Volume 086: Akka 1305 A.H. (1887–1888), Part III (3 of 4)

BH00390: Praise be befitting to the Sovereign of the Kingdom…

Section 1: “Praise be befitting to the Sovereign…”

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

Praise be befitting to the Sovereign of the Kingdom and the Lord of the Realm of Might, Who through the key of the Most Great Name hath opened the gate of utterance and guided all to the straight path, to the mighty announcement and the firm and impregnable Cause. He is the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful. There is none other God but Him, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious.

And further: O beloved of my heart! Two days ago a letter was written specifically for your honor, but its dispatch was delayed and this writing was attached to it. The confirmations of God, exalted be His glory, arrive successively, and that beloved one, praise be to God, is wholly engaged in His service and likewise recognizes the stations of grace and favor. Well is it with you and pleasant it is for you! The letters of that beloved one, praise be to God, all begin with mention of the friends and conclude with their remembrance, and likewise mention the cities that are the dwelling places of the friends. Praise be to God, through that beloved one’s endeavors, mention is made in the letter of each city that he has visited, together with its friends, and this was presented at the Most Holy Court. He spoke, and His word is the truth:

“O Amin! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment. Success hath been and shall ever be thy companion, for thou art engaged in service and adorned with justice and fairness. Repeatedly hast thou made mention of the friends in Ardistan. Some time ago mention of each one flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. Ra, Fa, Mim and Ha have been and are remembered. Convey to Mirza Hasan and his mother the greetings of the Wronged One. Say: O Hasan! God willing, mayest thou be assisted to serve His friends. Well-being, health and protection are for those souls who with clear certitude have entered beneath the shade of the Blessed Tree. By My life! They are assuredly among those who enjoy security in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds. O Trustee! Verily We have mentioned every soul thou didst mention in thy letter, that thou mayest give thanks to thy Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Generous. And We have made mention of Our friends in the cities and villages as a command from Our presence, and verily I am the All-Bountiful, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.”

Mention was made of the friends of Pusht-i-Mashhad. After presentation at the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court, these verses were revealed from the heaven of the Divine Will specifically for them. His blessed and exalted Word:

“O My loved ones in that place! Hearken unto the call of God, the King, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. He calleth you from the direction of the Prison and giveth you glad tidings of that which He hath ordained for you from His presence. He is the Mighty, the All-Forgiving. The Herald hath proclaimed from every direction: The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.’ Verily the Trustee mentioned you time and again; We made mention of you again and again as a bounty from God, the Lord of existence. Take the cup of success in the name of the Cleaver of the Dawn and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Sender of the winds, for having manifested unto us Thy destined Cause and Thy sealed Wine! We beseech Thee by the lights of Thy Throne and by the lands that were honored by Thy footsteps to assist us to make mention of Thee and to praise Thee and to serve Thy Cause. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest, and within Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth.”’

Likewise, especially for the friends of the Gate of Isfahan, these verses from the Kingdom of Utterance of the Goal of all the worlds were revealed, blessed and exalted be His Word:

“O Amin! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. We have desired to make mention of My loved ones in that place. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. We have made mention of those whom thou didst mention in thy letter, as a mercy from Us upon thee and upon them. Remind them of the verses of their Lord and give them the glad-tidings of this bounty which hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. Say: Beware lest the doubts of the divines and what they possess hold you back from God, your Lord, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. Say: Cast aside what the people possess and take what hath been sent down unto you from the presence of One mighty and powerful. The glory shining forth from the horizon of My will be upon you and upon every steadfast and firm one.”

Thou hast made mention of Qamsar and those who have quaffed the wine of utterance from the hands of the bounty of their Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower. O Amin! We made mention of Khalil before, and revealed for him that which caused the eyes of utterance to rejoice in the garden of the wisdom of God, the Lord of all men. He is of those who have attained unto the verses of God and His remembrance, and the Supreme Pen hath borne witness unto him, and I am the All-Knowing, the Mighty Witness. O Khalil! Take in My Most Glorious Name the reins of the servants and draw them nigh unto the most exalted station. Say: By the life of God! Ye were created for this Day. Fear God and be not of those who have denied the Beginning and the Return. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon those who love thee and hearken unto thy word in this Cause whereby the earth hath quaked and the mountains have crumbled.

We make mention in this noble station of him who was named Abdu’r-Rahim and give him the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of Lords. O Rahim! The Lord of Destiny maketh mention of thee from the direction of His Most Great Scene and consoleth thee in what hath befallen thee from the decree of God, the Almighty, the Unconstrained. Grieve not for what hath come upon thee. There hath come upon Us that which hath caused the Supreme Pen to lament at eventide and at dawn. We bid thee to beautiful patience, and I am the Mighty, the All-Patient. We make mention of thy son at this moment with that which shall be a treasure and honor unto him from God, the Lord of all religions.

O thou who art mentioned before the Throne! I bear witness that thou didst turn to My horizon and didst hear My call and didst hold fast unto My cord and didst cling to the hem of the robe of thy Lord’s mercy, the Revealer of verses. Thou art he who attained unto acceptance when the divines and jurists of the earth turned away from God. Unto this beareth witness the Mother Book from God, the Lord of creation. We beseech God to send down upon thee each day a mercy from His presence and a blessing from His own Self, and to give thee to drink of the choice wine of utterance at morn and at eventide. Thus have We sent down the verses and expounded them in truth and dispatched them unto thee, O Rahim, that thou mightest give thanks unto thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

Thy letter hath come before the Wronged One, and We have mentioned thee with that which no mention can equal. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having given me to drink of the Kawthar of Thy knowledge and enabled me to turn unto Thee when most of Thy servants had turned away. I beseech Thee, O Lord of existence and King of the seen and unseen, by Thy Name through which the unity of Thine Essence was established beyond all likeness and similitude, to ordain for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen that which will draw me nigh unto Thee in all conditions. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon My loved ones there who were not weakened by the power of the world nor frightened by the might of the nations. They arose and said: The Kingdom is God’s, the Mighty, the Glorious, the Bestower.

Section 2: “As to what you wrote concerning the blessed…”

As to what you wrote concerning the blessed leaf, the wife of the late Aqa Muhammad Ja’far, and her daughters—upon them be the Glory of God—after this matter was presented, these exalted words were revealed from the horizon of the utterance of the Desired One of all worlds—exalted and blessed be His words:

“The honored lady and her daughters have ever been and continue to be remembered in the Most Holy Court. Give them glad tidings from Me and remind them of My verses. We beseech God to ordain for them the good of the hereafter and this world, and to decree for them the rewards of those who circle round the Throne at eventide and at dawn. This Wronged One has ever been speaking and mindful of the mention of the friends of God. O Amin, upon thee be My Glory! The gaze of God in these days is directed toward the pearls of love that lie hidden and concealed within the hearts and souls of His steadfast male and female servants. O Amin! This is the station of grace and the station of mercy that has preceded. At this moment each one has attained the outpourings of the True Bestower of Bounty. Blessed and welcome be it unto them! O Amin! The souls thou hast mentioned, both men and women, have all been blessed by the waves of the ocean of utterance of the Desired One of all worlds. By the life of God! We have mentioned each one with a mention that brings joy to the eyes of the people of the cities of justice and equity.”

And likewise mention was made of Aqa Husayn (Givah-Kash)—upon him be the Glory of God. After presentation at the Supreme Height, a most mighty and holy Tablet was revealed from the Dayspring of grace and bounty, that he might give thanks unto God, our Lord and your Lord, the Lord of the mighty Throne. Verses have been revealed, rain has poured forth, the ocean is surging, and grace encompasses all. This servant beseeches for the friends that which leads to the guidance of all beings. In these days the effulgences of the Luminary of grace have shone forth in such wise that this servant is incapable of reckoning or properly mentioning them. In any case, I convey greetings and glorification to him and all other friends, and with the tongue of the secret and the secret of the secret I submit:

“My God, my God! Deprive not Thy friends of the ocean of Thy generosity, and assist them all through Thy near angels that they may, with complete steadfastness, spend these two days in Thy service. Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty.”

In previous letters repeated mention was made of Haji Mulla Ibrahim—upon him be the Glory of God. His petition was presented and his mention repeatedly flowed from the Tongue of Grandeur. After the presentation of his petition before the Divine Presence, a most mighty and holy Tablet was revealed specifically for him, that he might drink the Kawthar of utterance from the words of our Lord, the Most Merciful, and speak among the servants with an assurance by which hearts and souls are made tranquil.

And likewise that beloved of hearts mentioned the friends of Asadabad. Two most mighty and holy Tablets were revealed from the heaven of grace and bounty specifically for Aqa Mirza Muhammad and Haji Shah Muhammad—upon them be the Glory of God—and were sent. Let them be delivered that they may find from the ocean of His verses the pearls of His dear and beloved love. This servant conveys glorification and greetings to all the friends and beseeches for each one that which leads to eternal salvation. At this moment these exalted words were revealed from the tongue of the Lord of all being—blessed and exalted be His words:

“O servant in attendance! Write to Amin that if God, exalted be His glory, were to look with the eye of justice, few souls would be found worthy of mention by the Supreme Pen. However, since He is seated upon the throne of the Most Merciful Name, He looks with the eye of grace and is ever attentive. The Command is in His hands. He speaks as He wishes, and He is the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days.”

Likewise, blessed Tablets have been revealed specifically for the friends in the land of Kermanshah—some are being sent this time and some will be sent another time. Give glad-tidings through God’s favor to that beloved of all, for all are mentioned and have attained His grace. At this time, the letter from the spiritual loved ones—his honor Aqa Rasul, his honored brother Haji Muhammad Hasan known as Misri, and his honor Aqa Muhammad Sadiq, upon them be the glory of God—along with that beloved one’s letter which they sent from the land of Qaf, was received. However, there was no opportunity to reply. God willing, it will be sent later. The servant beseeches his Lord to assist them and aid them to help His Cause through wisdom and utterance. Verily He is the Mighty, the Bestower.

A Most Holy and Exalted Tablet was revealed this time specifically for his honor Bayk, upon him be the glory and favor of God, and was sent to his honor Aqa Ali-Haydar, upon him be God’s glory, grace and favors, for delivery. In truth, his honor Ali-Haydar is engaged in service and is mentioned before God. Blessed is he and joy be unto him. And a Greater Tablet was revealed and sent specifically for the beloved of the heart, his honor Haji Mirza H-Y, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God. God willing, they will attain unto it.

At this moment in the Most Holy and Exalted Presence, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these exalted words, glorified be His majesty: “O Amin, convey greetings and glorification from the Wronged One to his honor bearing the Name of Beauty, upon him be My glory and favor. God willing, may they be engaged with complete dedication in serving the Cause of the Lord of all beings through wisdom and utterance. Blessed is he who has turned to Him and heard His mention in this perspicuous Remembrance.

O Amin, mention all the friends in the land of Ta on behalf of the Wronged One. We beseech God to set them ablaze with the fire of the Blessed Tree and illumine them with the lights of revelation until the horizons of the world become bright and radiant. Say: O friends of God! We beseech God to grant strength and bestow resolve, that your transient days may not deprive you from the eternal Kingdom and prevent you from the everlasting bounty. Verily He is the Compassionate, the Generous.”

Mention was made of the two detached essences, the honored brothers Naddafan, upon them be the glory of the All-Merciful. They are among those souls who are mentioned in the Supreme Concourse and the realms of truth, for that which was revealed concerning them testifies with the most exalted call to their acceptance, orientation, sincerity and steadfastness. Upon them and those with them be the glory of God and His favor. Glory, remembrance, exaltation and praise be upon your honor and upon those with you and those who hear your words concerning the Cause of God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of the earthly realm and the Kingdom.

The servant 24 Shawwal 1305

BH01240: He heareth in truth, and He is the Answerer

He heareth in truth, and He is the Answerer

O Afnan! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. Thy letter reached the Wronged One and the Glorious One presented it. When completed, My Most Exalted Pen was moved to make mention of thee and of that which thou didst desire from the sea of thy Lord’s bounty, the Mighty, the Powerful. Thou didst hear the Call in the earliest days and didst respond to thy Lord when mankind was in manifest error. Thou didst turn to the Horizon when most of the servants turned away. This is from thy Lord’s favor upon thee. Be thankful and say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Desire of the world, and glory be unto Thee, O Beloved of them that have recognized Thee! I testify that Thou hast appeared and manifested Thy Cause, and guided the people to Thy straight Path, and remembered me while Thou wert in the Most Great Prison—a mercy from Thee unto Thy Afnan. Verily, Thou art the Most Merciful of the merciful. My soul be a sacrifice for Thy bounty, and my spirit be a sacrifice for Thy grace, O Thou Who art the Adored One of those in the heavens and on earth.”

We have mentioned thee before with a mention before which all mention bows down, and We mention thee at this time in this perspicuous Tablet. Blessed is the Afnan who hath held fast unto the Divine Lote-Tree, recognized its grace and station, and spoken in its praise on this Day whereon its rustling and its call have been raised in this glorious and wondrous Station. We wish at this moment to change from the eloquent tongue to the luminous one. Verily thy Lord doeth what He pleaseth and ordaineth what He willeth. He is the Mighty, the Powerful.

In the name of the Peerless Friend! Today all things circle round the prison of ʿAkka and utter a word which none save God, exalted be His glory, hath comprehended or will comprehend except by His command and leave. The Wronged One calleth out from the horizon of tribulation to the peoples of earth and heaven, and remindeth them through divine verses that they might attain unto fruits whose traces and mention shall endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. The ocean of the All-Merciful’s utterance hath waves, and within it are concealed and hidden pearls of wisdom and mysteries. Blessed are they who are endowed with hearing and sight and have attained unto witnessing and hearkening. By the Sun of Truth! That which is lost today can never be regained, even as it is impossible to find a partner for the Lord. The loved ones of God must arise with complete dedication to assist the Cause, especially the Afnans of the Blessed Tree who in this Most Great Revelation have been adorned with the ornament of distinction and kinship, that they might protect the heedless servants from the vain imaginings of the former people. He is the Counselor and He is the Kind One.

And regarding what thou didst mention about the journey of the leaf of the Tree, the wife of the honored Afnan, upon them both be My glory and loving-kindness, the luminary of permission hath dawned from the horizon of will. However, this is contingent upon the requirements of wisdom and expediency, O honored Afnan, upon thee be My Glory.

O Afnan, upon thee be My loving-kindness. The smoke of vain imaginings and the dust of idle fancies have prevented the world from beholding. The True One, exalted be His glory, hath come for meeting, presence, and the bestowal of grace, but the divines and theologians of Persia became a barrier, preventing eyes from beholding and ears from hearing. This prevention from Persia hath influenced these lands as well. Beseech ye the True One to manifest that which shall be the cause of the world’s salvation and the deliverance of nations.

Two Tablets, in response to thy request, have been sent down from the heaven of the favors of the Lord of all beings. Take copies thereof and deliver them, that perchance they may be illumined by the lights of the Day-Star of utterance which hath shone forth from the horizon of the divine Tablet, and may remain firm and steadfast in the Cause of God. Blessed is he who hath attained unto My Tablet in My days and hath drunk therefrom the Kawthar of Mine utterance. He is assuredly among those who are nigh unto God in His Book, the Lord of all worlds.

Convey greetings from this Wronged One to all the kindred, and give them the glad-tidings of the effulgences of the Day-Star of grace which hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of justice. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to aid them and assist them and make them of those whom the might of the world hath not hindered from turning unto God, the Lord of the Ancient Days—they who heard and turned and responded in days wherein the limbs of the heedless trembled and the hearts of the doubtful were troubled. The Command is in God’s hands, the Lord of the Day of Judgment. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon them and upon those who have attained unto this momentous News.

Make mention, on behalf of this Wronged One, of the followers of Zoroaster, upon them be God’s loving-kindness. God willing, may they drink from the chalices of utterance of the Goal of all worlds that were previously sent, that which shall free and detach their hearts from all else save God.

O Afnan! This blessed verse hath shone forth like the sun from the horizon of the Book:

“Blessed is he who hath arisen from his place, cast away all else save Him, and hastened unto the Most Great Ocean and entered therein through His Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous.”

Blessed is the tongue that hath uttered this most exalted Word and this most great Sign, and hath received its portion from the ocean of its meanings. He is assuredly among the triumphant ones in the presence of God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH01259: In the Name of Him through Whom the Ocean…

In the Name of Him through Whom the Ocean of Divine Knowledge hath surged before the faces of all religions!

All praise, sanctified from the perception of all created things and the recognition of all contingent beings, befitteth the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court of Him, the Self-Subsisting, Who, single and alone, stood up before the faces of the world and gave unto all the Most Great Announcement. Through His steadfastness, the standard of “God doeth whatsoever He willeth” was raised aloft, and the banner of “Verily, there is none other God but Him” was unfurled in the most exalted station. Neither the hosts and legions of the world, nor the rancor and hatred of the nations, could deter Him from His purpose. With power and authority He broke the seal of the Choice Wine and summoned all to partake thereof, that they might drink of that for which they were created. Yet all arose in opposition, save whom God willed. The Truth, glorified be His majesty, in all His Books gave His servants the glad-tidings of the appearance of this Most Great Cause and this Mighty Announcement. Blessed is the soul whom neither the veils of the divines nor the might of rulers prevented from the divine path, nor deprived of the ocean of utterance.

Thy letter which thou didst send to this servant was presented before the Wronged One. We perceived the fragrance of thy remembrance and utterance, and witnessed thy turning and devotion at that time. We beseech God to aid thee in His remembrance and praise, and to make thee among those whom neither the blame of the blamer nor the clamor of him who hath turned away from God, the Lord of all worlds, could deter.

When thou dost inhale the fragrance of My raiment and attainest unto the choice wine of My utterance, say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having guided me unto Thee and made me recognize the Dayspring of Thy signs, and caused me to hear the trilling of Thy Pen and guided me unto Thy path. I beseech Thee by Thy power that hath encompassed all created things, and by Thy Command that hath surrounded all contingent beings, and by Thy Name whereby every mouldering bone was quickened and every wise decree was manifested, to make me steadfast in Thy Cause and firm in Thy love, in such wise that the swords of the world shall not withhold me from drawing nigh unto Thy Most Great Name. O Lord! Thou seest me turning unto Thee and holding fast unto Thy cord. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy Kingdom and the mysteries of Thy Dominion to ordain for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen that which shall be with me in every world of Thy worlds. Then protect me, O my God, from the suggestions of the faithless and the allusions of the cawers. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

As to what thou didst mention concerning thy brother Muhammad Ibrahim, We make mention of him at this moment as a token of the grace of God, the Lord of all worlds. O Muhammad Ibrahim! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One from the precincts of the Prison. He maketh mention of thee and counseleth thee to remain steadfast in this Most Great Cause, and to be trustworthy and chaste, and to act in such wise as to exalt the Cause of God amongst His servants. He, verily, is the Manifest Counsellor. Be not grieved by the oppression of the oppressors. Reflect upon the days of the Lord of the Messengers and the Seal of the Prophets, and likewise upon the days of the Spirit, the Son of Mary. There befell them that which caused the clouds to weep and the heavens to lament. Yet afterwards the lights of the Cause encompassed all regions. The names and traces of the idolaters all returned to nothingness, and the standard “There is none other God but He” was raised to the most exalted station. For every matter there is an appointed time and a fixed term. When its term is come, it shall appear in truth. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

We make mention also of thy other brother who was named Ghulam-Rida, that he may rejoice and be of the thankful. O Ghulam! The Lord of all beings maketh mention of thee from the precincts of the Prison and giveth thee glad tidings of the grace of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Fix thy gaze upon Him at all times and place thy trust in Him in all matters, holding fast to the means. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing Teacher. Praise be to God that thou hast been mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One and hast attained unto the Most Great Word from God, the Lord of all beings. Know thou the station of this most great station and say:

“My God, my God! Aid me to preserve this station, then ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy sincere servants. Thou art, verily, the Most Merciful of the merciful.”

Jinab-i-Amin, upon him be My glory, hath repeatedly made mention of thee and of his honor Aqa Muhammad Isma’il. Mention of the friends hath ever flowed from his pen. We make mention of him who hath turned towards the Countenance, and We beseech for him from the heaven of grace and bounty that which shall endure as long as the Kingdom of God, the Mighty, the Powerful, shall endure. And as to what thou didst mention concerning turning towards this direction, in these days the heedless are intervening and preventing the hapless people. We beseech God to ordain for you the reward of attaining His presence and meeting Him. He, verily, is the Hearer, the Answerer.

Convey My greetings to the loved ones, that they may perchance take a path to Him Who occupieth the throne. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon those with thee and upon those whom nothing whatsoever hath deterred from turning towards the Supreme Horizon—they who have heard and have responded:

“Here am I, O God of all who are in the heavens and on earth! Here am I, O Thou Who art the Goal of the mystics and the Beloved of them that have drawn nigh!”

BH03159: O thou who gazest upon the Face and art…

In the name of the peerless one God!

O thou who gazest upon the Face and art present before the Throne! Hear the call of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

At all times the call of the Purpose of the worlds hath been raised, and the effulgences of the Day-Star of grace have shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of prison. Blessed is the eye that hath attained and the ear that hath hearkened. Today upon the face of the sun this most exalted Word hath been inscribed and recorded by the Most Exalted Pen: Blessed is the soul that hath in this transient world acquired an eternal station and whom the events and manifestations of the world have not deprived of the splendors of the rays of the Most Great Luminary.

By My life, O My Afnan! Thou hast ever been and art remembered. Look, then remember those days when thou wert present before the Wronged One and wert with Him as He walked in the garden. God, exalted be His glory, hath ever loved faithfulness and commanded His loved ones to observe it. We testify that thou didst hear His call, wert drawn to His verses, wert enkindled with the fire of His love, didst speak His praise, and didst hope for the wonders of His grace. Thy Lord is verily the Truth, the Knower of the unseen.

O My Afnan! Know thou with clear certainty that thy existence and continuance in service to the Cause is better than what thou hast chosen for thyself and desired from thy Lord. With supreme joy and greatest gladness bestow from the cup of the love of God. The Afnans of the Sacred Tree have come for teaching, yet in all circumstances ye must observe wisdom. We have chosen in the Most Holy Court someone to act as thy deputy in teaching the Cause of God. The Hand of Power hath outwardly and inwardly preserved and will continue to preserve Its Afnans.

We counsel thee to patience in separation. Verily thy Lord is the All-Patient. He commandeth thee to beautiful patience. He hath ordained for thee that which causeth bodies to soar, let alone spirits. Thou hast been under the glances of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, the Mighty, the Powerful. Know thou the station of this most great station and say: Thine is the grace, O Purpose of the worlds, and Thine the glory, O Glory of those in the heavens and the earth! The glory be upon thee and upon those who love thee and hearken to thy word in this perspicuous Cause.

BH03635: The whole world was brought from nothingness into being…

He is the Hearer, the Answerer

The whole world was brought from nothingness into being for the presence before the Throne of the One Who conversed on Sinai. And when the Sun of Truth shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of grace, all turned away and denied. Blessed is he who was not kept back from turning towards God by the opposition of the divines and rulers, and blessed is the steadfast one whom the winds of hatred and animosity did not disturb.

Thy name was mentioned before the Wronged One, and there was revealed from the Supreme Pen that which shall endure as long as the kingdom of earth and heaven endure. We counsel thee to preserve it. One word from the exalted utterances that appears from the Dayspring of the pronouncement of the Lord of Names is, in the sight of God—exalted be His glory—superior to all that is observed on earth. All things that have been created—the ornaments of the world and its adornments, and likewise wife and children—all are divine bounties, but they are not lasting. The exalted word, however, is everlasting and enduring, and in every one of the divine worlds it is a steadfast helper and an unwavering companion to its possessor. It has been and ever shall be. “Wealth and children are an adornment of the life of this world. But the good deeds which endure are better in thy Lord’s sight for reward, and better in respect of hope.” We beseech God to assist thee and ordain for thee that which will draw thee nigh unto Him and profit thee. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having guided me to the ocean of Thy knowledge and the heaven of Thy wisdom. I beseech Thee by the light which hath shone forth from the horizon of Thy grace to preserve me through Thy power and might, and to ordain for me that which will make me independent through Thy riches and steadfast in Thy Cause. Furthermore I beseech Thee, O Lord of the worlds and Educator of the nations, to ordain for me goodly offspring who will remember Thee among Thy creatures and aid Thee in Thy realm through wisdom and utterance. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower.

BH03735: O Ibn-i-Ismi Asdaq, upon you both be My glory…

He is the Protector of those who are on earth and in heaven.

O Ibn-i-Ismi Asdaq, upon you both be My glory and My loving-kindness.

Some time ago you were blessed with the verses of the Supreme Pen. His honor A.T. attained the presence of the Wronged One. Praise be to God, the divine hands of protection preserved him and he arrived in the prison-city with joy and fragrance. He heard the Call with his own ears and was blessed to behold the horizon of revelation. He has attained to that which was recorded in the Books of God, the Lord of the worlds. He mentioned you and those related to you, and each one attained to that which is the cause of eternal life and everlasting existence.

O Ibn-i-Asdaq! We beseech God—glorified be His majesty—to aid thee in that which befitteth this most great Cause and most glorious station. In thy journeys thou must move by such means as will cause the exaltation of the Word, the manifestation of godliness, and severance. The days are passing like lightning. Strive that thou mayest attain to that which is the cause of joy and gladness and the drawing near of the servants of God.

Convey My greetings to the people of God. We counsel them with that which will raise up the mention of God and His Cause amongst His servants and creation.

Say: My God, my God! Aid me to arise to serve Thee and cause to appear from me that which will speed the sincere ones to Thy path. O my Lord! Strengthen my outer and inner being with the hosts of wisdom and utterance. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower.

I beseech Thee, O God of existence, to rain down upon Thy loved ones the showers of Thy mercy and bounty, then ordain for them the good of the hereafter and of this world through Thy will and purpose. Verily Thou are powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Great.

BH04338: O people of God! Great is the Cause…

He is the All-Hearing, the All-Speaking

O people of God! Great is the Cause and great is the Day. The Seal of the Prophets and Guide of all paths hath spoken from God:

“The Day when men will be as scattered moths, and the mountains will be like carded wool.”

Blessed is the soul whom the doubts of the ignorant and the hints of the heedless prevented not from the Purpose nor held back from turning to the Truth. Give praise to the Lord of the world Who confirmed thee and guided thee to the horizon of proof. The evidence hath been sent down, the proof is resplendent, and the path is clear, yet the servants remain debarred and veiled. Through vain imaginings they turned away from the Sovereign of certitude, and through conjecture they shut their eyes to the perspicuous Book. The recompense of deeds and the fancy of hopes have prevented the people of earth from their ultimate end.

Say: O concourse of earth! Neither your deeds nor your children nor what ye possess shall profit you this Day. Fear God and be not of the wrongdoers. Say: Turn ye to the Truth. The world hath no station nor rank—it never had and never will. Detach yourselves from that which perisheth and hold fast unto that which endureth. This is the Most Exalted Word sent down from the heaven of grace and bounty. Take hold of it in the name of your Lord and leave all else beside it. Thus doth the Supreme Pen counsel you in this impregnable stronghold. The mercy of God hath preceded thee and He hath mentioned thee in the Most Great Prison.

Say: Praise be to Thee, O Thou Goal of the world, and glory be to Thee, O Thou Beloved of the nations! I beseech Thee to make me speaking in Thy remembrance, steadfast in the service of Thy Cause, and firm in Thy love. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful. There is no God but Thee, the Single One, the All-Knowing, the Mighty, the All-Informed.

BH04527: The truthful and the false have ever existed…

He is the Hearing, the Answering

The truthful and the false have ever existed in the world. The Shi’ih sect considered themselves the most truthful and learned in the world. There was no test, and likewise no distinction between the servants. Therefore for one thousand two hundred years they accepted some and established for them the station of divinity, while others they denounced as unbelievers. The cause of this was the turbaned ones. The helpless servants followed the words of those false ones and throughout the ages were pleased and delighted with their own deeds and words. But when the appointed time came and the test appeared, all cursed and reviled the Truth, and finally issued the decree for His death. Reflect upon these matters so that thou mayest find the truth and become aware, for whoever becomes aware will no longer cling to those vain imaginings and will find himself free and unfettered.

His honor Amin, upon him be My glory and My loving-kindness, mentioned you and beseeched God that He might assist you and grant you success in that which is befitting the Days of God. He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

We convey Our greetings to the friends in that land and give them the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness. Blessed is he who hath heard and responded. Woe unto the heedless. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH04522: This is a Book sent down in truth…

He is the One Who speaketh in the heaven of utterance.

This is a Book sent down in truth for people who know, and it guideth mankind unto the path of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Blessed is he who hath inhaled the fragrance of his Lord’s utterance and hath testified to that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken from His exalted station.

When thou hearest the call from the most exalted horizon, say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens, for having illumined my heart with the light of Thy knowledge and for having sent down unto me Thy verses and caused me to hear Thy call. I beseech Thee by Thy power which the hosts and ranks cannot weaken, and by Thy Name through which Thou hast subdued the worlds of the unseen and the seen, to make me in all conditions moved by Thy will, holding fast unto Thy cord, and acting according to what Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. Praise be unto Thee, O my God, my Lord and my Support, for having remembered me time after time, and adorned me with the ornament of Thy knowledge, and enabled me to turn unto Thee. I beseech Thee to aid me under all conditions to be steadfast in Thy Cause and to arise to serve Thee. Verily Thou art the Almighty over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Commander, the All-Wise.

O my God! Send Thy blessings upon Thy loved ones and chosen ones who have not broken Thy covenant and Thy testament, and whom the clamor of Thy creatures and the doubts of those of Thy servants who have changed Thy bounty, turned away from Thy beauty, and denied Thy manifestation and Thy verses have not hindered. I beseech Thee, O God of Names, to send down upon me from the heaven of Thy bounty that which will draw me nigh unto Thee. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful, and worthy of answering prayers.

BH04531: Praise be to God that thou didst migrate…

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

Praise be to God that thou didst migrate and set thy face toward the most exalted station, attaining that which was recorded and inscribed in the divine Books. On the Day of Recompense the Divine Lote-Tree appeared with wondrous fruits, delectable produce and radiant leaves. At that time the winds of tests blew from the dawning-place of the will of Him Who causeth the morning to break, preventing most leaves from the blessed Tree and casting them to the dust. However, He preserved and strengthened His branches through the arm of power and the hand of might, until they attained His presence and were adorned by meeting Him. The days of attainment are surely remembered—a single moment’s pause in the Desired Land cannot be equaled by centuries and ages. He Who speaketh in every condition beareth witness to this: verily there is no God but Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

Thou didst arrive and attain. Thy name was inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Book. God willing, with perfect certitude and assurance thou wilt remain adorned with praiseworthy characteristics and occupied in the remembrance of the Goal of all the worlds. Verily He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. That which was sent was accepted. Blessed are My branches and My leaves who have drunk the wine of steadfastness from the cup of My bounty, and My handmaidens who have attained to My remembrance and praise and My loving-kindness which hath preceded all who are in the heavens and the earth. The Glory be upon thee from Us and upon My leaves. We beseech God to ordain for each one of them the good of the hereafter and of this world. Verily He hath power over all things and is worthy to answer.

BH04424: The Commander commands and it behooveth the commanded…

The Commander commands and it behooveth the commanded to hearken.

Blessed is He Who hath sent forth His emissaries to His lands as a token of His grace, for He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. He desireth naught but the elevation of souls and their advancement, as this perspicuous Book doth testify. Say: O people of the earth! Cast away vice and lay hold of virtue, by the command of One Who is All-Knowing, All-Wise. Your riches and whatsoever ye possess shall profit you not. Cast away vain imaginings and take hold of that which hath been vouchsafed unto you from God, the Lord of all worlds.

O Habibu’llah! The Supreme Pen maketh mention of thee. God willing, thou shalt attain thereunto and arise to serve the Cause with a service worthy of it. By the Sun of utterance which hath dawned from the horizon of the Mother Book, the teachers and servants of the Cause who are accounted in the Crimson Book as the chosen ones of God’s Cause must needs adorn their heads with the crown of piety and their temples with the robe of detachment. Such is God’s decree, both in the past and future. Well is it with them that act accordingly.

We beseech God that He may sanctify all those who are related, both male and female, from whatsoever is unseemly, and confirm them in that which shall cause the exaltation and elevation of the Word. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

We have made mention, and continue to make mention, of Jamal, upon him be My glory and mercy and loving-kindness. Give him the glad-tidings of My bounty and grace, that he may rejoice and be of them that are thankful. The Glory be upon thee from Us, and upon him, and upon thy mother, and upon those who are with you, and upon all who are steadfast and firm.

BH04936: O Yusuf! Night and day the verses of God…

He is God, the Expositor, the All-Knowing

O Yusuf! Night and day the verses of God are being revealed, His evidences are manifest, His call is raised, His path is visible, and His balance is established. Yet those souls who throughout ages and centuries awaited the appearance of Him Who conversed on Sinai are today veiled and deprived of the ocean of grace. They have abandoned the Book of Certitude and cling to vain imaginings. The fragrances of revelation have perfumed the world and the luminary of utterance has illumined all regions, yet there exists no eye to behold it, nor any ear to hearken to its call. Today the learned and the ignorant, the high and the low, all stand on the same plane. Whosoever turns and draws near—they are accounted among the people of certitude in the Manifest Book by the Pen of God, recorded and inscribed.

In all conditions, beseech God to protect thee. Some souls attribute themselves to the Truth while they follow the desires of self and passion. I am quit of them, as every fair-minded and discerning one doth testify. The Truth is manifest and the verses are clear, and all have been commanded to sanctification and detachment for the exaltation of the Cause. Yet some have deviated from the straight path and have committed that which hath caused lamentations to rise and tears to flow. We beseech God to assist thee in that which will draw thee nigh unto Him. Verily He is the Almighty, the Powerful, and worthy to answer.

BH04803: The Book of God standeth before the faces…

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

The Book of God standeth before the faces of all who speak, and in every moment proof and evidence are manifest. A herald calleth out from the direction of the Throne and summoneth all who are on earth to the most exalted horizon. Blessed is the soul whom neither the chains of men nor the clamor of the wayward have kept back from the Self-Sufficing, the Most High.

O people of God! Count ye as precious this time and strive that ye may gain a portion from the effulgent lights of this Revelation and attain unto the recognition of God, exalted be His glory. In this day the Concourse on High and the dwellers of the Most Exalted Paradise are all engaged in praise and thanksgiving to God, inasmuch as the lights of His Revelation have encompassed all things. Were but a single melody from the melodies of the people of Paradise to reach the ears of the servants in these days, all would find themselves wholly detached from all else save God and would set their faces toward the most sublime summit and most exalted horizon. Blessed art thou and blessed is he who hath heard the Call and answered his Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of bounty and bestowal, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O Sovereign of earth and heaven! I beseech Thee by the penetrating power of Thy Will and the potency of Thy Purpose and the shrill voice of Thy Pen to ordain for this servant of Thine that which will draw him nigh unto Thee and profit him in every world of Thy worlds. Thou art, verily, the Lord of all beings and the Lord of the Throne on high and of earth below. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

BH04671: This night is among the nights of the blessed…

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

This night is among the nights of the blessed month of Ramadan. Wisdom has necessitated that We observe the fast. At night We speak, while in the day We are silent. Yet within speech lies concealed the treasury of silence, and within silence is stored the ocean of utterance. Is the world of ears destined to receive a portion of hearing this, or is the world of eyes assigned a share of beholding?

Glory be to God! The mysteries are manifest before the faces of the righteous, and the Book speaks with the most exalted call. A secret that was forever hidden and stored in the treasury of divine protection has become evident and manifest. Beseech the True One that He may not deprive His servants of the outpourings of His days, nor withhold them from the pearls of the ocean of His knowledge. He is the Bestower, the Compassionate.

When thou art stirred by the breezes of My verses and art given to drink of the Kawthar of My utterance, turn toward My direction and say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having illumined my heart with the light of Thy knowledge and my sight with beholding the traces of Thy Pen. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Signs and by the revelations of the Day-Star of Thy Cause from the Supreme Horizon, to make me one of those who have hearkened to Thy most sweet call and have said: “Here am I, here am I, O Creator of the heavens!” My Lord! Thou seest me gazing toward the horizon of Thy bounty and hoping for the waves of the ocean of Thy generosity and favor. I beseech Thee not to withhold from me what I have desired of Thy grace. Verily Thou art the One with power over whatsoever Thou willest through Thy word “Be” and it is.

BH11772: Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, my…

He is God, exalted be His glory, the Lord of wisdom and utterance!

Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, my Lord, and my Support, for having enabled me to recognize the Dawning-Place of Thy verses, the Dayspring of Thy clear tokens, and the Source of Thy commandments and ordinances—He upon Whom Thou didst send down the Furqan, and through Whom Thou didst separate truth from falsehood, and light from darkness. I beseech Thee, O God of all beings and Educator of all created things, by the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty and the effulgent lights of the Day-Star of Thy generosity unto Thy servants, to ordain for this servant of Thine that which will exalt Thy name amongst Thy creatures. Then write down for me what Thou hast written for Thy chosen ones and Thy trusted ones.

Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever Thou willest, and within Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth. Furthermore, I praise Thee and thank Thee for the blessing which Thou hast sent down from the heaven of Thy Will and the atmosphere of Thy Purpose. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Signs and Thy Most Great, Most Holy, Most Exalted Cause, to bless his footsteps among us and ordain for him that which will gladden hearts and bring joy to eyes. Verily, Thou art God, there is none other God but Thee, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

O Alif and Ha, upon thee be the peace of God, the Lord of all mankind. The Wronged One hath remembered thee before and after, and beseecheth God, glorified and exalted be He, to open before thy face the gates of gifts and favors, and to make the one whom We have named ʿAbdu’r-Rahman confirmed in that which He loveth and pleaseth. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the All-Bountiful.

BH05178: He, verily, hath come from the heaven of utterance…

He is the One manifest with truth.

He, verily, hath come from the heaven of utterance with a clear proof and hath summoned all to the supreme horizon. Blessed are they who are endued with true understanding, who have cast away transgression and wickedness and have held fast to righteousness and the fear of God. These are they who possess insight in this age and are numbered by God, the Lord of all worlds, among the people of the Greatest Vision. The Trusted One made mention of thee, whereupon We make mention of thee and bid thee to that which will exalt thy station in this glorious and luminous station. We have adorned the heaven of utterance with the stars of proof and have sent down therefrom that which delighteth the eyes of them that are nigh unto God, who have taken hold of the Book of God with the power that proceedeth from Him and have clung to His firm and mighty Command.

Say: O concourse of the Torah! The Friend hath appeared and the Interlocutor hath come, both giving glad tidings of that which hath appeared and shone forth from the horizon of God’s Will, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Cast away what ye have heard from the manifestations of idle fancies. The gate of heaven hath been opened and the Lord of Names hath come with His Revelation. None denieth this save they who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of the mighty Throne. Let not the turning away of them that have turned aside grieve thee, nor the doubts of the doubtful hinder thee. Take hold of My Book with My strength, in spite of them that have cast the Command of God behind their backs—these, verily, are among the idolaters. Blessed art thou for having cast away vain imaginings through His Self-Subsisting Name on this blessed and wondrous Day. We beseech God to make thee steadfast in this Cause. Verily, He is the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

BH05222: O ʿAli-before-Muhammad! Praise be to God…

He is the One Who beholdeth him who hath turned towards Him.

O ʿAli-before-Muhammad! Praise be to God that in the earliest days thou didst attain unto the recognition of the Lord of all beings. Neither the veils of the divines nor the obscurities of the jurisprudents did prevent thee from the Most Exalted Horizon. This station is great. We beseech God that He may aid thee to remain steadfast in all conditions, inasmuch as the barking ones, the treacherous ones, and the calumniators lie in wait, seeking to find someone to whom they may impart that which leadeth astray.

Thou and the departed one who hath ascended unto the Supreme Companion have ever been and continue to be remembered. In these days the honored ʿAttar, upon him be My Glory, made mention of you, and this most wondrous and most exalted Tablet hath been sent down from the heaven of favor especially for you, that thou mayest inhale the fragrance of the All-Merciful from His utterance and the sweet-scented breeze of divine knowledge from His Book.

The handmaiden, thy sister, upon her be the Glory of God, hath been honored with a divine Tablet, and there hath been revealed especially for her that which hath no likeness or peer. We, from this station, send Our glorification upon thee and upon her, as a grace from God, the Lord of the worlds.

Convey to all the kindred ones the greetings of the Wronged One and give them the glad-tidings of God’s favor. Verily, He is the Protector of the men and women who are devoted to Him. The Glory be upon you from Us, and upon those who have believed in God, the One, the All-Informed.

BH05595: O ʿAliyyih! The Hand of Loving-kindness took hold…

In the name of the Desire of the souls

O ʿAliyyih! The Hand of Loving-kindness took hold of thee and favored thee with Its confirmation. Through His bounty thou didst seek the most distant station, the ultimate goal and the supreme summit. Thou didst attain unto service and wert honored to hearken unto His call. Thy name is wondrous, thy mention is new, thine acceptance is recorded and thy love is accepted. The divine bounties are beyond reckoning and sanctified above comprehension.

The whole world, outwardly, hath turned away save a few, and they strive and labor to extinguish the divine light and cut down the celestial Tree. However, from the beginning of days the Tree hath appeared before the faces of all, bearing countless fruits. Not for a moment did it conceal itself or hide from sight. Time and again it was imprisoned, and time and again like captives it fell into the hands of enemies. Nevertheless, its tongue ceased not from praise nor its pen from movement. Glorified be His majesty and magnified be His power! There is none other God but Him.

We beseech God to confirm thee and preserve from obliteration that which hath been recorded. Give thanks unto thy Lord and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the world, for having adorned me with the ornament of Thy love and caused me to recognize the Dawning-Place of Thy verses and the Source of Thy commandments. I beseech Thee to make me steadfast in Thy love and to hold fast unto the cord of Thy bounty. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing.

BH05628: O leaf, companion of the person of the name…

He is the Hearer and the Speaker

O leaf, companion of the person of the name of God “Jamal,” upon both of you be the Most Glorious Beauty of God! The Leaf of the Divine Lote-Tree makes mention of you and has granted from the ocean of utterance that which cannot be equaled by all the treasures of the world. Today the winds of self and passion and ignorance and blindness have caused most of the leaves of the world to fall and become deprived of the Lote-Tree, while you through boundless grace and infinite mercy have clung to it, gazed upon it and held fast to it. The grace of God, exalted be His glory, took hold of you and guided you to His straight path. You heard the call of the Wronged One and attained His presence. Give thanks to your Lord for this great bounty. His remembrance is the Sovereign of all remembrance and His Cause is the Sovereign of all causes.

Convey My greetings to the handmaidens in that land who are sanctified and detached from names and stories of old. O My leaves and My handmaidens! You have ever been remembered and have attained His grace. That which is now necessary and obligatory is steadfastness. Hold fast unto it. Blessed is the handmaiden who has detached herself from all else save God and has held fast to His firm cord and His manifest Command. The glory from Us be upon you and upon them and upon those women who have believed in God and have said:

“We believe in Thee, O Thou the Goal of the world, and we have turned unto Thee, O Thou the Beloved of those who are in the heavens and on earth.”

BH05633: From the beginning of the Cause this Wronged One…

In the Name of the All-Knowing Speaker!

From the beginning of the Cause this Wronged One sacrificed His life, spirit, wealth, honor and comfort—all—in the path of the Goal of all the worlds, and arose alone to promote the Cause—an arising that no circumstance could alter and no might of the ungodly could prevent Him from proclaiming the Cause. And likewise there befell Him such oppression from the oppressors as caused grief to the Concourse on High. And when the Luminary of God’s Will, exalted be His glory, illumined the horizons, the people of discord emerged from their ambush and, with swords of hatred and animosity, attempted to slay the Lord of Names.

We beseech God not to deprive His servants of justice and fairness, nor withhold from them the waters of mercy. Praise the Goal of all the worlds Who granted success and guided thee to the straight path. The divines of Iran who considered themselves the most learned and excellent in the world wander in the wilderness of error, while thou hast attained to the recognition of the Goal. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this supreme gift and most exalted rank, then beseech Him to aid thee in preserving what thou hast been given from the presence of the Strong, the Ancient.

BH05970: O Khudabakhsh! The people of the world rejected…

He is the One Who rules over all names!

O Khudabakhsh! The people of the world rejected and denied God’s bounty. He appeared to bestow upon all eternal life and everlasting sustenance and rest and prosperity, yet the people turned away and rose up to harm Him. We beseech God to assist His loved ones to serve His Cause and exalt His Word. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. Glory be to God! The signs have encompassed the world and the evidences are more manifest than the sun, yet every faction clings to vain imaginings. Those who have denied God and His verses, and rejected His sovereignty and His manifestation and His power, have truly lost. They are among those who have perished in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds. We counsel all to wisdom lest the clamor rise of those who have broken God’s covenant and testament. Thus doth the Wronged One admonish you as a grace from Him, and He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. The honored Amin has repeatedly mentioned you and sought bounties for the friends in that land. We beseech God to illumine all with the light of recognition and grant them a portion of the sealed wine. Verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer.

BH05868: In My Name that overshadoweth all names

In My Name that overshadoweth all names.

This is a Book which the Wronged One hath sent down unto him who hath turned toward God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. We have mentioned thee before in various verses, and at this hour through this perspicuous Tablet. We heard thy mention and made mention of thee, and saw thy name and revealed for thee that which attracteth hearts. When thou hast attained unto My Tablet and drunk the choice wine of revelation from the cup of My bounty, say:

My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having caused me to hear Thy call and to behold the tokens of Thy Pen and for having intoxicated me with the choice wine of Thy utterance. O my Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Command which Thou hast made the key to the gates of Thy mercy and grace, and by the dawning manifestations of the Sun of Thy bounty in Thy days, to aid me in that which will draw me and Thy servants nigh unto Thee. O my Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I beseech Thee by the fragrances of Thy most sweet utterance to manifest through me that which will spread abroad Thy mention and praise amongst Thy creation. Then ordain for me the good of the world to come and of this world. Verily Thou art the Lord of the Throne on high and of the earth below. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The Glory rest upon thee and upon thy wife and upon every believing man and every believing woman who hath turned and hath said:

“Here am I, O Thou Goal of the mystics and God of all who are in the heavens and on earth!”

BH05898: Equal to the previous Books, nay greater, have verses…

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

Equal to the previous Books, nay greater, have verses descended from the heaven of divine knowledge, and the horizon of the world is illumined and radiant from the dawning lights of the Day-Star of Manifestation. Yet the blind have no share in beholding it. They cling to vain imaginings and are occupied with their own selfish desires.

Blessed is he who was not prevented by the world’s rejection, nor deprived of drawing nigh unto the Truth by the veils of the nations. With the finger of certitude he rent asunder the veils, and with a pure and sanctified heart he aimed for the most exalted summit.

Say: O people of the world! Reflect upon the state of the Wronged One. Without any veil or covering He summoned all, with the most great call, to the straight path of God, and counseled them in that which would cause the exaltation of the Cause and the elevation of beings. Yet ears are lacking and no seeker is to be found.

Give thanks to the Lord of the seen and unseen, that He guided thee and caused thee to attain the traces of the Most Exalted Pen. He is the Ever-Flowing One whose outpouring hath encompassed all things. The glances of His loving-kindness have ever been and shall forever remain turned towards His servants. He is verily the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful, and He is the All-Compassionate, the All-Bountiful.

BH05656: Today the ocean of the utterance of the All-Merciful…

In the name of the peerless Lord!

Today the ocean of the utterance of the All-Merciful is surging and the sun of the bounty of the True One is shining forth and manifest. We beseech God to enable His servants to witness and hearken, that all may come and find that for which they were created from nothingness into being. Glory be to God! Night and day the rain of mercy hath been pouring from the heaven of divine favor and His outpouring hath been manifested in utmost perfection at every moment, yet the people remain heedless. The True One hath at all times made mention of His loved ones and continueth to do so. No seeker hath been denied and no pursuer prevented. His path is clear and His proof manifest. Blessed is the soul that hath not been hindered by idle fancies nor deprived by vain imaginings from the Choice Sealed Wine.

We have heard thy call and have answered thee with this Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet. Take it with the hand of certitude and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Beloved of the mystics and Goal of all who are in the heavens and the earth! The Trusted One hath mentioned thee, so We make mention of thee, and that which thou didst send hath come before the Wronged One and been accepted as a bounty from God, the Lord of the worlds. The Glory be upon thee and upon everyone who is steadfast and firm.

BH06008: He speaks the truth in the Kingdom of Utterance…

He is the Speaking One and He is the Silent One.

He speaks the truth in the Kingdom of Utterance according to a measured degree, and remains silent concerning that which the ears of men cannot bear to hear. Verily, He is the All-Wise One Who speaks with measure. Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses and manifested the clear proofs, yet most people are in strange doubt. They have turned away from the Truth, advancing toward the dawning-places of vain imaginings. They have denied Him in Whom they believed throughout ages and centuries. Say: Do ye not behold the effulgences of the Sun of My Cause? Be fair, by God, and follow not every ignorant one who hath turned away from God, the Lord of lords. They make mention of God with their tongues while the Mother Book beareth witness to their falsehood.

Say: This is the Day in which the breezes of the morn of Revelation have wafted. Blessed is he who hath inhaled their fragrance and hath awakened and said: “Praise be unto Thee, O Sender of the winds!” Verily He hath appeared with the truth and hath opened the gate of reunion before all who are in earth and heaven. Blessed is he who hath attained the presence, and woe unto every heedless one who hath turned away by following those who have disbelieved in the Beginning and the Return. Blessed art thou for having attained unto My verses and been mentioned by the Pen of My will in this Prison which God hath made the Dawning-place of revelation and inspiration. We counsel thee and those who have believed to that whereby the Cause of God shall be uplifted amongst His servants.

BH05996: O concourse of kindreds! Hearken unto the call…

He is the One Who watcheth over all Names.

O concourse of kindreds! Hearken unto the call of the Lord of all dominion in the Abode of Return. Verily, He summoneth you, in truth, unto God, the All-Subduing, the Self-Subsisting. Take ye My sealed wine in My Name, the Ever-Abiding, then drink thereof at the behest of the All-Mighty, the Well-Beloved.

Say: O concourse of the Furqan! Naught that ye possess shall avail you this Day. Cast away idle fancies, and lay hold on that which ye have been commanded in the Book of God, the Lord of whatsoever hath been and shall be.

This is the Day whereon the orb of proof hath shone forth from the presence of the All-Merciful. Turn ye unto it, and follow not the dawning-places of vain imaginings and idle suppositions. The carpet of your worldly knowledge hath been rolled up, and the ocean of true knowledge hath surged before your very faces. Draw nigh thereunto, then drink from it, by a command from the presence of God, the Lord of existence.

And when thou takest thy flight, with the pinions of certitude, unto the Kingdom of the All-Merciful and findest the sweet savours of the Divine Utterance, then say:

“O my God, my God! Thou beholdest me turning unto Thee, clinging fast to Thy Cord, enkindled with the fire of Thy love, and attracted by Thy verses. I entreat Thee by that sign at whose appearance every neck was bowed low, and at whose manifestation all signs were made to humble themselves, that Thou wilt make me one who speaketh and standeth in Thy remembrance amidst Thy creatures and in the service of Thy Cause.

“O my Lord! I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy bounty to ordain for me that which shall draw me nigh unto Thee, and to strengthen me in whatsoever befitteth Thy days. Verily, Thou art the One, the Alone, the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.”

BH06240: The Mother Book hath appeared and summoned all unto…

He is the Manifest Book

The Mother Book hath appeared and summoned all unto the All-Glorious, the Bestower. O peoples of the earth! Hearken unto the call of God, the Lord of the unseen and the seen. He hath created you for the recognition of the Dayspring of His signs and the Manifestation of His Self. Cast away what the people possess and take hold of that which ye have been given by God, the Lord of all men.

Say: O people of the lands! Fear ye God and deny not Him Who hath come for the salvation of the nations and their purification through the crystal waters of this flowing stream. Blessed is the tongue that hath been restrained from mention and the heart that hath turned unto the Luminary of the horizons. We have commanded all to that which shall preserve them from the promptings of self and passion and draw them nigh unto God, the Lord of the Day of Return. When thou hearest the call from the Most Exalted Horizon, say: Glory be unto Thee, O Lord of the Kingdom of Names and Creator of heaven! I beseech Thee by Thy straight path and Thy mighty announcement to make me of them whom the might of the world hath not frightened and the clamors of the nations have not hindered. They have turned with illumined hearts unto Thy most exalted horizon and heard Thy sweetest call and said:

“Here am I, here am I, O Lord of all beings and Lord of the throne on high and of the dust below! There is none other God but Thee, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

BH06388: O my leaf of the Blessed Tree! His existence…

In the name of the Desired One of all worlds!

O my leaf of the Blessed Tree! His existence is evident and His loving-kindness manifest. Hold fast unto Him with such firmness that neither the winds of the allusions of the ungodly nor the doubts of the suspicious shall cause thee to fall or keep thee back from the Tree.

Blessed is the soul whom the power of all the peoples of the world hath failed to prevent, and whom the might of the nations hath been powerless to deter from turning with a pure and luminous heart and uttering the words “Here am I, O Desired One of the worlds! Here am I, O Lord of eternity!”

The loving-kindness of God, exalted be His glory, hath encompassed His chosen ones and handmaidens. How many are the men who are deprived this day, while thou hast attained. Know thou the value of this supreme bounty and say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O my Best-Beloved, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of my desire, for having made known unto me Thy path and guided me to the Dayspring of Thy signs and the Repository of Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee by Thy Self and by them who have offered up their souls in Thy path to aid this handmaiden of Thine to make mention of Thee and to extol Thee among Thy handmaidens, and to make her steadfast in Thy Cause. Thou art, verily, powerful to do as Thou pleasest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Conquering, the All-Powerful.”

BH07009: I say in truth this is the Day when…

He is the Speaker before the followers of all religions.

I say in truth this is the Day when the horizons of the cities of the world have been illumined by the lights of the Most Great Name. The hidden pearls that were concealed within the shells of the ocean of knowledge have become manifest and evident. The Source of commands and prohibitions and the Treasury of divine knowledge and wisdom is present and visible before all faces. Blessed is the one whom the veils of the peoples of the world did not prevent from the Lord of Eternity. He abandoned all else but God and with an illumined heart raised high the banner of detachment. He is of the people of Baha—upon him be the glory of God and His favors and gifts and bounties.

The honored Amin has repeatedly mentioned the friends of that land, therefore there hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen that which is the river of mercy for the thirsty ones and the light of knowledge for the seekers. Praise thou the Goal of the world, for verily He hath guided thee to His straight path and acquainted thee with the Great Announcement. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds and the Master of the Day of Judgment.

BH07432: O my leaf! I testify that thou hast attained…

In the name of the Peerless Friend!

O my leaf! I testify that thou hast attained unto the presence of God and turned towards Him when thou didst hear the Call, and set thy face towards Him when the Sun of Revelation shone forth from the horizon of the One Who conversed on Sinai. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this most great favor. I swear by the Sun of Truth that this deed is the king of all deeds. Preserve it in the name of Truth. Man must be mindful in all conditions. Soon all that is visible shall vanish, and that which is everlasting and enduring hath been and shall ever be the Word of God. Its traces shall not be obliterated, nor shall it be overtaken, and its fruits shall endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. God doth obliterate and confirm whatsoever He pleaseth, and with Him is the Mother Book. Convey My greetings to the secluded ones among the Afnan and give them the glad-tidings of His grace and favor. The Glory from before the Divine Lote-Tree be upon its twigs and leaves, and upon every maidservant who hath heard and attained and believed in God, the Single, the All-Informed.

BH08088: We make mention of him who is named Musa…

He is the Hearer, the Answerer!

We make mention of him who is named Musa and give him the glad-tidings of this Most Great Announcement. O Musa! Hearken unto the Call from the Divine Lote-Tree: Verily there is none other God but Him, the Single One, the All-Informed. Through Him the ocean of knowledge has surged before the faces of all religions, and the fruits have spoken upon the trees. The Chosen One has come with clear sovereignty. Take hold of the Book of God with the power that is from Him. Verily He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Shatter the idols of vain imaginings in the name of the Lord of all men. He will assist thee through His grace, and He is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Nothing can prevent Him from that which He willeth, nor can the might of the ungodly weaken Him. We counsel thee and those who have turned towards God to fear God, the Mighty, the Beautiful. Recite the Book of God; verily it will guide you to an exalted station. Thus hath the Pen spoken when the Wronged One was in this mighty prison.

BH08447: The fire of self and passion hath afflicted most…

He is the All-Seeing Speaker!

The fire of self and passion hath afflicted most of the people of the earth and kept them back from drawing nigh unto God, glorified be His majesty. Night and day they are consumed by the fire of greed and deprived of the light of detachment. With all their soul they strive after wealth and glory, heedless of to whom this wealth shall revert the following day and who shall inherit this glory. We beseech God that He may assist thee and the sons of Khalil and the heirs of Kalim in that land to achieve that which is befitting. Make mention of each one on behalf of this Wronged One. Jinab-i-Amin, upon him be My glory, hath made mention of each one and hath been blessed with the sacred verses from the Supreme Pen. We beseech God, exalted be He, to preserve you and ordain for you the best in this world and the next. Verily He is the Lord of all creation. There is none other God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH08163: All the peoples of the world believe themselves…

In the name of the one true God!

All the peoples of the world believe themselves to be gazing toward the Truth and to have attained His knowledge, yet the Truth hath not acknowledged this, nor doth He accept these claims, for today the Truth is manifest and the Kingdom of Utterance is present before all faces, yet all remain heedless and veiled. Blessed is the party that hath separated itself from all parties and hath been designated in the Tablets as the Party of God. Today all ties are severed. Blessed is the soul that hath attained the tie of the Truth—such a one is accounted as one of the gems of existence in the presence of Him Who is the Ever-Living. O Aqa Jan! We have previously made mention of thee. The glance of Our loving-kindness hath ever been directed toward His loved ones. We beseech Him to aid thee at all times in that which will cause the elevation of God’s Cause. Convey the greetings of the Wronged One to the friends, that perchance this remembrance may draw them nigh unto God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

BH10486: O Muhammad-Qabl-i-Rahim! Thou hast attained unto the Most Great…

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

O Muhammad-Qabl-i-Rahim! Thou hast attained unto the Most Great Horizon and the favors of the Lord of Divine Decree. Know thou the worth of this most exalted station. We counsel thee with that which will cause the elevation of thy station. The world is transient—look not unto it, but rather unto Him Who created and manifested it. This Wronged One hath ever enjoined upon His servants that which is conducive to the appearance of divine bounty and blessing. The door of wealth is trustworthiness. We counsel all Our loved ones to observe it. Hold fast unto it, then know its station. Verily, the Wronged One is the True Counsellor, the Trustworthy.

BH10713: O Inayatu’llah Attar, upon whom be the Glory…

He is the All-Knowing and the All-Powerful.

O Inayatu’llah Attar, upon whom be the Glory of the Chosen One! Mention hath been made of thee, wherefore the glance of loving-kindness hath been directed towards thee and thou hast been made to attain unto the verses of the Most Exalted Pen. Today no consideration is given to mere kinship. We have mentioned thee for the love of God. Strive thou to attain unto a station worthy of these days. Praise be to the Goal of all existence Who brought thee forth from the loins of one of His loved ones. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

BH10935: O Shukru’llah! Thou hast attained unto that which was…

He is the Manifest, the Speaking One, the Most Great.

O Shukru’llah! Thou hast attained unto that which was mentioned and recorded in the divine Books. Beseech thou God that He may assist thee to preserve this lofty and glorious station. The days are passing; strive thou to attain unto that which shall be inscribed in the Book of God and shall remain preserved from obliteration. This is the counsel of the Wronged One unto His loved ones. Blessed are they that act.

BH11469: O my handmaiden and my leaf!… Today the education…

…O my handmaiden and my leaf!… Today the education of children and their protection is regarded as the most meritorious of all deeds in the sight of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Though outwardly it may be toilsome, yet it is the cause of eternal rest and has ever been so….

BH11871: Praise, sanctified from decline and transformation, change and obliteration…

Section 1: “Praise, sanctified from decline and transformation, change…”

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

Praise, sanctified from decline and transformation, change and obliteration, befitteth the Court of the Self-Subsisting One, Who hath summoned them that are endued with understanding unto the horizon of His Manifestation in their ultimate habitation. His favor hath encompassed the world of existence, both seen and unseen. His path is like unto a brilliant and luminous lamp, and His proof like unto the manifest and resplendent sun. The sweet waters of His utterance are the portion of them that thirst in the city of understanding. Glorified be His majesty and universal be His bounty! Glory be unto God that despite this, the blind have not seen—and praise be to God that they have not seen! The fewer the rivals, the sweeter and more pleasant is the work of the lovers.

O lovers! Come ye, come ye! The Beloved is manifest and rivals are scarce. Now is the time to take the cup of reunion from the hand of the Self-Sufficient One and, despite the servants’ opposition, to drink therefrom. A thousand pities and a hundred thousand regrets that while the Desired One is present and manifest without veil or concealment, yet the people of the world are some turned away, some bewildered, and some astonished. By what excuse do they excuse themselves? If they say divine proof is the Book, we present a hundred books. If they say it is explanation, in most books, scriptures and tablets hath been revealed that which every person of insight testifieth to the power and all-encompassing knowledge of God, exalted be His glory.

Would one possessed of insight be denied a drop from the Most Great Ocean, or a particle from the sun? What intoxication hath seized them all! By the life of our Object, the recompense of their deeds hath seized them all and barred them from the direction of the Divine Unity. We beseech God to grant awareness to the heedless and wakefulness to them that slumber. The forbearance of God, exalted be His glory, seeketh salvation for all. Verily He is the Most Merciful of them that show mercy and the Most Generous of the generous ones.

Thereafter, the letter of that spiritual beloved arrived, from which wafted the fragrance of submission and contentment, and from which appeared the glad tidings of health and well-being. After its perusal and reading, it ascended to the Most Exalted Kingdom and, after permission was granted, attained the honor of being heard in the presence. This is what was revealed in reply, blessed and exalted be His Word:

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Informed

This is a Book which the Wronged One hath revealed, wherein He giveth glad tidings unto the servants of God’s Kawthar, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling. Verily it is My utterance in the dominion of My knowledge. Blessed is he who hath heard and hath said: “Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the seen and unseen!” The ocean of certitude hath surged at the right hand of the All-Merciful, and the fragrance of revelation hath wafted when the Ancient Beauty was established upon the throne of His name, the All-Loving. The worlds of wisdom and utterance have been illumined by the lights of the Sun of My manifestation, yet most of the people do not understand. They have denied that which hath appeared with truth and that which hath been sent down through grace, yet they perceive it not. They hear the verses of God and deny them, and they see His clear tokens and turn away from them. By My life! They are of those who have broken God’s covenant and His testament, and have abandoned that which they were commanded in the Preserved Tablet.

Hearken unto the call from the direction of the Prison. It will draw thee nigh unto God, the Lord of existence. Beware lest the hints of those who have turned away from the Truth and the doubts of those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of the Kingdom, make thee sorrowful. Say: O people of the earth! Fear God and follow not every ignorant and veiled one. Behold ye and remember when Muhammad, the Messenger of God, came with clear signs, the people denied Him and committed that whereby the pillars of the Word were scattered and the essences of existence lamented. Come ye and judge with fairness: By what proof did ye believe in God’s Messengers of old, and by what evidence do ye now turn away from the Truth, the Knower of things unseen, Who calleth aloud before the faces of all mankind: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Lord of the Promised Day!”

O people! Ye may produce what ye possess, and We shall set forth unto you the Word of God, the Almighty, the Beloved. Beware lest the books of the world hold you back from the Book of God which speaketh in this praiseworthy station. Say: By God! This is a Day wherein the Mother Book speaketh and all things proclaim: “The Promise is come, and in every matter the Promised One declareth: ʿThere is none other God but Me, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.”’

Hearken unto the divine call in the Persian tongue, that perchance the heedless may become aware and the dead may attain eternal life through the sweet-scented stream of the All-Merciful’s utterance. Today the Sun of loving-kindness hath risen from the highest horizon of the world, and the Luminary of grace shineth from the zenith of the exalted heaven of the Most High Heart. It would be a pity should the servants remain deprived of the Ever-Flowing Source of truth on this day. The rain of mercy poureth down at all times, and the verses of grandeur are revealed throughout nights and days. Say: O ye dead ones! Today the Hand of bounty proffereth the water of immortality; deprive not yourselves thereof.

The Sun of grace, through the blessed Greatest Name, bestoweth spiritual light; render not yourselves deprived. This Day hath no peer or likeness. Trusting in God, set your faces toward the supreme height and most exalted station, which is the recognition of God, exalted be His glory. Say: O My loved ones! Leave delusions to the deluded, and arise with firm steps to serve the Cause. We beseech God to assist you and reinforce you with the hosts of wisdom and utterance. He is the Powerful One to Whose might the tongues of all beings testify. Blessed is the one whom the doubts of the worlds of conjecture and fancy have not held back from the lights of the Luminary of certitude.

Through the Name of God, exalted be His glory, break down the barrier and rend asunder the veils that hinder, that ye may attain unto the pearls of the divine ocean of mercy. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Forgiving.

Make mention of the Wronged One to His loved ones and give them the glad tidings of the divine, heavenly Kawthar. Thy Lord is verily the Compassionate, the Generous.

Praise be to God, thou hast attained that which hath been the cherished hope of those near unto Him. Now, with patience, calm, forbearance and dignity, summon the servants to the horizon of divine knowledge. The conditions of that land and whatsoever hath occurred and shall occur therein are all manifest and visible in the presence of Him from Whose knowledge nothing is hidden. However, He hath repeatedly commanded that the attribute of the Concealer standeth before His face, beseeching, and likewise the attribute of the All-Patient. Therefore, for now these matters remain veiled. The end of all affairs is in the hand of our Lord—He doeth whatsoever He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. Praise be to God that that spiritual friend, after attaining His presence and meeting, was assisted in serving the Cause. Assuredly, whosoever ariseth for the sake of God and wisheth well for all the peoples of the world shall be aided by His invisible confirmations. That honored one hath been mentioned repeatedly in the Most Holy Court, and this servant beseecheth God, exalted be His glory, that His favors may at all times encompass him and His grace assist him. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Furthermore, the petition of the honored friend, Aqa Muhammad-Sadiq, upon him be the glory of God, was received and presented in the Most Holy Court, and one sacred Tablet was specifically revealed for him from the heaven of the Divine Will and dispatched. This servant beseecheth his Lord to assist him in remembering Him and serving His Cause. Verily, He is the Hearer, the Answerer. In truth, from his petition wafted the fragrance of love and steadfastness. How excellent is this! Praise be to God, he hath presented that which is befitting and likewise mentioned that which is requisite for faith and certitude. Verily, bounty is in the hand of God, our Lord and your Lord. He ordaineth what He pleaseth for whom He pleaseth, and He is the Powerful, the Mighty. His blessed and exalted Word:

He is the One Who speaketh in the Kingdom of Utterance

This is a Book which the All-Merciful hath sent down unto him who hath heard the Call and turned towards it, saying:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of all beings, for having manifested Thyself, revealed Thy verses and shown forth Thy clear tokens on a Day whereon the limbs of all names trembled for fear of those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of all worlds.”

O Muhammad-Sadiq! Hear the Call from the Supreme Horizon—verily there is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The servant who is present brought thy letter and presented it before the face of the Wronged One. We perceived from it the fragrance of thy turning, thy devotion, thy humility and thy submissiveness to this Cause whereby the feet of the mystics have slipped. Blessed be thy tongue, for it hath spoken the truth; and thy face, for it hath turned toward the lights of the Countenance; and thy heart, for it hath turned to the One, the All-Informed. When the intoxication of thy Lord’s utterance overtaketh thee and thou drinkest the Kawthar of proof from the cup of bounty and bestowal, say:

“My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having awakened me through the breezes of the dawn of Thy manifestation and raised me up when Thy servants and creatures were thunderstruck. I beseech Thee by the light of Thy Cause which hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of Thy will, and by the Word whereby Thou hast subdued the hearts of Thy loved ones, to make me in all conditions hold fast unto Thy will, cling to the hem of Thy decree, and be content with that which Thou hast ordained for me through Thy bounty and grace. O Lord! Thou seest me turning unto Thee and detached from all else but Thee. Aid me to soar in the atmosphere of Thy nearness and to make mention of Thee and praise Thee in Thy dominion with wisdom and utterance. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower. Then assist me, O Lord of Names and Creator of heaven, to preserve what Thou hast given me through Thy bounty, and ordain for me that which shall be a solace to me in all the worlds of Thy worlds. Verily, Thou art God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Great.”

All praise be unto God, thanksgiving be unto Him, power be unto Him, and authority be unto Him. He hath sent down from the heaven of His knowledge that which hath attracted the hearts of His creation. Man standeth bewildered before the greatness of His grace, bounty and mercy. We beseech Him to perfect our imperfect deeds, actions and words, and to adorn them with the ornament of acceptance. He is the Powerful, He is the Kind. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Help in Peril.

Furthermore, the letter of the honored brother, Haji Hasan Mi?ri, upon him be the Glory of God, which you sent to this servant arrived. Praise be to God, it was the cause of joy, gladness and delight, for it was adorned with the mention of God, exalted be His glory. After reading and reviewing it, it was taken to the Most Exalted Station, presented before His countenance, and attained the honor of His attention. One Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was revealed from the Sacred Heaven specifically for him and was sent. God willing, may they drink from the ocean of utterance of the Desired One of all worlds, cup after cup and chalice after chalice, in spite of those who have denied God and His verses, turned away from His presence, and rejected what hath appeared from Him. And this is what was revealed for him from the heaven of bounty. His blessed and exalted Word:

Section 2: “This is a Book sent down in truth…”

He is the Hearer, the Answerer

This is a Book sent down in truth from the Wronged One to him who hath believed in God, the Lord of lords, that the Call may draw him to the Supreme Horizon and bring him nigh unto a station wherein the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimeth: “There is none other God but I, the Mighty, the Bestower.” The horizons have been filled with the signs of God, the Lord of the Day of Mutual Meeting, yet most of the people are in doubt and dissension. O Hasan! Upon thee be My Glory. Hearken unto My Call from the direction of My prison. Verily, He will aid thee to make mention of Me and to praise Me, and will protect thee from the evil of Mine enemies who have fabricated lies against God, the Lord of all beings.

We have brought forth from the treasuries of Our Most Exalted Pen before the faces of all peoples the pearls of wisdom and utterance, whereunto testifieth the Mother Book. The servant in attendance hath presented thy letter and read it before Our face. We have revealed for thee that wherefrom the sincere ones will find the fragrance of God, the Lord of all religions. Blessed art thou for having rent asunder the veils and turned towards Him when the people were in heedlessness and error. Make mention of My loved ones on My behalf and remind them of what hath been sent down for them from the heaven of grandeur and favors. We beseech God to aid thee to serve the Cause with utterances whereby hearts will be attracted and spirits transformed. Give thanks unto God for having aided thee, given thee success, and given thee to drink from the Kawthar of utterance that which the riches of all parties cannot equal.

In the Persian tongue, hear thou the divine call. By the life of God! Ears have been created and brought from nothingness into being for these days. God willing, mayest thou be set ablaze with the fire of the divine Lote-Tree with such an ignition that its effect will become manifest in the hearts of men. These days have been and are the days of the most great bounty and the supreme mercy. Blessed is the servant who hath arisen to serve the Cause with wisdom and utterance. He is indeed of the people of Baha in the Qayyum-i-Asma. To this testify the Books of God and beyond them every fair-minded and discerning one, and every knowing and informed one.

Glory be unto God! The ornaments of the world have prevented the peoples from the Most Great Name. All have testified and do testify to their transience; yet for the sake of two fleeting days, they have deprived themselves of eternal life and everlasting existence. Arise to serve the Cause, placing thy trust in God. Verily, He will assist thee and aid thee with the hosts of the seen and the unseen. Thy Lord, verily, is powerful over all things. Today the effulgences of the Sun of divine bounty have encompassed all, inasmuch as He hath strictly forbidden conflict, discord and strife in the Book. One must arise to aid the Cause of the Beloved of the worlds through the hosts of wisdom and utterance. This is the command of God, both before and after. Blessed are they that have attained!

Say: My God, my God! Thou seest me clinging fast to Thee and to Thy Cause. Aid me in Thy service, then make my mention to have such effect, through Thy power, that it may guide hearts unto the Supreme Heart, through Whose fragrances the earth and heaven were attracted, and through a single one of Whose signs the Hour appeared with its tokens, and the Resurrection with its mysteries. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest, and within Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth. Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds and Goal of them that have recognized Thee!

Praise be to God, the breezes of His favor have enveloped them. God is witness and testifier that this servant has ever beseeched, in the court of the Goal of all the worlds, that which is sanctified above peer or likeness on behalf of the friends, and has specifically sought confirmation for them and strength to preserve what He has bestowed. Verily, He is the Most Powerful of the powerful and the Most Generous of the generous.

They must engage in assistance both night and day, and likewise in the refinement of souls and the reformation of the world. Surely you have heard of the shepherd in the Age of Ignorance who, though unworthy of mention, through turning to God became the bearer of mysteries and guide of the righteous. Similarly, the fisherman became possessed of heavenly mysteries—he who in previous Books was known as Peter and in the Arabic tongue as Simon.

Furthermore, praise be to God, they were recently adorned with the ornament of true forgiveness. Now they possess the station of one who came into the world through prayer, whom God has manifested through His grace and mercy. Some time ago, a Most Holy and Most Exalted Tablet was specifically revealed and sent to them. It beareth witness that our Lord and their Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

Every person of insight and fairness knows that Hadi Dawlat-Abadi had no understanding whatsoever of the Cause from the beginning, and his heedlessness, misguidance and lack of comprehension reached such a point that he has lately busied himself with organizing a party like unto the Shi’ih party. It would be most fitting for someone to ask him what became of the previous party who for years considered themselves the most learned, most excellent, most noble and most understanding, and what was the fruit of their deeds on the Day of Reckoning, save that they committed that which became evident to the dwellers of the most exalted Paradise and the inhabitants of the supreme Heaven—that they were the most lost among the peoples of the world. By the life of our Lord and your Lord, they committed that which causeth the eye of justice to weep and the Supreme Pen to lament.

To this day the misguided divines of Iran curse the Truth from their pulpits. Such were the deeds of the Shi’ihs on the Day of Resurrection. Now that heedless one, bereft of understanding, occupies himself with mention of successor, chief, noble and the like, intending to establish for the hapless people a Jabulqa of suspicions, a Jabulsa of vain imaginings, and a region of falsehood. By the life of our Beloved and our Goal, it is incumbent and obligatory upon all souls to protect the servants from the evil of that heedless one, lest they be afflicted with fancies like unto those of the past. This servant beseeches God not to deprive any of His servants, nor prevent him and his like from the waves of the ocean of knowledge.

The poor one is heedless and knoweth not that love of leadership hath seized him. During the Manifestation of the Primal Point—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake—love of rank and station deprived all the divines of that age from the Lord of all beings. They pronounced the decree of His death and martyred His followers in every city. They committed that which the Pen is ashamed to recount and the tongue to express. In these lands, one appeared by the name of Mihdi and none turned away from him. Now some hundred thousand souls have gathered around him although his true state is unknown. Yet when the Dawning-Place of divine verses and the Manifestation of the divine Self appeared in Iran, the divines gathered together and subjected Him to the gravest abasement and martyred Him. The curse of God be upon the wrongdoing people!

In these days, numerous letters have repeatedly arrived from the beloved of hearts, his honor Amin, upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, and in each letter mention was made of your honor and the honored one mentioned above, upon him be Baha’u’llah, and his honor Aqa Muhammad Isma’il and his honor Aqa ʿAli and other friends, upon them be Baha’u’llah, and he requested a Tablet for each one. Some time ago Tablets were revealed specifically for some and were sent, and now also in answer to the petitions they have been revealed, and those letters which they themselves had written have been dispatched, and concerning each one he requested bounty. All were presented in the presence of Him from Whose knowledge nothing escapes, and an answer was graciously given. All this is from His all-encompassing grace and His mercy that hath preceded all things. He, verily, is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

As to what was mentioned regarding his honor Abdu’l-Husayn Khan, upon him be the Glory of God, that which would ensure the perpetuity of his remembrance was previously revealed specifically for him and was sent to his honor Amin, upon him be Baha’u’llah, that he might forward it. This servant also conveys greetings to him and beseeches God, exalted be His glory, to assist and grant success in preserving bounties that are without peer or likeness. Likewise, in response to the petition of his honor Haji Ali, upon him be the Glory of God, there was revealed that which is the spirit of life for the body of the world, and one Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was also revealed and sent specifically for his honor Aqa Muhammad Isma’il, upon him be Baha’u’llah. Well is it with them and joy be to them. It is hoped that they will be assisted and enabled to arise with perfect steadfastness and complete determination to spread the verses and teach the Word of the Beloved of the worlds.

Mention was made of his honor Khudabakhsh, upon him be the Glory of God. Praise be to God that he attained unto the traces of the Supreme Pen. Blessed is he and blessed are they whom the happenings of the world and its affairs have not prevented from God, the Lord of the mighty throne. After his name was mentioned before the seat of the world’s Purpose, these exalted words were revealed—exalted and blessed be His utterance:

“O Messenger! The mentioned souls have been set ablaze by the fire of the blessed Tree and illumined by the light of the Cause. Convey greetings from the Wronged One to Khudabakhsh and give him the glad-tidings of the waves of the ocean of divine bounty. Today, whosoever hath turned to the most exalted horizon hath in that instant been encompassed by divine forgiveness. From all directions the realities of things secretly give him glad-tidings and congratulations, saying: ʿHow excellent is thy state, for thou hast been adorned with the ornament of forgiveness and embellished with the crown of justice.’ Blessed are they that attain, and joy be to them that attain! The Command is in God’s hands, the Lord of the worlds.” End quote.

The answer to each of the requests of that spiritual friend hath been revealed from the heaven of divine favor and sent forth. God willing, may ears and eyes be purified by the lights of the utterance of the Most Merciful, and may all give voice to the blessed words “Thine is the praise, O God of the world, and Thine is the glory, O Lord of names.”

And finally, remembrance and glory and splendor be upon thee and upon whosoever heareth the Word and respondeth, for such a one is among the people of this noble station. Praise be to our Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH00983: Praise, thanksgiving, remembrance, glorification, peace and splendor…

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

Praise, thanksgiving, remembrance, glorification, peace and splendor, in the highest degree, befit the most holy and sublime threshold of the Desired One, Whose Pen of Will moves by day and night in remembrance of His chosen ones and near ones. Through the Kawthar of utterance which flows from Him, hearts and minds attain unto a wondrous new life. What pen could ever prove capable of giving thanks for this supreme benevolence and praise for this mighty gift? The waves of the ocean of bounty have appeared in such wise that those who wield the pen are powerless and incapable of enumerating them. His mercy has taken precedence, adorning nothingness with the ornament of existence. Blessed is the soul that in His days has attained, and has become possessed of but one word from His presence. Verily, He is the Mighty, the Bestower, in the beginning and in the end.

Thereafter, O beloved of my heart! A few days ago brief replies were written to your detailed letters, and these were sent along with wondrous and exalted Tablets, that perchance assured souls might drink from the depths of the ocean of oneness concealed within the words of the Desired One of all worlds, and attain unto fresh life. Your letter, together with the letters and petitions of the friends, reached the Most Holy Court, and that which was specifically revealed for each one bears witness to the Day of God and all that hath been made manifest therein. As bidden, give the glad-tidings unto all and deliver whatsoever hath been sent, both past and present. Despite the world’s upheavals and its incidents, and the hatred of the former party—namely the Shiites—the Most Exalted Pen hath not ceased from remembrance, and with the most loud-sounding call hath summoned and continueth to summon all.

In these days, praise be to God, the friends arrive continuously; no space remaineth. In two days, nineteen souls with radiant faces and illumined hearts arrived and attained. Though space is limited, by God’s grace their hearts are vast. In hardship they are patient, holding fast to beautiful patience. The servant beseecheth his Lord to ordain for them the good of this world and the next. Papers numbering the numerical value of Bahhaj (11) were sent. In all cases, beseech the True One, exalted be His glory, to aid all to that which is the cause of eternal remembrance and everlasting life. One Most Holy and Most Exalted Tablet was specifically revealed and sent for Haji Hasan (M.S.), upon him be the Glory of God, and one blessed Tablet specifically for Aqa Muhammad Sadiq, upon him be the Glory of God, in response to his petition. And specifically for the son, wife and uncle of Aqa Ali Haydar, upon him be the Glory of God and His favors, sacred and luminous Tablets were revealed and sent; these will reach them. Indeed, what that beloved one wrote regarding their being set ablaze with the fire of love and their arising to serve the Cause is the truth, in which there is no doubt.

As to what was mentioned concerning the other loved ones, upon them be the Glory of God—all was presented at the Most Holy Court and attained the honor of His hearing. His blessed and exalted Word: “O Amin! Upon thee be My Glory and My loving-kindness.” The letters from your honor, both previous and recent, which you sent to this servant arrived and were presented at the Most Holy Court. We made mention of each of the loved ones mentioned therein. The gaze of the Wronged One has ever been directed toward His loved ones. God willing, may they attain to such a station wherein the happenings of the world will not hold them back from remembrance, praise and service to the Cause.

May they be ignited by the fire of the Divine Lote-Tree and illumined by the light of His Cause. Specifically regarding those souls mentioned from Kaf and Ra for whom your honor requested Tablets—each has attained that around which the ocean of utterance circles. We beseech God to assist them through His grace, to remind them of His verses, draw them nigh unto Him, and ordain for them the Most Great Steadfastness. God willing, it is hoped they will attain this most great and mighty station and behold all else but God as a mere handful of clay.

O My beloved! The helpless servants are unaware, imagining that Hadi-i-Dawlat-Abadi and Mirza Baqir-i-Isfahani are cognizant of the Cause. Every person of insight and hearing testifies that all were and are utterly ignorant and move in absolute darkness. That most grievous calamity was never with the Truth but appeared through a deception that had and has no likeness or equal. The Tablets of God which the late Aqa Hasan, upon him be the Glory of God, carried upon first arriving at the prison fell into the hands of that deceitful oppressor, who gave them to Mirza Hadi, son of that illusory person. He copied them in his own hand in Yahya’s name and sent them to certain places. Where has fairness gone? What happened to justice? They have turned away from the Truth which, from the beginning of the Cause until now, has openly and without any veil summoned the peoples of East and West to the Supreme Horizon, while they cling to idle fancies and idols. Leave them to their vain desires and leave them in their idle discourse, for they neither perceive, nor recognize, nor know.

Glory be to God! Verses have been revealed and descended like rain, yet the heedless ones of the world claim knowledge and, like the former party, have strived and continue to strive to mislead the servants. In that dispensation, a few souls deprived the helpless servants of eternal bounty, everlasting sustenance, and the recognition of God, exalted be His glory. This evanescent servant beseeches and implores God to raise up servants who will protect people from former superstitions, break the idols of falsehood and fancy, and turn toward the station of truth and certitude. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. There is no God but Him, the Lord of the Throne and earth.

Convey greetings from this evanescent servant to the loved ones in every land. I beseech and implore God, exalted be His glory, to cause all to attain that which leads to the reformation of the world and the life of nations. Verily, He has power over all things. Glory, remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those who are with you, who love you and hear your word concerning the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds.

The servant

In the sacred month of Dhi’l-Qa’dih 1305

BH02277: Praise be to the One worthy and deserving, Who…

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

Praise be to the One worthy and deserving, Who adorned the heavens with His pure footsteps and illumined creation with His existence. Upon Him be the blessings of God, the mercy of God, the loving-kindness of God and His grace, and upon His family through whom the pillars of religion were fortified and the signs of God were spread forth at all times.

And then, your letter arrived and brought boundless joy. Praise be to God, you are enjoying the bounties of unity and detachment, and health and well-being. Regarding what you wrote about Qurratu’l-Ayn Inayatu’llah, after it was presented, they said it was very good and a blessed deed has become manifest for Inayatu’llah. In truth this is a favor befitting his name. However, tell Inayatu’llah on my behalf:

“O ʿInayat, we beseech God, glorified be His majesty, for assistance for you, and we seek favor for your favor. Now the signs of favor must become manifest. God willing, you must conduct yourself in such a way as to be the cause of assurance and contentment to your teacher. Do not interfere in affairs without his permission and consent. This is my counsel—hear it well and act upon it. We beseech God to assist you and enable you to elevate your station and exalt your name. Verily, He has power over all things.”

End quote.

In truth, you too must at all times remind Qurratu’l-Ayn and make mention to him of the blessed, goodly words. God willing, there is hope that he will act as befits him and become the cause of manifesting the love of that company. I send greetings to my spiritual friend, Aqa Ghulam-Ali, upon him be God’s everlasting peace. The gift that was sent arrived on the appointed day, attained the presence and was honored with acceptance. Now this blessed word completes the mention: Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

I send greetings to the honored mother of ʿInayatu’llah, upon them both be 966 [Baha’u’llah], and I beseech confirmation for her. We ask God, blessed and exalted be He, to send down upon you a blessing from His presence and mercy from His side. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Your gift also arrived today—one was sent to the mansion and the other is present and has attained what is befitting. Peace, remembrance and praise be upon you and upon God’s righteous servants.

After completing the letter, they summoned and said:

“O ʿInayat, God willing, may you be assisted in that which is the cause of loftiness and exaltation. There is hope, God willing, that you will become the cause of good mention for that party. Verily God is the Powerful, the Unconstrained.”

End quote.

God willing, if he is enabled to accomplish what was mentioned, surely the unseen assistance will assist him and confirm him. Peace be upon you and the mercy of God and His blessings.

The servant, on 4 Dhi’l-Qa’dih al-Haram 1305

BH00954: Praise, sanctified from the world and the mention…

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

Praise, sanctified from the world and the mention of nations, befitteth the Possessor of the Kingdom of eternity and the Creator of earth and heaven, Who through His absolute Will created the heaven and made manifest the earth. From these two the clouds appeared, and from them the rains descended, and from the rains the ocean became manifest, and from it the waves came into being. This is the station of the visible ocean; but as for the ocean of utterance, it hath appeared from the rain of the clouds of truth. Through the movement of the Will, resplendent waves arose, and these waves in one station are His manifestations of Names and attributes that have encompassed the world. Glorified be the Creator, glorified be the Educator, glorified be the Maker, glorified be the Bestower!

And peace and blessings be upon the Most Great Ocean and the Lord of the world and the Goal of nations. He is the ocean of divine knowledge and its waves, and the signs and mysteries of names and attributes. The pearls of this ocean are sanctified beyond counting and exalted above all limitations. Through Him were spread the signs of knowledge and the mysteries of arts. And upon His family and companions, through whom tongues have testified to God’s oneness, power, might, grandeur and sovereignty, and through whom the luminary of justice shone forth among the servants and the sun of grace dawned upon all lands—an everlasting and eternal peace.

To continue: the letter of that spiritual beloved arrived. This servant, thinking it was paper bearing writing, upon touching it found it to be water in spirituality and delicacy—the properties of water were manifest from it. It quenched the thirst of separation and illumined the darkness of remoteness with the light of nearness. A hundred thousand praises upon the intermediaries between us, the interpreters between us, namely the pen and the ink. After attention, consideration and observation, proceeding to the station, it was presented before the countenance of the Lord—His utterance, may our spirits be sacrificed for Him:

Praise be to God, it arrived without delay, hindrance or pause, giving glad tidings of humility, submissiveness, certitude and assurance. The fragrance of love is diffused at all times and the call of the heart is raised in all moments. Praise be to God, the feast of hearing is present if the people of possibility would accept it, and the feast of sight is manifest if they would attain true vision. We beseech and supplicate God that perchance His all-encompassing grace and manifest bounty may preserve the people of unity from the oppression and transgressions of the ungodly. The city of Egypt, which is now your residence, has been the seat of unity and in every age has appeared adorned with a new ornament and resplendent with the lights of arts and sciences. Now its tranquility has been transformed to agitation and its light to darkness. the ungodly have surrounded it while the believers are asleep and heedless of the cause and reason. We must all beseech God, exalted be His glory, for that which is the cause of the deliverance of His party. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. Peace be upon thee and upon My loved ones who have testified to that which God hath testified: that there is no God but Him.

The Kawthar is flowing, the fragrance of Tasnim is diffusing. The grace of God, exalted be His glory, has been and will be, God willing, all-encompassing. If there has been or will be some delay in sending supplications, the abundance of occupations and assurance are the only causes for delay. That beloved one himself is witness, and God behind him is witness.

As to what you wrote concerning the establishment of a primary school and that which raises the stations of man, after it was presented before Him, He said: “Excellent is what they have undertaken.” In the realms of knowledge and wisdom, the advancement of the world, and the refinement and tranquility of nations, the education of children holds the foremost rank. Blessed is the one who has arisen to educate children for the sake of God. Time and again, in the past and present, We have counseled the friends of God and commanded them to this firm decree. We beseech God to assist His friends in that which He loves and is pleased with.

Indeed, this matter is of utmost importance, as the foundation of comfort and tranquility depends upon knowledge. Assuredly, God, exalted be His glory, will aid and assist those who act upon this, for He has power over all things. I convey greetings to all the friends in that land. Night and day, I beseech God that He may bestow blessings from the clouds of mercy and the heaven of generosity, and likewise grant fellowship and unity, for most of the world’s affairs have depended and depend upon these two. Regarding the teaching of different languages, they should consider the opinion of the people of that land. Most in that country display complete animosity and hatred toward the English; let it not be that this matter causes any unseemly word to be spoken regarding the friends. Surely those beloved ones have considered and continue to consider the foundation of matters.

As to what you wrote concerning Aqa ʿAbdu’r-Rahim, upon him be God’s peace, after it was presented, He smiled and said:

“God willing, may divine invisible assistance encompass all and confirm them in what is befitting. He is indeed the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous.”

Regarding what you wrote about the honored friend Haji ʿAbdu’l-Karim, upon him be God’s peace and favor, who sent four bags of Sadri rice—they arrived some time ago. Indeed, he is among those who are foremost in good deeds. Praise be to God, all have attained to that which has no equal. The stations of souls that are assured, content and pleasing to God—their manifestation is among the sealed matters with God. Repeatedly has this blessed word been heard:

“Verily God does not suffer the reward of the doers of good to be lost.”

Peace, remembrance, and praise be upon you and upon God’s friends there and upon God’s righteous servants.

Renewed news arrived today that Aqa Abdu’r-Rahim has written to his relatives and mentioned his affairs. According to his writing, he preferred what he received in Akka to what was mentioned in that land. Regarding this, He said:

“Let ʿAbdu’r-Rahim consider the balance of his affairs. If this land appears preferable to him, let him come, and if he finds that place better, let him stay.”

The purpose is that in either of these two cities, evident prosperity is apparent for him; let him choose.

BH00300: The Tablet of God, the Help-in-Peril, the Self-Subsisting

Section 1: “In these days the letter Alif stands upright…”

In the Name of the One dawning from the horizon of tribulation

In these days the letter Alif stands upright, and from its standing the world has arisen in lamentation. The letter Ha weeps from both eyes, and the condition of Ba is beyond mention. None has understood the mysteries of God save His own Self. He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, the Powerful, the Mighty. The equivalent of all books past and future has been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen before all faces, yet they have attributed each to someone unaware. One who, by the life of God, is powerless and incapable of comprehending divine verses—to such a one they attribute them. The challenge to spiritual combat in the Land of Mystery occurred before all faces, yet all denied it. Groups of every kind, both from within and without, were present on that day. The Cause shone forth like the sun, manifest and evident, yet they veiled it with the veils of idle fancies.

O Haydar! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. Yahya, though he traveled with seventy others, wrote to some denying his presence, and the deluded ones accepted it. They have walked and continue to walk in the footsteps of the odious Shi’ih sect. Leave them in their error and their vain imaginings. Glory be to God! In the past they claimed that the daughter of the Messenger of God—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him—was not in the house of Uthman, but rather it was one of the jinn appearing in her form who was with Uthman. Should one ask what became of that blessed leaf and where she went, he who disbelieved was confounded. The divines of the past and present, that party whether in the graves of earth or in the graves of self and desire, all await the Promised One to appear from imaginary stations. Such is the condition of those heedless servants. It is most regrettable that one should become the object of worship or the goal of such a people.

Your letters arrived at various times. For some, detailed answers were revealed from the heaven of utterance of the Goal of all the worlds, while others remained pending. The Command is in His hand—He doeth whatsoever He willeth. What can one say? In all cases, submission and contentment have been and are beloved.

Mention was made of the assured souls in Qamsar. Each has been honored with mention and distinguished by the traces of the Most Exalted Pen. The mentions of the world cannot equal this mention. We, from this station, glorify their faces, remind them of Our verses, give them glad tidings of Our loving-kindness, and counsel them to the Greater Steadfastness and to Trustworthiness, which God hath made the sun of all deeds.

O Haydar! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Lord of Destiny! In one of the Tablets this exalted Word was revealed in Persian. The Trusted Counsellor saith: O friends of God! Hold fast unto that which causeth the exaltation of His Word and the spread of His Cause. Today, victory hath been ordained through the hosts of deeds and character, and hath been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Scriptures and Tablets. This is among God’s ordinances in this Most Great Revelation; thou shalt find no change or alteration in His ordinance. This is a decree which God hath rendered safe from the word “God doth blot out what He pleaseth” and hath adorned with the ornament of “He doth establish what He willeth, and with Him is the Mother Book.”

Blessed is the soul that hath held fast unto this binding decree and hath preserved its sight, hearing, tongue and heart from that which is forbidden. Say: O people! By the life of God, the eyes were created for beholding His signs, the tongue for His mention, the ears for hearkening, and the heart for turning unto Him. Know ye this and be not of the heedless. Know ye the value of these divine days. By the life of God, their like hath not been seen nor hath come into being from nothingness.

And likewise mention was made of the friends in the land of Kaf. We bear witness that they have attained unto My knowledge, spoken My praise, and turned towards My horizon. We beseech God to assist them with the hosts of the seen and the unseen, to aid them to be steadfast, and to draw them nigh unto Him in this world and the next. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. Convey the greetings of the Wronged One unto them and give them the glad tidings of what hath been revealed for them in this manifest time.

His honor the Trustworthy, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, hath in every instance made mention of you and sought assistance, bounty and mercy. Praise be to God that you have attained unto that from which the fragrance of His good-pleasure is wafted. Likewise, mention hath been made of the party of God in Dawlatabad. Repeatedly have their names flowed from the Pen. Each of the mentioned names hath attained unto the remembrance and attention of the Wronged One. We beseech God, exalted be He, to grant them success and aid them in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to make them among those whom the doubts of the divines and the hints of those who have denied the Day of Judgment have not kept back.

O Haydar! The objectors to the Cause have not reflected upon what they clung to in past ages and centuries, and what their recompense was on the Day of Retribution. Lost indeed are they who denied the days of God and turned away from the Truth, following every remote misbeliever. Particularly have these faithless people followed Hadi Dowlat-Abadi and Baqir Isfahani, who dwells in the land of Ta, though these two heedless ones are unaware of and veiled from the root of the Cause. Would that they had clung to their own kind and left the helpless people to themselves! Say: O Hadi, fear God and conceal not the Cause, nor cleave to that which thy self desires. Hide it not—thou went to the island and saw.

Make not thyself doubtful of it. Leadership will not protect thee. Rend asunder the veil of heedlessness and with the arm of certitude shatter the idol of vain imaginings. I swear by the Sun of Truth which hath shone forth from the most exalted horizon—I speak for the sake of God—thou art not aware. Reflect upon the past, when one of the women became the narrator of the Qa’im’s existence. Several turbaned ones joined with her in denouncing Ja’far, contriving the Holy Precinct and Jabulqa and Jabulsa, thus depriving the helpless people of the divine revelatory breezes in God’s days. Blessed are they who are detached from all directions and have turned solely toward the Most Exalted Horizon. These are the manifestations of godliness and the dawning-places of trustworthiness, truthfulness and faithfulness.

O Haydar! Great is the Cause of this Wronged One, for He neither flattered the princes nor concealed God’s truth and His Cause from the divines. In the Most Great Prison, openly and clearly did He proclaim that which was opposed to the desires and passions of the people of the earth, save those who cast away all else but God and took what they were commanded by the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Thou didst mention his honor Ashraf, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness. We shall mention him at the end of this Tablet. The honored Afnan who circleth round Me sent his letter to Our presence—that letter which he had written in reply to the heedless Ahmad. repeatedly, before and after, it was heard. Blessed is he and joy be unto him. He hath spoken the truth, as attesteth the people of the cities of justice and fairness and the denizens of the realms of might and kingdom. We beseech God to assist him in all conditions. Through him shall the doors of hearts be opened. Verily He is the Almighty, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Convey My glorification to him and to his son who was named Husayn in God’s Book, the Lord of all worlds.

O thou who soarest in My atmosphere! Convey to each and every one of the friends the glorification of the Wronged One, and give them the glad-tidings of God’s grace, bounty and mercy. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous, the Forgiving, the Merciful. The splendor shining from the heaven of My grace be upon thee and upon those who have heard the call and turned with radiant faces and illumined hearts to the Most Exalted Horizon. They are indeed among the sincere in God’s Mighty, Great Book.

O Haydar-ʿAli! Once again hearken unto the rustling of the Most Exalted Pen. Verily it draws hearts and illumines them with the light of the knowledge of God, the Lord of all worlds. Be thou a bearer of glad-tidings in My Name and one who speaks with wisdom of My remembrance amongst My servants. I bear witness that thou hast attained unto the recognition of God and the promotion of His Cause, and from thee hath appeared that which hath attracted the hearts of those who have drawn nigh. The letter which thou didst send to Ism-i-Jud hath been presented by the servant who standeth before the Face. We have answered thee with that which calleth out between the heavens and the earth.

By God! The Sovereign of Utterance, and His Revealer and Sender, hath come. He, verily, is the Most Wise of the wise. Blessed is the servant whom the deniers have not prevented from turning unto the All-Knowing, the Peerless One, and blessed is the servant who hath cast away the world, clinging fast to the oneness of God, the Lord of the mighty throne. We have sent down for thee that which none can reckon. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this manifest grace. As to what thou hast mentioned concerning the servants of God in Ta and Ra, We beseech God to assist them in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to make them among those whom the calumnies of the divines have not prevented from turning unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. They have cast away what they possessed and taken what they were commanded in the Book of God, the Omnipotent, the Mighty.

Section 2: “O people of Tar! Hearken unto the call…”

O people of Tar! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. By the Sun of Truth, He speaketh for the sake of God. There hath befallen Him that which hath befallen no one else. He hath, for the salvation of the world and the edification of nations, accepted tribulations in the path of God. Not for a moment did He conceal Himself, but proclaimed the Cause of God with the loudest call, without any veil or hindrance. Some accepted it, while others, due to the vain imaginings of the former people, slipped from the straight path. Convey My greetings to the servants and say:

O people! If ye be followers of the Bayan, its essence is this exalted word which hath flowed from the tongue of the Primal Point, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake. He saith: “I have written the essence of His remembrance, and it is that He shall not be referred to by My references, nor by what is mentioned in the Bayan.” And if ye be followers of the Furqan, He saith: “Lead the people out of darkness into light and remind them of the days of God.” And if ye be possessed of insight, the Greatest Scene is manifest and shining like the sun, and the Tree with its countless fruits is visible and raised up before all faces, and the ocean with its waves of proof is evident.

Hearken unto the call of the trusted Counsellor and deprive not yourselves, like the former people, of the knowledge of God and true oneness. For years they cried out “O Truth!” yet when He appeared from the horizon of the world, they girded themselves to extinguish His light and rose up to harm Him, and finally martyred Him with the fire of hatred and the sword of tyranny. The cause and reason were and are the divines of the former people, as ye have witnessed and continue to witness. They committed that which no oppressor hath ever committed. They abandoned righteousness and piety, and occupied themselves with self and passion. The sun of justice and fairness is veiled behind a thick covering due to the tyranny of those souls. We beseech God to illumine the world through the effulgences of the light of the orb of justice.

Here follows mention of Ghulam-ʿAli, upon him be my glory. Blessed is he and blessed is his son. Remember them both with what hath flowed from My Pen and give them the glad tidings of My mercy and My loving-kindness. We beseech God to aid this youth to rend asunder the veils of the vain imaginings of men and to number him among those who have aided the Cause of God, the Lord of the exalted Throne. Some time ago his letter, which he had written to Mihdi, upon him be my glory, was presented at the Most Holy Court and gained the honor of His notice. Praise be to God, the fragrance of humility, submissiveness and steadfastness wafted from every word of his letter. We have indeed mentioned him in numerous Tablets, aided him to attain Our presence, and drawn him nigh unto a station which hath been the hope of them that are sincere and near unto God. We beseech the True One to aid him in such wise that he may be occupied with service both night and day. We testify that he was created for this purpose.

O Haydar-ʿAli! We have approved what thou didst mention regarding the Feast. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. And We make mention of Sad, upon him be My glory and My loving-kindness, who hath attained unto that which was recorded in God’s Scrolls. Praise be to God, they are remembered in the Most Great Prison and have attained unto His loving-kindness. We beseech God to exalt him through His Name and make him a remembrance amongst His servants. Verily He is the Almighty, the Powerful. In these days their letters too have arrived. God willing, a reply will be sent that they may rejoice and be among the thankful. The members of the household have ever been mentioned in all exalted stations and lofty gardens. Blessed are they, and woe unto the heedless.

O Haydar-ʿAli! The trust must be returned to him. Thus hath the Wronged One decreed aforetime and at this moment. Hearken and be of them that act. Thou didst mention the sons of Khalil and the sons of Zardusht, upon them be the Glory of God and His loving-kindness, in the land of K, how they have been guided through two souls, Muhammad and Husayn, upon them be the Glory of God and His mercy, and have turned towards the Prison. Blessed are they both and joy be unto them. They have attained unto that which they were commanded in the Scriptures and Tablets. Give them and those who have believed glad-tidings of the mention of the Wronged One and His attention to them, that they may rejoice and be of those who, on wings of longing, have soared in the atmosphere of God’s love, the Lord of the Day of Judgment.

O Haydar-ʿAli! Some of those souls are, praise be to God, illumined with the light of recognition and are firm in the Cause of God, while others are of two faces. Thy Lord verily knoweth and concealeth, and He is the Concealer, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Verily We make mention of him who is named Aqa Baba and We beseech God to make him among those who prefer the loved ones of God over their own selves and who act according to that which they have been commanded in the Book—a command from One Who is All-Knowing, All-Wise. God willing, may he be aided to do that which will cause the exaltation of the Word of God. Were he to possess all the world and spend it in the path of the Friend, it would not equal these revealed words. It behooveth him to thank God, his Lord, at eventide and at dawn, and in the morning and at sunset.

Convey My greetings to the loved ones of Mazgan. We have mentioned them before with a mention that neither perisheth nor endeth. Proclaim My greetings unto them and give them the glad-tidings of My verses, My bounty and My mercy. We beseech God to assist them and aid them to the Greater Steadfastness. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

We make mention of him who is named Mulla Mirza and those who have believed in God, the Single, the All-Informed. Blessed is he who hath purified himself with the water of detachment, adorned his head with the crown of godliness, and arisen to teach the Cause with wisdom and utterance. By My life! He is of the people of Baha mentioned in the Qayyumu’l-Asma, which was revealed in this great Remembrance and this firm, mighty Command. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to ordain for him the reward of one who hath stood before the Countenance, that he may spend his days in the remembrance of his Lord and be numbered among those who have attained.

O Mashhadi Hasan! He hath made mention of thee who hath loved Me and attained unto My remembrance, My service and My presence. Upon him be My glory and upon those who have acknowledged that which the Ancient Beauty hath spoken forth in this luminous Scene. O Mashhadi Hasan! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. He hath appeared with His Name, the Self-Subsisting, and hath spoken amongst men that which He hath been commanded by God, the Creator of earth and heaven. Rejoice in My mention of thee and say:

Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the world, for having remembered me while I was in the most desolate of lands. I beseech Thee to assist me to remember Thee and praise Thee, and to remain steadfast in Thy Cause, through which the hearts of the wicked have been set ablaze.

O Haydar-ʿAli! Convey My greetings and salutations to the friends in every land. Make them joyous through His grace and illumined through the light of His Cause. Verily, He is with His loved ones wheresoever they may be. To this beareth witness My tongue and My pen and those who circle round the Supreme Throne of God. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Merciful. And once again may the Glory from Our presence rest upon thee and upon those who hearken to thy words concerning the Cause of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

BH02126: O beloved of my heart! Today, which is Thursday…

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

O beloved of my heart! Today, which is Thursday the eighteenth of Dhi’l-Qa’dah, your letter dated the seventh of Shawwal arrived. Whenever your letter arrives, new joy becomes manifest and evident in the prison. You wrote that this servant had been negligent in responding to your letter. No, by the glory of our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of the throne and earth! In the month of Shawwal two packets were sent. The first packet contained two letters from this servant and one sacred Tablet of revelation and two sacred Tablets specifically for two believers, as well as sacred, holy, and exalted Tablets for the loved ones of Asadabad, H.M. and Kermanshah, and in all the Tablets specific mention of you was revealed from the Pen of the Beloved. The second packet likewise in Shawwal contained divine Tablets and verses, and in all those Tablets too mention was made of you. Praise be to God, through His grace they have attained and through His bounty they are adorned. His mercy has encompassed that beloved one. For you and me and every believer to thank God for this great bounty and manifest generosity.

As to what you wrote about intending to visit the Holy Land, this was specifically presented before His Most Holy Presence regarding the honored Afnan, upon him be all the most glorious splendor of God. His blessed and exalted Word:

“O Amin, upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness! Well done in what thou hast done. We love those who hearken to the words of Our Afnan. We beseech God to assist him in what he hath intended. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous.”

By chance, on this day this servant had prepared and sealed a third packet in your name for sending when this new packet arrived. In any case, at all times this servant has sought and continues to seek exaltation, ascendancy, elevation and advancement for you. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Hearer, the Answerer. In truth you have been confirmed in mentioning the friends and serving the Cause every day and every month. This is from God’s bounty upon you. Verily He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Convey on behalf of this servant greetings, praise and mention to the spiritual beloved Ali-Qabli-Haydar, upon him be the glory of God. Likewise to Jinab-i-Beg, upon him be the glory and loving-kindness of God. We beseech for him joy from God, the Lord of the worlds. Let them not be saddened by what has befallen them—there has befallen them what has befallen the loved ones. What is meant is the grief and sorrow that has seized them in these days. Verily with difficulty comes ease. Relief and loving-kindness come from God, our Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful.

To the loved ones of God wherever they may be, this servant conveys greetings and seeks for each one that which will cause the exaltation of His Word. Glory, remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those with you and those who hearken to your words for the sake of God.

The servant 18 Dhi’l-Qa’dah 1305

BH09043: Your letter was received and in the Most Great…

He is the One Who speaks the truth

Your letter was received and in the Most Great Prison its answer was revealed from the Ancient King. Blessed is the eye that hath seen, and the ear that hath heard, and the tongue that hath spoken that which hath been sent down from the heaven of the Will of God, the Lord of the worlds. We beseech God that His confirmation may assist and His grace may accompany you, that in these fleeting days you may attain unto everlasting stations and be occupied with His remembrance at all times. Verily, He is with His remembering servants. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having given me to drink from the cup of Thy knowledge and for having made known unto me Thy straight path and Thy firm and mighty Command. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Exalted Pen to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful.