Volume 104: Akka 1868–1892 year unknown, Part II (1 of 4)

BH00636: Praise be unto Him Who, by the skill…

He is God—glorified be His glory, all-embracing His bounty.

Praise be unto Him Who, by the skill of the hand and the movement of the pen, hath unveiled the mysteries of wisdom and utterance, and hath lit, within the darkness of ink, the shining constellations of knowledge and true understanding, that all existence, both in secret and in open, may bear witness that greatness belongeth unto God, the All-Glorious, the All-Praised; that might pertaineth unto God, the King, the All-Loving; and that wisdom is His, the Most High, the One worshipped and adored.

And praise be unto Him Who, by the light of certitude, hath rent asunder the veils of the idle fancies of the deluded, and hath caused the effulgences of the Sun of His manifest Cause to shine in the blackness of ignorance and error, that they who are endued with sight may behold His Most Great Horizon, may hasten unto the quarter of His Most Luminous Presence, severed from all that hath passed away and all that shall be, clinging to the hem of His Most Holy, His Most Sanctified Cause, and may testify that unto Him belong power and dominion, strength and choice. He, verily, is the One, the Single, the All-Glorious, the All-Chosen.

And praise be unto Him Who, by His Most Exalted Word, hath once again brought into being, through the breath of His inviolable Command, His wondrous creation, and hath made them to behold His exalted mystery in the Day whereon, in His Most Great Name, He hath called unto Himself every noble and every lowly one, and summoned, unto His Most Bountiful Light, every suckling child and every full-grown soul, that the knowers might bear witness to the perfection of His proof, that the peoples might acknowledge the completeness of His favour, and that the sincere might glorify Him in the realm of His foreordained mercy.

Exalted is His mighty Cause! Exalted is His upright Light! Exalted His ancient sovereignty! Exalted His straight and glorious Path! There is no God but He, the One, the Single, the All-Powerful, the All-Glorious, the All-Wise.

O God, Thou by Whose Names the standards of wisdom and knowledge have been raised aloft in the realm of existence, and by Whose remembrance the banners of learning and exposition have been planted among the religions! Every time the knowers have plunged into the ocean of Thy knowledge, they have found no pearl of comprehension wherewith to encompass the reality of Thine Essence; and whenever the learned have sped across the wilderness of seeking to grasp the secret of Thy Being, they have failed to reach the City of knowledge and the homeland of certitude, but have wandered in the darkness of impotence and deprivation.

The loftiest thought of the mystic knowers and the highest imagining of the thinkers embraceth not even an appointed measure of understanding of but one trace of the evidences of Thy supreme power. How then shall they apprehend the inmost reality of Thine Essence, O my Lord, the All-Glorious, the Self-Subsisting?

What relationship is there between this feeble bird and its attainment unto the atmosphere of Thy might, and what kinship between this impotent, insignificant creature and his standing upon the heights of Thy sovereign power? For man possesseth no way of knowing Thee save by recognizing Thy traces in the world of being, and by inferring therefrom the existence of the mysteries of Thine unseen Self in all that is. Whoso claimeth a road unto the knowledge of Thee other than by Thy tokens is verily veiled from Thee and hath failed to discern the realities of the mysteries.

Glorified art Thou! Far be it from Thee to be known by the knowledge of Thy creatures, or described by the tongues of Thy servants, or encompassed by the perceptions of Thy bondsmen. The very essence of oneness and of true knowledge is our confession, in Thy presence, of our helplessness and annihilation before Thy Face, O Lord of the Kingdom of might and eternity; and the very kernel of remembrance and utterance is our acknowledgment of our poverty and shortcoming when Thy light shineth forth from the Sinai of Thy Revelation and the fire of Thy Command blazeth high on the Day of Resurrection.

O my Lord! I beseech Thee to assist Thy loved ones to perform those deeds whereby the realities of the denizens of the realm of possibility may be the recipients of Thy gentle grace; that, with the pinions of remembrance and the feathers of utterance, they may soar into the atmosphere of knowledge and the firmament of true understanding; that they may behold Thee manifest in the Kingdom of power and might; and that they may witness Thee resplendent in the Realm of glory and exaltation.

Where is the seer, and where the wise and searching seeker? Hast Thou any veil save light, or any covering save Thine own manifestation? Glorified art Thou, glorified art Thou! From everlasting Thou hast ever been revealed upon the horizons of existence with the lights of vision, and unto everlasting Thou wilt continue to dawn, from the rising-places of eternity, in the plenitude of power, glory and majesty.

I entreat Thee, O Lord of pre-existence and King of names, by Thy Greatest Name and Thy most perfect, most consummate Command, to aid such as Thou hast illumined their hearts with the lights of the Sun of Thy remembrance, and their breasts with the effulgences of the Orb of certitude in Thy days, and hast adorned their heads with the crowns of Thy bounty and their temples with the robes of Thy grace and loving-kindness—that they may exalt, with wisdom and utterance, the standards of Thy Cause in the realm of being, and guide Thy creatures unto the City of knowledge and true understanding.

Protect them, O my Hope, beneath the shade of Thy guardianship from the evils of the wicked amongst Thy servants, and ordain for them that which Thou hast promised them in Thy perspicuous Book. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. There is no God but Thee, the All-Powerful, the All-Glorious, the All-Wise.

O thou who art enkindled with the fire of love and whose tongue is quickened with the remembrance of thy Lord, the Lord of being! That which thy pen, dipped in ink, hath traced hath reached Us, and it hath set forth what lay hidden in thine heart of the subtleties of love and unity. I beseech God, the Lord of names, to ordain for thee that which is best for thee in this world and the next, to adorn thee in the world of creation with the vesture of His bounty, and to confirm thee in His remembrance, His praise, and the service of His Cause, even as He hath confirmed thee in former days. Verily, He is the All-Glorious, the All-Bestowing. There is no God but He, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

When I beheld thy letter and perused thy words, I entered the court of the Divine Presence and laid what thou hadst written touching the remembrance of thy Lord, the All-Forgiving, before Him. Then did the fragrance of grace surge forth, and from the fountain-head of bounty there streamed unto thee that whereat the whole of existence was stirred. His word—exalted be His utterance, magnified His loving-kindness—went forth, saying:

In My name, the Compassionate, the All-Loving

O Nightingale! Praise be to God, for thou hast attained unto victory, unto service, unto remembrance and unto praise. Thou hast been remembered by the Pen of the Most High with a mention that no remembrance uttered by the peoples of the world, nor any praise spoken by the tongues of the nations, can rival. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this evident favour.

O Nightingale! Thy melodies, oft-repeated, have been heard, and blessed art thou for that which thy tongue hath voiced in glorification of God, the Lord of all worlds. We have heard what thou hast set forth, and from it We have inhaled the fragrance of thy turning, thy sincerity, and thy orientation unto God, the Lord of the heavens and of the earth. That which thou didst send hath come into Our presence and hath been honoured with the robe of acceptance. We beseech God to reinforce thee with the hosts of the invisible and the visible, and to ordain for thee every good which He hath sent down in His perspicuous Book.

Convey, on Our behalf, the cry of “God is Most Great!” unto My loved ones, and illumine their hearts with the lights of My guidance, and say: O my God, my God! Accept from us that which our tongues utter in prayer before Thy Face and in communion with Thee. Aid us to hold fast unto Thee and unto what hath been sent down from Thy presence, and do Thou enable this Thy servant to guide Thy creatures and to lead them unto Thy straight Path. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O my Lord! Thou beholdest me standing at the door of Thy grace, imploring the wondrous tokens of Thy bounty for Thy loved ones. I entreat Thee that Thou wilt not deprive them of that which Thou hast sent down in Thy Book; for Thou art, in truth, the All-Powerful, at Whose single Letter the seas have surged, the winds have blown, and the lights have shone forth. There is no God but Thee, the All-Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

Blessed art thou, O beloved one, for the words of grace which thou hast spoken; upon thee hath the Sun of bounty shone from the horizon of the utterance of the Lord of existence. I beseech His transcendent favour that He may make thee a sign of guidance in the lands and a pillar of steadfastness among His servants. Verily, He is the Lord of creation, the Ruler in the beginning and in the end.

By thy life, O beloved! Whenever I ponder the people and their deprivation from the light of the Cause, I am bewildered at this most great heedlessness and this grievous waywardness—how they have forsaken that which would profit them in this world and the next, and have wandered in the deserts of self and passion.

Say: O people! Reflect upon the ages that are past and meditate on the times gone by. Do ye behold a Cause more exalted than that which hath now appeared in the world, or a decree more gentle and more sublime than that which hath shone forth from the Source of the command of the Lord of pre-existence in this Most Great Manifestation?

Have ye any means for clothing yourselves with spiritual attributes and attaining unto the qualities of the All-Merciful greater than that which hath been sent down by the Most Exalted Pen in this Most Glorious, Most Excellent Day? Nay, by my Lord, the All-Glorious! Not a single letter of that which hath been revealed in this supreme Manifestation can be weighed against all that hath been sent down aforetime.

In this Most Blessed Day, from the Pen of pre-existence there hath been revealed that which God hath made to be a ladder whereby souls may ascend unto the Realm of the grace of the Lord of the Dawn, and wings wherewith the spirits may soar beneath the shadow of their Lord, the All-Glorious, the Most Holy.

In the Tablets there have been sent down the subtleties of the science of ethics and the mysteries of the ordinances of governance. Blessed is he who apprehendeth their meanings and recognizeth the marvellous structure of their words.

By thy life, O beloved of the heart! They are the very cause of salvation for the servants, the very means of life for the dwellers of the lands, the foundation of repose, concord and unity, the root of love, intimacy and friendship. A day shall come wherein the heedless shall be awakened, the sleepers aroused, and they will lay fast hold upon the commandments of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.

Blessed is he who, in this Day, apprehendeth the Will of God, the All-Glorious, the Self-Subsisting, and followeth his Lord, casting aside his own desires. He hath, verily, attained unto good in his first life and in his last.

Convey, on behalf of this Servant, the cry of “God is Most Great” unto those who have been drawn by the magnet of the Most Exalted Word, who have attained unto the carpet of intimacy and fidelity, and who have quaffed the draught of the knowledge of God from the chalice of eternity.

Upon thee and upon them be the glory of God, the Lord of existence and the King of the unseen and the seen. Praise be unto God; verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Glorious, the All-Praised.

BH00642: Praise be to God, Who manifests the jewels…

He is the Sanctified beyond the recognition of all created things!

Praise be to God, Who manifests the jewels of knowledge and wisdom through the divine and eternal signs, Who adorns the hearts of the people of certitude with everlasting and transcendent evidences, Who embellishes the tablets of contingent being with enduring and perpetual traces, and Who inspires the hearts of the faithful with mystic and unifying meanings. He is the One Who has concealed within the darkness of words the fountain of life, and has deposited within the mystery of verses the realities of knowledge and wisdom, and has veiled within the potentiality of evidences the subtleties of wisdom and utterance. Glorified, glorified be His sovereignty and how mighty is His proof! He created existence and made known the path of attainment, and adorned His sincere ones in the unseen and visible realms with the robes of nearness and acceptance.

Blessed are they that attain, and joy be to them that arrive! Prayer and peace be upon the Dawning-Places of revelation and inspiration through whom the Way was made manifest and the Proof became evident, and through whom every seeker hastened to the court of the knowledge of his Lord, the Mighty, the Beautiful. And upon those who gathered their traces, who were guided by their lights, who walked by their lamp, and who weighed their deeds with their balance. They are among the people of the Crimson Ark sailing upon the sea of grandeur. Upon them be the glory of the Lord of Names every morn and eve.

Glorified art Thou, O Master of all necks and Ruler of the beginning and the return! With what tongue can I mention the signs of the might of Thy oneness, and with what utterance can I explain what hath appeared in creation from the traces of the sanctity of Thy unity? The lights of the sun of Thy singleness have encompassed all directions, and the manifestations of the outpouring of Thy mercy have enveloped all created things. Blinded be the eye that is deprived of beholding the dawning-places of the suns of Thy power on the horizons, and every tongue that hath not spoken in praise of the manifestations of Thy might and power on the Day of Meeting. Perish the hearer who heard not the striking of the trumpet of Thy Cause on the Day of the Covenant, and destruction unto the rider who raced not in the arena of Thy love on the Day of Manifestation and Effulgence, and remoteness to the human who attained not to the knowledge of the Manifestation of Thy Cause and the Source of Thy Revelation in this Day wherein leg was wound about leg.

O my God, my Lord and my Hope! Through the wonders of Thy power Thou hast manifested in the world that which the understanding of nations is powerless to comprehend, whereby Thou hast made clear the Way and made evident the Proof, and given the seekers to drink of the Kawthar and Salsabil. There remaineth no symbol that Thou hast not revealed, no word that Thou hast not interpreted, no verse that Thou hast not made clear, and no evidence that Thou hast not expounded. Yet despite all this, O my God, I witness that Thy servants remained heedless in Thy days, recognized not the dawning of the sun of Thy beauty, and perceived not the fragrance of Thy garment which was diffused in the days of the manifestation of the Exponent of Thy Self, the Dawning-Place of Thine Essence, the Dayspring of Thy signs, and the Mine of Thy evidences.

Thou beholdest, O my God, Thy servants whom Thou didst create for this Manifestation wandering in the wilderness of heedlessness and delusion, and unmindful of that which hath appeared through Thy grace of the hidden Mystery concealed and the promised Symbol recorded in the Tablets and Scrolls. I beseech Thee by Thy conquering power, Thy all-encompassing mercy, and Thy all-pervading will, to manifest in existence that which will draw all unto the Promised One, O Master of the seen and unseen! Thou art He Whose mercy hath preceded all created things and Whose bounty hath encompassed all beings. Look not, O my Hope, upon the weakness of Thy servants and the heedlessness of them that dwell in Thy lands. Aid the receptive beings to attain unto Thy manifest Law proceeding from the right hand of power and might. Verily Thou art the Master of creation and the Sovereign of all beings. There is none other God but Thee, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Omnipotent.

O thou who art the object of the glance of favor and adorned with the robe of bounty, who calleth out in the lands in the name of thy Lord, the Possessor of existence and the Sovereign of the unseen and the seen! What thou didst write with the pen of love hath been received, and what was contained therein of the verses of love and unity hath been read. I beseech God, the Lord of the worlds and the Possessor of the Most Great Name, to preserve thee beneath His shadow and to assist thee in teaching His Cause and spreading His signs, and to provide thee at every moment with the bounty of His generosity and the Salsabil of His grace. Verily, He is the Kind, the Generous. There is no God but Him, the Most High, the Most Great.

Grieve not over the delay in sending the writing. By thy life! My heart is occupied with thy remembrance and the remembrance of those who have remained steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord. At every moment I desire to manifest what is in the heart of the degrees of love, but for everything there is an appointed time and for all things a season. Nothing moveth except by the will of thy Lord, the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Purposeful. Inasmuch as I relied upon what lay hidden of the degrees of concealed love, I paid no heed to the delay in reply until the time came when I moved the pen of love to manifest what was in the heart. I beseech my Lord, the Possessor of creation, to assist thee in that which shall endure throughout the duration of His most excellent Names and most exalted Attributes, and to make thee a standard of guidance among creation and a sign of steadfastness among all beings. There is no God but Him, the Most High, the Most Glorious.

O thou who art beloved! Reflect upon the manifestations of the Cause and the heedlessness of the people of the earth. Man is bewildered by the veiling of the people of the lands. I know not in what valley they wander or to what thing they cling. Do they not see the rising of the Sun of inner meanings from the horizon of utterance, and do they not behold the dawning of the Luminary of knowledge and wisdom at the pole of possibility? Is there in their hands a greater proof than that which hath appeared in the world, and have they a stronger argument than that which the Sovereign of nations hath brought forth? Say: O ye who are veiled! Come, let us together supplicate concerning the Cause of God, the Possessor of what was and what shall be. Should We find what ye possess to be stronger than what We have, We shall be as We have been among the fair-minded, and should ye find what We have to be greater than what is in your hands, be fair and be not among the heedless.

Hath there appeared in any cycle from among the cycles the Cause of your Lord, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting, save as it hath appeared today from the horizon of power and might? Abandon what hath been woven by the hands of idle fancy and turn ye toward the direction of your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Reflect upon the past centuries and ages. Did anything prevent the people of the Gospel from turning to the Mighty, the Beautiful, in the days of the rising of the Sun of the Qur’an except these vain imaginings which were built by the hands of heedlessness and forgetfulness? And were the people of the Torah veiled from the light of the Sun of Oneness on the day of the appearance of the Spirit except by what was inscribed by the pen of conjecture upon the pages of ignorance and heedlessness?

It behooveth you in these days wherein the world hath been adorned with the lights of the Most Great Name and the body of contingent being hath been honored by the Word of knowledge and wisdom, to weigh every matter with the balance of reason and to leave unto the deficient what hath been uttered by the heedless and ignorant, and to hasten with your heads to the source of bounty and grace. It beseemeth not man to follow what others among his fellow men have spoken. It behooveth all to reflect at every moment upon spiritual progress and not to sully themselves with that which preventeth them from ascending to the heights of knowledge and wisdom. O thou who art beloved!

By Thy life! Man is astonished at the heedlessness of the people of the Bayan, even more than the people of the Furqan. They have veiled themselves from the light of the Cause after Our Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted, guided them and perfected His proof unto them every morn and eve. Verily, he who sacrificed himself in His path for the Point of the Bayan, and was engaged at all times in His remembrance and praise, denied Him on the day of His manifestation and turned away from Him when the sun of His beauty dawned, following him who was veiled from the appearance of the light of divine knowledge by the veils of heedlessness and forgetfulness. How strange that they should content themselves with a mere trickle and deprive themselves of the ocean of the knowledge of their Lord, the Mighty, the Omnipotent!

Grieve not at what thou seest of the people in their error. Arise to promote the Cause of thy Lord, the Self-Sufficing, the Most High, with the wisdom which He hath sent down in His Tablets and enjoined upon His loved ones. Ask thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful, in all circumstances, not to deprive His servants of the ocean of His utterance and to guide them, through His supreme power, to the dayspring of His revelation and the source of His signs. Whenever thou turnest to the regions and associatest with the righteous ones, convey unto them the greetings from this Servant and remind them of the days of their Lord, the Generous, Who showed them the straight path.

Say: O loved ones of the All-Merciful! It behooveth you to stand firm in the Cause in these days wherein your Lord, the Mighty, the Gracious, hath been manifested unto all creation. Beware lest the tempests of trials and the storms of tribulations move you, or the doubts of the people of the Bayan veil you from the Dayspring of bounty and benevolence. Regard them as mere nothingness before the Command of your Lord, the Ancient of Days and the Sovereign of nations. I beseech God, your Lord, the Most Glorious, to protect you in His shadow and ordain for you the best of what is in His Book, and make you the standard of steadfastness in His lands and the sign of guidance among His servants. Verily, He is the Kind, the Generous. There is no God but He, the Most High, the Most Great.

The Glory shining from the horizon of eternity be upon you and upon everyone who is firm, steadfast and upright, and praise be to God, the Beloved of the mystics.

BH00649: Praise that is sanctified above the mention of all…

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

Praise that is sanctified above the mention of all created things and the description of all contingent beings befitteth the court of the holy nearness of the Desired One, Who through His blessed word “I loved to be known” brought the world of creation from nothingness into being, and with the fire of love set aflame the sanctified and detached souls and the radiant and receptive temples. That blessed Word became the dawning-place of light and the source of fire. One of its effulgences shone forth upon the Mount—its form appeared as fire, speaking forth the exalted and blessed words “Verily I am God,” and another effulgence turned toward the Mount—from it light was made manifest and the meaning of the blessed verse “the Mount crumbled to dust” was realized.

Glory be to God! Every possessor of power hath confessed his powerlessness and every bearer of knowledge his ignorance. Through a single call He so attracted the lovers in the wilderness of faithfulness that they readily gave up their lives and all they possessed, hastening with utmost speed to the place of sacrifice. How many of the weak ones, after hearing the call, were seen to manifest such strength and power that neither the might and majesty of the world nor the massed ranks of the peoples could prevent them from turning to the Most Exalted Horizon.

Hallowed and glorified is that omnipotent Sovereign Who with the finger of power unsealed the choice sealed wine and through the blessing of the Name of the Self-Subsisting bestowed it upon the company of them that are nigh, the believers and the sincere ones. I swear by the pearls of the divine ocean of knowledge that whosoever attained unto a drop thereof forsook the world and all that dwell therein, and set his face toward the ultimate goal, the most exalted summit and the highest horizon.

Glorified art Thou, O Thou through Whose Name the mysteries were revealed, the lights shone forth, and the trees yielded their fruit! I beseech Thee by Thy Name the Self-Subsisting, by Thy choice sealed wine, and by Thy binding decree, to aid Thy loved ones to be steadfast in Thy Cause in such wise that neither the vain affairs of the Pharaohs nor the might of the oppressors—whom this vain life hath deluded and prevented from turning unto Thee, O Lord of creation and Manifestation of the light of oneness—may hinder them.

Then preserve them, O my God and God of all names, my Creator and Creator of the heavens, from the arrows of the deniers among Thy servants and the allusions of the wrongdoers among Thy creation. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the light of Thy manifestation and the fire of the Tree of Thy Cause to open before the faces of the sincere ones among Thy servants, through the key of Thy grace, the doors of Thy bounty and favors. Then cause them to know, O my God, that which will so attract them to a station wherein neither the sorrows of the world nor the clamor of the nations will affect them, that they may take, through Thy name the All-Merciful, the cup of knowledge and drink therefrom once through Thy Most Great and Most Glorious Name and again through Thy remembrance, the Mighty, the Wise. O Lord! Illumine their hearts with the lights of Thy knowledge, and ordain for them through Thy Most Exalted Pen that which shall abide with them in every world of Thy worlds. Verily Thou art the Almighty Whom no power can frustrate and no strength can weaken. There is none other God but Thee, the Powerful, the One, the Peerless, the Mighty, the Luminous.

Furthermore, this servant hath heard thy sweet mention and that wherewith thou didst praise God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen. When he witnessed, saw, and drank from the cup of thy utterance the pure and choice wine in praise of God, the Lord of all names, he approached the praised station and presented himself before His face. Thereupon the tongue of the All-Merciful spoke forth in the kingdom of utterance—exalted and mighty be His Word:

In My Name, the Witnessing, the All-Hearing

O thou who gazest toward the Most Exalted Horizon! All the peoples of the world, of diverse parties, seek to grasp at some means whereby they might establish a cause that would perpetuate their name and remembrance. Thus it hath been heard how many souls in the western lands have sacrificed their lives for vain and futile imaginings, though it is clear to every person of insight that the deeds and acts of those heedless ones have not borne, nor ever shall bear, any fruit. The perpetuation of remembrance is praiseworthy when it is for God’s sake and appeareth in His path, and its benefit returneth to all the peoples of the world. Multitudes have clung to every vain fancy to establish some cause or another, while this Most Great Cause which hath dawned from the horizon of the heaven of God’s Will—from this are the people of Persia heedless and veiled.

By the life of God! This is that Cause which the passage of centuries and ages shall not alter, which extinction shall not overtake, and whosoever attaineth unto it hath attained unto God’s infinite bounties in all the worlds. The friends of God, in whatsoever land they dwell, must have recourse to wisdom and consultation, and must hold fast to whatsoever will today draw the heedless to the ocean of awareness and awaken the slumbering from the sleep of negligence, that all hearts and minds may be illumined by the effulgences of the Sun of Knowledge and be adorned with that which God loveth. This is everlasting dominion and eternal wealth. Blessed is he who hath attained unto that which shall profit him in this world and the next, and woe unto the heedless.

The tokens of the favors of God, exalted be His glory, concerning that honored person are known and evident. And his honor, Name of God 66, upon him be the Glory of God, the Most Glorious, had his petition reach the Most Holy Court, wherein was mentioned that distinguished person, upon him be the Glory of God. This servant presented the entire petition again before His blessed countenance on the blessed night of Friday, the first of the month of Rabi’u’th-Thani. By the lights of His countenance! A word was heard from the blessed tongue concerning that distinguished person which all the treasures of the world could not equal. This evanescent servant beseecheth God, exalted be His glory, that He may crown him with the diadem of acceptance in this most mighty, most holy, and most exalted Cause. Were but an atom of this station to be unveiled, ye would behold all the honored ones of the world circling round it. God willing, may they attain unto the preservation of this supreme station and most exalted rank through the name of the Lord of Names. Verily, He guideth whom He willeth unto His straight path.

Concerning what you wrote about Raqsha (upon whom be God’s vengeance and wrath), that vile one, being heedless, committed this most grievous sin and greatest error for the sake of a few dirhams. Were the peoples of the earth to reflect upon what befell him, they would all free and liberate themselves from the doubts of their suspicions and idle fancies, and turn towards the horizon of certitude. In the blessed Tablet of Burhan, one verse was specifically revealed concerning the Wolf, and this shall soon become manifest and evident. If one possessed of insight were to reflect upon the seizure of Raqsha and what was revealed in the Surih of Ra’is, as well as what was revealed in the Surih of Kings and the Tablet of Fu’ad, he would, in brief, gain some knowledge of the ocean of divine knowledge and His power, might and ascendancy. How excellent is the state of those souls who have drunk from the wine of fairness and who have gazed with illumined eyes upon the revealed verses and manifest, resplendent evidences. These are accounted as the most exalted of creatures in the sight of the Truth. However, the conditions of the world have, like dark dust, seized all, such that they are barred from beholding the lights.

O beloved of My heart! By the life of God, the consummate wisdom of God has in certain matters caused delay, otherwise you would have witnessed greater than what has transpired. He, verily, is the Powerful, the Almighty. Praise be to God that you have attained to the grace of God. Your mention and the mention of those with you have been and continue to be in the Most Holy Court, and this is a bounty that hath had and hath no likeness or peer. Verily, He speaketh the truth and in His grasp is the dominion of all things. There is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Compelling, the Mighty, the Wise.

Convey, if wisdom permitteth, My greetings to the friends in that land on behalf of this evanescent one, and make mention of them. Let not time slip away, and let not opportunity pass. By the Beloved of all creation, a single moment of these days cannot be equaled by centuries and ages. Today is the day of mention and praise, and the day of obedience and service. Time and again this evanescent servant hath submitted this word to the divine friends and will continue to do so, through God’s help and grace, until the manifest Truth shall come to him. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

The Most Great and Most Exalted Branches—may my spirit, my being, and my essence be sacrificed for the dust of their footsteps—have each shown loving-kindness towards you and convey their greetings to you, as do those who circle round. The Glory of God rest upon you and upon the loved ones of God in that place, who have cast aside what the people possess, hoping for that which is with God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH00675: Praise and glory befit that Speaker to Whom all…

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

Praise and glory befit that Speaker to Whom all created things owe their existence, Who hath renewed the entire world through His Most Exalted Word that hath flowed from the Supreme Pen, and Who hath commanded mankind to that which shall profit them in all the worlds of His creation. He is the All-Seeing One for Whose call all ears have been created, and He is the All-Perceiving One for Whose dawning-place all eyes have been brought from nothingness into being. Through His Will and by His hand the kingdom of all things hath been made manifest, and through His all-encompassing Purpose whatsoever He willeth and decreeth doth shine forth. All things testify to His power and the Concourse on High bear witness to His grandeur. He is the Peerless One Who hath ever been sanctified above all likeness and similarity and will forever remain so. There is none like unto Him; He is the One Who is manifest, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

I offer praise, salutations and glory unto those servants who have tasted the sweetness of His utterance, who have hastened to the ocean of life through His bidding and leave, and who attained the choice wine when its seal was broken by His name and His finger. These are servants who have cast away the world and have taken hold of that which they were commanded in His Book that hath descended from His dominion and might.

Glory be unto Thee, O Lord of the seen and the unseen! I beseech Thee by Thy Name, the Self-Subsisting, through which the foundations of every idolater were shaken and every denier did lament, to aid those who have quaffed the Kawthar of Thy love to remain steadfast in Thy Cause. Then make them, O my God, the emblems of Thy Name in Thy lands and the standards of Thy guidance in Thy realm. Thou art He Whom nothing can frustrate and no thing can hinder. Thou givest and withholdest, and Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful.

Thereafter, thy letter was received which, praise be to God, was illumined with the light of certitude and perfumed with the fragrance of divine love. This utter nothingness and complete nonexistence doth at all times beseech the True One, exalted be His glory, that He may illumine all servants with the lights of certitude. Today is the springtime of precious things. Tongues, eyes, ears and hearts were created for this most holy and most exalted Day, yet most of the servants are seen to be bereft and deprived of this awareness. In the watches of the night and throughout the day they are occupied with His remembrance, yet remain veiled from Him. How strange is this talisman that hath appeared and how wondrous this magic that hath been made manifest! They spend their entire lives consumed in the fire of search, yet when the Object of their quest appeareth they turn away from Him. They are seekers, yet recognize not their Goal. They are worshippers, yet remain deprived of the Worshipped One. They possess ears, yet in the Book of God are reckoned among the deaf. They have eyes, yet are numbered with the blind.

The friends of God must at all times beseech and supplicate the True One, exalted be His glory, for the deliverance of all, that perchance the people of the world may not remain deprived of this supreme bounty and may not be kept back from the Dayspring of the Light of Oneness by vain words, perishable ornaments, and transient colored conditions. The True One, exalted be His glory, is gracious and His grace is all-encompassing; He is merciful and His mercy is evident. After becoming acquainted with thy letter, this evanescent nonexistence did at a certain time repair to the eternal station and presented himself at the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court. This is what the Tongue of the All-Merciful uttered in the Kingdom of Utterance. His word, exalted be His glory:

He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great

O Muhammad-Qablil-Husayn! The servant in attendance has come with thy letter and presented it before the Wronged One in this remote spot. We have chosen exile out of love for God, the Lord of all worlds, and have accepted imprisonment for the manifestation of His firm and wise Cause. There hath descended upon Us in the Most Great Prison that which hath caused the Concourse on High to weep, and the dwellers of Paradise and those who bear the Throne of thy Lord, the Most High, the Great, to lament. And there descended upon Us before this, in the Prison of Ta (Tihran), that which made the eyes of the Messengers weep. We came for their deliverance and upliftment, yet they have imprisoned Us time and again.

The curse of God be upon the wrongdoers! We summoned them to the supreme horizon, yet they barred Us from Our home and confined Us to the most dilapidated of dwellings. Thus was the matter decreed, and We are of those who give thanks. Blessed is he whom the affairs of creation have not prevented from turning, and he whom the power of the rulers hath not frightened from arising. Thus have We sent down the verses and dispatched them unto thee that thou mayest rejoice and be of the thankful. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

Your honor hath been and continues to be the recipient of God’s favors. Today is the day of steadfastness, and today is the day of goodly deeds. Through word and deed must all peoples be guided. Blessed is the soul that hath attained to the hearing of divine verses and hath perceived their sweetness. God willing, may the friends of Truth be assisted to serve the Cause and be enabled to do that which He loves and with which He is pleased.

As to what thou didst write regarding the visit, it was submitted, and He said that previously this word was revealed from the Supreme Pen regarding this land:

“Inwardly it is turbulent while outwardly calm. Soon shall its inward state manifest its outward condition, and its outward state its inward condition.”

For this reason and others We have forbidden those who drink from the Kawthar of meeting from turning towards this land. The Sun of Justice is veiled behind the clouds of oppression, as every just and discerning one doth testify. The true friends have been and are longing for attainment unto meeting, and God, exalted be His glory, hath loved the meeting of His friends, but countless veils have intervened. Your honor must in all conditions observe wisdom and hold fast to the cord of consultation. If wisdom permits and affairs are not hindered, permission for presence may be obtained. If they visit, there is and shall be no harm.

Praise be to God, they have been illumined by the lights of the sun of permission, but in all conditions, as commanded, they must observe the requirements of circumstances and wisdom. Verily, He aids whomsoever He willeth and ordaineth for whomsoever He willeth the reward of attaining His presence. Verily our Lord, the Most Merciful, is the Almighty, the Powerful.

Convey to the beloved Fuad who was mentioned in the letter—upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory—this servant’s greetings and salutations. Since they had written of their intention to travel, I did not wish to impose any special burden. God willing, in whatever land, station or realm they may be present, may they be engaged in the mention of God, the praise of God, and service to God’s Cause. Praise be to God, they have been and continue to be thus engaged—blessed are they! I request that you convey greetings to all the friends on behalf of this servant. If wisdom permits, God willing, may every possessor of speech and utterance arise to teach and attain this most exalted and glorious station. Every pure deed that is manifested today from the friends of God is itself a teacher, and in most Tablets this comprehensive and binding word has been revealed. This evanescent servant beseeches and hopes from the Exalted Truth that He may confirm the assured and steadfast souls in that which today causes the exaltation of God’s Word. Verily the All-Knowing Lord is the Witness, the Hearer.

You mentioned Haji Ahmad—upon him be the Glory of God—and Aqa Mashhadi Ali and Aqa Khalil—upon them be the Glory of God. Praise be to God, they are remembered in the Most Exalted Court and have attained God’s favors. I request that you convey special greetings to them on behalf of this servant.

Regarding what you wrote about the reply to Ibn-i-Dhabih—upon them be the Glory of God—this servant intended to express to them the degrees of sincerity and send them a letter. However, when mention was made of Jinab-i-Dhabih and his ascension in the presence of the Beloved of all creation, there was revealed from the Tongue of Grandeur that which diffused the fragrance of favor and mercy. But now, since no command has issued from the Source of Command, this servant has also paused. God willing, whatever has been revealed from the Supreme Pen regarding this great calamity will arrive together with this servant’s letter. For now, convey greetings to them on behalf of this servant. I beseech Him, exalted be He, to console his family and enable them to be patient and forbearing. Verily He is the Powerful, the Unconstrained. Glory be upon you and upon him and upon those who have attained to this mighty and wondrous Day. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH00684: In My Name, the Sorrowful, the Stranger

In My Name, the Sorrowful, the Stranger

O Supreme Pen! I bear witness that Thou hast, at all times, called out to all who are in the realm of creation, summoned them unto God, and guided them to His straight Path. Not for less than a moment did I pause, but rather did I speak forth in the Kingdom of utterance that which drew the hearts of them that know. Through thy shrill voice every soul that turned to God, the Lord of all worlds, was drawn nigh, and through thy movement were all created things stirred to motion in the days of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Through thee were made manifest the hidden mysteries in the Books of God, and that which was treasured in His all-encompassing knowledge was unveiled.

O Pen! Make mention of that which was visited upon My person by the hosts of the oppressors who turned away from Us and rose up against Us without any clear proof from God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment. Say: O peoples of the earth! The promised Day is come, and He Who was promised calleth aloud with most exalted call. In every state doth He proclaim: “There is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.” Beware lest ye oppose Him through Whom every Book was sent down, every Messenger dispatched, and every wondrous Cause made manifest. Beware lest the cawing of the crows and the turning away of the opposers debar you from the Most Exalted Horizon and this clear and manifest Path.

By God’s life! My Pen lamenteth and saith:

“O people of the Bayan! Fear ye the All-Merciful, and say not that which the idolaters said of old. Fear ye the Day whereon ye shall be questioned concerning your deeds in this vain life.”

He, verily, is the Commander, the Almighty, the All-Wise. Say: If ye oppose this Cause with any proof that would establish what ye possess, then bring it forth, and be not of them that tarry. This is the Cause of which the Bayan gave tidings, and before it Muhammad the Apostle of God, and before him the Spirit, and before him He Who conversed with God. The Point of the Bayan standeth before the Throne, giving utterance to this Name whereby the limbs of all names have quaked and the foundations of the idolaters who cast the Book of God behind their backs have been shaken, having followed every heedless and remote one.

O Pen! Leave the mention of such people and turn thy face toward those who have turned unto God and believed in Him on a Day wherein the learned ones of the earth and their divines turned away, and those who followed them without My command before God—these are indeed among the abased ones. Make mention of the martyr who sacrificed his spirit with joy and fragrance in the path of My Name, the All-Merciful, with such steadfastness as amazed the Concourse on High and the dwellers of Paradise and those who circle round the Throne at morn and eventide. Then make mention of him who was named Buzurg, who heard the scratching of My Pen and soared in My atmosphere and turned toward My face and spoke forth My beauteous praise. We have made mention of him in numerous Tablets and have revealed for him from My Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Book that which shall never cease to shed its fragrance as long as the kingdom of earth and heaven endureth. To this beareth witness He Who is established upon the throne of grandeur with mighty sovereignty.

O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! Hear thou once again the call from the Lote Tree raised up above the luminous spot, as a bidding from God, the Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens. Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. O Buzurg! The Ancient Countenance hath turned toward thee from His Most Great Prison, and remembereth thee with that which hath caused the sweet savors of revelation to be diffused throughout the world. Blessed is he who hath found and recognized and hath said: “Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of Lords!” My Most Great Branch hath presented before Me thy letter when the Wronged One was seated upon the throne of sorrow by reason of that which the hands of the deniers of God, the Lord of creation, have wrought.

That which thou didst send through My Name, the Self-Subsisting, hath come before the Wronged One. We have heard thy call and have answered thee with that which shall rejoice thy heart and the hearts of them that have turned with spirit and fragrance toward My most exalted horizon. At this moment the Tongue of Grandeur speaketh, and My Branch writeth it as a token of grace from Me, and I am the Powerful, the Unconstrained. We make mention of thy sister, the consort of him who was martyred in My path, with a remembrance from My Most Exalted Pen before which all mention must bow down.

O My leaf and My handmaiden! By God, all things have lamented for you, and the Most Exalted Pen, and the dwellers of the Most Exalted Paradise. Blessed art thou and blessed every handmaiden who hath loved thee and attained unto thy presence, and blessed thy mother whom We mentioned before, and I am the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. We were with thee and with her and witnessed what befell you both, and I am the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Nothing whatsoever escapeth His knowledge and with Him is the Mother Book. This is the Day wherein the banner “He is God” hath been raised aloft and the standard of divine power hath been hoisted upon the highest mountains. Blessed is he who hath heard the Call from the direction of the Throne, and blessed is he who hath beheld My Most Great Sign when it shone forth from the horizon of God’s Will, the Revealer of verses.

This is the Day wherein the ocean of My loving-kindness hath surged, and the sun of My grace hath shone forth, and the heaven of My mercy hath been upraised. Behold then, O ye who are endued with vision! O Buzurg! Say: O people of God! Beware lest the doubts of the divines or the allusions of them that have denied the Beginning and the Return withhold you. The Hidden Secret and the Treasured Mystery hath come, yet the people are in doubt and dissension.

We have desired at this moment to make mention of My leaf and My handmaiden whom We have caused to ascend unto the Most Exalted Companion, that it may be a treasure for her and a store with her Lord, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving. I bear witness that she turned unto God and hearkened and responded to her Lord whilst the people were in a strange sleep. By My life! The dwellers of the most exalted chambers in the highest Paradise and the celestial garden welcomed her—to this doth the Lord of Names bear witness at this moment, He Who proclaimeth that there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Were her station to be revealed even less than the eye of a needle, all the tongues of the world would speak forth. Blessed is God Who hath preferred her and honored her and exalted her to such a degree that the leaves circle round her. The testimony of her Lord sufficeth her. By My life! Nothing that is seen or witnessed can equal it. Blessed are they who have recognized, and woe unto every obstinate denier!

O Muhammad! The Wronged One makes mention of thee at a time when the wicked have encompassed Him from every direction. He speaks the truth before the faces of the world even as He spoke before, in such wise that neither the clamor of the peoples nor the might of the princes of the earth and their divines could deter Him. Thus have We made manifest the Cause with clear proof and evidence. Blessed art thou, O Muhammad, inasmuch as thou hast attained unto My days, hast heard My call, and hast done that which was acceptable in the sight of the Wronged One. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this bounty which hath shone forth from the horizon of thy Lord’s will, the Illuminator of all regions.

Thou hast at this hour attained unto a grace from Us and a pardon from Our presence, and verily I am the All-Powerful, the Compeller. Blessed are ye for having shown patience in the path of God and borne that which none before you hath borne. To this beareth witness the Mother Book which is with Him. Thus have We purified you with the water of Our loving-kindness and made mention of you through My utterance whereby the horizons have been illumined. The glory shining from the horizon of My Kingdom be upon you and upon those who love you for the sake of God, the Lord of earth and heaven.

We make mention at this hour of My loved ones there who have testified to that whereunto God Himself hath testified: that there is none other God but Him, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. O people of God! We counsel you to be trustworthy, religious, chaste and faithful, and to that whereby the Cause of God, the Lord of all that was and shall be, may be exalted. When ye have attained unto My verses and perceived the breezes of revelation, arise from your seats, turning toward the Wronged One, and say:

O God of earth and heaven, Lord of the world to come and of this world! We testify to that whereunto Thy tongue hath testified in the Most Exalted Horizon, and we acknowledge that whereunto Thy Pen hath confessed. We beseech Thee by the waves of the ocean of Thy knowledge and the stars in the heaven of Thy wisdom to aid us to stand firm in Thy Cause and to strengthen us in that which beseemeth Thy days. O Lord! We are consumed by separation from Thee and our hearts are melted in our remoteness from Thee. We perceive the fragrance of Thy manifestation yet know not from what place the fragrance of Thy garment wafteth, nor where the rustling of the Tree of Thy Cause and the murmur of the waters of Thy loving-kindness are heard.

We beseech Thee by Thy most great signs and by the manifestations of Thy power in the kingdom of creation to ordain for us, by the pen of Thy bounty, the reward of attaining Thy presence, of standing before Thy throne, and of appearing at the door of Thy majesty. Thou art He by Whose generosity all created things have testified and by Whose power all beings have borne witness. We implore Thee not to deny us that which is with Thee and that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones who have offered up their spirits in Thy path. By the Martyr whom the Concourse on High doth visit, we beseech Thee to ordain for us what Thou hast ordained for them. Then protect us from the evil of those who croak and who hinder people from the ocean of Thy utterance, the sweet waters of Thy bounty and the choice wine of Thy loving-kindness. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Conquering, the Powerful. Thou art worthy to answer prayers, and Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

BH00692: Immeasurable praise befitteth the threshold of the Peerless One…

He is God, exalted be His station, the Grandeur and the Glory!

Immeasurable praise befitteth the threshold of the Peerless One Who, through the effulgence of the Sun of inner meanings, hath adorned human hearts with the ornament of divine knowledge and embellished the temples of human existence with the robe of His recognition, rendering them distinguished thereby. The tongues of the world are powerless to mention the wonders of His bestowals, and the pens of all nations fall short in recording the subtleties of His favors. His grace hath encompassed all horizons, and His bounty hath pervaded all existence. Should one gaze with the eye of insight upon the wondrous ordering of creation, he would be astonished and bewildered by the subtle favors of the Desired One towards him.

In the divine tradition He saith:

“O son of man! I created all things for thy sake, and thee for My own sake. Flee not from Me.”

Alas and regret that they are deprived of that for which they were created, occupied with their own idle fancies, and prevented from receiving the lights of the Sun of Truth. In this spiritual springtime, when all the world is verdant and flourishing from the divine breezes of knowledge, the trees of human existence have not stirred nor become verdant. Glory be to God! The heedless ones have not discovered that which is the good of existence and the tranquility of humanity in both the seen and unseen realms. All these trials and hardships are for the sake of guiding people to eternal good and perpetual ease, and for the elevation of the servants to spiritual realms and their attainment to the luminous heights of holiness. Yet the possessors of selfish desires have prevented the people from entering the precinct of acceptance and arriving at the city of attainment. We beseech God—exalted be His glory and magnificent His favors—to rend asunder, through His complete power, the veils that hinder, and to guide all to the direction of guidance and the dawning-place of knowledge and wisdom.

O thou who art turned towards the realm of immortality, who drinketh from the pure waters of the Salsabil of reunion, and who hath laid hold of the hem of faithfulness! Thy first and second letters arrived in succession and brought the utmost joy and delight. However, at that time, due to the frequency of occupations, the sending of a reply was delayed. In these days, while intending to write, thy third letter arrived and added joy upon joy. After reading thy letters, thou wert present before the Face and mention was made of thee. The Tongue of the Divine Will, addressing thee, spoke these exalted words, His word, exalted be His majesty:

In My Name that directeth the Tablet and the Pen

O Leaf! Upon thee be the glory of God, the Lord of all names, and the loving-kindness of God, the Creator of heaven, and upon the Ayn and the Ba who have attained unto the love of God, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting, who have arisen to serve the Cause and performed that which brought joy to all hearts and souls. The river of names hath deprived people of the ocean of inner meanings. At times the word successor’ became a veil, at other times the word mirror’, and yet at other times words such as chief’, noble’, learned’ and the like. Although through the power of the Supreme Pen some veils were rent asunder, others remain, for people are heedless and veiled. Until now they have not found true unity and have not comprehended the station of the Day of God. They cling to vain imaginings, return to vain imaginings, and are oriented towards vain imaginings. Praise and gratitude be to Him that thou hast attained and beheld the Most Exalted Horizon, and been honored to hear that for which ears were created. Strive that perchance thou mayest, with joy and fragrance, illumine the people of the world with the effulgent rays of the Sun of true unity.

Say: O people of God! Wisdom is a mighty shield; hold fast unto it and be occupied with rendering assistance to the Cause. By the life of the All-Merciful! Victory is through wisdom and utterance, and naught else is acceptable in the sight of God, for the people of God are for the betterment of the world. They must arise to that which will conduce to the exaltation and advancement of governments and peoples. Convey My greetings to the loved ones in that land. Certain Tablets have been revealed from the Supreme Pen in answer to some, and have not yet been sent. We beseech God to confirm them in the Greater Steadfastness, lest doubts and allusions prevent them from the Source of verses and the Revealer of clear proofs. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon those with thee and upon My loved ones there.

We hope that you may ever be blessed with the favors of the All-Knowing King and be confirmed and assisted in teaching the Cause of the All-Merciful with wisdom and utterance. In truth, if in this glorious Day one renders a service and becomes the cause of guidance and enlightenment of one of his fellow beings, the mention thereof shall endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. Say:

Glorified art Thou, O Lord of the world and Sovereign through Thy Most Great Name! I beseech Thee by the dominion of Thy power and the kingship of Thy might to make me steadfast in Thy service and to aid me at all times to guide Thy creatures to the source of Thy knowledge and the wellspring of Thy wisdom. O my God, my Lord and my Hope! Thou knowest that I desire naught but Thy mention and praise, and to arise in service to Thy Cause in Thy lands. I beseech Thee to withhold not from me Thy outpourings in Thy days, and to assist me in what I have purposed in Thy path. Grant me, through Thy all-encompassing grace upon all who dwell on earth and in heaven, the Kawthar of bounty and the Salsabil of immortality.

O Lord! Thou seest the servants heedless of Thy manifestations in Thy days and veiled from the effulgence of the lights of Thy oneness and the dawning of the Sun of Thy singleness. Strengthen those whom Thou hast caused to recognize Thy Self, whom Thou hast honored with Thy knowledge, and whom Thou hast adorned with Thy acceptance, to do what befitteth Thy days of manifestation: to detach themselves from all else and to confine themselves to that which endureth through the permanence of Thy sovereignty and dominion—namely, to guide creation to the paradise of Thy knowledge. Look not upon the heedlessness of the servants and the veiling of the lands, O Sovereign of the Beginning and the End, but rather upon Thy grace, Thy mercy, Thy generosity and Thy loving-kindness. Look not upon the weakness and impotence of creation, but rather upon the might of Thy power and the dominion of Thy strength. Preserve, O God, Thy loved ones from the evil of Thine enemies who have remained heedless of Thy Cause and have committed what they were forbidden in Thy Book. Verily, Thou art the Generous, the Lord of abundant grace. There is none other God but Thee, the Most High, the Most Great.

Glorified art Thou, O Lord of Names and Sovereign of earth and heaven! With what tongue can I thank Thee for the wonders of Thy bestowals, and with what utterance can I praise Thee for the manifestations of Thy grace and bounty? Thy mercy hath encompassed us from all directions, and Thy grace hath preceded us, O Lord of earth and heavens! How can nothingness describe the attributes of the Sovereign of eternity? By Thy glory! I am bewildered in Thy remembrance and astounded by the predominance of Thy kindness and the succession of Thy generosity and favor. Were I to praise Thee throughout the duration of the kingdom and dominion, I would not be able to comprehend the least of Thy favors, nor could I describe the smallest of Thy bestowals—how much less Thy remembrance, Thy praise, and the attributes of Thy power, might, majesty, glory and dominion!

I beseech Thee to accept from me what Thou hast commanded me in Thy Book, and to look not upon my poverty, want, abasement and lowliness, but rather upon Thy glory and power. Aid me to such remembrance as shall endure in Thy kingdom and shall be a cause for my attaining, at all times, unto the heights of Thy nearness. Verily, Thou art the Generous, the Bountiful. There is none other God but Thee, the Gracious, the Munificent, the Bestower, the Mighty, the Merciful.

Convey to the honored Habib Ruhani ʿAyn-Qaf-Ba sublime and wondrous remembrances and glorifications. Likewise to M.H., may the glory of God rest upon them both. We beseech God to strengthen them and grant them the good of the hereafter and of this world. Verily, He is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth. To the honored Aqa Mirza Mahmud, may the glory of God rest upon him, I send most wondrous and sublime glorifications, and I beseech and hope for God’s grace and favor on his behalf. In the first letter, mention was made of the honored Aqa Jalil—glorify him on my behalf and remember him with beautiful remembrance. I beseech God to strengthen him, preserve him and grant him what is best for him. Verily, He is the Kind, the Generous. Remember all the friends with gracious remembrances and most sublime glorifications. Glory and praise be upon you and upon them all. As pressing tasks were successive, this was sent in the handwriting of one of the friends.

202 [Muhammad ʿAli]

BH00704: Ziyarat-Namiy-i-Babu’l-Bab va Quddus

Tablet of visitation for the first to arrive and the last to attain, may the souls of all on earth be offered up for them both.

In the name of Him Who is the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful!

The peace that hath shone forth from the Dayspring of the Will of God, the Lord of all being, and the light that hath dawned above the horizon of His supreme mercy and His resplendent signs rest upon you, O ye who are the hands of His power in the kingdom of creation and the manifestations of His grandeur between earth and heaven!

Ye are they who were awakened by the gentle winds of the dawn of Revelation and were enraptured by the voice of Him Who spoke on Sinai. Ye are they who inhaled the fragrance of the All-Merciful when it wafted from the realm of divine knowledge. By your guidance the thirsty hastened to the onrushing waters of everlasting life and the sinner to the vivifying river of forgiveness and mercy. Ye are the signs of God and His straight Path amongst His creation. Through you all faces turned to the Most Exalted Horizon and every poor one sought the Wellspring of wealth.

At your suffering all things lamented, and every atom cried out between earth and heaven, and Adam forsook the Most Exalted Paradise and chose for Himself a place upon the dust. Ye are the dawning-places of power amidst the people and the daysprings of might amongst the righteous. Through you the springtime of inner meaning appeared in the world of utterance and the All-Merciful shed His effulgent splendour upon all created things.

Ye are the hands of His Cause in His lands, and the stars of His bountiful care amidst His servants. Through you the daystars of knowledge dawned forth, the heavens of all religions were illumined, the lights of the sciences shone brightly amongst the nations, and the sphere of the arts was expanded throughout the world. Ye are the dawning-places of God’s Revelation upon the earth and the daysprings of His signs in the world of creation. By your arising did the people arise to serve the Cause and the river of mercy flow out amidst humankind.

Ye are the pearls of the Hidden Sea and the letters of the Treasured Book. Through your sublime word the Book of Names was expounded and the portals of blessings were opened wide before the inhabitants of earth and heaven. Through you the injunction “Be thou” was enforced, the Hidden Secret was divulged, and the choice Wine was unsealed.

Alas, alas! By reason of your sorrow, the inmates of the all-highest Paradise were overcome with grief and the denizens of the kingdom of names were moved to lament. At your suffering, trembling seized the inhabitants of the Verdant Isle on the shore of the Sea of Grandeur, causing the sighs of such as are wholly devoted to God to ascend and the tears of them that are nigh unto Him to rain down. Ye are the books of God and His scriptures, the epistles of God and His tablets. By virtue of your gladness the faces of all beings were wreathed in smiles, and by reason of your sorrow all things visible and invisible did wail aloud.

Ye are the arks of God sailing upon the ocean of His Will, and the people of God who have arisen to champion His Cause. Through you the Most Great Announcement was proclaimed and the limbs of all men were made to tremble. Through your call every sleeping one was awakened, every seated one rose up, and every reclining one rushed forth. Through that call the negligent were raised from slumber, the ignorant were enlightened, the agitated were assured, and the tongue of every stammerer was unloosed. Through your sweet remembrance all people hastened to the Most Exalted Horizon and the Crimson Ark sailed upon the sea of names.

Ye are the dawning-places of the Will of God and the daysprings of His Cause, the embodiments of His command and the sources of His might. Ye are the storehouses of His knowledge and the treasuries of His secrets, the repositories of His decree and the exponents of His behest. Ye are the pearls of the ocean of His generosity and the gems of the mines of His munificence, the suns of the firmament of His grace and the moons of the heaven of His bounty. Through you the banner “He, verily, is God” was hoisted upon the earth and every stranger came to recognize his ultimate goal and his true abode.

Through your allegiance did the pure in heart rush to the field of martyrdom and offer up that which they possessed in the path of God, the Lord of all names. Through you did they who enjoy near access to God attain unto the living waters of immortality, and the true believers unto that which hath flowed forth from the Luminous Spot in the All-Highest Paradise before the Divine Lote-Tree.

I testify that through you the breeze of the All-Merciful passed over all created things and the sweet savour of the All-Glorious wafted over all regions. Through you the Throne was established upon the land of Za’faran and the God of Mercy seated Himself thereupon. Through you the heaven of certitude shone resplendent and all things were moved to proclaim, “The Kingdom is God’s, the Almighty, the Beneficent!” Through your names the suns of inner meaning dawned above the horizons of utterance, and the streams of divine wisdom flowed in the gardens of true understanding. Ye are those inner meanings that can neither be apprehended through words nor expressed through speech.

Blessed is the poor one who hath set out towards the orient of your wealth, the thirsty one who hath hastened to the shores of the ocean of your favours, the lowly one who hath sought the court of your glory, the ignorant one who hath looked to the dawning-place of your knowledge, the distressed one who hath drawn nigh unto the tabernacle of your majesty and the pavilion of your grace, the ailing one who hath longed for the heavenly river of your healing, the weak one who hath turned to the kingdom of your might, and the friend who hath reached the soft-flowing stream of reunion with you and been honoured with your presence, which excelleth all that hath been fashioned in the universe or appeared in the realm of creation.

Great indeed is the blessedness of the wayward one who hath rushed to the dayspring of your guidance, the slumbering one who hath been awakened through your remembrance, the dead one who hath been stirred by the breezes of your utterance and adorned with the ornament of life beneath your shadow, the seated one who hath arisen in your service, the eloquent one who hath celebrated your praise and turned to the fountain of your generosity, and the rebellious one who through your intercession hath reached the ocean of forgiveness.

Through the sweet call you raised did all things draw nigh unto God, the Possessor of all names, and by your turning to the Most Exalted Horizon did all faces turn towards the dawning-place of the bounty of your Lord, the All-Glorious. Through you the treasures of all names were brought forth amongst the people. Through you the hearts of His ardent lovers were set ablaze in the world of creation.

The glory that hath dawned from the horizon of Mine utterance rest upon you and upon whomsoever hath turned towards you and fixed his gaze on the court of your glory. Through you the Dove of Eternity chanted and the birds of the Throne of glory warbled amongst the peoples, the seas surged and the winds blew, the lights were shed abroad and the skies were illumined. Through you the celestial Bird sounded its call, that which had been hidden was disclosed, the irrevocable decree was fulfilled, and the Hand of Mercy passed round the sealed wine. Through you the morn of certitude dawned forth, the lamp of vain imaginings was extinguished, and the gates of inspiration were flung open. Through you the secrets of the Book were divulged and the veils were rent asunder. Through you the emerald-green Nightingale warbled upon the Crimson Tree, testifying to that whereunto God Himself did testify ere the creation of earth and heaven.

Ye are the waves of this Sea through which every other sea hath surged and the mercy of God hath appeared in every land. I bear witness that ye are rivers branching out from the Most Great Ocean, luminous moons rising above the horizon of the world, and radiant lights shining upon its peoples. God hath made each of you a bough of this Ancient Root; an exponent of this glorious, this veiled and weighty Secret; a manifestation of His most noble Name; and a sign of His all-embracing grace. Well is it with him that hath been blessed by your breath during your lives and guided by your example after your deaths. Through you God’s bounty was fulfilled, His mercy encompassed all things, His testimony was established, His heavenly sustenance was sent down, His Word was perfected, His breeze was wafted, and His proofs shone resplendent amidst all creation.

By your suffering, the kindreds of the cities of names were seized with agitation, the Pen of the Most High wailed aloud, the inmates of the loftiest Paradise were sorely vexed, the leaves of the Divine Lote-Tree withered, the Maids of heaven swooned away in their crimson chambers, the atoms of the universe cried out between earth and heaven, and the movement of the Pen of the Most Great Name was stilled in the realms of remembrance and praise.

Blessed is the one who hath been illumined with the light of your faces, hath drawn nigh unto the precincts of your court and circled round you, hath visited your resting-places and taken refuge with you, hath cleaved to the cord of your grace and held fast to the hem of your bounty, hath striven to the utmost in your path and suffered martyrdom for the sake of your love.

Through you the Supreme Horizon was illumined and all faces turned to God, the Lord of all Names. Through you were manifested His sovereignty and His might, His majesty and His grandeur. Ye are the lights of the Kingdom, the secrets of the Celestial Dominion, and the daysprings of the Cause of God in this nether world. Through you the sun of utterance shone forth, the ocean of understanding appeared, the heaven of certitude was upraised, and the throne of the All-Merciful was established in the realm of being.

Blessed are ye—the origin of your beings and their end, your outer temples and inner selves—and blessed is whosoever hath drawn nigh unto you and visited your graves, held fast to the cord of your favours, and clung firmly to the hem of the robe of your bestowals.

Lauded be Thy name, O Lord of Being and Possessor of all things visible and invisible! I beseech Thee by the showers of Thy mercy, through which Thy bounties and favours were manifested unto Thy servants, and by the mysteries of Thy knowledge and the pearls of the ocean of Thy wisdom, to forgive me, and my parents, and every servant who hath clung firmly to this exalted station and hastened to this sublime habitation.

I entreat Thee, O my Lord, by that Word wherewith Thou hast subdued the hearts of Thy chosen ones, to satisfy my needs and make me steadfast in Thy Cause, with my eyes fixed upon Thy horizon, wholly rid of all attachment to such as have disbelieved in Thee and in Thy signs.

O Lord! Thou seest Thy servant hastening to the ocean of Thy forgiveness, desiring only that which Thou hast ordained for them that love Thee. Thou art, in truth, that All-Powerful One Whom the pursuits of Thy servants can never frustrate nor the clamour of the people deter from Thy purpose. Thou doest, through the power of Thy might, what Thou willest, and ordainest as Thou pleasest. Thou, verily, art the All-Powerful, the All-Subduing, the Almighty.

BH00702: Praise be to God, Who hath made the path…

He is God, blessed and exalted be His glory.

Praise be to God, Who hath made the path plain unto the people of search, and hath made manifest His narrow way unto the possessors of scrutiny and diligent inquiry; Who hath illumined, by the effulgences of the Sun of divine knowledge, the dawning-places of the hearts of them that truly believe. Glorified and exalted be His sovereignty! By the magnet of His Word He hath drawn the hearts of the people of concord unto the City of intimacy and unity; He hath illumined the horizons and the lands with the wondrous splendours of His shining light, and hath adorned the bodies of the people of the Covenant, on the Day of Reunion, with the robes of His bounty, His grace, and His loving-kindness.

And glory rest upon that Light which hath shone from the firmament of majesty upon the Faith amongst humankind, and upon the recipients of Revelation and inspiration in the world of creation—those by whom the greatness of God, His might and His all-subduing power, have been made manifest; by the words that have proceeded from their mouths the books of existence have been embellished with the subtleties of wisdom and utterance, and the scriptures of the religions have been broidered with the jewels of knowledge and recognition. Through their guidance hath every true seeker attained unto the City of nearness, and every one that turned and was prepared hath been invested with the raiment of acceptance. And peace be upon those who have followed them and obeyed them, hearkened to their command and answered their summons, and, through their guidance, have turned unto the shore of the knowledge of their Lord, the All-Glorious, the All-Bountiful.

Glorified art Thou, O my God, O Lord of bounty, O Possessor of the secrets of the unseen and the seen! Exalted art Thou above my description and the description of the world, above my mention and the mention of all nations. How shall I dare to describe Thee, seeing that Thou art the King of might and eternity? How shall I venture to extol Thee, whilst Thou art the Lord of the Kingdom of power and independence? How shall I praise and thank Thee, when Thou art sanctified above all praise and glorification?

By Thy might! I see for myself naught but bewilderment in Thy praise, and discern for my soul naught save powerlessness in thanksgiving for the marvellous signs of Thy favours and the subtleties of Thy bounties. Wert I, throughout the duration of existence, to give voice to mine inability, my poverty, my abasement and lowliness before Thy might, Thy wealth, Thy glory and Thy exaltation, my heart would not find rest, nor would my bosom be set at ease.

Glorified art Thou, O Thou Who, through our own impotence, hast made known unto us the majesty of Thine omnipotence; and glorified art Thou, O Thou Who, by our poverty of being, hast guided us unto the Kingdom of Thine all-sufficiency and Thy power. The deficiencies of the realm of possibility have led us to the perfection of Thine Essence, O Lord of religions; and the weakness of contingent existence hath pointed us toward Thy strength and Thy dominion, O King of the unseen and the seen.

Exalted is Thy consummate wisdom, and magnified Thy perfect handiwork! Is there any seer to behold these clear signs? Is there any man of understanding to ponder these manifest tokens? None is able to know them save through Thy might, Thy power, Thy sovereignty and Thy strength.

I beseech Thee, O Lord of mankind and Possessor of the mysteries of destiny, to aid us in the knowledge of this hidden mystery and concealed symbol, and to make each one of us a tongue eloquent in remembrance of Thee and in praise of Thee, and in thanksgiving for the bounties of Thy beauty; and to enable us, O Thou hope of all worlds and desire of them that know, to exalt the standards of Thy Cause amidst Thy creatures, and to spread abroad the traces of Thy Pen amongst Thy creation. Verily, Thou art powerful to do what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Bestower, the Giver, the All-Bountiful, the All-Glorious, the All-Knowing.

O thou who hast turned thy face unto the Blessed Lote-Tree, who art beheld by the eye of the loving-kindness of the Lord of creation, and who dwellest beneath the shade of bounty and mercy! Thy letter, sealed with thine own seal, hath been received, and I have read that which was inscribed therein of allusions betokening the subtleties of thy love, and of words expressing the essences of thy affection.

I entreat God, the Lord of being and the Sovereign of the beginning and the end, to single thee out at all times with the raiment of His tenderness and the robe of His bounty and compassion; to make thee a banner of guidance among His servants and a token of steadfastness in His creation; and to protect thee, beneath the shade of His guardianship, from the malice of His creatures. Verily, He is the All-Glorious, the All-Generous. There is no God but He, the Most High, the Most Great.

O Habib-i-Ruhani! After the perusal of thine honoured letter, which bore a sealed seal, and likewise of the second letter which thou hadst sent from Qazvin, both were presented in the Most Sanctified, the Most Exalted Court; and the mention of thine eminence was laid before the Countenance. There then streamed forth from the fountain-head of the bounty of the Lord of creation wondrous, exalted favours, and luminous verses were revealed concerning thine honoured self and those souls whose names thou hadst recorded in both letters. We hope that, through their reading, they will be set aflame and shall rejoice in the manifestations of divine grace.

As to the enclosed letter which the honoured Mirza Muhammad had written, its answer, in accordance with his request, was, through the intermediary of Jinab-i-Aslamu’llah—upon him be the glory of God and His splendour—despatched to him; and, previously, a Tablet in reply to his former letter had also been revealed and sent. Doubtless it hath by now reached him regarding some of the matters thou hadst mentioned.

The Tongue of the Divine Will hath spoken these luminous words:

O My Name! Upon thee be My glory. Jinab-i-Mirza Haydar-Ali—upon him be My glory—hath, for many a year, been supplicating in the Holy Court, and hath mentioned Habib-Ali-Haydar, that the bounties should reach him. They shall indeed reach him, and none is able to transgress against him, inasmuch as he is bound to foreign governments. For this reason the Tablets and correspondence were sent to him that he might deliver them. In the meantime, whatever Tablets were destined for certain individuals have been entrusted to him for transmission. Today, were one to look with the eye of fairness, the tongue would be silenced and the pen stay its hand; and these matters have been revealed in divers Tablets.

Jinab-i-Amin hath, in his own letter, made mention of thine eminence and of Jinab-i-Muhammad-Rida and of those souls who have appointed a monthly stipend for the aforesaid Mirza, and he hath expressed, on behalf of all, his good pleasure, joy and happiness.

As to what thou hast written regarding certain persons, the right is with thine eminence; but God counselleth all through His verses, and summoneth all unto His straight Path. Blessed is the man and the woman who hold fast unto His straight way.

Were those souls who ascribe themselves to the Truth adorned with that unique robe which becometh the Days of God, thou wouldst, in this day, behold all the people of the earth illumined.

O Jamal! Grasp thou the hem of the name ʿthe Concealer’ and know, with assured certitude, that all matters are, in the sight of God, evident and manifest. His concealment hath been, and is, by virtue of His consummate wisdom. Forbearance is needful, but in such wise that it lead not to boldness.

And regarding that which thou didst write about the honoured Muhammad-Husayn—may the transcriber have set it as L. T. after it had been laid before the Most Sanctified Court, He said:

“His case is known unto God; and all were commanded to silence, and to leave his right to God. May the spirit of whoso is in the Kingdom of command and creation be a sacrifice for His loving care, and a ransom for His mercy.”

Such matters come to pass that all may know the reality of the stations of the Shi’ih hierarchy, and the true nature of those souls and the rank of the divines; that they may not again occupy themselves with mere names, nor kindle anew the fires of cursing and contention. These eyes and these ears have seen and heard; nevertheless, the cawing ones are striving to organize once again such a party. May God—exalted be He—protect Us and you, O concourse of the people of unity, from the evil of such as these.

Again, concerning the promised piece of land which thou didst mention: it hath in no wise been forgotten; but, in view of the all-embracing wisdom, its despatch is at present not possible. Should they be content with another piece which is not contrary to wisdom, it will be sent; otherwise, they must needs wait until the time is ripe and the sending thereof accordeth with the exigencies of the hour.

The dwellers in the Pavilion of Infallibility, one and all, make mention, in exalted terms, of thine eminence and thy household. Convey, on Our behalf, to Jinab-i-Habb’u’llah remembrance with tender, subtle praises, and magnify him with a mighty, all-glorious glorification.

We beseech God to safeguard thee and thy family beneath the canopy of His care, and to grant you, at all times, to quaff the draught of His bounty and grace from the stream of Tasnim. Verily, He is the All-Glorious, the All-Bountiful.

Whensoever thou dost meet the joyful friends of God in any land or station, remember them, on behalf of this Servant, with wondrous glorifications, and convey unto them the cry of a sublime, all-compelling “God is Most Great”.

Peace, glory and praise be upon thee, O thou who dwellest beneath the shadow of the grace of the Lord of names.

BH00703: Praise be unto God, the King, the All-Praised, Who…

He is God, exalted be His glory.

Praise be unto God, the King, the All-Praised, Who hath brought us forth into the realm of existence, and hath taught us praise and glorification in the worlds of the seen and the unseen. He, verily, is the Possessor of the reins of bounty and grace. Every being and thing visible hath acknowledged His sovereignty, and all have confessed His power and His proof on the promised Day.

For the way unto any but Him is, in the sight of the knowing, barred; and every proof, in the eyes of the lovers, save that which establisheth His Cause, is rejected. His very verses are His evidence, and His own being is His affirmation. There is no God but He, the All-Glorious, the All-Loving.

And blessings and peace be upon the Manifestations of His impregnable, blissful Cause, the dawning-places of His Revelation—those who have summoned His servants to prostrate themselves before Him, have guided the seekers to the court of His knowledge, and have led the yearning unto the pavilion of His love. Blessed is he who hath awakened from the slumber of heedlessness, and woe betide the sleepers! Happiness be the portion of him who hath arisen to serve the Cause, and utter loss the lot of him who hath chosen to sit idle and remain unmoved. Glad-tidings be to those who have been faithful to the Covenant, have not broken the Testament of their Lord, and have stood firm upon His outstretched Path.

O thou beloved of the heart, thou who, on the Day of Return, hast clung to the Covenant of love! Thy first letter and thy second have both come to hand; I have read what they contained, and recognized the degrees of love and unity treasured within thy heart, which hath been illumined by the shining of the Word of thy Lord, the Lord of the Day of Summoning.

When I beheld what thou didst desire might attain the honour of being presented and recited in the court of the All-Forgiving, I entered the forecourt of majesty and laid thy remembrance, and what thou hadst written of praise and glorification, before His Face. Thereupon the fragrance of utterance was stirred, the ocean of bounty and loving-kindness surged, and there was sent down for thee and for those whom thou didst mention in thy letter that which shall clothe you in the vesture of grace and adorn you with the robe of liberality. Verily, He is the All-Glorious, the All-Loving.

It behoveth thee to give thanks for this Most Great Bounty and to glory therein before the peoples and kindreds of the earth. I beseech God, my Lord, the All-Glorious, to guard thee beneath the shadow of the Lote-Tree of the Uttermost Heights, to confirm thee in that which shall be best for thee in this world and the next, and to make thee a banner of steadfastness amongst the people of creation. Verily, He is the Most High, the All-Exalted.

Glorified art Thou, O King of existence and Lord of the Kingdom of bounty and loving-kindness! Thou hast created the world and hast made manifest the sovereignty of Thy Cause amongst the nations. Whoso hath known Thee, and apprehended the Word of Thy command, and tasted the sweetness of Thy love—he verily hath entered the Crimson Ark which, by Thy behest, ploweth the ocean of majesty; he hath attained unto the court of nearness and reunion beneath the shadow of Thy Most Exalted, Thy Most Glorious Name.

But whoso hath remained afar from the gardens of Thy knowledge, hath not been illumined by the Sun of Thy love, nor been guided by the light of certitude in the Day of the appearance of Him Who is the Manifestation of Thy oneness—such a one hath wandered in the deserts of veils and hath strayed in the wilderness of idle allusion, and hath debarred his own soul from those favours which Thou didst ordain for such as draw nigh unto the shadow of the Lote-Tree of Thy Cause.

O my Lord! I entreat Thee by the blood that hath been shed in Thy path, by the necks that have been severed by the swords of tyranny in the highway of Thy love, and by the sighs that have ascended from the breasts of Thy loved ones under the dominance of the fire of Thy affection, to aid Thy friends to make mention of Thee and to praise Thee amongst Thy servants, to confirm them in the Most Great Steadfastness in the midst of mankind, and to establish them in mighty constancy upon Thy straight Path. Then ordain for them, O my Hope, every good which Thou hast sent down in Thy Book and hast promised to Thy lovers in Thy Scriptures and Tablets.

Do Thou, O my God, strengthen him who is designated by the letter Jim preceding the letter Sin, in that which shall be for his good in this world and the next. Give him, at all times, to drink of the Salsabil of Thy bounty and the Tasnim of Thy loving care. Make him a standard of constancy amongst Thy servants, and protect him, O my Lord and my Desire, by Thy Most Great Name from the malice of the wicked among the nations, that he may, at every moment, be a helper of Thy Cause with wisdom and utterance. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the All-Glorious, the All-Bountiful. There is no God but Thee, the Most High, the All-Sustaining.

O thou beloved one! Whenever I ponder the Manifestations of the Cause and the might of the sovereignty of grace, and then behold the veiling of the people, I am confounded, and exclaim: “Glorified be He, the Ever-Abiding, the Unchanging!”

Say: O ye who raise objections! If ye deny this Cause, by what cause will ye cling, and unto whom will ye turn? The traces of this Revelation have encompassed the horizons, and its verses have filled every region. If ye reject these most mighty signs, by what thing will ye prove that which ye possess of Scriptures and Books? And if ye repudiate these luminous testimonies, how shall that which hath been recorded in former Books—of the traces of Truth in the days of past Manifestations—be known or established?

How long will ye sleep upon the couch of heedlessness and blindness? Lo, the Sun hath risen in the zenith of immortality, and its light hath illumined earth and heaven. Meditate upon that which hath shone forth, in this Manifestation, of steadfastness and constancy in the days when the rains of trials and afflictions poured down. Hath He not said—and His word is the truth—“Then wish for death, if ye be truthful”?

By God! There hath appeared, from the people of faithfulness, such constancy in the Cause of God, the Lord of all things, as the scrolls of all that hath been written are powerless to reckon. There is no land but hath been dyed with their blood, and no air but hath been rent with the flame of their sighs. Upon them there hath come that for which every atom lamenteth, yet they stood firm in such wise as to bewilder all that are in heaven and on earth. It hath been proven by conclusive argument that they, verily, are a people of truth, that unto their Lord they return, and that they have laid fast hold on the Sure Handle.

O beloved one—this is now set forth in the Persian tongue:

In truth, were men to ponder but this one sentence, they would bear witness that such steadfastness, such constancy, such endurance and patience at the very time when trials and tribulations rained down upon them, both in secret and in public, can never have been save through a divine power. At no time, in no age, hath such self-sacrifice in the path of the Well-Beloved been witnessed.

These souls who, ere the appointed hour had struck, regarded life with utmost tenderness, striving with all their might to shield themselves and preserve their ease, comfort and outward well-being—suddenly, they manifested such constancy that the joints of the heedless trembled, the limbs of the mighty shook, and the pillars of nations and governments quaked.

Glorified be God! Until that station of “abundant good, surpassing gain and everlasting sovereignty” is, as it were, witnessed with the very eyes, such contentment, such resignation, such joy and such exultation cannot appear from them amid those dire perils.

Say: greatness is God’s, and power is God’s, and majesty is God’s, and might is God’s. He createth what He willeth, in such wise as He willeth. There is no God but He, the All-Subduing, the Most High, the Most Great.

By God, besides Whom there is none other God! If a soul were to deny this Manifestation and these signs, he would be unable, in any age, to establish the truth of any divine Cause whatsoever. The verses of God have, like copious rain, been sent down by night and by day from the Day of Dawn until now. Tablets beyond number, and epistles and writings without end, have been revealed and are extant.

Whatever the community of the Qur’an bring forth as proof for the truth of their Faith, apart from the Qur’an itself, none hath seen with his own eyes; and to be satisfied with mere hearing is not permissible. The only clear, present, visible proof is the Qur’an, and none other.

Let them now weigh and then judge with fairness: if the truth of a Manifestation of God is established by a single Book, how can it be that a Revelation whose Books are beyond all counting should not be established?

By thy life, they are heedless, veiled from the Cause of their Lord, sleeping upon the bed of negligence.

Say: “Bring then your proof—of whatsoever kind it be—that we may enter the field of meanings and utterance, and beseech our Lord, the All-Bountiful, for His succour. If ye find a proof mightier than that which is in your possession, then deal in fairness and be not of the wrongdoers.”

Convey, on behalf of this servant, a wondrous, all-glorious cry of “God is Most Great” unto the friends of God, and bear to all of them the glad-tidings of the grace of the All-Merciful. Our hope is that from the dawning-place of steadfastness ye may shine with the light of constancy and love; that at all times ye may be made the recipients of the divine favours, be honoured thereby, drink deep from the Tasnim of His bounty, and be nourished by the gifts of His grace and munificence.

The spirit, the glory and the cry of “God is Most Great” rest upon thee and upon those who are with thee.

BH00706: To be typed

To be typed.

BH11396: Praise be unto Him Who speaketh, the Manifest…

Praise be unto Him Who speaketh, the Manifest, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise!

Verily, We desire to remember and to recite that which We revealed unto Muhammad, the Apostle of God:

“Has not the time come for those who believe that their hearts should be humbled at the remembrance of God?”

Glory be to God! In the days and nights divine verses and celestial evidences descend like the outpouring rain from the heaven of will. Nevertheless, all remain heedless save those whom the hand of divine power hath seized and delivered from the mire of idle fancies. Today hath appeared that which God’s Pen hath heralded and mentioned as glad tidings in all the Books of the past and future. What hath befallen the people that their ears are barred from hearing and their eyes deprived of witnessing? The divine Hand of bounty hath, in these luminous days, bestowed the choice wine of utterance and the fountain of true knowledge. No sincere seeker hath been denied a share of this most great bounty and supreme favor.

O people of God! This is the Day of joy and delight. In one of the Tablets these sublime words were revealed from the Supreme Pen: We say the day is the day of joy and delight. Joy from what? From the divine wine of the love of God in this spiritual morn. Blessed is the soul that hath sanctified itself with the living waters of the utterance of the Lord of all worlds and hath arisen with complete steadfastness in the Cause of the Lord of all names—a steadfastness which neither the might of the enemy nor the wealth of the wicked can shake or deter from true constancy.

Say: O people of God! This Day is God’s Day. Cast behind you that which the people possess—their glory, their wealth, their power, their arts, their sciences, and their riches—and hold fast unto that which hath shone forth, gleamed, and diffused its fragrance from the horizon of the heaven of the Will of God, the Lord of all worlds. In truth I say: should anyone arise to promote the Cause solely for the sake of God, his word shall undoubtedly penetrate all things, his remembrance shall prevail, and his call shall encompass all. Verily, He is the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the Most Glorious, the All-Bountiful.

O Ibn-i-Abhar! Upon thee be the Glory of God and His light! His honor Asad, upon him be My Glory, is present and hath repeatedly made mention of thee, seeking bounty from the True Bestower, and hath forwarded thy letters to the Most Holy Court. Every word thereof hath testified to thy devotion, steadfastness and service. Thou didst mention the resolution of certain matters—this hath been accepted and adorned with the honor of His good-pleasure. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to assist thee to exalt His Word amongst His heedless servants. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

In these days, without veil or hindrance, without delay or postponement, the Ship of Utterance moveth upon the sea of inner meanings. Say: O people of God! Turn ye unto Him. The Day is the Day of victory—deprive not yourselves. Glory be to God! Some heedless souls who have turned away are deprived of hearing the divine call and beholding the pearls and jewels from the treasuries of the Most Exalted Pen. By what proof and evidence did they believe in the Herald, while remaining heedless and veiled from Him Who sent Him and from that which He revealed? Today all the Messengers cry out from the most exalted Paradise and the supreme Heaven, saying:

“O peoples of the earth! Purify yourselves from the promptings of self and desire, and set your faces toward the Most Exalted Horizon. Today He Who conversed on Sinai is seated upon the throne of Revelation, and His call is raised from all directions.”

O Ibn-i-Abhar! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. Gird up the loins of service and occupy thyself with the mention and praise of the Intended One, that perchance those who are far may draw nigh, and those who are astray may find the path. That which hath appeared hath no parallel or likeness from the beginning of creation until now. Blessed is the ear that hath heard the call of God, the Self-Subsisting, and blessed the eye that hath beheld His Most Glorious, the Best-Beloved Countenance.

The Book of God speaketh before all faces, walking and giving glad tidings unto the servants concerning the horizon from which hath dawned the Sun of thy Lord’s grace, the All-Forgiving. Say: O company of the heedless! Leave what ye possess. By God! The Promised One hath come with manifest sovereignty. Through Him the ocean of utterance hath surged, the breeze of divine knowledge hath wafted, and the mysteries of what was and what will be have been revealed. Behold! Behold! The river of proof hath flowed from His utterance, and the hidden treasure of God, the Mighty, hath appeared. By My life! Neither the doubts of those who have turned away from His Face, nor the allusions of every heedless and veiled one shall withhold Him.

Make mention of My loved ones on My behalf and give them the glad tidings of My grace and mercy which have preceded existence, both seen and unseen. Say: Is there any doubt about God, or about that which hath been sent down from the clouds of His Will, or about His sovereignty which hath encompassed the hosts and ranks? Say: He desireth naught save to manifest the Cause of God, the Self-Subsisting, and to elevate your stations. To this testifieth He with Whom is the knowledge of all things in His mighty, treasured Book.

Say: O friends of God and His loved ones! Rejoice that your names have flowed from the Tongue of Grandeur and your mention is preserved in His blessed, mighty and irrevocable Tablet. Thus hath the sun of utterance shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of proof, as a grace from God, the Revealer of this unfurled scroll. The glory that shineth forth from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon My loved ones and friends, and upon all who are firm, steadfast and hold fast to the cord of God, the Mighty, the All-Loving.

Thou didst mention certain ones who speak without understanding. In reply it must be said: Praise be to God that among the people of truth there hath not been and is not anyone like that heedless, oppressive and mendacious soul. This is cause for gratitude, not complaint. His survival from the beginning until now is evidence of his hypocrisy, deceit and falsehood. For had he spoken with truthfulness, he would have ascended like the two luminous lights and the chosen ones before and after. By the life of God! He spoke from the pulpit of the land of Sad and in the presence of Ibn Shaykh Baqir that which inflamed the hearts of those near and sincere ones. Now reflect upon the martyrdom, sacrifice, submission and contentment of the assured and sanctified souls, and likewise upon the false and lying souls.

Every day thou seest to what intrigues they cling—before the opposer claiming opposition, before the acceptor claiming faith. By the life of God! They have sullied the realm of truth and sincerity. Each day through some scheme he preserveth his troubled existence. Say: O friends! Today the Sun of Truth hath appeared and is manifest and speaking from the horizon of the heaven of the prison of Akka. Neither the oppression of tyrants, nor the assault of Pharaohs, nor the doubts of those who denied the Day of Judgment have deterred It. Praise be to God! We have not concealed ourselves for an instant. Without concealment or dissimulation have we proclaimed the Cause of God. Whosoever wisheth, let him believe, and whosoever wisheth, let him deny. Verily God is the Self-Sufficient, the All-Praised.

In these days a new thought hath occurred to those false [treacherous] souls. They have intended to steal and erase the Book of God. Say: Woe unto you, O enemies of God and His Manifestation and His Cause! Fear ye God and be not among the oppressors. The Persian Bayan is a mighty book, for it indicateth and proveth the manifestation of Truth, exalted be His glory. In truth one is astonished. We beseech God to seize them with His might and prevent them through His sovereignty. O thou who gazeth upon the Countenance with His eyes! Words were previously uttered like unto the deluded faction who conversed with one of the companions. The assured one held fast to the Bayan. The other party mentioned that your Bayan is not correct. He said: Then bring forth that Bayan which you have. He said that too is not correct. He asked: Where is the correct Bayan? He replied: On the intended island. Now observe what an offensive odor emanateth from those words. We beseech God to aid them to return and be truthful, and to prosper them in turning towards the gate of His grace. Verily He is the Generous, the Munificent.

Thou didst request mention of certain ones. God willing, it shall be sent another time. Be thou confident in thy Lord’s grace and be of the joyous ones.

BH11599: To be typed

To be typed.

BH00797: Praise be to God, Who hath set the orbs…

He is the Pre-Existent, without decline, the Eternal, without change.

Praise be to God, Who hath set the orbs of existence in motion through His Will, and adorned the pages of the books of the seen world with the marginal glories of knowledge and wisdom by His power, and in the darkness of non-being hath caused the suns of life to dawn by His irrevocable behest.

He it is Who hath subdued the world through the sovereignty of His majesty, and seized the reins of the nations through the ascendancy of His might. At the movement of His Command the cycles revolve; by the light of His knowledge the inner sight is illumined; by His all-encompassing Will the inmost hearts are tested and the hidden consciences laid bare—on that Day whereon the Resurrection stood forth through the manifestation of His all-conquering, all-subduing Cause. Exalted be His dominion, exalted His proof!

There is no proof for His Cause save His own Countenance, and no evidence for His Manifestation save His very Self. All that hath been set forth of arguments is but in consideration of the weakness of His servants and the shortcoming of the minds of those who dwell on earth; otherwise, exalted, immeasurably exalted is He above being known save through the lights of majesty shining from the Sun of beauty at the zenith of its splendour.

Is the rising of the sun in the heavens known save by the vision of its light and the diffusion of its rays? How then shall the rising of the Sun of Reality be recognized save by that which is beheld from its dawning-place of resplendent lights and its streaming, luminous beams? Verily, he that seeth hath no need of further proof, and he that is truly knowing turneth his gaze to naught but the Manifestation itself in this path.

Glorified art Thou, O my God, O Hope of all worlds, O Desire of them that know, O Goal of them that love! With what tongue shall I describe Thee, when I behold Thee exalted above the praises of all that praise? And with what speech shall I remember Thee, when I witness Thee sanctified above the mention of all that mention Thee?

Can this feeble, powerless one acquit himself of the duty of Thy praise, O my God, Thou Lord of might and power, by reason of the adorning of Thy beauty? And is this poor, lowly, desolate creature able to depict the kingdom of Thy wealth, O my Lord, the Self-Sufficient, the All-Informed?

By Thy might! I am incapable of any utterance save that which Thou dost inspire in me, that perchance it may be befitting the court of Thy peerless oneness and worthy of the threshold of the gate of Thy singleness.

I beseech Thee to strengthen Thy loved ones in the exaltation of Thy remembrance and praise amidst Thy creatures, and to grant them, at all times, to partake of the outpourings of Thy bounty and tenderness, and to enable them to stand firm in Thy Cause with such constancy that the limbs of those who have forgotten Thee—who have remained deprived of the outpouring of knowledge in the days of the Manifestation of Thy revelation—shall be made to tremble, O my Lord, the All-Glorious, the All-Bestowing.

O my Lord! Thou beholdest the world encompassed by the darkness of ignorance and waywardness, and veiled by the smoke of heedlessness and passion. I entreat Thee to open the eyes of the nations that they may behold the Sun of Reality shining forth, and see the stars of knowledge and wisdom rising.

Thou knowest that man is powerless to attain unto true knowledge save through Thine assistance, O Lord of the realm of being. How, then, canst Thou leave them to wander in the deserts of forgetfulness and heedlessness, seeing that Thou didst create them for Thine own knowledge, O my Lord, the All-Glorious, the All-Merciful?

Look not, O my God, upon their lack of capacity and receptivity, but look unto Thy boundless mercy and Thy all-embracing loving-kindness. Thou didst promise Thy loved ones that through none but Thee wouldst Thou make the earth to become a paradise; and Thou, verily, art the True, the Faithful. I implore Thee to draw nigh the fulfilment of that promise, that the breasts of Thy loved ones may be dilated in Thy days.

I bear witness that Thy promise is true and Thy command effective; none doubteth thereof save such as are deprived of knowledge and far removed from faith. Thou knowest what is with Thy loved ones, whilst they know not what is with Thee. Ordain for them that which, in Thy knowledge, is best for them, and make them banners of steadfastness among Thy servants and ensigns of guidance in Thy lands. Verily, Thou art powerful to do what Thou willest; there is no God but Thee, the One, the Single, the All-Glorious, the All-Bountiful.

O thou who art illumined by the lights of the Sun of this Manifestation, and who shinest with the splendours of the Lote-Tree of Sinai in this blessed, far-famed Day! What thy pen of loyalty hath traced hath reached Us, and I have come to know what thou didst enshrine therein of the subtleties of love and purity.

I beseech God, the Lord of the Kingdom of grace and bounty, to ordain for thee the good of the hereafter and of this first life, to assist thee in whatsoever He loveth and is well-pleased with—namely, the proclamation of His Cause with the Most Great Wisdom amongst the people—that thou mayest at all times be a recipient of the gentle breezes of grace and loving-kindness wafting from the fountain-head of the bounty of thy Lord, the All-Glorious, the All-Bestowing.

Blessed art thou, in that thou art quaffing the goblets of gladness in this dawn-tide whereon the niche of the world hath been illumined with the lights of the Lamp of the knowledge of thy Lord, the Cleaver of the dawn; and happy art thou in that thou pluckest the fruits of knowledge from the Lote-Tree of wisdom and utterance in this paradise which hath been made manifest by the behest of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, and which God hath exalted above all other gardens, inasmuch as the Sun of this Manifestation hath shone forth from its zenith, and He that discoursed with Moses upon Sinai hath called out, from its trees, that which guideth the servants unto the garden of love and unity and leadeth them unto the mine of guidance.

O thou beloved of the heart! When I beheld thy letter, I entered the court of majesty and laid it before the Face of thy Lord. Then did the fragrance of bounty rise up, and the ocean of grace surge, and there was sent down for thee, from the Kingdom of the utterance of the Lord of existence, that wherefrom thou shalt inhale the perfume of the loving care of thy Lord, the All-Glorious, the All-Loving.

Blessed art thou for having attained unto this great attainment, and glad-tidings be unto thee for that which hath streamed forth for thee from the fountain-head of the bounty of thy Most Ancient Lord. I beseech God, exalted and glorified be He, to make thee a standard of guidance in His lands and a mountain of steadfastness among His servants, and to guard thee, beneath the shadow of His protection, from the mischief of the wicked amongst His creatures. Verily, He is the Possessor of the reins of bounty, enthroned upon the seat of grace and justice.

Grieve not over the delay that came to pass in the sending of the Tablet; for, with the lightning’s flash, the decreed command went forth from the source of the behest of thy Lord, the Self-Subsisting—namely, that thou shouldst repair unto the land of Fa after the despatch of thy letter. For this reason the answer was withheld until tidings of thine arrival were received. When that news did come, the heat of love and affection in the heart was awakened, and the Pen, beneath the shadow of the Lord of pre-existence, busied itself with thy remembrance.

Blessed is he who spendeth his precious days in the teaching of the Cause of his Lord, the Lord of creation! By thy life! I have found no joy in the visible world greater than this, nor have I beheld any rank in the realm of existence higher than this station. Happy is he who attaineth thereunto, who ariseth for the Cause of his Lord, who proclaimeth His remembrance in His lands; for he hath attained unto all good in this world and the next, and hath won the loftiest rank among the people of the world.

It behoveth man to ponder the world and its passing, and to behold with the eye of reflection its transience and change. Can he discern aught that endureth, or any affair that is lasting? Verily, it proclaimeth its own perishing, and testifieth, with the tongue of its state, unto the evanescence of all things.

Now that transference hath been made manifest and permanence denied, how shall man find rest or his heart be at peace in the ordering of worldly matters? Nay, by thy Lord, the All-Glorious, the All-Forgiving! There is no true rest and assurance save in the service of the Cause of the All-Merciful, and the breasts of them that know are not dilated save by the remembrance of God, the Lord of the realm of being.

Glorified art Thou, O my God, my Lord, my Hope! I beseech Thee by Thy Name whereby Thou didst rend asunder the veils of idle fancy and bring forth the hidden mystery, to strengthen such as have arisen to spread abroad Thy traces in Thy lands, and to protect them, beneath Thy shadow, from the mischief of the wicked amongst Thy servants.

O my Lord! Loose their tongues with the subtleties of Thy praise, and strengthen their hearts in the scenes of teaching, that they may speak, in establishing Thy Cause, words before which the tongue of every eloquent and articulate one is dumbfounded; and ordain for their remembrance an effect, and for their rising up a fruit. Verily, Thou art powerful over all things and ready to answer whoso calleth upon Thee.

O thou beloved one! Convey, on My behalf, the wondrous accents of remembrance and magnification unto those who have clothed themselves in the robes of steadfastness and have been adorned with the vesture of wisdom in the land of Fa.

I beseech God to send down upon them, at all times, that which shall rejoice their hearts and gladden their breasts. The glory that hath shone forth from the horizon of utterance, and the splendour that hath appeared from the essence of exposition, rest upon thee and upon them, so long as the Names of God, the Lord of the realm of being, endure.

BH00798: Praise be to God, Who hath caused…

He is the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsisting; exalted be His glory, the Almighty.

Praise be to God, Who hath caused, in the midnight gloom of idle fancies, the Sun of true knowledge to shine forth, and by it hath guided those who wandered in the wilderness of vain allusions, and hath, through its light, directed those who were bewildered in the deserts of doubts. Exalted and glorified be His sovereignty! Magnified be His proof! His is the might, the majesty, the power, the exaltation, the ascendancy and the dominion.

There is no eloquent one but hath confessed his impotence to fathom the majesty of His sovereignty; there is no fluent tongue but hath acknowledged its shortcoming in setting forth the subtle tokens of His power and proof. He is exalted above whatsoever the people of reflection may ponder, and hallowed above all that the people of understanding may ascribe unto Him.

His bounties are numberless, His loving-kindness cannot be reckoned, His favour knoweth no end, His grace and tender mercy are without limit. Hath He not said in His mighty testimony: “If ye would count the favours of God, ye could not number them”?

If the man of insight were to gaze with the eye of the heart, he would behold the grace of his Lord, the Lord of being, encompassing His servants and encircling His lands. And, verily, the greatest of His favours is the dawning of the Word of knowledge upon the people of utterance, and the rising of the Sun of certitude upon the people of wisdom and exposition. This is a favour whereof He gave His chosen ones glad-tidings in the Books and Scriptures, foretold its appearance in ages long gone, and announced it unto the trusted bearers of His Revelation in former times and bygone centuries.

It behoveth the people of faithfulness to give thanks unto the Lord of creation for this grace with which the King of bounty and bestowal hath distinguished them, and to arise for the service of their gracious Lord in such wise that the doubts of the suspicious and the swords of the oppressors shall not cause them to slip and fall.

Glorified art Thou, O my God, O Lord of bounty, O Sovereign of existence, O Provider of all created things, in the realm of the seen and the unseen! With what tongue shall I give Thee thanks for the wondrous tokens of Thy bounties, and with what speech shall I extol Thee for the manifold manifestations of Thy gifts? Whenever I ponder the evidences of Thy grace, I am bewildered, and exclaim: “Glorified be He Who abideth and never shall pass away!”

By Thy might, O Lord of mankind and Ruler of destiny! Whoso hath known Thee and hath beheld the greatness of Thy grace and loving-kindness shall never be encompassed by despair, for with Thee is the Kingdom of hope; nor shall he fear extinction, for Thou art the King of everlasting life, the Lord of the realm of bounty and munificence.

Blessed is he who hath recognized this station and attained unto the knowledge of Thy favour in these days, O Lord of all created things! Glad-tidings be unto him who hath clung to the hem of Thy generosity and turned his face toward the quarter of Thy grace and Thy gifts.

Verily, O my God, Thou hast, by Thy power, rent asunder for Thy loved ones the veils of idle fancy and false conjecture; Thou hast guided them to the knowledge of Thy hidden Name, disclosed unto them Thy treasured secret and Thy hoarded mystery.

I beseech Thee, by Thine all-subduing power and Thy might, to protect them beneath the shade of Thy guardianship and Thy care from the malice of the wicked amongst Thy creatures, to confirm them—O my Hope—in guiding Thy servants unto the mine of guidance, and in leading Thy creatures unto Thee with wisdom, O Lord of being and Sovereign of the beginning and the end.

Send down, O my God, upon them, at every moment, the showers of Thy bounty, and vouchsafe unto them, each day, fresh tokens of Thy grace. Make them to dwell, beneath the canopy of Thy tenderness, upon the couches of might and majesty, reclining upon the couches of Thy power and exaltation; for in Thine hand is the Kingdom of bounty and bestowal, and in Thy grasp the realm of liberality and munificence. There is no God but Thee, the Most High, the All-Glorious.

O thou who drinkest the limpid draught of reunion and restest upon the couch of nearness and communion, thou who hast arisen to serve the Cause of God, the Lord of the beginning and the return! That which thy pen of love and ink of unity hath adorned hath reached Us. When I read it, and came to know the degrees of love for the Lord of being treasured in thine heart, I entered the court of majesty and laid what thou hadst sent before the presence of the Lord of names.

Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur uttered these words, addressing thy noble person. Exalted be His bounty, magnified His proof:

He is the True, the Speaking, the Faithful.

O Jamal! Upon thee be the glory of God, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. The Greater Branch hath presented and submitted that which thou didst send. In what thou hast now heard from the Tongue of Grandeur and what hath flowed from the Pen of the Most High let there be no doubt in thine heart. My mercy hath outstripped thee, My loving-kindness hath encompassed thee, and My grace is with thee—at all times the sighs of mercy ascend, and the lights of the true oneness shine forth from the horizon of the Will of God, exalted be His glory, manifest, resplendent and revealed.

Ponder thou upon this word; for until this hour the servants have not recognized the Day of God, nor have they comprehended its greatness and station, and they remain deprived of the true oneness. Say: This is the Day of God, wherein naught is mentioned save God alone.

From among the people of the Bayan a paltry gnat hath now appeared, like unto the faction of former times, and desireth again, by his idle imaginings, to bring the heedless beneath his sway. Blessed is the soul whose chains of fancies and vain imaginings have not kept him back from the Lord of all mankind, who beholdeth all else as non-existent. He it is who is worthy of this court, and who, in the sight of God, is of the people of true unity.

Your names have repeatedly reached Us, and all of you have attained unto the honour of His merciful gaze. Ye have ever been remembered and shall ever be so. Convey unto the party of God the cry of Allah-u-Akbar. Those souls whose names were recorded in thy letters have each attained that from which the fragrance of everlasting life is diffused. When once the Word of God hath been twice sent down for any soul, his abidingness, in the realms of both dominion and the Kingdom, is assured. This is a favour from thy Lord bestowed upon thee and upon them.

Convey Allah-u-Akbar to Habb’u’llah on Our behalf. His letter hath been considered. Convey also to the bearer of the Leaf—upon her be My glory—a glorification. They have not been forgotten.

O Jamal! Reflect thou upon the trials of this Wronged One. Call thou to mind those days when, from every direction, the standards of dissension were raised, and princes and divines, one and all, arose to harm this Wronged One. Alone, and before their very faces, did We rise up and call them all unto the truth in such wise that nothing withheld Us, nor did any violence deter Us. We bore what caused the eyes of the Concourse on high to weep and the dwellers of Paradise to lament.

And since somewhat of the lights of the traces of the Pen of the Most High are, in some measure, manifest and shining amongst the servants, the people of the Bayan, above all others, have arisen to harm this Wronged One.

By the life of God! These differences have prevented the servants from the Most Great Ocean, the Supreme Horizon, and the loftiest Height. Glorified be God! They describe but a drop and are yet beheld as deprived of the Ocean.

Beseech ye God to confirm all and to bestow upon them their recompense, that haply they may not remain debarred from the outpourings of the true Bestower.

Convey the cry of Allah-u-Akbar from Us unto the loved ones of God in every land, and hearken ye to the call of the Wronged One of the world; and strive that the idle fancies of former days be not renewed, nor the people be again ensnared in the chains of vain imaginings.

Verily, He speaketh the truth and guideth the way. There is no God but He, the All-Glorious, the All-Fair.”

The glory that hath shone forth from the heaven of the utterance of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, rest upon thee and upon those that are with thee and hearken unto thee and love thee for the sake of God, the Lord of this great Day.

O Habib-i-Ruhani! Although, outwardly, some delay hath occurred in the sending of a written reply, yet God, the Inaccessible, is witness and knower that the hearts of these pillars have at all times been busied with the remembrance of thine eminence and the other near ones; and the flames of the fire of love and affection have so encompassed the heart that no tongue can recount nor any pen describe it. The cause of the delay hath been naught but the constant succession of preoccupations.

From the Lord—exalted be His glory—we beseech and entreat that, at all times, He may confirm this loved one in the services of the Cause, may protect and preserve him, beneath the canopy of His custody and care, from worldly afflictions, and, at every moment, may adorn both thine outward and thine inward being with the robe of His tender grace and loving-kindness.

A few days ago, Jinab-i-Afnan-i-Chin—upon him be the Most Great Glory—attained unto the Presence. From the Tongue of the Interpreter the mention of thine eminence flowed forth, and infinite favours, from the fountain-head of the Most Great Loving-kindness, were vouchsafed this cherished friend. Blessed art thou and again blessed art thou, thou who dwellest beneath the shadow of bounty and restest upon the couch of munificence through the loving care of thy Lord, the Lord of existence and King of the unseen and the seen.

Whenever Jinab-i-Amin—upon him be glory—hath written a letter, he hath presented thine eminence, and thy mention hath been laid before the Presence. In very truth, at most times and by most means, the remembrance of this beloved one hath been submitted in the Holy Court, and countless favours have been made manifest.

O thou dear one! Convey, on behalf of this Servant, wondrous glorifications unto the loved ones of thy Lord in every land, and remind them of the days of Him Who holdeth the reins of might. Say:

By God, this day is your day. It behoveth you that, after having heard the call from the direction of majesty and having attained the knowledge of the Lord of names, ye should arise for the service of the Cause amidst the people of creation, should proclaim unto the people of the earth, with wisdom and utterance, and should guide them unto the realm of knowledge and true understanding. This beseemeth him who holdeth fast unto the Sure Handle and clutcheth the hem of the robe of majesty and glory in this springtime of disclosure and encounter. Leave the world unto its people, and spend not your precious days in pursuit of that which perisheth, save to such extent as is needful and prescribed. Exert, rather, your utmost endeavour in vindicating the truth and effacing false imaginings through the power of your Lord, the All-Glorious, the Self-Subsisting.

The dwellers in the household of inviolable sanctity make mention, one and all, of thine eminence and thy family, each by name, with exalted and wondrous praises. The outpourings of the household of grace have, in every wise, been the cause of thy remembrance. We beseech God that He may grant unto her her recompense in both worlds—though, indeed, of His favour, He hath already given her before her asking, in that He enabled her to attain to His knowledge and honoured her with the meeting of His Presence. Blessed is she, and blessed are the men and women that have attained!

Convey, likewise, on Our behalf, unto Jinab-i-Habb’u’llah, tender and wondrous remembrances, and magnify him with a mighty, exalted glorification. It is some time since any sure news hath been received concerning thine eminence and thy turning toward those lands. It behoveth thee, therefore, at frequent intervals, to set down in detail your circumstances, with mention of those persons to whom special favours should be directed, and to send them hither.

God willing, an answer to the matters thou hast set forth shall, ere long, be despatched.

The spirit, the glorification, and the glory rest upon thee, upon thy household, and upon the loved ones of thy Lord.

BH00799: Praise be to God, Who hath alone been singled…

He is God, exalted be His glory, the Lord of wisdom and utterance.

Praise be to God, Who hath alone been singled out by majesty, and hath been made one by might, power and beauty; Who, by the very essence of His Being, is sanctified above likeness and comparison. He hath fulfilled the promises, shattered the limitations, and brought forth proofs and testimonies in confirmation of His manifest Cause. Exalted is His sovereignty, exalted His proof, exalted His greatness, exalted His power! By His Most Exalted Word He quickeneth whomsoever He willeth, and guideth whom He desireth unto the ultimate goal and unto the Sure Handle. None can stay His command, none can hinder His decree, none can alter His Word; there is none like unto Him in power and might; all are held captive in His grasp. He is the Most High, the Omnipotent.

Thou, verily, O Lord of Names and Fashioner of earth and heaven, hast exalted Thine Essence above likeness and opposites, and hast hallowed Thy Self from peers and rivals. Otherwise, what relation hath man to the hallowing of Thy Self, O King of being? What fitness hath the feeble and helpless one to describe the sovereignty of Thy power, O Lord of the Kingdom of judgement and exposition? We know naught save that which Thou teachest us through Thy wisdom, and we are able to do naught save that unto which Thou dost enable us by Thy might. Thou hast bidden us to praise and glorify Thee; we do praise Thee and sanctify Thee according to the measure of our understanding and the compass of our thoughts. Otherwise, who is there that can describe even the least of the works fashioned by the hand of Thy power? How, then, shall we set forth aught of Thy transcendent Essence, Thy attributes and Thy most beauteous Names?

I beseech Thee, O Lord of all existence and Sovereign of the unseen and the seen, to accept from us that which these tongues utter in Thy remembrance and Thy praise, and to aid us, O God of mankind and Lord of destiny, that we may guide Thy servants unto the shore of Thy knowledge, and lead Thy creatures into the garden of Thy nearness and Thy presence. Make us the instruments wherewith Thy traces may be spread in Thy lands, and Thy banners of knowledge uplifted in Thy countries.

Thou art He Who hast described Thyself as the Possessor of power, might and majesty, and Thy Self as endowed with glory, greatness and everlastingness. Look not, O my Hope, upon our weakness and our poverty, but upon Thy power, Thy might and Thy wealth. Enable us, in all conditions, to do that which Thou hast enjoined upon us in Thy Books, Thy Scriptures and Thy Tablets. Thou art the All-Powerful, Whom no onslaught of the world can frustrate, nor the combined strength of nations hinder from fulfilling His Will. Thou grantest and withholdest, Thou abasest and exaltest. There is no God but Thee, the Bestower, the All-Bountiful, the Giver, the Most High, the Most Great.

O thou who art enkindled with the fire of love, and who hast turned thy face toward the shore of the mercy of thy Lord, the Lord of being! That which thou didst adorn with the trace of thine ink hath reached Us, and it hath given utterance to that which lay hidden in thine heart of the degrees of love and unity. Blessed is thy tongue, for it hath busied itself with the remembrance of thy Lord; and blessed thy pen, for it hath moved in the praise of Him Who created thee and fashioned thee; for thy letter was adorned, from its very beginning, with the remembrance and glorification of the Lord of all things and the Sovereign of earth and heaven.

We entreat God, exalted and glorified be He, to confirm thee and His loved ones in His remembrance and praise within the realm of His creation, to make of you beacons of guidance among His servants and ensigns of victory in His lands, and to guide, through you, such as have strayed in the deserts of vain allusion and have been heedless of the knowledge of the Lord of names and attributes.

Behold the people and their heedlessness, their veiling and inebriation! They distinguish not between the dross and the pure, nor do they discern the left from the right. Day by day they increase in naught but heedlessness and dissension, and manifest naught but wretchedness and hypocrisy. The Supreme Pen summoneth them, at every moment, unto the supreme Paradise, and calleth them to cling unto the Sure Handle; yet they wander, drunken in their stupor, and know it not.

Say: O people! Unto whom do ye turn? In which valley do ye roam? If it be signs that ye seek, lo, the suns thereof have risen; their orbs have appeared; their traces have encompassed all regions; their lights have illumined all horizons.

Consider with the eye of fairness and abandon oppression! Hath there appeared, in any cycle amongst the cycles of the past, that which hath been made manifest in this Revelation of heavenly splendour? Nay, by the Lord of His servants and the Subduer of the countries!

Verses have been sent down in such wise that the pens of the world are powerless to record them, and the books of the nations are too small to contain them. Reflect upon this Cause and upon its greatness. Can ye find for yourselves any place of escape or refuge? Behold ye any salvation or haven? Nay, by the Lord of existence and King of the unseen and the seen! There is no escape save unto God; there is no refuge save in His direction. All are captives in the grasp of His power, all are needy at the threshold of His bounty.

O people! Ponder, with the eye of insight, upon this Dispensation and upon the cycles of the past. Weigh every matter in the balance of reason, and cast behind you the fancies born of heedlessness, error and ignorance. Have ye been bidden, in this Manifestation, aught save that which delivereth you from the depths of ignorance and vain glory? Have ye been summoned unto aught save the dawning-place of light?

Verily, the perspicuous Book calleth you, at all times, and enjoineth upon you that which shall exalt you unto the station of nearness and reunion, and shall raise you to the loftiest summit of holiness and abiding life. Turn ye unto that which shall profit you in the world to come and in this first life, and leave behind you whatsoever debarreth you from attaining unto the garden of the knowledge of your Lord, the Most High, the All-Glorious.

All that wherein ye glory of the trappings of this fleeting life shall pass away; what shall endure is that which the Lord of creation desireth for you. Busy not yourselves with that which perisheth; deprive not your souls of that which abideth as long as the most excellent Names of God shall endure. Ponder upon the bygone ages and vanished centuries. Hath the honour of the honoured endured? Hath the abasement of the abased remained? Do ye behold for any soul an abiding trace or lasting name, save beneath the shadow of the Name of your Lord, the Most High, the Most Great? Nay, by Him Who quickeneth the bones though they be crumbled dust!

Where are now the Pharaohs with their arrogance, the Caesars with their palaces, the Nimrods with their rule, the Chosroes with their diadems? Where are the tyrants with their oppression and the giants with their pride? They have all descended from palaces to graves. Take ye warning, O people of heedlessness and vain glory!

As for thee, O thou who hast set thy face toward God and cut thyself from all save Him: if thou beholdest a near one, make known unto him the Cause of his Lord; and if thou findest a soul prepared, cast upon him that which shall guide him unto Him unto Whom thou shalt return and before Whom thou shalt abide. Otherwise, turn aside from the ignorant, and put thy trust in God, the Lord of all worlds, the Lord of the heavens and of the earth.

When I beheld thy letter and read thy words, I entered the court of majesty and made mention of thee in the presence of thy Lord. Then was the fragrance of grace stirred, and the tongue of the bounty of the Lord of the unseen and the seen gave utterance to that which causeth the world of being to tremble. He—exalted be His sovereignty, magnified His utterance—saith:

O Aba’l-Fadl! Upon thee be My glory, My loving-kindness and My mercy.

The Greater Branch hath attained the divine Presence, and before the Countenance thy remembrance was made. We made mention of thee in such wise as became a light unto the righteous, a Kawthar of everlasting life unto the well-favoured, a fire unto the wicked, and a glory unto the people of Baha–those whom the serried ranks of the impious withheld not from turning unto the Most Exalted Horizon, and from attaining that which had been enshrined in the hearts of the Prophets and recorded in the Books of God, the Lord of all worlds. Blessed art thou, inasmuch as thou hast clung to My cord, hast laid fast hold on the hem of My bounty, and hast quaffed the choice wine of My loving-kindness from the hand of My grace unto thee, and My mercy which hath surpassed all who are in the heavens and on the earth.

Be thou, at all times, eloquent in My remembrance, with wisdom and utterance; steadfast in service to My Cause; and with thine eyes fixed upon My horizon. Thus doth the Almighty Ordainer command thee in this august and mighty station. Blessed, then, and blissful art thou, O thou who hast turned thy face toward the Quarter of everlasting being in this Revelation of that grace which hath shone forth from the Dayspring of the bounty of thy Lord, the Lord of Names. It behoveth thee to render Him thanks under all conditions, and to magnify Him at morn and eventide. We beseech God, exalted be He, to strengthen thee in that which shall endure as long as His most excellent names endure, and to aid thee to guide His heedless servants unto the Most Exalted Paradise, and to ordain for thee every good in this world and in the world to come. Verily, He is potent to do whatsoever He willeth.

From this servant, magnify thou the steadfast loved ones of God, and remember them with such a remembrance as shall draw the hearts of them that know.

And say: O ye servants of the All-Merciful! This is your day. Proclaim ye the Cause of God with wisdom and utterance. Regard not the deeds of heedlessness and oblivion. Arise to serve the Cause, putting your trust in your Lord, the Almighty, the Mighty, the Bestower. Verily, He shall confirm you at all times.

Be not troubled by the oppression of the tyrants, nor by the injustice of those who have failed to attain the knowledge of the Lord of creation. Soon shall there come a day whereon they shall wail and weep, and shall find for themselves neither friend nor helper.

As for thee, O thou who hast attained certitude in the Most Great Name, place thy trust in thy Lord, the Lord of all worlds.

Mercy and Baha be upon thee at every moment.

Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and the Creator of the heavens and the earth.