Volume 104: Akka 1868–1892 year unknown, Part II (3 of 4)

BH01044: O My Name! Upon thee be My glory!…

He is God, Exalted be His Glory: Wisdom and Utterance

O My Name! Upon thee be My glory! The letter from His Honor T’ which he sent to thee was received and the fragrance of love and steadfastness wafted from it. Blessed is he and his father and his mother whom We named Mother of the Near Ones’ in the Crimson Tablet from the Supreme Pen. Mention was made of His Honor Ismu’llah Jamal, upon him be My glory, that he had turned towards the land of M. Verily he is under the gaze of his Lord’s grace, the Compassionate, the Generous. We beseech God to strengthen him and assist him with hosts of angels to help his Lord through wisdom and utterance. Blessed is he and whoever loves him for My sake. We, from this station, send Our greetings to the faces of My loved ones who have held fast to the cord of My wisdom and acted according to what they were commanded in My perspicuous Book.

O My Name! We have commanded and continue to command all to wisdom. All must hold fast unto it and cling to it. In these days the Supreme Pen is at all times occupied with the mention of the loved ones. Despite the tribulations that have descended and the afflictions that have befallen Us, the Pen has not ceased. Jinab-i-Amin, upon him be My glory, repeatedly mentioned in Our presence ʿT’ and the members of that household, both male and female, upon them be the glory of God and His grace. Each has been favored with special grace. We beseech God that He may enable all to serve the Cause and to that which will perpetuate their mention throughout the dominion of the kingdom and the realm above.

And likewise thou hadst made mention of Umm-i-Haydar. Verily, We have remembered her as a grace from Our presence, and no remembrance can equal My remembrance, neither all the praises of the world nor whatsoever is possessed by the nations. Blessed is he that attaineth thereunto, and woe betide him that remaineth heedless; such a one is indeed numbered, in the Book of God, the Lord of all worlds, among the most grievous losers.

In these days the travelers have arrived and abide beneath the sheltering shade. Ibn-i-Ismi and Asdaq—upon both of them be the Most Glorious Beauty of God—have attained unto visitation, presence, attentive hearing, and beholding. Thou hadst made mention of that household, and each one of its members hath anew been remembered in the Most Holy Presence. Well is it with them! O My namesake! Upon thee be My glory. Concerning the jewels and the collyrium thou hadst written: We make reply that His honor (ʿA. T.) hath attained unto his reward, whether the collyrium prove effective or not.

O My namesake! Upon ʿInayat and his sister be My glory. They too have been remembered in the Most Holy Presence. We convey exaltation unto the people of God in the land of Ta’, and announce unto them glad tidings through the light of favor and the fire of the Divine Lote-Tree. O people of God! Know ye the worth of these days, and cleave unto that which is meet and seemly. Today, righteous deeds and praiseworthy virtues are accounted the hosts of God. Blessed are the souls who have conquered hearts and minds through these armies. O people of God! In all times fix your gaze upon this most exalted word which hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of power: “He doeth whatsoever He willeth and ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth.” By the life of God! Within this blessed word there lieth hidden the ocean of steadfastness and assurance. Whoso attaineth thereunto and drinketh therefrom shall behold himself steadfast and composed. Strive ye, that haply ye may attain unto this blessed word and find the Beloved. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My bounty be upon you and upon every steadfast and upright soul. Praise be to God, the Mighty, the Great.

O My namesake! The letter of Muhammad-Hasan—upon him be My glory—which he had sent unto thee, was observed. From it We inhaled the fragrance of his turning unto My horizon and his directing himself unto My countenance, and We beheld him speaking My praise and arising to serve My Cause. We beseech God to aid him, sustain him, and ordain for him the good of this world and of the world to come. Verily, He is the Hearer, the Answerer. Repeatedly hath his mention flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. Blessed is he, and blessed those with him, and his mother and his sister. We bear witness that they both attained unto My presence, stood at the door of My greatness, beheld My horizon, returned by My leave, and uttered My fair praise.

O people of God! This Wronged One, in the year gone by, was afflicted by the cruelty of a treacherous oppressor: on the one hand by the wrongs of the wrongdoers, and on the other by the ascension of Kalim, whom We adorned with the raiment of acceptance and made one of the branches of My Lote-Tree. Verily, the Cause is in the grasp of My power. We commemorate whomsoever We will with whatsoever We will, and bestow upon whomsoever We desire whatsoever We please. Yet tribulations and sorrows have not withheld, nor shall they withhold, the Most Exalted Pen. It moveth and circlest within the arena of utterance, and He is the Speaking, the All-Knowing.

We make mention of Mulla Muhammad-Rida. O Muhammad-Rida! The luminary of favor hath turned toward thee from the horizon of the heaven of the Most Exalted Pen and shone forth upon thee. Rejoice, then, and be thou of the thankful. Say: O concourse of divines! Die in your wrath. The Hour hath come while ye slept; the Cry hath been raised while ye remained heedless. Say: The breeze of God passed over you while ye were as dead. Say: Lift up your heads! The Sun shineth from the horizon of the heaven of Revelation, would that ye might perceive, would that ye might behold. The rustling and the whispering have arisen, would that ye might hear. Say: Deprive not yourselves of the Most Great Sea. Fear ye the All-Merciful; He hath desired for you naught but good, did ye but know.

And at this moment We make mention of him who was named Ali-Muhammad, that he may rejoice and be of the thankful. Verily, We remembered him when My handmaid—she who attained unto My presence and turned unto My radiant horizon—stood before My face. O Ali-Muhammad! We have remembered thee, and We remember thy father who ascended unto the Most Exalted Horizon by a decree from God, the Lord of all worlds. The breaths of My verses encompassed him before his ascension and after it, and I am indeed the Compassionate, the Generous. Blessed is the soul that ascended in My days and attained unto the remembrance of My Most Exalted Pen, at a time when the seat of the Throne was in this mighty Prison. Praise be to God! All the souls mentioned have attained, and have been illumined by the effulgent rays of the Sun of My utterance. The glory be upon them and upon every steadfast and upright soul.

BH01038: Praise be to God who hath kindled the lamps…

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

Praise be to God who hath kindled the lamps of utterance within the crystal globes of knowledge and divine understanding; who, by their light, hath guided the people of discernment to the gardens of eternal life, and directed the possessors of sound judgement to the paradises of intimacy and faithfulness. By these same lights He hath caused the trees of existence to yield the fruits of unveiling and inward vision, and from the very blackness of ink hath He brought forth the Kawthar of life immortal for the people of love and devotion.

Can His all-encompassing bounty be numbered? Can His outpoured grace, so limitless and unconfined, be measured or returned? Can any tongue reckon the wondrous tokens of His loving-kindness, or the subtle favours of His tender mercy?

How shall non-existence set about counting what floweth from the pure realm of pre-existence? How shall the feeble and impotent creature attempt to enumerate the attributes of his Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful? Verily He hath sanctified His own Self from being compassed by knowledge, and exalted His Essence above whatsoever the denizens of the realm of limitation can attain or comprehend. Glorified and exalted is He above that which the perceivers perceive, the describers describe, and the praisers seek to extol.

From everlasting His power hath encompassed the world of being, and His irresistible Will hath dominated all peoples and kindreds of the earth. He willeth, and He commandeth; He desireth, and He decreeth; He bestoweth, and He measureth out. For us, in describing Him, there is naught but sheer impotence and restriction. We know His might through our own weakness, His wealth through our poverty, His strength through our frailty, His all-encompassing grasp through our utmost striving.

Thus do we come to know our Lord through the knowledge of our own selves; and again, from another station, when we behold the evidences of His power within us, the mysteries of His handiwork in our inmost beings, the impress of the effulgence of the Sun of His knowledge upon our hearts, and the tokens of the marvels of His wisdom in our bodies and souls, by these signs do we infer that He is the Almighty, the All-Subduing, the Unconstrained. Otherwise, no finite thing can find a path unto Him who hath declared His very Being to be the Necessary Existence, and no link or bond can be forged betwixt the world of limitation and Him who is exalted above all limitation.

And peace and praise rest upon the well-springs of His wisdom, the dawning-places of His knowledge and power, the Manifestations of His glory and might—those by whose guidance the people of insight have attained unto that which uplifteth mankind to the pinnacles of wisdom and sound judgement; through whose light the breasts have been expanded, the hearts made glad, the souls exalted; and by whose rain the servants have reached the meadows of amity, concord and rectitude, and have been nourished with the fruits of love and affection in the gardens of unity and fellowship. And upon those also who are illumined by their lamp, who seek blessing from their very breaths, who behold their radiance, follow in their footsteps, and stand, night and morn, engaged in praise and remembrance amidst the realm of creation.

And now, thy first and second letters have been received, and I have become fully apprised of all that they contained. Although a few days have elapsed ere this reply was penned, yet God, exalted be He, is witness to state and word alike, that the remembrance of the spiritual friends is continually present, and that your memory is the very cause of joy and gladness, and the source of the expansion of hearts and breasts. From the manifold tokens of the divine favours and the wondrous bestowals of the Lord of grace do we supplicate and hope that thyself and the other friends may be sheltered beneath the shade of His bounty, and that with the Salsabíl of meanings, welling forth from the springs of those luminous words, He may render the soil of your hearts verdant and flourishing.

He is the All-Bounteous, whose grace hath encompassed the whole world, and the All-Merciful, whose munificence hath embraced all peoples and nations. Every being hath drawn a portion from His bounty, and every true seeker hath partaken of the outpourings of His tenderness. Glory be to God! What a banquet is spread in the realm of existence, and what rapture and gladness stand revealed and manifest! Would that the people might but know, and might turn themselves toward their Lord!

Exalted be His glory! At all times hath He sent forth into this world the Manifestations of His power and might, for the uplifting of souls, the purification of hearts, and the ease and well-being of His creatures. Them hath He made to appear, through the subtleties of wisdom and the marvels of grace and compassion, that they may, by spiritual qualities, by gentle words and wondrous utterances, summon His servants to the gardens of intimacy and love, to the paradises of unity and accord, and may guide them to the station of nearness and the assemblage of holiness.

It is evident, unto the people of knowledge and insight, that if the advent of the Manifestations of God proceeded not from the command and Will of the Lord, exalted be His glory, never would those sanctified Temples of Being have been able to bear the manifold vicissitudes and ordeals that befell them, nor to endure such calamities as were inflicted upon them by the people of tyranny, aggression, injustice and transgression, nor to be well-pleased, to this degree, with such tribulations and hardships. Verily, their suffering in the days of adversity and affliction, and their constancy amid the onslaught of trials in the path of the Lord of creation, bear a clear witness to the reality of their Cause.

Blessed are the souls who, by following the traces of these well-springs of mysteries, have entered the Paradise of knowledge, have been sustained by the fruits of wisdom and exposition, and have attained, through steadfastness and certitude, unto the vesture of true victory. They, verily, are the triumphant, the successful, the ones who have attained, and in the gardens of nearness abide forever, delighting in the bounties of divine grace.

Thy third letter also hath reached Us, and hath become the cause of joy and gladness. By way of allusion thou didst voice a gentle complaint at the delay in reply. Since thou art not apprised of the circumstances of this land and of the perpetual occupations that press upon Us, thou art excused. We hope that thou mayest ever attain unto that which is best for thee in the end and in the beginning, and be enabled to accomplish that which is the cause of salvation, of life, and of the perpetuation of thy good name in the divine realms.

Look not upon this world and all that hath been created therein, but rather upon the Kingdom of thy Lord, the Lord of Names. Whatsoever is stamped with the seal of mortality, whose transience and evanescence are clearly manifest, is unworthy of regard or attachment. We beseech God to open the eyes of humankind, that they may turn towards the Most Great Outlook, behold with their own eyes the perishableness of this dusty world, and, through His bounty, be raised up into the everlasting and abiding realm.

Verily, He is the Most Generous, the All-Bountiful. There is no God but He, the Bestower, the All-Giving, the Most Exalted, the Most Great.

Glory and praise rest upon thee, and upon the steadfast lovers of God. Praise be to God, the Lord of the knowers, the God of the truly wise.

BH11605: This is a Book from the Wronged One…

He is God, exalted be His station, the Remembrance and the Utterance

This is a Book from the Wronged One to him who has turned and hastened unto God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. O Muhammad! We testify that thou hast soared on the wings of longing unto the Lord of the Day of the Covenant. Thou didst arrive and present thyself before the Gate, and didst hear the Call from the Dawning-Place of grandeur, and didst attain that which the near ones have attained. Render thanks unto God for this great bounty.

O Taqi! Hear My call once again. Counsel the people to fear God and to that whereby His wondrous Cause may be uplifted. Say: Beware lest the doubts of the people of the Bayan withhold you from your Lord, the All-Merciful. Leave them behind you, turning unto the Tree of Revelation whereon the Interlocutor of the Mount doth speak: “Verily, there is no God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.”

O son of Abhar! Upon thee be the glory of God, the Lord of destiny. Be thou vocal in My remembrance, turn thy face unto My countenance, take hold of My Book with the strength bestowed by Me, arise to serve My Cause, and turn unto Mine all-glorious horizon, at whose appearance the horizons prostrated themselves and the lights bowed down in humility. Thus have We sent down the verses and expounded them in truth, as a grace from Us upon thee, and I am the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous.

Go forth with My Book unto My lands and remind My loved ones and give them the glad-tidings of My loving-kindness and My mercy. Say: God is with you under all conditions. We hear and We see, and I am the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Fear God, O people, and follow not those who have exchanged the ocean for a drop and certitude for idle fancies. These are among the most lost, as recorded in a clear tablet.

We testify that thou wert present and didst mention the people of Qaf who fulfilled God’s Covenant and His Testament and were among the steadfast. And thou didst mention the people of Za who cast away vain imaginings, clinging to the cord of certitude. We testify that We heard from thee mention of the people of Ta who believed in the Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens, and the people of Qaf and Mim and Kaf. Rejoice thou at My testimony and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the mystics.

We make mention of Our loved ones in Sad and give them glad-tidings of the signs of God, the Lord of the worlds. O people of Sad! The Lord of creation hath turned toward you from the prison quarter and beareth witness to your acceptance, your devotion, your humility and your submissiveness to a Cause before which the necks of the idolaters have bowed. There hath befallen you in the path of God that which hath caused the Holy Spirit and them that circle round My mighty Throne to weep. Ye have been forced to leave your homes by reason of what hath befallen you. Verily your Lord, the All-Merciful, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Nothing whatsoever escapeth His knowledge, to this every discerning mystic doth testify. What aileth Me that I behold the wolf pursuing My sheep? Say: Fear God, O people, and be not of the wrongdoers. We counsel you to manifest the greatest steadfastness in this Cause whereby the faces of the idolaters have been darkened.

O My loved ones in Abhar! The Wronged One hath turned toward you from the prison quarter and hath mentioned you in such wise as cannot be equaled by the wealth of the rich nor by all that the kings and rulers possess. He who was present before Us made mention of you; thus have We remembered you in this clear Tablet.

O Qamsar! The breezes of the All-Merciful have wafted over thee and thou hast attained that which most cities of the world have not attained. Recognize thou this great bounty. We counsel thee to preserve what thou hast been given by God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. The crier hath cried out, the raven hath croaked, and the Dove of the Throne hath spoken: “There is no God but Me, the Mighty, the Beauteous.” We make mention of Our loved ones in thee and bid them to be steadfast in this momentous News. That which We foretold you hath come to pass, when the Light was shining from the horizon of Zawra and in the Land of Mystery and in this noble station.

We make mention of Our loved ones and friends in Mim and Alif, and give them the glad-tidings of My mercy that hath preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth. O My companions there! We testify that ye have turned towards and believed in God, the Lord of this wondrous Day. Blessed are your homes wherein hath been raised the remembrance of God and the remembrance of His loved ones, and ye have attained unto that which was written down in the tablets of your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

O My companions in Sin and Nun! The Wronged One remembereth you and commandeth you to that which beseemeth this Cause, from which every heedless doubter hath turned aside. Take ye hold of the Book of God with the strength bestowed by Us, and be ye among those who are firmly established. We counsel you to preserve that which ye have been given. Render thanks unto your Lord, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Ibn-i-Abhar hath appeared before the Most Great Scene and made mention of you. We have remembered you in this Tablet from whose horizon hath shone the sun of the loving-kindness of your Lord, the All-Bountiful.

O Ibn-i-Abhar! Thou hast made mention of My male and female servants before the Countenance, and each servant and handmaiden hath attained unto that which was mentioned in the books of God and inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in a Tablet which none save He hath comprehended. Thus hath the rustling of the Lote-Tree of the Uttermost End been raised up in this exalted station. Say: O concourse of creation! By My life, the All-Merciful! We have sent unto you the fragrance of My sweetest utterance. Do ye perceive it, or are ye of the heedless? The horizons have been filled with the breathings of revelation. Do ye sense them, or are ye of those who slumber? The fragrance of the All-Merciful’s robe hath been wafted throughout the world.

Blessed is he who hath recognized it, found it, and said: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Desire of the worlds!” By God! The world hath been perfumed by the fragrances of the Pen, yet the peoples are in strange drunkenness. Say: O people of the Bayan! The All-Merciful hath come with the standards of divine knowledge, though it be against your wishes. He is the One before Whose name the Point of the Bayan and the Concourse on High and the angels brought nigh have prostrated themselves. Say: The Faithful Spirit circleth round the Throne, while the dwellers of Paradise abide beneath the shadow of this glorious and wondrous station. Whoso turneth away from this Name hath turned away from God in the past and in the future.

To this testifieth He with Whom is a preserving Tablet. The mercy that hath flowed from My Most Exalted Pen be upon thee and upon those who love thee and hearken unto thy word concerning this mighty Cause, whereby the limbs of the idolaters who cast the Book of God behind their backs have quaked, turning instead to every heedless one who hath turned away from God, the True King, the Manifest.

BH01067: O Pen of the Most High! Once again there…

In the Name of the Wronged One, the Stranger.

O Pen of the Most High! Once again there hath reached thee that for which the dwellers of the Supreme Paradise have raised their lament, and whereby the pillar of knowledge hath been shaken in the Kingdom of creation: the ascension of him who was steadfast in the Cause of God, the Lord of Names; who, morn and eve, walked in circumambulation about the Throne; who, with myriads of the inmates of eternity, was ever voicing the praise of God; and who soared in the air of the mercy of his Lord, the Fashioner of heaven.

We bear witness that he turned unto the Most Exalted Horizon and answered his Lord when the Call was raised; that he bore, in the path of God, that which most of the peoples of the world were unable to bear; that his heart was pierced by the arrows of the mockery of the adversaries; and that there befell him such woes as caused all things to cry out.

He it was that, when the Youth of divine knowledge came to him with the cup of the Bayan, took it in his hand and drank thereof in the Name of the Lord of the Hereafter and of this world, until the wine of the divine draught so enraptured him that he cast the world behind his back, and turned his face unto the Most Great Name, till he reached the circuit of the near ones and the sincere, came into the presence of the Throne, and hearkened unto the call of God, the All-Subduing, the Self-Subsisting.

I testify that, through him, the breath of faithfulness passed through the cities of the names; I testify that he arose in the Cause with the most great steadfastness, such that neither the states and designs of the tyrants nor the might of the Pharaohs could withhold him. He bore witness unto that unto which the Lote-Tree of the farthest limit hath borne witness, and acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath proclaimed.

O Muhammad! As We were walking in this spot at the beginning of the day, the tidings of thy ascent, thy flight, thy turning and thy drawing nigh unto the Supreme Companion reached Us. Thereupon the servant in attendance came before Us and said:

“The time of mention hath arrived, O Thou in Whose grasp is the Kingdom of the Bayan.”

O ʿAli! Thou art now in the Supreme Companion, and the tongue of Baha maketh mention of thee whenever sorrows encompass Him round about—sorrows which none hath fathomed save God, the Lord of all that is.

Blessed art thou, O ʿAli, for thou hast been faithful to the Covenant and Testament of God. Neither the circumstances of the people nor their injustice withheld thee from this Cause—a Cause at which the feet of every learned one have stumbled, and the hearts of every knower have been perturbed. I bear witness that, at thy calamity, every soul that had turned unto God lamented, every believer wept, and every possessor of joy was steeped in grief.

O My Pen of the Most High! Since We have been debarred from turning Our face unto him, go thou, on Our behalf, with the breezes of Our loving-kindness, with the effulgences of Our mercy, and with the wafts of Our tenderness. And when thou dost arrive there, address that bodily temple from before the Wronged One and say:

Blessed art thou, O thou whose deeds have been adorned with the vesture of acceptance, and whose soul hath ascended whilst the Desired One was well-pleased with thee, turning toward thee, making mention of thee, and spreading abroad the tale of what thou didst accomplish in His path, at a time when His servants and His creatures turned away from Him.

Rejoice in the loving-kindness of God and His bounty, and in that which He hath ordained for thee in His Kingdom and in His Realm of might. I bear witness that thou hast attained unto that which most of the servants, in all lands, have failed to attain. When thy ascension was mentioned before the Throne, the faces of the Branches were turned toward thee with the breaths of the All-Merciful.

Thou art he who drank the wine of everlasting life from the hand of bestowal, and attained the Kawthar of reunion on a Day whereon the Ocean of nearness surged and the nightingale was guided upon the branches. Long years didst thou dwell beneath the shade of the mercy of thy Lord.

Blessed art thou, and blessed is he who maketh mention of thee, who turneth his face unto thee, who consorted with thee during thy days on earth, and who, after thy ascension, still speaketh thy praise. I bear witness that thou didst expend thyself, thy spirit, and all that thou didst possess in the path of God; that thou didst turn away from those who denied His verses, rejected His proof, and passed sentence against Him and His loved ones without any evidence or Book.

Sufficient for thee is this—that the Lord of Decree hath manifested His sorrow at thy tribulation, that thy mention might be exalted, and that His tenderness, His care, and His bounty toward thee might be made evident.

O ʿAli! Thou camest into this world to serve the Cause of thy Lord, the Lord of Names, and thou hast returned unto Him with such steadfastness that from it the Supreme Concourse inhaled the fragrance of faithfulness. The splendour of Baha, shining from the horizon of eternity, rest upon thy first and thy last, thy outward and thy inward being.

Give thanks for this bounty which hath encompassed thee, taken thee unto itself, and drawn nigh unto thee. By the life of God! Wert thou to expend all the treasuries of the earth and the hidden stores of heaven, thou wouldst not have attained unto this Most Great favour and this most luminous, most perfect remembrance. Thou didst win this exalted station and this supreme bestowal in that thou didst traverse the path, come into the presence of the Throne of thy Lord, the Glorious, hearken unto His sweetest call, attain that which had been inscribed in the former Scriptures, and abide in the neighbourhood (of thy Lord) until thou didst surrender thy spirit unto God, the One, the Chosen.

I announce unto thee yet another favour: the Desired One hath bidden the servant in attendance to visit thee on His behalf, O thou through whose appearing the horizon of fidelity was illumined and the rains poured down. The command is God’s, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

We entreat God, the Lord of Names and the Fashioner of heaven, to ordain for His loved ones, His chosen ones and His friends, that which He hath ordained for thee; to grant Me the same confirmations as those vouchsafed unto thee; and to provide them with that wherewith thou wast provided in the days of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

BH01085: The Epistle of God, the Help-in-Peril, the Self-Subsisting

He is the One Who calleth from the Most Exalted Horizon in the Prison of ʿAkka

God beareth witness that there is none other God but Him, and that He Who speaketh this day amongst the people is indeed the Lord of the Kingdom of Utterance, the Hidden Treasure, and the Concealed Mystery that was veiled from all eyes and inscribed by the Pen of God, the All-Protecting, the Self-Subsisting. Through Him hath the decree of the Book been established, both in the beginning and at the end, and the Tongue of Grandeur hath proclaimed: The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Best-Beloved.

O Mahmud! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Mighty, the Loving. I bear witness that thou hast cast aside all things, turning thy face toward the Kaaba of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. Thou didst leave thy home, seeking the Lord of the House, until thou didst arrive and attain the presence of the Countenance and didst hear the call of God, the Lord of existence. We bear witness that thou hast attained unto that which was recorded by the Most Exalted Pen in this Prison, whereby the Cause of God, His sovereignty, His majesty and His power have been upraised, and wherein every hidden matter hath been revealed. Remind My brothers on My behalf and give them the joyful tidings of that which hath been ordained for them by the Pen of Decree from God, the Mighty, the Powerful. We have remembered them, and do remember them, with that which attracteth the hearts and souls. Say: Be not grieved by the deeds of those whose idle fancies have withheld them from reflecting upon the ultimate fate of things. By the life of God! Their actions shall profit them not. Soon shall they find themselves in the torment ordained for them by God, the Lord of Hosts.

Hear thou the Divine Call in the Persian tongue! Some have imagined that through the shedding of blood and the persecutions visited upon the friends the wounds inflicted upon hearts would be healed. Far, far from the truth! Rather, from every drop a new creation is brought forth, and from every affliction countless bounties are made manifest. Today the lovers have been so transported by the Word of the Beloved of the worlds that they regard the world and all that is therein as a handful of dust. Say: O people, by the life of God, this Call bestoweth eternal life and conferreth everlasting grace. Deprive not yourselves thereof. Fear ye God, O people, and be not of the heedless. Cast away what the world possesseth and take hold of this Manifest Book which acquainteth you with the Command of God, draweth you nigh unto the pavilion of His glory, giveth you to drink of the Kawthar of His utterance, and guideth you to His straight Path.

Today the lovers have a melody, and the City of Love is illumined and purified by the sweet and holy breaths of the friends of God, exalted be His glory. In truth I say these wrongs shall not be lost. The fire of hatred shall leave its traces until the end that hath no end, that all may become aware of the tyrannies perpetrated by the manifestations of iniquity and wickedness against the dawning-places of righteousness and piety. Hath any power been witnessed in the world, or will ever be seen, that can withstand the power of God? Nay, by His own Self, the True One!

O people of Iran! Beseech ye God that He may assist His Majesty the Shah to do that which beseemeth his station in this Day, and that He may not withhold from him the outpoured bounties, the eternal offerings, and the everlasting verses. Glory be to God! At times it hath been heard that His Majesty hath declared:

“We have hitherto shown no favor to this community, nor manifested any mercy towards them. However, We now desire to deal with them with justice and equity.”

Nevertheless it became clear that these words were not from the Shah, or if they were, his blessed intention was altered due to the whisperings of the tale-bearers of the world.

That which today is the cause of greatest astonishment is that His Majesty the Shah hath made no distinction between friend and foe, and hath regarded the true friends as enemies—God forbid! O Shah! Reflection is needed; perchance thou mayest become aware of those wicked souls who have been and are lying in wait. The intention here is not to refer to outsiders, but rather to one whose name none dare mention, yet whose deeds and intentions are clear and evident to those possessed of insight.

Glory be to God! What hath veiled the investigators! To say more would exceed the bounds of wisdom, yet We beseech God to assist and confirm His Majesty the Shah and grant him the knowledge to perceive, for should he become aware, he would hold fast to that which would ensure the perpetuity of his sovereignty and the reformation and advancement of his realm. That which is now the greatest means for His Majesty the Shah from the King of all means is that he should take a firm covenant from the Book that speaketh and from the Kingdom of Utterance, for this sacred covenant is immune from annulment and change; alteration shall not touch it nor shall obliteration reach it.

Besides this, no other means that could ensure the exaltation and elevation of the standard of sovereignty can be perceived. Verily, other means existed before, but their time hath passed. O Mahmud! Upon thee be the grace of God and His mercy, which hath preceded the unseen and the seen. Say: O my God, my God! Cast me not out from the door of Thy bounty, and withhold me not from the ocean of Thy generosity, and sever not the cord of my hope through Thy might and power. O Lord! Thou seest the thirsty one yearning for the stream of Thy mercy, and the essence of nothingness seeking the word of Thy proof, and the river of poverty desiring the sea of Thy wealth.

I beseech Thee, O Protector of them that are near, O Deliverer of the sincere ones, O Shelter of the sorrow-laden, to illumine the countenance of the sovereign with the light of Thy justice, and to adorn him with that which will draw him nigh unto the court of Thy bounty and the seat of Thy favors. Then aid him, O my God, with the hosts of earth and heaven, and the armies of the seen and the unseen. Verily, Thou art powerful to do what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Strong, the Almighty. Within Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and on the earth.

BH01106: Ziyarat-Namiy-i-Asiyyih Khanum

He is the Comforter, the Consoler, the Counselor, the All-Knowing!

O Pen! Time and again have sorrows come to pass that have caused the people of Baha to grieve—they who have believed in God, the Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens, who have soared on the wings of recognition in the atmosphere of certitude, and who have acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken throughout creation. O My Most Exalted Pen! Calamities have befallen thee that have caused the dwellers of the most exalted Paradise and the highest Heaven to lament, and those who circle round the Throne at morn and eventide to weep. Hear My call, then make mention of the calamity by which sorrows have encompassed My Name, the Self-Subsisting, and whereby patience and forbearance have fled and been scattered throughout the lands.

Say: O Most Exalted Leaf, mentioned in the Crimson Book! Thou art she whom God created to arise for the service of His Own Self, the Manifestation of His Cause, the Dawning-Place of His Revelation, the Dayspring of His signs, and the Source of His laws. He strengthened thee in such wise that thou didst turn wholly unto Him when the servants and handmaidens turned away. Thou didst hear His most sweet call and didst respond to it, and thou wert with Him in all conditions, until thou didst migrate from the Land of Ta to Zawra, and from Zawra to the Land of Mystery, and thence to this Prison which hath been designated by every name by God, the Creator of the heavens.

Thou wert, during the nights and days, blessed with His presence, gazing upon His countenance, circling round His throne, hearing His call, dwelling in His house, clinging to His cord, and holding fast to the hem of the robe of His bounty and grace, until destiny overcame thee with that which was written in the Book of God, the Lord of the former and latter generations. Thou didst endure its hardships until thou didst sacrifice thy spirit in His path before His face. Blessed art thou, O My handmaiden, O My leaf, who art mentioned in My Book and inscribed by My Most Exalted Pen in My Scriptures and Tablets.

I testify that thou didst drink the choice wine of understanding from the cup of utterance, and didst endure in His path whatsoever befell thee of hardships and trials. We bear witness that thou didst believe in Him and in His Books and His Messengers and in that which He hath sent down from the heaven of His Will and the atmosphere of His Purpose. Rejoice thou at this moment in the Most Exalted Station and the highest Paradise and the most glorious Horizon, inasmuch as the Lord of Names hath made mention of thee. We testify that thou didst attain unto all good, and God hath raised thee to a station round which circle all glory and every lofty station.

Thou wert lying upon thy couch while the Most Great Branch stood in attendance upon thee, and beneath him the other Branches, then the kindred and handmaidens who were among the people of the pavilions of glory and chastity, then those whom God hath made to be the leaves of the Tree of His Cause and the fruits of the Tree of His bounty. The Branches would enter thy presence with greetings and would leave with sighs of anguish and sorrow. After the ascension of thy spirit, their tears descended and their sighs ascended, and every possessor of a heart and station lamented before thy Lord, the Lord of the earth and the heavens. Alas, alas! By thy grief the people of the pavilion of glory and the tabernacle of grace were grieved, and the eyes of those who circle round the Throne shed tears at thy calamity.

The Most Great Terror appeared, and eyes wept before the face of thy Lord, the Chosen One. And we, the near ones, lamented in such wise that by our lamentation the people of the highest Paradise and the most exalted Paradise and the most glorious Concourse who circle round the will of their Lord, the Master of Origin and Return, in the eternity of eternities. O Exalted Leaf! Thy grief hath today turned day into night, joy into sorrow, and tranquility into agitation, until sorrows encompassed all who dwell in the realm of possibility, such that the Hidden Name, the Treasured Secret, and the Self-Subsisting One—Who sacrificed Himself for the One standing before all faces—were grieved. O Pen! Be patient, for sorrows have overtaken both the seen and unseen. Set aside what thou wert occupied with and say, turning to God, the Lord of Names and Creator of Heaven:

My God, my God! I beseech Thee by the grief of Thy chosen ones, the tears of Thy leaves, and the sorrows that have melted hearts throughout the lands, to forgive Thy male and female servants who have remembered her according to what hath descended from the heaven of Thy bounty and the mouth of Thy will. O Lord! Thou seest how cares have encompassed the manifestations of Thy Self-Subsisting Name, and sorrows have surrounded the dwellers of the pavilion of Thy glory and grandeur. I beseech Thee by their sighs and tears concerning what hath befallen Thee in Thy days, to send down upon Thy household that which may tranquilize their hearts and give rest to their souls, lest they commit what would increase Thy sorrow in Thy days.

Then forgive every maidservant who hath entered Thy house and lamented what occurred on this day which Thy decree hath altered, and which hath grieved Thy friends and chosen ones. Then assist Thy servant who is present, who hath stood firm in Thy service, shared in Thy tribulations, and spoken Thy praise. Then forgive, O my God, the maidservant who journeyed and those who left their homes until they arrived and heard, then returned, and those who sought Thy grace, Thy gifts, Thy generosity and Thy bestowals. Verily Thou art the One with power over whatsoever Thou willest. If Thou shouldst desire, Thou wouldst turn grief into joy in Thy kingdom, and the essence of care into delight among Thy servants.

There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Generous. Then I beseech Thee once again, O God of Names, by the penetrating influence of Thy Command, the all-encompassing nature of Thy Will, the mysteries of Thy Book, and what hath flowed from Thy Most Exalted Pen in Thy Scrolls and Writings, to forgive on this day all Thy male and female servants who have turned to Thee, attained to Thy remembrance, and arose to serve Thee. Verily Thou art the Generous, the Forgiving, the Kind, the Merciful. There is none other God but Thee, the Most High, the Most Great.

BH01090: O My Name, Al-Mihdi! Your letter which you sent…

O My Name, Al-Mihdi! Your letter which you sent to My servant who was present before the Great Throne has arrived. Say: O people of the world! By God, neither your veils, nor your words, nor your conditions, nor your manifestations, nor that to which you have turned can prevent the Most Great Name. He is verily the Truthful Speaker, the Manifest, the All-Informed. He turns to the right and says: “There is no God but Me, the Evident Truth,” and to the left: “There is no God but I, the Chosen One.” Say: Through Him do all atoms proclaim: “There is no God but He, the All-Knowing, the Powerful, the Mighty.” Say: The Books have been adorned with My Name and the Bayan with My wondrous mention. Whosoever denies Me, say: Bring forth what you have, O heedless and remote one! You have taken the pond and forsaken the Most Great Ocean behind you. Arise in My Name and say: “I repent unto Thee, O God of the worlds!” Say: Through My mention have all mentions been realized, and through My manifestation it has been established that there is no God but He, the Mighty, the Great.

Say: Die in your wrath, then be consumed in the fire of your rancor. By the True God, the Supreme Horizon has been illumined by the Sun of My Most Glorious Name, and the Lord of Names has come with an authority that neither your clamor nor what is in your hearts can prevent. We speak at all times and say: O people of creation! By God, this is He Who was promised in God’s Books, and this is He but for Whom no Prophet would have spoken, no Messenger would have been sent, and no Book would have been revealed. He is verily the Truthful, the Trustworthy.

Take the wine of certitude in My Name and abandon what you possess of conditions and idle fancies. Say: Through My fragrant breezes have the gardens been perfumed, and through the lights of My countenance has creation been adorned. Turn and observe, and be not of the heedless ones. Beware lest you act as you acted before, and beware lest you be of the ignorant ones. Has not the Trumpet been sounded? Has not the Lord of Manifestation appeared? Turn that you may hear what has been raised from His Supreme Horizon on this Day which God has announced in His mighty Tablet.

Observe and reflect upon those who have taken for themselves idols besides God and followed them in what they commanded them, and thereby went astray and led others astray until the earth was reddened with the blood of the Beloved. Say: Be fair and be not of those who turn away. We do not wish to mention them by their names lest your clamor be raised. My mercy has preceded My wrath, My grace My punishment, and My loving-kindness those who are in the heavens and the earth. There has befallen Me from the people of the Bayan that which befell not Him Who revealed the Furqan nor My chosen ones and My messengers before. To this bears witness whosoever was in My days and was of the fair-minded ones.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Follow ye that which the All-Merciful hath revealed, and draw not the sword of tyranny against Him Whom ye invoke by night and by day. Fear ye God and be not of the lost. Hold fast today unto the Most Great Cord and follow not the idle fancies ye possess. With Us are not the allusions of men; We speak and call out through that which hath caused the fragrances of the All-Merciful to waft throughout all possibilities. Thus doth My Pen speak and inform you of that which I possess, if ye be of them that hearken. Know ye, then inform your likes that the gate of heaven hath been opened through My Most Glorious Name, and the Hidden Mystery hath appeared through the Sovereignty of Names, calling out with the most exalted call:

“O people of creation! By God, this indeed is the Existent One, this indeed is the Promised One, this indeed is the Intended One, this indeed is the Worshipped One, this indeed is the Witnessed One, this indeed is the manifest Truth, the Speaking One, the Impregnable Mystery. Whoso denieth Him hath denied God throughout all ages, and whoso acknowledgeth Him hath acknowledged God, the Lord of all worlds.”

O people of the Bayan! By God, ye have perpetrated that which hath caused the Primal Point and the Concourse on High and those settled in the Kingdom of Names to lament. Ye have committed that which none in the world hath committed, and perpetrated that which none among the peoples of the earth hath perpetrated. To this beareth witness the tongue of My grandeur and those who circle round My exalted Throne.

O My Name! Remember when thou wert with Me on the mountain and didst witness the moaning of My heart and became acquainted with the ocean of My grief at what was inflicted upon Me by those who dwelt round about Me and in My vicinity. By the life of God! Were I to recount My tribulations, all things would cry out and weeping would be raised between the heavens and the earth. Say: None may enter this most exalted station save with a pure heart, a sanctified mind, and a radiant countenance. This is the station wherein was raised the call of Moses when He said: “O Lord, show me Thy beauty,” and heard: “Thou shalt not see Me,” and the station wherein was raised the call of the Spirit and the call of them that are nigh. Whoso entereth therein and doeth that which the All-Merciful hath not permitted, the denizens of the pavilions of holiness shall disavow him. To this testifieth every just and discerning one.

How often have We seen some in error and grievous sin, and concealed it as a grace from Us. Verily thy Lord is the Concealer, the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous. Ask thou God to grant them success in returning, or to make known to them the way of departure. This is better for him who hath believed in God, the Peerless, the All-Informed. Say: Take hold of the reins of your passions, then seek forgiveness that God may forgive you as a grace from His presence. Verily He is the All-Forgiving, the Mighty, the Merciful.

Thus have We expounded for thee, O My Name, that thou mayest remember My tribulations and what hath befallen Me at the hands of the heedless ones. Say: O My loved ones! Reflect when We named the prison the Most Great Prison and informed you of this at the beginning of Our arrival. Verily He is the Knower of Truth, informing you of what is to come. Verily He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Glory be upon the people of Baha who have not broken God’s Covenant and His Testament and have followed that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in His perspicuous Book.

BH01102: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having…

In the Name of the One that is holy above all names

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having enabled Thy loved ones and the leaves of the tree of Thy love to do that which beseemeth them in Thy days, namely to stand firm in Thy Cause and to arise in a manner befitting their kinship to Thy Beauty and the Manifestation of Thy Oneness. Blessed is he who hath been named with the Name that hath borne tribulations in every age and dispensation in the path of Thy love, and blessed is the leaf whom Thou hast related to Thyself and mentioned in the tablets of Thy glory from the Pen of Thy bounty.

Thou knowest, O my God, when her petition and letter reached Us, wherein her cry and lamentation were raised concerning Thy Cause and what befell the Beauty of Thy oppression, how the fire of grief seized the very elements of this ephemeral one. Yet, O my God, I was gladdened from another perspective when I saw her steadfast in Thy love and firm in Thy Cause and obedience. Blessed is she for having fulfilled Thy promise and not broken the Covenant on this Day of Separation. Therefore, O my God, assist him and that leaf in all that Thou lovest and approvest, for verily Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Powerful.

The missive from that honored one, from whose words wafted the fragrance of love for the Ancient Lord, reached this evanescent servant, as did the petition of the leaf which had been submitted to the threshold of the Divine Throne, together with the letter she had written. Blessed and sanctified be that honored one and that leaf who were not prevented by the cawing of the crows from the Beauty of the Lord of the Worlds, and who were not veiled by the waters of the statements of rejected souls from the sweet stream of the utterance of the Merciful One and the flowing waters of the knowledge of the Glory of the All-Glorious. This is naught but from the divine, invisible confirmations and the hands of pure bounty which preserved that honored one from that which befitteth not thy kinship to Him, and confirmed thee in that which beseemeth the manifestation of His favors unto thee.

Another supplication that the beloved leaf addressed to the Most Holy Court, and a letter that they had written, were both presented in full before His most exalted presence. The Wronged Beauty is witness that what heat was kindled in the heart upon reading them, for whatsoever was written and spoken was for God and for His sake. Every word that issues forth from the mouth with sincerity for God’s sake has been and will ever be effective throughout all existence. What more can I say of how many manifestations of grace and appearances of the favors of the Beauty of Unity I witnessed regarding your honor and that leaf. By God! Were I to attempt to recount them, the ocean would be exhausted ere I could complete mention of what I witnessed of the Ancient Beauty’s favors toward you. God willing, may they ever be confirmed by God’s special favors, which today are the confirmations of steadfastness in His Cause, and be gladdened and rejoiced through His wondrous favors. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Forgiving.

The Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet specifically for your honor and that leaf hath been revealed from the Source of God’s Will and sent. Convey infinite greetings from this evanescent one to all the friends in that land, especially to the honored friends Aqa Mirza ʿAbdu’llah and Aqa Mirza Ahmad, upon them be the glory of God and His favors, whose mention hath always been in your book and who have been mentioned at the Divine Throne. Convey infinite greetings to them on behalf of this servant. And regarding their request for a special Tablet, it was presented and the utmost favor was shown regarding them. God willing, hereafter a sublime Tablet specifically for them will be revealed and sent. Since regarding this bearer’s journey it was arranged that only replies to supplications would be sent, therefore it was not sent this time.

And regarding the question about the blessed verse “Verily the Ta’ hath entered and from the land of Fa’ My Herald hath appeared,” there was no opportunity to specifically present it before the Most Holy Court, but what this servant hath understood from this blessed verse and other verses revealed in the divine Tablets is that it refers to the appearance of unacceptable souls in certain lands and is not specific to that land. We beseech God to protect all from the schemes of the schemers and the deceptions of the fabricators and liars.

And regarding what was written about the hidden matter, God willing, details will be presented and afterwards an answer will be sent.

And regarding what was written about the non-receipt of those funds, this servant was greatly surprised that Jinab-i-Amin delayed in the matter of the Truth. This is extremely strange from him. These days they have not yet arrived.

Furthermore, after these detailed submissions, Jinab-i-Aqa Hasan, upon him be the glory of God, arrived and delivered your bundle of letters. God willing, the reply to that will also arrive soon.

Convey infinite greetings from this evanescent servant to all the friends who have drunk from the cup of love and assurance and become free and detached from all else but God.

The Branches of the sublime, impregnable, exalted divine Lote-Tree and the Twigs of the divine Tree remember, praise, glorify and extol your honor with wonderful spiritual remembrances and sublime, most glorious salutations, as do all the loved ones of God, both those who circle round and those who are imprisoned—all convey infinite greetings to your honor. Convey exalted and most glorious greetings and remembrances to your children and household, all of them. Indeed remembrance, glory and radiance be upon you.

The servant of God

BH01118: O thou who hast turned thy face toward God!…

He is God, exalted is He in Might and Power

O thou who hast turned thy face toward God! Upon thee be the Glory of God and His peace. Hearken unto the Voice of the Wronged One from the Most Great Prison. He hath desired naught in the realm save reformation, as doth testify the Lamp of the world, which hath taken neither glass, nor crystal, nor veil for its protection. By God! The Glory hath not spoken from desire, but rather that which draweth mankind unto a station wherein their hearts may find tranquility and their souls find rest. Thou knowest, and God knoweth beyond thee, that I have taken no helper for Myself, and have aided God’s Cause through a power before which the might of the world and the dominion of the nations who cast off righteousness and embraced lewdness without clear proof or evidence have proven impotent.

Say: O servants! Hearken unto the counsels of the Wronged One. The first of all things and of every mention hath been the knowledge of God. He is the Sustainer of all and the Educator of all. The first thing that proceedeth from knowledge is the love and unity of the servants, for through unity are the horizons of the world illumined and brightened. The purpose of unity is association, and the purpose of association is mutual assistance. The means that outwardly conduce to unity, fellowship, guidance and love are forbearance and beneficence. In one of the Tablets We have uttered this exalted word: Blessed is he who retireth to his bed at night with a heart purified from rancor and hatred. Glory is not for him who loveth his country, but for him who loveth the world. The fear of God hath ever been a sure fortress for the protection of the commanding self. It is the cause of the refinement and sanctification of one’s being, both outwardly and inwardly.

Time and again have We said that the victory mentioned in the Books, Scriptures and Tablets hath been through wisdom and utterance, as well as through deeds and character. By the life of God! The mightiest hosts of the world have been and are goodly character and pure deeds. The sword of virtue is keener than a blade of steel, were ye to understand. Without veil or concealment have We mentioned the Cause of God before the faces of the various peoples, and have enjoined upon all that which will draw them nigh, preserve them and exalt them. From the beginning of days until now, We have borne and shown patience toward whatsoever hath befallen Us in the path of the One True Friend. Through God’s grace and mercy, We have been and are sanctified from that which containeth even an atom’s weight of corruption.

Today, that which is worthy of mention is that which conduceth to the unity, harmony, elevation and exaltation of all. A goodly deed is like unto a tree, from which delicious and pleasing fruits immediately appear. This is the day of goodly deeds and praiseworthy character. Let not the counsels of the Wronged One pass from sight. We hope that the fragrance of love and friendship may be diffused amongst the loved ones, and that they may associate with one another in love and kindness.

In one of the Tablets We have uttered this exalted word: The heaven of divine wisdom is illumined with two luminaries: consultation and compassion. The tabernacle of world order is upheld upon two pillars: reward and punishment. Such matters pertain to the monarchs of the age. They are the manifestations of God’s power and the dawning-places of His divine majesty. After recognition of the Lord, exalted be His glory, it is incumbent to serve and obey the government and to hold fast to wisdom. These two cause the elevation and exaltation of existence and its progress.

We beseech the True One that He may illumine His Majesty the Shah of Iran, may God strengthen him, with the effulgent lights of the Sun of Justice. If the divines of the Shi’ih party would permit, royal kindness and mercy would embrace all and he would rule with justice and fairness. This Wronged One has loved and continues to love fidelity, and that a king among the kings of the earth would assist the oppressed ones of the world. The path of truth and its balance has been justice and fairness. We implore God, exalted be His glory, not to deprive His servants from that which hath been mentioned. We counsel once again the friends of God to be trustworthy, to be religious, to be chaste, and to fear God, the Leader of the hosts of justice, the One Who commandeth, the All-Wise.

My God, my God! Aid Thy servants to perform that which will diffuse the fragrance of Thy good pleasure and will be adorned with the glory of Thy acceptance. O Lord! Thou hearest their sighing, beholdest their tears, and knowest what hath befallen them without any evidence from Thee. Verily Thou knowest what is in the hearts of Thy servants and nothing whatsoever escapeth Thy knowledge. All created things have testified that Thou art the Truth, the Knower of things unseen.

Blessed is the soul that hath held fast unto the cord of patience and resignation in whatsoever hath befallen it in the path of God, the Lord of the mighty Throne. The Pen of the Wronged One hath, at all times, enjoined upon the servants that which will profit them, draw them nigh, and exalt them. We hope that God, exalted be His glory, will purify the ears of the world that they may hearken with the ear of acceptance to the counsels and exhortations of the Wronged One and act upon them.

My God, my God! Aid Thy heedless servants to return unto Thee, and the wrongdoers to turn toward the gate of Thy bounty. Verily Thou art the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful, the All-Giving, the All-Pardoning, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH01110: Praise be unto God, Who hath made the proof…

He is God, exalted be His glory, the Almighty.

Praise be unto God, Who hath made the proof to shine forth and the path to be made manifest, and hath acquainted us with His countenance, the All-Glorious, the All-Beautiful. He it is Who hath taught the tongue the gems of wisdom and utterance, and hath distinguished man with knowledge and true understanding. Exalted is His all-conquering Word, His resistless Will, His all-embracing Purpose, and His outspread Mercy. By His might and wisdom He hath made existence one, and by His loving care He hath revealed unto it the stations of Divine witnessing, and hath enjoined upon it that which shall deliver it in its first estate and in its last. Glorified, glorified is He, exalted is His testimony! From everlasting His wont hath been bounty and bestowal, and unto everlasting His way shall be generosity and munificence. There is no God but He, the Lord of Names, the Maker of earth and heaven.

Glorified art Thou, O my God, my Creator and my Hope! Thou art He Who hath summoned Thine Own Self by the name of grace, and Thy mercy hath encompassed the world, and Thy supreme favour and Thine all-perfect, most complete bounty have encompassed all existence. I beseech Thee by that Name of Thine before which the limbs of princes have trembled, and through whose manifestation the very foundations of the learned have been shaken; by which Thou didst distinguish those who turned unto Thee from those who turned away, and didst set apart the knowing from the ignorant, that Thou mayest guard Thy loved ones in Thy lands from the evils of the wicked among Thy servants.

O Lord! Even as Thou hast guided them unto Thy straight Path and Thy great Announcement, leave them not in the hands of Thy heedless servants. Vouchsafe unto them the bounty of constancy upon Thy manifest Path, and suffer not their hands to be cut off from holding fast unto Thy firm and stalwart hem. Adorn them with the robes of nearness and acceptance; deck them with the raiment of grace and attainment; and, through them, guide Thy creatures unto Thy presence. Make them a means whereby Thy beings may attain unto the paradise of Thy knowledge; for Thou verily art the Most Bountiful, the Gracious. There is no God but Thee, the Giver, the Bestower, the Tender, the Most Merciful.

O thou who art enkindled with the fire of love and sheltered beneath the shade of the care of thy Lord, the Lord of Being! That which thou didst embroider with the traces of ink, and wherein thou didst set forth what was hidden in thy heart of love and union, hath indeed been received. I entreat my Lord, the Generous, the All-Endowing, to bestow upon thee at all times the bounty of liberality and beneficence, and to ordain for thee such things as shall rejoice thee in the days of thy Lord, the All-Merciful.

Turn not thy gaze unto this world and its anxieties, nor be saddened by the sorrows and darksome cares it revealeth. By thy life! It is a realm of afflictions, and there is naught therein to cheer the righteous or illumine the hearts of the pure in spirit. Had it been worthy, God would never have abandoned it to the wicked. It behoveth them who have attained the court of knowledge and appeared before their Lord, the All-Merciful, to divest themselves at all times of the robe of grief and sorrow, and to clothe themselves in the garment of joy and gladness, and to make mention, morn and eve, of their Lord, the All-Glorious, the All-Forgiving.

Consider this world—its passing, its faithlessness, its changes and vicissitudes. Hath the might of the mightiest endured, or the abasement of the most abject continued? Hath the name of any endured, save only the names of those who took shelter beneath the shadow of God and cut themselves off from all save Him? Meditate upon the grace of thy Lord, and the loving care of Him unto Whose presence is thy return and in Whose realm is thy abiding. His mercy hath outstripped thee, and His solicitude hath encompassed thee. I beseech God to give thee to drink of the Salsabil of His bounty, and to protect thee beneath the shade of His Name, the Lord of Names. There is no God but He, the Maker of all things, the Creator of earth and heaven.

O spiritual Friend! Not only hath the perusal of thy letter been honoured in the Most Inviolable, Most Exalted Court, but mention of thy honoured person and of thy writing was likewise presented. The tongue of grace uttered these exalted words: He is God, exalted is His glory, the All-Great, the All-Powerful. Ever hast thou been remembered in the presence of the Wronged One. From the earliest days until this very hour He hath been making mention of thee, His gaze turned toward the horizon on thy behalf, His face set toward thee, and He Himself arisen to serve thee.

This testimony shall, in the fulness of time, be made manifest as a treasure in the land of reunion unto Him, and the sayings of men shall not avail to efface it. Be not grieved at that which hath come to pass; it hath been spoken for the sake of the Truth. That which the tongue is powerless to utter is one and the same enduring Reality, and He hath enjoined upon His chosen ones patience, comely and serene. The Most Great Branch is present with the Wronged One, and he, in his entirety, presented thy letter. We heard it, and now, in this Most Holy Tablet, answer hath been graciously vouchsafed, with the utmost joy and gladness and with supreme delight.

Be wholly occupied with thy affairs, and seek from God that He may assist thee in the ordering of them. In very truth thou hast fallen into hardship; nevertheless, with perfect steadfastness arise to set thy concerns aright. Thus far the words of no soul, with regard to thine affairs, have found a hearing with acceptance. Convey my greetings to the friends, especially to the two sons.

Say: O my God, my God! Unto Thee be praise, inasmuch as Thou hast guided me, made Thyself known unto me, and taught me Thy straight Path. I beseech Thee by Him at Whose advent the ladders of knowledge and understanding were adorned, by Whom the sweet savours of Thy Revelation and the manifestations of Thy signs, the billows of the ocean of Thy utterance and the lights of the orb of Thy bounty, were made to cease from all save Thee and to appear in their true splendour, that Thou mayest assist me to set aright mine own affairs and the affairs of Thy servants.

O Lord! Thou beholdest me turning unto Thee and severed from all beside Thee. I entreat Thee by the word of Thy Oneness, by Thy resistless Will and Thy all-encompassing Purpose, to ordain for me the good of the next life and of this. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all that is. There is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

All praise be to God! Through His endless grace thou hast been exalted and mentioned by the tongue of the Well-Beloved—may our souls be offered up for His sacred court. It behoveth thee to render thanks for this clear, mighty favour, and to say at every moment: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the worlds and Desire of them that truly know!

Remember also the son of Jinab-i Akhavi—upon them both be the glory of God—and Aqa Ahmad—upon him be His remembrance—with wondrous, exalted supplications. Upon you be the Glory of the All-Glorious.

BH01134: This evanescent servant makes known that the traces…

In the Name of our Lord, the Most High, the Most Holy, transcendent above all likenesses and peers!

This evanescent servant makes known that the traces of the luminous Pen, adorned with the lights of love for the Lord of Power, illumined both heart and sight. Praise be to God that tidings of your outward well-being were heard from that radiant leaf which was in truth a spiritual messenger, bringing the utmost joy and delight. The original letter was written by your honor in the name of the Name of God M.H.—upon him be all the most glorious Glory. Therefore this evanescent servant, in reply to your august letter, has troubled your fragrant mind with these unworthy mentions. Regarding what you wrote that they have forgotten you, this servant testifies by God that in most gatherings when opportunity arose, they were occupied with your mention and you have not been erased from their view. Likewise in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court your mention has been and continues. Blessed are you for having attained to the source of good, its beginning and its end.

As for what you wrote regarding the upheaval in the Holy Land—by your life, no eye hath seen nor ear heard the like. This servant has submitted a brief account of these matters to the friends which is with the honored Name of God. God willing it will reach the luminous gaze and you will be informed of the details. How excellent is what flowed from your pen!

You wrote that no error has produced such merit in the visible world. Though outwardly it occurred without permission and was the cause of great harm, yet for those evil souls it was pure justice—their deeds were embodied and suddenly seized those wicked ones. Upon them be the curse of God and the curse of His chosen ones and the curse of the near angels.

As for the prisoners, praise be to God they have all been released, and those seven are free to move about except that they return to their quarters at night. Every grave matter with Him is simple and easy. Among the seven, one of them in those early days when severity was at its height composed and submitted an ode which has been sent to your radiant presence. You will observe it. Since your honor had inquired about the condition of the seven, therefore the ode was sent.

And regarding the friends of that land, His words, exalted be His grandeur:

Say to My loved ones who have soared in My nights and have turned with their hearts to the Ultimate Goal in My love and remembrance: If ye differ in anything, refer it to God, your Lord. He will judge between you with pure justice. He is in truth the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. God willing, all must gather on one plane and soar in one atmosphere. If they differ in any matter they must inquire of the Source of the Cause, for through God’s infinite bounty the Dawning-Place of Revelation and the Dayspring of Command is manifest, evident and visible. Glorify them on My behalf, then gladden them with this noble Remembrance that they may gather as brothers upon the thrones of their Lord’s command, the All-Merciful, and be numbered among the successful ones.

Regarding your mention of the House of Justice, it is clear and evident to you that the upheavals of this earth, its tribulations and its afflictions have been revealed beforehand in the Tablets of God. Therefore, whenever a decree was revealed, this servant strove to have copies sent to all regions lest the upheaval and turmoil of this earth become a barrier between God’s ordinances and His servants. Indeed, during these upheavals there was fear that all that existed would be lost, but God preserved it through His sovereignty and power. For this reason, a copy of that Tablet was sent, and the intention was not for it to be implemented in these days, for it is known that the loved ones are few and the enemies many. Therefore, the disclosure of these matters has caused and would cause harm. For example, if those souls were to be designated in every city now, it would surely become known and the ungodly would rise up. In any case, the Tablet was sent so that it may be preserved with the loved ones of God until such time as circumstances permit. He is, verily, the Ordainer, the All-Knowing.

Convey on behalf of this evanescent servant greetings to all the friends, and God willing, may they gather in one meeting where you shall host them to tea and recite that which hath flowed from the Most Holy Tongue, that all may be adorned with the new raiment of unity. I mentioned this matter in the Most Holy Presence and He smiled, which indicates the pleasure of my Lord and the Lord of all worlds.

Regarding what you wrote about Ismu’llah presenting himself at the threshold of the Throne on your behalf whenever he attains the presence—since he is not here, as was mentioned, this servant attended the presence before the Throne on your behalf:

“I entered the Most Great Scene and presented myself before the Throne and visited the Desired One on your behalf.”

Praise be to God Who enabled this evanescent servant and honored him with this supreme triumph. His is the praise and bounty in all conditions. I beseech God that the sweet fragrances of your correspondence may ever continue to waft, and that we may be gladdened and delighted by its wondrous and sublime words. The glory be upon you and upon those who are with you.

BH01154: In My Name, the Glorious, the Bountiful

In My Name, the Glorious, the Bountiful

O Land of Sad! Where is that Greatest Sacrifice for which no ransom was accepted in the path of God, the Lord of all beings? And where are they who were martyred for love of this Youth, at Whose appearance the idols were shattered—they who pronounced judgment against the trusted ones of God, the Lord of the worlds? O Branch of My Tree! Where is My Dove that warbled and cooed and sang? Hath it soared to the Supreme Companion or have the wrongdoers seized it with the talons of hatred between earth and heaven? Tell Me, and be not of them that remain silent. Where are the brilliant stars and the luminous planets and the known months and manifest days and radiating lights? By God! They have set and disappeared and been veiled and returned, yet the people are in manifest dissension. O My Ridvan! Why do I not see thy birds and hear their songs, and why do I not see My dove and hear its melodies? Is it in this vain life or hath it flown to the eternal Paradise? Tell Me and be not of the patient ones.

O Great Master! Long have been Thy sorrows, which have bewildered the hearts of Thy chosen ones, and the people of Thy pavilion have lamented. By Thy glory! Thy call hath not ceased, nor Thy remembrance at dawn. I hear Thy yearning in the morning and Thy moaning at sunrise and Thy cry and lamentation at eventide. Have mercy upon Thy servants and loved ones. I bear witness, O My Beloved, that martyrdom in Thy path was the hope of Thy Prophets and trusted ones. The Point of the Bayan, Who was martyred in Thy path, hath testified to this, saying:

“O Remnant of God! I have sacrificed my all for Thee and have accepted revilement in Thy path, and have desired naught save martyrdom in Thy love.”

Verily, he who attaineth unto this most exalted, most exalted station hath attained unto all good in the world to come and in this world, and Thou art the True Witness, and verily Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O thou who speakest! Hold thy tongue, for thou hast transgressed thy bounds. Repent unto God and be of them that return. Dost thou question the doings of Him Who should not be questioned about what He doeth? Seek refuge in God Who created and fashioned thee, and be not of the heedless. Thou hast not reached even the shore of one of the oceans of thy Lord’s wisdom, how much less its depths and billows and what lieth concealed in His knowledge, the Protector of all worlds. He is the One by Whom was raised the banner of He doeth what He willeth’ and unfurled the standard of He shall not be asked of His doings’ above every lofty flag.

O thou who seeketh the Spirit! Leave off His mention and what is mentioned in the kingdom of creation, then set thy face toward the Ultimate Goal and the Most Exalted Habitation, the Station which is adorned with the lights of the Celestial Realm and honored by the glances of God’s favor, the Sovereign of the kingdom of earth and heaven. We desired thee to be the first seeker and the first visitor. Go forth with the fragrances of the garment from before the Dawning-Place of Sanctity to the land wherein appeared the Most Great Martyrdom and the supreme sacrifices. We counsel thee to be vigilant, for the wolf howleth and the serpent hisseth. When thou approachest the city and beholdest its traces, pause and say:

O City of the Beloved! Where is the ocean of God’s love and the ships that sailed upon it? Where are thy flowing springs and thy radiant, rising stars? Where are thy lofty, luminous crowns and thy brilliant, shining moons? Tell of what the oppressors did to them. Can the pen flow or are all pens powerless to recount it? The matter is in the hands of God, the Lord of all beings. O City of the Beloved! By God’s life, what they endured from the oppressors shall not go unrequited. To this beareth witness the Knower of the seen and unseen, Who grieveth for His loved ones and chosen ones, manifesting His grace, His faithfulness, His care and His favors. By His very truth, they are in magnificent gain, though the people be in evident doubt.

Then turn toward the sacred shrines and exalted stations, and when thou hast recognized and found and attained their presence, pause and say:

May the first light that shone from the horizon of the face of your Lord, the Creator of heaven, be upon you, O manifestations of faithfulness and dawning-places of the names in the kingdom of creation! I testify that through you were raised the banners of victory and the standards of guidance, the horizon of steadfastness was illumined and the breeze of God wafted among all creatures. Through you was renewed the garment of martyrdom and there appeared that which bewildered minds and hearts. You are they who sacrificed what you possessed, your souls, every member of your bodies, and every vein in your flesh in the path of God, your Beloved and your Goal. You are they whom no oppressor’s tyranny, no censurer’s blame, nor the power of any who turned away from God deterred, when He came with sovereignty encompassing all in the heavens and earth. I testify that by your tribulation the Concourse on High lamented, and the dwellers of the Most Glorious Pavilion, and the tongue of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, spoke forth. Before all believers: “We are God’s, and to Him shall we return.” And in all conditions, praise be to God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.

Thereafter, ask of God whatsoever thou desirest of His bounty. He is indeed the Mighty, the Loving….

BH01192: The servant has appeared with pen and tablet, desiring…

He is the Warbler

The servant has appeared with pen and tablet, desiring verses to be sent down to him. We said: “They have filled the earth and the heavens.” He says: “The ocean cannot quell my thirst for knowledge. I desire that from the fountainhead of Thy Most Exalted Pen there should flow forth oceans in remembrance of Thy Most Glorious Name.” We say: “The lands would be laid waste thereby and the people would drown therein.” He says: “This would be better for them and for the lands, by Thy dominion that overshadows the worlds.” We said: “Can fire benefit the fish, or water the salamander?” He says: “Whatsoever appears from Thee, shouldst Thou so desire, is the most great antidote for the nations and a healing for all ills.” We said: “Bring forth thy witnesses in proof.” He says: “Thou, Thou art the Dayspring of verses! Thou seest among the people those who flee from the Most Great Name, and among them are those whom God hath made the Kawthar of eternity. Thus doth the Pen testify from the presence of One Who is All-Knowing, All-Wise.”

Would that the people knew of the waves of this ocean and what lieth concealed therein of the pearls of the knowledge of their Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing!

O Pen! Days have passed while thou wert silent, uttering neither remembrance nor exposition. Because of this the realities and divine explanations have lamented. Revive all things once again through thy sweet melody, that perchance thou mayest behold one who will arise to serve thy Lord and aid Him, detached from all else save Him. We testify that through thee the fountains of wisdom have flowed in the hearts of creation, and the Kawthar of life hath streamed forth for the people of understanding, and through thee the breaths of inspiration have wafted among mankind and the fragrances of revelation among the followers of all religions.

With this conquering, prevailing power, and this all-encompassing, penetrating sovereignty, canst thou speak that whereby the gate of My Paradise might be opened—that Paradise which lay hidden in the knowledge of thy Lord, the Illuminator of lights—and whereby thou mightest behold shining from its horizon the Sun of the beauty of thy Lord, Who caused thee to speak a word from His presence to all who are in the heavens and the earth? It is a Paradise wherein are enumerated the bounties of divine knowledge, and around which the Garden circleth at eventide and at dawn. Come, O My Pen, that I may recount unto thee and thou mayest recount unto Me. Nay, thou art powerless to do this and findest thyself unable to describe that station and what hath been ordained therein. Canst thou speak that whereby the heart of thy Lord would be gladdened, or whereby the thirst of him who hath stood at the gate might be quenched? This, despite My knowledge that wert thou to send down verses to the number of the drops of rain and fill therewith the tablets of earth and heaven, he would still say:

“Where is Thine other favor, O Thou Who sendest down bounty from the heaven of bestowals to all who are in creation?”

O Pen! This is thy Day. Move between the fingers of the Beloved at His bidding, and captivate the dwellers of the Kingdom with thy melodies and the denizens of the Realm of Might through the mention of this Beauty that hath shone forth from the horizon of grace, and this Countenance that hath appeared from the horizon of glory. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having honored me with Thy presence and caused me to speak forth Thy praise. I testify that this proceedeth not from me, nor do I deserve it, but rather from Thy grace, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of all created things.

This is a paradise wherein the sun is seen rising from its dayspring, and it is the face of thy Lord, the Most Glorious, and the light of its moon is from the brow of God, the Lord of all return. From the murmur of its waters is heard: “There is no God but Me, the Wondrous,” and from the rustling of its trees: “There is no God but I, the Beauteous,” and from the whistling of its winds: “There is no God but I, the Almighty, the All-Knowing.” Every creature therein is a spirit from God’s Spirit, declaring: “I belong to God, the Lord of Lords.” Whoso tasteth of its fruits findeth the sweetness of Paradise and all its gardens. Glory be to God! All this is at the level of description, while it existeth at a station beyond all mention.

Say: It is a station where the glance of vision cannot penetrate, nor can the birds of fancy reach its heights. God hath made it sanctified beyond the mention of creation and exalted above the understanding of all on earth. To this testifieth every discerning mystic.

A Lote-Tree therein proclaimeth:

“God hath testified concerning Him Who hath appeared that there is no God but He, and He is the Hidden Treasure, the Concealed Mystery, the Living Ocean, and the Dayspring of the All-Merciful. Through Him hath appeared the oneness of My Being and the sanctification of My Self from all similitudes, and through Him have appeared the names and attributes, and all things have proclaimed: The Kingdom and the Realm, then Power and Divinity, then Might and Dominion belong to God, the Dayspring of signs.”

And another proclaimeth:

“God hath testified concerning Him Who hath appeared that there is no God but He. Through Him hath shone forth the Sun of generosity and the world hath been adorned with the lights of antiquity. Through Him hath every heaven been raised up, every fragrance wafted abroad, and the ocean of knowledge and wisdom hath surged.”

The Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken in chambers built of the essence of wisdom, bearing witness unto His own Self that there is no God but He. Blessed be this dawn for having been honored by a Day wherein the Lord of destiny hath turned toward the Most Great Scene and the Throne of the All-Merciful hath been established in the garden named Ridvan. Thereupon the trees swayed, the flowers smiled, the fruits stirred, the birds sang, the branches were attracted, the boughs reached forth, and the garden and all within it moved in yearning for the call of God, the Sovereign, the Almighty, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

BH01182: To be typed

To be typed.

BH01193: O thou who art drawn by the magnet…

He is God, exalted be His glory, the Lord of majesty and might.

O thou who art drawn by the magnet of love and who movest in adoration about the Cause of thy Lord, the Lord of being!

That which was embroidered with the traces of ink hath indeed come, and it hath spoken with utmost clarity of the degrees of love and of union. Blessed art thou, inasmuch as thou hast attained unto these days and entered beneath the shadows of the mercy of thy Lord, the King of all names. Well is it with thee, for thou hast rent asunder the veils of idle fancy and attained unto the knowledge of the All-Known. Happy art thou, for thou hast quaffed from the chalice of bounty the Kawthar of eternal life; thou hast entered the gardens of intimacy and faithfulness, and hast won that which was promised by the tongues of the Prophets and chosen ones of God.

My heart calleth aloud unto My Pen and saith:

“Make mention of the subtleties of love that are treasured within me, for the sake of him who dwelleth beneath the shadows of grace and mercy, and expound unto him that which shall rejoice him in the days of his Lord, the Lord of all creation.”

The Pen maketh reply, and confesseth its impotence in depicting this station, saying:

“There is no need for further disclosure, after that which hath been established both in secret and in open.”

By thy life, O beloved! Well-nigh would the heart soar away, out of longing for the loved ones of God, the Lord of the final return. Were it not for the multitude of occupations and the preoccupation of the mind, night and day would I be engaged in celebrating those souls who have taken wing, through the pinions of detachment, unto the kingdom of the knowledge of their Lord, the King of origination and the Lord of invention.

If, then, delay occurreth, it proceedeth from the intrusion of outward hindrances; otherwise, the heart, the tongue, the utterance and the fingers all bear witness that there is naught with Me sweeter than the mention of the friends of God, nor aught more delectable than correspondence with those who have attained unto the knowledge of the Creator of all things.

I beseech God, the Lord of existence and the Educator of the seen and the unseen, to ordain for His yearning ones that which shall confirm them in intimacy and love, in concord and affection and unity. In this Day there is no station more exalted than loving fellowship and purity of heart, nor any rank more lofty than unity and faithfulness. This is that whereunto He Who is the Lord of everlasting life hath bidden us. Blessed is he who holdeth fast unto the cord of his Lord, renounceth his own self and passion, and striveth for the unity of souls and the union of hearts.

Say: O ye lovers of God! Ponder upon ages bygone and cycles past. Never did the Cause of God in any age rise to ascendancy save through perfect unity and pure, unalloyed love. Strive, then, in this mighty Cause, and exert your utmost in this momentous task. He, exalted be He, hath, in all the Tablets, enjoined upon you that which will guide you to the paths of rectitude and lead you to the ways of true prosperity.

Contemplate His supreme bounty and that loving care the like of which the eyes of the world have never beheld. Ye have attained, in this Revelation, unto that whereunto none hath attained before you; nay, for very longing after it the lovers passed away in their sighing, and the horizons resounded with lamentation at its mention. In the sight of God there is no favour greater than this. It behoveth you to recognize its worth, to arise steadfastly in His Cause, to strive to guide His creatures unto the City of His knowledge, and to lead His servants unto the gardens of His wisdom and His command.

Blessed art thou, O beloved, for that in all seasons thou hast attained unto the Kawthar of bounty and beneficence. I entreat God, exalted be He, to shelter thee ever beneath His protecting shade, to adorn thee continually with the robes of His loving care and grace, to vouchsafe unto thee the supreme constancy in His Cause, and to assist thee in the promulgation of His teachings among His creatures. Verily, He is mighty to do whatsoever He willeth. There is no God but He, the One, the Peerless, the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Say: Glorified art Thou, O my God, my Lord, my Hope! Upon Thee do I rely, and unto Thy command do I submit. O Thou unto Whom all hands are lifted up in supplication, O Thou Who art invoked in the end and in the beginning, and remembered in palaces and in deserts! How shall I make mention of Thee with words, whilst I behold Thee exalted above them all? How shall I describe Thee by Thine effects, whilst I witness Thee sanctified from them and the Author of their being?

That which existeth is described by what is greater than itself in station, nobler in rank and more exalted in remembrance; yet Thou art the Creator of existence and the Lord of the invisible and the visible. How, then, shall things created describe Thee, when they have no mention in Thy court and no being within the precincts of Thy majesty? Whenever I ponder Thine independence, O Lord of the kingdom of glory and wealth, I am constrained to silence, lest I fall into an error graver still.

And yet, when I behold the going forth of Thy irrevocable decree and Thy firm command that I should make mention of Thee amongst Thy servants, I venture to extol and praise Thee, turning not to my unworthiness and my lack of aptitude, but to Thy bounty and Thy loving-kindness, O Creator of all things and Lord of all being.

I beseech Thee, O Lord of existence and Master of the unseen and the seen, by Thy Greatest Name and by Thy irrevocable decree, to protect Thy loved ones in the shadow of Thy guardianship, to vouchsafe unto them the bounty of Thy loving care, to give them to drink of the Tasním of Thy favour and mercy, and to aid them, O my Lord, in the diffusion of Thy traces throughout Thy lands and in guiding Thy servants unto the City of Thy knowledge. Ordain for them that which delighteth their hearts and expandeth their breasts; for Thou art He Who hath named His own Self “the All-Bountiful”. There is no God but Thou, the One, the Peerless, the Most High, the Most Great.

And in the end of these words, O beloved of the heart, confer the wondrous tokens of glorification upon the faces of the steadfast lovers of God, and remember them, on behalf of this lowly servant, with a remembrance more tender than any remembrance and loftier than any praise. Upon thee and upon them be the mercy, the glorification and the glory of God, one and all.

Praise be to God, the Aim of them that truly know and the Lord of all the worlds.

BH01673: Revealed for the Most Great Festival

Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having cast in this Day the radiance of all Thy names upon all created things, O Thou Who art the Lord of glory, majesty, and grandeur; of power, might, and blessings! This is the Day whereon He Who is the Mouthpiece of God, the All-Possessing, the Inaccessible, the Most High, hath called out from the realm of eternity, saying:

“The Kingdom is God’s, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious!”

Lauded be Thy name, O Thou Who causest the winds to blow and the dawn to break, Who revealest the verses and unveilest the proofs! All things proclaim that Thou art God, and that there is none other God but Thee, the Sovereign, the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most Great. Magnified be Thy name, O Thou Who art the Fashioner of the heavens and the Creator of all names, Who sheddest Thy splendour upon all things through the power of Thy Most Great Name. This, verily, is the name whereby the Mystic Dove hath warbled upon the celestial bough, proclaiming: “All dominion belongeth forever unto God, our Lord, the Most Merciful!”

Glorified art Thou, O King of eternity, and Ruler of the nations, and Quickener of every mouldering bone! Praise be unto Thee, a praise that no earthly tongue can ever befittingly extol, a praise through which the outpourings of Thy mercy have rained upon all created things and the light of Thy countenance hath shone upon all who are in heaven and on earth. Praise be unto Thee, a praise that hath unloosed the tongue of every stammerer in Thy celebration, that hath drawn every remote one nigh unto the seat of Thy mighty throne, and that hath guided every thirsty one to the living waters of Thy bounty and the soft-flowing streams of Thy favour. Praise be unto Thee, a praise through which the fragrance of the robe of Thy mercy hath been wafted upon all who are in heaven and on earth, and the sweet smell of the roses of Thy Paradise hath been diffused over the dwellers of the cities of eternity, and every name hath been made to extol Thy remembrance and glory.

Praise be unto Thee, a praise that hath endued the hearts of Thy loved ones with such constancy that no earthly veil can hinder them from fixing their gaze upon the horizon of Thy bounties, nor can the ascendancy of the oppressors deter them from beholding the wondrous light of Thy countenance. Praise be unto Thee, a praise that hath blotted out from the hearts of Thy servants the mention of aught else save Thee and aided them to teach Thy Cause and to blazon Thy remembrance in every region.

I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy most excellent names and Thy most exalted attributes, and by them that have soared in the atmosphere of Thy nearness and good-pleasure and taken flight upon the wings of trust and detachment towards the Dayspring of Thy name, the All-Merciful, and by the blood that hath been shed for Thy sake, and by the sighs that have been uttered for Thy love, to accept from us on this day all our works in Thy path.

This is the Day whereon the All-Merciful shed the splendour of His effulgence upon all names. All glory be to that which God hath bestowed upon us!

This is the Day whereon He Who is the Hidden and the Unseen appeared before the eyes of all creation. All glory be to that which God hath bestowed upon us!

This is the Day whereon the Most Great Idol was shattered. All glory be to that which God hath bestowed upon us!

This is the Day whereon the Lord of mercy revealed Himself unto all creation. All glory be to that which God hath bestowed upon us!

This is the Day whereon Pharaoh was drowned and Moses beheld Him Who is the Beauty of the All-Glorious Lord. All glory be to that which God hath bestowed upon us!

This is the Day whereon the false gods of idle fancy were overthrown through the power of our Lord, the Almighty, the All-Knowing. All glory be to that which God hath bestowed upon us!

This is the Day whereon the billows of the Most Great Ocean were made manifest in the Scene of transcendent glory. All glory be to that which God hath bestowed upon us!

This is the Day whereon all created things were summoned to the presence of their Lord, the Inaccessible, the Most High. All glory be to that which God hath bestowed upon us!

This is the Day whereon all things testified to that whereunto the Tongue of Power hath testified before the Divine Lote-Tree. All glory be to that which God hath bestowed upon us!

BH06788: He is God, exalted be He. His…

He is God, exalted be He. His is the utterance, and He is that bounty which, throughout all creation, hath had and can have no peer.

O thou who circlest about the ocean of My knowledge, and gazest upon the shining light of the horizon of My proof! Hearken unto My call. Verily, it draweth thee unto such a station that all things therein proclaim:

“The sovereign Lord hath come unto the Fashioner of earth and heaven.”

The letter of Jinab-i-Ali-Qabl-Askar attained the Divine Presence. Praised be God, the fragrance of the love of the Wronged One was wafted therefrom. And whereas he hath written: “Praised be God, through the grace of the one true God, exalted be His glory, I have attained unto every blessing; yet know I not wherefore my heart is not glad”—after these words had been hearkened unto, this Most Great verse was revealed from the Most Exalted Pen:

O Ali-Qabl-Askar! Upon thee be the glory of God, the Lord of destiny.

Be of good cheer, inasmuch as the Lord of the worlds hath, from the Most Great Prison, turned His gaze toward thee. Rejoice in thy soul, for thy Best-Beloved hath set upon His head the crown of Manifestation and hath imparted unto thee this glad-tiding. Be gladdened in thy spirit, for the Trustworthy Spirit, together with a company of angels, is present and hath attained unto the hearing of those words which, out of pure grace, have descended from the heaven of bounty. Rejoice in thy speech, for the Kingdom of utterance is occupied with thy remembrance.

O Ali-Qabl-Askar! The causes of thy joy have ever been, and still are, beyond all mention and expression, sanctified above reckoning and the tongue’s recital. The first of these is turning unto the Most Exalted Horizon; the second, the recognition of the Lord of the kingdom of names; the third, the hearkening unto the call from the mouths of His chosen ones; the fourth, the beholding of His signs in the days of God. In brief, the causes of gladness are many. It is Our hope that henceforth thou mayest be happy of heart, joyous of soul, and gladdened in spirit, for these are the days of the Most Great Rejoicing. And should aught at times appear which, by reason of the consummate wisdom of God, seemeth outwardly contrary thereto, assuredly that very thing is the cause of the manifestation of heavenly blessings and celestial banquets.

Ponder thou the events that have come to pass in the land of Ya. By My life! Every one of them hath served to exalt the Word of God and to uplift His Cause. Whatsoever appeareth in the days of the Manifestation—even though outwardly it be abasement—hath a hundred thousand honors concealed within it; and though it seem chastisement, a hundred thousand mercies lie hidden therein. Did the heedless souls but know the mysteries of martyrdom, never would they commit such deeds. But God hath set a seal upon their mouths, their eyes, their minds, and their understanding, inasmuch as they accounted the mighty gain as loss, and, with their own hands, rendered assistance unto the Cause, though they perceive it not. Verily, He aideth His Cause at one time through His enemies, and at another through His friends.

From the Most Exalted Pen there was revealed, concerning those pure and blessed souls, that which the world and its treasures and means can never equal. Ere long shall the heedless and the unjust behold the recompense of their deeds. Whatsoever hath befallen the branches of the Blessed Lote-Tree and His loved ones hath all been inscribed and recorded. Soon will God exalt them through His grace and assist them with His hosts. Praised be God, the honored Afnan are present in those regions and have been, and continue to be, confirmed under all conditions. Praised be God, Who hath exalted His noble servant and made manifest whatsoever He hath willed. Verily, He is the Almighty, the All-Powerful. The loved ones of that land have each one attained unto the remembrance of God, exalted be His glory.

And as to that which hath been mentioned concerning the sorrow of some and the weeping of others in the land of Ya—this act on their part is an error, for those holy souls have attained unto the Most Great Martyrdom and have entered the path of God and His love. It behoveth all to cry aloud: “Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the worlds!”

O God, O God! O Best-Beloved, O Best-Beloved! O Desire of our hearts, O Desire of our hearts! We beseech Thee, by Thine all-embracing bounty, to aid us to offer up our lives in Thy path, and to lay down whatsoever we possess before Thy coming. Thou art the Fulfiller of the needs of them that ask and seek, and in Thy grasp are held the reins of all who are in the heavens and on the earth.

O thou who hast quaffed the choice wine of everlasting life! Convey, on behalf of the Wronged One, greetings and glorification unto Jinab-i-Mirza Mihdi. Repeatedly hath his remembrance been mentioned. God willing, he shall be confirmed in spreading abroad the Cause of God. These are the days of teaching, for the sign of triumph and victory hath appeared, arisen, and shone forth from the horizon of the land of Ya. This is the time—yea, the very time—for teaching. The friends must arise and, with joy and fragrance, draw the heedless unto the quarter of awareness. That deed which was performed in that land for the sake of manifesting love was, in the sight of the Wronged One, accepted and remembered. God willing, all may cleave unto such deeds as lead the servants nigh unto Him. This is the irrevocable command that hath shone forth from the horizon of the Pen of the Most Great Name. Happy are they that understand, and happy are they that act. Praise be unto God, the Lord of all worlds.

Remember, on behalf of the Wronged One, all the people of that house, every one, and illumine them with the lights of the Word of God. Great is this Day, and mighty the grace thereof. Blessed is he who hath turned unto the horizon of Revelation, severed from all who are in the heavens and on the earth.

The glory be upon you all.

BH01236: A Book sent down by the King…

He is the Herald from His Most Glorious Horizon

A Book sent down by the King of the Kingdom to those who have believed in God, the Single, the All-Informed. O My loved ones in Alif and Ra, hear My call, for verily it draws you unto a station wherein the Lamp speaks forth light and prosperity for the party of God—those whom the veils of names have not prevented from God, the Lord of all beings, and whom the hosts of those who denied God’s proof and evidence and disbelieved in the Day of Judgment did not frighten.

O My loved ones! We have mentioned you before in various Tablets and We mention you at this time as a grace from God, the Kind, the Generous. Beware lest the clamor and opposition of those who have denied God’s Manifestation and His sovereignty and who have uttered that which caused the angels and the Spirit to lament, and those who appeared before the Face and heard the Call and attained unto what was inscribed by the Supreme Pen in the books of the Prophets and Messengers, make you sorrowful. Say: Beware lest you waste your stations or deprive yourselves of what has been ordained for you in the Most Exalted Paradise by God, the Lord of the worlds.

Days and nights have passed, yet mention of your names has not appeared before the Throne. Say: Fear God, O companions of Baha, and be not among the silent ones. This is a Day wherein the Tongue of Grandeur has spoken amongst creation and all things have called out. This is a Day the mention of which the Lord of the world and sovereign of nations has sent down in His clear Book. Take it with the hands of power and might, then read it at all times, a command from God, the Ordainer, the Wise.

We beseech God to assist you in that which draws the servants near unto Him, to aid you with the hosts of wisdom and utterance, and to protect you from the evil of the oppressors. Observe the power and sovereignty of God, how He seized the oppressors who shed the blood of His loved ones, denied His proof, and cast aside His clear evidence. Earthquakes have seized the tribes of the earth who broke God’s covenant and His pact and cast aside what they were commanded in His Mighty Book.

We beseech God to strengthen His Majesty the Sultan and protect him from the evil of those whom He raised up through means, wealth, and gold which deluded them, and the resources that made them among the most lost. These denied God’s favor after its descent, consumed people’s wealth unjustly, and imagined themselves to be among the believers. The Mother Book bears witness, as it moves in the palace which God has made the seat of His mighty throne, that no party among parties nor any host among hosts aided the Sultan, but My Supreme Pen aided him with an unbreakable covenant. To this testifies what has appeared from My loved ones in all regions, then those who circumambulate the House in this exalted station.

O son of Rafi’! Hear the call of thy Lord, the Most Glorious, then recite among the servants that thy Lord’s Book may draw them near to the horizon from which shone forth the luminary of God’s utterance, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. By My life! Those who consume His bounties yet deny His grace have betrayed Him. Verily, they are among the treacherous in My clear Book.

It behooveth every one who has turned unto God to remember His Lord for having aided him to recognize Him on a Day wherein the clamor of those near unto God was raised. Say: Glory be unto Thee, O God, Lord of Names, and glory be unto Thee, O Lord of all beings! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Glorious Name, Who bore hardships in Thy path and tribulations in Thy love, to assist Thy loved ones in Thy remembrance and praise and enable them to manifest Thy justice in Thy kingdom. O Lord! Thou seest them silent in Thy days, content with Thy decree. They desire naught save the reformation of Thy earth and the extinction of the fire of hatred and animosity in the hearts of Thy creation. Verily, Thou art powerful over what Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all names. Thou doest what Thou pleasest and ordainest what Thou desirest. There is no God but Thee, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Informed.

O Pen! Remember him who hath been named “The Most Great Victory”, who hath quaffed the choice wine of immortality from the chalice of Thy bounty, and who left his homeland, seeking his most exalted home before the throne of Thy justice, until he arrived at the spot wherefrom was raised My sweetest call and the shrill sound of My Most Exalted Pen. We bear witness that he hath attained unto that which was inscribed by the Pen of Thy loving-kindness in Thy Books and Thy Scriptures and Thy Tablets. O Lord! Aid them who are related to Thee to arise to serve Thy Cause—they who have turned unto Thee with radiant faces. Verily, Thou art the One Who ruleth through Thy sovereignty, Who dominateth through Thy signs, Who is manifest through Thy proof, Who speaketh through Thy Book, and Who holdeth fast to Thy mighty cord. The Kingdom and the Dominion belong to God, the Strong, the Conquering, the Almighty.

O son of Rafi’! Blessed art thou, inasmuch as thy letter reached the Prison, and thy Lord answered thee with such utterance as hath enraptured the hearts of them who are nigh unto God and the sincere ones. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon those who have quaffed the choice wine of Mine utterance from the chalice of My bounty and who have acknowledged that which the Tongue of My grandeur hath spoken from the Kingdom of My wondrous utterance.

Thus doth the Most Great Spirit teach thee from His luminous Station. He is, verily, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

BH01243: O Ali, upon thee be my Glory! The Most…

He is God, exalted is He in wisdom and utterance

O Ali, upon thee be my Glory! The Most Exalted Summit, the Utmost Goal, and the Supreme Horizon is a station whereof the Mother Book doth testify and the Preserved Tablet doth make mention, and wherein He Who conversed upon Sinai is established upon the throne of Revelation. This is the Call for the hearing of which the ears of the world were created. Blessed is the soul whom neither the vicissitudes of the world nor the ascendancy of the nations did hinder or deprive from the Most Great Name.

Today all things are adorned and illumined with the lights of true unity. Beseech ye God that He withhold not His servants from His bounties and deprive not creation from the manifestation of His generosity. The glance of His loving-kindness hath ever been and continueth to be directed towards His loved ones—they who are detached from all else save God, who hold fast unto the cord of divine love, who act according to that which hath been sent down in the Book, and who are so steadfast in the Cause that the deniers, the barking ones, and the deceivers find no occasion to speak. They dwell beneath the shadow of the standard “Verily I am God” and are quickened and gladdened by the shrill voice of the Most Exalted Pen. These are the servants whose attributes have been recorded in the divine Books of the past and present. They have quaffed from the Kawthar of utterance and received their portion of the sealed wine. The clamor of the world is to them more insignificant than the buzzing of a fly. They speak for God’s sake and unto Him do they return.

Blessed art thou, O Ali, for having turned towards Him, migrated, and directed thy steps until thou didst attain a place wherein was heard the rustling of the Blessed Tree, the flowing of the waters of oneness, and the whistling of the eternal winds. Verily He strengthened thee and enabled thee to attain His presence, to stand before His gate, to hearken unto His call and to behold His horizon. Give thanks unto God, by night and by day, for this bounty wherewith thou, thy son, and those with thee have been favored in the Most Great Prison. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. Say: Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

The letters of the people of Qaf which were sent to thee before and after were presented by this servant before His presence and were honored to be heard. We have remembered them and do remember them and give them glad tidings of Our loving-kindness and mercy, and We counsel them with that which beseemeth them who are nigh unto God in these days of God, the Beloved of the mystics. We make mention of them through Our loving-kindness and remind them of Our verses and show them the waves of the ocean of Our generosity and the effulgences of the lights of the sun of Our grace. Verily thy Lord is the Omnipotent over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Thus have We sent down the bounty of Our recognition, the table of Our utterance, and the fruits of the Tree of Our loving-kindness. By the life of God! The Wronged One remembereth His loved ones at all times and commandeth them to that which will manifest their stations among the peoples of the world.

O people of God! Aid your Lord, the All-Merciful, through wisdom and utterance, and through the hosts of goodly deeds and character, that the fragrance of His good-pleasure may be diffused therefrom. And I am the All-Knowing Expositor. At dawn We remember the righteous ones, and neither by night nor by day hath the Pen of the Unconstrained ceased to move. Blessed is the servant who is attracted by its shrill voice and turneth with his heart to its horizon, and woe unto every heedless doubter.

Mention hath been made of Samandar, upon him be the glory of God, and of Qasim and Muhammad, upon both of them be the glory of God. Their letters were previously received, and all the names mentioned therein were adorned with the remembrance of God, the grace of God, and the bounty of God. We beseech God to aid them to preserve this most exalted remembrance and most glorious station.

We make mention in this station of the wife of him who was named Abdu’l-Husayn in a Tablet that shone forth from the horizon of the sun of her Lord’s loving-kindness, the Mighty, the Wondrous. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to ordain for her that which beseemeth His generosity and grace. Verily, nothing can frustrate Him, and no affair can prevent Him. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. We make mention of My other handmaiden, the sister of Lutf-Ali, who hath turned unto God and attained His presence. We give her the glad-tidings that My Pen hath been moved to make mention of her—the Pen through whose movement all created things were stirred and all existing things were turned towards the lights of My luminous and shining countenance.

We make mention, too, of My other handmaiden, the wife of the late ʿAbdu’s-Samad who believed in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. We beseech God, exalted be He, to forgive them, to absolve them of their misdeeds, and to cause them to enter the most exalted Paradise—the station wherein the atoms cry out:

“Enter ye, enter ye, O people of Baha and companions of the Crimson Ark! We long to meet you, to remember you, to praise you, to arise to serve you, and to circle round about you. God hath created us to serve you all. Enter ye, enter ye; enter ye all, enter ye all, in peace from God and mercy from His presence and grace from His side and light from His realm. Verily, He is the Most Merciful of the merciful ones, the God of all who are in the heavens and the earth, the Object of the hearts of them that know, and the Beloved of the hearts of them that long for Him.”

The glory that shineth resplendent from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon those whom nothing whatsoever hath deterred from the Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens, who turned unto Him and said:

“Praise be unto Thee, O God of the seen and the unseen!”

BH01245: Praise be to God Who hath sent down…

He is the One manifest through grace, and the Ordainer of justice

Praise be to God Who hath sent down the verses and revealed the clear tokens and fulfilled what He promised His servants in His Book through the tongues of His Messengers. He is the One Who announced to all the tidings at which were agitated the hearts of His creation who cast behind their backs His ordinances and denied His signs and disputed His proof. And peace and blessings be upon the Hands of His Cause who have detached themselves from all else save Him and have arisen to serve His loved ones in His days and have summoned all to the choice wine of utterance in His Name, the All-Merciful. Exalted, exalted be His grace, and exalted, exalted be His bounty, and exalted, exalted be His generosity which hath encompassed all existence, both seen and unseen.

This is a mention from Us to him who traversed the path when he heard the proof from God, the Mighty, the Beautiful. The Day hath come while the people are in evident drunkenness—they heard the call yet turned away from it, thus did their souls entice them. Verily they are in manifest loss.

O Rahmatullah! The Supreme Pen hath testified for thee in this Most Glorious Station that thou hast sought the ultimate goal and the highest aim—the station wherein the call was raised from the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing before the faces of all peoples: “God, there is no God but He, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” By its call were all things attracted, and by its manifestation did all names bow down, and by its mention were agitated the hearts of the ungodly who denied God and cast aside His Book out of their hatred for Him Who conversed on Sinai, Who is established upon the throne of Revelation and speaketh with the most exalted call: “By God, the Truth! He hath come at Whose appearance the eyes of those near unto God were solaced.”

Blessed art thou for having turned toward the Dayspring of Revelation and the Source of Inspiration whereby the ocean of knowledge surged in the contingent world and the call was raised from all directions:

“He Who is the Lord of Names and Attributes hath come with the kingdom of signs.”

Blessed is he who hath witnessed and seen, and woe unto the heedless.

I bear witness that thou hast heard the shrill voice of My Pen and hast attained unto My traces and hast drunk the choice wine of revelation from the hand of My bounty in days wherein the fire of oppression and corruption was kindled among the servants who violated the Covenant and Testament of God, the Lord of all worlds.

O Rahmat! We beseech God to send down through thee mercy upon His servants there. Verily He is the Most Merciful of the merciful. When the Kawthar of My utterance took hold of thee and thou didst attain the choice wine of My knowledge, say:

“My God, my God! Thine is the munificence and the glory, and Thine the grace and bounty, for Thou hast given me to drink, from the hands of Thy favor, the Kawthar of Thy grace, and hast ordained for me the blessing of recognition from Thy Most Exalted Pen in Thy Book wherein that which is revealed therein shall never be erased nor altered, throughout the duration of Thy sovereignty and Thy kingdom.

“O my Lord! I testify to the oneness of Thy Being and the sanctity of Thy Self, and that Thou art the Omnipotent over what Thou willest. The tyrants of the earth cannot prevent what Thou hast willed by Thy sovereignty, nor can the pharaohs of the lands prevent what Thy Will hath desired.

“O my Lord! Thou seest the poor one who hath hastened from his homeland to the ocean of Thy riches, and whom the hand of Thy bounty hath caused to enter the pavilions of Thy grandeur. I beseech Thee, O Thou Who hast illumined the horizons with the light of Thy manifestation and hast aided the servants to draw nigh unto the depths of the ocean of Thy oneness through the hidden pearls in the shells of Thy protection, to open before my face and the faces of Thy loved ones the doors of Thy generosity. Then grant us the blessing of attaining Thy presence time and again. Thou art He before Whose power all created things have bowed down, and before the dawning of the Day-Star of Thy Cause all contingent things have submitted. Ordain for us the good of this world and the world to come.

“O my Lord! Withhold not me and Thy loved ones in Banab from the waves of the ocean of Thy knowledge, nor from the effulgences of the sun of Thy mercy. Write down for us from Thy Most Exalted Pen that which will draw us nigh unto the court of Thy might and the carpet of Thy presence. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the Most Generous.”

Mention is made at this time of the friends in Bunab, both men and women. Praise be to God, they have attained unto acceptance and are illumined by the light of recognition. This is the Day of God and the Covenant is His Covenant. The waves of the ocean of bounty are manifest before all faces. Beseech ye God that He withhold not His servants from this grace, nor deprive them of this endless bestowal. The True One, exalted be His glory, is seated upon the throne of ʿHe doeth what He willeth’ through His Most Great Name, and inviteth all to His eternal favor and everlasting generosity. Gladden ye hearts with His remembrance, then hasten with your hearts toward His direction.

By the Sun of Truth, there hath appeared from God’s infinite grace that which hath had no likeness or equal. Take ye the chalice of bounty in His Name, then drink therefrom with wisdom and utterance, in defiance of every remote oppressor through whom the fire of hatred hath been kindled amongst mankind, and the realities of all things have cried out: “The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.” O people of Bonab! Praise ye the Desired One of the world, Who hath aided you to turn unto Him, to mention Him, and to recognize His sacred Being, and Who hath, in this night when darkness hath encompassed the world, illumined you with the light of utterance. The glory from Us be upon you, upon your first and your last, your outward and your inward selves, and the mercy of God and His blessings.

BH01252: He wrote that one of the loved ones had…

He wrote that one of the loved ones had inquired concerning this blessed verse:

“The mystery of the great reversal in the sign of the sovereign hath appeared. Blessed is he whom God hath aided to acknowledge the six that were raised up through this Alif. Verily, he is of the sincere.”

These passages were presented before the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence, and this what the Mother Book hath spoken:

O Asad! O thou who gazest upon the One, the Single!

These expressions are found in a letter which Shaykh Ahmad Ahsa’i—upon him be the Glory of God—wrote to someone, and all its explicit statements, allusions, intimations and symbols refer to the Manifestation Himself. The purpose was to inform people and make them aware of the days when the Sun of Knowledge would rise from the horizon of Iraq.

The Shaykhis inquired about the Shaykh’s words, the beginning of which is adorned with these sublime words: “Verily, after the passing of the ALMS by the AMR, the Mihdi—peace be upon Him—shall arise…” until he said “The letter Waw consists of three letters making six, and Alif, and six, and six days have passed, and the Alif is the completion, and there is no more to be said, and how about the latter six days, otherwise the return would not occur”—referring to the blessed verse “ye shall return” because it is the the mystery of the great reversal in the sign of the sovereign.

The pronounced Waw has three letters—two Waws and one Alif in between. The meaning is that six days passed and ended, referring to the blessed verse in the Qur’an where He, exalted be He, says: “We created the heavens and the earth in six days.” He states that heaven was rolled up like a scroll, and all that was with it, and likewise the earth. He speaks of elevated heavens in the Qur’an with their suns, moons and stars, which are the divines, mystics, laws and ordinances—all established by the Alif between two Waws. And if someone achieves recognition of the remaining six, meaning these new and wondrous heavens, the Cause is completed through the Proof—that is, he knows, acknowledges and recognizes the Proof, and the Most Great Name appears.

And concerning His words “the mystery of the great reversal in the sign of the sovereign,” this refers to the tradition “He maketh their highest to be their lowest, and their lowest to be their highest.” Observe how the chiefs who occupied the highest station descended to the lowest station—this is the mystery of the great reversal, and this reversal appeared from the symbols and intimations of the Sovereign. After the appearance of the blessed word “He” in the garment of “I,” heaven was rolled up, the sun was darkened, the stars fell, and the earth was cleft asunder. How many divines who considered themselves oceans of knowledge were, by the aforementioned word, returned to the worst of stations, nay, were brought to naught, and how many servants who were remembered in no gathering were, by virtue of their acceptance, reckoned among the denizens of the highest heaven. These are the leaves of the scrolls, the words of the Psalms, and the letters of the Book. The jewels of the world were extracted from the retort and alembic of wisdom and utterance, which is the Supreme Pen, by His command—and He is the Ordainer, the All-Wise.

For a long time this Wronged One has not been inclined towards scholarly investigation, nor is He now, for in the early years such learned matters were discussed as would suffice. Now this brief exposition that hath been set forth was solely out of consideration for you. Know thou the bounty of thy Lord and render thanks unto Him at morn and eventide.

The Shaykhis themselves have mentioned that when the departed and honored Haji Siyyid Kazim—upon him be the Glory of God—was asked about the elevated one, no answer was forthcoming, and likewise from other Shaykhis. And all acknowledged that were the meaning of these passages to become manifest, they would turn towards the Supreme Horizon. Nevertheless, they were seen to be as stones, having no movement, or as those struck down, as God the Exalted hath said:

“And thou mightest have seen the people therein struck down as though they were the hollow trunks of palm-trees.”

Beseech ye God to awaken the heedless ones, to guide the seekers unto their goal, and to not deprive His servants of this fragrance that hath perfumed the world. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. His is the command, both in the past and in the future.

O Beloved of My heart! The door of fairness is shut and the path of justice is blocked. All are occupied with vain imaginings unworthy of mention, and are veiled from the light of the Sun of Revelation. Woe unto them and unto those who follow them! Nevertheless, since it hath been commanded that all hearts should show forth the utmost love and kindness unto all who dwell on earth, We therefore beseech the Exalted Lord in utter lowliness that He may guide His creation and hold them back from oppression and tyranny. He is the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

In the Book of Isaiah—may my spirit be a sacrifice for all besides Him—there is a passage that hath previously testified to that which hath been expounded by the Most Exalted Pen concerning the meaning of the words of the revered Shaykh—upon him be all the most glorious Glory of God. He saith:

“For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.”

(Chapter 65, verse 17).

BH01250: The first light that shone forth and gleamed…

He is the Speaker, the Rememberer, the Forgiving, the Generous.

The first light that shone forth and gleamed from the horizon of the heaven of the mercy of our Lord, the Master of creation, and the first splendor that flashed and glowed from the dawning-place of the will of the Lord of the Throne and earth be upon thee, O thou who hast turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon when those who dwell in the realm of creation turned away from it. I testify that thou didst take hold of the Book of God with power from Him and might from His presence, and didst believe in it and hasten unto it until thou didst enter and present thyself at the Gate.

Thou art he who recognized the Dawning-Place of God’s Cause, the Source of His Revelation, the Manifestation of His Command, the Recipients of His Knowledge, the Fountainhead of His verses and the Wellspring of His proof. Blessed art thou for having drunk the Kawthar of meeting from the hands of bounty, and for having sought the shore of the sea of reunion in the end, and for having attained unto the Day wherein the mountains were set in motion and the Temple of the Manifestation was established upon the throne of His Name, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

God’s mercy be upon the servant who draweth nigh unto thee and standeth before thy grave and visiteth thee in accordance with what hath been sent down for thee from the Most Exalted Pen. And blessed is the servant who hath recognized thy station and remembered thy days and what befell thee in the path of God, thy Creator, thy Sovereign, thy Originator, thy Benefactor and thy Lord.

I testify that God’s decree was the most beloved of all things unto thee, and this is a station none have attained save those near ones and sincere ones whom God hath described in His perspicuous Book as honored servants who speak not until He hath spoken and who act by His command.

I bear witness that thou didst remain steadfast when the pillars of the world were shaken, composed when the hearts of the nations were troubled, and tranquil when limbs did tremble for fear of the Most Great Name of God. Thou art he whom the Call enraptured when it was raised betwixt earth and heaven, in such wise that thou didst forsake the world and turn unto the Countenance, after the passing away of all things.

Thou art he who didst rend the veils and the obscuring mists, and shatter the idols of vain imaginings and subtle allusions, holding fast to the Cord of God, the Revealer of verses and the Manifestor of clear testimonies. Thou art he who didst inhale the fragrance of the Breeze of God in His days, who didst arise amidst the dead, and didst answer thy Lord when the wine of bewilderment had overtaken all the dwellers of the earth, save whomsoever God willed–He unto Whom is thy return and thy habitation. Thou art he whom the repudiation of men from God, the Lord of the latter day and the former, could not deter; nor did the cavils of those who broke the Covenant in the Day of Meeting affright thee.

Thou art he who didst set thy face toward the loftiest summit and the most exalted homeland, and didst attain that which had been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Scroll. I bear witness that thou didst behold, in the path of God, such things as melted the livers of the people of Baha and caused the dwellers of the mortal realm of creation to lament. Thou didst hear, in the path of God, the gloating of the enemies, and didst witness from the people of malice that which filled with grief the denizens of the cities of the divine names. Lost indeed are they who turned away from thee, contended with thee, and disputed with thee concerning the Cause of God, thy Creator and thy Fashioner.

Thou art he who didst aid the Faith of God through utterance and exposition, and who didst give glad tidings unto them that turned unto Him of that which was sent down in the Torah, the Gospel, and the Furqan. I bear witness that thou didst inhale the fragrances of these days and didst recognize that which had been inscribed in the Tablets by the Pen of the Will of God. Thou art he whose temple was adorned, amidst all creation, with the robe of trustworthiness and with the adornment of utter servitude unto God, the Dayspring of the light of divine oneness.

O solace of the eyes of the yearning and companion of the sincere! I bear witness that thou didst visit the two Houses: the first, built by the All-Glorious with the hand of power and might; and the second, built by the Friend, by the command of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Well-Beloved. Thou art he whom none knew before thy ascent unto the loftiest height; and after thy ascension the Most Exalted Pen made manifest thy station, and commemorated thee with that whose fragrance shall never cease so long as the most beauteous names and the most exalted attributes endure.

Thou art he who didst leave thy homeland out of love for God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen, and didst depart from thy house in longing for His presence, until at last thou didst surrender thy spirit in His love and good-pleasure.

Peace be upon thee, and upon thy first and thy last, thy outward and thy inward, and the mercy of God and His blessings.

Glory be unto Thee, O Lord of Names and Creator of heaven! I beseech Thee by the shrill voice of Thy Supreme Pen and the breezes of Thy Revelation, O Lord of the Kingdom of eternity, and by the pearls of the ocean of Thy knowledge and the rain-showers of the clouds of Thy bounty, that Thou forgive me and my father and my mother and my kinsmen, and whosoever hath held fast unto the cord of Thy loving care and clung to the hem of Thy bounty.

O Lord! The poor one hath stood before the gate of Thy riches, the sinful one hath hastened unto the dawning-place of Thy bestowal, seeking the wondrous gifts of Thy favors and grace. I beseech Thee, O God of the worlds and Object of the desire of them that are near unto Thee, by this grave and by him who lieth therein, that Thou disappoint me not of that which is with Thee. Write down, then, for me the good of this world and of the world to come. Then fulfill, O my God, my needs and whatsoever draweth me nigh unto Thee, O Lord of all men, Master of the Throne on high and of earth below. There is none other God but Thee, the Most High, the Most Exalted.

BH01263: This is a mention from Us unto him who…

He is the One Who calleth betwixt earth and heaven!

This is a mention from Us unto him who hath attained the presence of God and won His most sweet call and appeared before the Throne and toward whom was directed the gaze of God, the All-Subduing, the Self-Subsisting, and who circled round the Cause for successive years—to this doth My Most Exalted Pen bear witness in this glorious and beloved station. Grieve thou not over aught; that which shall gladden thy heart hath been ordained for thee. Verily thy Lord is the Giver, the Mighty, the Loving. Remember when thou didst attain Our presence before the Throne time and again and didst hear the call of the Wronged One in this exalted Stronghold. Beware lest the affairs of the world sadden thee. Remember thy Lord, the Possessor of all names, at morn and eventide. He verily will protect thee in truth. He is, in truth, the Knower of things unseen.

Know then that thy letter hath come before Our face and hath won the gaze of Him by Whose name every witness and witnessed thing doth speak. Be thou assured of thy Lord’s grace. Verily He remembereth him who remembereth Him and desireth him who desireth Him in His praiseworthy station. The Sun of Permission hath dawned from the horizon of the will of the Lord of Destiny, through Whose bidding the Greatest Vision appeared and every stone and clod did speak:

“The Promised One is come and that which was recorded in the preserved tablet hath appeared.”

The Most Exalted Pen declareth: Praise be to God that through divine favor thou didst abide for numbered years beneath the shade of the divine Lote-Tree, and now too the Sun of Permission shineth upon that which thou didst desire. He will verily aid thee in what He willeth. He is indeed the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Thou shouldst turn to the land of the All-Merciful with utmost joy and radiance and, according to thy capacity, occupy thyself with the mention and praise of the Beloved of the world, that perchance the slumbering may awaken and the dead be quickened by the living waters.

Say: O people of the world! The morn of hope hath dawned and the sun of knowledge shineth from the horizon of insight. While time remaineth, deprive not yourselves of the everlasting bounty and strive that ye may not be deprived of the spiritual waters in the divine days. Be not gladdened by the world and whatsoever is therein. By the life of God! Every treasure hath been and is the cause of sorrow, grief, and infinite regret. Never hath any transient thing been the cause of independence, nor shall it ever be. Ere long shall all be seen to be non-existent save what God, the Mighty, the Forgiving, the Generous, hath ordained. God willing, thou shouldst speak of the love of God with utmost steadfastness, be occupied with remembrance of the Peerless Friend, and conduct thyself with perfect wisdom. He will assuredly assist thee through His grace, and He is verily the Almighty, the Powerful.

The tribulations of this Wronged One in the horizons have been evident to thee. After successive years when the Ancient Beauty opened the prison gate through the key of power and turned toward the plain of Akka, how many vexations and matters that would waste the Cause of God arose, to such an extent that their mention is not permissible. Ask thou God to enable His loved ones to do what He loveth and pleaseth and to make them of those who move not except by His will, who cling to naught but His hem, and who speak naught but His beautiful praise.

Had this land been as God desired it, We would not have given thee permission to depart. However, since upheavals are observed both outwardly and inwardly therein, We have given thee permission to proceed to another land, that perchance some souls may become mindful and turn their gaze toward the Most Exalted Horizon. He is verily the Ordainer, the All-Knowing. The glory be upon thee and upon those who have won this Cause and believed in God, the Single One, the All-Informed. O thou who circlest round the Throne! Hearken unto the call from the realm of bounty—verily there is no God but Me, the Forgiving, the Generous. My Most Exalted Pen desireth to make mention of thy mother who turned toward the direction of the Throne and sacrificed herself in the path of God, the Lord of all worlds.

We testify that she attained the presence of God and heard the call of her Lord when the Desired One was seated upon the throne of His mercy that hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. Grieve not for her—verily she hath ascended unto the Sadratu’l-Muntaha, the Most Exalted Horizon, and the Supreme Companion. He beareth witness to this, by Whose will all things move. Thy Lord is, in truth, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We have crowned her with the crown of remembrance in this exalted station. All things shall perish save this remembrance which hath today flowed from the Tongue of Grandeur and Power. Verily thy Lord is the Bestower, the Bountiful, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Blessed is she and blessed are they who remember her after her passing, and the splendor of God rest upon her from His presence, the Beloved of them that know.

We make mention of the loved ones of God in that land and We send Our greetings to their faces from this mighty and wondrous station. When thou seest them, give them the glad-tidings of My loving-kindness, My favors and My mercy that have encompassed all things great and small. Say: Ye are remembered before the Throne. Beware lest the signs of the world make you sorrowful. Remember your Lord, the Most Merciful, at morn and at eventide. The splendor of God be upon you and upon those who love you and make mention of you and hold fast unto the cord of God, the Lord of all worlds.