Volume 095: Akka 1307 A.H. (1889–1890), Part III (3 of 6)

BH00102: In My Name that speaketh in the Kingdom…

Section 1: “In My Name that speaketh in the Kingdom…”

In My Name that speaketh in the Kingdom of Utterance!

The Book of God speaketh the truth in this Most Great Prison and guideth the servants unto God, the Lord of all men. Not an atom escapeth His knowledge. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the Unconstrained. The Call hath never ceased from the Most Exalted Horizon, yet the people remain in strange heedlessness. They have cast the Truth behind their backs, clinging to the dawning-places of idle fancies and vain imaginings.

O Haydar-Qabli-ʿAli, upon thee be My everlasting Glory! That which thou didst send hath attained the ears of the Wronged One, and We have answered thee with that which hath caused the hearts of them who are endued with understanding to soar. Say: This is a Day wherein none save Him is to be mentioned. Fear God, O ye parties! The Tree of the Furthermost Boundary speaketh before your faces, and the Euphrates of Utterance floweth from the Pen of God, the Lord of lords. Neither the might of the world hath weakened Him, nor have the swords of the nations frightened Him. He hath arisen before all with such steadfastness as hath caused feet to slip.

Say: This is a Call round which circle the essences of existence, and this is a Tablet which God hath made the point of circumambulation for all scriptures and tablets. Say: Fear God, O peoples of the earth, and withhold not yourselves from the Most Great Ocean, nor follow every heedless doubter. This is a Day wherein the ocean surgeth and the fragrance wafteth. Blessed is he who hath found the fragrance of God, the Lord of mankind. This is a Day wherein the Ancient Beauty hath established Himself upon the Most Great Throne and the Herald hath proclaimed: The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Revealer of verses.

Verily, in the midst of tribulations, We call unto Our loved ones who heard the Call and said: “Yea, yea, O Lord of earth and heaven!” Blessed art thou for having traveled throughout the lands to spread the signs of thy Lord, the Lord of creation. We heard thy mention when thou wast in the Verdant Land, in a house wherein My remembrance and praise were raised by those who took hold of the Book of God with such power as the might of the world could not frustrate, and with such strength as all the hosts of the earth combined could not withstand. To this doth the Lord of the world bear witness from His most exalted station.

O My loved ones in the Verdant Land! Ye have attained unto acceptance on a Day wherein most of the servants have turned away, and ye have found the breezes of revelation whilst the people were wrapped in heedlessness and error. We have mentioned you aforetime through clear verses and have revealed unto you that which hath attracted the hearts and gladdened the eyes. Blessed are ye for having fulfilled My Covenant, attained unto My testimonies, and drunk the choice wine of utterance from the chalice of My bounty. We beseech God to assist you with the hosts of the seen and the unseen, to send down upon you from the clouds of grace the rains of blessing and bounty, and to ordain for you from His Most Exalted Pen that which shall profit you in every world of His worlds. Verily, He knoweth you better than ye know yourselves. He is the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the All-Knowing.

Convey My remembrance to him who was named Muhammad before Husayn. We testify that he attained to what was mentioned in the Books of God, the Mighty, the Bestower. We found him steadfast in this Cause which hath caused all regions to be seized with perturbation. He hath drunk the choice wine of revelation from the cup of My utterance. We have remembered him in diverse Tablets and We beseech God to exalt him through His Name amongst His servants, to make him a champion of His Cause, firm in His service, and to manifest through him that which shall endure as long as His names endure. Give him glad-tidings from Me, remind him of My verses, and illumine him with the lights of the Kingdom of My Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

Blessed art thou, O Khidra, inasmuch as God hath made thee a repository of the pearls of His love and the arena for the steeds of His might and power. Thus hath the Kawthar of utterance flowed from the Pen of God, the Lord of all worlds. God hath adorned Khidra with him who loved Me and who arose in the early days to make mention of Me, to praise Me, and to serve My firm and wise Cause. We have aided him, confirmed him, illumined him with the light of My knowledge, and adorned him with the ornament of My Name whereby the hearts of the Concourse on High were attracted and the limbs of the idolaters trembled.

We wish to make mention at this time of him who was named Muhammad after Mirza and give him the glad-tidings of My attention to him and My remembrance of him, that supreme joy may seize him through this Great News. The Wronged One in prison remembers thee with that whereby thy name shall endure in the Book of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. O Muhammad! Be thou assured that the world and all that is therein cannot equal the Word of God, for it shall remain immortalized in His mighty and wise Book. Arise, then turn to the Kaaba of divine knowledge and say: Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having remembered me when I was among the heedless ones. We heard thy call and answered thee, and when We saw the warmth of thy love, We revealed to thee what the Tree of Utterance revealed unto the Son of Imran on the Mount of Knowledge. Be grateful and say: Praise be to Thee, O God of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Cling not to names as did the people before you. Fear God and be not of the idolaters. This is the Day of God wherein none save Him is mentioned. Have mercy upon yourselves and be not of the wrongdoers. The ocean of divine knowledge surgeth before your faces. Turn to it with illumined hearts and radiant faces. This is what ye have been commanded by God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. We testify that thou hast drunk the milk of divine knowledge from the breast of utterance and believed in God, the Single One, the All-Informed. We make mention of thy brethren who responded when they heard My sweetest call and acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur uttered for My Self, which hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. The glory from Us be upon you and upon those who heard, hastened, and responded when the call was raised between earth and heaven. These are the people of Baha and the companions of the Crimson Ark, mention of which was sent down in the Book of Names by the Pen of God, the Mighty, the Great.

In this station We make mention of him who was named Mirza Aqa in the Most Exalted Horizon, as a favor from God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment, that the breezes of revelation may attract him and bring him nigh unto the station adorned with supreme steadfastness in this Great Announcement. Hearken unto the Call from the precincts of the Prison of Akka, which hath been raised to such heights that the denizens of the Kingdom and above them the Concourse of Glory—whom the tempests of the calumnies of those who turned away from this luminous Horizon could not move—have heard it. Arise to serve the Cause with a power that the hosts of the oppressors cannot weaken. We have made mention of thee and those who believed before and at this time with this clear remembrance. Convey My greetings to thy brethren and illumine them with the lights of the Sun of thy Lord’s utterance, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We beseech God to assist them as befitteth His glorious and wondrous Day. Grieve not at the vicissitudes of the world, its conditions and changes. Take hold of the hem of thy Lord’s mercy and say:

My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having adorned me with the ornament of turning unto Thee and for having illumined me with the light of Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee by Thy most great signs and the manifestations of Thy power amongst all beings to aid me and my brethren to serve Thy Cause with wisdom and utterance. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Glorious, the Bestower. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Bountiful, the Generous.

This is the Manifest Book that speaketh at this time. This is a Day wherein the Call calleth out, the Word speaketh, and the Book uttereth, yet most of the people are heedless. The sleep of heedlessness hath overtaken them such that this most sweet Call, raised from the Most Exalted Horizon in the Prison of Akka, hath not awakened them. Blessed is he who hath heard and recognized, who hath seen and witnessed, and who hath stood firm in this Great Announcement. Say: This is an Announcement the like of which the eye of creation hath not seen, nor the ear of invention heard. He is the Incomparable One of the heavens and earth. To this beareth witness His Revealer and His Manifestation in this exalted station.

O Mihdi! Hearken unto the Call of the Eternal God. Verily it hath been raised from the Most Exalted Horizon that His servants in the kingdom of creation might hear it, yet the people turned away until they denied God’s proof and evidence, and disbelieved in His favor which He sent down from the heaven of His bounty and the kingdom of His mercy that embraceth all in the heavens and earth. He who loved Me and soared in My atmosphere hath mentioned thee. We have remembered thee with that which all the treasures of the world and all the riches of the earth cannot equal. To this beareth witness every fair-minded and insight-possessing one. Hear My call and arise to serve My Cause with a steadfastness whereby the feet of the servants shall stand firm. Verily thy Lord is the All-Explaining, the All-Knowing.

Cause My servants to enter, in My name, the paradise of My good-pleasure and the garden of My knowledge. Verily thy Lord is the All-Explaining, the All-Wise. The clamor hath been raised in all regions, and this is what the Supreme Pen foretold when it moved in Zawra and in this Great Prison. Arise to serve the Cause, then guide the people to the path of God Who walketh and speaketh in this mansion which was built for this Most Luminous and Great Manifestation.

O Mihdi! Upon thee be My glory! It hath dawned from the horizon of utterance, speaking and making mention of this Name at Whose appearance the limbs of the tribes trembled, save those whom God, thy Lord, the Almighty, the Powerful, willed. Beware lest the oppression of tyrants frighten thee or the might of Pharaohs prevent thee. The world shall perish, and that which hath been sent down to thee from My Most Exalted Pen at this glorious and wondrous time shall endure. Take My Book with My strength, then read it among My servants who have not broken My covenant and My testament, and among those who have sought the ultimate goal and the highest summit, that the fragrances of revelation may guide them to the purpose of all who are in the heavens and on earth. When thou hast drunk the choice wine of My utterance and found the fragrance of My pure wine, say:

O my God, my God! Aid me in that which beseemeth Thee and Thy days. Then reinforce me with Thy exalted hosts whom Thou hast created for the triumph of Thy Cause, the diffusion of Thy signs, and the manifestation of that which draweth them nigh unto Thee in all conditions. O Lord! Thou beholdest me clinging to Thy Most Great Handle and holding fast to the hem of Thy mercy, O Lord of all beings. I beseech Thee to assist me to manifest that which Thou hast commanded me with spirit and joy. Then ordain for me the reward of those who have circled round Thy Sacred House and acted in accordance with that which they were bidden in Thy Mighty Book. O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I beseech Thee to manifest through me the pearls of Thy love and knowledge which lay hidden within my innermost being by Thy command and will. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the Most Generous.

Section 2: “O Haydar-ʿAli! Upon thee be My glory…”

O Haydar-ʿAli! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. We have desired at this moment to make mention of him who was named Muhammad-Ja’far, brother of the one who ascended unto the horizon of My loving-kindness, that he may rejoice and be of those who are thankful. We have made mention of those who have turned, on the Day of God, unto His luminous horizon, and We counsel all with that which We counseled Our chosen ones and loved ones aforetime who neither denied My proof and My testimony, nor turned away from My Cause, the manifest, the shining, the wondrous. Let not the deeds of those who have denied God grieve thee, nor the utterances of any heedless and remote one. Turn with thy whole being to the Kaaba of God and say:

O my God, my God! All glory be unto Thee for having manifested Thy Cause amongst Thy servants, and all praise be unto Thee for having guided them to the horizon of Thy grace. I beseech Thee by the fire of Thy Sacred Tree whereby the hearts of Thy servants have been drawn to the horizon of Thy manifestation, and by the light of Thy countenance whereby all who are in Thy heaven and on Thy earth have been illumined, to enable me to make mention of Thee and to praise Thee amongst Thy creation. Verily, Thou art the Strong, the All-Conquering, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. O Lord! Withhold not Thy servants from turning unto the court of Thy nearness, and deprive them not of the outpourings of Thy days. Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth, and in Thy grasp are the reins of every clear command.

O thou who gazest upon Mine horizon and standeth before My face! We have desired to make mention of Our loved ones in Nishabur, whom thou didst mention before and whose names thou didst send to the Most Great Prison before the face of thy Lord, the All-Knowing Remembrancer. By the life of God! The Wronged One hath sent down for His loved ones that which no books in the world can equal, whereunto every fair-minded and perceiving one doth testify. O My loved ones in that place! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One Who mentioned you before through clear verses, and at this time through that which hath attracted the hearts of the sincere ones. Be not grieved by the happenings of the world and what hath befallen you in your love for God, the Lord of the exalted Throne.

In the Persian tongue hear ye the divine call. Ye have ever been remembered and still are. Today the Sun of Revelation is shining and manifest before all faces, and the ocean of utterance is visible and evident with countless waves. All must, with wisdom and utterance, bestow a portion from the sea of awareness upon them that slumber and guide them to the supreme horizon. I beseech God to aid the loved ones of that land in that which leadeth to salvation and nearness.

Each one of the friends hath in truth borne in God’s path that which hath caused the Concourse on High to marvel. They must preserve this most exalted and most high station in the name of the Lord of all humanity. The barking ones, the idolaters and the thieves stand ready at their posts of ambush, and have had and have no purpose save to lead the servants astray. The counsels of the Point, and His lamentations and expressions of grief, had no effect upon the people of the Bayan. By the life of God! They have risen in opposition in a manner without likeness or peer, as witnessed by that which hath issued from their mouths on this blessed, holy and luminous Day.

In these days the opposers and deniers have desired to obliterate the Bayan. Glory be to God! All that was revealed by His Holiness and sent down from the heaven of will was and is circling round the Bayan. It is the perspicuous Book and the proof of God unto all who are in the heavens and on earth. In that Book mention hath been made of the return and the revelation and the mysteries of resurrection and the signs of the Hour. This Wronged One hath shown forth before the heedless deniers that which would prevent this reprehensible deed. We beseech God to aid His servants to uphold His signs and obliterate their signs. Verily He is powerful over all things.

We send Our glorification and prayers upon Our loved ones there, and We beseech God to send down upon them from the heaven of grace and bounty that which will draw them nigh unto His all-glorious horizon and assist them to stand firm in this Cause, whereby the hearts of the heedless were troubled and the feet of the barking ones did slip. O Haydar-ʿAli! Thou didst mention the seven brothers in the land of Kaf. Today the doors of divine favor have been opened through the key of the Most Great Name and the river of the All-Merciful’s mercy is flowing. Each of the loved ones mentioned in thy letter hath been blessed with special favors, as witnessed by the waves of the ocean of My bounty and the effulgences of the sun of My loving-kindness. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this clear utterance and this great bounty. The deed which today taketh precedence over all deeds is steadfastness in the Cause of God—this hath been and still is so. Implore God that He may aid all to achieve this deed, which hath no equal. Verily He is the Strong, the Mighty, the Powerful.

O Haydar-ʿAli! In My Name, the All-Glorious, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness. This word hath been revealed and sent forth: O My Name! Dost thou weep for what hath befallen Me at the hands of the heedless ones, or do I weep for Mine own Self? By the life of God! The waves have encompassed the Ark of God, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting, and the winds have beset the Lamp of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. There hath befallen Me at the hands of those who claim to love Me worse than what hath befallen Me from Mine enemies. My lamentation, My outcry, My yearning, and My wailing bear witness to this.

Some have imagined that We sent you specifically to collect the Huquq in those regions. Glory be to God! No Huquq worthy of mention from the land of Kha has ever been presented before the face of this Wronged One. Previously, My Name Jamal, at the request of the King of Martyrs, upon him be My most glorious glory, proceeded to the land of Kha to collect the Huquq, and received one thousand, but it was not accepted. The Book of God, the Lord of the mighty throne, beareth witness to this. And it was ordained that the aforementioned one should return whatever funds he had received to their owners. Thereafter, the lamentation and sighing of My Name Jamal was raised. Thus, purely out of grace and favor, the funds from the land of Kha were accepted and bestowed upon the people of that region and other regions, and its record is presently with the servant.

Indeed, from Bushruyih and its surroundings, they have each year prepared and sent excellent leaves, which were truly adorned with the ornament of acceptance and illumined with the glory of His good-pleasure. If anything was or is accepted, it is through the favor of God, exalted be His glory. How blessed are those souls whose Huquq and gifts have been accepted! Sometimes some would mention funds they wished to send, but they were directed to distribute these among the poor themselves.

During this last journey when the Most Exalted Afnan and Amin set out for the Most Great Goal and the Supreme Summit, one of the loved ones, upon him be My glory, sent a sum specifically for the restoration of the House, but it was not accepted and its return was ordered. However, there was delay in this matter. Last year when Amin attained the presence, he mentioned that modesty prevented him from returning it, as the giver had sent the sum with utmost humility, submissiveness and love. For this reason, there was delay in its return. Thereafter, he besought forgiveness from the ocean of His Ancient Grace, and his prayer was answered. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to assist all to manifest pure sincerity and that which beseemeth His holy, mighty and wondrous Day.

O Haydar-ʿAli! In these days the pilgrim house and the well-known gardens have all become the place, abode and dwelling of emigrants and travelers. This year, such gatherings have occurred that perhaps the government may object, though until now His Majesty the Sultan hath shown special consideration. We beseech God to exalt him through His Name among His servants and to aid him to uplift His Word in His earth. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

You mentioned the loved ones of Furugh. We beseech God once again to unite their hearts and assist them to achieve unity and harmony. It behooveth Mahmud to aid his Lord through the hosts of wisdom and utterance and to make known to them His straight path. We have previously made mention of him through verses that have set the world ablaze and by which the hearts of those who have turned unto God have been attracted.

O Mohsen! Thou hast been mentioned before the Wronged One. Blessed art thou and blessed is he that is with thee. We beseech God to assist you to serve His Cause and to manifest from you that which will diffuse the fragrance of love and fellowship amongst His servants, and to gather you and My loved ones there around the table that hath been sent down unto you from the heaven of the bounty of your Lord, the All-Merciful, the All-Bountiful.

O My loved ones in that land! Should anyone ask you about the Wronged One, say: Verily, He is under the claws of hatred, as attesteth to this He in Whose possession is the perspicuous Book. We desire naught but your unity and agreement concerning this Announcement at whose appearance the rustling of the Sidrat’ul-Muntaha was raised, crying out and saying: “He Who was hidden hath appeared, and He Who was promised in the Books of God, the Lord of lords, hath been made manifest.” Then the murmuring of the Kawthar of utterance was raised throughout all possibility: “The Kingdom and the Dominion belong to God, the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful.” And the whispering of the breezes of the Dawn of Revelation: “The Sovereign hath come! The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Lord of all men.” And the shrill voice of the Most Exalted Pen: “Glory and greatness, power and might belong to God, the Commander, from beginning to end.”

Verily this Day is great, great indeed, and this Cause is mighty, mighty indeed. This hath been repeatedly uttered by the Tongue of Grandeur, yet some have manifested such opposition as caused the Lote-Tree to lament and the Eye of Justice to weep.

O My loved ones in Forugh! Blessed are ye and blessed is he who hath ascended unto God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. We counsel you to be patient and steadfast, and to that which will draw you nigh unto God, the Mighty, the Loving. All that hath befallen you hath been recorded by the Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Tablet before God. Not an atom escapeth His knowledge, despite those who have denied this evident grace.

What have some souls understood from the all-embracing, decisive word “He doeth whatsoever He willeth”? The Point saith: “Were He to pronounce the earth to be heaven, or heaven to be earth, none hath the right to question why or wherefore.” And likewise He saith: “The entire Bayan is but a leaf among the leaves of His Paradise. Should He accept it, verily He is to be loved in His command, and should He reject it, verily He is to be obeyed in His decree.” In brief, the waves of this ocean are beyond reckoning.

Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad-Rida hath dwelt in this land for some time. We testify that he hath taken for himself a station beneath the canopies of grandeur. We send Our greetings upon him and those with him, and We beseech God to give them to drink from the cup of the Greater Steadfastness and to ordain for them that whose fragrance shall never cease to endure through the eternity of His names and attributes. Verily, He is the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Section 3: “You have mentioned the soil of Turbat [in…”

You have mentioned the soil of Turbat [in your letter]. We beseech God to bless it and to manifest therein that which will draw its people nigh unto the precincts of holiness, nearness and glory. Verily, He is powerful to do what He willeth through His binding and irrevocable command. O My loved ones in Turbat! He who loveth Me hath made mention of you, and We make mention of you in this Tablet at an hour when the Day-Star of utterance hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of God’s will, the Lord of the worlds. Time and again ye have heard the call, and this is yet another time, a mercy from Us, for verily I am the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Blessed are ye, inasmuch as ye have heard and turned towards Him, and have attained unto that which most of mankind hath been debarred from. To this beareth witness the Most Great Pen of God on this manifest Day. We counsel you to observe trustworthiness, which God hath made the supreme adornment of the temple of His servants, and to observe religion, without which no deed is acceptable. Thus hath the matter been decreed in My mighty Book.

Let not the affairs of men and the happenings of the world grieve you. Cast away what the people possess and take hold of that which ye have been commanded by God, the Lord of the mighty Throne. We counsel you and Our loved ones again and again to be wise in speech and to perform such deeds as God hath made the hosts of victory and triumph in this mighty and impregnable Revelation. Hold fast unto wisdom, and likewise unto goodly deeds and praiseworthy conduct. These shall protect you and deliver you from every heedless one that is remote and every oppressor that is obstinate. This is the Day of God and great is His Cause. All must fix their gaze upon the horizon of His Manifestation alone, detached and freed from all else.

Blessed is he who hath held fast unto this Most Great Remembrance and clung to the hem of God’s commandments, the Ordainer, the All-Wise. It is incumbent, nay obligatory, upon every soul to protect the servants, in the name of God, glorified be His majesty, from former vain imaginings, lest they be afflicted anew with that which would cause loss in this world and the next. Soon will the hidden mysteries that have flowed from the Most Exalted Pen become as manifest as the sun. Then shall the heedless be seen in manifest loss.

O Haydar-ʿAli! Upon thee be the everlasting glory of God. Blessed be thy tongue for having uttered the mention of My loved ones, and thine ear for having heard their call and mention, and thy heart for having turned unto the One, the All-Informed. The loved ones of Zavih have ever been and continue to be remembered in the presence of the Wronged One. However, in these days sorrows from all directions have encompassed the blessed and eternal Tree, and from both parties there hath come to pass that which pen and ink are powerless to describe. This Wronged One, in all conditions, beseecheth God to guide all and adorn them with the ornament of truthfulness. This people have all been commanded to teach God’s Cause.

This matter hath been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen in most Tablets, yet some have imagined that which hath caused the realm of assurance to lament and weep. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to purify His loved ones from idle fancies and vain imaginings, to draw them nigh unto Him, and to adorn them with that which will exalt them amongst His servants. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Powerful. The men of those regions are all remembered and have attained the infinite bounties of God, exalted be His glory. I beseech Him to aid them all to stand firm with such constancy that neither the doubts of the doubtful nor the calumnies of the slanderers shall keep them back from the truth and the manifest light. Verily, He is the Confirmer, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

O esteemed one, upon whom be the Glory of God and His bounty! Thou didst make mention of certain loved ones who dwell in various cities and regions. We have made mention of some of these souls, and We beseech God to remove all hindering causes, that all may attain unto divine remembrance and celestial grace. The letter of that cherished friend proved most affecting; verily, every word thereof testified to manifest sincerity. We beseech God to aid and assist him in that which He loveth and is pleased with. From recent events may be gleaned somewhat of the grief of this Wronged One, and awareness may be gained thereof. Blessed are they who perceive and who reflect. Convey on behalf of this Wronged One greetings and glorification unto him, and say: O cherished one!

Upon thee be the glory of God, His light, His might and His bounty. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to ordain for thee from His Most Exalted Pen every good thing that He hath revealed in His Perspicuous Book. We testify that thou hast attained unto the service of the Cause and hast attained His presence and hearkened unto the call of God, the Lord of all worlds, when He was imprisoned in the prison of Akka and wronged at the hands of the heedless.

Mention was made by thy pen of the loved ones of Faran. We testify that they have turned to the Most Exalted Horizon, detached from all that existeth in the world of creation, and hastened and traversed land and sea until they stood before the gate that was opened through this Most Great Name unto all who dwell on earth, and drank the choice wine of revelation from the hands of the bounty of their Lord, the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful. And We testify that they heard that for which ears were created to hear, and reached a station that God hath made the point of adoration for them that are nigh and them that are sincere. In these days there hath been specially sent down from the heaven of divine Will for each one that which draweth the servants nigh. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to make them among those whom He hath described in His Perspicuous Book with His words:

“honored servants who speak not until He hath spoken, and who do His bidding.”

O Haydar-ʿAli! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. Thy namesake, that is, he who standeth in service to the Cause, is occupied night and day in the remembrance and praise of God and in His service. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to preserve him through His bounty, to guard him with His hosts, to assist him with His sovereignty, and to exalt him through His Name amongst His servants. Verily, He is powerful over all things. We ask and beseech the True One to protect him from the whisperings of the ungodly, the liars, and the proud ones, for some have uttered that which testifieth to the heedlessness of the speaker. The very same delusions of the former sect have arisen; the difference is that with that sect it was after the passing of centuries and ages, while this sect desired to afflict the servants at the beginning of days.

Verily, We were with him who spoke in delusion, and We concealed it. Verily, thy Lord is the Concealer, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We hope that thy namesake and those who are with him, upon them be My glory, will protect the servants through the Name of the True One. This is not difficult for God. One of his services was that he sent the aforementioned expected countenance to the Most Holy Court, and for this deed there is ordained and recorded with God a great reward.

O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! Mention of thee and thy utterances reached Ba and Shin and the Best of Cities. The loved ones and leaves of that land have each year been blessed with the remembrance of God, exalted be His glory, and specifically for each one there was sent down from the heaven of bounty that which neither time can erase nor change alter. Some time ago, from the heaven of the Will of the Ancient King and the Desire of the nations, holy and luminous tablets were revealed and sent for the loved ones and leaves of that land, and more shall be sent hereafter. They have ever been and continue to be beneath the glances of loving-kindness. Give them glad tidings from Me and illumine them with the lights of the kingdom of My wondrous utterance.

His honor Mir, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness—all that he hath mentioned, both past and present, hath been illumined with the light of acceptance. In truth, he standeth firm in service to the Cause and is adorned with the light of steadfastness. The loved ones and leaves in the land of Ba and Shin and the Best of Cities have attained unto that which the treasures of earth and heaven cannot equal. Blessed are they that are certain, and blessed are they that act.

O thou who speakest in My Name! The petition of Hasan-i-Furughi, upon him be My glory, hath attained unto presence and hearing. Proclaim “God is Most Great” on My behalf before his face. Let him arise, turning toward the Supreme Horizon, and say:

“My God, my God! Thou seest me advancing toward Thy Most Great Name, through which the limbs of the nations who denied Thy proof and Thy evidence, and turned away from Thy Manifestation and Thy signs, have trembled. I beseech Thee, O Originator of all created things and Quickener of all contingent beings, by the splendors of the Orb of Thy utterance and the outpourings of the ocean of Thy grace, to ordain for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen the good of the Hereafter and of this world. O my Lord! Thou seest the poor one knocking at the door of Thy generosity. I beseech Thee not to disappoint him of that which Thou hast ordained for the near ones among Thy servants and the sincere ones among Thy creation. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Bountiful.”

O Ali-Qabli-Haydar! They who have sought permission to attain Our presence from the ocean of divine bounty are all remembered at this time and are blessed with the effulgences of the Luminary of utterance, the Goal of all the worlds. However, granting permission in these days would be contrary to wisdom, for the gathering of the loved ones in the Desired Land has exceeded the bounds of moderation this year. The lovers and manifestations of longing must be calmed and made patient through kindly counsels and wise exhortations. God knows that this Wronged One has ever loved and continues to love the presence of His loved ones, yet obstacles have appeared from every direction. Therefore, purely out of grace and kindness, We have suspended permission until God brings about His decree. Verily, He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty. Convey My greetings to My handmaiden who has lamented from separation and remoteness. We beseech God to aid her to be patient and steadfast, and to do what the wisdom of these days requires. Verily, He is the Munificent, the Generous.

O thou who drinkest the choice wine of My utterance! The mention of his honor Abdullah, upon whom rest My glory and loving-kindness, is the cause of greatest sorrow, for he was not treated with forbearance. Ask God to guide the commanding souls and confirm them in that which befits the days of God. In brief, there befell him that which caused sorrow to this Wronged One. That honored one has been with the Wronged One and has witnessed the waves of the ocean of knowledge, forbearance, patience and steadfastness. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to make souls aware of their station and rank, and to aid them to do what befits this blessed, mighty and wondrous Day. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon those with thee, and upon those who have heard the call, have turned towards it and have said:

“Here am I! Here am I! O Lord of all beings, Lord of the throne on high and of earth below, and Master of the last and the first!”

BH00136: In My Name that standeth before the followers…

Section 1: “In My Name that standeth before the followers…”

In My Name that standeth before the followers of all religions!

Praise be to God Who hath opened wide the portal of divine knowledge through the key of utterance, and hath caused to rain down from the heaven of proof the showers of loving-kindness with power and authority. At His call the people of unity have arisen, and by His verses the manifestations of misbelief and rebellion were struck down. When He was established upon the throne of revelation on the Mount, all things cried out from every direction:

“O concourse of divines and rulers! The Source of Revelation hath come with the banners of His signs!”

O Ahmad! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Single, the One. Sanctify thy breast from the traces of names and thy heart from the doubts of men, that there may be inscribed therein, by the Most Exalted Pen, the sovereignty and dominion, and the might and power of God, the Lord of all men. We have mentioned thee before with verses whereby the hearts of the servants were drawn unto God, the Lord of lords.

He who was named Abdullah hath appeared, who took for himself a station beneath the canopies of grandeur and drank the choice wine of utterance from the hand of the bounty of his Lord, the Creator of existence.

O Muhammad-Baqir! Rejoice that the Euphrates of utterance hath flowed in thy name in days wherein the Hidden Secret and the Treasured Symbol have been revealed, through a command from God, the Cleaver of Dawn. Arise to serve the Cause with such steadfastness as cannot be hindered by the hosts of the wicked nor by the power of those who have disbelieved in the Beginning and the Return.

O Muhammad-ʿAli! The Most Great Name hath turned toward thee and mentioned thee with words from which wafteth the fragrance of loving-kindness and favor. Behold, then remember those days when thou wert present before the Face and didst hear His sweet call and the shrill voice of His Most Exalted Pen. Give thanks and say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp is the reins of those who have denied God’s proof and His evidence, and who have uttered that which hath caused every knowing and discerning one to weep.”

Blessed art thou for having attained His presence and heard, and for having won that through which the fragrance of reunion was wafted abroad while the Wronged One was in the hands of the ignorant.

O Pen! Make mention of him who was named Muhammad-Sadiq, who recognized that which was sent down from the heaven of grace and hastened until he arrived with such steadfastness as caused feet to slip. By My life! There hath been ordained for thee that which neither the gold of the world nor all that the nations possess can equal. To this beareth witness the Mother Book in this station which hath been named by all names by God, the Lord of the Day of Resurrection. Remember what thou didst hear before thy Lord’s throne and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Beloved of all worlds!”

O ʿAli-Akbar! Thou hast heard My call time and again. It hath drawn thee to the most exalted station. Say:

“O people of the Bayan! Cast aside your vain imaginings. The Sun of Certitude hath shone forth from the horizon of God’s will, the Lord of the earth and the heavens.”

He who loved Me hath made mention of thee and hath spoken My praise, and We have sent thee from the direction of the Prison that which shall assist thee in guiding those who have broken the Covenant and the Testament. Rejoice in My mention of thee. By My life! The books of Iran cannot equal it. To this beareth witness the Mother of the Bayan from God, the Lord of all religions.

O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who was named Ali-Muhammad, who ascended the ladder of utterance unto God, the Revealer of mysteries. Grieve not over anything, but trust in God in all conditions. Verily, He is with thee and will aid thee through the hosts of revelation and inspiration. We beseech God to make thee so steadfast in the Cause that the clamor of the wicked shall not prevent thee. O Ali! Thou hast been mentioned before the Throne, and We have revealed for thee that which hath rolled up the carpet of those who denied God’s proof and His verses that have encompassed all regions. We beseech God to ordain for thee every good thing He hath sent down in the Scriptures and Tablets. Say:

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having enabled me to recognize Thee and for having revealed unto me that which draweth mankind nigh unto the most exalted station. We have desired to make mention of him whom We mentioned in the earliest days with a remembrance through which earth and heaven were illumined, and I am, verily, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

O Nabil-i-Baqir! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. We have mentioned thee time and again through verses that have enraptured the hearts of them that have turned with radiant countenances toward the Dawning-Place of Lights. Convey My greetings unto My loved ones and remind them of that which will draw them nigh unto the Source of Light—through which the Herald hath proclaimed: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Mighty, the All-Munificent.”

We make mention of him who was named Isma’il, who turned toward Our horizon with a light whereby the hearts of the righteous were illumined. The glory that proceedeth from Us rest upon thee and upon him who was named Ni’matu’llah at this hour wherein the Tongue uttereth in the Kingdom of Utterance: “Glory and majesty belong unto God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment.” We make mention of thy other son that he may rejoice in the bounty of his Lord and turn toward the Kaaba of God, saying: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who hast enabled me to draw nigh and to turn toward Thee.”

O Mirza Mihdi! Upon thee be everlasting glory. Arise to serve the Cause, detached from the world, and purify hearts with the Kawthar of thy Lord’s utterance, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. We have remembered thee and sent down unto thee the table of divine knowledge—the bounty We have manifested from the treasury of thy Lord’s mercy, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.

Say: O Abu’l-Qasim! Fear God and follow not every deluded impostor. Thou hast indeed attained unto Our presence and heard Our call, and the schemes of the oppressors are but in loss. We have revealed unto thee the pearls of wisdom and utterance from the ocean of thy Lord’s bounty, the Mighty, the All-Compelling. Say: O servant! Cast aside that which is imagined and take hold of the Self-Subsisting One, by the command of Him Who is the Lord of all men. That which was never manifest in creation hath been made manifest—to this testifieth He with Whom is the knowledge of all things in the Book.

Thou hast heard My verses and attained unto My presence, and We have revealed that which was treasured from time immemorial. Change thy garments, then return unto God and say:

O my God! I testify that Thou hast shown me Thy most exalted horizon and caused me to hear that for the hearkening of which Thou didst create the ears of Thy chosen ones. I have forsaken that which Thou didst command me and cast aside that whereunto Thou didst guide me, following my desires until they took hold of my reins and prevented me from drawing nigh unto Thee, O Revealer of clear tokens!

Hearken unto My call and judge fairly in this Cause, before which necks have bowed low when it was made manifest. We have unveiled the mysteries of what was and what is to come, yet the people remain heedless and veiled. They have cast aside that which they were bidden and taken that which was forbidden them in the Scriptures of God, the Revealer of verses. Thou didst follow the people of the past after having recognized and seen them wandering in the wilderness of idle fancies. Let not the clamor of the world and the turning away of the nations grieve thee. He hath come from the horizon of might with a sovereignty that hath encompassed all created things. They who have prevented thee from the waters of thy Lord’s mercy have no standing before God, the Revealer of clear proofs. Soon shalt thou witness that which shall testify to thy loss in days wherein the Ancient Beauty was established upon the Most Great Throne and spoke that which draweth mankind nigh unto the most exalted station.

O Mihdi! Upon thee be My glory. Be steadfast in thy Lord’s Cause in such wise that the veils of glory shall not withhold thee from the Dawning-Place of might and beauty. We make mention of thy brother who was named Sulayman, and We beseech the Almighty to aid him in serving His Cause at morn and eventide. This is a day wherein the Tongue of Grandeur speaketh that which guideth the servants unto a station beyond which no mention can reach[…]

O Muhammad! Upon thee be My Glory and My Loving-kindness! We have made mention of thy father who ascended to the Most Exalted Companion, by virtue of which the hearts of those who cast away vain imaginings were attracted, turning to the horizon of certitude. Thy likeness was presented before the Throne, and We revealed for thee that which the reckoners are powerless to reckon. Blessed art thou and blessed is he who hath cast away what the people possess and taken what was sent down from God, the One, the All-Forgiving. Thou wert mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One, thy Lord, the Guardian, the Self-Subsisting, beareth witness to this.

O Khalil! The Euphrates of utterance hath flowed and the light of proof hath shone forth before all faces, yet most of the people perceive not. The verses have encompassed all who dwell on earth. Blessed is he who hath heard and seen, and woe unto every heedless and veiled one. We have mentioned thee in numerous Tablets and have revealed for thee that which draweth the servants nigh unto the Mighty, the Beloved. The croaking of the ravens hath been raised in the cities and lands—this is what We foretold you aforetime by the command of the Lord of creation. Say: O people! The Day hath come and He Who was hidden and treasured in God’s knowledge, the Mighty, the All-Loving, hath been made manifest.

Arise to serve the Cause with such steadfastness that the doubts of those who have denied God’s proof and evidence and have committed that which hath darkened their faces shall not hinder thee. They have cast the Book of God behind their backs and have taken what they were bidden by the source of idle fancies. Say: O people! Fear God and follow not every ignorant rejected one. This is the Day wherein He Who was inscribed by the Pen of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be, hath come. Convey My greetings to My loved ones who were not deterred by the oppression of the world nor by the opposition of those who disbelieved in the Witness and the Witnessed. Be thou so steadfast in the Cause that the manifestations of opposition of those who have violated the Covenant and the pledges shall not hinder thee. Say:

My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having guided me in Thy days and revealed unto me what was concealed from eyes. O Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and detached from all else but Thee. I beseech Thee by Thy power that hath prevailed over all things, and by Thy sovereignty that hath encompassed what was and what shall be, to aid me to serve Thy Cause in such wise that the might of those who have denied Thy Sacred House shall not frighten me. O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. Ordain for me that which shall exalt me through Thy name amongst Thy creatures. Verily, Thou art powerful over what Thou willest, and within Thy grasp are the reins of all knowledge.

We have desired at this time to make mention of him who was named Mirza Salih, that the Kawthar of the All-Merciful’s utterance may purify him and draw him nigh unto Him. Verily, He is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. Say: O people! Hearken unto the call of God and follow not those who have disbelieved in God, the Mighty, the Beloved. He who loved Me hath mentioned thee; We make mention of thee from this praiseworthy station that thou mayest give thanks to thy Lord Who aided thee to turn toward Him when every detested misbeliever was debarred therefrom. We beseech God to ordain for thee that which shall exalt thee and to send down upon thee from the clouds of bounty that whereby hearts are attracted.

O Rahim! The mercy hath been sent down from the heaven of thy Lord’s bounty, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving. Blessed is the servant who hath turned unto Him, and woe unto every heedless rejected one. We beseech God to open before thy face the door of His grace and to give thee to drink of the Kawthar of everlasting life from the hands of bounty and bestowal. Verily, there is none other God but Him. He doeth what He willeth by His command. He is the Powerful, the Guardian, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. And We beseech God to aid thee to serve His Cause and draw thee nigh unto Him. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Compelling.

O Tongue of Grandeur! Make mention of him who was named ʿAli, who broke not Thy Covenant and Testament, and who bore witness to that which God Himself did testify: that there is none other God beside Him, the Single, the All-Informed. Say: O people of the Bayan! This is the Day wherewith God gladdened His Prophets and His chosen ones through His word: “The Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds.” Beware lest the clamor of the malicious keep thee back from God, the Lord of all worlds. Say: O people! I have forsaken the creed of a people who have disbelieved in God, the Mighty, the All-Praised. By God! Your might shall not frighten Me, nor shall your oppression hold Me back. To this testifieth the Tablet of God, the Mighty, the All-Wise. This is the Day wherein the Mount circles round the Dawning-Place of Revelation, and the Kingdom of God proclaimeth: “The Desired One hath come with manifest sovereignty!” All things have testified to that which God testified before the creation of the heavens and earth: that there is none other God but Him, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

He is the Manifest, the Clear.

At this time We have desired to make mention of all the friends of God, that all may drink from the flowing spring of the letters of the sweet-scented streams of verses and attain thereunto. Verily, He loveth His loved ones and showeth them the path of God, the Clear, the Straight. O people of Ta! Hearken unto the divine call with the ear of the soul and be not deprived of the lights of the Sun of inner meanings on this luminous Day. Verily, He guideth His loved ones unto the Most Great Sea, from whose waves can be heard:

“The Day of Return hath come, and this is your Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower,”

Who speaketh in the Most Great Prison. Glory be to God, the Lord of Lords!

O My loved ones in Ta! Hear the call of the Wronged One. He summoneth you unto the Most Great Steadfastness, lest names hold you back from turning towards God, the Lord of all worlds. Your names were presented before the Throne and were sent by ʿAbdu’llah who soared in My atmosphere, held fast to My Covenant, and clung to the hem of My luminous robe. Blessed is he and joy be unto him in that he desired for My loved ones My wondrous and glorious remembrance. Thereupon did My Pen move to make mention of you, My tongue did speak, and the Face of God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, did turn toward you.

We beseech God to make you so steadfast that the mention of names will not deprive you from the ocean of grace and bounty. O people of Ta! It is intended that you arise to redress what has passed, so that whatsoever oppression was visited upon the Lord of the world in that land by the oppressors may be transformed by the light of justice and righteousness—that is, that later beloved deeds may illuminate the darkness of the past. Verily, your Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Generous.

Today all must engage in service to the Cause. Some of the clamorous ones in various regions have exerted mighty efforts to lead astray the helpless people. Reflect upon the previous party: they considered themselves the best of creation, yet on the Day of Manifestation they were seen to be among the most lost of all peoples. By God’s life! Such oppression was visited by that party upon the Seal of the Prophets that the Pen is powerless to recount it and the tongue falls short of enumerating it. Hold fast to the Persian Bayan which the Primal Point revealed for the enlightenment of the servants and recite it, that ye may become aware of the hidden mysteries. By God’s life! This is the truth, and after truth there is naught but error.

O friends of God in Milan! Your Lord, the All-Merciful, maketh mention of you in this far-off Prison. Ye have attained unto the recognition of God and His signs. Beware lest the clamorous ones hold you back from God, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Take hold of the Book of God with the power that proceedeth from Him and the might that emanateth from His presence. Verily, He will protect you, make you known, and guide you to the manifest Truth, the Speaker, the Clear. The honored Amin—upon him be My glory and loving-kindness—hath repeatedly made mention of you. Blessed is he and blessed are you and blessed is he who holdeth fast unto the Strong Cord of God.

Section 2: “O My loved ones in Saysan! Hear ye…”

O My loved ones in Saysan! Hear ye My call and be not of them that are silent. Remember your Lord, the All-Merciful, with such steadfastness as will cause the limbs of the heedless to quake. Ye have ever been remembered and continue to be remembered in the presence of this Wronged One. We have sent down to you aforetime that which hath diffused the sweet savors of revelation and the fragrance of the loving-kindness of your Lord, the All-Merciful, the Most Generous. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to give you to drink from the Kawthar of steadfastness by the hand of His bounty. He, verily, is the Protector of them that do good. He who visited you hath made mention of you, wherefore have We remembered you in this mighty Book. Rejoice in God’s grace and mercy, then remember Him at morn and eventide.

O My loved ones in Shammakh! The Lord of the worlds hath made mention of you from His Most Great Prison and hath given you glad tidings of that which He hath ordained for you. Verily, He loveth His loved ones and acquainteth them with that which draweth them nigh unto Him. He is indeed the All-Merciful, the Forgiving, the Compassionate. Grieve not at anything, but in all matters place your trust in God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. He is with you, maketh mention of you, and heareth your call. He is, in truth, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Follow not every vain imaginer, but follow ye the truth and this perspicuous Book.

My God, my God! Aid Thy loved ones to do that which beseemeth Thy days, then ordain for them the recompense of attaining Thy presence and meeting with Thee. Thou, verily, hast power to do what Thou willest, and Thou art indeed the All-Bountiful, Whose grace and mercy have encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. Strengthen their hearts that they may renounce all else but Thee, holding fast unto that which hath been sent down in Thy Ancient Book.

O My loved ones in Saliyan! Your names were presented before the Wronged One, sent by him who was named ʿAzizu’llah. We have sent down for you that which hath enraptured the hearts of them that are nigh unto God. Soon will there come unto you a crier; leave him to himself, turning your faces toward the horizon from which hath shone forth the Sun of the mercy of your Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We have upraised the Cause through a power which the might of the oppressors hath failed to weaken. Beware lest ye be frightened by the clamor of them who have denied the proof of God and His testimony, and were accounted among the transgressors in the sight of your Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O My companions in Banab! The Almighty, the All-Bountiful, maketh mention of you on this glorious and wondrous Day. This is the Day whereon the Sun of utterance hath shone forth from the horizon of the will of your Lord, the All-Merciful, and the light hath shone forth as a bounty from His presence. He, verily, is the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the All-Bountiful. Deprive not yourselves of the Most Great Ocean, nor your eyes from beholding the Dayspring of God’s Cause, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting. We have made mention of you before in diverse Tablets, as a mercy from God, the Lord of the Day of Reckoning. He who hath taken his station round about the House hath made mention of you; We have remembered you again and again with joy and fragrance. Should ye encounter one who denieth or turneth away, leave him to himself, placing your trust in God, the Lord of all lords. Thus hath spoken the One Who conversed upon Sinai, while seated upon the throne of Manifestation, as a bounty from His presence. He is, verily, the All-Glorious, the Most-Bountiful. The glory from Us be upon you and upon My handmaidens who have believed and turned unto God, the Lord of all mankind.

O Pen! Make mention of My loved ones in Maraghih who have turned with radiant faces and illumined hearts unto God, the Revealer of verses. Ye must strive at all times to exalt the blessed Most Great Word. The days are fleeting, its hues are fleeting, its ornaments are fleeting. Hold fast to the cord of divine favor. Beseech the True One to aid you in that which leadeth to eternal salvation and everlasting life. The deniers of the Cause lie in wait at every turn, seeking to lead souls astray. We have made known to all the peoples of the world, and especially to Our loved ones, that which draweth them nigh and causeth their exaltation. Let him who willeth accept it, and him who willeth turn away.

O son of Dakhil! Hearken unto My call and arise to serve My Cause with the hosts of wisdom and utterance. Then observe and remember when thou didst stand before the Countenance and didst hear My sweetest call and behold My most glorious horizon. Blessed art thou and blessed is every fair-minded one who hath been just in this Cause, whereby the hearts of the wicked who denied God’s proof and evidence, turned away from His presence, and committed that which caused the denizens of the most exalted Paradise to lament at eventide and at dawn. Say: My God, my God! Aid me to make mention of Thee and to praise Thee, then ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones.

O my Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I have committed my affairs unto Thee and have placed my trust in Thee. I beseech Thee to inspire me with that which draweth the hearts of Thy servants. O my Lord! Thou seest the weak one clinging to the cord of Thy power and sovereignty, desiring naught but to serve Thy Cause. I beseech Thee to enable him to do that which befitteth Thy days and is worthy of Thy Revelation. Verily Thou art the Helper, the All-Bountiful. Withhold not Thy loved ones from the outpourings of Thy days, then deliver them by Thy mighty arm. Thou art, verily, the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

We wish at this moment to make mention of Our loved ones in Khoy, that this remembrance may draw them nigh unto the most exalted station. Hear ye My call from the precincts of the Prison. It guideth you unto a station whereon hath been raised the banner that there is none other God but He, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

O Jalil! Hearken unto the call of thy Lord, the All-Glorious, Who hath come from the heaven of utterance with a power before which all the hosts of earth and heaven are powerless to resist. Remember the days when thou wert present before the Wronged One and didst hear that which the near ones heard at morn and eventide. Thy letter hath reached Us wherein thou didst mention the names of My loved ones who have rent asunder the veils through power, might and sovereignty. We counsel them to manifest supreme steadfastness that their stations may be made evident amongst the people. Convey My greetings unto them and give them the glad-tidings of My loving-kindness, and remind them of My verses that have encompassed all regions.

Thus hath the Tongue of Glory spoken in the prison of Akka by the command of God, the Revealer of mysteries. Say: My God, my God! Illumine the hearts of Thy servants with the light of Thy knowledge and their faces with the splendor of Thy countenance, and ordain for them all the good Thou hast sent down in Thy Book. O my Lord! Thou seest the poor one standing before the door of Thy riches. I beseech Thee not to deprive me and Thy servants from the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful.

The glory from Us be upon thee and upon My loved ones in that place, and upon My handmaidens who have heard the call and have said:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp is the dominion of all who are in earth and heaven!”

O My loved ones in Qaf! The pillars of misbelief have been shaken when the Horseman of the arena of divine unity came with power from God, the Lord of all worlds. The Ancient Countenance has turned toward you and mentions you with that by which your names shall endure in the Book of God, the Master of the Day of Judgment. He counsels you to such steadfastness as cannot be shaken by the doubts of the suspicious ones. The gate of heaven has been opened and its Creator has come, yet most people remain heedless. Blessed are you and those who love you and hear your words concerning this Great Announcement.

Glory be to God! Some of the hypocrites, who are not and never were worthy of mention, are occupied with leading people astray. Their intention is to establish, like the previous party, a faction based on suspicions and idle fancies, even though they have witnessed with their own eyes the loss incurred by that party. Ask God to sanctify hearts, illuminate faces, and protect His servants from the evil of the heedless and the doubters. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. But deeds have been and continue to be the cause of deviation. This arena requires another horseman and another rider. We beseech God to reveal the treasures of the earth—meaning those men who are worthy of this arena and those horsemen befitting this field.

O My loved ones in that place! You have always been remembered and continue to be remembered, and from the hand of bounty you have received that pure wine which had and has no likeness. Now you must manifest such steadfastness as has had and shall have no peer or equal. All the men of that land are present and mentioned in the Most Holy Court, and the women of that land have attained divine favors and bounties. This Wronged One is occupied with mentioning the loved ones in all conditions—in the nights I remember them, in the days I speak their names, and in the dawn hours I utter their remembrances. We beseech God to assist them and draw them near to Him. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

O My loved ones in its surroundings! Hear the call of the Wronged One—there is no God but Him, the Protecting, the Self-Subsisting. We call you to God and mention you with a mention through which the fragrance of utterance has wafted throughout creation. Exalted is God, your Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. Beware lest anything prevent you or the assault of any rejected oppressor frighten you. We have mentioned you before and after, and you have attained to that which the Ancient Beauty has spoken from His praiseworthy station. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to reinforce you with the hosts of utterance and to assist you in rending the veils of idle fancy.

My God, my God! Assist these ones to aid Thy Cause with such steadfastness as will astonish minds. Then ordain for them the reward of meeting Thee and of attaining presence before Thy throne. Verily, Thou art the Forgiving, the Kind.

O Land of Ba before Alif and Ra! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. He remembereth you for the sake of God, the Lord of what hath been and what shall be. This is the Day whereon all those nigh unto God and the sincere ones utter “Praise be unto Thee, O our God!” Blessed is the soul that hath tasted the chalice of steadfastness—a chalice which, when quaffed, causeth one to fix one’s gaze upon none save God, exalted be His glory, and to turn toward no horizon save His. This Kawthar of certitude is reserved for the manifestations of power and assurance. Blessed is he who hath attained thereunto and hath drunk from the hand of the bounty of his Lord, the Gracious.

In that land there appeared manifestations of evil souls and deceiving, lying devils who martyred the gems of being with such tyranny that the heaven with its stars wept and the trees with their fruits lamented. Now, through the grace of God, exalted be His glory, since that land is in the vicinity of a village that is associated with the Truth, there must appear men who are dawning-places of virtues and daysprings of fellowship and unity. Well is it with you! God shall soon raise up therefrom men who will hold fast unto none save God and who will act according to naught save that which they have been bidden in His perspicuous Book.

His honor Abdullah, who dwelleth in Our vicinity, made mention of you. Therefore, the pearls of remembrance that were hidden in the shells of the Most Great Sea have now appeared in the form of letters and words. We counsel you unto that which is the cause of fellowship and the manifestation of mercy. The friends of God are, in one station, fountainheads of the Salsabil of utterance and the Kawthar of knowledge. They must water the trees of souls with these waters. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to aid you through His bounty, to assist you through His sovereignty, and to protect you through His hosts from on high. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

O people of Ba before Dal! In these days the rain of favors and bounties hath fallen upon that land, the clouds of His grace and generosity have appeared, and the heaven of His bestowal and favor hath been unveiled. Blessed are ye and joy be unto you! Repeatedly have your names been revealed and sent down from the Most Exalted Pen. I counsel you to observe wisdom and to obey the sovereign who ariseth to assist and to protect the friends from the evil of enemies. Deal ye with all the peoples of the world with gentleness and forbearance. Conflict, contention and corruption have been removed. All are commanded to show forth love and promote reconciliation. Blessed are they that act accordingly.

Verily, the Wronged One hath remembered you and hath revealed for you that whereby your names shall endure in the Crimson Book. He, verily, is the Forgiving, the Merciful. We gave you glad tidings aforetime, and at this hour, from the presence of One mighty and ancient. Beware lest the happenings of the world grieve you or the doubts of the heedless hold you back. The glory, the remembrance and the praise from God, the Lord of the exalted Throne, be upon you.

O Land of Ta! The Lord of the Kingdom of Names hath turned His gaze toward the Land of Ta which God hath made the dawning-place of the joy of all worlds. We have remembered Our loved ones there time and again, and have sent down for them that which God hath once made the Kawthar of life for all who are in the heavens and on earth, and another time the enduring Food. Blessed is he who hath seen and circumambulated and hath said:

“Praise be unto Thee, O God of the first and the last!”

We bear witness that Our loved ones there have testified to that whereunto God testified before the creation of all things, and have attained unto that which was inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Books of the Messengers.

O Abdullah! Upon thee be the Glory of God, His grace and His bounty. Give them glad tidings from Me, then recite unto them that which hath been sent down from the heaven of My bounty, for I am the All-Merciful, the Generous. We have illumined them with the light of My knowledge and exalted them through My words, and We made known unto them in the earliest days My path and the fragrance of My mercy which hath preceded all things from God, the Lord of the worlds.

O My loved ones in that land! Rejoice in My remembrance and soar on the wings of faithfulness in My atmosphere, and associate with My servants with My praiseworthy and wondrous character. We have sent unto you at this time the chalices of My words wherein is contained the choice wine of My bounty. Blessed are they who drink thereof. In all conditions, the souls that are tranquil, steadfast and upright have been and are the recipients of special favors. They are the cupbearers of the divine Kawthar and the guides to the paths of the Lord. Blessed is he who attaineth unto their presence and heareth that which proceedeth from their mouths concerning this mighty Cause. Praise be to God as is befitting! They have attained, and the glances of grace are fixed upon them. Blessed are they and blessed is he who loveth them, as bidden by God, the Commander, the Ancient of Days.

The leaves and handmaidens of that land have ever been the recipients of grace. We beseech God to ordain for them the good of every world among His worlds and to decree for them that which He hath decreed for the Maids of the Most Exalted Paradise. Verily, He is the Giver, the Bountiful, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

The glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My utterance be upon thee, O Abdullah, and upon those whom names have not kept back from their Lord and Sovereign, who have turned unto Him, and have heard, and have said:

“We believe in Thy Manifestation, O Beloved of the hearts of them who are nigh unto Thee and the Object of the hearts of them that have recognized Thee!”

Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH00143: Praise be to God Who has subdued the world…

Section 1: “Praise be to God Who has subdued…”

He is the Dawning Place from the horizon of the Kingdom of Utterance

Praise be to God Who has subdued the world through His Most Great Name and has sent down in every time from the heaven of grace of His name, the Most Merciful, the feast of wisdom and utterance and the bounty of knowledge and understanding. From His Most Exalted Pen has flowed the river of mercy and exposition, whereby those in the graves have arisen before the faces of all religions. Exalted, exalted is His grace! Exalted, exalted is His generosity! Exalted, exalted is His bounty! And exalted is His Word which, when it issueth forth from the mouth of Will, causeth the ocean of knowledge and wisdom to surge and the fragrance of the garment to waft among all created things. Exalted, exalted is this Day wherein the throne of divine bestowal hath been established in the prison of ʿAkka and the shrill voice of the Most Exalted Pen hath been raised in the kingdom of creation. Blessed, blessed is the eye that hath seen, the ear that hath heard, and the tongue that hath proclaimed and said:

Praise be unto Thee, O Possessor of the Kingdom of Names, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of all who are in earth and heaven! Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by the pearls hidden in the ocean of Thy Most Great Name, and by the mysteries concealed from the eyes of the nations, and by the breathings of Thy revelation and the dawning-places of Thy inspiration, to adorn Thy servants with the ornament of trustworthiness and justice. Thou art the Possessor of bounty and grace. O Lord! They are Thy servants and Thy creation. Aid them to make good what they have missed in Thy days and to return to the court of Thy holy might and to turn in repentance to the door of Thy bounty. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

O Khalil! We have given thee to drink from the cups of wisdom and utterance and from the goblet of knowledge and understanding, time after time. We beseech God to aid thee to be steadfast in His Cause and to enable thee to do what beseemeth His days.

O Jalil! We counsel thee to assist the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds. Victory appeareth through hosts, and the hosts are goodly deeds and praiseworthy conduct. We ask God to adorn thee with virtuous character and with God-fearing which We have made the commander of the hosts of deeds and character. We beseech God to assist the oppressed through the standards of justice and the banners of equity. He is the Possessor of gifts and favors. Now We speak with light as a bounty from Us unto thee and unto those who have believed in God, the Single, the All-Informed.

O ʿAli! The call of God is raised, the ocean of bounty is surging, and the door of grace is opened. Blessed are they who enter in. We beseech God to make thee a knight in the arena of utterance. He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower.

O Beloved of God! Canst thou forsake all else save Me and arise to serve My Cause, the One that ruleth over all who are in the heavens and the earth? Say: This could not be except through Thy bounty and grace and might and sovereignty. O Lord! Strengthen me with the hosts of wisdom and utterance that I may transform hearts and souls and illumine them with the light of Thy knowledge and the effulgences of the lights of the Daystar of Thy Revelation. O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant, and I acknowledge what Thou hast revealed in Thy Books and Thy Scriptures and Thy Tablets. I beseech Thee to take me from myself and make me a bird soaring in the atmosphere of Thy love, enkindled with the fire of Thy Cause, and attracted to Thy verses. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

O Ibrahim, O Wise One! God willing, thou shalt be illumined by the effulgences of the Sun of Truth and enkindled with the fire of love in such wise that thou mayest set the world aflame. We imparted these words to one of the wise ones: “O Sage! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness!” The power and structure of faith have grown weak throughout the regions of the world—the supreme remedy is needed. The black sulfide of the nations hath seized them—the greatest elixir is required. O Sage! Hath the crown of victory such power as to transform diverse elements into a single thing and bring them to the station of pure gold? Though such transformation appeareth difficult and complex, yet the transformation of earthly power into heavenly might is possible before this Wronged One.

That which effecteth this transformation is greater than any elixir. This station and this power are specific to the Word of God. It is the essence that transformeth fear into certitude, weakness into strength, and abasement into glory. One drop from the ocean of divine wisdom struck Badi’ and like a globe of fire he arose seeking martyrdom—his moisture was transformed to fire, his weakness to power, his sluggishness to swiftness. God willing, thou shalt drink of the Kawthar of divine utterance from the revealed words and offer it to those who turn to God and are ready to receive it.

O Aqa Bik! Today the fragrances of God’s Word have perfumed the world and the pearls of wisdom and utterance have appeared and shone forth from the treasury of the Supreme Pen. Beseech God that He may aid all and deprive none from the splendors of the Sun of Truth. He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

O Beloved! The Best Beloved remembereth thee in prison. We hope that through deeds and character thou mayest attract souls and guide them to the horizon of the manifestation of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

O Husayn! This Wronged One hath from the beginning until now been afflicted in the hands of enemies. The Shi’ih sect hath been reared in vain imaginings. Ask God to deliver them all and illumine them with the lights of the Daystar of certitude. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

O Buyuk Aqa, O thou who gazest toward the Supreme Horizon and soarest in the atmosphere of the love of the Lord of the Kingdom of Names! His Honor Ismu’llah and His Honor Jalil, upon them be the Glory of God, the Beautiful, mentioned thee and sent word to the Most Holy Court. We testify that thou didst hear the Call and turn to it, and wert blessed to hearken unto it. We mentioned thee before in such wise as caused the fragrance of utterance to waft throughout creation. Blessed art thou and blessed is he who heard and found. Woe to the heedless! And praise be to God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne.

O Muhammad! At this moment a messenger from the City of Lovers set forth toward the Daystar of the horizons. His tidings were of unity and concord among the people of justice and the Covenant, and his gift was the sanctified, detached spirits who in God’s path attained the most exalted, supreme station and the most glorious martyrdom. Glory be to God! Were the effects and fruits of wisdom and the mysteries of those spirits to appear even less than the eye of a needle, all the parties of the world would seek that station and circle round the gathering-place of the Supreme Concourse. We mention the party of God and bid them to unity and concord. Blessed are they who have turned to the Supreme Horizon and are free and detached from all else but God.

O Isma’il! When thou hast attained unto God’s verses and His signs, and drunk the Kawthar of utterance from the hand of His bounty, say:

O my God, my God! I testify that by Thy Name the hearts of the Supreme Paradise were entranced, and by Thy most sweet call all created things were overturned, and by the light of Thy utterance the earth and heaven were illumined, and by Thy being seated upon the throne the call was raised from the direction of Sinai. I beseech Thee, O Lord of the Kingdom of Names and Creator of the heavens, by Thy sovereignty which hath encompassed all existence, both seen and unseen, to open unto my face and unto the faces of Thy servants the gates of Thy justice and bounty. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful over what Thou willest, and within Thy grasp are the reins of all in the heavens and the earth.

O Pen! Turn toward him who is named Mahmud, then make mention of him with that which causeth all existence to soar. We have revealed that which was hidden from sight and concealed in the treasury of the protection of thy Chosen Lord, as a favor from Us and a mercy from Our presence unto the righteous and the learned. Say:

O God of the world and Desire of the nations! Thou seest me fleeing from myself unto Thee, from my poverty unto the ocean of Thy wealth, and from my powerlessness unto the horizon of Thy might. Send down, then, upon me and upon Thy party from the heaven of Thy bounty the table of Thy knowledge, and ordain for us that whereby hearts and minds may be attracted. There is none other God but Thee, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Beloved.

O Tongue of Eternity! The springtime of utterance hath come unto thee. Make clear unto the parties that which will preserve them from the wolves who have cast the fundamentals of God behind their backs, clinging to their vain imaginings and idle fancies. This is a day wherein the breeze of the All-Merciful hath wafted over all possibility, and the Herald hath called out from the right of the Throne: O people of the earth! Despair not of God’s mercy and grace, and deprive not yourselves of the ocean of His bounty. Hasten with your hearts unto the direction of God, the Lord of the Day of Resurrection. Verily the Pen calleth out, the Tablet speaketh, and the ink discourseth, yet most of the people hear not. They pass by the verses and recognize them not, they hear from the direction of the Prison and perceive not. Say: Fear God, O people, and follow not those who have denied God’s proof and evidence, who have disbelieved in His favor and disputed His sovereignty which dominateth over all that was and shall be.

O ʿAli-Qabl-i-Sultan! This is a day wherein the Speaker of the Mount speaketh and the Tree calleth out before the faces of the parties: The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of Lords! We have created the servants for the triumph of the Cause—to this beareth witness the Mother Book in the final return. Aid ye, O people, your Lord, the All-Merciful, through wisdom and utterance, and through such conduct as will attract the hearts of every doubter and hesitant one. We have announced unto all this Most Great Revelation. Among the people are those who have been so attracted by the wine of utterance that the ranks of the enemies have not prevented them from turning unto God, the Lord of all men. When thou findest the fragrance of My utterance, say:

My God! Leave me not deprived of the breezes of Thy days, nor barred from turning toward the horizon of Thy bounty. I beseech Thee by the Most Great Name which speaketh before the faces of the nations, and by the Crimson Ark which Thou hast ordained and manifested for the people of Baha, to make me one of those whom Thou hast described in Thy Mighty Book with Thy words “On them shall be no fear, neither shall they grieve.” Verily, we are God’s, and verily unto Him shall we return.

O Ali-Quli! None can soar in this atmosphere save he who hath cast away vain desire and then all names. Such a one is numbered with the people of Baha in the Book of God, Lord of all worlds. Among men are those whom names have withheld from their Creator, and among them are those who have turned to Him and said:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou through Whom was revealed that which lay hidden in the knowledge of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

Fear God, O people, then follow that which ye have been commanded in My perspicuous Book. He hath appeared and manifested what He desired, and He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

O Mirza Rida! Hear the call from the Prison of Akka—there is no God but He, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Say:

“My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having caused me to hear Thy call, shown me Thy signs, and given me to drink the Kawthar of Thy knowledge from the hand of Thy bounty. O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I beseech Thee by Thy most great signs and by Thy Name through which those in earth and heaven were thunderstruck, to make me hold fast to Thy cord and cling to the hem of Thy grace. O Lord! Ordain for me through Thy generosity that which will draw me nigh unto Thee. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.”

O Muhammad! In these days one of the lovers sacrificed his soul for the Day Star of the horizons, and the fire of longing and desire became ignited in that blessed city. The Ridvan of the Most Exalted Paradise hath given glad tidings to the Ridvan of the Supreme Paradise, announcing that at this moment the Bird of Immortality, after circling round the Gathering-Place of the Supreme Concourse, will wing its flight to this station. Inform the Maidens of the Mansions that they may prepare themselves for this presence. Thus hath spoken the One Who conversed on Sinai in this exalted and glorious station. Give thanks unto thy Lord, for He hath sent down unto thee that which no treasures can equal.

O Ustad Abdullah! In the great city, one of the loved ones set out to circle round the Supreme Horizon and the Most Exalted Summit. He left behind the temple of flesh and, with spirit and delight, proceeded to circumambulate. By My life! He hath attained unto that which none before him attained. The Tongue of Grandeur beareth witness to this from the Most Exalted Station. Grieve thou not over anything. Give thanks unto God, thy Lord, for having remembered thee in the prison and revealed unto thee that which caused the hearts of those near unto Him to be attracted.

O Muhammad-Hasan! The calumniators in the great city have committed that which no oppressor hath ever committed. A grievous blow hath been dealt to trustworthiness, and a mighty stroke hath fallen upon the face of truthfulness. Beseech thou God that He may bestow justice upon the people of tyranny and grant equity unto the people of oppression. Glory be to God! They denied the favor and disbelieved in the signs of God. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to either seize them with His justice or enable them to return unto Him. Verily, He is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

O Baqir Khan! The temple of justice lieth captive under the talons of tyranny, helpless trustworthiness suffereth beneath the claws of malice, and hapless truthfulness hath taken refuge in the corner of bewilderment due to the persecution of the oppressors. Soon shall every oppressor receive his due recompense. Divine justice lieth in wait. He shall seize the oppressors with His might and authority from His presence. Verily, He is the most powerful of the powerful ones and the most generous of the generous ones. Say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having remembered me. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance to assist me in serving Thy Cause. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

And We make mention of the son in this station. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to send down upon him from the heaven of His bounty mercy from His presence and loving-kindness from His side. Verily, He is the All-Generous, the Compassionate, the All-Forgiving.

O Hasan! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Knower of the hidden and the manifest! The wolves of the earth have surrounded the divine sheep from every direction. They have hamstrung the divine She-Camel and have stretched forth the hand of transgression against the Crimson Ark. And finding this Wronged One without helper or assistant, they have from every quarter set their designs against Him. Glory be to God! Such enmity hath appeared as hath no equal or likeness. And seeing the people of God without succor, they have endeavored through fabricated calumnies to extinguish the true Light. It is evident that the government hath assisted and continueth to assist in what hath transpired. Yet this Wronged One regardeth all else save God as non-existent. I swear by the Sun of Utterance that shineth from the horizon of the Prison: were the journalists to become aware of the purpose of the Wronged One, all would turn towards Him and speak the truth. But the rancor and hatred of the former party will not be stilled or quieted save through the power of God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to assist thee and grant thee success in that which He loveth and is pleased with.

Section 2: “O Royal Falcon! We hope that thou wilt…”

O Royal Falcon! We hope that thou wilt spread thy spiritual wings and teach the hesitant ones to soar. In these days the hands of oppression have been raised from every direction. The patriots of the world attribute reform to corruption. Glory be to God! They praise themselves for patriotism, yet this party worshipeth God, not the homeland. Would that they were truthful even in this claim! By the life of God, they worship their own selves and their passions. They claim impartiality, yet their deeds and what proceedeth from them give them the lie. From before, this hidden pearl hath been revealed from the Divine Pen’s treasury: “Let not your deeds become partners to your hopes.” Woe to the condition of one wronged against whom the princes and ministers of Iran speak and rise up in opposition!

It is then obvious what a journalist would write and say. Assuredly there must arise one who will stand before the Divine Seat of Justice and seek justice and equity for the oppressed party, and implore victory and triumph. By My life! The manifestations of justice exist among the people, yet are hidden from the eyes of the heedless. God shall soon exalt His Cause despite every remote oppressor and obdurate heedless one. In any case, ignorance and foolishness have deprived most from the ocean of inner meanings. Say:

My God, my God! I beseech Thee by the Light that shone forth and gleamed from the horizon of the Mount by Thy leave, to assist the calumniators to pure truthfulness, the ones who have turned away to acceptance, and the heedless ones to return unto Thee and to repentance at the gate of Thy mercy. Verily Thou art the One with power over whatsoever Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all affairs.

O Mulla Haji! At this moment We speak in the clear Persian tongue that perchance all may become aware and attain unto their purpose. This Wronged One appeared in days when naught remained of justice save a name and of equity save a trace. We summoned all to praiseworthy character and goodly deeds. Every fair-minded one beareth witness that this Wronged One hath had and hath no purpose except the reformation of the world and the edification of the souls of nations. We have forbidden the destruction of books, have removed from the Book the decree of holy war and strife, and likewise the decree concerning uncleanliness and the like. Whatsoever conduceth to the elevation of the stations of men, that have We recorded and preserved; and whatsoever leadeth to waywardness, obscurity and the affliction of God’s servants, that have We forbidden. However, as the veils of hatred and animosity have prevented the ear and eye from witnessing and hearing, therefore hath every soul attributed to the Truth, exalted be His glory, that which he hath seen in his own mirror. Soon shall they see the recompense of their deeds on earth without clear proof or Book.

O Hasan! The excellence of the world hath been transformed into baseness, inasmuch as the reins of affairs are seen to be in the grasp of the ignorant. Beseech thou God that He may raise up and appoint over His servants a just commander and an equitable ruler. Say: My God, my God! Thou seest how the oppressors have surrounded the dawning-places of Thy justice and the daysprings of Thy bounty, and how the calumniators have encompassed the manifestations of Thy truthfulness and the daysprings of Thy generosity. I beseech Thee, O King of Kings and Compassionate Lord of all who are possessed of kings, by the Word whereby Thou didst open the doors of the hearts of those of Thy servants who were nigh unto Thee, and the hearts of the sincere ones among Thy creation, to illumine the hearts of the heedless with the light of turning unto Thee. Then aid them to turn towards the ocean of Thy mercy and the sun of Thy generosity. Verily Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Forgiving, the Kind.

O Pen! Make mention of him who was named Hasan before Ali, that the fragrances of remembrance may seize him and draw him nigh unto God, the Mighty, the Beautiful. In these days, from every direction a dart flieth and a sword is visible, and this Wronged One hath clung to the cord of patience and gazeth toward the horizon of resignation. When the divines of Iran and the mystics and princes thereof reject a station and conceal its virtues, then it becometh evident what hath befallen it and what shall befall it. However, as it hath occurred in the path of God, there hath been and is no harm. By His very Self, the Truth! We would not exchange one atom of tribulation in His path for the station of the seen and the unseen. We beseech God that He deprive not His servants of the splendors of the Sun of justice and equity, and We ask Him, exalted be He, to ordain for thee that which shall exalt thee through His name amongst His servants. Verily He is the Omnipotent, the Unconstrained.

O Ali! We counsel thee and those who have believed in that which will draw you nigh unto God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. This is the Day of God and His Cause is His Cause. Blessed is the soul that hath detached itself from all else save Him and hath turned unto Him in all days and nights. The Pen of the Lord of all beings hath occupied itself with the mention of His loved ones, and hath repeatedly made mention of each one and commanded that which leadeth to the elevation and exaltation of their station. He is the Helper and Succourer. Beseech God that He may graciously aid all to remember Him, to praise Him and to serve His Cause. He is the Mighty One Whom the hosts of the world cannot hinder and the ranks of the nations cannot weaken.

O Ali! Take fast hold of the sure handle and cleave to the most holy and luminous hem. This Day is known as the Day of God and is recorded in the Book. Yet the immature ones of the world have drawn the sword of rejection against the Wronged One of the horizons and are occupied day and night with schemes and deception. We beseech God not to deprive the oppressive souls of the sweetness of the Kawthar of justice. He is the Sovereign Whom the world’s rejection or acceptance neither diminisheth nor increaseth. Verily, He is the Omnipotent over what He willeth and the Protector of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

O Mashhadi Rida! The Lord of the kingdoms of names hath this night turned toward thee and maketh mention of thee. Rejoice thou in this most great favor and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of eternity, Who hath appeared with the Most Great Name. I beseech Thee by the pearls hidden in the ocean of Thy knowledge and by the fruits treasured in the repository of Thy wisdom to aid me to be steadfast in Thy love. O my Lord! Who is able to arise to serve Thy Cause? Nay, by Thy glory! None can do this save through Thy power and strength. I beseech of Thee that which is the cause of the greatest steadfastness. O Generous One! Withhold not Thy servant from the ocean of knowledge and deprive him not of the sun of vision. Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty. There is none other God but Thee, the Lord of all beings and the Master of the throne on high and of the dust below.

O Pen! Make mention of him who was named Ahmad-i-Aqa that he may give thanks unto his Lord and be numbered among those who are assured in the Mother Book, inscribed by the Pen of God. Grieve not over anything. Trust in God in all matters. Verily He protecteth His loved ones through hosts that are hidden from sight. This is a Day wherein the Most Great Ocean hath surged and the fragrance of Paradise hath wafted. Blessed is he who hath found it, and woe unto him who remained heedless and was far removed from the precincts of nearness. Rejoice thou in My mention of thee. All the treasures of kings cannot equal it. The Tongue of Grandeur beareth witness to this in this station that transcendeth understanding. When thou hast quaffed the choice wine of My utterance and drunk from the Kawthar of My bounty, say:

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having guided me unto Thy horizon, caused me to hear Thy call, and revealed unto me that which lay hidden in Thy Book. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance and the effulgences of the Orb of Thy grace to aid me to act according to what Thou hast commanded me in Thy Book and to enable me to serve Thy loved ones. Thou art the Omnipotent Whom nothing whatsoever can frustrate, nor can the ascendancy of those who have been deprived of the breezes of revelation.

O Muhammad-Qabl-i-Javad! God willing, mayest thou be illumined by the light of His Cause and enkindled with the fire of divine love. Know ye the value of these days and act as befitteth them. Blessed is the soul that hath taken its stand beneath the banner of righteousness—such a one is reckoned among those nigh unto God in His Book. The friends must all engage in service to the Cause. Among the greatest services, mentioned with God and crowned with His acceptance, hath been and ever shall be the reconciliation of hearts. Blessed is he who hath achieved that which he was bidden by the Ancient Ordainer.

O Husayn! Hearken unto the call from the precincts of ʿAkka. Verily it kindleth thee with the fire of love, draweth thee nigh unto the Dayspring of the light of oneness, guardeth thee from the cawing of the croakers, and preserveth thee from the hosts of the oppressors who have broken God’s covenant and His testament, who have denied His proof and His evidence, and who have committed that which hath caused the near ones to lament.

O Khalil! The Glorious Lord is afflicted and tormented in the hands of the Nimrods of the world. At every moment some harm befalleth Him, and each day some calamity descendeth. The fire of hatred blazeth from every direction. Glory be to God! Such malice hath appeared as hath had and hath no likeness or equal. That unjust one, seeing the Wronged One without any helper, hath perpetrated that which no cruel one or oppressor hath ever wrought. Verily, We fear not him nor those whom he hath led astray to commit an oppression the like of which the eye of creation hath not beheld. We beseech God to aid all to return unto Him. Verily He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

O ʿAbdu’l-Jalil! We have turned toward thee from the precincts of the Prison and have mentioned thee in such wise as to perpetuate thy remembrance throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this most great favor and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of eternity, for having mentioned me and numbered me among those who have attained unto the hearing of Thy call and the beholding of Thy signs. I testify that through Thy Most Exalted Word the spirit of life was breathed into all creation, and through Thee was made manifest that which had been hidden from sight and vision.

O Islam! The divine sheep are afflicted amongst wolves. Each day there occurreth that which causeth the greatest consternation. The owls of the world have purposed its destruction. Beseech thou God that He deprive not His servants of justice and fairness. Verily He is powerful over whatsoever He willeth through His firm and mighty command.

O ʿAbbas! There hath befallen Us that which hath befallen no one else among all created things. The newspaper Akhtar hath raised its banner out of hatred for this Wronged One. Its purpose hath been and still is to curry favor with the oppressors. We beseech God to decree for them what He willeth and to raise Me unto Him. Verily He is the Mighty, the Dominant, the Powerful.

O Mihdi! We have heard the cry of My loved ones and have answered them from this glorious and exalted Station. This is a precious and blessed day. All must arise to do what is meet and seemly, and guide heedless souls to the horizon of awareness. We beseech God to assist all to stand firm in this Great Steadfastness and to rend asunder the veils that have come between Him and His creatures. Verily He is the Lord of Names and the Lord of the Beginning and the End. Praise be to God! The souls mentioned have attained unto God’s infinite favors. We beseech Him to keep all steadfast. Verily He hath power over all things.

At the end of the book, mention is made of Khan Baba Khan, whom We have mentioned before and for whom We have revealed that which has diffused the fragrance of God’s loving-kindness throughout all else. We beseech God at this hour to protect him, to aid him, to exalt him through His Name amongst His servants, and to assist him in the service of His mighty Cause. There is none other God but He, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Khalil! Remember those days when thou wert present before the Countenance and didst hear the Call and behold the Supreme Horizon. He verily strengthened thee, prospered thee, and revealed unto thee that which shall not perish so long as God’s Kingdom, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, shall endure. We counsel thee and those who have believed to manifest praiseworthy character and goodly deeds. Verily thy Lord’s knowledge encompasses all things; He witnesseth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. He walketh with the heaven of grace at His right hand and the kingdom of bounty at His left, while before His shining and luminous face waveth the banner of detachment. Rejoice in that thou hast attained unto the Kawthar of God’s utterance, the Mighty, the Most Praised. Ismi Jamal hath made mention of thee in his petitions and hath desired for thee grace from this blessed, mighty and resplendent Dayspring. Therefore have We turned unto thee from this direction and revealed unto thee that whereby hearts are drawn and the minds of them that know are attracted.

O Khalil! Thy mention hath also come from Samandar, who hath soared in the atmosphere of My love and risen to serve My Cause. We make mention of thee and reveal unto thee this mighty Tablet. There hath befallen him at the hands of the enemies that which hath caused those near unto God to lament and the sincere ones to cry out “Verily we are God’s, and verily unto Him shall we return.”

His honor Samandar and Ism-i-Jud have repeatedly made mention of you. If there hath been delay in sending Tablets, it hath been and is due to the multitude of writing. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to protect thee and His loved ones, and to forgive those for whom thou hast sought forgiveness from the ocean of His bounty. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous; He is the Munificent, the Mighty, the Great.

BH00182: Praise be sanctified above the understanding of all created…

Section 1: “Praise be sanctified above the understanding of all…”

He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing

Praise be sanctified above the understanding of all created things and the utterance of all contingent beings—praise befitting the Goal of all the worlds, Who through the rays of the Orb of the heaven of inner meanings hath illumined the people of the cities of justice and equity, and Who hath adorned the hearts of His servants, through the breathings of His Most Exalted Word, with a new and eternal life. Glorified be He Who hath created all beings, revealed unto them the Way, sent down unto them the proof, and made known unto them the Most Great News, whereby the limbs of such as have turned away from the Lord of the Ancient Days did quake, who denied His signs and His Manifestation, and disputed His evidence and His testimony, until they pronounced judgment against the Dawning-Places of His Cause, the Day-Springs of His Revelation, the Fountainheads of His wisdom and the Repositories of His knowledge, with such tyranny as caused the hosts of angels and the Spirit to lament, the tears of the mystics to flow, the weeping of them that are nigh unto God to pour forth, and the sighs of the sincere ones to ascend. Peace and praise and glory and splendor be upon His loved ones, whom neither the affairs of men nor the whisperings of such as have disbelieved in the Day of Judgment have deterred.

Glorified art Thou, O Thou through Whose Name the ocean of utterance hath surged throughout creation and the fragrance of the garment of Thy Name, the All-Merciful, hath been diffused! Thou beholdest Thy loved ones in the hands of Thine enemies, and the righteous ones amidst the wicked among Thy creatures. I beseech Thee, O Thou through Whose will the Heavenly Table was sent down, the divine bounty appeared, and the Call of Sinai was raised when Thou didst establish Thyself upon the throne of manifestation, to protect Thy servants from the calumnies of those who have violated Thy Covenant and Thy Testament, who have been seized by the fire of greed and passion, of avarice and transgression, to such extent that they have disposed of people’s properties, violated Thy sanctity in Thy land, rent the veil of Thy glory in Thy domains, and spread that which their desires and their waywardness had prompted them to do. O Lord! Adorn the heads of Thy loved ones with the crowns of steadfastness and triumph, and their temples with the ornament of trustworthiness and success. Thou art the Sender of winds and the Cleaver of dawn. There is no God but Thee, the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous, the One Who holdeth dominion over all who are in the heavens and on earth.

O Lord! Illumine the eyes of Thy creation with the light of justice and their hearts with the light of equity, that they may behold through Thy command with their own eyes and hear what hath been sent down from the heaven of Thy utterance with their own ears. O Lord! Deprive them not of the ocean of Thy bounty in Thy days, nor of the effulgences of the Orb of Thy grace. Thou art He through Whose Name power and its manifestations, might and its dawning-places have appeared. Not a thing escapeth Thy knowledge, nor can the oppression of the oppressors or the clamor of the heedless frustrate Thee. There is no God but Thee, the King, the Just, the One possessed of manifest truth.

And then, O Husayn, son of Mulla Ahmad! The servant in attendance before the face of the Wronged One laid thy letter before Him and it achieved the honor of His hearing. Praise be to God that mention of thee hath repeatedly been made by the Supreme Pen—with this a single word whereof all the treasures of the earth cannot compare. Soon will be made manifest therefrom the stations of His verses and the station of whoso hath attained unto them in His days. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Forgiving, the Generous.

The heedless souls in the great city are aflame with the fire of greed, desire and passion. They have forsaken trustworthiness, which is a divine trust amongst mankind, and have clung to treachery. Love of the ornaments and vanities of the world hath prevented such souls from drawing nigh unto the Lord of all beings. They have consumed the wealth of others and have cried out among their like, speaking that which was not spoken by those of old. Verily we are God’s, and to Him shall we return.

O Husayn! We have given thee to drink from the cup of My bounty and have sent down for thee that which testifieth to My grace and My favor. Convey My greetings unto thy brother who is named Isma’il and give him the glad-tidings of that which hath been sent down for him from the heaven of generosity on the part of the Ancient King. We send Our greetings upon him and upon those whom nothing whatsoever hath prevented from My most glorious nectar. They took, they drank, and they said:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of all names and Creator of the heavens!”

I beseech Thee by the mysteries of Thy Kingdom and Thy Dominion, and by that which hath been inscribed in Thy Scrolls and Thy Tablets, to make us among those who have held fast to the cord of Thy love and have clung to the hem of Thy mercy, which hath preceded all who are in Thy heaven and on Thy earth. We make mention at this time of your sons and give them glad-tidings of that which hath been sent down for them. Verily your Lord, the Most Merciful, is the Compassionate, the Generous, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who is named Mulla Muhammad, son of Haji Mulla Taqi, that he may rejoice and be of those who are thankful. O thou who hast turned towards God! Thy letter came before the Wronged One, and He hath answered thee with that which hath made the countenance of utterance smile throughout all creation. Exalted is the Most Merciful Who revealeth His verses and manifesteth His clear tokens and uncovereth the mysteries of existence from the unseen and the seen. We have answered thee with verses that have caused the mountains to pass away and those in the graves to be stirred. Blessed art thou, inasmuch as thy letter hath come before the Wronged One wherein thou didst make mention of God’s loved ones, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. We have sent down for every name that which hath caused the sweet fragrances of My loving-kindness to be diffused and the sweet-scenting perfume of My wondrous utterance to be wafted abroad. We beseech God to assist thee to be steadfast in His Cause and to make thee a helper of His Cause in His lands. Verily He is the Powerful over whatsoever He willeth. There is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O My loved ones in Shimmakh and in other lands! Hearken unto My most sweet call which hath been raised from the prison of ʿAkka. Verily it guideth you to the Most Sublime Horizon and giveth you to drink of the Kawthar of everlasting life from the hands of bounty and bestowal, and illumineth you with the lights of My Kingdom, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

O ʿAli-Qabli-Akbar! The True One declareth: I have created the tongues of servants for My remembrance and brought ears into existence from sheer nothingness for the purpose of hearkening unto My call, and eyes for the contemplation of My traces, and hearts to turn from the realm of nothingness and extinction to the court of existence and immortality. Yet the desires of self and passion have prevented the people of this world from attaining the supreme heights, and the veils of tyranny and corruption have intervened. They cling to the name while remaining deprived of its Source, Revealer and Quickener. Wonder upon wonder and amazement upon amazement! The mere clay of the world hath laid claim to being, counting itself among the pearls of the ocean of knowledge. By God! The matter is not as they imagine. Soon shall they witness what they now deny. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Praise be to God! Thou hast attained to that which most of the peoples of the world are deprived of. Say: Praise be to Thee, O God of the worlds, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O Desire of the nations, for having enabled me to turn towards Thee on a Day whereon most of Thy servants have turned away. I testify that Thou hast strengthened me and made known unto me that which guided me to Thy path, Thy Cause, Thy station and Thy utterance. Thou art verily the Most Powerful of the powerful and the Most Merciful of the merciful. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon thy father who was named Muhammad-Qabli-Mihdi. We testify that he attained unto the remembrance of God, the Goal of them that are nigh.

We make mention at this time of him who was named Mashhadi-Samad, that this remembrance may draw him nigh unto the Remembered One Who hath been imprisoned in the path of God, the Lord of the mighty Throne. O Samad! Hearken with the ear of thine inmost heart unto the call of the Wronged One. By the life of God! Nothing that is witnessed in the realm of creation can compare with this call. Say: My God, my God! Thou seest my poverty and the kingdom of Thy riches, my powerlessness and the dominion of Thy might, my ignorance and the ocean of Thy knowledge, my destitution and the heaven of Thy bounty. Deprive not this poor and needy one from the gate of Thy grace, and keep not this lowly one far from the court of Thy glory.

Thou art He Whose generosity is such that all the generosity of the world is as naught before a single ray of the Sun of Thy generosity. O Peerless and Most Merciful One! Withhold not Thy mercy from them that ask and seek, and deprive not this barren land of the outpourings of Thy Most Bountiful Name. The hands of hope are raised toward the heaven of Thy grace. O Ocean of bounty and Heaven of giving! Guide the ignorant to the ocean of Thy knowledge and lead these strangers to their true home which is the station of nearness and meeting with Thee. Thou art the Sovereign of bounty and the One Who possesses the blessed word “Doeth as He willeth.”

O Pen! Make mention of Mashhadi-Samad, whose name was present before the Wronged One, that he may be assured that grace hath encompassed all existence and mercy hath preceded all that dwell in the heavens and on earth.

O Mihdi! Upon thee be the eternal glory of God! Hold fast unto deeds, for by them is the servant known, and not by words. He Who speaketh in every state beareth witness that there is none other God but Him, the Gracious, the Generous. We have sent down the verses and manifested the evidences, and commanded all to that which will preserve them and strengthen them in righteousness and godliness, from the presence of the Mighty, the Ancient. The proof hath lengthened its skirts, and the evidence hath encompassed all who are in the realm of possibility, and the light hath shone forth from the horizon of manifestation, and the Mount calleth out: “The Kingdom is God’s, the One, the All-Informed!”

The Wronged One hath endured in God’s path that which hath melted the hearts of them that are nigh unto Him. The signs have been spread abroad and the horizons have been illumined by this effulgence, while the people of hypocrisy are in manifest dissension. They have changed God’s blessing into ingratitude, clinging to the Evil One without clear proof or manifest evidence. We make mention of thee and of them that have believed there, that the fragrance of the remembrance of thy Lord’s name, the Forgiving, the Merciful, may attract you, and exalt you amongst His servants, and make you among the letters of His mighty, resplendent Book. Glory be from Us upon the people of this exalted station.

O ʿAli-Akbar! Hearken unto the call of the Lord of mankind and say: O my God, my Master, my Support! Thou seest me turning toward Thy Kingdom and hearest my call and beholdest my powerlessness, poverty and need before the ocean of Thy riches and the heaven of Thy bounty. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance and the effulgences of the Day-Star of Thy justice, and by the station whereon Thy throne was established and wherein Thy call was raised, and by the lamentation of the lovers in separation, and by the light of Thy Cause whereby the horizons were illumined, to aid me in that which Thou lovest and art pleased with, and ordain for me that which will make me steadfast in Thy love and standing firm in the service of Thy loved ones, and speaking forth Thy name amongst Thy servants. Verily Thou art the Powerful One Whom the might of the world and the clamor of the nations cannot weaken. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Powerful.

O Pen! Move all beings by the breezes of the revelation of thy Lord, the All-Knowing. Then make mention of him who desired thine effects, who was named Mashhadi ʿAli, that the greatest joy may seize him—the joy whose fragrance was diffused in the Most Great Scene, the station wherein the Lord of Destiny calleth and summoneth the people to the hidden mystery and to the most luminous, most pure station which was built by the will of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Say:

My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having given me to drink from the Euphrates of Thy mercy through the Pen of Thy grace, and for having taught me Thy path and shown me Thy proof and Thy evidence. I beseech Thee by Thy Cause whereby the ships of Thy names sailed upon the ocean of Thy knowledge, and by that which hath proceeded from the mouth of Thy will, to make my heart illumined with the light of Thy knowledge, and my feet steadfast in Thy help, and my tongue speaking Thy praise, and my face turned toward Thy horizon. O Lord! I am the poor one, and Thou art the goal of all in the heavens and the earth. Strengthen, O my God, my limbs, and change my weakness through Thy power, then have mercy upon me through Thy bounty, O Thou in Whose grasp is the reins of all the worlds.

O Mirza Husayn! We desired naught for the servants save their deliverance from the clutches of self and passion, and We taught them and preserved them from transgression and wickedness, yet they cast aside what God desired for them and took what their own selves and desires wanted. Thus did their souls entice them. Verily they are among the most lost in the sight of God, the Beloved of the hearts of the mystics. Say:

Section 2: “My God, my God! Thou seest the oppression…”

My God, my God! Thou seest the oppression of Thine enemies and the tyranny of the wicked among Thy creatures. I beseech Thee by the Crimson Scroll which none hath beheld save Thyself, and by the things that have attained Thy presence, and by Thy most great signs and the manifestations of Thy power in the realm of creation, to make me one of those whom the agitation of the tyrannical ones of the earth hath not dismayed at the revelation of their might, and to aid me to perform that which is adorned with the glory of Thy good-pleasure. O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I have held fast unto the cord of Thy bounty. Ordain for me that which shall cause me to be detached from all else save Thee. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Bountiful.

O Mulla Mahmud! The Wronged One remembereth thee from His glorious station that He may draw thee unto the court of His holiness and bring thee near unto the dawning-places of His Cause and the daysprings of His wisdom. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the nations, for having guided me unto Thy Most Great Name. I beseech Thee by Thy standing before the faces of all men and Thy call raised above the heads of princes and divines, to make me lowly before Thy loved ones and to cause me to take hold of Thy Book among Thy servants with a power that no weakness can affect and a might that no agitation can shake. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all beings and the Ruler in the beginning and in the end. O Lord! Forgive me and my companion who hath believed in Thee and Thy signs, and ordain for us both the good of this world and of the world to come. Verily, Thou art the All-Bounteous, verily, Thou art the Most Generous. There is none other God but Thee, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the Unconstrained.

We make mention of him who is named Abdul-Ghani and counsel him with that which illumineth hearts and faces. Hold fast unto the attributes and characteristics of God. This will exalt thee among the servants and make thee honored in all lands. Verily, thy Lord is the Counselor, the All-Knowing. Today the hosts that assist the Cause of God are goodly deeds and praiseworthy characteristics. One must assist the Truth through virtuous and acceptable conduct. Blessed is the soul that hath clung to the Truth and is detached and free from all else. The veils that have come between the people and the Truth have been and continue to be the idle fancies and vain imaginings of the divines of Persia. We beseech God to preserve all through His conquering power and to detach them from all else save Him. Verily, He is the Strong, the Powerful. There is none other God but He, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the All-Praised. The glory be upon thee and upon thy family and upon those whom God hath related unto thee. Verily, He is the All-Bounteous, the All-Generous.

O Gabriel! The Wronged One hath turned toward thee from the prison and maketh mention of thee that thou mayest find the fragrance of thy Lord’s loving-kindness and mayest say:

“My God, my God! Illumine our faces with the light of Thy countenance and our hearts with the light of Thy knowledge. By Thy glory, O God of Names and Creator of heaven! What hath befallen Thee at the hands of Thine enemies hath grieved me, and the hearts of Thy loved ones have melted in their separation and remoteness from Thee. O Lord! Ordain for Thy sincere servants the reward of attaining the presence before the pavilion of Thy glory. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful.”

O Mashhadi Muhammad! We have heard thy call and have made mention of thee through verses which God hath made a testimony from Him and a proof from His presence unto all who are in the heavens and on earth. Hold fast unto the Most Pure Hem, turning unto the Most Great Prospect, and say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of destiny, for having turned toward me from Thy most exalted horizon. I beseech Thee, O Thou Who illuminest earth and heaven, by the hearts which Thou hast made the treasuries of Thy wisdom and the repositories of Thy love, to make me so strong through Thy power that neither the affairs of the world nor the opposition of those who have disbelieved in Thee and Thy signs shall hinder me. Verily, Thou art the All-Commanding, the Ancient of Days.”

O Pen! Make mention of him who is named Mashhadi Hasan, then send down upon him from the heaven of Thy mercy the verses of Thy grandeur, that the fragrances of revelation may draw him to a station before which all regions of the earth have bowed down. I beseech Thee, O Bestower of bounties and Creator of nations, by the lights shining forth from the horizons of Thy Tablets and by Thy commandments which Thou hast revealed in Thy Book for the protection of Thy servants, to make me of those whom neither the censure of the censurer nor the power of the turbaned ones hath deterred. Verily, Thou art the Almighty over whatsoever Thou willest through Thy firm and unshakeable command.

We have desired to make mention of him who is named Mashhadi Abbas, that he may discover the fragrance of utterance and be of the thankful ones. We have manifested that which was treasured up and have sent down that which was hidden in God’s knowledge, the Lord of all worlds. The evidences of thy Lord have encompassed all things, and He Who was mentioned in the Books of God, the Lord of the mighty Throne, hath come. Among the people are those who have taken the choice wine and drunk in the name of their Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous, and among them are those who turned away and returned to the nethermost depths. Blessed art thou and those who heard the call and said:

“Yea, yea, O Lord of all beings! Here am I, here am I, O Lord of the throne and earth!”

I testify that Thou hast manifested Thyself and guided Thy servants to the Dayspring of Thy signs. I beseech Thee to ordain for me and Thy loved ones that which will encourage them in Thy Cause and make them mighty through Thy power. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful. The glory be upon thee and upon thy son from God, the One, the All-Informed.

O Kazim! The Wronged One maketh mention of him through whom the Self-Subsisting arose and the Sealed Wine was revealed. Turn unto My name and take it by My command, then drink in remembrance of God, the Mighty, the Wondrous. This is a day wherein God hath manifested His Cause and that which was hidden and treasured in His Preserved Tablet. Hearken unto the call from the direction of Akka; verily it will draw thee to the supreme horizon and bring thee near unto God, the One, the All-Informed. Give thanks unto God for having aided thee to recognition and having shown thee His straight and manifest path.

O Ali ibn Ismail! The Glorious One maketh mention of thee with a mention whereat the idols fell down and the temples of fancy were shaken. Verily thy Lord is the Rememberer in the beginning and in the end. This is a day wherein the standard of certitude hath been raised and the banner of idle fancies hath been lowered. To this doth the Lord of all beings bear witness; He is the Mighty, the Bestower. Blessed is the slumberer who hath been awakened by God’s breath, and joyful tidings to the sleeper whom the call hath raised up, but woe unto every heedless doubter. The verses have encompassed all directions while the people are in wondrous drunkenness, save those who have cast away idle fancies and taken what they were commanded in the Mother Book.

Verily We desired to make mention of him who hath been named Nuru’llah, that he might rejoice in the days of his Lord and utter His praise amidst the servants. Blessed is the heart that hath turned unto Him, and the ear that hath heard the call of its Lord, and the eye that hath beheld His signs, and the head that hath been adorned with the crown of knowledge in these days. Glorify thou thy Lord with praise and say: Thine is the bounty, O Possessor of existence! I testify that through Thy Cause the worlds of the unseen and the seen have appeared, and the Dove of Utterance hath warbled upon the branches of manifestation: “Unto God, the Almighty, the Glorious, the Bestower!”

The treasures have appeared and that which was hidden and stored with God, the Lord of all men, hath been revealed. Beware lest anything prevent thee from drawing nigh unto the Most Great Ocean, each wave of which proclaimeth and saith: “Fear ye God, O peoples of the earth, and follow not every wicked impostor. Soon will come unto you a cawer who will call you unto the fire, or send you tablets from one who hath denied God’s proof and His evidence, and hath taken Satan as a protector instead of God.” Thus have We revealed unto you that which was hidden from sight. Blessed is he who remaineth steadfast, whom neither the tempests of the cawers nor the storms of calumny have moved, who hath arisen and said: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of the earth and the heavens!”

And We make mention of him who is named Mulla Mahmud, who desired to attain Our presence, and We remind him of My verses and give him the glad-tidings of My favor, that he may be assured through the grace of his Lord, the Mighty, the Chosen One. O Mahmud! The enemies have become a barrier between the Truth and His loved ones, preventing them from turning to the lights of His countenance. Therefore We beseech God, exalted be His glory, to inscribe the reward of attainment unto His presence for thee in the Crimson Book by the Most Exalted Pen. Rejoice thou in this great glad-tiding and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Dawning-Place of bounty and Source of generosity, and thanks be unto Thee, O Lord of the Kingdom of names, for having remembered me and revealed unto me that which calleth out in Thy name among Thy servants. In truth, the divine tablets and heavenly words each proclaim in most eloquent utterance and give the glad-tidings unto the people of the earth and summon them to the supreme horizon. Blessed are they that hear!

And We desire to make mention of My loved ones in Usku and give them glad-tidings of the Ancient Beauty having turned toward them from His Most Great Prison, and to rain down upon them from the heaven of bounty the rain of grace and generosity. Verily He is the Almighty over what He willeth, and He is the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. O Hasan! This Wronged One hath from the first days until now been afflicted among the enemies, yet the might of the world and the turning away of the nations have not prevented Him from the mention of the Truth, and in all times He hath spoken in praise of the Lord of all beings. We beseech God to assist thee and grant thee a portion from the Kawthar of immortality which floweth from the Most Exalted Pen. He is the Dawning-Place of bounty and generosity.

O ʿAbbas! Hearken with thy inner ear to the call of the Wronged One. Its hearkening bestoweth eternal life upon the soul and strengtheneth the limbs in such wise that neither the denial of the deniers, nor the turning away of the opposers, nor the might of the oppressors shall prevent one from turning unto Him and drawing nigh unto Him. Blessed art thou for having turned and heard that which the ears of the world were prevented from hearing, save whom God, thy Lord, the Forgiving, the Merciful, willeth. Be not saddened by apparent lack of attention. Whosoever today attaineth unto God’s will is recorded with God as being among those who have attained His presence and meeting. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon those who have believed in the One, the All-Informed, and upon thy son who hath drunk the wine of love from the hands of the bounty of his Lord, the Generous.

We have desired to mention My handmaidens in that place, that they may be gladdened by God, the Lord of all worlds. O handmaidens of God! Praise be to God that ye have drunk from the limitless grace of the Most Glorious Wine at a time when the men and heroes of the earth are deprived and forbidden. This supreme grace hath been and is peerless. The divines of the Shi’ih sect cried out “O Truth!” for years and awaited His appearance, yet when the morn of God’s Day dawned and wondrous fruits appeared from the Blessed Tree, all attacked with sword and arrow. Now from all pulpits they revile the Truth, exalted be His glory. In the early days they martyred Him with an oppression unequaled and unmatched, and in the end they occupy themselves with cursing Him, and likewise strive and labor to slay His loved ones, even as in these days the opposers in the great city have committed that which hath no likeness or parallel—that is, the Persian opposers have dishonestly taken people’s wealth and given some to the publishers of the Akhtar newspaper for spreading calumnies, although it is reported that the editor of Akhtar was not present, having gone to Europe. In any case, We beseech God to aid all to justice and fairness and to that which befitteth His Cause, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

O Tuba, since thou wert mentioned in the letter, these exalted words were revealed from the Tongue of Him Who revealeth verses: O My handmaiden! Give thanks unto thy Lord, for He hath remembered thee in such wise as shall endure throughout the eternity of His dominion and kingdom and His names and attributes. All the treasures of earth cannot equal a single verse from the divine verses—to this testifieth every knowing and informed one.

O Husayn! We have desired at this time to make mention of thy wife who hath ascended, and We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to cause her to enter the highest Paradise. He, verily, is the Compassionate, the Bountiful. By My life! Through My remembrance the ocean of forgiveness hath surged and the fragrance of God’s favor, the Goal of all mystics, hath wafted, and the doors of mercy, pardon and bestowal have been opened before her face, as a grace from the Lord of all creation. Verily thy Lord is powerful to do as He pleaseth through His mighty and wondrous Word. Praise be to God, for He is the Beloved of the hearts of them that are nigh unto Him.