Volume 093: Akka 1307 A.H. (1889–1890), Part I (1 of 3)

BH01209: Praise be unto the Desired One, Who befitteth distinction…

He is God, exalted be His glory, the most great!

Praise be unto the Desired One, Who befitteth distinction through His most exalted Word between the loved ones and the enemies, and Who hath made manifest both the treachery of wandering eyes and the secrets concealed in hearts. This is the Day of this blessed verse, blessed and exalted be His Word:

“O my son! If there be the weight of a mustard-seed and it be in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, God will bring it forth.”

Praise be unto Him, then praise be unto Him, Who hath distinguished the holy and sanctified garments from the garments of treacherous and lying souls, that the possessors of vision, justice and fairness might witness the deeds and actions of those endowed with trustworthiness and godliness, and those who are lost and immoral. Truth and righteousness remain not concealed but shine forth like unto the sun. How great is the loss of those souls who, for the baubles of this world, have forsaken trustworthiness, truth and sincerity, and have clung to falsehood and calumny.

Prayers and peace be upon the Lord of Messengers and Guide of Ways, through Whom God’s signs and ordinances were spread among His creation, and upon His family and companions, through whom the mysteries of the Book were made manifest and that which was hidden from those possessed of understanding was brought forth.

The letters of that beloved of the heart arrived. Praise be to God, whatsoever was recorded therein was illumined and adorned with the light of truth and sincerity. Divine power hath made manifest the wickedness of treacherous souls. Though they imagined they had concealed it, yet those very assembled souls themselves and others bear witness to the lies and treachery of those repositories of rancor, hatred and calumny. The servant beseecheth his Lord to reveal unto all their deeds and actions. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Concerning the presence of my beloved, Jinab-i-Nazir, upon him be God’s peace and loving-kindness, as soon as they wrote, they were summoned by telegraph to proceed in that direction. Regarding what was written about Aqa Muhammad-Javad of the people of Sad, upon him be God’s peace, who sent a letter to Siyyid Mustafa about the actions of certain known individuals—the aforementioned Siyyid wrote a letter to Aqa Muhammad-Javad, and according to reports, they too have written him a reply. What they mentioned in their reply consisted of things they had heard from the companions and related, for whoever arrives becomes aware of those souls’ misdeeds before meeting this servant. However, these matters need not cause distress. The falsehood of those souls is clear and evident to your honor. They have committed that which hath no likeness or parallel.

The servant beseecheth his Lord to assist you with the hosts of the seen and unseen, and to protect you from the evil of the liars and calumniators. Praise be to God that just as the lies and calumnies of those souls were exposed, so too was made manifest and evident the truth of the honored master, his honor the Afnan, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah] the Most Glorious, and that beloved one. The purpose of the honored Afnan’s visit to that land was to engage in commerce. At present, prudence in affairs is necessary until the government is assured. After presenting these matters, they said:

“You have been and are with the truth. With complete confidence and joy, and trusting in God, hold fast to that which will set things aright. This decree is manifest, and in His grasp is the Kingdom of all things. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He desireth.”

O Trustee! Be not disturbed, fear not. God willing, you shall attain to that which is good. Move forward with perfect joy, delight and strength. We beseech Him to assist you with His means, power and sovereignty. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

God willing, truth shall be made manifest and shall not remain concealed. Yet one is astonished at souls who, without cause and merely out of greed, avarice and passion, cling to all manner of evil and emerge thus. Glory be to God! Love of transient ornaments hath so seized them that they have become utterly deprived of human qualities. We seek refuge in God! O my Lord! Protect us and Thy servants through Thy generosity and bounty. Verily, Thou art the most powerful of the powerful and the most generous of the generous.

Regarding what you wrote about staying or returning to Iran or proceeding to the intended destination, they said:

“At present you must remain in that land. Movement is not permitted. This is better for thee and a treasure for thee with God, the Lord of the mighty throne.”

All the friends are occupied day and night in remembrance of that beloved one. News of the treachery and turning away of the unfaithful hath reached various regions. Some have become greatly enkindled. It is hoped that the final outcome of matters will end in the greatest joy. Verily, God is the Strong, the Triumphant, the Powerful.

The Branches of the Blessed Tree, each one of them, make mention of your honor, as do the people of the pavilion of chastity and the loved ones of the prison land. Praise be to God, you have been and are mentioned by all. Peace, remembrance and glory be upon you, upon those who love you, and upon God’s sincere servants.

The servant 5 Muharram 1307

BH01158: Praise be to God, your well-being, patience, steadfastness, ecstasy…

He is God, exalted be His station, His grandeur and His power!

Praise be to God, your well-being, patience, steadfastness, ecstasy, attraction and spiritual rapture have given rise to a joy and delight without parallel. The tongues of all those present, of the pilgrims and travelers, are engaged in offering praise and thanksgiving to that luminous point of the heart. This is a great bounty, a mighty feast and a momentous glad-tiding. This servant, clinging to the hem of His mercy and holding fast to the cord of His grace, beseecheth his Lord to open before your face the gates of all good things. Verily He is the Fulfiller of needs, the Revealer of verses and the Manifestor of clear proofs. There is no God but Him, the Lord of all names and attributes.

I beseech Him, exalted be He, by His Prophets and Messengers, and by Him through Whom God united the hearts of His servants, revealed His sovereignty, made Himself known to all and taught them the word of His oneness, whereby the foundation of religion and God’s mighty Cause were made firm—and by His family and companions, the lions of warfare among mankind and the daysprings of His power and sovereignty in the realm of creation, through whom His straight path was made manifest and the gate of grace and bounty was opened to all in the heavens and on earth—to assist His Afnan in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to aid him with the hosts of the seen and the unseen.

Verily He is the Lord of creation, there is no God but Him, the One Who through His exalted Word hath power over all things, and He is the Commander of whatsoever He willeth and the Ruler in the beginning and in the end.

The blessed Tablet which in truth was a crown upon the brow of the receptive and fair-minded ones arrived and opened the gates of joy, delight and gladness before the face of this evanescent servant—an opening that shall know no closing nor reach an end. After its reading and perusal, I approached the Presence and attained the honor of His hearing. He said:

“Praise be to God that in these days when grief over the deeds and words of the claimants to love hath encompassed all, mention of the Afnan, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, is the cause of joy, delight and gladness. We beseech God, exalted be He, to guide His servants thereby and to give to drink therefrom the Living Waters to all in His lands, and through it to spread abroad His traces.”

O Afnan! Upon thee be the peace of God, His mercy and His loving-kindness. The smoke mentioned in the Book of God hath seemingly appeared in these days. The fire of greed, lust, passion and calumny hath so seized the oppressive and slanderous souls that its smoke hath darkened the realm of justice and truthfulness. God shall soon seize them through His sovereignty. He, verily, is the severest of avengers. Convey My remembrances to the son who hath ever been and still is remembered. God willing, may they engage with joy and fragrance in that which is accounted as worship. May not the tribulations of exile sadden him, for he dwelleth nearby and thus the ruling of homeland applieth to him. Convey greetings from the Wronged One to the loved ones in that land. Each one is mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One. We beseech God to ordain for them that which will draw them nigh unto Him in all conditions. He, verily, is the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

Thus endeth what was revealed. His is the praise, the bounty, the grace and the glory. In all conditions the honored Afnan, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, is mentioned in the Presence and is the recipient of special favors. If the false claimants would not cause distress and would not commit that which grieveth him—I beseech Him to protect your honor from their evil and their schemes. Verily He witnesseth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. His Will hath prevailed over the wills of His creation, and His Purpose hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth.

As for the matter of the tea, it arrived in accordance with the blessed letter and truly it was good and desirable and attained the honor of acceptance. For some time tea of such excellence had not been seen. At the time of its use, they mentioned concerning the honored Afnan of China, upon him be 966 [the Glory of God], that which the treasures of the world cannot equal. In truth, it is the Most Great Favor and the Supreme Grace—the confirmation of the Purpose of all worlds—that He hath aided him in a service whose reward and fruit are lasting and eternal, having no end. For from such matters as these the fragrance of love and devotion is diffused, and thus it was and is worthy of mention and fitting to be declared. His honor had also from the early days of the Cause turned towards it and attained the honor of the presence and meeting. They have acknowledged and confessed that which hath shone forth and risen from the horizon of God’s Will, the Lord of the worlds. This servant beseecheth his Lord to preserve his honor and aid them. Verily He is the Helper, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

I convey greetings to those present, especially to the honored Afnan and the son—upon them be the peace of God and His loving-kindness. For each one I seek the waters of the All-Merciful’s mercy and heavenly sustenance. Verily He fulfilleth the needs of all who ask. Glory and remembrance and praise be upon your honor and upon the son and upon those who love you and upon God’s unified servants. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

The servant 9 Muharram 1307

BH03452: The Book proclaims: O peoples of the various sects!…

He is the All-Witnessing, the All-Informed

The Book proclaims: O peoples of the various sects! By the life of the All-Bestowing One, the Day of Return has come! Cast aside what you possess and take what you are commanded by God, the Lord of all men. Beware lest the veils of glory prevent you or the might of the people of error frighten you. Turn with radiant faces, trusting in God, the Lord of Lords. Say: O people of the Bayan! Be fair in judging God’s proof and His evidence, His glory and His grandeur and His sovereignty. Beware lest you follow those who have violated God’s covenant and testament and denied what has been sent down from the heaven of His grace upon His servants.

Fear the All-Merciful and be not of the people of error. Thus warbles the dove of knowledge upon the branches, as a grace from God, the Lord of all beings. When you attain unto God’s tablet and its influence, say: Glory be to Thee, O my God! I am Thy servant, who has turned to Thee, detached from all else but Thee. I beseech Thee by Thy grace which has encompassed all existence, both seen and unseen, and by Thy supreme favor through which the ocean of names has surged, and by Thy Name through which Thou hast subdued the hearts of all in the kingdom of creation, to make me one of those whom the attraction of Thy call has so seized that they arose before all faces and said:

“We have heard the call from the Most Exalted Horizon and have turned unto it. We testify that this Day is His Day and this Revelation His Revelation. He is the One Who was treasured from all eternity and concealed from all eyes. When the promise came to pass, He manifested Himself with the truth. The servants denied Him and turned away from Him and opposed Him with such injustice as caused the mountains to crumble. Blessed is the servant who has attained to the knowledge of God and the Manifestation of His Self, and woe to every heedless doubter.”

God has heard your call and answered you with a tablet that has shone forth from its horizon the light of your Lord’s loving-kindness, the Lord of all men. The glory from Us be upon you and upon those whom neither the doubts of the Pharaohs nor the hints of the tyrants prevented—they heard and believed in God, the Lord of the beginning and the return.

BH07357: O thou who hast held fast to the cord…

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

O thou who hast held fast to the cord of My loving-kindness and clung to the hem of My mercy! Hear My call from the precincts of the Prison. Verily, there is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Thy letters were received and each attained unto a hearing. Praise be to God, thou hast been blessed with the bounty of recognizing God—exalted be His glory—which is the greatest bounty in the world, and thou art steadfast in serving His Cause. The Fiery Phoenix hath delivered what thou didst send unto him, and it was adorned with the ornament of acceptance. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Say:

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou hast power over all things, and glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy most excellent Names and most exalted Attributes to make me a servant of Thy Cause and one who acteth according to what Thou hast revealed in Thy Book, and one who maketh mention of Thy Name until my days end with attaining Thy presence and meeting Thee. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest and the Sovereign over all who are in the heavens and on earth.

BH01016: The Books, Psalms, Scriptures and Tablets have testified…

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

The Books, Psalms, Scriptures and Tablets have testified to God’s oneness and singleness, and to the sanctification of His Essence and the exaltation of His Being above all else. The servant acknowledgeth what God hath sent down from before and after, and what hath been revealed in His perspicuous Book, and confesseth what hath been uttered by the tongues of His Messengers and His near-favored ones. And prayers and peace be upon His Beloved and His Chosen One, through Whom He hath manifested His power and His sovereignty, and sent down His verses and revealed His clear proofs, and upon His family and companions, through whom He subdued the world and drew the hearts of the nations—prayers that are everlasting, through which the fragrance of His utterance is wafted amongst His servants and the sweet perfume of His bounty throughout His lands.

The beloved letter arrived and gladdened the sorrowful heart with news of the health, wellbeing and steadfastness of the honored Mr. Afnan, upon him be the peace of the All-Merciful, and that blessed being. The One God is witness that mention of the friends and loved ones brings joy and delight. After being informed, I approached the Presence and presented it. He said:

“It is clear and evident to every fair-minded and insightful person and every knowledgeable and informed one that there has been and is no purpose except the betterment, love, harmony, kindness and unity of hearts and souls. We have ever counseled all to trustworthiness, religious devotion, truthfulness and sincerity. Some accepted, while others were prevented from the word of truth by the fire of greed, passion, avarice and transgression. Praise be to God, the deeds of every soul bear witness to it. The secrets of hearts and their hidden thoughts, as well as the treachery of eyes, are all manifest and visible. This Wronged One beseeches God, exalted be His glory, for that which leads to success and prosperity. Assuredly, whatever has appeared and will appear stems from the requirements of consummate wisdom. However, victory and triumph in all conditions belong to His assured servants, those who have no fear nor are they grieved.”

The honored Afnan, upon him be God’s care and grace, was present and mentioned before Him. We beseech God to strengthen him, make him successful, assist him, protect him and ordain for him what benefits him. Verily He knows him better than he knows himself and He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous.

O Amin, grieve not over anything or what has passed of ornaments. Praise be to God, your truthfulness, trustworthiness and honesty are clear and evident to all, and the condition of those who have clung to lies, calumny and treachery is also apparent and visible. Every fair one is aware and every just one bears witness—indeed those souls themselves are aware of each other’s state, but the fire of greed and avarice has intervened and deprived them of trustworthiness and truth. What you mentioned was heard with acceptance. God willing, mention of those souls will flow from the Pen and be sent. We beseech God in all conditions to assist you and not withhold from you His grace, mercy, generosity and bestowal. Verily He is the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Glory be to God! Souls who have so clearly betrayed the property of the servants and who speak calumnies still claim truthfulness, sincerity and righteousness. The leader of that people is Shaykh Muhammad, than whom there exists none more wicked in the world. The cause of these matters and the unity of those souls has been and is the wrongful consumption of people’s property. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to judge with justice, and He is the Commander, the Wise.

Regarding what was written about Ardikan, it was seen and according to your beloved request it shall be done. They mentioned Mr. Muhammad Isma’il, upon him be God’s peace, who has arrived in that land. They were with him for some time. Praise be to God, they are aware of some of that heedless one’s affairs. The servant asks his Lord to strengthen and assist him that he may make known to the people the calumnies of that heedless and remote one, and his deeds and conditions. Verily He has power over all things. This servant conveys greetings to them and asks God to make them successful in that which causes the exaltation of being.

As for the letter from the honored brother Master Ali Akbar, upon him be God’s peace, which was sent—it has been seen. A reply to him will be written and dispatched. Whatever that beloved one wrote is being considered. God willing, he shall succeed in accordance with what He loves and is pleased with. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, that all may be enabled to perform good deeds and manifest praiseworthy conduct, that their names may endure in goodness forever. Permission has also been granted for that mentioned person—write and inform him. However, the details of the treacheries of the unfaithful ones must also be mentioned so that one who intends to turn toward [the Cause] may be aware.

O my God, my Aim, my Object of Worship! Protect Thy sheep from the wolves of the earth, and adorn praiseworthy conduct with its finest ornament, that all may find their station and become aware of its fruits. For if Thou grant awareness, treachery will be transformed into trustworthiness, falsehood into truthfulness, and oppression into justice. O Generous One! Thy mercy hath preceded all and Thy generosity hath encompassed all. Let not the daysprings of darkness prevail over the dawning-places of justice. Verily Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Strong, the Powerful. There is no God but Thee, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

All the loved ones send their greetings, and likewise do others. In truth, they make mention with perfect love and affection. We beseech God to create an effect in the remembrances of His chosen ones and His loved ones. Verily He is the Fulfiller of the needs of all who ask, and praise be to God, for He is the Lord of all the worlds. Peace and remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those who are with you and who love you, and upon God’s righteous servants.

The servant 20 Muharram 1307

BH01375: Praise be to God Who hath adorned these lands…

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

Praise be to God Who hath adorned these lands with His Most Great Remembrance in His Book, which He hath made a light, an honor and a guidance for all peoples. These lands have been designated by the Most Exalted Pen as the Holy Land, and God hath exalted them through this remembrance among His cities and domains. He hath manifested from them His bounties and favors, which hearts and minds are powerless to reckon. Exalted is the Generous One, the Revealer of this mighty grace!

And blessings and peace be upon His unlettered Prophet, the Eternal Light and Everlasting Manifestation, through Whom the ocean of knowledge surged and the nightingale of remembrance warbled upon the highest branches. And upon His family and companions, whom God made the manifestations of His most beautiful names and the dawning-places of His most exalted attributes. Through them appeared God’s might, and His all-encompassing power and everlasting sovereignty held sway. Through them the countenance of knowledge smiled and the manifestations of Satan wailed—blessings that are sanctified from all else and befitting the court of His chosen ones.

And thereafter, your letters and writings—those pages of love and joy—were received, and each was a key to unlock the gates of gladness, delight, happiness and elation, for they were adorned with the mention of God, exalted be His glory, and likewise embellished with glad tidings of the health and well-being of the friends in that land and of your honor. In all conditions, it behooveth man to render, with a hundred thousand tongues, a hundred thousand thanks and praises.

You mentioned some of the outward bounties, such as the power of hearing and sight and other physical senses. Yet even this outward sight hath an inner sight, and that sight hath yet another sight. Were the bounties of God and the signs that evidence His outward favor to reveal their true stations, man would observe with clear certainty that even if all the atoms of the universe were to become tongues and attempt to render thanks for His bounties bestowed in but a single moment, they would fail to do so. Shaykh Saadi, may God’s mercy rest upon him, hath well said—yet it is evident that the hidden, established stations are far beyond what the bird of utterance can reach in its flight or what the faculty of comprehension can grasp and know. He said that in every breath that goeth in, life is sustained, and when it cometh out, it refresheth the soul. Thus in every breath lie two bounties, and for every bounty thanksgiving is due […] Yet in truth, in every breath a hundred thousand bounties exist and are manifest, and each bounty deserveth a hundred thousand praises and thanks. Who can soar in this atmosphere or open his tongue in His mention and praise?

In all conditions, the fair-minded observe themselves to be powerless and wanting. Yet this hath yielded one great blessing, namely that the Intended One hath accepted these expressions of powerlessness and confession of shortcoming, and hath reckoned them as worship. This bounty itself requireth a hundred thousand million thanks. The knowledge is with God.

In any case, the letter of that beloved of the heart, your verbal and written mentions, and other remembrances—all were repeatedly read and mentioned, and the palate of hope was sweetened. God willing, may the sweetness of these repetitions take hold of all. It was said before that whatever is repeated becomes more fragrant. Indeed, each of your mentions was like repeated sugar, Indian sugar, Egyptian candy, and royal grapes. Nay, your grapes, which are your mentions, excel those grapes a hundred thousand times. God willing, may they be aided in all conditions and assisted in that which causeth the manifestation of the stations of truth, purity, generosity and bounty. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Helper, the Supporter, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

As to your mention of His Eminence Effendi, may God, blessed and exalted be He, strengthen him, and your recording of his known virtues—this was noted. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, and hope that He will aid each one to preserve the resplendent Law and the glory of the station of “were it not for thee,” concerning which was revealed “were it not for thee, I would not have created the celestial spheres.” In any case, that land is blessed. Surely divine treasures have appeared and will appear from it, and it has been and is the repository of God’s friends. We beseech God to make the people of divine unity the standards of His guidance and […]Praised be His remembrance among His lands and His servants. Verily He heareth and seeth and answereth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

The relatives of that beloved of hearts—praise be to God—are well and safe. The blessed Branches and the people of the pavilion of infallibility all send their greetings, make mention of you, and express their loving-kindness. Peace and mercy and glory rest upon you and upon the righteous servants of God.

The servant 15 Muharram 1307

BH04620: Praise be to God Who hath revealed Himself through…

Praise be to God Who hath revealed Himself through His illuminating Name unto all created things. When the sun of the outward and the inward rose from the highest horizon, the world was adorned through the power of His grace and nurture with trees, fruits, leaves, branches and boughs. He caused to spring forth from the earth that which was treasured within it, entrusted to its mines, mountains, pillars and seas. Exalted is the All-Wise Who hath ordered the world through the manifestations that have appeared from the horizons of divine gifts and favors, and through another Sun—the Sun of Truth, the Light of Divinity, the Eternal Mystery, and the Ancient Essence. Through it He hath caused to grow from hearts the anemones of wisdom, the realities of knowledge, the mysteries of love and affection, and the brilliant, illuminating, radiant jewels.

Exalted is the All-Wise Who hath manifested the mysteries of the Kingdom and the Realm of Might in the world of creation as a token of His power and sovereignty, and as an evidence of His grandeur and might. He hath placed the reins of existence, both seen and unseen, in the grasp of Him Whom He hath established in His own place, making Him the Dawning-Place of His Cause, the Dayspring of His wisdom, the Repository of His knowledge, and the Manifestation of His Self. Through Him His Will and Purpose have become manifest, the ocean of His knowledge hath surged amongst His servants, and the breezes of His grace have wafted to quicken His creation and His servants.

Through Him the mystery of the letter K and N was revealed, and the secret of the blessed words “Verily we are God’s, and to Him shall we return” was made manifest. Through Him the stations of the monotheists were elevated and the ranks of the polytheists were brought low. He it is Whose head God hath adorned with the crown of the exalted Word: “But for Thee, I would not have created the spheres.” May peace and blessings rest upon Him and upon the Hands of His Cause, the guardians of His station, the helpers of His Faith, and the watchers of His horizon—those servants through whom God hath subdued the cities of hearts. He is the Almighty, the Glorious, the Best-Beloved….

Praise be to God, thou hast been and art remembered in the gathering of them that remember God and in the arena of them that profess His unity. Thy remembrance brought to mind the days of thy presence and renewed the covenant of faithfulness. How excellent are the words: “The remembrance of friends is auspicious to the Friend.” I beseech Him, exalted be His glory, to open before thy face the doors of joy and gladness, of bounty and blessing, with the key of the Most Great Name. Verily God is the Hearing, the Answering, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing….

BH01778: A Book which the Wronged One hath sent down…

He is the Hearer, the Answerer

A Book which the Wronged One hath sent down to him who hath believed in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, that He might transform his sorrow into joy and acquaint him with that which beseemeth him in the days of God, the Lord of the worlds. Grieve not over what hath befallen thee. There hath befallen Us that which hath caused all things to lament, as attesteth He with Whom is the perspicuous Book. I bear witness that thou hast migrated unto God and hast attained unto that which was recorded by the Most Exalted Pen in the Books of thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We desire to console thee and comfort thee in what hath befallen thee, that thou mayest be content with what hath appeared from God’s decree and destiny, and be of the patient ones. Verily thy Lord is the Concealer—all are commanded by Him—and He is the All-Patient—all are bidden to manifest beautiful patience.

In the Persian tongue, hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. He, verily, will aid thee to be patient and forbearing, and will open before thy face the gates of submission and contentment. The vicissitudes of the world, its changes, and the evanescence of all things are each a manifest counselor for them that possess sight and gaze toward the Most Sublime Vision.

Where are the Pharaohs of the earth and its mighty ones? Where are the tyrants of the lands and their men? Where are they who confined all matters to harming the servants? Where are they through whose tyranny the standard of justice was reversed and the people of the cities of virtue and unity did lament? Where are their current commands and their operative decrees? Where are the treasures amassed through greed and passion, in which the people of iniquity and lewdness rejoiced? God hath turned their hopes into affliction and their wealth into punishment. Where are their lofty palaces and their elevated, adorned houses? Where are they whom wealth and children occupied, keeping them from a goodly end and final outcome? God hath brought them down from palaces to graves. Take heed, O ye who possess vision!

Reflect upon the Seal of the Prophets—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake. He had five male children who ascended, whereupon the idolaters began to gloat. And when He remained without issue, they called Him—God forbid—“abtar” (cut off). Then this verse was revealed: “Verily, it is thy enemy who is cut off.” At that same time this blessed verse was revealed: “Wealth and children are an adornment of the life of this world, but the things that endure, good deeds, are better in thy Lord’s sight for reward, and better for hope.”

Today, whosoever hath attained unto a single word from the words of the Most Exalted Pen is independent of all that hath been limited by names. The love of children is for the sake of perpetuating one’s name and mention, and this is contingent upon their being righteous, not wicked. And a good end is unknown and uncertain, and even that, according to outward appearances, hath not been and is not lasting, by virtue of the blessed words “Verily we are God’s, and to Him shall we return.” However, divine verses revealed in the name of any soul are immortalized in the Book—they do not change or alter, they have been and ever shall be eternal and everlasting. Praise be to God, thou hast repeatedly attained unto verses and been honored by the traces of the Most Exalted Pen.

Say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having guided me and illumined my heart with the light of Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee, O God of Names, by Thy Will that hath encompassed all existence both seen and unseen, and by Thy Name whereby Thou hast subdued hearts and minds, and by the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty and the splendors of the Day-Star of Thy grace, to make me content with what is with Thee, nay rather, grateful for what hath been sent down from Thy decree. By Thy might, O God of the world and Goal of the nations! I love naught but what Thou lovest and desire naught but what Thou desirest. Ordain for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen the good of the world to come and of this world. There is no God but Thee, the Most Mighty, the Most High.

BH02192: Today the world of the seen and unseen…

In His Name, Who ruleth over the Kingdom of Utterance!

Today the world of the seen and unseen, and the realms of might and dominion, of revelation and mystic knowledge, are illumined by the effulgent rays of the Sun of Truth. At all times do all created things call out to the servants and summon them to the highest horizon. Blessed are they who, aided by divine assistance and heavenly resolve, arise to serve and guide humanity to the straight path of God.

O Muhammad-Shafi’! The Tongue of Grandeur beareth witness to thy turning and devotion. Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One—it will draw thee nigh unto the ocean of thy Lord’s utterance, the Compassionate, the Bountiful. We beseech God to assist thee at all times, that through the hosts of wisdom and utterance thou mayest guide the wayward to the everlasting Law and direct the wanderers to their divine homeland.

O Ahmad-ʿAli, upon thee be My glory! Praise and gratitude be to God that thou hast attained unto the heavenly feast and the infinite, eternal bounty. Despite the divines, thou hast drunk from the cup of immortality. Neither the doubts of the people nor the might of men could prevent thee from drawing nigh unto the Lord of creation. In the days and nights thou must arise with complete dedication to teach the people. Verily thy Helper is with thee—He heareth, seeth and aideth, and He is the Helper, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Convey My greetings to the loved ones. We make mention at this time of him who is named Aqa Baba and give him the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of all worlds. We beseech God to assist him to serve His Cause and to ordain for him the good of this world and the next. Verily He is the Lord of humanity and the Lord of this glorious station.

O Ahmad-ʿAli! We make mention of thy children and counsel them with that which will exalt their stations among the servants, and We give them glad-tidings of that which God, the Forgiving, the Merciful, hath ordained for them. Convey My greetings unto them and remind them of the verses of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

Convey My greetings to the loved ones of God in that land. Praise be to God, each hath attained unto that which hath no peer or likeness. Gladden all thy relatives with the loving-kindness of God, glorified be His majesty. All are mentioned and specially favored in His presence. From the heaven of loving-kindness there hath been sent down for each one that which is lasting and enduring.

Then make mention, on My behalf, of thy mother and thy wife and her mother. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to draw them nigh unto Him and enable them to do what He loveth and pleaseth, and to open before the face of each one the door of grace and bounty. Verily He is the Lord of all creation. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

At the end of this epistle We make mention of him who is named Karbala’i Husayn, that rapture may seize him and he may be among the successful ones. O Husayn! God willing, mayest thou be successful through God’s loving-kindness, speaking His praise and arising to serve His loved ones. He Who loved Me hath mentioned thee; We have remembered thee in this clear Book. Glory be upon thee and upon all who are steadfast and firm.

BH04062: This is a Book which the Wronged One hath…

He is the All-Powerful, the All-Compelling over all who are in earth and heaven

This is a Book which the Wronged One hath sent down from the heaven of His bounty to one of His loved ones, that He might give him to drink of the Kawthar of utterance from the direction of His name, the Most Merciful, and draw him nigh unto Him in all conditions. He, verily, is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

We have heard thy call and that wherewith thou didst commune with God. We have sent down for thee that which hath enraptured the hearts of them that are endued with understanding. By My life! There hath been sent down for thee that which cannot be equalled by riches and sons, and which shall endure as long as the names of God, the Lord of Lords, shall endure. That which thou beholdest today shall change and perish, but that which hath been sent down for thee shall not be altered by centuries and ages.

O ʿAli! Sorrows have encompassed Me from all directions, and there hath befallen Me that which hath caused the people of the cities of justice and equity to lament. Rejoice thou in My remembrance of thee and My turning toward thee from this Spot which hath attained unto the presence of God, the Lord of the Day of Return. Be not grieved at that which hath befallen thee. There hath been ordained for thee from My Most Exalted Pen that by whose light the horizons have been illumined. Give thou the glad-tidings from Me unto thy wife and remind her of the verses of God and illumine her with the light of loving-kindness and knowledge.

O My handmaiden! Hearken unto My call and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou through Whose Name the heaven of idle fancies was cleft asunder and the earth of vain imaginings was split, and through the power of Whose exalted Word all things were set in motion. I beseech Thee to make this handmaiden of Thine steadfast in Thy Cause and speaking Thy praise amongst Thy handmaidens. O my Lord! I am Thy handmaiden and the daughter of Thy handmaiden. Ordain for me from the heaven of Thy bounty and the ocean of Thy generosity that which shall solace mine eyes and the eyes of Thy handmaidens. Then send down upon us from the heaven of Thy grace a mercy from Thy presence. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the Ever-Forgiving.

BH05227: O Muhammad-Qabli-Ja’far! Thy name hath been mentioned before…

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

O Muhammad-Qabli-Ja’far! Thy name hath been mentioned before the Wronged One, and thou hast been favored with the supreme bounty. The ocean of divine grace surgeth and waveth before the faces of all, and the Sun of divine loving-kindness shineth and gleameth amidst all souls. Today the Tree uttereth without veil, and the Light manifesteth without covering. That which was hidden in hearts and minds hath been revealed. The carpet of idle fancies and vain imaginings hath been rolled up through that which hath shone forth from the Daystar of certitude from the horizon of the heaven of My Name, the Self-Subsisting. Yet all remain veiled and deprived save those souls who, through His Name, the All-Powerful, have shattered the idols, rent asunder the veils, and with their hearts have sought the divine station. These are the people of Baha, mentioned by the Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Tablet. Blessed is the being who hath today received his portion and share from the divine ocean of generosity. We beseech God that He may assist thee in that which shall cause the veils of the idolaters and the heedless to be rent asunder. Convey My greetings to the loved ones and illumine them with the effulgences of the Daystar of His mention, and say:

O my Lord! O my Lord! O my Lord! Aid me and Thy servants to witness Thy signs, to hearken unto Thy call, to arise to serve Thee, and to hold fast unto the cord of Thy bounty. Verily, Thou art powerful to do what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Kind, the Forgiver, the Merciful.

BH07987: O My leaf! Upon thee be My glory! Praise…

He is the All-Patient, the All-Concealing, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise

O My leaf! Upon thee be My glory! Praise be to God that thou hast drunk from the hand of bounty the wine of everlasting life, and hast attained unto that which hath been the hope of them that are near unto God and of the sincere ones. The hands of divine grace and mercy have revealed from the Mother Book, in thy name, that which is adorned with eternal life. Every word that hath been revealed from the Mother Book is better than a hundred thousand children, both high and beloved. These children require no sustenance or clothing, existing as they do in the cities of praise and glorification, mentioned by thy name. Events affect them not. They have endured and shall endure as long as the kingdom of earth and heaven endureth. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this mighty remembrance, this manifest grace, and this exalted Word from God, the Lord of all mankind. The glory from Us be upon thee, O My handmaiden, and upon My handmaidens who have believed in the One, the All-Informed.

BH10279: Glorified art Thou, O my God! I testify…

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

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I testify that Thy proof hath vanquished the proofs of the past, and Thy evidence hath appeared with justice, and Thy signs have encompassed the kingdom of earth and heaven, and Thy clear tokens have been manifested before all faces. I beseech Thee by the light of Thy Cause and the fire of Thy Sacred Tree to confirm him who hath turned unto Thee and held fast to the cord of Thy bounty. Ordain for him that which will gladden his eyes and rejoice his heart. Then send down upon him from the heaven of Thy generosity a blessing from Thy presence. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

BH01086: At the outset, this servant beseeches his Lord…

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

At the outset, this servant beseeches his Lord to make your station at the Sacred Threshold an impregnable fortress and to protect you thereby from the evil of every barking dog, every rebel, every transgressor, and every slanderer who have made it their nature to wrongfully consume the wealth of the people and their habit to calumniate the servants by following the misguider.

Glory be to Thee, O God, Lord of all beings and Educator of all created things! Thou seest Thy righteous loved ones in the hands of the wicked, and there hath befallen them, through their evil deeds, that which hath caused the very rocks to cry out. I beseech Thee by the Light whereby the darkness was illumined, and by the Drop whereby Thou didst manifest the seas, and by the Point whereby Thou didst expound the Books and the mysteries of Revelation, and by Thy Beloved through Whom Thou didst create existence and made Him the Guardian over the unseen and the seen, and through Whom Thou didst perfect Thy religion amongst Thy servants and manifest Thy Cause throughout the lands—to assist Thy servants in that which Thou lovest and art pleased with. O Lord! Illumine the world with the light of knowledge and trustworthiness, and send down upon Thy servants that which will purify them from the defilement of self and passion, and draw them nigh unto Thy glorious station and Thy mighty court. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest.

That beloved spiritual one’s letter arrived. Praise be to God, from it wafted the fragrance of resignation, reliance, steadfastness, trustworthiness and power. I beseech the Most High to exalt you through His Name and honor you through His mention and manifest through you His virtues and attributes, that through you the signs of steadfastness and religion may spread among all creatures, and the truth may be realized through your deeds and actions. Verily, He is the Strong, the Triumphant, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. After reading it repeatedly, he proceeded to the Sacred Spot and it was presented before His presence. He—may our spirits be sacrificed for His sake—said: “Praise be to God Who hath aided the Afnan to manifest the truth and that which beseemeth him in such days wherein the oppressors desired to veil the beauty of trustworthiness with their own treachery and the beauty of truthfulness with the veils of their lies.

Praise be to God, thou wast assisted to deliver eloquent words and didst mention that which was a light shining from the supreme horizon of the heart. Blessed be thy tongue for having spoken the truth in such wise that the clamor of the people of greed and passion and the howling of the people of tyranny and wickedness did not prevent thee from mentioning the truth. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to aid you with the hosts of the seen and unseen, to preserve you through His sovereignty and guard you through His power. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the Unconstrained.

O Amin! We have heard thy call. Praise be to God for having enabled thee to achieve that which hath won the glory of acceptance. Say: My God, my God! Thou seest us in the hands of the heedless and the transgressors. We beseech Thee to assist us to hold fast unto that which Thou hast revealed in Thy Book and unto deeds from which the fragrance of Thy good-pleasure may be wafted. Thou knowest that we desire naught save trustworthiness and religiousness and truthfulness and purity. Ordain for us that which Thou hast ordained for such of Thy servants as act and such of Thy creation as are sincere. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.”

In truth, His honor the esteemed gentleman (upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah] the Most Glorious) hath uttered a word that leaveth no room for denial by anyone, and that word hath testified and doth testify to truth and righteousness, for the station of attribution is established and all are aware. In any case, they stated that they had uttered a blessed word—blessed be he! And that which was forbidden is different from this. Praise be to God, they have uttered a complete blessed word, and in truth it hath been sanctified from both acceptance and denial. No acceptance hath been or is more conclusive than this. The heedless and the opponents have said many things. Praise be to God, arrival in that land proved that His honor was not and is not among those who flee, for after departing from that land they wrote to their own kind that the others had fled. Glory be to God! Every person of understanding is bewildered by what they have said and done. I beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to send down upon them the recompense of their deeds. Verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer.

Praise be to God, the favors of Truth are evident from every direction, and refraining from discussion regarding the claim hath itself been a form of divine assistance. The beloved of the heart, the Observer (upon him be God’s peace), hath arrived and is headed in that direction. It became known that Sayyalih had made a mistake regarding the Name, and no new command reached them afterwards, thus the delay. God willing, after the assurances of His Excellency the Ambassador (may God, blessed and exalted be He, strengthen him)—that is, the assurance regarding collecting the claim and its receipt—if it is requested there is no harm. Verily God is the Self-Sufficient, the Praiseworthy. If they judge with justice and are successful, they must give recompense for the calumnies of those people so that the lies and slanders of those base people become evident to all.

And regarding what they said that Muhammad-ʿAli himself would bring and give our dues—this statement too was among the distinguished utterances. We beseech the Most High to assist His loved ones in that which will cause trustworthiness, religiosity, chastity and faithfulness to be exalted. God willing, let there be loving conduct with all people. The association of some may be intended to hear words which they can use as a pretext. What was said at first should be mentioned exactly as it was, without addition or subtraction. In that land there are many investigators and mischief-makers. The first single word was and is sufficient. Peace, remembrance and praise be upon the Afnan, and upon you, and upon those who love you, and upon God’s sincere servants.

The servant 3 Safar 1307

BH02932: Today the Mother Book calls out before the faces…

He is the One Who speaks the Truth!

Today the Mother Book calls out before the faces of all parties and gives glad-tidings to the people of the world through the grace of the Most Great Name. The Kawthar of utterance flows at all times from the Pen of the All-Merciful, and the Salsabil of divine knowledge courses through the will of the Desired One of all worlds. Blessed is the soul whom the veils and doubts of the objectors and transgressors did not prevent or deprive from turning to the Manifest Truth.

O Ali-Akbar! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Lord of Destiny. Give thanks to thy Lord, for He hath aided thee and caused thee to know Him, and hath ordained for thee in the Book of Names that which hath brought joy to the eyes of those who have attained to the recognition of the Beginning and the End. The fire of greed and avarice hath consumed the oppressors and prevented them from the station of holy nearness. But God will seize the wrongdoers with His wrath and will punish them with an unquenchable fire and a torment without end. He is verily the Almighty, the All-Compelling.

We make mention at this time of the handmaiden who hath ascended unto God, the Mighty, the Beautiful. We have ordained for her from Our Most Exalted Pen that which bringeth joy to all eyes, and have sent down for her that which attracteth the hearts of the righteous. Through My remembrance the gates of grace and bounty were opened before her face. To this beareth witness the Lord of the Kingdom of Names. There is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

A blessed Tablet hath been sent down from the heaven of the will of the Lord of all beings, specifically for the friends. Obtain a copy thereof and send it forth, that the fragrances of revelation may attract them and draw them nigh unto God, the Goal of the mystics.

The light shining from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon the Alif and Ha, whom the affairs of the world did not prevent from drawing nigh unto the Most Great Name. He heard the Call and turned to the Most Exalted Horizon, attaining that which was inscribed by the Most Glorious Pen in the Crimson Tablet. And upon thee, and upon those related to thee by God, and upon every steadfast and firm one, and every faithful and trusted one.

Permission for attainment of presence hath been delayed these days due to consummate wisdom and that which is with God. Verily He is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. There is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Beloved.

BH03806: In these days the mystery of what the All-Merciful…

He is established upon the throne of Revelation

In these days the mystery of what the All-Merciful revealed in the Qur’an is made manifest, His blessed and exalted Word: “Though it be but the weight of a mustard seed and though it be hidden in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, God will bring it to light.” The tongue of grandeur in the kingdom of power speaks this most exalted word: “The Day has come and that which was hidden in the hearts of the people has appeared.” It is the Day whereon the secrets shall be searched out. The hidden things of the breasts and the treachery of the eyes are manifest and evident.

Perfect bounty was shown toward Satan from the divine ocean of grace and celestial generosity, to such extent that he counted himself nearer than the denizens of the Kingdom, and afterward appeared that which you have heard. The new heedless one united with his like, and for wealth they disregarded the ultimate end. They changed God’s religion for gold. In the Hidden Words We said:

“O Son of Being! Busy not thyself with this world, for with fire We test the gold, and with gold We test Our servants.”

On the day of reckoning they were occupied with riches and remained heedless and veiled from the wealthy and self-subsisting Lord.

Blessed art thou for having attained unto My days, heard My call, turned toward My countenance and taken My Book through the grace of God, the Lord of the worlds. Praise be to God that thou hast attained unto His days, His recognition, His presence and His meeting. This is a great bounty from God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Grieve not over anything. You are in the fortress of My protection and under the shadow of My grace. Rejoice in this supreme bounty and say: Unto Thee be praise and glory and thanks and bounty, there is no God but Thee, the All-Bountiful, the Generous. The glory from Us be upon you and upon your first and your last, and your outward and your inward.

BH07430: In My Name, the Sorrowful, the Stranger

In My Name, the Sorrowful, the Stranger

O Varqa! By My life, My heart hath grieved for thy sorrow and what hath befallen thee, and the Temple of My loving-kindness and the people of the cities of justice and fairness have lamented over what hath come to pass upon the Wronged One at the hands of those who denied My right, violated My Covenant, and devoured the property of others through falsehood. The fire of greed, passion, avarice and immorality hath been kindled in the Great City, whereby the veil of propriety hath been rent asunder among the people and the light of fairness hath been extinguished through the appearance of tyranny. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to assist all to return unto justice, for verily He is the Ever-Forgiving.

O Varqa! We bear witness that thou hast been faithful to God’s Covenant and His Testament and hast aided His Cause. We counsel the loved ones of God to love thee and hearken unto thy call in this Cause, the exalted, the mighty, the wondrous. Convey My greetings to the faces of My loved ones and give them the glad-tidings of My loving-kindness. Verily thy Lord is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. The Glory from Us be upon thee and upon thy two sons and upon those who are with thee, from One Who is Forgiving, Generous.

BH00461: O thou who gazest toward My horizon and soarest…

He is the All-Knowing Speaker!

O thou who gazest toward My horizon and soarest in Mine atmosphere! Hear My call which hath been raised at this time and which addresseth before the faces of the world a resonant sermon and a decisive word. Say: O people of the world! The Wronged One from the precinct of the prison calleth you unto God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, and biddeth you to be present that ye may hear that which hath been sent down from the heaven of His Will and the atmosphere of His All-Compelling Purpose which dominateth the unseen and the seen.

O Haydar-ʿAli! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. Say to those who turn away: Fear God and follow not your desires. Follow Him Who guideth you to His extended and manifest path and draweth you nigh unto Him. Verily He is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen.

Today it is imperative for those who turn away to come and be present that they may with their own ears and eyes behold and hearken unto the waves of the ocean of knowledge and the revealed verses. Say: O people! Fear God and be not the cause of going astray. The divine verses have been revealed in such wise that none hath been or is capable of reckoning them, and now numerous books exist. Glory be to God! The Primal Point declared “I am the foremost of worshippers,” yet they have become heedless of the Creator and Revealer of that Name and know not Who bestowed and Who created the Name. Say: While time remaineth, strive that perchance ye may pass beyond that which ye possess and your vain imaginings and fix your gaze upon that which is with God.

Thy letter was received and was granted a hearing. Whatsoever hath been revealed from the Supreme Pen concerning Hadi-i-Dawlatabadi, both before and after, ye should write and send to all regions that all may discover that which is the cause of protection and salvation for all. There is a certain Shaykh Muhammad in Constantinople who is among Mirza Yahya’s followers. Through his and his master’s decree, the horizon of treachery hath appeared and the dawning-place of falsehood and calumny hath become manifest. Among other things he hath said that someone went to Akka and returned saying “Praise be to God, I am relieved.” He said “I asked what this enigmatic statement meant.” The man related “I went to Akka and attained the presence.

For four hours they attempted to write two lines but could not.” In short, the field of falsehood hath become vast. Surely ye have heard the details thereof. Beseech ye God to grant justice, and let some of the deniers be present while ye guarantee that they shall observe the equivalent of the previous heavenly Books, nay rather more, and likewise be present at the time of revelation. Say: O Hadi! Forsake not justice. By the life of God! The verses cry out in His Kingdom and weep because of the oppression of the ungodly. They cling to a drop that neither nourishes nor satisfies, while remaining heedless of the ocean. The Most Great Talisman hath appeared, yet it hath blinded their eyes and prevented their ears from hearing.

Ye mentioned Siyyid Mustafa, upon him be the glory of God. Praise be to God, he hath attained to the mention of the Wronged One. Regarding the question of Huquq, whenever any amount is available with Ali-Haydar, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, let them send a portion to him (Aqa Ali-Haydar) and mention him on behalf of the Wronged One and convey greetings to him. By the life of God! We found him worthy of acceptance and steadfastness. We beseech God to raise through him the standards of His Cause among His servants and the banners of His remembrance in His lands. Verily, He is powerful over all things. The glory from Us be upon him and upon those who are with him. Some time ago, Tablets specifically for the people of Kirman were requested by your honor and were sent, but no news of their receipt hath come.

O Haydar Qabli-ʿAli! Some of the friends are serving with their whole being and are ready with life and possessions. Well is it with them and blessed are they! God will soon make manifest their stations among His servants. Verily, He does not suffer to be lost the reward of those who are steadfast.

For Kerman, His Holiness Abu’l-Fadl, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, would be excellent, but at present his presence there must be delayed. If another soul can be found and you deem it advisable, mention this before the Wronged One and send him forth. However, he must hold fast to wisdom and be adorned with goodly deeds and praiseworthy conduct.

O thou who gazest upon My countenance! Endless complaints have arrived from various quarters about certain ones, causing boundless grief. My grief is not from My enemies, but from those who attribute themselves to My Cause. O what sorrow for the servants who follow their desires while claiming to follow My ways and commandments! Had they been fair-minded and held fast to that which God commanded them, all of Iran would now be adorned with the ornament of faith. We beseech God to assist all to return and make good what hath escaped them in My days.

Mention was made of His Holiness Siyyid A. and L., upon him be My glory and loving-kindness. Praise be to God, he is illumined with the light of recognition and enkindled with the fire of love. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to attract through his mention those who have turned unto Him and to raise through him the standards of the Faith amongst the ungodly and the believers. His mention and deeds are witnessed and heard. Remember him from Me and give him the glad-tidings of what hath been revealed for him from My Pen.

Say: O Safar Qabli-ʿAli Kh. A., thy name was present before the Wronged One. We have mentioned thee before and at this time. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Some time ago the Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was revealed from the heaven of Will especially for thee and was sent. God willing, thou shalt drink from the Kawthar of the utterance of the Goal of all the worlds and be illumined at all times with the lights of the Luminary of Truth.

O Siyyid Qabli-Muhammad! Upon thee be the glory of God, the Lord of the worlds. We have remembered those who have turned toward the Countenance with verses that have entranced the hearts of those near unto God. We beseech God to assist thee to be steadfast in His Cause in such wise that names shall not keep thee back from their Creator nor created things from their Maker. Verily thy Lord is the All-Merciful, the Most Generous.

O Husayn! Hear the call from the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, which calleth before the faces of all who are in the heavens and the earth. Nothing whatsoever hath prevented it from the remembrance of God, the Lord of all beings. Thus hath spoken the tongue of the Wronged One at this manifest time. Give thanks unto God for having assisted thee on a day wherein the Caller called from a near place, and made thee recognize the Dawning-Place of His Cause and guided thee to His straight path.

O Abul-Qasim! The Supreme Pen moveth at morn and at eventide in remembrance of the friends. Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto the remembrance of God. The first commandment is to believe in God and to act in accordance with that which He hath revealed in His Book. We counsel Our loved ones to perform goodly deeds and to manifest praiseworthy conduct. O friends! The hosts that can render this Cause victorious have ever been and are goodly character and virtuous deeds. Strive ye that ye may be enabled to achieve victory. He, verily, is the Protector of the doers of good and of them that act aright.

O Muhammad-Qablih-Hashim! Reflect upon the Shi’ih sect and their deeds, and beseech God, exalted be His glory, to protect His servants from the evil of such souls. By night and by day they besought the appearance of the Truth, yet when He was made manifest they pronounced His death-warrant. The deniers of the Bayan follow in their footsteps. Glory be to God! It is not known why they departed from the Shi’ih sect and turned towards the Point, only to abandon the Truth at the word of Hadi-i-Dawlat-Abadi and his followers and guides, remaining occupied with the same vain imaginings as before. Say: Purify your hearts from that which profiteth you not, then turn with pure hearts unto God, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved. This is the Day of God, glorified be His grandeur. Believe in Him and be not of the heedless.

O Haqq-Nazar! Thy mention hath been made in the Most Great Scene and thou hast attained unto the grace of God, exalted be His glory. Say: O people of the Torah and the Gospel! He Who revealeth the verses hath come with manifest sovereignty. Today the Mount of Sinai circleth round the Manifestation, and the Blessed Tree hath attained to the fragrance of reunion, and all atoms in those regions cry out “He Who revealeth the verses hath come!” Rapture and mighty ecstasy have seized all. Heaven saith unto earth: “Blessed art thou in that God hath made thee the seat of His mighty throne, honored thee with His presence and adorned thee with His signs.” Trees embrace one another, and rivers flow in utmost joy and delight. The rapture of His Revelation hath overtaken all the worlds of the seen and the unseen, yet most of the people are heedless, asleep and as ones dead.

O Yehudah! Blessed art thou for having turned unto God, the Sovereign, the Self-Subsisting. Say: O people of the Torah! By God! The Ten Words have been revealed in a single Word, and all things do speak forth this day:

“Blessed be the Lord of Names Who hath revealed Himself among His people and in His realm, and honored Moses with His presence and appearance before His countenance.”

Blessed be the city wherein the call of the Beloved was raised, and the synagogue wherein His glorious Name was mentioned. Verily, Zion crieth out and announceth unto all things the meeting with the Lord. Jerusalem hath stirred from its place and giveth the glad-tidings of God, its Lord and the Lord of the exalted Throne. O Yehudah! Take hold of the Book with the strength that proceedeth from Him. He, verily, will aid thee, and He is the Almighty, the Powerful.

O Isaac! Praise be to God that the horizons are illumined with the light of His Manifestation. We beseech God for the unity and harmony of hearts and souls, that all may unite and arise to aid His Cause. By the life of God! Its victory is dependent upon goodly utterance and righteous deeds. Should anyone speak otherwise, know ye that he is a lying impostor. We are God’s and unto Him shall we return. We have made mention of thee with that which shall endure as long as the kingdom of God, the Lord of the worlds, shall endure.

O Ghulam-Qablih-ʿAli! Thy mention hath ever been made and thou hast attained unto His grace. We beseech God to strengthen thee with the hosts of the unseen and enable thee to spread His signs, even as He aided thee before. He, verily, is the Mighty, the Helper.

O Haydar-ʿAli! The souls mentioned from Shah-Abad and elsewhere have each attained the grace of God. In these days, verses are being revealed without limitation or cessation, and evidences are being manifested without delay. Nevertheless, mention of many matters remains in abeyance. Repeatedly convey the remembrances of the Wronged One to the friends of Shah-Abad and those regions, and extend greetings to them. Say: O friends of God in His lands and His chosen ones in His realms! He hath remembered you and ordained for you in the most exalted Paradise and the supreme Heaven that which shall bring delight to all eyes and vision. Give thanks unto your Lord, the Most Merciful, for He hath manifested Himself, caused you to hear His call, shown you His signs, and sent down unto you that whereby your names shall endure throughout the eternity of His mighty and wondrous Kingdom.

Counsel all to perform goodly deeds and guide them to praiseworthy character, that they may attain to that which shall cause the exaltation of His Word and the turning of the servants unto Him. Deeds that are not pleasing are the cause of the dissipation of God’s Cause amongst His creation. To this beareth witness every fair-minded one, every just one, every hearing one, every seeing one, and every informed one. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon them, and upon those who love thee and will love thee, and who hearken unto thy words concerning this mighty Cause and momentous News.

BH01093: Praise be to the One God, Who is worthy…

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

Praise be to the One God, Who is worthy and befitting, Who in every day unites through His Most Exalted Word and separates through His decree. In truth, He has manifested the hidden mysteries within the hearts and breasts of His servants. The effects of His blessed Word aforetime have appeared—His exalted Word: “A party in Paradise and a party in the Blaze.” The people of the right hand are manifest and illumined with the lights of the Kingdom, while the companions of the left hand are tormented by the fire of greed, avarice and desire. No word was revealed aforetime except that its effects became manifest and its cause evident. Verily, the ungodly play with their vain imaginings and desire to extinguish it as did the peoples before them. Far, far be it! No power or might can prevent the influence of the Supreme Pen and the Most Exalted Word. The Lord—may our spirits be sacrificed for Him—hath said in the Tablet to the Sultan: “God hath made tribulation as morning dew upon His green pasture, and as a wick for His lamp through which earth and heaven are illumined.”

Glory be unto Thee, O God, Lord of the world and Desire of the nations! I beseech Thee by Thy sovereignty which hath encompassed existence, and by the light of Thy Cause which hath illumined the hearts and souls, to aid the deniers to acknowledge, the heedless to turn, and the ungodly to recognize Thy unity, and enable them to return unto Thee. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Generous. My God, my God! Thou seest Thy servant who desired to make mention of Thine Afnan who detached himself from all else but Thee and chose for himself a station near Thy mercy after he attained Thy presence, circumambulated Thy House, and achieved that which was ordained in Thy Books. O Lord! Thou seest him standing, speaking, remembering Thy mention, Thy praise and Thy service. O Lord! Strengthen him through Thy sovereignty, then assist him with the hosts of utterance throughout all possibility. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Glorious, the Bestower. There is no God but Thee, the Single, the One, the Protector over what shall be and what has been.

May my spirit be a sacrifice for your remembrance, steadfastness and love! The blessed letter, which truly gladdened the heart and brought joy to the soul, perfumed the earth like spiritual musk. Its fragrance testified to that which befits this Day. After the expansion of body and exhilaration of spirit, it was brought before His presence and attained the honor of being heard. The Lord, may our spirits be His sacrifice, said:

“O Afnan! Upon thee be the peace of God, His grace, His glory and His mercy. Thy mention in these days brought joy. Although the unseemly deeds of the servants have darkened the world, yet the Ancient Beauty, being in Himself luminous, remains unchanged and bestows without receiving. O Afnan! The deniers have appeared with calumnies unprecedented, and despite their greed, avarice, vain desire, and betrayal of people’s wealth, they still claim truthfulness. They have joined the lying Shaykh Muhammad. That heedless one has imagined those two liars to be people of faith and devotion. Nay, by God! Soon their falsehood, infidelity and hypocrisy will be revealed. We beseech God to grant His servants new life through the Kawthar of thy love and remembrance. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Mighty. The Glory from Us be upon thee, upon the son, upon those with you, and upon God’s righteous and sincere servants.”

Glory be to God! Despite people’s awareness of their own condition and the cause of their abasement among the people, they commit that which will forever remain recorded in the pages of time. Soon they shall see the recompense of their deeds. Verily God is the Just, the Ruler, the Avenger, the Mighty, the Powerful.

I convey greetings to the friends of that land, especially to his honor the beloved of spirit and heart, the honored Aqa Siyyid Aqa, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God. I offer greetings and praise, and I beseech God, exalted be His glory, for eternal bounty and everlasting sustenance for him. Verily He is the Generous, the Munificent. May the apple of the eye of Ibn-i-Jinab-i-Nazir, Jinab-i-Aqa Nuru’llah, Jinab-i-Aqa ʿAli-Akbar, Aqa Muhammad and Rif’at, upon them be the Glory of God, be adorned with the ornament of health and engaged in remembrance and praise. Each is mentioned and blessed with the favors of the Desired One. The servant beseeches his Lord to assist them in all conditions in that which befits His Cause and them. Verily He is the Helper, the Powerful, the All-Bountiful.

Jinab-i-Darvish, upon him be God’s peace, praise be to God, arrived in perfect health and attained the presence. Blessed and joyous be he! We beseech God to assist him in all conditions to serve His Cause, to mention Him among His servants, to remain steadfast in His lands, and to make him among those who shall have no fear, nor shall they grieve.

As for the account of Ishqabad, praise be to God, the late and elevated Haji Muhammad-Rida, upon him be the oceans of God’s favors and mercy, attained martyrdom. Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Abdu’l-Karim, upon him be the Glory of God, has sent a letter regarding this matter. His honor Ism-i-Jud, upon him be the Glory of God and His favors, will send a copy which will reach the blessed vision. The Glory, the Remembrance, the Mercy and the Praise be upon you all and upon those with you, and those who love you and hear your words for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds.

The servant 21st of Safar 1307

BH01599: O thou who gazest upon His countenance! In thy…

He is the All-Witnessing, the All-Informed

O thou who gazest upon His countenance! In thy letter mention was made of the Chief Secretary. After perusal, We desired to make mention of him, inasmuch as in the Most Holy Book this blessed verse hath been revealed: “Consort with the followers of all religions with joy and fragrance.” Therefore, whosoever maketh mention of this Wronged One, whether in truth or otherwise, the Supreme Pen hath revealed the utmost favor concerning him.

This Wronged One hath ever sought justice and fairness from the servants of God, but vain imaginings have become a veil, and have prevented most from witnessing and hearkening. All know that from the earliest days until now, this servant hath been in the hands of his enemies, and despite the afflictions that befell him, and imprisonment in the land of Ta and the land of Mim, and captivity and exile, the Pen hath not ceased for a moment, until in every place the Word was raised and the light of the Cause shone forth. Those souls who have arisen in opposition today were each in hiding and occupied with preserving their own lives. In any case, praise be to God, the Cause hath been exalted. Now whoever wishes may come forth to the field and say what he desires.

Glory be to God! These mentioned souls were not with Us and were unaware of the root of the Cause, and now some have clung to calumnies that have no likeness or reality. But beautiful is patience, and God is the Helper against what they describe. I do not complain of My grief and sorrow for all that hath come to pass and will come to pass in the path of God, for it is beloved. I do not fear the afflictions in His path, nor the calamities in His Cause. To this testifieth every fair-minded one who is informed, and every knower who is endowed with vision.

If deemed advisable, convey the greetings and praise of this Wronged One to the Secretary. We ask of him, purely for the sake of God, to make an effort and turn his attention to these regions for some days. There have been and are many benefits in travel. The purpose is that he might honor Cyprus with his presence for some days near my brother, but he must see with his own eyes and hear with his own ears. It will become clear and evident to him with whom the Cause was in the beginning, and from whom the revealed verses came. If governmental affairs prevent him, let him send a representative, but not like Shaykh Muhammad. Let him appoint a person of insight and fairness, possessed of justice and hearing, to turn towards that direction, that perchance after observation he might speak with justice and fairness.

In these days the honored Mirza Abu’l-Qasim Nasir arrived in the great city from ʿIshqabad and met with Shaykh Muhammad several times. God is Most Great! All his statements were lies and calumnies. Afterwards, the honored Nasir wrote a response to his calumnies and sent it. We asked for a copy to be brought to send to thee, that thou might observe to what degree the calumnies have ascended.

O Ha! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. Say: My God, my God! Adorn the heads of Thy servants with the crown of truthfulness and detachment, and their temples with the ornament of godliness. Then aid them to return unto Thee and to enter beneath the gate of Thy grace. Verily, Thou art the Ever-Forgiving, the Generous, verily Thou art the Forgiver, the Merciful. I beseech Thee, O my God, my Lord and my King, by the rain of Thy mercy wherewith Thou hast adorned Thine earth, and by the waves of the ocean of Thy knowledge whereby Thou hast manifested Thy favor and bounty, to confirm them in trustworthiness and godliness, lest they exchange their religion for gold and their destiny for wealth.

Verily, Thou art the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted. O Lord! Send forth, through Thy power and sovereignty, servants who will aid Thee through wisdom and utterance, and who will spread Thy signs among the religions. Thou seest, O my God, what hath befallen Thy loved ones at the hands of Thine enemies who have been consumed by the fire of greed and passion, and who have wrongfully devoured the wealth of Thy servants. O Lord of all being, Master of the throne on high and of earth below! O Lord, stay the hands of evil from those who have turned to Thee and entered beneath the shadow of Thy mercy. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Bountiful.

If deemed advisable, let him read it to the Secretary, and let the letter remain with thee.

BH01664: This is the Day whereon the Trumpet hath been…

He is the Dawning from the Horizon of the Heaven of Utterance

This is the Day whereon the Trumpet hath been blown, and it is My Most Exalted Pen, whereby those who lay buried have arisen, despite those who disbelieved in God, the Single, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We have sent down the verses and made manifest the clear proofs, yet most of the people remain behind an evident veil. Hearken unto the Call from the Lote Tree beyond which there is no passing, raised up in the Most Exalted Paradise: O concourse of earth and heaven! The Lord of all beings hath come, with the standards of His signs to His right, and to His left the hosts of revelation and inspiration. Blessed be the ear that hath heard and responded, and woe unto every heedless and remote one.

As I was walking in the House and meditating on God’s mysteries that lay hidden in the realities of all things, there entered one of My Branches, who in the Kingdom of Names is called by the name of Light, bearing thy letter which he read before the face of the Wronged One. We have answered thee with a Tablet from whose horizon shineth the light of thy Lord’s loving kindness. We have found from every word of the words of thy letter the fragrance of love and affection. We have turned to thee and revealed for thee that which shall endure as long as God’s kingdom endureth, the Lord of the Mighty Throne.

This is the Day wherein the Hour hath appeared with its signs, and the Resurrection with its mysteries, and the Caller hath called from a near place. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to aid thee and grant thee success in that which He loveth and is pleased with. Verily He is the Lord of the hereafter and of the former life, and within His grasp lieth the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth. Blessed art thou for having turned to the Face and acknowledged the oneness of God and that which He revealed in His ancient Book.

When the breezes of the dawn of His Revelation stirred thee and the melodies of Him Who conversed on Sinai took hold of thee, say: My God, my God! Unto Thee be praise and glory, and unto Thee be might and splendor. I beseech Thee by the Point through which the Books of the world were distinguished, and by the Light whereby the hearts of the nations were illumined, and by the pearls of the ocean of Thy wisdom and the manifestations of the sun of Thy proof, to make me one of those whom the might of the world deterred not when the Day Star of Thy Most Great Name appeared, and whom the clamor of those who broke Thy Covenant and Testament, denied Thy proof, and disputed Thy signs, did not prevent. O Lord! Thou seest me attracted by the fragrances of Thy Revelation and clinging to the hem of the robe of Thy bounty. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me from the heaven of Thy grace and the clouds of Thy mercy, nor from the ocean of Thy bounty. Thou art verily the Generous, the Lord of supreme bounty. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

As to what was asked concerning the blessed Surih of Unity, its stations have been repeatedly revealed. Let his honor look into the Tablets; he will attain unto the ocean of divine utterance and the manifestations of the Sun of true unity. Today the Book of Unity, meaning the Book that comprehendeth the stations of unity, singleness, and detachment, is this most mighty, most holy, most glorious Tablet.

He is the Expositor, the All-Knowing

True belief in the unity of God [tawhid-i-haqiqi] consists in acknowledging and confessing the unity of God, exalted be His glory, sanctifying His Essence from all likeness and purifying His Being from all similitudes. This has ever been and shall ever be the case. The Shi’ih sect, however, failed to attain this most exalted station, this most glorious rank, this ultimate purpose and this most resplendent summit. For it is evident and proven to those immersed in the ocean of truth and them who hold fast to the cords of knowledge and wisdom that God, exalted be His glory, has ever been and shall ever be the Unknowable, the Inaccessible. The birds of the hearts of them who are nigh unto God are powerless to soar in the atmosphere of His knowledge, and the highest understanding of the knowers is limited and falls short.

After establishing this lofty station and this glorious seat, true oneness refers to His Vicegerent amongst His servants. He is the Dawning-Place of revelation, the Dayspring of inspiration, the Manifestation of His Self and the Repository of knowledge. He is the Treasury of names and attributes. Whoso hath known Him hath known God, and whoso hath clung unto Him hath clung unto God. Should anyone accept for Him in His station any peer or likeness, or should anyone confess to such, that soul is deprived and forbidden from the effulgences of the lights of the Sun of true oneness. The proof of faith has ever been and shall ever be the acknowledgment of the Dawning-Place of Revelation alone. Whosoever attaineth unto faith in Him is accounted among the people of unity in the sight of God.

Without this, the sanctification of His Essence from aught else and the purification of His Being from all others can never be established. Blessed is the soul who in this day beholdeth with his own eyes the waves of the Divine ocean of utterance and heareth with his own ears His call. The call is loud, but the channels of the ears are narrow. The realm and atmosphere of the servants’ understanding is limited, and this arena cannot contain the Horseman of the court of oneness. Blessed are they that know.

The Shi’ih sect hath set up many partners for God, exalted be His glory, and yet they count themselves among the people of unity. By God! They have not even caught its fragrance, for their station was made clear and evident to all from the recompense of their deeds on the Day of Judgment—clear, that is, to them possessed of insight, not to every ignorant one who followeth vain imaginings. Their deeds were such that on the Day of Judgment they denied the Truth and pronounced sentence upon His martyrdom. And now all the divines of Persia are engaged in cursing and reviling Him from their pulpits. Beseech God that no group like unto that group might ever appear in the world, and that He may raise up servants who, through His power and might, shall pass beyond the gulf of names and attain unto the Most Great Ocean, and who shall preserve the servants from the pit of previous suspicions and vain imaginings. Verily He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

It is incumbent upon all to preserve this station, and it is hoped that you and all who have turned towards God will not be deprived of the effulgences of the Sun of true unity, will regard all else but God as non-existent, and will cling unto Him. Verily He is the One Who speaketh in every condition:

“Verily He is God; there is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My Kingdom be upon you and upon those who have cast away all else but God, turning unto God, the One, the All-Informed.

BH02811: O thou who gazest upon the Countenance and who…

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

O thou who gazest upon the Countenance and who hast clung to the cord of grace! Verily the Most Great Sea hath desired to manifest the pearls that lie concealed within it and to cast forth the shells of wisdom and utterance unto the peoples of contingent being. And the Tree hath desired to make mention of one of its fruits, and the Sun of one of its effulgences, that joy and gladness may take hold of thee, that thou mayest hear the call of the Wronged One and witness that which hath in truth appeared from the horizon of the Will of God, the Lord of the worlds.

By the life of God! There hath appeared and shone forth and become manifest from the horizon of the Divine Will that which hath attracted unto itself the Concourse on High, the dwellers of Paradise, and the people of the cities of justice and fairness who have turned away from the world, advancing toward God, the Incomparable, the All-Informed.

In these days there hath come upon Us that which hath caused the hearts of those near unto God to melt. The fires of greed and passion and lust and lewdness have been kindled in the Great City. They have consumed the properties of the Afnan and have raised their voices amongst the people with manifest tyranny. Thus have their souls prompted them to that which hath caused the countenance of trustworthiness and justice to be sullied. He Who speaketh in every condition beareth witness to this, saying: “There is none other God but Me, the Forgiving, the Generous.” They have committed that which was forbidden them in the Book of God and have perpetrated that which causeth the people of chastity and godliness to lament, and every man of learning whom knowledge hath not withheld from the Known, and every mystic who hath wholly advanced toward God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

The Wronged One, in the midst of tribulation, calleth thee and maketh mention of thee with that which gladdeneth the hearts of them that remember. Thy letter hath come into the presence of the Wronged One and hath attained to being seen and read. We have perused it and have answered thee with My manifest Tablet. He hath, verily, exalted thee through His bounty. Soon shall there be made manifest unto thee that which hath been ordained by the Powerful, the Ancient of Days. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to guide His servants through thee and through thy love and thy remembrance unto His Momentous Announcement.

Say: “My God, my God! Adorn the heads of Thy servants with the crown of trustworthiness and the fear of God, and their temples with the ornament of truthfulness and guidance, and illumine their hearts, O my God, with the lights of Thy knowledge and their faces with the effulgences of the Daystar of Thy Revelation.”

The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My bounty be upon thee and upon thy wife and upon those who are with thee and upon those whom the censure of the censurers hath not prevented from turning toward God, the Beloved of the knowing ones and the Goal of those who are in the heavens and on earth.

BH08294: Blessed is the soul that purifieth itself…

…Blessed is the soul that purifieth itself from the dust of greed and desire with the water of detachment and setteth its face toward the most exalted horizon. I swear by the Sun of Truth that before the light of praiseworthy character and goodly deeds, the radiance of the suns and moons of the heavens hath no splendor. Say: Fear God, O people! Take hold of that which exalteth and ennobleth you, and set aside that which ye have been forbidden in the Book of God, the Lord of all worlds.

O My Afnan! Upon thee be My peace and loving-kindness. Had the accepted souls attained unto that which they were commanded and achieved unity, the horizons of cities and lands would now be illumined. For We counseled all with that which would exalt their station and refine their souls. Blessed is he who hath heard and acted, and woe unto the heedless ones….

BH00313: Although at the beginning of every letter it…

Section 1: “Although at the beginning of every letter it…”

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

Although at the beginning of every letter it is needful—nay, incumbent upon every soul—to make mention of the one Friend, the one Beloved, the one Desire, and to set forth, to the extent possible, His all-embracing favours, His prevenient mercies, and His encompassing loving-kindnesses which have compassed every atom of existence, yet, by reason of the strange events that have occurred and the reprehensible and unworthy deeds of certain persons, one findeth himself so bewildered and astonied that he chooseth silence and stillness rather than utterance and speech.

O Beloved of my heart! Thou Thyself art witness and testament that the Pen of counsel of the Blessed Beauty hath moved by night and day, commanding all to goodly deeds and praiseworthy character through utterances that have enkindled the hearts of the fair-minded and through remembrances wherein every word concealed an ocean of counsel. Nevertheless, from some who claim to love Him there hath appeared that which hath caused the Cause to be wasted among the servants. They have shown no mercy to themselves, nor to the Cause, nor have they acted upon the counsels; rather they have done what was prompted by self and passion. They have cast aside righteousness and embraced tyranny and wickedness. God is witness and testament that this servant desireth to cry out and raise his voice, perchance some ear might hearken or some eye might see, that they might hear and behold that which is the good of existence. In any case, now that from certain deeds the greatest despair hath become manifest, we must wait to see what divine forgiveness and grace shall reveal. Well was it said of old:

“Woe unto me, and again woe unto me, should I come before Thee while Thou art displeased with me.”

It is hoped and expected that the loved ones will shine forth among the servants with the light of sanctity and detachment, in such wise that all shall acknowledge the loftiness and elevation of the true people of divine unity and the companions of spiritual detachment. I conclude these words at this time with these utterances, saying:

My God, my God! Thou seest some of Thy loved ones in the darkness of their deeds which Thou didst forbid them in Thy Book. I beseech Thee, O God of the world and Educator of the nations, by Thy Prophets and Thy Messengers and Thy Chosen Ones and Thy trustees, and by Him through Whom the Sun of Unity shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of Thy grace and the Moon of Sanctity appeared from the horizon of Thy Will, and by His family and His companions whom Thou didst make mighty against the infidels, to assist those who have gone astray to return unto Thee and to turn to the ocean of Thy forgiveness. Verily, Thou art the All-Forgiving, the Generous, the All-Bountiful, the Kind, the Merciful.

O Beloved of my heart! O Beloved of my heart! What can I say regarding what transpired after reading the letter of that Beloved? Sorrows encompassed me to such a degree that the response to the letter was long delayed, and the pen was prevented from inscription. If, God forbid, a wrong should appear from someone, it must be concealed and dealt with forbearingly. All discord, conflict, disputation and that which causes grief have been forbidden. All have been commanded to love and fellowship. Nevertheless, each day a new flame appears and corruption manifests. In the great city, Muhammad-ʿAli Isfahani, despite being shown the utmost love, was so consumed by the fire of greed and passion that he abandoned all trustworthiness and religion, and joining with another like himself, denied possession of considerable funds belonging to others, including those of His Holiness the Afnan, upon them be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah].

In his greed for wealth he accused some of theft and resorted to various calumnies. Likewise, whenever anyone claims their portion of the believers’ funds, he says they were stolen and taken away. He has manifested such opposition as has had and has no equal. One is bewildered, the pen is bewildered, the page is bewildered at how a person can abandon that which is the cause of his honor and elevation, and cling to that which degrades, abases and humiliates him.

In any case, after reading that Beloved’s letter, I proceeded to the Most Great Shrine and it was presented before His countenance. He said:

“O thou who gazest upon the Face! In all conditions this Wronged One hath mentioned that which conduceth to the glory, exaltation and tranquility of humanity, and hath counseled all toward that which draweth them nigh unto God. Were anyone to question all things regarding what this Wronged One hath intended, all would proclaim at the top of their voices: ʿVerily, He hath enjoined what is right and forbidden what is wrong.’ We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to unite the hearts of His servants and to acquaint them with that which profiteth them in all the worlds of His worlds.”

The signs of thy grief have affected this Wronged One as well. Despair not of God’s grace and mercy, and grieve not over the evil deeds of His servants. Ask God to adorn all with the ornament of justice and fairness. Verily, He hath power over all things.

This land hath been named the Most Great Prison, and in this are signs for those who perceive and evidences for those who see. We beseech Him to open before thy face and those with thee the gates of grace and bounty, and to send down upon thee from the heaven of generosity a mercy from His presence and a favor from His own Self. Verily, He is the Hearer, the Answerer, the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Peace be upon thee and upon thy son. We beseech God, exalted be He, to cause the fountain of His utterance to flow through him for the irrigation of His servants, and upon those with thee among the sincere, devoted, and righteous ones who profess His unity.

God willing, through his presence may differences be transformed into unity, corruption into righteousness, discord into harmony, and sadness into joy. This is not difficult for God, our Lord and your Lord. O beloved of my heart! Truly the world and its events are the cause of great sorrow. Although it has been said “tribulation is for those near to God, then for the Prophets, then for the chosen ones,” and in light of these words one remains patient and content when afflictions befall oneself—yet the grief of God’s loved ones and what befalls them melts the liver and burns the heart.

Among these is the harm that befell the beloved of my heart, His Holiness Mirza. This sorrow is beyond sorrows, for despite the failing health, overwhelming weakness, and the burning separation, there arose the sighs of the sincere and tears of the fair-minded. What became of mercy? Where did compassion go? What effect did the counsels and advice in the Tablets have? In any case, after presenting these matters before His presence, there appeared outwardly that which this ephemeral one is unable to describe. These are days when the loved ones must soar with a single wing and gather in one place, dealing with each other with the utmost kindness and compassion, so that through their love the people of the world may be illumined by its light and enkindled by its fire.

Good manners are part of human nature, and honor and respect are among its characteristics. The young must show reverence to the elder, and the lesser must recognize the station of the greater. This matter caused the greatest sorrow. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, that those who committed these acts may return and arise to make amends for what was lost, so that sorrows may not exceed their measure and cause destruction. It is better that we now grasp the hem of His generosity and say:

My God, my God! Thou seest Thy servants and Thy creation, and Thou knowest them better than they know themselves. Transform their evil into good and their injustice into justice. Then, O my God, extinguish the fire of hatred and animosity with the Kawthar of Thy mercy and the water of Thy grace. O Lord! Aid them in what Thou lovest and art pleased with, through Thy bounty and generosity, and assist them to achieve love and unity through Thy power and dominion. O Lord! Illumine their outer and inner beings with the lights of Thy virtues. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the Wise.

Section 2: “Beyond these matters, what befell that beloved one…”

Beyond these matters, what befell that beloved one caused countless sorrows, and what can I say about what occurred after learning of it, to such an extent that the paper fell from my hand as if the power to hold and grasp had been taken from it. In any case, in complete wonderment and engaged in praise, prayer and supplication, I approached the Presence and made my submission. He said:

O thou who gazeth upon the Face and art immersed in the ocean of remembrance and praise! What befell thee hath grieved Me. We beseech God, the Lord of the Throne and earth, by the waves of the ocean of His utterance and the lights of the sun of His grace, to protect thee through His care and guard thee with His hosts and heal thee through His bounty and purify thee from every disease and illness and from all that would trouble thy heart. Verily, He is the Healer, the Sufficient, the Powerful, the Almighty.

Praise be to God, repeatedly you have attained to His mention. Truly, what befell you produced mighty effects and caused many sorrows, but we hope that God will transform it into health and safety and joy and gladness. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Concerning what you wrote about the attention, steadfastness and service of Mirza, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s glory, after presenting it He said: “Whosoever is for God, God is for him.” Deeds in God’s path are never lost, like a sapling in blessed and goodly soil that ever grows, nourished by the water of God’s grace—exalted be His glory. Soon its signs, leaves and fruits will become manifest. One pure deed performed for the sake of the Lord will lead one to the highest paradise. Verily He does not suffer the reward of the doers of good to be lost. We beseech God to adorn souls who have turned to Him with the ornament of steadfastness and wisdom.

O my God! O my God! Thou seest Thy servants who have turned unto Thee. Adorn them with the robe of steadfastness and godliness, and assist them in that which Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. O Lord! Deny them not the ocean of Thy bounty nor the lights of the Sun of Thy giving. Ordain for them that which Thou hast ordained for those of Thy servants who are near unto Thee and for the sincere ones among Thy creation. Verily Thou art God, there is none other God but Thee, the All-Bountiful, the Generous.

That soul should assist all to perform deeds that cause the elevation and progress of souls. The deeds and actions that appeared from some in the early days caused both the wicked and the righteous to withdraw, distance themselves and flee. And the Shi’ih party—may God abandon them—attributed as many calumnies as they could to these servants, and the divines of that heedless group strove to spread them. Thus befell what befell. We hope that the loved ones in that land will hold fast to the Law and to good deeds. A human being without deeds and fruits is like a dried-up tree. This Wronged One, during His sojourn in that land, would go to the mosque and likewise visit the holy and purified shrines. Nevertheless, after this Wronged One they did that which was contrary to all parties. We beseech God to aid all to do what He loves and is pleased with, and to assist His loved ones to perform deeds that draw people near unto Him. Verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer of prayer. Praise be to God, the Lord of the Throne and the Possessor of the exalted Seat.

We hope that all may attain to deeds that cause the drawing near and attraction of the servants. God willing, may they be assisted in matters that cause the exaltation of the people of unity and the turning of all. In this land, some weak souls and children, out of their love for good deeds, despite the length of days, fast during the blessed month of Ramadan and stand in prayer throughout the night, all holding fast to God’s laws and clinging to the hem of His grace and generosity. Deeds have been and are the cause of nearness, exaltation and propagation. Blessed are they that act and blessed are they that understand.

At one time He uttered this blessed word:

“There hath come upon that Wronged One what hath come upon this Wronged One. We beseech God to assist the heedless to return. Verily He is the Ever-Forgiving, the Generous, the Pardoner, the Merciful.”

Another submission: No one’s word concerning that beloved one has been or is acceptable. In previous years He would repeatedly utter these words—may our spirits be sacrificed for Him:

“Let no one speak aught but good concerning Mirza M., upon him be God’s peace, care and mercy. Leave him to Us.”

This servant has repeatedly heard similar words and written them to various regions. God is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed Witness. As they have again mentioned the loved ones, for each one a special mention has been made. The word of the Lord—may our spirits be sacrificed for Him:

O Muhammad-Qabil-Shuja’! Your mention hath been made in the presence of the Wronged One. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to illumine thee with the lights of His most excellent names and His most exalted attributes, and to adorn thee with that which will draw thee nigh unto Him in all conditions. Verily, He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. We counsel thee to be trustworthy, to be religious, to be truthful and pure, and We ask for thee divine confirmation and assistance. Verily, He is the Single, the One, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

O Muhammad! The Wronged One hath turned toward thee and made mention of thee that thy heart might rejoice thereby. Give thanks unto God, thy Lord, and say:

“My God, my God! Protect Thy unified servants from the evil of the idolaters who have encompassed their homes and lands. I beseech Thee, O God of Names, to guard them with the hosts of the unseen and the visible, and enable me to perform such deeds as will diffuse the fragrance of Thy acceptance. Verily, Thou art the Forgiving, the Merciful.”

O Abdul-Nabi! Sorrows have encompassed Me from those who claim to be of Mine own Self yet perpetrate that which causeth My sighs to ascend and My tears to fall. We beseech God, the Lord of the Throne and of earth, the Lord of the Hereafter and of this world, to assist the heedless to turn unto Him and seek forgiveness for their deeds. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Unconstrained.

Praise be to the Purpose of the world and the Beloved of nations, Whose grace hath encompassed the earth and its people. His manifest and hidden bounties are ever-present and descending at all times. Who is able to describe Him as He deserves to be described, or praise Him as He deserves to be praised? This is especially true of those servants who reap without having sown and take without having given. The servant beareth witness that grace is from Him, bounty is from His presence, the verses are by His command, and the laws are in the grasp of His power. He is the Almighty, the Omnipotent.

Three assured souls are mentioned, praise be to God, and have attained to such mention as leadeth to attention, supplication and trust. This lowly one conveyeth greetings to each one and beseecheth the Self-Sufficient, the Exalted for bounty, blessing and steadfastness for each. Verily, God is the Provider, the Lord of Strength, the Firm. And specifically for the apple of the eye of His Honour Ibn, upon him be God’s peace, a special tablet was sent. God willing, he will attain unto it.

As to what thou didst write regarding certain matters, after presenting them He said:

“We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to manifest for him that which will profit him and to send down upon him from the heaven of generosity that which will exalt him. Verily, He is with His trusting servants.”

That which now causeth the manifestations of grace is association with the servants in a spirit of fellowship and fragrance, and likewise unity, harmony and love. Verily, God is the Hearer, the Answerer. Peace, remembrance and glory be upon you and upon those with you and upon God’s righteous servants.

BH00748: Though I acknowledge that He cannot be remembered…

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

Though I acknowledge that He cannot be remembered by any remembrance save His own, and confess that He cannot be described by any description but His, I make mention of Him in accordance with what He hath revealed in His perspicuous Book. In truth, the world of the heart hath no joy save His remembrance, and the grief and sorrow of hearts and souls find no relief except in His memory. His remembrance is the source of gladness and His praise the dayspring of delight. Praise be unto Him, again praise be unto Him, for having made us know His remembrance and guided us to His path. I testify that He is the All-Bountiful, possessed of ancient grace. And peace and blessings be upon the Dayspring of His mighty signs and His all-encompassing and manifest evidences, through Whom knowledge was spread abroad and the arts appeared and the hidden was revealed, and upon His family and companions, the arks of guidance and the dawning-places of knowledge and wisdom—blessings befitting their glorious station and their exalted rank.

O beloved of my heart! Thy letter, which was adorned with the praise and remembrance of the Lord of all being and His chosen ones and pure ones, transformed the ocean of sorrow into a sea of joy and changed the carpet of grief into one of gladness. After it was read and perused, it was taken to the Most Great Spot and presented before His face, attaining the honor of His attention. He said:

“O Amin, upon thee be the glory of God, the Lord of the worlds! Praise be to God, thou art successful through His bounty and illumined by the lights of the Sun of His remembrance. Through the loftiness of the learned and the wise, the baseness of the ignorant and heedless is made manifest. From the honor of the righteous in the sight of the Unconstrained One, the abasement of the wicked becometh apparent. Thy letter was mentioned before the Wronged One. The fragrance of steadfastness and love was wafted therefrom. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to raise up through His Afnan and through thee and His loved ones the standards of trustworthiness and godliness, of truthfulness and sincerity amongst all men, and to strengthen you with the hosts of wisdom and utterance. Verily, He is the Mighty, the Helper.”

And We beseech Him to make manifest through your existence the trustworthiness of the people of truth and the treachery of the faithless and the false ones. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Whatsoever hath appeared from the Afnan—upon him be My peace and loving-kindness—hath been fitting and appropriate. Were it not for divine inspiration, specific instructions would certainly have been given outwardly. The reins of hearts are within His mighty grasp, and the reins of understanding are in the right hand of His will. We beseech Him to aid and assist you in that which He loveth and is pleased with. Verily, He is the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

In these days, once again a detailed letter has arrived from those friends, urgently requesting the presence of the Afnan, and from their words lamentation and mourning can be heard. Therefore, We have approved their attention to that direction. This matter was also mentioned before. Letters are continuously arriving, requesting him with utmost humility and lowliness. The Overseer, upon him be God’s peace, has given his attention. God willing, through the light of justice and the power of truth, their innocence shall be proven and established. We have previously mentioned before the authorities that the heaven of divine wisdom is illumined by two luminaries: consultation and kindness, and the pavilion of world order is raised upon two pillars: reward and punishment. God willing, may his honor the Assistant be confirmed in the execution of justice. This is a mighty station with God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

We have mentioned and continue to mention the friends. Convey greetings from this Wronged One to the honored Nabil-Ibn-i-Nabil and those with him and those with you. For each one We ask that which is everlasting and enduring. Verily, God is the All-Bountiful, the Mighty, the Powerful.

O beloved of my heart! A group of the honored Afnans, upon them be Baha’u’llah’s Most Glorious Glory, have with utmost diligence and effort sought out the honored Afnan, upon him be Baha’u’llah and His favors. According to what is known, most have signed this matter and have beseeched God. Therefore, permission has been granted. This servant begs his Lord to make the end of all matters good. This evanescent servant offers greetings and praise to the honored Afnan, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s Most Glorious Glory, and in all conditions beseeches victory and triumph for him. Verily God is the Hearer, the Answerer.

And likewise, he conveys greetings and praise to each of the friends, upon them be Baha’u’llah and His favors. The One God is witness that all are remembered in the heart—a remembrance that, through God’s favor, glorified be His majesty, will neither be forgotten nor fall behind. In these days a letter arrived from the beloved of the heart, the honored Haji Mirza Haydar-Ali, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s Most Glorious Glory. He was in the land of Ha and Mim and wrote details about the lack of moderation of some in that land. Glory be to God! From other directions—from Ayntab and Kurdistan, as well as the people of Ha and Mim—they have mentioned reprehensible deeds of Dervish Gh-l. Until now no response has been given regarding this matter. Indeed, the mentioned deeds have caused the Cause of God to be wasted. In any case, countless complaints have been made about him and another soul. Such matters have been and continue to be the cause of great sorrow.

However, they have written very well about the acceptance of the servants and the exaltation of the Cause, and they have written about that beloved one that which is the cause of greatest joy. Among other things, they have written that in every land where he has gone, the people there, upon mentioning that beloved one, exclaim “O what longing!” and they have written that all mention him with the most wondrous utterance and have sought from God to meet that beloved one again. Were it not for your good deeds, they would have been consumed by the fire of the heedless ones’ misdeeds. This servant beseeches his Lord to assist His servants to be trustworthy and religious, and to act according to what He has revealed in His Book.

From the land of Ta also, a detailed letter has arrived from the spiritual beloved ʿAli-Qabli-Haydar, upon him be Baha’u’llah. Praise be to God, the friends of that land, through the favor of the Sultan, may God, blessed and exalted be He, strengthen him, are all at ease and occupied with divine thanksgiving. Indeed, they have expended and continue to expend great effort in serving and improving the affairs of the friends. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to protect him from the evil of his enemies and to perpetuate the days of his mention and praise and service.

This evanescent servant takes God, exalted be His glory, and all the Prophets and Messengers as witness that he has ever besought and continues to beseech from the heaven of grace and the ocean of bounty, protection, exaltation, mercy, glory and blessing for His servants, as well as assistance in deeds and virtues that are the cause of nearness and the means of salvation. Nevertheless, I am greatly perplexed by the actions of some who, despite counsels and exhortations, have caused their own stations to be wasted.

This year, from every quarter, complaints have been received concerning certain souls; and likewise, in one of the cities of these regions, a shameful deed hath been perpetrated. Have they not heard, and have they not understood, the stations of righteousness and piety as set forth in the Book of God? Gracious God! Some act upon that which hath been clearly and evidently forbidden in the Book of God, while they have abandoned that which hath been commanded more manifest than the sun itself. We beseech God to assist all to return unto Him. Verily He is the All-Forgiving, the Ever-Relenting, the Merciful. Peace and remembrance and praise be upon thee and upon those who have held fast unto justice and equity and unto that which they have been bidden by the All-Knowing Commander.

The servant 9 Rabi’u’l-Avval 1307

BH00218: O thou who soarest in My atmosphere and gazest…

Section 1: “O thou who soarest in My atmosphere…”

He is the Commander, the Ruler, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed

O thou who soarest in My atmosphere and gazest toward My horizon! Hear My testimony that there is none other God but Me, the Single, the All-Informed. Nothing escapeth His knowledge and He is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. We make mention of the loved ones of God and seek for each one the Kawthar of utterance from the chalice of the bounty of the Lord of all creation. The steadfast ones shall soon behold the effulgences of the light of their Lord’s gracious favors. Each of thy requests hath been heard. Convey My greetings and glorification to those souls who have set their faces toward the Most Exalted Homeland and the Supreme Summit, and illumine them with the effulgences of the mention of the Most Great Luminary.

Praise be to God that steadfast and firm souls have been raised up. God is My witness that this Wronged One hath loved to meet His loved ones, but for some time the oppressors and calumniators have arisen to subvert the Cause of God and have striven to harm His loved ones. One whom We protected for forty years hath been ignited with the fire of hatred—he is the cause of the seduction of the calumniators, the treacherous ones and the oppressors. Praise be to God that whatsoever was hidden in their hearts hath been made manifest, that the servants of God might distinguish truth from falsehood. This is the most great bounty that hath shone forth from the Dayspring of utterance of the Lord of destiny. Blessed are they that hear! Therefore have We paused in granting permission. If they act in accordance with what was previously mentioned in this regard, the reward of attainment unto His presence shall be fully recorded for them. This is among God’s irrevocable promises, there is no doubt in this. It hath been recorded in confirmation in My Perspicuous Book. Illumine the loved ones of that land and its surroundings with the effulgences of the light of God’s bounty. We beseech God to aid all to champion His Cause.

O my God, O Thou Who art Gracious, Merciful, Beloved, and the Ultimate Goal! I testify that Thou hast, with the finger of power, broken the seal of the Choice Wine and, through the sovereignty of the Name of the Self-Subsisting, hast granted eternal life to the realm of hearts and souls. This Wine is the utterance that hath flowed and appeared from the Tongue of Grandeur. Blessed is the soul that hath taken and drunk this most pure Wine from the hand of Thy bounty. O Gracious One! Withhold not Thy servants in these days from the breezes of revelation and the fragrances of divine inspiration. Grant them power, bestow upon them success in such wise that neither the hosts of doubts may prevent them nor the ranks of allusions drive them away.

Aid them in that which beseemeth Thy Revelation and Thy establishment upon the throne of Thine utterance. O my Lord! Through clear evidence hath been established Thy wealth and Thy power, and our poverty and our helplessness before the manifestations of Thy grandeur. O my Lord! Thou knowest and seest that one of Thy servants, who hath been named Samandar in Thy most pure Presence and Most Luminous Station, hath desired to make mention of Thy loved ones through the tongue of Thy grace in the kingdom of Thine utterance, that their hearts may rejoice thereby and their faces be illumined. O my Lord! Ordain for him from the ocean of Thy generosity and the heaven of Thy bounty that which he hath desired, and disappoint him not of the effulgences of the Sun of Thy grace.

Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all affairs. There is none other God but Thee, the Lord of the Day of Resurrection.

O Party of God! Be not grieved. The vicissitudes of the world have ever been and shall ever be. Hearts adorned with the ornament of divine love shall not be seized by sorrow, nor shall life and possessions preoccupy them. What behooveth steadfast souls today is to cling to wisdom and utterance in guiding the heedless and hesitant, and to give all a share of the most pure and luminous wine. Reflect upon what hath befallen this Wronged One from the first days until now—at times under the blows of the misguided, at times in chains and fetters. I swear by the lights of the Sun of Truth that illumineth the seen and unseen realms that We have borne afflictions the like of which no ear hath heard, yet since they were in God’s path they were sweet and beloved. By the life of God, to them that are in love, colocynth is as sweet as honey. Strive that ye may not, through names, be deprived of their Creator and Revealer. Act towards all as ye would wish others to act towards you.

My God, my God! Aid Thy loved ones in that which befitteth Thy Manifestation and Revelation, then enable them to assist Thy Cause through the wisdom Thou hast sent down in Thy Books, Scriptures and Tablets. O Lord! All things testify to Thy grace and bounty, and to Thy might and power. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

We make mention in this place of him who was named Javad, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness. We testify that he arose to serve My Cause with such steadfastness as no love of anything could deter. He responded when the Call was raised, saying:

“Here am I, O Lord of all beings and God of the throne on high and of earth below.”

We bear witness to his acceptance, his turning toward God, and his steadfastness in this Announcement which caused every oppressor to lament and made the countenances of the sincere to smile. We beseech God to adorn him with the crown of utterance and illumine him with the ornament of My Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous. The glory be upon him, upon his family, upon those in his household, and upon all who hear mention of him in this Most Great Announcement and love him for the sake of My sanctified and luminous countenance.

O Ahmad! We have mentioned thee before and at this time. Soon shalt thou witness what hath been ordained for thee by the Pen of God, the Lord of all worlds. Convey My greetings to the faces of My loved ones and friends.

We make mention of My handmaiden who attained Our presence and of My handmaidens who have heard and believed in God, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. O My handmaiden, O Aziziyyih! Thy letter hath come before the Wronged One and hath attained His presence and hearing. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to make thee detached from all else save Him and to cause thee to hold fast unto His firm and mighty cord.

O S.M.! We have willed to mention thy submitted matters and grant answers to each one individually. Give glad tidings from Me to him who was named Muhammad-Qabil-Javad of the loving-kindness of God, the Lord of the mighty throne. We have mentioned him before and at this time, by the command of One Who is All-Knowing, All-Wise. Soon shall the world pass away, and there shall endure what We have ordained for him, that he may give thanks unto his Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous. What thou didst send with him hath attained Our presence and been accepted, as a grace from God, the Lord of all worlds. We beseech Him to open before his face the door of His bounty and to make him among the helpers of His Cause.

O Tahmasb Kh.A.! Thou didst desire to attain Our presence and hearing, and to witness the signs of God, the Mighty, the Wise. Blessed art thou and blessed is he who hath so desired. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Merciful. We have accepted thy presence and thy standing before the gate that hath been opened unto all who are in the heavens and on earth. Rejoice and say:

“Praise be to Thee, O Thou through Whose command every wise decree is manifested!”

O Siyyid Taqi! Upon thee be My everlasting glory! Thou didst desire to attain My presence and meet Me, but the calumniators have come between thee and Me. We beseech God to adorn thy intention with the ornament of His good-pleasure and to render thy deeds acceptable through His all-pervading grace. Had people known the excellence of every word that hath proceeded from the tongue of My grandeur, they would have sacrificed their lives in My path. Thy Lord is, verily, the All-Knowing, the Enlightener.

O Mashhadi Taqi Salmani! Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having aided me to turn towards Thee and for having remembered me through Thy never-failing verses. I beseech Thee, by the lights of Thy throne, to ordain for me that which Thou hast ordained for those who have attained Thy presence and have quaffed the choice wine of reunion from the cup of Thy bounty. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful.

O Hasan, son of Ustad Ali! Thy name was mentioned before the Wronged One. We have remembered thee with that which the treasures of the world cannot equal. Say: O my God! Withhold me not from the ocean of Thy bounty, nor from the Kawthar of Thy generosity. I beseech Thee to ordain for this servant that which Thou hast ordained for the sincere ones. Thou art, verily, the Most Merciful of the merciful.

O Karbila’i Muhammad-Rida! We have heard thy call and witnessed thy turning towards Us. We have remembered thee with that which hath caused the fragrances of the All-Merciful to waft throughout all existence. Blessed art thou for having heard, turned towards Us, and attained unto this wondrous utterance.

O Mashhadi Hasan! Thou hast attained unto the Day of God, wherein the Tongue of Grandeur maketh mention of thee with that which the kingdom of the dominion of the heavens and earth cannot equal. Rejoice thou in My remembrance and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Revealer of verses, and glory be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Aim and Desire of those in the heavens and on earth! I beseech Thee to record for me, with the Pen of Thy bounty, the reward of attaining Thy presence. Thou art, verily, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

O Darvish! The tranquility of the world and its peoples lieth in purification from defilement. We beseech God to sanctify His servants from whatsoever hath prevented them from drawing nigh unto Him. Say: Praise be unto Thee for having illumined my heart with the light of Thy knowledge and my temple with the ornament of Thy love. Thou art, verily, the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be,” and it is.

O Samandar! We have made mention of those souls who have desired to turn towards the Most Great Ocean, and each one hath been favored with manifest verses and sublime words. Blessed and welcome be unto him. We have desired at this time to make mention of Our loved ones in Ra and Shin.

O Karbila’i Qasim, O Attar! Thou hast attained unto the mention of God in this spot which He hath made the circling-place of the Concourse on High and the pavilioned maidens of the Most Glorious Paradise. Be thou thankful and among those who praise. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist thee and to ordain for thee all the good that He hath ordained for His sincere servants.

O Yahya! Thy mention hath been honored by being heard and thy name by attaining His presence. We make mention of thee with that which shall never perish, as long as the Kingdom of God, the Mighty, the All-Praised, endureth. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to make thee and those in Ha and Mim among the children of the Friend and the heirs of Him Who conversed with God, among the guardians of His sanctified House and the protectors of His holy City. The Trustworthy One, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, hath mentioned them time and again, and before him Haydar-ʿAli, upon him be My grace and mercy. We beseech God that there may appear through thee and through them that which beseemeth His days. By the life of God! The Mount rejoiceth at your presence and the Tree calleth out your name, and in the revelation of Kudak there appeared that which none can deny save he who disbelieveth in God, the Single, the One, the Manifest, the Speaking, the All-Knowing.

O heirs of Him Who conversed with God! Hear ye My call. It draweth you to My horizon and bringeth you near unto God, the Single, the All-Informed. Give thanks unto your Lord, the All-Merciful. He hath aided you to turn towards Him and guided you unto His straight path. Say: He Who speaketh from the Most Exalted Horizon is indeed the path of God for all who are in the heavens and on earth. Say: O heirs of Him Who conversed with God! The Torah crieth out this day in My Name, saying: O people of the earth! Fear ye God and be not of the wrongdoers. The Sun of Justice hath shone forth and that which was promised in the Books and recorded in the Scrolls hath appeared. Turn ye with radiant faces and be not of the heedless. Thus hath the Tongue spoken in this holy, exalted, mighty and impregnable station.

Section 2: “My God, my God! Thou knowest that Himmat…”

My God, my God! Thou knowest that Himmat hath attained unto permission. Aid him, O my God, in that which beseemeth Thy days, then preserve him through the hosts of Thy power, then ordain for him the reward of those who have attained unto Thy presence and have heard Thy sweetest call from the Prison of ʿAkka and have witnessed that which was hidden from mankind. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest through Thy word “Be” and it is.

O Samandar! Upon thee be My glory! Indeed, from the Most Exalted Pen concerning them and Jinab-i-Yunus Khan, upon them both be the glory of the All-Merciful, the reward of attaining His presence and meeting Him hath been recorded. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

O Samandar! Thou didst make mention of Muhammad from the land of Za and Nun. He hath attained unto the mention of God. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to strengthen him in supreme steadfastness in this Cause whereby the limbs of all names have trembled. Convey My greetings unto him and give him the glad-tidings of that which hath been sent down from the heaven of My loving-kindness and hath appeared from the depths of the ocean of My bounty. Verily thy Lord is the Munificent, the All-Bountiful.

We wish to make mention at this time of him who is named Haji Ghulam, who traversed land and sea in his longing to attain the presence of his Lord, the Lord of all days. We accepted thy presence as proxy on his behalf. We beseech God to ordain for him the reward of those who soared in My atmosphere and spent their wealth in My path, the manifest, the straight.

And We love to make mention of him who turned unto My face and drank the choice wine of reunion from the hand of My bounty and arose to serve My Cause in My days—he whom We named Jamal in My mighty and glorious Book. O Jim! Upon thee be the glory of God, the Mighty, the All-Wise. Samandar mentioned thee before thy Lord. We make mention of thee with a mention which God hath made the sovereign of all mentions. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the Unconstrained.

O Jamal! Convey the greetings of the Wronged One to Hubbu’llah. In thy previous petition thou didst mention thy satisfaction with him. Verily, this mention hath attained acceptance and good-pleasure in the presence of God, the Lord of the mighty throne. And We make mention of the son of him who was named Shaykh Ahmad, who ascended unto the Supreme Companion out of love for God, the Lord of all creation, and tasted the sword’s venom in his longing to attain the presence of God, the Mighty, the All-Praised. There is no harm in delay in Ra and Shin. If journey and movement be acceptable and desired in the land of Mim, it is approved.

O Samandar! The pledge is from you and faithfulness from your Lord, the Generous. We make mention of him who hath been named Hasan from the land of Ta, and give him glad tidings of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of all worlds. We testify that thou hast fulfilled thy covenant and pledge, and mentioned his name in this noble station. We counsel him and those in Ba and Dal with the wisdom We have sent down in the Scriptures and Tablets. It behooveth man to hold fast unto that which draweth people nigh unto the One, the All-Informed. Say: Act, O servants of God, according to that which We have counseled you before and after. Lay hold on righteousness and the fear of God, as commanded by the Wise Ordainer.

O Muhammad-Qabli-Isma’il! Thy name was present before the Wronged One, brought by Samandar, the fire of My love. We have made mention of thee as a token of Our grace and mercy. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the Powerful. Say: My God, my God! Ordain for me that which profiteth me and draweth me nigh unto Thee in all Thy worlds. I testify that Thou knowest me better than I know myself. With Thee is the knowledge of all things in Thy perspicuous Book. O Lord! Purify me from all that is unseemly in Thy days and adorn me with the ornament of Thy love, the Mighty. Then write down for me what Thou hast written for Thy chosen ones who have cast aside all else but Thee, holding fast to the cord of Thy mercy which hath preceded all in the heavens and the earth.

O Samandar! Every fire in the world is extinguished by the waters of the objections of the calumniators and perverters, yet this Fire is observed to increase with each passing moment. The seas of hatred and animosity have failed to quench it. Each day it appeareth with a new light, a new flame, and a new utterance, though from every direction an arrow is aimed and from every side a sword is drawn. He Whom We preserved through successive years hath been taken by the manifestations of idle fancies as a lord for themselves besides God. Moreover, thou hast heard of the deeds of the followers in the Great City. God, exalted be His glory, through His complete power hath revealed the true nature of those souls that all might, after hearing and witnessing, become aware and return unto the truth.

It behooveth Us to leave off mention of them and make mention of him who soared in My atmosphere and held fast to the cord of certitude in My days and acted according to what was revealed in My Book. He was named ʿAziz Kha in the Book of Names. We testify that he turned, was present, and attained unto that which was inscribed in the Book of God, the Mighty, the Great. We beseech the Most High to strengthen him each day in His remembrance and praise and to confirm him in such steadfastness as neither the ranks of princes nor the hosts of divines can shake. Verily, He is the Mighty, the Hearer, the Answerer. Convey My glory unto him and give him the glad tidings of My verses and illumine him with the lights of My wondrous remembrance.

My God, my God! The Wronged One desireth to make mention of Thy loved ones in Ra and Shin, upon whom there hath descended in Thy love that which hath caused the dwellers of the pavilion of Thy grandeur and the inhabitants of Thy most exalted Paradise and the supreme Heaven to lament. O Lord! Aid Thine enemies to return unto Thee and to turn repentant unto the door of Thy grace. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful. We have made mention of Our loved ones there and have sent down for them in the Crimson Book that which shall endure as long as Our most beautiful names endure. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Giving. We have made mention of ʿAli ibn Nasir—upon them both be My glory—before and at this time with a Tablet that no other tablets can equal. We beseech God to make him a treasure unto Himself. Verily, He is the Mighty, the Powerful.

The loved ones in that land have all attained to the remembrance of God, exalted be His glory, and are present before His face. Blessed are they and happy are they! We beseech God, the Most High, to make them the standards of His guidance amongst His servants and to aid them to serve His mighty Cause. The Wronged One desires to make mention of His loved ones in Qaf and its surroundings, that they may rejoice and be transported by the rapture of the call to the Most Exalted Horizon. O My loved ones! The glance of favor hath ever been directed towards you. That which none save God, the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful, can reckon hath been ordained for you. They who have turned unto Him and have attained possess such a station that were less than a needle’s eye thereof to be revealed, the dwellers of the earth would be thunderstruck. The Mother Book beareth witness unto this at this manifest time. Convey My glorification unto them and give them the glad-tidings of the ocean of My mercy and the heaven of My loving-kindness and My grace that hath encompassed both worlds.

O Samandar! The honored teacher has stood before the Countenance. Verily God has forgiven him and those whom He wishes to forgive from among His servants—He is the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous. O teacher! You have attained to the presence and meeting, and to that which was announced in the Books of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We beseech God to rain down upon you from the heaven of His bounty the showers of His gifts. He is verily the Compassionate, the Generous. We testify that you turned towards Him, attained His presence, and heard the call of the Wronged One in His mighty prison. This is a deed that cannot be equaled by the deeds of the world. Soon shall the doers behold the recompense ordained for them from the presence of the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

O Samandar! The loved ones of that land have ever been and continue to be before Our sight. The Tongue of Grandeur hath moved to make mention of them by night and by day. Blessed are they and joy be unto them! They have attained to that which none hath attained save those whom their Lord, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, hath willed.

A Tablet hath once again been revealed specifically for Abdul-Baqi, upon him be My Glory, and another Tablet for Abdul-Ali, upon him be My Glory, and those souls mentioned in his petition. We beseech God that He may aid them all to perform such deeds and display such character as would cause the servants to turn towards God, the Single, the All-Informed.

In most Tablets We have commanded all to observe wisdom. Nevertheless, in some cities and villages there appeared that which caused the near ones to be struck with terror and the sincere ones with dismay. The first sedition appeared in Iraq, for on the first day of Ashura, in place of sorrow there appeared joy, and in place of silence there arose the sound of singing. In brief, this action caused the word of malicious souls to be exalted, although the intention of those who performed these acts was to celebrate the appearance of the Primal Point, may our souls be a sacrifice for Him—that is, His blessed birth on the first day of Muharram—and likewise their belief that all the Imams, the blessings of God be upon them, had returned and emerged from their graves.

Yes, this matter is true, but the people of the world have not yet recognized the appearance of the Promised One, save for a few. Therefore, the requirements of God’s loving-kindness and favor—exalted be His glory—are that, as in the past, all should occupy themselves during the days of Ashura with commemorating the tribulation of the Prince of Martyrs, may our souls be a sacrifice for Him, until such time as God shall unveil to His servants the mysteries of His Manifestation and what He hath sent down in His perspicuous Book.

This Wronged One, in the land of Ta [Tehran], would fast on the eve of Ashura, and on the following day would partake of tea and bread after noon. This was the practice of the Wronged One, and some of the souls present are aware of this and know it. In Iraq too, during the days of Ashura, one should be occupied with commemorating the tribulation. The loved ones should fix their gaze upon the Most Exalted Horizon and hold fast to and act according to such practices as are customarily observed. The tribulation of His Holiness is most great. Blessed are they who understand.

The glory that shineth from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon those whose names have flowed from the Pen of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Verily, we are God’s and unto Him shall we return.