Volume 107: Date unknown (3 of 7)

BH03394: This is a glorious Book sent down…

In the Name of God, the Ever-Abiding, the Everlasting!

This is a glorious Book sent down from the presence of One mighty and powerful. Verily it is a revelation from the Lord of the worlds. It brings glad tidings to the people of this Day whereon He hath been established upon a great throne, and it warneth the people of a grievous day of retribution.

O people! Fear God and follow not every sinful repudiator. Verily he whom the people of error have taken as a protector besides God is in manifest error and flame. He hath turned away and withdrawn, then retreated and fabricated. By God, he hath appeared with evident calumny. O people! Fear God and draw not nigh unto him. He calleth you unto his self, from which the manifestations of misbelief seek refuge with God, the Protector, the Mighty, the Peerless.

He believed not in Him Who revealed the Bayan nor in that which was sent down in a preserved and mighty Tablet. Say: By God, he hath not read the Bayan, nor doth he read it except to lead you astray from the path. And whenever he reciteth the verses of God, the True King, the Just, the Trustworthy, the Spirit that circleth round the words of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Great, addresseth him saying:

“Hast thou disbelieved in Him Who created thee from a handful of clay? If thou didst believe in the verses of God, why didst thou fabricate against Him by Whose command the Scriptures of God were sent down from all eternity, and this perspicuous Book? Fear God and follow not thy self and thy passion. Rather, follow the religion of the Spirit, which is the love of Him Who hath appeared with the truth and come with manifest authority. Be not confused in thyself, nor make thyself deserving of God’s wrath and vengeance. Fear the day wherein the hearts of the deniers shall tremble.”

Say: “I have believed in God and His Messengers and His Books, and unto Him do I turn, and He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.”

O thou who gazest toward the realm of immortality! Hearken unto the call of thy Lord, the Most Glorious, and say: “In the Name of God, the Quickener of Names.” Then burn away the veils of the heedless through the heat of thy Lord’s love and say: “Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and glory be upon thee and upon them that have believed in God, the Mighty, the Wise.”

BH03391: The secret lamentations were understood from the spoken words…

He is the Most Exalted, the Most High.

The secret lamentations were understood from the spoken words; and were patience amid grievous trials not a matter of highest worth, the saying, “The patient shall be recompensed their reward without measure,” would never have been revealed. Therefore choose thou patience, and tread the path of steadfast endurance. For verily the companions of truth were, from aforetime, promised such tribulations: “And We shall surely try you with something of fear and hunger and loss of wealth and lives and fruits; but give glad tidings to the patient.”

The affliction of poverty is, for some, the greatest of calamities; yet for others it is the greatest of means of nearness—most of all when there be joined to it poverty in all save God, and riches in God and through God. Among the words of Jesus, Son of Mary, is this saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

This is that poverty round which a hundred thousand riches circle in homage. God willing, our hope is this: that we may glory in such poverty, never depart from its good-pleasure, and in every trial remain patient and steadfast.

Erelong shall all this pageantry be folded up, and all earthly poverty and outward wealth alike return unto dust, yielding no fruit unto their possessor save blackness of face. Therefore, by the power of patience and endurance, rend asunder the garment of worldly wealth and self-sufficiency, and assuredly, in the sight of those possessed of understanding hearts, the poison of poverty and nothingness is sweeter and fairer than the sugar of being and abundance, and in the mouth of the true lover sweeter than honey itself.

In every age such hath been the way and portion of the pure and the righteous; whereas the other lot and portion belong unto the wretched and the wicked. Were we but fair-minded, we would offer thanks and utter praises that we have been adorned with the gracious qualities of the loved ones of God, and have been enabled to walk in their noble paths. Praise be to Him, then, and yet again praise be to Him.

And we cherish the hope that hardship may be changed into ease, sorrow into joy, and poverty into wealth. Nor is that hard for God, thy Lord.

BH03423: O beloved of my heart and one who gazes…

O beloved of my heart and one who gazes upon the countenance of my Beloved! Blessed art thou, then glad tidings unto thee for having attained to the mention of the Desired One. By the life of God! All that hath been created in existence, both seen and unseen, cannot equal it. Praise be to God that thou hast been mentioned in the Most Great Scene and the Most Pure Tongue hath spoken thy praise. This bounty hath had and shall have no likeness or parallel.

O my beloved! Thy letter which thou hadst previously sent reached this evanescent servant. The sorrows of thy heart caused infinite grief. And that until now there hath been delay in responding—I swear by God, our Lord, the All-Merciful, that this was not due to forgetfulness. Night and day I have been beseeching and hoping from God—exalted be His glory—and waiting that He might manifest from His all-embracing bounty concerning thee that which would bring joy, delight and gladness to thy heart. Until on this blessed night it was presented before Him and once again the extent of thy sorrows and cares was laid before Him. After this presentation, there appeared from the horizon of grace that which would transform the grief of all the worlds into manifest joy. Therefore we say unto thee: Praise and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O Bestower of bounty upon the worlds!

God willing, after beholding these holy and blessed words thou wilt transform grief into joy and care into delight and gladness, and with utmost joy and gladness thou wilt pass thy days in the remembrance and praise of God. After these utterances shining forth from the ocean of meanings, the mention of this evanescent one is in truth evanescent and non-existent and shall ever be so.

Light and mercy and radiance and honor be upon thee and thy family and all that God hath given thee through His grace. I beseech Him, exalted be He, to preserve thee and them from every tribulation and calamity and to guard you through His bounty and generosity. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous.

The servant

BH03545: Let His honor Aqa Muhammad-Rida take note. Your letter…

He is God, exalted be His glory!

Let His honor Aqa Muhammad-Rida take note. Your letter arrived and was read and presented, and this is what was issued from the Source of Utterance from the presence of the Mighty, the All-Bestowing:

O Rida! May you be the recipient, through the infinite favors of the Best-Beloved of the worlds, of divine grace. God is Our witness and fair-minded people bear testimony that whatever this Wronged One has spoken has been for the good of the friends of God. The one true God has commanded His servants to engage in consultation, that all may hold fast to His cord and act accordingly. You and all the friends must in all conditions fix your gaze upon God and place your trust in Him. The world has had and has no value. Be not grieved, for if one were to become the apparent owner of the whole earth, he would surely spend it all rather than see even one of the friends saddened, let alone anything beyond that. We enjoin upon you that which shall profit you in every world of the worlds of your Lord, the All-Numbering, the All-Knowing. The counsel that shone forth from the horizon of the will of the Lord of all beings was not given as an absolute command, but rather was offered purely out of wisdom and goodwill. Whatever appears beneficial after consultation may be acted upon.

As for what you wrote about Abdul-Rahim, he too has presented his requests. However, a true friend has always wished to see his loved ones united. Yet due to certain outward worldly matters, this quality is rarely observed. Therefore it is best that you travel together, and after arrival at the mentioned place, there is no objection if each person acts according to his own will in matters of outward affairs. These matters, if carried out in a spirit of joy and fragrance, are praiseworthy. The Glory be upon the people of Baha.

The servant sends his greetings to you and those with you.

BH03581: O Muhammad-ʿAli, Ism-i-Mihdi, upon him be My glory! Your…

In the Name of the One Incomparable God, the All-Knowing!

O Muhammad-ʿAli, Ism-i-Mihdi, upon him be My glory! Your mention has been made and the letters sent were seen. This is the Day of remembrance, the Day of praise, the Day of exaltation and ascendancy, and it has been and continues to be the Day of deeds. Whosoever in this Day achieves a deed for the sake of God shall abide forever in the kingdom of earth and heaven. Today the Euphrates of mercy is flowing, the gate of grace is opened, and the heaven of inner meanings is adorned with the stars of utterance. Blessed is the one whom vain imaginings did not deprive of the horizon of certitude, and whom the clamor of the turbaned ones did not prevent from turning to the most exalted horizon. All that has befallen humanity has come from such souls.

We beseech God to aid thee to stand firm with supreme steadfastness, in such wise that all the peoples of the world shall be powerless to prevent thee. Drink from the Kawthar of the utterance of the All-Merciful which floweth from the Supreme Pen. By the life of God! If thou attainest unto it, thou shalt find thyself above all the peoples of the world. The world hath never had, nor doth it now possess, any permanence. Ere long it shall pass away. Strive thou that through the grace of God—exalted be His glory—there may appear from thee that which shall waft the fragrance of eternity and endure as long as His most excellent names endure.

We, from this spot, send Our greetings upon thy face and thy mother and thy wife and those who are with thee. We beseech God to aid thee and draw thee nigh unto Him in all conditions. All the souls mentioned are remembered in the Most Holy Court, and each hath been illumined by the lights of the grace of the Sun of Truth. Their mention hath flowed from the tongue and been recorded by the Pen. Thus hath spoken He Who conversed upon Sinai, Who hath come with manifest sovereignty. Glory be upon thee and upon them and upon those whom neither the suggestions of the mischief-makers nor the doubts of the deniers have withheld from God, the Lord of the worlds and the Object of the knowing ones.

BH03484: It was mentioned in all the former Tablets…

It was mentioned in all the former Tablets that a time would come and an hour be struck when the Bird of ʿIraq would wing His flight toward the Hijaz. Hasten ye, then, unto Him, O lovers of the divine Beauty, O ye enraptured ones of the sacred sanctuary of the Lord!

Now that time hath come, that breeze hath blown, that Bird hath flown—yet ye saw not, attained not, and reached not your heart’s desire. Whatever was written, and whatsoever was proclaimed, to none of it did ye turn, nor did ye give ear. Now that hour hath passed, and that Day hath slipped from your grasp. Never again shall that breeze waft over this land, nor shall that rose unfold its face, nor shall that gate stand open.

Have ye ever heard that the nightingale of the divine garden seeketh repose save in the spiritual rose-bower, or maketh its dwelling elsewhere? Or that the hoopoe of the Sheba of love taketh for itself a homeland save upon the Sinai of the spirit? Or that the hearts of lovers seek any object but the beauty of the Beloved? Yet ye, O lovers, busied yourselves with your own imaginings, and never resolved to journey unto the land of the Beloved.

Alas for such heedlessness, which hath seized the whole world and encompassed all created things: that while the Sun shone resplendent in the very noon of its decline, radiant, luminous, and manifest, they made themselves the companions of the birds of the night and their fellows in song.

And I conclude with that which the nightingale of separation sang in the land of ʿIraq, and whereby all who dwell in every region of the horizons cry out:

“Verily, the Bird of everlasting life hath flown unto the City of Divine Hiddenness, and the Dove of the spirit hath ascended from one branch and sought another branch.”

Weep ye, then, O concourse of lovers, and O denizens of the heavenly realm! Thus do We cast upon you the verses of separation, that haply ye may arise from the couches of heedlessness and be numbered among those who are truly mindful.

BH03562: By Thy glory, O Beloved One, Thou giver…

He is the prayer-hearing, prayer-answering God!

By Thy glory, O Beloved One, Thou giver of light to the world! The flames of separation have consumed me, and my waywardness hath melted my heart within me. I ask of Thee, by Thy Most Great Name, O Thou the Desire of the world and the Well-Beloved of mankind, to grant that the breeze of Thine inspiration may sustain my soul, that Thy wondrous voice may reach my ear, that my eyes may behold Thy signs and Thy light as revealed in the manifestations of Thy names and Thine attributes, O Thou within Whose grasp are all things!

Thou seest, O Lord my God, the tears of Thy favored ones, shed because of their separation from Thee, and the fears of Thy devoted ones in their remoteness from Thy Holy Court. By Thy power, that swayeth all things, visible and invisible! It behooveth Thy loved ones to shed tears of blood for that which hath befallen the faithful at the hands of the wicked and the oppressors on the earth. Thou beholdest, O my God, how the ungodly have compassed Thy cities and Thy realms! I ask Thee by Thy Messengers and Thy chosen ones and by Him whereby the standard of Thy divine unity hath been implanted amidst Thy servants, to shield them by Thy bounty. Thou art, verily, the Gracious, the All-Bountiful.

And, again, I ask Thee by the sweet showers of Thy grace and the billows of the ocean of Thy favor, to ordain for Thy saints that which shall solace their eyes and comfort their hearts. Lord! Thou seest him that kneeleth yearning to arise and serve Thee, the dead calling for eternal life from the ocean of Thy favor and craving to soar to the heavens of Thy wealth, the stranger longing for his home of glory ʿneath the canopy of Thy grace, the seeker hastening by Thy mercy to Thy door of bounty, the sinful turning to the ocean of forgiveness and pardon.

By Thy sovereignty, O Thou Who art glorified in the hearts of men! I have turned to Thee, forsaking mine own will and desire, that Thy holy will and pleasure may rule within me and direct me according to that which the pen of Thy eternal decree hath destined for me. This servant, O Lord, though helpless turneth to the Orb of Thy Power, though abased hasteneth unto the Dayspring of Glory, though needy craveth the Ocean of Thy Grace. I beseech Thee by Thy favor and bounty, cast him not away.

Thou art verily the Almighty, the Pardoner, the Compassionate.

BH11679: This is what We saw in a dream…

This is what We saw in a dream, and We recount it truthfully that it may be a remembrance for all the peoples of the world.

We were walking in the House on a pitch-dark night. At times We gazed upon the Most Great Scene, and at other times I contemplated the pearls of nightly discourse, and at times the unique gems of destiny, and yet again I spoke to it of the lessons that had befallen Me, until the dawn broke forth with a smile. Then slumber overtook Me, and I reclined upon a pillow for but a brief moment. I saw thee standing before Me, with a radiant countenance, gazing upon thy Lord. The Face of God turned toward thee and magnified thee. Then there flowed from the mouth of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, the Kawthar of inner meanings and utterance, in such measure as none in all the worlds could reckon. And at the end of the discourse, We commanded thee, from the presence of the Lord of Lords, to convey His Cause among His creatures.

And amidst what We commanded thee, We saw Amin standing at the side of this manifest Scene with a luminous and joyous countenance, and We commanded him as We had commanded thee, and We recited unto him this most exalted Word which the All-Merciful had made as a brilliant gem upon the brow of utterance:

“O servant! Know thou the value of these days. Verily, the sojourn of the All-Merciful among the peoples of the worlds is like unto the duration of the rose in the garden.”

And We repeated these words in that state until the hem of darkness grew thin and the fingers of destiny rent asunder the veil of heaven. Then sleep effaced the sign of wakefulness.

We arose and said: “The Command belongeth unto God, the Lord of the Day of Mutual Summoning.” And while We were dictating to the servant in attendance before Us, We imparted unto him that which We have left unmentioned in the Tablet for the sake of brevity. Then did trembling seize him, and he was transformed by the wine of these words which gleamed like unto lamps in the crystal glasses of the words of the Lord of Names and Attributes. We said unto him: “Verily, in sipping the pure water from the goblets of success are signs for them that are wakeful.”

And We beseech the Lord of Creation to wrap you both in the mantle of righteousness and to make you and them that have believed standards of guidance amidst all creation. Verily, He is powerful over all things. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH03642: To be typed

To be typed.

BH03593: Praise be to God Who sent forth the Messengers…

He is the All-Witnessing, the All-Informed

Praise be to God Who sent forth the Messengers and revealed the Books testifying that there is no God but Him. He hath ever been sanctified above the description of all created things and exalted beyond the comprehension of all beings, and will forever remain as He hath been from time immemorial. And blessings and peace be upon Him by whose name Prophethood and Messengership were sealed, through whom God’s laws, commandments, proofs and evidence were made manifest, and upon His family and companions who cast away all that was with the people and arose to serve the Cause in such wise that the banner of unity was raised upon the highest standards. This is a remembrance from the Wronged One, Who is encompassed by sorrows from all directions through that which the hands of those who are heedless of the remembrance of God, the Lord of all worlds, have wrought.

Say: Glory be to Thee, O Thou Who art the Goal of the hearts of them that know Thee and the Object of worship of all who are in the heavens and on earth! Thou seest how darkness hath encompassed all lands to such extent that Thy party among Thy servants lamenteth. O my Lord! I beseech Thee by the lights of the Day-Star of Thy justice and the splendors of the Sun of Thy Word to ordain through Thy Most Exalted Pen for those who have turned to Thee, O Thou Owner of Names, that which Thou didst ordain for Thy loved ones and chosen ones.

O my Lord! I implore Thee by the Seal of Thy Prophets and His successors and companions to send down from the heaven of Thy power a supporter of Thy Faith and a protector of Thy Cause. O my Lord! The oppressors have surrounded Thy loved ones and Thy lands, and Thou seest their weakness and powerlessness before their adversaries’ guns and cannons. I beseech Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of power and might, to assist Thy weak servants from the evil of these people, then ordain for this servant the good of the hereafter and of the former life. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Strong, the All-Conquering, the Almighty.

BH03623: Thy letter was received and attained unto the hearing…

Introduction

He is the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing

Thy letter was received and attained unto the hearing of the Wronged One. O noble one! God willing, mayest thou be blessed by His grace and drink from the Living Waters that flow from the Supreme Pen. Praise be to God that thou hast attained to thine own recognition—the allusions of the ignorant divines and heedless doctors of law did not prevent or deprive thee from the Most Great Ocean. Know thou the greatness of this station. From thy letter the fragrance of love was diffused. Say:

My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having strengthened me and caused me to turn toward Thy Cause, from which most of Thy servants have turned away. I beseech Thee by Thy Name which Thou hast made a light unto the righteous and a fire unto the wicked, and by the breezes of the Dawning-place of Thy Revelation and the Dayspring of Thy verses, to ordain for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen that which will draw me nigh unto Thee, O Creator of the heavens! O my Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and awaiting the wondrous tokens of Thy bounty, Thy grace and Thy favors. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me of what lies with Thee, then make me in all conditions steadfast in Thy Cause and holding fast to Thy cord. Verily Thou art the Strong, the Triumphant, the Powerful, the Unconstrained.

We make mention of him who was named Muhammad, that he may rejoice and be of the thankful ones. And We make mention that thou who hast turned to the lights of the Countenance, and thy brother who was named Aqa Kuchik—We beseech God to assist them and enable them to achieve that whereby their names shall endure in the Book of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

O Nasru’llah! Thy name was present before the Wronged One. He hath mentioned thee with a mention that equals not the mention of the world. He before Whom is a precious Tablet beareth witness to this. And We make mention of Abdullah in Shamsabad and give him the glad-tidings of God’s grace and bounty, that he may be of the steadfast ones.

O Nasru’llah and O Abdullah! The Supreme Pen hath ever mentioned and continueth to mention His party. The loved ones must, with perfect unity and harmony, occupy themselves with the remembrance and praise of God, and with that whereby the Cause of God is exalted. This is the counsel of the Wronged One. We convey greetings to all the friends and give them the glad-tidings of God’s grace, mercy, loving-kindness and bounty. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Gracious.

These three passages were on one yellow page in the handwriting of Baha’u’llah

BH03775: Rejoice, rejoice, O Children of Israel, in the grace…

He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the Self-Subsistent!

Rejoice, rejoice, O Children of Israel, in the grace of the Manifestation of the Glorious Lord!

Thanks and praise be unto God, that the Sun of Truth hath dawned upon the horizon of Unity, and it is dispersing and expelling the darkness of differences and oppression.

Now, the flowers of significance [i. e., the explanations of mysteries] have blossomed upon the Branch of Generosities, and the Nightingale of the invisible Flower-Garden hath left its Nest; the dwellers of the Holy Place have adorned the plane of the earth with profuse benefits, and have illumined the feasting-place of nearness with every variety of ornament.

Blessed is the brave one who, with a firm step, walks out of the corridors of intimacy [i.e., his old religious restrictions and limitations] and takes a place in the ranks of the lovers of God and men; that he may become enlisted among the faithful and assured ones, the truthful and holy ones; that he may be constantly promoted in both worlds and ever favored with eternal exaltation.

O ye possessors of sight! With the inner eyes contemplate the Horizon of the world, that ye may behold the Mount of Sinai and the Country of Safety resplendent through the Light of God and radiating with the Manifestation of the Lord! Look not in the least with the eyes of the unbelievers and the wicked ones, for verily they are blinded by the world and cannot behold eternity.

Peace be upon him who followeth Guidance!

BH11759: O thou who hast attained, yet art afflicted…

He is

O thou who hast attained, yet art afflicted with separation! Know that I am the Divider, and I heed not; I am the One Who sunders, and I fear not. Shouldst thou desire to know Me, then know of a certainty that I am He Who depriveth the yearning ones of entrance into the court of My holiness, and banisheth them far from the seat of My throne. I am He Who hath consumed the hearts of lovers in the fire of separation, and abandoned them in the wildernesses of the earth. I am He Who, when invoked, answered not, and, when remembered, turned not in heedfulness. I am He Whose wealth will not hear the outcry of the poor, and Whose might will not regard the weak and the lowly. Such is the hour of My ascension upon the throne of My Name, the All-Compelling.

And when I ascend the throne of My Name, the All-Merciful, I guide the erring unto the Kawthar of My presence, admit them into the paradise of reunion with Me, and shall never cast them out therefrom. I am He Who ushereth the poor into the Ridvan of My riches, the feeble beneath the canopy of My power, and the abased into the city of Mine ancient glory. I am He Who, when called upon, answereth, and, when remembered, remembereth; and from everlasting I have been the Answerer of the cry of them that are in distress.

I am He Who answered ere the prayer was uttered, and bestowed without desert; such is My nature. I am He Who weepeth at the weeping of them that love Me, draweth nigh unto them that seek nearness unto Me, and hath thrown open the gates of My grace before the face of all who are in heaven and on earth. Well is it with them that enter therein.

He is

O thou who art present before the Throne! I have heard thy call and thy lamentation in separation, and have grieved at what hath befallen thee through fate. We beseech God to admit thee to thy dwelling place, for verily He is more merciful than every merciful one.

I send wondrous remembrances to the friends of God. Convey My greetings to Jinab-i-Rahim and Jinab-i-Munshi’ul-Amr. May Jinab-i-ʿAbdu’l-Ghaffar occupy himself with the remembrance of God, the Chosen One. A special Tablet was revealed and sent for Haji; deliver it to him.

BH03854: God testifieth that there is none other God besides…

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

God testifieth that there is none other God besides Him, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting. God testifieth that there is none other God besides Him, the Ever-Abiding, the Everlasting, the Mighty, the Witnessed. God testifieth that there is none other God besides Him, Who doeth whatsoever He willeth through His sovereignty. He is, verily, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved.

O My Afnan! The Most Exalted Pen consoleth you with this remembrance whereby God hath changed sorrow into the most great joy. There is none other God besides Him, the Mighty, the All-Loving. Grieve not for what hath befallen you. Verily, he who hath ascended is today in the seat of truth with the King of the invisible and visible realms. This is a word that all the treasures of earth cannot equal, yet most people comprehend not. Ye belong unto God and unto Him shall ye return.

We beseech God to manifest through you that which shall gladden the heart of the world and awaken them that slumber. Verily, he who hath set hath risen from My horizon, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. The star of divine knowledge hath set from the heaven of My outward appearance and risen from the horizon of the heaven of My hidden Name, the Concealed. By God’s life! He is verily in the Most Glorious Outlook and the Most Exalted Station. He who possesseth knowledge of what was and what shall be hath testified to this. Were existence to know, it would lament at being remote from this praiseworthy station. There hath been sent down for him from the heaven of utterance that which caused the angels to cry “Hallowed!” and the Spirit to exclaim “Magnified!” All this is from God’s grace upon him and upon you. He is verily the All-Bountiful, the Kind.

Preserve the people from the whisperings of those who have seized upon vain imaginings and cast behind their backs what was revealed in My Preserved Tablet. For the Crier hath cried out and shall cry out again. He is, verily, the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. Glory be upon you and upon those who hearken to your words concerning this irrevocable Cause.

BH03884: The Most Exalted Pen hath at this moment willed…

He is the One Who gazeth from His Most Exalted Horizon

The Most Exalted Pen hath at this moment willed to make mention of one of the servants, that he may become aware of divine grace, favor and mercy, and spend his days in remembrance, praise and service to His Cause. O Muhammad-Husayn! His honor ʿAli-Qabli-Haydar, upon him be My glory, hath made mention of thee, and therefore thy mention hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this manifest grace and this mighty command. The whole world awaited the Day of God, but when the gate of grace was opened by the finger of divine power and the horizon of revelation was illumined by the light of Him Who conversed on Sinai, all turned away and arose to shed His most pure blood.

By God’s life! The pebbles of the earth and its seeds, nay all things, lament and bewail the deeds and conduct of the Shi’ih party. They dwell in the pit of misbelief yet count themselves among the people of divine unity. They wander in the wilderness of idle fancy yet consider themselves people of certitude. They slew Him for Whose separation they had lamented a thousand two hundred years. Praise be to the Goal of the world Who hath enabled thee to attain that whereof the people of the earth are deprived. Say:

O God of existence and Lord of the seen and unseen! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy throne and the mysteries of the ocean of Thy knowledge, to make me so firm in Thy Cord that the doubts of the world and the clamor of the nations will not keep me back from Thee. Then ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for the people of righteousness and the companions of the Crimson Ark. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and within Thy grasp are the reins of the kingdom of earth and heaven. There is none other God but Thee, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the All-Loving.

BH03934: O my handmaiden! Upon thee be My glory…

In the Name of the one true God!

O my handmaiden! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. God, exalted be His glory, hath made mention of His servants and handmaidens at all times with a remembrance whose fragrance hath not ceased from the world and will never cease. His loving-kindness hath embraced all and His grace hath encompassed all.

God, exalted be His glory, commandeth thee to be patient. Verily He is the All-Patient and commandeth His servants and handmaidens to show beautiful patience amid the vicissitudes of the world and the passing of nations. At all times the heedless and idle people are witnessed. The divines of Iran were not and are not mentioned in the presence of the All-Merciful, but thou art mentioned through His grace and hast attained unto the verses of the Most Exalted Word. Blessed art thou and those handmaidens who have believed in God, the One, the All-Informed.

We make mention at this time of him who hath ascended unto God, the Lord of all worlds. O Ayat! Thou hast attained unto the verses of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. We heard thy call before and answered thee with a Tablet from whose horizon shone the light of grace from the presence of One mighty and powerful. Thou didst attain before thy ascension unto My verses and after it unto My gracious mention. The ocean of forgiveness hath surged in the Word of the All-Merciful that thou mayest rejoice in the Supreme Horizon and be among those who are glad. We have purified thee and forgiven thee at the time of thy ascension. This is attested by what hath flowed from My Most Exalted Pen as a grace from One All-Knowing, All-Wise. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto the mention of God, the Master of the Day of Judgment.

O My handmaiden! Give thanks unto thy Lord for this most great favor. We have made mention of thee and those with thee, and We beseech God to ordain for thee that which will draw thee nigh unto Him in all conditions. Verily He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted. Praise be to God, the Master of the beginning and the end.

BH03946: O Husayn! Arise to serve the Cause through divine…

In the name of the peerless one God!

O Husayn! Arise to serve the Cause through divine love and the flame of heavenly affection. Today, whosoever desires to render assistance must pass beyond all that he possesses and fix his gaze upon that which is with God. O Husayn! Today the ocean of generosity is surging and the effulgences of the Sun of bounty have encompassed all existence. Whosoever arises for the sake of God will not experience cessation nor will hesitation overtake him. Through the hosts of utterance, with spirit and fragrance, he will guide the wayward and strengthen the weak. Let none marvel at this exalted word. The Son of Mary—upon Him be the peace of God and the peace of His Prophets—observed a fisherman engaged in catching fish. He said:

“Put down thy net and come, that I may make thee a fisher of men.”

After this word, the tongue-tied gained speech, the ignorant entered the ocean of knowledge, the poor found their way to the kingdom of wealth, the lowly aspired to the summit of glory, the wayward became illumined by the light of the dawn of guidance. For he had passed beyond himself and joined with the Truth. He burned his desires in the fire of love and rent asunder the veils with the finger of certitude. While in this world he spoke through the Spirit of God, and when he turned toward the next world he attained a station which the pens of the world are powerless to describe. Blessed are they whom, in this day, neither the doubts of the deniers, nor the whispers of the negators, nor the clamor of the people of the Bayan have prevented from the Ultimate Purpose of creation.

Today is the day of steadfastness and the day of service. Strive that perchance ye may attain unto that which is mentioned with God and recorded in the Book. The Glory be upon thee and upon all who are firm and steadfast.

BH03777: This day have We awakened beneath the effulgent beams…

He is the Speaker in His most exalted Horizon.

This day have We awakened beneath the effulgent beams of the Day-Star of the gracious favour of God, the Lord of all worlds. All things have lifted up their voices, through the exaltation of My call, proclaiming that there is none other God but Him, the Incomparable, the All-Informed. Every hidden thing hath been made manifest, and whatsoever lay treasured within the knowledge of God, the Lord of the mighty Throne, hath been brought forth to view. Yet the people have denied the proof of God and His testimony, and turned away from His firm and inviolable Cause.

O My Afnan! Upon thee be My glory. We make mention of thee at this hour with that whereby the hearts of them that are nigh unto God have taken flight. The glory be upon thee from Us and upon them that love thee and hearken unto thy word concerning the Cause of God, the Lord of this wondrous Day.

From the eloquent tongue We turn to the luminous tongue. The one named Jud came into the presence of the Wronged One and made mention of thee, beseeching Our favor. We said:

“Praise be to God, they have attained unto His grace and are nourished by the fruits of the divine Lote-Tree. From the beginning of days until now they have been engaged in praise and thanksgiving and in service.”

In response he mentioned the waves of the ocean of bounty and the lights of the supreme horizon at every moment are beloved, for souls are bound to them and hearts and minds are illumined and refreshed thereby.

After these utterances this Tablet was sent down from the heaven of the Will of the Lord of all men, that the Afnan might in every moment drink of the Kawthar of utterance from the words of the Lord of Names. This Kawthar bestows true joy and grants eternal life. The reward of thy deeds is remembered and treasured with God and inscribed in the Crimson Book.

We praise God Who hath aided thee and enabled thee to recognize Him and to stand firm in His Cause and in His service, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. Praise be to God, the Lord of this wondrous Day.

BH03948: O Husayn! Thy letter which thou didst send…

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

O Husayn! Thy letter which thou didst send to Javad, upon him be the Glory of God, was presented before the Most Holy Court and attained unto the hearing of the Wronged One. Praise be to God, the fragrance of divine love was wafted from it. We beseech God not to deprive the people of the world from the pearls of utterance which lie hidden in the ocean of divine knowledge. May He rend asunder the veils with the finger of power and tear away the coverings, that all may turn with their hearts to the supreme horizon and not remain deprived of the outpourings of His days.

The Truth is manifest like the sun, verses are sent down like rain, and evidences are visible from all directions. Nevertheless, most are occupied with what they possess and are heedless of what is with God. They cling to vain imaginings and are deprived of the lights of the sun of certitude. The deniers of the Word are seen to be more lost than the peoples of former times. They speak anew the vain imaginings of old and are recorded with God as worshippers of names.

Blessed art thou, O Husayn, for having turned, attained, and drunk the wine of divine knowledge from the hand of the bounty of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Each of the souls mentioned in thy letter has attained to the remembrance of the Lord of Names and been adorned with the verses of the Supreme Pen. We beseech God to adorn all with the raiment of steadfastness, for the croaking has risen high and the misguided lie in wait in their ambush. We beseech God to protect His party from those who have violated God’s Covenant and Testament and who dispute His verses. Verily He is powerful over all things.

Thou didst mention Ramadan-ʿAli. We beseech God to illumine him with the light of His Cause and set him ablaze with the fire of the Divine Lote-Tree—a blaze whose effects shall become manifest. We verily send Our greetings upon him from this station and counsel him with that which befitteth the days of God. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous.

Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH03929: O My Name! Upon thee be My glory! Thy…

He is God, exalted be His glory, the Most Merciful, the Most Bountiful

O My Name! Upon thee be My glory! Thy letter was received and was presented at the castle before the face of the Lord of Destiny. Since mention was made of the honored Mirza who ascended to the Supreme Companion, the Most Exalted Pen desired to make mention of him:

O Zaynu’l-ʿAbidin! The Lord of the worlds maketh mention of thee from the Most Great Scene, that this mention may be a companion unto thee, a light unto thee, a glory unto thee, an honor unto thee, and a treasure unto thee in every world of the worlds of thy Lord. We beseech God to send down upon thee each day that which will attract thee. Verily thy Lord is the Compassionate, the Generous. The glory which hath shone forth from the dayspring of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, the Lord of all beings, be upon thee and upon those who have turned with humility manifest toward the Supreme Horizon. We indeed found the fragrance of His love at the time of his ascension and revealed for him that from which everyone possessed of smell would detect the fragrance of the Luminous Robe.

O My Name! We convey greetings to his wife and have made mention of her aforetime, and We beseech God that He may strengthen her in steadfastness and in that which will exalt the Cause of her Lord, her Creator and her Fashioner. O My handmaiden! Be not grieved. Behold, then call to mind what hath befallen Us at the hands of the oppressors. That which thou didst send hath been presented and was accepted. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this mighty favor. The cord was not accepted before, but that which thou didst send was accepted before the All-Merciful. Well is it with thee! We convey greetings to the women of that land and bid them to sanctification, detachment, supreme chastity and supreme purity. O My handmaidens! The world shall pass away but there shall endure for you what hath been ordained from the Most Exalted Pen in this exalted station. The Glory be upon you from the Wronged One, the Stranger.

BH11923: O Mihdi! Upon thee be God’s everlasting peace…

He is God, exalted be His glory, greatness and power!

O Mihdi! Upon thee be God’s everlasting peace and His eternal splendor! This Wronged One beholds Himself immersed in an ocean of sorrow. The deeds and actions of some are like arrows and spears directed and descending from every direction. At this moment the Mother Book lamenteth, inasmuch as We have spread forth a carpet of trustworthiness and religiosity for the deceased. We beseech God to bestow justice. Thou thyself art witness that in most Tablets We have summoned all to chastity, trustworthiness and religiosity.

Today the eyes of the Tablets weep, for the actions of some have become the cause of the derision of others and the turning away of the servants. Whosoever heareth the details of that land will surely engage in mockery, ridicule and calumnies that cause distress and sorrow to the people of the cities of justice. The letter that was sent hath come to Our notice, and this Wronged One hath felt and continues to feel the utmost grief at what hath occurred. What benefit have the treacherous derived from their treachery? For the sake of enjoying two days they have chosen and continue to choose eternal torment. In any case, the Pen is powerless and unable to make mention of what hath transpired. We beseech God to grant ease after hardship, joy after sorrow, and facility after difficulty.

O my God, my God! Thou knowest and seest what hath befallen the Wronged One in His days. I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by Thy Prophets, Thy chosen ones and Thy trusted ones, to send down from the heaven of Thy bounty a blessing upon Thy loved ones and a mercy upon them through Thy grace, Thy generosity and Thy bounty. O my Lord! Change poverty into wealth, hardship into ease, and darkness into light. Verily Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

BH03813: The true Beloved maketh mention of him with but…

He is

The true Beloved maketh mention of him with but brief utterance and abundant sincerity. It is evident that whatsoever may be disclosed of devotion, and however fully exclusive attachment be made plain, yet it transcendeth all speech and expression, and remaineth sanctified above description and beyond all exposition. Nevertheless, whatsoever may be submitted can never, as beseemeth his station, prove worthy of that exalted court. Wherefore do We content Ourselves with these few phrases; and in the realm of love, and in the condition of affection, the witness thereto is but these two or three lines.

Whate’er in this world filleth thy heart with cheer, Bethink thee of the hour when its loss draweth near.

For that wherein thou hast rejoiced with delight, Full many have rejoiced in, then vanished from sight.

From thee as well shall it flee with a swift, faithless tread; Set not, then, thy heart upon that which must needs be shed.

Ere it leap from thy grasp and be lost unto thee, Do thou leap from it first, and from bondage be free.

Wherefore, in accordance therewith, We have likewise quieted and given repose unto that land of sincerity with the water We sent down from heaven, until such time as God willeth and ordaineth as He pleaseth.

And further it is submitted that a hint had been conveyed, in the course of the narrative, that some occasion might arise for a meeting. Yea, even so are We among them that long for it. Yet, please God, the appointed tryst ordained for Us from the presence of God shall in due time arrive, and the day when We shall return unto God, that He may gather together the believers. Thus do We make this known unto thee; and then shall We meet you face to face before the sovereignty of the Most High.

Convey the Divine greeting unto the sincere loved ones. And unto Jinab-i-Mirza Habib’u’llah I send greeting. For Jinab Ha Maqsud do I cherish, with utter sincerity, perfect yearning, and singular affection, a deep longing, and unto him likewise I send greeting. He is none other than a beloved of them that yearn, and a companion unto them that seek. God, verily, encompasseth and clearly knoweth what I say.

BH03816: Praise be unto God, and thanksgiving be unto Him…

He is! He is! He is!

In His Name, the Almighty, the All-Bestowing.

Praise be unto God, and thanksgiving be unto Him, and glory and exaltation unto such as are nigh unto the court of His divine unity, for that on such a blessed and joyous day He hath granted us a place within the precincts of His holiness and delivered us from fellowship with the tyrants among men. His is the bounty and the grace. He singleth out for His mercy whomsoever He willeth among His servants, but most men perceive it not.

According to what is reported, they say that today is the Feast of Sacrifice and the scene of the outpouring of the grace of the Lord. How blessed the state of that illustrious Countenance and of His Holiness the Friend [Abraham], for Gabriel brought him a ram without toil and without obligation, and he offered it in sacrifice. You have indeed performed this most great wonder and bestowed this supreme gift. But what am I to do? I have neither money in hand nor pledge to offer. Thus it were better that I myself become the sacrifice, and so keep the feast, until the appointed hour when the true offering shall appear.

Beyond all these preliminaries, this man from Mazindaran, through the introduction of Aqa Shukru’llah, hath discovered my dwelling and uttereth strange things. At one time he bringeth news of the death of Mulla Mihdi-Quli, and at another of the passing of Jinab-i-Mulla Ma’sum. I never accepted it, yet he insisteth so strongly that certainty seemed almost to be established.

In brief, concerning Jinab-i-Mirza ʿAli-Muhammad, I know not whether he delivered their remittance or not. Nor is it clear to what place I write this letter, or into whose hands it is to come; for I wrote many letters and no reply arrived. Therefore there is no need that these obvious matters be set forth anew.

The substance is this: convey unto the friends, one and all, my prayerful greetings and remembrance. Altogether, I had no leisure to impose upon you more trouble than this; forgive me. Of all that I have written, no news hath come whereby anything might be known with certainty.

BH03853: The candle of My Beauty is the Sun…

The candle of My Beauty is the Sun of the horizons, and the sorrow of My heart is the cloud of creation, and My tears are the rain of the clouds, and My strength is the power of invention.

O servants! I have made all things dependent upon means, and ordained it to be the cause of the Most Great Resurrection and the instrument of the Most Great Revival. For example, through the means of power I make manifest and resurrect in the kingdom one who was rebellious, hidden and forsaken, in such wise that all will recognize him. And through the assistance of causative manifestations, I reveal to all the worlds the concealed tyranny of the excluded oppressor. Through the means of wealth I distinguish between generosity and miserliness, and through the means of deeds I make evident knowledge and ignorance. Many an oppressor who, through being deprived of means, became known as just. Thus at all times the manifest resurrection is apparent and visible, even though people may be heedless of recognizing it.

Through My wondrous favor and My sublime mercy, no moment is deprived of the excellences of the days, much less the souls of holy transcendence. The incomprehensible resurrection has been and shall be dependent upon the unknowable Beauty, just as on this blessed night I have resurrected My servants through these revealed letters in such wise that none but My Self is aware of those souls and the nature of this spiritual resurrection.

And I have made manifest wondrous and mighty means in this eternal night, causing resurrection and making it dependent upon the discernment of the people of wisdom and insight. Whosoever comprehends this wondrous power will become independent of all who dwell on earth. For example, even in outer livelihood he will find himself in want of nothing, not even requiring a mount for travel. Blessed is the wise one who attains unto that which hath been ordained by the Mighty, the Powerful.

BH03861: O my God, my Lord and my Hope! Thou…

He is the One Who speaks upon the Branches

O my God, my Lord and my Hope! Thou seest and knowest the evil of my condition, the trembling of my body, the quivering of my limbs, the flowing of my tears, the paleness of my face, the stumbling of my pen and tongue, the sighing of my innermost being, and the agitation of my heart.

I desire to write this letter of mine to those whom Thou hast related to the Tree of Thy Cause, whom Thou hast singled out for the manifestation of Thy Being, whom Thou hast chosen from among Thy creatures, and whom Thou hast named the Branches that have branched from the Lote-Tree of Thy oneness. Thou hast made them lights in Thy lands, lamps for the guidance of Thy creation, tranquility and dignity among Thy servants, a sign in Thy kingdom, and a joy to the hearts of Thy chosen ones who have believed in Thee, in Thy verses and in meeting Thee.

O Glory of the world and Trust of the nations! Were it not for them in Thy earth, from where would the traces of Thy holiness appear? And were it not for their existence, from where would the lights of Thy bounty shine forth? For they are the manifestations of sanctification among Thy servants, the dawning-places of glorification among Thy creation, the proclaimers of Thy verses, and the spreaders of Thy tablets in Thy lands, and the means of goodness for Thy chosen ones.

And all grace is from Thee, for Thou didst manifest in them the Temple of Thy Most Exalted Self, Who gave glad tidings to the servants of Thy Most Glorious Beauty and called out with the loudest call in the wilderness of the Bayan:

“Come, O people of the world, to the Garden and the Orchard of the Bayan!”

And He took from all contingent beings the covenant of Thy Manifestation.

But when the sun of Thy Most Glorious Beauty dawned from the Most Exalted Horizon, the people of allusions turned away and denied the verses and clear proofs after their realities had been established through them. Alas, alas, for their turning away and their objections!

I beseech Thee by Thy Most Exalted Beauty to give to drink from the wine of Thy reunion to all who have forsaken Thee, and to cause all who have heard Thee to hearken to the verses of Thy Beauty. Disappoint not those who hope in Thee, and drive not away those who long for Thee, for Thou art God, there is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Merciful.

BH03874: The White Hand of ancient power hath gone forth…

He is the Ever-Abiding, the Emigrant.

The White Hand of ancient power hath gone forth from the Beloved of holiness, whereupon the inmates of Paradise were illumined thereby, and after them the dwellers beneath the pavilion of glory upon the Sinai of lofty nearness.

O Abu’l-Qasim! Hearken unto the call of thy Lord with that hearing which hath remained pure from all that proceedeth from the mouth of every deprived and far-removed one. Be patient, O ʿAbdu’l-Husayn, in these days wherein Satan crieth out at the axis of all being, and the Calf lifteth up its voice within the temple of man, and all created things are shaken thereby. And do thou remain in such wise that their clamour shall not disturb thee; nay rather, wert thou to turn thine eyes toward them, they would be struck down by awe of thee and brought to naught by the majesty of thy Lord. Thus do We cast upon thee that which shall suffice thee above all the worlds.

By God! Whoso hath admitted into his heart love for the Youth will never turn his gaze unto aught decreed between heaven and earth; rather shall all things appear in his sight more abject than the meanest and more lowly than the lowliest. Enter, then, beneath the sheltering regard of thy Lord, that thou mayest abide secure in the shade of the mercy of thy Lord.

Erelong shalt thou behold most men wrapt in veils, and grievously hardened. Guard thyself against this trial, from which no soul shall be delivered save him who severeth himself from all things. Thus doth the Pen of hidden holiness admonish thee.

And if thou remain steadfast amidst the darkness of those days, God shall nourish thee with that Sun which shineth from beyond their gloom; then shalt thou find thyself in an expanse whose measure none can reckon save every discerning lover.

Beware, O servant, and preserve thyself from the bite of the serpent, for it shall come unto thee in the form of a man. Then smite it with the sword of the All-Merciful, lest it draw nigh unto thee through a deceit made manifest in the matter of the leaves.

The Spirit rest upon thee and upon those whom the whisperings of the devils shall not withhold from entering the Ridvan of a name most beauteous.

BH03942: He saith, exalted be His grandeur

He saith, exalted be His grandeur:

O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! My Most Exalted Pen hath testified to thy turning, thy supplication, thy humility and thy orientation toward the face of thy Lord, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. What thou hast wrought in the path of God hath been treasured up for thee. Nothing whatsoever escapeth His knowledge. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Thou art he through whom the fragrances of the mention of the All-Merciful were wafted throughout all possibility. He will verily reward thee with truth—to this doth the Mother Book with Him bear witness. We were with thee when thou wert making mention of thy Lord and speaking forth His Name, the One Who dominateth all possibility. Blessed art thou in that thou hast conveyed the Cause of thy Lord and attained unto that which was the purpose in the Scriptures and Tablets. All this is from God’s favor upon thee. Be thou thankful unto Him at morn and eventide.

We have sent down unto thee various Tablets, each one of which testifieth to that which the Tongue of Grandeur doth speak forth at this time, which God hath made the Dayspring of Days. Read them time and again, that thou mayest be assured that He heareth what thou didst speak forth and seeth thee in all conditions. Wert thou to become aware of what hath been ordained for thee, such joy would seize thee that thou wouldst soar upon the wings of longing and yearning unto the Mighty, the Bestower.

It behooveth everyone who hath believed in God to recognize thy rank and station and to seek thy good pleasure for love of God, the One, the Chosen. Look not upon creation and its ways, but rather upon the Truth and His favors which have encompassed the horizons. Thou art indeed he who was mentioned before the Throne and unto whom was oriented the face of God, the Lord of all beings.

Grieve not over what hath befallen thee. There hath befallen thy Lord that which the pages cannot bear to mention. The glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee and upon those who draw nigh unto thee for love of God, the Manifestation of signs.

BH11627: O ʿAbdu’r-Rahim! Hearken unto the call of the All-Merciful…

In His Name, who overshadoweth what was and what shall be!

O ʿAbdu’r-Rahim! Hearken unto the call of the All-Merciful from this noble scene. Verily, there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Wise. Blessed art thou, for thy letter hath attained the presence of the Throne and won the glances of thy Lord’s favors, the Bestower, the Munificent, the Mighty, the Generous.

Give thanks unto God for having aided thee to turn towards Him on a day wherein the ocean of thy Lord’s favors surgeth and the winds of His mercy that have preceded all worlds are stirred. Arise with supreme steadfastness between earth and heaven through this Name whereby the horizon of grace hath shone forth and the faces of the idolaters were darkened.

Beware lest the affairs of the world trouble thee. Remember thy Lord with joy and fragrance. Soon shall all that is visible perish, while glory and power shall endure for those who have turned towards the Qiblih of all who are in the heavens and the earth. Verily, those who are veiled this day are overcome by their desires; they are indeed among the perishing ones.

Preserve the verses of thy Lord, then recite them at all times. By God! They shall draw thee to a station wherein thou shalt witness naught save the effulgences of the light of thy Lord’s countenance, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

Be thou assured by the grace of thy Lord, then make mention of Him with the denizens of Paradise, that perchance thereby he who slumbereth upon the couch of heedlessness and passion may arise and be of those who turn unto God. Blessed is he who hath found the fragrance of the garment in the days of his Lord and hath quaffed the choice sealed wine when its seal was broken through My Name, the Overseer of the worlds.

We make mention of him who hath turned towards the Countenance with such remembrance as attracteth the dawning-places of praise and gladdeneth the hearts of them who are nigh unto God. Thus have We sent down the verses unto thee and adorned thee with the ornament of thy Lord’s ancient favors. When thou hast attained unto the lights of the Tablet, rejoice and say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art wronged throughout all regions, and glory be unto Thee, O Glory of the worlds!”

BH04109: O Ba’i! Upon you be My glory! Months…

He is the Compassionate, the Generous

O Ba’i! Upon you be My glory! Months and years have passed and no mention of you has come before the Mentioned One. Assuredly the tribulations inflicted by the wrongdoing ungodly souls have intervened and prevented the servants and loved ones from remembrance and praise and nearness and attainment.

Know with certain knowledge that soon God’s Cause will be exalted among the peoples of the world and that which was hidden in God’s knowledge, the Quickener of nations, will be made manifest. Blessed is the soul that preserved its station and arose with perfect steadfastness to serve the Cause.

Today the breezes of revelation have perfumed the world and the fragrances of utterance have encompassed creation, yet the servants are heedless and turned away, save whom God willeth, the Lord of this exalted station. Convey to the friends the greetings and salutations of the Wronged One, and gladden them with that which hath been revealed. Blessed is the soul from whom wafteth the fragrance of steadfastness and from whose brow shineth forth the light of utterance. He is indeed of the people of Baha in the Book of God, the Lord of all worlds.

One of My Afnan, upon him be My mercy and remembrance and glory, mentioned thee, and We make mention of thee in this wondrous and glorious Tablet. When thou attainest unto it and perceivest its fragrance, say:

Praise be unto Thee, O God of all beings, and glory be unto Thee, O Educator of all created things, for having remembered me in Thy prison in days when sorrows from Thy servants and creatures encompassed Thee. I beseech Thee to forgive me and those who have soared in the atmosphere of Thy love and drunk the choice wine of certitude from the cup of Thy bounty. Verily Thou art the Mighty, the Compassionate, the Generous. There is no God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

BH11927: O Rida! The product of thine own hand hath…

He is the Beloved

O Rida! The product of thine own hand hath been presented before the Throne, and all have borne witness that it is the handiwork of God, the Help in Peril, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting.

The almond hath testified within its own being unto that whereunto God Himself hath testified, and hath cried aloud unto its Lord, saying:

“O my Lord! Praise be unto Thee for having singled me out to attain Thy presence, and for having caused me to stand before the Throne—a station wherefrom most of Thy servants have been debarred. Thereby hath mine eye been solaced, while the eyes of the near ones have wept.”

And that which is named by the name of “masqat” cried out and said: “O my Lord! When Thou didst find no helper for Thyself, I hastened unto the sanctuary of Thy holiness, that haply Thou mightest accept me through Thy grace, and make me of them who circle round the precincts of Thy sacred court.”

Then that which is called by the name of “suf,” with the addition of the letter kaf thereto, wailed aloud and said: “O my Lord! Praise be unto Thee for having made me the object of the glances of the eyes of Thy mercy, at a time when Thy servants were debarred therefrom. Wherefore, O my God, I beseech Thee by the sovereign power of Thy might to make the bodies of Thine enemies like unto my body, that thereby the hearts of those who burn in grief for Thee may be cooled.”

And those besides these three arose in faithfulness amid the most grievous pain, crying aloud and proclaiming:

“O our Lord! Praise be unto Thee, in the hidden depths of Thy bestowals, for having summoned us unto the paradise of Thy nearness and Thy presence, and for having admitted us into the sanctuary of reunion with Thee and communion with Thee. Yet, O my God, Thou hast bewildered us by the wonders of Thy deeds; for we were the handiwork of Thy loved ones, and yet Thou hast admitted the thing made into the seat of holiness, while barring the maker from entering into Thy presence. We know not, O my God, upon what path Thou dost proceed.”

The Pen of the All-Joyous answered them:

“We tread the path of ʿHe doeth whatsoever He willeth.’ We are not to be questioned as to what We do. And herein, verily, is a lesson unto men of insight.”

BH11765: A Tablet revealed by the Ancient King to one…

He is the Wronged One in the world.

A Tablet revealed by the Ancient King to one who turned unto Him and attained unto His Day, which was mentioned in the Books of the Prophets and Messengers. We have manifested the Cause and sent down the proof and evidence. To this testifieth He Who hath spoken before all faces. The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Mihdi-Quli! My Afnan hath mentioned thee and thy letter hath come before My presence. We have heard thy call and have answered thee. Verily, thy Lord is the Hearer, the Answerer. When We desired to make mention of thee, the ocean of utterance surged, and the Tongue of Grandeur spoke in the Kingdom of knowledge:

“O peoples of all religions! Turn ye unto that which ye were promised by the Most Exalted Pen of God, then give thanks unto your Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous. He hath manifested Himself and fulfilled His promise through His grace, and He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing.”

We make mention at this time of Our loved ones who are there, that the remembrance may attract them to this luminous horizon. Say: Beware lest the oppression of the oppressors frighten you, or the might of those who have disbelieved in the Lord of all worlds.

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy might and Thy grandeur, Thy power and Thy sovereignty, and by the Kawthar which hath flowed from Thy Pen, and by the light which hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of Thy bounty, to make me steadfast in Thy Cause in such wise that neither the doubts of the ignorant nor the clamor of every remote learned one may keep me back. O Lord! Open before my face the door of Thy knowledge and illumine my heart with the light of Thy grace. Then write down for me that which Thou hast written for them that are near unto Thee among Thy servants. Verily, Thou art He Who hath stood before all faces and hast manifested that which was hidden, treasured and concealed from Thy servants and Thy creation. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Protector of those who are in the heavens and on earth.

BH04126: In My Name, the All-Knowing Speaker!

In My Name, the All-Knowing Speaker!

O Yahya! I testify that thou hast heard the Call and drunk the wine of immortality from the hands of bounty, and visited the Kaaba of God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting, and found the fragrances of revelation while thou wert present before the Wronged One, and heardst His verses with thine ear and beheld the horizon of His manifestation with thine eye. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to open before thy face the gates of care, gifts and favors. Verily He is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be” and it is.

Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having sent down upon me from the clouds of Thy mercy the rains of Thy grace, and caused me to hear Thy call, and guided me to Thy path, and illumined my heart with the light of Thy knowledge, and given me to drink that which hath drawn me to the court of Thy might and the precincts of Thy holiness. O my Lord! Ordain for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen that which will render me detached from all else save Thee and holding fast to Thy Most Strong Cord. O my Lord! Aid me in Thy remembrance and praise and in teaching Thy Cause and in that whereby Thy Most Exalted Word may be upraised in the world of creation. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

Thou hast ever been remembered and art remembered, and the glance of favor hath been directed toward thee. Convey My greetings to the loved ones in that land. Today all must set the people ablaze with the fire of the Divine Lote-Tree and illumine them with the light of the Cause. Praise be to God, the effulgences of the Day-Star of Revelation are manifest from every direction. The internal party and external parties all have sought and continue to seek knowledge of this Cause. Soon shall be revealed unto them that which was hidden from them. Verily thy Lord is the Powerful, the Mighty.

The glory from Us be upon thee and upon them that are with thee and upon all who are steadfast and firm.

BH04100: O My Afnan! Upon thee be My glory…

He is the One, the Single, the Compassionate, the Generous!

O My Afnan! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. Blessed art thou for having drunk of the Sealed Wine when every heedless one turned away from it veiled, and for having acknowledged the oneness and singleness of God when every rejected learned one denied Him.

Say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the world and Educator of the nations, for having given me to drink from the Kawthar of Thy utterance and caused me to hear Thy call and strengthened me through the means of the heavens and earth, until Thou didst cause me to be present before Thy face and to stand at the gate of Thy grandeur and might. O Lord of existence! Were I to sacrifice my soul and spirit a thousand times at every moment, it would be as nothing compared to a drop from the oceans of Thy favors and gifts, and as naught before the manifestation of a single ray from the lights of the Luminary of Thy Revelation. Thou art He Who sent down for me the proof and made manifest for me the way and caused me to be attracted by Thy verses and to hasten to the horizon of Thy Cause and to speak forth Thy praise among Thy servants.

O my Lord! Thou seest me gazing toward the heaven of Thy grace and beseeching the outpourings of Thy mercy and awaiting the streams of Thy loving-kindness and favors. I beseech Thee by Thy power that hath encompassed all created things to preserve me through the hosts of the unseen and the seen and to ordain for me that which will purify me from every disease and illness and disturbance.

O my Lord! Thou seest him who is related to Thy Self standing ready to serve Thee—send down upon him from the heaven of Thy mercy the rains of Thy healing. O my Lord! Ordain for him through Thy bounty and generosity that which will benefit him in every world of Thy worlds. Verily Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, and verily Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

Thou knowest, O my God, what is with me and I know not what is with Thee. There is no God but Thee, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

BH04029: Glorified be He Who hath sent down the Point…

In the Name of the All-Compelling, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved, the Unique!

Glorified be He Who hath sent down the Point in the land of joy, at which all stand amazed by His command. Say: Verily hath the Truth appeared in the temple of servitude, yet all fail to perceive it. Say: Verily hath the Qa’im shone forth from the horizon of Glory, and we bear witness unto Him. Say: O people of the Bayan! By God, the Truth! The Expected One hath appeared and we have truly submitted ourselves unto Him. Say: Verily hath He Who is seated manifested Himself, and we behold Him. Say: God is sovereign over His servants, and all shall be gathered unto Him.

He is God, there is no God but Him, and unto Him shall all return. All who are in the heavens and on earth worship Him, and we are among His worshippers. He it is Who witnesseth whatsoever the hands of men have wrought, and we are among those who bear witness. Glorified be He Who giveth life and causeth death, then causeth death and giveth life through His grace as He pleaseth, and we are among those who are sincere unto Him. All in the heaven and the clouds bow down before Him, and we are among those who prostrate themselves.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Hearken unto the call of that Bird soaring in the atmosphere of these words with the mystery of raptures, if ye be among those who know.

O Thou Who art the Robe of Glory and the Manifestation of Rapture and the Mystery of the Cloud in this nether world! Hearken unto My call and be not among the despairing ones. Know thou that all We have enjoined upon thee in this Book is the truth wherein there is no doubt; be not among the heedless ones. And when thou meetest the loved ones, spread these words before them that God may number them among His righteous servants. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

Let that beloved one of God, Dhu’l-Qarnayn Iskandar Nuri, take note and let the details of conditions be privately conveyed to him.

BH11678: In My Name, the Equitable, the Faithful

In My Name, the Equitable, the Faithful

O My Name! Hear My call, then weep with My weeping, then rejoice with My joy, then ascend unto My heaven and journey through My holy dominions and soar in the atmosphere of My companionship.

Then walk in the regions of My love and glorify in the ocean of My grandeur, then settle upon the ark of My majesty and ascend to the heights of My Cause. Then drink from the Salsabil of My loving-kindness and the Kawthar of My bounty and the Tasnim of My mercy and the camphor of My grace. Then breathe in what wafteth from the direction of My Throne and what passeth over thee from the paradise of My Temple.

Then speak forth My praise amongst My servants and make them know My beauty and convey unto them My remembrance and teach them the pages of My love. Then by My power break the seal of the vessel of My musk that perchance they may find and know and understand, then learn and remember, then perceive and attain and behold this dawning Dayspring and this gleaming Moon and this rising Star and this rain-laden Cloud and this surging Ocean and this upraised Heaven and this exalted House and this manifest Grace and this hidden Mystery and this mentioned Symbol. Perchance they may shatter and rend asunder and burn and cut themselves off from and flee their idols, their veils, their glory, away from all save their Lord, away from their own selves.

And thou, O My Name, grieve not at what thou hearest from Mine enemies and witnesseth from the manifestations of My wrath and the dawning-places of My banishment. They are as nothing, heedless ones, asses, fools. Were they to know, they would surely cut themselves to pieces and sacrifice themselves, their souls, their spirits, but they perceive not and worship what they know not, and they have taken for themselves a partner with God, the One, the Single, the Alone, the Mighty, the Beloved.

BH04322: O thou who gazest upon the horizon…

He is the Succorer, the Compassionate, the Gracious

O thou who gazest upon the horizon of the Cause! Glorify the name of thy Lord and say:

My God, my God! Debar me not from the depths of the ocean of Thy oneness, nor from the billowing sea of Thy grace and singleness, nor from the surging waters of Thy might and power. I testify that the ocean of Thy bounty surgeth throughout existence, and the signs of Thy manifestation have encompassed both the unseen and the seen. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Exalted Word, through whose appearance all things have acknowledged Thy unity and singleness, and by the pearls of the ocean of Thy generosity and the dawning lights of the Orb of Thy bestowal, to aid Thy loved ones to be steadfast in Thy love and to arise to serve Thee. O Lord! Thou seest them in the grip of the idolators among Thy creatures who have violated Thy laws and encompassed Thy lands. Preserve them, then, through Thy power and sovereignty, and assist them with the hosts of Thy wisdom and utterance.

O Lord! They are Thy servants and abide beneath the shadow of Thy loving-kindness. Ordain for them every good thing Thou hast sent down in Thy Book. I beseech Thee, O Lord of all beings and Lord of the throne on high and of earth below, by Him through Whom the mysteries of Thy Book and Thy commandments and ordinances were made manifest, to send down upon Thy loved ones from the heaven of Thy bounty a blessing from Thee and a favor from Thy presence. Thou art He Whom the vicissitudes of the world and the conditions of nations cannot frustrate. Thou doest what Thou willest and ordainest what Thou pleasest. Thou art, in truth, the Almighty, the All-Praised. O Lord! Disappoint not those who have turned toward the gate of Thy grace, and deny them not from drawing nigh unto the court of Thy glory. Then write down for them that which will draw them closer to Thee in all conditions. Thou art, verily, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

BH11867: Glorified be He Who possesses dominion over the heavens…

He is God, the King, the Best-Beloved, the One Whose aid is sought.

Glorified be He Who possesses dominion over the heavens and earth! He expounds in the Book the laws of all things and details the verses for a people who fear God. He it is Who sent forth His Messengers aforetime and enjoined upon them guidance and truth. God, glorified and exalted be He, is far above what they associate with Him. Those who worship God with true devotion—these are they who attain to the triumph granted by their Lord and inherit His good pleasure, and they are thankful to Him. That verse abideth with thy Lord, and that is life everlasting. Glorified then be God, thy Lord, above what the unbelievers say when the Word of God came, and glorified be God above what they do not comprehend. To Him belongeth whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on earth.

Verily those who join partners with God from among His servants—these are the companions of the fire, therein shall they abide. And whoso holdeth fast to the cord of God and placeth his trust in Him—these are they who have attained their portion from their Lord and they rejoice in the Most Glorious Paradise. Thus doth God recompense everyone according to their due measure—and who is better than God in measuring, if ye but ponder the verses of God? He it is Who hath perfected the creation of all things and established His Own Cause. And who is mightier than God in command and more exalted in power?

Glorified be He! His is the sovereignty and all bear witness unto Him. He is the One Who standeth supreme over His Cause, doing as He willeth, and none can question His doings. Verily thy Lord Who created thee is able to sustain thee and return thee to what thou wert. There is no God but He, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. He is God, the Restorer, the Sovereign, the Originator, the Oft-Returning, the Merciful.

BH04161: To be typed

To be typed.

BH04360: There is no escape for the servants from God’s…

He is the Most Exalted, the Most Great!

There is no escape for the servants from God’s irrevocable decree and His decisive command. “Wheresoever ye may be, death will overtake you, even if ye be in strong towers.” When the decree of the Self-Subsisting Lord is manifested, we must submit and be content.

Though outwardly separation consumes the liver, yet separation is the cause of union and attainment and the means of preserving a number of children. None is aware of the requirements of divine wisdom. The fruit of this ascension has been and remains within God’s knowledge. It is not permitted to reveal it as it truly is. Were we to lift the veil from this station, this greatest sorrow would be transformed into the greatest joy and spirits would take flight beyond measure.

“Wealth and children are an ornament of the life of this world. But the good deeds which endure are better in thy Lord’s sight for reward, and better in respect of hope.” However this son was an ornament of the most exalted Paradise. Though by God’s grace and the All-Merciful’s mercy, we now find ourselves occupied with beholding the Supreme Paradise.

O people of my household! Praise be to God that you are all firm and acknowledging of this blessed word which is like an impregnable fortress:

“He is praiseworthy in His deeds and must be obeyed in His command.”

Although separation after union, fellowship and meeting dissolves joy and delight, yet it has not been and is not able to erase the aforementioned word from the tablet of the heart. Verily He is the All-Patient, who commands His loved ones to beautiful patience.

We beseech God to preserve you and draw you near to Him in all conditions. Verily He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

BH04310: O My Afnan! Upon thee be My glory…

He is the Summoner!

O My Afnan! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. The letter of the honored Afnan T.Q., upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, which he sent to thee was read in the presence of this Wronged One. Through its mention, the gate of bounty was opened, and through its heart’s yearning, the ocean of mercy surged. From the horizons of its words shone forth the lights of the Day-Star of divine love, and from the heart of each of its letters blazed the fire of longing. His letter was a scroll of praise and a book of faithfulness. The Tree of Faithfulness has ever yielded and will continue to yield choice fruits. These appear through God’s grace, the Lord of all worlds. By God’s life! Through the presence of his letter, God ordained for him in the Crimson Book, from His Most Exalted Pen, that which none has discovered save His own Self.

As regards his turning towards the Desired One, outwardly there exist two obstacles: if he shows reserve towards the new governor, it will cause offense, while if he continues as before, he will be prevented from attaining the presence. However, God is witness and all atoms testify that specially for him the reward of attaining the presence has been revealed in the Book and remains fixed and established through God’s will. Let him rejoice in this clear remembrance. He has been and remains oriented towards Us. Whenever time permits and wisdom allows, let him turn towards Us.

We beseech God, exalted be He, to assist him in what He loves and is pleased with, to reinforce him with the hosts of the seen and unseen, and to draw him near to Him in all conditions. Verily He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted. The glory from Us be upon him and upon those with him and those who love him and heed his word in this clear Cause.

BH04144: Give thanks, O servant, unto thy Lord, for He…

He is the Ever-Abiding.

Give thanks, O servant, unto thy Lord, for He hath made thee to know His Beauty and hath appointed thee a servant unto Mine own Self; and from the horizon of the Robe hath the sun of glory and sanctity shone upon thee, that thou mayest rejoice within thy soul and remain steadfast upon the path of My love—whereat all who are in the heavens and on the earth rejoice. This is of the bounty of my Lord.

Hearken unto that which the night revealeth within the Lote-Tree of the Cause, and be not of those who hear not My words and cast My counsel behind their backs. Sanctify thyself from the world; then be patient in separation and be of those who are content with My decree.

There is no thing but with Us is its appointed term; and when its time is come it shall not be delayed. This is the ordinance of thy Lord for My sake. Be thou satisfied, then, with that which hath been decreed for thee, even as We were satisfied with that which the hands of the unjust have wrought against Me. Dost thou not behold how the earth was straitened for Me, and how My servants disputed with Me—those whom My most true Pen created?

Find thou repose within thyself; then endure in thy affair. Put thy trust in God, thy Lord, for He shall guard thee by His grace, even as He guarded thee aforetime, delivered thee from them that acted unjustly, chose thee above the people, and made thee a companion of His Beauty.

Beware lest thou forget the bounty of thy Lord, and hold fast unto the cord of My mercy. Be assured that He will not leave thee deprived of the wonders of His mercy that hath encompassed all contingent beings. This is of the nature of thy Lord—and also of My own disposition.

Be thou steadfast in My Cause, a Cause whereon none can stand firm save through My judgement and My decree. The Spirit be upon thee, that thou mayest be content with My good-pleasure.

BH04182: To be typed

To be typed.

BH04190: For some time now, the fragrance of fidelity has…

He is

For some time now, the fragrance of fidelity has not wafted from this bird of unfaithfulness to that land and realm, and no message of love has reached those mines of affection. However, this laxity in expressing love did not arise from the severance of the thread of love, and this negligence in showing eagerness did not stem from forgetting the covenant and pledge of affection. Rather, in the essence of the inner secret and hidden reality, the seas of fidelity were always surging and in motion, and in the heart and soul the lights and radiance of the sun of love were shining. If there was negligence in outward expression in the world of appearance regarding the spiritual messenger and heavenly letter in its coming and going, there was no shortcoming—for a ruined village pays no tax or tithe. This is because that inner connection has no severance or weakness, though this correspondence and communication may often be interrupted and suspended.

God is Most Great! What a paradise has been opened in these days, and what a carpet of divine unity has been spread, such that if a servant among God’s servants be in the East of the world and another servant in the West, always does the easterner inhale the holy divine fragrances from the direction of the West, and this westerner catches the sweet scents of the spirit of love from the East. It is as if this distance of a hundred thousand leagues has taken on the ruling of a single step, and these countless waypoints have become as a mere span, for this vast distance can in no way prevent or block—and this is a truth in which there is no doubt, were people moving in the atmosphere of the spirit.

BH04197: Praise be to the Beloved of all created things…

He is God, exalted be His glory.

Praise be to the Beloved of all created things, Who, with but a single glance, adorned the world with the ornament of being and guided it unto the Most Exalted Horizon. Glorified be the Creator, glorified His revelation and His manifestation, exalted His majesty, and mighty His Cause!

Some time ago a letter was dispatched unto your honoured presence, but no word of its arrival hath yet been received. We are the people of fidelity, and never have ye been forgotten, nor, God willing, shall ye ever be forgotten; for the world is illumined by the light of faithfulness, and for it a people have been appointed. Blessed is he who adorneth himself with its mantle and is illumined by its lights.

The dawning-place and manifestation of this Sun is the Will of God, exalted be His glory, and the place wherein His chosen ones, His pure ones, and His friends are accepted and illumined. God willing, may ye ever, through the unfailing favour of the Best-Beloved, remain radiant with the effulgences of the lights of His face, and arise in service unto His Cause. Verily, He answereth whomsoever He willeth, and guideth whomsoever He pleaseth unto His straight path.

Convey, on behalf of this wronged and imprisoned One, greetings unto all the loved ones of God who dwell in cities and lands and who are inebriated and gladdened by the Kawthar of divine love. From God, exalted be His glory, I implore and cherish the hope that He may enable them all to accomplish that which shall conduce to the exaltation of the Word and the upliftment of the Cause.

The mention of your honoured self hath been, and continueth to be, made within the Most Holy and Inviolable Court, and this is the most great glad-tiding from God, the Lord of mankind. The circlers round the Ka’bah of the Desired One, and the dwellers within the frequented House, send their greeting.

The glory that shineth forth from the horizon of the favour of God be upon you and upon those who are with you in the Cause of God, the Lord of all worlds.

BH04281: Though the weeping of the clouds and the outcry…

He is the Almighty.

Though the weeping of the clouds and the outcry of the rain-laden sky be indeed the cause and occasion of the freshness of earth and mountain, of pillars and trees, of boughs and branches, and though they appear and are made manifest by the will of God, exalted and glorified be He, yet certain hindrances have arisen and have withheld the Beloved of the world from journeying and movement. The Lord of creation knoweth the people of unbelief, rebellion, turning away, and waywardness. Assuredly these clouds have themselves appeared from the clouds of hearts. God willing, through the divine favour and the lordly grace and mercy, they shall be dispelled, and the sun of joy shall be seen dawning and rising from the horizon of manifestation. Amen, amen, O Lord of all worlds!

As to Jinab-i-Diya and Badi’—upon them be the glory of God—God willing, let them occupy themselves with the remembrance of God and with meditation upon the signs of the handiwork of the Self-Subsisting; and let them beseech Him that He may illumine the horizon of the world through the effulgence of the Most Great Luminary—that is, that He may, by the blowing of the winds, cause the clouds to vanish, and vouchsafe deliverance unto the sun from its veil. Verily, He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

Glory be upon you. A few things were sent. The Greater Branch and Majd have repeatedly taken their own share; they have in no wise any right in the aforesaid things. It is not the exclusive property of Nur. To Khanum, however, they will assuredly give some portion through Vahid. My Mahd, in whatsoever manner she may choose to dispose of them, is free to do so—there is no harm in it. Aqa Mirza Musa—upon him be the glory of God—had formerly taken more than his allotted share. We convey greetings unto them all.

BH04308: To be typed

To be typed.

BH04309: To be typed

To be typed.

BH11921: O My Name Mihdi! Upon thee be the peace…

He is God, exalted be His glory, the All-Wise, the All-Knowing

O My Name Mihdi! Upon thee be the peace of God and His glory! The letter from Ghulam-ʿAli which thou didst send to the Most Holy Court hath arrived. In truth, the previously mentioned word which states “tribulation is for those who are near” hath proven true in relation to his condition. Although the True One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, hath testified to the truth of these words, in these days their manifestation and appearance is witnessed more than before. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to assist His loved ones to exercise beautiful patience and noble steadfastness. Aqa Ghulam hath endured much hardship, but this hardship is followed by mercy. Whatever occurs in the path of the Peerless Friend is beloved to the soul and the heart’s desire. Mention of him hath repeatedly flowed and been revealed from the Pen of loving-kindness.

O thou who circlest round My Cause! Give him glad tidings from Me—the Sun of Permission hath dawned for him from the horizon of the heaven of God’s will, the Lord of all worlds. They have moved with permission and proceeded with special intention. In the trials that have befallen them, they are rewarded, not questioned. Say:

“My God, my God! Draw Thy loved ones nigh unto that station from which the fragrance of Thy meeting is wafted. O my Lord! They are Thy servants and Thy creation. They desire naught except to attain presence before the throne of Thy grandeur and to arrive at that place wherein Thy most sweet call and the shrill voice of Thy Most Exalted Pen are raised. O my Lord! Draw them nigh through Thy will, then cause them to enter through that gate which Thou hast opened unto the world through Thy Most Great Name. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.”

BH04566: O My Afnan! Upon thee be My glory…

He is God, exalted is He in wisdom and utterance

O My Afnan! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. Praise be to God, thou hast attained unto the dawning rays of the Sun of true divine unity. The signs of this most exalted station and the manifestations of this most sublime summit are now hidden, due to the weakness of sight. But ere long the Luminary of Will shall emerge from behind the clouds and become manifest.

Muhammad-Rida, upon him be My glory, is in these days present before Our face and dwelleth tranquil and at rest beneath the shade of the divine Tree of Providence. Although thou hast ever been remembered in the Most Holy Court, at this time the aforementioned one made mention of thee. Blessed be the one mentioned and the one who made mention. We beseech God to aid and assist the Afnans of the Tree in all conditions.

O My Afnan! The bestowals of God, exalted be His glory, have ever encompassed all times and circumstances. That Matter for which all have been created—all remain veiled and deprived thereof, while ye have ever received the greatest portion and fullest measure from the rain-showers of the heaven of God’s mercy and the lights of the Orb of inner meanings. This is from your Lord’s favor unto you. His be the praise for this most great bounty and mighty grace.

We send greetings and glad-tidings to those who have turned unto Him and have quaffed from the sealed wine. The glory shining forth from the heaven of God’s mercy be upon you and upon those with you and upon those who love you for the sake of God, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

BH04578: In My Name, the All-Subduing above all names

In My Name, the All-Subduing above all names

O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! Thy name hath been mentioned before the Wronged One, and He hath revealed for thee that which God hath made a sign of His might between His heaven and His earth, and a manifestation of His sovereignty to all who dwell in the unseen and the visible realm. Beware lest the doubts of the world or the clamor of the nations prevent thee. Arise to serve the Cause with such resolution that neither the hosts shall frighten thee nor the veils of them that have disbelieved in God, the All-Subduing, the Self-Subsisting, shall hold thee back. This is the Day which Muhammad, the Apostle of God, and before Him the Spirit, and before Him He Who conversed with God, made mention of, yet most of the people understand not.

Observe what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’an:

“The Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of all being and all that is to be.”

We commanded Him Who conversed with God to lead the people out of darkness into light and to give them the glad-tidings of this Day wherein the Hour hath appeared and its signs, and that which was recorded in the Books of God, the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Loving. The Truth hath appeared and revealed what He desired, despite the divines of the earth and its doctors of law who turned away from God and pronounced judgment against Him with such tyranny as caused the dwellers of the Kingdom to lament.

We counsel thee to remember God and praise Him in thy days. The world and all that thou beholdest today shall pass away, but there shall endure for thee what hath flowed from My Most Exalted Pen in thy name in this forbidden station. Thus have We illumined the horizon of the Tablet with the sun of utterance of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. He, verily, is the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. Rejoice thou in My remembrance of thee, then render thanks unto thy Lord at eventide and at dawn, at nightfall and at morn.

BH11634: This is an epistle from the Wronged One…

This is an epistle from the Wronged One to him who turned toward God when most of mankind turned away…

All the world has awaited this Day, and the divine Books have given glad tidings of this Most Great Manifestation to all, and the Prophets and Messengers have promised all peoples this Day. Yet when the Day of God dawned from the horizon of His Will and became manifest, all turned away save whom God wished….

BH04366: Praise be to God Who has distinguished His loved…

He is God, the Generous, the All-Bestowing

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Praise be to God Who has distinguished His loved ones with affliction as a recompense for what He promised them of abundant bounties. So praise be to God with praise that He loves and is pleased with, and which becomes a means of attaining His good-pleasure and presence. Therefore I am patient for God’s sake, and upon Him do I rely, and to Him do I complain of my anguish and grief. Sufficient is God as a guardian and sufficient is God as a helper.

Several pages were written before, God willing they have arrived. Now as I write, it is the twenty-fourth night of the sacred month of God. Praise be to God, the blessing of health remains, and still no relief has appeared, except that a royal decree has arrived expressing countless favors. We shall see what is destined thereafter. An order was also sent to Yahya Khan, the governor of Urmia—apparently he has not accepted it, but this is not yet confirmed. We shall see what appears later.

I observed two pages in the noble handwriting. I have kept the number 60 until 40—whenever it is received along with 50, I will write the receipt later. No information has been received about the mother’s journey. Apparently her journey is not yet confirmed. However much they wish to give funds, let them take 22 from the Siyyid’s portion. In all matters they should watch over the affairs of the household. Show this very page to them, then take and keep it. May the peace of God be upon Mulla Ni’matullah and his friends. And peace is the best conclusion.

BH04502: He says, glorified be His majesty

He says, glorified be His majesty:

He who turned to slay those who had faced the Most Exalted Horizon rose up against My murder. But when God revealed what was hidden in his breast, he cried out within himself and committed what he committed. To this testify the servants who were with Me in the Land of Mystery, and beyond them My Preserved Tablet. We made known to him Our horizon and commanded him to what is right, yet he arose to harm Me and committed that which caused the hearts of those near to God to melt.

Say: O people! The Revealer of the Bayan declared: O concourse of creation! Ye were created for His days. Fear God and be not of those who are veiled. Whoso hath attained unto but one word from Him—this is better for him than all that was revealed in the Bayan. Beware lest ye object to God and turn away from Him through Whom every wise command was manifested.

O thou who hast turned to the Countenance! When thou drinkest the choice wine of knowledge from the ocean of My utterance, remind the people with wisdom and exposition of what hath been revealed in the Tablet, that perchance they may arise to what they missed in the days of their Lord, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. We see them in heedlessness and in their ancient stupor. Do thou remind them with wisdom, that perchance My wondrous remembrance may influence them. Thus have We adorned the heaven of the Tablet with the Sun of My Name, the All-Compelling over all who are in the heavens and the earth.

Convey My greetings to My loved ones who have cast away idle fancies and held fast to My Self-Subsisting Name, through which, when it appeared, the atoms proclaimed: The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of the Exalted Throne! Glory be upon thee and upon them and upon those who have turned with radiant faces to the Most Exalted Horizon on a Day wherein every mighty mountain was scattered to dust.

BH04555: This is the Day whereon the Mother Book speaks…

He is the Speaker before the faces of creation

This is the Day whereon the Mother Book speaks forth and gives glad tidings unto all of this Revelation, through which the Dove of the Cause warbled in the Most Exalted Paradise. The Day has come, yet the people are in evident drunkenness. This is the Day whereon all things lament for what has befallen the Lord of all beings from those who denied God’s proof and His evidence, having followed every remote oppressor. The rapture of the Call has seized all who are in earth and heaven. Blessed is he who has turned and attained, and woe unto the heedless. O people of God! Aid your Lord through wisdom and utterance and through that which the All-Merciful has sent down in His perspicuous Book. Beware lest the might of any heedless and remote one frighten you. This is the Day whereon the seas surge and the rivers flow and the mysteries are revealed, yet the people are behind a thick veil. We have heard your call and have answered you with verses that have caused the hearts of the mystics to soar. Say:

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having manifested Thy Cause and given glad tidings of Thy Revelation unto Thy servants and illumined their hearts with the light of Thy knowledge and shown them Thy Most Glorious Horizon and made them hear Thy Most Sweet Call. I beseech Thee, O Creator of the world and Helper of the nations, by Thy Name through which the believers have soared into the atmosphere of Thy nearness and the sincere ones unto the precincts of Thy glory, to aid me to such steadfastness as cannot be hindered by the world and its hosts and its ranks and its ornaments and its colors. O Lord! I am Thy servant, who has held fast unto the cord of Thy bounty and clung to the hem of Thy pardon and grace. I beseech Thee not to disappoint him from that which befits Thy days. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the Mighty, the Great.

BH11633: This evanescent one offers himself as a sacrifice…

He is God, exalted be His glory, His is the greatness and majesty!

This evanescent one offers himself as a sacrifice to that Friend of Faran. Praise be to the Beloved of all worlds that the fire of divine attraction is ablaze in the heart and soul of that Friend with Merciful love. You are engaged in His remembrance and utterance of His praise. As for what was mentioned concerning the matters that have transpired, the greatest thing in creation is the good-pleasure of God, through whose grace and bounty you have been blessed with success, and the Truth is well-pleased with you. We beseech God to make you confirmed in all that He loves and is pleased with. Verily, there is no God but Him, the Lord of the last and the first.

And regarding the other petition that was submitted, it was presented before His presence, and these words were revealed in response:

He is God, exalted be His glory, His is the greatness and power!

Your letter has come before Us and We have heard that which you called out to God, your Lord and the Lord of what was and what will be. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to make you successful in all conditions and cause you to speak His remembrance in the kingdom of grandeur and glory, and to send down upon you that which will gladden your heart and establish the remembrance of your Lord among His creation. Verily, He is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth. There is no God but Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

In brief, what can I submit is this: I beheld the Sun of Divine Grace shining forth and resplendent in regard to your honored person. Thus much may be expressed: that in all conditions the glances of unfailing bounty have been, and continue to be, directed toward you, and that thou hast been remembered in lofty and wondrous mention; and, God willing, so shall it ever remain. And as to that which thou hadst set forth, the necessary recommendation is being made.

BH04888: O thou who gazeth upon My countenance! Upon thee…

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

O thou who gazeth upon My countenance! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. By My life! Thou hast been beneath the glances of My grace and in the shadow of the Tree of My Cause. We have made mention of thee in such wise that its fragrance shall never cease to perfume the realms of dominion and kingdom, and We revealed for thee aforetime that which caused the eyes of the most exalted Paradise to be consoled, and at this hour through this Tablet which proclaimeth that there is none other God but I, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. Behold, then make mention among the people of the Bayan—among them are those who turned away and those who denied, yet they neither understand nor perceive. By God’s life! They know not that He Who spoke before the faces of all the world and preserved not Himself for less than a moment—from Him they have turned away.

Say: He hath come with that which no books in the world can equal. Fear God, and be not of them who turned away from the Truth, following vain imaginings and idle fancies. We have written for thee from My Most Exalted Pen that which shall gladden thy heart. Verily thy Lord is the Almighty over what was and what shall be. Remind My loved ones on My behalf and give them the joyful tidings of My promised Day, that the glad-tidings of God may draw them to a station wherein the conditions of creation shall not sadden them, nor the allusions of every rejected learned one. The Glory shining forth from the horizon of My kingdom be upon thee and upon them that are with thee and upon them that have laid hold on this mighty, this extended Cord.

BH04791: Say: Glory be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose…

He is sanctified from all that hath been said or shall be said!

Say: Glory be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose hand is the dominion of all created things and in Whose grasp is the kingdom of all possibilities! I beseech Thee by the tears from the eyes of them that love Thee, and by the yearnings of the hearts of them that long for Thee, and by the fragrances of Thy verses and the sweet-scented breezes of Thy days, to protect us from those who speak that which would cloud the pure wine of Thy knowledge and alter the crystal waters of the Salsabil of Thy utterance.

How many a servant, O my God, do we see who claims association with Thee yet speaks that which would rend the veil of Thy glory before Thy creatures, supposing himself to be of those who are righteous in Thy days. Nay, by Thy glory! Rather he hath corrupted Thy Cause and spoken that which hath caused the hearts of the sincere ones among Thy chosen ones and the near ones among Thy loved ones to burn with grief.

We testify, O my God, that he who speaks today without Thy good-pleasure and contrary to what Thou hast revealed in Thy Tablets is more harmful than those who denied Thy proof and disputed Thy signs and turned away from Thy Self and disbelieved in the Dayspring of Thy Revelation and the Dawning-Place of Thy inspiration.

O Lord! Aid us to remember and praise Thee and to do as Thou hast commanded us in Thy Tablets. Thou art He Who hath made clear the proof and shown forth the way and sent down for Thy loved ones that which sufficeth them apart from all else, drawing them nigh unto Thee and distancing them from aught besides Thee. I beseech Thee to assist us in that which Thou hast commanded us outwardly in Thy Book; then ordain for us what befitteth our relationship to Thee. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

BH04781: The Wronged One hath heard thy mention and thy…

He is the Hearer, the Answerer.

The Wronged One hath heard thy mention and thy call, and mentioneth thee in this perspicuous Tablet, and beareth witness that thou hast turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon and testified to that which God Himself hath testified: that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. Thy tongue hath attained to confession, thy heart to turning unto Him, and thy face to orientation toward God, the Lord of the Final Return.

We make mention in the Persian tongue: The world hath been debarred from the recognition of the Lord of Names through vain imaginings and fancies. Consider the vain imaginings of the former people—how they were all deprived of the lights of the Dayspring of Manifestation and the Voice of the Speaker on Sinai. All must beseech God—glorified be His majesty—to preserve this people through His grace and not deprive them of the effulgent lights of the Sun of certitude. Great is this Day and mighty this Cause. Until they pass beyond the gulf of names, they shall not enter the Most Great Ocean.

Say: My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having shown me the waves of the ocean of Thy utterance and the effulgent lights of the Sun of Thy Manifestation, and for having brought me before Thy presence and caused me to enter the gate of the city of Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee, O Lord of the worlds, by Thy Most Great Name through which Thou didst subdue the cities of knowledge and understanding, and through which the fragrance of Thy garment was wafted among all religions, to make me steadfast, articulate and oriented toward the service of Thy Cause, Thy remembrance and Thy praise. Then inscribe for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen the good of this world and the next. There is none other God but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

BH04678: He saith, exalted be His words

He saith, exalted be His words:

O name of Jim and Vav! There hath come before the Wronged One what thou didst send to My name Mim, and the servant in attendance before My countenance hath read it. Blessed art thou for having attained the lights of certitude and believed in God when every distant idolater turned away.

Hearken unto what the Lord of Eternity calleth thee to in this Most Great Station. Verily there is none other God but Him, the Speaker, the All-Knowing. Grieve not over anything and put thy trust in God, the One, the All-Informed. Hold fast unto that whereby thy remembrance shall endure in the kingdom of thy Lord. Soon shall the world and all that is therein perish, and there shall endure what hath been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen. Thy Lord is indeed the All-Knowing, the All-Encompassing.

Blessed is thy father who hath attained My good-pleasure, and thy brother for whom there hath been sent down from the heaven of grace that which hath diffused the fragrance of the Divine Shirt among the worlds.

Say: O my God and the Possessor of my heart! I beseech Thee by the Name through which the fire of love and affection was kindled amongst Thy servants, to make me enabled to serve Thee, speaking Thy praise, steadfast in Thy Cause, turning with my heart to the ocean of Thy good-pleasure, and soaring on the wings of detachment in the atmosphere of Thy will. O my Lord! I have turned to Thee with my whole being and I beseech Thee by Thy Self to ordain for me the reward of one who hath attained Thy presence, been honored to meet Thee, and drunk the choice wine of life from the ocean of reunion with Thee. Verily Thou art the Powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Supreme, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the Impregnable.

BH04882: O people of Saysan! Upon you be the glory…

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

O people of Saysan! Upon you be the glory of the All-Merciful. You have ever been and continue to be remembered. Beware lest passion debar you from the Lord of all mankind. Take hold of the hem of the robe of your Lord’s mercy, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. We have remembered and continue to remember the loved ones of that land. Blessed is the face that hath turned, the heart that hath been attracted, the tongue that hath spoken, and the hand that hath taken hold of My perspicuous Book. These are the days of manifestation and He Who conversed on Sinai is seated upon the throne of utterance. Strive that haply ye may attain unto that which is everlasting and enduring.

Jinab-i-Amin, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, hath repeatedly made mention of the loved ones of that land and its surroundings and hath submitted their names to the Most Holy Court. We beseech God to assist you to remain steadfast in this mighty Cause and to adorn you with the ornament of His bounty.

Today the Pen is joyous, and the Tablet in rapture and gladness. Blessed is the one who hath been awakened by the call of the Most Exalted Pen from the slumber of heedlessness and hath arisen to serve the Cause of God. Give thanks unto your Lord for this great bounty and this loving-kindness which hath no peer in the kingdom nor likeness amongst all created things. Make mention of the steadfast handmaidens on behalf of the Wronged One and illumine them with the lights of the utterance of the Goal of all mankind.

The resplendent and effulgent light shining from the horizon of the heaven of proof be upon you, O My loved ones, and upon you, O My handmaidens, and upon all who are steadfast in all regions in the Cause of God, the Lord of Names and Attributes.

BH04762: Blessed is the leaf moved by the winds…

He is God—exalted be His glory, to Whom belong grandeur and majesty.

Blessed is the leaf moved by the winds of her Lord’s loving-kindness upon the Sadratu’l-ʿIrfan as He pleases, manifesting through her such love for her Lord that her remembrance endures among all peoples. Verily He has power over whatsoever He willeth.

The splendor of God be upon you, O my mother, for having believed in God, remained steadfast in His Cause, and been among those firm in His love.

O my mother! Your letter has reached this servant, adorned at its head with the crown of the Most Great Name, beginning after mention of this servant with:

“I am yearning, I am grieving, I am needy, I am fearful…”

and so forth. This servant bears witness that you have ever been remembered, observed, present, near, honored, content, well-pleased, immortalized in the paradise of our Lord the All-Merciful’s good-pleasure, and forgiven all sins by virtue of having turned to God, the All-Forgiving, the All-Generous.

Thereafter I presented the entire letter before the Throne of Oneness. The Sun of loving-kindness and favors rose and shone forth from its horizon, and a wondrous, sublime Tablet was specifically revealed from the heaven of the Lord of all worlds’ grace. After perusing this clear Tablet, you will witness the divine favor and exclaim with both outer and inner tongue:

“My spirit be a sacrifice for the wonders of Thy favors, O Beloved of the worlds and Goal of them that know, and O Thou in Whose mighty grasp lie the kingdoms of the heavens and earth!”

Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

The servant of God

BH04916: O Pen! Make mention of him who hath been…

O Pen! Make mention of him who hath been named Mihdi, that he may rejoice and be of them that render thanks. O Mihdi! Hear thou the call which hath been raised from this Most Exalted Station, from the Crimson Tree. Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

They who have violated God’s Covenant and His Testament—these are accounted among the most lost in the Book of God, the Lord of all worlds.

Say: O people! The Day hath come, and the Self-Subsisting calleth aloud through His Name, the Mighty, the Great. Beware lest what the ignorant possess prevent you from the Most Exalted Horizon. Take ye what ye have been given from One All-Knowing, All-Informed.

Blessed art thou and he who hath ascended unto God. We testify that he hath drunk from the Kawthar of immortality from the bounteous hand of his Lord, the Generous. He hath attained unto that which most of creation hath failed to attain. The Tongue of God beareth witness to this in this exalted station. He turned to the Most Exalted Horizon when the people turned away, save whom God, the Lord of the Kingdom of Names, did will. He recognized that which the Pen had spoken and acknowledged that which was sent down from the heaven of grace from One mighty and powerful.

We were with him at the time of his ascension and made mention of him in such wise as caused the ocean of forgiveness to surge and the fragrances of God’s tender mercy, the Forgiving, the Merciful, to waft. Blessed is he and blessed is he who maketh mention of him after his ascension through that which hath been sent down from One ancient in descent. Glory be upon him and upon those who have not violated the Covenant of God, the Lord of the mighty throne.

BH04860: As for the matter of forgiveness and pardon, after…

…As for the matter of forgiveness and pardon, after being presented, these verses were revealed. His exalted Word: “O Samandar! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. God hath forgiven thee through His grace, and what preceded of thy sin. Verily, He is the Most Merciful of the merciful. We beseech God to assist thee in all conditions to remember Him and to aid His Cause, and to ordain for thee what He hath ordained for His chosen ones, and to write down for thee, from the Pen of His bounty, the reward of those who are near and sincere. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.”…

As for the children, We have commanded that they first be educated in the principles and laws of religion, and afterwards in beneficial sciences, in trade adorned with the ornament of trustworthiness, and in such works as would serve to promote His Cause or give rise to that which would draw the servant nearer to his Lord. We beseech God to assist the children of His loved ones and to adorn them with the ornament of understanding, courtesy, trustworthiness and religiosity. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

BH04875: O My Afnan! O leaf sprung from the Divine…

He is the One Who speaks with the most wondrous tongue in the Kingdom of Utterance!

O My Afnan! O leaf sprung from the Divine Lote-Tree! Hear My call, for verily it calls thee from the Most Exalted Station—the Station which hath been named by the Most Beautiful Names in the Crimson Book and in the Scriptures and Tablets. Thy letter reached Me and thy call was heard. By the life of God! Ye are beneath the shadow of My loving-kindness and the canopies of My grandeur. He hath remembered you, remembereth you, and will be with you wheresoever ye may be.

We beseech Him, exalted be He, to open before your faces the doors of His grace and bounty, and to ordain for you the good of this world and the world to come. In all conditions be ye engaged in the mention and praise of God, and be ye confident in His bounty. The rain of His mercy hath fallen and continueth to fall. Soon shall appear in the contingent world that which hath been ordained by the Pen of the All-Merciful. He, verily, is the Mighty, the Powerful.

Ask ye God to guide mankind and keep them steadfast, for this Day is mighty, and until they cross over the gulf of names they shall not enter the Most Great Ocean. By the life of God! All are in a strange slumber.

Convey thou My greetings to the children who are present there, then to those who are with thee. Each one of them, give them glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness and greet them from His presence. The kinfolk of Afnan and Aqa are related unto the Truth. This sufficeth them, by the Lord of all worlds!

The glory be upon you and upon every male and female believer who hath believed in God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

BH04677: My honoured and kindly brother! I cherish the hope…

He is God, exalted be His glory.

My honoured and kindly brother! I cherish the hope, from the presence of the Almighty—magnified be His bounty and exalted His generosity—that He may preserve your honoured self from every affliction and adversity, and vouchsafe unto you perfect health. He, verily, is the Bestower, the Compassionate.

Among the greatest of all bestowals granted by that Sovereign of existence is this: that He hath made pen and ink the interpreters of the heart’s hidden mysteries. This favour no treasure of the world can equal; nor can its praise be exhausted by any pen, nor its description be brought to an end by any tongue. Thus it is that the handwriting of that well-beloved friend and faithful companion imparteth strength unto the soul, and transformeth, according to what is meet and fitting, the darksome night of separation into the radiant morn of reunion.

Upon the arrival of thy noble letter, the signs of gladness, joy, delight, and exultation became manifest within the heart. The remembrance of friends is blessed indeed unto the friend. The one true God beareth me witness that from the day of separation until now, in the gathering of the true friends and spiritual lovers, the mention of that heavenly beloved hath been and remaineth ever upon our lips; and from every word of thy letter the fragrance of love was seen to diffuse itself and be breathed abroad.

Praised be God that we have not faded from remembrance; and from Him do we beseech that He may change the torment of separation into the sweetness of nearness and reunion, and cause the days of meeting to draw nigh. He, verily, is the Powerful, the Mighty, the Knowing, the Seeing.

BH04709: In these days when in the heavens of manifestation…

He is God, the Most Glorious of the Most Glorious

In these days when in the heavens of manifestation the spiritual suns have risen from the horizons of visibility, and the effulgences of the Sun of the Most Glorious Countenance shine forth from the dawning-places of existence, and the dawnings of divine knowledge gleam from the eastern horizons of the Kingdom, the moons of wisdom, in accordance with their illumination from the Ancient Sun, are giving light in every direction, and the stars of eternity are shining with perfect radiance from the heavenly spheres of existence. It would be a pity if one possessed of insight and knowledge should still be illumined by the light of a setting star of idle fancies and seek enlightenment from the moon of imagination which is in eclipse. Nay, the Sun hath shone forth from the pole of the heaven of the world with wondrous new effulgences of light.

O friend! In these days the Ancient and Imperishable Beauty, the Unknowable Essence, Who was concealed behind a thousand thousand subtle veils of light, hath now appeared from behind the veil, and with but a single gleam from the effulgences of His countenance hath caused those who stood at Mount Sinai to swoon away and become as though they had never existed. Say: Verily, I have turned my face toward Him Who hath created the supreme heavens and hath rent asunder the lands of the Pharaohs, and I am not of those who join partners with God. Oh, oh! The Sun of Beauty hath made the world of hearts more radiant than the luminous day, and hath wiped clean from the tablets of hearts the rust of rational knowledge’s manifestations. And God guideth whom He willeth unto the straight path. And the Spirit be upon thee.

BH04712: At the end of this blessed Tablet We make…

He is God!

At the end of this blessed Tablet We make mention of Jinab-i-Kalb-ʿAli Khan and Janab-i-Husayn Khan and give them the glad-tidings of God’s favors. Praise be to God, in the days of the Manifestation they attained to that which most of the people of the world remain heedless and deprived of. Blessed are they both and joy be unto them both. We beseech God to give them to drink from the Tasnim of steadfastness and the Salsabil of love, and to protect them from the doubts of the barking ones and the intimations of the transgressors. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

O people of God! Know ye the station of these days and hold fast unto that which will cause the exaltation of the Word of God and your stations. Verify not every utterance and be not assured by every soul, for the misguided ones present themselves with human courtesy and thereby deceive—for were their hearts’ contents to be revealed, none would turn to them. Consider the misguided ones of the past who, with their white and red turbans, prayer beads and cloaks, and feigned asceticism and piety, afflicted the servants of God with such vain imaginings that on the Day of Judgment they all pronounced sentence against the Lord of the world. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to protect His servants and guard them by His sovereignty from those who have denied His signs and turned away from His proof. Verily He is the Powerful over whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be” and it is.

The glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon you, O My loved ones, and upon those who have acted according to that which they were commanded in My perspicuous and wondrous Book.

BH04872: To be typed

To be typed.

BH04929: O Mahd! Upon thee be My glory and My…

O Mahd! Upon thee be My glory and My loving care.

Praise be to God! In this blessed month of Ramadan the excessive dampness hath not remained without being stirred, and all have rejoiced in the warmth of the love of God. The loved ones of God have held fast unto the mountain of fasting and have been content with its ordinance. In truth, such a deed in the path of God bestoweth life and conferreth strength. Through Divine assistance the ordinance of the Fast hath been fulfilled; it is hoped that the command of Prayer also may be carried out, that the fields of deeds may thereby become more illumined and more verdant and flourishing. The heaven of religion must, through the Most Great Luminary, be radiant and bright. Blessed are they that attain!

Seek ye not after news of us: the Cause is well, and our aim is well. In all conditions we are content and thankful.

The purpose of this letter is to remember thee in truth, and likewise to convey congratulations on the blessed month of Ramadan. To each of the people of that station convey, on behalf of the Wronged One, greetings, and tell them: the days of the joyous Feast are near. The sincere are saddened at its passing, while the godless rejoice.

Soon shall abstinence be changed to breaking of the fast; the blessed word shall set forth on a journey; and the beloved word shall find its resting-place. Then shall sighing arise from longing, and the light of freshness—hidden by the rigour of the Fast—shall, through bounty, have its veil lifted, and shall be revealed and made manifest.

Baha and peace be upon thee, and upon them, and upon the women likewise. From God do we seek assistance; He is the Helper, and He is the Sustainer.

BH11638: Adorn the preface of the Mother of Utterance…

In the Name of the Everlasting Speaker!

Adorn the preface of the Mother of Utterance from the All-Merciful with these most exalted words: “Create me for Thyself.”

Today, whosoever hath been attracted by the fragrance of the garment of Him Who conversed upon Sinai, and hath been illumined by the rays of the Sun of Truth, hath attained unto everlasting life, inasmuch as his name hath been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Book.

We testify to thy devotion, humility, submissiveness and orientation toward the face of God. Exalted is the station of this testimony. Every possessor of vision and hearing beareth witness to that which hath been revealed from the Pen of Power on this blessed night. It behooveth thee to occupy thyself with the Cause, with wisdom and utterance, in a manner that is befitting.

Convey My greetings to the loved ones in that land on behalf of this Wronged One. Say: Consider the time as precious. By the Sun of Truth, centuries and ages cannot be compared to a single moment of these days. Arise with the utmost endeavor to compensate for what hath passed. Blessed are they who are enkindled with the fire of love and who speak in remembrance of God, exalted be His glory.

Say: O friends! Through unity and concord, and through remembrance and utterance, illuminate the horizons. Strive that ye may perchance achieve such deeds as shall endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven.

The glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon them that are with thee, and upon those who have cast away all else save God, clinging fast to that which is with God, the Lord of the worlds.

BH04953: O my God! This is Your servant upon whose…

He is the All-Glorious

O my God! This is Your servant upon whose heart’s garden has wafted the sweet fragrances of Your holy love, and in whose inner being has spread the perfumes of Your yearning and ardor.

You have severed his attachment to all else through his passionate longing for You, fed him with the sweetness of Your remembrance, given him to drink from the choice wine of Your grace, led him to the fountain of Your knowledge, and called him to the realm of Your glorious oneness. Through this You have enriched him beyond all that was and shall be, for O my God, when You raise up one of Your servants to soar in the atmosphere of Your divine unity and move along the pathways of Your holy uniqueness, You make him rich through Your wealth, for all things are as nothing before the manifestation of a single sign of Your sovereignty, and all existence vanishes before the appearance of but one token of Your might and exaltation.

Though Your servants be the poorest of Your creation, yet through the breezes of Your love wafting over their hearts, they turn to naught save the wonders of Your beauty and seek shelter beneath no shade but the shade of the Sovereign of Your divinity.

I beseech You by Your love for them and their love for You to strengthen this servant through the invisible confirmations of Your eternity, immortalize him in the gardens of Your holy presence, and admit him to the paradise of Your oneness. Verily You are the Almighty, the Exalted, the Most High.

And praise be to You, O You in Whose grasp lies the reins of all things.

BH11777: And further, whereas thou didst make mention…

And further, whereas thou didst make mention of the spiritual loved one, Jinab-i-Ibn-i-Abhar—upon him be the glory of God and His loving-kindness—his remembrance, in the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most Inaccessible Court, attained the honor of being hearkened unto. This is that which hath been revealed for him from the Pen of the Will of our Lord, the All-Merciful. He, exalted be His glory and all-embracing His bounty, saith:

In My Name that Commandeth, the All-Informed!

O Ibn-i-Abhar! Upon thee be the Glory of God, Lord of Destiny. Hearken unto that which God, the Lord of all worlds, calleth thee. We cast upon thee aforetime that which, had it been cast upon the heavens, they would have been cleft asunder, had it been cast upon the earth, it would have been split apart, and had it been cast upon the mountains, they would have crumbled to dust. Verily thy Lord is the Helper, the All-Knowing. We have granted thee permission and have revealed for thee that which will draw thee to the Most Exalted Horizon, this glorious and wondrous station. It behooveth thee to make mention of what thou hast witnessed in the Tablets of thy Lord. Thus doth command thee He from Whose presence hath been sent down a perspicuous Book. The Glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon those who have cast aside what is with the people, yearning for that which is with God, the Strong, the Mighty.

Praise be to God that His loved ones have been blessed by the tender mercies of the All-Merciful and have received their portion from the Most Great Ocean, especially the spiritual friend His honor Ibn-i-Abhar, upon him be the Glory of God, who hath both been mentioned and given permission. This evanescent servant conveyeth greetings to him and all the other loved ones, and beseecheth divine confirmation, success and protection for all.

BH05076: To the Leaf, the sister who circles the Most…

To the Leaf, the sister who circles the Most Great, Most Wondrous Throne:

Glory be to Thee, O my God! This is a leaf from the leaves of this Tree which was raised up in truth and was stirred by the winds of Thy grace until she turned to the Dayspring of Thy Cause and the Dawning-Place of Thy loving-kindness, and acknowledged Thy oneness and confessed Thy singleness.

I beseech Thee, O Lord of Names and Creator of earth and heaven, to ordain for her what Thou hast ordained for Thy handmaidens who circle round the sanctuary of Thy presence and have attained to the visitation of Thy Beauty. O Lord! Decree for her that which will bring comfort to her eyes, then preserve her within the pavilion of Thy protection and the tabernacle of Thy safekeeping. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Possessor of the Great Name.

Look upon her with the glances of the eyes of Thy mercy and illumine her heart with the light of Thy knowledge, in such wise that nothing shall prevent her from gazing toward the direction of Thy gifts. O Lord! Since she hath clung to the cord of Thy grace, deprive her not of Thy bounty and favor. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the Wise.

Know thou, O my leaf, that the Word of Victory hath ascended to the Supreme Companion, and We were well-pleased with him. This Tablet beareth witness to that, and beyond it the Mother Book. He was among those who emigrated in the path of God until he came to rest beneath the shade of the Throne, and God is, of what I say, All-Knowing.

Say: O people! Speak not according to your desires. Fear God and follow not those who say that for which God hath given no leave. Speak with truth, for verily He is of all things All-Knowing and All-Witnessing.

BH04990: Thou art He, O my God, through Whose names…

He is the Preserver, the Healer

Thou art He, O my God, through Whose names the sick are healed and the ailing are restored, and the thirsty are given drink, and the sore-vexed are tranquillized, and the wayward are guided, and the abased are exalted, and the poor are enriched, and the ignorant are enlightened, and the gloomy are illumined, and the sorrowful are cheered, and the chilled are warmed, and the downtrodden are raised up. Through Thy name, O my God, all created things were stirred up, and the heavens were spread, and the earth was established, and the clouds were raised and made to rain upon the earth. This, verily, is a token of Thy grace unto all Thy creatures.

I implore Thee, therefore, by Thy name through which Thou didst manifest Thy Godhead, and didst exalt Thy Cause above all creation, and by each of Thy most excellent titles and most august attributes, and by all the virtues wherewith Thy transcendent and most exalted Being is extolled, to send down this night from the clouds of Thy mercy the rains of Thy healing upon this suckling, whom Thou hast related unto Thine all-glorious Self in the kingdom of Thy creation. Clothe him, then, O my God, by Thy grace, with the robe of well-being and health, and guard him, O my Beloved, from every affliction and disorder, and from whatever is obnoxious unto Thee. Thy might, verily, is equal to all things. Thou, in truth, art the Most Powerful, the Self-Subsisting. Send down, moreover, upon him, O my God, the good of this world and of the next, and the good of the former and latter generations. Thy might and Thy wisdom are, verily, equal unto this.

BH05226: O Muhammad! The days when thou didst take shelter…

O Muhammad! The days when thou didst take shelter beneath the blessed Tree are remembered in Our presence. The Greater Branch is now present and hath sought a special favor for thee. We make mention of thee through this clear remembrance.

Convey My greetings to the loved ones of that land. Say: Be not sorrowful, be not heedless. With wisdom and utterance, bestow the Kawthar of proof upon those who are receptive and ready. Praise be to God, ye are not among the corrupt ones, and therefore have been and continue to be preserved and protected by God, exalted be His glory.

Beseech God that He may assist the honored rulers—may God aid them—to achieve that which this Wronged One hath purposed, and this purpose is, in its primary station and first rank, the Will of God, exalted be His glory. Blessed is he who hath recognized and attained, and woe unto the heedless ones.

In these days this Wronged One is occupied with praise and thanksgiving to God, for He hath adorned the martyrs of the land of Ya with the crown of patience and the ornament of steadfastness, and aided them to hold fast unto that which was revealed and sent down in the Book from the Supreme Pen. Well is it with them and may they rejoice.

The glory be upon thee and upon those who love thee and upon My loved ones and chosen ones who have not broken My Covenant and have acted according to what they were commanded by the One Who is the Ordainer, the All-Wise.

BH11639: A mention from Our presence unto him who was…

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

A mention from Our presence unto him who was stirred by the breezes of revelation when the All-Merciful came with power and sovereignty, that the fragrances of the verses may seize him once again and draw him nigh unto God, the Lord of all religions. He verily remembereth at all times His servants who have turned with their hearts toward the direction of their Beloved and have cast behind them idle fancies and vain imaginings.

Though thy letter hath not been presented before the Throne, yet God maketh mention of thee through His grace, that thou mayest be assured of thy Lord’s tender care. Beware lest earthly affairs extinguish thee. Be thou aflame with this Fire which proclaimeth from the midmost heart of creation: “There is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.” Be thou steadfast in the love of thy Lord and firm in His Cause in such wise that through thee the banner of constancy may be planted upon the highest summits. They who are heedless this day are indeed the most remote of all creation in the sight of thy Lord—no portion have they in the Book.

Be thou thankful unto God that the countenance of the Adored One hath turned toward thee from this horizon whereby the horizons have been illumined. Say: O people! The world hath been illumined through the splendors of the countenance of your Lord, the All-Merciful. Beware lest the veils of glory withhold you from Him. Rend them asunder with the fingers of certitude, turning unto God, the Lord of the beginning and the end.

Thus have We sprinkled upon thee the drops of utterance from the ocean of thy Lord’s favors, the Mighty, the Bestower. Verily, the glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee, from thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

BH11640: The Resurrection hath come to pass and the Promised…

In the Name of the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting!

The Resurrection hath come to pass and the Promised One hath appeared. The Self-Subsisting calleth aloud: “There is none other God but Me, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting!” He that hath arisen to serve God and make mention of Him, verily his Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, shall bestow His blessings upon him beneath the shadow of this Most Great Name. The mercy of God hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth, yet most of the people remain heedless.

Should one ask any of the divines, “Why hast thou turned away from this Revelation, and by what proof didst thou recognize Muhammad, the Messenger of God, when He appeared?” he would reply: “That which hath appeared I find not in the books of old.” Say: All that thou beholdest and utterest springeth from thine idle fancies. He appeareth not according to thy desire, but according to His Will. He, verily, is the Self-Sufficient, the All-Knowing, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Beseech thou God to rend asunder their veils and open their eyes that they may behold the lights of the Sun and turn towards it on this Most Great, Most Holy, Most Glorious, Most Wondrous Day. Soon will they hasten and say:

“Woe unto us for what we have neglected in regard to God, and alas for our attachment to the books of men while turning away from Him Who was the Source of all books and the Dawning-Place of every clear tablet!”

None can protect anyone this Day save God, the Lord of the visible and the invisible, the Lord of all worlds. We beseech God to aid thee to remember Him and praise Him, and to ordain for thee that which He hath ordained for His chosen ones. Verily, He is the Mighty, the Generous.

BH11776: Haji Siyyid Muhammad

Haji Siyyid Muhammad

In the Name of God, the Most Mighty, the Most Powerful.

Glorified be Him Who revealeth whomsoever He willeth through whatsoever He willeth, that he may arise to champion His Cause, manifest His decree, and divulge His secret. No God is there but Him, and unto Him shall all return.

O Muhammad! How dost thou fare in the land of the Lord? Render thanks unto thy Lord for that wherewith He hath singled thee out, and prostrate thyself before His Face, for We have indeed been watching over thee. Verily, We have sent down unto thee Our verses, that thou mayest thereby be numbered among them that bow in adoration.

Ask thou not of Me concerning aught, for I possess not the knowledge thereof. That is a mystery from the presence of One All-Knowing, All-Wise. O Muhammad! Present thyself before Ḥusayn, and aid him upon the earth, and be not of them that despair. By God! I have intended for thee naught but counsel. If thou desirest, accept it, and if not, turn thou away. Such is the decree sent down from Us, and We verily do decree.

Say: O concourse of the people of vain imaginings! Present yourselves before your Lord, if ye desire to be humble before God, the All-Merciful. We have annulled all learning save the knowledge of the verses and of supplications. Thus hath the command gone forth from Us, and with Us, verily, is the command.

Bear thou witness within thine own heart that the Remembrance is the Truth, though the people for the most part turn far away. Say: Praise be to God, Who hath guided me unto a manifest path of truth. Verily, all praise be to God, the Lord of the heavens, the Lord of the earth, the Lord of all worlds.

BH05354: My Lord, pour forth patience upon Thy loved ones…

My Lord, pour forth patience upon Thy loved ones and assist them against the wrongdoing people.

In His Name that prevaileth over all names!

Some time ago the Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was sent. God willing, thou wilt attain unto it and inhale the fragrance of the loving-kindness of the All-Merciful. And now Jinab-i-Amin, that is, Abu’l-Hasan, hath mentioned thee and thy steadfastness and sincerity. Therefore this Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet hath again been revealed and sent. Praise be to God, thou hast attained unto the Purpose and art aware of that which all people are heedless. This is among the great bounties of God, exalted be His glory. We counsel thee to observe wisdom in all conditions. Fix thy gaze upon Him in all circumstances. We beseech God that there may appear from thee that which shall endure throughout the duration of the kingdom and the heavenly realm, and that He may draw thee nigh unto Him in all conditions. Verily He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

Thy hardships are witnessed and remembered before God and are inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Book. Be thou thankful unto thy Lord for this manifest grace. That which thou didst send hath arrived and was honored with acceptance. The glory shining forth from the horizon of eternity be upon thee and upon those who act in accordance with that which they were bidden in the Book of God, the Lord of all worlds. Praise be to God, the Lord of this manifest Day.