Volume 105: Akka 1868–1892 year unknown, Part III (3 of 4)

BH02752: His honor Ism should write this letter in his…

His honor Ism should write this letter in his own name in reply to Aqa ʿAli-Asghar, upon him be the Glory of God.

Regarding what you wrote about his honor Mashhadi ʿAli, upon him be the Glory of God, it was read repeatedly and I forwarded it to the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence, and mention was also made of you in His presence. Assuredly this mention is greater, more excellent and more beloved than all other mentions. Praise be to God, this matter was properly accomplished, and this servant did what he could in bringing forth mention of your honor in the Most Holy Presence where it was discussed.

As for the matter of funds for the house door, no such arrangement was made. In most cases the treasury has been found to be empty, nay rather in debt. Several years ago, after the Rasht incident, the sum of one hundred tumans was bestowed upon him and another person, each receiving fifty tumans according to the draft. This was a bounty that was bestowed. For the house door, no funds can ever be found that could be given for business. Expenditures in the Most Great Prison have reached a point where their enumeration is difficult. God willing, his honor Aqa ʿAli, upon him be the Glory of God, will act in whatever way leads to the manifestation of affection, love and fellowship.

This lowly one beseeches from the ocean of God’s grace and mercy, exalted be His glory, that He may assist His loved ones to perform such deeds and actions as will cause the exaltation of the Cause and the upliftment of the Word of God. At one time this exalted word was revealed concerning one of the loved ones—magnificent is His utterance and glorious His proof:

“O thou such-and-such! Should the entire world and all that is therein be given over to thee, and shouldst thou observe that by accepting it the glory of the Cause would be diminished by even an atom’s weight, thou must forsake it.”

In any case, the point is that at present there are no funds from God’s treasury with the aforementioned gentleman, though this servant has one hundred tumans with him. It is hoped that affairs there will proceed with truthfulness, sincerity and uprightness, and that debts will be paid.

O my God, my God! Assist Thy loved ones in that which will raise their stations among the parties and their ranks in the lands. Verily Thou art the Owner of creation and the Commander in both beginning and return.

BH02821: O Thou whose remembrance is the companion…

He is the Comforter!

O Thou whose remembrance is the companion of the hearts of the yearning ones, whose name is beloved of the hearts of the sincere ones, whose praise is cherished by them that are nigh unto Thee, whose countenance is the goal of the mystics, whose call is healing to the breasts of them that have turned towards Thee, and whose tribulation is the ultimate desire of them that are detached! Glorified, glorified art Thou, O Thou in whose hand is the kingdom of the realm of the heavens and earth! O Thou through whose word from Thee the contingent beings were struck unconscious and their pillars scattered, and through another word were gathered together and each part was joined to another part! Glorified art Thou, O Thou who hast power over all who are in the heavens and earth, and art mighty over all who are in the dominion of Command and Creation!

None is like unto Thee in creation, nor any equal to Thee in invention. No soul hath known Thee, nor hath anyone attained unto Thee. By Thy might! Were one to soar in the atmosphere of Thy holy oneness—verily the mystic is he who draweth nigh through impotence and confesseth to sin, for if existence should make mention before the manifestations of the might of Thy Cause, it would indeed be a sin unequaled by any sin in the kingdoms of Thy creation and invention. Shatter ye the cup of fancy through My Name, the Self-Subsisting, then take ye the chalice of prosperity through the name of the Cleaver of the Dawn.

Thus have We given life to the bodies of words through the sprinklings of the ocean of utterance of thy Lord, the Subjugator of the winds. When thou hast attained unto the Tablet and been attracted by the Kawthar of the All-Merciful, say: Thine be the praise, O Dawning-Place of praise, and Thine be the glory, O Thou in whose hand is the glory of the heavens and earth!

“I am in love with both His love and His wrath indeed, And strange it is that I should love these opposites.”

We have found from thee the fragrance of acceptance, wherefore We have sent down unto thee this Tablet, which nothing that hath been created in the earth can equal. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. They who have been awakened by the call of God, these are the people of Baha in a mighty Tablet. Be thou steadfast in the Cause and make up for what thou hast missed. Thus doth the Prisoner counsel thee from the presence of One All-Knowing, All-Wise.

Convey the Cause of thy Lord with wisdom—thus doth command thee He Who calleth all unto God, the Mighty, the Bountiful. Reflect upon My days and what hath befallen Me in the path of God, thy Lord and the Lord of the worlds. Arise to mention thy Lord with such steadfastness as cannot be prevented by the cawing of the impious nor the braying of those who have disbelieved in God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Verily the glory be upon the people of Baha who are established upon the Crimson Ark through the name of God, the Possessor of Names. They are indeed among the triumphant ones.

BH02734: What is submitted by this evanescent servant to your…

In the Name of God, the Most Holy, the Most Great

What is submitted by this evanescent servant to your exalted presence: Although I have not had the honor of serving you outwardly, yet inwardly the fragrance of your love moved me and the breath of your affection stirred me to arise to express my sincerity to your presence, even though my mention is not worthy of one who has been illumined by the lights of the Divine Realm and has turned to God, the Sovereign of the Realm of Might. We beseech God to make you a helper of His Cause and one who speaks His praise among His creation, and we beseech Him to assist you that there may appear from you that which will exalt God’s Cause throughout creation and by which the horizons will be perfumed. Verily, He is the Protector of those who have been faithful to the Covenant and have turned to God on the Day of Meeting.

This evanescent servant submits that in these days the beloved N.Z., upon him be the Glory of God, attained the Most Holy Presence, and when he mentioned your praiseworthy qualities and lofty, pleasing characteristics, the warmth of love was manifested to such a degree that this servant was emboldened to submit this petition. I beseech and hope from the True One, exalted be His glory, that He will assist this evanescent servant to make mention of His loved ones in a manner befitting and worthy of them. Likewise I hope from God’s generosity that He will cause your honor to succeed in matters that will be the cause of enduring, steadfast remembrances in the earth, for all that people today are occupied with and take pride in will pass away and become non-existent, while that which will endure and remain are those matters that appear today from steadfast, firm and resolute souls, and these matters will become the dawning-place of the world’s remembrances and the source of creation’s utterance.

For years mention of your honor had been heard, but no means appeared by which this servant could venture to write a petition. Praise be to God, this time through the mention of the aforementioned person, the means appeared, although it has caused trouble to your honor, therefore I hope for and continue to hope for forgiveness. I hope that, God willing, the musk-laden breezes from the paradise of your honor’s love will ever pass over this servant and never be cut off. May the Glory be upon your honor and upon those who are with you among the loved ones of God.

The servant of God

BH02809: O thou who circlest round the Throne! O Muhammad-Qabli-ʿAli!…

He is the Answerer!

O thou who circlest round the Throne! O Muhammad-Qabli-ʿAli! O thou who hast emigrated in the path of God! The letter which the Afnan, upon him be My glory, had written unto thee was presented in its entirety by this servant before the Throne, and from the heaven of the Divine Will there were revealed repeatedly, specifically for him, wondrous and sublime verses. Give him the glad-tidings of My loving-kindness, My grace and My mercy. The letter which was sent from Iran was likewise presented before the Presence and its contents were heard in detail.

This is the Day of God, wherein none is mentioned save Him. All names stand still in their own station. No one is permitted to utter a word except as ordained by God in the Most Holy Book which hath been sent down from the kingdom of My wondrous utterance. Whosoever speaketh the words of truth is assuredly beloved in the presence of the Throne, but those souls who are extinct in self and alive in God—they are the upright souls who are content and are a source of contentment. God willing, may all attain to this exalted and most exalted station.

This word is from the previous Manifestations. One of the holy ones said: “O Lord, how can I reach Thee?” He replied: “Cast away thyself, then come.” Thus hath the Tongue spoken in the kingdom of utterance. The glory which proceedeth from the Glory be upon My Afnan, and upon thee, and upon those who have attained unto this mighty station.

At the end of the letter, We make mention of the one who wrote to the Afnan about events in those parts, that he may rejoice and be numbered among the thankful. We, from this station, send Our greetings upon him and upon those who have believed in God in that place, as a token of grace from God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

As to thy mention of the attention of the Name of God, Jamal, upon him be My most glorious glory: God willing, may he be blessed by divine grace and hold fast with perfect wisdom. We have mentioned him before and sent unto him that which cheereth the eyes of them that are endued with insight. We send Our greetings upon his countenance and upon those with him and upon those who hearken to his words concerning the Cause of God, the Lord of this mighty Cause whereby hearts have been perturbed, feet have slipped, eyes have been startled, limbs have trembled, pillars have been shaken, and faces have been transformed, and every mighty structure hath been stirred save such as God, the Lord of this manifest Day, hath willed. Thus hath appeared from the atmosphere of My utterance the whistling of My Most Exalted Pen. Blessed is he who hath turned, and drawn nigh, and heard, and said: “Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds!”

BH02876: ʿAyn, Lam. The dust of hypocrisy hath enshrouded…

He is the Comforter, the Consoler, the Compassionate, the Forgiving, the Merciful

ʿAyn, Lam. The dust of hypocrisy hath enshrouded the Luminary of the horizons, and the sorrows of the world have transformed joy itself. In these days, according to outward appearances, grievous tidings have arrived from every direction, for the embodiment of tyranny sitteth enthroned upon the seat of oppression while justice, poor and forlorn, hath withdrawn to a corner. Glory be to God! In the great city such a door of greed and avarice hath been opened that none but God can reckon its prevalence. Outwardly they appear submissive but inwardly—God forbid! Nevertheless, the grief of this Wronged One in these days is beyond description. Yet still do We recline upon the throne of power and sit upon the cushions of glory. The might of the oppressors cannot weaken divine power, nor can the calumnies of the slanderers conceal the face of truth. Those possessed of hearing and sight exist in the world—they are the true assayers among the world’s peoples. Blessed are they and joy be unto them!

In these days certain news which outwardly causeth sorrow hath arrived, including the ascension of thy mother and her rise to the Supreme Companion. Today the ocean of mercy is surging and the sun of grace is shining bright and manifest. At the beginning of the Revelation this blessed word shone forth from the Mouth of the Divine Will: The relatives of those assured souls who accepted the Cause and who, in the early days, quaffed the water of immortality from the hand of bounty, are adorned with the blessed robes of forgiveness. We love to make mention of her at this time as a command from God, the All-Bountiful, the Generous:

“O My leaf! O Mother of Ali! Rejoice that the Pen of God, the Most High, hath moved to make mention of thee in the prison of Akka, and by its movement the ocean of forgiveness surged and the fragrance of thy Lord’s mercy that hath preceded all creation wafted abroad. The light shining resplendent from the horizon of the heaven of My grace be upon thee, O My handmaiden and My leaf! We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to send down upon thee at all times His everlasting favors and eternal bounties, and to ordain for thee every day that which will gladden thy heart and solace thine eyes. Verily He is the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the All-Glorious, the All-Bountiful. There is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Chosen One.”

According to instructions, the original revelation was sent.

BH03974: That which has been inscribed by the Supreme Pen…

That which has been inscribed by the Supreme Pen in the preamble of the Book of Divine Protection is this blessed and exalted Word: Know, O peoples of the earth, that the fear of God hath ever been the primary cause of tranquility, and the source of order and peace in creation. For this matter preserves the servants and adorns the world with continuing betterment. Had the nations abroad held fast to this, assuredly these affairs which have caused terror in the world and the perturbation of peoples’ hearts would not have occurred or appeared.

In all things moderation is praiseworthy and beloved. Excessive civilization has been and continues to be a cause of destruction. As can now be observed in Europe, by their own admission, they commit murder in various ways with an oppression the like of which has never been heard, let alone witnessed. Ere long they shall be seized with great punishments, for the vitality of men’s belief in God is dying out in every land, and this weakening has given strength to the ignorant and caused their audacity and presumption. Among the matters incumbent upon all today is adherence to that which instills the fear of God, for this is the cause of security and safety, and the source of comfort and mercy, as it preserves people from abhorrent deeds and unacceptable conduct. In this case, the fruits of the blessed words “Wherein thou seest no crookedness or inequality” will be witnessed.

In brief, two things are necessary and obligatory for man: First, religion, which preserves him from transgressions and sins—blessed is he who hath adorned his head with the crown of piety and his temple with the armor of the fear of God. Second are deeds, for through deeds and character man is distinguished from the animal….

Moderation is necessary in dealing with Sheikh Muhammad. Beseech God that they may maintain a single countenance. This is an exalted station. If you deem it advisable, you may read to him what hath been revealed specifically for him. Should it fall into his hands, it might cause certain matters to arise. In any case, I beseech God to confirm him. Verily, He is powerful over all things. However, that spiritual friend must in all circumstances hold fast to wisdom. We beseech God, our Lord and the Lord of the worlds, to assist you and protect you from the evil of the oppressors, and to aid you in guiding the servants. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous.

The dwelling-place of that honored person should, outwardly, remain unwritten and not be kept at hand. If there be any Tablet or other writings, a copy thereof should be taken; there is no harm in brevity, yet concealment, so far as possible, is preferable and more seemly.

The letters of the dearly cherished, Janab Aqa Shaykh Muhammad—upon him be the splendour of the Most Glorious—were received, and his reply will, God willing, be dispatched next week. Convey to him my greeting and salutation. Praise be to God, he hath ever been, and still is, remembered in the Most Holy Presence.

Another matter: the sacred Tablets are inaccessible. Three blessed Tablets, in the most holy hand of Hadrat Ghusn-i-Akbar—my spirit and my very being be offered up for the dust of His sanctified threshold—were bestowed, each one addressed to one of three named persons, upon whom be the Glory of God.

BH11618: This is a mention from the Wronged One…

In the Name of Him Who is the Supreme Ruler over all Names!

This is a mention from the Wronged One to him who hath turned towards the Most Exalted Horizon when the Lord of Names appeared with a sovereignty that conquered all who are in earth and heaven, that the rapture of the wine of remembrance may so grip him that he may voice the praise of God amongst His servants. The horizon of bounty hath been illumined and earth and heaven have been made to shine, and yet most of the people remain in doubt and dissension. They have clung to their own desires and have opposed Him through Whom all things have proclaimed: “The Kingdom belongeth to God, the One, the Mighty, the Unconstrained.” The intoxication of the dregs of heedlessness hath seized them in such wise as to debar them from the divine fragrances when they were wafted throughout creation.

The Divine Lote-Tree calleth out at all times with the most exalted call, summoning all unto God, the Creator of heaven, yet the people have been prevented from hearkening by their following of idle fancies. We testify that they are among the dead. All things have been stirred by the fragrance of reunion save those who have disbelieved in the Beginning and the End. God shall soon destroy their souls and what they possess through His conquering might. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the All-Compelling.

Did that which the Caesars possessed benefit them, or did that which the Pharaohs had amassed avail them? Leadership deluded them to such a degree that they occupied themselves with the world and its ornaments during their numbered days, and were heedless of that which was with their Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. Behold the people and their lack of awareness—they have chosen for themselves that which will soon perish and have cast behind their backs that which will endure as long as God, the Lord of all men, endureth. Thus have We sent down the verses from the heaven of grace and favor and dispatched them that thine eyes may be consoled thereby and that thou mayest thank thy Lord by night and by day.

Make mention of My loved ones on My behalf and remind them of that which We have revealed in the Scriptures and Tablets. Say: O loved ones of the All-Merciful! My glance is directed towards you, My tongue maketh mention of you, and the hands of My loving-kindness give you to drink of the Kawthar of My favors at eventide and at dawn. We counsel you to show forth the utmost steadfastness in the Cause of your Lord, the Lord of Names, lest the allusions of those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of Religions, debar you. Then make mention on My behalf of thy children and those who are with thee, and give them the glad-tidings of this mercy which hath preceded all created things. Say: Hold fast unto the cord of remembrance and praise amidst the concourse of creation, that thereby may be attracted the hearts of those who have been heedless of God when He came with the Kingdom of verses. And upon thee be glory, and upon them, and upon those who have attained unto this Day which God hath made the Dayspring of all days.

BH11619: O Khalil! Convey My greetings to the people…

In the Name of Him Who is the Guardian over all names!

O Khalil! Convey My greetings to the people of Faran on behalf of the Wronged One. Say: Today all relationship is with God, glorified be His majesty, and none is mentioned except Him. Blessed are they who have attained unto the cord of true oneness and held fast thereunto. These are the people of Baha and the companions of the Crimson Ark. We beseech God to aid all and grant them such confirmation that their names may not be withheld from their Creator, Lord and Quickener.

Some souls who imagined themselves seated upon the cushions of steadfastness were deprived of the Truth merely at the mention of a name from among names. Say: O people! All names have been and are created by a Word. What fruit did the adherence of the former people to names yield? Night and day they were occupied with the mention of names, heedless and debarred from the Truth. The consequence of those deeds was that on the Day of Resurrection they cursed the Lord of all beings and martyred Him. And now in mosques and from pulpits they utter that which causeth the eye of God to weep and the hearts of His trusted ones to burn.

Say: Hearken unto the call of this Wronged One and beseech God not to afflict His servants anew with the vain imaginings of the former people, and to grant them that which will exalt them and draw them nigh unto Him. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

The aforementioned person hath ever been before Our face, and thou mayest keep the mentioned tablet. Those tablets were revealed in those days, but the means for their dispatch were not available. Likewise, a blessed epistle was revealed in the name of Ruhani nearly three years ago from the heaven of the Divine Will, together with the names mentioned in his petition, and it hath not yet been sent. We beseech God to assist her and My handmaidens and My leaves, and those who have attained His presence, heard His call, and responded:

“Here am I, O Thou Goal of all that are in the heavens and earth! Here am I, O God of the exalted Throne!”

The glory shining forth from the horizon of My kingdom be upon you, O My loved ones, My companions, My friends, My leaves and My handmaidens who have heard the call and have attained unto that which God hath willed in this Most Holy, Most Mighty, Most Wondrous, Most Luminous and Most Great Revelation.

BH02857: Praise, glorification, mention and splendor befit the sublime station…

He is God, exalted be His glory in wisdom and utterance.

Praise, glorification, mention and splendor befit the sublime station of the Most Exalted Pen, which at every moment has manifested the pearls of wisdom and utterance before the faces of the religions. His mention is the Lord of mentions and His word is the sovereign of utterance. The dominion of the world did not prevent Him, nor hold Him back from His purpose. Exalted be His penetrating Word and glorified His triumphant Will.

We were immersed in the ocean of knowledge when there came and appeared before Our face one of the Branches who was named Diya’ in the Kingdom of proof, and in his hand was thy letter which thou hadst sent to him, and he read it before the face of the Wronged One. Then from it wafted the fragrance of devotion, steadfastness and acceptance. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to ordain for thee from the Pen of Destiny that which shall cause thee to be mentioned by His name amongst His servants and to be the dawning-place of steadfastness unto the people of His kingdom. Verily, He is the Ordainer of whatsoever He willeth through His Will, and the Manifester of whatsoever He desireth through His sovereignty and power.

O thou who art mentioned before the Wronged One! I do not complain of what hath befallen Me in My days, and I am content with My good-pleasure and what We have ordained for Myself in My path. Thou knowest, and God knoweth, that I was in the depths of tribulations through what the hands of the oppressors who We had raised up to champion My Cause and to stand before the gate of My grandeur had wrought. Thou seest Me outwardly seated upon the throne of utterance before the faces of the world, but wert thou to look with the inner eye thou wouldst see Me beneath the claws of hatred.

O Muhammad, upon thee be My glory! By My life, I remain silent at a time when from My utterance hath flowed the ocean of wisdom and knowledge, and from My tongue the river of mercy and proof. The power of the world hath not weakened Me, nor hath the clamor of nations saddened Me, nor hath the oppression of the tyrannical among My servants frightened Me, nor the rebellion of My creatures. By My might and majesty! I have concealed what hath befallen My Self—My inner being weepeth while My countenance smileth. Verily thy Lord is the Concealer, and hath commanded all to patience and gracious concealment.

O Muhammad! We have heard thy call, thy communion, thy mentions and thy prayers. We have answered thee with verses and mentions that cannot be equaled by the treasures of the heavens and earth. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. We make mention of the friends and bid them to the most great steadfastness. Praise be to God, they are gathered beneath the blessed Tree and are occupied with His remembrance.

BH02921: O Zayn, upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness!…

In the Name of Him through Whom the gates of utterance have smiled!

O Zayn, upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness! My Branch Diya’ presented the letter that was sent before the face of the Wronged One, and it attained the honor of being heard. Blessed is he who sent and wrote it. The Tongue of Grace at the beginning of its utterance spoke these words:

“O Zayn! We have taken the word Juzani’ and put Ha’i’ in its place.”

This is the great glad-tidings and the supreme bounty. Give him My glad-tidings and remind him of My verses. We have indeed revealed for him a Tablet from whose horizon has shone the sun of God’s mercy, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

Their deeds have been accepted, praise be to God. They did not oppose anyone, and whatever befell them they bore with patience and left it to God. These are they who possess constancy in the Book of thy Lord, the Chosen One. Blessed are they who command in the land of love, and blessed are My friends therein. Whatever befell them, they did not protest and remained focused on the Luminary of God’s Cause which has dawned from the horizon of the Mother Book.

O Zayn! They interceded for their enemies. Nevertheless, the wicked ones in Iran have not ceased their oppression. Their necks have been stretched forth in hypocrisy. We beseech God to aid them to conduct that is pleasing and acceptable. Glory be to God! They witness outwardly the love, kindness and tenderness of God’s friends, yet they have not awakened nor intended to return. Verily God is the Forgiver, the Generous.

Surely by now the friends in the land of Nun and Jim have acted according to that which has shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of consultation. However, in all cases they must pray and beseech God, exalted be His glory, to illumine His Majesty the Sultan with the light of justice and fairness, that he may judge among the servants with pure justice. In times when the fire of hatred is inflamed, they should send their petition to His Majesty the Sultan so that he may be informed of what has befallen them. It is not permissible to seek recourse to various governments. They should seek justice from the Sultan. Verily He heareth and answereth, and He is the Protector, the Helper, the Succourer.

That which the opposers now consider to be the cause of humiliation for God’s friends is the very essence of glory. Soon this shall become manifest and shall be witnessed by the believers who have heard the call and said: “Praise be to Thee, O God of the seen and unseen!”

BH02892: This is a Book which the Wronged One hath…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most High

This is a Book which the Wronged One hath revealed unto him who hath believed in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, that the potency of My verses may draw him to My Kingdom and strengthen him to arise for My remembrance and praise in such wise that the winds of opposition shall fail to shake him and the doings of them that have disbelieved in God, the Lord of existence, shall be powerless to deter him. How many a servant awaited the days of God, yet when the horizon of Revelation was illumined, he denied both the Witness and that whereunto He testified! Thou shouldst at all times render thanks unto God, for He hath aided thee and enabled thee to attain unto this praiseworthy station. Say:

O my God and the God of names and the Creator of earth and heaven! I beseech Thee by the Name through which the limbs of all things trembled, to make me steadfast in Thy love and looking toward Thy horizon and speaking forth Thy praise and holding fast unto the cord of Thy Cause. O Lord! I am he that is poor and hath knocked at the door of Thy riches. I implore Thee by Thy bounty and Thy grace not to deny me that which is with Thee. O Lord! Write down for me that whereby my remembrance shall endure in Thy Kingdom of Names, through the perpetuity of Thy most excellent names. Thou art indeed the Almighty over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Hearken with thy inner ear to the voice of the Wronged One. There hath befallen Him that which hath befallen no one else. Beseech the Lord, exalted be His glory, to preserve the lamp He hath lit from contrary winds. Every tribulation in the path of the Beloved is beloved and desired. I swear by the pearls of My divine knowledge, if thou wert to become aware of that which at every moment befalleth the Self of God from those who claim to love Him, thou wouldst surely arise in lamentation and weeping. My sorrow and grief I complain of only unto God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen, the Lord of all worlds. Thou must turn with the utmost joy and radiance toward the lands of God and give the glad-tidings of the True Friend unto His loved ones.

Praise be to God, thou hast turned unto Him and partaken of the Kawthar of His presence. Beseech God, exalted be His glory, that through His grace He may preserve this great deed and supreme benevolence. Great is the station and great the deed. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to give thee to drink of that which shall gladden thy heart and to ordain for thee that which shall profit thee in every world of His worlds. He, verily, is the Single One, the All-Giving, the Gracious.

BH03008: A Book sent down by the Wronged One…

He is the Witness, the Hearer, the Seer.

A Book sent down by the Wronged One in His Most Great Prison to him who has turned to the Supreme Horizon and drunk the choice wine of bounty from the hand of the favor of his Lord, the Munificent, the Generous.

We have mentioned thee time and again as a token of Our grace, for thy Lord is verily the All-Bountiful, but most of the people are heedless. At all times hath the Pen of the All-Merciful made mention of His loved ones, that all may drink from the ocean of joy and repose upon the couch of contentment. How blessed is the state of one who hath drunk from the Kawthar of revelation and stood up with utmost steadfastness in the Cause of God.

That which hath been and is recorded in the Books, Scriptures and Tablets concerning assistance—the purpose thereof is the mention and praise of God and the teaching of this mighty Cause through wisdom and utterance. Convey My greetings to the friends in that land and gladden them with the remembrance of the Wronged One.

Today the Most Exalted Pen counseleth the people of Baha to preserve their stations. God willing, may they attain unto this most great gift and act in accordance with that which exalteth the Cause. The honored Nazir, upon him be My glory, is present and hath attained to pilgrimage on behalf of the friends. May God, exalted be His glory, aid them all to that which hath been and is the cause of enduring mention.

Were the station of but one of God’s friends to be made manifest amongst mankind, all would be struck senseless by the radiance of its light, save whom God willeth. The diverse colors of the world have occupied its people and deprived them of the Supreme Horizon, yet he who possesseth sight is not withheld by worldly affairs from the Most Great Prospect. Verily He speaketh the truth and manifesteth to whomsoever He willeth His straight path.

Grieve thou not over anything. Put thy trust in God, the Lord of the worlds. He shall manifest unto thee that which He hath willed and ordained from His Most Exalted Pen. Thy Lord is verily the Almighty, the Powerful. Glory be upon thee and upon him who mentioned thee in the Prison—he who is named Abu’l-Qasim in this noble station.

BH03016: Praise be to God that you have reached…

He is God, exalted is He!

Praise be to God that you have reached the shore of the ocean of reunion and attained that which is the ultimate goal in both beginning and end. Praise be to God that you left your homeland and turned your face toward God’s path, and for the love of God bore the hardships of travel. And now, through His grace and favor, you have arrived near the City of Nearness and alighted in the vicinity of the Friend’s Ka’bah, becoming intimate with the meeting of the true Friend—the true Friend whom God has chosen for His service and His Cause and His love and His remembrance among His servants, and named him with this name in the kingdom of His names. All this is from God’s grace and mercy and God’s generosity and care.

This servant, with a hundred thousand tongues, offers thanks to the true Beloved that your honor has, with permission, turned toward the prison land—and this is another and greater bounty in the sight of the Most Great Horizon. Blessed are you, and all glory and blessedness be upon the sanctified presence of God’s Most Truthful Name, upon him be the praise of God and the praise of all in the worlds.

Furthermore, it is submitted that news of your honor arrived by telegraph with a brief mention of tidings. Now a detailed account is submitted: Sometimes caravans come from Beirut to this land. Since the land route lacks security, therefore your honor should observe—if a reliable caravan is departing, travel in its company, otherwise wait and depart by sea vessel. Utmost care in this matter is certainly necessary, as it is absolutely not permitted to travel without a reliable caravan by this route.

Convey to the companions on my behalf an exalted greeting. Glad tidings to them, then glad tidings to them! By God, the reality of glad tidings takes pride in giving them glad tidings, but people are heedless of this most great bounty.

To the honored and revered master, his honor Muhammad Mustafa, upon him be all His most glorious Glory, I present pure devotion and the Most Holy, Most Exalted greeting. Likewise I send greetings to the other friends in that land. Glory be upon you and upon them and upon the people of Glory, in the beginning and the end.

The servant

BH03044: O Jafar! He Who is wronged makes mention…

O Jafar! He Who is wronged makes mention of thee from the direction of His Most Great Prison, and gives thee the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness…

We make mention in the Persian tongue that ye may become aware of the heedlessness of those who claim divine love. All the followers of the Quran acknowledge and confess that after the Manifestation, Husayn shall appear on earth and all the Prophets and Messengers shall gather beneath His blessed standard. Likewise shall the Qa’im return and join with the Prophets and Messengers beneath the standard. Nevertheless, all remain heedless and veiled save whom God willeth, and most veiled of all are the people of the Bayan. I swear by the Sun in the heaven of truth that all that was mentioned and recorded in the divine Books of the past and future hath been made manifest and evident, and the appointed times have come to pass.

Yet all are observed to lie dead in the graves of their desires. These utterances flow from the Pen out of consideration for the weakness of the servants; otherwise the commanding Word proclaimeth at all times: “The Self-Subsisting hath appeared after the Qa’im, and He it is by Whom the Bridge was erected and the Balance set up, and the Hour came, and the Resurrection arose, and the Trumpet was blown, and the Speaker of the Mount spoke, and the Inevitable came to pass, and the Striking Day struck, and the heaven was cleft asunder, and the earth was split, and the mountains were moved, and every pregnant one cast down her burden, and thou seest mankind as drunken, yet they are not drunken, but severe is God’s chastisement.”…

BH02959: Praise be to the Desired One Who, through…

He is the Expounder, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise!

Praise be to the Desired One Who, through a hidden drop in the Most Exalted Word, hath adorned the world with a new and wondrous life. Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto this life which is, in truth, manifest and visible in the garment of immortality. Prayer, praise, glorification and glory be upon the loved ones of God, whom neither the doubts of the divines nor the allusions of the ignorant could deter. They heard, they hastened, and they said:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of all beings and King of the Kingdom of Names, for having manifested and revealed Thy Cause resplendent and Thy momentous Message, and for having announced unto all what hath been ordained for them by God, the Lord of all worlds.”

The honored Andalib, upon him be My glory, made mention of thee. We have remembered thee in this wondrous Tablet, and have turned toward thee from the precincts of the Prison, and have brought forth for thee the pearls of wisdom and utterance from the shells of the ocean of thy Lord, the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous.

This is the Day of grace and bounty, the Day of assistance and service. Yet through the hosts of deeds and character have the sword and its implements, and war and its equipment, been erased from the Book. This most great bounty and supreme favor is specific to this Revelation. Those steadfast souls who have quaffed from the crimson cup the Kawthar of immortality must assist the Cause of God through goodly deeds and praiseworthy character.

Convey My greetings to the loved ones in that land, then share with them that which hath flowed from the treasuries of My Pen, that they may rejoice and be among the thankful. This Day hath no peer or likeness, and from the loved ones must appear that which befitteth this Most Great Day. Verily, We have remembered thee with that which nothing in all creation can equal, and We have accepted what thou didst send, as a bounty from Our presence and a favor from Our court. Thy Lord, verily, is the Almighty over whatsoever He willeth. There is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Glory be from Us upon thee and upon those whom neither the taunts of the enemies nor the power of princes could prevent from drawing nigh unto God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne.

BH03166: In My Name, the Self-Subsisting, the Steadfast

In My Name, the Self-Subsisting, the Steadfast

O Ali-Akbar! A strange world has appeared—that which should exist is absent, and that which should not exist is present. Truth is non-existent while falsehood and calumny are manifest. Each day the opposers of the Threshold attribute some theft and refer it to the poor, helpless inhabitants of Akka. Through tricks and schemes they seek to stain His sanctified hem, in order to erase the traces of truth and establish the traces of falsehood. You saw what Akhtar wrote, and the story about the Qur’an has surely reached your ears. Glory be to God! The realms of justice and fairness are darkened and clouded.

Despite all this, and griefs the like of which have never appeared in the world, the Most Exalted Pen moves and the Tongue speaks. For the sake of protection and preservation, We sent some souls from this land to the Threshold with utmost love, as circumstances had appeared that would lead to corruption and bring about causes of murder. Therefore, out of mercy We did what you have heard. However, they joined the dawning-place of vain fancies, namely Shaykh Muhammad Yazdi, and he acted according to Yahya’s fatwa in ways whose mention would cause you grief. Outwardly, one would not have thought such souls existed in the world of being. You should abandon their mention and remember God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne.

God willing, you will be assisted in all conditions to aid and teach God’s Cause. A special Tablet of Visitation was revealed and sent for Bik, upon him be My glory and bounty, and likewise a Tablet was revealed and sent for one of his relatives. Some time ago, Aqa Siyyid Musa submitted a petition to the Most Holy Court. His answer was also revealed—deliver it to him.

God willing, may the people of the world drink from the Kawthar of nearness and be illumined by the light of justice. Night and day the Most Exalted Pen is occupied with wise counsels and loving exhortations. We beseech God to create attentive ears. Verily He is powerful over all things. Glory be upon you and upon My loved ones there, and upon My handmaidens and the leaves of My Tree who have believed in the Single One, the All-Informed.

BH03072: O Dhabih! The verses have been sent down…

He is the Expounder, the Caller in the midst of heaven

O Dhabih! The verses have been sent down from the heaven of thy Lord’s Will, the Lord of Names and Attributes. Thereupon the servant who was present came before the Throne and asked whether Dhabih had a portion. We said: Yea, by thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful!

The Face of the Wronged One turned from the direction of His Most Great Prison toward thee, and He remembereth thee with what flowed from the River of Life in thy name when the House of the Beloved was surrounded by the hosts of tyranny and wickedness. Reflect that thou mayest know what was hidden from men of understanding.

Remember when the All-Merciful revealed unto thee what was named the Tablet of Ra’is wherein He revealed what was hidden in His all-pervading knowledge. By the life of God! All that was revealed from My Most Exalted Pen hath come to pass. Read and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Revealer of verses! That which hath appeared and shall appear hath been revealed in the Tablets. This is attested by what the Tongue of Grandeur uttered when He was in the hands of the wicked ones.

O Dhabih! The Wronged One crieth out and lamenteth by reason of what hath befallen Him at the hands of them that denied God, the Lord of all men. Hearken unto what the idolaters say. Among them is he who saith He hath claimed Lordship. Say: Yea, by My life! This is He Who was promised in the Scriptures and Tablets. If this be Baha’s crime, what sayest thou of Him Who declared “Verily I am God from time immemorial”? Say: Read ye the verses of God that ye may understand the mysteries of this Cause which hath encompassed all who are in earth and heaven.

Rejoice thou in My remembrance of thee, then read what We revealed unto thee aforetime and in this time wherein He Who is the Lord of the Day of Return is established upon the Throne. Convey My glory unto thy son who hath turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon and entered the White Spot, the place wherefrom was raised the Call “The Kingdom is God’s, the One, the All-Compelling.” Blessed is he in that he hath turned, entered, attained the presence, heard and won that which was recorded in the Book. Then convey My glory unto thy family and My loved ones who have held fast unto the Sure Handle and clung to the hem of thy Lord’s mercy, the Subduer of winds.

BH03082: How many trees are adorned with wondrous divine fruits…

He is God, the Helper

How many trees are adorned with wondrous divine fruits while we remain imprisoned beneath the earth, and how many flourishing gardens appear on earth while these existing eyes are forbidden from beholding them! How many birds sing upon the branches of trees while these ears are deprived of hearing them! Therefore, one must count these numbered days as precious and not remain heedless of the remembrance and praise of God. In all conditions, take refuge in God and be vigilant lest through satanic whisperings you remain deprived of the divine breezes.

Strive to manifest yourself among people with goodly character and praiseworthy deeds, that perhaps the breaths of holiness and detachment may waft from you, that perchance the hearts of the dead may attain eternal life through association and fellowship with you and become sustained by the Kawthar of submission and contentment.

Although the counsel of the wise benefits not the ignorant—as We have counseled in all Tablets that no one should oppose another—from the time of Our sojourn in Iraq until now We have forbidden people from carnal desires and from contention and warfare with others. Nevertheless, they committed that which was forbidden in all pages and Tablets, and the harm of the deeds of the ignorant has rebounded upon this imprisoned servant. And souls who have committed all manner of unseemly acts now display themselves in the garment of asceticism and attribute to this servant all that they have done. This is what was revealed in previous Books, that wolves would appear in sheep’s clothing and busy themselves with deceiving people.

In any case, in all conditions fix your gaze upon the Truth and be detached from all else. Count His remembrance as precious and betray not the trust of His love to the treacherous and the thief, but preserve it with the utmost care. Give thanks at all times that separation has been changed to union, remoteness to nearness, and that you have attained the recognition of God in days when most are veiled.

And the Spirit be upon you.

BH03109: Glory be unto Thee, Thou O My God…

He is God, Exalted is He, the Lord of Loving-Kindness and Bounty

Glory be unto Thee, Thou O My God, the Lord Omnipotent. I testify to Thine omnipotence and Thy might, Thy sovereignty and Thy loving-kindness, Thy grace and Thy power, the oneness of Thy Being and the unity of Thine Essence, Thy sanctity and exaltation above the world of being and all that is therein.

O my God! Thou seest me detached from all save Thee, holding fast unto Thee and turning unto the Ocean of Thy Bounty, to the Heaven of Thy Favour, to the Day-Star of Thy Grace.

Lord! I bear witness that in Thy servant Thou hast reposed Thy Trust, and that is the Spirit wherewith Thou hast given life to the world.

I ask of Thee by the splendour of the Orb of Thy Revelation, mercifully to accept from him that which he hath achieved in Thy days. Grant then that he may be invested with the glory of Thy good-pleasure and adorned with Thy acceptance.

O my Lord! I myself and all created things bear witness unto Thy might and I pray Thee not to turn away from Thyself this spirit that hath ascended unto Thee, unto Thy Heavenly Place, Thine exalted Paradise and Thy Retreats of Nearness, O Thou Who art the Lord of all men!

Grant then O my God, that Thy servant may consort with Thy chosen ones, Thy saints and Thy Messengers in heavenly places that the pen cannot tell nor the tongue recount.

O my Lord, the poor one hath verily hastened unto the Kingdom of Thy Wealth, the stranger unto his home within Thy precincts, he that is sore athirst to the heavenly river of Thy Bounty. Deprive him not, O Lord, from his share of the banquet of Thy Grace and from the favour of Thy Bounty. Thou art in truth the Almighty, the Gracious, the All-Bountiful!

O my God, Thy Trust hath been returned unto Thee. It behoveth Thy Grace and Thy Bounty that have compassed Thy dominions on earth and in Heaven to vouchsafe unto Thy newly welcomed one Thy gifts and Thy bestowals, and the fruits of the Tree of Thy Grace! Powerful art Thou to do as Thou willest, there is none other God but Thee, the Gracious, the Most Bountiful, the Compassionate, the Bestower, the Pardoner, the Precious, the All-Knowing.

I testify O my Lord that Thou hast enjoined upon men to honour their guest, and he that hath ascended unto Thee hath verily reached Thee and attained Thy Presence. Deal with him then according to Thy Grace and Bounty! By Thy Glory, I know of a certainty that Thou wilt not deny Thyself from that which Thou hast commanded to Thy servants, nor wilt Thou deprive him that hath clung to the Cord of Thy Bounty and hath ascended to the Dayspring of Thy wealth.

There is none other God but Thee, the One, the Single, the Powerful, the Omniscient, the Bountiful.

BH03065: Today the Speaker of Sinai is calling out…

He is the One Who has dominion over all names!

Today the Speaker of Sinai is calling out in the Kingdom of Utterance, summoning all to the Straight Path and the Great Announcement. Yet ears worthy of hearkening to this Most Exalted Word are rarer than red sulphur. Blessed is the soul whom neither the chains of blind imitation nor the power of those who would set limits has prevented from the Dayspring of Divine Unity or deprived of the ocean of the All-Merciful’s utterance. The waves of the ocean of manifestation surge before all faces, and the effulgences of the Sun of Truth shine forth from every direction. Yet the desires of self and passion have become an obstacle, preventing eyes from beholding the Most Exalted Horizon and ears from hearing the shrill voice of the Most Exalted Pen. We beseech God to make all aware and not deprive them of the outpourings of His days. He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Your letter was forwarded to the Most Holy Court by Afnan, upon him be My glory. Praise be to God, the fragrance of love and devotion wafted from it. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to assist you in that whose fragrance will never cease to endure throughout the dominion of His kingdom and His sovereignty, and to make you a standard of His name amongst His creation. Verily He is powerful over whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be” and it is.

The aforementioned youth attained Our presence and meeting—although for several years this Wronged One has not associated with any of the outside parties. We met with them repeatedly and signs of purity were evident from his countenance. We beseech God to assist him in that which will cause the eradication of corruption and establishment of the reformation of the world. Verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer. The details will surely be mentioned by his honor Afnan. Convey on behalf of the Wronged One greetings to the friends in that land and illumine them with the splendors of the light of the Sun of remembrance. Glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of God’s loving-kindness be upon you and upon those who have turned with radiant hearts and shining faces to the Most Exalted Horizon, the station wherein all atoms proclaim:

“The kingdom and the dominion, the grandeur and might belong to God, the Lord of the mighty throne and the elevated seat!”

BH03106: May my spirit and my being be sacrificed…

He is the Most Manifest, the Most Glorious

May my spirit and my being be sacrificed for Thee! The blessed leaf adorned with the mention of the Beloved brought solace to this distraught heart and caused sorrows to crumble. Alexander first built from blocks of might and power an impregnable barrier so that the people of tyranny and rebellion would not transgress against the people of guidance and righteousness, and that barrier remained firm as mentioned in the Book of God. We beseech God to raise up an Alexander who will breach these barriers and fortresses and deliver the friends from imprisonment. However, they have said there are two prisons—one outward and one inward. Outward imprisonment, if without crime or transgression, is beloved; nay, that prison is the homeland of lovers and the dwelling place of those drawn nigh:

Wherever Thou art with me, I am content, Even if my abode be in the depths of a pit. Wherever our King spreads His carpet, Be it a wasteland or the eye of a needle.

The furnace, through mention of the Friend, is a true rose garden, while the rose garden, without the Friend, is truly a furnace:

With Thee the furnace is a rose garden, O Life-Giver, Without Thee the rose garden is a furnace, O Heart-Ravisher.

Every hardship in the path of the Beloved has been and will be sweet nectar. But the prison which in divine terminology truly merits this name is the prison of self and passion. We beseech God for power and strength that through His assistance we may emerge from this dark, crushing prison and enter the boundless expanse of justice and righteousness. The grief of that [physical] prison lasts but numbered days, while the afflictions of this prison are unnumbered and unlimited. We beseech God to open before your faces the gates of goodly things, for He is the Guardian of good deeds.

O my beloved, I have not been and am not heedless of your remembrance for a moment. All the friends, in all nights and days, are beseeching and hoping from God, glorified and exalted be He, that they may attain the presence of that soul-beloved. This is not difficult for God. The Spirit and Glory and Holiness and Splendor be upon you and your family.

BH11925: O thou who hast turned thy face toward…

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

O thou who hast turned thy face toward the shore of abiding life, and dost dwell beneath the shadow of the bounty of thy Lord, the Lord of Names!

That which had been adorned by the pen of affection and the ink of love and unity hath reached Us. From the blackness of its script there breathed the musk of fidelity, and from the blossoms of its meanings there wafted the fragrance of love and purity. I beseech God, the Lord of existence and the Possessor of the unseen and the seen, to guard thee within the shades of His protection, to vouchsafe unto thee the blessing of His grace, and to give thee to drink of the soft-flowing Salsabíl of nearness and reunion.

When I beheld thy message and perused thy letter, I repaired unto the court of nearness, and laid that which thou hadst uttered, with the tongue of lowly entreaty and supplication, before the face of thy Lord, the All-Sufficing, the Most Exalted. Then was the fragrance of bounty stirred, and the ocean of the grace of the Lord of all being surged; and there was sent down for thee a Tablet wherein the luminary of loving care shone forth from the horizon of favour and mercy.

I beseech my Lord, the All-Glorious, to ordain for thee the bounty of attaining its presence and of reciting it at morn and eventide. Blessed art thou, for thou hast attained unto this supreme favour, and hast been sustained by this celestial banquet and this greatest gift. It behoveth thee to render thanks unto thy Lord, the Mighty, the Chosen One, in the night-season and at the hour of dawn, and to arise, with the most great steadfastness amidst the realm of creation, in remembrance and praise.

By thy life! The grace of God hath encompassed the horizons, and the showers of His mercy have rained upon all regions. Blessed is he who hath striven to attain thereto and hath adorned his outer and inner being with the vesture of acceptance.

Glorified art Thou, O my God, my Lord, my Hope! Thou art He Who hast ever described Thyself as the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous; Thy effulgent grace hath encompassed the world. No likeness hath any unto Thee in Thy power and Thy might, nor any peer in Thy sovereignty and Thy majesty. Thou hast brought existence into being and hast made manifest all created things, and Thou hast adorned those who love Thee, in the realm of the unseen and the seen, with the robe of Thy grace and bounty.

Thou beholdest such as love Thee and turn unto Thee, expectant of the outpouring of Thy favour and the appearance of Thy gifts. Decree for such a one, through Thy encompassing care and Thy all-embracing mercy, that which shall rejoice his heart in Thy days, gladden his soul through Thy loving-kindness, and dilate his breast through Thy tenderness.

Then do Thou, O my Lord and my Desire, protect him, by Thy Greatest Name, beneath the shade of the Lote-Tree of Thy Cause that overshadoweth the world, and strengthen him in whatsoever shall exalt his name in Thy dominion and make his remembrance enduring in Thy Kingdom. Verily, Thou art the One Who is potent to do what He willeth. There is no God but Thee, the Bestower, the All-Bountiful, the Giver, the Mighty, the Munificent.

O thou beloved! Convey, on behalf of this Servant, wondrous cries of magnification unto the faces of those who have been adorned with the robe of steadfastness in the Cause of God, the Lord of all creation, and give them the glad-tidings of the appearance of grace and bounty from the realm of the decree of the Lord of origination.

The spirit and the glory rest upon thee and upon thy household.

BH03265: The letter of your honor, which was adorned…

He is God, exalted be His glory, the Grandeur and Power!

The letter of your honor, which was adorned with mention of the Beloved, reached this lowly servant, and the fragrant, amber-scented breezes from its words and utterances, written in remembrance of the King of Oneness, were inhaled. O joy to those breezes by which the paradise of the hearts of those near to God is concealed! And blessed is the tongue that has spoken the mention of the All-Merciful among all possibilities, and the heart from which has flowed the Salsabil of the love of our Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing! I beseech Him, exalted be He, that through the waters of your remembrances of the King of Names, He may revive the trees of the hearts of His servants who have been heedless of the Most Great, Supreme Announcement and His Ancient and Most Great Remembrance, that He may make all the Divine Lote-Trees of knowledge among the contingent beings, and cause all to speak forth your call and testify that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Bestower.

Be it known that after observing the luminous letter, it was presented at the threshold of the Throne. The petition that had been submitted to the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence was presented in its entirety before the Face. A wondrous and sublime Tablet has been revealed from the heaven of grace specifically for your honor, and likewise all the names that you had written were presented before the Throne. Infinite favors have been shown to all, and specifically for each name a sublime Tablet has been revealed from the heaven of the Divine Will and sent forth. God willing, may all attain to them and, through the fragrances of the revealed verses—from a single breath of which the realities of Paradise are set in motion and stirred—arise with a wondrous spirit and sublime form to serve the Cause and manifest that which is befitting of this Day. And that is, first, to sanctify the self from all else save God, and then, to appear with praiseworthy characteristics, commendable attributes, and goodly remembrances among humanity, that through their breaths the horizons may be perfumed and through their lights all things may be illumined. By God! They are the people of Baha among all creatures.

Upon them be the glory of God and the glory of all the worlds. Verily, remembrance and praise and glorification and splendor be upon you and upon them and upon those who are with you among the loved ones of God.

The servant of God

BH03231: Glory be to Him Who sendeth down the verses…

In the Name of the One through Whom surged the Ocean of Knowledge!

Glory be to Him Who sendeth down the verses as He willeth! He, verily, is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He pleaseth. There is none other God but He, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O thou who gazest toward the horizon! Thy letter hath reached the Most Great Prison, and the servant who standeth before the Throne hath read it. We have answered thee with that whose fragrance hath wafted between the heavens and the earth. Moreover, We have mentioned thee in the Book which We sent unto him who hath turned unto God and who was named Samandar in the kingdom of creation. Verily, thy Lord is the Rememberer, the Munificent.

That which thou hast wrought in the path of God hath been presented before the Throne. He shall surely reward thee with the most excellent of rewards. He, verily, is the Bestower, the Mighty, the Great.

Be thou thankful unto God for having enabled thee to recognize Him and for having made thee one of those who have attained unto His wondrous Day. This is the Day of God. Blessed is he who hath been illumined by its light and who hath done that which beseemeth God, the Lord of all worlds.

Say: O Lord of the world and Creator of the nations! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Name to make me, in all conditions, a servant of Thy Cause, a helper of Thy Faith, one who remembereth Thy Name, one who uttereth that which Thou hast sent down through Thy sovereignty, and one who acteth according to that which hath been inscribed in Thy Book. I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by Thy Self, to ordain for me that which Thou hast ordained for the near ones among Thy servants, and to decree for me that whereby my remembrance shall endure in Thy kingdom. Thou, verily, art the Powerful, the Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

From this spot We send Our greetings unto them that have believed in that place, that they may rejoice in the mention of this Wronged One and hold fast unto that which they have been commanded by God, the Almighty, the Powerful.

The Sun of Grace hath dawned, and God hath mentioned every name that was in thy letter through verses that have gladdened them that dwell in the kingdom of names and have stirred the hearts of them that are endued with understanding. Thy son is mentioned in the Book. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Manifest, the All-Wise.

The glory rest upon thee, upon him, upon thy family, and upon them that believed when the Trump was sounded and all who are in the heavens and on earth swooned away, except such as thy Lord pleased, the All-Knowing.

BH03228: A mention from the Wronged One to him who…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Expositor, the All-Knowing

A mention from the Wronged One to him who hath attained unto the lights of unity when the Manifestation of the Cause appeared from God, the Lord of the worlds. The horizon of utterance hath been illumined and the Most Exalted Pen hath moved by the command of thy Lord, the All-Informed. We had indeed held back the Pen for successive years lest the clamor be raised by those who cast the Truth behind their backs and followed what they were bidden by every heedless remote one. When the appointed time came, the shrill voice of the Most Exalted Pen was raised—verily He is the Generous Bestower.

Thou wert mentioned in the prison—this Book which speaketh “There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Wise” beareth witness to that. Conceal the face of the Cause from every treacherous doubter. Hold fast in all conditions unto the cord of wisdom and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O my God and the God of all who are in Thy earth and Thy heaven, for having drawn me nigh unto Thee and caused me to know Thee and taught me and given me to drink the choice wine of revelation from the hands of bounty and made me one of those who have attained. I beseech Thee by the fragrances of Thy days and the waves of the ocean of Thy grace that Thou make me in all conditions empowered to remember Thee and steadfast in Thy service. O my Lord! Thou knowest and seest what hath befallen me in Thy path. My days have passed in prison because I turned unto Thee and believed in Thy signs. Do with me as beseemeth Thy greatness and Thy sovereignty. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the All-Powerful.”

The glory from the Wronged One be upon thee and upon thy family and upon the children of him who attained unto the knowledge of God when those on earth turned away from Him save whom His all-compelling Will did choose among those in the heavens and the earth. Convey my greetings and give my salutations to each one who is with thee there. Say:

“We have remembered you and do remember you—verily He is the Remembering, the All-Knowing.”

And We counsel them with that which will manifest their station and glory and rank among the people, and We beseech Him, exalted be He, to aid them in what He loveth and is pleased with. Verily He is powerful over what He willeth. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Great.

BH03196: Verily, We make mention of him who hath desired…

Verily, We make mention of him who hath desired the countenance of God and hath spoken in praise of God, the Lord of existence. This is the Day whereon mankind hath arisen before God, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting. This is the Day whereof God informed and gave glad tidings unto His servants through His word:

“Lead forth the people from darkness into light and remind them of the days of God.”

Thus hath the matter been decreed from before God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. This is the Day whereon the mountains have been set in motion, yet most of the people understand not.

Thy letter hath come before the Wronged One, and We have heard that which thou didst call unto God, the Lord of the Frequented Fane. Thy yearning hath attained unto Our hearing, and We have revealed for thee that which no thing among all things, nor any treasure among all treasures, can equal. Hold fast unto the Most Great Name and cleave unto the hem of God, the Lord of the exalted Station wherein the Tongue of Grandeur did speak and summon all unto His praiseworthy habitation.

Among the people is he whom the attraction of the verses of thy Lord did so seize that he cast away the world, turning unto God, the Lord of eternity. He came, heard, and responded, attaining unto that which was recorded in the hearts of the Prophets and inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in My preserved Tablet.

Thou didst seek forgiveness from the ocean of thy Lord’s mercy, the All-Merciful. We have purified thee, as a bounty from Us, with the water of loving-kindness and favors. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Compassionate, the Most Kind.

When thou dost inhale the fragrance of My words and attain unto the traces of My Pen, make mention of My days and what hath befallen Me from Mine enemies who cast the Command of God behind their backs, following every rejected scholar and every forsaken ignorant one. Those who, at mention of Us, arose and said what they said have pronounced judgment against Us, and when We manifested the Cause they turned away from Us and objected to Us with such tyranny as caused the denizens of the Kingdom to lament.

We counsel thee with that whereby the Cause of God may be exalted. This is what behooveth him who hath turned unto the Most Sublime Horizon in this Promised Day. Glory be unto the people of Glory who have held fast unto God’s Covenant and Testament and acted according to what they were commanded in His inscribed Tablet. Praise be unto God, the Lord of Kings and Sovereign of the realm of might.

BH03259: In My Name which shineth forth from the horizon…

In My Name which shineth forth from the horizon of the Kingdom.

This is a Book sent down by the King of Omnipotence unto him who hath turned to My horizon and heard My call and directed his heart unto the station wherein the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimeth, before the creation of all beings: “There is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Bestower!”

By God! There hath appeared that which had never appeared before, and the Speaker of Sinai, Who was promised in the Books of God, the Lord of Lords, hath spoken. The story of the Fire hath returned in the Sinai of the righteous and calleth out with the most exalted call between earth and heaven:

“The Promise hath come, and the Lord of Names hath appeared with the hosts of revelation and the standards of signs!”

Can any among the divines vie with Me in the arena of utterance? Nay, by thy Lord, the All-Merciful! Say: Fear ye God and follow not your idle fancies which are indeed idols, if ye be among the possessors of insight.

We have heard thy call aforetime and that wherewith thou didst call upon God, thy Lord, the Lord of the Throne and of the dust. We answer thee with this Tablet which God hath made a light unto the righteous and a fire unto the wicked. Thou didst attain unto My mention aforetime, and in this hour when the All-Merciful hath ascended the throne of utterance with power and sovereignty.

Say: O people of the Qur’an, know ye your station! Ye made mention of Me throughout ages and centuries, yet when the fingers of might rent asunder the veils and shrouds, ye pronounced judgment against Me with such tyranny as caused the pillars to tremble. Ye arose at My mention, yet when I manifested Myself unto you, ye arose with swords of hatred and committed that which caused the hearts of the people of the cities of justice and equity to be sorely troubled.

Say: O people of the Bayan, We behold you as We beheld them. Soon shall ye reap from the trees of your deeds the fruits which they reaped before. Take ye heed, O ye who are endued with insight!

We counsel thee and those who have believed to remain steadfast with utmost steadfastness in this Cause whereby the lights have shone forth. We have heard thy verse and prose in the love and praise of God. It behooveth thee to thank Him for having aided thee unto this bounty which the treasuries of the earth cannot equal. He Who possesseth the Mother Book beareth witness unto this.

BH03247: In truth, after your departure the prison truly became…

He is God, exalted is He!

In truth, after your departure the prison truly became a prison. Some are occupied with lamentation and moaning, while others are consumed by the fire of separation. I beseech God, glorified be His majesty, to make you the cause and means of the reformation of the world. He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

The two letters addressed to this servant were seen. The affairs there are difficult, as most of the servants are inflamed with the fire of enmity and moved by base desires. The improvement of every matter has been and remains within God’s mighty grasp. Verily, He has power over all things.

His honor Aqa Siyyid M is present before Us these days and says that hereafter the climate of that land becomes very bad. It would be good if you would proceed to Lahore or Kashmir or other places. You should certainly investigate yourself and go to whichever city you deem suitable. These matters are for your own benefit. They have also mentioned that there is one named Aqa ʿAbdu’l-Husayn there who is very trustworthy and honest and is also knowledgeable in the preparation of food. If deemed advisable, they may refer their services to him. This too depends on your judgment.

Furthermore, we have given eighty English pounds and obtained a draft to be paid to you there. Please receive it. Convey Our greetings to the honored Nazir. God willing, may they be joyous and adorned with the ornament of health and occupied with the remembrance of God. They have written from Nayriz that their relatives do not intend to proceed in that direction, but rather intend to go to Yazd. We wrote to those parts that if they are willing, they should send them and provide whatever is needed for the journey expenses. We shall pay it back soon.

Do not be saddened by affairs. Whatever comes to pass is assuredly for the best, and right is with you, and universal outpourings are ordained for you. All send their greetings with utmost longing. Write daily that which will bring joy to all. The purpose of mentioning Rida is that no ill-feeling or conflict should arise or be created there. The command is in God’s hand alone.

BH03224: In the name of Him through Whom was hoisted…

In the name of Him through Whom was hoisted the banner of divine knowledge upon the most exalted station in the realm of possibility.

A remembrance from Our presence unto him who heard the Call when it was raised from the Most Exalted Horizon, that the remembrance may draw him to a station wherein neither the happenings of the world nor the clamor of the nations shall deter him, wherein he shall arise before all faces and give to drink unto all beings, through My Name the Self-Subsisting, My choice-sealed wine, that perchance they that slumber may arise from the couch of heedlessness and turn towards the lights of the countenance of God, the Lord of all worlds.

O Mustafa! Upon thee be the Most Glorious Glory of God. The Most Great Branch hath made mention of thee in this Most Holy, Most Luminous Station. We make mention of thee through that which God hath made as the Kawthar of Life for the followers of all religions. Blessed is he who hath turned and attained, and woe unto the heedless. This is a Day wherein the fragrance of revelation and inspiration hath been wafted amongst mankind, and all things have proclaimed: The Kingdom and Dominion belong unto God, the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Praised.

Arise in My Name to serve My Cause, and remind the servants of this Momentous News wherewith the Books of God, both past and future, have given glad-tidings. Blessed is he who hath cast away vain desire and taken hold of that which he was bidden in this perspicuous Tablet. Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One from the precincts of the Prison, then aid Him through the hosts of wisdom and utterance. He will verily assist thee and exalt thee through His firm and mighty Command.

Say: He hath appeared with truth with such steadfastness as the might of the servants could not frighten Him, nor could the clamor of the heedless deter Him. Say: O peoples of the earth! Judge fairly concerning that which hath appeared with truth, and be not of the oppressors. This is a Day wherein the rustling of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing hath been raised. They who have heard it, these are the people of Baha and the companions of the Crimson Ark, the mention of which God hath revealed in the Book of Names. He is verily the Omnipotent over whatsoever He willeth through His mighty and wondrous Command.

Thus hath the Tongue of Ancient Days spoken, when He was in the Most Great Prison, as a mercy from His presence upon thee. He verily desireth whomsoever hath desired Him, and loveth whomsoever hath loved Him. To this doth the Mother Book bear witness in this glorious and exalted Station. The Glory shining from the horizon of My utterance be upon thee and upon those who have turned with radiant faces unto God, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

BH03253: Your letter hath come before Us and the Wronged…

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

Your letter hath come before Us and the Wronged One hath heard thy call and hath answered thee through the tongue of His loving-kindness in the kingdom of His utterance, wherefore the fragrance of faithfulness hath been wafted between earth and heaven. Thou art he who hath turned unto the Countenance and traversed the path until thou didst enter the Valley of the Noble One, which God hath made the seat of His glorious Throne. Thou didst attain the presence and didst hear what My tongue did speak. Rejoice thou in My remembrance of thee, then give thanks to thy Lord, the All-Bountiful. We have remembered thee in Tablets that shall testify on thy behalf in all the worlds of thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Thou art he who crossed land and sea in thy longing to attain My presence, until thou didst drink the choice wine of reunion from the hands of thy Lord’s bounty, the Merciful. We beseech God to make thee known through His Name, speaking His praise, gazing toward His horizon, soaring in the atmosphere of His nearness, and holding fast to His mighty cord. Say:

Glorified art Thou, O Thou at Whose separation the hearts of those near unto Thee among Thy servants have melted, and at Whose remoteness the tears of the sincere ones among Thy creatures have fallen! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou didst cause the mountains to be scattered in dust and the earth to become a level plain, and by the Most Great Word whereby Thou didst subdue all who are in earth and heaven, to make me in all conditions strengthened through Thy loving-kindness, speaking Thy praise, and standing firm in service to Thy Cause. O my Lord! This is a day wherein Thou hast opened the doors of Thy grace and mercy, and the rains of Thy utterance have showered from the clouds of Thy generosity upon Thy creatures. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me of what lieth with Thee, then grant me from the ocean of Thy bounty that which beseemeth Thy generosity and Thy majesty. Then make me steadfast, O my God, in the service of Thy Cause in such wise that nothing whatsoever shall prevent me. Verily Thou art the All-Powerful, the Supreme, the Almighty.

O Muhammad-ʿAli! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. Know thou with certain knowledge and manifest truth that even should all who are on earth flee and turn away from thee, the Prisoner will not flee from thee and will be with thee under all conditions. Verily He is possessed of great faithfulness. He will not leave thee; He will remember thee as He remembered thee before, and will shelter thee as He sheltered thee beneath the shadow of His mercy. He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. Praise be unto Him, for He is the Goal of all who have knowledge and the God of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

BH03207: To be typed

To be typed.

BH03236: Glorified art Thou, O Thou Who by the movement…

He is the Ever-Relenting, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful

Glorified art Thou, O Thou Who by the movement of the finger of Thy will didst rend asunder the veils, and through the effulgences of the lights of the Sun of Thy Revelation didst illumine all lands! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the Luminary of love shone forth and the throne of Thy utterance was established amongst Thy servants, to ordain through Thy Most Exalted Pen for Thy loved ones the good of this world and the world to come. Thou art, verily, the Lord of the throne on high and of earth below. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O my Lord! Thou knowest and seest how one of Thy handmaidens hath entered the Most Great Prison, hath heard Thy most sweet call, and hath responded among the maidservants as though she had drunk of the Kawthar of recognition from […] of Thy bounty, O Thou Who art the Lord of all names and the Creator of heaven! […] beneath the shadow of Thy loving-kindness and within the precincts of Thy mercy until the decree of Thy destiny came upon her and caused her to ascend unto the Supreme Companion through Thy might and power. I beseech Thee, O God of the kingdom of earth and heaven, by the Dawning-Places of Thy Revelation, the Manifestations of Thy inspiration, and the Recipients of Thy knowledge, to adorn her with the robe of forgiveness and to send down upon her from the ocean of Thy mercy that which will draw her nigh unto Thee in every world of Thy worlds.

I beseech Thee, O my God, my Master, my Lord and my Hope, by the ocean of Thy forgiveness, the heaven of Thy grace and the sun of Thy bounty, to send down upon her at every moment a mercy from Thee, that supreme joy may take hold of her after grief had seized her in the realm of possibilities. Thou art He to Whose bounty, loving-kindness, grace and benevolence all atoms bear witness. I testify that she hath repaired to her station which Thou hadst ordained for her through Thy command, detached from all else save Thee and turning unto Thee. Deal with her, then, as befitteth the heaven of Thy grace and the sun of Thy bounty. And I bear witness, O my God, that her brother came before her unto Thee, holding fast to Thy cord, clinging to the hem of Thy robe, and awaiting the wonders of Thy mercy. Send down, then, upon him at this moment that which will gladden his heart and solace his eyes. Thou art He Whom nothing can frustrate and no affair can sadden. Thou doest what Thou willest and ordainest what Thou pleasest. Thou art, verily, the Strong, the Mighty, the Munificent, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

BH03398: This is a Book from the Wronged One…

He is the Almighty, the Most Great!

This is a Book from the Wronged One to him who hath attained the lights of nearness and heard the Call of God, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling. O Muhammad-Quli, hear My call from the direction of My prison. Verily it will guide thee and protect thee from the evil of those who have denied God’s proof and His evidence, and turned away from His straight path. They are servants who have taken falsehood as their helper.

That which thou didst send before hath arrived, and in these days with one of My loved ones, upon whom be My glory and My loving-kindness. We beseech God, exalted be He, to illumine His loved ones with the light of the Most Great Steadfastness and adorn them with the ornament of justice. Verily He is the Answerer of prayers. There is no God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Not a thing escapeth His knowledge. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

The Glory from Us be upon thee and upon those who have quaffed the choice wine of utterance from the hand of the bounty of their Lord, the All-Merciful, the Generous. Remember on My behalf My loved ones who have not broken My Covenant and Testament, and who have arisen to serve the Cause out of love for God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

If thou shouldst see ʿAyn and Ta, convey to him My greetings and say: Beware lest thou enter the dwelling-place of the ungodly who are consumed with the fire of hatred and have disbelieved in God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Let him regard the deniers as a mere handful of clay. Say: Fear not the turning away of people and their gatherings, and say not that which beseemeth thee not before thy Lord. The knowledge of all things is preserved in a clear Book. Thus hath the Tongue of Utterance spoken from this sublime station.

His honor Ismi Mihdi—upon him be My glory and loving-kindness—sent thy letter to the Most Holy Court. After its perusal, this Book from the Mother Book was revealed that thou mayest rejoice and be among the thankful ones. We beseech God, exalted be He, to make His loved ones there among those whom neither the doubts of men nor the allusions of those who have denied this supreme grace have caused to slip.

BH03407: O Abu’l-Qasim, hear with thy inner ear the call…

In His Name through Whom the Sun of Divine Unity has shone forth!

O Abu’l-Qasim, hear with thy inner ear the call of the Wronged One.

In these days certain vain imaginings have arisen. Beseech God to protect His people. The former people would each day, with the hands of idle fancy, fashion an idol of their imagination and call it the Fourth Pillar or other names. Glory be to God! One is astounded at the words and deeds of that people. Each day they would claim some new understanding and knowledge, until finally their knowledge culminated in this: One day, before attaining maturity, this Wronged One entered a gathering where two individuals wearing enormous turbans were, from behind a curtain, describing to one of the ladies their own spiritual knowledge and stations, until one of them stated that we must determine whether Gabriel is higher or Qanbar, whether Abbas is higher or Salman. This Wronged One was bewildered. After a few minutes it was mentioned:

“O Mulla, if Gabriel is the one referred to in The Faithful Spirit descended with it upon thy heart’, then Master Qanbar was not even present there.”

In those days this Wronged One lamented the wrongs done to the Seal of the Prophets. I truthfully say that such wrong was done to Him by the former people that the Tablet wept and the Pen cried out—a crying that caused the Concourse on High to weep and the companions of the Most Exalted Paradise to cry out. We beseech God to protect this people from such idle fancies and vain imaginings and to keep them steadfast on the straight path. Verily He is the Mighty, the Triumphant, the Powerful.

O Abu’l-Qasim! Today the Mother Book has turned toward thee from the prison precincts. Blessed is he who hath remembered thee and sent thy name to a place named after this heaven. We have remembered thee and answered thee with verses that all the books of the world and what the nations possess cannot equal. He Who hath spoken before all faces beareth witness to this. The Kingdom and the Dominion belong to God, the Mighty, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting.

BH03420: O Badi’! We exhort thee to patience, to composure…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great

O Badi’! We exhort thee to patience, to composure, and to that trustworthiness which hath been the trust of God committed unto His creatures. Blessed are they who raise aloft its banners and who guard its station.

O ʿAli, son of Muhammad!

Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity.

Be worthy of the trust of thy neighbor, and look upon him with a bright and friendly face.

Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich, an answerer of the cry of the needy, a preserver of the sanctity of thy pledge. Be fair in thy judgment, and guarded in thy speech.

Be unjust to no man, and show all meekness to all men. Be as a lamp unto them that walk in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful, a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, an upholder and defender of the victim of oppression. Let integrity and uprightness distinguish all thine acts.

Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering, a tower of strength for the fugitive.

Be eyes to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the erring.

Be an ornament to the countenance of truth, a crown to the brow of fidelity, a pillar of the temple of righteousness, a breath of life to the body of mankind, an ensign of the hosts of justice, a luminary above the horizon of virtue, a dew to the soil of the human heart, an ark on the ocean of knowledge, a sun in the heaven of bounty, a gem on the diadem of wisdom, a shining light in the firmament of thy generation, a fruit upon the tree of humility.

BH03313: Praise be to God Who hath adorned the preamble…

He is God, exalted be His glory, the Greatness and the Power

Praise be to God Who hath adorned the preamble of the Book of Existence with the mention of the Beloved, through Whom appeared the First Embroidery and whatsoever the peoples need, through Whom the countenance of the world smiled and the breeze of the All-Merciful wafted among the nations, through Whom the decree of unity was manifested and the command of oneness was established, through Whom was raised the banner of the Seal above all standards and the flag of the Beginning among all peoples. Verily, He is the Manifestation of the Most Great Sign which God, the Lord of Names, hath sent down: He is the First and the Last, and the Manifest and the Hidden. Exalted be this most sublime station unto which no birds of the hearts of those in the kingdom of creation can soar. And peace and blessings be upon Him and upon His family and companions through whom God’s Cause was made manifest and the Dove of the Command cooed upon the branches. Verily, there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Bestower.

O Muhammad! Thou art he who hath turned toward and attained the presence of the Wronged One and heard what hath befallen Him in the love of God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. We counsel thee with wisdom and utterance and with that which will manifest the station of man among the peoples of all religions. We beseech God to assist thee in all conditions and to ordain for thee what shall profit thee in the hereafter and in this world. Verily, He is the Lord of mankind.

God willing, may all attain through divine grace and act according to what is in the Book. O Muhammad! Thou wert present and didst hear from the Wronged One that which is in truth the cause of the exaltation of God’s religion and His Faith. Say: O servants! Hold fast unto goodly deeds and spiritual qualities. I swear by the pearls of the sea of divine knowledge that the hosts of virtuous character are mightier than earthly hosts. Had the people of the lands held fast unto these, the religion of God would never have been observed to be weak. We beseech Him to assist all in that which is the cause of the glory and elevation of His Cause. Verily, He is powerful over all things and ready to answer.

BH03312: Praise be to God Who hath revealed Himself through…

In the Name of Him Who is Sovereign over all names

Praise be to God Who hath revealed Himself through His Most Great Name unto the world, whereupon all things proclaimed:

“The Kingdom and the Dominion, the Majesty and the Power belong unto God, the Lord of the Kingdom of Names and Creator of the heavens!”

Blessed is he who hath heard and is endowed with hearing, and blessed is he who hath witnessed and is possessed of sight, for he is indeed among the companions of the Crimson Ark which God hath mentioned in the Qayyumu’l-Asma’.

O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! We have heard thy call and have witnessed what hath befallen thee at the hands of those who have denied God and His signs, rejected His proof and disputed His evidence. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to exalt thee through His Name, to aid thee through His sovereignty, and to give thee to drink of the Kawthar of His bounty—whosoever drinketh thereof hath attained unto all good from God, the Lord of the Last and the First. Grieve not over that which hath been ordained by the Pen of Destiny. In all matters place thy trust in God, the Almighty, the Most Glorious, the All-Bountiful. He will assuredly help thee and open before thy face the door of His bounty and draw thee nigh unto Him. He, verily, is established upon the throne of wisdom and utterance.

Thou hast been mentioned by one of my Afnan who hath attained My presence and drunk the choice wine of understanding from the cup of My utterance. We make mention of thee in this Tablet whose fragrance shall endure as long as God, the Lord of the Throne and of the dust, and the Master of this Day whereof the Books of God, the Lord of lords, gave glad-tidings, shall endure. When thou receivest My letter, say:

“My God, my God! All praise be unto Thee for having guided me unto Thy path and illumined my heart with the light of Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great and Most Glorious Name to ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy trusted ones in Thy lands and Thy chosen ones in Thy dominions. Thou art He through Whose sovereignty all created things have testified, and through Whose power all beings have borne witness. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful.”

The Glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My Kingdom be upon thee and upon those who have not broken My Covenant nor denied My proof, who have stood before all faces declaring:

“God is our Lord and the Lord of the Kingdom and the Dominion. There is none other God but Him, the Almighty, the Most Glorious, the All-Bountiful.”

BH03316: My God, my God! Nearness to Thee is my…

In the Name of Him Who is the All-Compelling over all names

My God, my God! Nearness to Thee is my hope, Thy forgiveness my aim, Thy good pleasure my desire, and Thy pardon the ultimate object of my aspiration. I beseech Thee by the waves of the ocean of Thy utterance, by the manifestations of Thy power, by the revelations of Thine omnipotence, and by the Word through which Thou didst raise up the standard of Thy oneness amongst Thy servants and unfurl the banner of Thy remembrance throughout Thy lands, to assist this servant to act in accordance with what Thou hast commanded in Thy Book.

O my Lord! Thou seest me enkindled with the fire of separation from Thy loved ones. By Thy glory, O Thou Goal of the world and He Who hath appeared through the Most Great Name! I desire none other than Thee and love none but Thee. I implore Thee not to leave me to myself. Aid me, under all conditions, to remember and praise Thee.

O my Lord! Thou beholdest the thirsty one advancing toward the ocean of Thy grace, the poor one awaiting Thy bounty and benevolence, and the sick one yearning for the fountain of Thy healing. I beseech Thee by Thy Prophets and Messengers, and by Him through Whom the breezes of Thy Revelation were cut off, to ordain for me the good of this world and the next. Verily, Thou art the Lord of the throne on high and of the earth below.

Then cause me, O my God, to be among those whom nothing whatsoever hath deterred from turning toward Thy most exalted horizon. Thou seest me, O my God, clinging to the cord of Thy bounty and holding fast to the hem of Thy generosity and favors. Thou seest my tears and hearest the sighs of my heart. Through Thy grace and favor, ordain for me that which will calm my agitation. Strengthen, O my God, mine eyes to behold the countenances of Thy chosen ones and loved ones, and illumine the vision of my heart with the light of Thy knowledge. Thou art He Who hath, by Thy power, borne witness to all created things, and by Thy grandeur to all existence. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Generous.

Bless, O God, O Thou Goal of the world and Beloved of the nations, through the dawning-places of Thy knowledge, the daysprings of Thy power, the manifestations of Thy Self, and the source of Thy recognition. I beseech Thee by them to send down from the heaven of Thy bounty upon Thy loved ones that which will draw them nigh unto Thee, remind them of Thy verses, and aid them in that which Thou lovest and art pleased with. Verily, Thou art God. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Powerful, and worthy to answer prayer.

BH03349: Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses…

He is the Dawning Place from the Horizon of Utterance

Glorified be He Who hath sent down the verses and made manifest that which was recorded in the Books of old. He is, verily, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. By God! That which the All-Merciful revealed in the Qur’an hath appeared, and all who are in the heavens and on earth were thunderstruck, save those whom the hand of grace did rescue. He is, verily, the Almighty, the Powerful.

Say: O concourse of divines! Fear ye God and follow not your idle fancies. Follow that which ye have been commanded in a mighty Tablet. Reflect upon the former ages and upon the deeds of those who turned away from the Truth and disputed His signs, until they pronounced judgment against the Prophets and Messengers. They cast the command of God behind their backs and seized upon that which they were forbidden in His perspicuous Book.

Blessed is he who hath heard the Call and turned toward the Supreme Horizon. He is indeed of the people of this noble station. Grieve not for what hath befallen thee. Behold and call to mind what befell God’s chosen ones and His messengers on earth, and be possessed of gracious patience. The Wronged One consoleth thee from the precincts of His Most Great Prison, and remembereth thee with that which shall endure as long as the names endure. Thy Lord is, verily, the True One, the All-Informed.

Beware lest anything prevent thee from God. Hold fast unto His mighty cord. When thou hast attained unto the Tablet, turn thy face toward the House and say:

O Lord of nations and Manifest One through the Most Great Name! I beseech Thee by the Most Exalted Word, which Thou hast made the conclusive utterance in the kingdom of creation, to render me in all conditions one who gazeth toward Thy horizon, who standeth firm, who speaketh in Thy remembrance and in service to Thy Cause. Thou art, verily, the Powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Bountiful. Then write down for me, O my God, through Thy Most Exalted Pen, that which shall profit me in the Hereafter and in this world. Then provide me with one who shall remember Thee in my days, who shall succeed me and inherit my turning unto Thee, my recognition of Thee, and my remembrance of Thee. Thou art, verily, powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH03367: Tablet of Visitation for ’Abdu’s-Salih, Gardener in the Service of Baha’u’llah

He is the Compassionate, the Generous

Blessed be he that entereth the Ridvan Garden, extolling the name of God, his Lord, the Most Compassionate.

O ye the followers of this Wronged One! Upon arriving at the precincts of this garden, stand ye at its gate, say:

May the perfumed breezes wafting from they flowers and blossoms blow over thee, O ʿAbdu’s-Salih, O thou effulgent light! I bear witness that the evidences of they handiwork in this garden are a testimony to thy living presence and to the services that thou hast rendered to thy Lord, the God of mercy. I testify that thou art alive in the Most Exalted Horizon and that thy name hath been recorded in the Crimson Scroll.

Sufficient unto thee, O Salih, be these tidings, uttered by this Wronged One in the prison-town of ʿAkka! I testify—and with Me the concourse on High, the denizens of Paradise, and the inmates of the All-Highest Heaven do likewise testify—that thou didst, verily, attain unto the Days of God, didst ascend to heaven in His days, and didst consecrate thine own days to the service of His Days. Alas, the very trees are sighing in their separation from thee, the flowers are mourning in their bereavement, and the twin streams are weeping in their desolation—yea, their sorrows have afflicted all the gardens of the earth. All joy and blissfulness be thine, O Salih, for the Lord did bless thee in thy life and in thy death; and thou wast mentioned by the Pen of Glory in the Most Exalted Paradise on the day thou didst repair to God, the Lord of men—a day whereon the dwellers of the realms above inhaled from thee the heavenly fragrance of thy garden.

Radiant glory and effulgent splendour be upon all who seek out thy resting-place, who visit thee, and call thee to remembrance for the sake of God, the Lord of all worlds; and upon thee, upon thy beginning and thy end, upon thy outer and thy inner being, rest His light and mercy, his grace, his loving favours, his providence and blessings.

He is the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

Blessed art thou, O Salih, in that this day thou hast chosen for thyself, within the precincts of the mercy of thy Lord, an exalted station and a manifest remembrance. Magnify thine own soul on My behalf, and then beseech God that He may bestow upon Us that wherewith He hath endowed thee, and deliver Us from this world, from its rigors, and from its afflictive torments. Blessed is he who remembereth thy days and seeketh, through thee, to draw nigh unto God, thy Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and on the earth. O Salih! Forget not thy loved ones in thy praiseworthy station, thine exalted, blessed, and manifest abode.

BH03517: We have sent down the verses and manifested…

He is the All-Possessing, the Most High!

We have sent down the verses and manifested the clear proofs, yet most of the people hear not. They have cast away that for which they were created and have taken up that which was forbidden unto them in the Book of God, the Master of the Day of Judgment. O Buzurg! Be thou ready to hearken unto My most sweet call in this most exalted station which God hath adorned with His mighty throne.

O Land of the Prison! Give thanks unto thy Lord, for He hath made thee the dawning-place of the angels and the Spirit, and the dayspring of His signs and the rising-place of His clear proofs. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Forgiving, the Merciful. Grieve not over thy burdens. Recount unto thy Lord whatsoever hath appeared in thee. Thy cause is not hidden from God, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

Glorified be He Who hath appeared and manifested whatsoever He desired through His power and sovereignty. He, verily, is the Strong, the Almighty, the Powerful. The happenings in the lands and the deeds of the servants prevent Him not from that which He desireth. He speaketh before all faces that which guideth them that have gone astray unto His straight path.

Say: My God, my God! Thou seest my poverty and need, my powerlessness and weakness. I beseech Thee by the waves of the ocean of Thy riches and the hosts of the land of Thy power and the manifestations of Thy supreme sovereignty and the outpourings of Thy mighty grandeur to make me in all conditions to hold fast unto Thee and unto Thy loved ones who have arisen to help Thy Cause and who desire the salvation of Thy creation. Thou art, verily, powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

My God, my God! Thou seest how the thirsty one hath hastened to the Euphrates of Thy mercy, and the poor one to the ocean of Thy bounty, and the abased one to the heaven of Thy glory. I beseech Thee by the Point through which the books of the world were distinguished, and by Thy Name whereby Thou didst illumine the faces of the nations, to bring forth for me from the hand of Thy power the pearls of the depths of Thy knowledge. Thou seest me, O my God, standing before Thee to serve Thy loved ones, speaking Thy praise, and holding fast to Thy firm cord and to Thy Most Great Name. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

BH03570: O Haji Aqa, upon thee be the Glory…

In the Name of the Manifest, the Luminous, the Speaking, the Evident One!

O Haji Aqa, upon thee be the Glory of God! Night and day, the people of Baha beseech God that He may not afflict His servants with vain imaginings like unto the vain imaginings of the Shi’ih sect. They considered themselves the most just of all people, yet they committed manifest injustice in their killings, such that the people of the cities of justice and fairness remain bewildered. We hope from God that the people of God will arise with utmost effort to protect His servants, lest another party appear like unto that party and again bring forth that which causeth the fire of hatred and animosity to be kindled.

Thy name hath come before the Wronged One, Who maketh mention of thee in this perspicuous Book. Today is the day of teaching. Each one of the loved ones must turn to this Most Great Cause and with wisdom, utterance, spirit and fragrance guide the heedless to the horizon of awareness. Thus doth the Dove of Utterance warble upon the highest branch of possibility, by the command of God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne.

And this is what was revealed for his honor ʿAziz, upon him be the Glory of God:

In His Name, through Whom was broken the seal of the Choice Wine!

O ʿAziz! The Wronged One hath turned toward thee from this spot wherefrom the Call hath been raised, as a token of grace from God, the Mighty, the Powerful. Blessed is the ear that hath heard and the eye that hath seen, and woe unto the heedless! Say: He Who was hidden from all eyes hath come, and He through Whom the fragrance of God, the Lord of this exalted station, was diffused, hath appeared. The Promised One hath come with a sovereignty that hath conquered all who are in the heavens and on earth. Should anyone ask thee about the Glory, say: Verily it is under the claws of hatred, as attesteth My perspicuous Book. The winds of oppression have encompassed the Lamp of God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment. Say: My God, my God! Aid Thy servants to arise to serve Thee and assist them to be steadfast in Thy love. Verily Thou art the Powerful One, to Whose grace the beings bear witness and to Whose grandeur all created things testify. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Ancient of Days.

BH03567: O thou who soarest with the wings of certitude…

He is God, exalted be His station, to Whom belong greatness and grandeur!

O thou who soarest with the wings of certitude in the atmosphere of inner meanings and utterance, and who art adorned with the ornament of wisdom and exposition! Thy letter, which was embellished with the mention of the Hidden Name and the Treasured Symbol, hath come before the Wronged One. We have heard what the dove of remembrance cooed upon the branches of the Lote-Tree of thy heart, and We found thee swimming in the ocean of divine decree, which is a mystery of God’s mysteries, a protection from His protection, and sealed with His seal. We beseech God, exalted be He, to show you the Sun that shineth from its depths—verily it is the mystery, and the mystery of the mystery, and the mystery enshrouded in mystery.

Through it are all suppositions and imaginings effaced, and through it hath the sun of certitude shone forth from the horizon of the will of the All-Merciful. Through it the ocean surgeth, the divine fragrance is diffused, and the breeze of God wafteth over all things. Blessed is he who hath attained unto it, detached from all else. At times thou seest it in the form of fire and its flame, and at other times as the Water of Life for all contingent beings and the Most Great Medicine for the healing of the world. By thy life! Whoso hath found its fragrance will never be heedless of it, even should all on earth assail him with sharpened swords and piercing blades.

He beholdeth all his acts and remembrances as a single remembrance, and his state in the service of God’s Cause as eternal. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to grant us success in recognizing this most exalted Station and most luminous Spot, and to aid us in effacing the imaginary and manifesting the known. Verily, He is the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

Furthermore, it hath been proven with clear proof that thy mention of this Prisoner, Who hath become forsaken by the world, was solely for the sake of God. We beseech Him to reward thee with the best of rewards and to confirm thee in that which will cause thy remembrance to endure through the eternity of His most excellent names and most exalted attributes. Verily, He is the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth through His sovereignty that encompasseth the worlds. And praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH03582: O Muhammad Taqi! God shall increase thy recompense…

He is the Speaker upon the throne of the world!

O Muhammad Taqi! God shall increase thy recompense on account of thy son who hath ascended unto Him. My son, Mihdi, in like manner, took his leave of this world soon after Our arrival in this prison.

O Muhammad Taqi! The world is sorely agitated and enshrouded with dust. Its ordeals have taken precedence over its peace, its wrath hath surpassed its grace, and its afflictions have exceeded its delight. It is the object of desire of the heedless, while the discerning despise it. Peace and security are found therein as rarely as the philosophers’ Stone, whilst its calamities continue to mount beyond enumeration. Man is compelled to behold in this world what he wisheth not to see, and he is obliged to associate closely with those whose presence he abhoreth. Had this world any significance, thou wouldst behold Me established upon its thrones, and had it any value, its Creator and Sovereign would not have turned away therefrom. Leave it to its people that its sadness may not overcome thee or its vanities please thee. Its glory is abasement, its riches are poverty, and its constancy is ephemeral. Where is the splendor of Parviz and his golden hoard, where is the leisure of the powerful and their tall mansions, where is the wealth of the tyrants and their serried hosts? Wert thou to see the palace of Khosrow today, thou wouldst find it barren save for the reverberations of the echo and the spider’s web.

Profit by their example, O thou endued with understanding, and grieve not over that which hath befallen thee. Thus do We comfort and console thee and admonish thee to be patient and long-suffering. Verily, thy Lord is the Ordainer, the Unconstrained. We do not mean by “the world” anything more than its people, for as it is in itself, it is the ground which supporteth My steps, the pasture for My flock, the panorama of My chosen ones, the dawning-place of the evidences of My power, and the manifestation of My most excellent names and exalted attributes. Verily, thy Lord is the Expounder, the All-Knowing.

The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of the utterance of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, rest upon him who hath ascended unto the realm on high and entered beneath the shelter of the providence of his Lord, the Master of this world and the next, the King of the Throne above and the earth below, and upon those who have not allowed the affairs of this world to alarm them in the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH03518: The servant in attendance has appeared and presented what…

He is God, exalted be His glory!

The servant in attendance has appeared and presented what you sent to him. We heard it with an ear that has no likeness in the world and saw it with an eye that brings comfort to all eyes. That which you hoped for from the bounty and favor of the Desired One of the world—God willing, you will attain it and have attained it. O Mihdi! Consider the unburdened heart as an ocean, and the heart that is clouded by the dust of the world as the eye of a needle. Praise be to God that in your early days you attained the recognition of Truth and attained His presence, and drank the Kawthar of inner meanings in Iraq and in the Land of Mystery and the Most Great Prison, and freely partook of this greatest feast. By the life of God! If its value were known, all the treasures of the world and what the nations possess would not equal it. And from the Supreme Pen was recorded concerning you that which today you are veiled from knowing. It shall be revealed in truth—verily I am the Unveiler, the All-Manifest, the All-Knowing.

As regards Muhammad Mustafa, upon him be the glory of God—in these days word has come that his presence would not accord with wisdom. This is one reason, and another reason is that if We were to summon him We would need to summon all the companions of that land, and in these days this would not accord with wisdom. God willing, We shall summon him later. Thus has My Most Exalted Pen spoken—inform him that he may be among those who are informed. O Mihdi! We love those who desire Our presence and We love to see them—to this bear witness I and you and he who stands before the Face and writes, and this swift Pen. We have enjoined wisdom upon all and We must observe it. Verily thy Lord is the Ruler over what He willeth. Praise be to God, the One, the Single, the Unique, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. And it is for Him to withhold permission until God brings about His decree.

BH03497: Glorified be He Who has manifested His Cause…

He is the Herald in the Kingdom of Knowledge

Glorified be He Who has manifested His Cause with a sovereignty that has encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. Verily He speaks the truth and summons all to this Announcement at which the limbs of the idolaters have quaked. No thing can frustrate Him, no matter can prevent Him, the power of the world cannot weaken Him, and the hosts of kings and rulers cannot frighten Him. Say: O people of creation, judge fairly by God, the Creator of heaven—can any among you race with the horsemen of utterance in this arena? Nay, by His Own Self, the Mighty, the Bestower! Your powerlessness is attested by a clear Book from His presence. This is a Day wherein the Mother Book calls out from this supreme horizon and summons all unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Blessed is he who has ears to hear and has turned towards Him, and woe unto the heedless ones. Judge fairly, O people, concerning that which has appeared in truth, and be not of the wrongdoers. When thou dost find the breezes of revelation and drink the choice wine of utterance from the cup of thy Lord’s bounty, say:

My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having drawn me nigh unto Thee and enabled me to turn toward Thy horizon and for having made manifest to me Thy path. I testify that Thou hast appeared and revealed what was hidden in the treasuries of God’s protection and what was stored in the blessed, luminous land—the place wherefrom the Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary proclaims: The kingdom belongs to God, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

Thus has the dove of knowledge warbled upon one of the branches, and the herald has called out between earth and heaven: The gate of utterance has been opened and the All-Merciful has come with clear sovereignty. O people! I desire from you no benefit nor anything of things, but rather We desire to draw you nigh unto your Ancient Master, through Whose finger’s motion were set in motion worlds which none knoweth save God, the Lord of all worlds. Blessed is he who has judged fairly and turned towards Him, and blessed is every hearer who has heard the Call when it was raised from this noble station. Thus have We adorned the horizons of the heaven of the Tablet with the stars of utterance. Blessed are they who possess true knowledge.

BH03571: O beloved of the heart! Your adorned letter arrived…

He is God, exalted be His glory and universal be His bounty!

O beloved of the heart! Your adorned letter arrived and from its delicate expressions were inhaled the fragrances of love and affection. Praise be to God that you have attained the most great favor time and again and have been blessed with the bounty of nearness and presence, which is the most glorious of divine bounties. There is no favor in divine knowledge greater than this, and no bounty higher or more excellent than this.

We beseech His infinite grace and favor that He may ever cause that beloved one to abide beneath the shade of the Tree of divine protection and preservation, and guard him from the evil of the people of tyranny and pride, and adorn him with the robe of grace and mercy, and sustain him from the Salsabil of generosity and loving-kindness. Verily He has power over whatsoever He willeth and is gracious and all-knowing toward His loved ones.

Although after prolonged days of separation the period of reunion also passed briefly, yet thanks must be offered that in these times, despite the multitude of enemies and the opposition of the people of tyranny and wickedness and the paucity of helpers and the attacks of the wicked, He made possible the means of meeting beneath the Tree and made His loved ones happy with this bounty. His is the praise and glory and grandeur and majesty and power and eternity.

My God and my Lord and my Support! I beseech Thee by Thy comprehensive grace and Thy mighty favor to assist Thy loved ones in remembering Thee and praising Thee and thanking Thee in the places of Thy bounties, and preserve them in the shelter of Thy protection from the evil of the most wretched among Thy creatures, and grant them the good of this world and the next. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest.

Furthermore, the press of occupations prevents lengthy writing. Convey to the friends of God, one and all, wondrous and sublime remembrances, especially to Mirza Ali-Muhammad, upon him be the glory of God. The rest of the spirit and glory be upon thee and upon thy family.

BH03690: The Supreme Pen hath testified that there is none…

He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great, the All-Knowing Expounder.

The Supreme Pen hath testified that there is none other God but Him, and that He is the One Who hath revealed Himself unto all things through His most beautiful names on the Day wherein the horizon of Divine Unity was illumined by the Sun of His Name, the All-Subduing Lord of all creation.

This is the Day wherein the Mystery of Divine Unity hath proclaimed: The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the One, the All-Powerful, the Unconstrained. With Him did the Day begin and with Him shall it end, and from Him have the lights appeared and unto Him have they returned. Blessed is he who hath seen with his own eyes and blessed is he who hath heard with his own ears that before which the mountains would have crumbled away. There is nothing that hath not been encompassed by the manifestations of the lights of Divine Unity.

Among the people are those who have recognized and turned towards Him, and those who have remained heedless and turned away. Well is it with him who hath drunk the wine of Divine Unity from the cup which God hath made the fountainhead of the seas. He cannot be known through aught else beside Him nor can He be comprehended through anything other than Himself. And despite His manifestation in all things, He hath ever been sanctified above them and exalted beyond that which the people of mystical knowledge have uttered. Whoso hath recognized Him in His Manifestation hath attained unto Divine Unity, and whoso hath remained heedless is of the people of the veil.

O thou who gazeth upon the Countenance of Divine Unity and drinketh from the cup of detachment, hearken unto the call of Him Who hath been wronged in this Most Great Prison: There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. Hold fast with power and assurance to this cord, which when it moveth, all created things become still and all contingent beings find peace, and when it becometh still, all who are in earth and heaven are stirred into motion.

We have read thy letter and perceived from it the fragrance of thy love. We beseech God to aid thee in that which will cause thy mention to endure in the Kingdom and thy name to last in the Heaven of Remembrance. The Glory be upon thee and upon those who have attained on this Day wherein all who are on earth were thunderstruck save those whom God, the Lord of all men, hath willed.

BH03659: Glorified be He Who through His power hath raised…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Pure, the Most Mighty, the Most Exalted

Glorified be He Who through His power hath raised up the banner of “Verily, I am God!” upon every lofty and impregnable mountain, then through His wisdom established Himself upon the throne, doing what He willeth. He, verily, is the Ruler over whatsoever He pleaseth. The atoms have testified to that which the Revealer of verses hath testified in this exalted Castle. Behold ye the power of God and His sovereignty!

He that imprisoned Me in the most desolate of places is today beneath the earth, while the Lord of mankind is in this glorious station. He passed judgment upon Us with such tyranny as the eye of creation had never witnessed. To this beareth witness the Lord of Names, yet most of the people are heedless. The promise hath come to pass, and that which was in the Tablets hath appeared. Blessed is he who is endowed with true vision. God hath seized those who oppressed Us with a mighty grasp from His presence, and will seize those who transgressed against the Mighty, the All-Wise.

O My Pen! Make mention of him who turned his face toward Mine, who emigrated in My path until he entered the seat of My throne in My prison and heard with his own ear My call and My utterance, that he may soar with joy at My remembrance in the atmosphere of My love and recount unto My loved ones that which My Speaking Tongue, the All-Knowing, hath pronounced. Blessed art thou, O Husayn, for having remained faithful to God’s Covenant and His Testament, and blessed art thou, O ʿAli, for having turned thy face toward the Ancient of Days and discovered the fragrance of the Hijaz wafted from the garment of God, the Lord of the worlds.

From this station We send Our greetings to My loved ones who have attained unto My days, who have clung to the hem of My commandments and ordinances which were sent down through My mighty and wondrous decree, that the remembrance and utterance may raise them to the summit of knowledge and bring them nigh unto a station wherein the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimeth: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of the worlds.” Thus hath spoken the tongue of thy Lord, and by it hath moved the Supreme Pen in its luminous station.

BH03773: Jim, Vav. God will console you through His grace…

Jim, Vav. God will console you through His grace. He is verily the Consoler, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Grieve not for thy father. He hath ascended unto God, and from him emanated the fragrance of My love, the Most Mighty. It behooveth you to grieve for those who are heedless, not for those who have attained unto the mention of the All-Wise. God hath forgiven him before his ascension and after his ascension. He hath caused him to enter a station the description of which the pens of all worlds are powerless to recount.

Convey My greetings unto him who was named Ali. Say: Beware lest thou grieve in My days, and beware lest anything sadden thee. Behold the ocean of thy Lord’s loving-kindness and be thou of the joyful ones. I was younger than thee when My father ascended unto God, and certain souls would console Me, but God consoleth thee with His own sacred and wondrous tongue. Judge thou fairly: after this, doth grief beseem anyone? Nay, by My Beauty that shineth from this manifest horizon! This is a word We have sent down through Our grace, that nothing that appeareth on earth may sadden thee. Thy Lord is verily the Expositor, the All-Knowing.

This is not a day of sorrow and weeping. Rather, it behooveth thee and those who have believed to rejoice in the days of their Lord, the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous. He will suffice you in truth, and He is more compassionate than a thousand fathers—this within the limits of creation; otherwise His attributes are far exalted above being bounded by limits or exhausted by pen and ink. To this testifieth every knowing and discerning soul.

Put your trust in Him, then occupy yourselves with His remembrance, then rejoice in that He remembereth you in His Most Great Prison with verses that all the treasuries of the world cannot equal. Blessed is he who hath ascended. He is among those who have been guided by the lights of the Cause and have turned with radiant countenance toward the Beloved. Among the tokens of his goodly intent are your appearance and your arising to serve your Ancient Lord. Remember him with joy and fragrance, and We remember him from this noble scene. Upon him be the glory of God and the glory of all who are in My kingdoms, and every beautiful remembrance….

BH03747: O Ibn-i-Asdaq who is sanctified! Upon thee be My…

He is the One Who speaks with truth and appears with justice.

O Ibn-i-Asdaq who is sanctified! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. The Wronged One, in the midst of tribulation, remembers His loved ones and chosen ones and servants, and counsels them to such steadfastness that neither names shall prevent them from their Creator, nor things from their Sovereign, nor the earth and its treasures, nor the heaven and its stars, nor the seas and their waves. Thus did the Tongue speak when the Wronged One was in a palace whose very particles proclaimed: “The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Lord of the worlds.” By God’s life! Baha desired naught but to purify the world from the dust of self and passion. To this testifieth that which hath been sent down from the heaven of His Will for the righteous ones.

Your letter was received and we informed the honored Amin, upon him be My glory. We beseech God to aid him in that which He loveth and is pleased with. As to the matter mentioned, although some souls previously desired to render assistance to the Cause of God, they were not honored with acceptance. And now it is observed that this matter has become very necessary, for the pillars of the world are in motion and in foreign lands widespread diffusion hath occurred. Soon that which will cause the deniers and the opposers anxiety and shame shall appear. And in view of the grace directed toward the aforementioned one, his will hath been made conformable to the Will of God and adorned with the ornament of His good-pleasure. God willing, he shall attain to such assistance as will cause the exaltation of this Cause in the world and its pillars. This is the most great bounty which hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of the providence of God, exalted be His glory. Blessed is he and joy be unto him. Verily thy Lord is the Compassionate, the Generous.

Replies to the petitions shall arrive in due course. Glory and peace be upon thee and upon those who are with thee and who hearken to thy words concerning the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH03739: In My Name that overshadoweth all that was…

In My Name that overshadoweth all that was and is to be!

O My Afnan! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. The letter of Andalib—upon him be My glory—which he had sent to thee was brought to the Most Holy Court by Afnan ʿAli—upon him be My glory.

Praise be to God that Andalib, with most eloquent utterance, warbles in praise of the Object of the world’s adoration. He hath ascended, through his love of God, glorified be His majesty, to the heaven of fluency and eloquence, and the Lord of all beings hath testified to that which will preserve his mention as long as the Kingdom of Names endureth. His verse is the dawning-place of joy and his prose the source of gladness. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to strengthen him and enable him to preserve what hath been sent down for him from the Kingdom of His wondrous utterance.

Blessed is he, inasmuch as his praise and glorification, as well as his mention of the name of Afnan and the chronogram which appeared from the realm of his utterance, have been adorned with the ornament of acceptance. Happy is he! He hath ever sought admittance into the presence of the Wronged One, but We have delayed permission for the sake of teaching the Cause of God and for another matter. We beseech God to aid him at all times to spread abroad the revelations of the Supreme Pen.

This is the Day of service, the Day of teaching, and the Day of assistance, but through wisdom. Utterance is effective, especially if it proceedeth from pure and detached hearts. We beseech God to assist him with the hosts of His knowledge. Verily, He hath power over all things.

As to what he mentioned regarding Haji Mirza Husayn, he hath been honored with the effulgences of the lights of permission. In all circumstances they must observe and hold fast unto wisdom, lest the clamor of them that have disbelieved in God and violated His Covenant and Testament be raised. Should wisdom permit, let them turn with such detachment that all things will turn toward the Supreme Horizon. Thus hath My Most Exalted Pen spoken in this noble and sublime station.

The glory which proceedeth from Me rest upon him and upon whosoever hearkeneth unto his word concerning the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH03762: O Muhammad, upon you be my greetings! The letter…

He is God, exalted is He in might and power

O Muhammad, upon you be my greetings! The letter which you sent to this servant was presented before the Presence, and from it were evident and manifest the degrees of your attention, sincerity and devotion. We beseech God to adorn you with the ornament of service to His loved ones, even as He adorned you before. Verily, He is the Helper, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

You should in all conditions be mindful of the state of the travelers and emigrants—upon them be the grace of God and His mercy—for these souls are souls who have been blessed with the infinite outpourings of the Lord of Names and Attributes. The Divine Will assisted, and the means of the seen and unseen worlds, by the command of the Lord of existence, provided aid, until they arrived at the shore of the Most Great Sea and attained the presence and were blessed with hearing and witnessing. Blessed are they and joy be unto them! They have outstripped the world in their devotion, and there hath been sent down for them that which hath diffused the fragrance of grace and favors. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to draw them nigh unto Him in all conditions and to ordain for them what He hath ordained for His chosen ones who have cast away idle fancies and have taken the choice wine of certitude from the cup of the bounty of their Lord, the All-Merciful, and have drunk in His Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

The letters which were sent in your name were all presented in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence, and one by one He made mention of each of them. We beseech God to honor them with a reply. Verily, He is the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. Likewise, your petition to one of the Branches was read before the Presence. God willing, an answer will be graciously given. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous.

Convey to all the emigrants the greetings from the Wronged One, and illumine them with the light of remembrance and utterance of the Desired One of all worlds. Peace and glory be upon you and upon them and upon God’s sincere servants.

BH03755: O Zayn, upon thee be My glory! The honored…

He is God, exalted be His glory!

O Zayn, upon thee be My glory! The honored Haji Ghulam-ʿAli, upon him be My glory, arrived and the Huquq was received. They have endured much hardship, though whatever befalleth them for the sake of God is pure comfort—its fire is light and its poison is supreme honey.

This Day is the Lord of Days, and deeds performed therein are the sovereign of all deeds. Blessed is he who hath aimed for the Ultimate Goal and the Supreme Paradise, and who hath attained unto the presence and circumambulated it. Were all the seas of the world to become ink and all trees pens, they could not fulfill this remembrance.

We beseech God to ordain for His loved ones who have held fast to His Book and are adorned with the ornament of steadfastness that which diffuseth the fragrance of generosity. One drop from the ocean of His bounty brought the world into being. His sea of bestowals hath no shore and the river of His mercy no end.

The loved ones of Nun and Jim, as well as Kha and Vav, have all at this hour been illumined by the effulgent lights of the Day-Star of remembrance and utterance. Let that honored one mention all of them on behalf of this Wronged One and remind them. The missive of the known souls hath been accepted and adorned.

We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to ordain for His loved ones that which will draw them nigh unto Him and illumine them at all times with the lights of His knowledge. My God, my God! Thou seest those who have turned to Thee, yearning for Thy presence and to stand before Thy face, and those who remember Thee in their lands. O Lord! Ordain for each one of them what Thou hast ordained for the sincere among Thy servants and the near ones among Thy creatures. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

At this hour the Day-Star of permission hath risen from the horizon of will. Inform Janab-i-Kalb-ʿAli that, God willing, with his gaze fixed upon the decree of wisdom and his trust placed in God, he may aim for the Most Exalted Horizon.

BH03771: O my leaf, O my handmaiden! Upon thee be…

In the name of the Beloved of the world!

O my leaf, O my handmaiden! Upon thee be My glory! Praise be to God that thou hast been assisted to turn, acknowledge and confess that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken.

Today, whosoever hath turned to the Most Exalted Horizon is recorded and inscribed before God as one of the people of true divine unity, for this blessed Day is associated with God alone and in the books of the past and future is designated and known as the Day of God. The whole world was created for the recognition of this Most Great Cause, but the recompense of their deeds prevented and deprived all except those souls whom the hand of power took hold of and delivered from the darkness of self and passion.

If thou were to praise and glorify God, exalted be His glory, with all thy members, limbs, veins and hair until the Day that hath no end, it would assuredly be as mere nothingness compared to this most great bounty.

If wisdom requireth and it doth not conflict with prudence, there is no objection to turning toward the prison. We beseech God to assist thee, preserve thee, and grant thee the bounty of His presence and ordain for thee its reward. Verily thy Lord is the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate, and He is powerful over all things.

Thy pen reached Us and was honored with acceptance and was blessed by the finger of thy Lord’s power. The water of life hath flowed from it—rejoice thou, for thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Thy intention was made manifest in the Most Holy Court and appeared in the form of that very pen which thou didst intend. Verily He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth and changeth one thing for another, and He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

The Glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon every handmaiden who hath believed and remained steadfast in the Cause of God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH03653: A remembrance from the Wronged One to him who…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most High

A remembrance from the Wronged One to him who hath believed in God, the Lord of what hath been and what shall be, that he may be attracted by the verses of his Lord and make mention of Him with myriads who, by their cry, have caused all who are in the heavens and earth to swoon, except those whom God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting, hath delivered. O thou who hast turned toward the Countenance! Rejoice in My remembrance of thee, for through it thy remembrance shall endure throughout the eternity of the names of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Beloved.

Glory be unto Thee, O my God, Lord of the worlds and Desire of the nations! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou didst open the gate of the prison, and all who believed in Thee and Thy signs turned toward Thee, to bless those who have quaffed the wine of Thy love and soared in the atmosphere of Thy will, casting aside their own desires and clinging fast to Thy Will. O Lord! Have mercy on all who have circled round the Kaaba of Thy presence and cast aside their vain imaginings, turning toward the horizon of certitude through Thy bounty and favor. O Lord! This is Thy servant whom Thou hast named Jamshid in the kingdom of Thy names, and Thou knowest that he turned toward the Dayspring of Thy Revelation and the Source of Thine inspiration on a day whereon the souls of Thy servants were perturbed and the faces of Thy creatures were changed, save those who were illumined by the lights of Thy countenance and turned toward the ocean of Thy bounty and the heaven of Thy generosity.

O Lord! Ordain for him the best of what lieth with Thee in Thy Kingdom and Thy dominion, then open before his face the doors of Thy grace. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest, and Thou art the Protector, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. And Thou knowest, O my God, that he hath migrated unto Thee and tasted the sweetness of tribulations in Thy path. I therefore beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou didst send down the heavenly table to the sincere ones among Thy creatures, to make him in all conditions take refuge in Thy presence, seek protection in Thy court, hold fast to the cord of Thy favors and cling to the hem of Thy generosity. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Most High, the Mighty, the Great. And praise be unto Thee, O God of all who are in the heavens and the earth.

BH03770: O my leaf! Upon thee be My glory…

In the Name of the One God

O my leaf! Upon thee be My glory and favor! Thou hast ever been and art remembered in the presence of the Wronged One. Praise be to the Goal of the world that thou dwellest in a house from which the mention of God is raised, and art related to one who from the earliest days hath spoken in remembrance of God and arisen to serve His Cause. Know thou the station of this bounty. All the world and its servants and handmaidens have been brought from nothingness into being specifically for the knowledge of God, exalted be His glory. Now the queens of the world turn in remembrance of God to temples, churches and mosques, and engage in mention and prayer with the utmost humility and submissiveness; nevertheless they are deprived of the fragrance of the garment of His Revelation and forbidden from the shore of the sea of nearness and reunion. But thee hath He guided through His grace and shown the way. Thou hast attained to that which was the purpose of creation.

Say: My God, my God! I am Thy handmaiden and the daughter of Thy handmaiden. I testify to Thy greatness and Thy sovereignty, to Thy might and Thy power and Thy grandeur, and that Thou art God, there is no God but Thee. Thou hast ever been the Protector of Thy servants and handmaidens, and powerful over all who dwell in Thy earth and heaven. I beseech Thee by Thy mercy which hath preceded all created things, and by Thy grace which hath encompassed all contingent beings, and by the pearls of the ocean of Thy knowledge and by the lights of Thy countenance, to make me in all conditions turn toward Thy most exalted horizon and hold fast to the cord of Thy favor, O Lord of Names and Creator of Heaven! Then I beseech Thee to ordain for me the good of this world and the next, and that which befitteth the ocean of Thy generosity and the heaven of Thy bounty, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of gifts and bestowals. There is no God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. And praise be unto Thee, for verily Thou art the Goal of them that know.

BH03641: To be typed

To be typed.

BH03911: The spiritual letter of that soul-beloved friend, breathing…

He is God, exalted be His glory!

The spiritual letter of that soul-beloved friend, breathing the fragrance of the love of inner meanings, reached this evanescent servant after four days. Likewise the tray and the two rulers arrived the day before. It did not become known through whose neglect the delay had occurred; in any case they came to hand and were examined.

Concerning the ruler[?] for the cooking-pot lid, it had been intended that Jinab-i-Haji Siyyid Javad—upon him be the glory of God—should inspect that ruler. It is exceedingly pleasing. As to the ruler for the basin, this too is not without merit; yet the former basin appeared preferable in Our sight. Therefore, in accordance with the wish of that honored one, it was sent.

Regarding the tray, it was delivered unto Jinab-i-Khajih, and that which had been written was mentioned. He stated that for the present the tray is not needed, but that he desired several coffee-pots; if brass arrive, instructions shall thereafter be given. Furthermore, on the day when that honored one was present, mention was made of the large platter placed beneath the samovar, namely that in two or three places it had become bent, and that its middle did not stand firm; but it was forgotten that it should be given into his service. Now, therefore, the tray, the ruler for the basin, together with the basin itself—these three pieces—have been sent.

The eggplants of which thou hadst written were brought by dear father and arrived. Even today, too, a basket which had been sent by carriage was remembered by you and eaten with relish, and is still being partaken of. Assuredly the taste of thy soul also hath received therefrom a portion and a share, and hath been nourished.

Convey the most wondrous remembrance unto Jinab Aqa ʿAbdu’r-Rahim. In the presence of the members of the household, make mention in the most exalted Abha greeting. The dwellers within the pavilion of the sanctuary send unending greetings and glorification.

The servant