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

BH00356: Praise befitteth the most holy and exalted court…

Section 1: “Praise befitteth the most holy and exalted court…”

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

Praise befitteth the most holy and exalted court of my Beloved, Who hath caused His loved ones to be enkindled with the fire of His love and illumined with the light of His knowledge, to such extent that neither the opposition of His servants nor the turning away of the peoples of the lands could extinguish or impede it. Glorified be His majesty, widespread be His bounty, exalted be His station, and there is none other God but Him.

Glorified art Thou, O God of Names and Creator of the heavens! Thou seest and knowest that in my mention I have intended naught but Thy mention and the mention of Thy loved ones, and I desire for them naught save what Thou hast ordained for them through Thy generosity and bounty. I know with certainty that Thou hast written for them only that which will exalt them among Thy servants through Thy Name and make them signs of Thy Cause and standards of Thy victory. O my Lord! Aid them through Thy bounty and generosity to that which will draw them nigh unto Thee and will acquaint them with that which will attract the hearts of Thy creation. Verily Thou art the One Who cannot be weakened by the conditions of the servants nor hindered by the clamor of them that dwell in the lands. O my Lord! Enable them through Thy favors to remember Thee with spirit and fragrance, and with wisdom and utterance. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

And further: the letters of that honored beloved arrived—both what was sent to this land and what was dispatched to Mim and Sad. Praise be to God, each was a clear book in remembrance and praise of God, glorified be His majesty, and the fragrance of steadfastness and constancy wafted therefrom. In such days when steadfastness is as rare as the philosopher’s stone, praise be to God they attained unto it. How many were the servants who claimed love and sent petitions to the Most Holy Court, and in response to each a perfect proof and conclusive testimony was sent. Nevertheless, they remained deprived of the Lord of Lords by the buzzing of a fly, and were barred from the Most Great Ocean by the whisperings of souls who never had and have not any awareness of this Cause. In one of the Tablets revealed from the Pen of the Cleaver of Dawn, this blessed verse appears, His words, blessed and exalted is He:

Thou seest mankind as but earthworms, and their clamoring as the buzzing of flies. Such souls are worthy of this Most Great Revelation, who behold all save God as non-existent and as naught. For thirteen hundred years the Shi’ih sect was occupied with vain imaginings. From the early days of Islam, a few individuals in tattered garments and with humbled necks, with visible sighs and lamentations, preyed upon the hapless people. In every town they entered, they would seek a secluded place to reveal secrets and manifest hidden mysteries. Then, after mentioning Nahiyih and Jabulqa and Jabulsa, and two or three fabricated traditions, they would depart. The helpless people, unaware of these deceptions, were thus led to a point where it caused the shedding of the Most Pure Blood. Those fabrications appeared in the form of sword and spear, and there befell the Desired One that which no tongue can tell nor pen record.

Now too, similar souls have appeared and are secretly engaged in misleading the people. From the beginning of this Revelation until now, in every land, divine verses have been revealed the like of which have never been seen; nevertheless, the servants remain heedless and veiled. After all the claims of the former sect, it became clear and evident on the Day of Revelation that they were the most lost among the peoples of the world and the most ignorant and tyrannical of all communities. The deniers of the Bayan have followed in the footsteps of that sect. Glory be to God! Heedlessness hath reached such a point that they again cling to that which they have seen with their own eyes to be contrary, opposed, and devoid of fruit and effect. This servant beseecheth God to bestow justice and grant insight, that His servants may not be veiled as the former sect, nor fall into the well of falsehood and vain imaginings. Verily our Lord is the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

The letter of that loved one was presented before the Face on a certain night, and these exalted words were revealed from the heaven of the Will of the Desired One of all the worlds. His words, blessed and exalted be He:

He is the Helper and the Succourer

O Mihdi! Your letter was presented to the Wronged One, We heard your call and listened to your mention. We beseech God for whatsoever will cause the exaltation of His Most Sublime Word and the advancement of His loved ones. Were the people of the earth and those who claim divine love to ponder with justice and fairness upon that which hath been manifested, all would turn from what they possess to that which is with God. Verses have been sent down like rain, and Tablets shine forth like unto the sun, yet some among the people of the Bayan remain heedless and turn away. God hath ever been the Concealer and likewise the All-Patient, and He hath commanded His servants to observe sublime concealment and beautiful patience.

If thou shouldst arrive in the land of Ha and Mim, convey My greetings to the loved ones in that land. Say: O people of God! Reflect upon the deeds and words of the former party, and contemplate the fruits of their actions, that perchance ye may be preserved from the deceptions and wiles of the barking ones. From time immemorial this blessed and exalted word hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen:

“Believe not every claimant, neither trust ye in every newcomer. Whoso desireth to know Me, must look upon Me with Mine eye, and he who regardeth Me with any other eye shall never know Me.”

This is specific to this Manifestation.

Glory be to God! Some of the deniers of the Bayan have raised objections concerning the mention of Divinity, their purpose being to cast doubts in the hearts of the weak ones. It is evident that the people of the Furqan, despite their rigidity and torpor, are more discerning than the deniers of the Bayan, for that party, despite their loss and error, accepted the words “Verily I am God” from the Divine Tree, while from Him Who, single and alone, hath appeared and stood and spoken before the faces of the divines, princes and jurisprudents from the beginning of the Cause, they accept not these words.

O Mihdi! Upon thee be My glory! Say: O heedless ones of the world! The Exalted One hath specifically mentioned this Wronged One in the beginning of the Bayan, saying: “He is the One Who uttereth in every condition, ʿVerily I am God, there is none other God but Me”’ unto the end of the verse. By My life and His life! Were it not for His mention, this Wronged One would not have uttered these words, except before those who are truly wise and mature. The Exalted One Himself, when mentioning this Revelation, declareth: “Verily, I am the first of them that worship.”

Say: O people of the Bayan! Look with fairness and read the Persian Bayan, that perchance ye may attain unto a drop from the ocean of divine knowledge and preserve yourselves from the doubts and idle fancies of the former party. From the beginning of the Cause until now, there hath befallen this Wronged One that which hath no likeness or parallel, yet from those who claim to love Him there hath appeared that which causeth the heart to lament and the being to be consumed.

O Mihdi! Make mention of the friends in every land on behalf of the Wronged One. Praise be to God that thou hast attained His presence and heard His call. The clanking of the chains of the people of error did not prevent thee from the Dawning-Place of divine verses and the Day-Spring of heavenly evidences. With the finger of certitude thou didst rend asunder the veils and didst attain unto His presence, hearing and vision. In the land of Ha and Mim, make mention of the children of the Friend and the inheritors of Him Who conversed with God. Say: Blessed are ye and joy be unto you! The station of each one is manifest and visible. We have heard mention of each one and beseech God to aid you in that which will exalt His Cause. We have heard your call and witnessed your turning unto Him, and We enjoin upon you that which will elevate your stations. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Section 2: “Blessed is he whose strength is not weakened…”

Blessed is he whose strength is not weakened by the might of the tyrants and pharaohs of the earth, and blessed is he who remains standing when the doubts of the deniers and the hints of the suspicious would cause him to falter. God hath aided and will continue to aid—whoso is for God, God is for him. Rejoice in what hath been sent down to you from My Most Exalted Pen before and at this time, and say: O God of Names and Creator of Heaven! We beseech Thee to grant us steadfastness in Thy Cause and firmness and constancy in Thy Mighty Message, whereby the limbs of the nations have trembled and the pillars of the world have quaked, save those rescued by the hand of Thy grace and the arm of Thy power. There is no God but Thee, the Protector, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to protect and strengthen His loved ones that they may see and hear with their own eyes and ears, and not be deceived like the former party by the whisperings of the evil ones of the world who secretly cast doubts, imagining themselves to be learned while being—God forbid—heedless of the Truth. Would that they had understood the root of the matter! Nay, by God, they are in manifest error. We beseech the Most High to aid His servants in that which befitteth His days. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Regarding what was mentioned about two souls in Qarabagh, Haji Yusuf and Mulla Mamish, upon them be the glory of God, who have drunk from the chalice of recognition and remain firm in the love of God, aflame with the fire of knowledge—these matters were presented before the face of the Desired One and attained the honor of His hearing, and these manifest verses were revealed specifically for them from the heaven of the grace of the Lord of Names and Attributes. His blessed and exalted Word:

In My Name, the Remembering, the All-Knowing

This is a Book sent down by the Desired One to guide people to His straight path and draw them near to the station wherein the Tree calls out: “The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Lord of the worlds.” O Yusuf! Hear the call from the direction of the Wronged One. He makes mention of thee and aids thee to draw nigh unto the ultimate goal and the highest summit, the station whereon is established the throne of thy Lord’s grace, the Forgiving, the Generous. Give thanks unto God for having enabled thee to turn unto Him when every learned one turned away. Say:

My God, my God! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I have turned unto Thee and seek from the ocean of Thy bounty that which will render me detached from all else save Thee, speaking Thy praise and soaring in Thy atmosphere. I testify that the choice wine of Thy utterance hath seized me and the pure water of Thy expression hath intoxicated me. I beseech Thee by Thy glance and Thy call, and by the Command whereby Thou hast subdued all created things and attracted all beings, to send down upon me from the heaven of Thy bounty that which will purify me from the doubts of those who have denied Thy Manifestation, disputed Thy signs, and turned away from the Dawning-Place of Thy attributes and the Source of Thy commandments. O Lord! Ordain for me through Thy bounty that which will make me steadfast in Thy Cause and in service to Thy loved ones. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

And this is what was revealed for Mulla Mamish, upon him be the glory of God:

He is the One Who gazeth from His most exalted horizon

O Mulla! Hearken to the call of the Lord of all beings from the precincts of the prison. Verily it draweth thee nigh unto God, purifieth thee from transgression, and causeth thee to drink from the Kawthar of life through the hands of grace and bounty. He, verily, is the Mighty, the Bestower. We have revealed unto thee on this night that which will draw thee unto God, the Lord of Lords. Say: O people of the Furqan! Open your eyes, for the All-Merciful hath come with power and sovereignty. Beware lest the doubts of men debar you from the Greatest Outlook, or the might of the oppressors frighten you—they who have violated the Covenant in the final abode. When thou hearest the utterance of the Wronged One and drinkest the choice wine sealed with My Self-Subsisting Name, say:

My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having caused me to hear Thy most sweet call and shown me the traces of Thy Most Exalted Pen. I beseech Thee by the Word whereby the earth and heaven were attracted, to make me one of those whom nothing whatsoever hath deterred from turning toward the lights of Thy countenance, O Thou Who art the Lord of the heaven and the Kingdom of Names. O Lord! Thou seest my tears and hearest my sighs. I beseech Thee by the rustling of Thy Divine Lote-Tree and the murmuring of the water of Thy loving-kindness to enable me to do that which Thou lovest and art pleased with. O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant, acknowledging Thy Manifestation, Thy power, Thy grandeur, and Thy sovereignty. I beseech Thee not to deprive me of any good that Thou hast sent down in Thy Book and ordained for Thy chosen ones. Verily, Thou art the Almighty over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Praise be to God! Each one hath attained that which is the cause of eternal salvation. Today the sun of loving-kindness hath dawned and shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of grace. That which is incumbent upon God, exalted be His glory, is to manifest and proclaim, and that which is incumbent upon us, His servants, is submission, contentment and the preservation of His bounties. The servant at all times beseecheth His favors and seeketh His grace, that all may remain protected from the whisperings of the ungodly ones and hold fast to the cord of the utterance of the Purpose of all worlds. Verily our Lord, the Merciful, is the Hearer, the Answerer, and verily He is worthy to answer. Glory, remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those who have believed in God, our Lord and your Lord, the Lord of the Throne and of the dust, and the Lord of the world to come and of the first.

God, exalted be His glory, is my witness that this servant hath ever loved and continueth to love the mention of His loved ones, and seeketh divine confirmation. That cherished friend is well aware of the frequency of this servant’s writing—from every direction it cometh, and most times engaged in writing while in His presence, therefore time is scarce. The purpose is that if there be delay or postponement in any matter, this is due to lack of time and opportunity; otherwise, the light of love and the fire of affection are manifest and ablaze from every limb. His is the praise and the glory, His the grace and bounty. There is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

BH00139: Glorified be God! The station of ears hath been…

Section 1: “Glorified be God! The station of ears hath…”

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

Glorified be God! The station of ears hath been so exalted as to transcend all description and mention, inasmuch as they hear at every moment the testimony of God. Likewise is the station of sight sanctified above all limitations, for it hath attained unto the vision of the Dawning-Place of verses and the Dayspring of evidences. Yet what befitteth this grace, this mercy, and this bounty! By the life of our Beloved, the most precious things of the world, its treasures and riches, both manifest and hidden, are unworthy of mention in this station. Exalted be the greatness of our Lord, and exalted His might and power! Glory be unto Thee, O Thou before Whose days the tongue is bewildered, knowing not with what mention to occupy itself in the presence of the manifestations of the light of Thy countenance. By Thy glory, O my Goal and the Goal of the world, my Beloved and the Beloved of all nations! Every eloquent one is speechless, every mature one is as a child, every mighty one is powerless, and every strong one is weak.

By Thy glory! Were it not for Thy grace, nothing among all things, no mention among all mentions, and no description among all descriptions would profit me. I beseech Thee, O Thou Who illuminest the horizons of hearts with the light of Thy knowledge, to assist Thy loved ones to serve Thy Cause in such wise as would exalt Thy commandments, elevate Thy remembrance, and accomplish that which Thou hast desired through Thy grace. O Lord! Thou seest and knowest the one who hath sought Thy presence, presented himself before Thy gate, heard Thy call, turned back at Thy bidding, and held fast in Thy path to that whereby Thy mention was exalted among Thy servants and Thy creation. O Lord! Ordain for him that which will draw him nigh unto Thee in all conditions and be unto him a helper, a companion, and an intimate friend. Verily, Thou art the All-Compassionate, the Forgiving. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Loving.

Thy beloved letter dated the 24th of Rabi’u’th-Thani diffused the fragrance of reunion and truly manifested the presence of attainment unto the divine presence. This is among the greatest bounties of God, glorified be His majesty. Though outward nearness may, in accordance with consummate wisdom, remain concealed for a time, He hath opened the gates of correspondence before the faces of His servants. Though it may not completely remedy the fire of separation, yet He hath graciously bestowed such a measure of the light of reunion that the heart may not be entirely deprived of joy nor the radiance of happiness remain wholly veiled. Unto Him be praise, grace, mercy, loving-kindness, generosity, munificence, and bounty, both in the beginning and in the end. There is none other God but He, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted. After reading, beholding, and considering it, it was taken to the Most Exalted Horizon and presented before the countenance of the Lord of all beings. After complete permission was granted, the entire letter was submitted and was honored to be heard. This is what the tongue of our Lord, the All-Merciful, uttered in the Kingdom of Utterance—exalted be His utterance and sublime His proof:

He is the Hearer, the Answerer

Praise be to God that thou hast attained His presence and witnessed with thine outward eyes the waves of the ocean of utterance. For every moment in His presence a hundred thousand thanksgivings and praises are required, for despite the opposition of the peoples of the world, the tyranny and oppression of most nations, the prevention of hinderers and the enmity of opponents, the Hand of Power hath, through infinite means, guided thee to the Most Exalted Goal and Supreme End and caused thee to attain His presence—exalted be His dominion and great His power! The faculty of comprehension is powerless and inadequate to fathom this supreme bounty. Convey the greetings of the Wronged One to the friends of God.

Say: Strive that perchance ye may quicken the dead in the valleys of heedlessness through the infinite waters of mercy flowing from the Divine Pen, and revive the withered plants. By the life of God! That which had ever been preserved and concealed within the treasury of divine protection and the repository of heavenly wisdom hath been made manifest. Hold fast to the propagation of the Cause of God. Praise be to God, thou art enkindled with the heat of His Word, adorned with its light, and aware of its manifestation and exaltation. Night and day thou shouldst be occupied with conquering hearts and minds through the hosts of knowledge, wisdom and utterance. With thy inner and outer tongue proclaim these words:

O King! O Worshipped One! O Adored One! O Beloved! Through the hands of power and the arms of might, Thou hast delivered these servants from the clay of ignorance and unknowing. Aid them to shatter the idols of vain imaginings in such wise that the imaginings of the past and the remote past, as well as the doubts of the atheists and the signs of the brayers may all be utterly dispelled, and the lights of the Sun of sanctification, detachment and transcendence may purify and illumine the world. O Merciful One! Deprive not Thy servants of the heaven of grace and ocean of bounty. With a single decree Thou canst transform fire into light, ignorance into knowledge, and tyranny into justice.

Thou art He Whose power the tyranny of the ungodly and the prevention of hinderers could not prevent. O Lord of the Kingdom and Sovereign of the Realm! We are bodies before Thy countenance and dead before Thy throne. Quicken us with a new spirit and adorn us with a new attire. We beseech both the fire of Thy love and the light of Thy grace. Withhold not from Thy servants the rain-showers of the clouds of Thy mercy, nor restrain the outpourings of the heaven of Thy bounty. Thou art the Bestower, the Compassionate. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

Say: Today is the day of victory and the day of service. Through the Name of thy Lord, efface self and passion, and give the temple of fear of God its dwelling upon the throne of the heart. I swear by the Sun of Truth that the light of godliness hath ever been and shall remain a helper and supporter. We beseech God that He may purify all through deeds and qualities that are the cause of world order and the unity of nations. Well is it with them that act and woe betide the heedless. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

Grace is perceivable and bounty is evident. In every word of the divine utterances, the ocean of mercy is surging, and from each of His statements, spiritual sustenance descends from the heaven of truth. I beseech God to awaken in every soul a hunger for this bounty, that all may hasten with heart and soul and attain it. This enduring gift bestows eternal spirit and everlasting life.

Glory be to God! Although the light of utterance has encompassed all possibility and proof and evidence are manifest and brilliant at every moment, yet the deniers remain occupied with the vain imaginings of the past and are deprived of the lights of certitude. Fie upon their faithfulness! They appear exactly like the people of the past, even though those people were found to be, on the Day of Reckoning before God, the most lost, the most abject, the most unjust, and the most heedless among all the peoples of the world.

O beloved of my heart! Eyes that have witnessed the loss of the former people nevertheless cling to that path and hold fast to those vain imaginings. These immature ones of the world were not and are not worthy of mention. Where is the station of those souls and the station of the detached ones who have passed like lightning beyond all save God and consider all else absolute nothingness? These are the horsemen of this field—upon them be the blessings of God, His mercy, and His grace.

In all conditions, that Beloved and this servant and other loved ones must beseech God, exalted be His glory, for that which causes wisdom and awareness, that perchance those veiled and heedless souls may become aware and attain the fruit of existence. Verily our Lord, the Lord of the Throne and earth, is the All-Bountiful, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bestowing. Every knower and informed one, every learned and seeing one bears witness to His grace, His bounty, and His mercy.

Regarding the payment of the debts of the Blessed Leaf, the Most Exalted Leaf, upon her be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, what was written according to the command, after being presented before the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence, this utterance shone forth from the Dayspring of proof, His blessed and exalted Word:

O spiritual youth! Upon thee be the eternal Glory of God! The Truth hath been with thee in all gatherings, homes and lands, bearing witness to thy service, thy remembrance, thy praise and thy promotion of His mighty and wondrous Cause. Praise be to God that thou hast attained to service and been accepted in the presence of the Wronged One. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this great bounty.

We beseech God to assist the teachers of His Cause in that which will cause the exaltation of His Word and the sanctification and glorification of His Cause. From all directions have the righteous servants sought ordinances and commandments, until there dawned from the Dayspring of His Will that which would lead to sanctification, glorification, enduring might, eternal wealth, and the exaltation and advancement of souls. For several years there was delay in its proclamation, until at last, through pure grace and bounty, it was sent forth. The law of Huquq was revealed from the Supreme Pen, although this ordinance had been recorded as a firm decree in all divine Books and inscribed by the Pen of His Will. We have commanded Our trusted ones not to demand it, for the fruit of this greatest bounty returneth unto the servants themselves. Whosoever desireth should offer it with the utmost joy and radiance. Thus hath the Lord of the worlds decreed, as a bounty from Him to all peoples. The devoted ones should fix their gaze upon the glory of God’s Cause and upon that which leadeth to its exaltation. Blessed is thy work in My path and thy proclamation of My firm and mighty Cause.

That which was conveyed to the Leaf of Paradise—upon her be My Glory, My Grace and My Mercy—hath been accepted before the Throne. Blessed are they that act. He who was named after the First Pillar of the two Names of his Lord hath repeatedly performed that which hath been accepted. We verily extol him from this Most Exalted Station and make mention of him as We mentioned him before. Thy Lord is verily the All-Merciful, the Bountiful.

Praise be to God, thy deeds are accepted and thy efforts appreciated. Indeed, thou hast attained unto that which, when mentioned by the Tongue of Grandeur, was heard by the denizens of the Kingdom, let alone those who have attained the presence and circled round the Throne. This is of God’s grace which He bestoweth upon whomsoever He willeth. He is verily powerful over all things.

Mention was made of Aqa Muhammad-Rida, son of the deceased one who attained and ascended—upon them both be the Glory of God. After being presented before the face of Him Who is our Purpose and the Purpose of all who are in earth and heaven, these verses shone forth from the Dayspring of Divine Knowledge. His mighty utterance, exalted be His mention:

Muhammad-Rida hath repeatedly been mentioned in the presence of the Lord of the Kingdom of Names. Some time ago, that which perfumed the world with its fragrance was sent. We beseech God to assist him in that which befitteth His days. Verily his father attained unto that which brought solace to the eyes of wisdom and utterance. The grace of the All-Bountiful Lord encompassed him at the time of his ascension. By the life of God! The pens are powerless to make mention of him and souls are incapable of comprehending his station. Blessed be he and blessed be they that have attained.

As to what was written about the clamor arising after arrival—this is not the first heedlessness that has appeared, nor the first association that has emerged, nor the first transgression that has troubled the hearts of the sincere ones. The opposers should be informed that despite these evil deeds of the Shi’ih and their divines that have grieved the world of the spirit, they have again determined to establish such a party. God protect us and thee from the evil of these people. We beseech God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of the throne and earth, to assist them in rending asunder the veils that have prevented them from drawing nigh unto God, the Manifestor of clear proofs. In truth, man is bewildered and the world is bewildered. The party that counted themselves the most learned and most excellent have been found to be the most lost and abject of all the peoples of the world. In all conditions we must seek divine confirmation and ask for heavenly success. Verily our Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

As to the mention thou hast made of the ascension of the two departed, blessed and cherished souls—upon them be the Glory of God and His favors—after it was presented before the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence, these sweetest words were revealed from the tongue of the greatness of the Lord of all beings. His word—exalted be His utterance and mighty His proof:

He is the Forgiving, the Generous

O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of Badi’ who has ascended to the Supreme Companion in the days of God, Lord of the throne and earth, that the breathings of revelation may attract him and he may be illumined by the lights of the Luminary of his Lord’s tender mercy, the Kind, the Generous. By God! At the moment of mention there hath been sent down upon him from the heaven of grace and bounty that which the hearts of the mystics are powerless to comprehend. Rejoice, O Badi’, once again through My greatest favor. We have turned toward thee from the precincts of the Prison and revealed for thee that which the dwellers of the most exalted Paradise recite with myriads of them that are drawn to My call.

Through My mention the ocean of bounty has surged and through My remembrance the fragrance of God, the Lord of the worlds, has wafted. Through the light of My utterance sorrows have been changed to supreme joy and smoke to the radiance of My mercy that has encompassed all in the heavens and earth. Through My acceptance the holy countenances have come forth from their chambers in the All-Highest Paradise to hearken unto this wondrous and glorious call. Blessed art thou, O Badi’! Joy be to thee, O Badi’! We congratulate thee on this supreme bounty, even as We gave thee glad tidings through My manifest remembrance. Upon thee be the Glory of God, His light, His mercy, His favors and His grace that has encompassed the world. He is verily the Forgiving, the Merciful.

All the relatives should recite these verses and with utmost joy engage in the remembrance of God, exalted be His glory. Now in the most exalted Paradise melodies are raised and perfect, complete and supreme joy and gladness are manifest. He is verily the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous, the Mighty, the Wise.

O spiritual youth! Upon thee be My Glory and My favor! The Most Exalted Pen desires to make mention of thy brother who was named Zaynu’l-Abidin. We testify that he attained to recognition when heedless servants denied Me, and held fast to affirmation when the manifestations of negation opposed Me, and turned to the Most Exalted Horizon when most of mankind turned away, and drank the choice wine of utterance when the peoples of the earth were forbidden it, save those whom God, the Mighty, the Bestower, pleased to exempt. Blessed art thou, O Zaynu’l-Abidin, in that We have sent down for thee from the heaven of revelation that which the world cannot equal. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. We beseech God to send down upon thee at all times from the heaven of His grace a mercy, and from the horizon of His loving-kindness a light, and from the treasuries of His bounty that which will gladden thy heart and solace thine eyes and the eyes of the relatives who have heard and turned and responded when the call was raised from God, the Lord of Lords.

Section 2: “Glorified art Thou, O Answerer of those who…”

Glorified art Thou, O Answerer of those who call upon Thee and Refuge of the distressed! I beseech Thee by the light of Thy countenance, by Thy sweetest call from the most exalted horizon, and by the waves of the ocean of Thy mercy, to adorn those who turn to Thee each day with the ornament of Thy grace, bounty and generosity. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Generous. Thou art He Whose gifts are not prevented by the hosts of rejection, nor is Thy grace impeded by the gestures of those who have denied the Source and the Return. The effulgent Glory shining forth from the Dayspring of loving-kindness and favor, and the radiant Light gleaming from the horizon of might, be upon thee, O thou who believest in God and His signs, who holdest fast to the cord of His grace and cleaveth to the hem of His generosity. We give thanks to God on thy behalf and praise Him for His favor unto thee. He hath indeed purified thee at thy ascension and forgiven thee through His mercy. He is the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Praise be to God! Each of the departed hath attained that which transmuteth the sorrow of death into joy. Nay, were people to discover and perceive its fragrance, all would be filled with joy and would raise their voices in His praise and glorification. Praise be to Him in all conditions. From the beginning of the Cause until now, the glances of loving-kindness have been directed toward that beloved one and his brethren and family, upon them be the Glory of God. Who is able to thank Him as He deserveth to be thanked, or praise Him as befitteth His glory, majesty and bounty that hath encompassed all existence?

Concerning what was written about Faran and the request for special mention of the friends of that land, after it was presented before the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence, these manifest verses were revealed. His Word, exalted be His glory and universal be His bounty:

“O friends of God in Faran! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. He remembereth you and hath revealed for you that which shall never be exhausted throughout the duration of the kingdom and the heavenly dominion. Ye have attained unto mentions that shall neither be erased nor perish, nor be altered by the length of ages and centuries. Rejoice in God’s loving-kindness and favor, then aid Him through His remembrance and praise and the promotion of His mighty and impregnable Cause. Preserve what ye have been given in the name of your Lord. Thus doth He command you as a token of His grace. He is the Truth, the Possessor of the visible and the unseen. Grieve not over the happenings of the world. Ye have attained unto that which none of the denizens of the Kingdom of Names have attained, save whom God hath willed, the Lord of Lords. Take ye My Book through My power. Verily it will draw you nigh and cast upon you that which will preserve you from the evil of those who have denied God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. The mountains have passed away, the heaven hath been cleft asunder, the earth hath been rent, yet most of the people know not. Thus hath the Most Exalted Pen spoken in days when sorrows have encompassed it from all sides through that which the hands of every ignorant doubter have wrought.”

This is the Day of remembrance and utterance. Strive ye to reform the world and educate the nations, but through wisdom and utterance. Keep your gaze fixed upon this in all conditions. This is what the Wronged One hath decreed in the Scriptures and Tablets. Praise be to God! Ye have attained unto that for which ye were brought from nothingness into being. The people of the world are held back from drawing nigh by ephemeral conditions; they cling to that which they themselves testify is subject to perishing and extinction. O friends of God! Strive ye, perchance ye may succeed in performing deeds that will guide the people. Most of mankind are tormented and bewildered in the depths of vain imaginings. Perchance ye may deliver them through the name of the True One and illumine them with the light of the Sun of Truth. The names of all are mentioned and the deeds of all are witnessed. Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto that which beseemeth the days of God, the Lord of the worlds.

The Glory from Us be upon you and upon those whom the clamor of the oppressors hath not deterred.

As to thy having made mention of the spiritual beloveds—His Honor Áqá Sháh Khalílu’lláh, His Honor Áqá Muḥammad-Háshim, and His Honor Ustád ‘Alí-Akbar, upon them be the Glory of God—on Wednesday, the twenty-sixth day of the month of Rajab, four hours after sunrise, this was presented in the Most Exalted Horizon. After the names had been specifically submitted, there was sent down, for each one, a most exalted and most holy Tablet from the heaven of the Will of the Lord of mankind. God willing, they shall attain unto that wherefrom the fragrance of divine favor is diffused, shall drink deep from the ocean of the verses, and shall be confirmed in that which is the cause of the perpetuation of existence.

This is that which was revealed for His Honor Sháh Khalílu’lláh, upon him be the Glory of God:

He is the Speaker of Truth.

O Khalil! Hear the call of the Glorious One. He makes mention of thee from the prison, even as He mentioned thee before, and hath revealed for thee that which hath caused the eye of utterance to be gladdened throughout all creation. Glorified be the All-Merciful Who hath turned toward thee from the direction of His Most Great Prison. Verily thy Lord is the All-Compassionate, the Most Generous.

Say: O company of the heedless! Come ye, that I may recite unto you the verses of God, the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the All-Powerful, the All-Wise. Behold, behold! By God, the ocean of divine knowledge hath surged before all faces, and the fragrance of God, the Lord of all worlds, hath been wafted. Beware lest the doubts of the world hold you back from the Most Great Name. By God, the Truth! The seal of the Choice Wine hath been broken through His Name, the Self-Subsisting. Drink ye, O people, and be not of the abject.

Say: Where are the Pharaohs of the earth? Where are their treasuries and their riches? Where is their might and their power and their wealth? Where are their standards and their banners? Fear God, O people, and be not of the negligent. The world itself speaketh unto you, and desireth to remind you of its changes and transformations and its evanescence. Cast away today what the people possess and take what ye are commanded by God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne.

Say: That which hath been created on earth shall profit you not this day. To this testifieth the Book of God, the True Sovereign, the Just, the Manifest. Thus hath the Pen spoken that which hath enraptured the hearts of them that have recognized Him.

O Khalil! Arise to serve the Cause with such steadfastness as cannot be shaken by the hosts of the world nor by the oppression of the nations—a steadfastness by which the servants of the earth shall themselves stand firm. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the Expounder. Glorify those whom I love on My behalf and remind them of My verses, and acquaint them with that which hath been sent down from the heaven of My bounty, that they may hear and be of those who render praise.

The glory that proceedeth from Us rest upon thee and upon those who are with thee, and upon them that have believed in God and have acted according to what hath been ordained in His perspicuous Book.

And this is what was revealed for His Honor Muhammad-Hashim—upon him be Baha’u’llah

He is the All-Hearing, the All-Answering

A Book hath the True One sent down from before God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, and it uttereth that which the Sovereign hath commanded—He Whom the might of those who have disbelieved in God, the Mighty, the Well-Beloved, could never withstand. Hearken unto My call from the direction of My prison. Verily, it shall confirm thee in that wherein thou art engaged. Verily, thy Lord is the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. Be thou a herald of His remembrance, and cleave fast unto His cord, and cling tenaciously unto His outstretched robe. We have sent down from the heaven of proof that whereby the hearts and souls of men have been attracted. Some among them have been drawn by the magnetism of the Call, while others have denied this Cause which holdeth dominion over all that was and all that shall be. Blessed is the stalwart soul who hath arisen to serve the Cause with wisdom and utterance, and blessed is he who maketh mention of that which the croaking of those who have disbelieved in the promised Day could never prevent. When thou dost perceive the fragrance of My utterance and dost hear My call, say:

O my God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having guided me, and thanksgiving be unto Thee for having enabled me to recognize Thee. O Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and standing ready to serve Thy loved ones. I beseech Thee, by the hands that have been raised toward the heaven of Thy bounty, and by the hearts Thou hast made treasuries of Thy knowledge and repositories of the pearls of Thy wisdom, to aid me under all conditions to remember Thee, to glorify Thee, and to act according to what Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. Thou, verily, art the All-Powerful, the Almighty. Then ordain for me that which shall draw me nigh unto Thee and profit me. Verily, Thou art the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

This was revealed for his honor Ustad ʿAli-Akbar, upon him be the Glory of God.

He is the One Who speaketh in the Kingdom of Utterance:

Glorified be God! The proof shineth like unto the sun, resplendent and manifest, and the evidence standeth clear and brilliant before the faces of the world. Nevertheless, all remain deprived and forbidden from the straight path and the mighty announcement. Though but a drop, they are far from the ocean; though but a mote, they are veiled from the sun. Today the morn of hope hath dawned and the breeze of providence hath wafted. Blessed is he who hath risen from the slumber of heedlessness and adorned himself for service. The deeds of an entire people cannot compare with a single deed performed on this day. Say: O friends! The fire of utterance is ablaze in the Tree of the All-Merciful, and the light of the Cause is shining from the horizon of grace.

All must hold fast to the cord of unity and cling to the hem of concord, arising in both night and day with wisdom and utterance to that which will cause the elevation of the Cause and the upliftment of souls. This day is precious; know ye its station and act in a manner befitting thereof. Blessed art thou, O ʿAli-i-Akbar, for thou hast attained unto My mention, both before and after. Give thanks unto God, thy Lord, for this manifest bounty and His providence which hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to make thee strong through His power, steadfast in His service, soaring in the atmosphere of His love, and speaking His praise amongst His servants. Verily, He is powerful over all things. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon the servants of God, the Lord of all worlds.

Praise be to God! The mentioned names, together with the people of Faran, have all attained unto the remembrance of the Goal of all the worlds. Blessed are they and joy be unto them. We beseech God, our Lord and the Lord of the Throne and earth, to assist them in that which He loveth and is pleased with. Verily, He hath power over what He willeth and is worthy to answer. This servant hath ever sought and continueth to seek that which leadeth to exaltation and elevation. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Hearer, the Answerer.

Furthermore, for all the names of the party of God which that beloved one sent to the Most Holy Court, sacred and exalted Tablets were specifically revealed and dispatched, and likewise the answers to the petitions that were with that beloved one. Praise be to God! The Sun of providence hath risen and the Ocean of bounty is manifest. Who is that lost one whom His grace hath not sought?

Some time ago, a detailed letter containing divine verses and heavenly evidences was sent. God willing, it will have arrived by now. Despite the abundance of writing, of which that beloved one is aware and informed, and the lack of opportunity and scarcity of time, praise be to God, there was revealed from the heaven of providence for all that which the eye of creation hath never witnessed the like thereof. This evanescent servant beseecheth Him to educate the world through His traces and to illumine all through His lights. Mention was made of the brethren, the household, and the delight of the eyes—upon them be the Glory of God—at the supreme horizon, and these pearls appeared from the ocean of divine utterance. Blessed are they that attain! His blessed and exalted Word:

He is the Manifest, the Speaking, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O spiritual youth! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness! Aforetime and now hath thy mention flowed from the Most Exalted Pen, and likewise have thy brethren attained unto His holy verses. Convey to each one of them the greetings of the Wronged One. Praise be to God that ye have drunk from the choice wine of divine love and received your portion from His utterance on the Day of His arising. This is a mighty bounty manifested and revealed by the Self-Sufficing Lord. We make mention in this station of My handmaiden and give her the glad-tidings of My mercy. We beseech God to strengthen her and enable her to do that which He loveth and is pleased with. Convey My greetings unto her. Blessed is she and blessed is every maidservant who hath believed in her Lord and attained unto His verses. He is verily the Mighty, the Generous.

O Pen! Make mention of him who hath been named Nuru’llah, that this remembrance may strengthen him to remember Me, the Mighty, the Beautiful. Thy name hath been presented before the Wronged One, and We have revealed for thee this Luminous Tablet that joy may possess thee in the days of Him Who conversed with the Burning Bush, and draw thee nigh unto Him. He is verily the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. O Diya’u’llah! Blessed be thy name and blessed be he who named thee thus. Rejoice in My remembrance from which the fragrance of My loving-kindness, that hath encompassed all creation, is diffused. We have revealed for thee that which shall endure as long as the Kingdom endureth. Thy Lord is verily the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. The glory be upon thee and upon thy father and thy mother, and upon those whom neither the tempests of allusions nor the doubts of them that have disbelieved in God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, have caused to waver.

O spiritual youth! Again and again do We make mention and command the loved ones of that land to convey the greetings of the Wronged One. Recite the verses of God that ears may attain unto that for which they were created and brought from nothingness into being. The name of each one hath been recorded by the Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Book. Happy are they and joy be unto them.

The waves of the ocean of loving-kindness have encompassed all things, and the light of the Sun of Truth hath surrounded all. His is the praise, and His the thanks, and His the glory, and His the splendor. There is none other God but He, our Lord and the Lord of the Throne on high and of earth below. Glory and remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those with you who have believed in God, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. And praise be to God, our Lord and the Lord of the exalted Throne.

BH04756: God beareth witness, before and after the creation…

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

God beareth witness, before and after the creation of all things, that there is none other God but Him. His are the grandeur and the power, the might and the sovereignty and the choice, and He is the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the All-Powerful, the Unconstrained.

Glorified art Thou, O King of existence and He Who sitteth upon the throne of manifestation in Thy praiseworthy station! I beseech Thee by those through whom Thy signs were spread throughout Thy lands and the fragrance of Thy utterance was diffused amongst Thy servants, to aid Thy loved ones and Thy friends to manifest Thy Cause with wisdom and utterance and to exalt Thy Word amidst all religions.

O Lord! Thou seest them clinging to the cord of Thy obedience and holding fast to the hem of the robe of Thy mercy. They have turned with their all unto Thee and desire to act according to what Thou hast commanded them in Thy Scriptures and Thy Tablets and Thy Books.

O Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Cause through which the rains of Thy blessings and favors were showered upon Thy creation throughout centuries and ages, to assist them in all conditions to remember and praise Thee and to serve Thy Cause. Then ordain for them what Thou hast ordained for the detached among Thy servants and the sincere ones among Thy creatures. Then send down upon them that which shall profit them in this world and the next and forgive them through Thy bounty and generosity and Thy mercy which hath preceded all who are in Thy heaven and on Thine earth.

There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Bountiful. Thou art He Whom the doubts of the heedless and the signs of the opposers cannot hinder. Thou doest what Thou willest and ordainest what Thou pleasest. Verily Thou art God, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

BH10756: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee inasmuch…

…My God, my God! Praise be to Thee inasmuch as Thou hast brought me forth from the loins of one of Thy loved ones. I beseech Thee, O Cleaver of the dawn and Sender of the winds, to confirm me in steadfastness in Thy Cause, and in whatsoever, in all conditions, may draw me nigh unto Thee. O Lord! I have turned wholly unto Thee, and I implore Thee to unlock before my face, through Thy power, the door of Thy loving-kindness. Verily Thou art powerful to do whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Help-in-Peril, the Self-Subsisting….

BH01914: Praise be worthy and befitting that Intended One Who…

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

Praise be worthy and befitting that Intended One Who favored one of the parties of the world with His special favors and honored them with the adornment of recognition and unity. His mercy has encompassed the world and His grace has adorned all with the wondrous and lofty blessings of wisdom and utterance. Great is His generosity, supreme His bounty, and mighty His bestowal. There is no God but Him. And blessings and peace be upon Him through Whom the world was adorned with the light of recognition, and through Whom was opened the gate of Names in the Kingdom of Creation and the gate of Attributes to those in earth and heaven, and upon the brilliant stars and radiant manifestations and exalted words—namely His family and companions through whom the breeze of the All-Merciful wafted over all possibility and the fragrance of His garment diffused among all religions, and through whom His authority appeared and His blessing descended and His banner was raised—blessings whose mention has no end and whose termination cannot be seen.

And then, O beloved of my heart, your letter arrived speaking of your love and your remembrance and your praise and your turning to God and your trust and your resignation and your submission to God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of the Throne and earth and the Possessor of greatness and glory. After its reading and [my] joy and delight, I approached the Most Great Spot and presented it. He said: “Convey to him My glad-tidings and My greetings.” You are ever mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One. God is witness and the Book testifies that We have beseeched for you from the ocean of His grace and heaven of His generosity that which endures by the endurance of His most beautiful names. We beseech God the Exalted to send down upon him and upon His loved ones there mercy from the heaven of His grace and rains from the clouds of His generosity. Verily He is powerful over all things and worthy to answer.

This evanescent servant testifies that mention of that beloved of the heart and other beloved ones has ever been and is upon this carpet. I beseech the True One, exalted be His glory, not to deprive the world, that is its people, of fairness and to grant them a portion from the ocean of truthfulness that all may attain to what He loves and is pleased with. In all cases I beseech joy for those who believe in divine unity. Verily He is the Reliever of supreme anguish and the Remover of harm through His name, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Regarding the countenance of the spiritual friend, His Honor Haji Muhammad Husayn, upon him be God’s peace and favor, in accordance with that beloved’s mention, thirty-two bento and one Ottoman [coin] arrived previously. In truth, he acts above the human station and tells of the Kingdom of giving. From beginning until now, whatever he has done has been crowned with acceptance. This is another blessing. We beseech God to strengthen him and aid him and enable him to do what He loves and is pleased with.

I convey greetings to the friends of that land and the loved ones of that quarter, and I beseech for them the favor of the True One, exalted be His glory, and His mercy and bounty and generosity. And He is the Bestower, the All-Bountiful, the Generous. There is no God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Peace and remembrance and praise be upon your honor and upon those who love you for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds.

The servant, on 28 Sha’ban 1305

BH02373: God is Most Great! God is Most Great! His…

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

God is Most Great! God is Most Great! His signs are manifest and evident in all things. Were all the minds of the world to contemplate and reflect upon a single one of His signs, they would prove incapable of describing it. In a single leaf of a tree are inscribed and visible volumes of knowledge and wisdom, and the ocean of creation is apparent and surging. Exalted be His signs and magnified be His evidences! And blessings and peace be upon the first sign that shone forth from the horizon of Will and Purpose, and the first Word whereby was adorned the preamble of the Book of Unity and Love—He Who was named Muhammad in the Book of Names and by the Most Beautiful Names in a Tablet which none has seen save God, the Lord of Names and Creator of heaven, and upon His family and companions through whom flowed the rivers of generosity in the world and through whom was made manifest the decree of the Lord of Eternity amongst the peoples—blessings which no understanding or mind can encompass and which none can enumerate.

And further: the letter of that beloved of the heart arrived. It gave fresh life to the dejected one and bestowed movement and speech upon the still and silent one, for from each of its letters wafted the fragrance of unity and the scent of detachment. Well is it with thee and joy be to thee! After its perusal and the joy it brought, I proceeded to the Most Great Prison where it attained the honor of being heard. Glory be to God! From the earliest days until now they have dedicated themselves to mention and praise and service to the Cause. Indeed they have performed that which has had and continues to have few equals or parallels. To this testifies this Wronged One, this Stranger. Praise be to God Who aided him and caused him to soar on the wings of detachment in the atmosphere of His love, the Mighty, the Wondrous, and adorned him with the ornament of His love amongst His servants. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Praise be to God! Night and day they are engaged in remembrance and in this field they are mentioned, meaning they are occupied with the remembrance of God and are mentioned in the presence of the Remembered One. The pen is powerless to make mention of this station and the maidservant is unable to describe it. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to shower His grace and bounty upon them at all times. Verily He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower. And that which was sent arrived with this servant through that spiritual beloved, he who is turned towards the Most Exalted Names, his honor M.H., upon him be the glory of God, the Most Glorious. Peace and praise and remembrance and glory be upon you and upon those who love you for the sake of God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of the heavens and earths.

BH00075: The servant attained unto the presence of his Lord’s…

Section 1: “The servant attained unto the presence of his…”

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

The servant attained unto the presence of his Lord’s mercy, and having washed his face and hands, turned towards the Supreme Horizon. When he arrived, He for Whom all in the kingdoms of command and creation would sacrifice their souls said:

Today is a feast and tomorrow is a fast. O servant in attendance! Today thou art blessed with divine bounty, tomorrow with abstinence from all else than Him. He commands and decrees, He forbids and bestows in all conditions and deeds. Verily, He is praised in His actions and obeyed in His command. Praise be to God! At that moment the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that which intoxicated the servant to such extent that he forgot himself and all else, and the servant was immersed in the ocean of His utterance. His pervading Will summoned him once again, whereupon the Tongue of Grandeur spoke this most exalted word:

“We have intended to move; it has been long since We visited the garden.”

Then, according to the binding command, preparations were made and He proceeded to the garden, accompanied by a group of the faithful. Along the way, mercy rained down from the heaven of grace until the garden became the seat of His throne. When He was established, He commanded the gathering to be present. When they had assembled and partaken of tea before the countenance of our Lord and the Lord of all worlds, He commanded me to bring forth pen, ink and paper. When these were brought, He for Whom all in the kingdoms of command and creation would sacrifice their souls spoke in your remembrance. How sweet is the fragrance of utterance by which God quickeneth all creation! He giveth life to whomsoever He willeth through His grace and mercy, and bestoweth upon whomsoever He desireth through His sovereignty. Verily, He is the Omnipotent over whatsoever He willeth, and He is the Single, the One, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

Now I convey in Persian that by chance on the previous day your letter arrived, and after it was presented in His presence in the garden, these verses were revealed from the heaven of the Will of the Desired One of all worlds, and that time was noon on Friday. His blessed and exalted Word:

He is the Speaker of Truth

The Book speaks with truth before the faces of creation. Verily there is none other God except Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. He has sent down the verses and manifested the evidences, yet most of the people remain heedless. They have cast the justice of God behind their backs, clinging to every remote oppressor. They have abandoned righteousness and cast aside equity, holding fast to the hem of tyranny without any proof from God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. They behold the verses yet deny them, and hear what has been sent down from the heaven of grace and bounty yet turn away therefrom. They are indeed among the transgressors in the Book of God, the Lord of all worlds.

They have denied Him through whose grace God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy, has written, and have disputed with Him Who bore afflictions for their salvation, and have committed that whereat all things have lamented. They are indeed among the most lost in the Book of God, the Master of the Day of Judgment. They have turned away from Him unto Whom the Concourse on High has turned, and for Whose path the Spirit, the Faithful Spirit, has been sacrificed. Thus did the Tongue speak in the Bayan when the Ancient Beauty was walking therein, contemplating the mysteries of His mighty and wondrous Cause. By God! At His utterance arose the lamentation of the Primal Point and the cry of the Prophets and Messengers. Blessed is he who has shattered the idols of vain imaginings and rent asunder the veils of those who disbelieved in the signs of God, the Powerful, the All-Informed.

The servant in attendance has brought thy letter and read it before Our face. We have heard thy call and have answered thee with that whereat the ocean of utterance has lamented before the faces of all religions, and the Concourse on High has soared on the wings of grace and bounty until they circled round the Throne in this noble station. Thus has thy Lord taken the Kawthar of His utterance and the rustling of the Lote-Tree of His grace and the murmuring of the waters of His loving-kindness, yet most of the people are among the heedless. They are debarred from that for which they were created, as attested by Him Who speaks at this hour—He is God, the Strong, the Dominant, the Powerful.

O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! We have found from thy letter the fragrance of thy turning unto God, thy love, thy sincerity and thy rising to aid His mighty and great Cause. Blessed art thou! We beseech God to assist thee and enable thee to do that which He loves and is pleased with, and to manifest through thee that which shall never end throughout the eternity of His names and attributes. Verily He has power over whatsoever He willeth, yet most people are among the deniers. We love not to compel the servants by force, but rather by their own free will. Blessed are they that understand. Joy be unto thee for having held fast to the cord of remembrance and utterance in support of the Cause of this wronged and lonely One.

O Husayn! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. In previous ages the Hand of Power caused the servants to attain, willingly or unwillingly, to that for which they were created. In this Most Great Revelation it is beloved that people should enter of their own accord and drink from the Salsabil of utterance. The Kawthar of utterance is present, the sealed wine is manifest before all faces, but the cup-bearer is rare. Ask thou God to raise up detached teachers for this mighty Cause who will act in a manner befitting this Day. Though praise be to God some are adorned with the ornament of detachment and have done in the path of God that which has amazed the Concourse on High—how many souls who possessed wealth, bounty, glory and station nevertheless drank with utmost eagerness the Salsabil of martyrdom from the hand of bounty. The martyrs who with complete willingness and desire hastened to the place of sacrifice—all have seen and know of them. Yet this has not awakened them. They mention the sacrifice of old and glory in it, and though there is no doubt of his station, yet where are the stations of these souls compared to that? The difference is as between the Pleiades and the earth. Say:

My God, my God! Send forth one who is illuminating, detached, kind, compassionate, content and thankful, that he may guide Thy servants beneath the shelter of Thy most great mercy and acquaint them with Thy straight path and Thy mighty message. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Generous.

We beseech God to raise up souls who are worthy to impart this Most Exalted, Most Blessed Word, that they may guide the servants into the Goodly City and make them aware of that which God hath willed. He is powerful and mighty. There is no God but Him, the Lord of the throne and the dust, the Lord of the Hereafter and of former times.

Convey My greetings to the loved ones of that land on behalf of the Wronged One, and counsel them in that which befitteth the Day of God. By the Sun of Truth, every word that proceedeth from detached hearts is penetrating. Strive that perchance hearts and minds may be sanctified from the tales of the past and adorned with that which befitteth the Divine Day. Today the Word of God is effective, and the joy and gladness of the sincere proceed from it. Blessed is he who hath attained thereunto, and woe unto the heedless.

This evanescent servant ever beseecheth the Eternal Truth for success on behalf of that beloved one, for His grace hath encompassed all, His confirmation hath assisted, and He hath enabled that beloved one to serve, to aid, to mention and to praise Him. Regarding what was written about Aqa Mirza Muhammad, upon him be 96 [Baha’u’llah], that he was sent to the known villages to teach the divine Tablets, and likewise concerning the mention of his steadfastness and the names of those who have ascended unto God—upon him and upon them be the glory of God—these matters were presented before Him Who conversed upon Sinai. This is what God hath revealed in reply:

He saith, blessed and exalted be He: O Muhammad, upon thee be My glory! Praise be to God, thou didst turn unto Him and attain unto the word “Here am I,” and thou didst hold fast unto service and became a bearer of Tablets. Well is it with thee, pleasant it is for thee. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this great bounty, praise thy Lord for this supreme grace. Remember thy Lord, for He hath remembered thee in the prison. We beseech God to enable thee to preserve that which He hath bestowed. The people of Baha are souls whom names have not withheld from the Creator of heaven. They know none but the Truth and mention none but the Truth. Such souls are worthy of this garden, this city, and this station. By the life of God, the Concourse on High take pride in such souls. Thus hath the Tongue spoken in the Garden. He is verily the Mighty, the Bestower.

As to what was written regarding the honored beloved ones Mirza Mahmud and Aqa Abdu’l-Muhsin, upon them be the glory of God, after presentation before the countenance of the Lord of Religions, a Tablet from the heaven of bounty was revealed and sent for each, that that beloved one may deliver them. Likewise, especially for Ustad Abidin, upon him be the glory of God, the Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was revealed and sent forth. It is hoped that through the Kawthar of the utterance of the Beloved of the worlds, they may become detached and freed from all else save God. Verily our Lord, the Most Merciful, is the Powerful, the Supreme, the Forgiving, the Generous.

Concerning what was written about Jinab-i-Habib-i-Ruhani Aqa Muhammad Rida, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s glory, that they intended to proceed with the honored Jinab, that is Jinab-i-ʿAli Beg, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s glory, to the Most Holy Court—after this matter was presented before His countenance, this supreme word descended from the horizon of the Divine Will, He doeth whatsoever He willeth. His words, blessed and exalted is He: “’Ali, upon him be My glory, is granted permission.” Likewise, specifically for Jinab-i-Muhammad Rida who hath attained, at this moment again the light of permission hath dawned from the horizon of the heaven of God’s Will. However, these matters are contingent upon wisdom and consultation. Should it be agreeable, they may proceed; otherwise, for the first, the reward of attainment, presence, hearkening and beholding shall be inscribed and recorded in the Book of the Lord of all things by the Supreme Pen, and the second hath already attained and received his portion from the ocean of the All-Merciful’s utterance.

This evanescent servant beseecheth and imploreth God, exalted be His glory, to aid His loved ones in whatsoever today conduceth to the exaltation, elevation, manifestation and spread of the Word of God. Verily our Lord is the Hearer, the Answerer, and He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

And concerning what was written about Jinab-i-Karbila’i Baqir, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s glory, who hath ascended to the Supreme Companion—after presentation before the Throne of the Intended One, these manifest verses were revealed from the heaven of Will. His words, exalted and sanctified is He:

He is the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful

The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My Will and the light radiating from the direction of My prison be upon thee, O thou who hast attained the choice wine of faith in the days of the All-Merciful and hast turned unto Him when most of the peoples of the world turned away. We, at this moment, make mention of thee with a mention through which God hath sent down upon thee in every time His mercy and His loving-kindness. Verily He is the Forgiving, the Bountiful. We beseech God, exalted is He, to spread for thee the carpet of forgiveness and to adorn thee with the ornament of pardon and beneficence. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

We were with thee at the time of thy ascension and We manifested Ourselves unto thee through My Name, the Forgiving, whereby the companions of Paradise and the black-eyed maidens in the highest Paradise were entranced. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Merciful. Praise be to God, at the time of ascension thou didst attain unto the favor of the Truth. We have purified thee and forgiven thee and ordained for thee a station in the highest Paradise. Blessed art thou and blessed is he who hath attained unto the loving-kindness of his Lord, the Compassionate, the Bountiful.

The divine mercy hath preceded and His grace hath encompassed all. That which is everlasting and enduring hath been revealed from the Kingdom of utterance. Well is it with him. Likewise mention was made of his survivors from the Tongue of Grandeur. That beloved one should give them the glad-tidings and remind them that they may attain unto true joy and spiritual delight through the grace of God, exalted be His glory, and His favors.

Concerning the mention that was made of Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad Baqir, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah], from the people of Ya—after presentation before His countenance, one Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was revealed specifically for him. I beseech the True One that they may discover from it the divine fragrances of revelation. By the life of our Beloved and your Beloved, whoso findeth it will detach himself from all else and from all names. His words, exalted be His glory and universal be His bounty:

He is the One Who hath dominion over all who are in earth and heaven

O Baqir! Your mention hath come before the Wronged One, and the glance of loving-kindness is directed towards thee. God, exalted be His glory, hath appeared with His everlasting favors and heavenly sustenance, and standeth manifest before the faces of the world. Yet most factions have turned away and risen against His harm. The kings have recognized that it was not in their interest to acknowledge Me, as have likewise the ministers and the divines, notwithstanding that My purpose hath been most explicitly revealed in the Divine Books and Tablets, and the True One hath loudly proclaimed that this Most Great Revelation hath appeared for the betterment of the world and the exaltation of the nations. His wish is that all be illumined with the light of unity and consort with one another in love and harmony, so that the whole earth may be regarded as one country and one land. However, those souls who are deprived of truthfulness and sincerity have imagined the Truth to be like unto themselves, and thus they strive and endeavor to extinguish the divine light. Would that the servants knew! Would that the people understood! For were they to become aware and discover the Purpose, all would turn towards Him and would utter the blessed words “We are God’s!”

Section 2: “Beseech God not to deprive the rebellious ones…”

Beseech God not to deprive the rebellious ones from the ocean of His bounty and bestowal, nor the ignorant from the effulgences of the Sun of knowledge, that all may come and find. Blessed art thou for having attained unto My mention in My prison—a mention that cannot be equaled by the mentions of the world and whatsoever is with the nations. He Who speaketh in every condition beareth witness to this, that there is none other God but Me, the Single, the One, the Speaking, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Mention was made of his honor Aqa Mulla Muhammad, upon him be the Glory of God. Praise be to God, he hath attained unto God’s favor and especially revealed for him was that which hath had and hath no likeness. How many are the accepted souls who exist today and have not yet, outwardly, attained unto a single word. Those who have attained should occupy themselves day and night in praise and thanksgiving to the Purpose of the worlds. In these days the Tongue of Grandeur speaketh at all times; from every direction petitions and letters wing their flight, and the waves of the ocean of favor are manifest. Therefore, they desire not to deprive any of the servants, but those souls who say “Is there any more?” and repeatedly seek the everlasting bounty from His abundant grace—this matter dependeth upon the will of God, exalted be His glory.

If they attain, they must increase in thanksgiving; otherwise they must utter the blessed words “Praised is He in His doings and obeyed in His command.” In any case, after mentioning their name in the Most Exalted Horizon before the countenance of the Lord of all mankind, one Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was specifically revealed for them from the heaven of the favor of the Purpose of the worlds. God willing, they shall attain unto it and be illumined by the effulgences of the lights of the Luminary of utterance. His blessed and exalted Word:

He is the All-Wise Ordainer, the All-Knowing

The Most Exalted Pen is bewildered as to what it should mention, for the signs of the world and the evidences more manifest than the sun are apparent and visible. The Luminary of power is shining and evident before all faces, and the ocean of wisdom and utterance is manifested in such wise that for none of the fair-minded is there any possibility for hesitation. The Blessed Tree is adorned with mature fruits, and the Book is at all times being sent down from the heaven of knowledge. Nevertheless, the people have turned away from the Self-Subsisting Lord and have clung to the dawning-places of idle fancies. The brilliant pearls that have appeared from the Ocean of the All-Merciful’s grace are visible and present before every face. At every moment proofs and evidences appear and shine forth without pause. Glory be to God! They look but deny, they see but comprehend not. I know not by what cord they are clinging, or upon what path they are walking.

O Muhammad! One of My loved ones hath mentioned thee. We make mention of thee with a mention from whose horizon light hath shone forth. Say: My God, my God! Thou seest me clinging to that which hath appeared from Thee and been sent down from the heaven of Thy Will. I beseech Thee by the arms of Thy power and the hands of Thy might, to aid Thy servants to be fair in Thy Cause and to acknowledge that which Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. By Thy glory, O Desire of the world and Beloved of the nations! This servant of Thine hath acknowledged the oneness of Thy Being and the greatness of Thy Cause, and hath confessed to that which hath flowed from the Pen of Thy Will regarding Thy commandments and Thy laws. I beseech Thee to manifest through him that which beseemeth Thy days and shall endure in Thy Scriptures and Thy Tablets. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The aforementioned souls have, praise be to God, each been blessed with the favors of the True One, exalted be His glory, especially the exalted lady, the Leaf of Paradise, and likewise the speaking spiritual leaf, and the ladies, the Mother of Muhajer and the Mother of Dhabih, upon them be the glory of God and His favors. Praise be to God, all have been and are mentioned in the remembrance of the Desired One of the worlds. Some time ago, Jinab-i-Amin, upon him be the glory of God and His favors, made mention of that beloved of the heart and mention of the honored ladies in this servant’s letter, and likewise made mention of that which they sent. All was presented in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court, and was accepted and adorned.

The servant beseecheth his Lord to assist His loved ones and handmaidens at all times to that which is befitting. In truth, from the earliest days the leaves of that land have clung to the Blessed Tree. Despite the upheaval of the world and the opposition of the nations, they have done that which standeth as a brilliant and steadfast proof of their love, steadfastness, devotion and adherence. Divine confirmation and success have been and are their companions. Verily, our Lord and your Lord, and our Goal and your Goal is the All-Seeing, the All-Compassionate, the All-Bountiful.

Another missive from that beloved of hearts has, like a spiritual key, unlocked the door of true affection. Praise be upon thy hand and arm! By the life of our Beloved, he has been and is a sincere seeker, an upright speaker, possessed of triumph and victory. If, for example, he were to raise but a kerchief upon a staff, he would be the sovereign of banners and the uprooter of the standards of oppression. The Dehhak of the world has made it ready both for vengeance and for the manifestation of justice from the Lord of grace. A mere span or two of scorched, blackened, meaningless sanctuary became the standard of Kaveh and led the armies of nations. It is hoped that through God’s grace—exalted be His glory—His antecedent mercy, and His perfect bounty, the arising of that beloved one will become the cause of life, thereafter transforming the remoteness of people to nearness, ignorance to knowledge, and tyranny to justice. This is not difficult for God to accomplish.

The migrants and helpers whose names and mention had never been heard in any gathering, dwelling in a barren valley inherited by woeful stones, living among harmful beasts, each later became, through the effulgences of the Word, seated upon the throne of understanding in the highest station of contingent being. These stories of old have been heard and witnessed by all. Moreover, the deeds, steadfastness and stations of the chosen ones of this Cause have been and remain sanctified above any parallel or likeness, past or future. These are the souls who were mentioned before mention itself, and were known and existed before existence itself. One drop from the ocean of meaning of the blessed words “The believer is alive in both worlds” suffices—though verily this ocean hath no shore or bound. Blessed is he who ariseth from his station, casteth off his garments, and entereth the sea in the name of his Lord, the Almighty, the Powerful. After its recitation, consideration and perusal, it was presented before the countenance of the Lord of all beings. This is what the Tongue of our All-Knowing Lord hath spoken in this station. His blessed and exalted Word: He is the One Who watcheth over His loved ones.

O Husayn! Upon thee be the Glory of God, Lord of the worlds! The Sun of Truth hath willed to send forth one of its effulgences which hath shone forth from the Luminary of Revelation, the One Who conversed on Sinai, and to manifest, as a token of grace unto the friends of God, exalted be His glory, one Word that hath appeared in the Kingdom of utterance from the Mother Book. Today the waves of the ocean of grace and the lights of the Luminary of justice have encompassed all, yet most are heedless and unaware. They behold the signs yet deny them, and pass them by, turning aside therefrom. The books of the world have been encompassed, and the scriptures are manifest before all faces.

By God’s life! For some time now this Wronged One hath, out of pure loving-kindness towards His loved ones, been speaking, else the people of the world were neither worthy to hear nor fit to behold, save those whom the hand of grace and bounty hath seized from God, the Lord of all mankind. Most behold the blessed Tree with its boundless novel fruits, and likewise the ocean and its waves, and the sun and its radiance, yet are deprived and forbidden therefrom. Gladden the loved ones with the mention and utterance of God, and give them the glad-tidings of His grace.

Today the true Herald calleth out from every direction and giveth glad-tidings, yet the heedlessness of men hath prevented them and deprived them of the Kawthar and Salsabil which flow at every moment from the divine Pen. Remember My loved ones there with a mention that will attract the hearts and minds, and illuminate them with the lights of utterance, that the earth of God, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting, may be illumined thereby. Thus have We sent down the verses and dispatched them unto thee, that thou mayest find from them the fragrance of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, the Mighty, the Loving. In each letter thereof lieth concealed an ocean of meanings and utterance, yet the people do not understand. They worship the idols of their own selves, yet perceive it not.

Say: O people of the earth! Fear God, and follow not the desires of those who have denied the signs of God, the Lord of existence. We have sent down from the Mother Book that which hath caused the highest Paradise to quiver and the Concourse on high to be attracted, yet most of the people know not. At every moment there descendeth that which God hath made the Kawthar of life for all who dwell within the realm of possibility. Blessed is he who hath turned, and taken, and drunk thereof, and woe unto every heedless one who is veiled.

Say: By the life of the Desired One! Your glory, your might, your power, and your riches shall pass away—to this your own realities bear witness, even if your tongues deny it. Fear God and follow not those who have denied God’s grace and mercy, His proof and His Cause. Indeed, they know not. Glory be to God! Such means of grace have appeared from the Causer of causes that the eye of creation hath never seen their like. Sinai crieth out “I have attained unto Him Who conversed with me!” and Heaven proclaimeth “I have attained unto Him Who illumined me!” The fragrance of utterance hath captivated the dwellers of the highest Paradise, and the breezes of revelation have seized the reins of the chosen ones from the hands of the ardent lovers. The dust hath been stirred to speech by the breezes of the morn of revelation, and the mouldering bones have been quickened. Attraction and rapture have encompassed the whole of creation, yet the unjust ones of the world have said and continue to say that which causeth the world of existence to cry out “Would that I had never been!”

In any case, thou and the friends should beseech the True One to unlock the sealed gates with the keys of utterance, and not to deprive His servants. He is, verily, the Powerful, the Mighty. Convey to all the kindred My greetings from this Wronged One. His is the praise!

Convey My greetings to all those who are related to thee. To Him be praise, thanksgiving, gratitude and bounty, for He hath bestowed upon thee and thy kindred that of which most of the people of the world remain heedless and veiled. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My proof rest upon thee and upon those who are with thee and who love thee for the sake of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

In every instance there is a wave from the ocean of grace and a radiance from the sun of mercy. Praise be to God, the place is blessed and seeketh, and the Giver bestoweth. God sufficeth us and He is the best Protector, the best Lord and the best Helper.

Concerning what thou hast written about the heedlessness, oppression and transgressions of the people of the Bayan, and likewise about the progress of the children who have ascended from barren lands through the breaths of revelation and have attained to the Kingdom of utterance—verily the divine traces in those who have turned unto Him appear more swiftly than the twinkling of an eye, transforming their very being in an instant and leading them from the corner of ignorance to the realm of knowledge. Glory be to God! His Holiness the Martyr of Zavarih sacrificed his life through but a single word. The details thereof have been revealed in certain Tablets from the Tongue of Grandeur—that which causeth hearts and souls to burn and be attracted.

Concerning the exaltation and progress of the children that was mentioned, in this connection a blessed word was revealed from the Tongue of Him Who is the Purpose of the world and the Herald of nations, the Primal Point—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake. His mighty Word declares: “In the Revelation of Him Whom God shall make manifest, His one-year old spiritual children are mightier than all the Bayan, for were they not mightier they could not surpass it and judge what is other than truth.” And He—exalted and glorified be He—saith in another place: “If they were not mightier, they could not enter into the new Revelation and see that Revelation within its shadow.” For they have rent asunder the veils of names and, with the aid of the Beloved of the world, have shattered the idols of vain imaginings. This power cannot be weakened by the might of the world. Verily He is the All-Powerful, the Unconstrained.

Section 3: “Concerning what thou didst write about the attraction…”

Concerning what thou didst write about the attraction, enthusiasm, longing and yearning of the people of the village—Glory be to God! Until now none has been seen who heard the divine verses and did not submit, except those whose essence was compounded of wickedness, indecency, rancor and hatred. The deniers of the Bayan have recently desired to move and speak contrary to the Will of God. They have chosen for themselves the station of the Shi’ih. Alas for the servants! Their deeds give them the lie but they perceive it not; their words deny them but they know it not. They were previously Shi’ih—what then was the cause of their avoidance of it, and what now is the reason for choosing it again? That which was in the hands of that heedless and oppressive party was, by the testimony of God, false. It was due to His patience and protection that most matters were hidden from view until such time as God shall reveal the measure thereof from His presence. He verily is the Strong, the Almighty, the Powerful.

The people of the village have been and are blessed with the favors and bounties of God, exalted be His glory, from the first dawning of the Day Star of Revelation from the horizon of the world. May God honor their faces by turning away from aught else but Him. On this blessed day each one hath been blessed with special favors. Mention of each was heard from the Tongue of Grandeur—mention that was adorned with the jewels of favors and bounties. Verily our Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Mention was made of His Honor Áqá Mullá ‘Abdu’l-Ghaní—upon him be the Glory of God—that he had sought, from the heaven of grace and bounty, a favor for himself, his wife, and his son. After this matter had been presented in the Most Exalted and Most Holy Court, a blessed Tablet, especially addressed to him, was sent down from the heaven of the Divine Will. I beseech God to honor him therewith. Verily, our Lord is the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous.

His blessed and exalted Word is this:

In My Name, the Compassionate, the Bountiful.

This is a Book which hath been sent down, through grace, from before God, the Most High, unto him who hath been named ‘Abdu’l-Ghaní, that the verses of his Lord may draw him nigh unto a station wherein all created things proclaim: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Lord of the Day of Judgment.”

We have, verily, sent down the verses and manifested the clear proofs. Blessed is he who hath heard and seen, and woe unto the heedless.

Say: O concourse of the earth! Render thanks unto God, for He hath fulfilled His promise, made manifest His path, and brought forth His proof, that He may draw you nigh unto Himself in this Day wherein the Herald calleth from a near place, saying: O concourse of the earth! The gate of heaven hath been opened, and the Promised One hath come with a proof the like of which the eye of creation hath never beheld. Unto this beareth witness the Tongue of Grandeur in His mighty and inaccessible station.

Thy mention hath been made in the presence of the Wronged One. We make mention of thee with that which will draw thee nigh unto the pavilions of thy Lord’s majesty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. By God! That which hath been sent down for thee surpasseth all the ornaments and riches of the world. Thus hath the Most Exalted Pen proclaimed with the most high call. Blessed is he who hath heard and said:

“Praise be to Thee, O Thou the Goal of them that know!”

We make mention of thy wife and give her glad tidings of My tender mercy and compassion which have preceded all things, and of My light wherewith the earth and all that is thereon have been illumined. Thy Lord is verily the Almighty, the All-Powerful. The Divine Lote-Tree calleth out to its leaf, and the Master to His handmaiden:

“Behold the grace and bounty of God! He, from within the Most Great Prison, hath remembered thee with that which hath enraptured the hearts of them that are devoted to the One true God.”

Blessed is the ear that hath heard My call, and the foot that hath hastened in the path of My good-pleasure, and the eye that hath beheld My tokens, and the heart that hath turned unto My glorious and wondrous station.

We make mention of thy son and beseech God to strengthen him to remember and praise Him, to draw him nigh unto Him at all times, to shower upon him mercy and grace from His presence. He is verily the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Great.

O Abdul-Ghani! When thou hast taken the cup of My loving-kindness from the hand of My bounty and drunk therefrom in My love and My Name, say:

“My God, my God! I testify that all names have bowed down before Thy Name, and the earth and heaven before Thy Command. I beseech Thee by the light that shineth forth from the horizon of the heaven of Thy will, and by the Word whereby Thou hast illumined the hearts of Thy loved ones, to number me among such as have not been held back by the censure of the censurers from turning to the lights of Thy countenance, nor by the scorn of the aggressors from drawing nigh unto Thy horizon. O Lord! Thou knowest and seest that this servant desireth naught save the waves of the ocean of Thy mercy and the effulgences of the Day-Star of Thy Revelation. The cup of Thy bounty hath taken hold of me, the Kawthar of Thy utterance hath attracted me, and Thy prevailing Will and all-encompassing Purpose move me as Thou pleasest. O Lord! Illumine my outward and inward being with the lights of Thy most exalted Word in Thy days. Then write down for me that which will exalt me through Thy generosity and bounty. Thou art verily powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

And likewise mention hath been made of two souls from among the people of Ya—Ustad Muhammad Hashim and Ustad Ali-Rida, upon them be Baha’u’llah—who have turned unto the Most Great Ocean. The divine bounties have ever been and are directed toward the beloved ones. Specially for each of these two souls a Tablet from the heaven of the bestowal of the Desired One of all the worlds hath been revealed and dispatched. The servant beseecheth his Lord to give them to drink of the Salsabil of His recognition from the chalices of His verses. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

In regard to Aqa Muhammad Hashim, the head of the post office, upon him be the Glory of God, concerning whom they had written: previously a most holy and exalted Tablet was revealed and sent especially for him, and now again another Tablet has been revealed. None can reckon the bounties of God’s Most Great Ocean—they are truly beyond the comprehension of the world and its peoples. This servant conveys greetings to him and beseeches God, exalted be His glory, to aid him, that he may attain unto the new and everlasting life through the divine Tablet. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Lord of Yathrib and Hijaz.

If one were to reflect with fairness upon the Manifestations of old, and likewise upon this Most Great Manifestation and Momentous News, the tongue of his soul would utter the blessed words “there is none like unto Him.” His word, blessed and exalted be He:

In My Name, which speaketh in the Kingdom of Utterance

Today the attraction of the Divine Word hath seized the realities of all things, and each at every moment giveth voice to a word. Blessed are they who have attained unto hearing. This Wronged One hath at all times summoned the servants unto the Lord of Creation, and at every moment hath appeared with clear proofs and evident testimony. Nevertheless, they have clung to vain imaginings and remained deprived of the ocean of the All-Merciful’s mercy. Whence hath such heedlessness arisen, and whereby hath such bounty been withheld? From smooth and solid rocks do rivers flow forth, yet hearts and souls remain frozen and lifeless. We beseech God that He deprive not the people of the world from the ocean of His mercy, nor hold them back from turning toward Him and drawing nigh unto Him. Thy mention hath ever been before the Wronged One. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having remembered me and Thy handmaidens through the Pen of Thy Command, for having caused me to hear Thy call and to witness Thy signs. My Lord! Ordain for me that which shall profit me in every world of Thy worlds and draw me nigh unto Thee in all conditions. Thou, verily, art the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

And concerning what was written about the Tablets of Mim of Mihnih and Ha and Kha of Khayrabad: sixteen were sent. O thou beloved of my heart! From the earliest days of this Most Great Revelation, and even before it, verses have encompassed all regions like rain, yet to this day the servants have not become aware. Each day they manifest some new wrong. Strange it is that they remain heedless of that which would cause their exaltation, elevation, glory and advancement. Each soul is occupied with digging a well for himself, yet perceiveth it not. Soon shall they find themselves in the lowest depths.

Concerning the sons of Imad, upon them be the Glory of God—after being presented before His presence, two Most Holy, Most Pure Tablets were revealed from the heaven of grace and sent forth. God willing, they will attain unto them and be illumined by the Luminary of utterance which hath shone forth from the horizon of the divine Tablet. Verily our Lord is the Helper, the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous. That which they sent has been forwarded by the honored Amin, upon him be the Glory of God, along with other transmitted pages. The deeds of that beloved one and the honored Mulla Abbas-ʿAli, upon him be the Glory of God, have been accepted. The servant beseecheth his Lord to make them both springs for His loved ones and rivers for His servants. Verily He is powerful over all things and worthy to answer.

On this day, which is among the blessed days of the month of Ramadan, seven hours having passed, this servant proceeded to the Ultimate Goal. Mention was made before His presence of the departed and elevated father Mir Abbas-Ali Beg and the honored elevated brother Mir Muhammad-Vali Beg, upon them both be the Glory of God. And specifically for each was revealed that which hath perfumed the world and from which every possessor of smell hath inhaled and continueth to inhale the fragrance of grace. The Lord, exalted and sanctified be He, speaketh the truth:

He is the Speaker of Truth

We desired to make mention of him who ascended to the Supreme Companion, as a command from God, the Lord of all beings. O Abbas-Ali! Rejoice in thy station. The Beloved of all who are in the heavens and earth desired to make mention of thee. We purified thee at the time of thy ascension and ordained for thee in the Most Exalted Station that which illumined faces and brought solace to the eyes of those near unto God. We beseech God the Most High at this time to spread for him the carpet of mercy and forgiveness and to adorn him with the ornament of pardon and favor. Verily He is the Lord of the world and the Desire of the nations. There is none other God but He, the Almighty, the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

O Muhammad-Vali! The Mother of Utterance maketh mention of thee at this time in the Kingdom of knowledge with a remembrance whereby the ocean of forgiveness and pardon surgeth before all religions, and the fragrance of thy Lord’s mercy, the Mighty, the Bestower, wafteth. Blessed art thou and blessed are they who have attained unto God’s commanding Word in His days and for whom the verses of their Lord, the Most Merciful, were sent down from the heaven of proof. We testify that they are among the triumphant ones in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds. By My life! When I made mention of thee, I beheld a host of angels and the Spirit approaching them both with the verses of their Lord and the fragrance of grace, pardon and bounty. Thus hath the Tongue spoken in this mighty, wondrous station. The glory from Us be upon them both and upon those who have ascended to the Supreme Companion with clear certitude. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

The fragrance of divine verses and the drops of the rain of the Most Merciful’s mercy have encompassed them and the host of angels and the Spirit. His is the grace, the bounty and the generosity, and by His command are both existence and non-existence. The servant beseecheth his Lord to send down upon them both, at all times, mercy from His presence, for He is the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

The aforementioned souls, whether from among the kindred or others, have all been and continue to be the recipients of special favors. Praise be to God, mention of each one hath flowed from the Tongue of Grandeur and hath been recorded and inscribed by the Pen of Command in the Book of Deeds. The ocean of loving-kindness hath encompassed all, and the Sun of Grace hath shed its radiance. Qurratu’l-ʿAyn Vali-Aqa hath been mentioned repeatedly. The servant beseecheth his Lord to aid him, to grant him success, and to manifest that which will cause his traces to spread throughout the earth. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Hearer, the Answerer. I convey greetings and praise to the loved ones of that land. God willing, from every utterance from the words of Truth, glorified be His majesty, may they attain unto a new and wondrous life. The favors of God, praise be unto Him, are continuous, and likewise continuous are the life and love and sincerity of those souls. May they hear and attain true joy and be adorned with life everlasting. Glory and remembrance and praise be upon you all and upon those who are with you, whether female or male, whether young or old. Praise be to God, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

BH00495: O Jalal! Hearken with thine inmost ear…

He is the Speaker in the Return

O Jalal! Hearken with thine inmost ear to the Call of the Self-Sufficing, the Most High, and arise to render service. Today upon the face of the sun was seen this most exalted Word: O peoples of the earth! Let not vain imaginings deprive you of the Lord of all names, nor let idle fancies withhold you from the sealed wine. His signs have encompassed the world and His verses have embraced all things. He hath sacrificed Himself and all He possessed for the reformation of the world and the salvation of nations. Every person of insight beareth witness and every fair-minded one testifieth that He hath not for a moment sought to preserve Himself. He hath ever raised His call before the faces of rulers and divines and heroes, and hath ordained that which would ensure the tranquility and assurance of the peoples of the world.

Yet most have rejected the counsels of God and accepted not His decree. In particular did the people of the Bayan commit such acts as caused the outpourings of the True Bestower of bounties to be stayed. Say: O people of fairness! If ye deny this Most Great Revelation, what thing is worthy of mention or befitting to acknowledge? Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One, turn from oppression to justice, and from fancy seek the station of certitude. This Most Great Revelation hath never been, nor is it now, dependent upon the acceptance and acknowledgment of anyone. Rather, all are dependent upon His acceptance. Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One and afflict not yourselves anew with personal imaginings.

Say: O Hadi! Fear God and be not of the wrongdoers. If thou art truly a seeker of truth, turn to His Writings and ponder His verses. By God’s life! They shall enrich thee above all else and acquaint thee with that whereof thou wert heedless. Today the Lote-Tree is laden with countless fruits—behold and be not of the negligent ones. The waves of the ocean of utterance surge before all faces at their utmost height, and the effulgences of the Sun of Truth are manifest and visible. O Hadi! If thou deniest this bounty, with what excuse wilt thou justify thyself before God? Fear the omnipotent, all-compelling Lord. Be not the cause of leading souls astray. Leave the vain imaginings of the past to the former peoples.

Consider the Day of God and that which hath appeared therein. O Hadi! Today the mountains cry out “The Self-Sufficient, the Most High hath come!”, the heavens proclaim “The All-Merciful hath come!”, and the trees declare “The Chosen One hath come!” Were one to attain unto hearing ears, one would hear from all things the glad-tidings of His appearance. Today the fragrances of utterance are diffused and the dove of knowledge warbleth upon the highest branches. Soil not thyself with the clay of idle fancies and deprive not thyself of the ocean of meanings.

Thy friends have spoken and continue to speak of perversion. Fear God and be not of the ignorant ones. These were the vain imaginings of the former peoples throughout ages and centuries. They clung to certain calumnies and thus deprived themselves of the ocean of bounty on the Day of Judgment. The wickedness of the Shi’ih sect reached such heights that they cursed the Truth from their pulpits with loudest clamor and issued the decree for His martyrdom. O Hadi! Reflect upon that which hath appeared and speak with fairness. I swear by the Sun of the horizon of proof that this Wronged One speaketh with truth and uttereth for the sake of God. Thou wert and art unaware of the root of the matter.

Hearken unto the words of the faithful counselor and observe and listen with the eye of justice and the ear of fairness. Fear God, cast aside thy desire and take hold of thy Lord’s command, for unto Him shall be thy return and final dwelling. Hasten to His good-pleasure, then read what hath been sent down from the kingdom of His utterance. Beware lest the vain imaginings of them that have broken His Covenant and Testament hold thee back. Look with thine own eyes and hearken with thine own ears. By God’s life! The eyes of others shall not suffice thee, nor shall the ears of others avail thee, nor shall thy fancies guide thee, nor shall thy conjectures uplift thee, nor shall thy riches profit thee. I counsel thee for the sake of God, and thou, for the sake of God, hearken unto that which shall enrich thee above all else save thy Lord.

O Hadi! Hear the counsel of him who counseleth thee for God’s sake and desireth naught but thy good in thy latter end and beginning. Adorn thy head with the crown of God-fearingness, thy temple with the robe of justice, and thy heart with the ornament of fairness. Return to the evidences of God with penetrating vision, illumined heart, sanctified soul and praiseworthy character, that there may be revealed unto thee that which was concealed from thee. Know thou of a certainty that thy perversity shall not profit thee and thy might shall not bring thee nigh unto Him. Cast off thy burden, then make God’s Word thy protection. Conceal not God’s Faith and His religion, deny not His verses and be not ungrateful for His bounty.

He hath manifested His sovereignty, fulfilled His promise, aided His party, and raised the standard of His utterance amongst His servants. He hath made known His Revelation in His lands, sent down His verses, revealed His proofs and caused all things to speak His praise. By God! This is the Great Announcement. O negligent one! Beware lest thou object to this mighty Cause, and O ignorant one, lest thou be heedless of it. Be not of those who have disputed it. Place thyself in the presence of God, then judge fairly in His Cause. Beware lest thou deny him whom God’s Books and Scriptures have acknowledged, and oppose him through whom the ocean of knowledge and wisdom has surged.

O Hadi! Hear My call. Cut not down the Tree of Justice and Equity with the sword of tyranny, nor veil the face of godliness behind the covering of oppression and transgression. Let thy will be absorbed in the Will of thy Lord, and thy desire in His desire. Abandon the creed of those who believed not in Him and His verses, and who disputed His commandments and ordinances.

Reflect upon the world, its changes, alterations and passing away. Where is Chosroes and his palace, Parviz and his ministers? Where are the kings of the earth, their palaces and treasures? Where are their armies and their riches? Did that which they amassed profit them, or that which they acquired exalt them? Nay, by Him Who split the grain and created the soul! The irrevocable decree transformed their palaces into tombs and their joy into grief. Where is their gladness and their comfort, their delight and their contentment? Their company has been scattered and their gathering dispersed. Their houses became empty, their roofs fallen in, their trees uprooted, and their fine garments worn out. By God’s life, My heart lamenteth and My pen mourneth. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to assist His servants in that which He loveth and is pleased with.

O friends of God in His lands and His loved ones in His realms! We counsel you to trustworthiness and godliness. Blessed is the city that hath been illumined by their light. Through them the station of man is elevated and the door of tranquility is opened to all in creation. Blessed is he who hath held fast unto them and recognized their station, and woe unto him who hath denied their rank and deprived himself of their adorning.

O people of God! Trustworthiness is as the sun. Wealth and security depend upon it. It is the pillar of the pavilion of justice and the fortress of equity. Today the hosts of divine religion are goodly deeds and praiseworthy conduct. Strive that ye may attain unto that which hath been recorded in God’s Book by the Pen of the Ancient of Days.

O Jalal! We beseech God that He may aid thee and cause thee to return to thy land illumined with the light of the Sun of divine utterance, that all may be enlightened and refreshed by the reviving breaths of God’s revelation. Convey My greetings to the people of Shin. Say: O friends! Hold fast unto unity and harmony. We beseech God to manifest through you that which shall cause the comfort, mercy, tranquility and ease of the people of the world. Blessed are they who strive to unite hearts.

O Jalal! Say: Today the Sun of bounty hath dawned from the supreme horizon, and the ocean of generosity hath appeared before the faces of men. The sincere ones, both men and women, are adorned with the ornament of God’s bounty, glorified be His majesty. He hath forgiven thee and those who desired forgiveness. He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Say: Know ye the value of these days and arise to make good what hath passed. A mighty journey lies ahead; forget not what is needed for the journey and hold fast unto it. God, glorified be His majesty, commandeth that which shall cause the salvation and ease of the peoples of the world. This Wronged One hath been and is a captive in the hands of enemies throughout all days, and hath never sought to preserve His own life. The people of justice and fairness bear witness to what hath been mentioned. Like the spring rain, Tablets have descended from the heaven of God’s mercy upon those regions, and there hath been and is no purpose save the guidance of mankind.

Mention the people of N and Y [Najafabad and Yazd] from one who was imprisoned, and give them glad tidings of God’s loving-kindness. Blessed is Our servant Al-Wahid, who attained My presence and stood before My countenance and soared in My atmosphere and drank the choice wine of My utterance and offered up his soul in My path, and blessed are those who aided him until they were martyred in the path of God, the Lord of all worlds.

Those souls who have borne tribulations in God’s path are all mentioned before the throne and have attained special favors. This Wronged One has ever mentioned the servants and handmaidens of that land. The reward of no one is ever lost with God, nor shall it be. He observes the deeds and hears the words—He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

O party of God! Today is the day of service and assistance. Deprive not yourselves. In this transient world, occupy yourselves with gaining eternal stations. Life passes more swiftly than lightning—every edifice faces destruction, and death pursues every life. The possessor of wisdom is one who remains not heedless and who holds fast to that which leads to exaltation, glory and elevation.

O Jalal! We have mentioned thee before and at this time—verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. Regarding what thou hast mentioned about the Huquq, this matter depends on the willingness and acceptance of souls. Reminding others of it is beloved, but demanding it is forbidden. Its benefits return to the souls themselves. Whosoever pays the Huquq of God with spirit and fragrance and with eagerness and longing, its acceptance is permitted; otherwise, thy Lord is the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Behold, then mention what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’an:

“O mankind! Ye are the poor in relation to God, and God is the Self-Sufficient, the All-Praised.”

This matter pertains to the Trustee [Haji Amin], upon him be My glory, and We also give thee permission—if someone desires with perfect willingness and love to pay the Huquq, thou mayest accept it. Verily He commands all with what benefits them in every world of God’s worlds, the Lord of the Mighty Throne.

Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken in the Most Great Prison while in the hands of the heedless. The glory shining from the horizon of My heaven of bounty be upon those who have turned their hearts to My horizon and have heard My sweetest call when it was raised between earth and heaven. These are men whom the ranks of enemies did not prevent, nor were they frightened by the might of those who were heedless of what they were commanded by the Creator of heaven. They arose and proclaimed before the faces of the divines and princes:

“The Promise hath come, and the Promised One calleth from His most exalted horizon to all who are in earth and heaven.”

Blessed are they that hear, and blessed are they that have attained, and woe unto the heedless and the deniers. And praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.