Volume 089: Akka 1306 A.H. (1888–1889), Part II (1 of 4)

BH11870: Praise be to God Who hath appeared and caused…

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

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

Praise be to God Who hath appeared and caused to appear that which hath broken the necks of the Pharaohs and caused the limbs of the tyrants to tremble—they who denied God’s proof and His evidence, who turned away from His sovereignty, who rejected His signs, and who are the divines of Persia that pronounced judgment against the Dawning-Place of God’s verses and the Dayspring of His evidences, who shed His blood and slew His loved ones and His friends. God is quit of them, and so too are the Concourse on High and the dwellers of the most exalted Paradise, and they who circle round His mighty Throne. Glory and praise be unto them whom neither clamor nor the howling of those who violated the Covenant of God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, could deter. Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having illumined the people of Baha with the light of Thy knowledge and for having sent down unto them from the heaven of Thy bounty that which hath gladdened the eyes of the sincere ones among Thy creatures. I beseech Thee to make them the signs of Thy remembrance and the standards of Thy Cause in Thy lands. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Thereafter, the letter of that spiritual beloved arrived like a divine herald from the realm of inner meanings, bearing multiple glad-tidings: first, the glad-tidings of divine love; second, of arising to serve His Cause; and third, news of that honored one’s health and well-being. Each of these is, in truth, a perfect bounty and an all-encompassing favor. Its perusal wafted the breezes of joy and diffused the fragrance of delight. Praise be to the Goal of all the worlds for having caused that spiritual beloved to be enkindled with the fire of His Lote-Tree—an enkindlement whose heat is manifest from the words of his letter. After its perusal, it was presented before the Divine Presence and achieved the honor of being heard. This is what the tongue of our Lord, the Most Merciful, uttered in the Kingdom of Utterance—His Word:

“His light hath shone forth and His sovereignty hath been made manifest.”

He is the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful.

O Messenger! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen! On this day all things are engaged in praise, glorification and thanksgiving. At this moment the sun proclaims with the loudest voice “The All-Bountiful has come!”, and the trees cry out “The Chosen One has appeared!”, while the Concourse on High declares “The veil has been rent asunder and He Who is the Lord of the Kingdom of Names is established upon the Throne of Utterance!” The very atoms of the world give each other glad tidings of the lights of the Kingdom and the appearance of the Lord of the Realm of Might. Yet few are found who have ears worthy to hear.

In all the Books, Scriptures and Psalms this Day has been named the Day of God, yet most of the people of the world remain heedless, veiled and opposed. The people of utterance are striving with the utmost endeavor to extinguish the divine light and quench the fire of the celestial Tree. This Wronged One has been, from the earliest days until now, a captive and prisoner in the hands of the enemies. Nevertheless, they have said that which no oppressor has ever said. Say: O people! Today this blessed word, which is the essence of all Books and Scriptures, has been recorded by the Most Exalted Pen and set before the face of the Lord of all mankind, namely: “He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth.”

O thou who speakest My praise! Were the people of the earth to become aware of the hidden treasure within this blessed Word, all would hasten to circle round it and would cleave to that which is with God rather than to that which is with them. Today the river of mercy flows from the Pen, the light of utterance shines forth from the horizon of the heaven of possibility, and the ocean of knowledge surges before the faces of the world. Yet those souls who are consumed by the fire of hatred and malice are deprived and forbidden from all these. Base nature has reached such a point that they occupy themselves with false tales of old. Those who are engaged in service before His face have clung to such a person while remaining heedless and veiled from the Truth.

The river of mercy proclaims with the loudest call: O people! Hold fast to justice and cleave to equity. Your idle fancies will not suffice you in place of the Lord of all beings, nor will your conjectures suffice in place of His Name, the Self-Subsisting. Cast aside the book of your own selves and take hold of the Book of God, the Lord of all that was and shall be. He calls out with the most exalted voice: O concourse of earth and heaven! Be fair in this Cause whereby the limbs of the world and the hearts of nations have trembled, and in that which hath appeared from His presence. Be not of those who observe and deny, who hear the call yet turn away from it, who hear the verses yet dispute them. These, verily, comprehend not.

Say: O people! I was asleep when the Call awakened Me, and I was silent when the Truth, the Knower of the unseen, caused Me to speak and commanded Me to raise My voice in this atmosphere. This is not My crime, if ye be fair. Fear God, O people, and follow not the desires of every ignorant one, nor follow those who have denied the Witness and the Witnessed. Were it not for the Glory, who would stand before all faces and who would guide the servants to the path of God, the Mighty, the All-Loving? Through Him the Trumpet was blown, the dwellers of the graves arose, and the Cause of God appeared before the eyes of the princes and kings. Through Him were the signs of God spread abroad, the mysteries unveiled, the lights made manifest, and the seas set in motion.

O Rasul! Upon thee be My loving-kindness. I was walking within the House and speaking words whose true meaning the peoples of the earth have been debarred from comprehending, and to whose hearing their ears have been closed, save such as God, the Lord of this exalted station, hath willed. The servant in attendance entered bearing thy letter and laid it before the Wronged One. We have remembered thee through this sealed Tablet, which crieth aloud and proclaimeth: The promise hath come to pass, and this is the Promised One. Fear God, O people, and follow not every ignorant outcast. From thy letter We perceived the fragrance of thy love and of thy service for the sake of God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen. Blessed be thy pen, and thy tongue, and thy heart, and whosoever hearkeneth unto thy word concerning this Most Great Announcement, which hath appeared as a command from God, the Lord of all being.

O Lord my Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy tribulations and imprisonment and by what hath befallen Thee in the prison-city of Ta, and by the lights of Thy Revelation and the stations that have been honored by Thy footsteps and the cities that have been illumined by the radiance of Thy countenance and the things that have been adorned by Thy glance and the air wherein arose Thy sighs at what hath befallen Thy loved ones, to assist Thy servants to return unto Thee. Every fair-minded one beareth witness to Thy greatness and Thy power and to the ocean of Thy bounty and the heaven of Thy grace. O Lord! Aid them to achieve that which Thou lovest and art pleased with, and withhold them not from the fountainhead of Thy knowledge and the dawning-place of Thy wisdom and the dayspring of Thy most great signs and the source of Thy most exalted and most glorious Cause.

Thou art He in Whose grasp are the reins of the highest rank and the control of all who are in earth and heaven. Ordain through Thy will that which will draw Thy servants nigh unto the court of Thy glory and the carpet of Thy grandeur. Then help them through Thy bounty and might and through the hosts of wisdom and utterance, that they may hasten with their hearts unto Thee and forsake all else besides Thee. Verily Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

These days are the manifestation of this blessed verse of the Qur’an which states “They have eyes with which they see not” to the end of the verse. For it is observed that eyes physically exist, yet most factions are prevented from seeing; likewise ears exist, yet they are deprived of hearing. The Greatest Talisman is manifest, yet no one perceives. They speak according to their own beliefs, yet before God they are dumb and mute. This particularly applies to those who turn away from the Bayan, who seem deprived of understanding and truthfulness. Now mention is made of Mu’awiyih’s golden peas, which is among the falsehoods of the Shi’ih sect. Most of what this group has possessed has been devoid of truth.

Mu’awiyih openly did whatever he desired and feared no one’s words in pursuing such matters. O My loved one! Justice and fairness have vanished, and in their place tyranny and oppression reign. In such circumstances they do what they please and say what they wish, nothing restrains them. These are they who ride the steeds of self and passion, galloping in the arena of error and wretchedness. They fear not God, nor do they show shame before His servants. They do what none before them has done, and say what no oppressive souls have said. It is best that we pass over mention of heedless souls and occupy ourselves with the remembrance and utterance of God, though even this is said as counsel to the servants, that they might catch the fragrance of truth and turn to its horizon.

We beseech God to give them to drink from the cup of truth and the chalice of knowledge, that they may return unto Him, submissive and lowly. Verily, He is the Most Powerful of the powerful and the Most Generous of the generous. Praise be to God that that spiritual friend has arisen to serve the Cause with perfect steadfastness and complete devotion in days when sight and hearing have become like the phoenix—existing in name but absent in reality. All shall receive the recompense of their deeds and soon shall find themselves in evident torment.

I relay remembrance, praise and glory to the friends in that land, and I beseech the True One to make each like an immovable mountain and like an undulating ocean in this Most Great Cause, and to ordain for each that which neither perishes nor changes. He is the Powerful One before Whom the power of the world and its peoples is as nothing and non-existent. This servant has ever mentioned and continues to mention all in the Most Holy Court. Verily, He is the Protector of the sincere ones and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

Concerning that which thou didst write regarding the sanctity, purity, steadfastness, trustworthiness, fidelity, and faithfulness of the friends in that land—that is, the land of Kirmanshah—after it had been presented in the Most Holy and Inaccessible Presence, these exalted words were sent down from the heaven of divine favor by Him Who is the Revealer of verses. He, blessed and exalted be He, saith:

O My friends! One of My loved ones has made mention of you, and We have made mention of you with a remembrance around which all remembrances circle. Verily the Divine Lote Tree desires to send you a wondrous, fresh fruit, and the Ocean of Utterance to honor you with one of its waves, and the Sun of Truth with one of its effulgences, that the attraction of grace and favors may so seize you that neither the tongues of the ungodly, nor the words of the deniers, nor the might of the oppressors, nor the doubts of the croakers who have denied God, the Lord of all worlds, may prevent you. O party of God, rejoice! O hosts of God, rejoice!

For today, by the attestation of the Truth, glorified be His majesty, you possess hearing and sight and are endowed with the light of divine love, having attained to that which was the hope of the Messengers. This station is great and this rank mighty. Strive that perchance you may, with joy and radiance, guide the wayward to the divine ocean of knowledge and direct them to the straight path. You have always been and continue to be remembered. Give thanks unto your Lord, the All-Merciful, for this great bounty and for this remembrance, each letter of which God has made a treasure with Him. Verily He is the Protector of the sincere and the steadfast. There is no God but Him, the Single One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Glory be to Thee, O my God and the One remembered in my heart! Thou seest Thy friends in the hands of the oppressors, and there hath befallen them in Thy days that which hath caused the hearts of all being, both seen and unseen, to melt. I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the Interlocutor spoke, and by the Staff that overcame the swords, by Thy Name, the All-Powerful, that Thou assist Thy chosen ones with Thy hosts that have conquered all who are in the heavens and earth, and by Thy signs which caused the Concourse on High, the Most Exalted Paradise, and those who circle round the Throne at all times to tremble. O Lord! Send down upon them from the heaven of Thy mercy the rains of Thy generosity and blessing. Strengthen their hearts with Thy power and their limbs with Thy might, lest they be frightened by the might of the aggressive ones among Thy servants and the ungodly among Thy creation. O Lord! Thou seest them turning toward the horizon of Thy grace and the ocean of Thy mercy. I beseech Thee not to disappoint them in what they desire in Thy days. Verily, Thou art the Strong, the Triumphant, the All-Powerful.

Section 2: “A hundred thousand thanks and praise be…”

A hundred thousand thanks and praise be to the Purpose of the world that He confirmed that soul with a confirmation to which the Truth, exalted be His glory, hath testified, and that testimony sufficeth. The testimony of this servant and the like of this servant is not worthy of mention. The servant beseecheth his Lord to adorn His servants and loved ones with that which shall cause their names and remembrances to endure through the duration of the manifestation of His names and attributes. As for what thou didst write concerning the honored Haji Ibrahim and his son Aqa Qasim, upon them be the glory of God, it was presented before the Presence. His blessed and exalted Word: O thou who gazest upon the Face!

We have heard thy call and accepted thy intercession. We have pardoned the first and We ask God to forgive him through His bounty and to remit his sins. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist Qasim in His remembrance and praise and the service of His Cause, and to enable him to forsake that which He hath forbidden and to act according to that which He hath commanded in His perspicuous Book. Convey My greetings unto him and give him the glad-tidings of My remembrance of him that he may be of the thankful, the doers. Rejoice, O messenger, in My grace toward them and My favor upon them. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Through My remembrance the ocean of forgiveness surged and the fragrance of thy Lord’s pardon, the All-Merciful, wafted. Verily He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Mention was made of Aqa Muhammad Isma’il of the people of ?, upon him be the glory of God, who intends to make pilgrimage to the House of God. After this was presented, these manifest verses were revealed from the Mother Book. His blessed and exalted Word:

O Muhammad Isma’il! Upon thee be the glory of God! Turn thy face toward the House of God, the Lord of the glorious Throne. Draw nigh unto it with such devotion as will cause the fragrance of sincerity to be diffused among the servants and the sweet savors of thy love for the Lord of the worlds. Permission hath come from the direction of grace that thou mayest give thanks unto God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forebears. Thus hath surged the ocean of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, and He hath made mention of thee in such wise as to attract the hearts of the sincere ones.

Praise be to God that thou hast been granted permission, and God willing, thou shalt attain unto that which thou hast intended. Were the servants to know and find the reward of attaining His presence, all would surrender their lives and whatsoever they possess that they might achieve it. This servant beseecheth God, exalted be His glory, to assist him to perform such deeds as shall conduce to permanence and shall be the cause of His good-pleasure. Verily our Lord is the Hearer, the Answerer.

Concerning what thou didst write about the heedless ones, that is, the deniers, and their opposition and hatred—in truth this servant is bewildered, nay the world is bewildered, for these souls were not present at the scene of the Cause and know not its foundation. All that was revealed in the Bayan beareth witness to this Cause—were it not for Him, the Point of the Bayan would not have appeared nor would the Bayan have been revealed. We beseech God to bestow justice upon the servants. The heedlessness of these souls and their lack of understanding hath reached such a point that while Mirza Yahya traveled with seventy people during the migration from Iraq, he nevertheless informed his followers that he was not with them, and those ignorant ones accepted this.

Their ignorance hath reached such a degree that the people of the cities of knowledge are bewildered. For years this servant was with him by command, yet these heedless people never asked even one person to tell them, for the sake of God, what the truth was. And until now they know not from whom came the Tablets that were sent to the Primal Point, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake. But they would know if they were fair, and would understand if they were truthful. The recompense of their deeds hath prevented their eyes and deprived their ears. Soon shall they see the consequences of their actions, then shall they find no helper. We beseech God to make them aware and to aid them in that which He loveth and is pleased with. Verily there is no God but Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

Concerning what thou didst mention about Haji ʿAli, upon him be the glory of God, that he came to that region to counsel and guide him who rent asunder the veil with the finger of might and power, and likewise concerning the mention of that beloved of hearts, Aqa Mirza Abu’l-Fadl, upon him be the glory of God and His loving-kindness—these matters were presented before the Desired One of the worlds. His blessed and exalted Word:

The Supreme Pen beareth witness to the grace of the All-Bountiful. There hath been sent down for him from the heaven of utterance that which, were it to be cast upon all things, would cause them to raise their cry. We make mention of him at this time in such wise as to cause the fragrance of divine knowledge to be diffused throughout all possibility. We beseech God to protect him and to assist him with the hosts of wisdom and knowledge, and to make him a standard of His name and a banner of His remembrance among the people. Verily He is the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

We make mention of him who hath been named Ali, upon him be My glory. His deeds in the path of God have been accepted. The Tongue of Grandeur beareth witness to this at this moment, and He is verily the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. O Ali! Blessed be thine ear for what it hath heard, and thine eye for what it hath beheld of the signs of God, and thy tongue for having uttered His beauteous praise. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the world, for having made me to know Thee and guided me to Thy straight and manifest path. I beseech Thee to ordain for me the good of this world and of the world to come. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful.

This servant conveyeth praise and glorification unto him, and beseecheth from God that which will cause His Word to be exalted amongst His servants.

As for the mention made of the spiritual friend, his honor Aqa Siyyid Murtada, upon him be the Glory of God, and likewise the mention of his love, steadfastness, and what befell him—these matters were presented before the Throne. His word, exalted be His majesty and abundant be His favors:

O Murtada! We testify that thou hast attained unto the pearls of wisdom and utterance which were treasured within My Most Exalted Pen, and in My days thou hast attained unto that which was inscribed in the Books of God, the Lord of the Throne and of earth, and the Lord of the exalted Seat. We sent thee aforetime that which the books of men cannot rival, as beareth witness He with Whom is the Preserved Tablet. Grieve not for what hath befallen thee. There befell Us in the Land of Ta what caused those near unto God to weep. Say:

My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having given me to drink from the Kawthar of life from the hand of Thy bounty, and for having assisted me to recognize the Dayspring of Thy signs and the Source of Thy Cause, and for having illumined my heart with the light of Thy knowledge. O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I wish to be a servant to Thy Cause in all conditions and to speak Thy praise. Thou art He Who created me, taught me, made me to know Thee, and mentioned me time and again. I beseech Thee by the breathings of Thy Revelation and by what lay hidden in the treasuries of Thy Books, Thy Scriptures and Thy Tablets, to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee in all conditions. O Lord! The poor one seeketh the sun of Thy riches and the seeker the ocean of Thy grace. I beseech Thee by the seas that surge in the hearts of Thy loved ones and by the fire that spoke forth from Thy Tree unto Thy call, to aid me to achieve that which will exalt me. Verily, Thou art the Munificent Giver. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Bountiful, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

O Murtada! Be not grieved. The world hath ever been subject to change and alteration. Consider what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’an: “Verily, with difficulty cometh ease.” We beseech God to send down upon thee from the heaven of His mercy a blessing from Him and a favor from His presence, to adorn thee with the ornament of His might, and to ordain for thee that which will comfort thine eyes. He, verily, is the Omnipotent, the Almighty. There is none other God but He, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Praise be to God that he hath been and continues to be successful, for there hath been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen for him that which all the riches of the world cannot equal even a single letter thereof, nor ever shall.

As for what thou didst write regarding thy stay in that land, excellent is what ye have done, and the pursuit of medical science hath also been accepted. He said: We beseech God to assist thee, aid thee, and make thy remembrance and medical practice a cure for ailments. He is verily the Mighty, the All-Bounteous.

This matter is most excellent, for engagement therein and association with the servants is a means of tranquility for souls and is beloved for the purpose of teaching. And if it be possible to maintain fellowship with some of the learned, this would be good, for it is a source of tranquility. We beseech God to assist thee in all that thou wishest and desirest. [Veily He is] the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the Powerful.

As to what you wrote regarding Jinab-i-Aqa Ali Pasha Khan, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s glory, previously his petition was sent by the beloved servant Jinab-i-Aqa Shaykh Muhammad, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s glory and favors, and a response is being sent down from the heaven of grace. And likewise you had mentioned Jinab-i-Ali Akbar Khan, may God strengthen him—a blessed Tablet specifically for him is also being sent. If their capacity allows, bestow it that they may drink from its ocean of meanings. As per your request, Tablets are being sent specifically for each of those souls who are turned to the horizon of the Manifestation. God willing, may they attain unto them and act as befitting.

As to what you wrote regarding Jinab-i-Aqa Khudabakhsh, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s glory, and his love and assistance—after it was presented before the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these verses, blessed and exalted be His Word:

“O Khudabakhsh! The Wronged One hath repeatedly made mention of thee. Praise be to God, thou art blessed with His grace, confirmed in service, successful in deeds, and distinguished by steadfastness. We beseech God to aid thee in that which causeth the exaltation of His Word and service to His Cause. We are with those who have arisen to serve the Cause and have aided their Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Take thou the chalice of immortality from the hands of the bounty of thy Lord, the Lord of Names and Creator of heaven, then drink therefrom in spite of every ignorant remote one, every shameless opponent and every tyrannical transgressor. Verily We were with thee and heard thy call, thy turning and thy devotion. We beseech God to ordain for thee the best of what He hath revealed in His Clear Book. Praise be unto Him, for He is the Desired One of all the worlds.”

And likewise they mentioned Jinab-i-Hakim Lalihzar, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s glory. Praise be to God, mention of him and Jinab-i-Aqa Khudabakhsh, upon them both be Baha’u’llah’s glory, was made in the Most Holy Court, and after this matter was presented, these verses were revealed specifically for him, blessed and exalted be His Word:

“O Lalihzar! Upon thee be My glory! We made mention of thee before and at this time. Give thanks to thy Lord for this manifest grace. The mention of all the world equalleth not His mention, nor do the books of all nations equal His Word. Know thou this and be of the thankful ones. Say: My God, my God! Thy mention of me transcendeth my station. This is naught but from the wonders of Thy grace and the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty. I testify that Thou art the All-Bountiful and that Thou art the Powerful, the Self-Subsisting. I beseech Thee to ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones, then grant me the reward of attaining Thy presence. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the Almighty, and worthy to answer prayer.”

Section 3: “This evanescent servant also conveys greetings to them…”

This evanescent servant also conveys greetings to them and to Jinab-i-Aqa Khudabakhsh, upon them both be Baha’u’llah’s glory, and I seek confirmation. As to what you wrote about their steadfastness and service, this matter is truly in such days a great station and mighty deed. I beseech God for confirmation on their behalf. Verily He is the Confirmer, the Generous.

You mentioned Jinab-i-Aqa Shaykh Muhammad, may God strengthen him in what He loveth and is pleased with. After this was presented before His presence, these verses were revealed from the heaven of Will, blessed and exalted be His Word:

O Messenger! Upon thee be the glory of God, Lord of existence! Thou didst make mention of Shaykh Muhammad. We beseech God to aid him and grant him success, that he may arise with complete steadfastness to praise the Lord of Days amongst the people. Say: O Shaykh! By the Sun of Truth that shineth from the horizon of the prison sky, from the beginning of this Cause none were aware save two souls, and both have ascended. The knowledge is with God, thy Lord, the Lord of the worlds.

We counsel thee and those who have believed to observe justice and equity, to read what hath been revealed and to reflect upon that which hath appeared. These are like two wings for man’s ascent to the goal.

This Wronged One hath been in the hands of enemies from the beginning of this Cause until now—at times imprisoned, at others captive, at moments in chains. Yet at no time did He protect Himself. With complete power, steadfast reliance, and firm resignation, He summoned all on earth, from kings to subjects and others, to the Dawning-Place of supreme guidance and the Path of God, the Lord of all mankind. With utmost clarity We declared to the kings that which would ensure the healing of the world and the tranquility of nations. Neither the might of kings nor the clamor of subjects deterred Me. I spoke before their faces that which I was commanded by God, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting.

Thou thyself bearest witness to what hath been mentioned, and surely thou hast heard of the Tablet to the Sultan, which We sent forth openly through wondrous means. When it was presented before the Sultan, the bearer raised the Book and proclaimed: “I have brought thee from the Most Great Announcement a mighty Book.” Likewise, We openly proclaimed the Cause to other monarchs and manifested God’s Command, such that now in every land the banner “Verily He is God” is raised and the standard “He doeth what He willeth” is unfurled. When the fragrance of the garment of utterance was diffused somewhat among the people of creation, certain ones emerged from behind the veils with swords, seeking to harm this Wronged One.

Judge thou fairly, by God, O Muhammad! Were it not for Baha, who would arise among men? Were it not for Him, who would champion God’s Cause, the Lord of the Throne on high and of earth below? Who would make mention of Him among the enemies? We beseech God to aid thee in that which befitteth this blessed Day. Arise, detached from all save God, to celebrate His praise and glory. Observe the ocean and its waves, and likewise the Tree and its fruits. If today a tree should appear adorned with countless fruits, can one deny it? Or can one conceal the waves of the ocean? Nay, by God! Save those who have not drunk from the cup of fairness and are deprived of the ocean of justice. Now there hath been revealed and made manifest the equivalent of all divine Books of the past and future, nay more. By what proof and evidence did they believe in the Point of the Bayan? Today the path is manifest, the evidence revealed, and the Mother Book proclaimeth with loudest voice: “The All-Bestowing hath come!” Yet the people hear not, nor do they perceive. They cling to the river while deprived of the ocean.

Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One, and with the hands of might rend asunder the veils and shrouds of the wicked, and shatter the idols of vain imaginings through the power of the Mighty One of the horizons. By the life of God, the oppression of the oppressors has caused the reality of the Cause to be hidden from all eyes and sight. Those who lived in perfect comfort and suffered no harm whatsoever in this Cause are now remembered as the oppressed ones—such is the condition of those who follow idle fancies. Let him reflect upon the Shi’ih sect and its divines. For twelve hundred years they claimed to hold fast to the cord of successorship, yet differences appeared regarding their stations and ranks, and to this day they curse one another. What was the fruit of those souls and what became of their recompense on the Day of Reckoning? What was the outcome of those twelve hundred years during which all the divines, from every pulpit, cursed and reviled the Truth, until finally they issued the decree for the shedding of His most pure blood? This is a matter which you yourself and other servants, if they speak truthfully, will confirm. And now some are occupied with organizing such a party.

Say: Fear God and follow not your idle fancies. Follow Him through Whom the divine fragrances wafted, the sea surged, and the Dove of Utterance warbled in the Most Exalted Paradise upon the highest branches. O people of creation! By God, the All-Merciful hath come with a sovereignty that the might of princes, the denial of divines, and the clamor of those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment, have failed to intimidate. Say: Hear My call, then turn unto Him. Verily, the gate of bounty is opened before the faces of all in the heavens and the earth. Say: Beware lest the doubts of the people of the Furqan or the cawing of the people of the Bayan, who have violated God’s Covenant and Testament and denied Him of Whom the Herald declared “Verily, I am the first to worship Him,” prevent you.

Say: O people of the Bayan! By God, that which ye possess will profit you not this day. Hearken unto that which the Bayan warbleth upon the branches. It said, and its word is the truth—and I have written its essence regarding His mention—“He is a sign that cannot be indicated by My indication nor by what was mentioned in the Bayan.” Fear God and follow not your desires. Behold the sun, its dawning and its effulgences and its lights, then the Tree and its fruits and its leaves. Beware lest the imaginings of men debar you from the truth. Cast behind you all else but God, then hasten with illumined hearts and radiant faces to the station wherein is raised the rustling of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing. The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of the mighty throne.

Beware lest ye withhold the eyes from beholding the Most Sublime Horizon, or the ears from hearkening to My sweetest call, or the hearts from turning unto Him, or the faces from directing themselves toward God, the Lord of all worlds. When thou hast drunk the choice wine of justice from the cup of My utterance and thou art seized with the intoxication of the Kawthar of My knowledge, say:

O my God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having shown forth the Path and sent down the verses, and for having guided me to the Dawning-Place of Thy Revelation, the Dayspring of Thy commandments, and the Source of Thy laws. Thou didst cause me to hear Thy call while I was in the hands of Thine enemies, and didst manifest that which was hidden from the eyes of Thy servants and concealed in Thy knowledge. I testify that Thou didst remember Thy servants when they were silent in Thy remembrance, and didst turn toward them when they had turned away from Thy horizon. I testify that Thy mercy hath preceded all things and Thy grace hath encompassed all.

I beseech Thee, O God of existence and Lord of the seen and unseen, by Thy Name through which, when it shone forth from the heaven of Thy will, all names bowed down before it, and by Thy Command whereby Thou hast subdued the earth and the heaven, to assist Thy servants to turn unto Thee, to hold fast unto the cord of Thy grace, and to cling to the hem of the robe of Thy bounty. Then ordain for him who hath turned back and shown justice in Thy Cause the best of this world and the world to come. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all mankind and the Lord of the throne on high and of earth below.

Praise be to God that mention hath been made of that distinguished one by the Supreme Pen. God willing, may the place be made ready for acceptance. God is the witness and testifier that this servant had for a long time desired to write something to him and reveal, for the sake of God and in His path, that which He knoweth, for the Trusted One, upon him be the glory of God, made favorable mention of him in the previous year, and likewise mention of him came from another quarter, and that distinguished one hath also made mention at this time. In any case, I beseech the Self-Sufficient, the Transformer of all things, and the Revealer of verses to confirm him that he may become a sign of His name in His lands. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

The Cause of God is more manifest than the sun and more exalted than the heaven. Every person of insight beareth witness and every hearing ear testifieth that from the beginning of creation until now no Revelation like unto this Most Great Revelation hath appeared or been made manifest. However, the unjust ones of the world, who are deprived of equity and forbidden from beholding, are striving with the utmost effort to conceal this world-illumining Sun. But alas! alas! The time shall come when new eyes and attentive ears shall appear through the Word of God, and they shall see all else but God as non-existent and shall turn unto the court of the One Beloved. O beloved of my heart! Until now no one hath comprehended the reality of the Cause. Were the details of the beginning of the Cause to be mentioned, all would hold fast unto the Straight Path and the Great Announcement.

Mirza Yahya was accompanied by seventy people during this journey. In their presence, he was unable to speak, yet the deluded ones, in their imagination, have denied this matter which seventy people witnessed. Such is the condition of the people. In the Land of Mystery, the power of God was manifestly revealed before the faces of a hundred companions who had gathered there. Who could speak in His presence? The tyranny of the Amir-Nizam became the cause of his name being elevated for the protection of the Source. If they would observe the signs of God with the eye of insight, detached from all else save Him, they would become aware of the root of the Cause. Then would the light of unity become manifest and every just one would testify to the power of God, His sovereignty, and His majesty which dominates all who are in the heavens and the earth.

Moreover, should ye deem it advisable, convey from this servant greetings and glorification. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to aid that honored one to proclaim His Cause in complete detachment from all beside Him, and to exalt through him His remembrance amidst His creatures. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Mention was also made of the honored friends—Aqa Siyyid ‘Ali-Muhammad Kha, Aqa Mir Siyyid Ahmad, and Aqa Mirza Murtada—upon them be the glory of God—who have turned their faces toward the Most Exalted Horizon and attained unto the sealed wine. Their names were remembered in the Most Holy and Inaccessible Presence, and for each of them there was revealed, in particular, that which is the cause of the supreme guidance and the mighty proof for the people of the earthly realm. God willing, they shall drink and receive their portion from the Kawthar of inner meaning and utterance hidden within the words of the Desire of all mankind.

This servant likewise conveyeth to each one his glorification, and imploreth God, glorified be His majesty, to confirm them in such deeds that the mention thereof may endure and abide within the Book of God. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Generous; He is the Hearer, the Answerer.

It is our hope that all the peoples of the earth may, through the breaths of divine inspiration, turn their faces toward the horizon of the Revelation of the Lord of mankind, and be not deprived of the Kawthar of His utterance. Verily, our Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous, the Ever-Forgiving, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Upon Him have we relied, and unto Him have we consigned all affairs. Verily, He is the Most Merciful of the merciful. The glory, the remembrance, and the praise rest upon you, and upon those who are with you, and upon whoso hearkeneth unto your word concerning this mighty Announcement. Praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH01212: Praise be befitting and worthy of the Lord…

He is God, exalted be He in might and power!

Praise be befitting and worthy of the Lord of existence and the Sovereign of the seen and unseen, Who through His glorious Name opened the gates of mercy and prosperity to all the peoples of the world, and taught and guided all to that which is the cause of the Most Great Guidance and the Supreme Gift. These gates, which in truth are primarily the gates of the effusions of the King of Oneness, are the guides of the Way and the bearers of proof and evidence. They are the Manifestations of Names and Attributes, and the Dawning-places of revelation and signs. In every age and cycle, a gate among the gates was opened to the face of creation through a name among the Names, until it culminated in the ultimate gates of the Most Great Grace, the Most Noble Station, the Supreme Rank, and the Uttermost Goal. He commanded all the peoples of the world to circle round it. Whosoever obeyed was mentioned as being among the people of the most exalted Paradise and was recorded by the Supreme Pen. The disobedient were deprived and the obedient achieved.

This nobility was attained and made manifest through the Muhammadan Revelation and the Ahmadan Light. His grace caused dust to ascend above the heavens, and His mercy enabled the people of the earthly realm of creation to reach the highest Paradise. From the parched valley flowed the Euphrates of grace, and from the veiled Hijaz appeared the Morn of Revelation. Can any likeness be seen for this power, or any similitude be observed? Nay, by His very Self, the Truth! The place that was the abode of idols became the seat of the remembrance of the Lord of all beings. Through the influence of the Muhammadan Word—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake—the lifeless world was renewed, and the furnaces of polytheism and infidelity were transformed into gardens of faith. The dumb spoke, the blind saw, and the deaf heard.

Now we beseech and implore God, exalted be His glory, to adorn the lost glory with the ornament of existence, and to make manifest the vanished might before all faces. What happened to that power and strength, and what caused this weakness? Until now, all remain heedless of the cause and reason. Today all the monotheists must, with utmost supplication and humility, petition God, exalted be His glory, and seek from Him that which will cause the standards of victory and the banners of triumph to be raised. His power has ever encompassed all, and His might has conquered the world.

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! Thou seest the weakness of the unitarians among Thy servants and their abasement amidst Thy creatures. I beseech Thee, by the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty, to assist Thy servants in that which will draw them nigh unto Thee and in that which Thou lovest and art pleased with. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all beings and the Lord of the throne on high and of the dust below.

And furthermore, in these days mention was made of the friends of that land before the Master, and each attained to that which is the source of divine confirmation and the cause of heavenly success. He says—and His sweet utterance is this: O Abu’l-Qasim! Thou art remembered. This Wronged One hath ever beseeched God—exalted be His glory—on behalf of His loved ones for that which is everlasting and eternal. That which is subject to decline is not worthy of mention. Consider the pharaohs and tyrants of the earth—from their palaces they returned to the grave. Love of position and wealth hath made men heedless of the Day of Reckoning. These are their houses which God hath left to the spider. Take heed, O ye that are endued with discernment! Blessed is the soul whom the ornaments and colors of the world have not deprived of the ocean of divine knowledge.

Blessed art thou for having held fast unto that which is praiseworthy, detached from every remote clamourer. However, We counsel the loved ones to perform good deeds and display praiseworthy conduct, and to observe that which God hath revealed in His Book. Know with absolute certitude that had the people of unity held fast unto the glorious Law and acted according to that which the Lord—exalted be His glory—hath commanded, they would not have been afflicted with the abasement of this day. One whose sole purpose and intention was to reform the world and exalt the Cause of the favored community hath been called a mischief-maker and imprisoned, and there befell him that which caused every just one to weep and every fair-minded soul to lament. We beseech God to assist His loved ones and chosen ones, and to open before their faces the doors of goodness and blessing. Verily, He is powerful over all things. Mention thou, on behalf of this Wronged One, all the men and women. For each We beseech divine assistance in obedience and worship. Verily, He is the Single, the One, the Bestower, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

O Mustafa! We have ever besought the Self-Sufficing Lord on thy behalf for that which changeth not and whose mention shall not be effaced from the Book of the world. Say:

My God, my God! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I have recognized Thy unity and Thy oneness. I beseech Thee by the pearls of the ocean of Thy knowledge and wisdom, and by Him through Whose advent the heavens of Thy grandeur and might were honored, to ordain for me the good of this world and the world to come. O my Lord! Aid me to perform such deeds as will diffuse the fragrance of Thy good-pleasure. Thou art indeed the One Who cannot be frustrated by the power of the idolaters who have encompassed Thy lands and territories and committed that which caused the people of the cities of justice and equity to lament. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Powerful….

BH01149: Praise be unto that Supreme Being Who through His…

He is God, exalted be He in might and power!

Praise be unto that Supreme Being Who through His appearance caused all things to proclaim “The Promised One hath come!” and through His utterance made all the trees of the most exalted Paradise speak that which the Interlocutor heard. Great is His sovereignty and mighty His proof, and there is no God but Him. And blessing and peace be upon His Prophets and His chosen ones and His loved ones who cast away what they possessed in hope of that which is with Him, and who acted according to what they were commanded in His perspicuous Book.

And further: may my spirit be a sacrifice for your service and for your steadfastness. Your esteemed letter appeared like the horizon, from which the light of detachment shone forth resplendent. It refreshed the soul as though the fabled water of life had become manifest and its existence verified. This is the time for gratitude for having given me to drink from the Kawthar of your favors and the choice wine of your mention. After attending to it, pondering over it, reading and studying it, it was presented before the Presence of the Desired One. This is what the Tongue of the Beloved uttered:

“O My Afnan! Upon thee be My glory, My remembrance, and My favor. Praise be to God that thou art mentioned at all times, and the favor of the Truth is directed toward thee. The Wronged One beareth witness that thou hast attained unto that which was revealed from time immemorial in the Books of God, the Lord of the mighty Throne. Thou didst turn to Him in the early days when the people were in manifest denial. Thou didst turn to the lights of the Countenance and wert present and didst attain unto that which cannot be equaled by whatsoever the people possess. Thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, beareth witness unto this. The peace from Us be upon thee and upon the son who was mentioned before the Wronged One and who stood at the gate. Give him the glad-tidings of My Most Exalted Word and illumine him with the light of My wondrous utterance. And the peace that shineth forth from the Supreme Paradise and the Most Exalted Heaven be upon thee and upon him and upon whosoever loveth thee and hearkeneth unto thy word, and upon every steadfast and upright one.”

He is the Lord of grace and bounty; His is the munificence, and His the justice. Ever hath the Day-Star of His loving-kindness shone forth and been manifest from the horizon of the heaven of Revelation unto that honored one. The atoms themselves bear witness unto this utterance, and all created things testify unto this word: verily, He hath loved His Afnan and loveth them with such a love as none can reckon; He, in truth, is the Reckoner, the All-Knowing. In very truth, that honored one abideth within the prison. This is a testimony uttered by Him Who is the Manifest One. This evanescent servant imploreth and cherisheth the hope that the Everlasting Truth may aid and strengthen that honored one in whatsoever transcendeth all stations. Verily, our Lord is the Hearer, the Answerer.

As to what was written concerning the two souls from among the friends of Sarvistan: they arrived, they came, and attained the presence; yet this was done without permission. The servant beseecheth his Lord that He may, through His grace, accept their deed; verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous.

And concerning that which ye wrote regarding the bestowal of some gift unto the person mentioned: it was accepted, inasmuch as the hands of the divine bounty are present and outstretched. Such acts as these are a cause for the engendering of love within hearts and souls. He hath declared that the servants must be assisted in whatsoever leadeth unto education and spiritual nurture; and among the means which have been and remain the cause of turning unto God and the instrument of salvation is the noble Name of God. Blessed are they that attain thereunto. Thus hath it ended.

And concerning Sarkar Iskandar Khan—may God assist him—of whom ye wrote: God willing, he may lay hold upon the hem of divine assistance and be drawn unto the right hand. The asking is from the servant, and the answering from the Lord.

As to the mention ye made of the martyred one—Ruhi, upon whom be my life offered up, and upon whom be the most glorious of all glories: after these words were laid before Him, this blessed utterance proceeded from the Mouth of the divine Will:

“O My Afnan! Upon thee be My glory. The son of the wolf hath torn My lamb asunder, the oppressor hath hamstrung My she-camel, and the serpent hath opened wide its mouth and swallowed its master. The cause of that wronged one’s martyrdom was his refusal to consent unto corruption.”

End.

Your honor knoweth what it was they sought of him, and what the purpose of the wrongdoers was. And when the prohibition was issued, and he refused to consent unto the corruption they desired, that refusal became the cause of the setting of that star of the heaven of truth. Yet, by the life of our Beloved, this setting was itself the cause and herald of many risings. Were the heedless and the ungodly but aware of this station, they would never venture upon such aggression. We beseech God to confirm His loved ones in patience and steadfast endurance, and His enemies in justice and fairness. Verily, He is the Mighty, the Chooser.

Convey, in my name, salutations and utter self-effacement unto the honored Afnan, that noble sir, Aqa Siyyid Aqa—upon him be the glory of God, the Most Glorious. And I beseech God, exalted be He, to manifest unto him that which shall rejoice his heart and the hearts of His loved ones and dear ones. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Convey likewise my greetings unto the honored brother, Aqa Nur’u’llah, and unto the spiritual beloved, Aqa Muhammad-ʿAli—upon each of them be God’s loving-kindness and grace. For each one do I supplicate success. Verily, our Lord is the Forgiving, the Generous. The peace, the remembrance, and the glory rest upon your honor, and upon those who are with you, and upon such as love you and hearken unto your word in the remembrance of God, the Mighty, the Wise.

The servant 6 Jumada al-Úla 1306 A.H.

That which ye sent was received and delivered unto those for whom it was intended. In conformity with the example of the Seal of the Prophets—may the souls of all besides Him be His sacrifice—it was expended in the winning of hearts. In the eyes of some this is accounted worthy, and since until now it had not been disbursed, it was therefore bestowed upon others.

BH04516: A Book sent down by the Lord…

He is the Compassionate, the Generous

A Book sent down by the Lord of the Day of Judgment. Verily, it hath been revealed from the presence of God, the Lord of all worlds, and guideth mankind unto His straight Path and His mighty Announcement.

O thou who art present before the Countenance! We bear witness that thou didst hear the Call from the Supreme Horizon and didst turn unto it and attain unto the presence of the Wronged One and didst hear the shrill voice of His Pen and didst behold the horizon of His Revelation and didst gain that which was recorded in His Books and Scriptures and Tablets. We beseech God to aid thee and grant thee success and ordain for thee that which He hath ordained for His chosen ones who circled round His Will and acted according to that which was commanded unto them from His presence. Verily He is the Mighty, the Exalted, the All-Bountiful.

When thou hast attained unto the Tablet say:

“My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having given me to drink, from the hand of Thy bounty, the cup of Thy reunion and for having brought me into Thy presence while the opposers lay in wait to prevent Thy servants from turning unto the court of Thy nearness and entering the precincts of Thy companionship. I testify that Thou didst enable me to rend asunder the veils and the shrouds and didst guide me unto Thy most exalted station wherein Thy most sweet call was raised. O Lord! Thou knowest that the fragrance of Thy utterance attracted me and the light of Thy countenance took from my grasp the reins of patience. I beseech Thee, O Lord of the worlds and Goal of the nations, to ordain for this servant of Thine Thy nearness and Thy presence once again, or to ordain for him his reward through Thy munificence and generosity and bounty. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful.”

BH06187: He from His most exalted horizon

He from His most exalted horizon.

Glory be unto Thee, O my God, Lord of the world, Creator of the nations, and Quickener of moldering bones! I beseech Thee by the Most Great Name, through which the gate of bounty was opened unto all who are in earth and heaven and the river of mercy flowed in the realm of creation, to strengthen me in all conditions to remain steadfast in Thy Cause, that neither the veils of glory may prevent me from drawing nigh unto Thee, nor the veils of them that are gone astray hinder me from turning toward the light of Thy countenance. Praise be unto Thee, O God of all beings and Goal of all created things, for having enabled me to turn toward Thee, such that I left my homeland out of longing to attain Thy presence, until I stood before Thy face in Thy prison and heard Thy sweetest call from Thy most exalted horizon.

Were it not for Thy grace, who would strengthen me to stand before the gate of Thy grandeur and acknowledge that which Thou hast sent down in Thy Book? O my Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I hold fast to Thy grace—ordain for me that which befitteth the heaven of Thy generosity and the ocean of Thy bounty. Verily Thou art the One with power over whatsoever Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

BH05321: O servants! The light hath appeared, the Sun hath…

He is God, exalted be His station, the All-Wise, the All-Eloquent.

O servants! The light hath appeared, the Sun hath risen, the Book hath been revealed, the proof is resplendent, and the Kingdom of Utterance is manifest at the midmost heart of contingent being. Yet the people remain heedless and in denial. Say: O servants, be ye ashamed before the Lord of Creation! Deny not Him Whom ye remember night and day, before Whom ye stand in service, and Whose Name ye invoke. Today the Straight Path is manifest and calleth out, guiding all to the supreme horizon. The Balance uttereth “The All-Merciful is come,” and the Herald between earth and heaven proclaimeth this most exalted Word: “The Desired One is come with a sovereignty before which the sovereignty of the world and the might of the nations cannot stand.

Fear ye the All-Merciful, O people of possibility, and be not among the heedless.” Blessed art thou, for thou hast turned unto Him in days when all turned away, and made mention of Him in times when all were silent. Beseech thou God to aid thee to remain steadfast, for mighty is this Cause and mighty this Day. We send greetings to the loved ones in that land and give them the glad-tidings of God’s grace, favor and mercy, glorified be His majesty. The glory be upon thee and upon those who have embraced that which is good, turning away from evil and from all that God hath forbidden in His perspicuous Book.

BH07250: What a wondrous Book hath been inscribed by what…

In the Name of Him by Whom the horizon of proof hath been illumined throughout all creation!

What a wondrous Book hath been inscribed by what Pen—by the Pen of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting! And what a glorious Tablet hath been traced by what Reed—by the Reed of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be! This is a Tablet from whose horizon the Sun of true knowledge hath shone forth. Blessed are they who understand.

How many a learned one have We left to himself, and how many an ignorant one have We rescued through My all-prevailing grace that overshadoweth all who are seen and unseen. Blessed art thou for having been mentioned before the Wronged One, and for having been the object of the Ancient Beauty’s attention from His glorious station.

Let not the intimations of the nations grieve thee, nor the clamor of those who have denied God, the Lord of existence, cause thee fear. They that have turned away shall soon find themselves in evident loss. They awaited the days of God, but when they came, they arose in opposition in such wise as caused the dwellers of the Kingdom to lament.

Glory be upon thee and upon those who have cast away idle fancies and held fast to the cord of the tender mercies of their Lord, the Sovereign of Kings.

BH00178: Praise, sanctified beyond all utterance, befitteth the Sovereign…

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

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

Praise, sanctified beyond all utterance, befitteth the Sovereign of contingent beings and the King of all worlds, Who hath adorned the realms of inner meanings and divine knowledge with fresh and wondrous garments through the living waters. These living waters at times appear in the form of letters, and at other times shine forth like unto the sun, absorbing all excess moisture that the warmth of divine love might set aflame the hearts and souls of those who are ready. Glorified be His greatness and exalted be His power! Glory be unto God, Who caused “Verily I am God” to be manifested from the Tree, that all might be prepared to hearken unto the divine call in this most great and divine Manifestation. Yet when the call “Verily I am God” was raised from the Uttermost Tree in the highest Paradise, all returned to hellfire—the recompense of denial—save whom thy Lord did choose. They accepted it from the Tree, yet denied its Creator.

Glorified art Thou, O my God and my Beloved! Within Thy grasp are the reins of all verses, and by Thy command are all created things moved. I beseech Thee by the fragrance of revelation in Thy days and by Thy persecution among Thy servants, to assist Thy creation to be fair in Thy Cause and just in Thy lands. Thou art the One Whose power no circumstances, doubts or allusions can withhold. Thou hast manifested whatsoever Thou didst desire through Thy might and sovereignty. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Conquering, the Omnipotent.

And further: an esteemed letter arrived from your honor, the fragrances of which perfumed the realm of remembrance and delighted and illumined the world of the heart, for it spoke in remembrance of the peerless Friend and uttered His praise. In truth, every letter thereof was a reflection of the Divine Book and every word bore witness to the dawning of the celestial Luminary. After its perusal and reading, it was taken to the station of holy nearness and presented before the countenance of the Ancient King, and after permission was granted, the ocean surged and the fragrance wafted, and there appeared from the tongue of our Lord’s will and the Lord of the Throne that which enraptured all spirits and minds. His blessed and exalted Word:

In My Name, the All-Encompassing over all names

O thou who art mentioned before the Wronged One and who hast quaffed the sealed wine in His Self-Subsisting Name! Hear My call from the direction of My prison. Verily it hath been raised in truth for the life of all who are in the heavens and earth. Through it the ocean of knowledge hath surged in the realm of possibility, and that which was hidden in divine knowledge and stored in the treasuries of God’s protection, Lord of all worlds, hath been revealed. Through it the Most Exalted Paradise hath proclaimed: “O people of the mortal realm, rejoice within yourselves, for the Lord of Names and Creator of Heaven hath come with manifest sovereignty.” And the Supreme Paradise hath called out: “By God! The Purpose of the worlds and the Beloved of nations hath appeared, through Whom the heaven was cleft asunder, the earth was split, and every wise decree was made manifest.” And behind these the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimed: “O people of the earth! The Most Exalted Horizon hath been illumined by this Revelation, which hath been the hope of the sincere ones and those brought nigh. Beware lest the veil prevent you from beholding Him, or the doubts of the world hold you back from drawing near unto God, Lord of the Mighty Throne.

By God’s life! That which ye possess shall profit you not save through this Cause, whereby idols have fallen, the standards of the ungodly have been reversed, and the banners of unity have been raised in His Name, the Almighty, the Powerful. Beware lest vain imaginings withhold you from the Lord of all beings, or idle fancies from this Self-Subsisting One, Who hath arisen before the faces of the world with a sovereignty that the veils of the nations could not prevent, nor the doubts of those who denied the Day of Judgment. Say: Fear God, O people, and deny not Him Who hath brought you that which lay concealed in the hearts of the Prophets and was inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in His Books and Tablets.

By His life! We counsel you for His sake. Be fair and be not among the abject. Take hold of God’s Book with the power from Him and the authority from His presence, and follow not the ways of the ignorant. He hath manifested for you what was hidden and revealed unto you the signs of God, Lord of the exalted Throne. He desireth for you naught save that which draweth you nigh unto God—to this His Books, His Scrolls, and His Tablets bear witness, if ye be of those who know.

The servant in attendance hath appeared before the face of the Wronged One and presented thy letter. We have answered thee with this clear Book. We have found from thy mention the sweet fragrance of My love, and from thy words the perfume of My affection, and We have sent down for thee that which shall endure as long as My celestial dominion and My realm of might endure. To this beareth witness the tongue of My grandeur in this glorious and wondrous station. By My life! I would not exchange My imprisonment for all that is in the world, nor My sorrows for the joy of all worlds, nor My tears for the oceans of life, nor My sighs for that which hath appeared through My all-pervading Will in the heavens and earth. Blessed art thou for having turned to Him from Whom most of creation hath turned away, and for having loved Him Whom every remote misbeliever hath detested.

We beseech God to assist thee and strengthen thee to mention and praise Him, and to serve His Cause with wisdom and utterance. Verily He is the Ordainer, the All-Wise. Thus hath the Pen revealed the hidden pearls within it, that thou mayest read and be of the thankful. God hath forgiven thee and thy father as a grace from His presence, and He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. Through My mention the ocean of forgiveness hath surged and the breezes of thy Lord’s mercy, the All-Merciful, have wafted. He is verily the Hearer, the Answerer. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Remember My loved ones on My behalf and give them the glad tidings of the heaven of My mercy, the sun of My bounty, and illumine them with the lights of My wondrous utterance—the Light shining and gleaming from the horizon of the kingdom of My utterance. Upon thee, and upon those with thee, and upon those whom the veils of glory did not prevent and whom the party of error did not frighten, who turned and responded to their Lord, the Manifest, the All-Seeing.

Now hear the Call of the Wronged One in the Persian tongue, that perchance the peoples of the earth may attain unto that which they are this day deprived. Glory be to God! That Station from which, like unto torrential rain, the verses of God were revealed night and day—this they have denied, while counting themselves among the righteous and the confessors of truth. The greatest barrier and the mightiest veil have been and continue to be the dawning-places of idle fancies. Most of the world’s people have been reared on suspicion and have grown intimate with vain imaginings. Blessed is the powerful and mighty one who, with the finger of certitude, rent asunder the veils of idle fancy and attained unto the lights of the Day-Star of Revelation.

O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! Names have prevented most from the ocean of inner meanings, and mention of “successor,” “guardian” and “mirror” hath deprived them of the Dayspring of verses and the Dawning-Place of clear proofs. By the life of God! None hath been or is capable of soaring in this sublime and spiritual atmosphere save through effacing all that he hath heard. Justice hath vanished, equity lamenteth. Those who were not with Us and were unaware from the beginning of the Cause have uttered that which no oppressor hath uttered. They have taken their idle fancies as lords beside God. Lo! they are among the lost.

Say: O servants! Hearken unto God’s counsel. Let not time slip away. The Blessed Tree is laden with countless fruits, and the Ocean of Utterance surgeth with boundless waves. The Sun of Truth hath appeared with wondrous lights and beloved effulgences. Behold with your own eyes, not through the sight of the heedless. Hear with your own ears, not through the hearing of the deniers. Perchance ye may soar on the wings of detachment in the atmosphere of divine knowledge and attain unto that from which ye are now barred. Ascend by the ladder of trust to the heaven of God’s bounty, and turn ye to the stairway of resignation. Verily He speaketh the truth and guideth you to His straight path. Whoso wisheth, let him accept, and whoso wisheth, let him turn aside. Verily He is the Most Holy, the Mighty, the Triumphant, the All-Powerful.

His is the praise and glorification, His the grace and bounty. At every moment there hath appeared that which enlighteneth the eyes of the world and the vision of the nations. However, this dependeth upon the justice and fairness of the people. Should they turn from what they possess to what God possesseth, and make for the arena of justice and fairness, they shall attain unto that which is the ultimate goal of seekers and the final hope of the sincere ones.

Indeed, a strange talisman hath appeared. Those who today reject the truth are barred from drawing nigh and are deprived of hearing the Word of Truth. This evanescent servant—with the Eternal Truth as witness and the people of the world as testimony—hath for nigh forty years stood in service, aware and cognizant of all matters. Yet none among the deniers hath ever questioned this servant, that perchance through the mention of events he might attain unto a drop from the ocean of knowledge and deliver himself from the darkness of self, the whisperings of Satan, and the hatred of those who are heedless and have turned away.

For instance, Hadi of Dawlatabad had and hath no knowledge whatsoever of the beginning of the Cause. God is witness that whatsoever he hath said and continues to say hath been and is without understanding, merely blind imitation, saying that which no unjust one hath ever said. Like unto those turbaned divines who, having once grasped the reins of authority, shall never release their hold upon them, a potent elixir of vain imaginings hath been administered unto him, and his pride hath deprived him of the Sultan of Manifestation. Would that he had presented himself before this Servant and, with justice and equity, had hearkened unto that which he hath neither heard nor attained! This Servant prayeth for all mankind and beseecheth the True One—exalted be His glory—that He may not deprive the souls of the world, that is to say, the diverse parties of the nations, of the River of Reality and the Ocean of His bounty. Verily, He is nigh, ready to answer. There is no God but He, the One, the Peerless, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Unto the souls mentioned in the epistle, after their supplication had been offered at the Most Sacred Threshold, there was vouchsafed to each that which bestoweth life and granteth fresh existence. Verily, He is the Ancient Revealer.

This is that which hath been revealed for Fatimih, the handmaiden of God. Upon her be the glory of God! Thus speaketh He Who is blessed and exalted.

He is seated upon the Throne of Bounty!

O Fatimih, O My handmaiden! Thy name was mentioned before the Wronged One, and We have remembered thee with these blessed words, each of which is a fountainhead of divine bounty and a dawning-place of heavenly utterance. The queens of the world are deprived, while the turning handmaidens have attained. Praise be to God, thou hast drunk from the choice wine of the utterance of the Desired One of the worlds and hast turned toward the supreme horizon. Verily, He hath appeared and manifested that which He desired, as a grace from His presence, and He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. We counsel thee and all handmaidens with that which befitteth the Day of God. Blessed is the handmaiden who hath turned and attained, and woe unto every doubting scholar.

This is what was revealed for the handmaiden of God, Khadijih, upon her be the Glory of God:

He is established upon the Throne of Utterance!

O Khadijih! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Lord of the Throne on high and of earth below. Today the Sun of Manifestation is shining and visible from the horizon of the heaven of the prison, and the ocean of grace is surging before all faces, and the Fire in the Blessed Tree is calling out with the most exalted call. Yet the servants are heedless and veiled, having been raised on suspicions and being intimate with idle fancies. Blessed is the soul that hath rent asunder the veils of idle fancies and attained unto the lights of certitude. Beseech the True One, exalted be His glory, with utmost humility and supplication, that He may not deprive the handmaidens of the earth and prevent the servants from the ocean of inner meanings. He is indeed the Generous, the Merciful. There is no God but Him, the One, the Mighty, the Great.

This is what was revealed for Diya’, upon him be the Glory of God:

He is the One speaking before all faces!

O Diya’! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Sovereign of the Kingdom of Names. Thy mention hath been mentioned and thy name is present. By the Sun of the horizon of utterance, all that is witnessed cannot equal a single word of the divine words. The sun of His grace hath illumined the world of existence, and the heaven of His loving-kindness hath been adorned with the stars of mercy and compassion. Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto witnessing and hath been adorned with the ornament of His mention. Joy be unto thee and unto thy father and thy sister, from the presence of God, the Single, the One, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

Section 2: “This is what was revealed for the handmaiden…”

This is what was revealed for the handmaiden of God, Rabi’ih, upon her be the Glory of God:

He is the Hearing, the Answering!

O My handmaiden! When thou hearest My call and findest the fragrance of My utterance, say: O my God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having enabled me to turn to Thee and to direct my face toward the horizon of Thy Revelation. O Lord! I am one of Thy handmaidens, and a leaf among the leaves of the Tree of Thy providence. I beseech Thee by that Cord which, when moved, causeth all created things to move, to assist me in Thy remembrance and praise. Then write down for me, with the Pen of Thy bounty, that which Thou hast written for Thy leaves and handmaidens who have been blessed to circle round the Kaaba of Thy presence and have drunk the choice wine of revelation from the hand of Thy generosity. O Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and clinging to Thy cord. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me of the wonders of Thy bounty and grace. Verily, Thou art the Lord of Bounty and the Sovereign of existence. There is none other God but Thee, the Educator of the seen and the unseen.

This was revealed for Muhammad-Sadiq, upon him be the Glory of God:

In My Name through which the fragrance of the All-Merciful hath been wafted throughout creation.

O thou who art mentioned before the Wronged One! Hear the call from the Most Exalted Horizon. Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. He calleth at all times for the salvation of all who are in creation, but the people hear not. None have arisen in truth save those who are among the most lost in My Manifest Book. He who loved Me hath mentioned thee. We make mention of thee with that which shall endure as long as the Kingdom of God, the Lord of the worlds, endureth. When thou art blessed with My verses, turn thy face toward God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers, and say:

O my God, my God! I testify that by Thy Name the names have been erased, and by Thy Manifestation the idols have fallen, the standards have been reversed, and illusions have been shaken, and by Thy grace the Kawthar of life hath flowed, whose source Thou hast made to be Thy Most Exalted Pen. O Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee, hoping for the wonders of Thy grace, and anticipating what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones. I beseech Thee by the power of Thy Most Exalted Word and the fruits of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, to make me speak Thy Name and mention that which hath appeared from Thee. O Lord! The poor one hath turned toward the ocean of Thy bounty, and the seeker toward the Luminary of Thy bestowals. I beseech Thee to ordain for me the reward of those whose deeds have been accepted and who have attained unto Thy presence in Thy Most Great Prison. Verily, Thou art the Lord of the world and the Educator of the nations. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

This was revealed for Rubabih, the wife of the aforementioned, upon her be the Glory of God, the Lord of the Day of Resurrection:

In the Name of the One True Object of Desire:

O handmaiden of God! Upon thee be My Glory! Praise be to God, thou hast attained unto that which was mentioned and recorded in the divine Books. God, exalted be His glory, gave glad tidings of this Most Great Manifestation to all the peoples of the world and all things, and created all for this blessed Day. However, the doubts of the ignorant, the suggestions of the learned, and the might of princes have prevented all from the ocean of the utterance of the Lord of all beings. All are occupied with themselves and heedless of Him, save those whom thy Lord willeth. The ornaments of the world have deprived the people of the realm of creation. How many are the men who are deprived of the river of mercy and forbidden from drawing nigh unto God, exalted be His glory. Thank thy Lord, for He hath enabled thee, assisted thee, and made mention of thee in His Great Prison. There is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

This was revealed for Ali-Akbar, upon him be the Glory of God:

In My Most Great Name

O Ali-Qabli-Akbar! The deluded ones, like the people of the past, cling to vain imaginings and remain heedless and veiled from the ocean of divine knowledge. The sayings of old have come forth and the ways of fancy have appeared. From the malice and hatred of that party was manifested that which caused the angels drawn nigh and the Dawning Places of the revelation of the Lord of all worlds to weep and lament. And now the deniers of the Bayan are seen to be like unto that people, nay worse. They have committed that which no oppressor hath ever committed, and with utmost endeavor and complete determination they strive to extinguish the divine light and quench the celestial fire of God’s love.

Glory be to God! Heedlessness hath reached such a state that they deny the light of the Sun of Truth and conceal the waves of the ocean of utterance. Like clouds they have become veils and have prevented the servants from the effulgences of the Luminary of proof. Thus have their souls enticed them.

We beseech God, exalted be His glory, to grant sight and bestow hearing, that perchance the heedless may become aware and turn towards the court of God. Take thou My Book with My Name and My power. Verily it will draw thee nigh unto My Kingdom and protect thee from the doubts of the suspicious ones and the intimations of the barking ones. We beseech God to assist thee to be steadfast and to ordain for thee the good of this world and the next. Verily He is the Mighty, the Powerful. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon thy wife who hath believed in God, the Lord of all worlds.

O Khadijih! Hold fast unto the cord of grace and fix thy gaze upon the horizon of His bounty. We beseech God to adorn His handmaidens with the ornament of chastity, trustworthiness, truthfulness and purity. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. We make mention of the handmaidens of God at this time and give them the glad-tidings of God’s grace, loving-kindness and attention, exalted be His glory, and We beseech confirmation for all in such deeds as will cause the exaltation of God’s Word. Verily He speaketh the truth and commandeth His servants and handmaidens that which will profit them in every world of His worlds. He is verily the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Praise be to God that each of the loved ones and leaves hath attained unto the ocean of utterance and the light of revelation. This evanescent servant beseecheth God to confirm all to take the pearls of utterance which have appeared from the ocean of His grace. Although these have been and are manifest, yet to attain unto them is impossible without the confirmations and favors of God. Verily He confirmeth whom He willeth even as He confirmed them to turn unto Him and mentioned them with such mention as cannot be equalled by the mention of all peoples. Verily He is the Protector of the doers of good and the Goal of them that know.

Having sought permission to attain His presence, after it was presented before Him, this exalted Word was revealed from the Mouth of Will, blessed and exalted be His utterance: O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! Love of wealth and position hath deprived the world of the outpourings of the Day of Return, to such extent that they have regarded the Reformer of the world as a corrupter and have deemed the Ocean of Justice as tyranny. With utmost vigor and effort they are occupied with preventing the servants from attaining the court of His presence. The people of oppression have become an obstacle. We beseech God to grant fairness. Well, if wisdom requireth it, they may turn, but with such turning whereby all created things turn unto God, the Lord of the Kingdom of Signs. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this most great favor which hath appeared from His Mighty Announcement.

Thus hath the luminary of permission shone forth from the heaven of bounty with such radiance as hath transformed the darkness of sorrow into joy. According to the command, if one or two souls turn, there is no harm.

O My loved one! Ever hath God, exalted be His glory, loved and continueth to love His chosen ones, and His grace is evident as the sun. However, they have been prevented by other causes: first, the might of princes; second, the clamor of divines; and third, the blessed Word that was heard from the Mouth of Will, exalted be His utterance: “The earth is a prison, outwardly still but inwardly in motion.”

Knowledge is with God, our Lord and the Lord of the Mighty Throne.

Concerning the mention of one of the uncles who ascended before attaining to faith, after it was presented at the Most Exalted Station, this supreme Word was revealed, exalted be His utterance: We beseech God to forgive him through His bounty and generosity, and to send down upon him mercy from His presence and light from His own Self. Verily, He is the Most Generous of the generous ones and the Most Merciful of the merciful ones.

O Muhammad! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Single, the One! Praise be to the Goal of all worlds Who assisted thee to turn and to make mention. Verily, He assisteth whom He willeth through His bounty and generosity, and He is the Mighty, the Powerful. And He hath answered that which thou didst desire. Verily, the Command is in His grasp—He giveth and He withholdeth, and He is the Commander, the Taker, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The ocean of forgiveness and grace of God, exalted be His glory, is before the faces of all beings, yet the people, like unto cattle, have denied this most great favor through their own vain imaginings. In these days, one who is heedless, to whose ignorance and negligence all things testify, hath mentioned that which every letter thereof beareth witness to his ignorance. Would that the deniers had understood the root of the Cause! Until now they know not from whom came that which transpired in the presence of the Primal Point, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake. In any case, the Truth is evident and manifest as the sun above all else, but the blind and sightless are deprived of beholding it. Leave them to their vain discoursings. Verily, we are God’s and unto Him shall we return.

As to the request for ultimate success and prosperity, after it was presented at the Most Exalted Summit, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these decisive verses, blessed and exalted be His utterance: O thou who drinkest My choice wine! We have heard thy call and the servant in attendance hath laid before Us that wherewith thou didst commune with God, the Lord of the Throne and earth, and the Master of the hereafter and this world, Who hath come from the horizon of power with manifest sovereignty. Blessed be thy tongue for having spoken the truth. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist thee in that which draweth the hearts of those who have turned towards Him, and to exalt thee among His servants through His Name. Verily, He is the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful. Say:

O my God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having caused me to turn towards Thee, to acknowledge Thy oneness and to confess that which Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. O Lord! Thou seest me attracted by Thy verses, clinging to Thy cord, yearning to plunge into the ocean of Thy oneness, to stand before the gate of Thy grandeur and to attain unto Thy presence. I beseech Thee, O Creator of the world and Quickener of the nations, by the Most Great Name, to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee, preserve me, aid me, and be a light unto me in all the worlds of Thy worlds. Then decree for me, O God of Names and Creator of heaven, the best in this world and the world to come.

Verily Thou art God; there is none other God but Thee. Thou hast ever been mighty through Thy will and supreme through Thy purpose. Thou doest as Thou pleasest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all things. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Hearing, the Answering. O Lord! Ordain for me and for those with me, and for those who have laid hold on the cord of Thy bounty and clung to the hem of Thy mercy, that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and Thy trusted ones. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful, and worthy to answer prayer.

Praise be to God! The waves of the ocean of bounty are successively and continuously manifest and evident. Well is it with thee and blessed art thou! This servant beseecheth his Lord to make thee steadfast in His service and vocal in His mention amongst His servants. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Powerful.

Convey greetings on behalf of this servant to the friends in that land. For each one I beseech God, exalted be His glory, for steadfastness, as the heedless ones, the barking ones, and the transgressors lie in wait. I beseech Him, exalted be He, to protect them and ordain for them that which will draw them nigh unto Him and assist them to remain firm in the Most Great Steadfastness. Verily, He is the Confirmer, the All-Wise.

Glory, remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those with you, and upon all who are firm, steadfast, resolute, speaking, and upright. Praise be to our Lord, the Mighty, the Wise.

The servant 19 Jamadiyu’l-Avval 1306

BH11693: Today, praise and thanksgiving are the exclusive privilege…

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

Today, praise and thanksgiving are the exclusive privilege of His loved ones—those souls who have attained and continue to attain unto the Choice Wine, and who fear not the appointed hour. They have freely sacrificed their lives in the path of Him Who is the Goal of all worlds. Neither the might of princes doth frighten them, nor the oppression of divines cause them to tremble. With most eloquent utterance, they have proclaimed before all religions: “The Truth hath come!” Glory be to God! Wonder upon wonder that the deeds manifested by the lovers in this Revelation have not served to admonish or awaken the peoples of the earth. Whither is fairness fled? What hath become of justice? One, at the moment of martyrdom, exclaimed “How wonderful!”

Another declared “I have offered up my spirit unto God!” Yet another, before the House, offered up his life with his own hands. If ye were to count the martyrs of God in this Revelation, ye could not number them. In truth, they are beyond reckoning. Each gave his life in such wise that the denizens of the Supreme Paradise exclaimed “Blessed be God!” and the dwellers of the most exalted Paradise cried out “What rapture for the sake of God!” Glorified be the majesty of our Lord! There is no God but Him, the Almighty, the Powerful.

O thou beloved of My heart! Thy distinguished letter arrived, bringing into existence the joy that was lost and manifesting the hidden gladness into the realm of being. Praise be to God, it bore tidings of thy well-being, and after causing joy and delight, it was presented before the Presence of the Lord of all worlds at the Most Exalted Court and the Source of the joy of earth and heaven. It was honored to be heard, after which the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these verses. Thus speaketh the Lord, exalted and sanctified be He, through My Name, which speaketh before all faces:

O thou who art mentioned before the Wronged One! We have heard thy call and have answered thee with a Word from which every people shall find the greatest of what they possess, whereby the people of the Furqan shall discover the fragrances of the All-Merciful, and the people of the Gospel shall find the utterances of the Friend, and the companions of the Torah shall hear the cooing of the Dove of the Cause upon the highest branches, and the people of the Bayan shall find that which attracts the hearts and minds. Thus hath the Mother Book revealed its utterance, and the Mother of Utterance its verses, and the Most Great Ocean its waves, and the Sun of Being its bounty and effulgence.

Blessed is the soul that hath ascended, heard and seen. Woe to the heedless! Thou wert present before the Wronged One and didst hear His call and knew that He desired naught save the reformation of the world and the education of the souls of nations. But the people turned away from Him and denied His Manifestation and whatsoever was revealed from Him, out of transgression against God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. By God! This is the Day wherein the Mount hath been moved to smile, for it hath attained unto its Interlocutor, and the Tree calleth out with the most exalted call:

“He Who caused Me to speak hath come! Fear God, O people, and deny not Him through Whom the river of utterance hath flowed throughout all possibility and the ocean of knowledge hath surged before all religions.”

Be fair in the Cause of God and His Manifestation, and be not of them who disputed His signs and denied His favor and committed that which caused every discerning scholar and every informed mystic to lament.

Say: O concourse of men! The Most Great Scene hath been adorned through the Lord of Destiny, and every hidden matter hath been revealed. Turn with radiant faces to the Supreme Horizon and follow not those who have denied the proof of God and His testimony, when He came with a mighty command and clear sovereignty. The servant who was present brought thy letter and presented it before the Face. We have revealed for thee that which was a bounty to the righteous and a light to the chosen ones and a river of life to all peoples. We beseech God to aid them to turn unto Him and to grant them success in that which beseemeth this holy, mighty and wondrous Day. When the attraction of My utterance taketh hold of thee and the wine of My exposition intoxicateth thee, say:

My God, my God! My soul is a sacrifice for Thy call, and my spirit for turning to Thee, and for Thy remembrance. Thou hast turned toward me from the direction of the Prison and remembered me when I was silent in Thy remembrance, and called me when I was asleep. I testify that Thy mercy hath preceded me and the light of Thy Cause hath encompassed me. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy Kingdom and the mysteries of Thy Dominion, and by the Word whereby the hearts of Thy servants and the realities of Thy creation were attracted, such that they hastened to the place of sacrifice out of longing to meet Thee, and by the neck which attained the rope of enemies in the land of Sad as a manifestation of Thy power and an expression of its detachment from all else but Thee, that Thou aid Thy servants to be fair in Thy Cause, then enable them to rend asunder the veils of idle fancies that prevented them from drawing nigh unto the court of Thy glory and from hearkening to Thy most sweet call which was raised from Thy Most Exalted Pen.

O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant and the son of Thy handmaiden. I testify to Thy oneness and Thy singleness and to that which Thou hast revealed in Thy Book and manifested for the ascension of Thy creation to the station Thou hast ordained for them through Thy bounty and generosity. O Lord! I beseech Thee to ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones who did not break Thy covenant and Thy testament, and whom neither the might of kings nor the wealth of monarchs prevented from gazing toward Thy horizon and holding fast to Thy cord. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

Blessed is God! What a wondrous mention and blessed time, when the call of the Lord of Names and Creator of Heaven was raised with the praise of all things! The waves of the ocean of utterance appeared in such wise that the seas of the world became, as it were, all ears to hearken, and likewise the trees. What a rapture hath in this hour seized the world! It is as though the wondrous words have bestowed new spirit and granted fresh life. Each one speaketh with glad tidings and uttereth a word, yet what profit is there, when the people, bereft of justice, are all deprived and forbidden? If they turn aside from this Most Great Cause, what matter is worthy of attachment, and if they deny it, what cause is deserving of acceptance?

In any case, prayer is necessary, not cruelty, for strife, contention and corruption have been strictly forbidden in this Most Great Revelation in the Book of our Lord, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. Would that they had understood the purpose of the Desired One! He hath commanded all servants in all conditions to patience and forbearance, and the friends have so firmly clung to this blessed word that they are slain but slay not, hear evil but speak it not. These unjust ones of the world have become confident, and each day there occurs that which causeth the eye of justice to weep. The light which is the cause of the world’s illumination—they strive to extinguish it. And these swords and spears, though outwardly directed at these servants, in truth return upon the oppressors themselves. We beseech God to make known to all what they are prevented from recognizing today through idle fancies and vain imaginings. Verily we are God’s and unto Him do we return.

As for thy expression of humility and lowliness before the Most Holy Court, after it was presented, these blessed words were spoken: This humility and lowliness of thine is, before God, exalted be His glory, greater than the might and power of those who possess power. Blessed be thy tongue, for it hath spoken the truth. We beseech God to ordain for thee the good of the hereafter and of this world, and to decree for thee that whereby thy mention shall endure in every world of His worlds. Verily He is the Mighty, the Powerful. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth.

Thou didst mention Aqa Mirza Asadu’llah, upon him be the glory of God. After it was presented before the Throne, a Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was revealed specifically for him from the right hand of the Throne. God willing, may he attain unto it and drink from the ocean of the utterance of the Most Merciful that which will intoxicate him such that in the assemblage of the world he may cry out “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Sovereign of all realms!” This servant conveyeth greetings and beseecheth God to grant enabling grace. In truth, the mention of the Beloved is a fresh joy for the heart, a new melody for the ear, and a trustworthy fountain for understanding. Praise be to God that that loved one hath attained unto mention, praise, orientation, love and acceptance. Verily He is the Compassionate, the Generous, and He is the Helper, the All-Wise.

Regarding Qurratu’l-ʿAyn and the joy of the heart of Luqman, upon him be the glory of the Most Merciful: A Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet hath also been revealed specifically for him from the horizon of the heaven of proof. It is hoped that he may be nurtured under the shadow of the grace of God, exalted be His glory, and attain unto that which is the cause of everlasting life and eternal mention. His mention brought joy, and this is evidence of God’s grace and mercy. The servant beseecheth his Lord to ordain for him what is best for him. Verily He is the Mighty, the Powerful.

I convey greetings to the friends in that land, and I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to grant each one that which leadeth to exaltation and elevation. Verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer.

BH03514: The Promise hath come to pass…

In the Name of Him Who shineth from the horizon of proof!

The Promise hath come to pass, and that which was mentioned in the Books of God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment, hath appeared. Verily he hath attained unto all good, as witnessed by […] He speaketh in every condition that there is none other God but Me, the Lord of all that is seen and unseen, and the Lord of the Throne […] Thou hast attained unto the call of the Wronged One. Turn thy face toward God, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling […]

My God, my God! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and […] Thy face and clinging to […] Thy grace. I am the one who, O my God […] was uttered by the tongue of Thy grandeur, and I have held fast to what Thou hast revealed in Thy Books [and Thy Scriptures] and Thy Tablets. O Lord! Aid me to gaze toward Thy horizon with Thine eye and to hearken unto Thy call with Thine ear. O Lord! Thou seest the transgressor turning toward the waves of the ocean of Thy generosity, seeking Thy forgiveness […] and the ignorant one [turning toward] the kingdom of Thy knowledge and wisdom.

I beseech Thee by [the light] whereby Thou hast illumined Thy earth and Thy heaven, and opened the doors of the hearts of Thy servants, that Thou [mayest make me] enriched through Thy riches, detached from all else save Thee, and content with what Thou hast ordained for me through Thy firm decree and Thine irrevocable destiny. Verily Thou art He through Whose bounty all created things have testified, and through Whose grace all contingent beings have borne witness. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

Within Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth. O Lord! Withhold not him who hath turned toward Thee, and remove not him who hath sought the court of Thy nearness and the threshold of Thy door. Ordain for him through Thy bounty that which shall cause him to arise to serve Thee and to speak Thy praise among Thy creatures. Then write down for him the good of all worlds among Thy worlds. Verily Thou art the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH04827: Praised be God! The light of utterance has dawned…

He is the All-Witnessing, the All-Informed

Praised be God! The light of utterance has dawned and shines forth from the horizon of the heaven of proof, and the call of the Goal of all worlds has been raised in the kingdom of knowledge. The pens of the oppressors—that is, the ignorant ones of the earth—did not prevent His Pen of justice, and the veils of creation did not conceal the radiance of His Word. With the most exalted call He proclaimed in the realm of creation and summoned the people to the supreme horizon. Clamor arose from all directions; from every side they assailed the Wronged One. Glory be to God! From the signs and clear proofs to which all the peoples of the world have clung and still cling, nothing has appeared save denial and turning away. The hearing of the people of the world has been defiled by false tales, and likewise their sight by the dust of vain imaginings. For these two reasons they are debarred from the presence of the Cause of causes, and prevented from the Salsabil of the utterance of the All-Glorious. We beseech God to remove that which bars—He is the Mighty, the Powerful.

When thou hearest My call and the shrill voice of My Most Exalted Pen in the prison of Akka, say:

“My God, my God! Separation from Thee hath consumed me, and remoteness from Thee hath set me ablaze. Thou seest and knowest that this servant of Thine hath yearned for Thy nearness and Thy will, and his heart hath melted in longing to hear Thy call. I beseech Thee, O Mystery of existence and Educator of the seen and unseen, by Thy greatest signs and the manifestations of Thy grandeur amongst mankind, to make me steadfast in Thy Cause and speaking forth among Thy creatures. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful, and worthy to answer prayer.”

BH04908: O Ali! Upon thee be the peace of God…

…O Ali! Upon thee be the peace of God and His loving-kindness!

First, fhou shouldst under all conditions be filled with joy, exultation, and gladness. But the manifestation of this station is and hath ever been impossible unless thou holdest fast unto absolute reliance upon God. This is the remedy for sorrow and in truth the supreme antidote for all manner of grief, gloom and melancholy. And trust is not attained except through perfect certitude. Certitude hath its effects and fruits.

Second is forbearance and the showing of friendship to high and low—God forgive! All are noble if they but accept the loving counsels of Truth. This luminous station illumineth the heart, breast and mind of all with an indescribable light.

Third, conduct, deeds and words must be conditioned by wisdom and the requirements of the time. Praise be to God that thou art adorned with all that hath been mentioned. This testimony in this station is a pearl beyond compare and a light without peer.

O Ali! Convey the greetings of the Wronged One to the friends. God willing, may all be aided to achieve that which the time requireth. In times calling for vigorous action, hesitation is not permitted, and in times of peace and reconciliation, words of wrath are not befitting. God willing, may all be enabled to attain to contentment and submission, which are as two luminaries in the heaven of existence. Blessed are they and those who are endued with understanding….

BH07139: God testifieth that there is none other God but…

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing

God testifieth that there is none other God but Him and that He Who hath come from the dayspring of power is the Hidden One in knowledge, inscribed in the Tablet and mentioned in the books of the past from God, the Lord of the worlds. He raiseth up whomsoever He willeth through His grace, and He is the Mighty, the Powerful. The clamor of factions hath not hindered Him. He hath appeared and revealed what He desired with a sovereignty before which all who are in the heavens and on earth are powerless. We have heard thy call and have remembered thee in this perspicuous Tablet. Say:

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, and glorification be unto Thee, O my Beloved, for having made known unto me the Dayspring of Thy Revelation, the Source of Thy commandments and the Fountainhead of Thy laws. I beseech Thee by Thy loved ones who have spent whatsoever they possessed for the exaltation of Thy Cause and whom the happenings of the world did not withhold from drawing nigh unto Thy Most Great Name, to make me a servant of Thy Cause, steadfast in Thy love and firm in my devotion to Thee. Verily Thou art powerful to do what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

BH07342: O My handmaiden and My leaf! Today every leaf…

In the Name of Him Who hath preceded all names!

O My handmaiden and My leaf! Today every leaf is engaged in remembrance, and the leaves of the Divine Lote-Tree are speaking forth “The Truth hath come!” Blessed is the soul that was not held back from the Straight Path and the Great Announcement by names, but passed by them like lightning and attained unto the Truth. The Day is God’s Day, and the Light of the Sun of Truth is shining and manifest from the horizon of the heaven of God’s Will. Names have no station or path in this realm.

O My handmaiden! Thy remembrance was mentioned in the Most Holy and Exalted Presence, and this blessed Tablet hath been sent down from the heaven of favor. Give thanks to thy Lord for this, and say:

“Praise be unto Thee for having remembered me in Thy prison, and glory be unto Thee for having guided me to Thy Most Glorious Horizon. I beseech Thee by the hearts that have been illumined by the light of Thy knowledge, and by the faces that have turned toward the splendors of Thy countenance, to ordain for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen the good of this world and the world to come. There is none other God but Thee, the Single, the One, the Compassionate, the Forgiving, the Generous.”

BH09103: O My loved ones! Upon you be My glory…

He is the One dawning from the horizon of proof.

O My loved ones! Upon you be My glory and My loving-kindness. Praise be to God that you are among those souls whose names were not prevented by their Owner from being inscribed, and whose book was not deprived of that which was sent down. You have passed beyond the world and joined the arena of the utterance of the Lord of all beings, and held fast to His cord. This station is like unto the head compared to the various stations of the world, and like unto sight compared to the temples of ranks among the nations. Beseech God to grant you strength that you may remain firm and steadfast in this most exalted station and most glorious spot. We mentioned you before with a mention whose fragrance is everlasting and enduring, and this is yet another time from God, the Lord of all beings, the Lord of the Throne and of the earth.

BH10277: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee…

He is the Expositor, the All-Knowing

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name the Compassionate, and by Thy Name the Kind, and by Thy Name through which Thou didst open the gates of generosity upon the faces of the world, such that neither error prevented Thee from giving, nor did the disobedience of Thy servants prevent Thy bounty and grace. Thou didst conceal through Thy Name the Concealer and forgive through Thy Name the All-Forgiving. O Lord! Thou seest the distant one who hath desired the Kawthar of Thy nearness. I beseech Thee by the waves of the ocean of Thy mercy and the mysteries hidden in Thy Books to assist me in Thy remembrance and in service to Thy Cause and in acting according to what Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, and worthy of answering prayer.

BH10534: Verily the heaven of bounty desired to send thee…

He is the Single, the One!

Verily the heaven of bounty desired to send thee a star from among the stars of mystical knowledge from the direction of its Name, the All-Merciful. When its light taketh hold of thee and its manifestation attracteth thee, rise from the horizon of the House and say: O concourse of earth and heaven! By God, the King of the Kingdom of Names hath come with a sovereignty that no might can frighten and no power can weaken and no veil can conceal and no clamor of them that have denied the Day of Judgment can silence. Thus have We adorned the crown of thy heart with the diadem of the bounty of thy Lord, the All-Bountiful.

BH11160: O Husayn, upon thee be My glory! O thou…

He is the All-Knowing

O Husayn, upon thee be My glory! O thou who art oppressed in Khartoum, upon thee be My loving-kindness! O thou who hast held fast to the Self-Subsisting after the Qa’im, upon thee be My grace and My mercy! Say: My God, my God, and glory be unto Thee, O Lord, my Lord and my Beloved, and glory be unto Thee, O my Master and my Support, and glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by the hours which […]

BH11094: The Ocean of Inner Meanings has desired to send…

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

The Ocean of Inner Meanings has desired to send unto thee a chalice from the Kawthar of utterance. When thou hast drunk thereof, say:

“Glory be unto Thee, O my God! Praise be unto Thee for having turned toward me from the direction of Thy prison and remembered me with that which the treasuries of kings and rulers cannot equal. I bear witness that Thou art verily the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.”

BH00701: Praise be to God Who has made manifest…

He is God—exalted be His majesty, greatness and power!

Praise be to God Who has made manifest the Path and sent down the Proof, and Who has called all unto Him through His evidences that no evidences in the world can equal, and through a Book that no books of the nations can match. And peace and blessings be upon His Most Perfect and Complete Name, through which His path appeared among His servants and His balance among His creation, and upon His family and companions, through whom the clouds have rained and the earth has yielded its fruits, and through whom the door of divine knowledge was opened to all who dwell in the realm of possibility, and the Cause of God encompassed all religions.

And further: the letter of that spiritual beloved arrived, adorned with the pearls of divine praise and thanksgiving, and illumined with love and affection for the Prophets and holy ones. Praise be to God that the opposition and neglect of the people of the world did not prevent you and He preserved you. This preservation has been and is from God. Who besides Him can preserve the servants save God, the Powerful, the Preserver, the Wise?

After perusal, it was presented before Him and He said: “O Rida, upon thee be the peace of God! This Wronged One has, from the earliest days, counseled all people regarding that which would exalt their stations and the station of God’s sovereign Word. At the outset We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to assist His servants to be trustworthy, truthful and pure. Through goodly character is the station of creation exalted and the Creator’s good-pleasure won. Say:

My God, my God! I beseech Thee by the Fire that spoke unto Him Who conversed with Thee, and by the Light of Thy knowledge whereby the hearts of them that have recognized Thee were illumined, and by the fruits of the Tree of Thy Cause and the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty, to ordain for me that which will elevate me amongst Thy servants and cause me to speak forth Thy remembrance and praise. O Lord! Thou seest the feeble one seeking the Kawthar of Thy utterance, and the ailing one the ocean of Thy healing. I beseech Thee not to withhold from me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and trusted ones. O Lord! I implore Thee by them and by Thy Most Great Name to assist me in that which befitteth my servitude towards Thee and Thy lordship over me. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the Bountiful, the Forgiving, the Generous.”

Praise be to God! The news of your health and well-being was precious tidings, as though emerging from a treasure-house of love. Blessed art thou! I beseech God that He may, in all conditions, assist you in that which leadeth to the exaltation of His Cause and His Word. He said: Write to Rida—upon him be peace: O Rida! We beseech God that He may aid thee and through thy deeds and character draw the souls in that land to the shore of the ocean of unity. Despair not of God’s grace and mercy. Read what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’an through His exalted Word: “He hath created man and taught him articulate speech.”

The possessors of divine mysteries have said: “Knowledge is the completion of that which is known, and power and might are the completion of creation.” Therefore when the heart of man is sanctified from doubt, uncertainty, misgivings, and the promptings of self and desire, it perceiveth knowledge in all things and learneth from all things. God willing, mayest thou be assisted to attain unto spiritual qualities, goodly character, and pure deeds. O Rida! The hosts of deeds and character have ever been and shall ever be victorious. Hold fast to the sure handle of the blessed word “Fear God: God will teach you.” When fear of God is attained, knowledge is present.

O Rida! The sacred and luminous pearls of knowledge lie hidden in the ocean of the heart, but the time for their mention hath not come. It hath been said: “Not all that is known can be disclosed.” Would that there were a river that could receive sustenance from this ocean! What We have said was for the reformation of the world and the training of the souls of the nations. But those who are colored with the hues of the world accepted it not. They attributed oppression to the Dawning-Place of justice, and tyranny to equity. Beseech God that He may adorn and illumine all through His handiwork, which is sanctification and detachment from the colorings of the world.

Deal with the foreigners with utmost love, and with the Arabs with kindness and compassion. Ever keep before thy face this blessed word:

“Glory is not his who loveth his country, but glory is his who loveth the world.”

Peace be upon thee from Us, and upon those who have cast away desire and taken hold of guidance. The Command is in God’s hands, the Lord of all mankind and the Lord of the last and the first.

It is hoped that through thy spiritual presence hearts and minds may be illumined, and that this journey may plant new saplings in fresh and goodly soil. Praise be to God that the time is at hand, the opportunity hath not passed, death and loss have not come. Therefore must man strive and, mindful of the one true Friend, do that which will reform and enlighten the world. This evanescent servant beseecheth God that He may, through the hands of your endeavor and effort, plant in the soil of being whatsoever will prove beneficial. Verily, He hath power over all things.

They have said: O Rida! What is incumbent upon thee today is that those souls should be pleased with thee, for verily they are good people who believe in divine unity. God willing, mayest thou be adorned with two ornaments: forbearance and benevolence. The heaven of divine wisdom is illumined by two luminaries: consultation and compassion; and the pavilion of world order is upheld by two pillars: reward and punishment.

Praise be to God! From your missive all are content and joyful. This is the fruit of your journey, praise be to God that you have attained it.

Jinab-i-Aqa Ghulam-Ali and Qurratu’l-Ayn—upon them both be the salutations of God and His grace—arrived and attained the honor of His presence, and abode in Bahji for two or three nights; thereafter they took their leave and departed. Once again mention was made of Qurratu’l-ʿAyn, together with such words as are the cause of joy and yearning concerning pure and holy deeds. Verily, our Lord is the One Who aideth and confirmeth, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

As to what was mentioned concerning the items which were kindly dispatched, please God they will arrive. It had been intended that in these days Siyyid Hadrat-i-Afnan—upon him be from all glory His most glorious splendor—should come, and that he would bring them with him. If they arrive, most excellent indeed is the desired end. We sow for the servants of the earth; we write and render thanks. Yet it is certain that they shall arrive, for that honored soul hath sent them with utmost love, and this servant in turn receiveth them with full assurance of that love. In such a case there can be neither hindrance nor obstruction in the way, and thus they will arrive.

We have committed all affairs unto Him and have placed our trust in Him. Upon you be greeting and remembrance and praise, and upon those with you, and upon the righteous servants of God.

The servant, 28 Jamadi’ul-Awwal 1206

BH02474: A Book which the All-Merciful hath sent down unto…

He is the One dawning from the horizon of the heaven of utterance

A Book which the All-Merciful hath sent down unto him who hath rent asunder the veils of idle fancies on a Day when servants who broke God’s Covenant and Testament, disputed His verses, denied His proof, and rejected His testimony that encompasseth all who are in the heavens and on earth, have clung to such fancies. The dawn hath appeared and the breeze of God hath wafted over all regions, yet the people remain in evident drunkenness. They have cast away that which profiteth them and taken that which harmeth them, and have committed that which hath caused all things to lament. They shall ere long behold the recompense of their deeds. Verily God is the Just, the All-Wise.

Thy letter hath come before the Wronged One. We have read it and replied to thee with a Tablet through every word of which God quickeneth such as have believed in Him and in that which hath been sent down from His presence. Thy Lord is verily the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. We have found from every letter of the letters of thy missive the fragrance of the knowledge of God, the Lord of all worlds. Blessed art thou for having believed in Him and in that which hath been sent down from the heaven of His grace, and for having acknowledged that which the Nightingale of Proof warbled upon the highest branches.

The gate of heaven hath been opened and the Lord of the Kingdom of Names hath come with a sovereignty that the hosts could not repel, with a might that the power of kings could not weaken, and with a command before which all in the heavens and on earth have bowed down. He stood before the faces of the world and summoned all unto the All-Knowing, the One Informed. He chose not silence for Himself nor did He conceal His face for less than a moment. He appeared and manifested that which He desired, despite the company of divines who broke God’s Covenant and Testament and turned away from His straight path.

When thou hearest the call of My Name, the Self-Subsisting, and attainest unto My choice-sealed wine, turn thy face toward God, the Lord of what was and what shall be, and say:

My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having moved Thy Most Exalted Pen to make mention of me while I was in the hands of the wicked ones, and thanksgiving be unto Thee for having caused the lights of Thy luminous countenance to shine upon me. I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by Thy Command through which the ocean of Thy knowledge surged and the fragrance of Thy garment was diffused, and by Thy Name through which the gate of song was opened before the faces of the poor, and the gate of wisdom before all creatures, and the gates of bounty and knowledge and bestowal before all who dwell in the kingdom of creation, and by the shrill voice of Thy Pen and the penetrating power of Thy Word, to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee in all conditions. Thou art verily the Most High, the Supreme.

O my Lord! Disappoint me not of that which Thou hast ordained for such of Thy chosen servants as were so intoxicated by the wine of Thy utterance that they sought the place of sacrifice, yearning to attain Thy presence and seeking Thy good-pleasure. Then write down for me the good of this world and the world to come. Thou art verily the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Bountiful, the Ever-Flowing.

BH11882: The signs of the favors of God, exalted be…

He is the One manifest above His servants.

The signs of the favors of God, exalted be His glory, are manifest and evident from every direction, and the effulgences of the lights of His Revelation are sanctified and holy beyond all else. The Kawthar of utterance flows from His Pen, and the Salsabil of knowledge is manifest and visible through His Name. One drop thereof would resurrect the inhabitants of the graves and bestow upon them eternal life. By graves is meant heedlessness of the self and passion, and the death of those in such graves is more severe and greater than physical death. Praise be to God that you have drunk the Kawthar of knowledge from the hand of the bounty of the One sought by all the worlds, and have attained to that which most of the people of the world are deprived of. We beseech God to assist you and to manifest through you that which will cause the exaltation of the Word and the advancement of souls. Commit all affairs to Him and place your trust in Him. Say:

My God, my God, my Lord, my Support, and my Beloved! I have placed my trust in Thee and have committed my affairs unto Thee. I know not what profiteth me or harmeth me; Thou art more knowing than I, and Thou knowest what draweth me nigh unto Thee and delivereth me. Ordain for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen that which will assist me to remain steadfast in Thy Cause and to mention Thee among Thy servants with wisdom and utterance. O my Lord! Thou seest Thy servant clinging to the cord of Thy grace and holding fast to the hem of Thy mercy. Ordain for him every good that was in Thy Book. Verily, Thou art powerful to do what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

BH11883: The Command hath come, and the decree hath appeared…

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

The Command hath come, and the decree hath appeared, and the Herald hath called out before the faces of the servants: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of creation!” Blessed is he who hath heard the call from the Most Exalted Horizon, and hath arisen, turning towards Him, and hath said:

“Glory be unto Thee, O my God, my Lord, my Master and my Support, and glory be unto Thee, O my Beloved, my Purpose, my Hope and my Desire! I testify to Thy singleness and Thy oneness, and to that which the Tongue of Thy grandeur hath spoken, and that which hath been inscribed by the Pen of Thy Command in Thy Books, Thy Scrolls, Thy Scriptures and Thy Tablets. And I testify that Thou didst create me for the recognition of the Dayspring of Thy Revelation and the Manifestation of Thy Self.

“I beseech Thee, O Lord of existence and Educator of the seen and the unseen, by Thy Name through which the pearls of mysteries appeared through the key of Thy chosen Name, and through which the hearts of the righteous were attracted, to ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones, Thy trusted ones, and Thy loved ones. Thou art He Who disappointeth not those who hope in Thee, nor driveth away from Thy door those who seek Thee. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. Glory be unto Thee, O God of Names and Creator of heaven! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great and Most Glorious Name to assist me in that which will elevate my station and my rank among Thy servants and Thy creation. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

BH11884: At this moment the Mother Book hath…

He is the Hearer, the Answerer!

At this moment the Mother Book hath, in the most exalted call, summoned the people of the earth and invited them to the Dawning-Place of Divine Revelation and the Source of heavenly ordinances. O people of Baha! Know ye your station and recognize the value of these days. Praise be to God that warfare and strife have been removed, and the light of justice hath shone forth from the horizon of the Will of God, glorified be His majesty, and the pavilion of grace hath been raised at the midmost heart of contingent being. Blessed is the seeker who hath, purely for the sake of God, taken shelter beneath its shade. Today the gate of bounty is opened wide and the Great Herald is, at every moment, proclaiming amidst the people: O ye that possess ears, hearken unto His call, and O ye that have eyes, turn toward His horizon. The station of this Day cannot be limited and is sanctified above all measure and bounds. Beseech ye God to illumine the world through the lights of His Most Great Name and withhold not His servants from the ocean of His bounty. He is the Powerful One Whom the might of the idolaters could neither prevent from His purpose nor hold back from His Will.

Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having strengthened me and made me known and mentioned me in such wise that the fragrance thereof will endure throughout the continuance of Thy dominion and Thy kingdom. Verily Thou art the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

BH11888: In My Name, the One Who Standeth amongst all…

In My Name, the One Who Standeth amongst all peoples

Glorified art Thou, O my God! How can I mention what Thou hast bestowed upon me through Thy generosity and honored me through Thy grace, whereby Thou hast guided me to Thy straight path and Thy mighty announcement, and given me to drink of the choice wine of Thy utterance from Thy verses and the Kawthar of Thy grace from Thy Book? I testify, O my God, to Thy greatness and Thy power and Thy sovereignty and Thy authority. Alas! Alas! for my remoteness from the court of Thy nearness and my separation on the carpet of meeting with Thee. I beseech Thee, O Creator of the world and Educator of the nations, by Thy Most Great Name, to ordain for me from the Pen of the Most High the reward of meeting Thee and attaining Thy presence and standing before Thy gate.

Alas! Alas! I witness Thy love, O Beloved of the world, and the hatred of the peoples, and I behold Thy drawing near and their turning away from the shore of the ocean of Thy mercy. Thou art He Who, O my God, created the learned and the princes for Thy remembrance and praise and the service of Thy Cause in Thy lands. But when Thou didst manifest Thyself, they rose against Thee with such oppression that the near ones lamented, and they advanced toward Thee with swords of hatred and visited upon Thee that which caused all existence to be seized with grief. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting.

BH11894: Blessed is He Who hath sent down the verses…

He is the One Who ruleth over all names

Blessed is He Who hath sent down the verses and manifested the evidences, and Who hath spoken before all faces that which caused the limbs of every heedless and rejected one to quake. Glorified is He Who hath manifested whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be, and it is!” Neither the might of the oppressors nor the opposition of the pharaohs, who denied that which was sent down from God, the Lord of the seen and unseen, could hinder Him. When thou findest the fragrance of the Manifestation, say:

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name, the All-Bountiful, and Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name, the All-Generous, to make me one of those who have quaffed the wine of reunion from the hands of Thy bounty and the Kawthar of meeting through Thy grace and favors. O Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and gazing toward the horizon of Thy grace. I beseech Thee to send down upon me from the heaven of Thy bounty that which will draw me nigh unto Thee. Then ordain for me that which will assist me and preserve me in every world of Thy worlds. Verily Thou art the All-Powerful, the All-Compelling, the Mighty, the Most Loving.