Volume 107: Date unknown (1 of 7)

BH11628: Bear thou witness to that whereunto God hath Himself…

Section 1: “Bear thou witness to that whereunto God hath…”

He is God, the Most Mighty, the Most Holy!

Bear thou witness to that whereunto God hath Himself borne witness in the Realm of Speech and then in the Kingdom of the Pen: that there is none other God but Him, and that He Who hath appeared is verily the manifestation of God in the kingdom of the heavens and of the earth, and the Most Great Announcement unto all who dwell in the realm of creation and command, and the Book Inscribed for them that abide within the pavilion of eternity, and the Preserved Tablet whereon have been recorded by the Most Holy Pen the mysteries of God, the Sovereign, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Most Great. Whoso hath acknowledged Him hath acknowledged God from all eternity, and whoso hath turned away from Him hath turned away from God and from His Manifestations and from the Daysprings of His Beauty and the Dawning-Places of His might and power, and is accounted among the idolaters.

Say: O people! How long will ye fail to be enkindled with the fire of God from this Fire that hath been ignited at the midmost heart of all regions? Beware lest ye deprive yourselves thereof and from drawing nigh unto it. By God! It is indeed a light and a mercy unto all the worlds. Fear ye God, O people, and be not veiled therefrom by the veils of idle fancy. Shatter the idols by the power of your Lord, the Most Exalted, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, and be not of them that are far removed.

O thou physician of the Cause! Hearken unto the call of thy Beloved in these days wherein sorrows have encompassed Me through the hosts of Satan. By God! They have committed that which hath caused the pillars of existence and the foundations of the seen and unseen worlds to tremble. Were We to lift the veils and acquaint thee with what hath befallen the Beauty of the All-Chosen One, thou wouldst rend the garment of patience, and lament both night and day, and wouldst be consumed within thyself, and be numbered with them that are consumed. The Tongue of God speaketh even now, saying:

“Is there any detached soul who will arise between earth and heaven and purify My surroundings from the defilement of these idolaters? And is there any possessed of spiritual perception who will inhale the fragrance of the All-Glorious from the Robe of Utterance through that which hath proceeded from the Pen of the Most Merciful, and be so carried away by the breezes of the Beloved that he will forsake all who dwell in the heavens and on earth, and stand firm in assisting this lonely Wronged One?”

By My life! Were We to recount unto thee the tales of the Youth concerning what hath befallen Him, the Tablet would not suffice. We therefore return to that which thou didst ask in thy letter, wherein We found the fragrance of thy love for thy Ancient Lord. We beseech God to confirm thee in that wherein thou art engaged and to withhold thee not from that which He possesseth. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

As concerning what thou hast asked about Divine Unity [tawhid], hearken unto that which the Spirit imparteth unto thee, that it may draw thee to a station wherein thou shalt recognize all things in their proper place, soar in the atmosphere of wisdom and meaning, and attain unto the fountainhead of knowledge from One knowing and wise. Know thou that the philosophers have maintained that the all-pervading reality is identical with all things, as they have said “the simple reality is all things.” This is their doctrine, and they have adduced numerous proofs to establish it. Likewise have the mystics put forth statements concerning unity and the explanation of the station of abstraction. In this regard, he who was their exemplar among those who spoke of the unity of existence, and their model among those who affirmed the vision of Truth in every existing thing, hath said that the outward aspect of the Lord cannot be numbered and His inward aspect cannot be limited, that the outward can scarce be manifest and the inward can scarce be concealed.

Many have followed him in this, likening this station to the sea and its waves, to ink and letters, to water and ice. We have foregone mention of the statements of both groups for the sake of brevity, and We make mention of that which is chosen by thy Lord, the All-Powerful, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Apart from this, We have indeed expounded their statements in numerous epistles, and We beseech God to convey them unto thee, for He is the best of those who convey.

Know thou that with thy Lord all letters and words, and likewise mention and utterance, are of equal degree and one station. Even as He, exalted be He, distinguisheth between the letters of creation, so too doth He distinguish between the letters of law. Ponder thou upon this, that thou mayest be of them that are endued with insight. Whatsoever He decreeth in every age and dispensation is the truth, and naught else is but manifest error. For example, in the Psalms it was revealed from the heaven of the divine Command: “Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee,” while in the Qur’an it was revealed that He hath no offspring, that “He begetteth not, nor is He begotten,” and that He is independent of all worlds. Likewise unto Moses the Prophet, after he had beseeched his Lord saying “Show me Thyself, that I may look upon Thee,” He said “Thou shalt not see Me,” and at that same moment declared “Look and thou shalt behold Me.” Thus observe thou and be of them that bear witness.

These diverse statements return to a single point, and Our servants possessed of insight perceive no difference between them. Were the gate of this knowledge to be opened before the face of men, none would raise objections against God in these days wherein the Beauty of the Ancient of Days hath appeared with manifest signs and clear proofs. Through the diversity of utterance doth the All-Merciful distinguish between those who have recognized Him by His own Self and follow Him in all that proceedeth from Him, and those who have known the Word but are veiled thereby from the Beauty of the All-Glorious and are among the lost. Even as thou witnessest today certain people who profess the unity of God in the Bayan yet are veiled from Him Who hath expounded and revealed it, and thereby have they gone astray and led others astray, being of those who perceive not.

As for thee, purify thy heart from all that thou hast heard from these factions and turn unto thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower. Say: By God, the mention of unity and its exaltation above all stations is solely by virtue of its connection with God. Beware, O people, lest ye be veiled from Him around Whose command unity itself doth circle, and be ye of the God-fearing. How many are the servants who make mention of God and profess His unity throughout all their days […]How many there are who glorify and unify Him throughout all days and nights, yet are among the most heedless of servants, for they recognize not Him Whom they unify at morn and eventide. And how many a believer in divine unity is today a misbeliever before God, though he perceiveth it not within himself and is numbered among the idolaters.

Consider, for example, the philosophers and the leading figures among the Shaykhis—they established four degrees of divine unity: unity of Essence, then of Attributes, of Actions, and of Worship. They bid people to believe in their doctrines and have written numerous books to prove these four degrees. Yet they remain veiled from Him Whose knowledge they sought to prove to themselves. Thus do thou witness, O people of the Bayan, and be of those who know. How many servants there are who possess not what others possess and are unaware of the degrees of divine unity and the proofs adduced by men, yet they recognized their Creator on the day of His Manifestation. These are the true believers in divine unity, and their names are inscribed as the faithful on preserved tablets of glory.

The purpose of Divine Unity in the tablets of God is the servant’s acknowledgment that He was and is one in His Essence, having no partner or peer in His Being or in what proceedeth from Him throughout all creation. Thus did He testify to His own Self before the creation of all things and before the appearance of names and their kingdom. There is no God but He, the Almighty, the Glorious, the Powerful. If thou wouldst soar on wings of holiness in the atmosphere of nearness and detachment and be attracted by the fragrances of intimacy, thou wouldst attain unto a station wherein thou wouldst witness naught in creation save the effulgence of the rays of the Beloved, and wouldst hear all things cry out that there is no God but He, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Inaccessible.

Section 2: “Behold the sun—it shineth upon all…”

Behold the sun—it shineth upon all things with a single effulgence and its radiant light is reflected in the mirrors of all created things. The true believer in divine unity is he whom the veils of these mirrors do not prevent from witnessing the One Who hath manifested Himself through them, in them, and by their own selves.

Likewise observe the Sun of Truth and be of them that see. It hath dawned upon all who are in the heavens and on earth, and the true believer in divine unity beholdeth in all created things naught but a sign of his Lord’s revelation, possessing at all times a wondrous insight. They who have today taken partners with God are far removed from the gardens of nearness and are counted among the idolaters. Whosoever possesseth vision and understanding witnesseth in all that hath appeared from Him the signs of His power, the manifestations of His sovereignty, and the evidences of His grandeur, which all created things are powerless to comprehend.

The true believer in divine unity in these days is he who uniteth God in this Revelation and testifieth within himself that there is no God but He, Who hath ever been One in His Essence, Who hath never been joined with anyone nor shared with any soul, and all else besides Him is created by His binding and wise command. Say: Beware, O people, lest ye fashion for yourselves a new god each day. Fear ye God and speak not according to your desires. Fear God and be of them that truly believe in His unity.

Know thou concerning what was asked about the mind, the soul and the spirit that these three and their like which are mentioned in reference to man are manifestations of that sign by which man was established. Exalted be this creation which tells of its Creator, and the hearts of the mature have failed to know it as it truly is. For instance, that by which thou movest, hearest and seest is one, even if thou namest it by all names, as it has been called by different names by the tongues of those who remember. Yet in its essence it is sanctified above all that people speak of and all that they attribute to it. However, its manifestations and names differ according to the recipient and the means.

For example, when it is directed to the place of hearing and its means, an effect, attribute and name appear, and when directed to the place of sight and the means ordained for it, another effect and attribute appear. This ye witness within yourselves and are among those who bear witness. All this is from its orientation toward the outward means in the human temple. Likewise consider the inward and be among those who observe. For instance, its connection to the heart, liver, spleen, head and other parts—through the differences in these stations different attributes and distinct names appear, just as ye name it mind, soul and spirit, and it has become known by these names among the worlds.

Therefore know thou the sign of thy Lord’s revelation which was revealed to thee through thee—how from it, though it is one in its essence, different names and effects have appeared—that thou mayest thereby reach the stations of knowledge in this Paradise whose trees were planted by the hands of the All-Glorious, from which the fragrances of the All-Merciful waft, and by which the hearts of the pure ones are attracted, were they to be of those who turn. And that thou mayest witness that differences appear through differences in recipient and means, otherwise the Revealer is one and the revelation is one. All this We have deposited within yourselves that ye may soar in the holy and detached gardens, then in unveiling and unity, and be of those who have rent the veils and emerged from behind the veil through the sovereignty of My Name whereby God distinguished between the believers and the ungodly.

However, among the people of terminology and convention from among the philosophers and others, there are various explanations concerning the mind, soul and spirit. Since We found no opportunity, We did not address what they mentioned and We condensed what was intended to the utmost degree. Thus did the matter flow from One powerful and knowing. Were anyone to reflect on what We have truly revealed, the door of knowledge would open before his face and the maiden of inner meanings would emerge in the chambers of wisdom with such an ornament as would perplex the minds of those brought near. And We shall detail for him what We condensed such that from every letter of what was revealed We bring forth for him books which none has encompassed save God, the Counter, the All-Knowing.

O physician of oneness! Come forth from the chambers of stillness with God’s greatest medicine and heal all created things through the mention of thy Lord’s name, the Healer, the Forgiving, the Generous. And if thou findest one heedless, treat him with the mention of the Most Great Name, for by it every sick and ailing one is healed. And if thou seest one athirst with love, guide him to the ocean of attainment through novel counsel and wisdom. Thus have We commanded thee in truth. Act thou according to what thou hast been commanded by God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

As to what thou hast asked concerning the Truth and the Path, know thou that in these days the Path is My Name, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate, for through it are people guided to the hidden, treasured, and concealed Reality that is veiled from the worlds. Say: Verily it is God’s path between the heavens and earth, and God’s way in the kingdom of Command and Creation, and the manifestation of Truth among all created things. And in one sense, Truth referreth to the Primal Point of Will, the First Emanation, the First Pearl, the Most Exalted Word, the First Remembrance, and the Act from which the worlds derive their sustenance. And whatsoever guideth people and connecteth them to the station of true knowledge is the Path.

Though this Path is one, it differeth according to the capacities of those who seek it. As thou observest, among the people are those who recognized God merely upon hearing of His Manifestation; some upon attaining the presence of His Countenance; others believed after hearing what was revealed from the direction of the Throne and were numbered among the guided ones; some clung to proofs and arguments, tarrying upon the path and were among those who hesitated; and others traversed the way in less than the twinkling of an eye and reached the most great vista, the station whereon the Ancient Beauty was established with manifest sovereignty. Blessed is he who passeth over the path as lightning through the clouds and followeth the most great path in this mighty Announcement.

Say: O people! The path of truth is manifest like unto His own being. Beware lest ye stray into the ways of those who associated partners with God and follow the paths of the deniers. He who is today seized by the fragrances of the All-Merciful and findeth the holy fragrance from the garment of My Most Glorious Name shall be so attracted that he will know neither path nor way, and will reach the Sun of Eternity in less than a moment. And in one station, the Path is My verses and the Truth is My hidden and concealed Self, secreted from the eyes of the heedless.

Know thou further that the Manifestation in its essence is sanctified above all universality and particularity, and is one in its reality. Those who have ascended unto it and upon whose hearts are impressed the lights of the revelation of the Manifestation—these are the proofs of His Self, the ways of His guidance, the mines of His wisdom, the dawning-places of His Cause, and the daysprings of His revelation. All names and attributes may be applied to them so long as they remain oriented toward the Sun of Manifestation. After turning aside, no station remaineth for them with God and they are numbered among the lost. Thus have We imparted unto thee the word of truth that thou mayest thank God, thy Lord, and aid Him in these days wherein the hosts of Satan have encompassed Him. And the Glory be upon thee and upon every discerning believer.

BH11692: To be typed

To be typed.

BH00539: Praise be to God, the Glorious King and Lord…

In the name of God, the Lord of the Kingdom of Might and Power

Praise be to God, the Glorious King and Lord of the Kingdom of Grace and Bounty, Who brought existence into being, made manifest the mysteries of the unseen from the world of visibility, promised humanity the Promised Day, and gave them glad tidings of the appearance of the appointed time. When the veil was rent asunder and the mystery of return was revealed, when the veil of concealment was removed from the face of the mysteries of creation on the Day of Return, and when the realities of knowledge were sent down in scrolls and books from the presence of the Mighty, the Bestower, the hearts of those endowed with understanding were attracted to the King of the Day of Reckoning. They rent asunder the greatest veil through the power of the Lord of Destiny and Creator of humanity, and turned with their hearts toward the Most Manifest Hidden Mystery. They recognized the greatest encrypted symbol and beheld the Most Hidden, Most Manifest, Most Luminous Beauty.

When they circled round this Fire and acquired illumination from the lights of the Tree of Command through the power of the Lord of the Kingdom of Might, the hearts of mysteries were stirred, and the banners of hatred and enmity were raised against God’s chosen servants, preventing them from turning toward their Lord, the Mighty, the Chosen One. Say: Why do you hasten through the wilderness of idle fancies? The Hidden Mystery hath appeared, the veil hath been lifted from the face of the treasured Symbol, and the clouds have been removed from the beauty of the preserved Light. Hath passion prevented you from reaching the Lord of the First and the Last? Do you object to the people of wisdom turning toward their Lord, the Sovereign of all humanity? Can the people of understanding remain patient in drawing near to the divine sanctuary? Nay, by Him from Whom all originated and to Whom all return! Can anyone prevent the people of righteousness? Say: Do you threaten them with affliction in the path of God, the Lord of Names? They are people who have accepted adversity and hardship, who have faced with their breasts the arrows of oppression from enemies, seeking to enter the Kingdom of eternity.

By the Lord of creation! You are but in heedlessness and loss. Even if you were to cut apart the bodies of those who have entered the heaven of faith with the swords of hatred and tyranny, you would not be able to turn them away from the path of certitude. Say: The way hath become manifest, the proof hath been perfected, and the thirsty one hath hastened to the Kawthar of knowledge flowing from the Spring of Sad beneath the throne of the King of the Day of Resurrection. Blessed are ye, O people of love, for having entered the pavilion of holiness in the kingdom of righteousness! Through your steadfastness, the hearts of the people of enmity were disturbed, and through your firmness on the path of the Cause, the limbs of the people of tyranny and corruption trembled.

O my God, my Master, and my King! There remains no land in Thy domains but hath been reddened with the blood of Thy chosen ones, and no tree but is adorned with the bodies of Thy loved ones. Such hath befallen them as hath caused the tears of the dwellers of the pavilion of Thy glory to flow morning and evening, and they have suffered at the hands of the heedless that which hath caused the eyes of those in the heaven of Thy Cause to weep at daybreak and sunset. Thou knowest that they desired naught in Thy kingdom save to remove corruption from among Thy servants, to adorn their bodies with the robes of love and unity, and to crown their heads with the diadems of fellowship and affection. For in this Revelation, Thou didst command them only to strive to remove hatred and rancor, to exert effort in eliminating discord, and to manifest love and harmony among all peoples. Among men are those who opposed them for turning to Thee and drawing light from Thy knowledge, who pronounced them infidels and unbelievers, and made their blood lawful out of transgression against Thy sovereignty and aggression against Thy servants. Others accused them of corruption in the land, thereby making them the target of hardship and affliction.

Thereby He made them the target of hardship and the recipient of both joy and sorrow. All atoms bear witness that they desired no corruption in Thy dominion and walked only in the path of Thy command, which is the unity of Thy land and love for their fellow beings among Thy creation. Is not their patience through successive years, their endurance of every affliction, and their obedience to every command sufficient? By Thy exalted Self and Thy prevailing testimony over all things, if the heedless were to be fair, even less than a needle’s eye would suffice for them to witness that they desired naught but the good of all and the welfare of humanity, to purify Thy land from discord and division, and to adorn it with manifestations of fellowship and harmony.

Everything in Thy dominion hath a sign, and the sign of their truthfulness is their deeds in this age and their patience in times of hardship. I beseech Thee, O my Creator, by Thy Name which hath conquered all the world and encompassed all nations, to remove from these eyes the veil of ignorance that they may comprehend what Thou didst intend in revealing Thy laws and ordinances and manifesting Thy commandments in Thy scriptures and tablets. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest and the Sovereign over what Thou desirest. There is none other God but Thee, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Peerless.

O thou who dwellest in the shade of the Divine Lote-Tree and resideth in the gardens of grace and bounty! I have known the degrees of thy love for God and the stations of thy sincerity for the Face of God. I beseech God, thy Lord and the Lord of all things, to assist thee at all times, to grant thee the Tasnim of bounty and beneficence, and to raise thee to the highest degrees of knowledge and understanding. Observe the world and the differences therein, and reflect on what hath been uttered by the Tongue of Will concerning the stations of fellowship and unity. The people have imagined this mighty Cause and momentous matter to be a source of corruption and disunity, whereas the divine Law commands humanity only to love and abandon enmity. Say: This is a Cause through which God manifests what lieth within man of spiritual qualities and divine knowledge, and He desireth naught from it save ascension to the highest reaches of understanding and the ultimate summit of human progress. Say: Through it grow in the soil of hearts the ears of certitude, and from the trees of being appear the flowers of inner meanings and utterance in remembrance of the All-Merciful and the unity of the All-Glorious Lord.

Spiritual friend, for some time no letter has been sent due to travel. God is witness and testament that you have never been forgotten and, God willing, you shall never be. During the journey, at one of the stopping places, a letter from you was observed and a brief reply was written and sent. After attaining the presence, mention of you flowed from the tongue of grace and bounty, and such favor was evident regarding you that pen and tongue are incapable and fall short of mentioning and enumerating it. Blessed art thou, again blessed art thou! In truth, in this Most Great Revelation, the favors of the Ancient King have encompassed His loved ones in such wise as is beyond the description and enumeration of those who would describe and enumerate.

We must ever give thanks throughout the dominion of the seen and unseen to God, the Sovereign of might and King of glory and divinity. Before this servant’s journey, a tablet was graciously revealed for you from the Source of bounty, but due to certain considerations of wisdom, its sending was delayed. Now, in view of an urgent matter, it is being sent herewith. I beseech God to honor you with beholding it as He honored you with its revelation, that His grace may be completed and your eyes be gladdened through the bounty of the Lord of the Kingdom of Generosity and Justice.

Convey sublime and wondrous greetings to the friends of God on behalf of this servant and say: In all the manifestations of His Manifestations, God, exalted be His glory, has ordained tribulations and hardships for His friends, and has assigned worldly possessions to those who are heedless and occupied with vain pursuits. He has made trials and tests the touchstone for His friends, even as He formerly said:

“We shall surely try you with something of fear and hunger, and loss of wealth and lives and fruits…”

You must at all times hold fast to the cord of steadfastness and cling to the hem of grace. The transience of the world and the passing away of all things therein is a matter about which there can be no doubt, and no person of understanding would set his heart upon that which will assuredly pass away, nor would he be content with the comfort of numbered days. What wise traveler would be satisfied with the ornaments of wayside inns and forsake his homeland and destination? Nay, by God! No obstacle can deter the wise, nor can the embellishments of this transient world prevent them from reaching their divine homeland and ultimate goal.

We beseech God, exalted be His glory, to honor His loved ones at all times with the robe of steadfastness and to make them firm and steadfast as mountains in times of hardship. Though the body may grow weary from successive trials, this shall pass away while the eternal kingdom and complete and lasting comfort shall follow. O friends of God! I counsel you to preserve what you possess of the pearls of God’s love, for thieves lie in wait, seeking opportunity to snatch away that which distinguishes you among creation. Would that the people knew! By God, were they to understand, they would cast aside what they possess and sacrifice their souls in their longing to attain to what you have known of the wondrous secrets of recognition and in their desire to acquire what God has given you of the gems of the mysteries of certitude.

Say: O God of humanity and Master of destiny’s mystery! We beseech Thee by Thy sovereignty which prevails over the world and by Thy proof manifest among the nations to aid us in steadfastness in Thy Cause, at whose appearance the feet of the mighty have stumbled and the limbs of men have trembled. O Lord! We are weak and Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty. Look not upon us with the eye of justice, but with the glances of bounty and grace. Take our hands in the hand of Thy giving, deliver us from those who are immersed in the depths of remoteness and deprivation, and free us from the schemes of those who have strayed from the shore of the Law of Faith. O our God and Master of our destinies! Make known to Thy servants that which Thou hast distinguished us with in Thy lands, that they may know that we desired not corruption, nor that which Thou hast not commanded in Thy Books and Tablets, but rather the spread of the signs of love and the adorning of the world with the ornaments of harmony and unity, O Master of servants and King of the Day of Gathering!

We beseech God, exalted be His grandeur, to protect your honor at all times and to aid you in that which is purely good. Be assured by God’s grace and His care—verily He is with you and ordains for you all good in His Book. Always write and send reports of your circumstances, and be ever mindful of wisdom in all things. He has previously said: “Despair not of the Spirit of God.” And the Glory be upon you, and the Spirit be upon you and upon those with you among the loved ones of your Lord, the Most High, the Most Great. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH11706: O God! Curse the first oppressor who oppressed…

O God! Curse the first oppressor who oppressed the Primal Point in His latter Manifestation, who denied His verses, who fought against Him in person, who disputed His sovereignty, who associated partners with His Being, who denied His words, who turned away from His beauty, and who was recorded in God’s Tablets from the Holy Pen as being among the idolaters.

He is the Most Impregnable, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious!

The letter from that Leaf of Ridvan was received and read. Although in these days sorrow hath so encompassed Us that no joy can dispel it and no gladness can drive it away, nevertheless the loving words of that enraptured leaf bestowed some measure of delight upon this withered heart. What benefit is there when ye know not what hath come to pass? I swear by the peerless Beauty, the All-Glorious, that I am astonished at those souls who are content with a mere speck of dust and remain veiled from the sovereign Lord Who doeth whatsoever He willeth. In any case, when the hand of divine power banished those who had risen up to destroy the countenance of God and prevented them from achieving their purpose, they resorted to spreading calumnies by tongue and pen.

Would that there were people of insight who could perceive from their words their false accusations. They have attributed miserliness to the Source of generosity from Whose table of bounty most of the people of the Bayan have eaten and tasted, and they have imputed tyranny to that Most Holy and Pure Essence, Who is the very embodiment of justice and Whose very being was created from His Will. For God’s sake, would that an eye could be found to witness the repugnant deeds and actions of those who hate the Divine Beauty! In any case, in these days the odor of associating partners with God hath been diffused. God willing, from pure and assured hearts there must needs appear a wondrous and lofty steadfastness.

O Leaf of Ridvan! Give thanks to God that thou hast been singled out as a handmaiden of God and been related to Him. From the right hand of the Throne hath been sent down:

“O handmaiden of the Ancient Beauty! On this day the glance of God is directed toward the hearts of His servants and handmaidens. In whomsoever is kindled the fire of His love, that one is mentioned before Him by every one of His most beautiful names.”

Such is the grace and mercy of thy Lord that hath encompassed thee and His loved ones. Know thou the value of these days and be occupied at all times with His praise and glorification. Be not grieved by the world, for ere long it shall pass away. Strive thou that in this transient world pure, holy and sincere deeds and actions may appear from that handmaiden of God solely for His sake, for all good lieth in His good-pleasure and in naught else. God willing, mayest thou ever walk in the path of His good-pleasure and remain turned toward His beauty. End of the words of God.

Furthermore, regarding what thou didst mention about sacrificing thy life in the path of the Beloved, this was presented before the Throne. He said: If thou keepest thy life alive through His praise, this would be closer to righteousness in the sight of God today and will continue to be so, for perchance through thy mention others may be reminded of the wondrous ways of remembering Him. Therefore, preserve thy life with the utmost tenderness that it may ever be occupied with His remembrance, and if the time for sacrificing life should come, it will assuredly be offered up. End.

[…] was submitted before the Throne. From the heaven of loving-kindness a glorious Tablet was revealed and sent to be delivered. And this servant’s other supplication before that leaf is that she record this servant’s name as Servant of God’ and His servant’ as I myself submit, for it was observed that one whom they designated with all divine names and described with attributes—in the end these very names became the cause of his pride such that he rose to wage war against the Beauty of God. Therefore, regarding this servant and other friends who have drunk from the cup of Baha, if in the station of description you would mention them with these words that were stated, it has been and will be more beloved in the sight of God, for glory and grandeur and majesty and all names and their kingdom and all attributes and their dominion have circled and will circle round the Ancient Being, and none besides Him is worthy. God willing this servant’s petition will find acceptance.

And furthermore, at all times write of your circumstances and news, although there is the possibility that the means of correspondence may be cut off, yet with God are new creations after new creations and decrees after decrees, and verily He has power over all things. And the spirit and glory and splendor be upon you and upon those with you in the path of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. All the people of the pavilion of the sanctuary send their most glorious greetings.

BH01493: I am He Who warbleth upon the twigs…

I am He Who warbleth upon the twigs and calleth out in the heart of contingent being.

This hour there hath descended the firm and mighty Command of God: O Land! Be thou gladdened, inasmuch as God hath adorned thee with the footsteps of His loved ones and honored thee through them in all conditions.

O Muhammad! Upon thee be My glory! The letter of Varqa, who circled round Me and soared in the atmosphere of My love and arose to serve My Cause, hath been received with the glances of loving-kindness. He mentioned Mirza Ata’u’llah, upon him be the glory of God, and likewise made mention of his household and the souls gathered therein. Blessed art thou, O Ata, and upon thee be glory from God, the Lord of the Kingdom of Names, and upon thy father, whom God made one of the horsemen in the arena of love and fellowship.

O Muhammad! The house wherein is raised the call of the loved ones and wherein they are occupied with the remembrance of God is, in the sight of God, the circling-place of the near angels. Blessed is the house wherein are diffused the fragrances of Revelation and wherein is raised the remembrance of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the Wise.

His honor the Hakim, upon him be the grace of God, the Lord of the worlds, hath been and is mentioned. Repeatedly hath the Trustee, upon him be My glory, made mention of him. We have revealed for him that which hath diffused the fragrance of God’s loving-kindness, the Goal of the mystics, and there hath flowed in his name from My Most Exalted Pen the Kawthar of immortality. Say: Take it in My Name, then drink thereof in spite of those who have denied Baha and His sovereignty and His power and His might, whereby slumber hath fled from the eyes of the deniers.

O Hakim! This day is thy day. Arise from the horizon of silence, then speak forth My remembrance, whereby the call hath been raised from every direction. God hath come from the horizon of power with manifest sovereignty.

O Hakim! Upon thee be My glory! The doubters and transgressors have forbidden the servants from reciting the dawn prayer whose preface is adorned with this Most Exalted Name. With utmost clarity hath been mentioned that which causeth the hearts of the ungodly and the opposers to be consumed, for He saith that the Most Great Name is present and mentioned therein. Nevertheless, they have deprived the people of the outpourings of the True Bestower that lie hidden in those remembrances.

Say: O heedless one, O Shaykh, O son of Baqir! I speak truly and for the sake of God I speak—thou too listen for the sake of God. The blessed, luminous word “but He is the Apostle of God and the Seal of the Prophets” was concluded by the blessed word “the Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds.” Arise from thy slumber and behold the Kingdom of utterance circling round.

O Asad! Upon thee be the glory of God, the Single, the One! We desired to make mention of him whom thou didst mention, who was named Nuru’llah in the Book of Names, that he might thank his Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to assist him in that which beseemeth His days and guide him to His path, whereon he walketh and speaketh in every condition. Verily, He is God; there is none other God but Me, the Single, the All-Informed. Blessed is he and his father and his mother. We beseech God, exalted be He, to send down upon them from the clouds of His grace the rains of His mercy and draw them nigh unto Him. Verily, He is the Hearer, the Answerer.

Praise be to God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy! O Pen! Turn thy face toward him who hath loved Me, who was named Mirza before Aqa, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God. O Mahmud! The All-Praised One hath mentioned thee in this praiseworthy station. I testify that thou didst hear My call and didst attain unto My verses and didst turn toward My horizon when the servants turned away, save him whom the arm of My power did rescue. Thus was the matter decreed from before God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne.

We make mention too of the loved ones of that land who were present in that house. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to give them to drink of the Kawthar of steadfastness whereby neither the might of tyrants nor the ascendancy of pharaohs shall deter them. Today the essence of steadfastness is observed to be more precious and valuable than all the jewels of the world. This precious pearl must be preserved through the bounty of the blessed Word, for thieves and traitors lie in wait.

Blessed is he who hath cast away the dawning-places of idle fancies and taken that which he was bidden by God, the Goal of the sincere ones. My God, my God! Strengthen the hearts of Thy loved ones lest the opposers prevent them from turning to the court of Thy might and the carpet of Thy bounty. O Lord! Aid Thy loved ones to hold fast to the cord of Thy grace and to detach themselves from all else besides Thee. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the Unconstrained.

BH01510: He is the One manifest upon His Most Glorious…

He is the One manifest upon His Most Glorious Throne, and this is the unseen mystery within His most exalted Kingdom.

O Beauty of bounty, unveil Thy face, And from Thyself make dawn a hundred suns in space.

The glory of God is the strength of Thine arm, And the face of the Most High shineth in Thy form.

The Verdant Leaf, which gave utterance to luminous intimations, arrived in the Crimson Land, and set forth, in fuller detail, its powerlessness in the face of manifold affairs. The purport of its speech is this well-known poem: that there appeared, in the form of a bird, one who uttered words in such a tongue that from certain of its allusions this much could be discerned:

O nightingales of fidelity! Know ye that those ravening birds of darkness, who, through the confirmations and teachings of the Hand of grace and the sovereign nurture, had learned the melodies and modes of the royal falcons, the spiritual heralds, and who, through the arising of the yellow-hued notes of the divine Dove, had soared aloft in the loftiest heights, ascending with the throats of the birds of Abha until they attained unto the stations of nearness in the sanctified eternity, and found habitation and resting-place upon the highest boughs of the Lote-Tree of the utmost boundary and the Tree of the farthest goal. So renowned and celebrated had they become within that holy retreat of celestial sanctity that all the predestined birds of the Supreme Paradise, and the inviolate spirits behind the pavilion of eternity, circled round about them.

Yet at such an hour the fire of pride and vainglory was kindled within their hearts, and the loftiness of their station became the cause of their exaggeration regarding the Beauty of the sovereign, the All-Knowing; the exaltation of their rank became the source of rancor and hatred. They utterly forgot their own Sovereign and Educator, ascended unto the summit of the Throne, and rushed upon the face of the Most Glorious King. Each, with beak and talon, wounded that radiant Countenance; nor were they content therewith, but with utmost exertion and endeavor sought out an ally and arose intent upon the destruction of that Beauty possessed of majesty.

Such were the strains of this bird, which at that time hung before Me; it had a cage whose borders were of gold, and upon its face was a mirror of white crystal. It had two little fledglings, and they uttered such notes as all birds recognized by their melody, though none knew what those two were saying—save their mother; and God knew full well what they spoke. Then did they themselves begin to trill forth their hidden songs.

And now, O thou Manifestation of the Name of Bounty of My Lord! If thou desirest to succor thy Lord, Who hath been afflicted beneath the swords of hatred and malice, then raise thy cry with such a cry as shall rend asunder all the veils of idle fancy from the hearts of all who are in the heavens and on the earth, shall free the birds of sanctified hearts from the chains and fetters of blind imitation, restriction, and limiting definition, and shall cause them to soar in the heaven of the glory of thy unity and detachment. Thereafter, with a heavenly throat and a spiritual melody, proclaim that there hath now appeared that mystery whereof, in His former Manifestation, not a single letter of the mysteries of His chosen ones was disclosed—so that the three hundred companions, who were the very gems of the earth, all fled away, saying:

“In another sphere shall I appear, and shall make manifest the secret of My Cause; and all who dwell upon Sinai shall die at the revelation.”

Now hath that cycle hath returned, that mystery been unveiled, and all the sanctified essences of the Kingdom on high, the inmates of the Concourse supreme, the cherubim, the bearers of the Throne, and the angels nigh unto God, have been thunderstruck by the revelation of this wondrous Cause and, in the lowest earth, have passed into nothingness. Likewise all the realities of the Prophets and Messengers—one of whom was Moses, son of ‘Imran—have died upon the Sinai of this mighty Cause through the disclosure of this exalted mystery.

And on the other hand, the tree of opposition, with the leaves and branches and boughs of unbelief, idolatry, and malice, hath reared itself up before the Throne, purposing to uproot from its ancient root the Most Glorious Tree, which standeth firm upon the axis of eternity, and to cover it over with the leaves of spite and envy. Say: By the one true God! That Tree standeth upon such a plane that ye can never conceal it, though all the hands of the denizens of heaven should unite with you in mighty power and surpassing strength. Say: Though ye perish and pass away, though ye be stunned, or be cast back into the lowest abyss, yet hath it verily arisen in truth. Ere long shall it so fill, by but one leaf thereof, the whole of Paradise and all who dwell in the heavens and on the earth, that beneath the shade of every leaf there shall spring forth, in an instant, such beings as the eyes of all creation have never yet beheld.

BH01564: O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! Upon thee…

He is the Hearer, the Answerer, the All-Seeing, the All-Informed.

O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Lord of the Throne. This is the Day of God, and His call is raised from every direction, and the light of His Cause is shining forth from every horizon. Blessed is he who hath seen with his own eyes and been guided, and who hath heard with his own ears and been led aright. Glory be unto God! The world is seized with wonderment, for its people are seen to have passed by the lights of the Luminary of certitude and to have clung to the cords of idle fancies.

O Mihdi! Upon thee be My glory! Thy letter was forwarded by Javad—upon him be the Glory of God and His mercy—to the Most Holy Court, and was honored to be heard in the Divine Presence. We indeed perceived from it the fragrance of My love and thy steadfastness in My Cause. We beseech God, exalted be He, to open before thy face, through the key of His Most Great Name, the door of bounty. He is, verily, the Lord of all nations. There is no God but Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

It is hoped that thou wilt speak in the name of God, glorified be His majesty, and be occupied with His remembrance. Certain petitions arrived from that region, and some months ago answers were sent down from the heaven of divine Will, though they have not yet been dispatched, for most people see no difference between weapons and reform. The power of distinction is lost and the people wander bewildered in the wilderness of perplexity. That opposing soul who dwells on the island hath taught alchemy to certain ones that their insight might increase, but it hath only added to their blindness. Should thou ever meet Abdullah or his like, say: O thoughtless one! Take this very science as the criterion, that the truth may become evident to thee. In Aliyyih four persons were engaged in this pursuit for some time, and they have seen and will see naught but loss.

O Mihdi! Upon thee be My glory! By the life of God! When this Wronged One returned from His two-year journey, it was observed that that heedless one had given certain people the [alchemical] operation of division. We said: Woe unto thee, O heedless one! Division hath never been and is not acceptable unto God. Deception and guile are evident from its very name. O Yahya! Abandon it and be not of the lost. In any case, he still gives and continues to give it to some people, and the poor helpless souls, trusting in alchemy, spend their lives practicing it, joining the first cycle to the last. Glory be unto God! The essence of vain imaginings hath ever caused and continueth to cause matters to appear confused, until such time as souls return to their abode and to that which was ordained for them.

What hath been said was and is for the sake of God, for the helpless people are unaware of the root of the matter and have fallen prey to alchemy and the like. When thou perceivest the fragrance of My utterance, arise from thy place, turning toward the Kaaba of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be, and say:

My God, my God! I testify to Thy manifestation and Thy appearance, and to Thy establishment upon the throne of utterance in the midmost heart of contingent being. I beseech Thee by the breezes of Thy Revelation and by that which hath been wafted from Thy verses in Thy days, and by the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty and the effulgences of the Sun of Thy grace, to aid Thy servants to return unto Thee and to repent before the gate of Thy pardon and Thy generosity. Thou art, verily, the Ever-Forgiving, the Almighty, the Pardoner, the Merciful.

O my Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and holding fast to the cord of Thy grace. I beseech Thee to exalt me among Thy servants through Thy Name. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of Thy creation. There is no God but Thee, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Bestower.

We make mention of Our loved ones there and beseech God to ordain for them, by His Most Exalted Pen, the best of all that exists in His worlds, and to give them to drink of the Kawthar of steadfastness, by virtue of which whoso drinketh thereof shall not be hindered by the hosts of the world from drawing nigh unto the Most Great Name, nor shall he be frightened by the might of the aggressors or the power of those who have denied God, the Lord of existence and the Educator of the seen and the unseen.

The Glory from Us be upon thee and upon them and upon those who love you for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds and the Master of the Day of Judgment. We conclude Our words by making mention of thy brother and sister, and We beseech God, exalted be He, to protect them through His grace and His hosts, and to guard them from the cawing of the cawers and from the evil of the oppressors. Verily, He is the Almighty over whatsoever He willeth through His word, the Mighty, the Wise.

BH01570: Tablet of Visitation for the Primal Point

He is the All Glorious

The first mention of Glory and the first praise of Grandeur rest upon Thee, O Thou the Countenance of the Most High, the Creator of all things, the Uplifter of the heavens, Whose Tongue uttereth the praise of Thy All-Glorious Self in the kingdom of creation.

Glory and praise, moreover, rest upon Thee, O Thou the Lord of Lords, the Deliverer of the loved ones on the Day of Revival, O Thou Who causes the clouds to pour down with rain and Who rends asunder the veils and burns them away.

Glory and praise, moreover, rest upon Thee, O Thou the Creator of the Realm of Glory, the Lord of the Kingdom, the Sovereign of the World of Creation, the Ruler of the Celestial Realm, the Revealer of verses, and He who burneth away the veils.

Glory and praise, moreover, rest upon Thee, O Thou the Countenance of the Succoring One, the Destroyer of the sorcerers, the Source of compassion, and the Herald of the Countenance of Mustaghath to all men and women.

Glory and praise, moreover, rest upon Thee, O Thou the Undying Light, He who dischargeth the streaming water from a tremulous pen, the Redeemer of people from the salt that burneth bitterly.

Glory and praise, moreover, rest upon Thee, O Thou the Shimmering Light, the Dominant, the Conqueror, the Mystery of exaltation, He who breatheth soul into bodies, O Thou Lofty Radiance, the Magnificent Sinai, the Spirit that infusest life into people, the Immovable Mountain.

Glory and praise, moreover, rest upon Thee, O Thou the Essence of affection, the Redeemer of all men on the Day of Resurrection, the Countenance of the Promised One, the Source of righteousness, the Desire of our hearts, the Maker of rain, O Thou Who art our Refuge and our Sanctuary.

Glory and praise, moreover, rest upon Thee, O Thou Who causest the rivers to flow, and the trees to bear fruit and the flowers to bloom, O Thou the Slayer of the wicked doers, the Bestower of life unto the upright, the Redeemer of the righteous and the Desire of the learned.

Glory and praise, moreover, rest upon Thee, O Thou Revealer of mysteries and hidden secrets, and the Lord of treasures, O Thou the Holy Mystery, O Thou the Slayer of the snake, the Creator of heaven and the Lord of paradise, O Thou Who adornest the peacock, O Thou the Countenance of Holiness and the Beauty of the Beloved.

Glory and praise, moreover, rest upon Thee, O Thou the Creator of the wild beasts, O Thou the Commander of the hosts, the Uplifter of colors and patterns, and the Fashioner of mountains into flocks of carded wool, the Source of refuge, the Donor of deliverance, the Protector of the sincere ones from shafts and bullets.

Glory and praise, moreover, rest upon Thee, O Thou the Healer of maladies, the Slayer of the people of blasphemy and disregard, the Bearer of happiness to the sorrowful and the dejected, O Thou the Absolute Truth in Whom is our upliftment.

Glory and praise, moreover, rest upon Thee, O Thou Who unfoldest the tabernacle, O Thou the Protector of those endued with constancy and prudence and the Enhancer of bounty and grace, the Provider of union, He Who extendeth the path, and He Who alloweth for error before resolve.

Glory and praise, moreover, rest upon Thee, O Thou Who slayest the lovers with a glance, Who ignitest the flame in the hearts of people of reflection and knowledge, and in Whose Hands is the protection of all.

Glory and praise, moreover, rest upon Thee, O Thou the Wondrous Countenance, O Thou the Transcendent Beauty, O Thou the Exalted Mystery, O Thou Protector of the Infant, in Whose Hands are the strengthening and advancement of all, O Thou Whose shadow encompasseth all, O Thou the Rising Sun, O Thou the Culminating Light.

Glory and praise, moreover, rest upon Thee, O Thou the Source of harmony, a Refuge to all from oppression and tyranny and the Bestower of manifold recompense on the pious.

Glory and praise, moreover, rest upon Thee, O Thou the Lord of the Judgment Day, the Uplifter of the heaven that hath various spheres, the Countenance of the Creator, and the Beauty of the Sustainer of the poor and the destitute, O Thou the Lord of the kings and the Pitier of the downtrodden, the Remover of doubts, the Possessor of domains, O Thou Who hath enlightened the fisherman.

Glory and praise, moreover, rest upon Thee, O Thou the Lord of glory and majesty, of greatness and honor, of loftiness and dominion, of awe and power, of mercy and bounty, O Thou the Countenance of the Self-Subsisting , O Thou the Remover of sorrows, the Obliterator of grief, the Creator of all men, He Who causeth the nights and the days to succeed one another, and the Illuminator of darkness.

Glory and praise, moreover, rest upon Thee, O Thou the Beauty of the All-Merciful, O Thou the Countenance of the All-Praised, O Thou the Most Bountiful, the Lord of Might, the Bestowing, the Lord of knowledge and understanding, He Who granteth tranquility to the believers and them who set their faces towards Him.

Glory and praise, moreover, rest upon Thee, O Thou the Uplifter of loftiness, the Creator of sublimity, the Appraiser of effacement and the Fashioner of consciousness, O Thou the Divine Countenance, the Heavenly Beauty, the Imperishable Mystery, the Face of Lordship, O Thou the Everlasting Being, the Possessor of ever abiding glory, O Thou the Divine Beauty, the Infinite Light, the Ancient Mystery, the Interminable Manifestation, seated upon His Eternal Throne, O Thou the Exalted Countenance and Glorious Beauty.

BH01652: In My Name, through which the Standard of Guidance…

In My Name, through which the Standard of Guidance hath been raised amongst all peoples

Glorified be God Who hath manifested His Cause and made all things speak that there is none other God but Him, the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. The Wronged One testifieth to His oneness and His singleness. He hath ever been known through His Own Self, sovereign through His authority, and manifest through His signs. There is none other God but Him, the Single One, the All-Subduing, the Self-Subsisting. Blessed is the soul that hath cast away vain imaginings and idle fancies, and taken hold of that which hath been commanded in the Book of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.

O Muhammad, We have heard thy call and have answered thee with a Tablet from whose horizon shineth the light of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of existence. When thou art illumined by the light of My utterance and holdest fast to the cord of My bounty, say: My God, my God! Thou seest me turning toward Thee, hoping for the wonders of Thy grace, and anticipating what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones. I beseech Thee by Thy sovereignty which hath encompassed existence and by the light of Thy Cause which hath encompassed both the seen and the unseen, to make me speak Thy praise, to be steadfast in Thy love, and firm in Thy Cause and service. Thou art, verily, the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Loving. O my Lord! Deny me not the waves of the ocean of Thy bounty, nor the splendors of the Daystar of Thy Revelation. Thou art, verily, powerful over what Thou willest through Thy word “Be” and it is.

The glory from Us be upon thee and upon those whom God hath related unto thee. Remind them of My verses and give them the glad-tidings of My loving-kindness and illumine them with the light of My grace which hath encompassed what was and what shall be.

O Moses! This is a day wherein the Interlocutor hath attained the lights of the Ancient One and hath quaffed the choice wine of reunion from the cup of the bounty of God, the Lord of the worlds. The gate of grace hath been opened and the standard of justice hath been raised up, inasmuch as the All-Bountiful hath come riding upon the clouds with manifest sovereignty. Thus hath the Most Exalted Pen raised its call in remembrance of him who hath turned unto God, the Mighty, the Most Praised. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon thy kindred and those who are with thee in this Great News.

O Siyyid Abu’l-Qasim! Give thanks unto God that the Pen hath turned toward thee by command of My Most Great Name, and desireth to make mention of thee with a remembrance that shall endure throughout the eternity of My kingdom and My dominion. Thy Lord is, verily, the All-Powerful, the Almighty. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O God of Names, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O Lord of mankind, for having guided me unto Thy path and having revealed unto me that which draweth me nigh unto Thee. Thou art, verily, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Tongue of Grandeur! Make mention of him who hath been named Zaynu’l-ʿAbidin, that the utterance may draw him nigh unto God, the Single One, the All-Informed. This is a day wherein the rains have fallen, the rivers have flowed, the trees have yielded their fruits, and the righteous have cried out:

“The kingdom and the dominion and the glory and the majesty belong unto God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment!”

Happy is the man who will arise to serve My Cause, and glorify My beauteous Name. Take hold of My Book with the power of My might, and cleave tenaciously to whatsoever commandment thy Lord, the Ordainer, the All-Wise, hath prescribed therein. Behold, O Muhammad, how the sayings and doings of the followers of Shi’ih Islam have dulled the joy and fervor of its early days, and tarnished the pristine brilliancy of its light. In its primitive days, whilst they still adhered to the precepts associated with the name of their Prophet, the Lord of mankind, their career was marked by an unbroken chain of victories and triumphs. As they gradually strayed from the path of their Ideal Leader and Master, as they turned away from the Light of God and corrupted the principle of His Divine unity, and as they increasingly centered their attention upon them who were only the revealers of the potency of His Word, their power was turned into weakness, their glory into shame, their courage into fear.

Thou dost witness to what a pass they have come. Behold, how they have joined partners with Him Who is the Focal-Point of Divine unity. Behold how their evil doings have hindered them from recognizing, in the Day of Resurrection, the Word of Truth, exalted be His glory. We cherish the hope that this people will henceforth shield themselves from vain hopes and idle fancies, and will attain to a true understanding of the meaning of Divine unity.

The Person of the Manifestation hath ever been the representative and mouthpiece of God. He, in truth, is the Dayspring of God’s most excellent Titles, and the Dawning-Place of His exalted Attributes. If any be set up by His side as peers, if they be regarded as identical with His Person, how can it, then, be maintained that the Divine Being is one and incomparable, that His Essence is indivisible and peerless? Meditate on that which We have, through the power of truth, revealed unto thee, and be thou of them that comprehend its meaning.

BH01646: Praise befitteth the Lord of Names and the Sovereign…

He is God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise

Praise befitteth the Lord of Names and the Sovereign Who doeth what He willeth, Who was not prevented by the tyranny of the aggressors nor the turning away of the deniers from His purpose. Through one exalted Word He guided the peoples of earth and heaven to the Straight Path and the Great Announcement. The hosts of the world and the ranks of nations did not hold Him back from His Will. How great the power and majesty that brought forth the precious gem of recognition from a handful of dust and exalted it above the heavens! The realm of understanding is bewildered by His operations and the denizens of the Kingdom of Utterance are without mention or name before them that are nigh unto His court. Glorified be His greatness, exalted be His might, and sanctified be His utterance! There is no God but Him.

Praise, glory, magnificence and light be upon the Tree and its branches, twigs and leaves, and upon them that hold fast and cling unto it—a magnificence whose fragrances shall never cease throughout the duration of the kingdom of earth and heaven, and whose effusions shall never end throughout the sovereignty of might and grandeur; a magnificence whereby they that are nigh unto God ascend to the heaven of nearness and reunion, and the sincere ones unto the Most High, the Self-Subsisting; a magnificence whereby the hearts of the Concourse on High are attracted and the dwellers of the Most Glorious Paradise are gladdened. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to draw His servants nigh unto the court of His presence and to give them to drink from the Kawthar of reunion from the hands of His bounty. Verily He is the Mighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful.

O My Afnan, O Muhammad! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. The days of thy presence, by night and day, in the court of the Wronged One are remembered. Mankind was created for the knowledge of God, yet all have remained heedless and veiled from Him. They have forsaken eternal glory and clung to the desires of self and passion, tyranny and wickedness. Soon shall they behold the recompense of their deeds in this vain life, for divine justice and heavenly wisdom will not forgo reward and punishment, and upon these two depend the order of the world and the tranquility of nations. Blessed are they that understand.

Praise be to God, the Afnan have attained to that which hath no peer or likeness. The Hand of Power delivered him and the Divine Will, through the assistance of means, caused him to reach the shore of the sea of reunion, until he stood before the Door and heard the call of God, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this most great favor. Praise thy Lord for this supreme bounty wherewith none among mankind hath been favored save whom God, the Lord of the Throne and of the dust, hath willed.

Today all must gaze toward the Most Exalted Horizon, detached from all else, especially the Afnans of the Blessed Tree who were brought into being from nonexistence for the service of the Cause. Outward events and the oppression of tyrants diminish not their station, as attesteth the Most Great Book of God in its mighty and impregnable position.

Be not grieved at his ascension to the heaven of nearness and reunion. By My life! At this very moment We witness and hear from him mention of Me and of thee. Thus have We unveiled the matter as a grace from Us unto thee and unto My Afnan who was mentioned in My court of glory, who stood before My face and who spoke in praise of My Beautiful Name.

O Muhammad! Were the veil to be lifted, thou wouldst be so overjoyed that neither the taunts of the enemies nor the calumnies of the hateful ones would prevent thee from rejoicing or deprive thee of the most great gladness. The petitions thou didst send have all been answered and dispatched. We beseech God to give all to drink from the cup of His utterance, the Kawthar of His bounty. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Forgiving, the Generous.

The light shining and gleaming from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon My Afnan and upon thee and upon whoso is with thee by night and day, and upon My Afnan there and upon My loved ones who have cast aside all else but Me and have taken what they were bidden by God, the Mighty, the Powerful.

BH11713: Your poetry written on the page expressing kindness towards…

He is the Most Impregnable, the Most Holy, the Wondrous, the Most Glorious!

Your poetry written on the page expressing kindness towards this servant was received. After perusing it, at an appointed time I brought it before the Most Holy and Supreme Threshold and presented it. He commanded: Write that, God willing, may you never falter and may you ever remain steadfast on the path of mighty oneness, for today if all who are in the heavens and earth were each to possess feet numbering as the sands of the desert, the waves of the seas, the leaves of the trees and the drops of rain, and all were to appear outwardly firm and strong, yet were not steadfast upon this straight path, assuredly all these feet would be accounted as broken and non-existent before God. But should even a gnat with broken feet remain firm and steadfast in this Cause, it would be accepted before God and be immortally remembered in the divine paradise. Therefore you must, through the wondrous favors of God and the gifts of the Sovereign Lord of Oneness, remain so firm and steadfast in the Cause of God as to become the cause of steadfastness in all others. And this is not difficult for God.

The glance of the All-Merciful’s favor hath ever been directed towards you. God willing, may you pass your days in the utmost joy and delight in the love of God, and may you ever remain in health and comfort with the loved ones of God—those who are embarked upon the Most Glorious Ark. For association with these loved ones is, before God, more beloved than all else. I swear by God that to gaze upon these faces is greater and more acceptable than seventy years of worship, for until a soul is created from a wondrous drop of the clay of divine love and the water of His affection, and becomes detached from all who are in the heavens and the earth, it shall never be capable of entering this blessed Ark and this Ship of sublime glory. We therefore hope that, God willing, you may remain settled, steadfast, firm and at rest in this Ark of the Lord of Lords. The grace is in His hands; verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Ancient. And glory be upon you and upon the steadfast servants of God.

He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious!

Your missive, adorned with loving allusions and effusions of attraction, was received and presented before the Divine Throne, whereupon it was stated:

“The servant of the One has fallen into the well of envy, and the Youth of the Spirit into the prison of hatred, and the Ancient Beauty into the cage of rancor. God shall soon send forth hosts of angels who shall deliver Him through truth and render Him victorious throughout the earth, and His countenance shall shine forth amongst all the worlds. The Youth hath never sought help from anyone, and there is no help save through His command. He aideth whomsoever He willeth by His leave, and He is the One intended from time immemorial, and He is the Helper throughout all eternity.”

Infinite tokens of favor have been revealed concerning that leaf of love. God willing, may you be occupied at all times with the remembrance of the Beloved and be sanctified and detached from aught else, may you be given to drink of the choice wine of the All-Glorious and be sustained by the eternal bounty, that perchance, through the favors of the All-Glorious Lord, you may be freed from the allusions of these days and find rest and repose in the seat of steadfastness and the station of luminous glory through the love of God. Should someone resolve to journey, God willing, the wondrous and exalted Tablet that was sent down from the heaven of glory shall be dispatched. Blessed art thou for that which hath moved the tongue of thy Lord to mention thy name and for that which thou hast been mentioned before Him, and thou art of those who remember in the presence of transcendent glory. Under all conditions, convey the Command of thy Lord to the handmaidens of God, that they may become aware within themselves and make up for that which hath escaped them. Verily, He is the best of teachers, the All-Knowing. And glory and spiritual delight and praise be upon thee and upon the near-servants of God.

BH01743: O Kazim! Hear the call from the realm…

O Kazim! Hear the call from the realm of eternity through the Most Exalted Pen. Verily, He hath made mention of thee in such wise as nothing in the world can equal. To this beareth witness the Mother Book which is with Him. Thou hast attained unto the traces of My Pen and My care which hath encompassed all regions.

O Muhammad-Qabl-Hasan! Mention hath been made of thee by Him Who soareth in Mine atmosphere. We make mention of thee in such wise as will draw thee nigh unto Mine horizon, that thou mayest witness that which My Pen hath testified: that there is none other God but Me, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Thou hast attained unto My mention and that which My glorious and wondrous tongue hath uttered. Nothing in the world shall profit thee today save this Cause, before which, when it was manifested, every discerning and perceiving one hath bowed down. We have revealed the Cause and sent down the verses, yet the people are in evident doubt. They have denied the right of God and His signs, and followed every sinful denier. Give thanks unto God for this most great favor and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of them that have recognized Thee!

O Sword of God! The law of the sword hath been abolished and the law of the Utterance hath been revealed. Verily it is sharper than the sword. To this beareth witness the tongue of My grandeur in this exalted station. We have ordained victory and triumph through the fear of God, through deeds and through goodly conduct. To this testifieth he who hath attained the presence of the Countenance and heard the call of God, the Lord of all worlds. Beware lest ye spread corruption in the earth after it hath been set in order, and beware lest ye oppose those who have opposed you. Leave them to themselves, turning unto God, your Lord, the Ordainer, the All-Wise. We have enjoined upon you love and unity. Blessed is he who acteth in accordance with that which hath been ordained in the Book of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

O Haydar-ʿAli! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. We have seen in thy letter mention of him who was named Kazim in the Book of Names. We have made mention of him in such wise as hath caused the mountains to soar, how much more the spirits. And I am, verily, the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

O Kazim! Hear the call of the Wronged One, then make mention of the time when the Qa’im came with a clear Book. The people denied Him, turned away from Him, disputed His verses, His proof and His testimony, until they pronounced judgment against Him with such tyranny as caused the Most Exalted Pen to lament and the Lord of creation to weep. Thus was the matter decreed, and I am the All-Knowing Witness.

O Kazim! Arise to serve My Cause with wisdom and utterance, and remind My servants of that which hath been sent down from the heaven of Mine utterance, and give them the glad-tidings of My loving-kindness and My mercy. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

Say: Deprive not yourselves of the bounties of My days, nor your ears from hearkening to My verses, nor your hearts from My love, the Mighty, the Wondrous. Say: This is the Day of proof, did ye but know it, and this is the Day whereon the tongue of grandeur speaketh, did ye but hear it. By God! The Treasure hath appeared and the Hidden One hath come with evident sovereignty.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Come ye, come ye! By what proof did ye believe in the Point of the Bayan? Bring it forth, then read what hath been sent down from the presence of the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. If ye deny the appearance of God and His Cause and the effects and influence of the Most Exalted Pen, by what proof can that which ye possess be established? Be fair, and be not of the wrongdoers.

Thus have We manifested unto thee the ocean of utterance and its waves, and the sun of proof and its lights, that thou mayest be of the thankful ones. If thou hast drunk the choice wine of revelation from the cup of My bounty and hast attained unto the lights of Mine utterance, say: My God, my God! Through Thy most sweet call my heart hath taken flight, and through the shrill voice of Thy Most Exalted Pen my limbs have trembled, and through the lights of Thy Most Great Throne and Thy mighty announcement my senses have been transformed, and mine outer and inner eyes have shed tears. I beseech Thee by the blood of Thy lovers and the sighing of them that long for Thee, and by the cry of those who have sought the supreme height and the ultimate goal but have not attained it, to assist Thy servants to turn unto Thee and to behold that which Thou hast manifested through Thy power and Thy might. Then write down for them, O God of the world and Creator of the nations, that which shall profit them in every world of Thy worlds. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful.

BH11608: The Call hath ever been raised from the Most…

In the Name of our Lord, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious.

The Call hath ever been raised from the Most Exalted Horizon, and the Summoner—may the spirit of all else but Him be sacrificed for His sake—is established upon the Throne of Utterance. Yet time and again hath this most exalted Word proceeded from the tongue of the Creator of Heaven, blessed and exalted be His utterance:

O servant in attendance! These weak-natured ones of the world have never been and are not now capable of hearkening….

O Baqir of Faran! Where is thy fervor? Hast thou not heard My call? Nay, thou didst hear and remained silent. This beseemeth not one who hath attained to My days, heard My call, gained the victory of My traces, and witnessed that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath witnessed in this exalted station. Take My Book with the power bestowed by Me and say:

“O concourse of the heedless! Judge fairly concerning that which hath appeared in truth from God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. The verses have been sent down in such wise as to fill the horizons. Fear God and be not among the deniers.”

Say:

“My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having given me to drink the choice wine of Thy presence, for having made known to me Thy path, and for having guided me to Thy Great Announcement. I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art the Goal of them that are nigh and the Beloved of the hearts of them that know, by the dawning-places of Thy signs, the Hands of Thy Cause, the Manifestations of Thy Self, and the Repositories of Thy knowledge, to aid me to remain steadfast in Thy love. Thou art, verily, the Omnipotent, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

We make mention of him who is named Hashim (the chief of the post office in Faran) that he may rejoice in My remembrance and be of them that are thankful. O Hashim! Be thou the breaker of the might of the aggressors through the hosts of wisdom and utterance. Thus do We command thee as a token of Our grace. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Mighty, the Great. Thy name was presented before the Wronged One, Who hath mentioned thee with verses that have attracted the hearts of the sincere ones. When the rapture of My utterance seizeth thee and draweth thee nigh unto the kingdom of My knowledge, say:

“My God, my God! Strengthen my heart to safeguard Thy trust, my hand to take hold of Thy Book, and my feet to stand firm in Thy service. O Lord! Thou seest me turning unto Thee, hoping for what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and trusted ones who were not hindered by anything from turning to Thy most exalted horizon. They heard Thy call and hastened with their hearts to the Dayspring of Thy Cause and the Source of Thy wisdom. O Lord! Thou seest the seeker making for the Ultimate Goal and the Supreme Height. I beseech Thee by Thy bounty not to disappoint him. Thou art, verily, the Omnipotent, the Powerful, and worthy to answer.”

O Karbila’i Hasan of Faran! The Wronged One maketh mention of thee and counseleth thee with that which beseemeth thee in this wondrous Day. This is a Day the like of which the days have never witnessed, and before whose manifestation ages and centuries have bowed down. In every verse We make mention of those servants whom the affairs of creation have not withheld from the Truth. They heard, turned towards it, and said:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Goal of them that know!”

We beseech God to quicken thee through these verses with a new life, that thou mayest render thanks unto thy Lord, the Omnipotent, the Powerful….

…especially for the assured lady, the spiritual leaf, upon her be the eternal glory of God, a most wondrous and most exalted Tablet was revealed and sent a few days ago. Indeed they have drunk of the choice wine of utterance and are occupied with the mention and praise of the Goal of the worlds. Their reasoned exposition attained the Most Holy Court. After its presentation and hearing, the Tongue of the Lord of all being spoke that which pens are powerless to recount. The Lord, exalted and sanctified be He, spoke thus:

O servant in attendance! O servant in attendance! Praise be to God, the spiritual leaf was assisted by the victory of the King of the Kingdom of Names and the Creator of heaven. We testify that she has drunk the wine of certitude and has attained to hearing the warbling of My Most Exalted Pen. God has manifested through her that which guides the servants to the path of guidance. She has done in the path of God that which has been adorned with the ornament of acceptance. Every letter of her book has testified to her mention, her exposition, and her station before God, the Help-in-Peril.

BH01753: O my Lord, my Master, my Support, my Goal…

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

O my Lord, my Master, my Support, my Goal, the Ultimate Object of my hope and the End of my desire! My outer and inner tongue bear witness to Thy oneness and singleness, and that Thou art God, there is no God but Thee. Thou hast ever been powerful, mighty, self-subsisting and eternal, and wilt ever remain as Thou hast been from time immemorial. Neither the might of princes, nor the doubts of divines, nor the hosts of tyrants, nor the ranks of pharaohs can prevent Thee from that which Thou desirest. Through Thy name was raised the standard of “He doeth whatsoever He willeth” and the banner of “He ordaineth what He pleaseth.” Thou art He Whose power hath triumphed, Whose sovereignty hath appeared, Whose mercy hath preceded, Whose proof hath been perfected, and Whose evidence hath been completed. There is no God but Thee. May the essence perish of whatsoever hath not acknowledged Thy oneness and singleness, and may the reality be lost of whatsoever hath not confessed Thy greatness and power, Thy favors and loving-kindness.

I beseech Thee, O Lord of Names and Creator of heaven, by Thy Name through which Thou hast subdued all names, and by Thy power which hath encompassed all things, and by the pearls of Thy knowledge and the stars of the heaven of Thy wisdom, to protect me from the oppression of Thine enemies who have violated Thy Covenant and Testament, who have denied Thy signs, who have disputed Thy proof, and who have rejected what Thou hast sent down from the heaven of Thy Will and the atmosphere of Thy Purpose. O Lord! Withhold me not from that which Thou hast ordained for Thy trusted ones and chosen ones, and disappoint me not of that which Thou hast written for Thy loved ones whom neither the might of kings could turn away from turning to Thee, nor the clamor of the peoples could prevent from facing Thy court.

O Lord! Thou seest the weak one clinging to the cord of Thy Name, the Strong, and the poor one turning to the ocean of Thy riches. I beseech Thee, O God of the seen and unseen, by the lights of Thy Throne and by Thy Prophets and chosen ones through whom the Sun of Thy commandments shone forth in Thy kingdom and Thy traces were spread throughout Thy lands, and through whom the servants acknowledged Thy oneness, to make me in all conditions one who speaks Thy praise and glorification and who is content with what Thou hast ordained for me through Thy Will. I beseech Thee, O Lord of the worlds and King of eternity, by the Most Great Name, to ordain for this servant the good of the hereafter and of this world. Verily Thou art the Lord of all beings and the Lord of the Throne on high and of the dust below. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Lord! Thou seest the hands of hope raised to the heaven of Thy bounty and the hearts turned toward the horizon of Thy giving. I beseech Thee by Thy greatest signs and by the Daysprings of Thy Cause and the Manifestations of Thy Self and the Recipients of Thy knowledge and the Mines of Thy wisdom and the Treasuries of Thy utterance and the Sources of Thy commandments and ordinances to aid me in all conditions to act according to what Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the Light which shone forth from the horizon of Hijaz and whereby the standard of Truth was raised and the banner of metaphor was lowered, to make me content with what Thou hast ordained for me. Then forgive me, O my God, through Thy bounty and generosity and grace and favor. Verily Thou art powerful over what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Strong, the Mighty, the Powerful.

O my God! Send Thy blessings upon Thy loved ones and trusted ones and friends through whom were raised the standards of Thy victory and the banners of Thy power, and through whom Thy signs were spread abroad and Thy proof was made manifest and Thy evidence became all-encompassing—those whom nothing whatsoever prevented from drawing nigh unto Thee, who strove in Thy path with true striving and aided Thy Cause with true aid, and through whom the limbs of those who denied Thee and Thy signs trembled and the hearts of the deniers among Thy servants were confounded. I beseech Thee, O Lord of existence, by them and by the blood that was shed in Thy path and the heads that were severed for the manifestation of Thy Cause, to assist Thy servants to return unto Thee and to turn repentant to the door of Thy grace. Verily Thou art the Generous, the Lord of abundant grace. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

BH11718: Before pen and paper mention letters and words, they…

He is God, exalted is His glory and mighty is His power.

Before pen and paper mention letters and words, they mention the Lord of Creation, and will continue to do so.

To continue: dear son Mirza Mustafa, may you ever drink from the Kawthar of the mention of the Peerless Beloved and, in His remembrance, be detached and free from the world and all therein. Your letter, which testified to your sincerity and love for God, arrived and brought joy and light to heart and eyes, for every mention adorned with the remembrance of the Friend is like a candle in the gathering. Blessed are they whose every mention, thought, prayer, deed and action today is for God, for the love of God, and in service to God.

O dear one, soul and spirit, beseech the Eternal God that we may attain to that which befits this Day, which is to wholly forget ourselves and others, and arise to serve with a hundred thousand bodies and a hundred thousand souls. The first service is to purify the heart, sight, hearing, inner consciousness and all limbs from that which is unworthy. Then, when through the grace of the Ancient Living One you have attained this mighty station, it is fitting to gird up the loins of service and stand in the ranks of servants. O light of my eyes, the eye of the world is open, yet not one seeing eye is to be found, for the purpose of sight is to see and recognize, and this is like an elixir rarely found, save those whom the hand of our Lord’s grace, the Mighty, the Bestower, has seized.

O dear one, I know not whether the pen has been seized by intoxication with love for the Ancient King that it has engaged in these mentions, or whether the writer wishes to soothe with the water of these mentions the fire of regrets of these days for not having attained as befitting. Glory be to God! Glory be to God! Well was it said: “The description of this separation and this heart’s blood…” etc.

In any case, the garment you requested has been sent. May you wear it in joy, goodness, delight and good repute, and may you tear not just this one garment but the garment of the world. O Mustafa, you were named with this name by the tongue of the Lord of Names. This handmaiden and that dear one beseech the peerless Lord with utmost humility, powerlessness and supplication to enable you to attain that which He has ordained for the pure ones of His court. Verily He is the Giver, the Bestower, the Mighty, the Wise.

The Handmaiden of the Sacred Precincts

Now it is the servant’s turn to express to that master the degrees of love and affection. Though outwardly gone from sight, I swear by the Educator of all that you have never left my heart and never will. With all my heart, soul and tongue I beseech the Lord of all worlds that you may soon attain the station of holy nearness and drink from the cup of reunion. Come, come, for ears are ready to hear your stories and minds are prepared in advance. However soon you come is late, and however early you arrive is far. The one intoxicated with the pure wine says: Time has slipped away, opportunity has slipped away, years have gone and months have gone, nights and mornings have passed, yet the moment to hear the word “Return” has not come. Alas, alas! Then alas, alas! Therefore I end these words with “There is no power nor strength save in God.”

The servant

BH01882: The Book of God speaketh with truth before…

He is the Almighty, the Unconstrained!

The Book of God speaketh with truth before the faces of the servants. God—there is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We find Ourselves this day in a station wherein its very atoms proclaim:

“The Kingdom, the Dominion, the Grandeur and the Power belong unto God, the Single, the One, the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Praised!”

Sorrows have encompassed Us from all sides through that which the hands of the oppressors have wrought. The Day hath come, yet the people remain in a strange sleep. The Light hath shone forth from the horizon of God’s Will, and that which was hidden hath been revealed, and He Who was promised in God’s Book, the Lord of all worlds, hath appeared.

Salman, upon him be My loving-kindness, came with a letter thou hadst sent to Muhammad, upon him be My Glory. He attained unto Our presence and hearkened. We have answered thee with a Tablet from whose every word shineth forth the Day-Star of God’s loving-kindness, the Goal of them that know. Blessed art thou, inasmuch as thou didst inhale the fragrance of the divine utterance in the earliest days and didst attain unto a remembrance that shall never be erased nor followed by change, through a command from the Ordainer, the All-Wise. Arise to make mention of thy Lord with words that will attract the realities of all things. Thy Lord is verily the Mighty, the Luminous.

This is the Day which God’s Books have promised, both of old and more recently. Blessed is he who hath recognized its station and attained unto that which hath been manifested therein from the presence of a Mighty, Ancient Being. Say: O people! Help your Lord through wisdom and utterance, and through deeds that bring joy to the hearts of them that have recognized His unity.

Hearken in the Persian tongue and inform the people, that perchance they may find and hasten unto the path of truth. That which is needed today are deeds that draw the servants near, and virtues that cause love among the peoples of all lands. The Ancient Beauty in the days of Muharram uttereth praise of the true Sacrifice, Who sacrificed His soul, His spirit, His children, His kindred and His family in the path of God, the Lord of the mighty throne. O Kazim, O Nasrabadi! This is a blessed name, for it is crowned with the crown of victory. Thou must manifest thyself in such wise that all may turn to the Source through thy movements, thy stillness, thy remembrance and thy praise. All this is from God’s bounty unto thee. Say:

My God, my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Will that hath encompassed all things, and by Thy Purpose that hath prevailed over all who are in earth and heaven, and by the dawning-manifestations of the Day-Star of Thy Most Great Name, and by Thy Command whereby Thou didst subdue the world, to make me steadfast in Thy service and speaking forth Thy praise. O my Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I beseech Thee to assist me in all conditions to remember and praise Thee amongst Thy servants. O my Lord! Thou seest me detached from all save Thee and clinging to Thee and to Thy signs. O my Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Name, the Self-Subsisting, whereby Thou didst unseal Thy Choice Wine, to make me a standard of Thy Name in Thy lands. Thou art verily the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Bountiful.

We make mention at this time of thy son who was named Muhammad-Qabli-Hasan. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to ordain for him from His Most Exalted Pen the good of all His worlds. He is verily the Mighty, the All-Bounteous. The Glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My grace be upon thee and upon My loved ones and upon thy son and upon those with thee and upon those whom the might of the oppressors hath not deterred from turning unto God, the Lord of all worlds.

We have heard what thou didst compose and recite. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to aid thee in that which will draw the servants near unto Him and enable them to do what He loveth and approveth. He is verily the All-Merciful, the Forgiving, the Compassionate.

BH01894: O ʿAttar! Upon thee be the Glory of My…

In the Name of the Everlasting Speaker

O ʿAttar! Upon thee be the Glory of My Name, the All-Forgiving. The fragrance of thy faith hath been diffused and wafted throughout the cities of mention, utterance, wisdom and exposition. Blessed art thou, and blessed is he who is with thee, and he who loveth thee for the sake of My hallowed, mighty and luminous Countenance. Convey My greetings to all the kindred. This is the Day of joy and expansion. All must, each day, partake of the waters of divine love and strive mightily to exalt the Word of God. Praise be to God that the friends in all regions are holding fast to the Cause and clinging to the Will of God, even as the martyrs in the land of Ya attained martyrdom without transgressing against anyone, for the hands of might and power were bound by the cord of divine restraint. Blessed are they who have held fast to the Will of God, detached from their own desires.

Mention was made of Aqa Khan Kirmani. He is known for things without parallel—among them they say he can perfectly copy anyone’s handwriting. After his arrival in this land, bounty was bestowed according to possibility. However, those who cling to every plant and turn to every face are not and were not worthy to enter this arena. For mankind there have been and are endless paths—some show love to both friends and enemies. We beseech God to protect you and Us from such as these, and We ask Him to help them return unto Him. He is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

In any case, regard all save God as non-existent. We beseech God to aid you and all the friends to love and unite the hearts of His servants. He is the Mighty, the Bestower. And We beseech Him, exalted be He, to open before your faces the gates of mercy and blessing. He is the Mighty, the Generous, the Lord of Great Bounty, of Supreme Grace, and of Greatest Favor. There is no God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Effusive. And We beseech God to forgive, through His bounty, him for whom thou didst seek forgiveness. He is the Most Merciful of the Merciful.

The Glory shining forth at this hour from this luminous Beauty be upon thee, O Abu’l-Qasim. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to forgive thee through His sovereignty and to cause thee to enter, in the highest Paradise and loftiest Heaven, the presence of His Prophets’ mercy, and to send down upon thee His enduring and sublime blessings. He is the All-Giving, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O ʿA Aqa! We mentioned thee before, and We love to mention thee at this time, as My Branch was present and desired thy mention. We have sent down for thee that from which the near ones perceive the fragrance of eternity, and the sincere ones the sweet scents of glory, pardon and bounty. Verily thy Lord is the Lord of all mankind. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.

O Gh! Verily My Most Exalted Pen desired to mention thee on this day wherein God hath sent down from the clouds of His mercy the rains of His bounty upon His lands. When thou findest and hearest this, say:

“Praise be to Thee, O Lord of the worlds, and glory be to Thee for having mentioned this servant who hath attained to turning unto Thee in Thy mighty and wondrous Day.”

O Muhammad-Qabli-Ha! The ʿAyn and Ta have mentioned thee. We have sent down for thee that which hath caused the breath of utterance to be wafted throughout creation and the fragrance of the All-Merciful to spread through all lands. Exalted is the Generous One, possessed of supreme grace, Who speaketh at this hour—verily He is God, the Lord of all the worlds.

BH01893: In My Name, He Who is established upon…

In My Name, He Who is established upon the Throne of Utterance!

O Husayn, upon thee be My peace and My glory! The effulgences of the Sun of Grace have encompassed the world, and God, exalted be His glory, hath appeared with the banner of “He doeth whatsoever He willeth” and the standard of “He ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth.” All the believers, the sincere ones, and the angels drawn nigh are standing present before the Throne. Yet the people of the world remain veiled and deprived. By God’s life! At all times the waters of wisdom and utterance flow from the Pen of the All-Merciful, yet there is no thirst.

O Husayn, upon thee be My glory! Ancient matters have arisen; smoke hath overtaken the realm of the Bayan and deprived eyes from beholding the Most Exalted Horizon. They make mention of corruption; vain imaginings have appeared in new garments. The people of the Bayan are seen to be more lost than the previous party, though they have witnessed the fruits of the deeds of the previous thousand and two hundred years. The shrill voice of the Most Exalted Pen and the rustling of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing are raised at all times, yet ears capable of hearing are very rare, as scarce as red sulphur.

Convey My greetings to the friends in the land of Shin. Each one hath been mentioned in the Most Holy Court. “We have made some to excel others.” Soon that which hath been ordained from My Most Exalted Pen shall be made manifest. Verily, He is the Hearing, the Answering One.

Say: O people of God! Consider the fruit of the deeds of the party of the Shi’ites. “Take ye heed, O people of insight!” Throughout ages and centuries, in mosques and from pulpits they were occupied with the mention of the Qa’im and were expectant of His days. Yet when the horizon of the world became illumined and resplendent with the Light of Manifestation, all arose to extinguish the divine light. Both learned and ignorant engaged in cursing, and finally they issued the decree for His execution and shed His blood. Now the people of the Bayan are in evident loss. We beseech God to protect His loved ones from the evil of deluded souls. He is powerful and mighty over all things.

His honor 1111, upon him be My glory, hath been and is mentioned before the Countenance and hath attained special favors. Soon he shall behold that which hath flowed from My Most Exalted Pen. Likewise mention thou on behalf of this Wronged One Muhammad B.H., upon him be My glory, and all the loved ones of that land. We beseech God, exalted be He, to strengthen them to remain steadfast in His Cause in such wise that neither the doubts of the divines nor the might of the powerful shall move them.

O people of God! This Day is your day. Take the chalice of steadfastness in the name of the Dawning-Place of the Light of Oneness, then drink thereof in spite of the divines of the earth and its jurists who have pronounced judgment against God without any clear proof or Book.

His honor Ism-i-Jud, upon him be My glory, forwarded your letter to the Most Holy Court. We saw and heard it, and this Tablet was sent down from the heaven of Will in reply, that thou mayest inhale from it the fragrance of thy Lord’s utterance, the All-Merciful, and be of the thankful. We have sent wondrous and sublime Tablets, equal in number to the Most Great Name, especially for the loved ones of Nayriz. Forward them to his honor Mulla Shafi’, upon him be My glory, that he may deliver them.

The glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon those who have quaffed the choice wine sealed from the hands of the bounty of My Name, the Self-Subsisting, and were among the successful ones.

BH01942: O Amin, upon thee be My glory! In these…

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

O Amin, upon thee be My glory! In these days, time is like unto a rare bird or the most great elixir in the eyes of the people of the world. Nevertheless, this blessed morning We went from Bahji to Junayn, and after taking tea We were occupied with thy mention. Many lofty buildings are in view, and most excellent gardens, but in this earthly dust-heap it is most difficult to lay an enduring foundation. Although the palace of utterance hath a firm foundation and an impregnable structure which no earthly commotions can move nor change throughout ages and centuries, yet souls worthy of this most exalted station are very few. Therefore its construction and building have been postponed. In any case, it is morning, and in the words of the Arabs, “May God grant you a good morning.” Until now We have mentioned you repeatedly and have sent word. We beseech God to assist thee in all conditions. Verily He is with thee and He is the Present, the Hidden, the Speaking, the Silent, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. By silence is meant spiritual silence, otherwise the Pen moveth with such swiftness that its reckoning is beyond comprehension.

O Amin! What is necessary and acceptable before God is to show consideration to the son of the martyr of the people of Kaf, Haji Mirza Jani. The people of Kaf in every city should give him four tumans and send a receipt. The honored aunt and Haji H.S. and Aqa Siyyid Faraj’u’llah and other friends must ensure this sum reaches him in every city. Glory be upon him who hath preceded in what God, the Lord of the worlds, hath desired. We beseech God to assist His loved ones in that which will cause their mention to endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven, and to aid them in serving the Cause, and to ordain for them the reward of what they have wrought in the path of God, the Lord of this wondrous Day.

As for the son of the deceased Haji, wisdom is needed. Act as you deem advisable. The honored martyr was for some time in the presence and accompanied Us on the great journey. Blessed is he and his brother Dhabih who was not prevented by the doubts of his other brother Ahmad nor the hints of any suspicious soul in the world. He rent asunder the veils in the name of his Lord and turned and hastened until he reached the seashore when the Wronged One was captive in the hands of the ignorant. The oppressors came between Us and him until he attained the presence in the bath-house and won the grace of his Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous. And previously he had won the presence twice, once in the land of Taff and again in Zawra. Thus was the matter decreed by God, the Lord of the worlds.

O Amin! Convey greetings from the Wronged One to the friends in every land and every place. Give glad tidings to God’s loved ones in the land of Ta and the land of Kaf and the lands of Alif and Ba and other countries—give them all glad tidings of the lights of the Day-Star of God’s grace, exalted be His glory, and adorn them with the ornament of mention.

The answer to Mulla Raj and Mulla Ghulam-Rida of Taft hath been sent down from the heaven of grace and dispatched to the land of Ya. By the life of God! Its fragrance hath perfumed the horizons, its utterance hath adorned creation with the ornament of inner meanings. The eye hath been created for it and the ear hath appeared especially for it.

BH01935: To be typed

To be typed.

BH11609: O thou who standeth before the Gate and art…

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

O thou who standeth before the Gate and art steadfast in the Cause! Upon thee be the peace of God and His mercy. The Glory hath appeared before the Wronged One and read thy letter, which gained His attention and merited this response which, through the tongue of His mystery, declareth: Verily, the answer is yea, yea, yea! Praise be to God, before and after, thou art favored with His special grace. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to ordain for thee each day that which befitteth the heaven of His bounty and the ocean of His generosity. He, verily, is the Munificent, the All-Bountiful.

As for what thou didst behold in thy dream, We beseech the Exalted One to make it a blessing unto thee and unto His friends and loved ones. That the person mentioned was in a carriage with royal majesty and passed before thee, and afterward thou didst meet him with different attire, namely with a turban—there is no doubt that while majesty and royal grandeur are now present and manifest, this change portendeth a transformation of circumstances and an alteration of glory and might. We decree at this time his descent from the first station, that thereby God’s servants and creatures might find rest. This is what can be understood from the dream, and hidden knowledge hath thus decreed. However, as this Wronged One hath ever sought and continueth to seek good for all, therefore He saith:

O God of Bounty and Educator of all existence! I beseech Thee by Thy Name, the One Who dominateth both the unseen and the visible, to adorn him who was mentioned with the lights of the Day-Star of Thy justice. Moreover, protect him from the evil of those who secretly desire to seize his kingdom. O my Lord! Illumine his heart with the light of recognition and aid him to turn toward the horizon of Thy Revelation, the Dawning-Place of Thy verses and the Manifestation of Thy Self. O Lord! Withhold him not from turning toward the direction of Thy gifts, and make him not deprived of the outpourings of Thy days. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, to Whose power all created things have testified. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

As for thy reaching a house that was larger and more magnificent than a palace, and each of its chambers appeared as grand as a palace—these details testify to the greatness of the Cause, the expansion of the Revelation, and the extensiveness of its holy hem. And that thou didst see the Book in the hand of Him in Whose grasp lieth the kingdom of all things—this too indicateth the greatness of the Revelation and the exaltation of the Most Great Word, which is none other than the Book of God. This is that Book, each word of which exerciseth influence, authority and dominion in the world. God will soon manifest what hath been sent down therein of the gems of His commandments and the pearls of His laws. The interpretation of the Book and its exposition are in truth beyond reckoning. Knowledge is with God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne.

And concerning thy mention that in the same passage thou wert again honored to be present in one of its chambers and the utterances thou didst hear—this indicateth and portendeth the removal of the house’s ornaments, meaning those things that serve to beautify and adorn its outward appearance. And this matter is even now outwardly evident. Praise be to God, the foundation of the house is firm and its furniture and principles are established. Assuredly, the means of outward ornament shall later appear through the divine will, for they are concealed in the world of God’s Will and recorded in the realm of the Tablet and the Pen. Their effects shall surely become manifest and deliver the world from this abasement and constraint. Verily, He hath power over all things.

BH01980: The luminous leaf that was adorned with the ornament…

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

The luminous leaf that was adorned with the ornament of divine love, and from whose sublime and lofty words the fragrance of your sincerity for the sake of God, the Lord of Lords, was inhaled, reached this servant of the Lord of creation with wondrous joy and boundless delight. Praise be to God, it was observed to be a firm sign and most perfect and unerring proof of your degrees of love and self-effacement and nothingness and steadfastness in the Cause of the Ancient King. By the Most Holy, Most Exalted Being I swear that there is no station greater than that all should manifest utter nothingness and pure servitude, and arise with complete dedication to serve the Cause. Praise and glory be to Him that you have been and continue to be aided and blessed by God with this supreme gift and mighty favor.

That which has ever been pleasing in the sight of God and the means for servants to ascend to the Kingdom of righteousness and their rising to the heaven of the providence of the Lord of creation, has been that the sincere servants should in no aspect, whether outward or inward, be focused on themselves, but rather should in truth observe themselves in all degrees to be utter nothingness and pure evanescence, so that all souls may, through the training of these sanctified beings, turn from the left hand of selfish desires and human inclinations to the right hand of piety and the Most Glorious Horizon. If these souls who have quaffed the purest wine and are mentioned as the first of creation before the Truth were to be conscious of self even less than can be imagined, they would surely be deprived of the hidden divine favors and forbidden the endless fruits ordained for them in the worlds of the divine Command.

These souls must move among people in such wise that none would imagine they possess life, much less any other stations. We beseech God to aid all to attain this station in such wise that we may be utterly detached from ourselves and speak with every tongue and every utterance and every melody in His mighty, exalted remembrance.

Furthermore, the petition that was submitted to the threshold of the Divine Throne was presented before the Ancient Beauty. Perfect bounty hath shone forth from the Dayspring of grace. God willing, an answer will hereafter be revealed and sent according to the behest of the sovereign Will.

The Branches of the Divine Lote-Tree, may my spirit be sacrificed for the dust of their sacred feet, remember you with wondrous, exalted mention and with sublime greetings, and likewise those who circle round the manifest Throne all send their greetings. Ever write the details of affairs in full, for although they are visible before the Throne, yet We ever desire that you describe your circumstances in detail outwardly, that it may gladden the heart of this evanescent one.

Furthermore, convey to his honor your father, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, limitless expressions of sincerity and most wondrous, elevated and sublime greetings from this ephemeral servant. Likewise remember with endless divine praise all the loved ones of God who have drunk from the chalice of steadfastness and independence in the Cause of the King of grandeur and majesty and who in all conditions look to the Lord of beginning and end. Verily the glory be upon you and upon them.

The servant of God

BH01950: This servant forwarded thy letter to the Most Holy…

This servant forwarded thy letter to the Most Holy Court where it was illumined and blessed by the lights of the Most Great Countenance. These exalted words shone forth from the Dawning-Place of utterance, the Source of verses:

O My Name Ha! Blessed art thou for having fulfilled God’s Covenant, remained steadfast in His Cause, spent what thou hadst in His path, soared in the atmosphere of His love, drunk from the cup of His good-pleasure, spoken His praise, attained unto His days, turned toward His face, entered the Kingdom of faith through His Name and the Heaven of certitude through His grace, and testified to that which God Himself hath testified—that there is none other God besides Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

Thy letter which thou didst send to My Name Mim hath been honored, and We have mentioned thee with this mention whereby all things proclaim that there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Beloved. Convey My greetings unto those servants who have attained the lights of faith and believed in God, the Mighty, the Loving. Say: O loved ones of God! Beware lest the affairs of the world veil you or the whisperings of those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of what was and what shall be, extinguish you. Rejoice in My Name and take the cups of certitude through My command, then drink therefrom the water of life in My days.

Remember what hath befallen Us at the hands of Mine enemies who cast the ordinances of God behind their backs and followed their own idle fancies and vain imaginings. We counsel you with that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in His Tablets. Beware lest ye follow any ignorant reprobate. Reflect upon God’s grace and favors, how He mentioneth you with verses whose fragrance hath perfumed the world and whereby God hath quickened them that lay dead in their graves. Be thankful and praise Him in all conditions, saying:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Dawning-Place of favors, and glory be unto Thee, O Lord of creation! We beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Name not to deprive us of the outpourings of Thy days. Send down upon us at all times that which befitteth Thy generosity and favors. Make us steadfast in Thy Cause and ordain for us what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones. Verily Thou art the Almighty over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Everlasting, the All-Sufficient, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

As for what you wrote about that person, God willing his reply will arrive. In these days, due to recent events in this land, certain matters have been delayed. It is hoped that another time that person’s reply will be sent. For nearly two years these regions and their surroundings have not been free from disturbance, and they have seized some people’s letters due to certain suspicions, for these people have secretly caused corruption in the sublime realms in various ways and continue to do so. For this reason, for a long period no Tablet was sent from the Most Holy Court to any region, even the reply to Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin (upon him be 96 [Baha’u’llah]), though it was revealed, was not ordered to be sent for some time.

Regarding what you wrote about the war between the two powers, all that was revealed in the Tablet to Ra’is has come to pass—God, the Most High, the Most Great, speaketh the truth. After reading it you will become informed of these matters. However, concerning the victor, certain statements have been revealed from the heaven of knowledge indicating that he too will not maintain this power. Verily He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

BH01965: To be typed

To be typed.

BH01982: To be typed

To be typed.

BH01984: To be typed

To be typed.

BH02027: O Jamal! Upon thee be the Glory of God…

He is the True One, the Speaker, the Trustworthy

O Jamal! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Self-Sufficing, the Most High! The Most Great Branch was present and conveyed that which thou hadst sent to him. Have no doubt concerning what thou hast heard from the Tongue of Grandeur and what hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. My mercy hath preceded thee, My loving-kindness hath encompassed thee, and My grace shall be with thee. Today the river of mercy is flowing, and the lights of true unity are manifest, brilliant and visible from the horizon of the Will of God, exalted be His glory. Ponder thou upon this word, for until now the servants have not recognized the Day of God, nor known its greatness and station, and are deprived of true unity.

Say: This is a Day wherein none is mentioned save God alone. From the people of the Bayan the buzzing of flies hath appeared; like the previous people they desire anew to subjugate the heedless through their vain imaginings. Blessed is the soul whom the chains of idle fancies and vain imaginings have not debarred from the Lord of all names, and who hath witnessed all else but God as non-existent. Such a one is of the people of this Court and is accounted among the people of unity in the sight of God.

Your letters have repeatedly arrived and all have been honored by the glance of favor. You have ever been and continue to be remembered. Convey My greetings to the people of God. Each of the souls mentioned in your letters has attained that from which the fragrance of eternity is wafted. The Word of God revealed for each one shall endure for the duration of the kingdom and the realm above. This is of thy Lord’s grace unto thee and unto them. We send greetings to Hibbu’llah; his petition was noticed. Convey My greetings to the Leaf, thy wife, upon her be My glory. They have not been forgotten.

O Jamal! Reflect upon the tribulations of the Wronged One. In the days when from all horizons the standards of discord were visible, and the divines and rulers arose to harm this Wronged One, We stood up alone before all faces and summoned all to the truth, in such wise that no matter prevented Us and no authority held Us back. We bore that which caused the eyes of the Concourse on High to weep and the dwellers of Paradise to lament. Then, when some traces of the effects of the Most Exalted Pen became manifest and resplendent among the servants, the people of the Bayan arose above all others to harm this Wronged One. By the life of God! These differences have prevented the servants from the Most Great Ocean, the Most High Station, and the Supreme Horizon. Glory be to God! They describe a drop while remaining deprived of the ocean. Beseech ye God that He may enable all and grant them sight, that they may not remain deprived of the outpourings of the True Bestower.

Convey My greetings to the friends of God wherever they may be, and say: Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One of the world and strive that perchance the vain imaginings of the past may not be renewed and the people may not be afflicted with the chains of idle fancies. Verily, He strengtheneth the truth and guideth the way. There is none other God but He, the Mighty, the Beautiful. The glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of thy Lord’s utterance be upon thee and upon those who are with thee and who hearken unto thee and who love thee for the sake of God, the Lord of this mighty Day.

BH02037: The meanings of the words of divine glory…

The meanings of the words of divine glory and the letters of eternal holiness that have descended from the heaven of might are these, as they appear outwardly—though inwardly no one has ever known or will ever know the meaning of a single letter thereof except His sacred Self who is All-Knowing and All-Wise.

In the Name of the God of Glory, the Most Glorious

O Dhabih! Verily We have made thee the manifestation of the name “Sacrifice” in the earth. Therefore, O servant, strive within thyself that there may appear from thee that which appeared from Ishmael. Through this special favor and all-embracing mercy We have clothed thee with the garment of grace that thou mayest glory in this supreme gift amongst the people of this world and the next. Know thou that when Ishmael, son of the Friend of the All-Merciful, desired to set foot in the wilderness of love that he might reach the Sinai of divine nearness—which is the station of complete sacrifice—at the moment he intended to proceed to his destination, he observed one adorned in the garments of knowledge and piety.

This person drew near to Dhabih and, with utmost cunning, sought to prevent him from the places of divine destiny and to turn him aside from that which he had intended. When that Luminary of the horizons caught the odor of hypocrisy from him, he informed the Friend of the All-Merciful, who said: “O son, pay no heed to him for this is Satan. Beware of his deception and take refuge in the protection of the King of Grandeur. Choose thy dwelling in the secure abode which is the precinct of divine protection.” When that lover of the Beauty of the All-Glorious heard the melody of the Friend of the All-Merciful, he drove him away and took refuge in God’s protection. Thus was he preserved and safeguarded from the evil of Satan and his deception.

Since thou hast been honored with this new and blessed garment, thou must be vigilant at all times, that if Satan should appear before thee in human form, thou mayest recognize and beware of him. Today the manifestations of the All-Merciful are distinguished from the manifestations of Satan through their love for this spiritual Youth. Soon there shall come upon thee a matter that would prevent thee from the love of thy Lord. At that moment be thou assured that it is Satan and his hosts who would deprive thee of the clouds of the rain of divine mercy and the clouds of holy divine bounty. At such a time take refuge in God as did the first Sacrifice, that thou mayest not slip from the firm and straight path and be joined with the letters of hell. Thus have We distinguished thee among the servants and inspired thee with tidings that are now concealed, that thou mayest become aware of a matter of which none in the world is aware. May the spiritual breezes wafting from the divine and holy paradise of oneness be upon thee and upon those who behold the matchless holy Beauty with their own eyes and vision. And peace be upon thee.

BH11924: O My Name! By the life of God! Thy…

Editor Note: Text has bad OCR in the original language. Ran Nov 2, 2026.

1 O My Name, by the life of God, your sorrow has saddened Me. You know, and God knows, that the Wronged One loves you and has sent down for you that whose fragrance will endure as long as God’s Kingdom and Dominion, His names and His attributes.

2 Consider, then remember the favors We have ordained for you, and be among the thankful.

3 The first was to guide you to [corrupted original text] of God and His momentous announcement; the second, We strengthened you to turn toward Him; the third, We aided you with the hosts of the unseen and the visible until you came into Our presence and attained what had been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the books of the messengers; the fourth, We let you hear My call in Our presence; the fifth, We showed you My luminous horizon; the sixth, We sent down for you the feast of utterance from the heaven of the mercy of My name, the All-Merciful, and made you one of those brought near; and the seventh, We opened before you the door of sustenance and abundance, fed you the food of proof, and gave you the choice wine of recognition to drink, after bringing you forth and nurturing you with the hands of My care and mercy.

4 If gratitude for what has been inscribed for you at this moment could testify on your behalf, your limbs and members, even your every part, would bear witness. Rise and say: “I acknowledge Your gifts, O Desire of all who are in the heavens and on earth, and I confess Your blessings and favors, O Beloved of the hearts of the sincere. I testify that You called me to Your most exalted station, sheltered me within the bounds of Your most great mercy, and gave me the purest draught of love and reunion to drink. By Your might, O God of names and Creator of heaven, this servant of Yours cannot count Your blessings—how, then, can he thank You, O Lord of the Kingdom of testimony and proof?”

5 O My Name and My Self, were I to recount My favors and the stations of those favors that We have made manifest to you, the pens and tablets would be exhausted before My bounties and the account of the blessings We have ordained for you through your firm and steadfast command came to an end. O My Name, [corrupted original text]

6 You are aware of the favors of the True One and [corrupted original text] bestowed [corrupted original text] especially for you, manifested from the House of Bounty [corrupted original text]. I was deeply saddened by this [corrupted original text] sent [corrupted original text], and [corrupted original text] acknowledge that people spoke an unseemly word or used expressions that were not pleasing. [corrupted original text] this is certain: [corrupted original text] and the will of the True One spoke [corrupted original text], and in this case there is [corrupted original text] for gratitude and an occasion for joy, not complaint about [corrupted original text].

7 Have you not heard [corrupted original text] at the threshold [corrupted original text] with the friends of God [corrupted original text]? Sir, the time has come for you to arise in support. [corrupted original text] By your testimony, what my heart lamented and my pen cried out. [corrupted original text] [corrupted original text] what has occurred has caused the Cause of God to be lost [corrupted original text] the people are weak [corrupted original text] has come [corrupted original text].

8 We must ask God to strengthen everyone to do what He loves and approves.

9 Glory, remembrance, and praise be upon you and upon whoever loves you for the sake of God, the Almighty, the All-Praised.

BH02173: O My Name! Upon thee be My glory…

He is the Hearer, the Answerer

O My Name! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. In these days, petitions and letters have arrived from every direction. From some wafts the fragrance of joy and gladness, while from others grief, sorrow and distress are evident, for mention is made therein of the oppression of the loved ones of God, and likewise the tribulations of the friends. Say: Be not grieved. By the life of God! For each one, according to their station and rank, the Most Great Joy hath been ordained. In one of the Tablets this exalted Word was revealed from the Supreme Pen:

“Had the world any worth in the sight of thy Lord, thou wouldst have seen Me taking its reins and seated upon its thrones. Where are the Caesars and their palaces? Where are the Pharaohs and their hosts? Where are the tyrants and their towers? God hath brought them down from their palaces to their tombs. Take ye warning, O people of insight!”

Although outward tribulations are a cause of sorrow and grief, yet in view of the all-encompassing mercy and supreme loving-kindness ordained for each one, there is mercy upon mercy, bounty upon bounty, and joy upon joy.

Likewise, the letters sent by thee have arrived, including the letter of Haydar-Qabli-ʿAli, upon him be My glory, which this servant read in the presence of the Countenance. O My Name! Their error is not known, but in each letter repentance, return and seeking forgiveness are mentioned and recorded.

Say: O Haydar-Qabli-ʿAli! Thou art beneath the glances of thy Lord’s holy and bountiful favor. Grieve not over anything. In all matters place thy trust in Him. Verily, He is with whomsoever desireth Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Fix thy gaze upon the horizon of wisdom, hold fast unto it and cling to its hem. Thus hath the All-Merciful revealed in the Scriptures and Tablets. To hold fast to wisdom is obligatory and essential, and likewise consultation, but in some matters consultation becomes a cause of notoriety, and this is contrary to wisdom and the protection of certain souls.

O My Name! They have made mention of the villages round about and have expressed satisfaction. Blessed are those souls who have attained in this day. Ephemeral things did not prevent them from the immortal Kingdom, nor did the river of names deprive them from the ocean of meanings. All the souls mentioned have attained to the grace of God. Give him the glad tidings from Me that he hath succeeded in serving My firm and mighty Cause. It behooveth him to thank God night and day for this precious and wondrous bounty.

The letter of ʿAttar, upon him be My glory, was presented by this servant before the Face of the Wronged One. Praise be to God, they are engaged in mention and praise and are standing firm in service. We beseech God for assistance and ask for confirmation. He and his relatives have been and are mentioned in the presence of the Countenance. We have revealed for them that which will make them independent of the mention of every knowing one who maketh mention. Give them glad tidings from Me and convey My greetings to their faces from thy Lord, the All-Bountiful, the Generous.

BH02143: Praise that is sanctified above the understanding and recognition…

He is the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise

Praise that is sanctified above the understanding and recognition of all who dwell within the realm of possibility beseemeth the Goal of all the worlds, Who was not prevented by the tyranny of the world and the might of the peoples from uttering the blessed words “Verily I am God.” The Most Exalted Pen crieth out with the most loud voice at the midmost heart of the world. Glory be unto Him! Glory be unto Him! How great is His power, how perfect His proof, how mighty His testimony!

O Rafi’-i-Badi’, upon thee be My glory, My loving-kindness and My mercy which have preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth. We have made mention of thee through verses that all the books of the world cannot equal, and have caused them to endure in My mighty Book. Their fragrance shall never cease to be diffused, as testified by this Speaking, this Manifest Book.

O Rafi’, upon thee be My wondrous remembrance. I speak the truth when I say that this is a Day of joy and delight. Joy from what? From the Kawthar of inner meanings on this luminous, spiritual Day. Hearken unto My call, then take the cup of gladness in My Name and drink therefrom before the faces of My servants—once in My Most Glorious Name, through which the heaven of idle fancies was cleft asunder, and again in My Most Great Remembrance, whereby the earth of the hearts of the peoples was rent asunder.

Reflect upon thy Lord’s power and dominion. We have raised up servants in the land of Ba and manifested them with such steadfastness as hath caused the limbs of the idolaters and the perverse to quake with fear. Soon shalt thou witness the effects of what hath appeared through them. Verily thy Lord is the Knower of the unseen and the seen. With Him is the knowledge of all things in His perspicuous Book.

Grieve not over the happenings of the world, and fear not the oppression and might of princes. By My life! That which We behold today shall perish, but there shall abide for thee My glorious and beauteous remembrance. Know thou that My Most Great Branch made mention of thee before, and at this time We make mention of thee through this Tablet from whose horizon shineth forth the Day-Star of thy Lord’s tender mercy, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

We have heard thy call and have answered thee, and have answered thy remembrance by making mention of thee. Rejoice thou in this perfumed, mighty and wondrous utterance. My Afnan, upon whom rest My glory and loving-kindness—he who hath chosen for himself a station beneath My shade and hearkeneth unto My verses at the time of their revelation—hath sent a letter which I had sent to him, and he hath attained unto My presence, My hearing and My glance. Thy Lord loveth him who hath loved Him, and ordaineth for him that which was hidden and treasured with Him and concealed from the eyes of the deniers. He desired to make mention of thee, so We have revealed for thee that which hath attracted the hearts of them that have recognized Him.

When thou hast succeeded in hearkening unto My call and reading what We have sent down from My kingdom, say:

“My God, my God! Unto Thee be all glory, for that Thou hast made me to know Thee and taught me and shown unto me Thy manifest path and Thy mighty Message. I beseech Thee by the Most Great Mystery enshrouded in mystery, and by the lights of Thy most great Throne, and the mysteries of Thy manifest Book, to make me a banner of Thy Name amidst Thy creation and one who standeth in service to Thee in Thy days. Then write down, O my God, for this Thy servant that which befitteth Thy glory and Thy greatness and Thy power and Thy might. Verily Thou art powerful to do what Thou willest. Within Thy grasp are the reins of all affairs of the first and the last. Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds and Goal of the hearts of them that have recognized Thee!”

BH02157: The Supreme Pen proclaims: O friends of Truth!…

The Supreme Pen proclaims: O friends of Truth! The purpose of bearing these successive afflictions and consecutive trials is that souls assured in God should walk together in perfect unity, such that all difference, duality and otherness might be effaced from their midst, save in those special limitations that have been sent down in the divine Books.

The man of insight suffers no loss in any matter—whatever occurs is evidence of the greatness of his station and the purity of his nature. For instance, if a person shows humility for the sake of God towards the friends of God, this humility in truth returns to God, as it stems from his faith in God. In this case, if the person faced does not respond in kind, or shows pride, the insightful one has attained and will attain to the exaltation of his own deed and its reward, while the harmful deed of the one faced returns to himself. Likewise if someone shows pride, that pride returns to God—God forbid!

O people of understanding! I swear by the Most Great Name, it is a pity in these days for anyone to fix his gaze on transient conditions. Stand firm in the divine Cause and walk with one another in perfect love, purely for the sake of the Beloved. Burn away the veils of self with the fire of oneness, and associate with each other with radiant and joyous faces.

You have all witnessed with your own eyes the character traits of Truth—never has it been pleasing that a night should pass with one of God’s loved ones aggrieved with this Servant. The heart of the world is set ablaze by the divine Word—what a pity if you are not enkindled by this fire! God willing, we hope that you will make this blessed night the night of unity, and all become united with one another, adorned with the ornament of praiseworthy virtues and excellent character.

Let your highest endeavor be to guide a soul from the abyss of extinction to the fountain of everlasting life, and to conduct yourselves among humanity such that the signs of Truth become manifest through you. For you are the first existence, the first worshippers, the first who prostrate, and the first who circle round.

By Him Who has caused Me to speak what He desires—your names are more renowned in the Supreme Kingdom than your mention among yourselves. Think not this statement is imagination—would that you could see what your Lord, the All-Merciful, sees of the loftiness of your station, the greatness of your worth, and the sublimity of your rank!

We beseech God not to let your selves and desires prevent you from what has been ordained for you. We hope that you will conduct yourselves with one another in the utmost fellowship, love and friendship, such that through your unity the banner of divine oneness may be raised aloft and the standard of misbelief cast down, and that you will vie with one another in goodly deeds and in manifesting contentment.

His is the creation and the command. He does what He wishes and ordains what He desires. And verily He is the Almighty, the Exalted, the Powerful.

BH02188: Ziyarat-Namiy-i-Um al-Uliya Madar-i-Aqa Muh. Karim ’Attar

Blessed is the mother who was named by the Tongue of the Lord of Names as the Mother of the Near Ones. We make mention of her at this time that it may be a glory and honor and treasure for her with God, the Lord of the worlds.

The mention shining forth from the horizon of the Kingdom and the light blazing from the horizon of the heaven of might be upon thee, O my handmaiden and my leaf, who speaketh My praise and turneth toward My horizon and soareth in My atmosphere and holdeth fast to My cord and cleaveth to the hem of My tender mercy and loving-kindness.

Thou art she who turned to the Most Exalted Horizon when the Creator of the heavens came with the Kingdom of Names, and who hearkened when the Most Exalted Pen raised its shrill voice, and who hastened to the ocean of knowledge when the concourse of divines and princes held back. Blessed art thou, O Mother of My near ones and she who showeth compassion to My chosen ones.

I testify that thy heart was the dawning-place of the love of God and thy tongue the source of His remembrance and thy breast His vista. Blessed is the handmaiden who turned to thee and mentioned that which was sent down from the heaven of thy Lord’s will, the All-Merciful, when thou didst ascend to the Most Exalted Companion and didst dwell in the vicinity of thy Lord’s mercy, the Lord of all beings and the Lord of the Last and the First. Blessed is the earth that was honored by thy body and attained thy presence.

I testify that thou didst believe in God when most of the servants denied Him, and didst drink of My choice-sealed wine sealed with My Self-Subsisting Name when most of the people of the lands were debarred from it. Thou art she whom the clamor did not prevent and whom hatred did not veil. Thou didst speak the praise of thy Lord until thy spirit ascended to a station none knoweth save God, the Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens.

During thy life thou wert in a house wherein was raised the remembrance of God, the Goal of all desire and Lord of the Throne on high and of the earth below. Thou art she who attained the verses of thy Lord before thy ascension and after it. Mercy preceded thee and grace encompassed thee and light moved before thy face, and at thy ascension a company of angels and the Spirit welcomed thee. The Mother of the Book with Him beareth witness to this. The glory be upon thee and upon thy beginning and thy end and thy outward and thy inward self, and the mercy of God and His tender care.

My God, my God! I beseech Thee by the hearts that were rent asunder in Thy path and melted in separation from Thee, and by the bodies that soared in Thy love, and by the faces that turned toward Thy face, and by the breathings of Thy revelation in Thy days and the manifestations of Thy power in Thy Kingdom and Thy might, to ordain for the one who hath visited Thy handmaiden, by Thy Most Exalted Pen, the good of the Last and of the First. Then forgive him, O my God, through Thy grace and bounty, and purify him, O my Goal, from disobedience, by Thy Name, the All-Merciful.

Thou art He through Whose Name, the All-Forgiving, the ocean of forgiveness surgeth in contingent being, and through Whose Name, the All-Bountiful, the sun of bounty shineth forth from the horizon of the world. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy face to forgive Thy servants and remit their misdeeds and sins. Then accept from them, O my God, what they have wrought in Thy days and performed in service to Thy near ones and chosen ones. Verily Thou art the Almighty over what Thou willest and in Thy right hand is the dominion of all things. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

BH02237: In the Name of God alone, and blessings…

In the Name of God alone, and blessings and peace be upon Him after Whom there is no Prophet.

O Muhammad-ʿAli, upon you be the peace of God, the One, the Single, the Alone! Your letter was presented before the Wronged One. The cry of your heart and the lamentation of your inmost being were heard. Blessed are you and joy be unto you! You have drunk the choice wine of utterance from the hands of grace and favor. We beseech God to assist you in that which will make manifest your station in the contingent world among the religions. He is verily the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower.

O ʿAli! The Wronged One has ever beseeched God, exalted be His glory, on your behalf for that which is the cause of the exaltation of the Word and of your station. You have ever been mentioned and still are. You must exert your utmost in trustworthiness and religion, that your name may be elevated as befitteth you. Let it not be thought that We do not consider you adorned with this attribute. Rather, Our purpose is that you should conduct yourself in such a way that the fragrance of trustworthiness and all that beseemeth man may be diffused among the servants. From the beginning of the Cause until now you have been engaged in service. Should anyone deny this, the atoms of creation bear witness.

We sent Abdu’l-Husayn, upon whom be My peace, after his pause, hearing and witnessing. Convey greetings from the Wronged One to Ahmad, and likewise to the friends. We mentioned Ali-ʿAskar, upon whom be peace, through Amin, upon whom be the peace and loving-kindness of God. Now We make mention of them and beseech God to grant success and confirm them in that which hath been revealed in the Book. He is the Powerful and the Mighty.

We likewise make mention of Zaynu’l-ʿAbidin and beseech God, exalted be His glory, to adorn him with the ornament of fear of God and enable him to remember and praise Him. He is verily the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be” and it is.

Convey greetings from the Wronged One to Aqa Muhammad-ʿAli. He hath been mentioned before and will be mentioned hereafter. We beseech the Lord of existence and the Desired One to confirm him in acting according to that which hath been revealed and sent down in the Book from the Pen of the All-Bountiful.

O Muhammad-ʿAli! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. Today the helpers of God are goodly deeds and praiseworthy character. These are the hosts of victory and triumph, and the fear of God is the commander of these hosts. God willing, thou shalt be assisted to open and conquer the gates of hearts through wisdom, utterance and the aforementioned hosts. Associate with all people with joy and fragrance, pure love and complete kindliness. This is the counsel of the Wronged One.

Let not the friends of God be saddened by the heights and depths of this world and its vicissitudes. Know thou with certain knowledge that wealth, riches, exaltation and sublimity have ever been and shall ever be in the grasp of God’s power. He giveth and He withholdeth, and He is the Powerful, the Mighty. Peace be upon you and upon God’s righteous servants.