Volume 090: Akka 1306 A.H. (1888–1889), Part III (4 of 5)

BH01592: He hath dawned from the horizon of the heaven…

He hath dawned from the horizon of the heaven of proof.

This is a Book which the All-Merciful hath sent down to him who hath turned his face towards His countenance, until he attained that which was revealed in the Book of God, the Lord of all men. O Zaynu’l-ʿAbidin! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One from the right hand of the luminous Spot in the Most Exalted Paradise. Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. At times He maketh mention of His station as the Most Great Prison, and at others as the Most Exalted Paradise. By the life of the Desired One! Paradise doth not cause Him to forget His remembrance, nor do tribulations in His path harm Him. He hath borne such afflictions as none knoweth save the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

The Tongue of My grandeur hath testified for thee, while seated upon the Throne, of thy turning towards Him, thy presence before Him, and thy hearkening unto the call of God, the Lord of the worlds. When thou returnest to thy place, make mention of My loved ones on My behalf and give them the glad-tidings of My bounty. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to aid them and draw them nigh unto Him. Verily, He is the Mighty, the Powerful.

O Zaynu’l-ʿAbidin! Hearken unto the divine call in the Persian tongue. Today the friends must, one and all, occupy themselves with such conduct and deeds as will cause the exaltation of the Word of God and the preservation of souls. The standard of praiseworthy character hath preceded all other standards, and the banner of goodly deeds hath ever been, and will continue to be, exalted above all others in station.

Say: O friends! By the life of God, contention hath been forbidden, and conflict, corruption, bloodshed and evil deeds have all been strictly prohibited in My Most Great Book. Indeed, certain utterances were previously revealed from the Pen of the Dayspring of Divine Unity regarding the rebellion of the Shi’ih party, such as when He said in one instance:

“The necks have been extended in hypocrisy. Where are the swords of Thy retribution, O Subduer of the worlds?”

The purpose of such expressions was to demonstrate the extent of the wickedness of the deniers and opponents. The tyranny of the aggressors hath reached such a pitch that all have seen and heard of it. In any case, I swear by the Sun of Truth which shineth from the horizon of the heaven of the Most Great Prison that the intention of the Ancient Beauty hath never been, and is not, contention and conflict, nor that which causeth hearts to be troubled.

Refer ye to the Tablets wherein He saith: “Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship.” The purpose of this Revelation is that the fire of hatred which blazeth in the hearts and souls of the followers of divers faiths should be quenched through the Kawthar of divine utterance and heavenly counsel, and be stilled and extinguished. In this year, which is one thousand three hundred and six, a Tablet was revealed in the handwriting of the Wronged One wherein this exalted word shone forth from the horizon of the Most Exalted Pen: “O people! Make mention of the servants with good, and speak not of them with evil, nor with that which would grieve their souls.” Even the mention of evil hath been forbidden in this year, for the tongue was created to make mention of God. It would be a pity to defile it with backbiting or to utter words that cause grief and distress to the servants.

We have permitted association with all peoples, except such souls from whom ye perceive the odor of enmity in the Cause of God, the Lord of all mankind. From such souls ye must needs keep aloof, as a command from God, the Lord of the mighty Throne. O people of God! Let your drink be the Kawthar of love, your occupation that which manifesteth unity, and your deeds that which guideth mankind to the path of God, the Mighty, the Powerful.

O Zaynu’l-ʿAbidin! Upon thee be My glory! Time and again hath thy mention flowed from the Most Exalted Pen, and repeatedly hast thou attained His presence. Know thou the value of this station. Praise be to God that thou art occupied with His mention and praise, and dwellest in His vicinity. The remembrance of these days hath been and will ever be beloved. God willing, it shall never pass from sight.

Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having given me to drink the Kawthar of Thy utterance from the hand of Thy bounty, and for having caused me to hear the shrill voice of Thy Pen and to behold the horizon of Thy Revelation. I beseech Thee by Thy power which hath encompassed all created things to make me in all conditions one who remembereth Thy name and uttereth Thy praise. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Bountiful. O my Lord! Forgive me and those who have believed in Thee and in Thy signs. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the All-Generous.

BH01659: This is a Book that speaks the truth…

In His Name, Who rules over all who are on earth and in heaven!

This is a Book that speaks the truth and reminds the people of the signs of God, the Lord of the worlds, and guides them to the path which hath been established in truth, and speaketh, saying:

“O people of the earth! Turn ye unto Me with radiant faces, and follow not the imaginings of the ignorant ones who have turned away from the Countenance and denied Him in Whom they had believed. They are assuredly among the wrongdoers in the Book of God, the Lord of the mighty Throne.”

In the Persian tongue: Hearken unto the divine call which is raised at all times, giving unto all the glad-tidings of that which is the cause of eternal blessing and everlasting bounty and endless, abiding life. The people of that land have ever been and continue to be under the glance of His loving-kindness. Blessed is the Ba before the Qaf, for he hath attained unto the Most Great Remembrance, when every heedless and remote one was debarred therefrom. We beseech the Most High to aid him at all times and draw him nigh unto Him. He, verily, is the Mighty, the Powerful.

O Abu-ʿAli! Render thanks unto the Goal of all the worlds, that He hath aided thee to turn unto Him and hath manifested through thee one who is occupied in service and dwelleth beneath the canopy of grandeur. Thou didst desire to attain His presence; however, due to the great distance and the opposition of the deniers and the objections of the oppressors, this matter is now postponed. Yet We beseech God to record, through the Most Exalted Pen, its reward for thee and for others, and to adorn it with the glory of His acceptance. Be grateful and say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art wronged by the world, and glory be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Glory of those in the heavens and the earth!”

O ʿAli! We have made mention of thy father, and We now make mention of My handmaiden, thy mother. We beseech God to forgive her and ordain for her that which beseemeth the kingdom of His bounty and the heaven of His grace. He, verily, is the Mighty, the Powerful.

Praise be to God! His honor Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin speaketh in remembrance of the sincere ones, the near ones, and the devoted ones, and hath attained unto the presence. Blessed is he and blessed is he who hath loved him and hearkened unto his call in this momentous News. He hath ever made mention of those regions and the loved ones of that land, and continueth to do so, and hath besought from the ocean of the All-Merciful’s mercy and the heaven of divine generosity, for each one, that which hath had and hath no likeness or equal.

O Hajar! Thy name hath been mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One, and thou hast attained unto the bounty of God, exalted be His glory, and the evidences of the Most Exalted Pen. Recognize thou the station of this Most Great Remembrance and this Most Exalted Word. By the life of God! The treasures of the earth cannot compare with but one word of the divine utterances. Today all the books of the world cry out with one voice:

“O people of the earth! The Mother Book hath appeared and calleth from the most exalted station, summoning all unto God, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. Hearken ye, hearken ye, then turn with such steadfastness as cannot be deterred by the hosts of the world, and be not of those who turn away.”

O ʿAli! Give the glad-tidings of My remembrance and My bounty to thy brothers. We beseech God to aid them to remember and praise Him, to draw them nigh unto Him, to ordain for them the reward of those who have turned to My Most Exalted Horizon, and to give them to drink of the Kawthar of bounty from the hand of His favor. He, verily, is the Compassionate, the Generous. We have remembered them time and again, and likewise those whom God hath related unto thee, as a mercy from His presence. He, verily, is the Most Merciful of the merciful ones and the Guardian of the sincere ones.

The glory be upon thee and upon them and upon My loved ones there, from whom those who have turned unto God inhale the fragrance of My wondrous and incomparable love.

My God, my God! Thou seest Thy loved ones and Thy friends. Ordain for them what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones who have hastened with their hearts to Thy horizon, soared in Thy atmosphere, and have sacrificed their spirits in Thy path. O Lord! Withhold them not from the outpourings of Thy days, then send down upon them from the clouds of Thy mercy and the heaven of Thy bounty that which will draw them nigh unto Thee and aid them in that which Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. Thou art, verily, the Forgiving, the Merciful. There is none other God but Thee, the Commander, the Judge, the Mighty, the Powerful.

BH02003: Glorified be He by Whose name the ocean…

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise

Glorified be He by Whose name the ocean of utterance surged in the realm of possibility, and the Sun of Manifestation shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of proof, and the Dove of Paradise warbled upon the branch of certitude. There is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower.

Say: O people of the earth, rejoice within yourselves! The Temple of the Ancient Beauty hath been established upon the Most Great Throne and hath spoken that before which the Books of the world have bowed down, and His grace hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. Blessed is he who hath recognized, and woe unto every denying infidel.

Say: The gate of the Divine Presence hath been opened, and from the treasury of divine knowledge the pearls of wisdom and utterance have been revealed, through the command of God, the Powerful, the Chosen One.

Thy letter hath come before the Wronged One, and We have heard thy sweetest call in the remembrance of God, the Lord of all beings, and witnessed thy turning toward the Most Exalted Horizon. We have answered thee with a Tablet before which all tablets have bowed down. We have indeed sent down for thee, both before and at this time, that which hath opened the gate of knowledge to the face of every insightful seeker. Blessed art thou for having attained, in the earliest days, to the Kawthar of inner meanings, when the servants were prevented therefrom, save whom God, the Lord of creation, did will.

We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to give thee to drink, at all times, from the choice wine of His utterance and the Kawthar of His remembrance and the Salsabil of His mercy, which hath preceded all religions. When thou dost inhale the fragrance of My utterance from My pen’s traces, say: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Manifestation through which the Mount was shaken and the Lote-Tree spoke that which drew unto it the hearts of the righteous ones.

O my Lord! Thou seest me, in all conditions, turning toward Thee and directing myself to the horizon of Thy grace and the ocean of Thy bounty. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me from that which Thou hast sent down from the heaven of Thy mercy for them that circle round Thy Sacred House. Every person of fairness hath testified to Thy power and sovereignty, and every person of justice to Thy greatness and might, and every person of insight to Thy Manifestation and appearance and Thy loftiness and favor.

Draw nigh, O Thou Who art the Goal of the world and the Beloved of nations, Thy servants who have become remote from the court of Thy nearness and have turned away from Thee in Thy days. O Lord! Aid them to acknowledge after denial and to turn toward Thee after having turned away. Verily Thou art the Mighty, the Powerful, the Bestower.

O my God! Send Thy blessings upon Thy trusted ones and Thy chosen ones who have acted according to that which Thou didst command them in Thy Book. Then adorn them among Thy servants with trustworthiness and religiosity and truthfulness and purity. Verily Thou art the Possessor of the Kingdom of names and the Supreme Ruler of earth and heaven.

O Lord! Make known to them Thy path and Thy tidings which Thou didst promise in Thy Books and Thy Scrolls. Then enable them to hold fast unto it and to cling to its hem. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the Chosen One.

O Lord! Thou seest Thy servant Nabil who hath arisen to serve Thy Cause among Thy servants. Assist him through the means of Thy heavens and earth that he may draw the servants nigh unto the Most Great Ocean through Thy bounty and generosity. Thou art He Whom the desires and schemes of the nations cannot prevent, nor their might and power and sovereignty and oppression. Thou doest what Thou willest and ordainest what Thou desirest. Verily Thou art the Commander, the Ruler in the beginning and in the end. There is none other God but Thee, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

BH02303: He hear and answers

He hear and answers

O ʿAbdu’r-Rahim! Beseech God, exalted be His glory, to make aware the heedless ones of that land and not deprive them of the ocean of His bounty, that all may hearken to the call of the Speaker of Sinai and arise to serve His Cause.

Say: O Ja’far! Hear the call of the Lord of Destiny as it is raised from the direction of His Most Great Scene. Open thy sight to the countenance of God that thou mayest behold the Self-Subsisting One, in Whose hand is the sealed nectar.

Say: In the name of God and by God, take from the hand of bounty the Kawthar of eternity, then drink thereof once in His name and again in remembrance of the All-Wise. Verily the Wronged One maketh mention of thee for the sake of God and calleth thee to the supreme horizon from the presence of the Ordainer, the Ancient of Days. O Ja’far! We love to see thee detached from all save God, holding fast to His Most Great Name and clinging to His luminous hem. We beseech God to open before thy face the gate of justice and adorn thee with the ornament of fairness, that thou mayest behold with thine own eyes that for whose vision eyes were created—His radiant and wondrous beauty.

Should the attraction of the call from the supreme height seize thee, say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of all beings, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O Sovereign of the kingdom of names, for having remembered me when I was silent in Thy remembrance and called me to turn toward Thee when I was hesitant in Thy Cause. I testify that vain imaginings kept me from the lights of the Book of Certitude and idle fancies stood between me and Thy Self-Subsisting Name. I beseech Thee, O Lord of existence and Educator of the seen and unseen, to assist me in breaking the idols of Thy servants and creatures. Verily Thou art the Almighty Whom the power of the world cannot frustrate and the All-Compelling Whom the clamor of the nations cannot prevent.

O my Lord! Aid me to turn toward Thee and adorn me with the ornament of Thy gifts and forgiveness. O my Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant, acknowledging Thy Messengers and what Thou hast revealed unto them of Thy Books and Scriptures and Psalms. I beseech Thee, O Sovereign of existence and Lord of spirits and minds, to make me in this hour one who acknowledges the Mother Book which Thou hast sent down as the final return. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

O ʿAbdu’r-Rahim! This Wronged One hath ever summoned and continueth to summon all the peoples of the world to God, glorified be His majesty, without any veil or concealment. Blessed are they that have turned toward Him and woe unto them that have turned away. Thy letter was received and attained the honor of being heard, and this reply hath been sent down from the heaven of the bounty of the Lord of all men. Blessed is he who findeth from it the fragrance of the loving-kindness of the compassionate and generous Lord. Convey My greetings to the loved ones of that land. We beseech God to make each one stand with such steadfastness that the people of the earth shall be powerless to prevent them. Verily He is the Generous, the Munificent, and He is the Strong, the Triumphant, the Almighty.

If wisdom requireth it, may Mulla Ja’far, whom God shall strengthen, take note.

BH03015: The friends of God have ever been beneath His…

In the Name of the one true God!

The friends of God have ever been beneath His vigilant eye and illumined by the lights of the Sun of Truth. The Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken in remembrance of each one. Today the sweet fragrances of grace and utterance have perfumed the world, yet most are deprived and forbidden therefrom.

We beseech God to rend asunder the veils—and these veils have been and are the ignorant ones who have adorned their heads with turbans and have striven and continue to strive with the utmost effort to hinder and prevent the servants. God’s curse be upon them! Blessed art thou, for the hindrance of the hinderers and the veils of the veiled ones did not prevent thee from the fragrances of the Day of Faith and the manifest light.

We make mention in this station of thy wife and give her glad tidings of thy Lord’s verses. We beseech God to aid her and ordain for her that which endureth and lasteth. O My handmaiden! Rejoice in My remembrance, then bear witness to that which God hath testified, that there is none other God but Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

We make mention of thy sister and the wife of him who was named Fadlu’llah. We have turned toward them from the direction of the Prison and remembered them with that which attracteth the minds and hearts. Today the leaves of the divine Lote-Tree must guide the handmaidens of the earth to the Most Exalted Horizon with utmost sanctity and detachment. Today the handmaidens of God are accounted as men. Blessed are they and joy be unto them! We beseech God to make all steadfast in such wise that the oppression of oppressors and the fire of aggressors may not deter them from the Straight Path.

O Muhammad-ʿAli! When thou attainest unto My Tablet and the trace of My Pen, say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having given me to drink the choice wine of Thy utterance from the hand of Thy bounty. I beseech Thee to ordain for me every good thing Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones. O my Lord! Thou seest the hands of hope upraised toward the heaven of Thy grace—withhold them not through Thy generosity nor disappoint them of Thy gifts. Send down upon me from the heaven of Thy bounty that which will draw me nigh unto Thee and adorn me with the ornament of Thy glory and Thy riches. Verily Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all things, both hidden and manifest. Verily Thou art the All-Loving, the All-Forgiving.

BH03157: He Who is the Ruler over all who are…

He Who is the Ruler over all who are on earth and in heaven

O thou who gazest toward the Most Exalted Horizon and who holdest fast to the cord of the bounty of the Lord of all beings! Hearken unto the call from the precincts of ʿAkka—God, there is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Mihdi! Thy letter hath come before the Wronged One time and again, and We have heard thy call. We answer thee with that which will draw thee nigh unto the Most Great Ocean which hath surged before the faces of the world, that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. We have found from thy letter the fragrance of attention, steadfastness and turning unto God, and We beseech God, exalted be He, to make thee hold fast unto that which He hath revealed in His perspicuous Book.

In these days there hath come upon Me that which hath caused the hearts of them that are nigh unto God to melt. Say: O people of God! Cast away that which befitteth not His days, and take hold of that which ye are commanded. He, verily, is the Faithful Counsellor. Blessed is the servant who hath held fast unto trustworthiness and righteousness and that whereby the Cause of God, the Lord of all worlds, is exalted.

There hath appeared in the Great City that which hath caused the tears of the knowing ones to flow. He who claimed My love hath broken My Covenant—thereby have My Pen and My Tablet wept. Every fair-minded and keen-sighted one beareth witness unto this. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to aid him and those whom he hath led astray to return unto Him. He, verily, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Pardoner, the Merciful.

Convey My greetings unto the faces of My loved ones who have quaffed the choice wine of My love from the cup of My bounty, and remind them of that which hath been sent down from the Kingdom of My wondrous utterance. Say: O people of the earth! The Temple of Grace hath been established upon the throne of His name, the All-Bountiful. Beware lest ye be kept back by the clamor of your divines who have denied the proof of God and His mighty and glorious testimony.

Illumine the hearts of those who are with thee with this Light that hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of thy Lord’s Tablet, the All-Bountiful, the Powerful, the Mighty. We counsel thee and those who have believed to observe wisdom, lest the clamor of the heedless be raised. Unto him who acteth in accordance with that which he hath been commanded, God shall open the gates of goodly gifts. He is the Helper of the sincere ones and the Goal of them that are nigh. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon those who are with thee and upon all who are steadfast and firm.

BH03069: The Wronged One desires to send thee a word…

He is the One Who calls between earth and heaven!

The Wronged One desires to send thee a word from the Mother Book and a wave from the ocean of thy Lord’s mercy, the Lord of all men. We have remembered thee and those who have believed with a remembrance by which the hearts of the righteous have been attracted.

O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! The Wronged One is between the fangs of wolves, calling the people to God, the Lord of the Final Return. He was seated when the hand of power raised Him up, and was silent when the Command of God, the Lord of lords, caused Him to speak. There befell Him in the path of God that which caused the stars to fall and the clouds to cry out. He has arisen to promote the Cause with such steadfastness that the tyranny of the world did not prevent Him nor did the hatred of the wicked frighten Him. He has spoken what He desired before the faces of the servants, causing the kingdom of the heart to quiver.

We beseech God to assist thee and make thee successful in what He loves and is pleased with, to make thee speak His Name and gaze toward His horizon, to make thee detached from all else save Him and clinging to the hem of the robe of His mercy which has preceded the earth and the heavens. The Wronged One has turned to thee on this night and revealed for thee that which has caused the nightingales of divine knowledge to warble upon the highest branches. The Kingdom belongs to God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower.

When thou hearest the shrill voice of My Pen and findest the fragrance of My utterance, say:

“My God, my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Name through which Thou hast subdued the world, to assist me in Thy remembrance and praise and in holding fast to Thy cord. O Lord! I have turned to Thee, detached from all save Thee. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy face to assist Thy servants in serving Thee and serving Thy loved ones. Then I beseech Thee, O Lord of existence and Sovereign over the seen and unseen, by the pearls of the ocean of Thy knowledge and Thy hidden and treasured mysteries in Thy tablets, to make me among those who have aided Thy Cause through wisdom and utterance and have done what Thou hast commanded them in the Book. O Lord! Thou seest the one who aims for Thy most distant station and the supplicant at the door of Thy bounty. O Lord of all beings! I beseech Thee to ordain for me the good of the hereafter and of this world. Verily Thou art God, there is none other God but Thee, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

BH03341: A mention from Our presence to him who hath…

He is the Speaker, the Hearer, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

A mention from Our presence to him who hath believed in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, that he may inhale the fragrance of My utterance and remind the servants of My verses and draw them nigh unto My Kingdom, the Mighty, the Beloved. O ʿAli! We have heard thy call and witnessed thy turning unto Us and found the fragrance of thy humility before God, the Lord of sovereignty and dominion. We have sent down for thee that whereby the Concourse on High and they who circle round My glorious station have been enraptured. Blessed is the servant who hath cast away what the people possess on the Day of God, the Lord of existence, and taken what hath been sent down from the heaven of bounty as a token from the Truth, the Knower of things unseen.

When thou hast drunk the choice wine of My utterance from the cup of My bounty, turn thy face toward the House and say: “Glorified art Thou, O my God! I testify that I was as one dead, and Thou didst adorn me with the ornament of being; I was heedless, and Thou didst make known to me Thy extended path; I was silent, and Thou didst cause me to speak through Thy bounty which pervadeth both the seen and the unseen. Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having enabled me to turn toward the court of Thy might and to acknowledge Thy oneness and Thy singleness. I beseech Thee, O Lord of kings and kingdoms, Possessor of might and grandeur, by Thy grace to assist me in making mention of Thee and glorifying Thee amongst Thy creation and in arising to serve Thy loved ones.

“O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I acknowledge what Thou hast revealed in Thy Book and hold fast to the cord of Thy bounty. I beseech Thee not to withhold from me the ocean of Thy generosity nor from hearkening to Thy call on the Mount of Thy knowledge. Thou art He through Whose generosity all things have borne witness, and through Whose grace all created things exist. There is none other God but Thee, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Compelling. Then ordain, O my God, for Thy loved ones who have aided Thy Cause through wisdom and utterance and have acted according to what Thou hast commanded them in the Books and Tablets, that which shall protect them from the wolves of the earth and its wicked ones. Moreover, decree for them the good of this world and the world to come. Verily Thou art the Lord of all worlds, the Educator of all peoples, and the One Who, through Thy word”Be,” and it is, hath power over whatsoever Thou willest.”

BH03962: O my leaf! Hear my call from the direction…

In the name of the one incomparable God!

O my leaf! Hear my call from the direction of my prison. Verily, there is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Thou hast ever been and art remembered before the Wronged One. We beseech God to confirm thee in steadfastness in His Cause. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

Most men on earth are deprived of the city of inner meanings, but thou, praise be to God, hast attained thereunto. Know thou the value of this most great bounty and mighty gift, and say:

“My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having guided me unto Thy path and illumined my heart with the light of Thy knowledge and sent down upon me the rain of Thy mercy. I beseech Thee by Thy light whereby earth and heaven were illumined, and by Thy fire whose call was raised from the Tree of Faithfulness, to enable me in all conditions to remember Thee and praise Thee and to hold fast to the cord of Thy bounty. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Generous. Furthermore I beseech Thee, O God of Names and Creator of heaven, by Thy arising to promote Thy Cause and by Thy call amongst Thy servants, to ordain for this handmaiden of Thine what Thou hast ordained for the leaves that circle round Thy throne. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, and worthy to answer prayer.”

O my handmaiden! Convey the greetings of the Wronged One to the handmaidens of that land. We wish at this time to mention my leaf, the daughter of him who was named Ashraf, upon him be My glory. We beseech God to confirm her in that which befitteth the sanctification of His Cause. Verily, He is the Confirmer, the Generous.

O my leaf! There hath come before the Wronged One thy letter which thou didst send to him who chose for himself a station beneath His shadow. We have read it and answered thee. If God willieth, He will send it to thee as a grace from His presence. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

BH05483: This is a Book which the All-Merciful has sent…

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

This is a Book which the All-Merciful has sent down to him whose name was mentioned before the Wronged One in this remote spot.

This is a Day whereon the Balance has spoken: “O peoples of the earth! The Dayspring of Justice has appeared with a manifest Command, and the Path has cried out: ʿTo Me, to Me, O heedless ones!”’ There is nothing but proclaims the truth in remembrance of this Mighty News, whereby the limbs of idols have quaked and every obstinate oppressor has wailed.

This is a Day whereon the seas have surged and the fragrance of God, the Lord of all worlds, has wafted. The verses have been sent down and the clear tokens have appeared, yet the people remain veiled by a thick veil. Blessed is the powerful one whom the doubts of the divines have not weakened, and the steadfast one whom the might of the oppressors has not caused to slip.

When the wine of revelation has seized thee and the breezes of inspiration have attracted thee, say:

“O Lord of all beings and Sovereign of days! I beseech Thee by the Word which Thou hast made a sword for the ungodly and a light for those near unto Thee, and by Thy hidden mysteries in Thy Books and Tablets and Scriptures, to make me steadfast in Thy love, firm in service to Thy Cause, and speaking Thy praise amidst Thy creation. Then write down for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen that which will draw me nigh unto Thee in all conditions. Thou art verily the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.”

BH05629: O Yusuf, upon thee be My Glory! Thou hast…

He is the Hearer, the Answerer

O Yusuf, upon thee be My Glory! Thou hast attained the presence of the Wronged One and hast won the call of God, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting. Blessed art thou for having drunk the choice wine of certitude from the hands of the bounty of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. Praise be to God, thou hast attained, both before and after, unto the signs of the Most Exalted Pen. We beseech God to aid thee to remain steadfast with supreme steadfastness, for the barking ones lie and have lain in ambush. Say: O people, cast away what ye possess and take what hath been given you from God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen. When thou hast attained unto My Tablet and found the fragrance of My utterance, say:

My God, my God! I have turned toward Thee, and I cling to Thy cord, hoping for the wonders of Thy grace. I beseech Thee by the Point through which Thou hast distinguished the Books of the world, and by the Sun of Thy knowledge whereby Thou hast illumined the horizons of the hearts of the nations, to ordain for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen that which shall profit me in all the worlds of Thy worlds. O my Lord! Thou seest the poor one standing before the gate of Thy riches, and the supplicant awaiting the wonders of Thy generosity and bounty. I beseech Thee to ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy loved ones and chosen ones. Verily Thou art the Forgiving, the Generous. Then send down upon me and my family, from the heaven of Thy bounty, the rain of Thy mercy. Verily Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Merciful.

BH05796: He shineth forth from the horizon of the heaven…

He shineth forth from the horizon of the heaven of utterance!

Thy petition arrived while the Lord of all names was walking in the mansion wherein is situated the Most Great Prison. We heard thy call and perceived the fragrance of thy love. In thy supplication thou didst make mention of the Wronged One—may the glory of His majesty be exalted. Blessed be thy tongue for having spoken the truth, and thy heart for having turned to the Wronged One. I swear by the Sun of Truth that one deed performed today is equal to—nay, surpasseth—the deeds of ages and centuries. Blessed is the eye that hath been illumined today with the collyrium of divine knowledge, and blessed is the heart that hath, through God’s grace, effaced the tales of old and adorned itself with the words “Verily, I am the servant of God.”

We beseech God to assist the loved ones in that land and its surroundings to serve His Cause. The world hath been encompassed by His verses, and His evidences are manifest in the realm of existence. Well is it with him who hath turned and attained! Woe betide the heedless! We beseech God to assist thee and to vouchsafe unto thee at all times the living waters of steadfastness. He is the Sovereign, the Generous, the Lord of existence. There is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Beloved.

BH05839: The ocean of utterance has surged and the fragrance…

He is the One speaking in the Kingdom of Utterance

The ocean of utterance has surged and the fragrance of the All-Merciful has wafted, yet the people do not understand. The shrill voice of My Pen has been raised up, along with the flowing of the water of My mercy and the rustling of My Divine Lote-Tree, yet most people do not perceive. They have denied God’s favor and disputed His verses and broken His covenant—yet verily they do not understand. Their vain desires move them however they wish and their idle fancies prevent them from God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

We have heard mention of your remembrance and turning and orientation toward Us. We make mention of you as a favor from Us, that you may give thanks to your Lord, the Possessor of existence. We beseech God the Exalted to make you one who desires through His will, who stands firm in His service, and who speaks His praise among His servants. Verily He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the Loving.

When the attraction of the Call takes you to My most exalted horizon, say:

O Possessor of the Kingdom of Names and Creator of heaven! I testify that You have manifested Your Cause and Your proof and Your evidence, and sent down Your favor. I beseech You by Your greatest signs and what was treasured in the breasts of the saints and hearts of the chosen ones, and by the Word through which the sincere ones hastened to the gate of Your bounty and those brought nigh to the court of Your glory, that You strengthen me in all conditions in what will draw me near to You and make me detached from all else but You and holding fast to the cord of Your generosity. O my Lord! I am Your servant and the son of Your servant. I have held fast to You and to what has appeared from You and what You have sent down in Your Book. I beseech You not to disappoint me from what is with You and what You have ordained for Your trusted ones and chosen ones. There is no God but You, the Protector, the Mighty, the Beloved.

BH07375: O True One, the gaze of Truth is at…

He is the Hearer and the Answerer!

O True One, the gaze of Truth is at this moment directed toward thee and maketh mention of thee. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this manifest bounty. Say: O people, today the Tablet of God exists as the criterion between truth and falsehood. Blessed is he who hath turned unto it, and woe unto them that turn away. This is the straight path and this is that which telleth of the mighty announcement. Whoso acknowledgeth it hath acknowledged the Books of God and His Messengers, and whoso denieth it is among the most lost in the sight of God, the True King, the Manifest. Give glad tidings unto the people of My appearance and My loving-kindness.

Say: O Concourse of the Torah! The Revealer of verses hath come and the breezes of revelation have seized the hearts of them that are near unto God. Fear ye God and be not of the heedless ones. By God the Truth! The Mount speaketh and the Tree calleth out and the Light shineth forth from this luminous horizon. Say: O Concourse of the Qur’an! The All-Merciful hath come. Fear ye God and be not of them that deny. Say: O Concourse of the Bayan! The books of the world profit you not this day except through this Book which speaketh before the faces of the nations. Cast aside vain imaginings; the light of certitude hath dawned from the horizon of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of all worlds. The glory from Us be upon the people of Baha who have heard and responded. Verily they are among them that are drawn nigh unto God, the Mighty, the Most Praised.

BH08620: O Yahuda! Verily the Mount discourseth, yet the people…

He is the All-Knowing Rememberer.

O Yahuda! Verily the Mount discourseth, yet the people hear not. Verily the Tree calleth aloud, yet mankind comprehend not. Hearken unto the call of the Lord of creation and hold fast unto guidance, as bidden by Him Who is the Commander, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Loving.

Say: O people of the earth! The Promise hath appeared and the Promised One hath come, calling all unto God, the Sovereign Lord of existence. Thou hast been mentioned by Him Who hath cast away all else and held fast to My Extended Cord. We make mention of thee in this Tablet which proclaimeth: The Kingdom is God’s, the Lord of what was and what shall be.

Cast aside this day what is with the people and say: I beseech Thee, O Lord of existence and Sovereign of the seen and unseen, by Thy Name through which Thou didst subdue hearts and minds, to make me steadfast in Thy Cause and firm in Thy love. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Exalted, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

BH09392: Glorified art Thou, O my God and the God…

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

Glorified art Thou, O my God and the God of all names and Creator of the heavens! I beseech Thee by Thy Command through which the decayed bones were quickened and Thy bountiful favor encompassed the world, to preserve Thy loved ones from those who have been stirred by the winds of self and passion in Thy days and whom their desires have prevented from drawing nigh unto the court of Thy glory. I beseech Thee, O Thou the Desire of the world and the Beloved of the nations, to ordain for him who hath turned unto Thee and desired to hold fast unto that which Thou hast revealed in Thy Book, the good of this world and of the next. Then decree for him what Thou hast decreed for Thy chosen ones and trustees. Verily, Thou art the Forgiving, the Generous. There is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH09214: Today the verses of grandeur are descending…

He is the One Who speaks the truth from the Most Exalted Horizon.

Today the verses of grandeur are descending from the heaven of divine will like torrential rain, and their fragrance has perfumed the realm of inner meanings and utterance. O children of the Friend! Today the glorious call is raised high and the Mount responds with “Here am I! Here am I!” Blessed is the eye that has attained the presence of the Speaker and been honored by the traces of His Pen. He who loved Me and soared in My atmosphere hath mentioned thee. We make mention of thee in this Clear Tablet. Whoso acknowledges today the Tablet of God and its effect hath verily acknowledged what was revealed aforetime, and he who denieth it—his deeds have come to naught. Unto this doth the Tongue of Grandeur bear witness in the Most Great Prison. He, verily, is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen.

BH09945: I swear by the Sun of Truth which hath…

He is the Hearer in the Kingdom of Utterance!

I swear by the Sun of Truth which hath shone forth from the horizon of the Will of God, exalted be His glory—no one shall attain to advancement in this most exalted Cause except through detachment from all else save God. The heart must needs be purified with the water of the fear of God, that it may be adorned with the inscription of the blessed words “Verily I am God’s.” Blessed is he who hath attained unto this most exalted station. O lovers throughout all regions! Do not deprive yourselves of the light of the Most Great Luminary. In truth I say, this is the Day of trade and the profit of those who are near unto God is beyond measure. Blessed is he who hath recognized and attained, and woe unto the deniers.

BH10464: O ʿAshur! The Mountain hath quivered within itself when…

In the Name of Him Who is the Overseer of all names!

O ʿAshur! The Mountain hath quivered within itself when it heard the Call of God, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. The rapture of that Call hath seized the Lote-Tree of Sinai, which crieth out with the most exalted call: “The Lord hath come with manifest sovereignty!” Blessed be the ear that hath attained unto hearing, and woe betide every heedless one who is rejected. That which was hidden in knowledge and treasured with God, the King of Kings, hath been revealed. Blessed is he who hath turned, and heard, and responded, and woe betide every denier who hath disbelieved in God, the Lord of the Kingdom. Thus hath the Tongue spoken, when the Wronged One was in His praiseworthy station.

BH08291: A hundred thousand praises and thanks to the Most…

A hundred thousand praises and thanks to the Most Desired One that, though outward presence and meeting were prevented due to intervening circumstances, He has appointed the pen as deputy. In truth, this is a great bounty and a mighty favor, for it can expound the secrets of the heart and reveal the hidden mysteries of the mind and soul. Though its station is below that of nearness and union, yet as the mystics have said in this regard, “Correspondence is half of union.” In one sense, it can even be seen as standing in place of union and meeting, for the letters of friends are the cause of supreme joy and the source of greatest delight. The remembrance of loved ones is auspicious to the Beloved. I beseech from the ocean of divine generosity that He may remove whatever has become an obstacle and unlock the gate of reunion with the key of grace. Verily, He is the Generous, the Bountiful, and He is the Forgiving, the Merciful….

BH00350: Praise befitteth the Mighty Hand that raised high…

Section 1: “Praise befitteth the Mighty Hand that raised high…”

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

Praise befitteth the Mighty Hand that raised high the standard of trustworthiness and cast down the decree of treachery, and through the light of justice adorned and illumined this darkened world. Chastity and trustworthiness are as two luminaries in the heaven of benevolence and favor, the light of each exceeding that of the sun. The Lord of the unseen and the seen beareth witness to these words, and the Ordainer of what hath been and what shall be testifieth to this utterance. Glorified be He Who hath raised the stations of man in knowledge and hath sent down wisdom in the Mother Book. Glory and praise be upon the Lord of all creation and the Master of all religions, through Whom was manifested that which lay hidden in the treasure-house of God’s protection and was concealed from the eyes of all else.

And further: My spirit be a sacrifice unto your mention, your utterances, your arising, your service, and your steadfastness. Your letters have descended like successive rains; before one heavenly table could be consumed, another blessing arrived. Glorified be He Who strengtheneth His Afnan and assisteth His trusted ones. In truth, each of your esteemed letters radiates a light and diffuses a sweet fragrance, for they are adorned with the mention of the Lord of the worlds and the praise of the Master of Eternity. After reading them with joy and delight, we proceeded to the station of the Lord of Sinai, presented them before His presence, and they were honored to be heard by Him. His mighty utterance and exalted proof proclaim:

In My Name, the Speaking Silent One

O My Afnan! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness! The latest news is that one of the firm and sincere believers has departed from this earthly homeland, intent upon the most exalted homeland, hastening from the realm of creation to the Most Glorious Companion. Exalted be his station with his Creator, and magnified his rank with His chosen ones in His paradise. By My life! The Concourse on High and the denizens of the most exalted Paradise welcomed him. And other news is that the swords of oppression have fallen upon the temple of justice. In the great city, the fire of hatred is ablaze and hath consumed the veil of honor. The station of religion hath become vengeful, and the station of light hath become darkness.

They have cast the counsel of God behind their backs, clinging to the evil whisperings of the heedless. Greed and envy have prevented their ears and eyes from hearing and seeing. Without veil or covering they have manifested that which caused the very essence of existence to lament and the Dawning-place of bounty to cry out. Glory be to God! They have forsaken the Known for the unknown, and in the presence of the manifestations of the Self-Subsisting Name, they have deprived themselves of the choice-sealed wine. The fire of greed, passion, tyranny and corruption hath become an obstacle and veiled the light of guidance and godliness.

O My Afnan! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness! The heaven of reformation hath been rolled up, and the scroll of corruption hath been spread out. Some have turned from Paradise to hell, and from light to the flames. Beseech thou God to guide the misguided and deprive not the treacherous of the grace of trustworthiness. Say: O my God, my God! I testify that the gate of Thy bounty hath ever been open to the faces of Thy servants. Aid them, O my God, to return unto Thee and to repent before the ocean of Thy forgiveness and bounty. O Lord! Thou seest Thy Afnan turning unto Thee, clinging with the fingers of hope to the hem of the robe of Thy generosity and bounty. I beseech Thee not to disappoint the heedless of the outpourings of Thy days, nor to drive away those who are lost in fancy from attaining Thy presence. O Lord! Transform their fire into light, their turning away into drawing nigh, their tyranny into justice, their ignorance into knowledge, and their death into life. I testify that Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever Thou willest, and in Thy right hand is the Kawthar of life. There is none other God but Thee, the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the Most Bountiful.

Most strange of all is that souls who have been the recipients of the utmost mercy, favor and kindness have acted in such wise as to cause grief to encompass all and the dust of their deeds to reach the hem of His sanctified robe. They have made lying their emblem, calumny their garment, treachery their nature, and their deeds the deeds of Pharaohs. This servant beseecheth his Lord to aid them to make amends for that which hath escaped them in His days. Verily He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty, and worthy to answer prayers.

As to what was written regarding transactions, this too hath caused perplexity. Now the honored Afnan, His Holiness Aqa Siyyid Ahmad, upon him be the Glory of God, the Most Glorious, after a long journey hath attained the Most Great Presence and is attending to these matters and will send word. However, let them not be saddened by these affairs, for hardship and ease have ever been within the grasp of His power—He altereth them as He pleaseth. As was witnessed, He dissolved the tribulations of the Most Great Prison and raised high the banner of ease and comfort. Never was it thought that imprisonment would be transformed, until a blessed verse descended from the heaven of the Divine Will, which was a key to open the gate, leading to the opening of the gate of egress and ingress for those who sought His presence and the emigrants. In any case, it is hoped that He will manifest and adorn all affairs through His absolute Will in the most excellent manner. Verily our Lord is the All-Powerful, the Unconstrained.

The honored Afnans of that land, as well as the loved ones, have been and are remembered in the Holy Presence. This servant beseecheth for each one that which is adorned with and worthy of acceptance, and entreateth the Sovereign of existence not to deprive any of them from the clouds of generosity and the heaven of bounty. Verily He is powerful over whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be” and it is.

Concerning what was written about the great city and the presence of someone in that land, and likewise what was expressed about trade yielding no fruit—if it be required for the Cause, the matter is in God’s hands and whatever is decreed shall be carried out. These matters have been brought to attention in His presence. His words, exalted be His utterance: Let them act as they deem wise. The means currently present in that city and the presence of any individual will not yield fruit. However, if a wise person be found who knoweth the proper ways of association and intercourse, it would be good, and his movements should be for the sake of God. He should be among the assured souls who fear not falsehoods and calumnies, engaging in his work with firm determination and a strong heart. His Honour Aqa Mirza Muhsin hath also arrived from the great city. Praise be to God, he is adorned with the ornament of health and hath attained the station of nearness.

O My Afnan! You are accounted as being of the Sacred Tree. From the beginning of the Cause until now you have attained that which none other hath attained. Your purpose must be the exaltation of the Word of God, and your efforts must be directed toward this end. In numerous Tablets that which none save God, exalted be His glory, can reckon hath been revealed concerning the Afnan. You have been and continue to be assisted, God willing. Be thou vocal in My remembrance, hold fast unto the cord of My Cause, and be steadfast in My service. Verily He is with thee, He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. We have adorned thee with the ornament of Our love, and We beseech Him, exalted be He, to make thee in all times turned toward Him and aided in manifesting His Cause through wisdom and utterance. He is verily the Almighty, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

Thou hast ever been beneath the glance of Our loving-kindness. We testify that thou didst turn to the Most Sublime Horizon and didst traverse the stages until thou didst arrive at the Most Great Prison and attain the presence before the Face and didst see and hear that which was uttered by the Tongue of God, the Self-Subsisting, the Most High, and didst attain to that which was denied the servants of the earth except whom God, the Lord of existence, did will. We beseech Him to send down upon thee from the heaven of bounty mercy from His presence and blessing from His side and loving-kindness from His direction. Verily He is He Who is established upon the Throne in His praiseworthy station. The splendor shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon those who are with thee and who hear thy words in this manifest Cause. Praise be to God, the Afnan have attained unto a bounty which hath had and hath no likeness. It behooveth them to thank their Lord at all times. Verily He is the Single, the One, the Mighty, the All-Loving.

Section 2: “The bounty, mercy and loving-kindness in relation…”

The bounty, mercy and loving-kindness in relation to the Afnan, upon them be the Glory of God, the Most Glorious, is of such magnitude that its mention is beyond the capacity of pen and ink. I beseech Him, blessed and exalted be He, to aid them and assist them and reinforce them with the hosts of wisdom and utterance. Verily He is the Almighty, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

Mention was made of the beloved of the heart, his honor ʿAndalib, upon him be the Glory of God and His loving-kindness. His mention hath been in the Most Sublime Horizon. From the beginning of the Cause he hath been speaking in remembrance and praise and hath been steadfast in service. Praise be to God, his tongue was created for the mention of the Lord of all beings. That which hath appeared from him beareth witness unto him in all conditions and in all the worlds of our Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Generous. And after these matters were presented in the Most Exalted Station, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these words, blessed and exalted be His utterance:

O My Afnan! Upon thee be My glory! Praise be to God, thou hast attained unto that which was mentioned and recorded in the holy Books. Thank thy Lord for this manifest bounty. Praise thy Lord for this mighty generosity. Say: Praise be unto Thee for having made me a helper of Thy Cause and submissive before the manifestations of Thy commandments and ordinances. Verily Thou art the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous. Convey My greetings to ʿAndalib, upon him be My glory. The loving-kindness hath encompassed him and mercy hath preceded him. Verily We caused him to speak Our praise and guided him to Our path and acquainted him with Our Message at which the limbs of Our servants trembled save whom God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, did will. Blessed is the time which was illumined by the lights of the Sun of Manifestation, and blessed is the life which was spent in My remembrance and praise and service. Today is the last day of the month of Ramadan, and a number of people have attained to deeds for the sake of God. For fasting there are stations and ranks, and effects and fruits beyond counting. Blessed are they who have attained. This deed is obligatory in prison, a wisdom from Our presence, and I am the Commander, the All-Wise.

The mention of the beloved of hearts, his honor Mirza Abu’l-Fadl, upon him be the glory of God and His grace, brought boundless joy and infinite gladness. He is the one whose remembrance, praise, service, steadfastness, utterance and grace the All-Bountiful has testified to. Praise be to God that he was enabled to achieve that which caused the exaltation of the Word of God. Time and again was his mention heard from the Tongue of Grandeur. Verily, He does not suffer to be lost the reward of them that act, the reward of them that do good, and the reward of them that are assured. We hope that through the fragrance of his utterances the world of being may be quickened and find its way to the truth. Verily our Lord is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. And after presentation before the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence, these words were revealed from the Kingdom of Utterance—exalted and sanctified be His Word:

“O Fadl! Upon thee be My Glory! We have sent down for thee aforetime that which was the spirit of life for the people of creation, and We have desired to send thee at this time from the treasuries of My Most Exalted Pen the pearls of wisdom and utterance, that the breathings of revelation in this manifest Day may attract thee and through thee God’s servants may be drawn to the mention of this Mighty News. If thou desirest to turn toward any direction, turn with such steadfastness that all created things may thereby turn toward God, the Revealer of verses.” Thus has spoken the Kingdom of Utterance in this station which God has made the circling-point of the Manifestations of Names and Attributes. End.

Praise be to God! The splendors of the Sun of favor have appeared in such wise that none has cause to hesitate. Blessed are they who have arisen today to champion the Cause with spirit and joy. Upon them be the glory of God, our Lord, the Lord of the Throne on high and of earth below, and the glory of the most exalted Paradise and the highest Heaven.

As to what was written concerning the departed, the late Aqa Muhammad Hasan, upon him be the glory of God and His mercy: praise be to God that he attained and was successful, and drank once more from the wine of bounty. Good fortune was his companion and the solace of his soul. Repeatedly did he attain unto the presence, and for some he requested Tablets and petitioned that the very original Tablets of revelation be bestowed. As a token of grace, they were revealed at that very moment, though there was a delay in their dispatch. God willing, they shall be sent.

As to the matter of the will, he repeatedly mentioned that “I have no heir. There is a sum of money in a certain place, and likewise two shawls have been sent to ʿAkka—all must revert to the True One.” He made this bequest repeatedly, and likewise on the way, when he was in the company of some of the friends, he made this bequest time and again. The servant beseecheth his Lord to forgive him through His grace, to grant him at all times the food of His bounty, and to rain down upon him mercy from His presence. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Bestowing. Praise be to God that His Holiness hath attained and continueth to attain.

I beseech God to aid the loved ones of that land to forsake that which hath been forbidden by the Most Exalted Pen in His Most Holy Book. His blessed and exalted Word is: “It hath been forbidden you to smoke opium. We, verily, have prohibited this practice through a most binding prohibition in the Book. Should anyone partake thereof, he is not of Me. Fear God, O ye men of understanding!” And in another passage: “The use of opium hath been forbidden unto you, as well as gambling. Eschew them both, O people, and be not of the transgressors. Beware of using any substance that induceth sluggishness and torpor in the human temple and inflicteth harm upon the body. We, verily, desire for you naught save what shall profit you, and to this bear witness all created things, would that ye could perceive it.” It is most regrettable that man should allow his desires to lead him away from the divine Will and the binding decree of His Book, and act contrary to His good-pleasure. Take heed, O brethren, and cleave unto God’s compassionate counsels and hold fast unto them. This is better for you, did ye but know it.

Glory and remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those who are with you and who love you and hearken unto your words concerning the abandonment of this unseemly, shameful, abhorrent and rejected practice. The command belongeth unto God, the Lord of existence.

The servant 1st of Shawwal 1306

BH00281: These are days of sorrow, and waves of hatred…

Section 1: “These are days of sorrow, and waves…”

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

These are days of sorrow, and waves of hatred and malice surge in the hearts of the enemies. The flames of pride and vainglory and the smoke of greed and avarice have darkened the world of joy. Glory be to God! Despite the manifestation of favors and the emergence of grace and bounties, that which no soul could have imagined has come to pass. This servant beseeches his Lord to spread another carpet and to purify the hearts of His servants with the waters of Kawthar and illumine them with the lights of His Most Great Countenance. Verily, He is the Hearing, the Answering, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O beloved of my heart! Your letter addressed to this evanescent servant, as well as the successive letters addressed to His Holiness the Most Generous Name, upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, all attained the honor of being presented before and heard by the One Who converseth from the Tree. These are His blessed and exalted words:

In My Name, the One Who calleth between earth and heaven

This is a letter from the Wronged One to him who hath believed in God, the Protecting, the Self-Subsisting. Sorrows have encompassed the Lord of all creation and His loved ones through what hath been perpetrated against Him by the manifestations of idle fancies and vain imaginings. By the life of God! The Supreme Pen hath lamented in the Most Exalted Horizon, and Zion hath cried out, and the Mount of God hath crumbled through what the hands of those who denied God’s proof and evidence have wrought after their confession, and who disbelieved in the Witness and the Witnessed. The oppressor hath been consumed with the fire of greed, passion, tyranny and wickedness, and hath committed that which hath caused trustworthiness to lament and honored servants to weep. He hath conspired with God’s enemy to misappropriate people’s wealth. The Pen is powerless to recount their deeds and what hath befallen God’s Cause through them, the Lord of what was and what shall be.

Hearken in the Persian tongue to the call of the Wronged One. Glory be to God! One who was outwardly the recipient of the greatest favor and for whom the means of commerce were provided from every direction, when he became possessed of worldly ornaments, first drew forth the sword of cruelty against his helper, supporter and confirmer, and then against His loved ones and friends. That unjust one coveted the property of the Afnan and other friends, raising the cry of Woe is me! They have taken my wealth!’ and committed that which hath caused the Cause to suffer loss. The Supreme Pen at this point is engaged with these words so that neither the fiery Samandar nor Nabil-i-Ali might become saddened or dejected by the sorrows that have befallen them and the events that have transpired.

In these sorrows thou hast a great partner. O Samandar! Grieve not for what hath befallen Me and thee at the hands of every remote oppressor and every obstinate transgressor. Be thou ablaze with the fire of My love and soaring in the atmosphere of My tender mercy and speaking that whereby hearts and minds may be attracted. Illumine each of the loved ones with the light of the utterance of the Goal of all the worlds and set them aflame with the fire of the Sacred Tree. Each one is present before Our face and mentioned by the tongue of favor. In accordance with the requirements of wisdom, names have not been mentioned, but none have been absent from before Our face, nor are they now. To this beareth witness My ocean of utterance and My heaven of bounty, and beyond them both the Tongue of Grandeur in its praiseworthy station.

Say: O my God, my God! Thou seest what hath befallen Thy loved ones at the hands of Thine enemies. He whom Thou didst exalt by the hands of Thy bounty hath denied Thee and rejected Thy truth, allying himself with the source of hatred in Thy days. O Lord! Thou seest how the wrongdoer hath taken Thine enemy as his helper and supporter, and hath committed that which hath caused grief to seize the inhabitants of the pavilion of Thy protection and the tabernacle of Thy grandeur. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance to protect Thy loved ones from their evil and their plotting. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and within Thy grasp are the reins of all affairs. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Kind, the All-Forgiving.

O beloved of my heart! Indeed a strange matter has appeared. Muhammad-Ali Isfahani arrived in this land some years ago with Aqa Abdu’r-Rahim, upon him be the Glory of God. He dwelt in the prison for a time, then requested permission to stay in the great city. After permission was granted, he proceeded there and took up residence until the time when our spiritual beloved, Haji Shaykh Akhavi, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, decided to engage in commerce there. The aforementioned Muhammad-ʿAli’s capital was meager, therefore assistance was suggested for him. Some of the honored Afnans, upon them be the Most Glorious Glory of God, each entrusted him with one hundred liras, and likewise sent him goods from China and India regularly.

This year when news of the commercial upheaval in that land reached the owners of the capital, they intended to proceed to the city for investigation and collection. That oppressor, upon hearing this, immediately united with the source of hatred. One day he cried out that his strongbox had been broken into and three hundred and fifty liras stolen. Each day he would attribute this to someone else and finally accused a Siyyid, bringing charges to the government, and that poor destitute one was imprisoned. After some time when his lie became apparent, the government released the Siyyid. Finally he brought this accusation against the poor Nazir, upon him be the Glory of God, for he imagined that since Jinab-i-Nazir had arrived there, perhaps the commerce of that place would be referred to him. With this delusion he attributed it to him, held gatherings, wrote to various places, and would tell any denier he met that the Babis had come and stolen and taken his money.

In brief, he united with the enemy of God and said to many merchants that which caused harm to the Cause of God. Indeed, from the beginning until now, no such blow has been dealt to the Cause. His Honor Mu’inu’l-Mulk, may God the Exalted strengthen him, told the friends that the Siyyid says Muhammad-ʿAli is lying, the owners of the capital have demanded their money, and he has resorted to these games and tricks, and I too share the Siyyid’s opinion—his lies are as evident as the sun from his records. Then he sent a letter to this evanescent one and to His Holiness Ismu’llah M.H., upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, stating that for the protection of God’s Cause this servant had not mentioned the theft, and if permission were granted, he would prove that Jinab-i-Nazir had committed the theft.

Permission was issued from the Source of Command to certainly prove it and take his money. Some time passed and no news came from him regarding this matter. His Holiness Afnan, upon him be the Glory of God, also demanded proof from him in that land, saying that since you yourself wrote this, now fulfill it. He resorted to unworthy false excuses. Then he wrote to His Holiness Ismu’llah that “they have taken my money, you say come prove it” while he himself had repeatedly declared this matter.

From these words the rest of his words and deeds are clear and evident. Indeed he has manifested an oppression that has no equal or likeness. And later it became known that before making this declaration here he had written everywhere. In brief, he has vowed not to speak one word of truth in the world. The river of lies and hypocrisy has joined the sea of infidelity and rebellion. To God we belong and to Him we shall return.

The recent news is that the honored Afnans of the Blessed Tree arrived in the middle of the blessed month of Ramadan with the utmost joy and fragrance, and attained His presence and meeting. Now, through divine bounty and merciful grace, they have taken residence and are dwelling beneath the pavilions of grandeur. Blessed are they, and joyous tidings to them! God is witness and testifier that most often the mention of that Beloved of hearts flows from the tongue of the soul. Your remembrance brings joy and Your memory quickens the spirit. Repeatedly in these days this exalted word has flowed from the tongue of the Lord of all beings. He spoke, and His word is truth: “There hath befallen Samandari what hath befallen My own Self.”

In these days he shares in sorrows, but these have not endured nor shall they endure. Soon they shall pass away and glory, joy and delight shall remain for Me and for him and for the friends of God, His chosen ones and His trusted ones. The praise be to God! His honor Shaykh, upon him be the glory of God and His loving-kindness, attains His presence and meeting most days. His son is seen with utmost humility and joy, and stands before the Seat of the Lord. In truth, the ear vibrates at the pure mention of that Beloved and the eye rejoices with greatest gladness at the sight of those related to Him. The servant begs his Lord to honor your honor through His might and to exalt you and those with you through His power and sovereignty. Verily He is the best of helpers and the best of supporters, and He is the Most Merciful of the merciful ones and the Most Generous of the generous ones.

Section 2: “As regards what was written concerning the spiritual…”

As regards what was written concerning the spiritual friend His Honor Shaykh Muhammad Arab, upon him be the Glory of God and His bounty—he is truly engaged in service and has attained the grace of his Lord. His mention has repeatedly flowed from the Tongue of Grandeur, and all the letters he has sent to this servant have been honored to be received in the Most Holy Court. Specifically regarding the loved ones and friends he has mentioned—all have been blessed with the fragrances of revelation and the mention of God, exalted be His glory. Divine favors have been and continue to be bestowed upon him, and sacred Tablets have been sent at his request. That beloved of hearts has witnessed the waves of the ocean of grace and knows that the sea of bounty has no shore and the light of the orb of generosity no limit. The servant beseeches his Lord to assist those who are near to recognize what was hidden in His verses and treasured in His words. Verily He has power over all things.

The Most Great Glad-Tidings and Supreme Announcement is the blessed word which the Tongue of Grandeur openly and without veil spoke on a certain day to His Honor Nabil ibn Nabil, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, and that is permission for that beloved of hearts to attain His presence. The servant indeed praises Him for this and offers endless thanks that endure with His eternal grace and remain unchanged through the permanence of His names. However, He made it contingent upon wisdom, saying one must be mindful of its requirements.

And regarding what His Honor Shaykh has mentioned about the designation—that beloved one knows that sometimes it is present and sometimes absent, at times the sun of wealth is visible and at times poverty. However, concerning His Honor Shaykh, upon him be the Glory of God, He commanded that it be transferred through His Honor Aqa Ali-Haydar, upon him be the Glory of God, to be delivered. The delay and postponement of such matters is due solely to the absence of the mentioned thing and nothing else. And His Honor Shaykh should also treat His Honor Amin, upon him be the Glory of God and His bounty, with love. At present His Honor Amin has a paternal relationship with most and has been engaged in service from the beginning of the Cause until now, occupied with speaking well of all the divine friends. In truth, he has repeatedly spoken well of this very His Honor Shaykh, upon him be the Glory of God, and sent such mentions to the Most Holy Court. If sometimes, out of wisdom or counsel, he should speak a word, they should not become upset. In mentioning these stations, this supreme word appeared from the Tongue of the Lord of all beings—blessed and exalted be His word:

“O Samandari! Upon thee be My Glory and My Bounty! The waves of the divine ocean of grace and the effulgences of the orb of heavenly bounty have been and continue to be directed towards the loved ones. Praise be to God that to this day, every minor deed that has appeared from the loved ones, or towards which the glance of grace was directed before its appearance—verily He does not allow to be lost the reward of the doers of good. All must look to that which hath appeared from Him, and He is the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.”

Indeed the mention of His Honor Shaykh, upon him be the Glory of God, is true and acceptable before the Lord, for those souls who are sanctified from outward conditions and transient ornaments—their words and deeds prove effective. In most stations regarding the conditions of teachers, He has stated that which is clear and evident to that beloved one. The glance of grace has been and continues to be directed towards them. Detachment is the cause of exaltation and piety the means of advancement. In brief, all that they have mentioned regarding the stations of contentment and piety has been accepted in the Most Holy Court. The servant beseeches his Lord to assist his honor with means that may become the cause of people’s acceptance and their turning to the countenance of their Lord, the Possessor of all existence.

He made mention of Haji Darvish Aqa, upon him be the Glory of God. After submission before His presence, these sublime words were revealed from the Mother Book, blessed and exalted be His words:

O Darvish Aqa! Upon thee be the Glory of God, Creator of Heaven! The people of the Path have for ages and centuries been occupied with the mention and praise of the Lord, and have counted themselves among the people of Truth, making mention of the stages of unity, detachment and severance. Yet when the Lord of the World appeared with the Most Great Name, all denied Him save whom God willed. We beseech the True One to strengthen thee in such manner as would cause the people of the Path to turn unto Him. Take, in His Name, the Self-Subsisting, the wine of immortality from the hands of bounty, then drink in His manifest remembrance.

Say: O people of the world! Today the proofs of those nigh unto God and His Messengers stand before the countenance of the Most Great Name, engaged in mention, praise and circumambulation. Cast aside your idle fancies and take what hath been ordained by the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Reflect upon the various sects and likewise upon the remaining proofs, that the truth may become manifest unto thee, and His sovereignty, and His power, and His might, and His signs, and His clear evidences, and that thou mayest be of them that attain.

It is hoped that through the sweet savors of the utterance of the Desired One of the worlds, they may arise with complete dedication to serve, and find and drink the hidden wine in the divine verses. The Command is in His grasp. He strengtheneth whom He willeth through the hosts of the seen and the unseen. He is the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Wise.

He made mention of Haji Mirza Fadlu’llah and his wife. After their mention was submitted before the Most Holy Court, there was revealed for each that which is the point of adoration of all the books of the earth. I beseech the Beloved to aid them to hearken unto His utterance as it behooveth them to hearken. Amen, Amen, O Goal of the mystics! Amen, Amen, O Beloved of all who are in the heavens and the earth!

Mention was made of the honored brother Aqa Mirza Ibrahim, upon him be the Glory of God, and likewise of his letter which he sent to that Presence. It was submitted in the most mighty, most holy and most exalted Court, attained the honor of being heard, and one blessed Tablet was revealed from the heaven of will especially for him and was dispatched. The servant beseecheth his Lord to assist him in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to ordain for him the meeting with his Tablet, from whose horizon hath shone the luminary of favor and bounty. Verily He doeth what He willeth, and He is the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Powerful.

I make mention of the loved ones of that land, each one of them, and I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to bestow upon them at every moment the wine of utterance, that they may drink thereof and become eloquent in praise and thanksgiving. In truth, the assured souls that exist have won the prize from the world and all who dwell therein, and in His days have attained unto the bounties of the All-Bountiful. Who can fulfil the obligation of gratitude? There is no recourse but inability, and no refuge but to confess one’s shortcoming. The Command is in His hands and authority is in His grasp. He is the Mighty, the Unconstrained.

Mention has been made of the honored teacher, upon him be the Glory of God. Although arrangements had been made, in view of his being alone, there was agreement to pause. This agreement found acceptance in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence, such that the reward of attainment was specifically revealed and sent down from the Ancient Tongue, and at the end the Tongue of the All-Merciful spoke these words:

“Blessed is he and blessed is the one who made arrangements for him. We have, in Our wisdom, veiled the mention of his name, and We are the Chooser.”

The Glory, the Remembrance and the Praise be upon you and upon those who are with you and those who are in your household and who love you and who hear your word for the sake of God, the Lord of Lords. And praise be to Him, for He is the Master of creation and the Lord of all beings.

The servant 26 Shawwal 1306

Three pieces were sent, one specifically for the aforementioned person, may God, blessed and exalted be He, strengthen him, and of the other two, one specifically for your honor and the last specifically for the beloved of the heart, the honored Muhammad Javad, upon him be [the Glory of God].

BH01470: This is a glorious Book sent down from God…

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise!

This is a glorious Book sent down from God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, to guide the people to this momentous Announcement, whereby hearts have melted, backs have been broken, limbs have trembled, and every remote oppressor has lamented. Blessed is the servant who hath attained unto God’s grace and mercy, which have preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth. The Day of Hearkening hath come, blessed be they that hear! And the Day of Witnessing and Meeting hath come, blessed be they that attain!

Say: O people of God! Hear ye the call from the direction of God, your Lord and the Lord of your ancient forebears. He desireth to draw you nigh unto the Most Great Ocean and acquaint you with His straight Path.

O thou who art mentioned before the Wronged One! When thou hearest My call from the horizon of the heaven of My utterance, say: My God, my God! My very being beareth witness to Thy unity and that Thou art God; there is none other God but Thee. Nothing is like unto Thee. Thou doest what Thou willest through Thy sovereignty and ordainest what Thou desirest through Thy command. The veils of the heedless ones, the glory of the oppressors, and the clamor of those who have disbelieved in Thee and Thy signs cannot hinder Thee.

O my Lord! Thou seest Thy loved ones amidst Thine enemies and what hath befallen them in Thy path. I beseech Thee by Thy power which hath encompassed all created things, and by Thy sovereignty which hath surrounded all existence, to protect them with the hosts of the unseen and the visible, and to guard them with the manifestations of might and power.

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! Glory be unto Thee, O my Beloved! Glory be unto Thee, O my Worshipped One! I beseech Thee by the pearls of the ocean of Thy knowledge, by the splendors of the Day-Star of Thy wisdom, and by Thy Name through which Thou hast guided the servants to the shore of Thy Most Great Ocean and illumined their hearts with the lights of Thy countenance, O Lord of eternity, to ordain for me that which shall adorn me with the raiment of godliness among all people and crown me with the diadem of detachment throughout creation, that I may be worthy to arise among Thy servants and be fitted to mention and praise Thee in Thy land.

By Thy glory, O Beloved of hearts and Sovereign of existence! My tears shall not be stilled save by entering Thy most great prospect and arriving at Thy most holy, mighty, and luminous station. My heart shall not find peace save by hearkening to Thy call before Thy face and beholding Thy horizon before Thy throne.

Thou seest, O God of Names and Creator of heaven, that the supplicant hath hastened to the gate of Thy bounty, and the seeker hath aimed at the heaven of Thy generosity and mercy. I beseech Thee not to disappoint him of what lieth with Thee and what Thou hast ordained for those near unto Thee among Thy servants and the sincere ones among Thy creation.

I know not, O my God, by what remembrance to remember Thee or by what praise to praise Thee. Whenever my mention increaseth, my grief increaseth. By Thy glory, O my Beloved! From my utterances flow my tears, and from the traces of my pen come my sorrow, anguish and pain. I find no joy for myself save in circumambulating Thy Sacred House, nor any happiness save in being present before Thy face and arising to serve Thy loved ones.

If Thy destined decree preventeth me from Thy sealed wine, ordain for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen the reward of those who hastened unto Thee by Thy leave, who circled round Thy Cause, who stood before the gate of Thy grandeur, who heard the call from the tongue of Thy wisdom, and who drank the choice wine of revelation before Thy throne.

Alas, alas, O my God! Alas, alas, O my Beloved! Alas, alas, O my Worshipped One! For what hath befallen Thee at the hands of the oppressors among Thy creation and the rebellious among Thy servants. Would that I had been prevented from hearing and seeing, that I might not have heard of Thy grief and tribulation, nor witnessed Thy imprisonment and ordeal!

Thou didst create Thy servants to know Thee in Thy days and to arise to serve Thee amidst Thy creation, yet they denied Thee and Thy signs, drew their swords of hatred against Thee, and there befell Thee from them that which the Most Exalted Pen is powerless to recount. O my God! Thou didst desire for them the greatest glory, yet they desired for Thee the greatest abasement. Thou didst call them to the cushions of nearness and the luminous pillows, yet they desired for Thee the dark pit and the lowest station.

O Lord! Aid Thy servants to be fair in Thy Cause and just concerning that which hath appeared from Thee. Thou art the Generous, possessed of great bounty. The oppression of Thy creation cannot withhold Thy generosity, nor can the desires of Thy servants prevent Thy will. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting.

O Lord! Forgive me and those with me, those who have held fast to Thy firm handles and clung to the hem of Thy luminous robe. Then draw the hearts of Thy creation to the horizon of the heaven of Thy manifestation. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Ever-Flowing, the Most Generous, the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

BH01890: O people of Ha and Mim! Blessed are ye…

He is the One speaking from the Supreme Horizon!

O people of Ha and Mim! Blessed are ye for having attained unto the Day of God and His manifestation, and for having heard His call and turned toward the Mount when He Who converseth appeared, and toward the Tree and Him Who speaketh therein. Ye have turned toward Him on the day of rejection and acknowledged Him after the denial of the wicked ones, and directed yourselves unto Him on this mighty day. We make mention of you at this hour while the Faithful Spirit in the Supreme Paradise sayeth:

“Happy are the people of Baha whom God remembereth in His mighty station!”

Know ye your stations, then thank God, the Lord of the House and the Educator of all in the heavens and earths.

A letter hath come before the Wronged One wherein was your mention. We have remembered you with words the like of which the ear of the world hath not heard, nor have the eyes of nations seen their like. Praise ye the Lord, the Possessor of great bounty and wise command.

O Nabil-i-Akbar! Hear the call once again that it may render thee detached from sorrows. Verily God is with thee—He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Be not grieved by worldly events. In all matters place thy trust in God, exalted be His glory. He will protect thee as He protected thee before. The world hath ever been the place of vicissitudes, yet its passing away is the cause of joy and the source of gladness. Its changes and variations testify to its impermanence. Therefore it is not mentioned nor considered by those souls who have tasted of the heavenly food and eternal bounties.

O Muhammad-Rida! Thou hast attained unto My mention which no other mention equalleth, nor the treasures of the righteous or wicked. Thank thy Lord for this manifest bounty. The Glory be upon thy father and upon thee and upon everyone steadfast and firm.

O Muhammad-Baqir! Previously in that land occurred that which caused the eye of justice to weep and equity to lament, and there befell the Wronged One from the heedless one that which the Pen is powerless and unable to mention. Likewise in Kurdistan the heedless one at last cast the fire of passion upon the leaves of the Tree. Glory be to God! Despite divine counsel and heavenly admonition some acted in such manner as caused the Concourse on high and the company of the sincere to cry out “I seek refuge in Thee, O God of the worlds!” And even greater than that hath appeared in these days in the great city. By the life of God, it burned hearts and consumed livers!

The oppressor who claimed love, when the desire for treachery emerged from his greed and covetousness, abandoned God, glorified be His majesty, allied with His enemy and assailed His friend. Thus do We recount for thee what befell Us from him who rent the veil of trustworthiness, chastity and fidelity. When he saw a believer he said “I believe in God,” and when he saw an idolater he denied God, the Forgiving, the Merciful. Blessed art thou for having attained unto My mention on this night. Remember My loved ones on My behalf and give them the glad-tidings of God’s tender mercy, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

O Muhammad-ʿAli H.S.! Upon thee be the eternal Glory of God! Say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having strengthened me, made me know Thee, guided me to Thy path and illumined my heart with the light of Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee by Thy power which hath encompassed all created things and by Thy will which hath prevailed over all contingent beings, to make me of those who have quaffed the choice wine of utterance from the hand of Thy bounty and the Kawthar of knowledge through Thy grace and favor. O Lord! Thou seest me gazing toward the heaven of Thy mercy and awaiting the rain-showers from the clouds of Thy grace. Ordain for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen the good of this world and the next. Verily Thou art the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous.

BH02826: Verily the Most Great Ocean desired to send unto…

He is established upon the throne of utterance

Verily the Most Great Ocean desired to send unto thee the ocean of divine knowledge, that thou mayest behold the pearls hidden therein and be of them through whom God hath raised the standard of righteousness among all peoples and the banner of steadfastness in the most exalted station. Blessed art thou, for the countenance of the Ancient One hath turned toward thee from the direction of His Most Great Prison, and revealed for thee that which brings solace to all eyes. How many a servant hath heard the call and turned away therefrom, and how many a servant hath inhaled the fragrances of revelation and turned with his heart unto God, the Cause of all rivers to flow. Glorify the name of thy Lord by night and by day, and say:

O people of the earth! Fear ye God and follow not them who have denied the House and disbelieved in the Corner and the Station. Beware lest the ranks of the world and the armies of nations prevent you from this Cause whereby the Herald hath proclaimed: The Kingdom is God’s, the Lord of all mankind. Hold fast unto My strong cord, speak forth My praise, and stand firm in service to My Cause at eventide and at dawn. When the breezes of revelation stir thee, say:

Glorified art Thou, O my God and the God of existence! Glorified art Thou, O my God and the God of the seen and unseen! Glorified art Thou, O my Goal and the Goal of all hearts and minds! Praise be unto Thee for having made known unto me Thy Most Great Path and Thy Mighty News, whereby earthquakes seized all tribes save those rescued by the hand of Thy will and purpose. O Lord! Thou seest me attracted by Thy verses, detached from all else but Thee, and clinging to the cord of Thy loving care. I beseech Thee by all that befitteth the heaven of Thy bounty, the ocean of Thy grace, and the sun of Thy generosity, not to disappoint me.

O Lord! Strengthen my limbs in Thy service and illuminate the hearts of Thy servants with the light of Thy knowledge. Then ordain for them that which shall preserve them from the croaking of every croaker, the might of every oppressor, the doubts of every learned one, and the insinuations of every wicked one. Thou art He Whom nothing whatsoever can frustrate. Thou doest what Thou willest through Thy power and sovereignty, and ordainest what Thou pleasest through Thy command that prevaileth over Thy heaven and Thy earth. I beseech Thee by the arising of the Dawning-Place of Thy revelation and the Dayspring of Thy signs, Who is not overtaken by sitting nor prevented by the power of hosts, to ordain for me that whereby my remembrance shall endure in Thy mighty Book. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

BH04817: He overshadoweth all names!

He overshadoweth all names!

This is a Book sent down in truth from this Most Great Prison unto him who hath believed in God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, that it may draw him unto the station of certitude and strengthen him to serve the Cause in the days of God, the Master of the Day of Judgment. This is a Day wherein the ocean of utterance hath surged before the faces of all religions, and the Sun of certitude hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of proof. Blessed is he who hath witnessed and seen, and woe unto the heedless! Thy letter hath come before the Wronged One. We have heard thy call and have answered thee through this perspicuous Tablet whereby the realities of all things have been attracted and the Herald hath called out from a near place. Blessed is the servant who hath taken the chalice of salvation on this morn and drunk therefrom in the name of God, the Mighty, the Powerful. We have indeed found from thy letter the fragrance of thy love. We have turned toward thee from the direction of the Prison and have sent down for thee that which cheereth the eyes of the fair-minded. When thou hearest the call from Mine exalted horizon, say:

“Glory be unto Thee, O my God, O Thou God of Names and Creator of heaven! Thou beholdest me turning unto Thee, clinging to the cord of Thy love and gazing toward the horizon of Thy grace. I beseech Thee by the breezes of the morn of Thy Manifestation and the breathings of Thy Revelation, to strengthen me in Thy remembrance and praise amongst Thy servants. O my Lord! Ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee, then send down upon me from the clouds of Thy bounty the rains of Thy mercy, and write down for me every good thing Thou hast sent down in Thy Book. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth.”

BH09341: A remembrance from Our presence unto everyone possessed…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious

A remembrance from Our presence unto everyone possessed of ears, and a book from Our presence unto everyone endowed with strength who hath remained steadfast in the Cause of God, the Lord of all worlds. We have summoned all to the most exalted horizon and unto that which shall profit them in the world to come and in this world. To this testifieth that which hath been sent down from My presence when agitation seized the dwellers of the earth. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the Powerful. Among the people are they who were attracted by My call and acted according to what was ordained in My mighty Book, and among them are they who turned away and denied all that hath been revealed from the presence of an ancient Revealer. For each is a portion in the Book. He, verily, is the Just, the Munificent, the Bountiful. The glory be upon thee and upon whosoever hath followed the command of God, the Lord of this perspicuous Day.

BH07757: That which was hidden hath appeared…

He is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth

That which was hidden hath appeared and that which was treasured hath spoken, and the Divine Lote-Tree hath called out: The Day of God, the Sovereign, the Peerless, the All-Informed, hath come. O peoples of the earth, fear God and follow not your desires. Follow Him Who calleth you unto the Straight Path. By God! The ornaments of the earth and its embellishments shall profit you not, nor whatsoever is with kings and rulers. God shall soon seize them through His decree. The hosts of the world cannot frustrate Him. He doeth what He willeth through His sovereignty. He, verily, is the Almighty, the All-Powerful. O My handmaiden! When thou receivest My letter and findest from it the fragrance of the utterance of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, place it upon thine eyes and say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having remembered me and enabled me to recognize Thee when most of mankind have turned away from Thee. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance to assist me to remain steadfast in Thy Cause. Thou, verily, art the Almighty, the All-Conquering, the All-Powerful.

BH11615: Sanctified praise, transcending human stations and the degrees…

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

Sanctified praise, transcending human stations and the degrees of utterance, befitteth the Lord of all creation Who, through the breathings of His utterance, hath endowed the world of being with a new and everlasting life…

And this is what was revealed for the loved ones of God in Faran, the Word of the Lord, exalted and sanctified be He:

I am the Hearer, I am the Answerer

O party of God in Faran! We have desired to seal this utterance in this station with your mention. Verily He is the One Who doeth what He willeth through His word “Be” and it is. The Divine Lote Tree hath turned toward you with its branches, twigs, fruits and leaves. Blessed is he who hath turned unto it, heard its rustling, and attained its presence. He is assuredly among those who are brought near in the presence of the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. We beseech God, exalted be He, to aid you to promote His Cause with wisdom and utterance, and to ordain for you that which will draw you nigh unto Him. Verily He is the Omnipotent over all things, the Supreme Ruler over what was and what shall be.

The seekers have attained unto their Quest, and those who remember unto the Remembered One. They have sought the ultimate goal and the highest aim, until they attained the presence of the Face and heard the call of God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. Blessed are they in that they have chosen for themselves a station within the precincts of their Lord’s mercy, the Mighty, the Loving. How excellent their arrival and their return, through a command from God, the One Who holdeth the reins of existence. They have attained unto the hearing of verses by night and by day, and have attained the presence of Him Who conversed upon Sinai in His flourishing house. We beseech God to aid them to act in accordance with what hath been sent down in His preserved tablet. We make mention of My handmaidens in that place who have believed in God when He came with manifest sovereignty. The glory of God rest upon them from the presence of God, the Kind, the Forgiving.

In truth, those who have turned toward God, who have arrived, who have sought and who have hoped, each hath attained unto the Lord of Days, for these days have no peer or likeness. Such bounty hath been made manifest that none save God can reckon it. May He grant the standard of justice and adorn those who have turned away from the Bayan and the Furqan with the ornament of equity, that they may not be deprived of fairness. In every day and night there hath been revealed that which was the Lord of verses and the Master of clear proofs, yet the sightless ones of the world have abandoned justice and have wrought that which the idolaters and deniers of old did not perpetrate. The Cause in this Revelation is like the sun among all things, yet they have passed it by and are occupied with their own idle fancies. By the life of our Goal and the Goal of all who are in earth and heaven, they are in manifest error….

The Servant, 2nd of Dhi’l-Qa’dih the Sacred, 1306

BH00479: Let truth bear witness and every fair-minded soul testify…

In the name of God, exalted be He in might and power

Let truth bear witness and every fair-minded soul testify that this evanescent servant, having attained the blessing of His presence, has been occupied day and night with the remembrance of His chosen ones and loved ones. Letters were repeatedly written to each one, from which wafted the fragrance of humility, submissiveness, love and affection. To the extent possible, effort and striving were made to rectify the affairs of each one. Despite my powerlessness and lowliness, no negligence occurred in offering counsels and exhortations. Whatever was heard in these stations was disclosed, with the purpose that hearts and souls might attain what is befitting and turn away from what is unworthy, and that unity might become manifest among the servants. Indeed, the ultimate purpose and universal aim was that the hidden rancor and hatred in the breasts of the various parties might be transformed into affection and unity. You yourself bear witness to what has been mentioned.

However, regarding your affairs at the beginning, one day one of the Afnan was present before the Master, Who said that some arrangement should be made for Aqa Muhammad-Ali so that he would not remain idle in the great city and would maintain respect and honor among the people of that land. Finally they acquiesced and mentioned what was later carried out. Then it was reported that each one had designated or would designate a sum, and that merchandise would be sent to him from wherever he requested. If you reflect carefully on this matter, you will testify to the favors that were bestowed upon you, and the friends referred their business dealings to you, both in this land and abroad. Repeatedly some complained that Aqa Muhammad-Ali was not sending merchandise according to requests—that he was sending items contrary to what was ordered. By God, besides Whom there is no other God, this servant was repeatedly present when they said to the departed and blessed Aqa Muhammad-ʿAli, upon him be God’s favor and mercy:

“Do not complain, for praise be to God, you have suffered no loss from what has been sent.”

It is hoped that intentions will become pure and deeds will be manifested for the sake of God. In such case, profit is present and loss is absent.

The days continued until these days when one day your letter arrived mentioning a theft, saying “They broke my safe and took three hundred and fifty liras,” and after some time you attributed this to Nazir, stating that if permission were granted you would prove it. That letter in your handwriting is still at hand. Another day the honored beloved, Haji Siyyid Ali-Akbar, may God strengthen him, the Lord of Power, sent a letter from you and also mentioned it verbally. In that letter too it was stated that if permission were granted you would prove it. After these matters were presented, both the servant and they said to write to you to definitely prove it and make the claim and receive it. We both wrote and sent it. No response came. And His Holiness Afnan—upon him be the peace of God and His bounty—had written: “We delivered the letter in the presence of His Honor Haji Mirza Abu’l-Hasan—may God strengthen him—unto His Honor Aqa Muhammad-Ali, and we likewise did earnestly entreat that you should act in accordance with your written word, demonstrate constancy, and receive a proper response, yet we heard no satisfactory reply.”

Then one day His Holiness Haji Siyyid Ali Akbar, may God strengthen him, arrived with a letter in your handwriting stating that “They have taken my property”—how little it is that now you say “Come and prove it.” You yourself be fair—what relation does this statement have with the previous one? You yourself repeatedly sought permission to prove it. What was and is the duty of this servant in this regard? In any case, the contradiction between these two statements caused bewilderment. What matter in the world has ever been settled by mere claim without proof, that this matter should be so? Every claim requires proof, and without proof whatever is said is not acceptable to any rational person. Hence there was no choice but silence.

After the second letter they said “Glory be to God! This matter has nothing to do with us. The honored Nazir and Aqa Muhammad Ali both claimed love. If something occurs between them they should, like other people, resort to whatever will establish the right.” Then news and letters arrived from the Holy Land, that is, news of the meetings and discussions, and it was observed that finally they had resorted to things that caused harm, loss and dishonor. Nevertheless, we remained silent and bewildered. The news about the honored Nazir came after the news about the honored Siyyid and his imprisonment. If Nazir took it, why did they imprison the Siyyid before Nazir? And if the Siyyid took it, what do they want from Nazir?

In any case, the statements are contradictory and the actions are contradictory. Now be fair—what is the duty? This servant and others did not understand your purpose in these matters and their mention, as that aspect had nothing to do with here.

In the previous year His Holiness the Afnan, the honored Haji Mirza Aqa, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah] the Most Glorious, transferred to His Holiness the Master, may my spirit be sacrificed for Him, half of what they had given to you, and this small amount was returned here. The rest of what was with you and what was with the honored Haji Shaykh Muhammad Ali, upon him be God’s favor, had and has nothing to do with here. By the truth of Truth, I say truthfully that not one dinar of it was returned to this place and absolutely nothing was said about these matters. Glory be to God! All your letters contradicted each other. Here you wrote that out of respect for the Cause you had not mentioned it to anyone, but then the honored Aqa Muhammad Mustafa, upon him be God’s favor, mentioned that you had written to them also and entrusted it to them, and likewise news came from other places, and in that land was said that which is not proper to mention. I complain of my distress and grief to God. They said “Write to Muhammad Ali that the utmost love was shown towards him, and in return for that you did what was not befitting of the faithful.”

You have written that the actions of the Nazir and Haji Shaykh Muhammad-Ali caused no harm while my actions caused harm—glory be to God! Why do you deviate from established principles and deny what has existed among people from the beginning of the world until now? O my brother, hear the call of this evanescent one—which claim has ever been accepted without proof, or ever will be? Where, before whom, in which religious law or civil code did you make the proof of this assertion contingent upon the daily expenses of the Nazir? What this servant knows and has been informed of is that he had a property in Ishqabad which Ustad ʿAli-Akbar sold, and when the Nazir was staying in this land, news arrived that it was sold for four hundred tumans.

Additionally, during this journey he had some funds entrusted to him by others, and also an amount of turquoise given to him by one of the friends which, as some who are still present in the Holy Land know, he sold and took the proceeds. Each of these instances is specified here and can be sent if necessary. Apart from these, ask any wise and fair person whether such matters can prove theft by anyone. Glory be to God! By what proof or evidence can these servants make such accusations against anyone? I swear by the one God that the intention was not and is not to defend him. However, because during his previous time in this land, the friends who came to him from Iran were shown the utmost kindness—some stayed with him for two years.

In any case, mention of his service to the servants of God spread widely, and after the upheaval in those regions during the sedition of Shaykh Ubeydullah, he came to this land and resided here for seven years. I testify by God that nothing contrary was seen from him in this land. Is it possible for someone to arrive and not be treated with kindness? You yourself know that in all cases it is fitting to act with kindness, not unkindness. And if someone has a dispute with one of the affiliates and makes a claim, surely judgment should be issued without discrimination—and God suffices as witness. After returning from that direction, the aforementioned one did not even come to this land.

Great injustice has been done to him, as before proving all these false accusations it is not necessary and is not permitted in any religious law. And as for the affairs of Haji Shaykh Muhammad-ʿAli, upon him be God’s care, after the conflicts and disputes of that land they summoned him and ordered him to return to his homeland. No betrayal or fault can be attributed to him. The amount of seven hundred liras, as he himself had written previously, he had lost in certain matters. Now he has given a valid promissory note to return it to the owners of the funds, and his brother, his eminence Samandar, upon him be God’s care and favors, has also agreed to pay and deliver it to the rightful owners. Beyond this, outwardly no contrary matter was heard or seen from him.

In any case, your letters have caused much astonishment. You wrote that some have written from certain places that harm has been brought upon the Cause. Now, what should I write in reply to them? Our stories and our counsels have not been accepted until now. In this case, write whatever you wish. And if I knew you had adopted fairness and would act with justice, I would write to tell you what to write so that it might remedy what has occurred. But it is evident that until now you have not had a hearing ear, therefore whatever I mention is but wind. O my brother! Trustworthiness, religious devotion, truthfulness and sincerity—each of these, from whomever they have appeared, have not remained hidden. I hope that after reading this letter you will adopt fairness and henceforth speak as befits, and grasp the hem of justice. I beseech God to assist you in that which is good for you and make you successful in that which contains His good-pleasure. Verily, He is the Hearer, the Answerer. And peace be upon him who follows guidance.

BH00895: All praise befitteth the Sovereign of the realm…

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

All praise befitteth the Sovereign of the realm of the Kingdom, Who fulfilled His promise and illumined the world and its peoples with the light of His Most Great Name through the appearance of Him Who was promised. The tongues of all created things bear witness to His grace, His bounty, His might, His grandeur, and His glory. Glory, peace and radiance be upon His loved ones, whom God hath adorned with the ornament of chastity and trustworthiness, and made them the manifestations of His most beautiful names in His dominion. Verily, He is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth and the Protector of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

And now, the letter of that spiritual beloved hath arrived. Praise be to God, it was adorned with the recognition and confession of the oneness and singleness of God. After it was read and perused, it was raised to the Most Exalted Summit and presented before the countenance of the Lord of all beings, and was honored to be heard. His blessed and exalted Word:

O Muhammad-Rahim! Upon thee be My glory! Thy letter which thou didst send to this servant was presented before the Divine Presence. It indicated and demonstrated the grace of God, exalted be His glory, towards thee. Praise be to God that thou hast been enabled to discharge thy debts. “And whosoever placeth his reliance on God, He is sufficient unto him.” That which hath been the key to prosperity and the opener of the gate of success was revealed aforetime from the Supreme Pen. His grace hath reached and continues to reach. Verily, He is with those who love Him and desire Him, and He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to make thee a dawning-place of goodly deeds and virtuous character amongst His servants. Verily, He is the Almighty, the All-Powerful. Convey My greetings to those who are with thee and to those who have believed in God, the Lord of the worlds. Give glad-tidings from Me to My loved ones and My leaves there of God’s bounty, His mercy, His might and His bestowal. Verily, He is the Protector of those who do good. Glory be from Us upon thee and upon those who have heard the call and responded to their Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The bounty and generosity belong unto God. He hath sent down from the heaven of His munificence upon His loved ones that which hath caused the sweet fragrances of His grace, His mercy and His generosity to waft among His creation. Verily our Lord is the Compassionate, the Generous.

Thou didst mention thy spiritual beloved, Haji Muhammad-Karim and Haji Shukru’llah, upon them be the glory of God and His favors. After presentation in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence, these manifest verses dawned forth and shone from the Dayspring of God’s loving-kindness. A hundred thousand blessings upon those souls who have today attained unto that which shall endure forever in God’s Book. This is a bounty that shall never be overtaken by decline. The atoms of creation have testified and continue to testify to its station. He is our Sufficiency, our Refuge, our Shelter, and the Sufficiency of all things. His Word, blessed and exalted be He:

O Muhammad-Qabl-i-Karim! We have made mention of thee in these days and have sent unto thee that which hath caused the Kingdom of Utterance in the realm of existence to quiver, and before whose manifestation the books of all peoples have bowed down. The Mother Book in the Final Return beareth witness to this. We make mention of him who hath attained My presence and stood before My face, and who was named Shukru’llah in the Book of Names. From the Most Exalted Pen at this hour: O Shukru’llah! Thou hast been honored with the mention of the Wronged One. No conceivable power can equal it, nor can any comprehend it. Give thanks unto thy Lord through this clear utterance.

All praise be to God! His favors have been continuous. None can reckon them save His All-Knowing Self. The servant beseecheth his Lord to send down upon them both a breath from the breaths of His presence and mercy from the heaven of His bounty. Verily, He is the One Who hath power through His sovereignty and dominion through His command, the Wise, the Strong.

Mention was made of Aqa Mirza Muhammad-ʿAli and Aqa Mirza Mihdi, upon them be the Glory of God. After being presented before His presence, the Sun of Utterance hath shone forth from the horizon of God’s will, saying—and His word is the truth:

O Muhammad-ʿAli! The loving-kindness of God hath ever been directed towards His loved ones, and He hath mentioned each one with words that are enduring and eternal, whose fragrance shall never be cut off from the world. We beseech God to confirm thee and grant thee success, that thou mayest attain unto that which is the primary cause for the manifestation of creation and the greatest means for the reformation of the world. Blessed is he who hath attained unto My mention and clung to the hem of My mercy. He is indeed among those who are brought near in the Book of God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment.

O Muhammad-Mihdi! The Remembered One calleth and maketh mention of thee, and seeketh for all that which is the cause of eternal salvation. Blessed is the soul that hath today attained unto mention by the Most Exalted Pen. All things shall perish save that which hath been sent down from the presence of the Ancient of Days.

His is the loving-kindness and bounty, His the majesty and might and glory. He hath mentioned each of the loved ones with that which is peerless. Verily, He is the Generous, the Bountiful, and praise be unto Him, for He is the Goal of them that know.

Regarding the Huquq, the honored Ismu’llah Jamal, upon him be all the most glorious and resplendent Glory, hath mentioned the details which were presented before the Most Holy Court and were accepted. According to the command of the Beloved of hearts, it hath been assigned to the honored Amin, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, that he may act according to the manifest will shining from the horizon of decree. Verily our Lord is the Commander, the Ruler, the Powerful, the Mighty.

Regarding permission for attaining His presence, after presentation permission was granted, however it is contingent upon the requirements of wisdom, for the decree of wisdom hath been revealed and established in most of the Tablets, and all are commanded to observe it. And specifically for the Leaf, the wife, upon her be the Glory of God, the Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was revealed and sent, that her eyes might be consoled thereby and she might be among the thankful.

And regarding what was written about the payment of debts and God’s ordinance concerning the payment of Huquq, according to the command: after the payment of debts, whatever remaineth, the Huquq becometh applicable thereto.

Praise be to God that they were enabled to pay their debts. This matter hath ever been and will continue to be well-pleasing in the sight of the Lord of all worlds. Such is indeed a righteous deed. The payment of debt is the greatest pillar of trustworthiness and godliness, and is an urgent obligation. Praise be to God that that beloved one was assisted, enabled and adorned therewith. The grace and favors of God have ever been and will continue to be with them that act. He is the Helper of them that act, the Bestower upon them that turn unto Him and them that are steadfast. The servant beseecheth God, his Lord, to assist thee in that which will cause thy name to endure among names and thy remembrance to last among remembrances. Verily, He is the Helper of His loved ones from beginning to end. There is no God but Him, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious. Glory and praise and honor be upon you and upon them that are with you.

BH03413: He speaketh in truth

He speaketh in truth

O My handmaiden and My leaf! The Trusted One hath appeared before the Wronged One and made mention of thee. We make mention of thee in this perspicuous Book. These days are the days of God, and the divine Books speak of their mention and station. He saith unto Moses: “Lead forth thy people from darkness into light and remind them of the days of God.” Likewise do the previous Books call out with the most exalted call and summon the people of the earth to the Dayspring of Revelation and the Speaker on Sinai. Blessed is the ear that hath heard and attained, and woe unto the heedless ones. The kings and princesses of the earth have not attained unto “O My servant” and “O My handmaiden”, while thou hast attained unto “O My handmaiden” and “O My leaf”. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this manifest grace.

We make mention of Malik Husayn, upon him be the glory of God. Praise be to God, he hath drunk from the Kawthar of recognition and received his portion of the choice sealed wine. His visitation hath been accepted and his desire hath attained unto the glory of God’s good-pleasure. We beseech God to assist him in all conditions and at all times and to make him steadfast in His Cause. O Malik Husayn! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. Verily, He mentioneth thee at this time as a mercy from God, the Lord of the worlds. Thy deed and what thou didst send by the hand of My Afnan and My Trusted One hath been accepted. Give thanks unto God, thy Lord, the Lord of the mighty throne. Blessed art thou and thy wife. We have made mention of her in a Tablet from whose horizon shineth the light of her Lord’s tender mercy, the All-Bountiful. Give her the glad-tidings of My remembrance of her. Thy Lord is verily the All-Remembering, the All-Knowing.

We make mention of Siyyid Qabl-Rida. We beseech God to gather him in the most exalted Paradise with the sincere ones and those brought nigh. His mention hath been accepted by God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. The glory of God be upon you, O My servants and handmaidens, and upon those whom nothing hath prevented from holding fast unto this mighty announcement. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH04933: O my leaf, upon thee be My glory! Thou…

In the name of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful!

O my leaf, upon thee be My glory! Thou hast ever been and art remembered in the presence of the Wronged One. The glance of loving-kindness hath been directed towards thee. The people of the world have been created for the recognition of the Most Great Name on this blessed Day, yet most are heedless of that which is with God and occupied with that which is with the creatures. But thou hast attained to that which the people of the earth are deprived of, save those whom God hath willed, the Most High, the Most Great.

Convey My greetings to the handmaids in that land and remind them all of that which hath appeared and been revealed from the supreme horizon. Say: Today is the day of supreme joy. Blessed are those handmaids who are engaged in the remembrance of God and are detached from aught else but Him, and blessed are those leaves who are moved by the will of the Divine Lote-Tree and are sanctified and pure from the motion of self and desire.

Time and again the Trustee, upon him be the glory of God, the Lord of the worlds, hath mentioned thee and the handmaids of that land, and each one hath attained to that for which the world was created to recognize.

Grieve not for what hath befallen thee. He who loved Us and mentioned Us hath ascended; We have remembered him with that which caused the ocean of forgiveness to surge in creation and the fragrance of the mercy of the All-Merciful to waft. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

The glory shining forth from Us be upon thee and upon those handmaids who have drunk of My choice sealed wine.

BH05201: O handmaid of God! Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin—upon him be the glory…

In the name of the All-Knowing, the All-Aware

O handmaid of God! Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin—upon him be the glory of God, the sovereign, the just, the manifest—sent the letter of that leaf unto the Most Holy Presence. It was admitted unto the grace of His regard and hearing, and from it there was diffused the fragrance of love for the Desire of all mankind. It is hoped that thou wilt manifest thyself in such wise that the handmaids of God may thereafter be drawn, through thy words and deeds, to the pavilions of God’s grandeur and the tabernacle of His infinite glory. Great is this station, and great in this Revelation is the station of the handmaids of God. Through the counsels, exhortations, goodly deeds and praiseworthy character of the leaves of the Blessed Tree, may the handmaids of the earth hereafter become aware and find the path of truth.

Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance, and by the leaves which are stirred by the winds of Thy will and purpose, and by the burning hearts of Thy lovers, and by the detachment of Thy sincere ones and they that love Thee in Thy days, to aid this handmaid of Thine in that which Thou lovest and art pleased with. Then manifest through her, by Thy bounty and generosity, that which shall endure as long as Thy Cause endureth amongst Thy creatures and the manifestations of the Sun of Thy Will in Thy lands. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all things. Verily Thou art the One Who spoke on Sinai, Who is established upon the throne of Revelation. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Loving, the All-Forgiving.

BH05459: We have heard thy call and have sent down…

He is the One Who standeth supreme over His Cause, the All-Compelling, the Most Strong

We have heard thy call and have sent down for thee that which will draw thee nigh unto God, the Lord of all worlds. Blessed is the servant whom the affairs of those who have denied the Day of Judgment have not hindered. He Who was promised in the Books of God, the Mighty, the All-Praised, hath come from the horizon of power and hath manifested what He desired by His command, and He is the Almighty, the All-Powerful. Through Him the Resurrection and its might have appeared, and the Hour and its signs have been made manifest, yet most of the people are in evident doubt. They have taken hold of vain imaginings and cast behind their backs My Name, the Self-Subsisting, and My Choice Sealed Wine.

Thus have their souls enticed them, and today they are in grievous delusion. Give thanks unto God, thy Lord, for He hath aided thee to acknowledge Him when every remote scholar denied Him, and hath sent down for thee that whereby the eyes of those who possess knowledge are solaced. Say: O people! Fear ye God this Day, then turn with radiant faces toward the Dawning-Place of God’s signs, the Lord of this exalted station. Beware lest ye deny him whose manifestation hath been attested by the Book of God, His chosen ones, and those who circle round the Throne at all times. When thou soarest on the wings of certitude in the atmosphere of My love and My call draweth thee nigh unto the kingdom of My utterance, say:

My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having given me to drink the choice wine of Thy utterance from the hands of Thy bounty, and for having made known unto me that which Thou didst manifest by Thy command and ordain by Thy decree. I beseech Thee, O Lord of existence, by Thy Name, the All-Loving, through which Thou didst unite the hearts, to make me steadfast in Thy love and firm in Thy Cause, that I may arise with spirit and joy amongst the religions to make mention of Thy grace unto them and to remind them of Thy signs. O my Lord! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy signs and by the mysteries of Thy kingdom and dominion to aid Thy servants to turn unto Thee and to detach themselves from all else besides Thee, and to ordain for them that which befitteth Thy bounty and the ocean of Thy generosity. Thou art, verily, the Almighty over whatsoever Thou willest through Thy word, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

BH05273: The Mother of the Book hath come. The Day…

In the name of the All-Expounding, the All-Knowing!

The Mother of the Book hath come. The Day of Return hath come. To the chagrin of the hosts it hath come. Say: that which was once revealed hath appeared.

For the veiled, a pain; For the frozen, a death. The King of the age hath come— With proof and with testimony, With power and with sovereignty.

Blessed are those who have attained, and woe betide the heedless.

Glorified art Thou, O God, my God! Praise be unto Thee in that Thou hast appeared and hast made manifest that which lay hidden in Thy knowledge and treasured within the storehouse of Thy inviolable protection. Thou hast sent down upon Thy servants, from the heaven of Thy bounty, Thy proof and Thy testimony, and hast made known unto them Thy path. I beseech Thee, by the lights of the sun of Thy bestowal in Thy days, and by the billows of the ocean of Thy grace among Thy servants, to make this servant steadfast in Thy Cause and eloquent in Thy praise.

O Lord! I am Thy servant, and I do confess that which is with Thee, and acknowledge that which the Tongue of Thy grandeur hath uttered. I beseech Thee, by the fruits of the Tree of Thy utterance, to illumine the hearts of Thy loved ones with the lights of Thy knowledge, and to aid them to turn unto Thee, to arise before the door of Thy bounty, and to hearken unto the shrill voice of Thy Pen. Verily, Thou art powerful to do whatsoever Thou willest: Thou withholdest and Thou bestowest. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. There is none other God but Thee, the Self-Sufficing, the Most Exalted.

BH05962: O thou who hast turned towards the Most Exalted…

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

O thou who hast turned towards the Most Exalted Horizon! Hearken unto the Call from the Divine Lote-Tree planted in the soil of utterance. God—there is none other God but Him—the One Who sent forth the Messengers, revealed the Books, made manifest that which was hidden, and guided thee to His path, the Mighty, the Wondrous. Thy name was mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One Who hath made mention of thee with the verses of God, the Lord of all worlds. Blessed art thou for having drunk the choice wine from the hand of the bounty of thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous. This is the Day whereon the door of generosity hath been opened unto the world, inasmuch as the Most Great Name hath been established upon the throne of bounty and hath summoned all unto God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

When thou dost inhale the sweet savors of revelation and inspiration, and art seized with the intoxication of the Kawthar of utterance, say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! Praise be unto Thee for having illumined my heart with the light of Thy knowledge and mine eyes with the vision of Thy signs. I beseech Thee by Thy binding Command whereby Thou didst guide the peoples, and by Thy Most Great Signs which Thou didst send down from the heaven of will and bounty, to make me steadfast in Thy Cause and upright in Thy love. O my Lord! Thou seest me awaiting the wonders of Thy favor and clinging to the cord of hope in Thy days. I beseech Thee to ordain for me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and Thy trusted ones. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Generous.

BH07577: Blessed is He Who hath sent down the Book…

He is the One Who remembereth in My Most Glorious Name.

Blessed is He Who hath sent down the Book in truth. Verily there is none other God but Him. All things testify to His sovereignty, the Overshadowing over the worlds. Verily he who hath found the fragrance of the All-Merciful and turned unto God, the Lord of all religions, is among those who have attained unto the ocean of My presence, the heaven of My knowledge, and the sun of My beauty. Upon him be My mercy, My loving-kindness, and My grace, the All-Encompassing over all who are in the heavens and the earth.

Say: O people of earth and heaven! Hearken unto the call of God upon the Sinai of the Command from the Divine Lote-Tree that verily there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Generous. Thus have We sent down the verses and manifested the Cause as a grace from Our presence, and I am the All-Informed.

When thou hast attained unto My verses and drunk the choice wine of revelation from My words, arise and say: By God! That which was hidden hath appeared and the world hath been illumined by the lights of the countenance of our Lord, the Mighty, the Generous. Guard thyself lest thou transgress the bounds of wisdom. Thus doth thy Lord, the All-Knowing, command thee.

BH09006: A Book sent down in truth to one…

He is the Witnessing, the All-Hearing

A Book sent down in truth to one of His handmaidens who believed in the One, the All-Informed. O handmaiden of God! The Lord of Names remembers thee from this remote station. Rejoice thou in this bounty whereby have been gladdened the eyes of My handmaidens who have turned with their hearts to the Most Exalted Horizon and have spoken My beautiful praise.

We make mention in this station of My handmaidens in that place who heard My call and turned toward My countenance and were humble when My firm and wise Cause was made manifest. O Most Exalted Pen! Proclaim unto their faces the greatness of thy Lord, and give them the glad tidings of My grace and My loving-kindness and My mercy that have preceded all worlds. Thus hath the Pen spoken by command of the Lord of Eternity. He is, verily, the Commander, the Mighty.

BH08912: We have sent down the Book and made manifest…

He is the One Who standeth through His Name, the Self-Subsisting!

We have sent down the Book and made manifest the clear tokens, yet the people are in manifest error. They hasten unto darkness as though it were light unto them. Know ye that they are among the perishing ones. They cast the Truth behind their backs, hastening unto falsehood. Thus have their souls beguiled them in this wondrous Day. The breezes of revelation have seized all who are in the world, yet the idolaters remain behind a mighty veil. Say: O people! By God, the River of Life hath flowed through all contingent being. Come ye and draw nigh, and be not among the heedless. Turn with radiant faces unto the Supreme Horizon. By God, from it hath shone forth the Sun of God’s Beauty, the Lord of all worlds. Thus have We sent down unto thee the verses, and made thee to know, and shown thee My Book, the Mighty, the Wise.

BH09035: He hath dominion over all who are on earth…

He hath dominion over all who are on earth and in heaven.

The Will of God, exalted be His glory, is penetrating and His Command is operative. Should all the peoples of earth and heaven gather together to prevent that which has flowed from the Most Exalted Pen, they would surely find themselves impotent and powerless. O my handmaiden! Heedlessness has seized all handmaidens except those who have transcended idle fancies and have held fast to the cord of knowledge. One deed performed by believing handmaidens takes precedence over the deeds of all the handmaidens of the earth. Rejoice thou in thy Lord’s favor, for verily He is with His assured servants, both men and women. Grieve not for those who have turned away from God—they shall soon find themselves in manifest loss. The Glory be upon thee and upon those women who have believed in the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH09455: Sorrows have encompassed Us to such a degree…

He is the Truth, there is no God but Him.

Sorrows have encompassed Us to such a degree that all the pens of the world are powerless to recount them. To this beareth witness the Lord of Eternity, and behind Him every fair-minded and discerning one. O people of Baha! The Wronged One counseleth you concerning that whereby the Cause of God will be exalted amongst His servants. Verily, He is the All-Knowing Counsellor. Say: O peoples of the earth, cast away your vain imaginings. The Lord of all mankind hath turned towards you with a beauteous countenance. Beware lest the conditions of creation hold you back from the Truth. Cast away what the people possess and take what ye are commanded in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds. Thus hath the Tongue spoken in the Kingdom of utterance. Blessed is he who hath heard and acted, and woe unto the heedless ones.

BH10187: We make mention of that which draweth the people…

He is the Ever-Abiding, the Most Glorious.

We make mention of that which draweth the people nigh unto God, the Lord of all worlds, and teacheth all what shall profit them in every world of the worlds of their Lord, the Mighty, the Generous. Say: O servants of the Most Merciful! Answer ye the one who calleth you unto God, the Peerless, the All-Informed. Beware lest the world prevent you from attaining the presence of God. For this were ye created, did ye but know it. We make mention of you for the sake of God. Whoso is mentioned through the remembrance of God, verily he is of the people of Baha, inscribed in a mighty Tablet. We have heard thy mention and thy turning unto God. We have sent down for thee that which shall gladden thine eyes and cause thee to remember thy Lord, the All-Informed.

BH02852: Praise be to God, the Lord of earth…

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

Praise be to God, the Lord of earth and heaven, the Peerless Purpose, the Incomparable Object of worship, Who at all times has kept His servants mindful and made them aware of that which would exalt and preserve them. His mercy, like the sun, is evident and manifest, and the encompassing nature of His grace is clear and apparent. It behooveth all beings to freely praise Him. Glorified be His favors and gifts. None but He is the All-Bountiful, none save Him the Ever-Flowing Source.

The letter from that beloved of the heart arrived. As it conveyed news of the health and well-being of the honored Afnan and that beloved one, it opened wide the realm of joy and caused new signs of love, remembrance and affection to appear. We praise God in all conditions for having assisted His loved ones in that which causeth the fire of love to blaze. Praise be unto Him, then thanks be unto Him.

After its reading and review, it was presented and achieved the honor of being heard. “O Amin! We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to assist thee and to exalt thee through His Name amongst His servants, and to ordain for thee all the good that was in His Book. Verily, He is the Generous, the Bountiful.” Thus did it end.

I implore God that they may be assisted in all conditions and attain that which is with Him. Verily, He is the best of hearers and the best of answerers. His Holiness the Name of God arrived and the entrusted item reached its destination; confirmation of its receipt is being sent. Mention was made of two emigrants—upon them be the Glory of God. Their mention was recorded and they attained to grace. Permission was also granted for Muhammad—upon him be God’s peace. I beseech God to assist them and enable them to achieve their purpose.

To each of the friends in that land I convey greetings and implore their protection from God, exalted be His glory. I likewise beseech that which would cause the elevation of station and loftiness of rank of the friends. Verily, He is the Hearing, the Bountiful. Glory, remembrance and praise be upon thee and upon God’s friends in the cities and regions. Praise be to God, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the Unconstrained.

The servant 15 Dhi’l-Qa’dih [1306]