He biddeth thee to manifest beautiful patience. He, verily, is the Almighty over what He willeth. There is none other God but He, the Mighty, the Bestower.
Convey My greetings unto the faces of My loved ones. Say: O people of God! Take heed lest the power of the world frighten you, or the might of the nations weaken you, or the clamor of the contentious deter you, or the manifestations of glory sadden you. Be as mountains in the Cause of your Lord, the Almighty, the Mighty, the Chosen One. Thus have We sent down from the clouds of grace the rains of wisdom and utterance. Blessed is he who hath witnessed and seen and said:
“Praise be unto Thee, O Revealer of verses, and glory be unto Thee, O Manifestation of clear evidences!”
I testify that Thou hast appeared and made manifest that which was hidden from eternity of eternities. Whoso turneth unto Thee hath turned unto God from the beginning that hath no beginning, and whoso turneth away hath turned away from God in the beginning and the end. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon them who hearken unto thy word in this Cause whereby the limbs of men have quaked, and upon My loved ones there who have not broken the Covenant.
BH02014: Thy letter which thou didst send to the Nazir…
In the name of the one true God!
Thy letter which thou didst send to the Nazir, upon him be the Glory of God, attained the presence of this Wronged One. We saw it and heard it. Praise be to God, every word thereof testified to thy turning and devotion to the Most Exalted Horizon. We beseech God to increase at all times thy steadfastness, love and devotion. He is the Powerful, the Mighty.
O thou who art mentioned before the Wronged One! In this Most Great Revelation and Mighty Announcement, praiseworthy deeds and pleasing virtues have been supporters and helpers, as hath been revealed in the Books, Psalms, Scriptures and Tablets from the Supreme Pen. Today the people of truth must be adorned with the ornament of trustworthiness, righteousness, truthfulness and sincerity. Blessed is the heart that hath been illumined with the light of trustworthiness. After the recognition of God and steadfastness in His Cause cometh the station of trustworthiness. We beseech God not to deprive cities and lands of its lights. Trustworthiness hath ever been the cause of the world’s wealth and the reason for divine blessing and infinite bounties.
This Wronged One is saddened by certain events that have occurred. Convey My greetings to those who have turned to God. Impart unto all the divine counsels, that haply they may turn from what they possess to what God possesseth, and hold fast unto that which befitteth this Day.
Say: My God, my God! I beseech Thee by the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty, and the lights of the Day-Star of Thy Revelation, and by Thy verses that have encompassed earth and heaven, and by Thy arising to establish Thy Cause after the passing away of all things, to send down from the heaven of Thy grace upon Thy loved ones that which will draw them nigh unto Thee and enable them to recognize that which will profit them in this world and the next, through Thy generosity and bounty. O Lord! Illumine their hearts with the light of Thy knowledge, and adorn their heads with the crowns of trustworthiness amidst Thy creatures, and their temples with the ornament of detachment through Thy grace and mercy.
I beseech Thee, O Lord of all being and Sovereign over the seen and unseen, to make Thy loved ones the standards of Thy guidance amongst Thy servants and the banners of Thy truth in Thy lands. Then protect this servant of Thine from those who have abandoned what they were bidden in Thy Book and have done what they were forbidden by Thy command. O Lord! Ordain for me the good of this world and the next, then send down upon me from the heaven of Thy bounty that which will make me independent through Thy riches, detached from all else save Thee, standing firm in Thy service and speaking Thy praise. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
We beseech God to cause the people of that land to attain unto that which hath been revealed in these blessed words, that all may be adorned with an ornament whose light shall guide the peoples of the world to the Dawning-Place of God’s Command and the Dayspring of His verses. Verily, He is powerful over all things.
Thou hast been and art remembered before the Wronged One. Soon shall appear what God, the Powerful, the Mighty, hath ordained for thee. The Nazir and Asadu’llah, upon them be My Glory and loving-kindness, abide beneath the canopies of grandeur, at rest. Under all conditions be ye vigilant in exalting the Word. Your affairs are referred to God. Verily He hath ordained for thee what He willeth, and He is the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days. The Glory be upon thee and upon those who have quaffed the wine of steadfastness from the cup of the favor of their Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous.
BH02500: O ʿAli-i-Akbar! The whole world awaited the appearance…
He is the Hearer, the Answerer
O ʿAli-i-Akbar! The whole world awaited the appearance of the Ancient King, beseeching with utmost lamentation, helplessness and supplication from the Self-Sufficient, the Exalted, the manifestation of the Dawning-Place of Revelation and the Rising-Point of His verses. Yet when the expanse of the world was illumined by the lights of the Most Great Luminary, all arose in opposition. The primary cause and reason for this opposition were the divines of the age. Whenever the ocean of knowledge appeared, the sun of bounty was manifest, and the heaven of Revelation was raised up, all became as veils and prevented the servants from the Lord of Creation—though all were brought from nothingness into being for the recognition of this Day. Blessed art thou for having shattered the idols of vain imaginings and turned toward the Dawning-Place of certitude. What befell thee hath repeatedly befallen Us. Give thanks unto thy Lord as We gave thanks for what befell Us in His Straight Path and His Great Announcement. Thou hast ever been mentioned in the Most Holy Court and still art. We beseech God to assist thee to be patient. Verily He is the All-Patient and hath commanded all to patience, and He is the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days.
Soon shall the people of tyranny and rebellion confess their own loss and your gain. Were they to become aware even to the extent of a needle’s eye, all would cry out “I turn unto Thee, O Thou the Desire of the world!” When thou receivest My letter and findest from it the sweet fragrances of My loving-kindness, say: “My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having made me know Thee when Thy servants were heedless of Thee, and for having caused me to turn toward Thee when most of Thy creatures turned away. I beseech Thee, O Lord of existence, by the ocean of Thy bounty and the heaven of Thy generosity, to strengthen me to remain steadfast in Thy Cause and in Thy love in such wise that the tyranny of the Pharaohs among Thy servants and the oppression of the tyrants among Thy creatures shall not prevent me. Then ordain for me the good of this world and the world to come, and that which will profit me in every world of Thy worlds. Verily Thou art the Powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.”
Abu’l-Fadl, upon him be the glory of his Bountiful Lord, hath made mention of thee. We have remembered thee in a Tablet that crieth out between earth and heaven:
“O people of Baha! By God, ye have attained unto that which none before you hath attained. Know ye your station, then aid your Lord, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate. Blessed is he that heareth and seeth, and woe unto the deniers.”
We make mention of Abu’l-Fadl, upon him be My Glory. We testify that he arose to serve Me, spoke in remembrance and praise of Me, turned his face toward My countenance and drew nigh unto My luminous horizon. The Glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My Kingdom be upon thee, O Abu’l-Fadl, and upon him, and upon those who have attained unto this Most Great, Most Exalted, Most Mighty, Most Firm Cause.
BH04751: God testifieth that there is none other God but…
He is the One Who gazeth from His Most Glorious Horizon
God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, and that He Who hath come with the truth is indeed the Hidden Secret and the Treasured Symbol, and through Him hath God sent down the proof and made manifest the way. Whoso believeth in Him hath believed in God and His signs, and hath acknowledged His sovereignty and confessed His greatness and His glory. And whoso denieth Him is numbered among the wicked in the Book of God, the Lord of lords. When thou dost inhale the fragrance of My raiment and art blessed with My call, say:
My God, my God! I know not in what land Thy call hath been raised, nor in what place the throne of Thy justice hath been established, and been honored by the advent of the Dayspring of Thy Revelation and the Dawning-Place of Thy signs. O Lord! Thou seest me clinging to the cord of Thy grace and holding fast to the hem of the robe of Thy bounty. I beseech Thee by Thy Cause through which Thou hast subdued the kingdom of earth and heaven, to make me steadfast in Thy remembrance and praise amongst Thy servants, and firm in the service of Thy Cause. By Thy glory, O God of Names and Creator of heaven! Mine eyes profit me not if they are prevented from gazing toward Thy most exalted horizon, nor do I love mine ears except for hearkening to Thy most sweet call, nor doth my life benefit me if it is deterred from trials in Thy path.
I beseech Thee, O Lord of the world and Goal of the nations, by Thy Most Great Name, to make me detached from all else but Thee, soaring in the atmosphere of Thy nearness, gazing toward Thy horizon, and drinking the choice wine of Thy utterance. Thou art verily powerful to do what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Generous.
BH02292: The honored letter from your eminence…
He is God, exalted be His station, the Greatness and the Power
The honored letter from your eminence, which is the cause of the growth of the growing powers of the world, arrived. Growth was achieved, joy was manifest, and delight was present. Praise and thanks be to Him Who has gladdened and continues to gladden the hearts and souls of His loved ones with the days of attainment and the verses of nearness. The joy of this wine shall not depart from thoughts nor vanish from existence. It is hoped that soon you will attain to His presence and succeed in true deeds.
Regarding what you wrote about His Honor the Most Great, His Honor the Greatest Afnan, upon him be all the Most Glorious Beauty and His love and favor towards that beloved one—after it was presented, He said at that time:
“Praise be to God, His Afnans are adorned with two garments—patience and beneficence. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist them that through them the light of justice may shine forth in the world and among the nations.”
They certainly show the utmost love and kindness towards one such as yourself. We praise God in all conditions. End quote.
Similarly, the mention of the loved ones of that land and their love and fellowship towards that beloved one became the cause of joy and gladness. After it was presented at that time, expressions of favor were heard and witnessed towards each one. The loved ones of God, exalted be His glory, have never been and will never be absent from His sight, and they have been and are mentioned at most times. I beseech the All-Bountiful One to adorn each one with the ornament of His favor and love. He is the Hearer, the Answerer.
The trouble, attention and kindness of that beloved one, and the dispersion in the path of God—the conversation with the Roman, that is, that imaginary Christian, as well as the time spent fixing the fountain in the garden, the place of recreation for all in creation—in truth these are deeds whose reward shall not end and whose mention shall not perish. It is hoped that that person will become aware and act according to his covenant and pledge.
Furthermore, the trouble of your eminence’s attention in seeing the sugar and tasting its flavor, and attention to other troubles, and sending of trusts which are considered among the great services, and other various attentions which cannot be limited by the pen—all are mentioned and their rewards are beseeched and hoped for from God, exalted be His station.
I convey utter nothingness and evanescence to the service of His Honor the Most Great, His Honor the Afnan, upon him be God’s favor, the Lord of Eternity. I beseech from the True One that He may repeatedly cause your eminence to attain to that which is befitting. Likewise, I convey greetings and praise to the service of the Brilliant Star and His Honor Haji and His Honor Muhammad Mustafa and the other loved ones, upon them be God’s peace. Peace and praise and remembrance and glory be upon your eminence and upon those who are with you and who love you for the sake of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.
BH02603: Praise be to the Goal of the world Who…
He is God, exalted be His station, the Grandeur and the Power
Praise be to the Goal of the world Who assisted that honored brother to turn towards God with acceptance, attention, humility and submissiveness, and honored him with visitation of the House, and caused him to speak the blessed word of unity. The servant testifies that there is no God but Him. He has ever been and will ever be sanctified from what the creatures possess, and He is the Single, the One, the Powerful, the Unconstrained. And blessings and peace be upon the Most Great Luminary through Whom the world was illumined and the decree of unity and mention of detachment appeared among the peoples, and upon His family and companions who acted according to what they were commanded in His Clear Book.
Thereafter, the letter of that honored master dated the last day of Rabi’u’l-Avval arrived at sunset on Sunday, which was the day before. Therefore the delay in responding was not and is not the fault of this servant—the responsibility lies with the bearer. This evanescent one has ever beseeched and continues to beseech from God, exalted be His glory, bounty and mercy for that spiritual beloved. Though praise be to God you have attained all that was mentioned, yet since this is the station of grace, the more that appears the better and more pleasing it is. Your mention and that of the dear honored one Aqa Mirza ʿAbdu’llah has ever been before the Master. Whenever anyone is present, they first ask about your circumstances with care and kindness. I beseech Him, blessed and exalted is He, to assist you and preserve you and draw you near to Him in all conditions. Verily He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.
As for the sum you wrote about, there was an amount in Constantinople which according to what was mentioned they sent, and it was assigned to Aqa Faraj, upon him be God’s peace—give it to him. After that it is not known what happened. There was a sum belonging to Aqa Mirza Asadu’llah, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s peace, which is now in Constantinople with the honored Shaykh, upon him be God’s grace and favor. There is nothing here. There is nothing more to mention except that I have beseeched and continue to beseech from God, exalted be His glory, blessing and bounty and mercy and favor and glory for that beloved one. Verily He is the Answerer of prayers and the Most Merciful of the merciful. Peace and praise be upon your honor and upon those with you and upon God’s sincere servants. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.
BH03663: Glory be to God! How can we helpless handmaidens…
He is God, exalted be His glory, His greatness and His power!
Glory be to God! How can we helpless handmaidens arise to praise and glorify the Lord of verses and the Sovereign of all manifestations, or render thanks for His blessings? Perfect indeed is this utterance: “We cannot offer fitting praise to Thee.” Even with all the cherubim of the celestial realm, which tongue is worthy to offer praise and glory, and which being is capable of defining and enumerating? The Tongue of Grandeur hath declared: “If ye should count God’s mercies, ye shall not be able to number them.”
The blessing of existence, the blessing of life, the blessing of health, the blessing of recognition, the blessing of certitude, and the blessing of nearness and presence which hath ever been and shall ever remain above all other blessings; and the blessing of divine confirmation and success in arising to serve, which hath been the hope and desire of His chosen ones and those near unto Him, both in the past and present; and His manifest favors and evident bounties which He hath bestowed through pure generosity and sheer grace—for each of these degrees, all the pens of the world and commemorations of the nations cannot reach their end, nor can the realm of utterance fulfill their thanks. The near ones and the sincere ones have confessed their powerlessness and inadequacy before a single sign among His signs. Verily, we are God’s and unto Him do we return.
Yet do we beseech the infinite ocean of favor and the great sea of supreme mercy that, through His grace and novel benevolence, He may accept this station of powerlessness from His handmaidens and record the names of these lowly ones in the book of those who are thankful and praise Him. This is not difficult for Him, for verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Kind, the Forgiving, the Generous….
BH02396: Praise be to the Desired One of the world…
He is God, exalted be His station, the Greatness and the Power
Praise be to the Desired One of the world Who safely and soundly delivered that Beloved to his true homeland—which, in the words of a former speaker, is “that city wherein dwelleth the Beloved.” Once again, praised be He, for on that same day He confirmed and granted success so that they attained the honor of His presence.
At every moment a hundred thousand favors and a hundred thousand bounties and a hundred thousand mercies are witnessed, while the inability of the servants to offer thanks and praise is evident. One blessing requires one tongue to give thanks and praise for it. But before any person of insight, the inability of one tongue to mention millions upon millions of favors is clear and manifest. Christ (upon Him be God’s mercy), after much trouble and reflection, in one breath investigated two bounties, thereby proving human inability—and indeed He made an excellent investigation, as though He had attained unto a drop from the ocean of utterance. But now we observe that we have one tongue while hundreds of thousands upon thousands of worlds and more of bounties and favors exist. In this case, our inability requires no investigation—it is as evident as the sun. And it is hoped that this very acknowledgment of inability will be accepted. God willing, both this servant’s laziness and that beloved one’s troubles will be reckoned as one thing and attain the ornament of acceptance.
Furthermore, praise be to God, the letter arrived and notice of receipt was sent. They said that his honor Haji Shaykh (upon him be God’s peace and favor) has taken much trouble. Accordingly, he is continuously occupied with services—his reward is with God. Two days ago they brought a rosewater sprinkler with rosewater into His presence. They used it and mentioned Jinab-i-Shaykh. The point is that you have been and are in His thoughts at all times.
As for the mention of that beloved one’s stay in the mansion, it is quite clear that that beloved one did not notice the subtle, nay most subtle, hint of Aqa Mirza Aminullah (may my spirit be sacrificed for him), otherwise he would certainly have stayed. After this was submitted, He smiled and said “Although the compensation is with them, We shall pay it and will inform when the time comes.”
As for what you wrote about your mention being made in the Most Holy Court—praise be to God, mention of that beloved one is ever-present. Your handwritten books are before His face, occupied with your mention, and likewise your presence and your service in the realm of writing and otherwise—all are manifest. Through God’s grace all these mentions have been bestowed upon you. We praise Him in all conditions. Peace be upon you, and God’s mercy.
BH01604: Praise be to God! Through His loving-kindness the gates…
He is God, exalted be His glory, the Greatness and Power
Praise be to God! Through His loving-kindness the gates of mercy, bounty and protection are opened wide. His loved ones speak forth the blessed word of unity “There is no God but Him” and acknowledge His oneness and singleness. I beseech Him, exalted be His glory, to illumine His servants, meaning all who dwell on earth, with the lights of the Day-Star of unity, that every tongue may confess what He hath revealed in His perspicuous Book. And blessings and peace be upon Him through Whom were manifested the mysteries of His most beautiful names and most exalted attributes, Whose shoulder was adorned with the seal of Prophethood and Messengership, and Whose temple was adorned with the ornament “but He is the Messenger of God and the Seal of the Prophets”, and upon His family, the dawning-places of the hopes of the sincere ones, and upon His companions, the daysprings of His outpourings for all in the heavens and earth.
To continue: Repeatedly have letters from that honored brother arrived, each one a sign sent from the King of love. Every believer and sincere one can detect from the fragrance of each word the fragrance of your sincerity and humility. Well done to your hand and arm! Your poetry brings joy and your prose causes delight. The tongue seeks to become worthy of giving thanks for divine bounties. There is no bounty greater than His recognition—it gives eternal sustenance to the soul and bestows conquering power upon the temple. Through His grace, loving-kindness and generosity He has granted this most great bounty to His loved ones—a bounty which is in truth sanctified above the description of describers and the mention of those who make mention. It has now become clear and evident to every person of knowledge and understanding that the tongues of the world are incapable and fall short of giving thanks for even one of His bounties. In every breath a hundred thousand bounties exist—exalted be His greatness, magnificent His bounty, perfect His favors and gifts. There is no God but Him.
After the reading of each letter it was presented before His presence, and each time the Luminary of loving-kindness shone forth and the Sun of grace was manifest. You yourself have witnessed the waves of the ocean of utterance—there is no need for this servant to elaborate.
“Thou knowest what that water clear
Doth say to rose and sapling near;
Thou knowest what the sun in spring’s
To herb and blossom murmuring.”
Regarding what you wrote about the light of my eyes, dear Aqa Abdul-Husayn, upon him be the Glory of God (96), after it was presented He commanded that whatever the two Most Exalted Names deem advisable should be done. This is a word that has flowed from the Pen of love both before and after. Take it, relying upon God, and set aside all else. There has never been and is no doubt that whatever is advisable for His loved ones, that is what He has commanded.
Tonight, which is the eighteenth night of the month of Jamadi’ul-Avval, we were occupied with your remembrance. At the end of the day of this night, the poems you composed in praise of the Lord were honored to be heard. Praise be to God, both night and day were spent in remembrance of you. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to ever bestow His loving-kindness and grant unto you and His loved ones the fruits of the Tree of knowledge and wisdom at all times, and to provide sustenance. He is the Powerful and He is the Bestower. His is the generosity and bounty and grace which the nations are powerless to reckon.
The companions in prison send greetings, especially those who circle round. Furthermore, convey greetings and praise to the loved ones and friends in that land. God is witness and the lamp bears testimony that I have ever beseeched and do beseech for each one protection, health, mercy, loving-kindness, blessing and bounty. Verily He has power over all things and is worthy to answer prayers. Peace and praise and mercy and glory be upon you and those with you and upon God’s sincere servants. Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds.
The servant, on the night of 18 Jamadi’ul-Avval 1305
BH02315: Praise be to God! The mirror of the world…
He is God, exalted be His glory, the Greatness and the Power
Praise be to God! The mirror of the world has arrived with what it brought—one cup of love, one cup of affection, one cup of remembrance and praise was observed therein. After journeying and traversing through the realms of truth and investigation, and traveling through the degrees of love with precision, having aimed for that station, it was presented before His face. He said: We beseech God to protect and guard His honor Javad, upon him be peace, and to bestow upon him in every moment that which befits His generosity and bounty. Likewise we beseech God to transform the days of separation and remoteness into nearness and reunion. End.
In truth, separation from that beloved one and his absence has become the dawning-place of sorrow and the cause of grief. God is sufficient as witness that the connection of limbs and members, the sight of eyes and joy of heart are, in the first degree, from union and meeting with the loved ones. This is a bounty which is truly worthy of mention, description and praise. This evanescent servant beseeches from the Ever-Abiding Lord that which will brighten the eyes and gladden the heart. Basra came but brought no glad tidings of that beloved one’s presence. I beseech God to remove the causes of delay that have intervened, so that the eyes of the friends may be brightened. The mention of that beloved one has been and continues to be in the gathering of the prisoners.
In truth, from what is known, all are weary from the burden of waiting and hasty in seeking relief. God willing, soon the glad tidings will arrive and the good news of reunion will dispel the clouds from hearts. God is witness and testifier to how much joy and delight was experienced from that beloved one’s letter: first, the glad tidings of that beloved one’s health and well-being; second, the turning to the direction of the Goal; third, the sanctification of his honor, the beloved of the heart, Nabil, son of Nabil, from allegations and limitations. From every direction there was no wine, yet it brought exhilaration; there was no carpet, yet it spread the mat of joy. What we now beseech from God is nearness and reunion.
The command is in His hand—He doeth what He willeth and decreeth what He pleaseth. To the honored master, his honor the Greater Afnan, his honor the Most Luminous Star Afnan, the honored beloved his honor Haji, and other loved ones, upon them be God’s peace—I remember them all and send greetings.
O God, my God! I beseech Thee by the light of Thy Cause and the fire of Thy Lote Tree to protect Thy loved ones and ordain for them what Thou hast promised them in Thy Book. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful, and worthy to answer prayer. Peace and praise be upon you and upon those with you and upon God’s righteous servants. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.
BH01064: It hath been said before concerning the description…
He is God, exalted be His glory, the Greatness and the Power!
It hath been said before concerning the description of truth that should anyone desire to know it, he must needs remove the veils of glory without indication. For these veils there have been and are diverse meanings. In the primary degree and first station, by ʿveils’ are meant the divines of Iran, for these souls have been the hindrance to the knowledge of God—glorified be His Majesty—and nearness to His chosen ones and servants. They have ever been the cause of discord and the source of upheaval. In the second station and other degree are means that prevent man from attaining unto God. These means are at times outward things, at times occurring matters, and at times vain imaginings and idle fancies which appear denser than mountains.
Upon complete observation and scrutiny, it becometh evident that their sources are those same heedless souls aforementioned. However, in the sight of the brave and the men of valor, the veils of the world and the coverings of the nations were not and are not worthy of mention. With the finger of trust they have rent them asunder, and with the arm of detachment have they shattered them—that is, the idols of vain imaginings. Exalted be their stations and magnificent their conditions and ranks! Neither commerce nor trade distracteth them from the remembrance of God. These are the manifestations of steadfastness and the dawning-places thereof. In all conditions they gaze toward God and are detached from aught else. The changes and transformations of the world and its occurrences alter them not nor make them sorrowful. They act for God, speak for God, are turned toward God, and trust in God. Blessed are they and joy be unto them!
Glory be unto Thee, O my God, my Desire and my Hope! I testify that were all mention to be endowed with as many wings as the number of all created things, and were they to soar from the First which hath no beginning unto the Last which hath no end, they would never attain unto the court of Thy glorious majesty. How then can my mention and the mention of them that make mention of Thee, or my description and the description of them that describe Thee, ever befit Thee? I testify, O my God, by Thy greatness and Thy sovereignty and Thy loftiness and Thy power, and by my effacement before the Word of affirmation and the traces of Thy Pen, O Lord! Thou seest my weakness and my poverty and my need. I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy knowledge and whatsoever lieth hidden therein by Thy command and Thy will, that Thou assist me and Thy loved ones in Thy remembrance and Thy praise.
O Lord! Thou seest the weakness of the believers and the might of the idolaters. Their cannons have encompassed Thy realms and their bullets the horizons of Thy domains. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance that Thou protect the people of unity from the fire of their oppression and their tyranny and their might and their deceit. Verily Thou art the Powerful One Whom neither their conditions nor their might can frustrate. O Lord! Thou seest and knowest Thy servant who hath turned toward Thee and chosen exile through what hath befallen him from Thy irrevocable decree. I beseech Thee that Thou protect him with the hosts of the unseen and the seen, and that Thou open before his face the gates of joy and relief. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.
Your letter arrived, bringing joy and delight, for it was adorned with the mention of God, exalted be His glory, and also brought glad tidings of good health, and furthermore news of association with his honor, the beloved of hearts, one of the two Most Exalted Names, upon him be the Glory of God, the Most Glorious. By the life of the Desired One, verily the servant remembers him at all times, and he is before his eyes at all times. After its reading and review, it was presented before the Face, and He said:
“O Farajullah, upon thee be the peace of God, His mercy, His grace and His blessings. His bounty hath encompassed the world and His mercy hath preceded all. The heaven testifieth to His greatness and the seas are signs of His generosity. Ask thou of Him whatsoever is befitting and expedient, for man knoweth not that which is to his benefit or harm. Jesus, son of Mary, in his communion with God, supplicated saying: ʿThou knowest what is in my soul, and I know not what is with Thee.’ We beseech God to grant that which causeth the exaltation, elevation, loftiness and ascendancy of being, and to ordain that which leadeth to nearness, certitude and steadfastness. Verily, He is powerful over all things and worthy to answer. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to change thy sorrow into the greatest joy, and thy will into what He willeth, and thy desire into what He desireth. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous, and the Most Merciful of the merciful.”
His is the praise and glorification, and His is the might and the bestowal. He hath ever ordained for His loved ones that which is the cause of joy and exaltation. The ocean of His mercy is surging and the heaven of His grace is upraised. In all conditions we hold fast to His cord and cling to His robe, and in humility and supplication we beseech Him to aid His loved ones as behooveth them. He is the Hearer and the Answerer. There is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the Mighty.
Convey my greetings to all the friends in that land, and I beseech God, exalted be His glory, on their behalf, for that which will cause the manifestation of the fruits of the Tree of existence. Verily, He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Especially to the beloved, honored, magnified one of the two Most Exalted Names, his honor A.L., upon him be the Glory of God and His care. Praise be to God, all are adorned with the blessed Word of Unity and are assured of and submissive to that which God hath revealed in the Book. Their mention hath ever been and still is in this land. Peace, remembrance and praise be upon you and upon God’s loved ones in all regions, and praise be to God, the One, the Chosen One.
The servant Jamadiyu’th-Thani 1305
BH00256: All praise, sanctified from the affairs, occurrences and utterances…
Section 1: “All praise, sanctified from the affairs, occurrences…”
In the Name of our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted and Most Glorious Lord!
All praise, sanctified from the affairs, occurrences and utterances of men, befitteth the Most Holy Court of the Desired One, Who was not deterred from His Cause by the opposition of the opposers, the denial of the deniers, the doubts of the faithless, the tyranny of the oppressors, or the intimations of the transgressors. He was established upon the throne of utterance and with the most exalted call summoned the peoples of earth and heaven to the supreme horizon. By the sword of wisdom and utterance, the hearts and minds of the peoples of the world have been and shall continue to be opened. No mortal will can stay His will, nor can human desire impede His desire. One word is as a sword to those who turn away, and as a lion to those who turn towards Him.
Exalted be His grandeur, exalted be His station, exalted be His Cause! Blessings, peace, glory and splendor be upon His loved ones and chosen ones who arose and proclaimed “God is our Lord!” and then remained steadfast. These are the servants whom the All-Merciful described in the Furqan with His exalted words: “Neither merchandise nor traffic beguile them from the remembrance of God,” and with His exalted words: “Honored servants who speak not until He hath spoken, and who do His bidding.”
Praise be to God, they are aflame with the fire of His love and illumined by the light of His Cause. The clamor of the people of the world and the vain imaginings of certain nations have not and will not deter them from God’s straight path. They stand with legs of steel, grasp with hands of iron, and witness with eyes of penetrating vision.
Glory be unto Thee, O God of Names, Creator of the heavens, Who hath appeared before the faces of enemies and speaketh from the supreme horizon! Thou seest Thy loved ones in the hands of the oppressors, and in every moment there befalleth them that which causeth faces to change and beings to be set ablaze. I beseech Thee, O Source of Bounty, by Thy Name through which Thou made the sweet waters of Thy mercy to flow among Thy servants, and by Thy Command whereby the trumpet was blown and they that lay in their graves arose, to aid Thy loved ones to remember and praise Thee, and to protect them from the evil of Thy creatures. Moreover, I beseech Thee, O Lord of the worlds, Who hath appeared through the Most Great Name, to rend asunder the veils that have prevented Thy servants from turning unto Thee and drawing nigh unto Thy holy court. O Lord! Illumine their eyes to witness Thy signs and purify their ears to hearken unto Thy call. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Generous.
This evanescent servant hath ever mentioned, for God’s sake and His Countenance, that which would cause the people of justice and fairness to turn towards Him. However, it hath yielded no fruit for the transgressors and the treacherous. The fire of hatred burning in their hearts hath deprived heedless souls from beholding the light of oneness. In all circumstances, one must beseech God, exalted be His glory, for His grace, that perchance the people of the earth might be healed from their chronic and severe ailments and, purified from all that God loveth not, might set their faces toward the most exalted station and supreme summit. Verily, God is my Lord and the Lord of the heavens and earth. He is the Almighty, the Powerful.
Furthermore, it is submitted that that honored one and the friends of that land have ever been and continue to be mentioned in the Most Holy Court. The letter of that spiritual friend arrived previously, and some of the friends also submitted petitions to the Most Holy Court. Now, on this third day of Jamadiyu’th-Thani, having set out for the ultimate goal and supreme summit, after attaining the presence of the Imam, the Countenance of Him Who conversed upon Sinai declared:
“O servant in attendance! Our Will is to favor Siyyid Murtada, upon him be My Glory, and the friends of the land of Kirmanshah with the traces of the Supreme Pen.”
And thereafter these verses were revealed from the Source of Command and the Dayspring of Revelation. He saith, blessed and exalted be He:
He is the One Who Rules over those on earth and in heaven
A mention from Us to the one who heard the Call and turned to the Most Exalted Horizon, that the remembrance and utterance may protect him from the intimations of the transgressors and the doubts of the opposers. We have remembered thee before with that whereby the luminary of proof hath shone forth from the horizon of possibility and the Herald proclaimed: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of the worlds!” The gate of heaven hath been opened, and the Lord of Names hath come, with the water of life at His right hand and the river of divine knowledge at His left, and behind Him a company of the near angels, while the Faithful Spirit crieth out before His face: “O people of the earth!
Draw nigh, then hasten, and be not of the patient ones! Draw nigh with illumined hearts and take the cup of knowledge from the hands of bounty, then drink thereof in His Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous! Beware lest ye deprive yourselves of the outpourings of your Lord, the Most Generous, the All-Bountiful. Break the idols of self and desire, clinging to the cord of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” Say: “This is a Day whereon neither wealth nor children nor whatsoever the nations possess shall profit you.” The Ancient King beareth witness to this from His exalted station.
There hath befallen the Wronged One in God’s path that which hath caused all things to lament, yet most of the people are heedless. They have cast aside their God and taken their vain imaginings as lords beside Him. They are indeed among the oppressors in the Book of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Say: “O concourse of the chosen ones! Take the Book of God with the power that is from Him, then aid the Wronged One with the hosts of wisdom and utterance.” Thus did We command you before and at this time. Say: “O people of the Furqan! Be fair concerning your Lord, the All-Merciful. If ye deny that which hath shone forth and appeared from the horizon of God’s Will, by what proof can ye establish that which ye possess? Bring it forth and be not of the wrongdoers! By God! That which was hidden from eternity of eternities hath appeared, and He Who was promised in God’s Books hath come, the Ancient of Days. Blessed is he who hath cast aside what the people possess, holding fast to the Handle of God, the Almighty, the Powerful.
This is a Day wherein that which was with the Prophets and Messengers hath appeared, and this is a Day wherein the Mother Book speaketh. Blessed is he who hath turned and heard; he is indeed of the people of Baha in this noble station.” Say: “O people of the Bayan! Come ye, come ye, then draw near, draw near with what ye possess, and be not of those who hesitate. Be fair concerning God in this Most Great Announcement and follow not every heedless sinner. The ocean hath surged, the fragrance hath wafted, and the Lord of existence from the horizon of bounty calleth and saith: ʿO concourse of men! By God, the Greatest Scene hath appeared by the command of God, the Lord of Destiny, and every hidden matter hath come forth. Beware lest ye commit what the people of the Furqan committed when the All-Merciful came with manifest authority.”’ Thus have We sent down the verses and manifested the evidences. Blessed is he who hath heard and said: “Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having guided me unto Thy straight path.”
O Murtada! We make mention of thee at this hour with that which surpasseth all the remembrances of the world and whatsoever the peoples possess, that thou mayest give thanks unto thy Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. We make mention, too, of My loved ones in that land and give them the glad-tidings of the tokens of My Pen and of that which hath been ordained for them in the Kingdom of God, the Almighty, the All-Praiseworthy. We counsel them with that which befitteth their kinship with God, the Peerless, the All-Informed, and with righteousness and the fear of God, and with that whereby the Word of God may be exalted amongst His servants. He, verily, is the Commander, the Omnipotent, the Almighty. The glory from Us be upon you and upon all who are steadfast and firm.
In eloquent speech thou hast heard the call of the Wronged One. Now hearken unto it in the language of light. Strive, that perchance thou mayest attain unto that which is everlasting and enduring. On this day the Sinai of Revelation calleth aloud, the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree is raised, and the Sun of Truth shineth resplendent. His verses have encompassed the world and His evidences have embraced all mankind. Blessed is the ear that hath been privileged to hear and the eye that hath been illumined by beholding. Glory be to God! The ocean of utterance surgeth before all faces, and the heaven of will is upraised and adorned with the stars of grace and bounty. Nevertheless, hearts remain veiled and souls despondent. The sword of unseemly deeds hath cut down the tree of hope, and reprehensible actions have become a barrier, preventing the eye from seeing and the heart from turning toward God.
Say: O people of the Furqan and people of the Bayan! The gate of bounty is opened wide and the path is manifest. Return ye unto God, for verily He is the Ever-Forgiving, the Generous. The remedy for all ailments hath ever been and still is repentance and return. Blessed are they who have succeeded in returning and have attained the word of acceptance from the Supreme Pen.
My Name Jamal, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, hath made mention of the loved ones of that land and hath beseeched favor for each one. We have heard his plea and have answered it, and all have been blessed with the tokens of the Supreme Pen. Well is it with them. We beseech God to sanctify His loved ones from whatsoever is unworthy of His Day, and to ordain for each one that which shall be the cause of eternal salvation. And finally, We send Our greetings to the faces of Our loved ones there. We beseech God to ordain for them the good of this world and the next. Verily, He hath power over all things.
Section 2: “Praise and gratitude be to God! The waves…”
Praise and gratitude be to God! The waves of the ocean of loving-kindness are evident in every word, and from the horizon of every letter the Sun of grace is dawning. A hundred thousand blessings be upon those souls who have attained the Most Great Bounty and have been illumined by the lights of the Day Star of the Ancient Lord. This servant mentions each of the loved ones and friends, conveys his greetings, and declares: Know your station and recognize the value of this Day. That which thought and fancy could never attain hath been made manifest. From all directions the lights of the Revelation are dawning, and from every quarter the mysteries of the Cause are evident and resplendent. This evanescent servant beseecheth God, exalted be His glory, to aid His loved ones to perform such deeds as are the cause of exaltation and elevation, and the source of progress and advancement.
Should anyone meet Haji Muhammad-Taqi of Sad, let him convey these few words: One day he was present in the Most Holy Court, and He said:
“O servant present! Although loving-kindness and affection were shown by this Wronged One toward the aforementioned Haji, he hath done that which hath caused the denizens of the highest Paradise to lament and weep, and hath spoken that which hath grieved and saddened the essences of being. We beseech God to bestow upon him fairness and to illumine the world with the light of justice, that all may turn from fancy to certitude, and from tyranny to justice, and from oppression to equity.”
Say: if this Cause be denied, what other cause would be worthy of proof or mention?
In truth, certain utterances have set aflame the hearts of those who stand in ranks and of the angels drawn nigh. Among these, that person has claimed this Cause is for extortion. Now observe, this servant shall mention certain matters so that person may tell whence cometh the extortion. First, the Truth Itself—may the spirit of all in the kingdom of command and creation be sacrificed for Him—from the beginning of the Cause was in the hands of enemies, and whatsoever He possessed was repeatedly plundered. Thrice was He cast into prison; yet another time spent four months in chains and fetters. Say: O thou who art devoid of justice! The Sovereign of this Revelation Who, with supreme steadfastness, hath arisen before the faces of all humanity and spoken in opposition to the deeds, actions and desires of the people of the world, surely had and hath no thought of self-preservation. From the earliest days until now He hath been afflicted in the hands of enemies. Where was His homeland, and where is ʿAkka, and where Adrianople? It is regrettable that man should sully with the dust of his own doubts and imaginings a Cause that shineth even as the sun in its brilliance and splendor.
His Holiness Aqa Siyyid Isma’il-i-Zavariyi—upon him be all the most glorious glory and all the most luminous light—who sacrificed himself with his own hand, surely he would say it was for extortion. Say: Consider the martyrs in the land of Sad who, despite their wealth, glory, bounty and exaltation, gave their lives in the path of the one true Friend. Reflect upon His Holiness Mulla ʿAli-Jan of Mazandaran—may the spirit of the world be sacrificed for him. The government wished to grant him a pension to turn away from the Truth. He said—may the spirit of the world be sacrificed for him: “Ten thousand tumans of my wealth have they plundered, and it hath gone in the path of Truth.
I have no need of your wealth and riches. Attend to your own affairs.” Thereafter that sanctified soul was martyred with the most grievous torment. Say: Why dost thou not reflect upon His Holiness Badi’—upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God—who truly, alone and single-handed, with the Most Holy and Most Mighty Tablet, struck the world, who stood before His Majesty the Sultan and his hosts, held aloft the divine Tablet and proclaimed: “I have come unto thee from the Most Great Announcement with a manifest Book.” According to his opinion and words, this surely was for extortion. Well was it said of old:
“Thou dost accuse those whom God Hath made trustees of the seventh heaven’s store”
Say: Reflect upon the land of Zanjan and the martyrs of that land who, in the name of Truth, dawned from the horizon of the House and sacrificed their lives in His path. If ye were to count the martyrs of God, ye could not reckon them. Say: O ye who are bereft of justice! One sacrifice was mentioned aforetime and to this day his name is remembered from the pulpits, yet these holy souls whose detachment shone forth as bright as the sun, and to whom their pure lives were worth no more than a handful of dust in the path of this Most Great Announcement, are not mentioned by the transgressors. Justice is praiseworthy. God is witness and testifier that this servant’s purpose is to make the people aware and mindful.
Were all that hath been heard from the Tongue of Grandeur regarding the words and deeds of the aforementioned Haji—that is, Haji Muhammad-Taqi—to be mentioned, it would cause the loved ones of God to weep and lament. These servants have ever been commanded to conceal. Verily our Lord is the Concealer, the Compassionate, the Generous. One of the divine Tablets lamenteth his oppression and presenteth before Him that which these servants are powerless to mention. This is not the first oppression inflicted upon the divine Tablet. Chosroes tore up the Tablet of the Seal of the Prophets, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake. Likewise did Walid, one of the Umayyad kings, tear up the Book of God, the Quran, and composed verses to this effect: “If on the Day of Resurrection God should ask who had torn thee to pieces, say: ʿWalid.”’ And praise be to God, but a few days passed before he was afflicted.
The aforementioned person hath said: “I made an intention and my purpose was to test, and since they made no mention of it, therefore I turned away.” These words of that heedless one are like unto the utterances of the idolaters of old, even as they said to the Seal of the Prophets, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake: “We will not believe unless thou causest streams to gush forth from the land of Yathrib and Batha, or unless thou producest a garden, or unless thou bringest forth a house of gold, or unless thou raisest the dead from the graves.” In brief, these objections have existed from time immemorial. This is not the first flask that hath been shattered for the sake of Truth. Say: O hapless one! In this Revelation all things have been made manifest. Go, read the Suriy-i-Ra’is and behold the other Tablets. Haji Ibrahim from the people of Qaf was also among the hypocrites. Before him he would profess belief in the Dawning-Place of vain imaginings, while before the friends he would profess belief in God, glorified be His majesty. Thus was he wavering between the two. He hath lost both this world and the next. This indeed is manifest loss.
Now I beseech God to grant justice to His servants and not to deprive them of the adorning of equity. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. Since the purpose is to make the servants mindful, that perchance they may become aware and gain knowledge of the evident matters of the past and present, therefore mention is made of how Satan, in the form of man, said to Christ, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake: “If thou art the Spirit of God, command this stone to become bread.” The Spirit answered and said: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Most divine Books make mention of those who intended to test and try. The purpose was to make people aware that they might know their station and observe proper conduct. Likewise did Satan say a second time: “If thou be the Spirit of God, cast thyself down” and so forth. The purpose was that by way of objection he said if thou art the Spirit of God, cast thyself down from the roof that the angels might preserve thee. The Spirit of God said it is also written: “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”
In truth, such objections have forever emanated from the people of hatred and rancor in the days of Divine Manifestation. However, this evanescent servant beseeches from the ocean of God’s bounty and generosity that He may guide him and not deprive him of the breathings of revelation. It is human nature to err and make mistakes, while it is divine nature to forgive and bestow. We hope that with the arm of trust in God he may rend asunder the veils of idle fancies and vain imaginings and turn toward the Dawning-Place of certitude. Today is the day of return and the day of forgiveness and favor. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.
I convey greetings and salutations to the friends in that land, and I beseech for each one that which is conducive to the honor, exaltation, loftiness and elevation of His loved ones. Verily He is the Forgiver, He is the Concealer, He is the Ever-Relenting.
The matter concerning Haji occurred several years ago and until now remained concealed, and mention of it was withheld from pen and tongue that perchance he might become aware and return. But as days and nights passed and again there appeared from him that which was unseemly, therefore for the sake of God some matters were mentioned for remembrance and awareness. The servant beseeches his Lord to aid him to return and enable him to make amends for what escaped him in his days. Verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer.
Glory and remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those who have believed in God and His signs and have forsaken that which they were forbidden in His perspicuous Book. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.
The servant 3rd of Jamadi’th-Thani 1305
BH02720: He Heareth and Answereth
He Heareth and Answereth
O Haydar! This Wronged One is in truth despairing of the peoples of the earth, for it has been observed with both outward and inward sight that the people of the Furqan (Muslims), after one thousand two hundred and more years of considering themselves the most learned and most excellent among all the peoples of the world, were all seen on the Day of Reckoning as denizens of hell and returned to the fire. The most learned of that people was seen to be the most ignorant, and the most God-fearing among that people was seen to be the most wretched, for they reviled from their pulpits the Object of the desire of all the worlds, and finally issued the verdict for His death. And some of the opposers of the Bayan witnessed with their own eyes and heard with their own ears the deeds and words of those souls. Nevertheless, because of a false successor and an imaginary name and Imam and the like, they turned away from Him Who spoke on Sinai and the Lord of the unseen and the visible. What more can this Wronged One mention, and to whom shall He speak? Reflect a little on what was mentioned, that thou mayest lament the state of this Wronged One and realize the depths of His despair.
Blessed art thou for having turned towards Him when the peoples of the earth turned away, save whom God willed. Thy letter was received before the Wronged One. We found it adorned with the ornament of steadfastness, speaking in remembrance and praise of God, holding fast to His firm cord, acknowledging that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath acknowledged, and firmly convinced of what God hath revealed in His perspicuous Book. We beseech God to aid thee, grant thee success, and ordain for thee that which will bring joy to thine eyes and solace to thy breast. Verily, He is powerful over all things.
Thou didst mention meeting. Between Me and thee stand ignorant servants who have broken God’s covenant and His testament, denied His signs, and rejected His proof, His sovereignty, His might, His strength and His power. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to record for thee the reward of meeting Him. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Powerful, and worthy to answer prayers.
Let not the happenings of the world and the affairs of nations grieve thee. Be steadfast in serving the Cause and speaking forth this momentous News. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having given me to drink, from the hands of Thy bounty, the Kawthar of Thy knowledge, and for having enabled me to turn toward Thee when the men of the earth and its learned ones turned away. I beseech Thee to aid me in that which Thou lovest and art pleased with. Verily, Thou art the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days and the Gracious, the Compassionate.
BH03541: Praise be to God that thou hast attained unto…
He is established upon the throne of utterance
Praise be to God that thou hast attained unto the traces of the Most Exalted Pen and been illumined by the lights of the utterance of the All-Merciful. By the mystery of existence! Today whosoever hath attained unto the divine Word, he possesseth true wealth and genuine riches. The arena of the world hath not been, nor is it now, capable of manifesting the bounties of God except in limited measure. However, the hand of power shall reveal that which is now concealed. Blessed is he who hath attained unto the Most Great Ocean and drunk therefrom by the leave of his Lord, the Compassionate, the Mighty, the Generous.
Repeatedly hath been revealed for thee that whose fragrance hath encompassed the world. In these days Asad, upon him be My glory, mentioned thee in Our presence. Again hath this Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet been revealed and sent, that thou mayest inhale from it the fragrance of thy Lord’s loving-kindness and be of them that render thanks.
Beware lest the happenings of the world sadden thee, or the doubts of them that have denied God, the Lord of all worlds. Say: My God, my God! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant and the son of Thy handmaiden. I heard Thy most sweet call and turned unto Thee, O Creator of the heavens and Lord of the Kingdom of Names. I beheld the waves of the ocean of Thy utterance and turned toward them through Thy grace and bounty. Were it not for Thy grace, who would bring me nigh unto Thee, and were it not for Thy bounty, who would guide me to the Dayspring of Thy signs and the Dawning-Place of Thy mysteries?
I am he who, O my God, hath clung to Thee and committed all affairs unto Thee and placed his trust in Thee. Do with me, through Thy generosity and bounty, whatsoever Thou lovest and art pleased with. Verily Thou knowest better than I, and Thou knowest what harmeth me and profiteth me. I testify that Thou art the All-Hearing, the All-Informed, and that Thou art the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. O Lord! I beseech Thee to ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones who have drunk the wine of steadfastness from the hand of Thy bounty, whom nothing whatsoever, no matter or decree, hath deterred from turning unto Thee and clinging to the hem of Thy mercy. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving, the All-Loving.
BH04375: In My Name which is sanctified above all names!
In My Name which is sanctified above all names!
Today the Sun of Truth hath dawned and risen from the horizon of the heaven of God’s will, and the Most Great Word hath appeared from the Mother Book. Blessed is he who hath attained unto the first and been enabled to hearken unto the second. The peoples of the world, in their nights and days, are occupied with praise and remembrance in places built in the name of Truth, yet they remain deprived of the Dayspring of verses and the Source of clear proofs. The divines of Persia themselves acknowledge that these sciences appeared for the recognition of Him Who is known, yet the veils of glory have become an obstacle and barrier between those souls and their beholding the lights shining from the supreme horizon. Glory be unto God! Throughout ages and centuries they have been engaged in reading the Book of God, yet remained deprived and forbidden from understanding it.
Divine favor and grace have ever been and shall ever be in the grasp of God’s power, exalted be His glory. He bestoweth them upon whomsoever He willeth. How many souls who counted themselves the most learned of all the world were seen to be unaware of Him Who is known and intended. Blessed art thou for having heard and turned unto Me and attained unto My mention in My prison. Verily thy Lord is the Helper, the Compassionate, the Generous. We beseech God to assist thee and draw thee nigh unto Him in all conditions. He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted, the Lord of the beginning and the end. The Glory be upon thee and upon thy family and upon those who have quaffed the choice wine of revelation from the cup of the bounty of their Lord, the Giving, the Munificent, the Forgiving, the Merciful.
BH04514: This is a Book sent down by the Wronged…
He is the One manifest in His frequented Temple
This is a Book sent down by the Wronged One to him who hath been illumined by the lights of the Cause and hath believed in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. The Point hath distinguished, and the Call hath been raised, and the Book hath spoken, and the Path of God, the Mighty, the Loving, hath been established. Say: O people, fear ye God and deny not His signs and His evidences. Hearken unto Him Who counseleth you for the sake of God, and be not of those who have cast the Book behind their backs, clinging to the manifestations of idle fancies and vain imaginings. We have remembered every face that hath turned, and every heart that hath advanced, and every tongue that hath spoken, through this Hidden Name, through Whose manifestation hearts were overturned and eyes were transfixed and the limbs of every heedless and veiled one did tremble.
O My loved ones in My lands! Hear ye My call, for verily it draweth you nigh unto My Kingdom and giveth you glad-tidings of My praiseworthy station. Beware lest the hosts of the wicked prevent you or the might of kings frighten you. We beseech God to reinforce the princes and sovereigns with the hosts of wisdom and utterance, and to guide them to His manifest and conspicuous Path, and to ordain for them the good of the hereafter and of the former life, and to grant them His presence that they may attend and circle round the Throne at eventide and at dawn, at sunset and at morn. When thou hast attained unto My Tablet and drunk the choice wine of My utterance, say: Praise be unto Thee, O my Best-Beloved, for having remembered me, and glory be unto Thee, O my Lord and my King, for having turned toward me.
I beseech Thee by the oceans of Thy generosity and the heavens of Thy favors and bounties to ordain for me that which shall endure through the endurance of Thy names and attributes. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the Wise.
BH05026: As to the question of Huquq: Reference to this…
As to the question of Huquq: Reference to this matter is in no wise permissible. …it is entirely dependent upon the willingness of the individuals themselves. They are well acquainted with the commandment of God and are familiar with that which was revealed in the Book. Let him who wisheth observe it, and let him who wisheth ignore it. Verily, thy Lord is the Self-Sufficing, the All-Praised. Indeed, independence of all things is as a door of guidance unto His faithful servants. Well is it with them that have severed themselves from the world and have arisen to serve His Cause. Verily, they are numbered with the people of Baha at the court of His resplendent Beauty.
BH05467: O my God, my God! I testify that Thou…
He is the All-Witnessing, the All-Hearing
O my God, my God! I testify that Thou didst create Thy servants that they might know Thee and attain Thy presence and stand before the gate of Thy grandeur and be occupied with Thy remembrance and praise. But when the promised time arrived and Thou didst manifest the Dawning-Place of Thy signs, the Dayspring of Thy clear tokens, the Repository of Thy knowledge and the Source of Thy Cause, all arose in opposition and advanced with swords of objection, pronouncing judgment against Him without any clear proof from Thee or evidence from Thy presence.
O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Exalted Word, which Thou hast made a light unto Thy loved ones and a fire unto Thine enemies, and by the mysteries concealed within Thy knowledge, and by the rustling of the Sadratu’l-Muntaha, and by the shrill voice of Thy Most Exalted Pen, to ordain for me through Thy bounty and generosity that which will make me a helper of Thy Cause and an aid to Thy loved ones, and steadfast and firm in Thy love, such that the doubts of every froward oppressor and every remote tyrant will not prevent me. Then I beseech Thee by Thy greatest signs and the waves of the ocean of Thy utterance amidst all creation to assist me in all conditions to remember and praise Thee, and to ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and trusted ones. Verily Thou art the Mighty One, before Whose manifestation all created things bow down in submission and at Whose appearance all possibilities stand powerless. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Dominant, the All-Glorious, the Self-Subsisting.
BH05575: O my handmaiden and my leaf! Hear thou…
In the Name of the One God
O my handmaiden and my leaf! Hear thou the voice of the Wronged One. He hath turned toward thee from the precincts of the Prison and maketh mention of thee, that the mention may attract thee to a station wherein poverty shall not sadden thee, nor shall wealth gladden thee, nor shall the clamor and might of those who have denied the Lord of all beings frighten thee. Praise be to God! Through pure bounty and favor the Hand of God’s Will did take hold of thee and guided thee to the dwelling-place of one of His loved ones. Know thou the value of this bounty and recognize the station of thy companion. Reflect upon the ocean of the bounty of Him Who is the Desire of all worlds. The emperors of the world go unto their churches seeking to draw nigh unto God—glorified be His majesty—yet they remain deprived of His recognition and forbidden from His good-pleasure, while thou hast attained unto that which was recorded and inscribed in the divine Books of former and latter times. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this mercy which hath preceded thee and this bounty which hath encompassed thee.
Say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of all beings, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp is held the reins of earth and heaven. I testify to Thy Manifestation, and to Thy most great favor, and to Thy bounty which hath encompassed all things, and to the power of Thy Most Exalted Pen. There is none other God but Thee, the Single, the One, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
BH07477: On this day all things summon the servants unto…
He is the One Who has dominion over all names!
On this day all things summon the servants unto the most exalted horizon. Blessed is the ear that has attained unto hearing and turned with its heart in acceptance. By the life of God! The possessors of hearing and sight are blessed with that for which no likeness or similitude exists or has ever existed. Say: O people of the earth, strive that perchance ye may deliver sight from infection and likewise hearing from that which has prevented it from hearkening. We beseech God to assist His people to purify the servants and refine souls. Verily He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth, and He is the Mighty, the Powerful. Within every word an ocean of knowledge and wisdom lies concealed. Blessed is the soul that hath attained thereunto and drunk thereof. Verily such a one is of the companions of the Crimson Ark which hath been mentioned in the Qayyumu’l-Asma’ by God, the Fashioner of earth and heaven.
BH08952: Say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee…
He is the One Who speaks in the Kingdom of Utterance
Say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having enabled me to turn towards Thy horizon, to direct myself to the lights of Thy countenance, to gaze upon the traces of Thy Most Exalted Pen, and to hold fast to the cord of Thy loving-kindness, O Lord of all beings and Creator of the throne on high and of the earth below. O Lord! Thou seest me turning towards Thee, hoping for the wonders of Thy bounty and generosity. I beseech Thee by the pearls of the ocean of Thy knowledge and the heaven of Thy wisdom to ordain for me that which will make me steadfast in Thy Cause and firm in Thy love. I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant, acknowledging Thy oneness and Thy singleness and that which Thou hast sent down in Thy Book. O Lord! The poor one hath hastened to the gate of Thy riches. I beseech Thee by Thy Self not to disappoint him in what he seeketh from the ocean of Thy bounty and the sun of Thy generosity. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
BH00242: Praise, sanctified beyond the mention of pen and tongue…
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, sanctified beyond the mention of pen and tongue, befitteth the Dawning-Place of Light, the King of Oneness, Who hath raised aloft the standard of His Cause and adorned the earth with its shade. The tyrants did not dismay Him, nor did the pharaohs prevent Him. He appeared and manifested what He desired, despite those servants who denied the Day of Mutual Summoning. Blessings, peace, glory and splendor be upon His loved ones who broke not the Covenant nor violated the Testament, who arose and declared:
“God is our Lord! Verily He hath appeared with truth and illumined the horizons.”
Glory be unto Thee, O my God, my Lord, my Support, and my Heart’s Desire! Thou seest and knowest that Thy servant desireth naught on earth save Thy remembrance and praise, and the mention of him who was effaced before the manifestations of Thy will and the revelations of Thy purpose. I beseech Thee in all conditions to assist him and those who have believed to attain a steadfastness surpassing the steadfastness of all who dwell on earth. I implore Thee, O Thou the Desire of the hearts of the Messengers and the Beloved of the sincere and faithful ones, to open before the faces of Thy loved ones, by the finger of Thy might, the doors of Thy grace. Then raise them up through Thy power, Thy sovereignty, Thy greatness and Thy dominion. Make them lamps of guidance among Thy creation and brilliant stars in Thy lands. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Moreover, I beseech Thee, O God of existence and Lord of the seen and unseen, to ordain for him who hath turned unto Thee, attained Thy presence, and stood before Thy face, the victory of Thy Cause and the exaltation of Thy Word through wisdom and utterance throughout all possibility. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Bountiful. O Lord! Thou knowest that he hath turned unto Thee and held fast to the service of Thy Cause. Adorn him, O Thou the Desire of the world, with the Most Great Ornament, which is the acceptance of what hath proceeded from him and what he desireth to accomplish in Thy days. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Lord of great bounty. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.
And further: an esteemed letter from that spiritual friend reached this evanescent servant. Praise be to God, it brought true joy and spiritual delight, for it was perfumed with the fragrances of love for the Beloved of all worlds. After its reading, acceptance and comprehension, it ascended to the most exalted pavilion and the ultimate goal, was presented before the face of the Lord of all beings, and was honored to be heard. When it was completed, the Tongue of Grandeur began, saying—exalted be His glory and universal be His bounty:
He is the All-Seeing, the All-Informed
O Muhammad! We have made mention of thee in such wise that the rivers of grace have flowed therefrom throughout the world and the breezes of the Spirit have wafted over all peoples. Thy Lord is verily the Compassionate, the Bountiful. We have mentioned thee time and again during the days when thou didst stand before the Countenance and hearken unto the Call of God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, and when thou didst stand before the Most Great Gate which was opened unto all who are in the heavens and on the earth. Thy Lord is verily the All-Bountiful, the Munificent. He strengthened thee to turn towards the Supreme Horizon, enabled thee to draw nigh, honored thee with His presence, gave thee to drink of the pure Water of Life, caused thee to hear His most sweet call and the creaking of His Most Exalted Pen, and showed thee His hallowed, mighty and resplendent horizon.
O Muhammad! Hearken once again unto the Call of thy Lord, the Sovereign of the throne and of the dust. He summoneth thee to that which will draw thee nigh unto the Most Great Sea which surgeth before the faces of all peoples. Verily thy Lord doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. We bear witness that thou hast attained unto that which was recorded in the Books of God, the Lord of all worlds, and that thou hast drunk, time and again, from the chalices of the verses of thy Lord, the Ancient of Days, the Kawthar of utterance and knowledge, and that thou hast made mention of Him amongst the servants and hast voiced His praise before all faces. He verily heareth and seeth; He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.
We were seated upon the carpet when the servant in attendance entered with wondrous joy, holding in his hand a book which he showed forth and read before the face of thy Lord, the Master of the Day of Judgment. We perceived therefrom the fragrance of thy submissiveness and thy turning unto God, the True Sovereign, the Just, the Manifest. When thy mention was completed, the ocean of utterance surged and the fragrance of thy Lord’s loving-kindness was diffused, and We sent down from the heaven of Will that which moveth every mouldering bone. By the life of God! At the time of its revelation, the denizens of the all-highest Paradise and the exalted Garden were present to hearken unto the Call which was raised between earth and heaven at this time when sorrows have encompassed Me from every direction through that which the hands of the oppressors have wrought.
When thou drinkest the choice wine of utterance from the cup of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou before Whose manifestation the realities of all created things prostrated themselves and the essences of all beings rejoiced that Thou didst turn toward this servant from the direction of Thy prison, O Lord of all men! Thou art He Who caused him to hear Thy call and strengthened him to say “yea,” and enabled him to recognize the Dayspring of Thy verses, the Ocean of Thy knowledge, the Heaven of Thy bounty and the Sun of Thy wisdom. I beseech Thee by the lands which Thou hast adorned through the footsteps of Thy sincere ones amongst Thy servants and wherein the call of them that are nigh unto Thee amongst Thy creation was raised, and by Thy Command whereby the mysteries of Thy knowledge were revealed, and by the Name through which Thou didst subdue all who are in Thy earth and Thy heaven, and by the Lamp of Thy utterance which Thou hast preserved from the tempests of the utterances of the oppressors and the hurricanes of the doubts of the transgressors, and by the Point through which the hearts of the lovers were set ablaze throughout all regions, that Thou ordain for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen the good of this world and of the world to come, and that which will exalt me amongst Thy servants and will aid me to manifest Thy Word with the wisdom wherewith Thou didst command Thy servants in Thy Books, Thy Scriptures and Thy Tablets.
O Lord! Thou seest him who is as nothingness seeking the ocean of Thy bounty. I beseech Thee to number him among those for whom Thou hast ordained a station beneath the canopies of Thy grandeur and the pavilion of Thy glory and Thy loving-kindness. Thou art, verily, the One Who hath power over whatsoever He pleaseth, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all things. Thou art, verily, the Most Kind, the All-Forgiving.
O Muhammad! Upon thee be My Glory! Time and again hath mention of thee been sent down and revealed from the Supreme Pen. Ask thou God, thy Lord, to honor thee with the rains of mercy that have been caused to descend upon thee from the heaven of loving kindness. The gaze of Our favor hath been and is directed towards thee. The oppositions of the aggressive ones and the denials of the oppressors have not kept the world from the Ocean of divine utterance and the Sun of divine mercy. Glory be to God! Until now they have not become aware. Despite the proclamation of the Word with the most exalted call at all times, the people remain heedless and veiled.
All are occupied with the remembrance of the Truth, yearning for His presence and seeking His manifestation; yet they are seen to be remote and turned away. They have turned away from a Cause that hath no peer or likeness in the world, and have clung to their own idle fancies. Say: O ye ignorant ones! If this Cause be denied, what cause would be worthy of acceptance, and if this Word be erased, what word would be worthy of affirmation? Be fair and be not among the oppressors. A hundred thousand regrets that the heedless servants are forbidden after their seeking, and are deprived after their supplication and pleading.
Convey My greetings to the friends in that land, namely those souls who have, of their own accord, quaffed the sealed wine and have turned towards the ocean of divine bounty. Perchance they may be enkindled by the fire of the Word and illumined by the light of the utterance of the All-Merciful. We beseech God that He withhold not any from the Kawthar of steadfastness, that all may soar with one wing in the atmosphere of the love of the Goal of all existence, and may speak with one word. Unity and concord have ever been and are the cause of the exaltation of the Word of God. We beseech God to adorn His loved ones with the ornament of spiritual virtues and goodly, pure deeds, that the people of the earth may, by reason of their conduct and deeds, be led to seek that station and attain unto that which God hath willed. The glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon My loved ones who have cast away idle fancies and have taken God as their Guardian, their Trustee and their Lord. They are, verily, of the people of Baha in the Book of God, the Lord of all beings and the Ruler of the Kingdom of Names.
Praise be to God! The Words of God speak for themselves, the Cause of God is manifest in itself, and the lights of the Revelation are shining and evident from the horizon of the Mount. If the servants would reflect even briefly on that which hath been manifested and would read that which hath been sent down from the heaven of the Divine Will, all would find their way to the straight path and would recognize the Great Announcement.
O beloved of my heart! The deeds of the heedless souls and their following of ignorant divines have debarred the servants from the ocean of the All-Merciful’s mercy and from the outpourings of the True Bestower. Vain imaginings have become a mighty barrier and suppositions a thick veil, thicker than mountains, preventing and depriving the power of sight and understanding from beholding. The denizens of the Kingdom are astonished, for they observe that throughout the ages and centuries not a single person among the turbaned ones of the Shi’ih party hath recognized the purpose and nature of the Revelation. Wonder upon wonder hath come from these tales. The word spoken aforetime hath been fulfilled: “Most of His enemies shall be the divines.”
The pride of that party was that they believed in the immediate successor, yet they openly reviled and issued death warrants against Him through Whose word a thousand successors and guardians were created. They have committed that which neither Jews, nor Christians, nor Zoroastrians committed. Strange it is that until now they have not awakened, and each day they increase in their perversity. Yet stranger still is that the deniers of the Bayan have again twisted their faces and busy themselves with talk of successorship, mirrors, deputies and nobles. God curse them! God curse them! Glory be to God! They have not been awakened by what they have seen and continue to witness with their own eyes. Until now they mount the pulpits to curse and revile the Truth without cease.
Section 2: “In any case, we hold fast to His…”
In any case, we hold fast to His Most Holy and Luminous Hem, and we seek from the ocean of His generosity His ancient bounty, and with utmost humility and supplication we beseech Him not to deprive His servants of this supreme favor and greatest gift. He is the Powerful, the Mighty.
The matters mentioned were presented before the countenance of the Lord of all beings and were granted acceptance.
His is the praise, His the thanks, His the glory, and His the splendor. The first matter was adorned with the crown of deeds specifically, therefore after permission and leave, this evanescent servant, on behalf of that spiritual beloved, was blessed for an hour and a half on the fifth night of the month of Jumada’th-Thani with the presence of the Goal of all the worlds, and was adorned with the ornament of acceptance. Happy art thou! As for the second matter regarding forgiveness and pardon, at the time of its presentation the ocean of forgiveness surged and the Tongue of Grandeur spoke:
“Verily We have purified him from all things repugnant and adorned him with the ornament of forgiveness, and We have ordained for him that whereby the sincere ones shall find the fragrance of their Lord’s bounty, the Mighty, the Bountiful.”
The third matter concerning divine confirmation and assistance was likewise blessed with special favor and adorned with acceptance. What needs to be mentioned is the reply to those letters of that spiritual beloved which were sent before. One day the Beauty of Divine Unity intended to visit the farm, and after arrival thy mention flowed from the Supreme Pen. All that thou hadst mentioned was presented one by one, and the response was graciously given and sent, but strange that it hath not arrived. Similarly, on other occasions thy mention was sent down from the heaven of will and purpose, and mention was made of the receipt of what had been sent. We beseech God that this may reach you wherever you may have stopped. Verily our Lord and your Lord is the All-Hearing, the All-Answering. This servant giveth thee the glad tidings of the sending of the blessed ring which thou hadst requested, that thou mayest rejoice and be amongst the thankful ones. After this matter was presented at the Most Holy and Most Exalted Threshold, the promise of favor shone forth from the heaven of bounty of the Lord of all beings. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the All-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate, the Bestower, the Bountiful, the Kind, the Generous.
Mention was made of the kinsmen, and after being presented before His presence, there was revealed for each one that from which the fragrance of grace wafteth and diffuseth. This is what was revealed for his honor, my brother Ali, upon him be the Glory of God. His blessed and exalted Word:
He is the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful
O Ali! He who loved Me made mention of thee, whereupon We remembered thee as a favor from Us, that this remembrance may attract thee to a station wherein thou shalt find thyself detached from all that is on earth and clinging to the cord of God’s grace, the Lord of all worlds. The Wronged One hath turned toward thee from the precincts of the Prison and hath remembered thee with that which all the remembrances of the world cannot equal. He, verily, is the Expositor, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Thou hast been mentioned by thy brother who hath preceded most of creation in turning to the Supreme Horizon, the station whereat the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimed: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.”
When thou hearest the Call, say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens, for having aided me and made known unto me that which was recorded by Thy Most Exalted Pen in Thy Books, Thy Scriptures, and Thy Tablets. I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by the lights of Thy countenance and the lamp of Thy Cause, to make me steadfast in Thy love and firm in Thy Cause, such that the pharaohs of the land may not prevent me from turning to the Dawning-Place of Thy signs and the Dayspring of Thy evidences. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Exalted, the All-Wise.”
And this is what was revealed for Javad’s nephew, upon him be the Glory of God:
He is the One Who gazeth from His Most Exalted Horizon
O Javad! Hear the Call from the precincts of the Prison. There is none other God but He, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. He hath appeared and manifested what He desired, and guided His servants to His straight path. When thou art illumined by the lights of the Day-Star of thy Lord’s utterance, say:
“O Lord of all creation and Revealer of clear proof! I beseech Thee by Thy name, the All-Merciful, to assist me in that which Thou lovest and art pleased with. O my Lord! Thou seest the weary turning to the kingdom of Thy utterance, the weak to the heaven of Thy strength and power, and the ignorant to the ocean of Thy knowledge and favors. I beseech Thee not to disappoint him through Thy generosity which hath encompassed the world, and through Thy bounty which hath preceded existence itself. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Loving.”
And this is what was revealed for the handmaidens of God, upon them be the Glory of God:
He is the All-Hearing, the All-Answering
O Kawkab! Praise be to the Desired One of the world Who hath aided thee to recognize the Most Great Name in days wherein the men of earth, the princes and the learned ones are veiled and deprived. Blessed art thou and blessed is the one who taught thee and caused thee to attain this supreme mercy and mighty gift. Know thou his worth and station, then give thanks unto thy Lord, the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.
O Khadijih! Today the Sun of Truth hath appeared from the horizon of the heaven of divine favor with such a radiance that the rays of the physical sun are as nothing in comparison. O My handmaiden! Praise the Desired One of the world Who did not prevent thy sight from beholding His days, nor thine ears from hearkening to His call. Say:
“Praise be unto Thee, O Beloved of the world, and glory be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Desire of those who are in the heavens and on earth.”
O Rubabih! The Dayspring of the Light of Divine Unity hath turned toward thee from the Most Great Prison and maketh mention of thee. Praise be to God that thou hast attained unto that which most of the peoples of the world are deprived. The first ornament and the foremost adornment for the handmaidens of God, after recognition, is chastity. Blessed is the handmaiden who holdeth fast unto it. Say: My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having remembered me while I was in the prison amidst the heedless ones.
O my handmaiden, O Zahra! The people of the world raised their lamentations throughout the nights and days, and with a hundred thousand supplications yearned and hoped for the presence of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Yet when the horizon of the world was illumined with the lights of the Most Great Luminary, all denied and turned away, save whom God willeth. And thou, through His grace and favor, didst attain unto His recognition and didst partake of the choice wine of utterance. Blessed art thou and blessed is every handmaiden who hath turned unto Him and attained unto the recognition of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.
O Jewel! The true jewel is the divine utterance which lay hidden in the shells of the ocean of inner meanings. Today it appeareth and is visible before all faces. Blessed is the handmaiden who hath witnessed and attained, and woe unto the heedless ones, both men and women. Say: Praise be unto Thee for having guided me unto Thy path and shown me the pearl of Thy knowledge.
This servant conveyeth to each one greetings and salutations, and beseecheth God, exalted be His glory, to adorn all with the ornament of supreme steadfastness, that all servants and handmaidens may, through the blessing of their steadfastness, be seen as firm and steadfast in the Cause of God. The servant beseecheth his Lord not to deprive His servants and handmaidens of His name, the Self-Subsisting, and His sealed wine.
And this is what was revealed for Abu’l-Hasan and Husayn, upon them be the glory of God:
He is the One Who gazeth from His most exalted horizon
O Abu’l-Hasan! The Lord of the seen and unseen hath revealed for thee that whereby thy mention shall endure amongst the servants. Verily thy Lord is the Master of creation and the Ruler in the beginning and in the return. Preserve this most exalted station through His Most Exalted Name, the All-Glorious. He is verily the Commander, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. Not a thing escapeth His knowledge, nor can the might of the world and the power of the nations render Him powerless. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth, and He is the Almighty, the Unconstrained. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the world, for having made me recognize the ocean of Thy knowledge and the heaven of Thy wisdom. I beseech Thee to make me steadfast in Thy love. Thou art He through Whose Name the Mother Book hath spoken and that which was hidden from all eyes hath appeared.
O Husayn! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. He maketh mention of thee as the breezes of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, the Lord of all men, wafted over thee. When thou perceivest the fragrance of My verses say: My God, my God! Unto Thee be praise and glory, and unto Thee be bounty and generosity. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Glorious Name, through which the limbs of all names trembled, to strengthen me to make mention of Thee and to praise Thee amongst Thy servants with wisdom and utterance, and to serve Thy Cause whereby the earth was shaken and eyes were dazzled.
Praise and gratitude belong unto Him, and unto Him are grace, generosity and loving-kindness. He hath granted His loved ones a full portion from the ocean of His utterance. He is the All-Bountiful Who assisted the wayward to return and adorned them with the ornament of forgiveness. All the people of Baha, both men and women, must be set ablaze with the heat of His love and be perfumed by the fragrances of His utterance. I swear by the Sun of Truth that all the worlds of wisdom, utterance, knowledge and proof have been gladdened and perfumed by the fragrances of His days. O friends! While there is yet time, strive ye, perchance ye may guide the blind with the collyrium of divine knowledge, or lead a wanderer to the straight path. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to assist each one to perform such deeds as will endure and persist in remembrance. Verily He is powerful over all things and worthy to answer prayers. Glory and remembrance and praise be upon you and upon the loved ones of God, His handmaidens, and upon those who have heard the call and answered their Lord, the Speaking, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. And praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
The servant, 5th of Jumada II, 1305
BH00268: The Intended One beareth witness that there is none…
Section 1: “The Intended One beareth witness that there…”
In the Name of Our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Lord
The Intended One beareth witness that there is none other God but Him. His are grandeur and bounty, and He is knowing of all things. The Beloved beareth witness that there is none other God but Him. His are exaltation and glory, and He is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. The Lord beareth witness that there is none other God but Him. His are power and majesty, and He is potent over all things. The Adored One beareth witness that there is none other God but Him. He doeth what He willeth through His all-encompassing command. The Lord beareth witness that there is none other God but Him, and He is the Mighty, the Beautiful.
Praise and thanksgiving beseemeth Him Who hath illumined the world of vision with the light of His manifestation and hath quickened the world of hearing through the hearing of His life-giving call. In the first station and primary rank, all mention and description hath been and is reserved for the True One, exalted be His glory, even while acknowledging and confessing that He hath ever been sanctified beyond the mention of aught else and the description of all others. And in the second station and latter rank, praise beseemeth His chosen ones, whom the taunts of the ungodly, the turning away of the opposers, the tyranny of the transgressors, the doubts of the deniers, and the assault of the oppressors did not hold back from the Lord of the Day of Judgment. The wickedness of the evil ones and the clamor of those who deny did not deprive them of the Most Great Ocean and the Ancient Lord. They reduced to naught the intimations of the world and effaced and eliminated the doubts of the nations. In the path of Truth, sharp swords were to them as means of comfort, and pointed spears as spread-out couches. Their aspiration was the good-pleasure of the peerless Friend, and their goal the meeting at the most exalted height.
Glorified art Thou, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of wisdom and utterance, and in Whose right hand are the hearts of all who dwell in the realm of possibilities! Thou seest Thy loved ones among Thy heedless servants, who have wrought against them that which hath caused the near ones and the sincere ones to lament. I beseech Thee, O Thou through Whose name the ocean of knowledge hath surged amongst the peoples and through Whose remembrance the river of life hath flowed from Thy Most Exalted Pen in the final abode, to assist Thy loved ones in Thy remembrance and praise. Then adorn them with Thy virtues and character, illuminate their hearts with the light of Thy knowledge, and crown their heads with the diadems of piety. Verily Thou art the Lord of all beings and the Lord of the throne on high and of the dust below. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
And further: the letters of that spiritual friend arrived repeatedly, each one a true testament to your steadfastness, service, and devotion. After each was read and reviewed, it was taken to the Most Exalted Station and achieved the honor of being heard before the Countenance of the Intended One of all worlds. Each time, the Sun of loving-kindness rose and shone forth from the horizon of favor, until time progressed to this moment—the ninth night of the month of Jumada’th-Thani—when the new letter of that spiritual friend arrived. After its reading, it was carried on wings of longing and yearning to the Most Exalted Station, until it was presented before the face of our Intended One, your Intended One, and the Intended One of all who are in the heavens and the earth. And when it was concluded, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these revealed verses, blessed and exalted be His Word:
In His Name, the Manifest, the All-Knowing
The Light which the Speaker of Sinai hath manifested from this Horizon—named the Most Exalted Horizon in the Book of God, Creator of the heavens, and the Most Glorious Paradise in this noble station—blessed be the eye that hath attained unto it, and woe betide those who have denied this gracious and manifest bounty. This is the Day whereon the Mother Book doth speak, calling all to a station wherein naught can be seen save God’s command, His sovereignty, His grandeur and His power. He, verily, is the Almighty, the All-Powerful. By God! The Most Exalted Pen hath been set in motion, and from it hath flowed the Kawthar of eternity. Among the people are those who have heard, hastened, and drunk thereof, and those who have denied God’s favor and that which hath been sent down from Him—these are among the most lost in His mighty Book. All things have been stirred by the Word of God, Lord of the kingdom of creation, yet the people remain veiled by a thick veil.
O Muhammad! Hear the Call from the direction of Akka—verily there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Peerless. He speaketh before the faces of the world, as every knowing and informed one doth testify. Neither the ranks of the world, nor its armies, nor its cannons, nor its swords have hindered Him. He hath appeared and manifested what He desired, by His command, and He is the Strong, the Powerful. The world’s rejection hath not weakened Him, nor what the nations possess. He speaketh in every condition that which the Primal Point foretold: “Verily there is no God but Me, the Speaker, the All-Knowing.”
Say: O concourse of the earth! This is the Day of remembrance and praise, if ye be of those who know. This is the Day of turning and drawing near, if ye be of those who hear. This is the Day which God’s Books have promised, if ye be of the fair-minded. This is the Day wherein the Mother of the Bayan hath appeared, if ye be of those who witness. God’s Kingdom hath been manifested, if ye be of those who see. Beware lest the veils of glory prevent you from turning to God, the Lord of the worlds, or the veils of the misguided conceal you in the days of your Lord, the Master of the Day of Judgment.
Say: Fear God and follow not your desires. Be fair in what hath appeared through truth—this is better for you, as every fair-minded and clear-sighted one doth testify. Beware lest ye deprive yourselves of this Most Great Bounty. Soon shall the world and all that ye behold therein perish; then shall ye find yourselves in grievous torment. Cast away names and take what ye have been given from God, the Kind, the Gracious. God’s Cause and His decree have come. Verily His sovereignty sufficeth you, and He is the Protector of all who are in the heavens and on earth.
O Muhammad! Verily thy Lord hath been with His loved ones and heareth their call in His remembrance and praise—He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. We counsel thee and those who have believed with that which will exalt this mighty, wondrous Cause. Say: O people of God! Adorn your heads with the crowns of detachment and your temples with the raiment of chastity, trustworthiness, truthfulness and purity. Thus have We sent down the Book and adorned it with commandments and ordinances from God, the Speaker, the Mighty, the Wise.
We have forbidden all from contention and conflict, and commanded them to assist their Lord through the hosts of deeds and character. Verily, He is the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days. By My life! We have commanded the servants only with that which profiteth them, preserveth them, and draweth them nigh unto this noble station.
Say: Purify your hearts and cleanse them from the fire of malice and hatred. This is what was revealed aforetime and at this moment. We have desired to make mention of Our friends there and give them glad tidings of Our remembrance of them, that they may rejoice and be of the thankful ones.
O My friends there and in all regions! The Most Great Announcement remembereth you from the precincts of His mighty prison, and commandeth you to righteousness and piety, and forbiddeth you from that which would lower your stations. Verily your Lord is the Counselor, the All-Knowing. Take hold of the Book of God with the strength that cometh from Him, then act according to what hath been sent down therein from the heaven of loving-kindness and favor. Verily it guideth you to His straight path.
When thou hast drunk the choice wine of My utterance from the chalices of My words, and the rapture of My call hath seized thee, say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having remembered me while I was among the heedless ones. I know not, O my God, which of Thy tribulations to recount, or for which of Thy calamities to weep and wail. Alas, alas, for what hath befallen Thee at the hands of the oppressors among Thy servants and the transgressors among Thy creatures.
Thou art He, O my God, Who ordained knowledge for Thy recognition and made it the greatest means of drawing near unto the Dayspring of the light of Thy unity. Yet when Thou didst manifest Thyself, those who were the manifestations and dawning-places of knowledge rose against Thee, approaching Thee only with the swords of malice and hatred. Alas, alas, for Thy sorrow and Thy loneliness!
I beseech Thee, O God of existence and Lord of the seen and unseen, to assist Thy servants in being just and fair. Then make known to them what hath escaped them in Thy days, and teach them what they have committed in following the manifestations of idle fancies and vain imaginings, without any clear proof from Thee or evidence from Thy presence. Alas, alas, O Thou Goal of the world and Beloved of the nations! How long wilt Thou hear what is unworthy to be heard, and how long wilt Thou behold what is unfit for any of Thy servants to see, let alone Thy most pure sight?
O Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Countenance and the mysteries of destiny to ordain for me and for Thy loved ones that which will adorn us with the ornament of patience, forbearance and resignation. Then decree for us the best of the hereafter and of this world. Verily Thou art the Lord of the Throne and the earth, and Thou art the Omnipotent, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Section 2: “O Muhammad! You have heard the Voice…”
O Muhammad! You have heard the Voice of the Wronged One in the Arabic tongue; hear it now in Persian. The cause of the world’s differences has been and is vain imaginings and idle fancies, and their fountainheads are those who wear the turbans—they who lead the servants to an evil habitation. As was aforetime spoken: “They have changed God’s favor into ingratitude and caused their people to dwell in the abode of perdition.” For twelve hundred years they prided themselves before all the world’s peoples with mention of successorship, crying out “O Promised One!” day and night, yet when the blessed Tree grew forth they pronounced it astray and misguided, and afterwards cut it down with the swords of hatred. The deniers of the Bayan likewise walk in the footsteps of that faction, they too have clung to names and busied themselves with disputation, and will ultimately commit worse than what the Shi’ih perpetrated. This is a truth in which there is no doubt. Yet there is hope that after sincere investigation they may discover the root of the Cause—from Whom it came and what it is—and return to the truth.
Those souls whom you previously mentioned from the land of Shin and its surroundings have all attained to the grace of the Most Exalted Pen. Their mention is recorded and the effulgences of the Sun of favor are manifest. Well is it with them and pleasant it is unto them. We beseech God to assist His party in such wise that whatsoever the deniers possess of names and utterances may not debar them from the path of the Chosen One. Consultation in affairs is necessary and unity among the loved ones is essential. With harmony and accord and in a spirit of joy and fragrance they must enlighten the people of the earth and arise to reform it. Contention, conflict and objection are all forbidden. Blessed is the one who retires to his bed with a heart sanctified from rancor and hatred and purified from all that is unworthy of the days of God.
Say: O friends! Strive that the tribulations which in the path of God have befallen the Wronged One and His loved ones may not be lost among the people. Hold fast to the hem of chastity, and likewise to the cord of religion and trustworthiness. Consider the welfare of the world, not the promptings of self. O party of God! You are the shepherds of the world. Keep the sheep pure from the defilement of self and passion, and adorn them with the fear of God. This is the firm command which hath in this moment flowed from the Pen of the Ancient of Days. By the life of God! The sword of goodly character and conduct is sharper than blades of steel.
Thou didst make mention of Abbas of Aleppo. Say: The Day hath come, yet the people remain in manifest veils. Behold, then remember when Muhammad, the Apostle of God, came with the signs of unity and the standards of detachment, how the people turned away and opposed Him, until they pronounced judgment to shed His most pure blood. Thus was the matter decreed aforetime, and in this wondrous age. We beseech God to aid His servants to justice and fairness, and to assist them in that which draweth them nigh unto Him. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.
O Abbas! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. He maketh mention of thee and counseleth thee in that which beseemeth these days. Beware lest the world debar thee from this Most Great Cause. Soon shall it pass away, and that which shall endure is what hath been ordained in the Kingdom of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, the All-Bountiful. We, verily, beseech God, exalted be He, to strengthen thee in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to ordain for thee the good of the hereafter and of the former life. He, verily, hath power over all things.
The souls who fix their gaze upon the dayspring of vain imaginings were not and are not aware. Were they to become conscious of the truth of the Cause, they would utter the words “We turn unto Thee, O Thou the Desire of the worlds!” Leave them to their vain discourses and their sport, for these souls walk precisely in the footsteps of the Shi’ih. Neither mention, nor truthfulness, nor utterance, nor verse, nor proof shall profit them, save whom God willeth. All know that this Wronged One arose before the faces of men without concealment and spoke forth the truth. Were it not for Him, who would speak amongst the servants and who would manifest the Cause throughout the lands?
A certain Arab in that land, despite being heedless and unaware of the root of the Cause, strove to lead souls astray and committed that which he shall soon behold its signs and fruits. I pour out my grief and sorrow unto God. Verily, He witnesseth and seeth, and He is the All-Seeing, the All-Informed. The Glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of grace be upon those who have heard the Call, responded, and acted according to that which they were commanded in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds.
Praise be to the Goal of the worlds Who bestowed His grace and confirmations and caused that spiritual friend to receive His favors. His mercy hath preceded all, His sovereignty is mighty, and His utterance is powerful. Letters have repeatedly arrived from that land, and in sending replies there has been delay due to the volume of correspondence that required attention. From all, forgiveness has been and is hoped for. In these days a letter was written and sent in reply to his honor Aqa Siyyid Mortaza, upon him be the Glory of God, and that letter contains the verses of God. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to illumine the eyes with His light and to adorn the hearts through its reading.
O My loved one! Meaningless tales of the past and false accounts from heedless souls have deprived the world of God’s wondrous bounties. It is most regrettable that the people of the earth should remain deprived of the outpourings of the true Bestower and the lights of the Luminary of inner meanings. You and this servant and other friends must beseech God to increase the light of vision that it may become capable of witnessing, and to strengthen the power of hearing that it may become capable of listening. Had the previous party, namely the Shi’ih faction, observed with their own eyes, they would surely have distinguished the straight path from the crooked. They clung to their divines and thus committed what neither Jews nor Zoroastrians had done. Until now the fire of their hatred has not been quenched. They occupy themselves with cursing and reviling the Truth from their pulpits. If one were to listen with the ear of the heart, one would hear the lamentation of the pulpits, for they were established for the praise of God, not for His censure.
Tyranny hath reached such a degree that all atoms have engaged in lamentation and weeping, yet the heedless and veiled souls remain deprived of the recompense of their deeds. I beseech God to cleanse all through the water of return. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. In truth, justice, fairness and fidelity have vanished. A certain Haji Muhammad-Taqi from the city of Sad, despite being shown the utmost kindness and being the recipient of affection and favor, hath committed what no one from the beginning of the world until now hath committed. This servant hath concealed his deeds. Verily God is the Concealer and hath commanded all to maintain noble concealment and beautiful patience. For him too I beseech from God what is befitting, that perchance he may take heed or fear God and return unto God, the Lord of all men.
In the letter to his honor Aqa Siyyid Mortaza, upon him be the Glory of God, some of the incidents that have occurred have been mentioned. Perhaps that spiritual friend will see it. In any case, as commanded, you should meet the loved ones with the utmost joy and fragrance, and whatever the honored and esteemed Amin, upon him be the Glory of God and His favors, has accepted to deliver should be delivered. If anything is available with them, they will surely deliver it.
Glory be unto Him! Glory be unto Him! Without visible means He hath made His Cause victorious. With one pen He hath conquered the world and hath desired for all what hath had and hath no likeness or equal. I beseech God to adorn His people with that which will cause the exaltation of His Word and the upliftment of souls. Besides this, outwardly and inwardly, before God, our Lord and the Lord of the mighty Throne, there hath been and is no other purpose, as they have witnessed in the Psalms and Tablets and Books.
The petition of Jinab-i-Haji Siyyid Talib, may God the Most High assist him, was received and was presented before His countenance. The Beloved spoke:
“O Siyyid Talib! Upon thee be My salutation. Verily the Wronged One hath heard thy call and hath answered thee with this perspicuous remembrance. We beseech God to assist thee to rend asunder the veils of idle fancies and to shatter the idols of vain imaginings, to acquaint thee with that which beseemeth this Day, and to make thee speak forth His Name with wisdom and utterance, and to ordain for thee the good of this world and of the world to come. Verily, He is powerful over all things. The Wronged One desireth for His servants naught save the grace of God and His mercy which hath preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth. What hath befallen thee of tyranny and oppression hath grieved Me. We beseech God to assist thee to practice beautiful patience and to open before thy face the doors of care and kindness. Verily, He is the Most Merciful of the merciful ones.”
This servant also conveyeth greetings unto him and beseecheth from God, exalted be His Glory, confirmation for him. Glory and remembrance and praise be upon you and upon whosoever heareth your words concerning the Cause of God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of the exalted Throne.
The servant 9 Jamadi’th-Thani 1305
BH01952: The praise of those who praise, the remembrance…
He is God, exalted be His station, the Greatness and the Power
The praise of those who praise, the remembrance of those who remember, and the description of those who describe are in truth directed to creation, for their source of manifestation is from creation, while the Truth is sanctified and exalted above these. However, since He has granted permission for praise and remembrance, therefore the praise of the world and the remembrance of nations are directed to His most holy, most exalted and most mighty Presence. We beseech Him, since He has granted permission, to accept, and since He has commanded, to receive. And blessings and peace be upon the Point of Existence through whom all contingent beings appeared and for whose sake all created things were brought into being, and upon His family and companions through whom the limbs of misbelief trembled and the hearts of the wicked were disturbed.
And then, O beloved of my heart! Your mention has ever been and continues to be in the most holy and exalted Presence, and we implore God, exalted be His glory, to assist that beloved one at all times in improving the affairs of His servants. Yesterday, which was Monday the fifteenth of the month of Jamadiyu’th-Thani, a letter arrived from Aqa ʿAli, may God assist him. After it was read and reviewed before the face of the Lord, He said:
“We beseech God, the Lord of the Throne and earth, to send down upon them the rain of His mercy at every moment and His blessings and favors at every instant.”
And then, according to His command, his honor my brother Aqa Mirza Husayn, upon him be the peace of God, set out for the presence and the sum was sent. This matter should remain confidential. He said that beloved one should consider what is conducive to the manifestation of trustworthiness in that land, meaning that whatever was sent should be used to pay debts. Beyond that, whatever that beloved one deems advisable may be done. If this sum is given to the creditors, it will surely cause confidence and also strengthen creditworthiness, and afterwards the means for its return will be easy. In all cases, consideration of creditworthiness, trustworthiness, the exaltation of the Word, and the glory of the Cause is necessary. He is the Helper in all conditions, outwardly and inwardly. He has bestowed and continues to bestow His favors. They should consider with utmost care and act upon whatever is beneficial for the Cause.
Another matter is that the honored Afnan, his honor Aqa Mirza Aqa, upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, is traveling to that direction. Their purpose is to acquire a location in Port Said for trade, and his honor Haji Mirza Hasan, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah], had written to the Name about this matter that they would assist in whatever way possible. Now the honored Afnan is traveling for this purpose. Showing respect to them is incumbent upon all, as they are counted as being of the Tree. His honor Haji Mirza Hasan should come to Alexandria to discuss and consult with them. Whatever is decided through consultation should be acted upon. Also, one person is needed to stay with them for some time to become familiar with affairs. In any case, consultation should take place in that land and this matter should be arranged with order and firmness. I beseech God, exalted be He, to assist all in what He loves and is pleased with. And peace, remembrance and glory be upon your honor and upon those who love you and upon God’s righteous servants.
BH00792: This is a mention from Us unto him who…
He is the One Who gazeth from His Most Exalted Horizon
This is a mention from Us unto him who hath hearkened to the Call and turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon, who hath attained, witnessed and beheld, as a bounty from God, the Lord of the worlds. O Mihdi! Thy letter hath arrived and We have heard its contents. We answer thee through this wondrous Epistle which crieth out with the most exalted call between earth and heaven, and summoneth all unto the All-Informed One. Blessed is he who hath heard and turned toward Him; woe unto them that turn away, who have followed the dawning-places of idle fancies. They are assuredly among the most lost in the Book of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Blessed art thou for having aimed for the Ultimate Goal and the Most Exalted Summit, until thou didst stand before the Gate which was opened through the Most Great Name unto all who are in the heavens and on earth.
We beseech Him, exalted be He, to aid thee and preserve thee in such wise that the affairs of creation shall not withhold thee from the Truth. Verily, He is the Protector of those who do good. Grieve not at anything. In all matters place thy trust in Him Who hath strengthened thee and caused thee to recognize this mighty Cause. Remind My loved ones of My verses and give them the glad-tidings of My tender mercy and My loving-kindness. Verily thy Lord is the All-Merciful, the Munificent.
Say: O people of God! Beware lest the affairs of men debar you from My Self-Subsisting Name, or the oppression of those who have disbelieved in the Day of Judgment fill you with fear. We counsel you to observe patience and tranquility in all conditions, and that which hath been sent down from My Most Exalted Pen in My Perspicuous Book. And We make mention of Our loved ones that the remembrance may draw them to a station wherein neither the taunts of enemies nor the might of the heedless shall grieve them.
O Ibrahim! Hear the call from the Uttermost Tree before the faces of all men: Verily there is none other God but He, the Possessor of the Throne and earth. Break the idols of vain imaginings with the power of Abraham, then aid thy Lord with the hosts of wisdom and utterance. He, verily, is the Ordainer, the All-Wise.
O Sadiq! My Most Exalted Pen hath turned toward thee while the Wronged One was in the prison of His enemies, and mentioneth thee with that whereby the near ones perceive the fragrance of the garment, the believers perceive the fragrance of Beauty, and the sincere ones perceive the fragrance of God, the Powerful, the Supreme, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.
O Fadlu’llah! The face of bounty hath turned toward thee and calleth thee to that which shall be a lamp unto thee in every world of the worlds of thy Lord. Cast aside what the people possess; take what thou art bidden by God with a strength that the might of the world cannot frustrate, and with a power that the hosts of the oppressors cannot prevent.
O Sabbagh! The All-Bountiful maketh mention of thee from this station which hath been named with the Most Beautiful Names in the Book of Names, and commandeth thee to observe trustworthiness, godliness, truthfulness and fidelity. Thus hath spoken the Lord of the worlds in His Most Great Prison, as a bounty from His presence upon thee. He is, verily, the Forgiving, the Merciful.
O Ahmad! When a crier cometh unto thee, leave him to himself and turn toward the Most Exalted Summit, the station wherein the atoms cry out:
“The kingdom and dominion, and the power and might belong unto God, the Lord of the mighty Throne!”
O Pen! Turn thy face toward him who hath been named Muhammad Isma’il. Say: The Ancient Countenance hath turned toward thee from the Most Exalted Horizon and desireth to make mention of thee with that which attracteth the hearts of the Concourse on High and the Most Exalted Paradise. When thou hearest and perceivest the fragrance of thy Lord’s verses, arise and say:
“Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the worlds, for having remembered me while I was among the ungodly.”
O Ali! We counsel thee to manifest supreme steadfastness in this Cause whereby the feet of the learned have slipped, the limbs of the jurisprudents have trembled, and the hearts of the names have been perturbed, save those whom thy Lord, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers, hath willed.
O Baha’ud-Din! Thy name hath been mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One. We have remembered thee with verses that cannot be equaled by the treasures of the world or the riches of nations. When thou attainest and findest the fragrance of thy Lord, the Most Merciful’s utterance, say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of existence and Sovereign of the seen and unseen! Thou hast borne tribulations for the exaltation of the Most Great Word and hast manifested that which was hidden in God’s knowledge, the Lord of the exalted Throne.
O Abdullah! Take hold of the Book with such strength that neither the foolish ones of the world nor the clamor of nations can deter thee. This is what was ordained in the Book, when it appeared all the books of the world bowed down before it. He Who possesseth the knowledge of all things from God, the Goal of the worlds, beareth witness to this.
O Aqa Beg! This is the Day of steadfastness and faithfulness. Blessed is the servant who hath arisen to serve his Lord with such strength that neither ranks nor multitudes could hinder him. He arose and said:
“God is our Lord, the Lord of our fathers, and the Lord of this glorious and wondrous Day.”
O Baqir! The Promise hath come, and the Promised One from the Supreme Horizon calleth out with the most exalted call:
“O people! Fear God and follow not those who have taken their idle fancies as lords besides God. Turn with radiant faces and be not of the patient ones.”
O Asghar! The Lord of Destiny remembereth thee from the direction of His Most Great Scene, and counseleth thee with that which will elevate God’s Cause among His servants and manifest man’s station in the realm of possibility. Verily, thy Lord is the Counselor, the Compassionate, the Mighty, the Luminous.
O Ibrahim! the ungodly turned away and objected to Him Who created them, fashioned them, manifested them, made them witness, and gave them utterance. Thus did their souls prompt them to that which caused the Concourse on High to lament, and the dwellers of Paradise and the inhabitants of this glorious station to weep.
O Muhammad-Baqir! Blessed is he who hath attained unto the traces of My Most Exalted Pen, recognized its station, and read what was revealed unto him from this quarter, whose light was sanctified above the sun and its effulgence, and above the moon and its radiance. Verily, thy Lord is the Almighty, the Powerful.
O Sha’ban! The Wronged One hath turned toward thee and remembered thee with that which God hath made a proof unto all on earth and a light unto those in heaven. Blessed is he who heareth and seeth, and woe unto every heedless one who is debarred from this glorious station.
O Abu-Talib! The Wronged One remembereth thee in His station and counseleth thee with such virtues that all who possess the sense of smell shall find from them the fragrance of My morals, and with such deeds that all who possess sight shall behold from them My shining and luminous light.
O Ali! Blessed art thou and thy father who bore tribulations in God’s path and heard the derision of enemies, the turning away of the wretched, and the objections of those who disbelieved when the Lord of Revelation and the Speaker of Sinai came—He Who was mentioned in the books of God, the Goal of the mystics.
O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of Mirza Aqa that the rapture of the call may seize him and draw him nigh unto the Supreme Summit—the station whereon the Ancient Beauty was established upon the throne of His Most Great Name, calling all unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.
O Abdul-Husayn! The Wronged One remembereth thee from the prison’s direction and counseleth thee with that which He counseled His loved ones aforetime when the Light was shining from the horizon of Zawra. Verily, He hath come from the heaven of grace for the reformation of the world and the salvation of nations. Every discerning mystic beareth witness to this.
O Asadullah! We have heard thy call and have answered thee with that which was a light to the horizons, a surge to the seas, a rustling to the trees, a spirit to bodies, a remembrance to the righteous, a treasure to the just, and a book for those who have forsaken the world, clinging to His firm cord.
O My handmaidens who have believed in the All-Informed Single One! We make mention of you at the close of the Book. O My leaves! Blessed are ye, inasmuch as ye have hearkened unto the Call when it was raised betwixt earth and heaven. Blessed is the maidservant who hath attained unto the lights of divine knowledge, who hath responded to her Lord, and who hath circled round His Cause, the Mighty, the Wondrous. And blessed is the leaf that hath clung to the Tree in such wise that neither winds could shake her, nor the clamor of them that have denied God when He came from the Kingdom of eternity with a great sovereignty. The Glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My grace be upon the people of God who have not cast behind them His Covenant and His Testament, who have heard and responded—these, verily, are among those that are firmly established in a perspicuous Book.
BH01097: A remembrance from Us unto him who hath turned…
He is the Hearer, the Answerer.
A remembrance from Us unto him who hath turned unto the Countenance, and hath attained unto that which was ordained by the Pen and inscribed upon the Tablet. O Ibn Abhar! Hearken unto the call of God, Lord of destiny. He biddeth thee to make mention of Him and sing His praise, and to arise to serve His irrevocable Cause. One of My loved ones who attained My presence and drank from the Kawthar of reunion from the hand of My bounty hath appeared before the Wronged One. We have made mention of thee with a Tablet that calleth out between earth and heaven and summoneth all unto God, the Mighty, the Loving.
God hath forgiven those who did what they were forbidden in the Book, through a command from God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. Say: Fear ye God, O people, and be not like unto them who hear God’s command and judgment yet act not accordingly. Give thanks unto your Lord that He hath forgiven you ere mention was made of your deeds. He is verily the Forgiving, the Kind. We counsel you to observe trustworthiness and godliness, and that which hath been revealed in the Book of God, the Lord of existence.
O Ibn Abhar! Make mention of Husayn on behalf of the Wronged One and give him the glad-tidings of the favor of the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. Say: O Husayn! Hold fast unto the cord of wisdom and speak forth with utterance, lest the clamor of them who have denied both the seen and the unseen be raised. We have mentioned thee aforetime with verses that have enraptured hearts and minds. We beseech God to aid thee to make mention of Him and sing His praise, and to serve His irrevocable Cause.
We make mention of him who was named Isma’il and give him the glad-tidings of My favor toward him and of that which hath been sent down for him from the Most Exalted Pen in this exalted station. Beware lest thou and the believers be kept back from God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting, by that which the people possess. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon thy son whose name hath appeared in this protected station.
We have desired to make mention of My handmaiden and My leaf, whose name We have mentioned and for whom We have revealed that which nothing in creation can equal, and We have written for her in the Crimson Scroll from My Most Exalted Pen that which none hath comprehended save God, the Lord of the Day of Resurrection. O Mother of Ashraf! By My life, the Maids of Paradise in the most exalted Paradise speak of thy virtues and qualities. Rejoice thou in My revelation of this most hidden mystery. Thy Lord is verily the Compassionate, the Kind, the Forgiving.
O Iman! Thou hast attained unto My mention time and again. Recognize the station of this supreme favor and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the world and Master of eternity! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Name to assist me to act according to that which Thou hast revealed in Thy preserved Tablet. We have heard thy call and forgiven thee. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
We have desired at this time to make mention of him who was named Muhammad-Quli, that he may hold fast unto the Sure Handle, detached from the cords of the world. And I am the Counselor, the All-Knowing. Mention was made of thee before the Wronged One, and We have remembered thee with this wondrous Tablet that thou mayest rejoice and be of them that are thankful. Beware lest anything whatsoever keep thee back from the straight path of God.
O Messenger! The Lord of the Day of Judgement hath at this hour drawn nigh unto thee and made mention of thee in such wise that the fragrance of utterance hath been wafted throughout creation and the Spirit hath spoken in the highest paradise. Hearken, hearken, O ye people of grace and bounty! By God, the call of your Most Glorious Lord hath been raised between earth and heaven. And when they heard it, their conditions were transformed: some were thunderstruck, some were attracted, some placed their fingers between their teeth and looked to the right and left like one bewildered and dumbfounded, and some gave up their lives in the path of God, the Lord of all worlds. Thus did My Most Exalted Pen move, and from it appeared that which tongues are powerless to mention, the pen to describe, and ears to hear. Blessed is he who hath found the fragrance of the verses and was of them that have attained.
O Siyyid Hamzih! We have made mention of thee before, and at this hour, as a token of grace from God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Blessed is he who standeth firm whom the might of the world hath not caused to sit, blessed is the speaker whom the clamor of the nations hath not silenced, blessed is the seeker who hath aimed with his heart toward the ultimate goal, and blessed is the just one who hath dealt equitably in this most mighty, most holy, most glorious Cause. He is, verily, of the people of Paradise in the estimation of God, the Lord of the mighty throne.
O Ibn Abhar! Convey My greetings to the friends of God on behalf of the Wronged One, and give them the glad-tidings of the waves of the ocean of utterance of God, exalted be His glory. Praise be to God, today the Most Great Luminary is shining and the heaven of bounty is upraised. All must be set ablaze with the fire of the love of God and guide the people of creation to the horizon of the All-Merciful through wisdom and utterance. That which was forbidden before and they committed, the forgiveness of God, exalted be His glory, hath effaced it, and before the news reached them they attained unto divine mercy, pardon and forgiveness. This is attested by what We sent before. Verily thy Lord is the All-Informed, the All-Knowing. The Most Exalted Pen counseleth all in that which is the cause of salvation in the divine worlds.
O Ibn Abhar! By the lights of the Sun of Truth which shineth and gleameth from the horizon of the prison, the harm of the unseemly deeds that have been forbidden by the Most Exalted Pen in the Book returneth unto the Truth, and likewise causeth the Cause to be withheld from being made manifest amongst the servants. We beseech God that henceforth all may act according to what God hath decreed, that they may attain unto the Word of His good-pleasure. Today the hosts of God and His helpers are goodly deeds and praiseworthy qualities. With these hosts must the hearts, minds and breasts of the servants be conquered. Say: Take ye the fear of God with the hands of submission and contentment. Verily He is your supporter, your uplifter, your helper and your deliverer, on the part of God, your Lord and the Lord of the exalted throne.