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

BH00732: In the name of Him Who caused the suns…

In the name of Him Who caused the suns of holiness to dawn from the horizon of sublime glory, and in the name of our Lord, the Most Glorious, the Most Splendid.

O Word of Holiness! Rejoice within thyself, for God hath made thee sanctified from the intimations of them that are veiled. O Countenance of Fellowship! Be glad within thine essence, for God hath purified thy heart with water that hath flowed from the right hand of the mighty throne, and hath singled it out for His love, and hath caused thy face to turn unto His face, the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the Powerful. O Leaf of Divine Knowledge! Take delight in thine inmost being, for the radiance of bliss hath shone forth from thy countenance, and the breezes of grace have encompassed thee, and thy Lord hath given thee to drink from the cup of holiness and the pure wine of paradise.

Thereafter, two leaves from thee, which gave voice to the melodies of the birds of the divine Lote-Tree, reached Us, and from their wondrous tunes, heartfelt joy and inherent gladness were made manifest. Praise be unto Him Who created thee and fashioned thee by His word “Be” and it is, and raised thee up in truth, and inspired thee with that which gladdeneth the hearts of the yearning ones and kindleth the fire in the souls of the lovers. I swear by the Sun of the dawn of inner meanings that its heart-attracting fragrances perfumed the paradise of the heart, and its sweet scents guided the city of the soul with the holy fragrance of the Beloved. Well is it with thee, O servant, then blessed art thou, O servant who hath arisen to serve thy Lord, and hast committed thy affairs unto Him, and hast turned thy face toward the court of His good-pleasure. Thus doth God raise up whom He willeth, and transform whom He willeth, and change whom He willeth, how He willeth, and none hath wished save as He, by His command, hath wished, and thus hath His will encompassed all in the worlds through His sovereignty.

Furthermore, thy petitions were presented before the Throne and were read in their entirety, and were accepted in His presence, and this is a bounty sufficient for thee and sufficient for all the worlds. Then from the heaven of grace and favor and the clouds of holy benevolence, the rain of mercy was showered upon thee in such wise that none save the Ancient Being Himself hath been or shall be capable of reckoning it. A wondrous, sublime, and most exalted Tablet was revealed especially for thee, and a Tablet for thy brother, and a Tablet for thy sister, and a Tablet for Aqa Muhammad Hasan, whose names were mentioned in thy letter, were brought to mind before the Throne, and from the horizon of favor, according to what God had ordained for them, wondrous and sublime verses were revealed and sent forth, that their eyes might be consoled, their hearts gladdened, their breasts sanctified, and that they might be numbered among the thankful. And praise be to God, for He is the Beloved of them that know.

And furthermore, that which you mentioned regarding being blessed by divine grace and attaining the presence of God—indeed the sincere lover has had and shall have no other aim. This was mentioned before the Throne and I submitted it, and from the right hand of the Throne these words were revealed:

“O Kazim! Praise God that thy letter, purified from the allusions of all who are in the heavens and earth, was presented before the Greatest Scene. Blessed art thou in that nothing prevented thee—thou didst, through the power of the Friend, shatter the idols of the Glorious One and didst tear asunder, through God’s might, the veils of all else but Him.”

And at this time, which was the most mighty of times and most noble of seasons, mention of thee was made before the Throne. Now be content with this much, for the corruption of the new opposers has come between the eyes of the loved ones and the Beauty of the Adored One. Therefore be patient, then show forth yet more patience, until God brings His command. Verily He doeth what He willeth through His command and judgeth as He pleaseth through His sovereignty. None can repel His command or reverse His decree. Verily He is the Sovereign, then the Protector, then the Omnipotent, then the Most High, then the Powerful. And verily He is the Almighty, the Powerful. Here end the words of God.

We hope, God willing, that at all times the grace of the Lord of the Worlds will assist you through the outpouring of the fire of love and the manifestations of rapturous utterances, in such wise that from its fire frozen hearts shall melt and through its rapturous manifestations the veiled hearts shall be attracted. Praise be to God that He enabled you to suddenly rend all veils and, without allusion, to dwell upon the Most Glorious Horizon. O how wondrous is this bounty! By God the Truth, were people to be even slightly aware, they would surely observe that a bounty hath appeared the like of which hath never been nor shall ever be from the beginning of creation. Alas for those who are veiled and heedless! We hope that this fire which was ignited in that Tree shall ever increase, for verily He is the Answerer of those who petition and the Bestower upon those who seek.

And furthermore, unity with the loved ones of God hath been and shall ever be supremely beloved in the sight of God, especially with the Name of God Jinab-i-Javad, upon him be the glory of God and His radiance. And upon thee be the Spirit, then the Light, then the Glory, then the Majesty.

Regarding the matter of the 600 tumans which you gave to Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Rida-Quli, and concerning which you had mentioned that guidance be given from the Source of the Cause as to what should be done, I laid the matter before the throne. He answered:

“Write: Do not concern yourself with this, for the world and its ornaments have no permanence. We have accepted from you double that amount, for verily He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. Whatever transpired in the past, when you mentioned it before your Lord, therefore no blame resteth upon you. Divine grace is of such magnitude that He accepteth from you that which you have not done in His path, by virtue of that which hath appeared in your heart whereby the treasures of the heavens and earth are created—and that is My love. This indeed is the Truth, and after Truth there is naught save manifest error. When thou didst attain unto this, thou didst attain unto all good from One Who is Mighty, Powerful. However, strive thou to protect it from the arrows of those who have disbelieved and associated partners with God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers. Thus hath thy Lord’s favor been completed unto thee, and His grace upon thee, and His bounty toward thee, that thou mayest thank God, thy Lord, and that thy face may be illumined at all times with the lights of manifest holiness. Through this the hearts of the wicked are consumed and the hearts of the righteous among the concourse of the near ones are made glad.”

Remain settled and occupied with your affairs in complete calm and dignity, for it is beloved before God that each soul should exert maximum effort in his affairs, after placing his trust in God, his Lord. Therefore, continue to engage in your commerce, which hath ever been and shall ever be beloved before God. Likewise hath the Tongue of God spoken this word:

“O Kazim! Soar with thy love unto God, inasmuch as the breezes of joy have wafted over thee from all directions. Yet thou canst not comprehend what hath befallen thy Lord from one whom He reared night and day and taught speech as they teach parrots in India. When he had learned a word or part of a word, he grew proud before God as leadership over the rabble of the earth possessed him, until he pronounced the death sentence against Me without any proof from My All-Powerful, Almighty, Invincible Self. Would that he had stopped at that! When the hosts of victory were sent down and God preserved His invincible and mighty Self, he raised an outcry and reversed what he had intended against My wronged, grief-stricken, sorrowful Self, after he and all people knew that I had ever been powerful over him and knew what was within him. Despite this, I concealed and protected his person from the harm of every harmful one and from the injury of all creatures. When the sun of assurance dawned upon his back, he stirred within himself and stung Me like a serpent each day, nay, each moment. Thus were the words of God fulfilled in truth and justice, and there is none to change His firm, fixed, mighty and wondrous words.”

BH00754: Praise befitteth the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court…

In the Name of God, Lord of Earth and Heaven!

Praise befitteth the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court of the Desired One, Who hath made manifest the secrets of hearts and revealed that which lay hidden in the innermost minds. Alas! Alas! for that which hath befallen the Embodiment of sanctity, detachment, trustworthiness and fidelity! The arrows of greed, avarice and passion have assailed Him. That soul, despite the love shown by the Afnan, hath committed that which causeth every trustworthy one to lament and every truthful one to weep. We counseled with trustworthiness; he responded with treachery. We exhorted with truth; he adorned himself with falsehood. He transformed justice into tyranny and trustworthiness into betrayal through his deeds. Every conscious one is bewildered by the heedlessness of that negligent soul. The seat of love hath become the manifestation of enmity, and the place of gratitude hath turned to complaint. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to assist all to that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to make known unto them that which shall profit them and draw them nigh unto Him. Verily, He is the Mighty, the Bestower.

The letter of Mirza Abdul-Karim, upon him be the peace of God, was perused, and the fragrance of love was wafted from its words, and likewise did the light of steadfastness shine forth. And from the latter portion of the letter of his honor Fadl, upon him be God’s peace and loving-kindness, it was evident that he hath arisen to serve the Cause and hath spoken in praise of his Lord.

That which was mentioned concerning the martyrdom of the departed one was heard. Blessed is he in that God gave him to drink a draught from the cup of fidelity, and a portion from the chalice of detachment, and a drink from the ocean of martyrdom. At the time of his ascension, the holy souls and illumined realities welcomed him after the lights of pardon and forgiveness had encompassed him. Joy be unto him and unto those who remember him and will remember him with goodness. Verily God is the All-Forgiving, the Bountiful, the Generous.

The cause of this affair was the events that occurred in Muharram. After the incident took place, that which they have mentioned regarding informing the government and ruler of the country was acceptable. It is necessary for those in authority to be informed of such matters. However, in questions and answers it should be said that we were and are true Muslims, but there is a difference that has arisen, namely that we were promised the appearance of a Qa’im from among the descendants of the Prophet. And this group known as Babis say that His Holiness has appeared, while a faction among the Islamic sects who consider themselves Shi’ih deny this Manifestation and say that He must appear from the imaginary Jabulqa and Jabulsa—which are names of two cities—with fabricated signs. This matter became the cause of discord, and that Qa’im [the Bab] Whose appearance we accepted was martyred, and this incident became the cause of universal hatred and rancor.

In the early years, repeated conflicts and disputes occurred in Iran. That Qa’im gave us glad tidings of the appearance of the Name of the Self-Subsisting, Who would appear afterwards. This blessed Manifestation strictly forbade all from conflict and dispute in the Book, and firmly commanded in the Tablets association and love with all religions. As He hath revealed in the Most Holy Book: “Consort with all religions with amity and concord.” In another place He hath said: “To be killed is better for you than to kill.” And likewise in Persian He saith: “If you possess a precious pearl or an exalted jewel, show it and present it. If it is accepted, the purpose is achieved; if not, leave it with him and pray for him, but do not treat him unkindly.”

Now it is nearly forty years that conflict and dispute have been entirely removed through God’s grace and favor. During these successive years, in every land they have repeatedly martyred individuals from this oppressed community, yet the latter did not retaliate and left it to God. The martyrdom of that oppressed one which occurred in these days is a true testimony to the oppression of this community and the tyranny of the enemies. This oppressed community seeks from God comfort, bounty, glory and well-being for all, yet the enemies in response have been and are engaged in killing and plunder. Now we beseech God, exalted be His glory, to manifest a helper and protector for this oppressed community. Verily He hath power over all things.

And the cause of this slaying and pillage hath been certain divines of Persia, who, without any proof or evidence, have pronounced the decree of martyrdom against this company. The Sovereign of Persia—may the All-Merciful aid him—hath, however, for some years past, refrained from molesting this people; nay rather, he hath extended his protection unto them, and at times preserved them from the malice of the ignorant. We entreat God, exalted and glorified be He, to assist His Majesty in safeguarding the wronged from the rising-places of oppression and tyranny. Verily, He is the Hearing, the Answering.

As for the mention of ʿAkka alone, it suffices. Repeatedly during the month of Muharram these events occurred. At the time of departure from Iraq, We counselled all to observe wisdom and that which would lead to the prosperity and success of all. However, after the Wronged One’s arrival in the great city during the month of Muharram, some acted in ways that caused great commotion. For the generality of people, not having attained even a drop from the ocean of knowledge, imagine—God forbid—that this community’s beliefs or their love for that Holy Being has diminished or weakened. Far be it! Rather, the joy of those days relates to their belief that the Imams have returned and appeared, in accordance with Shi’ih belief, for among the authenticated traditions is that at the appearance of the Qa’im, the Imams of the Qur’an will arise from their graves and appear. They are unaware that in these days another Cause has appeared and the hidden treasure has been revealed.

Such actions are not permissible in days like these, for they are contrary to wisdom. Most people are heedless and veiled from the Truth, oblivious to it and focused on themselves. Therefore, that which causes separation is not beloved in God’s sight, for separation leads to estrangement and remoteness. Be patient, O people of justice! Soon days will come when all shall understand the purpose and arise to serve. The honored martyr, whom the mercy of his Lord encompassed from all directions, due to the effulgences of the light of love and the revelations of the radiance of affection, did not observe wisdom as was befitting, and thus occurred what occurred. With Him is the knowledge of all things in a clear Book.

Today one must hold fast to that which causes the attraction and orientation of the servants. O friends of God! Hold fast to that which draws hearts and souls. Deeds that cause upheaval and kindle the fire of hatred are not permissible and are not acceptable. This Revelation is for the union of all, not separation. What has appeared thus far has been and is without harm, and the steadfastness of some souls has become manifest. We beseech the True One to confirm all in all conditions. What is needed today is the unity and agreement of the friends. All must exert mighty efforts in this regard.

We have made mention of the friends of that land, but due to wisdom it was not sent. We shall send it soon. Verily, He is the Compassionate, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Peace, remembrance and glory be upon you and upon those who act according to what they have been commanded in the Book of God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. O My loved ones! Observing wisdom and obedience to government are among God’s binding commands. Hold fast to them, as bidden by One Who is a sincere counselor, trustworthy.

BH00771: O Amin! Upon thee be the Glory of God…

In the Name of the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful

O Amin! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We have seen and heard thy letter which thou didst send from the Land of Ta to the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court. The Supreme Pen hath ever mentioned all the peoples of the world and counseled them to trustworthiness, righteousness, and that whereby the Word is exalted. Thou and the loved ones of this Revelation have all borne and continue to bear witness that the Truth, exalted be His glory, hath opened a gate of mercy through His Most Noble Name, the like of which hath not been seen from the beginning of the world until now. Blessed are they who have attained and who have hearkened unto and answered their Lord, the Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

Thou didst make mention of the loved ones of Van. Praise be to God, they have attained unto the dewdrops of the ocean of utterance of the Desired One of all worlds. We counsel them to trustworthiness and righteousness and to that whereby the laws and ordinances of God are uplifted. Blessed is the soul who in this day layeth down and raiseth up his head upon his couch with the intention of reforming the world. The best of all deeds is to show forth love towards all the peoples of the world. The party that hath truly been and continues to be an obstacle to this most great bounty and this most great favor is the Shi’ih party. Their beliefs and vain imaginings have deluded them. We beseech God that He may aid that party to return from oppression and tyranny to justice and equity. Verily, He is the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Thou didst make mention of Khuy and Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Jalil, and likewise of the enthusiasm of the loved ones in those regions. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to aid them to make mention of Him and to praise Him, and to ordain for them that which shall enable them to spread love and affection and to unite their hearts in harmony. We have previously made mention of Jinab-i-Jalil, upon him be My glory. Today the loved ones of the Wronged One must arise to accomplish that which is the cause of success and prosperity. The primary purpose is to extinguish the fire of hatred and animosity that lieth concealed and hidden in the hearts of the people of Iran. However, through the hosts of tender counsels and wise exhortations, this Wronged One beseecheth from God whatsoever conduceth to the development of the world and the refinement of the souls of the nations.

O Amin! Reflect upon the hypocrites and the calumniators. The events that occurred at the Threshold were a sign from God so that certain oppressors might recognize and comprehend that which is hidden. All of this occurred due to the seduction of Shaykh Muhammad-i-Yazdi and his guide who is on the island. Beseech God that He may make the servants aware. In brief, that which became manifest in that city was a proof for the manifestations of justice and equity, that they might know what befell the Wronged One in numbered years. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Patient, and He commandeth thee to exercise gracious patience. No one should oppose the opposers. Leave them to God. Verily, He is the Ordainer, the All-Wise.

We have previously made mention of the brother of Jinab-i-Jalil who ascended. We beseech God to forgive him through His grace and to send down upon him from the heaven of His bounty a blessing from His presence. Verily, He is the Most Merciful of the merciful ones and the Most Generous of the generous ones. A most holy and most exalted Tablet hath been specifically revealed and sent down from the heaven of favor for Jinab-i-Mirza Aqa. I beseech God that He may aid him in that which is the cause of loftiness and elevation.

You mentioned the believers of Avaghuli and likewise their expressions of devotion and love—blessed are they, and joy be unto them. A tablet has been revealed mentioning the four souls who have turned to you, and the favors of the Most Exalted Pen encompass these four souls, nay rather all. We beseech God to assist them through His Cause, enable them through His sovereignty, and draw them nigh through the hosts of His grace. Verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer.

As for your mention of the believers of every land, all have been blessed with the effulgences of the light of grace, bounty, remembrance and praise. We have beseeched confirmation for all. Today steadfastness is the greatest of all deeds, for the words of the past have emerged—that is, the utterances of the detestable Shi’ih sect who each day, claiming love for the Successor, added to their oppression and pride until finally they martyred the Master of the Successor and the Lord of the Successor—nay, the One through Whose word a thousand successors were created. And now they mount the pulpits with their turbans and cloaks and, God forbid, occupy themselves with cursing and reviling Him. In any case, We enjoin all to purify their hearts from these names and free themselves from these fabricated stations which they have contaminated with their vain imaginings. Verily He speaks the truth and guides the way, and He is the Compassionate, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

We have commanded his honor Aqa Siyyid A.H. Afnan, upon him be the Glory of God, to proceed to ʿIshqabad for the sale of properties, and likewise Afnan A.L., upon him be the Glory of God, should go and do what is necessary for the payment of debts. O Amin, upon thee be My Glory! It is strange that until now no mention has been made of the kindnesses of his honor A.L., and you know that unless a matter is outwardly presented, no wisdom or expediency becomes outwardly manifest. In truth, the aforementioned soul has shown great effort and love regarding these persons. All must act in a manner befitting this deed. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to grant him an abundant reward and to open before his face the door of grace and bounty. Verily He has power over whatsoever He willeth. There is no God but Him, the Compassionate, the Generous.

Special Tablets were revealed and sent to the people of Avalughli. God willing, they will drink from the chalices of remembrance and the cup of utterance and the ocean of grace that lie concealed within the revealed verses. You mentioned Mirza Mihdi, upon him be the Glory of God, and likewise mentioned his love and enthusiasm and his giving during nights and days. Blessed is he and joy be unto him! Time and again his mention hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. We beseech God to increase his service at every moment, and likewise his confirmation and success. Verily We have mentioned him before and mention him now as a mercy from Our presence and a bounty from Our part.

Thy Lord doth witness and see and hear, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Mention was made of Haji Ali-Akbar and Aqa Ali-Akbar. Each hath attained unto that which hath no peer or likeness. Reflect upon the ocean of God’s loving-kindness, how He manifested A.H.M. and adorned him with the means of love and submission and contentment. The breezes of the verses that were sent down from the heaven of God’s Will in his name have not ceased and will never cease. From the beginning of days until now he hath stood firm in service and hath spoken in remembrance. He and those with him all stand and are mentioned before the seat of the Wronged One. Soon shall the horizons of the world glory in his presence and his deeds and his remembrances, whereunto My perspicuous Book doth testify.

Praise be to God! That honored one hath ever been and still is occupied with the mention of the friends of God in cities and lands. Say: My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having manifested me through Thy power and enabled me to serve Thee and caused me to speak Thy praise and illumined me with the light of Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee, O Lord of the Kingdom, by the mysteries of the Realm of Might and the lights of Thy countenance whereby the realm of creation was illumined, and by Thy Most Great Book which speaketh before the faces of the nations, to assist me and Thy loved ones to remain steadfast in such wise that neither the promptings of the evil ones, nor the doubts of the deniers, nor the insinuations of those who have disbelieved in the Day of Judgment shall keep them back.

O my Lord! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy Throne and the penetrating power of Thy verses to ordain for Thy loved ones and Thy friends the reward of attaining Thy presence and standing before the gate of Thy grandeur. Verily Thou art the All-Bountiful. There is none other God but Thee, the Munificent, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

BH00818: He speaketh forth in the Most Great Prison

He speaketh forth in the Most Great Prison

O ʿAli! Some time ago, there was revealed especially for the rulers of the earth that by which the fragrance of bounty hath encompassed all save those who cling to the cord of tyranny and hold fast to the hem of wickedness. Now again thy petition hath attained unto the Most Holy Court. We beseech God to aid all to hearken unto the Call raised from the Lote-Tree of Sinai and to arise to serve the Cause as beseemeth it. The Sun hath proclaimed, “The All-Bestowing hath come!” and all things have announced, “The Lord of Names hath come!” Blessed is the ear that hath hearkened and arisen to serve, and woe unto him who hath denied and was of the heedless.

O Jahanbakhsh! Praise be to God, thou hast attained unto the bounty of the True Possessor. All the treasures of the world cannot equal that which God hath bestowed. Faith, recognition and understanding are each a garment of God’s grace, glory be to His majesty. He adorneth therewith whomsoever He willeth of His creation and withholdeth it from whomsoever He desireth of His servants. Verily He is the Almighty, the Powerful. Know thou the worth of this blessed garment and deprive not thy heart of its adorning. We beseech God to aid thee and strengthen thee with the hosts of utterance. Verily He is the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful.

O Naqi-Qabli-Khan! Today the Call is raised and the world is perfumed with the fragrance of the Revelation. He who desireth to hear, heareth, and he who desireth to see, seeth. From the beginning of this Revelation, when the ocean of bounty surged, We removed the word “never” and appeared without veil or covering. Blessed is the eye that hath seen and the ear that hath heard. We beseech God to aid thee to steadfastness in this Great Cause. Verily He is the Creator of the heavens and the Lord of the Kingdom of Names.

O ʿAbbas-Qabli-Kha! The tale of Sinai hath returned and its mysteries are made manifest. The Blessed Tree speaketh, in this moment uttering: “I believe in Thee, O Lord of the worlds!” From this verse the loftiness of this Revelation is evident before the faces of the discerning and the perspicacious. Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One and beseech God that He may aid thee in that which causeth the fragrance of eternity to waft and the light of His good-pleasure to shine forth. Verily thy Lord is the Fulfiller of the needs of the seekers, the Mighty, the Forgiving, the Generous.

O Ilyas Bey! The Lord of mankind saith: This is the Day wherein man can attain unto everlasting stations, eternal bounties, heavenly sustenance, and endless favors. Strive thou and beseech God that perchance thou mayest enter the depths of oneness and behold the world as non-existent and null. Knowest thou Who hath remembered thee from the precincts of the Prison? Say: God, the Speaker, the Utterer, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We beseech God to assist thee in His remembrance and praise and to draw thee nigh unto Him. Verily He is the Compassionate, the Merciful.

O Muhammad-Qabli-ʿAli! We have heard thy call and have called thee from the realm of grandeur. Verily there is no God but Him, the Lord of all things, the Creator of earth and heaven. Rejoice that the face of God hath turned toward thee and hath remembered thee with that which shall endure throughout His mighty and exalted Kingdom. Blessed is the ear and eye that hath today attained unto the hearing of the Call and the witnessing of His signs. Were a pure and sanctified ear to be found, it would hear from all things the glad-tidings of this Most Great Revelation, and no tidings in the world can equal these tidings. Say:

O my God, my God! I find myself in an ocean of joy through my heart being attracted to the signs of Thy Manifestation in Thy days, and I find myself in depths of sorrow by the prolongation of the days of Thine enemy. O Lord! Have mercy upon Thy chosen ones and sincere servants, then protect them from the wolves of Thy earth. Verily Thou art the Mighty, the Powerful.

O servant of God! Every soul hath testified and doth testify to the transience of this world; nevertheless they cling to it in such wise as transcendeth the reckoning of those who reckon. Heedlessness hath deprived all and barred them from the ocean of divine mercy. Blessed is he who possesseth might and who, through the Name of Truth, hath rent asunder the veils and attained unto the horizon of Revelation. Say:

O my God, my God! Aid me and Thy loved ones to turn unto Thee and to arise to serve Thee. Verily Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Generous. O Lord! Thou seest the ignorant seeking the ocean of Thy knowledge, and the needy seeking the kingdom of Thy bounty. I beseech Thee not to disappoint him of what is with Thee. Verily Thou art the Mighty, the Powerful.

O servant of God! Verily the birds of the divine throne are caught in the talons of oppression. Today all must fix their gaze upon the Most Exalted Horizon and be detached from aught else. Greed and avarice have deprived the people from the mysteries of these days. The fire of lust and desire will not be extinguished save through the Will of God, exalted be His glory. Say:

O my God, my God! I beseech Thee by Thy standing and sitting, by Thy Will and Authority, by Thy recitation of verses, by Thy declarations and utterances, and by the manifestation of Thy Cause before Thy creation, to protect Thy loved ones from the evil of the oppressors who have violated Thy Covenant and Testament, and have committed that which hath caused every truthful and trustworthy one to lament, and every knowing and informed one to weep. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Powerful.

O ʿAli! Some time ago the petition of Khalil, upon him be the glory of God and His favors, attained the Most Holy Court, and for each of the names mentioned therein, a Tablet and verses were revealed from the heaven of the Will of the Lord of glory and bounty, majesty and splendor. Well is it with them and pleasant it is to them. Likewise, specifically for thee and for him who spoke before his Lord was revealed that which is sanctified from doubt and holy above similitude.

The loved ones have ever been and continue to be mentioned in the Court of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. We hereby give glad tidings at this time to thy son who repeatedly uttered praise of his Lord. We heard his call and whatsoever was manifested from his tongue in praise of the Goal of all the worlds was honored with acceptance and hearing. Blessed is the tongue that spoke in praise of its Lord.

His poetry was recited before the Face, and those present, as well as those circumambulating, heard it and each mentioned concerning it that which is the cause of confirmation and the source of success. Convey greetings from the Wronged One to all the kinsmen, and adorn them with the effulgences of the lights of the Sun of Utterance, the Goal of all the worlds.

We conclude Our words at this point by mentioning the two names We mentioned before, as a favor from Our presence. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Inspirer, the Compassionate, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. And We counsel at the end of the Book Our loved ones and friends to trustworthiness, religiosity, truthfulness, and sincerity. Today the helper of the Cause hath been and is goodly character and pure deeds. Blessed are they that act and happy are they that comprehend.

Jinab-i-Amin, upon him be the Glory of God, the Lord of the worlds, has in these days again attained the Most Holy Court and repeatedly made mention of the friends of that land. In truth he has been and continues to be the helper of the friends and loved ones. In the petitions submitted he has made and continues to make mention of the friends in various regions, both past and present. He has been and remains the well-wisher of the world and all peoples. We beseech God to assist him in all conditions, even as He has assisted him. Verily He is the Generous, the Bountiful.

Light and glory be upon you, O friends of God and His chosen ones. We beseech Him to aid you in whatsoever He loves and is pleased with. There is none other God but He, the Lord of the Most Exalted Horizon, Who has appeared through His Most Glorious Name.

BH00840: The Epistle of God, the Help-in-Peril, the Self-Subsisting

In the Name of God, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing

O leaf of Mine, O My handmaiden who hath fixed her gaze upon My horizon, who soareth in the atmosphere of My love, and who hath clung to the cord of My bounty! Upon thee be My glory, My loving-kindness and My mercy, which have preceded existence, both seen and unseen, and which have been sent down from the heaven of My grace.

Thy letter which thou didst send to the Trustee—upon him be the bounty of God, the Lord of all worlds—hath come before the Wronged One, and He hath heard thy call and hath answered thee with that which causeth all things to speak. By God! The gate of utterance hath been opened through that which the Mother Book hath pronounced at its final end.

We make mention of the Amir and give him the glad-tidings that We have accepted the Trustee as a representative on his behalf. We proceeded from the place named Bahji to the spot called Junayn, and with the Divine Lote-Tree were its branches and twigs, then those who circled round the Throne of God, the Lord of all worlds. Each one of them attained unto the presence and the meeting, rejoicing in the bounty of God, the Almighty, the All-Praised.

O ʿAbdu’l-Husayn! The Kingdom of God hath at this moment turned toward thee as a bounty from His presence and hath made mention of thee with that wherewith the heaven hath called out. Blessed is he who hath turned toward it and hath attained unto the hearing of the remembrance of his Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous.

O Baha’u’llah! Thy letter hath come time and again before the face of the Wronged One. We have answered thee with that which hath cooled the eyes of them that know, and We have mentioned thee each time, detached from pen and ink. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Ever-Flowing, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Isma’il! Thou beholdest the Sacrifice of God in this day walking before the people and speaking:

“Verily there is none other God but I, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.”

He hath been sacrificed time and again through that which the hands of those who associate themselves with Him have wrought, while they commit that which hath caused the eye of God to weep in His exalted station.

We have mentioned thee before with that which the Tablet hath testified and which God, the Lord of the mighty Throne, hath written. Rejoice in that the Wronged One hath turned toward thee and hath sent down for thee that which hath perfumed the earth with the fragrance of the All-Merciful. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Knowing.

O Muhammad-Baqir! Give thanks unto God, thy Lord, in that He hath aided thee to turn unto Him, and say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of all existence, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O Thou the Possessor of proof and evidence! I beseech Thee by the lights of the Dawning-Places of Thy Revelation and the Daysprings of Thine inspiration, to number me with such as have arisen at Thy call and have turned toward Thy horizon and have stood firm in Thy love, in such wise that neither the oppression of the kings nor the allurements of such as have violated Thy Covenant and Thy Testament and have denied Thy meeting and have disbelieved in Thy bounty after its revelation from the heaven of Thy generosity and bestowal could deter them.

“O Lord! Thou seest the weary one making for the kingdom of Thy utterance and seeking Thy bountiful grace and Thy mighty favor. Ordain for him that which beseemeth Thy greatness and Thy sovereignty. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful.”

O Muhammad-Husayn, O thou scribe! Praise God, thy Lord, in that He hath written down for thee the recompense of recognizing the Dawning-Place of His Revelation and the Dayspring of His verses, and hath aided thee to turn unto Him and hath given thee to drink of the choice wine of utterance from the hand of His bounty. He, verily, is the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

We have remembered those who are there in a measure that none can reckon save God, the All-Numbering, the All-Knowing.

O ʿAbdu’l-Wahhab! This is the Day of Return, while the factions are in manifest doubt. They have cast the Book of God behind their backs, clinging to their own vain imaginings and idle fancies.

Say: My spirit be a sacrifice to Thy loving-kindness, O Thou Who hast aided me to turn unto Thee, shown me the traces of Thy Pen, and caused me to hear Thy call! I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy mercy to strengthen me in steadfastness in Thy love. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the All-Conquering, the Omnipotent.

O Ghulam-Rida! Blessed is the gathering wherefrom My remembrance and praise have been raised, blessed the house honored by the arrival of My loved ones, and blessed the tongue that hath uttered My verses. We have manifested that which was treasured in knowledge and hidden in the stronghold of God’s protection, illumining this radiant horizon.

Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having caused me to hear, to see, and to speak forth Thy remembrance on the Day of Judgment.

O Muhammad-Qabli-Hasan! We testify that thou hast attained unto the mention of God, both before and after. He mentioneth whomsoever He willeth with a mention that causeth bodies to rise from the graves of idle fancies. Blessed is he who hath cast away vain desires and taken hold of guidance in the days of God, the Lord of lords. I bear witness that thou hast heard, turned unto Him, and attained unto that which was recorded in the Books of God, the Lord of days. Know thou this most exalted station, then preserve it in the name of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Chosen One.

O Husayn! the ungodly have violated God’s covenant and His testament, and have denied His proof and His evidence, following every heedless doubter.

Say: O people of the earth! Hearken! Your Lord, the All-Merciful, desireth to give you glad tidings of that which will draw you nigh, profit you, and make you rich in His dominion. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Bountiful. Beware lest ye deprive yourselves of the ocean of grace. Hasten unto the Dawning-Place of your Lord’s verses, the Revealer of clear evidences.

Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for that which hath flowed from Thy Most Exalted Pen in my name, which neither the treasuries of princes can equal, nor that which lay hidden in the earth. Unto this beareth witness the Mother Book from Thy presence.

O my Lord! Thou seest me turning unto Thee, submissive before Thy Manifestation and Thy sovereignty. Ordain for me that which will aid me to be steadfast in Thy Cause and to cling to the hem of the robe of Thy mercy. There is no God but Thee, the Single, the One, the Almighty, the Powerful, the Help in Peril.

O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention once again of Thy servant who hath been named Baha, that he may rejoice and be of the thankful. We have mentioned thee before with verses before which the world hath bowed down in submission. Blessed is the ear that hath been honored to hear them and hath been illumined by their light. Verily, thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Merciful. He loveth him who hath loved Him, remembereth him who hath remembered Him, and sendeth down for whomsoever He willeth that which will draw him nigh unto His hallowed and wondrous court.

Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, and glory be unto Thee, O my Heart’s Desire, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O my Creator and Provider, for having remembered me in Thy days, once in the Tablet and again in the Book. I beseech Thee, O Beloved of the world, by Thy Most Great Name, to render me known through Thy Name and eloquent in Thy praise.

Verily, Thou art He Whom nothing whatsoever can frustrate. Thou hast prescribed for Thyself to answer him who calleth upon Thee, to aid him who holdeth fast unto Thee, and to bestow Thy bounty when asked. Have mercy on this servant of Thine and ordain for him that which will gladden his heart, solace his eyes, and enable him to call out among Thy servants through Thy Name, the Mighty, the Ancient.

This Tablet hath ended in thy name as a token of My favor unto thee. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Merciful, the Most Generous.

We wish to make mention of the Leaf whom We named in the Crimson Book as the Leaf of Paradise. Blessed is she! We bear witness that she hath believed in her Lord and hath attained in these days unto that which was withheld from the women of the earth, save those who turned unto God and believed in the One, the All-Informed, and who circled round the Throne at eventide and at dawn, at daybreak and at dusk. O Ruhani! Upon thee be My Glory and My loving-kindness. We have made mention of thee in My Books, My Scriptures and My Tablets. My mercy which hath preceded thee and My loving-kindness which hath surrounded thee bear witness to this, and I am verily the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate, the Most Generous. We counsel thee and My handmaidens to manifest such virtues as shall waft the fragrance of My Cause, the Mighty, the Wondrous. The Glory of God rest upon you, O My handmaidens, and upon those who have heard the Call and answered their Lord, the Lord of the Exalted Throne.

Praise be unto Him, for He is the Goal of all mystics and the Beloved of all worlds.

BH00894: Sanctified beyond all likeness and exalted above all diminution…

He is the One Who createth as He willeth in the realm of creation!

Sanctified beyond all likeness and exalted above all diminution is the Lord, the Possessor of the source and the end, Who through His all-encompassing power and His simple will caused the Sun of Truth to shine forth from the Dayspring of knowledge and wisdom, and illumined the world of limitations with the lights of the Luminary of unity. Every eloquent one confesseth his powerlessness to describe His might, and every articulate soul acknowledgeth and admitteth his inadequacy to praise His grandeur.

Glory be unto God! What a surging ocean it is, wherein the swimmers in the seas of knowledge and wisdom are powerless to swim in its depths, and the divers in the billows of learning and understanding fall short of bringing forth the pearls of wisdom and utterance therefrom. Every wave thereof is an eloquent book proclaiming His power, and every drop thereof is a conclusive proof manifesting His grandeur. Minds are bewildered in comprehending Him, and thoughts are perplexed in perceiving His waves. He surgeth by Himself and for Himself, and casteth forth the pearls of knowledge, wisdom and utterance by Himself and for Himself. Exalted is He above being comprehended through descriptions, and sanctified is He beyond being characterized by mentions.

The wondrous praise, glorification, magnification and splendor rest upon the Mirrors of His names and attributes and the Manifestations of His power among all created things—those Essences Who, through the subtle favors of grace, guided those lost in the wilderness of ignorance to the fountainhead of knowledge and wisdom, and led those bewildered in the desert wastes of remoteness to the goal of nearness through the gems of wisdom and utterance. Upon them be the blessings of their Lord as long as His most excellent names endure and His most exalted attributes remain.

Thus, the first letter of that spiritual loved one, which expressed degrees of affection and subtle intimacies of friendship and wisdom, became the cause of the expansion and gladness of hearts. In truth, it was a sufficient remedy for the malady of heartfelt sorrows and an adequate book for the manifestation of the signs of love. Praise be to the peerless Lord Who, through the subtle expressions of His bounty, has enabled His friends to achieve that which is befitting, and caused them to abide beneath the shade of the Tree of grace and favor. We beseech the wonders of His favors and are supplicants and hopeful of the subtleties of His benevolence, that He may ever cause that loved one to dwell beneath the shade of grace and be sustained by the fruits of bounty and the pure water of favor. He is the Generous One Whose grace hath no visible end and Whose bounty and bestowal hath no apparent limit. His giving hath encompassed His loved ones and His mercy hath preceded His chosen ones. Verily, He is kind to those who ask, gracious to those who seek, and merciful to those who hope.

At the time of hastening to reply, he attained the court of presence and mention was made of you. This is what shone forth from the horizon of the utterance of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower. His exalted Word: “O ʿAli-Akbar! From every direction thy call is raised and heard. The Most Great Branch is now present with thy letter, therefore We make mention of thee again, that thou mayest thank thy Lord. By the life of God! That which hath appeared at the Most Exalted Threshold hath no parallel. Never was it imagined that treachery and falsehood and calumnies would appear in the world to such an extent. In any case, they acted according to the decree of their guide—surely you know who their guide is. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to assist the treacherous ones to trustworthiness, the liars to truthfulness, and the calumniators to justice and fairness. Verily, He is the Ever-Forgiving, He is the Forgiver, the Merciful.

Convey My greetings to those who are with thee and give glad-tidings to all My loved ones of My grace and favor. Verily, We counsel them to trustworthiness, religiosity, truthfulness and sincerity. The treacheries committed have caused grief to the people of the city of justice and fairness. Each day a new calumny appears. Despite all their treachery and abominable deeds, they still claim to be speaking the truth. Thus do their souls entice them. We testify that they are among the most lost. The Glory be upon thee and upon those whom nothing whatsoever, nor any matter, hath prevented from drawing nigh unto the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.” End.

O beloved of the heart and one who clings to the hem of friendship! Your latest letter has been received, which expressed your love for the Lord of destiny, your steadfastness in His Cause, your orientation towards Him, and your submission before Him. I beseech my Lord, the Mighty, the Most High, to protect you beneath the shadow of His loving-kindness and grace, and to aid you to serve His Cause morning and night.

As to what you wrote regarding the veiled ones and your meeting and discourse with them—well done! I ask God to assist you in rending asunder the veils of the deluded ones and burning away the shrouds of the heedless, and to guide through you His wandering servants to the paradise of recognition of His manifest Cause. By your life, O beloved, one is astonished at the heedlessness of these people—how they have veiled themselves from that which is best for them in this world and the next, and have clung to that which profits them not, oblivious to what the Creator of all things has intended for them. It behooveth us to grasp the hem of hope and supplicate God, the Creator of all things, morning and evening, to preserve us from their insinuations and to assist us in tearing away the greatest veil that has prevented humanity from turning to the most pure horizon.

The people are asleep, knowing not what benefits them nor distinguishing it from what harms them. Had they known, they would not have denied this Cause which has appeared only to safeguard their rights, elevate their souls, protect their stations, and enable them to attain what is best for them in their beginning and their end. Blessed is he who has recognized this supreme bounty, known his Ancient Lord, and whom nothing has prevented from turning toward the direction of his Lord’s loving mercy.

O my God, my Lord, and my Hope! Praise be to Thee for having favored us on this momentous day with the recognition of Thy mighty and loving countenance, and for having taught us that which Thy servants have neglected, and for having guided us by the light of Thy luminous utterance to the paradise of Thy nearness and the gardens of Thy grace. Were we to thank Thee throughout all existence, we would be powerless to render thanks for even the least of Thy bounties which we have received in Thy days. I beseech Thee to grant us tongues that speak Thy praise and thanks, feet that stand firm on the path of Thy love, and hands raised toward the direction of Thy grace and loving-kindness. Verily, Thou art the One with power over whatsoever Thou willest. Protect us by Thy might beneath the shadow of Thy protection from the insinuations of the wretched ones and the idle fancies of the ignorant, and increase our certitude in Thy Cause and our sincerity in Thy love. Thou art the Beneficent, the Generous, the Possessor of abundant grace. There is no God but Thee, the One, the Single, the Most High, the Most Great.

Remember the friends of God who are adorned with the ornament of steadfastness and embellished with the robe of recognition, with wondrous remembrances and sublime glorifications. Spirit and glory be upon thee, upon thy family, and upon those who are with thee among the loved ones of thy Lord.

Remember the honored brother, upon him be the glory of God, who has attained the honor of meeting, with wondrous remembrances and sublime glorifications.

BH00910: Say: O concourse of the learned ones, the mystics…

He is the All-Hearing, the All-Responding

Say: O concourse of the learned ones, the mystics and the rulers! Fear God and be fair in this Cause whereby that which was sent down from time immemorial by God, the Commander, the Ruler, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted, hath been established. Say: We beseech God to adorn all with the ornament of justice and fairness. Today the call of the Lord of Names is raised from the direction of Akka, to which the Mother Book beareth witness. Blessed is the one who hath not allowed the names and ranks of the past to deprive him from the waves of the ocean of utterance of the Desired One of the worlds. Say: O people! Know ye the value of this Day. The Lord, the Self-Subsisting, from His generous hand bestoweth the sealed wine. The gate of grace is open and the sun of bounty is shining from the horizon of the world. We beseech God, exalted be His glory, to make His servants aware and not deprive them of the outpourings of His days.

O Majid! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Thou should be occupied day and night in praise and thanksgiving to the one Desired One, for He hath confirmed thee and guided thee to the straight path of justice. Thou didst turn and attain the ultimate goal and the supreme height. His grace encompassed thee. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O my Desired One, and glory be unto Thee, O my Lord, for having given me to drink, from the hand of Thy bounty, the living waters of immortality. I testify to Thy grace which, at the dawning of its Light, obliterated the traces of the grace of all peoples.

I beseech Thee by the suns of the heavens of Thy mercy and the waves of the ocean of Thy utterance to make me, in all conditions, hold fast unto Thee and Thy verses, and to remain fixed upon Thine horizon. I testify, O my God, that Thy generosity hath encompassed all existence, both seen and unseen, and Thy grace hath surrounded all that hath been created by the Command “Be.” I beseech Thee not to disappoint me from the wonders of Thy grace and bounty, nor to deny me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and trustees. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Bountiful, the Generous.

O Majid! By the testimony of the Most Exalted Pen, thou hast been honored with a deed that hath no likeness or equal. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, in my standing and my sitting, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O my Beloved, in my prostration and my bowing, and glory be unto Thee in my sleep and my wakefulness, and majesty be unto Thee in all my conditions and states. I confess, O my God, in this station, to that which the Manifestations of Thy Revelation and the Dawning-places of Thy signs have confessed: that Thou art not remembered except through Thyself, nor described except through Thyself. Therefore, I have abandoned myself and all that I possess, clinging to the hem of Thy grace, Thy mercy and Thy generosity, that Thou mayest ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee and honor me with Thy good-pleasure. Verily, Thou art the Most Merciful of the merciful and the Most Generous of the generous. There is none other God but Thee, the Single, the One, the Compassionate, the Bountiful.

Lo, We have desired to make mention of him who was named Valiyu’llah, that he may rejoice and be of them that render thanks. It is hoped that thou shalt attain unto the essence of this name and that there may flow from the Most Exalted Pen that which befitteth the Day of God. O Vali! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. The former sect, for twelve hundred years and more, deluded by the claim that they believed in immediate succession, reached such a pass of pride that they reckoned themselves the most excellent and learned of all peoples; yet on the Day of Reckoning they were seen to be the most ignorant, abject and lost of all the world’s factions, and in their wretchedness they reached such depths that their divines pronounced death upon the Most Pure Blood, while their ignorant ones arose to abuse, revile and curse.

Glory be to God! Now too the deniers of the Bayan cling to a name from among names, remaining heedless and veiled from the Lord of all being and the Sovereign of the Kingdom of Names. O Vali! Arise to aid My Cause and purify hearts from rancor and hatred through My Name, the All-Encompassing over all names. He, verily, will aid thee and reinforce thee with the hosts of utterance. There is none other God but He, the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful.

We moreover desired to make mention of him who was named Haji Aqa and give him glad tidings of this Revelation whereby earth and heaven have spoken forth. Rejoice, O people, in the appearance of Him Who conversed on Sinai, through Whom the fruits have appeared, the rivers have flowed, the mysteries have emerged, the seas of knowledge and utterance have surged, and the fragrance of God, the All-Encompassing, the Self-Subsisting, has wafted. Thy name was present before the Wronged One, Who hath sent down for thee that whereby the fragrance of the garment hath been diffused throughout the world. Thy Lord is, verily, the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Loving.

O Muhammad-Quli Khan! Hearken unto the call from the precincts of ʿAkka. Verily it hath been raised with such sovereignty as no hosts or armies can withstand. We beseech God to ordain for thee the good of all His worlds and to make thee steadfast in His love to such degree that neither the might of the people would frighten thee nor the roaring of any oppressor who hath turned away from God, the Lord of all that was and shall be. When thou hast attained unto My verses and heard My call, say: My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having caused me to hear Thy most sweet call and for having remembered me with that which shall never perish, by virtue of Thy Most Beautiful Names and Thy most exalted attributes. I beseech Thee by Thy most great signs, by the Daysprings of Thy Revelation and the Repositories of Thy knowledge, to enable me to serve Thy Cause with such steadfastness as cannot be shaken by the allusions of the croakers nor the calumnies of those who have disbelieved in Thee and Thy signs and have turned away from Him Who standeth in Thy stead. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Encompassing over the seen and the unseen.

O Majid! Thou hast arisen for God, for His Cause and His Face, and hast attained unto that which hath been the hope of the sincere ones and those nigh unto God. Each of the souls mentioned hath attained unto that which shall endure and remain immortalized in the Book of God. We have repeatedly made mention of all the loved ones of that land, and We beseech God to make them all steadfast, inasmuch as in these days the enemies have encompassed them round about. Outwardly they act with humility and submissiveness, yet inwardly, from the Land of Ta unto the Great City, they are engaged in stirring up sedition. They have secretly incited certain people and kept them in that city. Each day bringeth fresh harm and manifest oppression, while the Wronged One, in the midst of tribulations and adversities, remaineth firm in the Cause and uttereth the divine decrees. Neither the tyranny of the Pharaohs hath deterred Him, nor the might of tyrants hath frightened Him. He calleth out with His most exalted Voice, saying:

“O people! Cast away what ye possess, for He Who is the Lord of the Kingdom of Names hath come from the heaven of bounty with clear sovereignty.”

The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon every patient and thankful soul. We conclude Our words with mention of Ibn-i-Dakhil, and counsel all to observe trustworthiness, godliness, unity and concord. Blessed is he who hath hearkened and acted accordingly, and woe betide the heedless. Unity is itself one of the hosts of God, as attesteth every man of learning who hath turned unto God, the Lord of existence.

BH00961: O servant of God! Upon thee be the Glory…

He is God, there is no God but Him!

O servant of God! Upon thee be the Glory of God! We give thee glad tidings at the outset of this utterance that thy works have been accepted before God, the Lord of all worlds. The Tongue of Grandeur hath acknowledged thy turning, thy presence, and thy standing before the Gate that was opened unto all who are in the heavens and on earth. We give thee yet another glad tiding that thou mayest share it with Nabil-i-[Ba], upon him be My Glory, that the sun of permission hath dawned from the horizon of God’s will, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having answered my prayer! My spirit be a sacrifice for Thy favor, O Thou the Desire of the hearts of all men, past and present!

We wish to fulfill all thy needs, as beareth witness the Supreme Paradise, the Most Exalted Heaven, and the dwellers of the Tabernacle of Glory in this lofty station. However, some matters proceed and others are stayed according to the requirements of God’s wisdom, the Mighty, the Powerful. We give thee glad tidings again and again that We love thee and remember thee as We remembered thee before, and We reveal in thy name that which shall not cease to yield its fragrance throughout the eternity of My Kingdom, the Mighty, the Inaccessible.

As for the matter of the sum thou didst mention, thou shouldst refer it to the Nasir, upon him be My Glory. It must reach him, and the Afnan, upon him be My Glory, must deliver it to him. This year, through the calumnies of the calumniators, there befell the Nasir that which caused the greatest sorrow. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to assist His servants to be truthful, to return and to turn unto the gate of His bounty. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. The heedless souls have committed that which hath caused grief to the loved ones of God.

As for thy desire to visit the Nasir, upon him be My Glory, and thy request for mention—blessed art thou for We have found thee among the faithful in the kingdom of creation. O thou who art present before the Gate! God, exalted be His glory, hath loved and continueth to love faithfulness. It is the ornament of the temples of the sincere ones, the near ones, and the sanctified ones. Whenever thou desirest, present thyself and perform that for which the people of the world have been created. Blessed art thou and blessed is he! This deed was accepted even before its manifestation. When thou seest him, give him My glad tidings, remind him of My verses, and illumine him with the effulgences of the Sun of My loving-kindness. We beseech God to assist him and his son who was named Habib and his other son who was named Asadu’llah in the Book of Names, to that which will exalt the Word of God, the Master of the Day of Judgment.

Thou didst mention ʿAli-i-Akbar, upon him be My Glory, and didst seek permission to attain his presence, meeting, and circumambulation as his deputy. This matter was illumined with the light of permission even before being mentioned. When thou seest him, stand before him and proclaim “Allah-u-Akbar” on My behalf and say: Blessed art thou, O thou who art exiled in the lands for the sake of God, the Lord of creation! In these days there hath been revealed from the heaven of utterance of the Lord of religions that which causeth joy and gladness to the people of the cities of justice and fairness. Whenever thou desirest, act as deputy and representative. Thus hath the decree of permission been sent down from the heaven of God’s command, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Thou didst mention Ali-i-Haydar, upon him be My Glory. We testify that he hath performed in the path of God that which the reckoners are unable to reckon. The love of him is binding upon all the loved ones of God. All must strive to discharge the debt that is due to him. O my God, my God! Thou seest Thy servant standing among Thy servants by Thy Name which was named Ali before Haydar in Thy Most Great Scene, and by another name which was inscribed by Thy Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Tablet. O Lord! Strengthen him with Thy sovereignty, then aid him and Thy friends and those who love Thee and are sincere toward Thee. Verily, Thou art the One with power over what Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all affairs.

Whenever that honored one desires [to go] on his behalf and attain his presence and meeting, before setting out recite this verse and then proceed:

O my God, my God! Thou knowest and seest that I desire to turn toward Thy most exalted station and visit Thee through him who hath arisen to serve Thy Cause. O Lord! Strengthen him with the hosts of Thy utterance and wisdom, then open before his face the doors of Thy riches and bounty. O Lord! Aid Thy loved ones and Thy friends and servants to love him and support him. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Conquering, the Omnipotent.

O servant of God! Upon thee be My glory! Blessed art thou for what thou hast mentioned, and happy art thou for what thou hast described. We testify that he is among the triumphant ones, and there hath been sent down for him that which the treasures of the world cannot equal. We beseech God to strengthen him and preserve his trusts with Him. Verily, He is the Protector, the Trustworthy.

O ʿAli before Haydar! Upon thee be the ocean of grace and bounty from God, the Lord of the Kingdom of Names. Thou hast been mentioned at all times before the face of the Lord of all mankind. We beseech God to enable all to do that which He loveth and is pleased with, and through which His Cause, the Guardian over all who are in the heavens and the earth, may be exalted.

And We desired to mention Qasim, upon him be My glory! We have mentioned him before and at this time for his having turned toward the Supreme Horizon when mankind turned away from it, save those whom God, the Lord of the worlds, wished.

We have mentioned Our loved ones in Ba and Dal, and We have counseled and do counsel all with most eloquent utterance to trustworthiness and godliness and that whereby the station of man may be exalted in the contingent world. This Wronged One beareth witness that servants have been brought from nothingness into being for the betterment, fellowship and unity of mankind. Corruption and conflict have ever been and are condemned. The divine Books, Tablets and Scriptures have given the glad-tidings that the purpose of this Most Great Manifestation is none other than the reformation of the world and its peoples, that perchance through the power of utterance military might may be abolished, and the world be governed through the power of love. We beseech God to adorn all with the ornament of trustworthiness, which is the best ornament for the world. Take hold, O servants of God, of that which ye have been commanded by One Who is the Counselor, the All-Knowing. The glory that shineth resplendent from the horizon of the heaven of grace be upon thee, O thou who hast turned with all thy being unto God, the Mighty, the Praised.

BH00976: Praise be to God Who hath manifested…

He is the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful Herald!

Praise be to God Who hath manifested that which was hidden in the eternity of eternities and concealed from all eyes and sight. When He desired to reveal His grace that encompasseth all created things and to manifest His mercy that precedeth all contingent beings, He spoke the Supreme Word whereby the Herald called out from every direction:

“The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Possessor of all names and attributes!”

Praise be to God Who revealed Himself through His glorious Name unto the world. Then all created things turned toward the Most Great Ocean, each drop of which [announceth] to the servants the appearance of Him Who conversed on Sinai and the Dawning-Place of the Light that hath shone and gleamed from the horizon of God’s will, the Revealer of verses.

Praise be to God Who hath made death a door to His presence, a means of attaining His reunion, and a cause for the life of His servants. Through it He hath revealed the mysteries of His Book and that which was treasured in His knowledge. Verily, He is the Almighty Whom the tyranny of the oppressors hath not weakened, nor have the manifestations of idle fancies and vain imaginings [hindered].

God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, and He Who hath come with the truth is the Dawning-Place of His glory, the Dayspring of His beauty, the Manifestation of His mysteries, the Revealer of His verses, and the Proclaimer of His evidences. He it is at Whose appearance before the faces of the world the limbs of the nations trembled and the ocean of His Most Great Name surged. Through Him the Supreme Pen moved and revealed its hidden pearls and treasured gems. Through Him the veils were rent asunder, the hearts of those endowed with understanding were set ablaze in their final abode, and all things proclaimed:

“The Kingdom and Dominion, then Glory and Power belong to God, the Lord of Lords and the Commander on the Day of Reckoning!”

O My Most Exalted Pen! The Day of remembrance and praise hath come upon thee. Let not the malicious triumph of the enemies, nor the wretchedness of the ungodly, withhold thee from commemorating him who hath ascended unto the Most Exalted Horizon, sanctified from the affairs of this world and from that which is possessed by the people of hatred and shamelessness.

Say: O Samandar! The Lord of destiny was, in truth, walking within the Most Great Vision, pondering the mysteries of fate, when lo, the call was lifted up from the right hand of the Most Exalted Horizon:

“O concourse of earth and heaven! This is a Day whereon the River of fidelity hath sought the Ocean of bounty, and the Light hath hastened unto the Dayspring of Revelation. This is the Day whereon Sinai crieth aloud, saying: Rejoice, O people, in that the light of detachment hath shone forth from the horizon of creation, and that which had remained hidden from eyes and sight hath now been revealed.”

Then was another call raised, and We heard the Ridvan of the Most Exalted Paradise announcing glad tidings unto the Ridvan of the Supreme Paradise, saying:

“O forms abiding in the crimson chambers, and O maidens of restrained gaze within the domes of majesty and grandeur! Adorn your temples with garments of radiant light, and your heads with crowns of moist and ruddy rubies. Then prepare ye for the welcome of that most subtle, most holy, most luminous, most exalted Spirit Who hath ascended from the loftiest station of the city of lovers. By His turning and approach, all existence, both of the unseen and of the seen, hath been perfumed.”

Thereupon yearning and attraction seized the Concourse on high and the dwellers in the Paradise of Abode, and the houris of the chambers came forth from their dwellings.

Then the Tongue of Utterance proclaimed above the realm of being:

“O people of Paradise! At this hour he hath directed his steps toward the place circumambulated by the Prophets and the chosen ones. We bear witness that he hath sought this Most Exalted Spot, this highest summit, this Qiblih of the lovers in the Most Glorious Horizon, and hath quaffed the choice wine of reunion from the hand of the bounty of his Lord, the King of the kingdom of names, and the Kawthar of union from the Dayspring of Beauty.”

Then did the Ancient Beauty circle once and yet again, and thereafter ascend, accompanied by a company of the breezes of Revelation and an army of the Manifestations of the Names of God and the Daysprings of His attributes. Before His face waved the banner of detachment. Thereupon there spread abroad from the fragrances of His love and the sweet savors of His severance that whereby conditions in the Most Exalted Realm and the highest stations were transformed in a manner that no speech can recount.

Thus did the Ocean of Utterance surge in remembrance of him who in the Most Holy, Most Glorious Tablet was named Muhammad, formerly ʿAli. By My life! Through him the light of the Cause shone forth, the breeze of grace was wafted abroad, and the Spirit of the Cause cried out before his countenance:

“This is he who broke not the covenant of God nor His testament. This is he unto whose steadfastness the Tongue of God, the Most Glorious, hath borne witness in the Most Exalted Horizon.”

The atoms themselves testified to his turning, his devotion, and his spending whatsoever he possessed in the path of God, the Almighty, the Mighty, the Bestower.

O Samandar! Upon thee be My glory, My loving-kindness, and My mercy. The Pen desireth not, in this Most Great bereavement, to make mention of aught save that whereby the hearts of men may be drawn, so that the Most Great Joy may seize all humankind—a mercy, a compassion, and an honor from God unto those who have uttered His praise and have attained unto the reading of that which was sent down in his remembrance from the heaven of the grace of the Bestower in the place of return.

The radiant, resplendent light, and the dawning, shining Baha from the horizon of the heaven of bounty, be upon him, upon his family, upon his kindred, and upon those who have heard his call and his remembrance in this tidings, at the appearance of which all things, the Daysprings of the Names, and the Dawning-Places of Revelation in the human world of creation, proclaimed:

“Might and majesty belong unto God, the Lord of all necks, Who speaketh before the faces of all peoples.”

O Samandar! Upon thee be My Baha and My loving-kindness. Since His Holiness Marfu’ in his testament made mention of this word:

“Glory be to God! For the most part, whenever any soul heareth mention of death, sorrow and depression come upon him. Yet this least of servants, at the mention thereof, am gladdened, and by the thought of it am cheered. Though in another station, were I to die, the friends would be saddened and the enemies made glad, yet since I myself am joyful, let the friends also rejoice.”

Thus were closed the doors of lamentation for the calamity whereby the hearts of creation are made sorrowful.

Say: Glorified art Thou, O my God, O Thou the passion of the hearts of them that are nigh unto Thee, and the light of the hearts of the sincere! Thou seest Thy lovers holding their souls in their hands, and Thy yearners bearing their heads upon their palms, awaiting Thy wondrous and precious meeting, through which the fragrances of everlasting life have been diffused throughout all created things. O Lord! Bring them nigh unto Thee, then grant them the Kawthar of reunion with Thee at all times. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

And at this hour We bring the utterance to its close with remembrance of him who hath ascended unto Us, and We say: My fragrances, My remembrance, and My praise be upon thee, and upon those whom neither hatred hath withheld from remembering him, nor the veils of heedlessness from extolling his praise. It behoveth every soul to remember him even as My Most Exalted Pen hath remembered him in this most mighty, most holy, most luminous, most glorious station.

BH00982: We have heretofore spoken in eloquent language…

In the Name of the Desire of all worlds!

We have heretofore spoken in eloquent language that which betokened pure grace and everlasting remembrance. Now We speak in the language of light that it may draw thee to the Dawning-Place of thy Lord’s grace, the All-Informed Speaker.

By the life of God! From the earliest days until now, by night and by day, the Pen of counsel hath been in motion, and in the first rank and station Its purpose hath been naught but to quench the fire of hatred and rancor which blazeth in the hearts and breasts of the diverse peoples of the world. Thou art well aware of the differences among the people. We have forbidden conflict, corruption and strife, and have commanded all to that which giveth rise to justice, equity, refinement and grace.

God the All-Knowing beareth witness that We have had no purpose for Ourselves, and the tribulations We have suffered in this path are beyond reckoning. Every fair-minded soul hath testified and doth testify to this. Neither the opposition of the divines, nor the might of the powerful, nor the sovereignty of rulers did deter this servant. Were the possessors of majesty, wealth, bounty and glory to ponder, even briefly, upon that which hath been mentioned before and after, all would hasten toward the ocean of divine generosity, and would find themselves purified and sanctified from the dust of idle fancies and the darkness of vain imaginings of men, and would utter the blessed words “Now hath the truth become manifest.”

This Wronged One hath spoken only for the sake of God, and thus did We acquaint all kings and cities of the world with that which is the cause and source of true bounty, heavenly sustenance and everlasting life, that they might arise to assist the Cause of God and remove hatred and rancor from their midst. Should the possessors of insight regard with fairness the pearls of wisdom and utterance which have emerged from the Treasury of the Supreme Pen by the command of the Lord of all beings, the tongues of their realities and essences would testify that Baha hath not spoken of His own desire, but rather by that which He was commanded by God, the Creator of the heavens and the Lord of the Kingdom of Names.

Consider the Shi’ih sect: Now all their divines mount the pulpits to curse the Desire of the worlds. What hath been the cause of this wrong and the reason for this heedlessness? By the life of God! It hath been naught but imitation and limitation. That which is befitting and conducive to the salvation, prosperity and reformation of the world and its peoples is but one thing: that the servants should observe and hearken with their own eyes and ears.

O thou who art mentioned in His presence! Today the waves of the ocean of utterance are manifest before all faces, and the blessed Tree is adorned with new, wondrous and goodly fruits, and the splendors of the Sun of Truth are shining from the horizon of will, visible and manifest. Blessed is he who hath shown justice in the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds, and joy be unto him who hath witnessed and seen and said:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the News mentioned in the Books of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy!”

It is hoped that his honor will strive to exalt the Word of the Lord of all beings and shatter the idols of suppositions and fancies through the hosts of wisdom and utterance. Today is the day of endeavor and service, that perchance through the efforts of steadfast souls the world may attain to that which is befitting and worthy. Hearken unto the Voice of the Wronged One. Strive, that perchance ye may, through celestial power, transform the abasement and heedlessness of people into elevation and glory.

The day before, these special words were revealed from the heaven of divine wisdom to one of the wise ones, and are mentioned here that they may increase his honor’s resolve: O Wise One! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. The power and structure of faith have weakened; the supreme remedy is needed. The darkness of the peoples’ base metal hath seized them; the greatest elixir is needed. O Wise One! Hath the crown of victory possessed such power as to transform diverse and differing elements into a single thing, raising it to the station of pure gold? Though its transformation appeareth difficult and complex, yet in the sight of this Wronged One the transformation of earthly power into celestial power is possible. That which transforms this power is greater than any elixir. This station and this power are specially reserved for the Word of God. It is the essence that transforms fear into assurance, weakness into strength, and abasement into glory. One drop from the ocean of divine wisdom struck Badi’ and like a globe of fire he sought martyrdom. His moisture was transformed to fire, his weakness to power, and his sluggishness to swiftness.

At this time, what is needed is to seek healing from the Incomparable Almighty for the diseases of ignorance, heedlessness, and vain imaginings. We beseech God to assist thee in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to ordain for thee what He hath ordained for His chosen ones. God willing, thou shalt be assisted to take hold of the reins of wisdom. Verily God is the Almighty, the Powerful. The glory from Us be upon thee, and upon the learned one whom knowledge hath not veiled from the Known One, and upon the mystic whom mysticism hath not veiled from the Recognized One, and upon the unlettered one who hath broken the chains of limitation and believed in God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

At the end of the book, these words, which are the cause and means of the greatest attainment for the peoples and the cause of deliverance in these days, are mentioned: If it becomes possible and the means of movement and permission are provided, let his honor, for the sake of God, journey to these parts for a while and spend some days in association, that he may become aware of the reality of the Cause. This will become the means of deliverance for some of the servants. Now the objectors among the people of Bayan are tormented by fancies similar to the fancies of the previous party, but after meeting both parties, that which is now hidden will be revealed and they will attain to true understanding.

This is a great undertaking and among the good deeds that had and has no likeness or equal. It is hoped that his honor will be assisted in what was mentioned and become the cause of deliverance for a number of the deluded ones. And this is not difficult for God. We beseech Him to open through thee the door of understanding to all who dwell in the realm of possibility, and through thee to raise the standard of utterance to the highest heights. Verily He is the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Bountiful.

BH01009: Praise be to God, the esteemed letter arrived…

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

Praise be to God, the esteemed letter arrived and brought joy. The pen moves with longing at your mention and the world of creation is set ablaze thereby. The servant beseeches his Lord on your behalf for inexhaustible good, an unchanging station, unending sustenance, and unceasing bounty. Indeed, each of the blessed letters was like a cloud bestowing abundant rains of favor, refreshing the precincts of that station. This freshness seems to flow from the blessed verse “and from water We made all things living.” Glory be to God! The signs of grace and bounty have encompassed the world of meaning and utterance. Verily, God, exalted be His glory, is the One Who keeps count.

After visiting, reading, and experiencing joy and delight, we approached the Sacred Spot and, having received permission, made representation before the face of our Lord, attaining the supreme honor of being heard. He said:

“The honored Afnan ʿAli, upon him be My peace and My glory, stands before Our face and has attained Our favor. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to open before his face a door from the doors of His grace, a door from the doors of His bounty, a door from the doors of His mercy, and a door from the doors of His might and riches. Verily, He is the All-Powerful, the All-Bountiful. We ask of the Truth to assist him and grant him perfect patience in all matters. Verily, the nature of this world is to rise and fall, and We ask Him, blessed and exalted be He, to erase the latter and confirm the former. He is the Possessor of grace, ordaining what He wishes for whom He wishes, and He is the Single, the One, the Powerful, the Unconstrained. Say:

My God, my God! Transform hardship into ease, and sorrow into joy. Ordain for this Afnan of Thine that whereby Thy signs may be exalted among Thy servants and Thy Word in Thy lands. Verily, Thou art the Generous, the Possessor of great bounty. I beseech Thee by the oceans of Thy protection, the depths of Thy power, and the laws of Thy might and wisdom, to send down upon him from the heaven of Thy generosity a blessing from Thy presence. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

Convey to the loved ones the greetings of the Wronged One and make such mention as will open the ears of the world and enable them to attain true hearing. For if one attains to this station, the world’s events of any kind will neither sadden nor change him. The honored Haji, upon him be God’s peace and favor, along with the honored Mustafa, upon him be God’s peace, have turned toward that direction. Indeed, great success was ordained for them, and they have attained and been honored by what was revealed in the Book. Blessed is he! He has taken for himself a luminous station near the House. We beseech God to ordain for him what We have ordained for the sincere among His servants and the near ones among His creation. Blessed are the loved ones of God and joy be unto them. We testify that they have attained to that which most of the servants have not attained. They are among those whom God has assisted to turn toward His House and draw near unto Him, and He has ordained for them a blessing from His side and a bounty from His presence. Verily, He is the Mighty, the Generous.”

Verily the servant confesseth that all His names have preceded existence itself, both seen and unseen, and His grace hath encompassed all things, and His bounty hath taken hold of all who dwell on earth and in the heavens, to such extent that the remembrances of the world are powerless to recount it and the descriptions of nations fail to describe it. I beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to make His loved ones the manifestations of His detachment, the dawning-places of His generosity and bounty, and the treasuries of His knowledge, and to ordain for them from the Pen of His command that which will exalt them in all conditions among men. He is the Lord of the beginning and the end.

This servant hath ever deemed it necessary to mention the Afnan, upon him be the Glory of the All-Merciful. God is my witness that morning and night my tongue uttereth his praise and my heart is aflame with love for him. I beseech God to increase each day His favors, bounties, grace and gifts unto him, that eyes may be gladdened by the lights of the Luminary of His generosity, He Who made him the cause for the manifestation of existence from nothingness and of bounty amongst the peoples. Verily He heareth and seeth, and He is the Hearing, the Responsive.

Today is post day and surely glad tidings of your good health and the arrival of travelers will reach us. Indeed, such good tidings in letters are the cause and source of joy and gladness to heart and soul. We hope that God, exalted be His glory, will transform these tidings received in absence into tidings received in presence, that we may attain the complete blessing. At this moment, your mention was made in His presence and confirmation was sought, and likewise the mention of the travelers. The apple of the eye of the heart, Aqa Mirza Mustafa, upon him be God’s peace—God willing the decree of return will not be erased from his sight. I beseech God to bring him back to his true abode, that is, to His presence, in perfect health and with the utmost joy and delight. Praise be to God, at this moment he hath been mentioned before the Intended One. God’s special favors be upon him and upon those whom God hath adorned with the light of recognition. Verily He hath power over all things.

The friends in that land are each remembered and are blessed with special favors. This servant beseecheth for them fellowship and unity, and bounty and blessing, and they are indeed attaining these. Verily God, blessed and exalted be He, hath manifested His favor and fulfilled His promise. He is the Mighty, the Unconstrained. The beloved of the heart, Haji, upon him be the peace of God, the Lord of creation, hath resolved to journey there, and I beseech God, exalted be His glory, on his behalf for that which is the cause of everlasting remembrance. And I request that you convey this lowly one’s greetings, praise and mention to him, and write the details of the events of his return. We beseech God to assist him and us in that which He loveth and is pleased with. Verily He is the Generous in all conditions. There is no God but He, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. Remembrance and glory be upon you and upon those with you and upon those who love you for the sake of God, the Mighty, the Generous.