Volume 085: Akka 1305 A.H. (1887–1888), Part II (2 of 5)

BH02056: This is a Book sent down in truth…

He is the One speaking in the Kingdom of Utterance!

This is a Book sent down in truth from God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. It guides the servants to the supreme horizon—the station wherein the call has been raised that there is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Loving. We have heard your call and mentioned you before, and at this time with a mention from which wafts the fragrance of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of the seen and unseen.

This is the Day in which the Most Great Name has appeared—He Who is the Great Announcement in the Qur’an, the Comforter and Lord of all being in the Gospel and Psalms. Hear the call of the Wronged One. Go forth from the horizon of the House, speaking forth this Name by which the limbs of the tyrant trembled, the veils were rent asunder, and the back of the idols was broken—to this testifies He with Whom is the Preserved Tablet.

Arise in thy Lord’s Name and say: O peoples of the earth! This is a Day wherein ears were created to hearken to the shrill voice of the Supreme Pen and eyes to behold the lights of the Manifestation. Beware lest human doubts prevent you from the Lord of Destiny, or the misleader who turned away and denied God, Lord of all being, veil you. Say: O misleader! Where were you when the Wronged One stood before the faces of princes and divines? Where were you when He came from the horizon of power with manifest sovereignty? Fear God and refute not the truth by what you possess. Return unto Him—He hears what your tongue utters and sees what has appeared and will appear from you. He is the Truth, Knower of the unseen. Nothing prevents Him from anything, and no affair escapes His knowledge.

He has arisen and called out with the most exalted call: O peoples of the earth! The appointed time is fulfilled and this is the Promised One. Deny Him not by what you possess. Turn with radiant faces and return unto Him—He is the Ever-Forgiving, the Mighty, the Pardoning.

When thou hast attained the choice wine of My utterance and found the fragrance of My verses, say: My God, my God! Aid me to remember Thee and praise Thee and serve Thy Cause, that I may arise among Thy servants to exalt Thy Word and manifest Thy Cause until the standards of Thy oneness and the banners of Thy victory are raised. O Lord! Illumine my heart with the light of Thy knowledge and my breast with the radiance of Thy verses. I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I testify to Thy oneness and singleness, and that Thou art God—there is no God but Thee. Thou hast ever been sanctified above the deeds of the world and the mentions of the nations, and wilt ever be as Thou hast been from time immemorial.

O Lord! I beseech Thee by the cries of the sincere ones and the wailing of those near unto Thee in their separation and remoteness from Thee, and by the lights of the Orb of Thy grace which has shone from the horizon of the world for the reformation of the nations, to make me steadfast in Thy Cause and firm in Thy love such that the power of created things weakens me not, nor the might of contingent beings frightens me. Thou art He to Whose power the denizens of Thy Kingdom and Thy Realm have testified, and before Whose will the Concourse on High and the most exalted Paradise have bowed. Ordain for me through Thy bounty and grace that which will solace mine eyes, assure my heart and dilate my breast. Then write for me what will profit me in every world of Thy worlds. Thou art, verily, powerful over what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Protector of what was and what will be.

BH03378: This is a Book which the All-Merciful hath sent…

In His Name Who shineth from the horizon of the Kingdom of Utterance!

This is a Book which the All-Merciful hath sent down to him who hath turned unto the horizon of the Revelation, that he might hearken unto His most sweet call from the Dayspring of the verses of his Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. This is a Day wherein the Mount hath attained reunion with Him Who conversed upon it, and the Book with Him Who revealed it. Blessed is he who hath heard and attained, and woe unto every heedless doubter.

God testifieth that there is none other God besides Him, and He Who hath come from the heaven of grace with proof and evidence is verily the Manifestation of His Cause, the Revealer of His Self, and the Source of His commandments and laws. Whoso hath attained unto Him hath attained unto all good, and he who hath turned away is indeed of the people of the veil in God’s Book, the Lord of all lords.

The servant who is present hath presented thy letter and read it before the Wronged One. We have answered thee with a Tablet from whose horizon hath shone the luminary of loving-kindness and favor. We beseech God to give thee to drink of His sealed wine through His Name, the Self-Subsisting, and to ordain for thee from His Most Exalted Pen that which shall gladden eyes and hearts.

The verses have been sent down and the evidences have appeared, yet the people are in a strange sleep. They have forsaken their God and taken their vain desires. Lo! They are among the most lost in God’s Book, the Lord of all men.

When thou hast drunk the Kawthar of utterance from the chalices of My words and been seized by the fragrances of My verses, say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having guided me unto Thy straight path and made known unto me Thy Great Announcement, whereby the hearts of the servants were disturbed and the limbs of the people trembled, save those whom the hand of Thy power rescued and the arm of Thy might sustained. O my Lord! Thou seest me turning unto Thee, clinging to Thy cord. I beseech Thee by the breezes of the morn of Thy Revelation, by what lay hidden in Thy knowledge, and by the Most Great Word whereby Thou hast subdued earth and heaven, to strengthen me to remember Thee and praise Thee and serve Thy Cause. Then assist me, O God of Names and Creator of heaven, in that whereby my mention may endure amongst Thy servants and my name in Thy Book. Verily Thou art the Mighty, the Exalted, the Unconstrained.

BH03686: We have revealed the utterance in the form…

He is the All-Conquering, the Self-Subsisting!

We have revealed the utterance in the form of a Tablet and sent it to those who have believed in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting—those whom the affairs of the people did not prevent, who turned to Us and said:

“We believe in Thee, O God of the unseen and the visible!”

We have desired at this time to give one of My loved ones to drink of the Kawthar of My loving-kindness from the hand of My bounty, that he may attain to such a station where the happenings of the world shall not sadden him, nor shall the might of the earth and its divines cause him fear—they who have broken God’s covenant and His testament and led His friends into the shadow of darkness.

My Most Exalted Pen beareth witness, as the Lord of all beings was seated upon the throne of His Most Glorious Name, that thou didst leave thy home, turning toward God, and didst traverse mountains and valleys, land and sea, until thou didst attain Our presence and hear the Call and witness that wherewith God’s books, the Lord of what was and what shall be, had given thee glad tidings. Blessed be thy countenance for having turned, and thy heart for having advanced toward the wronged Exile, Whom neither the veils of glory nor the obscuring veils of the people of error prevented.

He arose amidst all beings and proclaimed with the most exalted call:

“By God! That which ye were promised hath come to pass, and He for Whose meeting the heavens and earth were created hath appeared. Behold, O people, and be not of those who denied God’s proof and rejected His bounty and disputed His signs and turned away from Him on His promised Day.”

Blessed art thou for that which My Most Exalted Pen hath testified concerning thee in this exalted station. We beseech God to aid thee to preserve that which hath been sent down unto thee from thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Loving. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon My loved ones whom neither the world and its ornaments nor its trade and profit have prevented from My remembrance, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

BH03949: O Husayn! The Wronged One maketh mention of thee…

He is the One Who gazeth forth from His Most Exalted Horizon.

O Husayn! The Wronged One maketh mention of thee from the quarter of His prison, that the breezes of utterance may draw thee unto the Horizon of the All-Merciful, and bring thee nigh unto a station wherein naught shall be heard save His remembrance, the All-Glorious, the All-Praised.

Hearken unto the call from the quarter of ʿAkka: “Verily, there is no God but He, the One, the All-Informed.” He hath sent down the verses, made manifest the clear proofs, and guided all unto His straight Path. He hath appeared, and hath revealed whatsoever He willed, as a bounty from His presence, and hath summoned all unto the Most Sublime Height. Among men are those who heard the call and turned unto it; among them are such as heard and turned aside; and among them are those who dealt with it in such wise that the tears of the denizens of nearness were made to flow.

Give thanks unto the Lord thy God, inasmuch as He hath strengthened thee to acknowledge what hath been sent down in His perspicuous Book. Thy letter hath been presented before His face, and the servant in attendance hath read it. We have answered thee with a Tablet that hath spoken forth before the faces of all the world:

“The kingdom is God’s, the Lord of all that was and shall be.”

We entreat God to succour thee and to confirm thee in His remembrance and His praise, and in the service of His mighty, His most firm Cause.

Say: Unto Thee be praise, O God of existence and Lord of the unseen and the seen, for having made me attracted by Thy verses, turned toward Thy horizon, and attentive to Thy sweetest call, which hath been uplifted between earth and heaven.

O Lord! Thou beholdest the one who seeketh, directing his gaze toward the furthermost goal beneath the shadow of the canopies of Thy majesty, and the poor one standing at the dawn of Thy wealth before Thy face. I beseech Thee by the Supreme Paradise, by the Highest Garden, by the fire of the Lote-Tree of Thy Command, and by the light of Thy Manifestation on the Mount of Thy knowledge, that Thou mayest assist me in the promulgation of Thy Cause among Thy servants.

O my Lord! I entreat Thee by the ocean of Thy bounty and the heaven of Thy favour to make me firm and unswerving in Thy love, and steadfast in Thy remembrance. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Conquering, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH04509: This is a Book which the All-Merciful hath sent…

He is the One speaking from His most exalted horizon.

This is a Book which the All-Merciful hath sent down unto him who hath believed and turned unto His straight path. Hear My call from the direction of My prison, then speak forth My remembrance and praise amongst My servants.

We aid those who have cast away what is with the people, holding fast to that which hath been sent down unto them from the presence of One mighty and powerful. This is a day wherein the fire speaketh and the light speaketh, yet most of the people are heedless. He Who was hidden in the eternity of eternities hath come, and through Him are revealed the mysteries of God, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Beware lest the doubts of the people prevent thee from drawing nigh unto God, the Lord of all worlds. Say: O concourse of the earth! The call hath been raised from the most exalted horizon—hasten ye and be not of them that hesitate. All things have attained their fulfillment through the appearance of the Lord of all beings, to this testifieth every discerning sage.

By God! The veils have been rent asunder and the Lord of all men speaketh before the faces of the parties, as a grace from Him—and He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Among the people are those who heard the call and turned away from it, and among them are those who turned towards it and hastened and attained and said:

“Thine be the praise, O Thou Who art the Goal of the world, and Thine be the glory, O Thou Who art remembered in the hearts of the Messengers.”

Take hold of the Book of God with such strength from Him that the hosts of the oppressors shall not prevent thee—they who denied the proof of God and His testimony and committed that which caused the tears of the sincere ones to flow.

The glory from Us be upon thee and upon those who have quaffed the choice wine of utterance from the cup of the bounty of their Lord, the Forgiving, the Generous. And praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH11886: Ha, Sin. Upon thee be My Glory and My…

He is God, exalted be His glory in wisdom and utterance

Ha, Sin. Upon thee be My Glory and My loving-kindness. Beseech God that He may make His servants aware of that which hath dawned forth from the horizon of His Will, that their tongues may speak forth “The Lord hath come”, that their hearts may be adorned with the seal “Verily I am God’s”, and that their eyes may be illumined by beholding the lights. The heedlessness of the servants hath prevented the divine bounty, and although the errors of the world cannot withhold the Ancient Lord from bestowing His grace, yet the people have deprived their own selves of the wondrous tokens of His mercy, favor and loving-kindness.

Praise be to God that thou hast attained unto the effulgences of the Sun of Truth. God shall soon reveal that which He hath ordained for thee in His perspicuous Book. By God’s life! Were the people of the earth to peruse but a single Tablet from among the divine Tablets with justice and fairness, they would all turn toward the Most Exalted Horizon and return from that which they possess unto that which is God’s. Remind the servants with wisdom and utterance, and acquaint them with God’s Most Straight Path and His Great Announcement. The glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon those who have remained faithful to God’s Covenant and Testament and who have acted in accordance with that which they were bidden in His perspicuous Book.

BH07845: Praise be to God that thou hast attained unto…

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

Praise be to God that thou hast attained unto that which the people of the world are deprived of and forbidden from, save for a few who have rent asunder the veils and torn away the coverings. These are they who have arisen to promote His Cause with complete steadfastness. These are the men whom God hath described aforetime in His mighty Book, saying: “Neither merchandise nor traffic beguile them from the remembrance of God.” The verses have been sent down and the evidences are manifest. The Speaker of the Mount is seated upon the throne of Revelation, yet the people remain heedless. Praise thou the True One, exalted be His glory, Who hath aided thee and enabled thee to attain this most great bounty. His generosity hath encompassed the world and His munificence hath pervaded the realm of being. Blessed is the soul whom the doubts of the misguided have not prevented from nor deprived of the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting. The Glory be upon thee and upon those who have turned unto God, the One, the Peerless, the Mighty, the Great.

BH07702: God beareth witness that there is none other God…

He is the All-Witnessing, the All-Informed.

God beareth witness that there is none other God but Him. His are power and majesty; His are greatness and dominion. He hath sent forth the Messengers and hath revealed the Books, as a bounty from His presence; and He is, verily, the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. He hath ordained the laws and hath sent down the commandments, that His servants may be preserved and His creation may advance. Whoso cleaveth to them shall be saved; and whoso turneth away shall perish. We beseech God to succour His servants with that which will draw them nigh unto Him. He, in truth, is the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

My Most Exalted Pen hath borne witness that thou didst turn unto the Prison, didst enter therein, didst stand before the Countenance of the Wronged One, didst hear His call, and didst behold His horizon. Recognize, therefore, this Most Exalted Station, and be thou of the thankful. We ask God to confirm thee and to grant thee success in that which He loveth and approveth, and to aid thee to act according to that which He hath revealed in His perspicuous Book. And praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH08022: Today the ocean of bounty is surging…

In the Name of the One God!

Today the ocean of bounty is surging and the Sun of Truth is shining forth and manifest from the horizon of the heaven of loving-kindness. Blessed are they whom the intoxication of self has not prevented from the Lord of all beings nor deprived of the supreme horizon. We beseech God—glorified be His majesty—to bestow from the hands of grace that which is the cause of eternal life and everlasting remembrance.

Your letter arrived in the Most Great Prison. We have seen and heard. The world at every moment proclaims in most eloquent utterance its own change and transformation and evanescence. Nevertheless most are occupied with it and deprived of God’s eternal kingdom, save whom God wills. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to make you attracted by His verses, speaking His praise, and holding fast to His mighty cord. And praise be to Him, for He is the Goal of those who know.

BH09742: Today the people of God are those souls who…

In the Name of Him Who is the Goal of all the worlds!

Today the people of God are those souls who are holding fast to the cord of the love of God—glorified be His majesty—and are clinging to the hem of His grace. How excellent is the state of that servant who has arisen to serve the Cause of God and has protected the people from the whisperings of the misleaders and the cawers. The triumph of God’s Cause is through wisdom and utterance, naught else. This Wronged One in the Most Great Prison is occupied with the remembrance of the friends. We beseech God to keep all steadfast on His path and to assist them in His remembrance. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. Thy mention was made in the presence of this Wronged One, and this Tablet hath been sent down from the heaven of grace that thou mayest rejoice and be of those who are thankful.

BH01723: Praise sanctified from severance and decline befitteth the Peerless…

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

Praise sanctified from severance and decline befitteth the Peerless Object of all, Who created the world and adorned it with the light of recognition. The bearers of this light are the Prophets and Messengers who, by the command of the Ancient King, have stepped forth into the arena of manifestation for the salvation of the peoples of the world. However, some of mankind, due to their preoccupations, and some due to lack of capacity, and others due to the consequences of their deeds, did not attain to the blessed and goodly Word of Unity. Yet others regarded the world as non-existent and hastened with heart and soul to the horizon of the All-Merciful, until that light culminated in the Lord of the world and the Exemplar of nations, He Who speaks of the Most Great Name and relates the Mighty News. Upon Him be the blessings and peace of God, and upon His family and companions through whom appeared God’s authority among His servants and His fear among His creation, and through whom was revealed the judgment of the Book and the Cause encompassed all regions.

And further: O beloved of my heart, thy precious letter arrived, from which wafted such fragrances of love that were it to be styled a Tablet it would not be improper, for it had a complete effect and complete influence. Glorified be your Creator and magnified be your Maker and Confirmer! After being apprised of it, it was presented before the Master, Who said:

“God willing, they will return, adorned with the blessing of health and well-being and partaking of the feast of attainment to His presence. Verily He is the Kind, the Forgiving.”

End quote.

Praise be to God, the affiliated ones in this land are sound and healthy. These days they attained the honor of His presence at the mansion for two days, and the spiritual beloved Aqa Mirza Mihdi, upon him be the peace of God, delayed one steamer specifically to meet that beloved one and then returned. As for the letter of the beloved of the heart, his honor Aqa Siyyid Yahya, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s peace, it was seen and all of it was heard. However, before the arrival of your letter, the beloved of the heart Aqa Mirza Husayn, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s peace, had already proceeded to that direction as commanded. What must now be adhered to according to the command is this: whatever arrives and they are able to obtain should be delivered to the creditors, and they should consult about affairs and act as they deem advisable, placing their trust in God.

If there are excess goods they should distribute them to various places. If they request someone specific, certain souls can be sent from this land for that purpose. This matter must remain confidential and not be mentioned to anyone. In any case, consideration for them is necessary, and since they are trustworthy and the thought of betrayal has never crossed their minds, it is hoped that affairs will be set right. Whoso is for God, God is for him—unless some other firm purpose is intended from this upheaval.

Another submission: Some time ago a letter was sent to that beloved and it is not known whether it arrived or not. And this letter was sent after that beloved’s arrival in Beirut. God grant it does not arrive with “Verily we are God’s and to Him we return.” May the hands of destiny and decree of Truth give life and bestow vitality and bring it before the most luminous gaze. Knowledge is with God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of the mighty throne. To his honor the esteemed master, the great Afnan, upon him be from all the Most Glorious Glory, and his honor the most luminous star Afnan, upon him be the Glory of God, I present my utter evanescence and nothingness. And likewise I send greetings to all other friends. Peace, remembrance and praise be upon your honor and upon God’s sincere servants. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH01213: Praise be to the Goal of all the worlds…

He is God, exalted be His station, the Greatest and the Most Powerful

Praise be to the Goal of all the worlds, Who hath enabled His loved ones to turn unto Him and to stand firm, and hath blessed them to acknowledge and confess the blessed word “There is none other God but Him,” and hath adorned them with the ornament of justice and fairness. These are the servants whom God hath described in His mighty Book as honored servants who speak not until He hath spoken, and who act by His command. And prayers and peace be upon the Ensigns of His guidance and the Banners of His victory and the Cities of His knowledge and the Oceans of His grace, through whom every name was established upon the throne of glory and bounty, and the Sun of every attribute shone forth amidst humanity, and the Most Great Word encompassed all who dwell in the kingdom of creation, until the Names culminated in their Lord Muhammad—verily He is the Manifestation of the blessed Word, praiseworthy in His Cause and obeyed in His judgment—and upon His family and companions, the pearls of wisdom and understanding and the sources of ordinances and laws.

And further: the letter of that honored brother arrived and after its reading and review, it was granted audience before the Master. They said these matters are contingent upon consultation. Praise be to God, the soul that ascended did so with utmost joy and fragrance and with the light of certitude and assurance, attaining the horizon of the favor of the Goal of all the worlds. Neither wealth nor poverty of the world, nor the doubts and intimations of the nations, nor hardship and adversity and difficulty and tribulation prevented him from the Word of Unity nor deprived him from the Most Great Ocean. This is what transpired and all must mention with utmost sanctity and purity that which hath been revealed and flowed from the Kingdom of utterance and the realm of possibility. We beseech God, exalted be He, to send down upon him at all times mercy from His presence and favor from His own Self, and to give him to drink, from the hands of bounty, the Kawthar of eternity in the highest Paradise and the supreme Heaven. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Convey to each of the relatives the greetings from the Wronged One and console them. In truth, that which causeth burning grief and sorrow hath befallen those who remain. However, by the life of God, that departed one hath attained unto the ocean of God’s mercy and dwelleth in utmost joy and assurance with those near ones and sincere ones. The relatives too must in truth be joyous, for whatsoever appeareth from the Just, the Wise, is pure good. God, exalted be His glory, He is the All-Patient, the Concealer, the All-Forgiving, the Ever-Relenting, the Forgiver, the Merciful. In truth, sorrow in these days is not permitted. Were the proofs of this matter to flow from the Pen, the Perspicuous Book would be witnessed.

O Abdullah! Upon thee be the peace of God, the Lord of all names and Creator of heaven. The mother and sister and other sister and two sons—all are remembered before the Wronged One. We make mention of Hibatu’llah, upon him be God’s peace and favor, and We beseech God, exalted be His glory, for each one that which causeth elevation and ascendancy. This mention shall not be erased from the Book of the mindful ones and the scroll of the knowing ones.

Glory be unto Thee, O God of Names and Creator of heaven! Aid Thy loved ones to be steadfast in Thy Cause and draw them nigh unto Thee, and ordain for them the best of what Thou hast ordained for Thy trusted ones and chosen ones. Then send down upon them from the heaven of Thy favor a blessing from Thy presence and a bounty from Thy own Self. Verily Thou art God, the Lord of all worlds, and the Goal of all who seek, and the Most Merciful of the merciful ones.

A hundred thousand praises and thanks unto the Goal of the world Who hath enabled His loved ones to achieve that which is the cause of enduring mention and an everlasting name. This evanescent servant beseecheth and imploreth from the heaven of divine Will and the ocean of divine generosity that He may preserve that honored one and his relatives in all conditions beneath the shadow of His favor with utmost joy and gladness. Verily He is the most powerful of the powerful and the most generous of the generous, and praise be unto Him for He is the Lord of all worlds.

And regarding the matters you had written about, it was presented and They said to hold fast to whatever emerges from consultation, and the members of consultation are the certain, assured, and designated souls—upon them be God’s peace and favors. It is very difficult to find someone who would at once take the shop’s goods and pay the debts, for after the appearance of treachery in this land, blessing hath halted. Therefore one must act according to what is now easiest and most beloved and most beneficial. This servant asketh for you the good of this world and the next from the heaven of bounty of our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of the exalted Throne. Make mention of the women from this evanescent one. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to grant patience and adorn with the garment of forbearance. Peace and remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those with you and upon God’s righteous servants.

BH02761: Praise befits and is worthy of the Sovereign…

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

Praise befits and is worthy of the Sovereign of Manifestation, Who through His existence brought all things into being. His generosity is manifest through Him and His bounty is evident through Him. He is the Dawning-Place of the light of divine unity and the Manifestation of “He doeth whatsoever He willeth and ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth.” Upon Him be the blessings of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy, and upon His family and companions through whom the traces of misbelief were erased and the decree of divine unity was established, through whom the clouds rained down and the Word of the Cause was exalted amidst the parties.

Thereafter, your letter arrived and after being read and reviewed was presented before the Lord and achieved the honor of His attention. He said: We beseech God to assist him in that which will cause the manifestation of praiseworthy character and goodly deeds. Today is the day for the manifestation of deeds. We have ever counseled the servants of God to fear God […] Man has been and continues to be well-known. It is hoped that the effulgences of the Luminary of utterance which have shone forth from the horizon of God’s Book will illumine all and adorn them with the raiment of the Most Great Infallibility. Verily He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower. He hath said, and His word is the truth:

“Men whom neither merchandise nor selling diverteth from the remembrance of God.”

We beseech God to protect the believers from the evil of the ungodly, and likewise to protect the cities and habitations of the people of divine unity. Verily He is powerful over all things and worthy to answer prayers.

In truth, the ungodly and aggressors have surrounded the believers and their towns and villages from all directions, attacking from every side. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, by His Prophets and chosen ones, by those who were martyred in His path and strove in His Cause and aided His religion, and by the Manifest Book and its Bearer, to ordain for His loved ones the good of this world and the next. Verily He is the Lord of all beings and the Lord of the throne and earth.

Praise be to God that you have arrived at the Sublime Gate and associated with the friends. Convey my greetings to his honor Aqa Muhammad-ʿAli, upon him be the peace of God. He has been and continues to be mentioned before the Lord. We beseech God, exalted be He, to assist him in that which He loves and is pleased with. Peace be upon you, and the mercy of God, and His blessings.

BH09559: Praise be to the Lord of the worlds, Who…

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

Praise be to the Lord of the worlds, Who hath educated all beings and hath called Himself in the Most Great Book the Lord of all worlds. The manifestation and emergence of this most exalted station hath appeared in this most great Revelation, inasmuch as His grace hath embraced all, and the clouds of His mercy have rained upon all parties. His bounty hath encompassed existence itself, and His favor hath encompassed both the seen and unseen.

Thereafter, two letters were received from that honored one and esteemed friend. As to the first, it was deemed inexpedient to present it before His presence, but the second was presented and achieved the honor of being heard. This is what the Lord of the Final End spoke in reply, blessed and exalted be His words:

He is the Hearer, the Answerer!

Hear the call of God, the Mighty, the Loving. Verily the Divine Lote-Tree speaketh and the fruits cry out, and the Herald before His face saith to thee: Praise be unto Thee for having manifested Thy Beauty and that which lay concealed in Thy knowledge and was recorded in Thy Books, Thy Scriptures, and Thy Tablets. There is no God but Thee, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. This is the Day wherein the countenance of the world hath been illumined by reason of the advent of the Ancient King with His Most Great Name. Rejoice, O people of the earth, then hearken unto that which the Speaker of Sinai uttereth. Beware lest what the people possess prevent you from His Choice Sealed Wine. Draw nigh with radiant hearts and take the cup of the Choice Wine in His Most Glorious Name, then drink thereof in remembrance of Him, the Mighty, the Well-Beloved.

O Rasul! Thou wert present before the Wronged One, thou didst witness His signs, hear His utterance, and recognize His character. It behooveth thee to make mention of Him among the religions with joy and fragrance. Verily thy Lord is the Commander, the Protector over what was and what shall be. Know of a certainty that nothing whatsoever escapeth His knowledge, and He is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. We beseech God to assist thee and ordain for thee that which shall make thee steadfast in His Cause and hold fast to His Extended Cord. We have made mention of thee time and again, before and after thy presence, whereunto bearer witness honored servants. Preserve what thou hast been given in thy Lord’s name and say: Praise be to Thee, O Lord of existence, for having enabled me to turn toward Thee and attain Thy presence, despite Thy knowledge of my transgressions. I testify that Thou art indeed the All-Kind, the Forgiving.

Say: “My God, my God! I beseech Thee by Thy greatest favors, and Thy mighty signs, and the waves of the ocean of Thy forgiveness, and the effulgences of the Orb of Thy pardon, to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee. Then assist me, O my God, in that whereby Thy Cause may be exalted. Verily Thou art God, the Single, the One, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.” End.

Praise be to God! The grace and favors of God, glorified be His majesty, have encompassed your circumstances. You have spent some time here and have witnessed with your own eyes the manifestations of God’s favors, exalted be His glory. Before any request was made, He bestowed His grace and extended hospitality. You yourself can testify to the effulgent rays of the Sun of grace and mercy. At the time of departure, that which indicated the absence of means was done. This much I submit: the debt for what was given to that group on that day remains to this day. This servant, both due to the abundance of correspondence, as your honored self knows, and because he was perplexed as to what to write, delayed in sending a reply.

In any case, I beseech God, exalted be His glory, and hope that He may open the door of His favor and transform these constraints into abundance. He is the All-Powerful, the Omnipotent. Be not grieved! I swear by the Sun of Truth that rises from the horizon of the prison, there was a time when the Ancient Beauty Himself had no spare garment to wear. He would wash the one He had, dry it, and put it on again. Keep this matter confidential. The purpose is that you should know how circumstances were in the past and not be saddened by the hardships that have befallen you. In the eyes of people, poverty and wealth are causes of elevation and abasement, but in the sight of God, rank and station depend on acceptance, steadfastness and certitude.

You have been in the prison and have witnessed the conduct and association of the True One. There is no need for this evanescent one to elaborate. Praise be to God, the love of God exists in your heart, and the appraisers of the world cannot determine the value of this precious pearl, being utterly incapable of setting its worth and station. Convey my greetings and praise to the friends. Glory, remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those who hold fast to God, the Mighty, the Beautiful. And praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

BH01551: Befitting and proper is good mention and pleasing praise…

He is God, exalted be His station, the Greatness and the Power

Befitting and proper is good mention and pleasing praise for the gathering of the friends of God, who have become detached from self and attached to God. Trust in God is a firm cord and resignation to His will is the most upright and secure handle. How blessed is the soul that has attained to this most exalted station. “Whoso trusteth in God, sufficient unto him is He.” I beseech God to give His friends to drink from the cup of trust and to bestow upon them from the chalice of reliance. The prosperity of the world and its development is a book that tells of its ruin. Blessed is the soul whose heart is free and detached from the world and all that is therein. Such a one is worthy to make mention of the blessed Word of Unity.

Praise be to God that the favored community has attained to this station and acknowledges and confesses the oneness of God. For the exaltation of the Word of Unity they have borne a hundred thousand afflictions and faced the arrows of martyrdom in His path. The soul has no station in this regard, nor does the spirit have any rank. Would that we were like the leaves of the trees, which have no motion of their own—their movements come from the wind, and the wind appears through the Will. Would that we servants too had our motion and stillness proceed from the Will of God, exalted be His glory. Though this station has not yet appeared, there is hope that through divine confirmations and the endeavors of His friends it will become manifest. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, and take as intercessors the Lord of “Were it not for thee” and His family and companions, that perchance the door of joy may be opened and His relief may come, and He may purify His servants from defilements and grant them ease. Verily He has power over all things.

And further: the beloved of the heart, that is, the honored Haji Siyyid Javad, upon him be the Glory of God, has repeatedly made mention of you and has presented before the face of the Lord that which is the cause of joy and the source of gladness. It is hoped that from the ocean of divine bounty and the infinite mercy of the All-Merciful He will manifest through him that which will cause his mention and name to endure as long as His names and attributes endure, and in every moment grant him a portion from the cup of His favor. He is the Powerful One Whom the power of the world cannot withhold and Whom the hosts of nations cannot prevent from His purpose. His is the power and the strength and the might, and His is the sovereignty and the greatness and the authority.

This servant, at all times, beseeches God, exalted be His glory, not to deprive His friends of the manifestations of His Most Bountiful Name and to grant them from the ocean of His gifts that which is befitting. This evanescent servant has ever been occupied with the mention of the friends and has sought and continues to seek for each one that which is conducive to the exaltation and advancement of God’s friends. The purpose of this letter has been to mention the friends so that it may be known before all faces that this servant has not forgotten and will never forget them, and has sought and continues to seek blessing and bounty and mercy for them.

Another matter to mention is that the spiritual friend, the honored Aqa Muhammad Hasan, son of the martyr, upon both of them be the Glory of God, who was present at the beginning of the exile and has never fallen short in service and attendance—the utmost favor and consideration exists and is evident regarding him. He has recently acquired a shop and intends to engage in business. Therefore I request of that honored master that care be taken in his transactions and that whatever he requires be carefully obtained and well-packed so that it may be preserved from damage and loss during transport and reach him safe and sound. It is certain that your honor will exert the utmost effort in what has been mentioned, and surely blessing and favor from God has encompassed and will encompass this. Peace be upon you and upon God’s righteous servants.

BH00266: Today the Euphrates of divine bounty floweth…

Section 1: “Today the Euphrates of divine bounty floweth…”

In the Name of Him Who is manifest and Who calleth aloud before all men!

Today the Euphrates of divine bounty floweth from the right hand of the Throne of the All-Merciful, and the heaven of utterance is adorned with the stars of inner meanings. Perfect wisdom at times uniteth and at times separateth, and whatsoever appeareth is from God and is pure justice and unmixed good. Failure to attain unto the recognition of this most exalted station is the cause of anxiety and the source of fear. This is the Day of the Most Great Joy mentioned in the divine Scriptures and recorded by the Pen of Command. Blessed are they whom the happenings of the world have not prevented from the Ancient Lord, nor deprived of the Most Great Name. Were the ear of one’s true nature to become but slightly attuned to hear, the attraction of the blessed word “The Kingdom on that day shall be God’s” would seize all, in such wise that neither outward conditions, nor afflictions that befall, nor divine decrees that descend would hinder or deter them from turning unto Him.

O Haydar-ʿAli! The Sun of loving-kindness is manifest and visible above all heads, its radiance having encompassed both the kingdom of earth and heaven. The penetrating eye beholdeth, and the attentive ear heareth the exalted call from every direction. The pearls of wisdom and utterance are at all times manifest and evident. Beseech the True One that He may set aflame the benumbed world with the fire of the Blessed Tree. He is the One Who is powerful—neither the happenings of the world nor the might and wrath of rulers and divines could prevent His loved ones from the Most Sublime Horizon and the Supreme Summit.

Convey My greetings to the people of God. We beseech Him to guide all and to open the gates of relief through His finger of power. By the life of God! Today the sun riseth in their name and the rains descend especially for them. When the time cometh, that which is now concealed shall be revealed. This Wronged One is visible and manifest, alone and without any veil or covering. The pharaohs of the earth and the tyrants of the lands behold Him and hear that which hath been sent down from His presence. Were the people of the earth to ponder on that which hath appeared, all would hold fast to the Straight Path. They regard the idolaters as earthworms and their clamor as the buzzing of flies. Make mention of the sanctified and assured souls through God’s verses, give them glad-tidings of His bounty, and remind them of His evidences. Verily, remembrance profiteth the believers.

His honor ʿA, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, hath been and is before Our gaze. We have sent down for him, both before and after, that which cheereth the eyes, and in the Crimson Book from the Most Exalted Pen that which none knoweth save God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We beseech God, exalted be He, to ordain for whosoever hath turned toward My horizon, attained My presence, and heard My call, that which shall profit him in all the worlds of His worlds. Verily, He is the Almighty, the All-Powerful. The Son in his communion with God, blessed and exalted be He, said:

“Thou knowest what is in my soul, and I know not what is with Thee. Verily, Thou art the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.”

Were man to reflect but slightly, he would hold fast unto trust in God and resignation to His will. The tongue of the Wronged One beareth witness unto this from the presence of God, the Knower of the unseen.

We make mention of M.N.Sh. Nothing can equal the Word of God—this is evident and manifest. We beseech God the Exalted to reveal unto him that which is ordained for him. Verily, He is powerful over all things. We behold him beneath the canopies of grandeur, and We beseech God to aid him in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to assist him in that whereby His Cause, the firm and mighty, may be uplifted. This Wronged One maketh mention from the prison of those whose names have been sent to the Most Great Prison. We beseech God to aid them all to serve the Cause—that is, to engage in mention and praise with wisdom and utterance, and to guide others to the extent possible. On the Day of Revelation, all the divines of Persia turned away, while certain souls who had no standing in their gatherings ascended the standard and were seated upon the throne of certitude.

O Abbas Kh-A! Jinab-i-Haydar-ʿAli made mention of thee. The Sun of the bounty of God, exalted be His glory, hath turned from the horizon of prison towards thee. Perchance its effulgences may cause the dispirited to attain unto the warmth of divine love. He is the Powerful One whom the power of the world could neither prevent nor weaken. He appeared and, with perfect steadfastness, called out before the faces of all peoples, commanded all to that which God desired, and gave them the glad-tidings of the waves of the ocean of His grace. O My Most Exalted Pen! Turn towards him who is named Muhammad and Ahmad and give them the glad-tidings of My turning towards them from this remote spot. Praise be to God! In the days when most of the people of the world turned away from the Ancient Beauty, ye attained unto acceptance. Count this bounty as great and preserve this grace by His Name. He is the Hearer, the Answerer, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

O Sulayman! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One with the ear of nature and hold fast unto the firm cord of God. The world is transient and what is with God endureth. Strive that thou mayest succeed in performing a deed whose fragrance will not be cut off and whose mention will not be erased from the scroll of them that have turned towards God. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

O Muhammad-ʿAli Haydar! Thy name was sent to the Wronged One in the Most Great Prison. Blessed is he and blessed art thou. We beseech God, exalted be His glory, that He withhold thee not from the outpourings of His days and grant thee a portion of the choice sealed wine through His Name, the Self-Subsisting. His generosity brought existence into being, and His bounty adorned the world with its means. We beseech of Him that which is befitting. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

O Rida Quli Kh-A! Today the hosts of God are those who make people aware through deeds, character, wisdom and utterance, and who guide them to the horizon of the Peerless Friend. The visible hosts and manifest ranks hath God, exalted be His glory, entrusted to the manifestations of power, namely the kings. They, through these hosts, protect and safeguard cities and realms. And the friends, through the hosts of wisdom and utterance, conquer hearts and souls. Sword and spear have been removed, and spirit and delight have been established in their place. This is the firm decree that hath been sent down from the Most Exalted Pen in the Mother Book. Blessed are they that hold fast! Blessed are they that attain!

O Ali Kha! Reflect upon what hath befallen this Captive. God, the Tablet and the Pen bear witness that My sole purpose hath been the reformation of the world, the unity of nations, the advancement of existence and the upliftment of souls. Yet that which hath come to pass hath caused the Pen to tremble in its recounting. Since it hath occurred for the sake of God, it hath attained the station of life itself—tribulation in His path is rest, and calamity in His love is counted as bounty. O Pen! Turn thy face towards him who is named Ali Kha, that he may hear the call of the Wronged One and be of the thankful.

This is the Day of service and the Day of utterance. Blessed is he whom neither the world’s vicissitudes nor the ignorance of the divines hath debarred from the splendours of the Day-Star of Revelation, who hath rent asunder the veils and, through His Name, hath dispersed the doubts. Today the adornment of the world and the riches of nations cannot compare with a single word sent down from the heaven of the divine Will. Blessed are they whose names have been recorded by the Most Exalted Pen.

O Najaf-ʿAli-Kha! All are asleep in this night of heedlessness, but the Wronged One is awake. All are silent, while this Prisoner speaketh in remembrance of His loved ones. In truth, whoso speaketh of aught but God is accounted as silent, nay rather as dumb before God. Hold fast unto unity and cleave unto concord. In your gatherings, despite the idolaters, occupy yourselves with the remembrance of the Word of Unity. The former people were deprived of the light of true unity, and thus were they debarred from the rays of the Sun of Truth and remained deprived thereof, save whom God willeth.

O ʿAli Kha! We counsel the friends of God to observe righteousness and fear of God, and We bid them to that which promoteth the Cause of God. The helper of His Cause and its supporter throughout all ages and centuries hath been the fear of God. Blessed is he who hath held fast unto it and taken shelter beneath its standard. Praise thou the Desired One of all worlds, Who hath remembered thee in this night in the Most Great Prison and hath illumined thee with the effulgences of the Sun of His utterance. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O my Desire, and glory be unto Thee, O my Hope and my Beloved, for having guided me unto Thy Cause, whereby the limbs of all names have quaked and the hearts of the learned have trembled. I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by the power of Thy most exalted Word, to make me steadfast in Thy love and to enable me to drink the choice wine of Thy revelation from the hands of Thy bounty. Thou art, verily, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Section 2: “O Pen! Blessed art thou for having made…”

O Pen! Blessed art thou for having made mention of the friends of God and His chosen ones, and for having guided them to His straight path and His mighty announcement. Make mention at this hour of him who hath been named Hidayat, that he may guide the people to the supreme horizon, the station wherein hath been raised the shrill voice of the Most Glorious Pen. Beware lest the happenings of the world prevent thee from mentioning the peoples. Thus doth command thee He with Whom is the perspicuous Book.

O Hidayat! Today the call is raised high and the horizon of Revelation is illumined with the effulgences of the Sun of inner meanings, the ocean of utterance is surging in the realm of possibility, and the Sun of proof hath dawned and is shining before the faces of all religions. Blessed is the soul that hath turned towards it and hath not deprived itself of the sweet savors of revelation and the fragrances of remembrance. We beseech God to assist thee to serve His Cause in such wise that thou mayest occupy thyself day and night with the refinement of the souls of His servants, and quicken those who are dead in the valleys of heedlessness with the living waters that flow from the lips of the Will of Him Who is the Goal of all worlds, and lead them to the precincts of the Friend. Take what hath been revealed unto thee, holding fast to the cord of God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

O Muhammad-Qabli-Hasan! The call of the Wronged One hath been raised at all times in such wise that both kings and subjects have hearkened unto it. At all times, without any veil or hindrance, We have summoned the peoples to that which is the source of true wealth and spiritual riches, and We have commanded that which God hath willed, and We have counselled the kings to observe the Most Great Peace, that perchance the fire of war might be stilled and the world might be freed from this grievous calamity. They regarded the counsellor as a mischief-maker and counted pure mercy as vengeance. We beseech God to make them aware and acquaint them with His purpose. He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing.

O Murad-Ba’d-ʿAli-Murad! The World is come but they recognized Him not, for His raiment and name were changed. Blessed is he who hath made his desire the desire of all who are in the heavens and on earth. Today all must renounce their own will and desire and fix their gaze upon the Will and Good-Pleasure of God. This is the truth. We beseech God to assist thee in that which is enduring and everlasting. Vain imaginings have withheld the world from the Lord of all names. They are occupied with themselves and are heedless of the Truth. Soon shall they witness the recompense of their deeds. Verily thy Lord and the Lord of the Throne doth witness and see, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O Mahmud! The Wronged One of the world hath awakened the heedless servants with His call and cry, that all might attain to the praiseworthy station, which is the station of man’s knowledge of that which profiteth or harmeth him. However, those who turn to Him are few and those who hearken are rare. Strive that thou mayest be the cause of guidance to a soul, or by some deed immortalize thy remembrance in God’s Book. This Wronged One hath been in the hands of His enemies from the earliest days until now. Today is tranquil and bright; tomorrow is unknown. The command is in God’s hands. O Pen! We have created thee for the remembrance of Our loved ones. Beware lest the fire of thy love be quenched. Make mention of them by My command and remind them of My verses. Verily thy Lord is the All-Commanding, the All-Knowing.

Remember him who is named Muhammad-ʿAli and give him the glad tidings of My regard for him from the prison, that the attraction of My utterance may seize him and draw his heart near to the horizon of My loving-kindness. I am, verily, the Counselor, the All-Knowing.

All the world sought the Truth, and the people of Persia sought the Qa’im. At His mention, all smiled, were stirred, arose, and uttered “May God hasten.” Yet when He appeared, the first group heard but turned away, while the second approached with swords of hatred and martyred Him. This Tongue does not wish to utter the words “Nay, unto…” as We have forbidden cursing. Today the ocean of mercy surgeth and the sun of bounty shineth. We beseech God to aid all to do what beseemeth His Day.

O Baqir! The unconscionable ones of the world have reached such a state that they cite what hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen as proof of their own truth, while remaining heedless and unaware of its Source. The misleader of the world who counteth himself the guide of nations is, by the life of God, unaware and heedless of the Cause. It is not known whether he hath truly taken the path to hell or is merely confused. We beseech God to aid him to return unto Him. Verily He is the Forgiving, the Merciful, the Hearer, the Answerer. Praise be to the Goal of the world Who hath mentioned thee and hath turned toward thee in the Most Great Prison. He is, verily, the Most Merciful of the merciful ones and the Most Generous of the generous ones.

O Ja’far! The Lord of Power from the direction of the Most Great Scene declareth: Thou seekest the meeting and We seek the encounter, but the heedless servants have intervened. Each day a saying appeareth and they engage in consultation regarding the Wronged One. Say: My God, my God! I testify that Thou didst create me and make me manifest, and caused me to know Thee and to hear Thy most sweet call from the Most Exalted Horizon. Thou knowest, O my God, that I have desired to attain Thy presence and to stand before Thy face. I beseech Thee by the waves of the ocean of Thy utterance and the splendors of the light of the sun of Thy grace, not to disappoint me of that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and Thy loved ones.

O Lord! I beseech Thee by the fragrances of Thy verses in Thy days and the manifestations of Thy power amongst Thy servants, to ordain for me the reward of attaining Thy presence and to accept from me what I have done in Thy path. O Lord! Make my will to be dissolved in Thy will and my desire in Thy desire, such that I seek only what Thou hast ordained for me and wish only what Thou wishest. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the Powerful.

O Haydar-ʿAli! Praise be to God! Each of the names mentioned has been blessed with divine verses and illumined by the light of the Lord’s proof. Beseech God to preserve what He has bestowed, for He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

Mention Siyyid Mustafa—upon him be My glory—and give him the glad-tidings from the Wronged One. His name has repeatedly flowed from the Most Exalted Pen and been revealed from the Tongue of Grandeur. Say: O Siyyid, reflect upon Muhammad—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him—and His manifestation in Yathrib and Batha. The humiliation that befell Him was first from the opposition of His relatives and kin, second from the opposition of the divines and mystics, third from the neglect of the people of the city and surroundings, and fourth—which was greatest of all—from the seven scholars who later ascribed many partners to Him, even while they considered themselves believers and the most excellent of all people. Those who were created by His Word would sometimes exalt others above Him and at times far above Him. Though they may not openly acknowledge this statement, from the evidence the matter is clear and manifest.

O Mustafa! God willing, may your will be seen as effaced in God’s Will and your desire in His Desire, that you may arise to serve His Cause by His Will and undertake His service—which is His mention—with wisdom and utterance, with spirit and fragrance. Convey My greetings to the loved ones of that land and give them the glad-tidings of the Wronged One’s favor.

O Haydar-ʿAli! Upon thee be the eternal glory of God. Convey My greetings to Mirza Kuchik from the Wronged One. He has attained to My mention before and to the traces of My Most Exalted Pen, through which all things have spoken:

“The Kingdom belongs to God, the Lord of Names and Creator of Heaven.”

We beseech God to confirm him and ordain for him that which leads to eternal mention and everlasting name. O Haydar-ʿAli, convey greetings to the other loved ones from the Wronged One. God willing—the names are many but time is scarce, indeed like non-existent elixir. From every direction, letters and petitions arrive continuously, all seeking replies. Though by God’s grace, from the first day We proclaimed the Cause of the Ancient King before the faces of the world, verses have been revealed and descended like rain from the heaven of God’s Will—God forgive me—tongue has no access here and there exists no likeness or parallel. We beseech God to adorn all with the ornament of contentment, which is the most excellent ornament of the world, to engage them in His service and confirm them. Verily, He has power over all things.

Mention all the relatives of Muhammad-Ali on behalf of the Wronged One, especially Abbas-Quli who has always been and continues to be in Our sight, and whose mention has repeatedly been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen. We beseech God to assist him in His mention, enable him to serve Him, and remind him of His verses time after time. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Guardian over all in the heavens and earth. There is no God but He, the Compassionate, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

BH00502: All praise, sanctified above imagination and conjecture, utterance…

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

All praise, sanctified above imagination and conjecture, utterance and description, befitteth the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court of the Goal of all the worlds, Who raised high the banner of existence with His Pen and with ink unfurled the standard of unity. Blessed are they who have held fast to the Most Great Law and who have taken shelter beneath the standards and banners of Truth, exalted be His glory. Their purpose is to exalt the Word and their aim is to elevate the stations of humanity. The opposition of the oppressors and the clamor of the deniers did not hold them back from ascent nor prevent them from their goal. These are the manifestations of divine attributes and the Hands of the Cause among the high and the lowly.

And the blessings and peace be upon the Lord of the people, their Master, the refuge and shelter of the servants, through Whom the horizon of oneness was illumined and the luminary of detachment shone forth, through Whom the fragrance of submission was diffused and the straight path was made manifest, and upon His family and companions who cast aside all else but God and acted according to what they were commanded in the Book. Through them the Word was exalted and the breeze wafted, and the decree of the Divine Will was established and the potency of His Purpose was revealed, and through them God’s dominion and power encompassed all things and His awe and sovereignty were made manifest.

To continue: Your spiritual friend’s letters arrived repeatedly, their verse and prose were presented before the countenance of the Master and attained the honor of His hearing. However, due to intervening circumstances, some were answered while others remained pending. O friend of my heart! God, the All-Knowing, and all creation bear witness that you have ever been and are present before this ephemeral one’s face and are mentioned before the Master. Whenever your letter arrived, its verse brought joy and its prose caused delight. However, recent events have dispelled all gladness and joy. In prison, nothing is observed save sighs and tears. Every believer must lament and every godly soul cry out, for most lands of the believers have been taken by unbelievers, and they continue in their pursuit. Each day a herald proclaims that this country has fallen, that land has been conquered. Truly, for the believers and sincere ones, these matters are a grievous torment. Until now, none knows what has been and is the cause of this great abasement after supreme glory. Protection is possible and deliverance is possible; nevertheless, despair has encompassed hearts, preventing them from turning to the remedy.

In any case, this servant and you and the believers dwelling in every land must, with complete helplessness and absolute humility, beseech God, exalted be His glory, for protection and the exaltation of the Word of Unity. Verily, He is the Hearer, the Answerer, and He is the Mighty, the Powerful. The atoms of creation testify and bear witness that His Holiness the Existing One, may our spirits be sacrificed for Him, had no desire save the glory of government and nation. Nevertheless, they have brought about that which has changed the dust of sorrow upon the hems of the believers.

On this day the honored master, His Holiness Aqa Siyyid Mihdi, upon him be the Glory of God and His favors, sent your heart’s beloved letter to the Sacred Presence, and after its presentation and hearing, He spoke these words:

“O Zaynu’l-ʿAbidin! Upon you be the peace of God and His favors. The Wronged One testifies that you have acknowledged the unity and oneness of God and have witnessed what God witnessed before the creation of earth and heaven—that there is no God but Him. You have held fast to the handle of His grace and clung to the hem of the robe of His bounty and mercy, and you have been mindful of His verses, speaking His praise, and patient in tribulations in His path. We beseech God to assist you in what He loves and is pleased with, and to enable you in all conditions to draw near unto Him. Verily, He is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. There is no God but Him, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.”

We have turned from eloquent speech to luminous utterance. Today it is incumbent upon all to turn unto God, exalted be His glory, in repentance and contrition, that perchance the all-encompassing tribulations and afflictions visited upon this favored community may be lifted, and that its lost glory may be raised aloft like a banner upon the most exalted station in all the world. We have ever beseeched God, exalted be His glory, on behalf of His servants, for that which would lead to the elevation of the stations of the people of divine unity and the exaltation of their ranks. Throughout the nights and days We have held fast to that which preserveth, exalteth and uplifteth His servants. Yet there hath befallen Us that which hath caused every seeing one to weep and every hearing one to lament. And now We find Ourselves in the Most Great Prison, subject to the will of the oppressors and the heedless. Each day witnesseth the appearance of some tyranny and the manifestation of some decree.

Praise be to God Who hath adorned this Wronged One with the ornament of patience and resignation. He, verily, is the All-Patient, Who commandeth His servants to show forth beautiful patience. Convey My greetings to the friends and bid them to wisdom and utterance. Corruption, conflict and contention have ever been and shall ever be condemned. That which today is the cause of the exaltation of man’s station are goodly deeds and praiseworthy character. Blessed are they that act, and woe unto them that neglect.

O My loved one who art present before Me! The world hath been laid waste by vain imaginings. Glory be to God! The vain imaginings of the divines of Persia have been manifested in the kings, for all are occupied with imaginings. One deviseth instruments of slaughter while another seeketh to outdo him in this endeavor. Day after day they devise new schemes to destroy life from the visible world, creating ever more devices. Their peace and war revolve around the cities and lands of the people of divine unity. When one becomes displeased with another, he immediately bestows upon him one of the dominions belonging to the people of unity.

In brief, peace and war today center upon the lands of Islam. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to assist the people of unity that perchance they may discover the cause and reason for what hath occurred and arise to set things aright, though this be most difficult. For the primary cause is that man must observe with his own eyes. The riches and ornaments of the world have prevented the eyes of the princes from witnessing. Yet there is hope that after this blindness is removed and heavenly assistance arriveth, they will see, come, and discover. The matter is in the hands of our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of the mighty throne.

If you wish news of this land, it is somewhat unsettled and disturbed. A new governor hath come whose intention and purpose are unknown. Knowledge is with God. God willing, it will be for the best.

As for what you wrote concerning Aqa Mirza Musa, upon him be God’s peace and loving-kindness, in truth many steadfast, upright and distinguished souls grieved for this person, for he had been shown the utmost favor. Nevertheless, without cause there occurred that which was truly a source of great regret. However, this servant hopeth that henceforth he will arise to do that which will elevate his station. His apparent interest also lay in manifesting steadfastness. In any case, after mentioning him in the presence of the Lord, He said: “O Musa! Upon thee be the peace of God, the Lord of the throne and earth, the Lord of the hereafter and this world. Until now the glance of favor hath not been withdrawn from thee, for God hath loved and continueth to love faithfulness. Thy mentions, thy tears, and thy services have not been forgotten. We have repeatedly remembered thee and counseled thee concerning that which causeth the exaltation and elevation of being. We beseech God to assist thee with the hosts of the seen and unseen and to raise thee up through His power and sovereignty. Verily He is powerful over all things. Grieve not over anything. Trust in God in all matters. Say:

My God, my God! Separation from Thee hath destroyed me. Ordain for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen the cup of nearness and reunion. The fire of remoteness hath consumed me—transform it into the water of eternal life, O Thou Self-Sufficing One! I beseech Thee by the pearls of the ocean of Thy grace and the lights of the sun of Thy proof to ordain for me that which shall profit me in all the worlds of Thy worlds. Then forgive, O my God, my heedlessness and whatever hath proceeded from me. Verily Thou art the Generous, the All-Bountiful.”

This servant also mentioneth him and conveyeth greetings, and beseeecheth from God, exalted be His glory, whatsoever is the greatest cause of his exaltation and elevation. Verily our Lord is the All-Forgiving, the All-Generous.

Concerning the apple of your eye, Aqa Mirza Abdu’l-Husayn, upon him be God’s peace, you wrote, and after it was presented before Him, He spoke these words: O Abdu’l-Husayn! Upon thee be the peace of God, the Lord of all worlds! Thy name was presented before the Wronged One, Who hath made mention of thee with this manifest remembrance. We beseech God to assist thee and to aid thee with the hosts of the seen and the unseen, that thou mayest make mention of Him with wisdom and utterance throughout all possibility. He, verily, is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. Say:

“My God, my God! I beseech Thee by the fragrances of Thy Revelation, the mysteries of Thy Book, and the pearls of the ocean of Thy knowledge, to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee. O my Lord! Thou seest me turning unto the court of Thy mercy and the heaven of Thy grace, acknowledging Thy oneness and Thy singleness, and that which Thou hast sent down in Thy Book. I beseech Thee by Thy mercy which hath preceded all created things, and by Thy grace which hath encompassed all existence, not to disappoint me of that which Thou hast ordained for those of Thy servants who are nigh unto Thee, and for the sincere ones among Thy creation. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

It is hoped that he may be among those servants whose attributes God, exalted be His glory, hath described in the Book: “No fear shall be upon them, neither shall they grieve.” And likewise He saith: “Neither merchandise nor traffic beguile them from the remembrance of God.” In these days, from the land of Ta, the mother of Aqa Mirza Siyyid Husayn, upon them both be the glory of God, hath again sent a petition to the Most Holy Court, and hath likewise written to others requesting her son who is in your service. Last year also when she attained the presence of the Most Holy Court, she repeatedly made this request. Now, according to instructions, you should send her son to his mother. Furthermore, convey greetings on my behalf to your honored brother Aqa Mirza ʿAbdu’llah, upon him be the glory of God. His letter was received and presented before Him. God willing, a response will be sent. What you forwarded was received and accepted. Convey greetings from this servant to the friends in that land. For each one I seek the confirmation of humility, submissiveness, steadfastness, and worship. Peace and praise be upon you and upon those with you and upon God’s sincere servants. Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH00928: O beloved of my heart! Upon thee be…

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

O beloved of my heart! Upon thee be the glory of my Lord, my Sovereign, and my Master! At every moment and from all directions, the signs of the Revelation of the Revealer of verses are manifest and evident. The ocean of utterance surges with its waves, the sun of bounty shines with its radiance, and the divine Lote-Trees of the garden of truth are adorned with wondrous fruits. It is not known what has prevented the servants and deprived them from turning to the horizon of Revelation. Praise be to God, He has bestowed sight and granted hearing, yet as can be observed, though every soul is distinguished by these two great gifts, they are not employed in their proper place.

O beloved of my heart! The preoccupation of the servants with the desires of self and passion and the ornaments of this world has caused heedlessness, and when heedlessness gains strength it is transformed into error. In the eyes of those endowed with vision, that which has become the source and cause of these unseemly matters is the recompense of deeds, otherwise the Cause of God is more manifest than the sun. His verses are revealed at all times in such wise that pens are powerless to record and tongues fail to describe. His evidences in the divine Books are like unto a surging ocean, and the manifestations of His power and might are such that no fair-minded person can deny them. All know that despite the enmity of the people of the earth and the opposition of various factions, He stands firm before all faces and has spoken that which has shattered the idols of vain imaginings and raised high the standard of divine unity in an impregnable stronghold. Glorified be His greatness and exalted be His dominion!

The letter of that beloved one numbered 7 dated the 26th of Safar, and likewise number 8 dated the 14th of Rabi’u’th-Thani, arrived from Ya and Kaf. At present, due to lack of time, a brief response is offered, as there has not been and is not the opportunity to address each matter in detail. I hope for forgiveness. I beseech God to grant ample time, for verily He has power over all things. In any case, after reading the letters, all were presented before the countenance of the Goal of all the worlds and attained the honor of His attention. This is what the Tongue of the All-Merciful uttered in the Kingdom of Utterance—His word, exalted be His glory and mighty be His utterance and great be His station:

In My Name, the One manifest before all men

The Book sent down by the Lord of the Seen and Unseen to draw hearts and souls unto God, the All-Encompassing, the Self-Subsisting. He proclaims amidst all peoples: By God! The All-Bountiful hath come riding upon the clouds, and the necks of those who denied God, the Lord of existence, are bowed before Him. He is the Euphrates of wisdom among all creatures and the Banner of Power for the party of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. And there was inscribed upon it by the Most Glorious Pen:

“The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Loving.”

O Amin, hearken unto the call of God, the True King, the Manifest. He maketh mention of thee from the precincts of the Prison with verses before which all verses bow down, and with an utterance through which the Utterance itself hath spoken: “The Truth, the Knower of the unseen, hath come!” Through Him power hath been made manifest between the righteous and the wicked. Blessed is he who hath acknowledged and confessed, and woe unto every heedless and veiled one. Neither the occupants of pulpits nor the turban-wearing divines who violated the Covenant and Testament, who denied God’s proof after its appearance and His bounty after its revelation, could prevent Him. They perceive not. They follow vain imaginings and know not. They drink fetid water and understand not.

Say: Fear God, O peoples of the earth, and reject not the Truth through what ye possess. He hath come for your salvation, if ye but knew. Cast away what the people have. The Self-Subsisting calleth out on this Day whereon the sealed wine hath been unsealed by the finger of power at My glorious station.

O Amin, glorify My loved ones on My behalf, remind them of My verses, and illumine them with the lights of My loving utterance. Every name hath been mentioned by the tongue of the Wronged One as a bounty from God, the Lord of the Promised Day.

Hearken in Persian: The souls mentioned have attained the bounties of the True One, exalted be His glory, and now there is no opportunity to make specific mention of each one. O Amin, praise the Goal of the world that thou hast become a means of grace, making mention of the loved ones and seeking from the cloud of divine mercy for each one that which shall never be erased from the Book nor its fragrance cease from the world. Today the Sun of loving-kindness is dawning and manifest from the horizon of the heaven of grace. The ocean of utterance is ever-surging and the verses all-encompassing. Blessed are they who hold fast to justice and equity and who speak with truthfulness. In every city and region convey the greetings of the Wronged One to the righteous and cause them to attain the traces of the Most Exalted Pen. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon whosoever heareth thy word and loveth thee for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds.

The bounties of God have been and are limitless, and His generosity has not and will not accept any bounds. Those beloved of the heart have attained to that which the pen is powerless to befittingly describe. Whenever your letter arrives, the ocean of favor surges forth, and unto every soul are bestowed the pearls of wisdom and utterance. Such is the grace of the All-Bountiful One. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to aid that beloved one in that which will cause the exaltation of His Word. Praise be to God, you have been and are achieving this.

That which was sent has arrived, meaning that which was written in your letter. This year, praise be to God, those who seek admission come with permission and some without permission, from every tribe. I beseech God to ordain for each one that which the heaven itself needs, let alone the people of earth. Three leaves of arrival were sent as per your request. Your letter mentioning the sons of Khalil and the heirs of Kalim, upon them be the glory of God, was seen. God willing, the answer will flow forth and descend from the ocean of favor and the kingdom of utterance, and will be sent. However, that beloved one had not mentioned the other loved ones of God, upon them be the glory of God, specifically the mention of the beloved of the heart, Nabil-i-Akbar, upon him be the glory of God.

In all conditions, this evanescent servant beseeches from the ocean of divine generosity, for the loved ones, that which will cause their protection and exaltation. Verily, He is the Hearer, the Answerer. Glory, remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those who are with you and who love you for the sake of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

The servant, on the first of the month of Rajab, 1305

BH01003: The world is illumined by the light of knowledge…

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

The world is illumined by the light of knowledge, yet darkened by the dust of the hearts of the transgressors. The sign of the Day when the heaven shall bring forth a manifest smoke was made manifest aforetime, and the Kingdom on that Day shall be God’s’ is delayed and postponed. With this great tribulation and mighty darkness that hath encompassed the world, how can the peoples be worthy of the effulgent dawnings of the Sun of divine favor? All have heard of the Cause of the existence of bounty and have witnessed the precedence of mercy and grace, yet have forgotten the cause of their own creation. I loved to be known’ was the cause, yet they have forgotten the cause and reason of their own existence.

They have abandoned mercy and clung to vengeance, such that naught can be heard from all directions save the clash of swords. The Tongue of Power at every moment whispereth in the innermost heart, saying: Fix your gaze upon this verse and hold fast unto it: ʿLo! though it be but the weight of a grain of mustard seed, and though it be within a rock, or in the heavens or in the earth, God will bring it forth.’ Glory be to God! The cry hath ever been raised, yet they hear not, and the Kingdom hath ever been God’s, yet they see not. What hath hindered them? Vain imaginings. What hath veiled them? The heedlessness of the peoples.

Glorified art Thou, O Creator of the world and Bestower of favors upon the peoples! Withhold not Thy bounties from Thy servants, and disappoint them not from the ocean of Thy knowledge and the heaven of Thy grace. Purify them from whatsoever hath hindered them from drawing nigh unto Thee and from walking in the ways of Thy good-pleasure. Verily, Thou art the Generous, the Bountiful, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Beloved of my heart! Thy letter arrived—it was an ocean of love. Thy missive reached Me—it was a book comprehensive in the degrees of affection. After it was read and perused, it attained the honor of being heard by the Lord. He said:

“O ʿAli, upon thee be the peace of God and His favors! Praise be to God that neither profit nor loss defiled the holy souls nor held them back from turning unto Him. Blessed are ye, and joy be unto you! The cup of love hath strange effects and wondrous properties. I swear by the Luminary of Batha that this world is not worthy of joy or sorrow, nor deserving the attention of the sincere ones and them that are nigh unto God. For were it worthy, it would have been yours and with you. The world and its adornments are, in the estimation of them that are detached, as a piece of leather paste sewn onto the finest garment—nay, even more detestable than that. It befitteth not the free—it is good only for its people. Verily, it is carrion, and they that seek it are known. We beseech God, exalted be He, to exalt you through His Name, to draw you nigh through His grace, and to make you the ensigns of His remembrance amidst His creation and the standards of His justice amongst His servants. Verily, He is powerful over all things and worthy to answer.

“Convey unto the believing, unified, and assured ones the greetings from the Wronged One. We beseech God to assist them, preserve them, and ordain for them the blessings of the heavens of His grace and the gifts of the clouds of His bounty. Verily, He is the Generous, the Possessor of great favor. There is no God but He, the Single, the One, the Forgiving, the Merciful.” End

Praised be God! Pure intention, clear purpose, and manifest deeds have caused the fragrance of detachment, love, affection, trustworthiness and truthfulness to waft through the cities of justice and equity. Every unbiased one has perceived it and every unprejudiced one has acknowledged it. One word has been recorded in the book of divine favor which is in truth the light of knowledge and the Most Great Luminary of books: “Whoso is for God, God is for him.” This blessed word is, in the estimation of the mystics, beyond the stations of effacement and existence. This evanescent servant gazeth upon this word and cleaveth unto it, beseeching and imploring God—exalted be His glory—to make its effects manifest unto all His servants. He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

As to your mention of him who is in truth the solace of the eyes, Aqa Mirza Mihdi—upon him be God’s peace—the servant beareth witness that he is among the triumphant ones. Convey my greetings unto him. His letter was received and from it wafted the fragrance of love, affection, sincerity and devotion. In truth, his entire letter appeared to this evanescent one as a single word: “Verily I am for God alone.” Well is it with him! He hath drunk from the ocean and hath not contented himself with the river. He is among those servants from whom one cannot witness excessive attention from the Source, for the doors of “Is there more?” would open. In truth, he is worthy of a hundred thousand mentions and salutations. On this night, mention of him flowed from the blessed tongue in such wise as to attract hearts, cause bodies to soar, let alone spirits.

Concerning what thou didst write about the petition of Aqa Abbas—may God assist him—some time ago a letter arrived from the beloved of hearts, His Holiness Samandar—upon him be the Glory of God—and they forwarded the petition of the aforementioned one. A Tablet was graciously revealed; after perusing it they should forward it. The mention of this Abbas opened a door to the meeting with the spiritual beloved, Haji ʿAbbas—upon him be God’s peace and favors. We beseech God to assist him, confirm him and draw him nigh unto Him in all conditions.

The petition of Haji Yusuf—may God, exalted be He, strengthen him—arrived and one blessed Tablet was sent to be delivered to him. Convey my greetings to the friends of that land. I beseech from God whatsoever leadeth to the manifestation of praiseworthy character. In truth, the horizons are illumined and radiant through goodly character. Likewise, I seek divine confirmation that they may hold fast unto wisdom and fix their gaze upon it. Verily, He is the Generous, the Bountiful. Specifically, they commanded: Write to Ali:

“O Ali! Thou art remembered in all conditions. We counsel thee to observe wisdom. Take hold of it and leave all else.”

End.

As to the mention of falling short in services—God is the witness and creation doth testify that that beloved of hearts hath ever been steadfast in service, vocal in remembrance, adorned with truthfulness, illumined with faithfulness, and embellished with trustworthiness. Praise be to God for all of this. Verily, He is the Helper, and He is the Compassionate, the Bountiful. Peace and praise be upon you and upon God’s sincere servants. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH01168: O friends of God! Every soul today who desires…

In the Name of God, Exalted be His station, the All-Wise, the All-Knowing in all creation!

O friends of God! Every soul today who desires to drink from the chalice of divine knowledge and attain the light of certitude must first purify their heart with the water of the utterance of Him Who is the Aim of all worlds. Likewise must they purify their hearing and sight to such degree that names will not prevent them from turning towards Him, nor will the veils of beauty and the clouds of majesty hold them back from the Self-Subsisting Lord. In brief, they must sanctify their thoughts from the mention of all else but God, that they may become worthy to turn towards Him and capable of drawing near. Today the ocean of utterance is surging and the luminary of grace is shining forth. The previous people—namely the Shi’ites—were prevented by their vain imaginings from the Dayspring of Certitude. They occupied themselves with names while remaining heedless and veiled from their Lord. The divines, with utmost tyranny and injustice, uttered unseemly words from their pulpits—all have heard and know this. What was the cause of this turning away, the reason for this blindness? And whence arose this enmity against the Truth?

O servants! Ponder, that perchance ye may discover the purpose and not be deprived of the Most Great Ocean through clinging to the gulf of names. The One Whose presence they sought throughout ages and centuries—they issued the decree for His death and martyred Him. Hearken unto the call of the trusted Counselor! Cleanse your hearts wholly from the doubts and allusions of the past, for all the words and deeds of that party were rejected on the Day of His Manifestation. Today the trees cry out “The Truth is come!” and the fruits proclaim “The Kingdom is God’s!” Deprive not your hearing and sight from witnessing and hearkening to the divine call. Leave the idolaters to their vain disputations.

This Day is the Day of God—names have no station therein save for those souls who are the cupbearers of the choice-sealed wine and the Hands of the Cause of the Self-Subsisting Lord. These are they who have arisen with complete detachment to serve the Cause of the Lord of all beings. The ornaments of these fleeting days did not prevent them from the everlasting bounties and the eternal, perpetual feast. These are servants whom the ornaments and adornments of the world did not hinder. They have turned with illumined hearts and radiant faces to the Supreme Horizon, and answered their Lord, the Lord of all beings, when the call was raised between earth and heaven. These are honored servants, these are they who are brought nigh. The sweetness of the utterance of the All-Merciful so transported them that they sacrificed their lives. All else besides God did not prevent them from turning unto Him.

O My loved ones in the two villages! Know ye, then recognize that the Revealer of verses hath turned toward you from the direction of the Prison, and the Manifestor of clear evidences hath sent down for you that which will solace your eyes. And He Who conversed on Sinai calleth you from the horizon of Revelation, even as griefs encompass Him from the wickedness of the evil ones. Rejoice ye in My remembrance, then thank your Lord, for He hath sent down for you that which will draw you nigh unto Him—from which every possessor of smell perceiveth the fragrance of His bounty, His grace and His mercy that have preceded all that was and that shall be.

Hear ye the call of the Wronged One! By the Sun of Truth, whosoever hath attained unto the hearing of the Word findeth himself free and detached from the world and all that dwell therein. We beseech God not to deprive His servants of the lights of the Sun of true unity. By God’s life! The Shi’ih sect hath been recorded in the Crimson Book by the Most Exalted Pen as being among the idolaters. Strive ye, that ye may attain unto that for which ye were created from nothingness. The objectors of the Bayan are seen to be veiled anew from God, exalted be His glory, through their attachment to imaginary names. They have forsaken the Self-Subsisting and cling to vain imaginings. They are indeed among the most lost in God’s Book, the Lord of all worlds.

O My loved ones! I counsel you, after recognition of God, to steadfastness supreme, and to trustworthiness and godliness. The hosts of triumph and victory have ever been pure and acceptable deeds and character. We beseech God to make His loved ones the emblems of His remembrance in His lands and the standards of His guidance throughout His realms. Verily, He is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be” and it is.

O ʿAli! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. We have repeatedly made mention of the loved ones in the land of Kha and those regions, and there hath been sent down from the heaven of divine Will that which containeth in every word a treasury of utterance and concealed waters of life. Ask thou God to grant the power of hearing and sight, and likewise the strength of steadfastness, that they may arise with legs of iron to support this new Cause and may speak the words “We are God’s” with such utterance that silence shall not overcome it, nor shall the insinuations of the doubtful prevent it. Glory be to God! Despite all that hath been witnessed and is now being witnessed, the barking ones lie in wait for the believers. Convey to all the greetings of the Wronged One and counsel them to observe the manners and character of the Concourse on High. Verily thy Lord is the Generous, the Bountiful. He loveth His loved ones and maketh mention of them ere they make mention of Him. He is verily the All-Bountiful, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

The Light shining from My most exalted horizon be upon you, O My loved ones and friends, and upon those who will be attracted by the call of God, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

BH01196: O ʿAli, upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness!…

He is the One speaking from His Most Exalted Horizon!

O ʿAli, upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness! We have heard thy call and have turned toward thee from the Most Great Prison. The effulgence of the lights of the Day-Star of Truth hath shone upon His loved ones. Today mercy hath preceded all else and grace hath encompassed all things. Praise be to God that on the Day of Recompense thou hast attained unto the hearing of the call of the Lord of all beings and hast drunk from the Kawthar of utterance. The fruit and result of this deed shall never be effaced from the divine ledger. We beseech God to aid thee in preserving that which He hath bestowed. The glance of His loving-kindness hath been and continueth to be directed toward thee. Nothing escapeth His knowledge; He witnesseth and seeth all things, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Thou didst mention Muhammad. We have verily forgiven him, purified him, and appointed for him a station. The grace of thy Lord hath indeed encompassed him from all directions. He is, in truth, the Forgiving, the Bountiful. We have mentioned him before in such wise that nothing which thou beholdest can equal it, as this Great Announcement doth testify.

Convey My greetings to the handmaiden of God. Blessed is the servant who is engaged in serving the friends of God, and blessed are those handmaidens who act for the sake of God alone. Say: O My handmaiden, O Tusi! These are the days of the Most Great Manifestation; His light hath encompassed the world. In the Most Great Prison, while surrounded by encompassing sorrows, We are occupied with thy remembrance and make mention of thee. The deeds of no soul have ever been, nor shall ever be, lost in the sight of God. Be thou thankful unto thy Lord for this manifest grace.

Mention was made of Mashhadi Allah-Virdi. Praise be to God that he hath turned toward the Most Great Ocean in days when the darkness of repudiation hath encompassed the world. God hath verily aided him to turn toward Him and attain His presence. He is, in truth, the Protector of those who turn unto Him. Convey My greetings unto him and give him the glad-tidings of My remembrance, that he may rejoice and give thanks unto his Lord, the Compassionate, the Bountiful.

O Hasan! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One and hold fast unto the cord of His Cause with such tenacity that all the peoples of the world shall be powerless to separate thee from it. This is the binding command that hath in this moment been sent down from the Pen of the Most Great Name.

O Sadiq! Thy mention hath been made before the Countenance, and thou hast attained unto these verses which have shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of mercy. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having remembered me while Thou wert wronged at the hands of the heedless ones.

O Mihdi! The Book Manifest speaketh before the faces of all who dwell in the heavens and the earth, and giveth glad-tidings unto all. However, the veils of glory have deprived the heedless people from beholding the lights of the Manifestation of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Praise be to the Lord of Eternity Who hath enabled thee to attain this most great bounty, which is the recognition of the Dawning-Place of His verses.

O Abbas-Ali! Hear thou the call of the Wronged One of the horizons and say:

My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having guided me and made me to know Thee. I beseech Thee by the pearls of the ocean of Thy grace to make me steadfast in Thy love and holding fast unto the wisdom which Thou hast sent down in Thy Book. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Powerful.

O Muhammad-ʿAli! Hear My call from the direction of My prison. He hath verily aided thee to serve the Cause of God and to make mention of Him amongst His servants. That which thou beholdest today shall pass away, and sovereignty shall remain with God, the Peerless, the All-Informed. When thou dost inhale the fragrance of My verses and drinkest the choice wine of My utterance from the cup of My bounty, say: My God, my God! Thou seest my poverty and Thy wealth, my weakness and Thy strength, my powerlessness and Thy might, my ignorance and Thy knowledge. The poor one knocketh at this moment at the door of Thy generosity, and the unlettered one turneth toward the ocean of Thy knowledge and wisdom.

I beseech Thee by that treasure which Thou hast deposited in the hearts of them that are sincere amongst Thy servants to make me steadfast in Thy Cause, firm in Thy love and standing ready to serve Thee. Praise be unto Thee, O my God and my Lord, for having shown me the billows of the ocean of Thy utterance and the lights of the orb of Thy bounty. I implore Thee, O Lord of existence and King of the seen and unseen, to assist me and Thy loved ones in that which Thou lovest and art pleased with. Thou art in truth the Lord of all men. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Ali! Praise be to the Lord of the world. Each of the souls mentioned in thy letter hath attained unto that which every discerning one hath inhaled and continueth to inhale therefrom the fragrance of divine favors. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to ordain for thee the reward of meeting Him and to decree for thee and His loved ones that which shall profit you in His days. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

We conclude Our utterance by making mention of him who hath turned unto his Lord, the All-Merciful, and hath drunk the choice wine of certitude from the hands of the bounty of his Lord, the Gracious, the Bountiful—he who heard My call and turned in the first days toward My horizon, and whom the rapture of My remembrance so seized that he soared in My atmosphere, cast away all else beside Me, and arose to extol My praise amidst My creatures and to serve Me amongst My servants. We beseech God to strengthen him under all conditions and to make him a standard for the triumph of My wondrous and glorious Cause, through which the limbs of the world have quaked, and the hearts of all nations have been convulsed, and all the tribes of the earth have lamented, except such as God, the Lord of the worlds, hath willed. Blessed is his eye for what it hath beheld, and his ear for what it hath heard, and his face for having turned toward God, and his heart for having been drawn unto God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. Verily we are God’s, and verily unto Him shall we return.

BH01214: Praise sanctified above all mention of the world…

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

Praise sanctified above all mention of the world and its peoples befitteth the Lord of Eternity, Who through His Most Great Name conquered the world and made manifest the path of salvation. The purpose of the creation of beings and the manifestation of existence hath been the bestowal of His grace and the expression of His generosity and bounty. Through His will He brought them from nothingness into being, and through His wisdom He ordained the means of glory and exaltation, that all might ascend the ladder of knowledge to that most great station of glory and supreme nobility which is the recognition of His sacred Being. Glorified be His majesty, magnified be His bounty, and exalted be His grace!

The letter of that beloved of the soul, which was even as a brilliant and radiant sun, illumined the court of existence. This pure radiance hath been and is from the effulgences of the lights of divine love. What can this servant mention and what can he express in describing this station, when even those who have attained thereunto are seen to be powerless and wanting in its comprehension? For this is the station of love, the prince of all stations.

“I need a mouth as wide as heaven itself, To tell the praise of that which angels envy.”

After its perusal, and with joy and delight, it was presented before the face of the Lord. He said:

“Praise be to God! They are adorned with that which beseemeth them. The atoms of creation bear witness to their trustworthiness, faithfulness, station and rank. O Muhammad—upon thee be the peace of God, the Single, the One! The riches of the world and the wealth of nations cannot compare with a single word of yours which hath been manifested through trustworthiness and faithfulness. The ornaments of the world are not mentioned before the trusted ones of God. That which is worthy of mention are those qualities which have been manifested among the servants from the friends of God. Praise be to God, they are adorned with the finest raiment in all the world. This is the shield of protection that preserveth the station of man. We beseech God that He may illumine the world through this luminary of detachment and adorn it with the ornament of trustworthiness. Verily He is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful, and He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted. Peace be from the Wronged One upon the friends of God who are there, and upon those whom neither the doubts of the people have withheld from the Truth, nor the clamor of the ungodly from turning towards God, the Lord of the worlds.”

In truth, the letter of that beloved was a herald of joy. This servant has always been and continues to be joyful at the happiness of that beloved of hearts. Indeed, a single drop of joy is witnessed as an ocean. Through the grace of God, exalted be His glory, this servant has been and remains confident and assured that whatever appears and transpires is pure good. “Whosoever places his trust in God, He is sufficient unto him.” Witness to this statement was the letter of that true traveler and spiritual emigrant who appeared solely through the Absolute Will—that is, the honored beloved, Aqa Mirza Husayn, upon him be God’s peace, grace and mercy. It arrived, and by the testimony of the loved ones, he has attained the most excellent of deeds, as it has been previously said: “The most excellent of deeds are the most difficult.”

His letter was presented to the Master upon arrival, who repeatedly said: “Blessed be he, and may it be wholesome unto him.” At tea time, when the Branches of the Blessed Tree and the people of the pavilion of infallibility were present, He repeatedly mentioned him, and concluded with these blessed words: “We beseech God, the Exalted, to send down upon him and upon them from the heaven of His grace a blessing from Him, a grace from His presence, and a mercy from His side. There is no God but He, the All-Bountiful, the Generous, and He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.”

This evanescent servant sends greetings to the number of the drops in the seas to him and to the loved ones of that land, and beseeches for each one the outpouring of the True Generous One. Verily, He has power over all things. In response to the letter of the spiritual beloved, Aqa ʿAli, upon him be God’s peace, a letter was sent containing [expressions of] grace. God willing, may it be the cause of joy and unity. And as for the known matter, let them mention whatever they deem advisable. I beseech God, the Exalted, to teach you what is best for you. Verily, He is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen.

Another submission: The missive from the spiritual beloved Haji ʿAbdu’l-Karim, upon him be God’s peace, arrived. Indeed, it was distinguished. Praise be to God, he is confirmed. I beseech God, the Exalted, to assist him, confirm him, and draw him near. Verily, He has power over all things. Final submission: As commanded, at this time the true emigrant and special traveler, that is, Aqa Mirza Husayn, upon him be God’s peace and grace, has brought news of the spiritual beloved Haji Husayn, upon him be God’s peace and mercy. The purpose is to express grace towards them. Indeed, they have performed what most of the people of the world are heedless of. They have always been and continue to be remembered. Likewise, as commanded, whenever their letters arrive, the loved ones of that land should write about his conditions. He repeatedly said: “Verily, He loves faithfulness in all things.”

BH01256: Praise be befitting unto the Lord of all desires…

He is God, exalted is He in might and power

Praise be befitting unto the Lord of all desires, Who, through His complete power, hath brought forth the pearls of wisdom and utterance from the shells of the ocean of knowledge, and through these two precious pearls hath bestowed perfect order upon the world and guided His servants to the realm of immortality. In all conditions His purpose hath been and is the exaltation, elevation and loftiness of the station of His creation, that all may attain unto that which shall assist and protect humanity throughout all worlds. At times He appeareth in the form of a lamp, and at others in the guise of an army. In truth these two are two banners, nay rather two pavilions—the station of rest and the seat of security have been and ever shall be beneath the shade of these two pavilions. Blessed is he who hath chosen therein a place for himself.

Glory be unto Thee, O my God, my Desire and my Beloved! I beseech Thee by the Banner beneath whose shade, despite its loftiness and grandeur, the heaven itself doth dwell, that Thou aid Thy chosen ones and loved ones in a manner befitting the ocean of Thy bounty and the heaven of Thy generosity. O Lord! Thou seest this servant of Thine, detached from all save Thee and turning unto the lights of Thy countenance. I beseech Thee not to disappoint him of that which he seeketh from Thy mighty grace and all-encompassing favor.

And now, the letter of that beloved of the heart arrived like a flowing spring. We took it in the name of Truth and drank of its mention. Its fruit was joy and its effect was gladness. After its reading and perusal, it was honored to be heard before His presence. Though the Temple be hidden from sight, yet his mention and name are present. Praise be to God, thou art favored with the Most Great Bounty and known by the name of the Peerless Beloved. We beseech God, exalted be He, to open before his face the gates of His mercy and make him a standard of His steadfastness among His creation. We ask Him to ordain for him the good of the hereafter and of this world, and of all His worlds. Peace be upon him from Us, and upon those who follow him, and upon those who acknowledge the unity of God, His uniqueness, His grandeur and His sovereignty.

God, exalted be His majesty, is witness that that beloved of the heart hath ever been, and still is, remembered—both in His presence and in the presence of the Branches, may my spirit be a sacrifice to the dust of their feet. Fellowship and reunion are indeed a mighty bounty; likewise, separation and remoteness are a grievous affliction.

At the mention of “[the board and pieces],” He said: “Praise be unto God, and thanks and laud be unto Him; and unto Him belong glory and majesty. His loved ones, with all their faculties and in all their members, are, with the utmost love, hopeful and expectant of service unto Him. Well is it with them, and wholesome is it for them. Verily, he hath drunk of the choice wine of love, and the Wronged One saith: Well is it with thee, O Aḥmad! Upon thee rest My greeting and My glory. Call the friends to remembrance on behalf of the Wronged One and convey unto them My salutation. Verily, He is the Protector of the doers of good.” Thus ended His words.

Glorified be God! Who could have imagined that Alexandria would become a dwelling-place, or that the glances of divine favor would be turned thither? Whence came these transformations? From what source arose these attractions? What relation hath Yā to Ṭā? What relation hath Alexandria to ‘Akká? It is love that draweth; it is passion that carrieth away. The lions of the world are beneath its chain; the heroes of the nations are captives of its will.

In any case, we beseech God to make reunion our portion, and to illumine, with the light of meeting, the expanse of separation and remoteness. He, verily, is the Powerful, the Almighty.

The joyful tidings are these: on this night, which is the first of the honored month of Rajab, the handwriting of the honored and kind Áqá ‘Alí-Akbar—upon him be the peace of God—arrived. His verses were both limpid and savory, and were presented in the gathering of the chosen ones. In truth, the fragrance of sincerity and love was diffused therefrom; likewise, in His presence, they attained unto the glances of favor. Every word thereof bore witness to love, and was a testimony to submission and affection. I convey my greetings to him and say: Formerly thou hadst been touched by the river; now thou hast been overtaken by the sea. Well is it with the people of the cloister, how intoxicated have they become therewith! In truth, that wine of which the poets have spoken, saying that it existed before the vine, they have spoken aright; truth is on their side. For this wine is the wine of love, and by the testimony of God, exalted be His majesty, love hath been made the cause of creation. There, not only was there no grape—there was not even the father of the grape.

We conclude these words at this time with the remembrance of our Purpose and His loved ones there, and We make mention of Qurratu’l-Ayn Abdu’l-Husayn, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah]. God willing, he is adorned with refinement and embellished with virtues. May he hold fast in all conditions to that which is befitting. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to protect him. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous.

Peace and remembrance and glory be upon you and upon those who love you for the sake of God, the Lord of the mighty Throne and the exalted Seat.

The servant, First of Rajab 1305

BH01722: Praise be to the Lord of all desire, Who…

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

Praise be to the Lord of all desire, Who is worthy and deserving, Who hath distinguished between the ungodly and the believers through the blessed word “There is none other God but God.” This blessed word is the decisive utterance. Every word that hath proceeded from the Mouth of His Will hath been and is the decisive utterance. His words are powerful, His verses all-encompassing, and His proofs penetrating—yet the servants remain heedless, save those whom our Lord, the Lord of the Throne and of earth, hath willed. He is the All-Bountiful, the One Who hath united hearts and minds through His most exalted Word. He hath gathered the peoples of the East and West at one table and one feast, and with most eloquent utterance hath called all who dwell on earth to unity and concord.

Blessed are they who have comprehended the station of unity and concord and have held fast unto it. Woe betide the heedless! Blessings and peace be upon the Lord of the world and upon His family and companions, through whom the sovereignty of God and His power were made manifest, and the treasures of His grace and favor were revealed. Through their justice oppression was shaken, through their belief in unity the limbs of misbelief trembled, through their standards the standards of the deniers and transgressors were lowered, and through their banners the banners of the heedless and the wayward were brought low.

O thou beloved of my heart! How wondrous is this messenger, how wondrous this sign that hath appeared and become manifest! The electric current arrived bearing news of thy arrival. This news was a clear glad-tiding and a trustworthy herald. After being informed, we proceeded to the Holy Court where it was presented before the countenance of the Lord and was blessed to attain His hearing. He said:

“O Physician! Upon thee be My peace and My glory! Thou hast ever been remembered in the presence of the Wronged One. From the Holy Land, the honored Afnan hath mentioned thee in every instance. Praise be to God that thou art blessed with health and enjoying His bounty. Today, the bounty that is acceptable in the sight of God is the bounty of recognition and certitude. Blessed are they who have attained unto them, and woe betide the wayward!”

This land manifesteth itself differently each day. We beseech God to assist His servants to observe justice in all matters. Verily, He is the Single, the One, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Loving. We likewise beseech Him to assist thee in that which causeth the exaltation of being and the advancement of souls. Say:

“My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having taught me Thy word of unity and revealed unto me that which was hidden from the eyes of most of Thy servants. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Name, and by Thy chosen ones and Thy loved ones, to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee in all conditions. Verily, Thou art the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.”

Praise be to God! Thy presence in that land hath been and will continue to be a source of joy. God willing, thou wilt occupy thyself with wisdom and utterance in uniting hearts and refining souls, that perchance the people of unity may arise from their lethargy and become deserving of divine mercy, and that through this bounty the remaining cities and lands may be preserved and protected from plunder, oppression, tyranny and transgression in the sheltering shadow of God, exalted be His glory, which is an impregnable fortress. Verily, God hath power over all things.

This servant beseecheth Him to ordain for the people of unity what He ordained for them in the beginning of days, and to manifest through them His power, His might, His influence, His sovereignty and His will. Verily, He is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be” and it is. I convey greetings to the friends in that land, and I beseech God, exalted be His glory, for each one that which leadeth to eternal salvation and everlasting joy. Verily, He is the All-Hearing, the Answerer, the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous. Glory, remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those who are with you.

BH01746: Praise be to God Who sealed the Messengers…

In the name of God, exalted be His glory, His greatness and His power!

Praise be to God Who sealed the Messengers with the Seal and the Books with the Furqan, whereby He distinguished between truth and falsehood until the Day of Reckoning. Upon Him be the blessings of God, His peace, His mercy and His favors, and upon His family and companions who aided His Cause with true aid and strove in His path with true striving.

The letter of that spiritual friend arrived. Praise be to God, it was adorned with the mention and praise of God and spoke of your health and well-being. After its perusal and consideration it was presented before the face of the Lord. He said:

“We beseech God, the Lord of creation and the Protector of servants and lands, to open before their faces the gates of goodly things, to rain down upon them from the heaven of His generosity the showers of His mercy and blessing, and to ordain for them the good of the latter and former worlds and whatsoever draweth them nigh unto Him in all conditions.”

O ʿAli, this Wronged One hath made mention of thee and continueth to do so, and seeketh from God whatsoever is best for thee and His loved ones, for none but God, exalted be His glory, knoweth what harmeth and profiteth. Verily He knoweth and seeth and heareth, and He is the Hearing, the Answering. We beseech Him to aid you outwardly and inwardly, to set right your affairs, and to ordain for you that which shall gladden your eyes and rejoice your hearts. He is verily the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. From this spot We send greetings to the friends of God and His loved ones whom He hath enabled to acknowledge the oneness of His Being and the sanctity of His Self from all likeness and comparison. He is verily the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Praise be to God, you have been and continue to be remembered. The hearts and souls of the friends in all lands and regions are turned toward you, and all make mention of your love, unity and accord. In truth, repeated mention of you has arrived from the cities and regions of Iran. This evanescent servant beseeches the eternal Truth, exalted be His glory, and hopes that He will adorn all matters with the ornament of rectification and manifest whatsoever is best for all. His grace encompasseth all and the gate of His bounty is open. Soon He will transform hardship into ease, severity into comfort, and loss into profit. He is verily powerful over whatsoever He willeth. There is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Be not grieved in any way. The divine favors are countless and His grace all-encompassing. We hope that He will manifest that which containeth the good of this world and the next. O spiritual friend! His honor Aqa Mirza Husayn arrived in those parts. As it happened, no opportunity arose to present a reply to the letter of that spiritual friend. You have been and continue to be remembered. In perfect joy, gladness and delight, hold fast unitedly and in harmony to whatever remedies are devised and implemented. The intent is that no negligence or laxity in affairs should come from the friends, and they must make every possible effort at rectification. The rest of the matters are in the grasp of God’s power, exalted be His glory. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He desireth, and He is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

I convey greetings to the loved ones and friends of that land. God is witness and aware that I am gladdened by their gladness and saddened by their sadness. However, God saith: “Whoso placeth his reliance on God, He is sufficient unto him.” Therefore I remain patient, calm, silent and assured. Peace, remembrance and praise be upon thee and upon God’s righteous servants. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH02544: The Most Exalted Pen is bewildered as to what…

He is the One Who calleth before the faces of all peoples.

The Most Exalted Pen is bewildered as to what it should mention. Every sect among the sects seeketh after truth, and entereth monasteries, synagogues, mosques, churches and temples in the name of truth, turning toward God in love. Yet they remain heedless and deprived of His Most Great Appearance, the Mighty Announcement, and His verses which descend like torrential rain at all times. Glory be to God! The people of the Gospel cling to two pages while remaining debarred from the Mother Book. And the people of the Furqan, despite countless verses having descended from the heaven of Divine Will and the kingdom of the Lord’s decree, are seen to be heedless. The people of Iran, throughout ages and centuries, made mention of the Qa’im and clung to names, yet when the horizon of the world became illumined and distinguished by the Most Great Light, all turned away and became inflamed with the fire of hatred and animosity. In such case, what can be said? The vain imaginings of the servants have prevented them from the Dawning-Place of Divine revelation and the Dayspring of the Sun of certitude.

Reflect upon what hath come to pass. Consider the vainglory of the Shi’ih sect: they deemed themselves the foremost of the world and the most exalted among nations. Yet when the balance of justice was set up, they were found to be the most lost among the peoples of the world. They spent their entire lives occupied with successor-games and likewise with other names such as Chiefs and Nobles and the like. On the Day of Judgment there appeared from those heedless souls that which hath appeared from no oppressor to this day. The divines of that sect are, one and all, engaged in cursing and reviling. Blessed are they who, with the arm of knowledge and the power of certitude, have rent asunder the veils of glory and become illumined by the lights of the manifestation of Him Who conversed on Sinai.

Praise thou the Goal of all beings, Who aided thee to turn unto Him in days when the most learned and accomplished of those parts turned away and engaged in opposition. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O Goal of the world and Beloved of the nations, for having given me to drink from the cup of Thy knowledge and guided me to Thy path. I beseech Thee by the hearts which Thou hast made treasuries of the pearls of Thy love, and by the blood which hath been shed in Thy path, to make me in all circumstances steadfast in Thy Cause in such wise that neither the pharaohs of the earth nor its tyrants who have violated Thy Covenant and Thy Testament, and have denied Thy signs and disputed Thy proof, shall prevent me. I testify that Thy power hath encompassed all created things and Thy mercy hath preceded all existing things. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me of that which Thou hast ordained for such of Thy servants as are detached. Verily Thou art the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH02967: A praise sanctified above all meaning and utterance befitteth…

In the name of the Goal of the world and the Sovereign of nations!

A praise sanctified above all meaning and utterance befitteth the Lord of all creation, Who illumined the world with the light of His knowledge and adorned the hearts of those who have turned to Him and drawn nigh unto Him with the seal of “We are God’s.” In the midst of abasement the light of glory dawned from the horizon of will, and in the midst of poverty the sun of wealth rose and shone forth from the heaven of purpose. Glorified be His dominion and glorified be His proof. There is none other God but Him.

Thy letter was received and read before the face of this Wronged One, attaining the honor of His hearing. Praise be to God that thou art renowned among the people of the world as a standard-bearer of the Cause of God and art celebrated for thy love for Him. This most exalted Word hath appeared like a peerless gem from the treasury of the Most Exalted Pen: Well is it with thee and blessed art thou! We beseech God to assist thee and confirm thee in that which He loveth and is pleased with. Verily He is the Lord of all beings and the Lord of the throne on high and of earth below.

The answers to the petitions of those who have turned to God have been sent down from the heaven of His will. We beseech God to assist these souls to drink from the hidden oceans within His divine words and verses, and to receive their portion and share of the fragrance of His revelation. That distinguished one hath ever been and continues to be mentioned in the Most Holy Court. The decree of attaining His presence, the reward for attaining His presence, and mention of attaining His presence have been recorded for thee by the Most Exalted Pen. Neither the passing of centuries and ages, nor the changes in the world, nor the clamor of the peoples shall erase this mention. To this testifieth every seeing scholar and every informed mystic. Should wisdom at some time require it, they may turn towards it, but the friends of God must at all times fix their gaze upon wisdom and hold fast unto it, for this most exalted Word hath repeatedly flowed from the Most Exalted Pen.

Convey My greetings to the friends and gladden them with the effulgences of the Sun of divine favor. Verily He is with them, hearing and seeing, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. The splendor shining from the horizon of the heaven of My Kingdom be upon thee and upon those who have turned to God and have said:

“Praise be to Thee for having shown us Thy straight path and Thy mighty message.”

BH03217: All praise, sanctified beyond the comprehension of creation, befitteth…

In the Name of the one true God!

All praise, sanctified beyond the comprehension of creation, befitteth the most holy and exalted Court of the True One, Who hath, without any earthly means, through the motion of the Most Exalted Pen, made manifest and established His Cause. The ranks of those who would prevent it held Him not back, nor did thousands deter Him from exercising His power. The armies of the world cannot compare with the power of the Most Exalted Word, nor can the might of nations prevent the shrill voice of the Supreme Pen. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the All-Praised.

O My leaf! Thy letter was received and came before the eyes of the Wronged One. We heard thy call and from the Kingdom of utterance have bestowed an answer. Praise be to God, thou hast been and art remembered before the Wronged One. We beseech God to aid thee at all times to that which causeth the exaltation of His Word and the advancement of His servants. Convey My glory to Rida. O Rida! Let not the days of attaining His presence and meeting Him fade from thy sight. We beseech God to aid thee to such deeds as will cause their fragrance to remain forever in the world and their mention to endure in the scrolls of all peoples. Verily thy Lord, the All-Merciful, is the All-Bountiful, the Generous One. Each of the children is remembered in the Prison. Make mention of them all from the Wronged One. We beseech God to protect them all beneath the tabernacles of His grace and to give them to drink, at every moment, from the milk of His knowledge, that they may attain, beneath the shadow of His loving-kindness, unto the station of “Blessed be God, the best of Creators.” His mercy hath preceded all, His grace hath encompassed all.

Regarding what thou didst write about the turning of those left behind toward that direction—thou and the leaf are witness that several years ago this Wronged One gave permission to all the emigrants and neighbors to return to their own countries. And now, after considering the letter, mention was made to each one. However, in these days the sea is turbulent, yea turbulent, and movement is very difficult. We beseech God to aid all to that which is beneficial for all and befitting for His days.

BH03281: This is the Day wherein the Mother Book speaks…

He is the Witness from His most exalted horizon.

This is the Day wherein the Mother Book speaks, yet most of the people neither know nor hear. The proof has been perfected and the Cry has been raised and the Rock has cried out, yet most of the people are heedless. The signs have encompassed them from every direction, yet they see not. They pass by the signs of God and His manifestations, yet they understand not. They have denied the Truth and His proof, and turned away from His Cause and His sovereignty, having followed the embodiments of idle fancies and vain imaginings. I know not by what proof their faith is established, and for what reason they have turned away from God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

O Baqir! When thou didst hear the call from the most exalted horizon, and the wine of thy Lord’s utterance, the Lord of all beings, did intoxicate thee, say: My God, my God! My outer and inner tongue bear witness to Thy oneness and singleness, and that Thou art God, there is no God but Thee. I testify that Thou hast appeared and made manifest Thy Cause before the faces of Thy creation, and with the finger of Thy power hast rent asunder the veils of idle fancies and the curtains of vain imaginings, such that the oppression of every oppressor and the turning away of every heedless one did not prevent Thee. Thou didst arise with supreme steadfastness and called all to Thy most exalted horizon. Among them were those who heard the call and hastened until they drank the wine of recognition from the cup of Thy bounty, and among them were those who hesitated, and those who turned away, and those who pronounced sentence of death against Thee.

O my Lord! Thou seest Thy servant standing at the door of Thy grandeur, clinging to the cord of Thy grace, and awaiting the wonders of Thy generosity. I beseech Thee by the hearts that were melted in Thy love, and by the breasts that were pierced by the arrows of the enemies to exalt Thy Word, that Thou make me detached from all else save Thee and holding fast to the hem of the robe of Thy mercy. O my Lord! Withhold me not from the river of Thy bounty which has flowed from the Pen of Thy grace. Then make me steadfast in Thy Cause and firm in Thy love, such that neither the crushing doubts of the learned nor the tempestuous allusions of the divines may move me. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and within Thy grasp is the dominion of all who are in the heavens and the earth.

BH04358: O Ya’qub [Jacob]! The Divine Joseph hath been surrounded…

He is the Hearer, the Answerer!

O Ya’qub [Jacob]! The Divine Joseph hath been surrounded by the wolves of the earth, and the Purpose of the world findeth Himself afflicted among the peoples. At this hour the Wronged One is bewildered and astonished, for He observeth that every fire is extinguished and quenched by a single cup of water. What manner of fire is this that hath been kindled in the heart of the Wronged One—neither the waters of the opposition of the divines have prevented it, nor the oceans of the tyranny and objection of the school.

Having never attended school nor studied books of learning, through divine power and celestial might and glory, openly and without any veil, He summoned and guided the divines and rulers of the earth to the Dayspring of Revelation and the Dawning-Place of inspiration.

O Ya’qub! The opposition of the world did not prevent the Most Great Name from proclamation, and the bullets of the peoples’ factions did not hold Him back from His purpose. Every fair-minded one hath testified to His power and every person of insight hath become aware. Without any helper or assistant He hath aided His Cause with the Most Exalted Pen.

The intention is that the fire of hatred which is aflame in the hearts of diverse factions may be stilled by the Kawthar of divine counsel and the Salsabil of heavenly mercy, and that the light of unity and concord may illumine the horizons. This is not difficult for God thy Lord.

One of the friends of Truth mentioned thee, and We made mention of thee. Praise be to God that on this dark night thou hast attained unto the light of the traces of the Chosen Pen. Be grateful and say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds, and glorified be Thou, O Thou Who art the Purpose of those in the heavens and on earth!”

BH04567: O My Afnan, upon thee be My glory…

He is the Proclaimer of Truth and the Herald of Justice

O My Afnan, upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. Thy letter was received and was honored to be heard in the presence of Him Who conversed upon Sinai. Praise be to God, from it wafted the fragrance of the companions of the Crimson Ark. Its perfume bore witness to thy steadfastness, thy orientation and thy acceptance. The grace of God hath been and is with you.

Grieve not over anything. That which hath been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen specifically for you in the Scriptures and Tablets shall become manifest. This Wronged One hath mentioned His Afnan in all conditions, and that which cannot be imagined nor comprehended hath been ordained. This is a word sent down from the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

The desires of the servants cannot alter the Will of God, nor prevent the Supreme Word from penetrating. What hath been uttered by the Tongue shall appear letter by letter in the earth. The transformation of this earth and the events of the world cannot change or erase what hath been recorded. Verily it hath flowed from the Pen of Establishment; erasure shall not overtake it throughout the duration of the dominions of earth and heaven. Thus hath spoken the Tongue of the Wronged One in His Praiseworthy Station.

Convey to the Leaf of the Divine Lote-Tree and the honored mother and those in the household greetings from the Wronged One, and remind them of that which hath been revealed. The Glory from Us be upon you and upon those who love you and hearken to your words concerning the Cause of God, the Lord of Lords.

BH04470: Blessed is the heart that has turned…

He is the One Who has dominion over all who are on earth and in heaven!

Blessed is the heart that has turned, and the face that has been directed, and the eye that has seen, and the ear that has heard when the Call was raised from the Ultimate Tree that there is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Your name has been brought before the Wronged One Who makes mention of you in such wise as to attract the hearts of those whom the veils of the world have not prevented from drawing nigh unto God, the Lord of all worlds. Blessed is your father who attained in the earliest days when the Call of the King of Names was raised between the heavens and the earth. He turned after hearing, when every remote scholar turned away from the Most Exalted Horizon. He heard and responded, saying “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Goal of all seekers!” Thus has the Most Ancient Pen moved in the arena of the Tablet by the command of God, the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days. When thou dost behold the waves of the ocean of My utterance and art attracted by the choice wine of My bounty, say:

“My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having guided me unto Thy straight path and Thy mighty announcement. I beseech Thee by the Word through which Thou didst reveal the decree of the Trumpet, causing those in the kingdoms of knowledge and learning to swoon away, to teach me that which will benefit me in every world of Thy worlds. O my Lord! I beseech Thee by the Lamp of Thy Cause which Thou hast preserved from the winds of rancor and hatred that blew from the hearts of Thine enemies who adorned their heads with that which elevated them among Thy servants and usurped Thy right in Thy name, to make me attracted to Thy verses, speaking forth Thy praise, and steadfast in Thy Cause. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Compelling, the Ancient.”

BH05131: This is a Book sent down by the Lord…

In the Name of Him Who rules over all names!

This is a Book sent down by the Lord of creation and the Lord of the throne and earth unto all who dwell on earth, that the fragrances of revelation might draw them to the highest horizon—the station wherein is raised the rustling of My Most Glorious Pen. Blessed is the ear that hath heard, and the eye that hath seen and turned toward it, and woe unto the heedless ones! O peoples of the earth! Fear ye the All-Merciful. He hath come with the hosts of revelation and inspiration, and calleth you unto that which draweth you nigh unto Him. He is verily the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Beware lest the authority of the transgressors or the might of those who have turned away from God, the Lord of all worlds, hold you back. Be fair in the Cause of God and His Manifestation, and be not of the oppressors. When thou hearest the call from the highest horizon, turn thy face toward the House and say:

My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having caused me to hear Thy call and behold Thy signs, and guided me to Thy path, and aided me to turn toward Thy horizon, and illumined my heart with the light of Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee, O Lord of the worlds and Quickener of the nations, by Thy Most Great Name, and by the waves of the ocean of Thy utterance before the faces of Thy creation, and by Thy clear proofs which have appeared and been made manifest among Thy servants, to make me one of those who have aided Thy Cause through wisdom and utterance. Then write down for me, O God of Names and Creator of heaven, that which will draw me nigh unto Thee in all conditions. Thou art verily the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

BH05531: The Primal Point hath said: Should any soul appear…

In the Name of the One God

The Primal Point hath said: Should any soul appear and bring forth a single verse, reject him not. Now verses have been revealed equivalent to all previous Books, yet the immature ones of the world have rejected Him and have uttered that which no idolater ever spoke and no oppressor ever voiced. Today the people of the Most Exalted Paradise are souls who consider all else but God as non-existent and count it as naught. The tales of old do not prevent them from the highest horizon, nor do names deprive them from the shore of the ocean of meanings. In all conditions they are seated upon the throne of certitude and repose upon the seat of assurance. With perfect composure and dignity they arise to aid the Cause and with the hosts of wisdom and utterance they conquer the cities of hearts. Say: O people of the Bayan, be fair and speak with justice. Be not of those who, after witnessing, denied, nor of those concerning whom the Desired One of all creation hath said in the Qur’an:

“How many a sign do they pass by and turn away therefrom!”

Blessed is the soul that was not deprived and attained unto the verses of the Most Exalted Pen. Thou, verily, render thanks unto thy Lord for this supreme bounty and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp is the dominion of all who are in the heavens and on the earth.

BH05274: The irrevocable Command of the Ancient Lord hath dawned…

He is God, exalted be His station of grandeur and power.

The irrevocable Command of the Ancient Lord hath dawned and shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of divine will, exalted be His glory and His greatness. This Command hath appeared from the realm of creation in the form of the Primal Word. He is the reformer of the world and the educator of nations. His fragrance is the true attractor and the spiritual magnet. He guideth seekers to their goal and showeth the way to aspirants reaching their desire. He adorneth the newly grown with the ornament of maturity and embellisheth youth with the manners of the Concourse on High. Blessed is the soul that hath found and held fast unto His fragrance. We beseech God, exalted be His glory, to assist thee in the days of thy youth in that which causeth the elevation of being and the advancement of souls. Say:

My God, my God! I have sensed the fragrance of Thy utterance and have turned to Thee, and have beheld the Luminary of Thy manifestation and have directed myself toward Thy holy court. I beseech Thee by the pearls of wisdom and utterance which have appeared from the treasuries of Thy Most Exalted Pen to assist me in Thy remembrance and praise and service to Thy Cause. By Thy glory, O God of the world and Goal of the nations! I love naught but what Thou lovest and desire naught but what Thou desirest. I beseech Thee to enable me to achieve what Thou lovest and art pleased with. Verily Thou art the Lord of all beings and the Lord of the throne on high and of the earth below. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Generous.

BH05520: Praise be to God Who hath given His friends…

He is the One Who gazeth from His most exalted horizon

Praise be to God Who hath given His friends superiority, excellence and ascendancy, and will continue to bestow these upon them. The intentions of the world cannot prevent His Will, nor can the clamor of the nations hinder His Purpose. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Strong, the Mighty, the Powerful.

Thy letter arrived and We heard thy call, and this Most Holy, Most Sublime Tablet hath been sent in reply, that thou mayest drink from the hidden oceans contained within the divine verses and engage thyself in the assemblage of the world with praise and glorification. The divines of Iran have prevented the servants from believing and have deprived them of the Most Great Sea. Consider the time of the Apostle of God, that is, His Holiness the Seal—the divines were shut out while the shepherd attained. Verily the grace is in His hand and the bounty in His right hand. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. We beseech God to assist thee and aid thee with the hosts of wisdom and utterance. Verily He is powerful over all things.

Say: Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having remembered me in Thy Most Great Prison when I was imprisoned in the hands of the nations. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Signs and the manifestations of Thy bounty in the kingdom of creation to ordain for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen that which will draw me nigh unto Thee and benefit me in Thy worlds. Thou art verily the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH05941: O Akbar! Thy letter was received and read before…

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

O Akbar! Thy letter was received and read before the face of the Wronged One. Praise be to God that thou hast attained to that which the peoples of the world, despite their yearning and desire, are deprived of. Today Zion crieth out and Jerusalem is adorned by His footsteps. Blessed is the soul that hath turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon and hath become detached and free from all else besides God. Reflect upon the days of the Spirit. Annas and Caiaphas, who were among the learned of that age, pronounced the death sentence upon His most pure blood, while certain tax collectors were honored with the grace of faith. With one exalted word, Peter, who was occupied with fishing, became a fisher of men, and now in all cities and regions his name is exalted and his cause is remembered. We beseech God that He may strengthen thee and grant thee success, that thou mayest drink from the Kawthar of bounty and bestow it upon the servants. This is not difficult for God to accomplish. Say:

My God, my God! I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy knowledge and the heaven of Thy grace and the sun of Thy bounty to make me one of those whom Thou hast aided to make mention of Thee and to praise Thee and to champion Thy Cause through wisdom and utterance. Verily Thou art the Mighty, the Bestower.