Volume 104: Akka 1868–1892 year unknown, Part II (4 of 4)
BH01265: The representation of this evanescent one before the Afnan…
In the Name of the Lord who is Powerful over whatsoever He willeth!
The representation of this evanescent one before the Afnan of the Divine Lote-Tree—may my spirit be a sacrifice for their love—is that the blessed, radiant and manifest leaf from which wafted the fragrances of the love of the Beloved of the worlds, and from which emanated the perfume of the garment of the All-Glorious’ affection, adorned with the name of His Holiness Ismu’llah M.H.—upon him be the Glory of God, the Most Glorious—reached this servant, this evanescent attendant. For some days His Holiness has departed from before the Throne to those regions, and since he was not present, it became incumbent upon this servant to respond to your letter on his behalf. Praise be to God that your letter became the cause of boundless joy and gladness. We beseech God to gladden the heart and ears at all times through the perusal of your noble letter and exalted discourse, for verily He is the Mighty, the Powerful.
Several days ago when His Holiness Aqay-i-Ismu’llah was present, your letter which was written to him was sent to the Most Holy Court, and in response to certain passages therein, wondrous and sublime words were revealed from the heaven of divine will and dispatched. God willing, they will have reached you by now.
Concerning what you wrote about the severity in the prison-city, that which was destined has come to pass, and praise be to God, in these days the fragrance of security has wafted, and the corruption, enmity and wickedness of those impure souls has become evident and manifest to most of the people of the city. Some of the prisoners have been released, and seven specified individuals spend most of their time with utmost joy and delight traversing the marketplaces and associating with the companions during the day, except that they return to prison at night. In brief, there has been and continues to be perfect ease and expansiveness, though the people of this city are by nature corrupt and hypocritical, as they are counted among the people of Syria. This is the utterance of His mighty grandeur where He says:
“Its people are the most wicked of men and its land the best of lands, except for the lands which God hath specially ordained by His command—verily He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”
However, at this time they are quiescent.
Regarding what you wrote about sending copies of the sublime Tablets to the land of Sad, it is evident that your honor has always girded up the loins of service and has made and will continue to make mighty efforts in spreading the verses and signs of God. Blessed are you and blessed is he who holds fast unto you in the love of God.
Concerning what you wrote about the loved ones in the land of Kha, it was presented at the Most Holy Court. This is what the Tongue of Grandeur spoke:
“It behooveth them to thank God for having caused them to recognize the Dawning-Place of His Self, the One Who dominates all who are in the heavens and on earth. We beseech Him to aid them to serve Him and to remain steadfast in His Cause. Verily this is a mighty matter and a great bounty.”
End quote.
Regarding what you wrote about the son of that distinguished person, it was presented before the Throne. Verses have been revealed for them both that are unequaled by anyone in the kingdom, and the original revelation was sent.
Concerning what you mentioned about the base sinner and his return to hell, this is what God promised in the Book—verily our Lord is severe in punishment. For after that sublime Book was sent to him, the divine proof was completed against him from all directions, yet he remains in astonishing heedlessness. Therefore there was revealed unto him from the Kingdom of Power that which returned him to a wretched station. And regarding what was written about Haji Husayn and the deeds of that sinful one, upon him be the curse of God, it is evident that this smoke arises from that fire. However, in that detailed Tablet which was revealed to that sinful one himself, at its end a passage was revealed indicating that a soul from among that group would attain to the truth.
In any case, each one acts according to his way, and that which befell Haji Husayn was in the path of God. We beseech God to assist him in all conditions. The details concerning him were presented before the Divine Throne. Expressions of loving-kindness have dawned and become manifest from the Dayspring of Divine mercy in relation to him, and it was stated that such known opposers have no need of teaching, for after the wondrous account We commanded all to observe supreme wisdom and to protect the accepted souls.
In any case, convey countless greetings from this evanescent servant to the aforementioned Haji and say that praise be to God that there befell you what befell the loved ones of God in this land. And further, it is requested that on behalf of this servant they convey wondrous and exalted greetings to each and every one of the Afnan of God and His loved ones. May my spirit be sacrificed for their love. We beseech God to assist me in mentioning them in His Most Holy, Most Exalted, Most Wondrous, Most Pure, Most Mighty and Most Impregnable Court.
BH01311: We have arisen in this day extolling My praise…
In the name of Him Who speaketh the manifest truth!
We have arisen in this day extolling My praise and remembering the ocean of My bounty, and counselling My loved ones who have held fast to the cord of My grace and clung to the hem of the robe of […] detached from all who are in the heavens and the earth. Blessed is the ear that hath attained unto the Call when it was raised from the Most Exalted Horizon, and the eye that hath beheld the Dawning-Place of the Revelation of God, the Mighty, the Wondrous.
O thou who art mentioned before the Throne! We have desired to make mention of thee through a remembrance whereby the hearts of the servants have been attracted, and through an utterance whereby the inhabitants of the graves, of ancient times and more recent, have arisen. This is a Day wherein all things proclaim: By God! The Hidden One, Who was treasured in the knowledge of God, hath come, and that which was concealed from the eyes of the mystics hath appeared. This is a Day wherein the Cry hath been raised and the Rock hath cried out, yet the people are in manifest error. They have cast the Command of God behind their backs, clinging to the whisperings of the satans.
Say: O people! This is the Day of God, were ye of them that know, and this is a Day wherein He Who conversed with God hath been established upon the throne of Revelation, as a bounty from God, the Lord of this manifest Day. O people! Fear God, and follow not them who have denied the proof of God and His Cause, who have disputed His signs and have uttered that which hath caused the dwellers of the Most Exalted Paradise and the inmates of the Tabernacle of Glory to lament in this exalted station.
O Fakhr-ud-Din! The Lord of the Day of Judgment hath turned toward thee with such turning as hath caused the realities of existence, of ancient times and more recent, to turn unto God, the Mighty, the Most Praised. He hath made mention of thee with such mention as hath caused the tongues of the kingdom to speak forth the praise of God, thy Lord, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. Beware lest the affairs of men grieve thee. Cast away what the people possess and take what We have sent down for thee at this time, wherein the door of the kingdom of thy Lord’s utterance, the Speaking, the Trustworthy One, hath been opened.
Say: O Concourse of the Bayan! The All-Merciful hath come, and there hath been raised on His right hand the banner “He is God” and on His left the standard “He doeth whatsoever He willeth.” Blessed is the hand that hath taken this Tablet with such power as the hosts of the world and the tyranny of them that have denied the right of God and His sovereignty cannot weaken, and have perpetrated that which hath caused the tears of the mystics to flow.
O My loved ones in Za! Hearken unto My most sweet call from the direction of Akka, then remember Him Who hath borne hardships and tribulations in the path of God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We have mentioned you before through verses which the books of the past cannot rival, and We have sent down for you at this time that which hath caused the lips of the sincere ones to smile. When ye have attained unto My Tablet and have drunk the choice wine of utterance from the cup of My bounty, turn with radiant faces toward the Most Exalted Horizon and say:
Praise be unto Thee, O God of the seen and the unseen, and glory be unto Thee, O Lord of bounty and existence! We beseech Thee by the mysteries of Thy Book and the fruits of the Tree of Thy utterance, and by the waves of the ocean of Thy Most Great Name, and by the lights of the morn of Thy Revelation, O Lord of Eternity, to make us steadfast in Thee and in that which hath appeared from Thee. O Lord! Leave us not to ourselves. Take the hands of Thy servants with the hands of Thy power, then preserve them from Thine enemies. Verily Thou art powerful over what Thou willest, and within Thy grasp are the reins of all that are in the heavens and on earth. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Strong, the All-Conquering, the All-Powerful.
O Fakhru’d-Din! Today the Most Luminous Pen hath been manifested with such power that should all the hosts of the world and all peoples oppose it, they would find themselves impotent. Stand firm in the Cause of God and say:
“O people! The Day which ye were promised in the Books, the Torah, the Psalms, the Gospel and in the mighty Qur’an hath come.”
Beseech God that He may assist the friends in that land and its surroundings to champion His Cause through the hosts mentioned in the divine Tablets. We hope that you and the teachers will arise to serve the Cause as befitteth and behooveth you. The conditions of service are manifest and visible from the horizons of the heavens of divine Tablets. Blessed is he who heareth and acteth, and woe unto the heedless!
We have been informed that Jinab-i-Varqa, upon him be My glory and My loving-kindness, hath turned towards those regions. We beseech God that He may assist him with such detachment as shall cause the detachment of the world, and with such utterances as have been sent down and recorded in the Book of God from the Pen of His eternal Will. Take hold of the Book with the strength bestowed by Us, then speak that whereby the hearts of the servants may be attracted. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to make thy deeds adorned with the embroidery of acceptance and illumined with the light of His good-pleasure. Verily, He is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth through His binding and wise command. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My Kingdom be upon thee and upon those who hear thy words concerning this momentous News.
BH11707: God testifieth that there is none other God but…
He is the One established upon the throne of “He doeth what He willeth”
God testifieth that there is none other God but Him. His are the grandeur and power, might and authority. He doeth what He willeth through His sovereignty and ordaineth what He desireth through His command. He is indeed praised in His deeds and obeyed in His decree. None can question His doings and He is the One, the Single, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.
God testifieth that there is none other God but Him and He Who hath come from the horizon of power is verily the Hidden Secret and the Treasured Symbol, and He is the One through Whom appeared God’s sovereignty and might, God’s grandeur and command, and through Whom shone forth God’s proof and evidence, and God’s Book and mysteries. Were it not for Him, the ocean of bounty would not have surged, nor would the decree of existence have been established, nor would the nightingales of utterance have warbled upon the branches, nor would the matter of the unseen have been confirmed among religions. Through Him were God’s Books sent down aforetime and thereafter, His messengers dispatched, His mercy made to precede all else, His verses revealed, His clear proofs made manifest, and the tongues of the Concourse on High and the Supreme Paradise testified and proclaimed: O peoples of earth and heaven! By God, He Who was hidden in the eternity of eternities hath come! Come ye, come ye! Glorify, magnify, and rejoice in the wafting of the breezes of care and kindness from the direction of God, the Lord of the beginning and the end.
When the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree was raised, it called out saying: Praise be to God Who hath made marriage a portal for the manifestation of the dawning-places of His name, the All-Merciful, and through it have the cities of remembrance and utterance been adorned. Verily it is the mystery of perpetuity and the secret of destiny after decree for the people of creation, and through it hath flowed the Salsabil of life for those possessed of certitude. And praise be to God Who hath made wedlock a means for the promotion of His Cause among His servants and the proclamation of His Word throughout His lands. Through it hath shone forth the Day-Star of Revelation from the heaven’s horizon and the Hidden Temple appeared from behind the kingdom of names, and the Holy Spirit called out from the right side of the most exalted Paradise: This is the day whereon the Sovereign of Religions hath commanded, by reason of which the countenance of existence hath smiled in both the unseen and the visible worlds.
And praise be to God Who hath made marriage the treasury of prosperity and the dawning-place of success. Through it appeared His greatest outpouring and His most upright, perfect, and complete bounty, and He exalted its station to such a degree that He Himself performed the ceremony upon the throne of His bestowal. By this did the ocean of joy surge before His Manifestation, through Whom all things spoke, and the Most Exalted Paradise proclaimed: The Kingdom belongeth unto God, our Lord, the Lord of earth and heaven.
O people of Baha! Rejoice ye on this day, then recite what hath been revealed from My Most Exalted Pen of the verses of joy and gladness. These shall draw you to a station wherein neither the happenings of the world, nor the smoke of heaven, nor what existeth in the realm of creation shall grieve you. Thus hath shone forth the Day-Star of judgment from the horizon of the heaven of God’s will, the Fashioner of the heavens and the Lord of all names. Blessed is he who hath found what hath today been diffused from the utterance of God, the Lord of the hereafter and the former times, and hath heard what the Tongue of Revelation hath spoken from the most exalted station. Verily He is the Lord of all mankind and the Sovereign of the Day of Resurrection.
Praise be unto Thee, O my God, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O my God, and glory be unto Thee, O my God, and majesty be unto Thee, O my God, and generosity be unto Thee, O Thou Goal of the nations, and bounty be unto Thee, O Thou Lord of existence, and grace be unto Thee, O Thou Manifestation of justice, and beneficence be unto Thee, O Thou Lord of all humanity, and loving-kindness be unto Thee, O Thou Worshipped One of all creation, inasmuch as Thou hast made marriage a means for the unity of Thy creation and the exaltation of Thy Word amongst Thy servants. Through it Thou hast united hearts and manifested the tokens of Thy Best-Beloved Name, and through it have been revealed the hidden mysteries concealed behind the Qaf of Thy power, and the earth and heaven have been illumined with the light of Thy providence.
O Lord! I beseech Thee by the Luminary of Thy proof which hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of Thy prison, to aid Thy loved ones to achieve unity and harmony, that through them the horizons of Thy dominion may be illumined. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent One Whom the conditions of Thy creation cannot frustrate, nor can the clamor of Thy servants dismay. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Conquering, the All-Powerful.
Thanks be unto Thee, O Thou Goal of them that know Thee, and praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art remembered in the hearts of the sincere ones, and glory be unto Thee, O Glory of the worlds, inasmuch as Thou hast bestowed one of the leaves of Thy Lote-Tree, who was named after ʿMeeting’ in the Kingdom of Names, unto Thy Most Great Branch, and hast made her specially devoted to His service on this Day whereon Thou hast manifested Thyself unto mankind through Thy Name, O Thou Lord of destiny. I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy Name through which Thou hast illumined the lands and united the hearts of Thy servants, to unite them both, then send down upon them the blessings of Thy heaven, then cause to appear from the earth Thy bounties and favors. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, possessed of great favor. There is no God but Thee, the Omnipotent, the Munificent, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.
BH01337: Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou knowest…
He is the Ever-Mindful, the All-Knowing!
Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou knowest and seest what hath befallen Thy chosen ones in the days of Thy Manifestation, and Thou beholdest what they have borne for love of Thee and for Thy good-pleasure. O Lord! The chronicles of the world proclaim the abasement of Thy loved ones and the might of Thy enemies, and the books of nations testify to the weakness of Thy chosen ones and the strength of those who have denied Thy signs. Thou hearest, O my God, in this hour my prayers and my remembrance and my supplications through those who are nigh unto Thee among Thy creation and the sincere ones among Thy creatures.
By Thy glory, O Sovereign of the Kingdom of Might and Dominion! I am certain that abasement in Thy path is a glory that cannot be compared with the glory of those in the world, and that the fire of Thy love is a light that cannot be obscured by the veils of nations. Even should I, O my God, at every hour drink from the hands of the enemies the cup of destiny, the thirst of my longing and my yearning would not be quenched. Verily, he who hath drunk the choice wine of Thy love and hath been seized with the intoxication of the wine of Thy knowledge, nothing on earth can dismay him, nor can any matter distract him from gazing toward the horizon of Thy manifestation, Thy Most Glorious Beauty, and Thy most exalted and sublime station.
My Most Exalted Pen desireth at all times to raise its whispering and its cry and its lamentation in this calamity by which the denizens of Paradise and the dwellers of the highest Paradise have wailed, and it hath reached such a state that the tongue of the Manifestation of Thy Cause, and the Ocean of Thy knowledge, and the Dawning-Place of Thy revelation bewaileth it, in manifestation of His grace and mercy and faithfulness.
O Letter Ha! Thou art in the most exalted Paradise, thy head adorned with the crown of thy Lord’s favor, the Lord of all names, while Thy loved ones are in such grief that the clouds weep for them night and day. Wilt thou unveil the face of Thy Cause, or conceal it as thy Lord hath concealed it, in His wisdom? Verily thy Lord is the All-Wise, the All-Knowing. Thou art the one through whom the Most Great Sacrifice was manifested and its decree established among the nations. O Letter Ha! By God, through thee the horizon of faithfulness dawned and that was manifested whereby the Cause of God, Creator of the heavens, was spread abroad. Blessed is the eye that hath wept for thy calamities, and the ear that hath heard thy praise, and the face that hath turned toward thee, and the soul that hath hastened until it reached thy resting-place—the spot honored by thy noble body and thy sacred and glorious temple. By the life of God! Hearts have melted at thy calamity and livers have been rent asunder at thy tribulation.
O Land of Sad! I adjure thee by the Beloved to tell me whether the fragrance of the Beloved One hath been cut off from thee—that fragrance whereby the scent of the garment was diffused among the people of holiness—and whether He lieth cast down beneath the talons of every oppressor who hath denied God and His signs and turned away from His countenance and His sovereignty. O Breeze of Sad! Hast thou come from the Beloved to the loved ones with tidings whereby spirits are gladdened, or with news whereby hearts are melted? O breeze of my land and my soul! I find not in thee the fragrance of one who loved Me, as though he hath soared from the branch of the world to the Most Exalted Companion and the Most Glorious Horizon.
O My Name! Blessed is the eye that hath wept for thy calamities, whereby the Letter Ha crieth out in the land of Taff saying:
“O Letter Ha! By thy life, through thy calamity my calamities and my sorrows and my grief and my tribulation have been renewed.”
O Land of the City! Remember what befell him and his brother when they appeared before the gathering of the oppressors who found not the fragrance of justice and rose up in tyranny. By God! Through them was established the Word of God which issued from the mouth of the Divine Will upon the throne of manifestation. He spoke, and His word is the truth:
“I and those in Paradise, by the Most Great Truth, yearn for a soul that hath been slain in His path.”
Thus did the Truth speak, and that which was hidden in God’s knowledge was revealed. My tongue beareth witness in the kingdom of Mine utterance that they were martyred in My path, and for them did My heart and My Pen lament, as did those who circle round My throne and soar in the atmosphere of My nearness and drink the choice wine of My favors from the hand of My bounty.
O My Name and My Name! Though the Concourse on High and the dwellers of the Most Glorious Pavilion have lamented your tragedy, yet doth the Wronged One praise and thank God for having aided you to recognize the Dawning-Place of His Cause and for having elevated your station to such a degree that His Most Exalted Pen grieveth for you in this Most Sublime Station. Blessed is the soul that hath turned unto you, and the heart that hath won your love, and the seeker who hath sought your abode, and the one who hath entered your land and held fast unto your cord and visited your resting-place. By the life of God! They are among the triumphant and they are among those who are near unto God in His mighty and exalted Book.
Praise be to God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. Verily we are God’s, and verily unto Him shall we return.
BH01344: By God’s might! O beloved of my heart! Were…
He is God, exalted be His glory, to Whom belong greatness and grandeur!
By God’s might! O beloved of my heart! Were I to say “may my spirit be a sacrifice unto thee,” I would be ashamed of these words, for they befit not one who is evanescent, much less as a sacrifice for God’s chosen ones and His trustees. Yet in this shame, which none save God alone knoweth, I beseech from the ocean of His bounty and the heaven of His generosity that He ordain, manifest and send down unto your presence, and upon you, that which befitteth His munificence, exalted be He, in such wise that your heart and soul may rejoice therein, and every tongue in existence may speak forth in praise of His glorious and beauteous Self. Despite my shame, agitation, powerlessness and shortcomings, I declare and say: may my spirit be a sacrifice unto your presence.
The sealed packet containing the letter from Muhammad Mustafa—upon him be all the most glorious Glory of God—and from Mirza Muhammad, one of God’s captives, was received. This servant was blessed to read the most luminous and pure handwriting, praise and thanks be unto Him, whereby I drank what the near ones drink. Likewise, two other letters were perused. Praise and glory be unto Him for having aided him to attain a station wherein he arose wholly to serve his Lord, detached from all else, such that every week there emanates from him the fragrance of the garment of the love of God among His devoted servants.
I beseech your beloved self to convey my expressions of sincerity, self-effacement and nothingness to them. Their letter and that of Aqa Mirza Muhammad were presented in their entirety before the Most Holy and Exalted Presence. This is what was revealed in reply:
“O My name Mihdi! A servant present submitted a letter from Aqa Mirza Muhammad of the land of Sad before the Most Holy Court. God hath ordained all matters to be resolved through consultation. Although the loved ones of the land of Hadba have permission to travel in various directions, except toward the Prison and its surroundings, they must consult before undertaking their journey. Their going was not advisable. Moreover, meeting with the letters Mim and Vav was necessary due to prior and subsequent rights—one meeting sufficed. Multiple meetings occurred outside the bounds of wisdom and contrary to dignity. Let them not be saddened by what transpired. They wrote that they were indebted thirty tumans from the funds of Hadba. Let Jinab-i-Zayn settle that debt. We beseech God, exalted be He, to send down for him and them that which will gladden their hearts and bring joy to their breasts. Verily, He is their Protector in this world and the next. There is no God but Him, the Forgiving, the Generous.
God’s favors have been and will continue to be directed toward the captives. It behooveth them not to be remiss or negligent in preserving the station and dignity of the Cause and their own selves. Verily, He is the Counselor, the Admonisher, the All-Knowing.
As for what Muhammad Mustafa—upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God—had written regarding the Prisoner—upon Him be the Glory of God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting—having written that at the request of several who drink the wine of the love of the All-Merciful, they intended to journey toward the Most Great Prison, write to them that this matter was and is not in accordance with wisdom. Be patient, O My loved ones and friends! By My life, that which your Beloved commandeth you is better for you, did ye but know. We have written for the prisoner the reward of one who hath turned toward My court, entered My prison, stood before My gate, and heard My call; and for those who desired to attain the presence, let them ask their Lord, the All-Merciful, to inscribe for them, by the Pen of Revelation, the reward of one who hastened, attained, and won the victory. Verily, He is the Omnipotent over whatsoever He willeth through His word ʿBe’ and it is.” End quote.
Regarding the matter of taking fifty majidis and giving them to Jinab-i-Haji Ali—upon him be the Glory of God—for his claim, what was done was both beloved and desired. And concerning what was written about not yet having given to Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad Ali Kabir—upon him be the Glory of God—and intending to give later, this matter is not necessary at present, as it would delay the work of that honored one. Let them wait for now; perhaps on a future day this servant himself will attend to your beloved presence.
Praise be to God, at all times you have been and continue to be specially favored with the manifest and hidden bounties and the concealed and visible favors of the Beloved of the worlds, and mention of your beloved self is made in the most excellent and beautiful manner in all remembrances. Upon you be the remembrance of God and the remembrance of those in the Supreme Concourse, and the glory of God and the glory of those in the Divine Throne and Heaven, and the praise of God and the praise of those in all the worlds.
The servant
The two letters sent have been forwarded. Perhaps your beloved self may wish to write a reply.
BH01393: O Ism-i-Jud! Upon thee be My glory! A servant…
He is God, exalted is He!
O Ism-i-Jud! Upon thee be My glory! A servant present here laid before the Divine Presence a letter addressed to thee, and the lamentation of the Wronged One of the horizons was heard. In truth, some among the people have, by their own hands, purchased divine wrath. Some He hath seized, and others He will seize. Verily, He hath power over all things. All things have bewailed the oppression of the people of truth, and sorrow hath encompassed all. The wrongs that have been inflicted in this time without cause are like unto trees that the heedless have planted with their own hands—and soon shall they behold the fruits thereof.
Sin Mim [Samandar], upon him rest My glory, hath ever been the recipient of divine favours, and there hath befallen him in the path of God that which His knowledge alone can encompass. In regard to his affairs, let him repeat nineteen times:
“Thou seest me, O my God, detached from all save Thee and cleaving unto Thee. Guide me, then, in all mine affairs unto that which profiteth me for the glory of Thy Cause and the loftiness of the station of thy loved ones.”
Let him then reflect upon the matter and undertake whatever cometh to mind. This vehement opposition of the enemies will indeed give way to supreme prosperity.
O Ism-i-Jud! Some souls are observed whose grief hath been and continueth to be the cause of God’s grief, exalted be His glory, and likewise their joy the cause of His joy. The call of the Two Alifs and Shin hath been raised from the Prison. As for the first, he is the Nightingale, upon him be My glory, from the direction of Ra and Shin. There hath befallen him what befell My Herald in the prison. They imprisoned the Exalted One—may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake—in the land of Ta with a group of others, and the might of oppression so seized the loved ones that they outwardly turned away from Him, save one soul who declared:
“O my Lord! I desire to be with Thee in the Supreme Companion and the Most Glorious Horizon.”
Those same souls, after the passing of certain months, returned with the utmost lowliness and supplication, and their repentance was accepted, and they attained His supreme bounty. Happy are they! He knoweth how they returned and how He sanctified them and wrote for them with His Most Exalted Pen.
O Ism-i-Jud! Were it not for a decree that hath gone forth from Us, We would have shown the heedless and the oppressors which of us is more exalted and powerful. In this Most Great Revelation, ye have observed how many enemies He seized with mighty power; yet none became aware, all being intoxicated with the wine of heedlessness and far removed from the court of divine mercy. However, the world is pregnant with oppression. Soon shall the oppressors behold what they have wrought in the days of God, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling.
O My Nightingale! Thou wert warbling openly upon the branches in the springtime of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Now thou mayest warble in prison secretly, until God shall bring thee His relief, His mercy, His bounty, His grace, His generosity, and His favor.
As for the second Alif and Shin, upon him be My glory, his call hath reached Us from the land of Alif and Ba. The oppressors have seized him and cast him into prison. Know ye that they are in manifest loss. The heedlessness of these ignorant ones hath reached such a pass that they reflect not upon the former and latter generations. They follow their vain desires and imagine themselves to be among those possessed of knowledge. All things testify to their fabrications, and beyond them the Tongue of God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
O Ism-i-Jud! His honor Sin Mim, upon him be My grace and mercy, standeth at the door. Say: Lord! Pour forth patience upon him who loveth Thee and whom Thou lovest. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful. Although, praise be to God, he is adorned with the ornament of patience, yet this mention is a token of the Wronged One’s loving-kindness toward him. For some time, they must conceal the sending of correspondence from both directions, such that even the household members remain unaware. And should they wish to write details to his honor the Nightingale, they should likewise command him to maintain secrecy. Blessed is he who acteth in accordance with what hath been commanded by the Wronged One, and joy be to him who hath attained unto obedience to God, the Lord of the worlds.
O Ism-i-Jud! His honor the Shaykh, upon him be My mercy, hath fallen into hardship. However, since his purpose was for God’s sake and occurred with acceptance and acquiescence, it hath been and shall remain blessed. Write to him what We commanded thee in person. God willing, they shall be assisted. In all matters, what is necessary today is that they exercise care in the sending and receiving of letters, and never let go of wisdom. This is what We counseled before, and in this most exalted and impregnable station.
BH01388: May this servant of the loved ones be…
In the Name of God, the Most Unapproachable, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious
May this servant of the loved ones be a sacrifice unto your honor! Your blessed letter reached this evanescent atom, as did another letter, and before that yet another letter. From each one fresh joy and boundless delight were obtained, for they were perfumed with the fragrant scents of the garment of the mention of the Most Great Name and the spiritual breezes of the Lord of nations. Blessed be they who inhale them! And all that was mentioned concerning the stations and ranks of the sanctification, purification, exaltation and transcendence of that Most Holy, Most Glorious Being—exalted be the sovereignty of His grandeur and His glory—was observed with the eye of the head and of the heart. Blessed be thy tongue, thy utterance, and thy pen in having flowed in praise of Him Whose Being of Eternity hath testified to the eternality of His Essence and the oneness of His Self, and hath acknowledged the essential Identity through the uniqueness of His reality and the transcendence of His remembrance.
We beseech God to make thee among those who, when they drink from the chalice of divine unity and taste from the Kawthar of oneness and detachment, stand firm in His Cause, and are not prevented by any in creation from turning to the Most Glorious Horizon and beholding the Most Exalted, Most Glorious Outlook, whose gaze is ever fixed upon the court of their Beloved, whose hearts are turned to the countenance of their Goal, whose souls are forever stirred by the breezes that waft from the direction of the Beloved, and whose spirits are suspended upon the Name of God, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.
Praise be to the Beloved of all horizons and the Slayer of lovers, that your honor is numbered among those who drink from the Most Wondrous, Most Glorious chalice and the most delicate, most pure wine at the Most Exalted Horizon, and are reckoned among the people of Baha. I beseech Him, exalted be His glory, to adorn all with the ornament of steadfastness and to preserve them from the whisperings that arise from heedless souls, for the Cause is mighty, mighty indeed, and steadfastness is even mightier than that. Blessed are they who are steadfast! Blessed are they who are firm! Blessed are they who are immovable!
Furthermore, this evanescent servant was present before the Throne, and whatsoever you had submitted in your letter to the Most Holy, Most Glorious Court was presented. This is what shone forth from the horizon of the utterance of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. His words, exalted be His might: “Grieve not over anything if thou remainest steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord. This will render thee independent of all that hath been created in the heavens and on earth. Those who have hurt thee have followed their desires and walked in the ways of the wrongdoers. We have protected thee in truth, and We shall protect thee as a favor from Us. Verily, thy Lord is the Almighty, the Powerful. However, it behooveth thee not to turn to those from whom thou perceivest the fragrance of aversion, nor to draw near unto them, nor to associate with them. Thus have We commanded Our servants who have believed in God, the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the All-Wise. And should association occur, turn thy heart’s gaze toward God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forebears of old.
Say: O my Lord! Protect me from those on whose faces is seen the dust of hell-fire. Then aid me in Thy remembrance and praise, and make me steadfast in such wise that neither the veils of the peoples of creation nor the whisperings of the evil ones shall prevent me. O my Lord! Thou hast guided me to the Dayspring of Thy Cause and the Dawning-Place of Thy inspiration. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Name, whereby Thou hast distinguished between the nations, to protect me beneath the pavilion of Thy mercy and the tabernacle of Thy glory. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Forgiving, the Merciful. Dost thou grieve over this world? It shall pass away, by the Lord of the worlds! Rejoice in My love, which nothing created in all existence can equal. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Be thou assured of thy Lord’s favor. He is with those who love Him. He is, verily, the Most Merciful of the merciful.” End.
Blessed art thou, for the Tongue of Eternity hath spoken in thy praise and revealed unto thee the verses of His holiness and His beauty, the Beloved. This is a bounty that nothing in the worlds can equal.
Moreover, I conveyed your mention of glorification and praise to the service of the Branches and Twigs of the Divine Lote-Tree—exalted be their praise—and they especially conveyed most wondrous, most glorious greetings. Regarding what you had written about the receipts for the House, emphatic instructions have been given for their dispatch; God willing, they will arrive. The mentioned person feels utmost embarrassment toward your honor and offers endless greetings.
And concerning your request for the most blessed and holy photograph of His Holiness, the Most Great Branch—may the spirit of the worlds be sacrificed for Him—it is known to your honor that in this land there is no access to that person who took the blessed photograph. At present, obtaining it is not possible. Perhaps in the future matters will proceed differently. The Command is in God’s hands. And the glory be upon thee and thy family.
The servant of God
BH01380: O Pen, interpreter of all our heart, Spread now…
O Pen, interpreter of all our heart, Spread now thy wings where breathings of the spirit start.
This is no hour for silence, still and cold; Make lovers of Love’s ardour bright and bold.
Speak but a hint of love and lover’s fire, That saint from wretch be parted by that pyre.
Love is to fade within the Well-Beloved; To slay the worldly self, by trial proved.
Love is with the Beloved one in heart; Like the slain bird, to tremble pierced by dart.
Love is but likeness unto Love alone; With base desire it never can be one.
Love makes the lover patient in such wise That every root of vain desire he dries.
Love gives the lover such discerning sight He finds fine meanings in the densest night.
Love makes the lover so sincere and true That all the world is opened by his view.
Love strips away all pleasures of the clay, And rends the soul from lust’s impure array.
Love without the Beloved cannot stay; Its burning sets a world itself ablaze.
Love narrows all the world for hearts that yearn, Till from the lover the Beloved’s pleasures turn.
O Pen, my heart is straitened by this sphere; Thou art the solver of each doubt and fear.
Since thou hast told of love and lover’s art, Speak now of one true lover, pure of heart,
Who tears the circling veil of self apart, And in sincerity uplifts his standard high, apart;
So that whoever looks upon his face Is changed outright by but one sign of grace;
So that whomever meets his states untold Is lit like candle by his flaming gold;
So that his being, speechless though it be, May guide creation to the Deity.
He dwells forever in the Loved One’s grace, By day and night before his King in place.
O Pen, cry out to all that are and may be: Thus hath proclaimed the sovereign Lord of guidance free:
“O company of friends! Full thirty years have flown Since this whole world became My seat and throne.
What woes for this poor frame have I endured! In what dark pits have I been prisoned and immured!
Though power and wealth were Mine in full degree, Yet chain and fetter grew familiar unto Me.
At times from Rayy, like captive of the West, We hastened on to Baghdad, sore oppressed.
At times toward Rum We journeyed bound and worn, Though lord of all the heavens was I born.
Now Adrianople, now ʿAkka, My abode— Like captives ever homeless on the road.
Seven years it is that for the world I’ve borne The Most Great Prison as My dwelling worn.
From no man did I seek support or aid, Nor to a soul My need or pleading made.
Nay, day and night, with many a sigh and cry, Unto My friends I sent My messengers on high:
The Revelation of God, the Tablets of His light, Wherefrom each lamp of truth was set alight:
ʿO My beloved ones who bear My name, All of you cherished are, and dear the same.
For your sake have I yielded Me to pain; For you I opened gates long sealed in vain.
How much stainless blood was shed like rain! How many heads were offered, free from fear or stain!
That this young Tree might rise in majesty, Till no opponent’s stone could smite the Tree.
Yet those ascribed unto it, left and right, Now hurl their stones upon it without fright.
This Tree from out its heart, like reed, doth moan: O company of friends of many tones!
A while, though foes have left Me some release, From friends themselves My body finds no peace.
Be ye aware, O friends, yea, be aware! Open the eye of warning and take care.
Till now I bore with all your failings, kind; Like father round your dust I moved, resigned.
I counselled you through love with all My might, And loosed your limbs from many a grievous plight.
Your words unheard I still accepted all; I veiled Mine eyes from each unseemly fall,
That ye might rise from out your heavy sleep And one another by true faithfulness keep.
Another year—the time of patience ends; Another wine now through the goblet wends.
Who is unfit for such a feast sublime Let him go forth in joy and bide his time.
Let not the Act of God be stained with dust, For that Tree’s long forbearance nears its dusk.
Henceforth whoever crookedly shall move with him, Or through his ignorance tear off a leaf or limb,
Such fire shall strike upon his very soul That of his house no trace shall yet remain whole.
Tell those who now are present of the absent band, That they may turn repentant from what they planned.
Let them be clothed in Baha’s splendor bright, And wordlessly through deeds say ʿYea’ aright.
Let them seek only Baha’s Cause and glory fair; Along His path pursue His pleasure there.
If thus for but a while they keep the cord, They shall possess abiding honor from the Lord.
If thus they seek the Friend with single aim, Soon over time and space they’ll master all the same.
The Friend’s own message unto lovers hath been told; Each soul retaineth now the choice within his hold.”
BH01387: God testifieth that there is none other God but…
He is the Speaker upon the Thrones of Hearts!
God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, and He Who hath appeared is indeed the Manifestation of the Resurrection and the Herald of the Hour. Through Him hath shone forth the Sun of wisdom and utterance, the Ocean of knowledge hath surged, and the fragrance of the All-Merciful hath wafted throughout all possibility. Through Him hath the horizon of the world been illumined and the Most Great Name appeared, and He is the One Who speaketh above all things with the sweetest call:
“Verily, there is none other God but I, the Omnipotent, the All-Compelling, the Transcendent, the Most Exalted, the Most Great!”
God testifieth that there is none other God but Him, and He Who hath come with the truth is indeed the Lord of all creation. He is the Caller from the Ascension and the Speaker in the Tree that groweth upon the Mount in the Land of Manifestation. Through Him hath the pure wine been passed round among the manifestations of light. Blessed is he who hath attained unto Him in the days of his Lord, the All-Forgiving, and woe betide them who have kept themselves remote from the grace of God, the All-Compelling, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Praise be to God Who is single in grandeur, might and majesty, and peerless in glory, loftiness and grace. He hath created the Most Exalted Pen and made it the Primal Cause for the unity of the manifestations of names. Through it hath the Dove cooed upon the Ultimate Tree that there is none other God but the Lord of the Beginning and the End, and through it hath the Nightingale of praise warbled upon the Branch of eternity that there is none other God but the Sovereign of earth and heaven.
Praise be to God Who hath attracted hearts through His Best-Beloved Name and unified all created things through His Name that transcendeth all names and attributes, Who is established upon the throne of ʿHe doeth what He willeth’ and ruleth over all who are in earth and heaven through His sovereignty that encompasseth the worlds.
O ye Daysprings of names and Manifestations of might in the Kingdom of creation! O ye who dwell in the depths of grandeur and who inhabit the Most Exalted Paradise! Rejoice ye in this Most Great Joy wherein the Lord of Eternity addresseth and speaketh amidst the peoples. Then draw ye nigh with radiant faces and illumined hearts, and take ye the crimson cup from the hand of bounty of the Creator of earth and heaven. Then drink ye thereof once in His Name that prevaileth over all names, and again in His Name whereby all things are attracted. To him that drinketh thereof We say:
“Well is it with thee, O thou who hast turned to God, the Lord of all men, through Whom the faces of the sincere ones have been gladdened and the hearts of them that are nigh unto God have been illumined!”
O people of the world! This is a day wherein the Countenance of God hath smiled like unto one bewildered and amazed, for He seeth Himself forsaken by the peoples and imprisoned in this Most Great Prison. Yet He beholdeth the joy which they who are around Him have established by His binding command. Thereupon did all things cry out, and the very essence of being declared:
“May our souls be a sacrifice for Thy bewilderment! We testify that Thou art the Ruler over whatsoever Thou willest. The opposition of Thine enemies hath not prevented Thee from that which Thou hast purposed in creation. At one time Thou makest hardship the very essence of ease, and each day Thou transformest the prison land according to Thy Will that hath preceded and Thy Purpose that hath prevailed, even as Thou hast this day, through Thy conquering power, spread the carpet of joy and gladness that the people of the Manifestation might rejoice therein, and hast adorned the House of Him Who conversed with God with the light that hath shone forth and beamed from the horizon of Thy Name, the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous.”
Blessed is he who hath pondered this Day and what hath been revealed therein from the command of his Lord, the Most Exalted, the All-Wise, the Ancient of Days. Again, blessed is he who hath remembered this Day and hath recited what hath been sent down therein from God, the Lord of the worlds. We have abbreviated the remembrance, for verily the Day requireth no more than this. To this testifieth the Tongue of Grandeur and Glory, and those who glorify their Lord, the Omnipotent, the All-Informed. Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy imprisonment and tribulation, by Thy oppression and affliction, to purify the people with the waters of Thy bounty and favors, and the streams of Thy generosity and gifts, that from them may be diffused naught but the fragrance of the garment of detachment in the kingdom of creation.
O Lord! Sanctify the hearts of those who circle round me from whatsoever is unworthy of Thy sanctification and glorification. Then make their hearts horizons for the lights of Thy knowledge and dawning-places for the manifestations of the Sun of Thy loving-kindness. O Lord! Thy grace hath encompassed all contingent things and Thy bounty hath pervaded all created things. Take the hands of the weak with the arms of Thy might, then deliver them through Thy power and sovereignty. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest, and this is a word to which all things bear witness. There is none other God but Thee, the Counselor, the Manifest, the Compassionate, the Generous. Then send down, O my God, upon Thy loved ones in this day a blessing from Thy presence, and grant them the good of this world and the world to come.
There is none other God but Thee, the All-Bountiful, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. O Lord! Even as Thou hast this day transformed the earth of Thy prison wherein Thou hast permitted joy and gladness for the people of Thy unity and the repositories of Thy oneness, do Thou transform the hearts of Thy servants that there may appear from them that which Thou lovest and approvest. There is none other God but Thee, the Munificent, the Helper.
BH01406: Praise be to the Ancient Beloved, Whose glances…
He is God, exalted be His station and magnificent His grandeur.
Praise be to the Ancient Beloved, Whose glances of favor have ever been directed towards His friends, and from Whom the breezes of grace from the treasury of bounty have never been cut off, and the ocean of generosity has never been restricted from outpouring. At all times the Supreme Pen hath been engaged in mentioning the loved ones and all who dwell in creation, yet the people of the world are observed to be exceedingly heedless, deprived and bereft of this mighty bounty and unmatched favor. Should one gaze with the eye of fairness and reflect, one would observe with what kindness, compassion, grace, mercy and benevolence the Truth summons these ungrateful people to that which profiteth them. I swear by the Creator of the world and its Educator that the pebbles of the desert and mountains, the heavens and earth, the seas, and whatsoever groweth from the earth—all are enraptured, stirred, melodious and joyous from the attraction of the Day of God, and are singing with a myriad tongues the verses of Truth, while these unconscious people are still asleep, nay, they are as the dead, save those who have been quickened and made steadfast by the divine spirit, and who have attained unto a wondrous, glorious, new life through the breezes of divine revelation.
What benefit, when no sight can be found in the world, and no ear exists; otherwise, but a single melody from the Supreme Pen would attract all and cause them to ascend to the highest horizon. Blessed are they who have turned towards God, hearkened, responded, and attained that which most of mankind hath failed to attain.
Thereafter, your letter reached this servant, and the fragrances of love, affection and faithfulness were inhaled therefrom. It is evident that faithfulness hath ever been the attribute of God’s friends, and they have always been successful in achieving and practicing it. In truth, the fragrance of faithfulness wafted from your letter. This servant, though unworthy to be mentioned before God’s friends or to be the object of their attention, yet they, out of their praiseworthy characteristics and lofty qualities, make mention of the most insignificant of servants and gladden him with drops from the pen of affection. Their reward is with Him Who created them and preferred them above most of His servants. What you observed in your dream regarding this servant’s weakness and brokenness—the matter is as you saw it, and now is as it was, and praise be to God, my Lord and your Lord and the Lord of what will be and what has been. In all cases, praise be to the Self-Sufficient, the Eternal. If we are worthy of His trials, it is among His great favors and mighty bounties, but the pain is that these heads are not worthy of the noose of His trials, and these souls are not fit to be the target of His decree. His is the judgment in all conditions.
Furthermore, I conveyed your greetings and expressions of evanescence and nothingness to the holy divine Branches—may my spirit and the spirits of all the world be sacrificed for the dust of their footsteps—and to the members of the pavilion of chastity and sanctity, and each one sends to you and those with you their greetings and most glorious mention. Regarding what you wrote about the children, God willing, the Truth has granted and will grant health. Convey this servant’s greetings to the honored masters, the two sons, his honor Aqa Mirza Muhammad-Ali and his honor Aqa Lutfu’llah. A letter has been written to his honor Aqa Ghulam-Ali which you will observe. Convey greetings from this evanescent servant to the mother of ʿInayatu’llah and the honored dear ones. The Glory be upon you.
The servant.
Previously, dried yogurt [kashk] was ordered through his honor Aqa Lutfu’llah but was not fulfilled and they did not send it. Now it has been written to his honor Aqa Ghulam-Ali. You or Aqa Ghulam-Ali should look there at those who deal with Nablus, whether muleteers or others, whichever is possible, tell them to obtain ten rotls of very good pure dried yogurt from there and bring it, and you or Aqa Ghulam-Ali should send it, and write its cost so it may be sent. In Nablus all kinds of dried yogurt can be found, better than Persian dried yogurt. His honor Haji Mirza Ali-Akbar the engraver sent some two years ago. If you inquire properly, surely good and inexpensive ones can be found. The Glory be upon you.
BH01415: As for what you wrote concerning Ahmad-i-Kirmani—upon…
As for what you wrote concerning Ahmad-i-Kirmani—upon him be what he deserves—by God, the mind is bewildered and astonished by such vain, obscure and fraudulent souls. Several times now acceptance and then rejection have been manifested from him. The evanescent one testifies that he has not believed in anyone who speaks without consciousness and understanding. Glory be to God! Through these words to which he has clung and through which he has sought to prove the truth of the dawning-place of conjectures—several years ago in the Land of Ta he confessed to it just as he confessed to it in these days, then repudiated it.
Praise be to God that your honor observed the fraudulent words—would that you had seen him in person, for then the unconsciousness of the people would have become even more evident to your honor. Would that the expressions in those infernal pages had coherence, or that some meaning could be derived from them! Praise be to God, they are devoid and bereft of all that is beloved. Some time ago, in the Tablets of one of the friends of God, these decisive words were revealed:
“Behold, O chosen ones of God, what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’an: ʿDo these men imagine that they will be raised again on a Great Day—the Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds?’ Nay! Verily the record of the wicked is in Sijjin. And what shall make thee know what Sijjin is? It is a written record. Woe on that day unto those who deny the truth! The croaking of a croaker shall be raised, and the book of Sijjin shall be spread abroad. Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto the Most Great Steadfastness, and woe unto every lying doubter!”
Likewise in the Tablets of Iraq and the Land of Mystery, these passages were revealed from the heaven of divine Will. The writings of such fraudulent souls serve as their own exposure, and every person of understanding and insight perceives the degrees thereof. And when this detailed account was presented before the Most Holy Court, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these words:
“Souls who have been nourished by the fruits of the Supreme Pen behold themselves free from vain imaginings, confused dreams and fancies, and are so steadfast in the Cause that all the books of the world cannot turn them away from the Ancient Beauty, much less such delirious utterances.”
May the spirit of the world be a sacrifice unto His utterance! It is most regrettable that on such occasions mention should be made of these utterances which have shone forth from the Dayspring of verses, yet since it is mentioned to that beloved of the soul, it hath been and shall ever be beloved.
Another request is that you convey greetings from this evanescent one to his honor Aqa Mirza Ata’u’llah, upon him be the Glory of God. Praise be to God that the lights of steadfastness have shone forth from him. Whosoever today hath drunk from the living waters will surely not turn to the stagnant pool. Would that you had written to Ahmad himself:
“We know not upon which path thou standest, nor which way thou walkest. At times we find thee repentant, penitent and remorseful, and at other times we see thee an unbeliever, a rejecter, a hypocrite and doubter. Setting all else aside, where has thy fairness gone that thou hast sent these fabricated words? This servant says, purely for the sake of God: Open thine eyes that thou mayest see, and give ear that thou mayest hear. What has happened that thou canst not distinguish between the melodies of the nightingale and the croaking of the raven? Return unto God Who created thee and sustained thee; perchance He may forgive thy misdeeds, though thou hast committed that which caused the dwellers of Paradise to lament. Our All-Knowing, All-Informed Lord beareth witness to this.”
Likewise I send greetings to his honor Aqa Mirza Ashraf, upon him be the Glory of God, and I beseech and implore God that He may aid him to serve the Cause, that there may appear from him that which will gladden the hearts of those near unto God. I likewise beseech God to adorn all the friends in that land with the ornament of steadfastness. Would that people would comprehend the Day of God! Whosoever attaineth unto this station beholdeth all save God, exalted be His glory, as non-existent and as naught. In one of the Tablets this exalted Word was revealed, glorified be His grandeur:
“In the first year, from the shrill voice of the Supreme Pen this blessed word was heard: Blessed are those souls who have recognized the new Cause and have turned towards the new Beauty, and this lofty and most exalted station is not attained except through the effacement of all that was before and the hearkening of attentive ears.”
Those who took the calf as their god instead of God were several degrees more conscious than this croaker, for they at least had found something to cling to. Woe unto the heedless! Woe unto the lost! Woe unto those who lead others astray!
BH01422: Praise be to God Who hath transformed wrath…
In His Name through Whom God hath turned absolute evil into definitive good!
Praise be to God Who hath transformed wrath and anger into mercy and triumph, and hath ordained that from every drop of His martyrs’ blood there should be created beings to aid His firm and wise Cause. And praise be to God Who hath raised aloft the standard of might, at one time through His trusted ones and chosen ones, and at another through His enemies. Verily, He is the Omnipotent One Whom the intentions of His creation cannot deter from that which He desireth, and He is the Ordainer, the All-Knowing.
Praise be to God, there hath befallen the loved ones in the Land of Ya that which causeth the manifestations of victory and triumph to appear. Were this station and what is concealed therein to flow from the Pen, all the peoples of the world would behold themselves circumambulating round about it. O thou who art mentioned before the Throne! This day is the day of triumph. Praise be to God, the hem of His Majesty the Sultan hath been and is sanctified, holy and pure from the abominable deeds and reprehensible acts of the oppressors. In truth, all the loved ones should, as in the past, beseech God, glorified be His majesty, for his protection.
My God, my God! I beseech Thee by Thy most great signs, and the manifestations of Thy grandeur in the kingdom of creation, and by the pearls hidden in the mines of Thy servants, and by the fruits of the trees of Thy bounty in all lands, to protect His Majesty the Sultan through Thy power and sovereignty. Then aid him to manifest justice, that the horizons may be illumined by its light. Then open before his face, O my God, the door of Thy grace, Thy riches, Thy generosity and Thy bounty. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Bountiful.
Thy letter mentioning certain unseemly matters from the treacherous ones was read before My face. Blessed art thou, and well is it with thee, for thou art at all times looking toward the truth and speaking in praise of goodness. Courtesy is a characteristic of man and is acceptable before God. Beseech ye God not to deprive His servants of this blessed and luminous adorning. Verily, He is the Hearer, the Answerer.
Today the loved ones and chosen ones must arise with complete determination to aid the Cause of God, albeit through wisdom and utterance. This Wronged One, at all times, counseleth those who are near to the gate of grace and bounty regarding that reformation which is the cause of the world’s prosperity and the refinement of the souls of nations. They must shun and in no wise enter into matters from which the odor of corruption is wafted. Now it hath become clear and evident to most of the rulers of the earth that this community hath never looked to aught save that which promoteth the advancement of the government and the people, and His Majesty the Sultan himself is aware of this matter, as is His Majesty the Viceroy, may God assist him, though they have not deemed it expedient to declare it.
O thou who standest before the Face and circlest round the Throne! In these days, special mention was made three times of the martyrs of the Land of Ya. That which was revealed was such that its fragrance shall endure throughout the duration of the kingdom and the heavenly kingdom. There befell those sanctified souls that which caused the Spirit of Faith and the angels drawn nigh to lament. Blessed are they and well is it with them. Such steadfastness was manifested by those sanctified souls as to astonish the Concourse on High. One portion of those three portions was sent, and afterward the other two portions shall be sent. However, the reports that arrived each contradicted the other regarding some of the oppressions inflicted, and from the Most Exalted Pen there flowed and was revealed that which corresponded to what they had mentioned, the signs and fruits of which have appeared and shall appear every day. By the life of God! The enemies have rendered such assistance as hath no likeness or equal. Glory be to God! They have counted the supreme loss as the supreme gain. Beseech ye God for consciousness, that perchance they may become aware of their deeds.
Make mention of all the friends of God on behalf of the Wronged One, that all may be illumined and mindful through the light of divine remembrance. A Tablet hath also been revealed especially for the Afnan, upon them be the glory of God, His mercy and His loving-kindness, and the other peoples of the world. God willing, it shall be sent. At all times ye should be occupied with spreading the divine verses and making the gatherings and meetings fragrant with the musk-like perfume of utterance. Verily, He will aid thee and make thee successful, and He is the Kind, the Generous.
The glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon those who are with thee and who hearken to thy words concerning this News at which the limbs of every stubborn infidel have quaked. Praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
BH01436: Praise, glory, mention and splendor befit the Sun…
He is the Hearer through Grace and the Answerer through Justice.
Praise, glory, mention and splendor befit the Sun of Truth, Who hath adorned the people of possibility with the ornament of recognition and the crown of certitude through the lights of the Luminary of proof. Exalted be His dominion, glorified be His signs, and magnificent be His sovereignty!
O ʿA! Thy letter which thou didst send to Ism-i-Jud, upon him be My glory and My loving-kindness, hath come. We have read it and answer thee through this Tablet, whereby the horizons of meanings and utterance have shone forth, and the mysteries deposited in the Book of God, the Mighty, the Bestower, have been revealed.
O N! Verily the letter Nun swimmeth in the ocean of utterance and saith:
“Blessed art thou, O ʿAndalib, in that thou hast warbled upon the branches with diverse melodies!”
O D! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Lord of creation. Hearken unto the Call which hath been raised from the Supreme Horizon, the Station wherein the Caller proclaimed:
“The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of the Beginning and the Return!”
O L! The Most High, the All-Sufficient, giveth thee glad tidings of that which God, the Lord of the Beginning and the End, hath ordained for His loved ones. Blessed is the ear that hath heard, the tongue that hath spoken, and the eye that hath seen and attained unto the days of God, the Lord of Lords.
We have found from thy letter the fragrance of the garment and have revealed for thee that whereby eyes and vision are gladdened. This day is the day of supreme joy. The loved ones must strive and guide the wayward to the divine path. Say: O friends! Today is the day of service. Transform the garment of fear, silence, and stillness into utterance, expression, assurance, and enthusiasm. All things are speaking in praise and glory. This is the Day of God and the springtime of the flowers and roses of wisdom and utterance. Blessed is the soul that hath recognized, and the tongues that have called out and said:
“O people! The Day hath come with glory, power, majesty, and authority unto God, the One, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving!”
Concerning what thou hast mentioned about certain souls who have attained unto the Kawthar of recognition and the Salsabil of faith—this is through God’s grace. He confirmeth whomsoever He willeth to turn towards the horizon of His Manifestation and to face the lights of His countenance. Verily, He is the Most Merciful of the merciful and the Illuminator of the hearts of those who turn to Him and are unified in Him.
Regarding what thou hast mentioned about confirming the teachers and those who have arisen in purity, detachment, trustworthiness, religiosity, and in speaking that which hath been revealed in the Tablets—these words of thine have been adorned before the Throne with the ornament of acceptance and good-pleasure. We beseech God, and are beseeching Him, to assist the people of Baha in preserving the verses that are the cause of the exaltation and advancement of the servants. For if the revealed verses are recited in gatherings at every station, ere long the world will turn from what they possess to what is with God.
The honored Name of God “J” hath also submitted a word in this regard which was favored with hearing and illumined with the light of acceptance. He wrote that the regions of Kurdistan are very receptive and need teachers, provided they keep in view only the exaltation of the Cause and do not spread their own carpet. In truth, some of the teachers should observe and be mindful of this word and thy word, and hold fast unto them, as a command from God, the Ordainer, the All-Wise.
Concerning what thou hast mentioned about Nayyir and Sina, thou hast spoken with justice. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to exalt them through His Name and make them among the banners of His victory in His kingdom and the standards of His guidance among His creation. From the regions of the land of Kha, mention hath also been made of them. Happy are they, and blessed are they! We testify that they have taken the cups of utterance and drunk in the name of their Lord, the Most Merciful, and have succeeded in serving the Cause most of the time.
That which is necessary today is that the Hands of the Cause of God should guide the servants to the Dawning-Place of true divine unity and fix their gaze upon the horizon of the One Manifestation, and not, like the former people, take up a new idol each day. This is My counsel to them, and We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to confirm all in what He hath revealed in His perspicuous Book.
Convey My greetings to the loved ones of that land on behalf of the Wronged One. Then recite unto them what We have revealed for thee in this Mighty Tablet. The Glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon those who hearken to thy words concerning this Great News and who love thee for the sake of God, the Lord of the first and the last.
BH01448: O Zayn! Upon thee be My glory…
He is the One Who gazeth from His Most Glorious Horizon!
O Zayn! Upon thee be My glory and the glory of the Concourse on High! We have seen and heard that which thou didst send, and it hath attained unto Our presence. Praise be to God! The fragrance of the love of His loved ones is diffused; they speak with their tongues and are turned with their hearts towards Him, and are steadfast in His service. Today one drop of deeds is as an ocean, and an atom like unto the sun, inasmuch as these are the days of the Most Great Manifestation. His pardon hath preceded, His bounty hath preceded, His mercy hath preceded, His generosity hath preceded. He concealeth that which is manifest and revealeth that which is hidden. All the books of old have held festivities in celebration of this blessed Day. In truth, today the realities of the world are adorned with the most great joy and the most great gladness. Blessed is he who hath recognized the value of this Day and hath acted as beseemeth it.
O Zayn! Thou didst make mention of Mulla Muhammad-Baqir, upon whom be My glory. Verily God hath forgiven his mother, then the one for whom she desired forgiveness, from the ocean of thy Lord’s loving kindness, the All-Merciful, the Generous. Blessed is she! We found from her the fragrance of faithfulness and have mentioned her with this clear mention. We make mention of Abdu’llah, son of him who was named with the Truth. We beseech God to forgive him and forgive his father and mother, as a token of His grace. He, verily, is the Most Merciful of the merciful. We make mention of Muhammad-i-Ja’far and bid him act according to what hath been revealed in My Great Book. We beseech God to assist him in that which He loveth and is pleased with. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Powerful. We make mention of him who was named Nasru’llah, son of Sadiq, and give him glad-tidings through this wise mention. And of him who was named Rajab-Ali who hath believed in God, the Single, the All-Informed.
O Zayn! Give glad-tidings to Muhammad-Ali whose name was present before the face of the Wronged One at this time. We have made mention of those who have cast away idle fancies and vain imaginings and have taken hold of that which they were bidden by an Ancient Commander. O Zayn! The glory be upon thee and upon thy sister and upon her son from God, the Lord of the worlds. We have mentioned those whom God hath related unto thee with a mention that cannot be equaled by the mentions of the world. To this beareth witness the Book of God that speaketh in this exalted station. We make mention of him who was named Muhammad-Ali, son of him who was named Qurban, and We counsel him with that which hath been sent down from the heaven of My Will, and give him glad-tidings of that which hath been ordained for him by God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.
Give thanks unto God for having mentioned thee in His Most Great Prison and revealed for thee from His Most Exalted Pen that which the treasures of the world cannot equal. Verily thy Lord is the All-Merciful, the Forgiving, the Compassionate. Beware lest the happenings of the world sadden thee. Take hold of the Book with the strength granted from Us. We shall verily aid thee and protect thee from those who have disbelieved in God and His signs, and turned away from Him when He came with manifest sovereignty.
We make mention of him who was named Isma’il, whose letter was present before the Wronged One when He was in the garden named after Him, and who was honored by His presence and attained His meeting at all times. Verily thy Lord is the All-Remembering, the All-Knowing. O Isma’il! He who loved Me sent thy letter; the Wronged One read it and answered thee with that which caused the hearts of those who have turned towards Him to be attracted.
Say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having made me acknowledge Thy oneness and confess Thy singleness, and hold fast unto what Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. I beseech Thee by Him through Whom the standard of Thy unity was raised in Thy lands and the banners of Thy remembrance among Thy servants, and by His family and His companions, to ordain for me through Thy bounty and generosity that which will solace mine eyes and gladden my heart. O Lord! The ignorant one hath sought the ocean of Thy knowledge, and the poor one the kingdom of Thy bestowal. Disappoint him not, by Thy bounty and generosity and Thy mercy which hath preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth.
We make mention of him who was mentioned in his letter, that he may give thanks unto his Lord, the All-Remembering, the All-Wise. O Muhammad! We have heard thy call and have answered thee with that which will draw thee nigh unto God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. Say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having made me one of the believers among Thy servants who have acknowledged that which the tongue of Thy power uttered before the creation of Thy earth and Thy heaven. Thou art God, there is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Powerful. O Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and holding fast unto Thy Book which Thou didst reveal unto Thy Beloved One. I beseech Thee by its verses and its mysteries and his station and his glory and his splendor, to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee in all conditions. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the Mighty, the Most Bountiful.
BH01430: This is a Book of glory and of bounty…
He is the Inaccessible, the Most Holy, the All-Glorious.
This is a Book of glory and of bounty, sent down in the Realm of Grace with the word: “Verily, there is no God but Me, the All-Merciful, the Compassionate.” It showeth unto contingent beings that which draweth them nigh unto a Beauty of ancient majesty, and remindeth them, with the most comely remembrance, in this Most Great Remembrance which hath appeared in the temple of the Youth. Blessed be God, the King, the True, the Manifest.
At one time We behold Him seated upon the Throne, under these two Most Exalted Names. Exalted is God, the Originator of the worlds!
At another, We behold Him moving in the air in the form of the spirit and the temple of light, as though by His movement all existence were set in motion—yet none perceiveth this save every one endowed with a seeing and radiant eye.
Yet again We behold Him as the Lote-Tree, whose root is planted in the Supreme Paradise, the pivot of the heavenly realms, and whose branches encompass the Concourse on high. Blessed be God, the King, the All-Compelling, the Mighty, the All-Wise! That Tree hath put forth leaves—each leaf chanting the praise of its Fashioner; but none heareth this save such as have cleansed their ears from all that hath issued from the mouths of contingent things. Thus hath the matter been decreed by the Pen of Revelation in a well-guarded Tablet. He it is Who hearkeneth to the melodies of the leaves that hang from the branches, all upon the secret veiled in the secret, in this Hidden One, cloaked in mystery yet manifest with a clear and evident mystery.
At another time We behold Him under the guise of fire, and around it circle the dwellers of the Mount, bearing the banners of praise, and the people of light, upraising the tokens of majesty and glory, followed by the hosts of the unseen whom no denizen of the visible world hath ever perceived. Whoso draweth nigh unto that fire, at one time heareth, from its very flame, the voice of God describing this eternal, divine Decree which, when once revealed, causeth the Kingdom of the Names to quake within the Lord of creation; and at another, he heareth therein all that God hath made holy in the realms of word and utterance, of wisdom and exposition, in the mention of this Remembrance which, when the veil is rent asunder, shattereth all other veils, and maketh the face to tremble with longing for the meeting with Him and with ardent yearning for His beauty, shining upon the worlds of being. This is the station where the temple of meanings casteth off the sandals of words and turneth toward this Most Holy, Most Mighty, Most Exalted Seat.
At yet another time thou beholdest Him in the form of the heavens, wherein are manifest signs most evident, suns resplendent, moons radiant, and stars of dazzling splendour—each and all acclaiming with praise this very Praise that hath appeared through the Most Great Name amidst the nations, and hath shone forth from the horizon of glory with a vesture wherewith the heavens and the earth have been illumined. And when He willed to acquaint contingent beings with one of His effulgent revelations, God forthwith raised up the Primal, the Wondrous One, and taught him all the Names. Verily, He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.
And if thou turnest unto Him with yet another gaze, thou wilt behold Him in the beauty of Abraham, and wilt see the fire of Nimrod enkindled at His coming, and that he seeketh to cast Him therein, seized as he is with hatred against that holy, luminous Light.
Again thou wilt behold Him in the beauty of the Speaker on Sinai, and wilt find Paran of holiness to be the Mount of God, sanctified, ancient of days.
And yet again thou wilt gaze upon Him in the temple of Jesus, while the cross moveth on, riven by the deeds of the wrong-doers, and the hosts of the Jews encompass Him, even as there was proclaimed, in the kingdom of creation between earth and heaven, the cry: “Verily, there is no God but He, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.”
Then once more thou wilt see Him in the beauty of Muhammad, and on His right the Abu-Jahl of hypocrisy with hosts from among the people of dissension, and on His left the Abu-Lahab of heedlessness, with the flame of turning away. Thus doth My Most Exalted Pen unfold these images unto you, that ye may be of them that truly understand.
And if thou directest toward Him the Eye of God, thou wilt behold Him in the temple of the Bab, above all else besides Him, while the dogs of earth encompass Him—those who imagined in their own souls that they were true believers and deemed themselves among the rightly guided.
Then wilt thou hear His cry when He was suspended in the air:
“O concourse of the Bayan! Fear the All-Merciful. I have sacrificed My spirit, My soul, then My body and My very frame, for him whom the signs have made to wonder, and before whom every right-decreed Cause hath humbled itself. Beware lest ye deal with Him as the people of the Furqan dealt with Me. By God! One single glance at His beauty, at the hour of His Manifestation, surpasseth the kingdom of the dominion of the worlds of desire and earth, and the realms of command and creation, and excelleth the worship of all beings. O people! I have offered up My own self in hope of His good-pleasure and of attaining unto His holy, undefiled, inaccessible, exalted and impregnable presence. Would that I had a thousand spirits, a thousand souls and a thousand bodies, that I might sacrifice them all in His path! This is the longing of My heart in all seasons.”
Thus hath the All-Merciful made Me to speak, if ye be of them that know.
We have circumscribed this matter only according to the limitations of your own selves; otherwise, were I to possess in every instant a thousand lives, I would still offer them all in love for His beauty, in quest of His meeting, in yearning for His good-pleasure and in hope of His glory—and therein would I glory in the Kingdom on high among the company of the Messengers.
BH01475: O Pen! Turn thy face towards him who hath…
O Pen! Turn thy face towards him who hath been named Mu’min, then make mention of him in such wise that the fragrance thereof shall never be cut off throughout the duration of the Kingdom and the Realm.
He Who was hidden hath appeared, and He Who was concealed from sight and eyes hath come. Blessed is the soul that hath heard the Call and turned towards the Supreme Horizon, and woe unto every heedless and veiled one. This is the Day whereon the Herald hath called out from every direction: “Fear ye God, O people, and follow not every forbidden idolator.” This is the Day that hath gladdened the eyes of the Concourse on High, and all things have proclaimed: “The Truth hath come with manifest sovereignty.” Say: O people! Nothing shall profit you this Day, neither any matter save through this irrevocable Cause. Turn with radiant faces unto God, the Lord of Names, then aid Him with the hosts of goodly deeds and conduct, as commanded by the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. Thus hath the Most Exalted Pen raised its shrill voice, as a bounty from God, the Mighty, the Wondrous.
O [name]! Upon thee be My Glory! Thou hast been mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One, and there hath been revealed that which hath no peer or likeness. Say: My God, my God! I testify to Thy greatness and bounty and glory and splendor. Thou art that Sovereign Whom the clamor of the people of the realm of possibilities did not prevent from unity, and the conditions of the daysprings of conjecture and idle fancy did not hold back from Thy will. The power of the world did not weaken Thee, and the unbelief of nations did not prevent Thee from the mention of Thy oneness. The opposition of servants did not conceal Thy bounty, and the discord of the people of dissension did not prevent Thee from shining forth. O Generous One! All bear witness to Thy generosity. Deprive not Thy poor ones from the ocean of Thy wealth, and forbid not the needy from the Kingdom of Thy riches. Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, and Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing.
O Pen! Make mention of him who hath been named Mihdi Sadiq, that the attraction of the breaths of remembrance may seize him and draw him nigh unto a station wherein naught is heard save the mention of God and His praise, and wherein naught is seen save the manifestations of the lights of the Luminary of His Cause, the Mighty, the Wondrous. This is a Book that speaketh the truth and summoneth all unto God, the Lord of the worlds. They who have turned away this Day from God and His sovereignty are in manifest error. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to assist His servants unto that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to ordain for them that which will draw them nigh unto Him at all times.
Say: My God, my God! The weak one hath clung to the cord of Thy strength, and the abased one hath held fast to the hem of the robe of Thy might, and the poor one hath stood before the door of Thy bounty, and the heedless one before the ocean of Thy knowledge and the heaven of Thy wisdom. I beseech Thee to ordain for me that which will gladden my heart and solace mine eyes. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
The Glory from Us be upon thee and upon those who are with thee, both male and female. Remember them on My behalf and gladden them with My verses and illumine them with the light of My mercy which hath preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth. We seal the Book with the two names who were named Nabil before B and Mihdi, and We beseech God to assist them through His power and sovereignty and to teach them that which beseemeth His days, the Mighty, the Wondrous. Repeated mention of them hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. Some time ago the most unassailable and most holy Tablet was revealed especially for them and was sent forth, and they were blessed with the honor of beholding it. Grace hath encompassed them, and mercy hath outstripped all else.
The Supreme Pen hath been moved night and day towards the friends and hath been directed heavenward. All must be illumined by the light of certitude and attain unto the most great steadfastness. From the time of the dawning of the Day-Star of the horizons from the horizon of Iraq until now, all have been informed. In one of the Tablets, this exalted word was revealed:
“In all cities and regions the cawing of the ravens shall be raised. Blessed is he who, steadfast, has cast behind him all else, holding fast to the cord of God, the Firm, the Strong.”
The pretenders to the Cause and the liars of the world have appeared and will appear to such an extent that in all cities and villages the cawing of ravens will be raised. Thus has spoken the tongue of the All-Knowing in this Clear Tablet. Perhaps in Akka too the cawing of a raven has been raised. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to assist you to achieve the most great steadfastness and to protect you from the calumnies of the godless ones and the slanderers. Verily, He is the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
BH01469: The Book of the All-Merciful speaketh amidst all religions…
In the Name of Him Who warbleth upon the branches!
The Book of the All-Merciful speaketh amidst all religions and summoneth the peoples unto their Lord, the All-Merciful. Blessed is the heart that hath turned unto Him and the countenance that hath been directed towards Him, and woe unto him who hath denied and turned away when he heard the Call from the Supreme Horizon. Thus hath the Pen spoken when the Lord of Eternity was in this noble station.
Carmel hath smiled at the appearance of God, and Zion hath cried out: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Lord of all worlds!” This is the Day wherein the City of God hath descended from the heaven of His command, yet most of the people are in manifest obscurity.
Say: O Concourse of the Spirit! He Who was promised hath come, and He Who was hidden hath appeared, and he who was silent hath spoken, through the grace of God, the Lord of the mighty Throne. O Concourse of the Spirit! He speaketh among you, yet ye hear not, and He walketh before your faces, yet ye know not. Your eyes have been dazed and your ears prevented. Fear ye God and follow not your desires. Follow Him Who was promised in the Books and mentioned in the hearts and minds.
O Concourse of the Spirit! He hath come from heaven as He ascended unto it the first time. Hasten unto Him and be not of the heedless.
O thou who hast emigrated unto God! Hear My call from this luminous Spot. He remembereth thee and commandeth thee to that which attracteth the hearts of them who are nigh unto God. Say: O Land of Ta! Thou hast come from the direction of grandeur and glory with the tidings of God, the Mighty, the Glorious, the Praiseworthy. The fragrance of the All-Merciful hath been wafted throughout all contingent being. Draw nigh with illumined hearts and be not of them that hesitate.
Thou art he whom God hath made the Dawning-Place of His Revelation, the Dayspring of His signs, the Mine of His wisdom and the Treasury of the pearls of His wondrous utterance. Blessed art thou, and blessed is he that dwelleth in thee, and joy be unto thee and unto him who hath attained thy presence and established for himself a seat within thee. We beseech God to illumine all through the light of recognition and draw them nigh unto His sacred and luminous Presence.
O Baqir! Hear My call. Verily it hath been raised from a station whereunto cannot attain the mention of the mystics, nor the praise of the chosen ones, nor the clamor of the seekers. Remind in My name the Hands of My Cause there and give them glad-tidings of My acceptance of them. Say: Grieve not for that which hath befallen you from those at whose tyranny the dwellers of the highest Paradise and the Manifestations of the most exalted Heaven have lamented. God shall soon exalt those who have believed and abase every heedless remote one.
We send Our greetings unto you, O My loved ones, and Our salutations unto you, O My chosen ones. We have remembered you before and at this time with a remembrance whereby the Holy Spirit hath been attracted. Pass like the spring breezes over the lands that their countenances may smile and they may perceive from thee the fragrance of God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment.
When thou arrivest in the Land of Sad, visit My loved ones and chosen ones who were not prevented by the riches of the world from holding fast unto the Most Great Name. They have cast aside all else but God with a might that hath amazed the Concourse on High. These are the people of Baha whose appearance, arising and advancement in the service of His mighty and exalted Cause God hath promised His servants.
Say: O Land of Sad! Where are the showers of thy mercy, and where are the stars of thy horizons? Where are God’s trusts within thee, and where are thy light and thy radiance, and where are those through whom the gate of heaven was opened and that which was in God’s knowledge, the Lord of the exalted Throne, was made manifest?
And when thou arrivest in the Land of Nun and Jim, give them glad-tidings from the Wronged One, then recite unto them what hath been sent down from the heaven of the bounty of thy Lord, the Speaking, the All-Knowing. Say: O loved ones of God and His party! The realities of all things have lamented due to your grief, to this testifieth the Lord of all beings in this exalted station. By God! There hath been ordained for you that which no eye hath seen the like thereof, to this doth testify the Book of God, the Mighty, the Wondrous. We bear witness that ye have attained unto acceptance when most men turned away, and ye have drunk the choice wine of immortality from the hand of the bounty of your Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous, and ye have heard that which ears were prevented from hearing, and ye have seen that which eyes have not seen, to this testifieth He Who calleth with the most exalted call between earth and heaven:
“Verily there is no God but Me, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the Mighty.”
We bear witness at the end of the Book that thou hast attained unto that which was recorded in God’s Books and treasured in the hearts of His Messengers. The resplendent Light shining from the horizon of My utterance and the manifest and radiant Glory from the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon My loved ones who have heard and said:
“Praise be unto Thee, O God of all who are in the heavens and on earth!”
BH01502: O Thou at Whose most sweet call the spirits…
He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious
O Thou at Whose most sweet call the spirits of the pure ones were attracted, and through Whose spiritual melodies the hearts of those who dwell in the Eternal Realm were filled with rapture! Through the manifestation of Thy Most Great Name the peoples were divided: the essences ascended to the loftiest heights, while the accidents remained in the nethermost earth. At the appearance of the mention of Thy Hidden Name, the faces of the lovers are set ablaze, the hearts of those attracted are enkindled, the hearts of those who love are moved, and the eyes of the yearning ones overflow with longing. Then blackened are the faces of those who turned away from Thy Most High, Most Great Beauty.
Through the revelation of Thy Name, the All-Forgiving, the dawn of manifestation broke forth and the breeze of forgiveness wafted over all things hidden and manifest. Through the removal of the veils of glory from the face of the Divine Exemplar and the rising of the Luminary of Beauty from the horizon of majesty, the people of Baha drank of the Kawthar of meeting, then the purest nectar, then the crimson wine, then the water of life, then the stream of grace and bounty, then the fountain of eternity, then the crystal-clear waters from the hands of bestowal, then the subtle darkness from the cup of healing, then the hidden milk from the pearl of Thy Most Hidden, Most Concealed Name.
Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the Throne and the Cloud, for having caused these subtle, delicate, sweet, compelling, penetrating, flowing rivers to stream forth from the direction of the throne of Thy oneness and the ocean of Thy Self-Subsistence for Thy loved ones and the people of Thy Cause, who have purified their eyes from gazing upon aught else but Thee and have freed their hearts, their souls and their spirits for the revelations of the Sun of Thy knowledge. Then praise be unto Thee, above all praise, O my God, for having enabled them to be steadfast in Thy Cause, firm in Thy love, and submissive to all that proceeded from Thee.
This one, O my God, who at Thy glorious throne was named Nabil ibn Nabil—upon him be the waves of Thy favors and whatsoever beseemeth the billows of Thy generosity and bounty—hastened with his whole being to the court of Thy mercy until he attained all the good Thou hadst ordained in Thy Book. Therefore, O my God, I beseech Thee by Thy two Most Great, Most Mighty Names, since Thou hast honored him with arrival at the city of Thy presence and the Ka’bih of Thy meeting twice, to distinguish him with a third time as a favor from Thee, that the word concerning him may be fulfilled and Thy blessing upon him perfected, though Thou hadst already fulfilled Thy word to him and completed Thy blessing upon him. Yet this is grace upon grace, and favor upon favor. And if that be not ordained due to outward impediments, then send down from the heaven of Thy Will that which would establish its reward for him in Thy mighty tablets, for verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou pleasest, and Thou art the Protector, the Mighty, the Omnipotent.
O my God! Among Thy near ones who love Thee were those who numbered there according to the letters of Thy Most High Name. One of them departed and two remained. Therefore, strengthen them with their third, O my Lord, the Most Merciful, that the encompassing lights of Thy Word, which Thou didst send down through the tongue of Thy Beloved before all things, may take their station. Verily, Thou art the Ruler over what Thou willest and the Doer of what Thou desirest. My soul be a sacrifice for Thy love!
The letter adorned with mention of the Lord of Eternity, which was inscribed by the firm, steadfast pen of certitude and assurance, arrived and was beheld. And whatsoever was recorded therein of the melodies of the birds of Paradise and the doves of the celestial garden in praise and supplication to the Beloved was presented and mentioned in the Most Holy Presence. The blessed Word, which was the source, spring and mine of infinite bounties, appeared from the horizon of the Mouth of Will, gazed with the glance of favor, and was directed toward thee. Blessed is the letter that was read before the Throne and whose praise of His mighty, beauteous Self was heard by the Divine Ear. O my spirit be a sacrifice for thee, O beloved one, for the Tongue of Grandeur spoke concerning thee that which perfumed all existence, both seen and unseen.
Furthermore, whatsoever was expressed regarding the stations of powerlessness and nothingness in the presence of the Branches, Leaves and Twigs of the Divine Lote-Tree was presented at their holy, glorious feet. They showed perfect favor and spoke with wondrous, sublime mention and most high, exalted glorification, which this servant is to convey from their blessed tongue. Verily, He is the Bearer of mercy and the Sender down of blessing to whomsoever He willeth among His near servants.
Verily, the Glory be upon you, O people of Baha, and upon those who love you in truth and certitude.
The servant