Volume 106: Akka 1868–1892 year unknown, Part IV (1 of 4)

BH04154: O Ali! Bear thou witness that there is none…

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

O Ali! Bear thou witness that there is none other God but Him, and that He Who speaketh is indeed the Book of Eternity for the Concourse on High, and the Most Great Name amidst all peoples, and the Supreme Scroll for the cities of names, and the Preserved Tablet which lay hidden in the knowledge of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Give thanks unto God for having been mentioned before the Throne, and for these verses being sent down, verses with which nothing in the heavens and earth can compare. O Ali! We have read thy letter and heard that wherewith thou didst call upon God, and those names contained therein have been honored at the court of thy Lord, and their mention hath reached the hearing of God, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing.

Do thou give them the glad-tidings of this most sweet Remembrance, then send unto them thy letter which hath been crowned with the diadem of thy Lord’s clear utterance, the Mighty, the Generous. Beseech thou God that He may enable them to remain steadfast in His Cause and aid them in that which shall cause their names to endure on a preserved tablet. Say: Blessed are ye for having believed in God and turned towards the Countenance through which the heavens and earth were illumined and the horizon of utterance was made to shine in this noble station. Say: His remembrance is indeed the key to all treasures, and His name is the ladder whereby the sincere ones ascend unto God, the One, the Single, the Mighty, the Great.

Blessed are they whose names were uttered by the tongue of Revelation and unto whom was turned the face of their Lord’s loving-kindness, the Forgiving, the Generous. Say: By God! Were ye to discover that which hath been sent down unto you from the heaven of your Lord’s favor, ye would arise to serve Him and thank Him throughout the kingdoms of earth and heaven. Verily the glory be upon them and upon thee and upon those who have turned unto this bounty and held fast unto My sacred and beloved hem.

BH04266: This is a Book sent down by the Wronged…

He is the Rememberer, He is the Remembered One!

This is a Book sent down by the Wronged One to him who hath turned towards God, the Protecting, the Self-Subsisting, that the explanation might draw him nigh unto the horizon of true knowledge and adorn him with the ornament of the loving-kindness of his Lord, the Mighty, the All-Loving.

Thy letter hath come to the Most Great Prison. We have read it and answer thee with this inscribed Tablet. O ʿA.B.! Thou hast ever been and art remembered. Praise be to God, with the arm of certitude thou hast rent asunder the veils and mists and turned toward the supreme horizon and the most exalted summit in days when all were heedless of Him and turned away, save whom thy Lord willed.

Convey My greetings to the loved ones. His honor Amin and ʿAli-Haydar, upon them be the glory of God, the Lord of the worlds, have repeatedly mentioned thee. Blessed is he who remembereth thee and loveth thee.

Say: Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having given me to drink the choice wine of utterance from the hands of the bounty of Thy Name, the All-Merciful, and for having illumined my heart with the lights of Thy knowledge, and enkindled my soul with the fire of Thy Lote-Tree, and loosened my tongue to make mention of Thee and to praise Thee. I beseech Thee, O Quickener of the world and Educator of the nations, to make me in all conditions to hold fast to Thy cord and be mindful of Thy verses. Then ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones. Verily Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Generous. There is no God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

The petitions of his honor Varqa, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, have arrived and continue to arrive, and in each instance he maketh mention of thee and seeketh for thee that which hath had and hath no likeness or equal, and in truth thou hast attained unto and achieved this. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon those who have believed in the One, the All-Informed.

BH04163: He Who abides without decline

He Who abides without decline

We make mention in the Book of him who drew near unto the Mighty, the All-Bestowing, on a day wherein every doubting idolater turned away from the Countenance. We had mentioned him before and honored him with the presence of the Desired One when He was established upon the throne in the land of Iraq. Remember when thou didst turn to God and enter the Precinct of Paradise and didst hear the call of God, the Lord of Lords. We gave to drink of Our sealed wine unto those who turned towards Us, while they that turned away have no escape, nor have the wrongdoers any helpers. Make mention of My loved ones in that place and be thou thyself a scroll by which people may remember.

Say: Be ye united in the Cause of God and differ not as did the people before you. Fear ye God, O people of understanding! Say: Be ye steadfast in the Cause in such wise that the cawing of the raven shall not deter you, nor shall the call of any crafty rememberer frighten you. Hold fast unto the Most Great Remembrance, for He speaketh among you that which causeth bodies to take flight.

Say: We make mention of you as a grace from Our presence and remind you of that which hath been revealed in the Psalms and Tablets. Blessed art thou, O thou who art assured in God, and blessed are those men and women who are with thee. Glorify them on My behalf, then make mention of them with most excellent remembrance.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by the oppression of the Dawning-Place of Thy Revelation and the Dayspring of Thine inspiration to preserve me beneath the shadow of Thy Most Great Mercy. Then grant me to drink of the Kawthar of Thy grace and the choice wine of Thy favors, and aid me to serve Thy Cause amongst Thy servants and to make mention of Thee in Thy dominion. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

BH04241: God beareth witness that there is none other God…

He is the One manifest above His servants.

God beareth witness that there is none other God but Him, and He Who hath come from the horizon of power is verily the Hidden Secret and the Treasured Book. Through Him the mysteries were revealed and the righteous proclaimed: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.” Whoso acknowledgeth Him hath acknowledged the oneness and singleness of God, and whoso turneth away from Him is accounted among the heedless in the Book of God, the Lord of this promised Day.

O Muhammad, upon thee be My glory! Hearken unto My call. He remembereth thee and maketh mention of thee at this time in such wise as hath enraptured the Concourse on High and the Supreme Paradise, and then those who circle round the Throne of God, the Almighty, the Best-Beloved. We bear witness that thou didst attain the presence before the Face and didst hear the voice of the Wronged One and didst drink the Kawthar of reunion from the hand of thy Lord’s bounty, the Lord of existence.

We counsel thee with that wherewith God hath counseled His servants, both before and after, and He is the Truth, the All-Knowing, the Unseen. Be thou vocal in His praise, steadfast in His Cause, holding fast unto His cord, and arising to serve His Cause, the Mighty, the Decreed. I bear witness that thou didst drink the choice wine of reunion time after time, and didst attain the presence time after time. We beseech God, exalted be He, to aid thee and preserve thee and assist thee through the hosts of the seen and the unseen.

Convey My greetings unto thy mother and thy brother and thy sisters, and remind them of God’s verses, and give them the glad-tidings of His grace, and illumine their hearts with His knowledge. Thus doth the Most Exalted Pen counsel thee in this exalted station. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon those who have taken the chalice of triumph in the name of the Cleaver of Dawn and have drunk therefrom as a grace from God, the Lord of the dominion and the Kingdom.

BH04135: Praise be to God that you have drunk…

In the Name of the All-Seeing One

Praise be to God that you have drunk from the wine of divine knowledge and turned toward the supreme horizon. Today it is incumbent upon every soul to strive with utmost […] to attain a station that will endure in the divine Kingdom, for this Day has no peer. How blessed is the one who beholds with penetrating vision that which has been made manifest, and listens with true hearing to that which has been raised up from the Dawning-Place of utterance. God willing, may the hearts of the people of that land be adorned with the ears of knowledge and wisdom through the rain-showers of divine grace. We beseech God, exalted be His glory, to assist you to recognize the Dawning-Place of His Cause and the Dayspring of His Revelation, in such wise that, detached from all who dwell on earth, you may turn to God, exalted be His glory.

Were man to reflect even briefly, he would surely not occupy himself with that which is transient, nor would he let slip from his grasp that which endures. At all times, whatsoever exists will perish. You must adorn yourself through lofty endeavor with such virtues that the riches of the world cannot tarnish them, and they will remain preserved from the grasp of change, revolution and discord. Verily He is the Helper, the All-Knowing.

Say: O my God! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and advancing toward the horizon of Thy grace and the heaven of Thy bounty. I beseech Thee by Thy Self to assist me in that which befitteth Thy Revelation in Thy days and the exaltation of Thy Cause in Thy lands. Then preserve me from whatsoever may prevent me from drawing nigh unto Thee and standing in service to Thee. Verily Thou art the All-Powerful, the All-Evident, the All-Knowing.

BH04192: God the Exalted, through the tongue of His Prophets…

God the Exalted, through the tongue of His Prophets and Messengers, promised all the peoples of the earth this most holy, most mighty and most luminous Day, that all might prepare themselves for the divine presence and not let slip their opportunity. Yet when the Sun of Revelation shone forth from the horizon of God’s Will, all turned away and rose up in opposition. Would that they had been content with such actions! Rather, they rose up to calumniate and issued decrees for the shedding of pure blood. There is no land wherein their blood was not shed, and no air unto which their sighs did not ascend. Verily thy Lord is the All-Encompassing, the All-Knowing.

These abominable deeds have been and will be the cause of tribulation and hardship for all on earth. For many years afflictions have not ceased from the earth, but flow like torrential rain. If they subside in one place, they flare up in another.

And the holy, assured, content and well-pleased souls—whatever befalls them has been and will be in the path of God. If they are martyred, their spirits ascend to the divine Companion and find their dwelling in the highest Paradise. By God’s life! Theirs is the best end and most excellent return. But the oppressive souls are afflicted with the flames of divine servants’ wrath, and after their spirits depart they are chastised with a torment a hundred thousand times more severe than earthly punishment. Thus does He inform thee, with Whom is the knowledge of the Book.

Afflictions will not cease until they repent and return unto God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH04212: A remembrance from Us unto one who has drunk…

He is the One Who has dominion over all who are in the realm of possibility

A remembrance from Us unto one who has drunk the living waters, when the people were wrapped in evident veils. They who have heard and turned unto Him—these are the people of Baha, the Lord of all worlds. How many a servant has strayed from the path and clung to Satan! Say: By God, he neither nourishes nor avails, were ye of them that know. Say: Abandon vain imaginings and turn with attentive ears unto the Lord of all creation, then hearken to that which He proclaims from this mighty Prison. Thus has My Most Exalted Pen spoken, when We were in manifest sorrow. Grieve thou not over anything, but trust in all circumstances in the One, the All-Informed. He ordains for thee whatsoever He willeth through His authority.

He, verily, is the Almighty, the All-Wise. The glory be upon thee and upon her who hath believed in God, the Mighty, the Bountiful. Blessed art thou and she, and her father who hath attained unto the Most Exalted Companion—to this beareth witness the Lord of creation in this Tablet through which the sincere ones inhale the fragrance of God, the Forgiving, the Merciful. O Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who was named Muhammad-ʿAli, who was martyred in the path of God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. Say: The glory be upon thee and upon those who found from thee the fragrance of sincerity in this Cause whereby hearts were stirred. Blessed is he who remembereth thee and praiseth thee and turneth toward thy grave out of love for God, the Mighty, the Beloved. Thus have We made mention of him who turned unto God and was steadfast in His Cause, the Transcendent, the Mighty, the Protected.

BH04232: Glorified art Thou, O Thou through Whose Name…

He is God, exalted be His glory, the Forgiving, the Merciful, the All-Powerful

Glorified art Thou, O Thou through Whose Name the ocean of knowledge surged in all creation and the fragrance of Thy Revelation wafted among the concourse of religions. I beseech Thee, O King of Kings and Merciful to the servants, by Thy Name before which all names bow down in adoration, and by the light of Thy countenance before which all on earth and in heaven humble themselves, and by the Crimson Ark which Thou didst ordain especially for the people of Baha in the Qayyumu’l-Asma’, to assist me in Thy remembrance and praise and enable me to do what befitteth Thy days. I testify, O my God, to Thy oneness and Thy singleness and to that which Thou didst reveal unto Thy Prophets and Thy Chosen Ones.

O Lord! I have heard Thy call, turned to Thy horizon, recognized Thy Revelation and hastened to the Dawning-Place of Thy verses. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Exalted Name and by Thy Most August Self not to deprive me of that which Thou hast ordained for such of Thy servants as acknowledge Thy unity and such of Thy creatures as are sincere. O Lord! I have clung to the cord of Thy loving-kindness and held fast to the hem of Thy mercy. I beseech Thee by Thy grace and bounty not to disappoint me of that which shall profit me in the world to come and in this world. I know not what is within Thy Self; Thou knowest what is within mine.

Verily, Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Send down Thy blessings, O my God, upon them that have believed in Thee and in Thy signs, who have not broken Thy Covenant and Thy Testament, who hastened unto Thee when Thy call was raised, and who strove in Thy path with befitting striving. These are honored servants whom neither the might of the opposers nor the power of the deniers could frighten. They arose and proclaimed:

“God is our Lord and the Lord of the angels and the Spirit and the Lord of all in the heavens and on earth.”

Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds.

BH04302: This is the Day whereon the Mother Book proclaimeth…

He is the Expounder, Who speaketh before the faces of all the worlds.

This is the Day whereon the Mother Book proclaimeth before the eyes of the concourse: “Verily, there is no God but Me, the One, the All-Informed.”

The seas cry aloud: “Lo, the Chosen One hath come with a mighty sovereignty!” The trees exclaim: “Behold, He is come Who was ever mentioned, and hath been made manifest Who was ever hidden, and hath spoken forth Who was ever silent—by a command from God, the All-Powerful, the Almighty!”

O darvish! This day is the Day of the Greatest Glad-Tidings, for it is the Day of the appearance of the “Great Announcement”—that good whereof mention hath been made in all the heavenly Books and which hath been inscribed by the Pen of the Most High.

These are the hours of joy and exultation, the days of gladness and rejoicing. Each and every created thing announceth to thee this good news, and is engaged in praise and magnification.

Blessed is that soul who hath freed himself from the world and all that the nations possess, and hath kept his heart pure from its trappings and adornments.

Jinab-i-Shaykh Salman—upon him be the glory of the All-Merciful—hath mentioned thee; wherefore from the Most Exalted Pen this Most Holy, Most Inviolable Tablet hath been revealed and sent.

From God We entreat that He may assist thee and the loved ones of that land to accomplish that which beseemeth purity and holiness.

Say: “O my God, my Lord, my Desire and my Beloved! Upon Thee do I place my whole trust, and from Thee I beseech whatsoever is worthy of Thy bounty. Thou art, in truth, the Ocean of generosity and the Lord of existence. Never hast Thou regarded the deserts of Thy creatures as a cause for withholding, nor debarred Thy servants from the court of Thy holiness, Thy nearness and Thy tenderness. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.”

BH04357: He is the Beloved Who, beauteous grace, was witnessed…

He is the Beloved Who, beauteous grace, was witnessed upon the throne of beauty in the spirit of rapture.

O Leaf of Paradise! Arise and with the tongue of rapture sing, and with the throat of the spirit carol, and say: Here am I, O Beloved One, turning toward the fields of Thy mercy; and here am I, O Desired One, mine eyes opened to behold the wonders of the beauty of Thy beloved-ness; and here am I, O Worshipped One, my heart consumed by the fire of separation from Thee; and here am I, O Beloved One, my breast aflame with the fires of longing for Thee; and here am I, O Sought One, my liver dissolved by the intensity of remoteness from Thee and exile from Thy presence.

How long, O my God, shall I melt in the fire of separation and burn in the flames of the fires of longing? At such time I call upon Thee with the tongue wherewith Thy servants who yearn for the sanctuary of Thy presence and who stand firm before the Kaaba of reunion with Thee do call upon Thee, that Thou mayest cause me to ascend unto the heights of the sanctity of Thy oneness and raise me to the kingdom of rapture of Thy essence, that I may soar on wings of detachment to the Lote-Tree of ascension in the paradise of Thy providence, and hover with holy swiftness in the atmosphere of the sanctity of Thy mercy, that I may thereby be among those who journey in the realms near to Thy countenance and in the kingdom of Thy presence and meeting.

And praise be to the Beloved of lovers.

Therefore one must needs soar like the birds of Paradise in this soul-refreshing atmosphere with the wings of spirit, until one attains the presence of the Friend and cleanses and purifies the heart from all earthly conditions, and unites with the King of Oneness, and closes the eye to the contemplation of aught else and opens it upon His countenance.

BH04561: In My Name, the Witness, the All-Hearing!

In My Name, the Witness, the All-Hearing!

O son of Dhabih! You are beneath the gaze of your Lord’s loving-kindness, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Know ye the station of this mighty, this exalted Station.

O Habib! Reflect upon Dhabih—upon whom be My glory—and that which proceeded from him. After hearing the Call, he tarried not for less than a moment, but turned his face toward the realm of oneness. And this occurred in days when the people of the Bayan were heedless and veiled from the root of the Cause, inasmuch as divine wisdom required concealment. God willing, may you engage in the remembrance of God—glorified be His majesty—with utmost sanctity and detachment, and gaze toward the horizon of His Will.

We have made mention of Dhabih and those related to him in the hidden and treasured Tablet, which in one place is referred to as the Crimson Tablet. At the beginning of the Cause, God—glorified be His majesty—regarded acceptance alone, for before the revelation of divine ordinances and laws, He revealed and cast forth the Word. Whosoever accepted it without hesitation attained unto all good. But after the heaven of divine decree was raised up and the sun of the Cause shone forth, it became binding and obligatory upon all to hold fast unto it and act according to it. The Command is in His hands—He doeth and decreeth as He pleaseth and as He willeth. He is the Commander, the Possessor, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

Glory be upon thee and upon him who attained the presence [of God] in the Most Great Prison, and upon those who have testified to that which God hath testified: that there is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

BH04365: The Wronged One has been drawn to the verses…

He is God, exalted is He in might and power

The Wronged One has been drawn to the verses of God, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting, and turns toward you from the prison quarter, mentioning you with a mention that equals not the mention of the world. To this testifies He with Whom is the Preserved Tablet.

O My Afnan! Upon you be My peace and My glory. You were mentioned before the Wronged One previously, and at this moment when the fragrance of utterance has been wafted throughout creation through that which the Tongue of Grandeur has spoken:

“The Kingdom belongs to God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.”

You have attained to the mention of God and His praise in the earliest days. We beseech Him to aid you with the hosts of inspiration and to send down upon you from the heaven of His bounty a blessing from His presence and a mercy from His own Self. Verily, there is no God but Him. His is the creation and the command, and all return unto Him.

Glorified art Thou, O my God, O God of the Kingdom and the Realm, and Sovereign of might, grandeur and power! I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy utterance and the potency of Thy will, to assist Thy Afnan at all times in such wise that the fragrance of Thy Word may be diffused among the religions. Thou seest him, O my God, having taken for himself a station near to Thee. Ordain for him every good that was in Thy Book. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest through Thy word “Be” and it is.

We make mention of the son in this station and give him the glad-tidings of God’s mercy, the Lord of existence. The glory from Us be upon you and upon him and upon those who hearken to thy word and love thee for the sake of God, the Mighty, the Beloved.

BH04383: He is] the Most Holy, the Most Great…

[He is] the Most Holy, the Most Great, the All-Knowing

O thou who art mentioned before the Prisoner! Hearken unto the call of the Hidden Name, Who hath appeared in truth and proclaimeth with the most exalted call in the kingdom of creation:

“Verily, there is none other God but Him, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting!”

Turn not unto the people and their rules, but look to what the Self-Subsisting One hath brought forth with a sovereignty that encompasseth what was and what shall be. It beseemeth not one like thee to turn unto mere indications, but rather unto God, the Revealer of verses. He calleth thee to the supreme horizon. Thy Lord is, verily, the Mighty, the Loving.

Ask those who were present before the Throne when the ocean of verses surged. By My life! They are sent down in such wise that all in the realm are powerless to compose their like, yet most of the people know not. Leave behind all that is with the people and arise to serve thy Lord.

Say: O people! By God, that which had never appeared in creation hath now appeared, and the All-Merciful hath come with the kingdom of proof. Turn ye unto Him and follow not every veiled learned one. This is the Source from which all knowledge hath appeared and every determined matter. Say: Beware lest desire prevent you from the supreme horizon, or what the people possess bar you from God, the Lord of existence.

Know thou the worth of these days, then seek the grace of thy Lord, the All-Compelling over those in the unseen and the visible. It behoveth thee to manifest that whereby thy mention shall be established in Our Preserved Tablet. Grieve not on account of the people and their clamor. Rather, rejoice in the remembrance of the Truth Who remembereth thee from this praiseworthy station.

BH04564: O My Name! The servant in attendance presented before…

O My Name! The servant in attendance presented before His countenance the letter of the Afnan which was addressed to you. God willing, may they be at all times the recipients of the mercy of the All-Merciful. Praise be to God, they are engaged in serving the Cause. Blessed is he, for We find in his words, time and again, that which indicates his progress in the love of God, the Lord of the worlds, and that which profits him. This, by My life, is the All-Knowing!

O Mihdi! I swear by the fragrance of the garment of the Beloved of the world that for every deed, every movement and every turning which occurs today for the sake of God, there is a station the true description of which none save God is capable of mentioning.

They mentioned Jinab-i-Alif and Sin. If he acts according to what was commanded and according to that which We counseled him in an instant, the divine assistance will undoubtedly aid him without delay. Beseech God that the outward conditions of the world, which in truth are reckoned as vain imaginings, may not withhold him from the immortal Kingdom. If he discovers the sweetness of the utterance of the All-Merciful and partakes of the fruits of the immortal Tree, a hundred thousand worlds will not prevent him nor keep him back from the Friend.

The outward and the inward have been and shall ever be in the grasp of God’s power. Verily, He is the Giver, the Taker, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. God willing, may he walk in the footsteps of My Name Ha’ and like him shine forth from the horizon of the heaven of the love of God. Verily, He aids whomsoever He willeth. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Generous.

BH04379: Today the Divine Lote Tree in the Most Exalted…

In the Name of the One True God!

Today the Divine Lote Tree in the Most Exalted Paradise speaks forth this most sublime word:

“Verily, I accept whosoever turns unto Me and remember whosoever remembers Me.”

O sons of My Afnan! Praise be to God that Ahmad—upon him be My glory and loving-kindness—has attained his most great goal, his ultimate purpose, and his loftiest summit, and has achieved that which was recorded and inscribed in God’s Book, both past and future. He has attained Our presence and heard that which caused the lips of mystic knowledge to smile throughout creation. The hand of grace took hold of him and enabled him to attain the most holy and exalted Court. He heard the Call with both his outer and inner ears and attained the vision of the highest horizon. He was honored to attain the presence and dwelt beneath the spreading shade of mercy. He hears that which ears were prevented from hearing and sees that which eyes were prevented from beholding, save those who have detached themselves from all else but God—these are they who are recorded as the successful ones in the Clear Book.

In these days Diya mentioned you, therefore mention of each one has flowed from the tongue of the Wronged One and been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen. We beseech God to assist you in that which is befitting. We ask Him to protect you from the evil of your enemies, to aid you with the hosts of the seen and the unseen, and to exalt you through His Name amongst His servants. Verily He has power over all things and is worthy to answer prayers.

Glory be upon you and upon those who love you and remember you for the sake of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

BH04563: O My Name Mihdi! The traces of the Afnan…

O My Name Mihdi! The traces of the Afnan—upon them be My glory—which they sent to thee were mentioned by this servant in the presence. We have heard the mention of him who mentioned Us and the call of him who called upon Us, and We answered them before and after their mention, and We assigned to each one a station, and God hath preferred some over others and ordained for whomsoever He wished whatsoever He wished. Verily He is the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing. It behooveth them to thank God their Creator and to hold fast unto wisdom as a command from One Who is All-Knowing, All-Wise.

And whatsoever was sent hath arrived and continueth to arrive. This servant and you should write of its receipt so they may be informed. Through the Afnan, that which concerned Muhammad Khan was accepted. Permission to stay was granted that he might rest in the shadow of the Tree. Were it not for the movement and inner turmoil of this land, some would have attained unto this station. Likewise the pilgrimage of two souls was also adorned with the ornament of acceptance.

The Afnans have borne and continue to bear burdens in service to the Cause. God willing may they be assisted and be engaged with utmost joy and fragrance and complete steadfastness. Blessed is he who in the Day of God hath attained unto His mention and service to His Cause, for these two shall not pass away but shall endure as long as the kingdom and the heavenly realm endure.

Regarding the purchase of property and its cost which thou didst inquire about—We did not wish to mention this matter as it would cause hardship to some. The Name Jamal—upon him be My glory—hath turned toward those regions. Write him [news] and convey greetings from God.

BH11632: Praise be to God Who parted the waters…

He is God, exalted be His station in grandeur and power!

Praise be to God Who parted the waters of the Furqan and the Bayan through His Name, at Whose appearance all religions did bow down, for He is indeed His own Self. He hath appeared with such conclusive proof as hath shaken the very foundations of all things. He is the Almighty, the Powerful, the Bestower.

And now, in this spiritual dawn, having aimed for the heaven of inner meanings and having attained the presence [of God], I turned towards the Countenance of the Ancient of Days, and these sublime words were revealed from the Dayspring of might and power. These are His words—exalted be His glory, magnificent His grandeur, and mighty His utterance:

“O son of Abhar! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Lord of Destiny. Turn thy face toward the Wronged One, detached from all that is on earth. Thus did We command thee before, and at this hour We beseech God to aid thee to attain His presence, to open before thy face the gate of reunion, and to preserve thee through His grace. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.”

This servant submits that some time ago, when the letter from His Holiness Ismu’llah (upon him be all the most glorious Glory of God) arrived, permission was granted from the Source of Authority for your honor to turn toward the intended destination. Now once again this most exalted and most holy command hath descended from the heaven of divine will. Blessed are you and those who have attained this supreme blessing, this great gift, this heavenly feast. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to unite us and make us among those who have attained. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. I convey greetings and salutations to the friends in that land. May the glory shining from the horizon of our Lord’s loving-kindness be upon you and upon those who have clung to the hem of our Gracious Lord.

BH04368: Praise be to God Who, through His generosity…

He is God, exalted be His station, the Bestower of bounty and favors.

Praise be to God Who, through His generosity and grace, has raised up His Afnan to a station whereof the tongues of all peoples in the world will soon speak in remembrance and praise of them, and they shall witness the effects of what hath been ordained for them, both outwardly and inwardly, which none knoweth save God, the Lord of all beings.

And blessings and peace be upon the Tree, its root and branch, Who was named Muhammad in the Book of Names and by the Most Beautiful Names in a Tablet which none knoweth save the Mighty, the All-Knowing, and upon His family and companions through whom God exalted His Cause, manifested His sovereignty and perfected His commandments and ordinances—blessings that shall never cease from God, the Lord of all creation.

O My Afnan! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. Thy letter which thou didst send in the name of Jud was presented before the Wronged One and was heard. Therein was mentioned the Afnan of China, upon him be the glory of God, the Lord of all worlds. We testify that he attained in the earliest days to My verses, to presence before My countenance, to hearing My call and beholding My horizon. By My life! All the treasures of the earth and its riches and glory and loftiness and dominion cannot equal one word of what hath been revealed at this time, for these shall perish while that which We have made a treasure for My Afnan in this Tablet shall endure. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to strengthen them and honor them and draw them nigh unto Him in all conditions. Verily He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

BH04451: To be typed

To be typed.

BH04420: Alas, alas! O God of Mercy! Thou didst ever…

He is the Wronged One!

Alas, alas! O God of Mercy! Thou didst ever console Thy servants who were afflicted with calamities in Thy days. But today who can console Thee in this calamity before which all calamities bow down, and this sorrow which hath stunned all sorrows? I used to behold Thee, O Wronged One of the horizons, comforting Thy chosen ones in tribulation and adversity. But from this day forward, who shall comfort Thee in this anguish which hath transformed the lands and melted hearts?

Alas beyond all alas! Alas which hath shaken the world and melted the hearts of nations, for I see Thee in such grief that Thou dost not wish to hear mention of the Ridvan, and how couldst Thou desire to see what hath been enumerated therein of Thy bounties and favors? O Lord! The fire of tyranny hath been kindled in the world—where is the light of Thy justice, O Ancient King? By Thy glory, O Thou imprisoned Wronged One! It grieveth me to see the Temple of Justice beneath the claws of tyranny, and it grieveth me to see the Dawning-Place of faithfulness in the hands of the wicked. I know not, O my God and God of earth and heaven, whether he hath drunk from the chalice of martyrdom or remaineth under the will of those through whom the standards of tyranny were raised amongst creation.

By Thy sovereignty, O Beloved of the world and Desired One of the seen and unseen! Were the eyes of the world to weep and the hearts of nations to burn, it would not befit this catastrophe wherein all things hear the cry of Thy heart and the lament of Thy soul. I testify that this is a calamity that cannot be mentioned by the pen nor described by the tongue. The affair is in the hands of God, Lord of all creation.

BH04511: This is a Book which the All-Merciful hath sent…

He is the Expositor, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise

This is a Book which the All-Merciful hath sent down for all who are in the realm of possibility, and it summoneth all to the Most Sublime Horizon—that Station from which the Sun of Revelation hath shone forth, whereby those who lay in their graves arose, and the Nightingale of Eternity warbled upon the branches of the Divine Lote-Tree. The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of all worlds.

The gaze of the Wronged One hath been directed towards thee, and He hath sent down for thee that which God hath made a sign to the lands and a token to His servants. Be thou thankful unto thy Lord and be of them that are steadfast. We have heard mention of thee and witnessed thy turning unto Us, and We have revealed for thee that whereby thy mention shall endure throughout the kingdom of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Stand firm in the Cause through God’s power and might, and say:

Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of Names! I beseech Thee by Thy Name, the One Who dominateth all things, to make me steadfast in Thy service and vocal in Thy remembrance. Verily Thou art powerful to do what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. O my Lord! I am he who hath turned towards Thy most sublime horizon, and thereby have the tongues of Thy wretched servants been loosened against me. I beseech Thee to protect me beneath the shadow of Thy supreme protection and to ordain for me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones. Then grant me the Living Waters which the hands of Thy bounty distribute among all contingent beings. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the Bountiful.

Beware lest the utterances of the idolaters sadden thee, or the clamor of them that have disbelieved in God, the True King, the Manifest, hold thee back. We counsel thee at the end of this Tablet with the wisdom which the All-Merciful hath sent down in His wondrous Book. Act thou according to that which thou hast been bidden and place thy trust in God, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

BH04530: Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds…

He is the Most Great, the Most Glorious

Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds and Goal of them that have recognized Thee, inasmuch as Thou hast caused to shine forth from the horizons of the heaven of Thy Book the stars of Thy commandments and ordinances, whereby Thou hast preserved the rights of Thy creation and Thy creatures and made known unto them that which profiteth them in Thy earth. And among these is the law of fasting which hath dawned forth from the horizon of Thy Will and descended from the heaven of Thy Purpose, and which Thou didst ordain for them that have turned unto the court of Thy manifestation and answered Thy most sweet call when it was raised betwixt earth and heaven.

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having guided Thy chosen ones unto the ocean of Thy mercy and caused them to hear the cooing of the doves of Thy Cause through Thy grace and favors. I beseech Thee, O my God, by the Name through which the sincere ones hastened unto the seat of Thy throne and the believers unto the dawning-place of the lights of Thy countenance, to send down upon our hearts from the clouds of Thy bounty that which will purify them from all else beside Thee and sanctify them from the mention of aught except Thyself.

O Lord! We have turned unto Thy most exalted station and Thy most glorious horizon. I beseech Thee not to disappoint us from that which is with Thee, to grant us Thy presence, and to ordain for us in all circumstances that which will draw us nigh unto Thee and honor us with Thy good-pleasure, which Thou hast made the greatest of all matters in Thy Books and Tablets.

Moreover I beseech Thee, O Creator of the heavens and Sovereign of names, by them that have fasted in Thy love and acted according to that which they were commanded in Thy Book, to ordain for every assured one to drink the wine of certitude from the hand of Thy bounty—the best of the hereafter and of the former time—and to inscribe his name with Thy Most Exalted Pen among such as have had their deeds accepted through Thy grace and generosity. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

BH04573: O people of the earth! Associate not partners…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Exalted

O people of the earth! Associate not partners with God, and slay not anyone of whatever faith they may be, and dispute not with those who enjoin upon you what is good in the Scriptures and Tablets. Say: He desireth naught for you save that which shall profit you. Fear ye God, O people of insight! When ye meet anyone, consort with them in a spirit of fragrance and joy. Thus doth the Lord of all mankind command you. Leave behind all that the people possess and take what shall profit you throughout the ages. Say: Beware lest ye make yourselves manifestations of hatred in the kingdom of creation. Blessed is he who is a father to every orphan, a treasure to every poor one, a companion to every stranger, compassionate to every prisoner, and a refuge to all who are fearful of the oppression of the people. Say: Beware lest ye support the treacherous who have corrupted and corrupted the people. Thus doth your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, command you.

When ye see anyone object to you, remind them with clear proof and evidence. If they accept, it is for their own sake, and if they turn away, oppose them not. Thus doth God command you in this Revelation whereby the horizons have been illumined. Verily the days pass, lives draw to a close, leaves fall, and fruits turn. Take ye heed, O people of understanding! God hath decreed that every soul should act according to what hath been sent down in this Book which hath been adorned with the name of God, the Cleaver of the Dawn. Rejoice in what hath been revealed unto thee, then remind the servants thereof from God, the Lord of the Final End. The glory be upon thee and upon whosoever heareth the call of God and acteth according to what He hath commanded in the Book.

BH04777: All things have been thunderstruck by the Call…

In His Name, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious!

All things have been thunderstruck by the Call of God save those whom the hand of grace hath seized. Verily He is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth. To this all things bear witness, but the people understand not. The world hath been adorned with the ornament of justice, yet the people perceive it not. Every thing hath testified to that which God hath testified—that there is none other God but Him, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting. Blessed is the face that hath turned unto the Face of God, and blessed are the hands that have been raised to the heaven of His grace, and blessed is the eye that hath been honored to behold His glorious and beloved countenance.

O thou who gazeth upon the countenance, give thanks unto God for having enabled thee to recognize the Dawning-Place of His Revelation and for having caused to shine upon thee such lights of the Manifestation as have bewildered the hearts of those who have inhaled the fragrances of revelation—verily they are honored servants. We testify that thou hast turned toward Him and drawn nigh unto Him and hast heard the call of the Wronged One in this forbidden prison. Thou wert in the presence of the Throne for successive days. Return now to thy place by the command of God, the Mighty, the Beloved. If thou findest in anyone the fragrance of the love of God and His chosen ones, convey to him My greetings. Say: O My loved ones! Let not the deeds of those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of existence, cause you grief. Hold fast to the cord of steadfastness. By My life! All shall perish and sovereignty belongeth unto the King of Kings. Thus have the breezes of revelation wafted that the dwellers of the graves might arise thereby. Glory be upon thee and upon whosoever hath acknowledged this glorious station.

BH11637: O son of Abhar! Thou hast been and art…

O son of Abhar! Thou hast been and art remembered before the Wronged One. Thou hast ever been and art illumined by the grace of God and the effulgent rays of the Sun of loving-kindness. Strive thou that perchance thou mayest kindle with the fire burning in the sacred Tree those that have grown cold.

O son of Abhar! Look not at the people and their deeds, neither be thou grieved by their derision, their words and their actions. Fix thy gaze upon the Most Sublime Horizon, and voice His praise in the kingdom of creation. Say: O people of God! All things and the realities of existence seek sustenance from you. Know ye your station and preserve it in the name of God. Ere long shall the influence of the blessed Word encompass all and the Cause of God be made manifest. Strive ye that perchance ye may attain unto that which beseemeth the stations of them that are nigh and the sincere ones.

O son of Abhar! Upon thee be My glory. Hearken unto My call which is raised from the precincts of My prison. Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Single One, the All-Informed. Forget not My favor unto thee and My loving-kindness towards thee. Arise and say with wisdom and utterance that which will comfort every grief-stricken one, assure every hesitant one, and cause the hearts of men to soar. This is what thou hast been bidden by God, the Ordainer, the All-Wise.

The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon those who have not broken God’s covenant and His testament, and who have acknowledged that which the Supreme Pen hath spoken in this Most Great Announcement and this Wise Remembrance.

BH04858: God is Most Glorious

God is Most Glorious

In My Name that overshadoweth all names!

This is a day in which We left the house, proceeding to another place until We reached it and made it the Most Great Scene by God, the Possessor of Destiny. The pavilion of glory was raised beside one of the rivers, with water flowing over white pebbles. From the right was heard the murmur of water and from the left the rustling of trees. We were glorifying God and all things were glorifying with Us. We sat and heard from the rustling of the trees:

“By God! The Chosen One has come and the Intended One has appeared—He Who was mentioned in God’s Books, recorded in His Scriptures, and promised in the Mother Book.”

Then We took up Our Most Exalted Pen to make mention of My Afnan who soared in My atmosphere, outstripped My other Afnans, and traveled through the lands until he entered My prison and attained that which was revealed in My Books of old and of later times—he whom neither the might of tyrants, nor the hosts of Pharaohs, nor the clamor of the ungodly could deter. Upon you be the Glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of God’s will, the Lord of the worlds.

In previous years the Most Exalted Leaf, upon her be My Glory, made a certain request which was granted acceptance. In view of that promise, for some time now the friends, upon them be the Most Glorious Glory of God, have come for pilgrimage and the aforementioned matter. Therefore, due to Our special favor, We wished to inform you of this. This is of God’s grace upon you. Glory be upon you.

BH04926: O Mulla! Hearken unto the call of the Lord…

He is the One Who gazeth from His most exalted horizon.

O Mulla! Hearken unto the call of the Lord of all beings from the precincts of the Prison. Verily, it draweth thee nigh unto God, purifieth thee from disobedience, and giveth thee to drink of the Kawthar of life from the hands of bounty and bestowal. He, verily, is the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. We have sent down unto thee on this night that which will draw thee unto God, the Lord of Lords.

Say: O concourse of the Furqan! Open your eyes. The All-Merciful hath come with power and sovereignty. Beware lest the doubts of men hold you back from the Greatest Perspective, or the might of the oppressors frighten you—they who have broken the Covenant in the final end. When thou hearest the call of the Wronged One and drinkest the choice wine sealed with My Name, the Self-Subsisting, say:

“My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having caused me to hear Thy most sweet call and shown me the traces of Thy Most Exalted Pen. I beseech Thee by the Word whereby earth and heaven were attracted, to make me one of those whom nothing whatsoever hath deterred from turning toward the light of Thy countenance, O Creator of the heavens and Lord of the Kingdom of Names! O my Lord! Thou seest my tears and hearest my sighs. I beseech Thee by the rustling of Thy Lote Tree and the murmuring of the water of Thy bounty to aid me in that which Thou lovest and art pleased with. O my Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant, acknowledging Thy manifestation, Thy power, Thy grandeur and Thy sovereignty. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me of any good that Thou hast sent down in Thy Book and ordained for Thy chosen ones. Verily, Thou art powerful over what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

BH04725: A remembrance from Us to him who has attained…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great

A remembrance from Us to him who has attained unto the Day of God, and heard the Call, and answered his Ancient Lord, that he may rejoice within himself and remember God throughout the nights and days. He, verily, is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. This is a Tablet whereby the seas have surged and the mountains moved and every small and great one was thunderstruck, save whom God willed. Thus was the matter decreed in God’s scrolls aforetime, yet most people remain heedless.

Say: Arise from the slumber of desire and turn towards the Most Exalted Horizon. By God! The heaven hath been cleft asunder and its Lord hath come with manifest sovereignty. It behooveth every soul to be wholly turned unto God, the Single One, the All-Informed—to hear with his ear what the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken, and to see with his eye what hath appeared among creation, and to perceive through his sense of smell the fragrance of the All-Merciful which hath been diffused throughout the worlds.

Rejoice, O servant, then give thanks for this Tablet through which the spirit of life hath been breathed into the body of contingent being. Blessed is he who hath heard and found and believed in God, the Mighty, the Wise.

Thy letter hath been read before the Countenance, and We have answered thee with this mighty Book. Reflect upon God’s favor and mercy, that He remembereth thee as a bounty from Him. He, verily, is the All-Merciful, the Compassionate.

Convey My glorification unto My maidservant and give her the glad-tidings of My wise remembrance. Put your trust in God in all matters. He, verily, ordaineth for you what is best for you. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

BH04656: God willing, may you ever remain occupied…

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

God willing, may you ever remain occupied with the remembrance, thanksgiving and praise of God. The world hath occupied mankind and held them back from turning to God. The people of divine unity must implore help and deliverance from the All-Possessing with the utmost lowliness and supplication, that perchance the believers may remain protected from the oppression of the idolaters.

We beseech God, by Him Who adorned His head with the crown of nearness and meeting—He through Whom were manifested God’s most beautiful names and His most exalted attributes—to assist His loved ones in that which He loveth and approveth, to protect them through His bounty, to aid them with His hosts, and to draw them nigh unto Him in all conditions. Verily He is the All-Possessing, the Most High.

Praise be to God, thou hast been and art remembered. God willing, mayest thou strive and endeavor with perfect steadfastness to improve the affairs of the servants. Grieve not over anything, for verily He is the Helper of whosoever turneth to Him and relieth upon Him.

We make mention of Abdu’l-Husayn and convey Our greetings. God willing, in his early youth may he be adorned with the ornament of pleasing character and goodly deeds. Verily He hath power over all things.

O Ahmad! We have remembered thee and do remember thee, and We beseech God to aid thee in His remembrance and to enable thee to that which will cause the fragrance of His loving-kindness to be diffused, and to guide thee to such deeds as will exalt His Cause amongst His servants and His creation. There is no God but He, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Upon you be the peace and mercy of God and His blessings.

BH04723: A mention from Us unto him who hath attained…

He is the Expounder, the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most High!

A mention from Us unto him who hath attained unto the ocean of divine knowledge and believed in that which the All-Merciful hath sent down in His wondrous and mighty Book. We make mention of him who hath turned with the most pure countenance unto the Most Sublime Vision and hath witnessed that which the Tongue of the Lord of Destiny hath uttered in this exalted station. Be thou thankful that the Pen of Revelation hath turned toward thee and maketh mention of thee in a station wherein the atoms proclaim that there is none other God but Him, the All-Powerful, the Almighty. Hold fast unto the Book and be steadfast in this Cause whereby the feet of every heedless doubter have slipped. When the clamor is raised in those parts, withdraw thyself and be of them whom neither the tempests of idle fancies nor the storms of those who are moved by the winds of desire can shake. Verily thy Lord is the All-Informed, the All-Knowing.

O My Pen! Make mention of the beloved who hath turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon and believed in God, the One, the Mighty, the Bountiful. O thou who art beloved of God! Rejoice thou in My mention of thee, then give thanks unto thy Lord for this manifest bounty. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp lieth all existence, for having remembered me in Thy Most Great Prison. I testify that Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Forgiving, the Merciful. From this station We send Our greetings unto the faces of them that have believed, and unto those women who have made mention of Us before the Throne and have believed in God, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the All-Praised. O My handmaidens! Rejoice ye in this Most Great, Most Glorious Remembrance. Verily, He remembereth every maidservant who hath turned unto Him and believed in God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH04805: In My Name, the Strong, the Trustworthy

In My Name, the Strong, the Trustworthy

The Divine Book is occupied with the mention of the friends at eve and at dawn. Today the people of Baha and the companions of the Crimson Ark must hold fast to that which causeth the exaltation and elevation of the blessed Word. All must regard time as precious and cleave unto that which is befitting.

O My leaf! Hearken unto My call. Verily it draweth thee to My Kingdom and maketh thee know My manifest and straight path. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the Kingdom of Names, for having illumined the heart of Thy handmaiden with the light of Thy knowledge and for having sent down unto her that which hath drawn her nigh unto the court of Thy glory and the carpet of Thy holiness. I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy bounty and the Sun of Thy Manifestation to ordain for me that which beseemeth Thy glory and Thy majesty and Thy power and Thy sovereignty. Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

O my Lord! I am Thy handmaiden and the daughter of Thy handmaiden. I have desired naught save the wonders of Thy bounty and favor. Ordain for me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy handmaidens who circle round the throne of Thy grandeur. I beseech Thee once again, O Thou the Desire of the world and the Adored One of the nations, by Thy Most Great Name, the Most Glorious, to ordain for me the most great steadfastness whereby neither the oppression of Thy servants nor the tyranny of those who have disbelieved in Thy days and turned away from the horizon of Thy Revelation shall prevent me. Verily Thou art the Almighty Whom the power of the nations hath not frustrated, nor have the veils of them that have disbelieved in the Day of Judgment hindered. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH04616: In My Name, the Warbler upon the Branches

In My Name, the Warbler upon the Branches

Praise be to God Who hath manifested that which was hidden through a power that neither the hosts of the world nor the ranks of the nations who cast the Book of God behind their backs, clinging to their vain imaginings and idle fancies, could withstand. I bear witness to that which God did testify before the creation of earth and heaven, that there is none other God but Him, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. He hath spoken, and caused all things to speak His praise and remembrance, yet most of the people hear not. The Light hath shone forth and the Fire hath called out from the Divine Lote-Tree:

“The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Possessor of all that was and shall be.”

We have heard thy call and have answered thee, revealing unto thee that which the treasuries and riches of the earth cannot equal. Blessed art thou for having turned unto the Truth at a time when the people turned away from it—they who have violated the Covenant and the pledges. Let not the affairs of men grieve thee or prevent thee from beholding the Most Great Horizon, this holy, mighty and exalted Station. When thou hast quaffed the choice wine of revelation from the hand of bounty, say:

“Glorified art Thou, O Creator of the heavens and Sovereign of the Kingdom of Names! I beseech Thee by the arising of the Hands of Thy Cause to serve Thee, and by the mysteries concealed within the hearts of Thy near ones among Thy loved ones, to make me steadfast and vocal in Thy service and praise. I further beseech Thee by Thy Will which hath subdued all who are in earth and heaven to assist me in all conditions to act as befitteth Thy days. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest, and within Thy grasp lie the reins of all affairs.”

BH04800: In My Name, Who speaketh from My most exalted…

In My Name, Who speaketh from My most exalted horizon:

The Book of God speaketh the truth, and the Bayan proclaimeth, and behind them both the Mother Book crieth out, saying:

“O people! Follow Him Who hath come with power and sovereignty. Beware lest ye deny the Truth through what ye possess. Hearken unto His call, then hasten unto Him. This shall enrich you and profit you.”

To this doth testify He Who proclaimeth in every state that there is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

O Siyyid whose name is Ibrahim! He who hath loved Me and soared in My atmosphere hath made mention of thee. We have remembered thee in a Tablet with which no scriptures or tablets can compare. Blessed art thou for having attained unto the tokens of My Pen, for having turned toward My horizon, and for having acknowledged that which hath been sent down in My Books. Verily thy Lord is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

We have sent down the verses and made manifest the clear proofs, yet the people remain in doubt and dissension. They have forsaken their God and followed every heedless doubter. Having drunk from the Euphrates of My mercy through the Pen of My loving-kindness, say:

“My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having adorned my head with the crown of Thy utterance and illumined my heart with the light of Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy knowledge and the mysteries of Thy Book to open before my face the door of Thy bounty and to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Most Generous.”

The glory which proceedeth from Us rest upon thee and upon those who have turned unto God, the Lord of all men.

BH04870: O Isma’il! In this most great Revelation there hath…

He is the Remembering, the Speaking, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Isma’il! In this most great Revelation there hath been made manifest that which in no age or dispensation hath ever been revealed. From every direction have arisen sanctified, assured, and stainless souls who, in the fullness of spirit and fragrance, hastened toward the place of sacrifice—nay, toward utter self-surrender—and accounted their lives as naught in the path of Him Who is the Purpose of all the worlds.

O Isma’il! From every quarter a ravening wolf hath appeared, and upon the sheep of God hath there descended that which the Pen is powerless to recount. By reason of the heedlessness of the servants, and through their cruelties—such heedlessness, indeed, that, though they have beheld that which hath appeared, and have listened to that which hath been sent down from the heaven of utterance, they are slain upon the couch of extreme negligence, drunken and bewildered; and this, in truth, is plainly seen.

This veiling is of the wine of self; turn thou away from it, and seek thou the truth from God. Perchance He may bestow ears that will hearken and eyes that are keen, that they may, hereafter, discern what they are now heedless of.

Say: My God, my God! Have mercy upon Thy servants; then send down upon them, from the heaven of Thy bestowals, that whereby Thou mayest make them to know the ocean of Thy bounty, the heaven of Thy generosity, and the sun of Thy munificence. Verily Thou art powerful to do whatsoever Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are held the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

Glory be upon thee from Our presence, and upon thy wife who hath turned, hath hearkened, and hath believed in God, the Lord of all worlds. Magnify thou her before My face, and remind her of My mercy which hath preceded the whole of existence, both the unseen and the seen. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

BH04919: O Muhammad! His honor Afnan desired to take…

He is the One Who speaketh the truth and manifesteth justice.

O Muhammad! His honor Afnan desired to take from the treasury of divine knowledge a pearl of utterance as a gift for you and bring it forth. From this desire the light of love shone forth. Blessed is he and joy be unto him, and blessed art thou and joy be unto thee! Some time ago there was sent especially for thee that which hath no likeness or peer. Thou hast ever been and art remembered before the Wronged One. Convey My greetings to the loved ones and illumine them with the effulgences of the lights of the Sun of the providence of God, exalted be His glory.

Say: O friends! Fear and anxiety have never befitted and do not befit the people of truth. Death shall seize man but once, and if it occurs in the path of the Friend, it is assuredly most excellent, most beloved, most exalted and most glorious. No fair-minded one would deny this station. Say: O people of God! Hold fast unto wisdom and cleave unto the betterment of the world and the refinement of the souls of nations. For whosoever acteth according to that which God hath willed, no fear or peril hath ever touched or shall ever touch him. Spirit upon spirit, grace upon grace, bounty upon bounty hath been inscribed for him by the Most Exalted Pen. Well is it with thee, O Muhammad, and with whosoever hearkeneth unto thy word concerning the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH04934: In My Name, the Mighty, the Compassionate

In My Name, the Mighty, the Compassionate.

O My Leaf! Upon thee be My glory and My mercy. Today the leaves of the Divine Lote-Tree warble in melodies and strains which, were the people of the world to hearken unto even less than these, they would witness all differing things, contrasting forms, and divergent views united as the letters of one blessed word. And that word standeth even as a tongue before the Kingdom, expressing the purpose of all worlds, and uttereth the blessed, hallowed, exalted word:

“I have turned my face toward Thee, O Creator of the heavens and earth, O Fire of the hearts of them that yearn, O Beloved of the hearts of them that know!”

Today the ocean of utterance hath different waves, and the Mount of Knowledge a different song. The Zamzam of Batha hath another melody, for the Lord of all being hath come without veil or covering, despite the desires of the people. Blessed is the soul that, with ears purified from the tales of the people and the stories of old, hath sought to hearken and hath attained thereunto.

God willing, may that leaf and other leaves drink from the cup of this utterance which hath appeared from the Dayspring of divine revelation, and may they guide the handmaidens of the earth to the direction of God’s loving-kindness. Give thanks unto thy Lord, the Imprisoned, the Wronged One. Verily, in the midst of sorrows He hath remembered thee with that which hath caused the mountains to tremble and the Herald to cry out: “The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Wealthy, the Most High!”

The glory shining forth from the horizon of My will be upon thee and upon thy father and thy mother and thy sister, and upon them that have turned and believed in the One, the All-Informed.

BH04624: O Ali-Qabl-i-Akbar, upon him be the Glory of God!…

O Ali-Qabl-i-Akbar, upon him be the Glory of God! He is God—exalted be His glory, majesty and power!

Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon His Prophets, His Messengers, His Emissaries and His loved ones who have drunk the choice wine of certitude from the hands of the bounty of their Lord, the Giving, the Generous, the Gracious.

Your letter was received and caused boundless grief, as if it carried sorrows and anxieties, for it indicated your poor health. The Wronged One beseeches God to grant you health and well-being, to sanctify you from every affliction and illness and whatever saddens hearts. We beseech Him to adorn you with the ornament of healing and draw you near to Him in all conditions.

Your letter arrived when we were outside the city, thus there was delay in both its receipt and response. If you need anything for expenses, obtain it from Aqa Muhammad-Rida and send the bill. God willing, through remembrance of God, exalted be His glory, and His Name, healing has been and will be granted. Hold fast to “By My life, with Him is the ocean of healing.” Verily He is the Powerful, the Healer, the Sufficient, the Protector, the Helper, the Generous.

Convey greetings from this Wronged One to each of the friends. God willing, may they dwell in tranquility and comfort beneath the shade of the divine Tree of Grace. Verily He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. Praise be to Him, for He is the Goal of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

BH04813: In My Name, the All-Wise Speaker

In My Name, the All-Wise Speaker

This is a Book sent down by the King of the Kingdom to him who hath believed in God, the One, the All-Informed. Thy name was mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One, Who hath remembered thee in such wise as nothing in all creation can equal, nor can any in the heavens or on earth prevent it. O Muhammad! Call to mind when Muhammad, the Apostle of God, came, the people turned away from Him and every heedless doubter opposed Him. The Truth hath been revealed and that which was hidden in knowledge hath been made manifest. From the heaven of bounty have been sent down verses before which all the hosts of the past and future cannot stand.

Say: O people! Fear God, and follow not those who have denied God’s testimony and His proof, and have committed that which hath caused every discerning soul and every informed sage to weep. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to protect thee and to aid thee with the hosts of the seen and the unseen. Verily, He is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth through His mighty and wondrous Word. Let not the utterances of those who have denied the Day of Judgment grieve thee. When thou hast attained unto My Tablet and hast heard My call, say:

My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having illumined my heart with the light of Thy knowledge and for having sent down unto me that whose traces shall not be cut off through the perpetuity of Thy Most Beautiful Names and Thy Most Exalted Attributes. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. The Glory shining forth from this horizon and the Light radiating from this exalted station be upon thee and upon those who have not broken My Covenant and have not denied My proof which hath encompassed all existence from first to last.

BH04891: O Jalal, upon thee be the peace of God!…

He is God, exalted be His glory, the All-Bountiful, the All-Giving

O Jalal, upon thee be the peace of God! O Jalal, upon thee be the light of God! O Jalal, upon thee be the grace of God, His bounty, His generosity and His loving-kindness! Although outwardly no mention of thee was sent and was delayed, yet God knoweth that inwardly thou wast and art remembered, and dost ever stand remembered and present before the Wronged One. We beseech God to send down upon thee the verses of His mercy and the rain-showers of His bounty, and to give thee to drink, both outwardly and inwardly, from the Kawthar of His generosity and bestowal.

Convey to all the loved ones in that land the greetings from the Wronged One, and we beseech God to aid them all in that which causeth the exaltation of the blessed Word of religion and trustworthiness. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous. We have mentioned and continue to mention Aqa Siyyid Yahya. We hope that he will change his flight into return. If it be deemed advisable, make the effort once and return. God willing, may you be enabled in all circumstances and times to be engaged in remembrance, be confirmed in steadfastness, and successful in service. Verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer. Peace be upon you, O My loved ones and friends, from this Wronged and Exiled One. Should anyone ask you about the B and the H, say: He is under the claws of hatred. We beseech God to protect His chosen ones from the evil of His enemies and draw them nigh unto Him. Verily He is the Almighty, the Forgiving, the Generous.

BH04765: Upon thee be the glory of God and all…

Upon thee be the glory of God and all that befitteth the heaven of His grace…

Thy letter was presented before the Throne, and the warmth of longing and desire was evident and manifest from its words. Praise be to God that thou hast attained the infinite outpourings of God and the gaze of His favor is directed toward thee, such that in every city thy name was mentioned twice before the Throne and the Tongue of Grandeur spoke thy name. Nothing can equal this. In these days, since the Pen of Command was occupied with writing replies to the petitions of the people, there was some delay in turning toward thee. Should God will, He will reveal that which He desireth. Verily, He is the Revealer, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We beseech God to assist thee and His loved ones to serve Him and to remain steadfast in His love. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Powerful.

Then We send greetings from this sacred and luminous quarter to the Generous One. Thou didst send before the Throne in the Persian tongue:

“Who will grant me access to that King of Beauty,

When this ill fortune is lower than a beggar’s aspiration?”

According to the learned ones, We do not accept this statement. Thy fortune is most exalted and supremely lofty, for He hath caused thee to attain unto the sublime Truth and guided thee to the straight path. Blessed is the fortune that moveth man from his homeland and draweth him to the true divine homeland. Know ye the value of this fortune which is interpreted before God as divine confirmation and that which is ordained in the Tablets. Praise be to God that fortune assisted thee and thou didst turn willingly toward the Chosen One. Thanks are due to this fortune. This is from God’s bounty unto thee, that thou mayest be among the thankful ones….

BH04634: In My Name, the Self-Subsisting

In My Name, the Self-Subsisting

Trustworthiness is a sun that, when it shineth forth from the horizon of the heaven of wisdom, illumineth all regions. And for it hath been ordained a heaven, and verily it is man himself. Blessed be the All-Merciful Who hath created all possibility and adorned it with the lights of this sun, shining from this station. He in whom the lights of this sun shine not forth cannot truly be called man. To this doth the Book of God, the Lord of lords, bear witness. Blessed is the city that is illumined thereby. By My life! It is the mother of cities and countries, and through it divine grace descendeth from God, the Lord of creation, and blessings grow in every season. Through it is man’s station elevated and his essence made manifest to all in creation. Through it are hearts expanded and souls assured and the righteous made joyful. He who hath attained unto it is remembered by the Concourse on High and is turned unto by people of understanding. He who hath opened his eyes with the light of recognition chooseth it above all else on earth. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Thus have We adorned the heaven of deeds with the sun of trustworthiness and recognition. He is verily the Mighty, the Bestower.

Remind thou the people of this Tablet and acquaint them with what God hath intended for them in the Book. We have sent down these verses unto thee that thou mayest recite them to those who have turned unto God, the Revealer of Books and the Manifestor of proof, that they may act upon what is contained therein and hold fast unto that which they have been commanded in the Tablets. Glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee and upon those who have remained faithful to the Covenant.

BH04728: A remembrance from the Wronged One to those whom…

He is the One Who speaks before all faces

A remembrance from the Wronged One to those whom neither learning nor idle fancies have held back from God, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting, through Whom the heaven was cleft asunder and the earth was rent and every lofty mountain was leveled. Beware, O people, follow not your vain imaginings but follow the Truth, the Knower of all that is hidden. Thus has the Tongue spoken when the All-Merciful came from the heaven of divine knowledge with a manifest proclamation. O peoples of the earth! By God’s life, you were created for naught but the recognition of this Day wherein the Herald proclaims: “The Kingdom belongs to this manifest Beauty.” Beware lest what the people possess prevent you from turning to God, and beware lest the veils of those who have denied God’s proof and His evidence and who have uttered that which none of those who are endowed with understanding have uttered, hold you back.

We have heard your call and have remembered you out of Our grace, and have answered you through this irrevocable Tablet. Say: O people! If you desire verses, they have indeed encompassed all directions, and if you desire proofs, they have verily appeared through the truth, and if you desire the choice sealed wine, by God, its seal has been broken by the finger of divine power from God, the Lord of all being. When the Kawthar of My utterance has seized you and My call has attracted you, say:

“My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having guided me to Thy path and given me to drink of the Salsabil of Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee by the Light that has shone forth and appeared, and by the fragrance of Thy garment that has been diffused and spread abroad, to make me one who gazes upon Thy Cause, who speaks Thy praise, and who holds fast to the cord of Thy loving care. Thou art verily the One Who has power over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Loving.”

BH04835: Your letter was received. Praise be to God, it…

In the Name of the One True God!

Your letter was received. Praise be to God, it was adorned with the ornament of love and embellished with the light of recognition. We beseech God, exalted be His glory, to ever keep fresh and verdant the realm of love through the morning breezes in this springtime of inner meanings, and not to deprive it of the fragrances from the gardens of fellowship and unity. In truth, this bounty has had and has no likeness or parallel, for from love appears unity, and through the light of unity the horizons become illumined and radiant. God the All-Knowing has been and is witness that you have always been and are under the gaze of kindness, mercy and love. He has loved and loves faithfulness, and this blessed name is among the names that have ever been before the face of the Beloved.

Your migration and arrival with your mother, upon her be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, and her ascension to the Supreme Companion, and likewise your second migration and the manifestations of love and affection and hardships endured in His path, exalted be He—all have been and are before Our sight. We beseech God to ordain that from which the fragrance of eternity wafts. Verily He has power over all things and is worthy to answer prayer. The glory shining forth from the heaven of your Lord’s loving-kindness be upon you and upon those who have held fast to His mighty cord. Praise be to God, Who is the Lord of all worlds, the Beloved of those who know Him, and the Goal of those who seek Him.

BH04918: O Muhammad! We have made mention of thee…

He is the All-Remembering, the All-Knowing.

O Muhammad! We have made mention of thee in truth, and have sent down unto thee that whereby thou mayest guide the people unto My straight Path. We have ordained for thee that which none of the things the eyes behold can ever rival. Guard, then, thy station, and be of the thankful.

O Taqi! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. He, verily, hath sent down, for everyone whom thou hast mentioned in thy book, divers Tablets; each single letter thereof proclaimeth, before all eyes:

“Verily, I am the Glorious Book, and the kingdom is God’s, the Lord of all the worlds.”

We have given thee to drink, and have made thee to know, and have conferred upon thee (Our bounties), and have sent unto thee Our most great signs, time after time. Recite them in a spirit of joy and fragrance, for thy Lord is, in truth, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

There remaineth not one of My Names but We have, for its sake, sent down that whereby the eyes of them that are endued with knowledge are solaced and made to rejoice. Beware lest aught debar thee from the remembrance of God. That which thou beholdest this day shall perish, while there shall abide with thee that which hath been sent down from My wise, My all-compelling Pen.

Magnify, on My behalf, My loved ones—those who have cast aside all else save Me, and borne witness unto that whereunto My Tongue hath borne witness. Upon them be My glory and My mercy, which have outstripped all who are in the heavens and on the earth.

Be thou one who speaketh in My Name, a guide unto My path, and one who hasteneth, through My irrevocable, firmly established Command, unto goodly deeds.

Glory rest upon thee, and upon such as hearken unto that which thou recitest unto them of the verses of thy Lord, the Ancient Revealer.

BH05234: In My Name, through which the light hath shone…

In My Name, through which the light hath shone forth from the Mount of Revelation.

O peoples of the earth! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One, Who remembereth you in the Most Great Prison and guideth you to the path of God, the Lord of all worlds. The Hidden One hath been made manifest, and that which was promised in the Books of God, the Mighty, the Great, hath been revealed. Beware lest human conditions prevent you from the Lord of Destiny, and beware lest the oppression of any remote oppressor frighten you. Take the chalice of eternity in the name of your Lord, the Most Glorious, then drink therefrom once in remembrance of My Most Great Name, and again in remembrance of My Name, the All-Encompassing over all who are in the heavens and the earth.

Say: O people of the Bayan! He around Whom the Bayan revolved hath come, and that which was mentioned by the tongue of the Point, Who gave the glad tidings to the servants of the appearance of Him Who conversed on Sinai, hath been made manifest in this mighty and wondrous station.

When thou attainest unto My verses and that which hath flowed from My Pen, turn thy face toward the Prison and say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, and glory be unto Thee, O my Beloved! I beseech Thee by Thy Pen which Thou hast made as an ensign for the manifestation of Thy Cause and as a herald of Thy Name amongst Thy servants and as a light unto those who have sought Thy supreme horizon and as darkness and vengeance unto every wicked and vile one. And I beseech Thee, O Thou the Desire of the world, by Thy Most Great Name, to make me in all conditions to hold fast unto the cord of Thy bounty and to cling to the hem of Thy mercy and to be immersed in the ocean of Thy oneness. There is no God but Thee, the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

BH05073: Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou seest me…

In the Name of God, the Most Great, the Most Glorious!

Glorified art Thou, O my God! Thou seest me enkindled with the fire of Thy love, after having been imprisoned in the most ruinous of Thy lands and held captive by the hands of the idolaters among Thy creatures. Yet despite the trials that have encompassed me from all directions, my pen moveth by Thy inspiration and revelation, my finger acteth by Thy will, mine eye gazeth toward the horizon of Thy loving-kindness, my heart burneth with the fire of Thy love, my tongue uttereth Thy praise, and every limb of my body yearneth for what Thou hast ordained for it in Thy decree.

I beseech Thee, O Thou through Whose word the world was set in motion and by Whose name the Ancient Sea was made to surge, to send down from the heaven of Thy grace and the clouds of Thy mercy that which will cause to spring forth from the soil of hearts the plants of Thy knowledge and the fruits of Thy love and praise.

O Lord! Assist Thy male and female servants to achieve what Thou hast intended for them in Thy days and decreed for them in Thy Tablets, that they may turn toward Thee with hearts detached from all else besides Thee. Thou art He Who hath subdued all created things through the word of Thy command and all beings through the movement of Thy finger. Thou hast ever been established upon the throne of majesty and upheld in Thy self-subsistence amidst the manifestations of glory.

I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art exalted above all, to withhold them not from the shore of Thy nearness, nor to keep them back from the Kawthar of life that floweth from the Pen of Thy name, the Most Merciful. Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever Thou pleasest. There is none other God but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

BH04967: O beloved ones of the All-Merciful! Hearken unto…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the Loving

O beloved ones of the All-Merciful! Hearken unto the call from the precincts of the Prison—verily there is no God but Me, the Hearer, the Answerer. Then know ye that Our servant who was surnamed Abu’l-Hasan hath appeared before the Throne and presented that which ye possess in your love for God, the Lord of the worlds. By this hath My Most Exalted Pen turned toward you and maketh mention of you through that whereby your remembrance shall endure in the kingdom of creation. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Giver, the Generous. Give thanks for My remembrance of you. By God! It is the water of life for you and the fragrances of the All-Merciful amidst all possibilities. To this beareth witness he who hath inhaled My fragrance, the Mighty, the Wondrous. We have heard your call and witnessed your turning toward the countenance of God, and We have sent down for you that which all the treasuries of earth cannot equal, were ye of them that know. Hold ye fast unto God and cling to the hem of His bounty and say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O God of the world, for having numbered us among them who have attained unto Thy recognition in Thy days and who have voiced Thy praise when most of Thy creatures turned away from Thee. O Lord! We beseech Thee by Thy Most Glorious Name, which hath been made sovereign over all names, to make us in all conditions turn toward Thy face, gaze upon the horizon of Thy grace, drink from the Kawthar of Thy knowledge, seek refuge with Thy presence and cling to the cord of Thy bounty. Then ordain for us that which shall profit us and that which Thou hast written for Thy chosen ones. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the All-Praised.”

BH04954: Today, which is the twenty-first day of the month…

He is God, the Peerless, the All-Informed.

Today, which is the twenty-first day of the month of Jumada al-Avval, this Tablet hath been adorned with the raiment of the Pen. Praise be to God, the welcome tidings of your welfare and peace reached us the day before yesterday, and all were made joyful thereby. We beseech God to open through you the gate of His bounty, to cause through you the Kawthar of meanings and utterance to flow throughout cities and lands, and to bestow upon you every good thing revealed in His mighty and unerring Book.

As for Mahd-i-ʿUlya, after your departure she was greatly distressed. Why did you not write her something during this interval? For some time she remained given over to lamentation and mourning, but thereafter attained, in some measure, unto patience and resignation. In brief, you should write to her in particular, and say whatever may bring her solace and composure.

A few days ago, several letters addressed to Jinab-i-Nazir arrived. This servant sought permission, opened the letters, and presented them all before the Presence. In the letter which this servant was writing to Jinab-i-Varqa, we made mention of Muhammad ibn ʿAbdu’llah—upon them both be the glory of God—as well as of Jinab-i-Mahmud. And concerning the family of Jinab-i-Nazir, we wrote that what had formerly been commanded must be carried out. We ask God to enable all to attain unto that which is acceptable and beloved in His sight.

Peace be upon thee, and upon Nazir, and upon whoso loveth thee, serveth thee, and observeth the right of God in thee.

BH05110: There hath appeared before the Throne he who was…

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

There hath appeared before the Throne he who was named ʿAli-Qabl-Nabil, whom We manifested from Our sanctified name. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing.

When he attained the presence, he besought God for thy appearance before the Throne. We answered him according to what he desired of My bountiful grace, and We made mention of thee before Our countenance, and We accepted thy presence at the gate. We bid thee to make mention of God and to aid His Cause through wisdom and utterance. Thus doth the All-Merciful command thee from this noble prospect.

When the rapture of My verses overtaketh thee and the wine of My remembrance and utterance intoxicateth thee, turn thy face toward God, the Help in Peril, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Say: O my God! Praise be unto Thee for having turned toward me from the direction of Thy prison and caused me to hear Thy call. I beseech Thee to assist me in serving Thee, in making mention of Thee, and in praising Thee amongst Thy creatures, and to make me steadfast in Thy love and content with what Thou hast ordained for me in Thy preserved Book. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken and will continue to speak. Verily He is the Expositor, the All-Informed.

We had sent thee a Tablet before, and this is yet another time, and We shall send it unto thee should God wish and desire it as a bounty from His presence. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

Convey My greetings unto the faces of My loved ones who have soared in Mine atmosphere through My Name and have cast aside all else, turning with their hearts toward the countenance of God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH04959: In My Name, the Speaker before the faces…

In My Name, the Speaker before the faces of the servants!

Today the One Who is the Purpose of all who are in earth and heaven and the King of the Kingdom of Names speaks these sublime words: O My handmaidens and My leaves! Hearken with the ear of the spirit to the call of the Blessed Tree and grasp firmly its most pure and luminous hem, that perchance ye may attain to that which hath been recorded and inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Book.

All the women of the world have been created specifically for the recognition of the Intended One, and yet most of them remain heedless and veiled from this station. I swear by the Sun of Truth which hath shone forth from the horizon of the prison of ʿAkka that all the treasures of the earth with their ornaments and colors cannot equal the blessed word “O My handmaiden!” How many queens have yielded up their spirits in their longing for this mention, yet attained it not, while thou hast now attained!

Say: Praise be to Thee, O Lord of eternity and God of the worlds, Who hath appeared with the Most Great Name, for having caused me to hear Thy verses. I beseech Thee by the rivers of Thy most exalted Paradise, and the manifestations of Thy favor in the supreme Heaven, and by the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty and the revelations of the Day-Star of Thy generosity, to make this handmaiden of Thine steadfast in Thy Cause and speaking Thy praise and glorification. Then ordain for her what Thou hast ordained for Thy handmaidens who circle round Thy throne at eventide and at dawn. There is no God but Thee, the Lord of the Day of Mutual Meeting.

BH04994: God willing, thou hast ever drunk and wilt continue…

In the name of the one Friend!

God willing, thou hast ever drunk and wilt continue to drink, through the bounties of the Beloved of endless days, from the Kawthar of the love of the Goal of all worlds, and thou art free and detached from the world and all that is therein. In this morn when the world-illumining Sun hath dawned from behind the veil of the soul, may thou drink from the Kawthar of eternity and be engaged in the remembrance of the Friend. God declareth: Thou wert ever mentioned in the Most Holy Court and didst attain unto the glances of His favors. Blessed art thou and thy crimson leaf who attained and ascended unto God, the Lord of all worlds. No mention hath been forgotten before God, nor will it be, and no service hath been nullified or lost.

Reflect upon the crimson leaf, upon whom be all the most glorious Glory of God. In view of the love and enkindlement and yearning and attraction that was in her, God, exalted and mighty be He, made her the object of mentions, for there was revealed in her honor that which shall endure as long as the kingdom of earth and heaven shall last. Hear thou the call of this Wronged One, and be not grieved by the things that have come to pass, and with utmost joy and gladness speak forth the praise of God. Verily He seeth thee and maketh mention of thee in such wise as to gladden thy heart. He is in truth the Announcer, the All-Knowing. The Glory be upon thee and upon thy leaves, from God, the Mighty, the Wise.

BH11919: Praise and thanksgiving that hath proceeded from the tongue…

He is the Hearer, He is the Answering One

Praise and thanksgiving that hath proceeded from the tongue of grandeur hath ever been and still is reserved unto His hallowed Being. Had it not been for the letter Shin of the complaints of the heedless ones becoming manifest, verily would the decree of the Tree of Paradise have been realized and made manifest in this earthly realm, and the world would have been freed and delivered from the blow of want. Exalted be His station of thanksgiving, and exalted be that which proceedeth from Him by the leave of His Creator and His Lord. O My Name Ali-Qabl-Akbar, upon thee be the Glory of God, and O Mihdi, upon thee be My everlasting Glory. The letter which thou didst send through him who was named Siyyid-Qabl-Hasan hath come before the Wronged One.

We testify that he hath attained unto the presence and hearing. Blessed is he, inasmuch as We have found from his letter the fragrance of My wondrous and glorious love. We beseech God to adorn him with the light of turning unto Him, that he may hold fast unto it, severed from all else save Him. This is God’s decree, both in the past and in the future, but most men know it not. O Hasan, render thanks unto God, thy Lord, for He hath made mention of thee and hath sent down for thee that whose fragrance shall never cease to endure throughout the duration of His glorious and mighty Kingdom. The bounty and the bestowal belong unto God, the Lord of the worlds.

Say: O Hasan, We shall soon send that which thou didst desire through the grace of thy Lord. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. The Glory from Us be upon thee, O My Name, and upon My martyrs in the Land of Ya, and upon all who are steadfast and upright.

BH05021: Praise be to the Lord of existence Who, through…

He is the Glorious, the All-Glorious!

Praise be to the Lord of existence Who, through His Best-Beloved Name, illumined the hearts of His chosen ones with the light of recognition and adorned them with the glory of steadfastness. O Ha! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. We have been with thee under all conditions and were present when God, with power and sovereignty, took one of the deceivers. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to exalt thee through His Name, that there may be manifested through thee that which will spread His signs throughout His lands. He is verily the Almighty, the Unconstrained. That which We revealed unto thee before hath come to pass, and that which was hidden in God’s knowledge, the Lord of lords, shall be made manifest.

Hold thou fast to the teaching of thy Lord’s Cause. He will protect thee through His power and will guard thee through the might that hath encompassed all created things. And as for what hath befallen My loved ones in the Land of Ya, God hath made it the supreme means for the exaltation of His perfect Word. Its effects shall soon be made manifest from all directions. Grieve not over anything. In all matters place thy trust in God, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to ordain for thee and those with thee, through His Most Exalted Pen, the good of this world and the next, and to open before thy face, through the key of His Name, the Lord of all names, the gate of His bounty.

He, verily, is powerful over whatsoever He willeth through His Cause that hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. The glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon My loved ones whom the hosts of those who denied the Beginning and the Return could not frighten.

BH05050: Mention from the Wronged One, Who hath chosen tribulations…

He is God, exalted be His glory, the Most Great, the Most Glorious

Mention from the Wronged One, Who hath chosen tribulations in the path of God, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting, unto Haji M.S. Verily, he emigrated for the sake of God time and again, and was imprisoned once in the land of Ta and at another time in this Most Great Prison. By God! Baha glory taketh pride in tribulation, having quaffed the choice wine of the love of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. The world proclaimeth, saying: “O people! Behold my morning and my evening, and the time when the sun standeth at its zenith.” Thus doth it inform them of the changes it undergoes, all of which testify to its transience and its imminent passing away.

O servant! Hearken unto the Call, that thou mayest witness that which the Essence of Baha witnesseth in this most exalted station—that there is none other God besides Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Hold fast unto the cord of the Cause and cling to the hem of thy Lord’s bounty, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Say: O my God! Leave me not to myself, but cause me to gaze, morn and eve, toward Thy most exalted horizon. Then manifest through me that which befitteth Thy Name, through which the Dove hath warbled upon the branches and the Mystic Dove hath spoken: “There is none other God besides Him, the Forgiving, the Generous.” We beseech God to assist thee and thy family to serve His loved ones, and to ordain for you that which shall profit you in the worlds of your Lord, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

BH05044: A remembrance from Us to him who hath drawn…

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

A remembrance from Us to him who hath drawn nigh unto the horizon of utterance and believed in God, the Peerless, the All-Informed. We make mention of everyone who hath turned towards the countenance of God and We teach him His straight path. O thou who hast turned to God! Hearken unto what the Wronged One addresseth thee from this remote prison. He testifieth to that whereunto God did testify before the creation of the heavens and of the earth: verily there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Wise. Thy letter hath come before Us and We have heard that wherewith thou didst call upon thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds, and We answer thee with this Tablet. He, verily, is the All-Compelling, the Answerer. Blessed is he who hath opened for thee the door of the treasure and taught thee what was within it, in the name of God, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Blessed is he who gave thee to drink of the Kawthar of life in the days of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, and cast upon thee the Word of God, the Mighty, the Wondrous. When thou hast received the Tablet, arise and turn towards the Most Sublime Horizon and say:

O Lord of eternity and Creator of nations! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Name, whereby bodies were struck down and spirits were drawn forth, to make me one of them who have found the sweetness of Thy verses and who have drawn nigh with their hearts unto the shore of the ocean of Thy bounty. Ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones who have soared in the atmosphere of Thy love and who have offered up their souls in Thy path. Thou, verily, hast power to do what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

BH05062: May my spirit be a sacrifice for your honor!…

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

May my spirit be a sacrifice for your honor! Your esteemed letter, which conveyed your love, kindness and affection, arrived. Immediately the light of sincerity, attraction and enthusiasm rose from the horizon of the heart. It has been proven that every tree of love, affection and devotion grows from heart and soul through the attention and consideration of God’s chosen ones. This servant beseeches his Lord to manifest through your honor at all times that which draws souls near unto Him. Verily He has power over all things. After its reading in His presence, He graciously listened and said:

“Praise be to God, the letter brought glad tidings of health, devotion and orientation toward the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Verily He was with him and will be with him, and He is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.”

End.

In these days He has repeatedly mentioned your honor, and at the time of writing commanded:

“Write that they should come on Thursday so that a meeting may take place.”

Regarding what was written about the funds—if it refers to the funds of the esteemed Hakim Musa, they were assigned to the beloved and honored Haji Siyyid Javad, upon him be God’s peace, and should be in liras. If it refers to other funds, whether mejidiyyes or otherwise makes no difference—they all go back to Aqa Faraj and others like him, upon them be God’s peace. Peace and praise be upon your honor and upon God’s near servants. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

The Servant

BH05101: In My Name, the Self-Subsisting!

In My Name, the Self-Subsisting!

We have manifested that which is befitting for the Cause of God in His days. Every fair-minded and discerning one bears witness to this. All things have spoken even as God hath spoken. Blessed is the ear that heareth. Woe to the heedless! The world hath been honored by the appearance of God, yet most of the people are sunk in slumber.

O concourse of earth! Hearken unto My call. By My life! It will guide you to the straight path, draw you nigh unto the most exalted Habitation, and cause you to drink the choice wine of recognition from the hand of the bounty of your Lord, the All-Bountiful.

We have made mention of all who have turned unto God, the Lord of the worlds, and have summoned them unto the supreme horizon—the Spot wherein the Ancient Beauty proclaimeth: The Kingdom is God’s, the Almighty, the All-Glorious. We have arisen to promote the Cause and have revealed it through a sovereignty from Us.

But when the horizon of the Bayan was illumined and that which the All-Merciful desired was manifested, those who circled round Me were consumed with the fire of jealousy and hatred. Thus doth the Lord of Names make mention, that every discerning believer may become aware thereof. By God! He hath done what none among those who disbelieved in God in bygone ages had done. Thus hath the matter been decreed in a perspicuous Book.

We beseech God to assist His servants to remain steadfast in this Cause whereby the feet of the learned have slipped and the hearts of the mystics have been perturbed.

We make mention of thee as a token of grace from Us and a mercy from Our presence, that thou mayest rejoice and render thanks unto thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Glory be upon thee and upon him who hath placed his trust in God, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

BH11779: In My Name the Hearing, the Answering

In My Name the Hearing, the Answering

O Muhammad-i-Tahir! He round Whom circle the Concourse on High, the denizens of Paradise and the angels brought nigh, maketh mention of thee on this night.

Give thanks unto God, then remember Him at all times. Verily He heareth and seeth, and He is the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. We counsel thee and those who have believed to observe trustworthiness and fidelity, and that whereby the Word of God, the Sovereign, the Self-Subsisting, may be exalted.

When thou hast attained unto My verses and found the fragrance of My utterance, say: Glory be unto Thee, O Thou Wronged One, the Imprisoned! I testify that Thou hast chosen tribulation for the salvation of all who dwell in the kingdom of creation, and hast dwelt in the prison for the deliverance of all who are on earth. There is no God but Thee, the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest. Within Thy grasp are the reins of all names. Thou art indeed the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

I beseech Thee, O Mystery of Being and O Thou in Whose grasp lie the reins of the seen and unseen, to aid me in that which befitteth Thy wondrous Cause and beseemeth Thy glorious Day. Then write down for me, through Thy bounty and favor, that which shall preserve me from the croaking which Thou hast foretold and from its transgression.

O my Lord! I am the helpless one, the wretched one, standing before the door of Thy mercy. I beseech Thee not to deny me [that which lieth with Thee]. There is no God but Thee, the Omnipotent, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Goal of them that have recognized Thee and the Beloved of those who are in the heavens and on earth.

BH05567: O Isma’il! The All-Glorious remembers thee from the prison…

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

O Isma’il! The All-Glorious remembers thee from the prison precincts and summons thee to God, the Mighty, the Beauteous. He created creation for His knowledge, yet when He appeared and sent down the verses, they denied Him and His perspicuous Book. Be steadfast with such steadfastness as no authority of princes can shake, and speak forth with such utterance as the clamor of the heedless cannot silence.

We have heard thy call, and thy name was present before the Wronged One. We have revealed for thee that which has diffused the fragrance of the All-Merciful throughout all creation. Exalted be His grace that has encompassed existence and His mercy that has preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth. Nothing escapes His knowledge—He hears and sees, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. When thou attainest the presence of revelation and hearest the shrill voice of My Pen, say:

“Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having made clear to me Thy path, and for having sent down to me Thy proof, and for having manifested what was hidden in Thy knowledge—a grace from Thee unto Thy loved ones. I beseech Thee by the Most Exalted Word whereby Thou hast subdued earth and heaven, and by the effulgent rays of the Daystar of Thy Revelation from the Sinai horizon, to make me speak forth Thy praise and glorification and hold fast to Thy cord. O my Lord! Thou seest the poor one who has sought the gate of Thy riches—I beseech Thee not to disappoint him of what lies with Thee. Verily Thou art the Most Merciful of the merciful and the Most Generous of the generous. There is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

BH05486: This is a Book which the All-Merciful hath sent…

He is the Most Great, the Most Holy, the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious

This is a Book which the All-Merciful hath sent down unto all who are in the realm of possibility, that perchance the people may cast away what they possess and take hold of that which they have been commanded by God, the Lord of all worlds. We have adorned the heaven of utterance with the luminary that hath shone forth from the horizon of God’s will, the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Great. Blessed is he who hath turned his heart unto it and acknowledged that which the Pen of God, the Mighty, the Wise, hath spoken. O servant! Thy letter hath come before the Wronged One in this mighty prison, and the servant who was present read it, and We answer thee with this perspicuous Tablet.

By God’s life! A single word thereof surpasseth all that whereof the kings and princes who have amassed the treasures of the earth without God’s leave do boast. Verily thy Lord is the All-Explaining, the All-Seeing. Give thanks for having attained unto My remembrance while I was wronged at the hands of the heedless. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O Creator of the heavens and Possessor of all names! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which necks have bowed before Thy sovereignty and power, to make me steadfast in Thy love and firm in Thy Cause. Verily Thou art the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Praised. The glory of God rest upon thee and upon thy sons and thy wife and thy sister and those who have believed in this wondrous Cause. Convey My greetings unto them all and remind them of that which hath been sent down unto thee from the presence of One Who encompasseth all things.

BH05255: This is the testimony which God—glorified be His majesty—vouchsafed…

In the name of Our Lord, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious.

This is the testimony which God—glorified be His majesty—vouchsafed unto me at the first of His descent into the barracks, when I besought of His bounty that He might send down unto me, from the heaven of His grace, a testimony whereby I might bear witness unto His own Self, even as He beareth witness unto His own Self. Thereupon was this testimony revealed unto me from the tongue of His greatness, and inscribed by the Pen of His might, that I might testify therewith and be numbered among them that have attained. Thus hath He spoken—exalted be His glory and immeasurable His majesty.

O Wronged One!

I bear witness that He hath testified unto His Essence that He is not to be known through aught beside Him, nor to be comprehended save through Himself. By one of His Names there hath been hoisted, upon the Sinai of existence in the realm of the unseen and the seen, the standard: “He, verily, is, in truth, no God but He.” And by another Name He hath reared, upon this praiseworthy station, the tabernacle: “Verily, I am God; there is no God but Me.” All things do testify unto Mine own Self, and all names unto My sovereignty. And I testify that they have not known Me, and that whatsoever they possess returneth unto one of My Manifestations who have been created by My Pen.

Whoso attaineth unto this testimony and beareth witness to that whereunto God hath borne witness in this Leaf, him will God make independent of the testimony of all who are in heaven and on earth.

O my God! I entreat Thee by Thy belovedness to make this testimony the lamp of my heart, the radiance of my countenance, and the light of my breast in this world and in the world to come. Verily, Thou art He Who hath power over all things.

BH05491: This is a Book which the Wronged One hath…

He is the Hearer, the Answerer!

This is a Book which the Wronged One hath sent down from His Most Great Prison unto one of His handmaidens who hath attained unto the days of God, the Lord of the worlds.

O My handmaiden! Hearken unto that which the Tongue of the Ancient of Days speaketh in this Most Great Prison. Verily it will draw thee nigh unto God, the Peerless, the All-Informed. Grieve not at the happenings and changes of the world. By My life! That which will draw My handmaidens nigh unto a station wherein the atoms shall proclaim “The Kingdom is God’s, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Praised!” hath been ordained. Blessed is the leaf who hath heard My call, who hath held fast unto the Tree of My loving-kindness and clung to My luminous hem.

O My handmaiden and My leaf! When thou hast drunk the choice wine of utterance from the cup of the bounty of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, say:

My God, my God! I am Thy handmaiden and the daughter of Thy handmaiden. I have turned unto Thee, detached from all else but Thee. I beseech Thee by Thy perspicuous Book, and Thy firm Command, and Thy Most Great Name, the All-Glorious, to ordain for me that which Thou hast ordained for the circling ones around Thee, and the maidens of the court in Thy days, and those who gaze toward Thy horizon. I testify, O my God, to Thy manifestation and Thy establishment upon the throne of utterance in the kingdom of creation, and to the mysteries of Thy Book and the lights of Thy countenance. I beseech Thee to send down upon Thy male and female servants that which Thou didst send down upon them that circle round Thy throne. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

BH05624: O My Leaf! Upon thee be My Glory…

In the Name of God, the All-Knowing!

O My Leaf! Upon thee be My Glory and My Loving-kindness. This is the Day of Revelation, and He Who conversed on Sinai is seated upon the throne of utterance. Blessed is the soul whom neither the tales of the ignorant divines nor the vain imaginings of the heedless servants prevented from the Most Exalted Horizon, nor deprived of the Kawthar of divine knowledge which floweth from the Pen of the All-Merciful. Give thanks to the Goal of all worlds that He aided thee to turn towards Him and believe in Him.

The entire world awaited the Day of Manifestation, yet on the Day of God, their deeds profited none. Their actions became the cause of the waywardness of the servants. Had they held fast to the divine Will and acted according to that which is in the Book, they would not have been seen deprived and forbidden from the ocean of grace and the sun of loving-kindness on this wondrous Day.

Give thanks unto thy Lord and say: Praise be unto Thee, O my Goal and the Goal of the world, my Object of Worship and the Object of Worship of the nations, for having aided me to turn towards Thee when men were in evident drunkenness. I beseech Thee by the Concourse on High, and by the dwellers of the pavilion of Thy glory and the tabernacle of Thy grace, to ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy handmaidens who have cast away all else save Thee and have turned to Thy Most Exalted Horizon when Thy call was raised. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Protector, the Forgiving, the Generous.

BH05280: Today the divine fragrance is wafting from the garment…

In the name of God, the Speaking One!

Today the divine fragrance is wafting from the garment of His Cause—surely every possessor of smell perceives it. The Sun of the Countenance is manifest and shining from the horizon of appearance—every possessor of sight beholds it. The Euphrates of utterance is flowing and streaming forth from the Finger of the Will of the All-Merciful—everyone whose thirst is true thirst attains and will attain unto it. Besides these souls, all are and were dead. Therefore one should not be saddened by the deeds and actions of the dead, for they were and are not worthy of mention. O Greatest Leaf! The Supreme Pen commands: In all conditions be occupied with the remembrance of the Friend and with the utmost joy and fragrance drink from the life-giving water. Count all contingent beings as absolute nothingness. Soon will the whole world return to extinction, while the banner of immortality has been and will be raised in the name of Truth. “Everything will perish save His dominion which belongeth to God alone.” Convey greetings from this Wronged One to the believing and devoted women of that land and say: God is witness and sees and hears, and He has not forgotten and will not forget the leaves of the Tree of Love. And the Glory be upon thee and upon them.

BH05585: Verily God revealed to one of His loved ones…

Verily God revealed to one of His loved ones in His revelation: O Javad! I do not forget him who remembers Me, and I am a companion to him who loves Me, and One Who remembers him who desires Me, and a fortress to him who turns his face toward My countenance, and a helper to him who advances toward My direction, and a protector to him who calls upon Me, and a succorer to him who seeks succor from Me. Grieve not over anything—all good is treasured for My pure ones, which We send down from the heaven of My grace by My leave and will. Rejoice in that We have caused thee to hear My melody and My warbling and My remembrance and My call.

Blessed is the soul that hath been set ablaze with the fire of My love and hath attained unto My presence and sought refuge in My court and heard My call and soared in My atmosphere and placed its trust in My Self and fled from all else beside Me. Verily he is of the people of the kingdoms of My might and My dominion. Upon him be My blessings and My mercy and My benediction. Thus have We mentioned thee and preferred thee that thou mayest be of the thankful ones.

Say: O my God! Thou seest my burning in separation from Thee and my longing for the dawning-place of Thy reunion. I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the dawn of unity broke forth and the face of detachment was illumined, that Thou make me one who circles around Thee in all Thy worlds. Then remember, O my God, my exile and my ardor and my yearning and my longing. Verily Thou art the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most High, the Most Great.

BH05449: He speaks, and His word is the truth: We…

He speaks, and His word is the truth: We have made mention of the name of ʿAyn in the Tablets. This is of God’s bounty towards him, and through it his remembrance shall endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. Verily thy Lord is the All-Informed, the All-Knowing. It behooveth him to be steadfast in the Cause of God and to hold fast unto the wisdom whose decree We have sent down in the Scriptures of God. Thus doth his Lord, the All-Knowing, teach him.

We have witnessed what was mentioned concerning him who was named ʿAli, who desired to turn his face toward the Dawning-Place of the light of his Lord’s countenance, the Almighty, the Powerful. Say: None is permitted to turn toward the prison quarter. Thus hath the Tongue of Revelation decreed and the Pen of God, the Beloved of the worlds, recorded.

O ʿAli! Hearken unto the call from the Dayspring of Glory and Grandeur: Verily there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Gracious. Be thou steadfast in the love of thy Lord, then bear witness to His oneness and to the sanctification of His Being from all else beside Him. Thus doth thy Lord, the Supreme, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing, command thee.

We love to behold all who have turned toward God, but the people have come between Me and those who desire to attain My presence. Thus doth the Truthful, the Trusted One, inform thee. He recordeth for those who desire the reward of attaining His presence. He, verily, is the Bestower, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Speak with wisdom and cleave unto its hem. It shall profit thee and profit those who believe in the Single One, the Mighty, the Praised.

BH05556: Can the Pen avail to inscribe all that hath…

He is the Opener, Who by His Name layeth hold on cities and lands.

Can the Pen avail to inscribe all that hath been decreed in the Books, or to unveil that which lay hidden in the Scriptures of God, the Lord of all worlds? Nay, by the dominion of the Names, save at the bidding of His radiant, dawning Command.

This is the Day whereon every man of insight who hath turned unto God, the One, the All-Informed, hath attained unto his goal. Verily, We have sent down the verses and made manifest the clear proofs, yet the people are sunk in evident delusion. They have broken the Covenant of God and His Testament, and disbelieved in His signs—verily, they are, in the Perspicuous Book, among the most abject of losers.

O Aqa Jan! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One in this Most Great Prison:

“Verily, there is no God but He, the One, the Single, the All-Powerful, the Almighty.”

Take the chalice of My utterance from the hand of My bounty, then drink therefrom in My Name, and say:

“O my God, my God! Unto Thee be praise, inasmuch as Thou hast guided me, hast made me to hear, and hast caused me to behold Thy traces and Thy straight Path in this Day whereon, by Thy leave and at Thy command, the Herald hath proclaimed in every direction: ʿBy God! That which was treasured hath appeared; that which was hidden hath come with a mighty, sovereign power.’

“O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant, recognizing Thy oneness and confessing what Thou hast sent down in Thy Book. I beseech Thee to ordain for me, by Thy Most Exalted Pen, that which shall, at all times, give me to drink of the Kawthar of Thy Name, the All-Merciful. Verily, Thou art powerful to do what Thou willest, and within Thy grasp lie the reins of all things. There is no God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.”

BH05358: Praise be to the one incomparable Lord and Dawning-Place…

In the Name of the Herald, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful

Praise be to the one incomparable Lord and Dawning-Place of bounty, Who bestowed fellowship among His loved ones and adorned them with the ornament of love. O spiritual youth! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. Thy mention hath been mentioned and thy name hath attained the honor of being heard. The friends in those regions have ever been and continue to be remembered. Say: O people of God! This is the day of service and of arising to promote the Cause. However, through wisdom and utterance, deprive not yourselves from the ocean of bounty, and render not yourselves deprived of the effulgences of the Sun of divine mercy. Hold fast unto the cord of trust in God and cleave unto the hem of resignation.

Say: O My loved ones! Time and again in the Scriptures and Tablets have We forbidden you from corruption and contention. Today all must hold fast, as before, unto that which God hath willed, and must occupy themselves with the guidance of souls through wisdom and utterance. In these days suspicions and vain imaginings have encompassed most and deprived them of the effulgences of the lights of the Sun of Certitude. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to sanctify His loved ones from that which is found among the people of treachery, enmity, rancor and hatred. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon them that are with thee and love thee and hearken unto thy words concerning this firm and impregnable Cause.

BH05625: O My Leaf, O My Afnan, O My Handmaiden…

In the Name of the Beloved of the world

O My Leaf, O My Afnan, O My Handmaiden, O thou who art present before My Throne! We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to preserve thee and those who are with thee. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous.

Today the Afnans of the Sacred Tree, both male and female, must arise to serve the Cause. They must not be perturbed nor frightened by the cawing of the ravens and the clamor of the oppressors. I swear by the Most Great Book that the Cause of God will encompass and take possession of all the earth. Those related to the Truth must engage in teaching the Cause through wisdom and utterance.

The world passeth away more swiftly than the twinkling of an eye. In truth it was not and is not worthy of attention. Reflect upon the Wronged One’s Cause. From the earliest days until now He hath been in the hands of the heedless. That which hath not befallen anyone else hath befallen Him, yet He arose to promote the Cause in such wise that neither the tyranny of the Pharaohs nor the harm of the oppressors could prevent Him from uttering the blessed Word, until the Cause reached such a stage that the kings of the world are searching to discover its purpose and to become aware of that which God hath willed.

We have mentioned and continue to mention the Afnan, and We beseech for him protection, exaltation and glory. Verily God is the Hearer, the Answerer.

BH05278: Today all things speak forth the blessed word “The…

He is the Hearing, the Responding One!

Today all things speak forth the blessed word “The Glory has come!” This is that Name at which the joints of the ungodly tremble and the hearts of the believers find peace. This is that Name which has had and has no likeness or equal. He is the Hidden Pearl that was concealed and preserved in the Mine of Divine Wisdom and Protection, and was later mentioned, by the Absolute Divine Will, in the Dawn Prayer. He is the Crown of utterance and the Diadem of proof—none denies it save those filled with rancor, envy, and such wretchedness as amounts to disbelief in God, the Lord of all worlds. And the throne of that Name has been the Dayspring of Divine utterance, as expressed in His words: “O God! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Glorious Beauty [Baha] and all Thy Glory is truly glorious.” This is the Most Great Name and the Most Perfect, Most Ancient Blessed Word—at its very mention the evil ones are scattered.

O Muhammad-Qabl-ʿAli! Praise God for having enabled thee to attain unto a Tablet from whose horizon the Sun of Grace has shown forth and become manifest. His honor Ibrahim, who circumambulated around Me and attained My presence, made mention of thee. We make mention of thee with that whereby the hearts of those near unto God have been attracted. That which thou didst send has been accepted. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this mighty favor. Verily, glorification swims in the ocean of utterance and glorifies its Lord, the Hearing, the Responding One.

BH05594: O Samad! In the Most Great Prison there befell…

He is the One Who calls between earth and heaven!

O Samad! In the Most Great Prison there befell the Wronged One that which hath no likeness or parallel. A tyrant, in the name of justice, sat in authority and, inflamed with the fire of hatred and malice, surpassed in wickedness the wrongdoers of old, perpetrating that which caused the heavens to cry out and the Divine Lote-Tree to lament. Were We to mention the tribulations endured, both past and present, existence itself would flee from being and seek non-being. The traces of tribulations are manifest and evident from every limb.

In all conditions We have appeared and stood firm before the faces of the people of the world. The tongue hath spoken and the pen’s movement been raised. Yet the conditions of self and passion have, on the Day of Return, deprived the servants from the Creator of existence.

Say: My God, my God! I testify that from Thy Pen hath flowed the river of knowledge and wisdom. I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy generosity and the heaven of Thy bounty to assist Thy servants to turn unto Thee, and enable them to face toward the lights of Thy countenance and to advance toward the horizon of Thy gifts. O Lord! They are Thy servants and Thy creation and are in Thy grasp. Deprive them not of the fragrances of Thy days. Ordain for the sincere ones the reward of attaining Thy presence and standing before the gate of Thy grandeur. Verily Thou art God, there is none other God but Thee, the All-Bountiful, the Generous.

BH05277: Today the ocean of knowledge is surging…

In the Name of the one true God!

Today the ocean of knowledge is surging and the pearls of wisdom and divine knowledge are manifest and visible, yet all are deprived thereof save whom God willeth. O friends! Know ye the value of these days which, though fleeting and transient, are ordained for the attainment of everlasting stations. Blessed is the one whom transient conditions have not prevented from recognizing the essence of knowledge and wisdom. We have heard thy call and have made mention of it in this Tablet, that perchance through the sweet-scented breeze of utterance they may attain unto that which God hath purposed. The idolaters have encompassed the believers on all sides. The cause and reason for this hath been and continueth to be the heedlessness of the negligent ones and the tyranny of the oppressors.

Now must thou and all the believers, with utmost humility and lowliness, beseech the Self-Sufficient One for that which would conduce to the betterment of the world and the progress and tranquility of its peoples. Say: My God, my God! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and holding fast to the cord of Thy Prophet and Thy Chosen One, Whom Thou hast made the Sovereign of the Messengers and the Guide of all paths. I beseech Thee by Him and by His family and companions to assist me in Thy remembrance and praise amongst Thy servants. Verily Thou art powerful to do what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH05345: My eyes shed tears, my heart and pen lament…

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

My eyes shed tears, my heart and pen lament, and my tongue proclaims: Praise be to Thee, O God of the worlds, for having made me the Dayspring of tribulations and the Source of calamities amidst Thy creatures. Thou art, verily, the All-Powerful, the Almighty. For love of Thee I have chosen every affliction, and for passion of Thee every grievous trial. The rapture of Thy utterance hath so seized me that I have turned my breast toward the darts of the enemies and set my face toward the spears of the idolaters. Were it not for my love of Thee, how could I have endured the derision of the enemies and all that hath befallen me at every moment?

Thy love hath imprisoned me in the prison of the land of Ta beneath the chains of Thy creatures, and hath sent me to ʿAkka, the place that hath been named the Most Great Prison. Were We to recount what hath befallen Us in the path of God, the Lord of Names, every hearing and seeing one would weep. We make mention of Our tribulations in measure, lest grief overtake Our loved ones in hardships and trials. He, verily, is the Helper, the All-Wise. All that hath come upon me in the path of God is the solace of mine eyes. To this testifieth every truthful and faithful one. Thus hath My Most Exalted Pen mentioned unto thee what hath been inflicted upon Me by the hosts of the heedless.

Convey My greetings unto My loved ones who have turned their faces toward My Countenance and drawn nigh unto God on this resplendent Day. Glory be upon thee and upon them that are with thee and upon those who have believed in the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH05373: A remembrance from Us to him who has drunk…

He is the Witness to Truth from His Most Exalted Horizon

A remembrance from Us to him who has drunk the choice wine of revelation when its seal was broken by the finger of his Lord’s power, the Mighty, the Omnipotent. O thou who gazest toward My horizon! Hearken unto My call from the precincts of My prison. Verily, it maketh mention of thee in that which shall endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. Bear thou witness to that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath testified before the creation […]: There is none other God but Me, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. We have made manifest the Cause and made clear that which was hidden from the servants, and We have favored those who have believed over those who have denied God when He came with manifest sovereignty.

Say: Fear ye God, O peoples of the earth! Follow Him Who hath come unto you with the truth, and follow not those who have denied the Witness and the Witnessed. This is the Day whereon the All-Merciful hath revealed Himself unto all who are in the realm of possibility. Blessed is he who hath turned unto Him, and woe betide them who have denied the Book of God when it was sent down in truth. And blessed is he who hath taken it […] clear. Take hold of the Book of God with the power that proceedeth from Him and cast aside that which the people possess. Thus have We commanded thee before, and those who have believed in this Cause whereby the heart of every heedless and veiled one hath been shaken.

The glory be upon thee and upon those who have hearkened unto the call of God and acted according to that which they were commanded. These, verily, are among the people of this praiseworthy station.

BH05377: This is a remembrance from Us for such…

He is the All-Witnessing, the All-Knowing.

This is a remembrance from Us for such as have attained the lights of utterance, at the time when the All-Merciful came with a mighty sovereignty. Say: Verily, He calleth you unto the Most Exalted Horizon, and ordaineth for you that which shall abide with you in every world of the worlds of God, the Lord of all being.

He in truth speaketh the word of truth, yet most of the people are among the heedless. They have cast God behind their backs and have followed the ways of the ignorant.

The door of the Treasure hath now been opened, and that which was hidden in the knowledge of God hath been made manifest, if ye be of them that know. Say: Make haste unto that Horizon from which the sun of might and power hath shone forth. Beware lest the hosts of idle fancy debar you from this Most Great Announcement.

Say: Were He to take a handful of dust and breathe into it of the spirit, ye would behold it voicing, with the most eloquent tongue of grandeur:

“Verily, there is no God but Me, the Most High, the All-Knowing.”

Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken, as He sat enthroned upon the seat of His great Name. We have heard thy call and have answered thee with this luminous, perspicuous Tablet. By the life of God! From it shall the true believers inhale the fragrance of God, and the sincere ones discern the sweet savours of His exalted, wondrous Utterance.

Thus hath the ocean of utterance surged within the All-Merciful in this very hour.

The glory that shineth from the horizon of the heaven of My tender care rest upon thee, and upon those who have carried out what they were commanded in My mighty Book.

BH05378: A remembrance from Us to him who hath attained…

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

A remembrance from Us to him who hath attained unto the remembrance of God, the Lord of the worlds. We have remembered thee time and again, and this is yet another time. Be thou thankful and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art wronged and estranged! We have emerged from the Most Great Prison and made this palace Our Most Sublime Vision, to the dismay of those who have denied God, the Lord of the worlds. Say: He hath come forth from the prison with authority from His presence and hath established Himself upon the throne in an exalted garden. Then He turned towards the palace which was renowned among both the lowly and the noble. He is, verily, the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth. Nothing whatsoever escapeth His knowledge. He is, verily, the One Who holdeth sway over all who are in the heavens and on earth.

Blessed art thou for having turned unto Him, hearkened, and acknowledged that which the All-Merciful hath sent down in this most mighty, most holy, most precious and most wise Revelation. Let nothing grieve thee. Be thou assured of thy Lord’s grace. He will protect thee through His power. He is, verily, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. Thus have We sent down the verses unto thee and dispatched them to thee, that thou mayest be among those who are firmly established. Glory be upon thee and upon whosoever hath attained unto this mighty Day, whereby the servants were shaken and the limbs of those who turned away from God, the King, the Mighty, the All-Praised, did quake. We beseech God to aid thee to serve His Cause and to protect thee from the evil of every remote oppressor.

BH05460: That which was hidden hath appeared…

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great!

That which was hidden hath appeared, and that which was recorded in the Tablets hath come to pass. The seeing one hath beheld and turned towards God, the Lord of Lords, and the hearing one hath heard and hastened to the Dawning-Place of his Lord’s verses, the Lord of all men. How many a servant hath mocked God, and how many a servant hath said, “Here am I, here am I, O King of mankind!” We have manifested the Cause and raised up the Standards, and have sent down from the heaven of revelation that whereby ears were created in the contingent world. But when the Cause appeared and the Sovereign of Power was established upon the throne, the idolaters emerged from behind the veil. By God! They committed that whereby the Cause was brought to naught and whereby the dwellers of Paradise in their chambers did lament.

Thus do We recount unto thee that thou mayest be informed of what befell Us at the hands of them that denied God and His sovereignty in the final return. The fire of hatred seized them to such extent that they disbelieved in Him in Whom they had believed and around Whom they had circled at morn and eventide. From this station We send Our glorification upon thee and upon them that are with thee, that thou mayest give thanks unto thy Lord, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing. Remind the people in thy Lord’s name, that perchance the remembrance may draw them nigh unto the most exalted station. It behoveth thee to arise to serve thy Lord. Verily He seeth thee in thy condition. He is, in truth, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

BH05462: The fragrance of utterance has wafted throughout contingent being…

He is the One speaking with truth!

The fragrance of utterance has wafted throughout contingent being. Blessed is he who perceived it and recognized Him Who came with manifest sovereignty.

O peoples of the earth! By God, the Hidden One has come and what was treasured in the Books of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, has been made manifest. Beware lest riches prevent you from the ultimate goal, or the forces of those who have violated God’s Covenant, the Lord of all worlds, cause you fear.

The Promise has come, and the Promised One stands before all faces, calling out with the most exalted call:

“He Who was mentioned in the hearts of the Messengers has come, and that which was hidden in God’s knowledge has appeared.”

To this bears witness […] in this exalted station.

This is the day when the Ancient Beauty moved toward another mansion, despite those who denied the Day of Judgment—the Day in which the veils were rent asunder, the clouds were dispersed, and the lights of the Countenance appeared from this luminous horizon. Blessed is the one whose strength was not weakened by the forces of the world, and blessed is the upright one who heard, hastened, and said: “Here am I, O Thou Goal of the mystics!”

I beseech Thee by Thy manifestation in Thy days and the splendors of the lights of Thy face, to make me steadfast in Thy Cause, speaking in Thy remembrance, and arising to serve Thy Cause—through which the foundations of those who worship idols without any Book or proof from God, the Single One, the All-Informed, were shaken.

BH11780: The purpose of creation hath been the appearance…

In the Name of the One God

The purpose of creation hath been the appearance of this most exalted, most holy Day, which in the Books, Tablets and Scriptures of God hath been known as the Day of God. All the Prophets, the chosen ones, and the holy ones have yearned to attain the presence of this Day, for the Speaker of the Mount is manifest and the Horizon of Revelation is bright and resplendent. Whoso hath attained unto this supreme bounty hath attained unto all good, and that soul, through divine favor, hath reached this most glorious, most exalted station, hath drunk from the wine of His love, hath turned unto His horizon, and hath repeatedly partaken of His mention, which is of the fruits of the eternal Tree. Know thou the value of this station and preserve it in the name of the Lord of Days. The whole world cannot and will never equal a single word that proceedeth from the Ancient Tongue. Blessed is he who hath attained thereunto, and woe unto the heedless.

God willing, may you be engaged in the mention of God, exalted be His glory, with the utmost joy and fragrance, free and detached from all else. The nights and days shall pass away, but what hath been sent down from God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, shall endure for thee. The Glory be upon thee and upon them and upon whosoever hath recognized this precious and wondrous Day.

BH05949: O handmaiden of God, mother of His honor Mirza…

In the Name of One Who is All-Knowing and All-Powerful

O handmaiden of God, mother of His honor Mirza ʿAli-Rida, upon him be the glory of God! In the name of the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful. O my handmaiden! The Book of God hath appeared and spoken forth without any veil or concealment. This Most Great Book was mentioned in the Qur’an as the Mother Book. Blessed is the soul that hath become aware and held fast unto it. This Book at all times summoneth the servants unto the horizon of the All-Merciful. This is that Book which comprehendeth all books, past and future.

O leaf! Praise the Object of the world’s adoration, that thou hast turned unto the Book of God in days when all are heedless and have turned away from it. By the Sun of the Most Exalted Horizon! Thou art in manifest profit while the people are in grievous loss. Make mention of this bounty and occupy thyself with the praise of the Lord of Names. Today whosoever attaineth unto the Word of God hath attained unto all that is in the Book. Give thanks unto thy Lord for having remembered thee in the Most Great Prison and for having moved the Most Exalted Pen of God in thy name. Verily thy Lord is the Compassionate, the Bountiful. Praise be to God, the Most High, the Most Great. The Glory from Us be upon thee and upon every handmaiden who hath heard and attained and responded and said:

“Praise be unto Thee, O God of all who are in the heavens and the earth!”

BH05729: The essence of praise and glorification and the quintessence…

He is the Compassionate, the All-Giving, the Generous!

The essence of praise and glorification and the quintessence of remembrance and splendor befit that Self-Subsisting Lord Who, from the sealed wine, bestowed eternal life and everlasting existence upon the inhabitants of the graves.

O Abdul-Baqi! The Eternal Lord declares: Whatever occurred and transpired in the Prison-land was in accordance with the requirements of the tenderness, mercy, gifts and favors of God, exalted be His glory. My handmaiden and leaf, Sakinih, upon her be My Glory, was accepted and adorned with the honor of His good-pleasure. However, the Wronged One did not wish, in the presence of God’s friends, to give precedence to the Branches in the matter of marriage. Therefore, We chose and bestowed Our favor upon Abdullah, upon him be My Glory and loving-kindness, inasmuch as the father, uncle and cousin of Habibullah, upon him be My Glory, had been afflicted with great tribulations in the path of divine love. Thus was manifested, through pure bounty, grace and mercy, that which was in accordance with God’s will. All must beseech God, exalted be His glory, to manifest in the Prison-land also that which would cause the exaltation of His Word and the dawning of the light of His Cause. The Glory shining from the horizon of My heaven be upon you and upon those who have believed in the One, the All-Informed.