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O friend of my soul and spiritual beloved, his honor Haji Mirza Kamaluddin, upon him be the 9 and 6 and 6 [Baha’u’llah] the Most Glorious! May they observe with luminous gaze.

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

Praise be to God Who is unique in utterance and peerless in explanation, Who is magnificent in majesty and transcendent in glory, Who hath shone forth through the influence of His Most Exalted Pen upon all who dwell in the kingdom of creation. Then were all created things thrown into commotion and all contingent beings were stirred by the fragrances that wafted from His Pen as it raced across the field of wisdom and knowledge. Glorified be He Who moved it, and glorified be He Who gave it speech, and glorified be He Who made it known, and glorified be He Who taught it the knowledge of what hath been and what shall be. Verily, He is the One through Whom the ocean of life surged in the realm of possibility and through Whom the Dove of the Cause warbled upon the branches. There is none other God but Him. He hath ever been sanctified above all names and shall ever remain exalted above whatsoever the people of creation utter. Whosoever claimeth to know Him is gainsaid by the tongues of all created things. All things testify to His grandeur and His sovereignty. Exalted, immensely exalted, is His Cause that hath encompassed the kingdom of earth and heaven, and His sovereignty that hath dominated all who dwell in the realms of divine might. We praise Him for having illumined for us the horizon of Revelation and for having manifested that which lay hidden in His preserved Tablet, and for having caused His loved ones to turn toward the Most Sublime Horizon and to drink of His most glorious wine, whereby what was hidden hath appeared and what was treasured hath been revealed. Exalted be His Hidden Name, Who hath come with the truth with the sovereignty of grandeur and power, and through Whom was established that which lay concealed within the scrolls of God, the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the All-Choosing.

And furthermore, how pleased was the servant’s eye to behold thy letter, and how gladdened was his heart to perceive the fragrance of thy words. We beseech God to assist thee and those with thee, and to strengthen thee and them to remain steadfast in this Cause whereby the mountains of learning were scattered, the heaven of vain imaginings was cleft asunder, the suns of idle fancies were darkened, and the moons of knowledge were eclipsed. By God’s life! The Tongue of Grandeur hath repeatedly and continually spoken this word, saying - and His word is the truth: “By My life, the Cause is mighty, mighty indeed!” And when the land of Syria was honored by the footsteps of the Lord of all beings, and perceived the fragrance of inspiration, and attained the Water of Life after being consumed by the fire of separation and awaiting the days of reunion, He then declared - and His word is the truth: “We have named this prison the Most Great Prison.” Were anyone to reflect upon that which hath shone forth from the horizon of utterance, he would find a drop from the ocean that lieth concealed within the words of his Lord, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving, and would recognize the greatness of the Cause, its sovereignty, its loftiness, its power, its dominion and its glory, and would be numbered among those who are firm, steadfast and certain.

At this moment when the servant was occupied with penning this letter, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing summoned me and said: “O My servant in attendance! Take up the pen by My command and write to him who hath been named Kamal: O Kamal! Ponder upon the people of the Bayan and hearken unto what they say regarding this Remembrance at Whose appearance the Most Great Remembrance bowed down in submission and that which was recorded in the scrolls and books was fulfilled. By God’s life! They are in dissension and hypocrisy, to which thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, doth testify. Among them are those who have claimed that He hath claimed Divinity. Say: Yea, by my Lord! This is the Day of God and He hath come, with the angels rank upon rank. The Qur’an foretold this in His words ‘The Kingdom on that Day shall be God’s,’ and in this hour He verily speaketh the truth: ‘There is no God but I, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.’ Say: Fear God and follow not your idle fancies. Follow that which ye have been commanded by God, the Lord of all worlds. Say: By God! The Lord hath come and these are His signs. Have ye not heard what We revealed aforetime: ‘On the day when thy Lord cometh, or some of the signs of thy Lord’? Be fair then, and be not of the heedless. Say: He is indeed the One foretold by the Revealer of the Bayan, Who said - and His word is the truth: ‘He hath ever been, and will ever continue to proclaim: Verily, I am God, there is no God but Me. O My creation! Worship ye Me!’ O Kamal! We desired to raise them to the kingdom of utterance and the heaven of certitude, yet they retreated until they returned to their abode in the nethermost fire. They have followed the people of the Qur’an after having rejected it, and have clung to the mention of the Caliphate and its sister after We had desired to sanctify hearts from that which had veiled and hindered them. Thus do We recount unto thee that thou mayest be among those who are possessed of understanding. Say: Nothing shall profit you this Day, though ye should cling to all the things in heaven and earth, except that ye repent and return unto God, the Mighty, the Most Praiseworthy.

O Kamal! Say: O ye that are devoid of justice! What profit did the people of the Dispensation of the Qur’an gain after being occupied with such matters for twelve hundred years, and what was their fruit? Say: Fear ye the one true God and be not of those who disbelieved in His divine proof and His evidence. This is the Word of Truth that hath shone forth from the Dayspring of the divine utterance, and after it there is naught but manifest error. Those who have never had, nor now have, any knowledge of this Cause are now claiming knowledge thereof and have arisen to lead the servants astray. Beseech ye God that He may strengthen the people of Baha to guide all men through consummate wisdom, praiseworthy character and goodly deeds, and draw them to the Source of divine bounties that they may quaff the wine of mystical knowledge and become moved to celebrate the praise of the Beloved of the world in the assemblage of creation.

O Kamal! This is the Day wherein sanctified souls should appear adorned with the ornament of pure servitude - that is, with utmost humility and lowliness, engaging in the mention and praise of the Lord of men amongst the people. By God’s life! This is the most exalted station, the most glorious station, and the most sublime station, were ye to know. And should anyone speak of aught else besides what hath been mentioned, he hath not been nor will ever be mentioned before the Throne. Your honor should regard this matter with utmost enthusiasm, attraction and endeavor, for We have previously announced in the Tablets that the heralds of Satan would appear and false claimants would arise. Say: Fear God and be not of the transgressors. Thus hath the Supreme Pen spoken by God’s command, the Creator of the heavens and the Lord of Names, and hath enjoined upon thee what He hath been bidden by God, the Mighty, the Clear, the All-Wise. Take thou the Book of God by Our command, then follow what thou hast been commanded, and be not of the heedless. Know thou the value of these days. By God! Therein hath appeared what hath never appeared from time immemorial. Behold thou the Most Exalted Horizon that thou mayest see how the Throne hath been established, and seated thereon is the Lord of Names with a sovereignty that hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. Thus hath spoken the Lord of Eternity in the Most Great Prison, and He, verily, is the All-Informed Speaker.

As to what you wrote regarding your visit to the Land of Ha, where you inhaled the sweet fragrances of the garment of the All-Merciful’s love from its wise ones, upon whom be the Glory of God, this was presented at the Most Holy Court and the Greatest Scene, and their mention hath flowed from the Supreme Pen in several instances. We beseech God to grant sight unto all who dwell on earth that they may not be deprived of beholding the lights of the Countenance of the All-Glorious in this spiritual morn and luminous dawn. Likewise, may He bestow upon all the sense of smell that they may detect the fragrance of His garment and find their way to the true Friend and the spiritual Sun. And may He grant them taste that they may take hold of the everlasting bounty and heavenly food with the hand of certitude and assurance and be sustained thereby. O My loved one! It is not known what hath befallen the world and what intoxication hath seized it. Though at all times the cry is raised and the call of the All-Merciful is elevated among all possibilities, none hath awakened from the wine of heedlessness save whom God hath willed. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to assist your honor to act and speak in accordance with that which is His good-pleasure in this Day. Verily, He is the Omnipotent over whatsoever He willeth, and He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the Clear.

In truth, Tablets were previously revealed specifically for the philosophers and were sent through ?adba, and likewise in the letter of Aqa Muhammad-Baqir, upon him be [Baha’u’llah’s glory], mention was made of them and their questions were answered. We beseech God to assist them to be steadfast and to aid those who convey to them the Cause of their Lord, the Mighty, the Wondrous. You should also convey to them mention of divine favors, that they may rejoice in God’s grace and heavenly gifts and engage with utmost joy and gladness in the remembrance of the Beloved of the world.

Again at this time, this ephemeral one was summoned to the Most Holy Presence. He said: “Write to Kamalu’d-Din that answers have been revealed to the questions posed by the aforementioned philosophers, and this was due to divine grace bestowed upon them. Otherwise, the Most Exalted Pen has not wished to set forth interpretations of previous utterances, or their explanation, or commentary on past events.” O Kamal, by God the Truth! Verily He has not come to interpret what was revealed before or to explain what people possess. Say: He has come from the Dayspring of eternity with hosts from the Supreme Concourse and with an utterance which none knoweth save the people of Baha, whom God hath described in His wondrous Book. Say: His eye hath appeared that thou mayest behold His most holy, most mighty, and most inaccessible Beauty, and His ear that thou mayest hearken unto His verses, at the revelation of which the necks of the proud were humbled. Say: His tongue hath appeared that He may speak that which the Point of the Bayan foretold when He said: “Verily He speaketh in all things: ‘There is no God but Me. O My creation! Worship ye Me.’” We have revealed unto thee these verses that thou mayest become aware of thy Lord’s favor and bounty which have encompassed the philosophers who have attained unto My manifest remembrance.

O ye people of Nun, hearken unto the call of the Hidden Mystery that speaketh from the Most Great Prison and addresseth the nations, summoning them unto God, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. O people of Naraq! The Luminary of the horizons maketh mention of you with a remembrance whose fragrance hath spread throughout all creation. Be grateful unto God and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the world, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O Revealer of the Tablets!” By God’s life! Through His mention your remembrance shall endure and your names shall be immortalized in the Book adorned by My Most Exalted Pen. Thus doth God single out whom He willeth through His grace. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the All-Bounteous.

O My loved ones in that place! Abandon what the people possess. Take ye hold of My Book through which the breath of God hath wafted over all else and by which all regions have been perfumed. Thus hath God honored you with His mention and His grace that ye may thank Him at all hours of the night and ends of the day. Say: Verily His Pen moveth to make mention of His loved ones, and His tongue uttereth that which they have wrought in His love and good-pleasure. To this testifieth this Tablet which hath spoken betwixt earth and heaven that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

Convey My glorification unto their faces and remind them of My days, My manifestation, My sovereignty, My power, My fragrances, My sweet savors, My kingdom and My dominion, and that which hath appeared from My Word that hath encompassed the horizons. Glory be upon the people of Baha who have fulfilled God’s covenant and testament and held fast unto the Book. Then the face of Baha turneth unto those women who have believed in God, the Lord of creation. Blessed are they inasmuch as they have heard, turned towards, and set their faces toward the countenance of God, the Revealer of clear tokens.

O My handmaidens! Turn with your hearts toward the Most Exalted Horizon, then drink in My name the Kawthar of My utterance, the wine of My loving-kindness, and the pure water of My bounty which hath encompassed creation. Thus doth My Most Exalted Pen make mention of you. Verily it is that through which the winds were subdued and the verses were sent down. Glory be upon you and upon every believing woman who hath believed in God, the Lord of lords.

That which is incumbent upon you and all the friends of God in this day is steadfastness and arising to serve the Cause. You must, God willing, at all times educate the people of possibility through prescribed means and summon them to the Most Exalted Horizon. A hundred thousand paradises, blessings and gardens await those souls who have recognized the Day of God and acted according to its requirements, which have been and shall ever be steadfastness in the Divine Word. Say: O friends of Truth! God, exalted be His glory, declareth: Ye must be so enkindled by the wine of the loving-kindness of the Beloved of the worlds that its heat shall influence human souls and draw them all to the court of oneness. The manifestations of falsehood and dawning-places of error exist; ye must at all times take refuge in the Lord of possibility that ye may remain protected from the whisperings of the sources of evil suggestion.

Glorified be God! In this letter thou hast been blessed several times with mention of the Beloved. By God, besides Whom there is none other God, were we to render thanks night and day, we would never fulfill the right of this bounty. Not only was a Tablet revealed and bestowed from the heaven of divine will, but divine verses were also revealed on numerous occasions. All things testify that His grace hath preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth. All the names that were in the book of that honored one and of Aqa Muhammad-Baqir, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah], were presented before the Throne, and for each one specifically there were revealed and sent from the heaven of loving-kindness wondrous and exalted verses. God willing, they will attain unto them. Praise be to God that all were mentioned in the Most Great Prison before the throne of the All-Merciful and were blessed with countless favors. His is the praise and the bounty, and His is the gratitude and grace. And mention was made of thy kinsmen in the Most Holy Court. He said: “O Kamal! The Light hath been honored and hath attained unto the Most Great Luminary when He shone forth from the horizon of Iraq amidst the peoples. Blessed are the people of the world who have been honored and have attained, and woe unto the heedless. Blessed is thy son who hath drunk the wine of reunion time and again, cup after cup, and from the ocean of attainment, again and again, goblet after goblet. Verily thy Lord is the Ancient Bestower. And We make mention of thy other son who hath attained unto that which shall cause his remembrance and thy remembrance to endure throughout the dominion of the Kingdom. Verily thy Lord is the One, the All-Informed. And the glory be upon him and upon him and upon them both from among thy progeny and upon their mother who hath attained and turned and arrived at the spot of Paradise and heard the call of God, the Lord of the worlds.” O Kamal! God willing, mayest thou be blessed by divine bounty and be sustained by the outpourings of the All-Merciful. Gladden all the friends in that land, both men and women, with the sweet savors of the mention of the Beloved, and convey to the Distinguished Lady wondrous and exalted greetings from the Wronged One, and say: “God willing, the All-Merciful, thou shouldst at all times and moments be engaged in the mention of the Beloved of the worlds with utmost sanctity and detachment, and hold fast to the cord of His loving-kindness. Praise be to God that thou didst arrive at the shore of the sea and didst drink from the Kawthar of attainment and didst hear the call of Truth, and besides that thou wert blessed repeatedly with His mention. These infinite bounties should not vanish from thy sight, and thou shouldst hold fast and cling to and be engaged in that which is befitting this day and worthy of the days of the Beloved.” The glory be upon thee and upon her who was named with the letters B and Y (Aqa Baygum), and verily she is among those who heard the call of the Wronged One in His noble station. Beseech God’s loving-kindness that He may bestow upon all the women of that land a portion from the Kawthar of eternity, that all may become detached with utmost sanctity and purity from all who dwell within the realm of possibility, and with radiant faces and illumined hearts may turn toward the highest horizon. The command is in God’s hand - He giveth to whomsoever He willeth whatsoever He desireth. Verily He is the One, the Bountiful.

O Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who hath been named Mahmud, who hath drunk the choice wine of the love of his Lord, the All-Loving, and turned unto God, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting. We have made mention of him, and do mention him as a token of Our grace, for verily I am the All-Knowing, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved. Rejoice thou in My remembrance of thee. By God! Through it the Most Great Ocean hath surged, and all who dwell in the world have proclaimed that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Loving. Make mention, on My behalf, of My loved ones who have drunk the wine of steadfastness in My days, who have clung to My robe, who have cast aside all else besides Me, who have soared in the atmosphere of My nearness, who have been nourished by the fruits of the Tree of My knowledge, and who have been illumined by the Luminary that hath shone forth from the horizon of My tender mercy. By the life of God! They are the people of Baha, whom the Supreme Pen hath mentioned in Its Preserved Book. Say: Blessed are ye, and glad tidings be unto you, for ye have attained, and have tasted, and have turned towards God, and have hearkened to the call of the Wronged One from this forbidden place. The glory be upon thee and upon them that have believed in God, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

After the dawning of the Sun of divine favor and the manifestation of the grace of the eternal Sovereign, what else can this servant mention that would be worthy of utterance or acceptable in the presence of the friends? Yet the fire of love moveth one to action, such that neither pen can cease from writing nor tongue from mentioning. Were one to speak unceasingly, night and day, in praise of but a single leaf among the leaves of a tree that hath grown in the courtyard of one of the friends who is adorned with the robe of steadfastness, it would still seem insufficient, nay rather, as nothing.

Finally, convey my greetings of pure devotion and self-effacement, and my praise and salutations, to all who have spoken in remembrance of the Beloved and believed in the Object of all desire. I hope that each one may drink, cup after cup, from the life-giving waters of the love of the Lord of all possibilities, in spite of those who have denied, turned away, and objected until they disbelieved in God, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Let them take the trouble to make a clear copy of this letter, and after comparing and reviewing it, send it to the Land of Ha. The glory be upon you and upon those who are with you.

The Servant

14 Ramadan 1295

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=== START BH00256 ===

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

All praise, sanctified from the affairs, occurrences and utterances of men, befitteth the Most Holy Court of the Desired One, Who was not deterred from His Cause by the opposition of the opposers, the denial of the deniers, the doubts of the faithless, the tyranny of the oppressors, or the intimations of the transgressors. He was established upon the throne of utterance and with the most exalted call summoned the peoples of earth and heaven to the supreme horizon. By the sword of wisdom and utterance, the hearts and minds of the peoples of the world have been and shall continue to be opened. No mortal will can stay His will, nor can human desire impede His desire. One word is as a sword to those who turn away, and as a lion to those who turn towards Him. Exalted be His grandeur, exalted be His station, exalted be His Cause! Blessings, peace, glory and splendor be upon His loved ones and chosen ones who arose and proclaimed “God is our Lord!” and then remained steadfast. These are the servants whom the All-Merciful described in the Furqan with His exalted words: “Neither merchandise nor traffic beguile them from the remembrance of God,” and with His exalted words: “Honored servants who speak not until He hath spoken, and who do His bidding.”

Praise be to God, they are aflame with the fire of His love and illumined by the light of His Cause. The clamor of the people of the world and the vain imaginings of certain nations have not and will not deter them from God’s straight path. They stand with legs of steel, grasp with hands of iron, and witness with eyes of penetrating vision.

Glory be unto Thee, O God of Names, Creator of the heavens, Who hath appeared before the faces of enemies and speaketh from the supreme horizon! Thou seest Thy loved ones in the hands of the oppressors, and in every moment there befalleth them that which causeth faces to change and beings to be set ablaze. I beseech Thee, O Source of Bounty, by Thy Name through which Thou made the sweet waters of Thy mercy to flow among Thy servants, and by Thy Command whereby the trumpet was blown and they that lay in their graves arose, to aid Thy loved ones to remember and praise Thee, and to protect them from the evil of Thy creatures. Moreover, I beseech Thee, O Lord of the worlds, Who hath appeared through the Most Great Name, to rend asunder the veils that have prevented Thy servants from turning unto Thee and drawing nigh unto Thy holy court. O Lord! Illumine their eyes to witness Thy signs and purify their ears to hearken unto Thy call. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Generous.

This evanescent servant hath ever mentioned, for God’s sake and His Countenance, that which would cause the people of justice and fairness to turn towards Him. However, it hath yielded no fruit for the transgressors and the treacherous. The fire of hatred burning in their hearts hath deprived heedless souls from beholding the light of oneness. In all circumstances, one must beseech God, exalted be His glory, for His grace, that perchance the people of the earth might be healed from their chronic and severe ailments and, purified from all that God loveth not, might set their faces toward the most exalted station and supreme summit. Verily, God is my Lord and the Lord of the heavens and earth. He is the Almighty, the Powerful.

Furthermore, it is submitted that that honored one and the friends of that land have ever been and continue to be mentioned in the Most Holy Court. The letter of that spiritual friend arrived previously, and some of the friends also submitted petitions to the Most Holy Court. Now, on this third day of Jamadiyu’th-Thani, having set out for the ultimate goal and supreme summit, after attaining the presence before the Face of Him Who conversed on Sinai […]

He is the One Who Rules over those on earth and in heaven

A mention from Us to the one who heard the Call and turned to the Most Exalted Horizon, that the remembrance and utterance may protect him from the intimations of the transgressors and the doubts of the opposers. We have remembered thee before with that whereby the luminary of proof hath shone forth from the horizon of possibility and the Herald proclaimed: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of the worlds!” The gate of heaven hath been opened, and the Lord of Names hath come, with the water of life at His right hand and the river of divine knowledge at His left, and behind Him a company of the near angels, while the Faithful Spirit crieth out before His face: “O people of the earth! Draw nigh, then hasten, and be not of the patient ones! Draw nigh with illumined hearts and take the cup of knowledge from the hands of bounty, then drink thereof in His Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous! Beware lest ye deprive yourselves of the outpourings of your Lord, the Most Generous, the All-Bountiful. Break the idols of self and desire, clinging to the cord of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” Say: “This is a Day whereon neither wealth nor children nor whatsoever the nations possess shall profit you.” The Ancient King beareth witness to this from His exalted station. There hath befallen the Wronged One in God’s path that which hath caused all things to lament, yet most of the people are heedless. They have cast aside their God and taken their vain imaginings as lords beside Him. They are indeed among the oppressors in the Book of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Say: “O concourse of the chosen ones! Take the Book of God with the power that is from Him, then aid the Wronged One with the hosts of wisdom and utterance.” Thus did We command you before and at this time. Say: “O people of the Furqan! Be fair concerning your Lord, the All-Merciful. If ye deny that which hath shone forth and appeared from the horizon of God’s Will, by what proof can ye establish that which ye possess? Bring it forth and be not of the wrongdoers! By God! That which was hidden from eternity of eternities hath appeared, and He Who was promised in God’s Books hath come, the Ancient of Days. Blessed is he who hath cast aside what the people possess, holding fast to the Handle of God, the Almighty, the Powerful. This is a Day wherein that which was with the Prophets and Messengers hath appeared, and this is a Day wherein the Mother Book speaketh. Blessed is he who hath turned and heard; he is indeed of the people of Baha in this noble station.” Say: “O people of the Bayan! Come ye, come ye, then draw near, draw near with what ye possess, and be not of those who hesitate. Be fair concerning God in this Most Great Announcement and follow not every heedless sinner. The ocean hath surged, the fragrance hath wafted, and the Lord of existence from the horizon of bounty calleth and saith: ‘O concourse of men! By God, the Greatest Scene hath appeared by the command of God, the Lord of Destiny, and every hidden matter hath come forth. Beware lest ye commit what the people of the Furqan committed when the All-Merciful came with manifest authority.’” Thus have We sent down the verses and manifested the evidences. Blessed is he who hath heard and said: “Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having guided me unto Thy straight path.”

O Murtada! We make mention of thee at this hour with that which surpasseth all the remembrances of the world and whatsoever the peoples possess, that thou mayest give thanks unto thy Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. We make mention, too, of My loved ones in that land and give them the glad-tidings of the tokens of My Pen and of that which hath been ordained for them in the Kingdom of God, the Almighty, the All-Praiseworthy. We counsel them with that which befitteth their kinship with God, the Peerless, the All-Informed, and with righteousness and the fear of God, and with that whereby the Word of God may be exalted amongst His servants. He, verily, is the Commander, the Omnipotent, the Almighty. The glory from Us be upon you and upon all who are steadfast and firm.

In eloquent speech thou hast heard the call of the Wronged One. Now hearken unto it in the language of light. Strive, that perchance thou mayest attain unto that which is everlasting and enduring. On this day the Sinai of Revelation calleth aloud, the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree is raised, and the Sun of Truth shineth resplendent. His verses have encompassed the world and His evidences have embraced all mankind. Blessed is the ear that hath been privileged to hear and the eye that hath been illumined by beholding. Glory be to God! The ocean of utterance surgeth before all faces, and the heaven of will is upraised and adorned with the stars of grace and bounty. Nevertheless, hearts remain veiled and souls despondent. The sword of unseemly deeds hath cut down the tree of hope, and reprehensible actions have become a barrier, preventing the eye from seeing and the heart from turning toward God.

Say: O people of the Furqan and people of the Bayan! The gate of bounty is opened wide and the path is manifest. Return ye unto God, for verily He is the Ever-Forgiving, the Generous. The remedy for all ailments hath ever been and still is repentance and return. Blessed are they who have succeeded in returning and have attained the word of acceptance from the Supreme Pen.

My Name Jamal, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, hath made mention of the loved ones of that land and hath beseeched favor for each one. We have heard his plea and have answered it, and all have been blessed with the tokens of the Supreme Pen. Well is it with them. We beseech God to sanctify His loved ones from whatsoever is unworthy of His Day, and to ordain for each one that which shall be the cause of eternal salvation. And finally, We send Our greetings to the faces of Our loved ones there. We beseech God to ordain for them the good of this world and the next. Verily, He hath power over all things.

Praise and gratitude be to God! The waves of the ocean of loving-kindness are evident in every word, and from the horizon of every letter the Sun of grace is dawning. A hundred thousand blessings be upon those souls who have attained the Most Great Bounty and have been illumined by the lights of the Day Star of the Ancient Lord. This servant mentions each of the loved ones and friends, conveys his greetings, and declares: Know your station and recognize the value of this Day. That which thought and fancy could never attain hath been made manifest. From all directions the lights of the Revelation are dawning, and from every quarter the mysteries of the Cause are evident and resplendent. This evanescent servant beseecheth God, exalted be His glory, to aid His loved ones to perform such deeds as are the cause of exaltation and elevation, and the source of progress and advancement. Should anyone meet Haji Muhammad-Taqi of ?ad, let him convey these few words: One day he was present in the Most Holy Court, and He said: “O servant present! Although loving-kindness and affection were shown by this Wronged One toward the aforementioned Haji, he hath done that which hath caused the denizens of the highest Paradise to lament and weep, and hath spoken that which hath grieved and saddened the essences of being. We beseech God to bestow upon him fairness and to illumine the world with the light of justice, that all may turn from fancy to certitude, and from tyranny to justice, and from oppression to equity.” Say: if this Cause be denied, what other cause would be worthy of proof or mention?

In truth, certain utterances have set aflame the hearts of those who stand in ranks and of the angels drawn nigh. Among these, that person has claimed this Cause is for extortion. Now observe, this servant shall mention certain matters so that person may tell whence cometh the extortion. First, the Truth Itself - may the spirit of all in the kingdom of command and creation be sacrificed for Him - from the beginning of the Cause was in the hands of enemies, and whatsoever He possessed was repeatedly plundered. Thrice was He cast into prison; yet another time spent four months in chains and fetters. Say: O thou who art devoid of justice! The Sovereign of this Revelation Who, with supreme steadfastness, hath arisen before the faces of all humanity and spoken in opposition to the deeds, actions and desires of the people of the world, surely had and hath no thought of self-preservation. From the earliest days until now He hath been afflicted in the hands of enemies. Where was His homeland, and where is ‘Akka, and where Adrianople? It is regrettable that man should sully with the dust of his own doubts and imaginings a Cause that shineth even as the sun in its brilliance and splendor. His Holiness Aqa Siyyid Isma’il-i-Zavariyi - upon him be all the most glorious glory and all the most luminous light - who sacrificed himself with his own hand, surely he would say it was for extortion. Say: Consider the martyrs in the land of ?ad who, despite their wealth, glory, bounty and exaltation, gave their lives in the path of the one true Friend. Reflect upon His Holiness Mulla ’Ali-Jan of Mazandaran - may the spirit of the world be sacrificed for him. The government wished to grant him a pension to turn away from the Truth. He said - may the spirit of the world be sacrificed for him: “Ten thousand tumans of my wealth have they plundered, and it hath gone in the path of Truth. I have no need of your wealth and riches. Attend to your own affairs.” Thereafter that sanctified soul was martyred with the most grievous torment. Say: Why dost thou not reflect upon His Holiness Badi’ - upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God - who truly, alone and single-handed, with the Most Holy and Most Mighty Tablet, struck the world, who stood before His Majesty the Sultan and his hosts, held aloft the divine Tablet and proclaimed: “I have come unto thee from the Most Great Announcement with a manifest Book.” According to his opinion and words, this surely was for extortion. Well was it said of old:

“Thou dost accuse those whom God

Hath made trustees of the seventh heaven’s store”

Say: Reflect upon the land of Zanjan and the martyrs of that land who, in the name of Truth, dawned from the horizon of the House and sacrificed their lives in His path. If ye were to count the martyrs of God, ye could not reckon them. Say: O ye who are bereft of justice! One sacrifice was mentioned aforetime and to this day his name is remembered from the pulpits, yet these holy souls whose detachment shone forth as bright as the sun, and to whom their pure lives were worth no more than a handful of dust in the path of this Most Great Announcement, are not mentioned by the transgressors. Justice is praiseworthy. God is witness and testifier that this servant’s purpose is to make the people aware and mindful. Were all that hath been heard from the Tongue of Grandeur regarding the words and deeds of the aforementioned Haji - that is, Haji Muhammad-Taqi - to be mentioned, it would cause the loved ones of God to weep and lament. These servants have ever been commanded to conceal. Verily our Lord is the Concealer, the Compassionate, the Generous. One of the divine Tablets lamenteth his oppression and presenteth before Him that which these servants are powerless to mention. This is not the first oppression inflicted upon the divine Tablet. Chosroes tore up the Tablet of the Seal of the Prophets, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake. Likewise did Walid, one of the Umayyad kings, tear up the Book of God, the Quran, and composed verses to this effect: “If on the Day of Resurrection God should ask who had torn thee to pieces, say: ‘Walid.’” And praise be to God, but a few days passed before he was afflicted. The aforementioned person hath said: “I made an intention and my purpose was to test, and since they made no mention of it, therefore I turned away.” These words of that heedless one are like unto the utterances of the idolaters of old, even as they said to the Seal of the Prophets, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake: “We will not believe unless thou causest streams to gush forth from the land of Yathrib and Batha, or unless thou producest a garden, or unless thou bringest forth a house of gold, or unless thou raisest the dead from the graves.” In brief, these objections have existed from time immemorial. This is not the first flask that hath been shattered for the sake of Truth. Say: O hapless one! In this Revelation all things have been made manifest. Go, read the Suriy-i-Ra’is and behold the other Tablets. Haji Ibrahim from the people of Qaf was also among the hypocrites. Before him he would profess belief in the Dawning-Place of vain imaginings, while before the friends he would profess belief in God, glorified be His majesty. Thus was he wavering between the two. He hath lost both this world and the next. This indeed is manifest loss. Now I beseech God to grant justice to His servants and not to deprive them of the adorning of equity. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. Since the purpose is to make the servants mindful, that perchance they may become aware and gain knowledge of the evident matters of the past and present, therefore mention is made of how Satan, in the form of man, said to Christ, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake: “If thou art the Spirit of God, command this stone to become bread.” The Spirit answered and said: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Most divine Books make mention of those who intended to test and try. The purpose was to make people aware that they might know their station and observe proper conduct. Likewise did Satan say a second time: “If thou be the Spirit of God, cast thyself down” and so forth. The purpose was that by way of objection he said if thou art the Spirit of God, cast thyself down from the roof that the angels might preserve thee. The Spirit of God said it is also written: “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

In truth, such objections have forever emanated from the people of hatred and rancor in the days of Divine Manifestation. However, this evanescent servant beseeches from the ocean of God’s bounty and generosity that He may guide him and not deprive him of the breathings of revelation. It is human nature to err and make mistakes, while it is divine nature to forgive and bestow. We hope that with the arm of trust in God he may rend asunder the veils of idle fancies and vain imaginings and turn toward the Dawning-Place of certitude. Today is the day of return and the day of forgiveness and favor. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

I convey greetings and salutations to the friends in that land, and I beseech for each one that which is conducive to the honor, exaltation, loftiness and elevation of His loved ones. Verily He is the Forgiver, He is the Concealer, He is the Ever-Relenting.

The matter concerning Haji occurred several years ago and until now remained concealed, and mention of it was withheld from pen and tongue that perchance he might become aware and return. But as days and nights passed and again there appeared from him that which was unseemly, therefore for the sake of God some matters were mentioned for remembrance and awareness. The servant beseeches his Lord to aid him to return and enable him to make amends for what escaped him in his days. Verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer.

Glory and remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those who have believed in God and His signs and have forsaken that which they were forbidden in His perspicuous Book. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

The Servant

3rd of Jamadi’th-Thani 1305

=== END BH00256 ===

=== START BH00257 ===

O Muhammad-Qabl-i-Mim, upon thee be the Glory of God, the Most Holy, the Most Impregnable, the Most Great! Thy letter hath reached Our presence, which thou didst send to Him Who calleth upon His Lord in the hunchbacked one, and toward him hath turned the gaze of Him Who is imprisoned in the path of God, the Lord of all names. Blessed art thou for the sweet savors of thy Master’s love that pass from thee and the fragrance of the garment of His Name, the Mighty, the Wise, that is diffused. Blessed are ye and blessed is your land which hath become the seat of the Most Great Throne, whereon sat the Ancient Beauty for numbered years, and blessed is its horizon wherefrom shone forth the Sun of His Name, the Self-Subsisting, with lights that illumined the heavens and the earth.

Know thou that I am in the two prisons through what the hands of the two parties have wrought, and there befalleth Me at every moment that which none can reckon save God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. Yet in this most grievous tribulation, We summon the peoples unto God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. The veils of all possibility cannot hinder Us; We speak forth the truth with most high proclamation between earth and heaven. Blessed are they that hear!

Remember on My behalf Ahmad who hath believed in God, the Lord of the Day of Mutual Calling. Blessed is he in that he hath fulfilled God’s Covenant and Testament and was of them that attained the lights of the Countenance when he appeared before the Throne in Iraq. We beseech God to strengthen him in all conditions and inspire him with that which will establish His Cause among His servants. O thou Name! Hold fast unto the Most Great Name, then speak with wisdom and utterance amongst the concourse of creation, that perchance they may recognize Him Who calleth them unto God, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. Say: From the horizon of tribulation He calleth you unto God - take ye heed, O people of vision! It behooveth every ignorant one to become aware and every person of understanding to take lesson from what hath come to pass in bygone ages, and to turn with illumined heart unto the Most Sublime Vision and say: “I have heard Thy call, O Thou the Wronged One, and have turned unto Thee, O Lord of all beings!” Blessed art thou for having arisen to serve the Cause of God and His love, and for having attained the presence of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

Make mention of him in such wise as to attract the hearts of the righteous. He will verily aid thee with the truth and assist thee with the hosts of the unseen. There is none other God but He, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. Let not the words of the deniers sadden thee, nor the oppression of the oppressors. God shall soon efface their traces and shall adorn the tablet of creation with your remembrance. Illumine the horizons with the light of thy Lord, then relate unto them the news of the Wronged One when He was afflicted among the wicked ones. The Glory be upon thee and upon those who have turned unto the Countenance with humility and contrition.

Then make mention of him who was named after him who spoke the truth: “Are diverse lords better, or God, the One, the All-Compelling?” Blessed is he who today calleth out among the nations through the Most Great Name and summoneth the concourse of creation unto God, the Creator of earth and heaven. He is indeed of them that have attained the lights of the Countenance and believed in God, the Peerless, the All-Informed. We make mention of him in the prison even as he remembereth Me, though My remembrance hath preceded all who remember. Blessed is he in that the Supreme Pen maketh mention of him and the gaze of his Lord, the Lord of Names, is directed towards him from this manifest horizon. Arise to serve the Cause through God’s might and power, with wisdom and utterance. Thus have We commanded thee before and in this wondrous Tablet. Rejoice in the verses that have been sent down unto thee while the Dayspring of clear proofs was imprisoned in the hands of the oppressors.

Then did He adorn him who was named ’Abdu’r with the ornament of the remembrance of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. Verily We have sent unto him the fragrances of verses from this luminous quarter, that joy might seize him in such wise that sorrows shall not overtake him in the days of his Lord, the All-Merciful, and that he might be among those who are firmly established. O servant! Remember the favor of God unto thee, how He caused thee to know His Self and made thee among the successful ones. His tongue moveth now in thy remembrance, and from His Pen floweth that which consoleth the eyes of the mystics. Glorify thy Lord with praise and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who hast remembered me and made me among those who have turned unto Thee.” Arise to remember thy Lord with such fire that when the waters of hatred from the malevolent ones are cast upon it, its flames grow fiercer and its roaring increaseth. Verily thy Lord changeth water into oil. He is indeed the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth. We beseech God to assist thee in His Cause and ordain for thee what He hath ordained for His sincere servants. Seize thou the worth of these days. By God! The eye of creation hath not seen their like. Say: “Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having caused me to know the Dawning-Place of Thy verses and the Dayspring of Thy lights, and for having made me among those who hold fast to Thy strong and mighty cord and Thy manifest and straight path.”

Then did He perfume him who was named Muhammad with the fragrance that wafteth from the Pen of Revelation from one mighty and generous. His name hath been inscribed in the Tablets, and his mention hath been revealed from the mouth of the Will of his Lord, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate. O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! Thy name hath been presented in the Prison, and this wise remembrance hath been revealed for thee. Turn not unto those who object today - they are a people who understand not. They have cast aside their God and taken their vain desires. They are indeed a people drowned. Arise amongst them with utmost steadfastness such that the idolaters might witness in thee the grandeur of God and His sovereignty. This beseemeth one who hath quaffed the wine of life from this cup that hath been unsealed by the finger of thy Lord’s will, the Almighty, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. Beware lest thou transgress the bounds of wisdom among creatures. Thus have We commanded Our servants in various tablets. Verily thy Lord doeth what He willeth through His word “Be” and it is.

Then remember Rajab from thy Lord and give him glad tidings of that which his Lord, the All-Merciful, hath revealed unto him through these verses that have shone forth from the horizon of the mouth of his Lord, the Mighty, the Chosen. We make mention of him who hath turned unto God after every idolatrous infidel turned away from Him. Blessed is he who entereth the sea and immerseth himself therein through this Name whereby God hath subdued the earth and the heavens. Say: O people! The Self-Subsisting hath come, bearing in His hand a cup of the living waters of Kawthar. Draw near, then drink in His Name, the Mighty, the Bountiful. Beware lest ye follow in the footsteps of those who have wronged, and follow every sinful deceiver. This is the path of God that hath appeared in truth, and this is His straight way that hath been established in justice, and this is His balance whereby what ye claim shall be weighed. He is indeed the All-Knowing, the Reckoner. Arise in unity to the Cause of your Lord, the Possessor of all creation. By My life! Through it shall the standards of victory be raised and the back of the wicked be broken. God shall soon seize those who have wronged, even as He seized those before them. Verily thy Lord is severe in punishment.

Then We make mention of another servant: O Muhammad! Hearken unto the Call from the Most Exalted Pen. Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Forgiving, the Merciful. I created mankind for My knowledge and gave them glad tidings of My days, but when the veil was rent asunder and the Lord of creation appeared, they denied God, the Most High, the Most Great. Say: Verily the eye was created for this Greatest Vision and sight for this Most Luminous Horizon, yet the people are in evident blindness. Those who turn away this Day are among the most abject. Blessed is he who hath arisen and remained steadfast in service to his Lord in these days wherein earthquakes have seized the tribes of the earth and the hearts of the deluded ones are perturbed. They say “We have believed in God” but when the proof came and the realm of possibility was illumined, they denied the All-Merciful. Verily they are among the refuted ones. Give thanks to thy Lord and say: “O my God! All praise be unto Thee for having directed toward me the glances of Thy grace and for having mentioned me when I was among the hands of the idolaters.”

Then mention from Our presence him who is named Daniel. Say: Be steadfast in the Cause and address the concourse of the Jews, saying: “By God! The Promised One hath come and now judgeth from the throne of David. Cast away what ye possess and take what hath been given you from God, the Mighty, the Loving.” This is the Day wherein the Sadratu’l-Muntaha proclaimeth: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the Forgiving.” Wert thou to turn toward the Mount, thou wouldst hear from it: “The Dawning-Place of Revelation hath come. He is in prison through what the hands of the unbelievers have wrought, they who denied God, the Mighty, the Praised.” By My life! Every rock and every stone thereof singeth in such melodies that were thou to hear them, thou wouldst soar with longing toward God, the Lord of the invisible and the visible. Arise to serve thy Lord and be steadfast in what He hath taught thee. Then remind those on whose faces thou beholdest the radiance of acceptance. Thus doth this Pen command thee, which speaketh the truth. Verily, He is the Mighty, the Beloved.

The heavens have been adorned with the ornament of verses and the earth hath been illumined by the lights of His Face that was and that shall be. Then make mention of him who entered the Most Great Prison and attained the presence of God, the Mighty, the Wise. Say: Remember when thou didst set out toward the Dawning-Place of thy Lord’s verses and didst travel from thy homeland, directing thyself toward the court of God, the Omnipotent, the Almighty. Then remember when thou didst enter the prison and wert blessed with the lights of His countenance and didst visit the Desired One and didst hear the call of thy Lord from the station wherein the Ancient Beauty was established upon the throne of His Most Great Name. Blessed art thou, O Muhammad, for having attained the presence of the Beloved and for being mentioned by the Praised One in this exalted station. We perceive the fragrance of thy love and make mention of thee in truth. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days.

Turn not toward that which thou desirest. Be content with what thy Lord hath ordained, for He ordaineth for His loved ones that which is best for them. Verily, He is the Protector of the sincere ones. We have forbidden the people from turning toward this direction. Whosoever moveth without My leave shall find himself in that which he loveth not. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Drink the wine of the mention of thy Lord’s name and be of the thankful ones. We make mention of the Trustworthy One, upon him be the glory of God, the Lord of the worlds. He is among those who fulfilled the Covenant of God and His testament, and who spoke the truth while in the hands of the oppressors. Blessed is he whom My mention reacheth and who prayeth for this lonely Wronged One. We have mentioned him before in an exalted Tablet. We beseech God to strengthen him in all conditions and to manifest through him that which shall spread abroad the mention of his Lord. This shall endure while all else shall perish, by My shining and luminous Beauty.

Then send My greetings to the loved ones of thy Lord who are in the land of Dal and give them the glad tidings of this exalted Remembrance. O loved ones of God in that place! Be not grieved at anything, for verily He is with you and maketh mention of you even when the hosts of the oppressors surrounded His dwelling place. Rejoice in the remembrance of God and be steadfast in His love in such wise that neither the words of those who have turned away nor the intimations of the deceived may cause you to waver. Gather ye together in the love of God and drink the choice wine of utterance in His Name, the One Who ruleth over all the worlds. Thus have We counselled you aforetime and in this Tablet. He, verily, is the Mighty, the All-Praised.

Make thou mention of him who dwelleth in the land of Taff that perchance there may appear therefrom one who will remember his Lord, the Mighty, the Bountiful. Although We behold it in great turmoil and confusion, make mention therein of Qanbar who hath turned towards the Most Great Scene - verily, he is of them that remember. Say: Blessed art thou for having attained unto the covenant of God and for having been remembered before His Presence. This, verily, is a manifest favor. We have not forgotten thee. He remembereth those who have turned unto Him. He, verily, is the Forgiving, the Merciful. Should thou find anyone there who standeth firm in the love of thy Lord, make mention of him on My behalf and convey unto him greetings from God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

We have turned towards two souls from among the concourse of the Son and make mention of them on this night wherein the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimeth: The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Mighty, the Beautiful. Convey My greetings unto them and give them the glad tidings of God’s bounty, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. Blessed are they for having accepted and hearkened and responded to Him Who calleth the servants unto God, the Master of the Day of Judgment.

O Muhammad-Qabl-Mim! Deliver unto those whose names thou hast mentioned in the Tablet of thy Lord, and after them convey My greetings unto My loved ones. Then recite unto them that which hath been sent down from the heaven of the mercy of their Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful. Say: O My loved ones! It behooveth you in this day to manifest the most great steadfastness in such wise that neither the turning away of those who have disbelieved nor the grunting of swine may cause you to stumble. Cast behind your backs what the people possess, turning unto the Lord of all mankind. Thus doth your Lord command you, the Ruler, the One Who willeth. Ye were created for this, did ye but know, and through this shall your glory be made manifest, were ye to understand.

Then make mention of him who hath turned towards the Countenance of thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Glorious, who was named Taha in the kingdom of names, that the breezes of revelation may attract him and draw him nigh unto God, the Mighty, the Wise. Blessed is he who hath turned to the Countenance. Woe unto those who have followed idols after the Days have come wherein the All-Merciful hath revealed Himself unto all who are in the heavens and on earth. Be thou steadfast in the Cause in such wise that every one who turneth unto thee may inhale from thee the sweet fragrances of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Praised. O concourse of ardent lovers! This is a Day wherein the Beloved calleth from the horizon of the Prison and summoneth you unto God, the Lord of all worlds.

Then make mention of Abdullah who attained Our presence. Say: Blessed art thou for having attained unto this Day wherein the atoms cry out “The Dayspring of verses hath come!”, yet the people remain in strange heedlessness. That which every people was promised in their Books hath appeared, and the Spirit proclaimeth in the vast wilderness: “The Beauty of Divine Unity hath established Himself in Akka. Hasten unto Him, O ye that await Him!” Say: This is not the day to tarry when ye hear the call of the All-Loving One. Turn with your hearts toward His sacred and mighty habitation. Say: Do ye not hear the cry of the Rock? It proclaimeth with loudest voice: “The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Almighty, the Powerful, the Mighty!” All things have been attracted by the fragrances of the All-Merciful. Beware lest anything in creation prevent you from this bounty that hath encompassed the worlds. Say: O concourse of the Son! I have never sworn before, but today I swear by His glorious and exalted Name and by the Beauty of the Beloved Who hath adorned the Kingdom on high with the ornament of His Most Great Name, and the Kingdom of heaven with His transcendent and peerless remembrance. Come forth from your temples out of love for God, your Creator, then make mention of Him amongst the servants through this Name by which the heaven was cleft asunder and the All-Bestowing came riding upon the clouds. This is better for you, did ye but know. Beware lest anything prevent you from Him Who hath come with the truth. Leave behind what ye possess and take what hath been sent down unto you from One All-Knowing, All-Informed. Beware lest ye be like those who make mention of God with their tongues, yet when the appointed time was fulfilled and the Dayspring of divine attributes appeared, they disbelieved in God, the Lord of this mighty Day. Rejoice in that thou hast been mentioned before the Throne, as the Ancient Beauty walketh and speaketh the verses of God, the Mighty, the Wise.

Then make mention of Sayfullah who turned toward the Countenance when it appeared from the exalted and luminous Dayspring of His Cause. Blessed is he for having attained the lights of revelation and turned toward the Dawning-Place of his Lord’s mercy, the Mighty, the Generous. Say: Be thou so steadfast that the hearts of the transgressors may quake because of thee - they who, when the veils were rent asunder, turned away, and when the verses were sent down, said: “These are but tales of the ancients.” Be thou as one rising from the horizon of thy Lord’s steadfastness and as a helper of His Cause, which hath made the skin of the corrupt to shiver. Rejoice in God’s remembrance of thee, and when thou attainest that which hath been sent down, turn with thy heart to the Qiblih of existence. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp is the kingdom of the heavens and earth. Thy other letter hath come before the Countenance wherein thou didst mention that thou hast left “M” and held fast to teaching thy Lord’s Cause, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. By My life! This is the essence of all matters and the best thereof, and it is indeed the most excellent of all deeds if thou restrict thy affairs to it, albeit with wisdom. Thus doth thy Lord, the All-Wise, ordain.

We glorify the loved ones of God who remember their Lord in Bushruyih and Isfahan, that they may rejoice in the glorification of God, the Mighty, the Invincible. Convey My glorification to them and to those in the villages who have stood firm in the Cause and are among the steadfast. We beseech God to assist all to turn toward His countenance and to ordain for every one who advances the good of this world and the next. Verily, He is the Protector of those who advance.

We counsel them to fear God in sincerity, for it is the ornament of His Cause between the heavens and the earth. Blessed is he who is adorned with this luminous ornament. Through it God’s Cause is exalted among His servants, and the detachment of His loved ones becomes manifest throughout the worlds. Through it souls find rest and hearts turn toward the Beloved. Blessed is he who holds fast to it. Woe to him who casts piety aside, turning to his passions - he is truly among the abased.

Counsel the servants with what hath been sent down from the Pen of Revelation, and be among the thankful. Grieve not over those on whose faces thou seest the dust of aversion. Leave them and all on earth to their vain imaginings, and hold fast to the remembrance of God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds.

Say: O handmaidens of God in that land! Blessed are ye for having turned unto God and turned away from those who denied the Dawning-Place of Revelation when He came with manifest light. Be steadfast in His love and His Cause. Nothing on earth can equal it. He is the All-Knowing, the All-Encompassing. We beseech God to assist you in what He loves and is pleased with, and to make you among those women who circle round the Throne throughout the duration of His dominion and kingdom. He is verily the Forgiving, the Generous.

Let not the calamities of the world grieve you. Remember My tribulations and what hath befallen Me in this Cause whereby the faces of the deniers were darkened. Ye are in your homes while the Lord of the House is in a mighty prison.

Convey the greetings of the Wronged One to Jinab-i-Faraj. God willing, may he at all times drink from the life-giving Kawthar of the Most Merciful and manifest such a state that those of insight may behold in his countenance the radiance of paradise. We beseech God to make him a light unto His loved ones and a fire unto His enemies, and We ask Him, exalted be He, to protect him from those who have denied the Faith and from their suggestions and insinuations.

Say: Praise be to the Beloved of the worlds that thou hast associated with this Wronged One for numbered years and hast become aware of His conditions. Follow what thou hast seen and known, and hearken not unto that which is unworthy to be heard. Trust in God in all matters. He will protect thee. He is the best of protectors. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

O Faraj! Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by the Manifestation of Thy Self, the Repository of Thy Cause, and the Dawning-Place of Thy verses, to make me firmly established beneath the shade of the Tree of Thy oneness. Then protect me from the enemies of Thy Self who have transgressed against Thee when Thou didst come to them with authority from Thee and proof from Thy presence. O Lord! Aid me in Thy love and Thy good-pleasure in such wise that I may be content with what Thou hast ordained for me and may follow what Thou hast revealed in Thy Tablets. Then make me among those who have arisen to aid Thy Cause amidst Thy creatures to such a degree that the Concourse on High hath testified to their assistance and the dwellers of the cities of names have been illumined by them. O Lord! Make me wholly detached unto Thee and looking toward the horizon of Thy bounty. Then send down for me that which will profit me in this world and the next. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Supreme, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

=== END BH00257 ===

=== START BH00258 ===

These are the verses of God which have descended in truth from the direction of the right hand of the Throne. God hath made them guidance and remembrance for all the worlds. Through them the gates of Paradise have been opened and the Kawthar of life hath flowed from the spring of My Name, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate, that Our servants might drink therefrom - they who have detached themselves from all who are in the heavens and the earth and have turned with their hearts to this luminous and radiant horizon.

O people of the Bayan! Be not as the people of the Furqan, and deny not the verses of God, His proof, His testimony and His signs. Deprive not yourselves of this bounty which hath appeared with all goodness and which draweth all created things from every direction that they may turn to the countenance of the Beloved in this wondrous garment. Fear God and exchange not the favor of God for that which ye possess. Then open your eyes and judge fairly concerning Him Who hath appeared in truth with manifest sovereignty, with the Sadratu’l-Muntaha proceeding at His right hand, and the Tree of Sinai at His left, and before Him the hosts of God’s revelation, the Sovereign, the Powerful, the Exalted, the Wise.

Beware, O people, be not content with a mere handful of brackish water, but hasten to God’s Most Great Ocean which surgeth within itself, by itself, for itself. Through one of its waves appeared the kingdom of names and attributes, and through another wave appeared every firm and wise decree. Raise up the pavilion of detachment upon the shore of this mighty sea and turn not to mere pools. If ye are heedless of God in this Revelation which hath appeared with all signs - yet hath Our mercy ever preceded all things - We shall not close the gates of heaven in your faces, and We shall feed you purely for the sake of My luminous, holy, inaccessible, transcendent and radiant countenance. We desire no recompense from you - My reward is only with Him Who created Me, fashioned Me, and sent Me to all created things. We have appointed for you a time; when that time is fulfilled and ye have not turned to God, He will seize you from every direction and will send upon you the breezes of chastisement from all quarters - and indeed severe is the chastisement of thy Lord.

O people! Rend asunder the veils of idle fancy, then turn your faces toward your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Be not among the losers who worship the idols of their own selves and desires, and who turn away from Him Who created them and nourished them by the hands of His transcendent and all-encompassing power.

O Joseph! Hearken to the call of God from this Youth Who speaketh in all things that He is God - there is no God but Me, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate. When these verses of God reach thee in this scroll which the servant present before the Throne hath written, then wash as thou hast been commanded in the Book, then take it in thy hands and place it upon thy head, then read it and ponder it that thou mayest attain unto what hath been treasured within it of the mysteries of God, the Powerful, the Transcendent, the All-Knowing, the Wise. By My life! If thou wouldst purify thyself from the love of all save God thy Lord, God would open before the face of thy heart the gates of meaning and utterance, and would teach thee such wondrous knowledge as would make thee independent of all besides Me. Indeed His favor upon thee is great if thou remainest steadfast in His Cause, detached from all else, and if thou remindest the people of this Most Great, Most Glorious, and Mighty Announcement.

Know then that there hath come before the Divine Throne thy letter wherein thou didst make mention of thyself, and toward which were directed the glances of thy Lord, the Lord of all worlds. Therein didst thou ask that which befitteth neither thy station nor the station of any in the heavens and earth. Dost thou question Him by Whose command all that was and shall be hath appeared? Him Who created all things by His word “Be,” and it was, if thou be of them that understand? Wouldst thou associate the mention of thy Lord with the mention of any other? By God! This is a sin with which no sin in the heavens and earth can compare, and My Soul, the Truth, beareth witness unto what I say. Dost thou question Him Who by a single movement of His Pen raised up the Prophets and Messengers, asking if thou art who thou art, after having penned these words with thine own fingers? By God! This is indeed a heedlessness that hath seized thee and veiled thee from this resplendent and glorious Scene. Doth it beseem anyone to ask what thou hast asked of Him Who is manifest above all things and standeth over every soul, before Whose countenance the suns of the former and latter generations are darkened? Beware, beware, O servant, lest thou be of them that have doubted the Cause of God after He hath appeared in the fullness of His manifestation and concealment, and before the threshold of Whose gate stand the temples of them that are nigh and sincere. Wouldst thou doubt this Sun before Whose countenance all other suns bow down in adoration, before Whose presence all lords humble themselves, to Whose sovereignty all the chosen ones submit, by Whose will all the loved ones are attracted, and by Whose firm and binding command all things move? Beware, beware! Purify thy heart from all the allusions of the people, and leave behind the world and its remembrance and all that hath been created therein, that there might be imprinted upon thy heart’s countenance the lights of this Sun that hath dawned from the horizon of eternity with manifest and mighty splendor. Sufficeth it not what We have sent down unto thee of verses aforetime and dispatched unto thee, and what thou hast witnessed of God’s manifestation and sovereignty, and what thou hast heard of His power that hath encompassed all existence from first to last? Sufficeth it not those verses that have filled the east and west of the earth? By God! If thou wouldst behold with the eye of native insight, thou wouldst witness their evidences in all things and be of them that are assured. Reflect within thyself: by what proof didst thou believe in God’s Messengers of old, and then in ’Ali before Nabil? By God! O thou who gazest upon the Countenance, there hath appeared that which hath never appeared in creation, whereunto every atom beareth witness, yet the people, being veiled, are kept back from this Countenance and are in manifest error. Turn thou unto God Who created thee and fashioned thee, regarding that wherein thou didst associate His mention with the mention of any of His servants whom He created by His word. Thus doth thy Lord command thee out of love for thee, that thou mayest be of them that act. Know thou that We loved thee before, and therefore do We inform thee in these words that thou mayest remember within thyself and be possessed of clear vision, and recognize the Cause of thy Lord, for through His recognition are souls purified from the defilement of every obstinate polytheist. Know thou moreover that all thou hast heard regarding this Cause hath appeared by My leave, but We concealed it out of wisdom from Us and bestowed the Name upon another as a command from Us, for verily We are powerful over all things. By this means did We test his soul and the souls of the servants, and when he became assured within himself that We had elevated the Cause and […]

The breezes of glory have wafted from the direction of Our Cause. He emerged from behind the veil and ruled against the Self of God, the All-Protecting, the Mighty, the Powerful, though the hosts of revelation and inspiration prevented him. When he witnessed his own powerlessness, by God, he took up the pen and fabricated against Me that which the pen is ashamed to recount. Whosoever possesses understanding less than a hair’s breadth will recognize his station by what flowed from his pen, then his falsehood, then the grandeur of this mighty, irrevocable Cause. Be thou not veiled by these veils. Look to the root of the Cause and what hath appeared from the holy precincts from this manifest, radiant, mighty, all-knowing Beauty. Guard thyself lest the tempests of trials cause thee to slip, or the storms of tests make thee stumble, that thou mayest remain steadfast in thy Lord’s Cause. Thus have We remembered thee, inspired thee, commanded thee and taught thee, that thou mayest rejoice within thyself and remember this Prisoner Who hath fallen into this deep pit. Glory be upon thee, that thou mayest be steadfast in thy Lord’s Cause and upon those who love thee and hearken to thy words in remembrance of thy Lord, the Most High, the Mighty, the Great.

The Tongue of God speaketh these words in Persian: O Joseph! My proof was complete and perfected unto all who are in the heavens and earth before I made Myself known, for it was manifested through such revelations and evident through such conditions that none had cause to hesitate or turn away. Consider the peoples of the past, how they were debarred from the shore of the sea of oneness and forbidden the eternal glory of beauty. If thou observest with penetrating vision, thou wilt perceive that all were prevented from the fountainhead of divine bounty by veils of words, allusions of fancy, and temporal indications. In the Days of God, when the Divine Beauty shineth like the sun in the midst of heaven, all remain veiled by imaginary veils, although in every Tablet they were admonished to cling to naught that hath been created between the heavens and earth at the time of His manifestation, but to fix their gaze upon the root of the Cause and upon that which appeareth therefrom. Nevertheless, all have strayed from the straight path and made the recognition of Truth - which hath ever been sanctified above all else - dependent upon the acceptance or rejection of His servants. Fie upon them! Then destruction be upon them for desiring to know God through aught else than Him, for this shall never be possible, inasmuch as that Ancient Being hath been known through His Own Self, and every known thing hath become known through that which hath flowed from the Pen of His Command amongst His servants. Exalted be His station above being known through any save Him, for whatsoever is besides Him is but a creation like unto thyself.

Today all who dwell in the heavens and on earth are witnessed in a single plane before God. Whosoever has detached himself from all else save Him and has soared to the heavens of recognition of His Being is and shall ever be accounted among His chosen ones and His loved ones, though he be unknown to any soul. Likewise, he who turns away is recorded as the most abject of creatures before God, even should he be counted among the leaders of men. For the Truth, exalted be His mention, has had and shall have no connection or relationship with any created thing. All have been brought into being on an equal plane through the breath of His Command. These degrees of highness and lowness, of elevation and abasement, have appeared within the souls of the servants themselves after the utterance of the Word. Whosoever, upon hearing the Divine Word, is blessed to respond with “yea” is reckoned among the denizens of the highest heaven, among those confirmed, and the dwellers of the Most Glorious Paradise; all others are accounted among the people of the fire and the lowest depths. Therefore, today whosoever would associate himself with the Tree of the Cause must detach himself from all who dwell in the heavens and on earth, and with a pure heart, a sanctified soul and an illumined mind, turn to the Most Great Vision. Should anyone desire to know the Truth, glorified be His grandeur, through aught else beside Him, he shall never succeed nor attain such knowledge, for all else besides Him are confined within created limitations and are brought into being through the Will that creates, and the Pre-existent Essence can never be known through that which is created and limited, nor shall it ever be. Hearken unto the divine counsels and the holy celestial melodies, and from the left hand of fancy and conjecture turn to the right hand of certitude. Observe with thine own eyes the Divine Manifestations and the celestial holy conditions. Cleanse thine eye from worthless allusions that thou mayest witness the manifestations of mighty Oneness in all things. Purify thine ear from the words of the people that thou mayest hear the holy divine melodies from all directions. Sanctify thy heart from the allusions of previous words that thou mayest comprehend the allusions of the wondrous newly-revealed words and attain to the holy eternal spring and the incomparable wine. This is the counsel of the Ancient Beauty to that servant.

And regarding what you asked about the beginning and end, resurrection and dispersion, the path and paradise and fire - all are truth wherein there is no doubt. The perceptive believer beholds these stations and ranks with both inner and outer eyes at all times, for not for a moment is one deprived of grace or barred from any matter. If you soar in the heavens of divine grace, you will witness in every moment all that comes to pass, both past and future, for His grace has never been and never will be confined to one thing over another. However, the divine purpose behind resurrection, dispersion, paradise, fire and similar references mentioned in the divine tablets pertains specifically to the time of Manifestation. For instance, observe how at the time of Manifestation, the Tongue of God utters a Word, and from that Word issuing from His mouth becomes manifest paradise and fire, resurrection and dispersion, the path and all that you have asked about and have not asked about. Whosoever becomes certain of that Word has crossed the path and attained the paradise of divine good-pleasure, and likewise is gathered among the company of those near to God, the chosen ones, and is recorded with God among the people of paradise and the exalted ones, and is established among those who affirm. And whosoever turns away from the Word of God abides in the fire and is among those who deny, the debased ones, gathered in the shadow of the idolaters. Such are the appearances of these stations that become manifest through a single Word at the time of Manifestation. However, those souls who have succeeded in attaining God’s good-pleasure and His Cause shall, after their spirits depart from their bodies, attain in the other world the reward of these deeds. For what is visible in this world has no capacity beyond this, though all divine worlds have and will ever revolve around this world. Yet in every world something is ordained and decreed for each soul. And think not that what is mentioned in the Book of God is vain - exalted is He above this! I swear by the Sun of the horizon of inner meanings that God has and will have paradises beyond compare. But in this first life, what is meant by paradise is His good-pleasure and entry into His Cause. And after the believers ascend from this world, they enter incomparable paradises and partake of boundless blessings, which are the fruits of their deeds in this world. Do you not observe that when one of His servants serves another and bears hardship for him, he receives his reward and compensation? How then could the All-Bountiful command His servants to follow His ordinances and then deprive His servants of His mercy? Glory be unto Him, glory be unto Him! Exalted, exalted is He above what His servants imagine concerning Him! In any case, today all these stations are visible. Therefore, blessed is the state of the soul that attains the Most Glorious Paradise which has been and will ever be the highest of paradises. And if pure ears and […]

Wert thou to witness His consummate wisdom, verily the wondrous bounties of God would be mentioned, that all might become detached and purified from whatsoever they have understood, recognized and observed, and turn their faces toward the Most Great and Most Pure Horizon. But what profit is there, when these servants, despite the education bestowed by the Primal Point - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake - have not progressed from the stage of a clot to that of a lump of flesh, much less attained the stage of being clothed in flesh, and other stations that have never been mentioned. Alas for those who have changed God’s favor upon themselves, and through whose existence the heaven of meanings hath been prevented from its manifestations and conditions. Thus do thou witness the state of these people and be of them that bear witness.

In brief, paradise and hellfire in this outward life have been and shall ever be acceptance and rejection. After the ascension of the spirit to paradises beyond compare, and likewise to hellfire beyond similitude - which are the fruits of the deeds of the one who accepteth and the one who rejecteth - they shall attain thereunto. However, none save God hath comprehended or shall comprehend those stations. For the believer, stations have been created surpassing all that hath been heard of God’s wondrous bounties ordained in the paradises of transcendent glory, and likewise for the one who turneth away, beyond what hath been heard of eternal and imperishable torments. We thus bear witness that the Bridge hath been raised in truth, that the Balance hath been set up with justice, that the Manifestations have been gathered and the Revelations have emerged, that the Trump hath been sounded and the Trumpet blown, that the Fire hath been kindled and Paradise brought nigh, that the Caller hath called out, that the heavens have been folded up and the earth spread out, that the breezes of God have wafted and the Spirit of God sent forth, that the Maids of Paradise have adorned themselves and the youths have beautified themselves, that the mansions have been made real and the chambers adorned with jewels, that the waters have flowed and the fruits brought low, that the fruits have been gathered and the verses sent down, that the deeds of those who turned away have been effaced and the acts of those who accepted have been established, that the Preserved Tablet hath appeared in truth and the Written Book hath spoken through grace, and that the Purpose of creation and the Beloved of invention, the Worshipped One of all in earth and heaven, hath appeared in the temple of the Youth. Thereupon the tongues of all things proclaim: “Blessed be God, the most excellent of creators!”

O My servant, O Joseph! Hearken unto the divine melodies and compare not this Day to any other day, nor the most wondrous and sweetest utterances to other words. Behold with thine own eyes the outward matters and rely not on anyone in recognizing the Most Great Luminary.

And today it is incumbent upon all the loved ones of God not to be remiss for a moment in teaching the Cause of the Manifestation, and at all times to summon the people to the fountain of divine unity through goodly exhortations and gentle words. For if anyone today becomes the cause of guiding another soul, the reward of a martyr in the path of God shall be recorded in his book of deeds by the Pen of the Command. Such is the bounty of thy Lord concerning His teaching servants. Act thou according to what thou art bidden and be not of the patient ones. And the glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee, if thou remainest steadfast in this Most Great, this mighty Cause.

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O King of Paris! Tell the priests to ring the bells no longer. By God, the True One! The Most Mighty Bell hath appeared in the form of Him Who is the Most Great Name, and the fingers of the Will of Thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most High, toll it out in the heaven of Immortality in His name, the All-Glorious. Thus have the mighty verses of Thy Lord been again sent down unto thee, that thou mayest arise to remember God, the Creator of earth and heaven, in these days when all the tribes of the earth have mourned, and the foundations of the cities have trembled, and the dust of irreligion hath enwrapped all men, except such as God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, was pleased to spare. Say: He Who is the Unconstrained is come, in the clouds of light, that He may quicken the world with the breezes of His name, the Most Merciful, and unite its peoples, and gather all men around this Table which hath been sent down from heaven. Beware that ye deny not the favour of God after it hath been sent down unto you. Better is this for you than that which ye possess; for that which is yours perisheth, whilst that which is with God endureth. He, in truth, ordaineth what He pleaseth. Verily, the breezes of forgiveness have been wafted from the direction of your Lord, the God of Mercy; whoso turneth thereunto shall be cleansed of his sins, and of all pain and sickness. Happy the man that hath turned towards them, and woe betide him that hath turned aside.

Wert thou to incline thine inner ear unto all created things, thou wouldst hear: “The Ancient of Days is come in His great glory!” Everything celebrateth the praise of its Lord. Some have known God and remember Him; others remember Him, yet know Him not. Thus have We set down Our decree in a perspicuous Tablet.

Give ear, O King, unto the Voice that calleth from the Fire which burneth in this verdant Tree, on this Sinai which hath been raised above the hallowed and snow-white Spot, beyond the Everlasting City; “Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful!” We, in truth, have sent Him Whom We aided with the Holy Spirit that He may announce unto you this Light that hath shone forth from the horizon of the Will of your Lord, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, and Whose signs have been revealed in the West. Set your faces towards Him on this Day which God hath exalted above all other days, and whereon the All-Merciful hath shed the splendour of His effulgent glory upon all who are in heaven and all who are on earth. Arise thou to serve God and help His Cause. He, verily, will assist thee with the hosts of the seen and unseen, and will set thee king over all that whereon the sun riseth. Thy Lord, in truth, is the All-Powerful, the Almighty. The breezes of the Most Merciful have passed over all created things; happy the man that hath discovered their fragrance, and set himself towards them with a sound heart. Attire thy temple with the ornament of My Name, and thy tongue with remembrance of Me, and thine heart with love for Me, the Almighty, the Most High. We have desired for thee naught except that which is better for thee than what thou dost possess and all the treasures of the earth. Thy Lord, verily, is knowing, informed of all. Arise, in My Name, amongst My servants, and say: “O ye peoples of the earth! Turn yourselves towards Him Who hath turned towards you. He, verily, is the Face of God amongst you, and His Testimony and His Guide unto you. He hath come to you with signs which none can produce.” The voice of the Burning Bush is raised in the midmost heart of the world, and the Holy Spirit calleth aloud among the nations: “Lo, the Desired One is come with manifest dominion!”

The breezes of the Most Merciful have passed over all created things; happy the man that hath discovered their fragrance, and set himself towards them with a sound heart. Attire thy temple with the ornament of My Name, and thy tongue with remembrance of Me, and thine heart with love for Me, the Almighty, the Most High. We have desired for thee naught except that which is better for thee than what thou dost possess and all the treasures of the earth. Thy Lord, verily, is knowing, informed of all. Arise, in My Name, amongst My servants, and say: “O ye peoples of the earth! Turn yourselves towards Him Who hath turned towards you. He, verily, is the Face of God amongst you, and His Testimony and His Guide unto you. He hath come to you with signs which none can produce.” The voice of the Burning Bush is raised in the midmost heart of the world, and the Holy Spirit calleth aloud among the nations: “Lo, the Desired One is come with manifest dominion!”

O King! The stars of the heaven of knowledge have fallen, they who seek to establish the truth of My Cause through the things they possess, and who make mention of God in My Name. And yet, when I came unto them in My glory, they turned aside. They, indeed, are of the fallen. This is, truly, that which the Spirit of God hath announced, when He came with truth unto you, He with Whom the Jewish doctors disputed, till at last they perpetrated what hath made the Holy Spirit to lament, and the tears of them that have near access to God to flow. Consider how a Pharisee who had worshipped God for seventy years repudiated the Son when He appeared, whereas one who had committed adultery gained admittance into the Kingdom. Thus doth the Pen admonish thee as bidden by the Eternal King, that thou mayest be apprised of what came to pass aforetime and be reckoned in this day among them that truly believe.

Say: O concourse of monks! Seclude not yourselves in your churches and cloisters. Come ye out of them by My leave, and busy, then, yourselves with what will profit you and others. Thus commandeth you He Who is the Lord of the Day of Reckoning. Seclude yourselves in the stronghold of My love. This, truly, is the seclusion that befitteth you, could ye but know it. He that secludeth himself in his house is indeed as one dead. It behoveth man to show forth that which will benefit mankind. He that bringeth forth no fruit is fit for the fire. Thus admonisheth you your Lord; He, verily, is the Mighty, the Bountiful. Enter ye into wedlock, that after you another may arise in your stead. We, verily, have forbidden you lechery, and not that which is conducive to fidelity. Have ye clung unto the promptings of your nature, and cast behind your backs the statutes of God? Fear ye God, and be not of the foolish. But for man, who, on My earth, would remember Me, and how could My attributes and My names be revealed? Reflect, and be not of them that have shut themselves out as by a veil from Him, and were of those that are fast asleep. He that married not could find no place wherein to abide, nor where to lay His head, by reason of what the hands of the treacherous had wrought. His holiness consisted not in the things ye have believed and imagined, but rather in the things which belong unto Us. Ask, that ye may be made aware of His station which hath been exalted above the vain imaginings of all the peoples of the earth. Blessed are they that understand.

O King! We heard the words thou didst utter in answer to the Czar of Russia, concerning the decision made regarding the war. Thy Lord, verily, knoweth, is informed of all. Thou didst say: “I lay asleep upon my couch, when the cry of the oppressed, who were drowned in the Black Sea, wakened me.” This is what We heard thee say, and, verily, thy Lord is witness unto what I say. We testify that that which wakened thee was not their cry but the promptings of thine own passions, for We tested thee, and found thee wanting. Comprehend the meaning of My words, and be thou of the discerning. It is not Our wish to address thee words of condemnation, out of regard for the dignity We conferred upon thee in this mortal life. We, verily, have chosen courtesy, and made it the true mark of such as are nigh unto Him. Courtesy is, in truth, a raiment which fitteth all men, whether young or old. Well is it with him that adorneth his temple therewith, and woe unto him who is deprived of this great bounty. Hadst thou been sincere in thy words, thou wouldst have not cast behind thy back the Book of God, when it was sent unto thee by Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Wise. We have proved thee through it, and found thee other than that which thou didst profess. Arise, and make amends for that which escaped thee. Erelong the world and all that thou possessest will perish, and the kingdom will remain unto God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy fathers of old. It behoveth thee not to conduct thine affairs according to the dictates of thy desires. Fear the sighs of this Wronged One, and shield Him from the darts of such as act unjustly.

For what thou hast done, thy kingdom shall be thrown into confusion, and thine empire shall pass from thine hands, as a punishment for that which thou hast wrought. Then wilt thou know how thou hast plainly erred. Commotions shall seize all the people in that land, unless thou arisest to help this Cause, and followest Him Who is the Spirit of God in this, the Straight Path. Hath thy pomp made thee proud? By My Life! It shall not endure; nay, it shall soon pass away, unless thou holdest fast by this firm Cord. We see abasement hastening after thee, whilst thou art of those who are fast asleep. It behoveth thee when thou hearest His Voice calling from the seat of glory to cast away all that thou possessest, and cry out: “Here am I, O Lord of all that is in heaven and all that is on earth!”

O King! We were in ’Iraq, when the hour of parting arrived. At the bidding of the King of Islam We set Our steps in his direction. Upon Our arrival, there befell Us at the hands of the malicious that which the books of the world can never adequately recount. Thereupon the inmates of Paradise, and they that dwell within the retreats of holiness, lamented; and yet the people are wrapped in a thick veil! Say: Do ye cavil at Him Who hath come unto you bearing the clear evidence of God and His proof, the testimony of God and His signs? These things are not from Himself; nay, rather they proceed from the One Who hath raised Him up, sent Him forth through the power of truth, and made Him to be a lamp unto all mankind.

More grievous became Our plight from day to day, nay, from hour to hour, until they took Us forth from Our prison and made Us, with glaring injustice, enter the Most Great Prison. And if anyone ask them: “For what crime were they imprisoned?”, they would answer and say: “They, verily, sought to supplant the Faith with a new religion!” If that which is ancient be what ye prefer, wherefore, then, have ye discarded that which hath been set down in the Torah and the Evangel? Clear it up, O men! By My life! There is no place for you to flee to in this day. If this be My crime, then Muhammad, the Apostle of God, committed it before Me, and before Him He Who was the Spirit of God, and yet earlier He Who conversed with God. And if My sin be this, that I have exalted the Word of God and revealed His Cause, then indeed am I the greatest of sinners! Such a sin I will not barter for the kingdoms of earth and heaven.

Upon Our arrival at this Prison, We purposed to transmit to the kings the messages of their Lord, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Though We have transmitted to them, in several Tablets, that which We were commanded, yet We do it once again as a token of God’s grace. Perchance they may recognize the Lord, Who hath come down in the clouds with manifest sovereignty.

As My tribulations multiplied, so did My love for God and for His Cause increase, in such wise that all that befell Me from the hosts of the wayward was powerless to deter Me from My purpose. Should they hide Me away in the depths of the earth, yet would they find Me riding aloft on the clouds, and calling out unto God, the Lord of strength and of might. I have offered Myself up in the way of God, and I yearn after tribulations in My love for Him, and for the sake of His good pleasure. Unto this bear witness the woes which now afflict Me, the like of which no other man hath suffered. Every single hair of Mine head calleth out that which the Burning Bush uttered on Sinai, and each vein of My body invoketh God and saith: “O would I had been severed in Thy path, so that the world might be quickened, and all its peoples be united!” Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Know of a truth that your subjects are God’s trust amongst you. Watch ye, therefore, over them as ye watch over your own selves. Beware that ye allow not wolves to become the shepherds of the fold, or pride and conceit to deter you from turning unto the poor and the desolate. Wert thou to quaff the mystic Wine of everlasting life from the chalice of the words of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, thou wouldst be enabled to forsake all that thou dost possess and to proclaim My Name before all mankind. Cleanse then thy soul with the waters of detachment. Verily, this is the Remembrance that hath shone forth above the horizon of creation, which shall purge thy soul from the dross of the world. Abandon thy palaces to the people of the graves, and thine empire to whosoever desireth it, and turn, then, unto the Kingdom. This, verily, is what God hath chosen for thee, wert thou of them that turn unto Him. They that have failed to turn unto the Countenance of God in this Revelation are indeed bereft of life. They move as bidden by their own selfish desires, and are in truth accounted among the dead. Shouldst thou desire to bear the weight of thy dominion, bear it then to aid the Cause of thy Lord. Glorified be this station which whoever attaineth thereunto hath attained unto all good that proceedeth from Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Arise thou, in My name, above the horizon of renunciation, and set, then, thy face towards the Kingdom, at the bidding of thy Lord, the Lord of strength and of might. Through the power of My sovereignty stand before the inhabitants of the world and say: “O people! The Day is come, and the fragrances of God have been wafted over the whole of creation. They that have turned away from His Face are the helpless victims of their corrupt inclinations. They are indeed of them that have gone astray.”

Adorn the body of thy kingdom with the raiment of My name, and arise, then, to teach My Cause. Better is this for thee than that which thou possessest. God will, thereby, exalt thy name among all the kings. Potent is He over all things. Walk thou amongst men in the name of God, and by the power of His might, that thou mayest show forth His signs amidst the peoples of the earth. Burn thou brightly with the flame of this undying Fire which the All-Merciful hath ignited in the midmost heart of creation, that through thee the heat of His love may be kindled within the hearts of His favoured ones. Follow in My way and enrapture the hearts of men through remembrance of Me, the Almighty, the Most Exalted.

Say: He from whom, in this day, the sweet savours of the remembrance of his Lord, the All-Merciful, have not been diffused, is indeed unworthy of the station of man. He, verily, is of them that have followed their own desires, and shall erelong find himself in grievous loss. Doth it behove you to relate yourselves to Him Who is the God of mercy, and yet commit the things which the Evil One hath committed? Nay, by the Beauty of Him Who is the All-Glorified! could ye but know it. Purge your hearts from love of the world, and your tongues from calumny, and your limbs from whatsoever may withhold you from drawing nigh unto God, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Say: By the world is meant that which turneth you aside from Him Who is the Dawning-Place of Revelation, and inclineth you unto that which is unprofitable unto you. Verily, the thing that deterreth you, in this day, from God is worldliness in its essence. Eschew it, and approach the Most Sublime Vision, this shining and resplendent Seat. Blessed is he who alloweth nothing whatsoever to intervene between him and his Lord. No harm, assuredly, can befall him if he partaketh with justice of the benefits of this world, inasmuch as We have created all things for such of Our servants as truly believe in God.

Should your words, O people, be at variance with your deeds, what then shall distinguish you from those who profess their faith in the Lord, their God, and yet, when He came down to them overshadowed with clouds, rejected Him and waxed proud before God, the Incomparable, the Omniscient? Shed not the blood of anyone, O people, neither judge ye anyone unjustly. Thus have ye been commanded by Him Who knoweth, Who is informed of all. They that commit disorders in the land after it hath been well ordered, these indeed have outstepped the bounds that have been set in the Book. Wretched shall be the abode of the transgressors!

God hath prescribed unto everyone the duty of teaching His Cause. Whoever ariseth to discharge this duty, must needs, ere he proclaimeth His Message, adorn himself with the ornament of an upright and praiseworthy character, so that his words may attract the hearts of such as are receptive to his call. Without it, he can never hope to influence his hearers. Thus doth God instruct you. He, verily, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate.

They who exhort others unto justice, while themselves committing iniquity, stand accused of falsehood by the inmates of the Kingdom and by those who circle round the throne of their Lord, the Almighty, the Beneficent, for that which their tongues have uttered. Commit not, O people, that which dishonoureth your name and the fair name of the Cause of God amongst men. Beware lest ye approach that which your minds abhor. Fear God and follow not in the footsteps of them that are gone astray. Deal not treacherously with the substance of your neighbour. Be ye trustworthy on earth, and withhold not from the poor the things given unto you by God through His grace. He, verily, will bestow upon you the double of what ye possess. He, in truth, is the All-Bounteous, the Most Generous.

Say: We have ordained that our Cause be taught through the power of utterance. Beware lest ye dispute idly with anyone. Whoso ariseth wholly for the sake of his Lord to teach His Cause, the Holy Spirit shall strengthen him and inspire him with that which will illumine the heart of the world, how much more the hearts of those who seek Him. O people of Baha! Subdue the citadels of men’s hearts with the swords of wisdom and of utterance. They that dispute, as prompted by their desires, are indeed wrapped in a palpable veil. Say: The sword of wisdom is hotter than summer heat, and sharper than blades of steel, if ye do but understand. Draw it forth in My name and through the power of My might, and conquer then with it the cities of the hearts of them that have secluded themselves in the stronghold of their corrupt desires. Thus biddeth you the Pen of the All-Glorious, whilst seated beneath the swords of the wayward.

If ye become aware of a sin committed by another, conceal it, that God may conceal your own sin. He, verily, is the Concealer, the Lord of grace abounding. O ye rich ones on earth! If ye encounter one who is poor, treat him not disdainfully. Reflect upon that whereof ye were created. Every one of you was created of a sorry germ. It behoveth you to observe truthfulness, whereby your temples shall be adorned, your names uplifted, your stations exalted amidst men, and a mighty recompense assured for you before God.

Give ear, O peoples of the earth, unto that which the Pen of the Lord of all nations commandeth you. Know ye of a certainty that the Dispensations of the past have attained their highest, their final consummation in the Law that hath branched out from this Most Great Ocean. Haste ye thereunto at Our behest. We, verily, ordain as We please. Regard ye the world as a man’s body, which is afflicted with divers ailments, and the recovery of which dependeth upon the harmonizing of all of its component elements. Gather ye around that which We have prescribed unto you, and walk not in the ways of such as create dissension.

All feasts have attained their consummation in the two Most Great Festivals, and in two other Festivals that fall on the twin days–the first of the Most Great Festivals being those days whereon God shed the effulgent glory of His most excellent Names upon all who are in heaven and on earth, and the second being that day on which We raised up the One Who announced unto the people the glad-tidings of this Great Announcement. Thus hath it been set down in the Book by Him Who is the Mighty, the Powerful. On other than these four consummate days, engage ye in your daily occupations, and withhold yourselves not from the pursuit of your trades and crafts. Thus hath the command been issued and the law gone forth from Him Who is your Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Say: O concourse of priests and monks! Eat ye of that which God hath made lawful unto you and do not shun meat. God hath, as a token of His grace, granted you leave to partake thereof save during a brief period. He, verily, is the Mighty, the Beneficent. Forsake all that ye possess and hold fast unto that which God hath purposed. This is that which profiteth you, if ye be of them that comprehend. We have ordained a fast of nineteen days in the most temperate of the seasons, and have in this resplendent and luminous Dispensation relieved you from more than this. Thus have We set forth and made clear unto you that which ye are bidden to observe, that ye may follow the commandments of God and be united in that which the Almighty, the All-Wise, hath appointed unto you. He Who is your Lord, the All-Merciful, cherisheth in His heart the desire of beholding the entire human race as one soul and one body. Haste ye to win your share of God’s good grace and mercy in this Day that eclipseth all other created Days. How great the felicity that awaiteth the man that forsaketh all he hath in a desire to obtain the things of God! Such a man, We testify, is among God’s blessed ones.

O King! Bear thou witness unto that which God hath Himself and for Himself borne witness ere the creation of earth and heaven, that there is none other God but Me, the One, the Single, the Most Exalted, the Incomparable, the Inaccessible. Arise with the utmost steadfastness in the Cause of thy Lord, the All-Glorious. Thus hast thou been instructed in this wondrous Tablet. We, verily, have desired naught for thee save that which is better for thee than all that is on earth. Unto this testify all created things and beyond them this perspicuous Book.

Meditate on the world and the state of its people. He, for Whose sake the world was called into being, hath been imprisoned in the most desolate of cities, by reason of that which the hands of the wayward have wrought. From the horizon of His prison-city He summoneth mankind unto the Dayspring of God, the Exalted, the Great. Exultest thou over the treasures thou dost possess, knowing they shall perish? Rejoicest thou in that thou rulest a span of earth, when the whole world, in the estimation of the people of Baha, is worth as much as the black in the eye of a dead ant? Abandon it unto such as have set their affections upon it, and turn thou unto Him Who is the Desire of the world. Whither are gone the proud and their palaces? Gaze thou into their tombs, that thou mayest profit by this example, inasmuch as We made it a lesson unto every beholder. Were the breezes of Revelation to seize thee, thou wouldst flee the world, and turn unto the Kingdom, and wouldst expend all thou possessest, that thou mayest draw nigh unto this sublime Vision.

We behold the generality of mankind worshipping names and exposing themselves, as thou dost witness, to dire perils in the mere hope of perpetuating their names, whilst every perceiving soul testifieth that after death one’s name shall avail him nothing except insofar as it beareth a relationship unto God, the Almighty, the All-Praised. Thus have their vain imaginings taken hold of them in requital for that which their hands have wrought. Consider the pettiness of men’s minds. They seek with utmost exertion that which profiteth them not, and yet wert thou to ask of them: “Is there any advantage in that which ye desire?”, thou wouldst find them sorely perplexed. Were a fair-minded soul to be found, he would reply: “Nay, by the Lord of the worlds!” Such is the condition of the people and of that which they possess. Leave them in their folly and turn thy sight unto God. This is in truth that which beseemeth thee. Hearken then unto the counsel of thy Lord, and say: Lauded art Thou, O God of all who are in heaven and on earth!

=== END BH00259 ===

=== START BH00260 ===

In His name, the All-Glorious!

Hearken, O Chief, to the voice of God, the Sovereign, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. He, verily, calleth aloud between heaven and earth, summoning all mankind unto the scene of transcendent glory. Neither thy grunting, nor the barking of those around thee, nor the opposition of the hosts of the world can withhold the Almighty from achieving His purpose. The whole world hath been set ablaze by the Word of thy Lord, the All-Glorious, a Word softer than the morning breeze. It hath been manifested in the form of the human temple, and through it God hath quickened the souls of the sincere among His servants. In its inner essence, this Word is the living water by which God hath purified the hearts of such as have turned unto Him and forgotten every other mention, and through which He draweth them nigh unto the seat of His mighty Name. We have sprinkled it upon the people of the graves, and lo, they have risen up, with their gaze fixed upon the shining and resplendent Beauty of their Lord.

Thou hast, O Chief, committed that which hath caused Muhammad, the Apostle of God, to lament in the most sublime Paradise. The world hath made thee proud, so much so that thou hast turned away from the Face through whose brightness the Concourse on high hath been illumined. Soon thou shalt find thyself in manifest loss! Thou didst conspire with the Persian Ambassador to harm Me, though I had come unto you from the source of majesty and grandeur with a Revelation that hath solaced the eyes of the favoured ones of God.

By God! This is the Day wherein the undying Fire crieth out from within all created things: “The Best-Beloved of the worlds is come!” And before all things there standeth a Moses, hearkening to the Word of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Knowing. Were We to divest Ourself of the mortal raiment which We have worn in consideration of your weakness, all that are in heaven and on earth would offer up their souls for My sake. To this thy Lord Himself doth testify. None, however, can perceive it save those who have detached themselves from all things for love of their Lord, the Almighty, the Most Powerful.

Hast thou imagined thyself capable of extinguishing the fire which God hath kindled in the heart of creation? Nay, by Him Who is the Eternal Truth, couldst thou but know it. Rather, on account of what thy hands have wrought, it blazed higher and burned more fiercely. Erelong will it encompass the earth and all that dwell therein. Thus hath it been decreed by God, and the powers of earth and heaven are unable to thwart His purpose.

The day is approaching when the Land of Mystery and what is beside it shall be changed, and shall pass out of the hands of the King, and commotions shall appear, and the voice of lamentation shall be raised, and the evidences of mischief shall be revealed on all sides, and confusion shall spread by reason of that which hath befallen these captives at the hands of the hosts of oppression. The course of things shall be altered, and conditions shall wax so grievous, that the very sands on the desolate hills will moan, and the trees on the mountain will weep, and blood will flow out of all things. Then wilt thou behold the people in sore distress.

O Chief! We revealed Ourself unto thee at one time upon Mount Tina, and at another time upon Mount Zayta, and yet again in this hallowed Spot. Following, however, thy corrupt inclinations, thou didst fail to respond and wert accounted with the heedless. Consider, then, and call thou to mind the time when Muhammad came with clear tokens from Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Knowing. The people were wont to pelt Him with stones from hidden places and in the markets, and they rejected the signs of God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers. The learned also denied Him, as did their followers, and likewise the kings of the earth, as thou hast heard from the tales of old. Among those kings was Chosroes, to whom Muhammad sent a blessed epistle summoning him unto God and forbidding him from misbelief. Verily, thy Lord knoweth all things. Following the promptings of his evil and corrupt desires, however, Chosroes waxed arrogant before God and tore up the Tablet. He, verily, is accounted among the inmates of the nethermost fire.

Was it in Pharaoh’s power to stay the hand of God from exercising His sovereignty when he acted wantonly in the land and was of the transgressors? From within his own house and in spite of his will We brought forth Him Who conversed with God. Well able are We to achieve Our purpose. Recall, moreover, how Nimrod kindled the fire of impiety that its flames might consume Abraham, the Friend of God; We delivered Him, however, through the power of truth and seized Nimrod with the fury of Our wrath. Say: The Oppressor put to death the Beloved of the worlds to quench the light of God amongst the people and to debar them from the wellspring of life eternal in the days of thy Lord, the Gracious, the Most Bountiful.

We, too, have revealed the Cause of God in His cities and raised aloft His remembrance amidst them that truly believe in Him. Say: This Youth hath come to quicken the world and unite all its peoples. The day is approaching when that which God hath purposed will have prevailed and thou shalt behold the earth transformed into the all-glorious paradise. Thus hath it been inscribed by the Pen of Revelation upon this weighty Tablet.

Forsake Thy mention of the Chief, O Pen, and call to remembrance Anis, that intimate of the love of God who severed himself from the wayward and the infidel. He tore the veils asunder in such wise that the inmates of Paradise could hear them being rent. Glorified be God, the Sovereign, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O nightingale! Incline thine ear unto the voice of the All-Glorious on this night when armed troops have surrounded Us while We remain in a state of utmost joy. O would that our blood might be shed upon the earth and our bodies cast upon the dust in the path of God! This, indeed, is My desire and the desire of whosoever hath sought Me and attained unto My most wondrous, Mine incomparable Kingdom.

Know thou, O servant, that one day, upon awakening, We found the beloved of God at the mercy of Our adversaries. Sentinels were posted at every gate and no one was permitted to enter or leave. Indeed, they perpetrated a sore injustice, for the loved ones of God and His kindred were left on the first night without food. Such was the fate of those for whose sake the world and all that is therein have been created. Woe betide the perpetrators and those who led them into such evil! Erelong will God consume their souls in the fire. He, verily, is the fiercest of avengers.

The people surrounded the house, and Muslims and Christians wept over Us, and the voice of lamentation was upraised between earth and heaven by reason of what the hands of the oppressors had wrought. We perceived that the weeping of the people of the Son exceeded the weeping of others–a sign for such as ponder.

One of My companions offered up his life, cutting his throat with his own hands for the love of God, an act unheard of in bygone centuries and which God hath set apart for this Revelation as an evidence of the power of His might. He, verily, is the Unconstrained, the All-Subduing. As for the one who thus slew himself in ’Iraq, he truly is the King and Beloved of Martyrs, and that which he evinced was a testimony from God unto the peoples of the earth. Such souls have been influenced by the Word of God, have tasted the sweetness of His remembrance, and are so transported by the breezes of reunion that they have detached themselves from all that dwell on earth and turned unto the Divine Countenance with faces beaming with light. And though they have committed an act which God hath forbidden, He hath nevertheless forgiven them as a token of His mercy. He, verily, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Compassionate. So enraptured were these souls by Him Who is the All-Compelling that the reins of volition slipped from their grasp, until at last they ascended to the dwelling of the Unseen and entered the presence of God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing.

Say: This Youth hath departed out of this country and deposited beneath every tree and every stone a trust, which God will erelong bring forth through the power of truth. Thus hath the True One come and the command of Him Who is the Ordainer, the All-Wise, been fulfilled. The hosts of earth and heaven are powerless to resist His Cause, nor can all the kings and rulers of the world ever frustrate His purpose. Say: Adversity is the oil which feedeth the flame of this Lamp and by which its light is increased, did ye but know. Indeed, the repudiation of the froward serveth but to proclaim this Faith and to spread the Cause of God and His Revelation throughout the world.

Great is your blessedness, inasmuch as ye have forsaken your homes and wandered the land for the love of your Lord, the Almighty, the Ancient of Days, until ye entered the Land of Mystery at a time when the fire of oppression was ablaze and the croaking of the raven of discord had been raised. Ye are My partners in My tribulations, for ye were present with Us during the darksome night in which the hearts of those who testify to the unity of God were agitated. Ye entered this land for the sake of Our love, and departed therefrom through Our command. By the righteousness of God! Because of you the earth itself glorieth over heaven. How excellent is this most sublime, this glorious and exalted bounty! Ye have been deprived of your nest, O birds of eternity, for the sake of your Lord, the Unconstrained, but your true abode is beneath the wings of the grace of the All-Merciful. Blessed are they that understand.

O My Dhabi?! May the breaths of the spirit waft upon thee and upon such as have sought communion with thee, inhaled from thee the sweet fragrance of My presence, and hearkened unto that whereby the hearts of the true seekers are sanctified. Render thanks unto God inasmuch as thou hast attained unto the shores of this Most Great Ocean, and give ear to the very atoms of the earth proclaiming: “This is the Best-Beloved of the worlds!” The dwellers of the earth have wronged Him and failed to recognize the One Whose name they ceaselessly invoke. Lost are such as have remained heedless and have opposed Him for Whose loved ones it would have behoved them to offer up their lives, how much more for His own luminous and resplendent Beauty!

Be thou patient, though thy heart be consumed in its separation from God, for He hath granted thee an exalted station in His presence. Nay, thou art even now standing before His face, and We are imparting unto thee, through the tongue of might and power, such words as even the ears of the sincere ones have been deprived of hearing. Say: Were He to utter but one word, that word alone would exceed in sweetness all the sayings of men.

Had Muhammad, the Apostle of God, attained this Day, He would have exclaimed: “I have truly recognized Thee, O Thou the Desire of the Divine Messengers!” Had Abraham attained it, He too, falling prostrate upon the ground, and in the utmost lowliness before the Lord thy God, would have cried: “Mine heart is filled with peace, O Thou Lord of all that is in heaven and on earth! I testify that Thou hast unveiled before mine eyes all the glory of Thy power and the full majesty of Thy law! I bear witness, moreover, that through Thy Revelation the hearts of the faithful are well assured and contented.” Had Moses Himself attained it, He, likewise, would have raised His voice saying: “All praise be to Thee for having lifted upon me the light of Thy countenance and enrolled me among them that have been privileged to behold Thy face!”

Consider the people and their condition. Reflect upon the things that their mouths have uttered and that their hands have wrought in this blessed, this most holy and peerless Day. They that have tarnished the good name of the Cause of God and turned unto the Evil One are accursed of all created things and are numbered among the inmates of the fire. Verily, whosoever hath hearkened to My call shall remain unperturbed by the clamour of all that are on earth; and whosoever is influenced by the words of anyone beside Me hath never heard My call. By God! Such a man is deprived of entering My Kingdom, is debarred from My realms of majesty and power, and is of them that are in utter loss.

Sorrow not for that which hath befallen thee. Thou hast borne for My love that which most people have never endured. Thy Lord knoweth and is informed of all. He was with thee in the assemblages and gatherings, and heard that which flowed from the wellspring of thy heart in remembrance of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. This, indeed, is a token of His bountiful favour.

Erelong will God raise up from among the kings one who will aid His loved ones. He, verily, encompasseth all things. He will instill in the hearts the love of His loved ones. This, indeed, is irrevocably decreed by One Who is the Almighty, the Beneficent.

We beseech God to gladden the hearts of His servants through thy call, to make thee an ensign of guidance in His lands, and to assist through thee those who have been brought low. Heed not the one who raised a loud clamour and he who raiseth it even now. Let thy Lord, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous, be all-sufficient unto thee. Relate unto My loved ones that which thou hast seen and learned of the tale of this Youth, and convey unto them that which We have imparted unto thee. Verily, thy Lord assisteth and watcheth over thee at all times and under all conditions. The blessings of the Concourse on high surround thee, and the kindred and the leaves of the holy family who circle round the celestial Tree extol thee with a wondrous praise.

O Pen of Revelation! Call Thou to remembrance him whose letter reached Us during this darksome night. He it is who wandered from region to region until he entered the City, seeking the shelter of the mercy of his Lord, the Almighty, the Most High. Eagerly awaiting the favours of his Lord, he dwelt therein for a night, but departed therefrom the following morning as bidden by God, filling with sorrow the heart of this Youth. To this the Almighty is Himself a witness.

Great is thy blessedness, for thou hast received the wine of utterance from the hand of the All-Merciful, and became so enraptured by the sweet fragrance of the Best-Beloved as to renounce thy comfort and to be numbered with them that have hastened unto His Paradise, the Dawning-Place of the signs of thy Lord, the Gracious, the Peerless. Happy the one who hath quaffed the wine of inner mysteries from the countenance of his Lord and been intoxicated by this pure and crystal draught. By God! It causeth every true believer to soar in the heaven of majesty and grandeur, and transmuteth every doubt into certainty.

Grieve not at what hath befallen thee, but put thy whole trust in God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the Wise. Raise thy house upon the solid foundation of divine utterances, and give praise to thy Lord. He, verily, shall suffice thee above all the peoples of the earth.

God hath, in truth, inscribed your names upon a Tablet wherein are enshrined the hidden secrets of all that hath been. Erelong shall the faithful call to remembrance your exile and all your journeys in His path. He, verily, loveth those who love Him, and is the helper of the sincere. By the righteousness of God! The eyes of the Concourse on high are fixed upon you and their fingers point towards you. Thus doth the bounty of your Lord encompass you. Would that the people might recognize that which hath escaped them in the days of God, the All-Glorious, the All-Praised.

Render thanks unto God for having aided thee to know Him and to enter within the precincts of His court at a time when the ungodly surrounded the family of thy Lord and His loved ones, and expelled them from their homes with manifest cruelty, intending to separate us at the shore of the sea. Verily, thy Lord is aware of that which lieth concealed within the breasts of the unbelievers. Say: Even should ye tear our bodies asunder, ye could not banish from our hearts the love of God. We were of a truth created for sacrifice, and in this do we take pride before all creation.

O thou who art set aglow with the fire of the love of God! Know thou that thy letter hath reached Us and that We have been apprised of its contents. We beseech God to confirm thee in His love and in His good pleasure, to assist thee in the promotion of His Cause, and to number thee with such as have arisen for the triumph of His Faith.

As to thy question regarding the soul: Know thou that among the people there are numerous treatises and manifold views as to its stations. Among these are the soul of the kingdom, the soul of the dominion, the celestial soul, the divine soul, the sanctified soul, as well as the benevolent soul, the contented soul, the soul pleasing unto God, the inspired soul, the irascible soul, and the concupiscent soul. Every group hath its own pronouncements concerning the soul and We are disinclined to dwell upon the sayings of the past. Verily, with thy Lord is the knowledge of the former and latter generations.

Would that thou wert present before Our throne to hear from the Tongue of Grandeur itself that which thou desirest and scale the loftiest heights of knowledge by the grace of Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise! The ungodly, however, have intervened between us. Take heed lest thou be grieved thereby. Be content with that which hath been ordained by an irrevocable decree, and be of them that endure with patience.

Know that the soul which is common to all men cometh forth following the commingling of things and after their maturation, as thou dost observe in the germ: once it hath developed to its predestined stage, God manifesteth the soul that was latent within it. Thy Lord, verily, doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth.

As to the soul which is intended, in truth it hath been called forth by the Word of God and is such that, if it be kindled with the fire of the love of its Lord, neither the waters of opposition nor the oceans of the world can quench its flame. That soul is indeed a fire ablaze in the tree of man which proclaimeth: “No God is there but Him!” Whosoever hearkeneth unto its call is verily of those who have attained unto Him. And when it casteth off its earthly frame, God shall raise it up again in the most excellent of forms and cause it to enter a sublime paradise. Thy Lord, of a certainty, hath power over all things.

Know, furthermore, that the life of man proceedeth from the spirit, and the spirit turneth to wheresoever the soul directeth it. Ponder upon that which We have revealed unto thee that thou mayest recognize the Soul of God which hath appeared above the Dayspring of bounty invested with manifest sovereignty.

Know also that the soul is endowed with two wings: should it soar in the atmosphere of love and contentment, then it will be related to the All-Merciful. And should it fly in the atmosphere of self and desire, then it will pertain to the Evil One; may God shield and protect us and protect you therefrom, O ye who perceive! Should the soul become ignited with the fire of the love of God, it is called benevolent and pleasing unto God, but should it be consumed with the fire of passion, it is known as the concupiscent soul. Thus have We expounded this subject for thee that thou mayest obtain a clear understanding.

O Pen of the Most High! Recount unto him who hath turned unto Thy Lord, the All-Glorious, that which shall enable him to dispense with the sayings of men. Say: Spirit, mind, soul, and the powers of sight and hearing are but one single reality which hath manifold expressions owing to the diversity of its instruments. As thou dost observe, man’s power to comprehend, move, speak, hear, and see all derive from this sign of his Lord within him. It is single in its essence, yet manifold through the diversity of its instruments. This, verily, is a certain truth. For example, if it directeth its attention to the means of hearing, then hearing and its attributes become manifest. Likewise, if it directeth itself to the means of vision, a different effect and attribute appear. Reflect upon this subject that thou mayest comprehend the true meaning of what hath been intended, find thyself independent of the sayings of the people, and be of them that are well assured. In like manner, when this sign of God turneth towards the brain, the head, and such means, the powers of the mind and the soul are manifested. Thy Lord, verily, is potent to do whatsoever He pleaseth.

All that We have mentioned here hath been elucidated in the Tablets We have revealed in response to questions regarding the disconnected letters of the Qur’an. Ponder them that thou mayest comprehend that which hath been sent down from the Kingdom of Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Praised. Thus have We chosen to be concise in this Tablet. We beseech God to acquaint thee through this brief exposition with that which words can never hope to exhaust, and to give thee to drink of the limitless oceans from this cup. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Bountiful and unassailable in His power.

O Pen of the Ancient of Days! Call Thou to remembrance ’Ali, he who sojourned with Thee in ’Iraq until the Daystar of the world departed therefrom. He forsook his home to attain the court of Thy presence at a time when We were captive in the hands of such as have been deprived of the sweet savours of the All-Merciful. Grieve not at what hath befallen Us and thee in the path of God. Rest assured and persevere. He, verily, rendereth victorious those who love Him, and His might is equal to all things. Whoso turneth unto Him brighteneth thereby the faces of the Concourse on high, and unto this God Himself is My witness.

Say: O people, do ye imagine that, after rejecting the One through Whom the religions of the world have been made manifest, ye still bear allegiance to the Faith of God? By the righteousness of God! Ye are accounted among the inmates of the Fire. Thus hath the decree been recorded in the Tablets by the Pen of God. Say: Never will the barking of dogs deter the Nightingale from warbling its melodies. Ponder awhile that perchance ye may discover a path leading to the Eternal Truth.

Say: Magnified art Thou, O Lord my God! I entreat Thee by the tears Thy lovers have shed in their longing after Thee, and by the yearning of those who cry out in their separation from Thee, and by Thy Best-Beloved Who hath fallen into the hands of Thine adversaries, to graciously assist those who have sought refuge beneath the sheltering wings of Thy favour and loving-kindness, and who have yearned for no other Lord except Thee.

We have forsaken our homes, O Lord, in our eagerness to meet Thee and in our longing to be united with Thee. We have traversed land and sea to attain the court of Thy presence and to give ear to Thy verses. When we arrived at the shores of the sea, however, we were held back from Thee, as the ungodly intervened between us and the light of Thy countenance.

O Lord! Dire thirst hath seized us, and with Thee are the soft-flowing waters of eternal life. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Deny us not the object of our quest. Write down then for us the recompense decreed for such of Thy servants as enjoy near access to Thee and are wholly devoted to Thy will. Make us so steadfast in Thy love that naught shall keep us back from Thee or deter us from Thine adoration. Powerful art Thou to do Thy pleasure. Thou, verily, art the Almighty, the Most Generous.

=== END BH00260 ===

=== START BH00261 ===

In the name of our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted and Most Glorious Lord!

Praise, glorification, remembrance and splendor befit those champions in the arena of meaning and utterance, whom neither the clamor of the polytheists, nor the tumult of the deniers, nor the croaking of men and the roaring of their mighty ones could debar from the light of attainment. With complete steadfastness they remain firm and steadfast in the Cause of God. They are the dawning-places of victory and exposition, and the daysprings of power and knowledge. They heard and responded; they saw and exclaimed: “Praise be unto Thee, O God of the world!” The veils of the world did not prevent them, nor did they remain deprived of the supreme horizon. The divine Books, both of the past and present, speak of their mention and celebrate their praise.

Glory be unto Thee, O Lord of the House, Who hath raised its pillars, illumined its walls, made manifest its traces, and revealed its fruits! I beseech Thee by the rustling of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, by the lights of Thy countenance from the supreme horizon, and by the treasuries of Thy mysteries in Thy Name that is sanctified above all names, to assist Thy loved ones to be steadfast in Thy Cause and to arise to serve Thee. O Lord! Aid them through Thy power, might and sovereignty; then strengthen them through Thy mercy, loving-kindness and bounties. Thou art He before Whose verses all verses bow down, before Whose light all lights pale, before Whose Book all books humble themselves, before Whose Manifestation all manifestations submit, before Whose rising all risings yield, and before Whose ocean all seas diminish. Through clear proof hath been established Thy power and might, O Lord of creation and Sovereign of men and spirits. There is none other God but Thee, the Strong, the Mighty, and the One worthy to answer.

Thereafter, the letter from that honored one arrived, bringing joy and gladness, bestowing delight. After its reading and review, turning toward the supreme horizon, all of it attained the honor of being heard before the Presence. His blessed and exalted Word states: In truth, the Supreme Pen is bewildered, for it is observed that the souls of the world were not and are not worthy to hearken to the divine words and to behold the lights of the Countenance of the Self-Subsisting. People who through ages and centuries have been reared in vain imaginings were not and will not be worthy to witness the lights of the Sun of certitude. Until now, the people of the Bayan have not perceived the fragrance of the Day of God, nor have they become aware of the hidden mysteries in the blessed word “He doeth whatsoever He willeth.” They have not attained even a drop of this ocean. Blindly and ignorantly they run about and speak. At times they mention the alteration of the Bayan, and at other times they speak of other matters. They have contrived calumnies that perchance they might thereby conceal the lights of the Sun of the supreme horizon. In truth, they are seen to be the most lost among the parties of the world. We beseech the Truth to protect His party in those regions and vicinities from the evil of devilish souls. Verily, He is powerful over all things. Convey My greetings to the friends in that land and give them the glad-tidings of the favors of God, exalted be His glory. Perchance through the fragrance of the mention of the All-Merciful they may attain unto steadfastness and assurance. Verily, We remember them and give them glad-tidings of God’s grace, the Lord of the worlds. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist them with the hosts of the seen and the unseen, and to draw them nigh unto Him. Verily, He is the Hearer, the Answerer. The splendor shining forth from the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon those who have aided the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds.

Praise be to God - the radiant Light, the wafting Fragrance, the manifest Appearance, and the Speaker of Sinai’s Voice. Today is the day of bounty and bestowal, and the time of grace and meeting. Blessed are they who have attained to that which hath been revealed from the Supreme Pen in God’s Book. The friends of that land have been and are, praise be to God, beneath the glances of the favor of our Beloved and the Beloved of all who are in earth and heaven, and each hath been mentioned by the Supreme Pen. I beseech God to make them all steadfast in this Most Great Cause with such steadfastness as shall cause the people of the world to turn and remain firm.

Concerning what was written about the Rights of God (Huququ’llah), truly much trouble hath been caused to your honor. After it was presented before the Most Holy and Exalted Presence, He said that the benefits of charitable deeds return to the souls themselves, and in these matters the utterance of a single word sufficeth. Whosoever payeth it with the utmost joy and radiance, with submission and contentment, it is acceptable before God; otherwise, He verily is independent of all worlds. Blessed art thou, O Muhammad-Qabli-’Ali, in that thou hast been steadfast, speaking and turning toward God, the Lord of the worlds. Blessed are the souls who have attained to that which is recorded and inscribed in God’s Book. All must act according to what God hath willed, for whatsoever hath been revealed in the Book from the Supreme Pen hath been and is the cause of purification, sanctification, holiness, blessing and bounty. Blessed are they who have attained. However, regarding the mention of the Rights of God, let them be content with one word, and for the sake of God utter that word and no more. Insistence is not necessary, for God doth not wish that any strain should fall upon the souls who are engaged in service. Verily He is the Forgiving, the Merciful, the Bountiful, the Generous.

Those souls who have been and are successful in paying the Rights of God, whom your honor hath mentioned, have all been blessed with God’s mention, glorified be His majesty. No good deed hath been or will be lost. All good deeds are treasures preserved with God for their doers. Blessed is the servant, whether man or woman, who hath acted in the path of God, our Lord and the Lord of the worlds.

Concerning what was written about Muhammad-Hasan and his wife, upon them be the glory of God, after presentation He said: “Excellent is what thou hast done, O Muhammad-Qabli-’Ali, and excellent is what they both have done in God’s path. The Rights of God should be paid when possible and with the utmost joy and radiance. Those who lack the means are adorned with the ornament of God’s pardon.”

Such verses have been revealed and sent down from the Supreme Pen. In all conditions one must look to the glory of the Cause. This is most important and most beloved in the sight of God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of the mighty throne. Praise be to God, the aforementioned one and the handmaiden of God his wife and two leaves, upon them be the glory of God, have all been adorned with the ornament of divine mention. The grace from God, the Exalted, the Great, hath encompassed them. Their letter was also accepted. This is yet another bounty. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous.

Concerning what thou didst write previously about Mulla Muhammad-Rafi’, upon him be the glory of God, and his petition - it was presented before the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence and was honored to be heard, and these decisive verses were revealed from the heaven of special favor for him. His word, exalted be His utterance and mighty His proof:

In My Name, the Hearer, the Answerer […]

O Rafi’! Upon thee be My glory! Know thou with manifest certitude that every soul that hath turned outwardly and inwardly toward the Most Exalted Horizon, and hath faced the lights of His Countenance, hath been and shall ever be blessed with the remembrance of God, exalted be His glory. They that have turned unto Him have ever been and shall ever remain beneath the glance of His grace. In this station, which is the station of pure bounty, neither veils nor clouds have been or shall be interposed. He heareth and answereth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Blessed are they whom the veils and allusions of men have not debarred from the Lord of destiny nor deprived thereof. We beseech God to adorn His people with the ornament of supreme steadfastness. He, verily, is powerful over all things and mighty.

As for the mention of Muhammad Hasan, upon him be the glory of God, and his missive, and Muhammad ’Ali, upon him be the glory of God, and his missive, and likewise Aqa Muhammad ’Ali the son of thy maternal uncle and his missive, and Muhammad Hasan and Haji Isma’il, and likewise the mention of the sons of thy maternal aunt, upon them be the glory of God - all have been mentioned at the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court and have attained the remembrance of the Desired One of all worlds. Praise and gratitude be unto Him. Each hath partaken of the Kawthar of the utterance of the All-Merciful and been mentioned in the Most Exalted Horizon. This evanescent servant beseecheth God and imploreth Him to strengthen them to perform such deeds as shall endure in their fragrance throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. He is the Compassionate, He is the Bountiful. There is none other God but Him, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

All that was sent before and after hath been received. Praise be to God Who hath enabled them, assisted them, and guided them to His manifest and straight Path.

Regarding what they wrote seeking permission to turn to other directions for charitable works, after this matter was submitted to the Most Holy Court, this supreme utterance was revealed from the Most Exalted Horizon: “O Muhammad ’Ali! The people of God must all strive to exalt the Word of God, but wisdom must be observed in all conditions. As for the Huququ’llah, mentioning it once sufficeth, and that in general terms. Whosoever achieveth its payment according to what hath been revealed in the Book hath attained. Ask God to assist His servants to act in accordance with that which conduceth to the good of this world and the next. This is what God hath decreed in His mighty and impregnable Book. This Day is God’s Day, and the exaltation of His Cause hath precedence. Verily, He ordaineth what benefiteth the people, and He is the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful.”

In these stations there hath been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen that which every person of sensitivity perceiveth the fragrance of bounty and riches therefrom, and the benefit of what was mentioned returneth unto the servants themselves. To this testifieth every discerning doer of good deeds.

Concerning what thou didst write about the construction of the bath-house, God willing, may all in those regions be assisted to achieve what hath been revealed in the Divine Book.

As for what was written regarding the handmaiden of God, the wife of Aqa Muhammad Hasan, upon both of them be the glory of God, that she hath confined herself to serving the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar - these matters were submitted before His presence. This is what the Tongue of Grandeur spoke, blessed and exalted be His words: “We make mention of Our handmaiden who hath believed in God and His signs, and hath attained to serving the House built in His name, the Mighty, the Wondrous. We, from this station, glorify her and those women who have heard the call and answered God, the Lord of this mighty Cause.”

Concerning the mention made of the seven handmaidens of God, praise be to God that their mention has attained the honor of being heard, and each is adorned with God’s infinite favors. Their efforts are appreciated and their deeds accepted. Give them glad tidings from God, our Lord, your Lord, and the Lord of the mighty throne.

Concerning what was written at the end of the letter about Muhammad Sadiq Khan and Aqa Mirza Lutf-’Ali, upon them be the glory of God, who had sought forgiveness - these matters were presented before Him, and these brilliant verses were revealed from the Dayspring of the favors of God, exalted be His glory. His blessed and exalted Word:

He is the Hearer and the Answerer

O Sadiq! The Ancient Countenance hath turned toward thee from His Most Great Prison and hath mentioned thee in such wise that the fragrance thereof shall endure throughout the eternity of His Kingdom and His Dominion and His most beautiful Names. Hold thou fast unto it. He will assist thee to remain steadfast in this mighty Cause. Say:

My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having enabled me to turn toward Thy most exalted horizon and to hearken unto Thy most sweet call which hath been raised betwixt earth and heaven. Glorified art Thou, O Thou Who art the Goal of the Concourse on High and Who art mentioned in the hearts of the Prophets, for having enabled me to recognize the Manifestation of Thy Self, the Dayspring of Thy Revelation, the Dawning-Place of Thy inspiration and the Repository of Thy knowledge. Thou art He, O my God, Who hath shown unto Thy servants Thy straight path and Thy clear and manifest way. I beseech Thee, O Lord of all being and Educator of the seen and unseen, by the ocean of Thy knowledge and the sun of Thy bounty, to aid me under all conditions to serve Thy Cause. O Lord! Thou seest the sinner hastening toward the ocean of Thy forgiveness and the poor one toward the repository of Thy wealth. Write down for him, by Thy Most Exalted Pen, that which will purify him from all that is unworthy. Verily, Thou art the Munificent, the Generous. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

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

In My Name, the One Who ruleth over all names

O Lutf-’Ali! Give thanks unto God that thy name hath flowed from His Most Exalted Pen. Say:

My God, my God! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant and the son of Thy handmaiden. I have turned toward Thee, having detached myself from all else but Thee, enkindled with the fire of Thy love, speaking Thy praise, gazing toward Thy horizon, and turning unto Thy face. I beseech Thee by the fragrances of Thy days and the manifestations of Thy power not to disappoint me of that which is with Thee. Thou seest me, O my God, standing before the door of Thy grandeur, seeking the wonders of Thy bounty and Thy gifts. O Lord! Withhold not from me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy loved ones. Ordain for me that which shall profit me in every world of Thy worlds. Moreover, I beseech Thee, O Lord of the worlds and Goal of the nations, to forgive me and have mercy upon me. Verily, Thou art the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Forgiving, the Generous. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Great.

Praise be to God that verses have been sent down from the heaven of grace and the rain of mercy hath poured forth from the clouds. I beseech God to enable all to attain and not to deprive them of the fragrances of His days. Glory be to God! Despite the fact that in every moment an ocean is surging and in every day the sun of bounty is shining, yet most remain veiled and heedless. More veiled than all other peoples are the followers of the Bayan. It is not known to what they were turning and from what they were turning away. This evanescent one beseeches and hopes that He may bestow a portion upon all and may purify the hearts of the people of the world from the fire of falsehood and hatred. He is the One with power over all things, to which all created things have borne and continue to bear witness. There is none other God but He, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

As to what was written concerning the Most Holy Tablet wherein the command was given to act according to what was revealed in the Furqan [Qur’an], this matter was specific to the Most Great Prison, for the companions in this land conducted themselves in such a way that outsiders became aware of all matters. Likewise, due to a disagreement that arose among the companions, one of them spoke certain words in public which became a cause of commotion among the people. Therefore, for the protection of souls, a Tablet was revealed from the heaven of divine command in the name of Jinab-i-Aqa Faraj, upon him be the Glory of God, wherein the command to observe the fast of the Furqan was given. This decree was specifically revealed for this land. However, in the Tablets the command has been given to observe wisdom - that is, matters which might cause commotion among the people and trials for the loved ones are better left concealed. Blessed are those souls who are engaged in the remembrance of the Lord of the righteous in the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar. Blessed are those souls who are steadfast in serving that House, and blessed are those souls who have become the cause of its construction. They enter with peace and longing and depart with regret. We beseech God, exalted be He, our Lord and your Lord, to assist you through the means of the unseen and the visible, and to ordain for you that which shall endure as long as His Name, the All-Compelling over all names, endures. There is no God but He, the Forgiving, the Merciful. And if any new command should issue from the heaven of the command of the True Commander, it shall certainly be sent to those regions. He, verily, is the Inform�er, the Mighty, the Great.

The loved ones in the lands of Ba, Shin, Jadh�ba, Faran, Qaf, Fa, Ta, and Kha - all are mentioned in the Most Holy Court and have attained the grace of God. His blessed and exalted Word:

O people of God in all lands! Hear the call of the Wronged One. He desires to sanctify you from surmises and idle fancies, and to purify you through that which has flowed from the Supreme Pen, lest any name among all names or any thing among all things should prevent you from God, the One, the Chosen. O people of God! The followers of the Bayan have clung to matters which have ever been and shall ever be rejected in the sight of God. Should anyone today meditate upon the blessed word “He doeth whatsoever He willeth,” he would find himself freed and detached from the dawning-places of idle fancies and vain imaginings. Whosoever has drunk from the hidden Kawthar of this blessed word, neither the clamor of the followers of the Furqan nor the doubts of the people of the Bayan shall prevent him from the Goal of all worlds. Today no mention, no name, and no book shall suffice or benefit man, for all depend upon the acceptance of the Truth, exalted be His glory. The people of the Bayan are occupied with former surmises and speak with the idle fancies of the veiled ones. They have clung to that which causes heedlessness and error, though they have never understood nor do they understand the Cause. The people of God must be so firm and steadfast in the Cause that all the peoples of the world would be powerless to prevent them. This is the command of God, were they to hear, and this is the decree of God, were they to understand. We convey greetings to all and give them the glad-tidings of God’s grace. The glory from Us be upon them and upon those who have attained unto this mighty Cause.

Praise be to God that all have attained the fragrances of the verses and received their portion from the ocean of bounty. This evanescent servant beseecheth the Eternal Lord that He may open wide the gates of mercy before the faces of all, that none may be deprived of the Most Great Grace. This servant offereth greetings and glorification to each one, and prayeth for confirmation and assistance for all, that they may be set ablaze by the fire of the Most Exalted Word which hath been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen–may the spirit of all who dwell in the kingdom of creation and command be offered up in its path–and may they, in turn, set the world aflame. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, hath power over all things. Glory and praise and remembrance be upon you and upon those who are with you and upon them who have hearkened and responded to their Lord, the True One, the Speaker, the Answerer. And praise be unto Him, for He is the Manifest, the Resplendent, the All-Watchful, the Ever-Near.

=== END BH00261 ===

=== START BH00262 ===

He is the Compassionate, the All-Loving, the Forgiving, the Merciful!

By God, O My Name Jim! Thy letter hath been read before the Throne, and from it I perceived the fragrance of thy love for God. To this My Most Exalted Pen beareth witness on this night wherein the Ancient Beauty speaketh that which hath diffused the sweet savors of life throughout all worlds. When thou attainest unto this, arise and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O God of all worlds!”

O My Name Mim! Hearken unto the call from the precincts of the Prison. By My life! My tongue beareth witness to thy love for God and thy turning towards Him. Be thou assured through thy Lord’s grace and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Beloved of all worlds!”

O My Name Alif! The Alif of creation testifieth that thou art the one who hath heard the call and turned towards the Supreme Horizon, who hath held fast unto that which is good and remained steadfast in the love of thy Lord when every mighty and trusted one was shaken.

O My Name Lam! Thy Lord, the All-Knowing, calleth thee from His Most Great Throne and beareth witness unto that which shall gladden thine eyes and rejoice thy heart, and the fragrance of loving-kindness embraceth all, both young and old. Grieve not over anything, for verily He heareth and seeth, and will send down unto thee that which shall gladden the hearts of them that know. By My life! Wert thou to inhale the fragrances of these verses, thou wouldst soar with longing and cry out within thy house: “Thine is the bounty, O Thou in Whose grasp is the kingdom of the heavens and earth!” We created thee and nurtured thee and caused thee to hear and showed thee My gracious countenance.

O My Name Jamal! Upon thee be the glory of God, now and in times past and times to come. Thou art he who hath held fast unto the Most Great Name and hath borne tribulations in the love of God, the Lord of all worlds. We were with thee when thou didst enter the prison, and there were with thee a numbered company. Verily thy Lord is the All-Seeing, the All-Informed.

Make mention of him who was named ’Ali before Akbar (the honored Haji Mirza ’Ali-Akbar who ascended in the prison). He is among those who fulfilled God’s Covenant and Testament and was martyred in My straight Path. We make mention of him at this hour and say: Upon thee be the glory of God and the glory of those in the Supreme Concourse and the glory of those who have attained unto this wondrous Cause. O ’Ali before Akbar! Thou hast entered the tomb while the Beloved of the world maketh mention of thee from this exalted station. Thou art he who turned thy face unto thy Lord’s countenance and traversed land and sea until thou didst reach the shore of the Sea, each drop whereof proclaimeth: “The appointed time is fulfilled and the All-Merciful hath come with manifest sovereignty.” Thou didst turn to the horizon of Revelation and didst stand before the Gate, and didst attain unto the lights of the countenance and didst hear the call of God, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Thou wert in the precincts of His mercy for numbered days, then by His leave didst return and enter the prison in His love. Verily thy Lord is the Witness, the All-Hearing. Blessed is he who remembereth him after him with that which the Supreme Pen hath uttered in this exalted station. We testify that he is among those who gave up their spirits in the love of their Lord on a day when the feet of the mystics did slip. We make mention of him and those who are with thee that all may witness God’s grace and mercy. He is verily the Bestower, the Forgiving, the Generous. Then We give thee yet another glad-tiding. Verily thy Lord is the Bearer of Glad-Tidings, the All-Informed. We have forgiven thy brother who hath ascended unto God, and We testify that he is among those who turned unto the Supreme Horizon and reached the ultimate goal. All this is of My grace unto thee, that thou mayest be of the thankful. He is in the Most Sublime Horizon - to this the tongue of My grandeur beareth witness in this luminous station.

We make mention in this station of him who was named ’Ali-Naqi, that his remembrance may endure through the everlasting Name of God, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the Most Powerful, the All-Praised. O Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him with joy and fragrance, then bear witness unto him as the All-Merciful hath borne witness. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the Trustworthy. Say: Blessed art thou, O thou who hast ascended to the Most Exalted Companion and hast turned towards the Most Resplendent Station. I testify that thou didst hear the Call, didst respond, didst believe, and wast among the triumphant. Thou art he whom the affairs of creation did not prevent from the Truth. Thou didst arise to make mention and offer praise amidst the concourse of creation, and didst turn thy face toward the Face of God, shining from this luminous horizon. Blessed are they who have attained unto this station, and joy be to all who have turned unto God, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

We further make mention of him who was named ’Andalib, who soared in the atmosphere of the love of the All-Merciful and attained unto the revelation of God in His wondrous Day. We make mention of him with the most excellent remembrance and send unto him the fragrances of verses from this Station wherein the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimeth: The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. The Ancient Beauty addresseth him, saying: Upon thee be the praise of God, O thou who didst speak in remembrance of thy Lord, and upon thee be the glory of God, O thou who didst gaze upon the Dawning-Place of thy Lord’s grace, the All-Knowing. Thus have We remembered those who heard the Call of God, turned unto Him with their hearts, and witnessed what the All-Merciful witnessed when He was established upon His mighty throne. Joy be unto them and blessed are they in that they have, in this hour, attained unto the Kawthar of the remembrance of their Lord, the Almighty, the Omnipotent. Can the treasures of the world be compared with this bounty? Nay, by My Most Great Name! Yet most of the people are fast asleep.

Glad-tidings upon glad-tidings, in that the Countenance of the Ancient One hath turned from the direction of His Most Great Prison towards him who was named Muhammad-’Ali (the honored Aqa Muhammad-’Ali of Sangsar who ascended unto God), who attained unto the recognition of God, the Lord of creation. We make mention of him with the melody of God, the Lord of the Beginning and the End, with a remembrance through which the fragrance of the Divine Raiment wafteth throughout the world and the sweet scent of the All-Merciful is diffused throughout all possibility. Thou art he who turned toward the Qiblih of all horizons and believed in Him from Whom most of the servants have turned away. Blessed art thou in that thou hast attained unto the choice wine of life which the fingers of thy Lord’s bounty have proffered amongst all possibilities. I testify that thou didst draw nigh, didst turn toward Him, didst recognize, didst take, and didst drink in the name of God, the Lord of all religions. Is there any possessor of ears who will hear the melody of God? Is there any possessor of sight who will behold the lights of the Countenance? Is there any possessor of smell who will detect the fragrance of joy that hath clung to the back of God, the Almighty, the Glorious, the Bestower? Thou art in the Most Exalted Companion, and thy Lord, the Most Glorious, seeth thee and maketh mention of thee that His mention may be a sign unto all who dwell in creation.

O Jamal! We have heard from thee that which testified to thy humility before God, thy submissiveness before His countenance, thy helplessness and supplication before God, the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful. He verily is with thee at all times and maketh mention of thee and those who are with thee. He is the Mighty, the All-Seeing. From this most exalted Station and most sublime Spot We send Our greetings to thy family and those who are related to thee. Thy Lord is verily the All-Wise, the All-Choosing. Nothing whatsoever escapeth His knowledge. He mentioneth whomsoever He willeth with that which shall cause his remembrance to endure throughout the kingdom of God, the Lord of all beings.

O Jamal! Thy letter hath attained unto the presence of Him Who is the Lord of all names, and its answer hath been sent down from the heaven of divine Will in such wise that each word thereof beareth witness to the bounty of the Beloved of the world and His loving-kindness. Bear thou witness to this and be of them that are thankful. For each of the names mentioned in thy letter, wondrous and sublime verses have been revealed.

O Jamal! By the Sun of love that shineth from the horizon of the world with most brilliant radiance and most glorious light, were all men at any given hour to turn with sanctified and pure hearts, hearken unto the Call of God, and witness the ways of the leaves of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, verily none would be deprived of the ocean of divine bounty and all would attain, in this glorious dawn, unto the grace of God. Yet they remain heedless, and thy Lord is verily the All-Witnessing, the All-Informed.

The members of thy household and thy kindred are all remembered before the Throne, and all have been and shall continue to be the recipients of divine favor. Grieve not over anything, for that which shall gladden hearts hath been ordained for thee. Thy Lord is verily the True One, the Informed, the Trustworthy.

O My Name Jamal! At this moment the countenance of thy Lord hath turned towards him who is named Buzurg, that he may inhale the fragrances of revelation and speak in praise of his Lord, the All-Informed. Verily, he who turneth unto God, God turneth unto him as a token of His grace, and I am the All-Knowing. Whosoever uttereth this Most Great Name is assured that he hath been mentioned before the Throne. Thy Lord beareth witness unto this, and I am the Witness. Convey My greetings unto his face and say: By God! Thou hast attained the most great victory, for the Lord of Eternity hath made mention of thee in this Preserved Tablet. Rejoice thou in the bounty of thy Lord and render thanks unto Him. Thy Lord is verily the All-Hearing.

This is a Day wherein all things have been stirred up by the Call of Him Who is the Lord of Names, and from every atom of existence can be heard glorification, praise, and movement out of longing for this manifestation of God in this clear station. O Jamal! Bear thou witness, then observe, then mention what thou didst witness with thine own eyes when thou wert standing before the Gate and the countenance of God, the Lord of all worlds, was turned toward thee. Rejoice thou in My bounty, then in My loving-kindness, then in My gifts and My mercy which have preceded all things, and in My ocean of generosity which hath encompassed all worlds. As for those whom thou didst mention who have turned toward the Wronged One, give them the glad tidings of My remembrance of them, that they may be of them that rejoice.

The servant who is present hath presented before the Throne every name that was mentioned in thy letter, and We have revealed for each that by which the fragrance of grace hath wafted between the heavens and the earth. Blessed are they for having attained unto the knowledge of God in His days and for having held fast unto His luminous cord.

O people of ?a! By the life of God, the Intended One remembereth you and calleth unto you from this remote spot, and summoneth you to a station that shall never perish. Verily your Lord, the All-Knowing, is the Faithful Witness. We have mentioned you time and again - rejoice ye in the bounty of your Lord and be of them that render thanks. Be gladdened by the turning of the countenance of God toward you from this wondrous horizon. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds and Lord of eternity, for having moved Thy Most Exalted Pen in our name, and for having wafted therefrom the fragrance of Thy loving-kindness to these servants. We testify that Thou art the All-Bountiful, and we are of them that supplicate.

As for what thou didst mention concerning the people of Ha and Mim, We have sent down verses unto them as a token of Our grace, for verily We are the All-Bounteous. And We have sent down for the followers of Moses therein what thou didst desire of thy Lord’s grace, the Most Merciful. And We make mention of the people of Shin and Sin and Mim who have attained unto the choice wine of immortality, whose seal hath been broken by the finger of the Will of the Creator of all things. Blessed are they, and again blessed are they, and excellent is their final abode. O My loved ones in Shin! By God, the Lord of Names hath mentioned you in verses that shall never be effaced throughout the kingdoms of creation. To this doth the Lord of invention Himself bear witness, and beyond Him every knowing and informed one.

O Rida! Time and again hast thou heard the call. Hearken thou in this final instance and turn with thy most pure countenance toward the Most Great Scene, and with thy most illumined heart toward the horizon of the revelation of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Bestowing. Say: Unto Thee be praise, O Lord of eternity, and unto Thee be glory, O Thou in Whose grasp is the reins of all existence. I testify that Thou hast drawn me nigh, honored me, caused me to know Thee, and made me hear Thy most sweet call in the kingdom of creation. Thou art indeed the All-Bounteous, the Most Generous. I beseech Thee by the Most Great Name to make me eloquent in Thy remembrance and to aid me to stand firm with supreme steadfastness in Thy Cause, whereby the names were transformed and all the tribes of the earth lamented, save those whom Thy grace, which hath encompassed all possibility, did choose.

We make mention of those who are there, that the fragrance of their Lord’s verses may stir them, and We send Our greetings from this spot upon their faces, and We counsel them with that which beseemeth these days.

O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who is named ?alib, that he may rejoice in My remembrance and arise to serve this Cause whereby feet have slipped. O ?alib! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. By God, He desireth for thee naught save that which shall draw thee nigh unto God, the Lord of the seen and unseen. Act thou in accordance with that which We counseled thee aforetime with the tongue of truth, then take fast hold of the hem of thy Lord’s mercy, the Cleaver of the dawn. Say: O my Lord! Praise be unto Thee for having caused me to know and taught me and shown me. I have turned with my whole being unto Thee, and I beseech Thee not to leave me to myself. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the All-Bountiful.

We make mention of My loved ones in Sin. Say: Rejoice in My remembrance and praise. By the life of God, there shall endure for you that which hath flowed from this Pen that hath testified there is none other God but I, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Most Bountiful. We behold you in the love of God and His Cause, and We counsel you to observe supreme steadfastness, for through it are raised the standards of victory between earth and heaven, and the nightingale of eternity warbleth in the air that there is none other God but He, the Almighty over all existence. Take ye the choice wine of utterance in My Name, then drink thereof through My remembrance that hath encompassed all regions. Blessed are ye for having been honored by the mention of God and for having turned toward Him on a day whereon feet have slipped.

O My Pen! Turn towards the people of Mim who have quaffed the choice wine of divine knowledge in the days of the All-Merciful and have attained unto this glorious remembrance. We have heard the call of each one of you and We behold you as ye are, through the grace of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

We make mention of him who hath been named Ali in the Kingdom of Names, that he may hearken to the call of his gracious Lord. O Ali! Make thyself ready to hearken unto the call of thy Lord, the Most Glorious, which hath been raised from this supreme horizon and most exalted vista, that thou mayest witness what the Concourse on High hath witnessed. Verily thy Lord is the Expositor, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Arise to serve thy Lord in such wise as to astonish all else beside thee. Thus doth the Pen of Command enjoin thee from this luminous station. Hold fast unto the cord of steadfastness and cleave unto the hem of thy Lord’s mercy and say:

O God of Names, Creator of the heavens, and Lord of all things! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the backs of the idols were broken, to make me one who uttereth Thy praise and remembereth Thee among Thy creation. Then aid me to serve Thy Cause. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Ali! When the cawing of the raven is raised in those parts, leave him to himself and turn thy heart toward the horizon of thy Lord’s Revelation, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Thus hath thy name flowed from the tongue of the Wronged One, and there hath been sent down for thee that which shall preserve thy name among the heavens and the earth.

And We make mention of him who hath been named with Ba, Za, Ra and Kaf, that the rapture of his Lord’s verses may seize him in such wise that he will arise and cry out: “By God! The Beloved hath appeared and the All-Merciful hath come with His mighty throne!” Say: O people! Squander not God’s Cause among you. Abandon what ye possess and take what hath come to you from God, the Lord of all worlds. This is a day wherein neither the treasures of the world nor the assistance of nations shall profit you. Put your trust in God and turn unto His luminous horizon. Thus doth your Lord teach you, that you may remember Him among His servants and be among the steadfast.

The Ancient Beauty turneth His face toward the land of Nun and maketh mention of those who have believed in God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. O Muhammad! Rejoice in that the One, the Single, remembereth thee from this most exalted station, that thou mayest arise to celebrate the praise of thy Lord Who is imprisoned in God’s path, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. Say: By God! God hath made the prison a palace of ruby wherein speaketh the Lord of the Kingdom: “Verily, there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Beloved.” Be steadfast in thy love for thy Lord, for the raven caweth among the servants. Leave him to himself and hold fast unto the cord of God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen. Thus hath there flowed from the Pen of the All-Merciful the water of life - drink thou thereof and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O God of the world, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O Lord of existence!”

O Mahmud! Your Lord makes mention of you from this Praiseworthy Spot and calls you with a call which, were those who dwell on earth to perceive its fragrance, they would assuredly abandon all they possess and soar in the atmosphere of the love of your Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. Having attained unto the verses of God, preserve them, then recite them by night and by day. By the life of God! Through them the horizons are illumined and hearts are enlightened. Let not the affairs of the world grieve thee. Under all conditions, fix thy gaze upon this horizon from which the Most Great Name proclaims: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Lord of all kings!” Say: O servants of the All-Merciful! Is there among you one with ears to hear the call of God, and is there among you one with eyes to behold that which hath appeared on the Promised Day? Say: He ordaineth for whomsoever He willeth the reward of His presence. Thus hath the matter been decreed in a preserved Tablet. How many a servant drew nigh yet failed, and how many a servant attained His presence while being in a remote place. Thus doth God teach you through His grace. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

We make mention of those who have believed in God in the land adorned with the letter Mim in this exalted Tablet. O people of Mim and Za (Mazandaran)! Rejoice in the remembrance of God and turn with illumined hearts toward the Sinai whereon the Lord of Revelation proclaimeth: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed!” We make mention of those who have drunk the choice wine of revelation and have attained unto the recognition of God in this resplendent morn. Blessed are ye for having heard, turned unto, and believed in God, the Lord of the worlds. Ye are in your abodes while the tongue of the Wronged One maketh mention of you from this Spot round which circle the Concourse on High, then the dwellers of the cities of names, and those who circle round the mighty throne. Well is it with you, and pleasant is it for you, O chosen ones of God and His loved ones! Blessed be your faces for having turned, your hearts for having advanced, your souls for having soared, your eyes for having beheld, and your tongues for having uttered the praise of God, the True King, the Manifest.

We counsel you to steadfastness in the Cause of God, for it shall profit you in this world and the next. Verily your Lord, the All-Merciful, is the All-Knowing. Take the chalice of life in My name, the All-Merciful, in defiance of those who have rejected the proof when it appeared from God, the Mighty, the Beautiful. Then drink therefrom once in His name and again in remembrance of Me, the Wondrous, the Inaccessible. Thus doth He Who is imprisoned in God’s path make mention of you, and thus doth He Who is established upon this noble station remind you. The glory be upon you from God, the Goal of the mystics. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

=== END BH00262 ===

=== START BH00263 ===

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

Praise be to God that through divine bounty and the generosity and grace of the Lord, the fire of sedition has been quelled and the light of His Cause is resplendent. Yet after the deluge and the destruction of lofty edifices and the uprooting of towering trees, praise be to God that the thunder of cannons has ceased and the earthquake of the land has been transformed to stillness. The condition of Alexandria is known to your honor, but Cairo, that is to say Egypt, remained protected. The will of God, exalted be His glory, preserved it from the evil of tyrants and the fire of rebellious souls. Exalted be His grandeur!

O beloved of my heart! At every moment a fresh calamity seizes the world. In successive years, at times conflagration appears, at times war, at times corruption, at times earthquake, at times subsidence and the like. There has been and is no doubt that all these are for the awakening of humanity. Yet the people remain heedless and veiled, and until now have not reflected upon what has been and is the cause of these events and tribulations. Their eyes have been blinded and their tongues have been silenced, and today they neither understand nor perceive.

It is incumbent upon all to beseech the All-Possessing One with utmost humility and supplication to protect His special party from other parties. The dust of heedlessness has so seized the servants that they distinguish not good from evil, nor right from wrong. The hand of the oppressor is raised high; they have shown and show no mercy to the weak. At all times they seek to increase their power, even though they witness that every power is followed by weakness and every might by impotence. The Expounder of the world hath spoken in such wise that its reckoning would be most difficult; nevertheless they remain deprived and forbidden therefrom. We beseech God to grant the eye of discernment and bestow the gift of justice. Verily, He hath power over all things.

May my spirit be sacrificed for your honor! Your letter dated the 27th of the blessed month of Ramadan was like the morning breeze that refreshed both heart and weary body. How fitting it is to recall these blessed words: “O God! For Thee have I fasted, upon Thy sustenance have I broken my fast, and in Thee have I trusted.” It is evident how joyous and delighted a poor one becomes when blessed with the feast of truth and divine knowledge during the blessed Ramadan. Praise be to God! Glory be to God! Thanks be to God!

After perusing and reading your letter, it was presented before the Divine Presence, and this is what the Tongue of Utterance spoke in the Kingdom of Knowledge: “God willing, may you be blessed with divine favors and the outpourings of the True Bestower. O My Name! The heedlessness of people has reached such a state that they have clung to a drop while passing by the river of divine grace. They are deprived of a single line from the Mother Book and barred from a particle of the radiance of the Sun of Truth. What has become of people’s understanding and where has justice gone? If they were to deny all things, it would not be so consequential, but when they cling to a handful while objecting to the Most Great Ocean - this is cause for lamentation and grief.

“God willing, may you be assisted in all conditions to aid the Cause and be successful in reforming the people, that all may be adorned with spiritual qualities and goodly deeds. The fragrance of praiseworthy deeds is a mighty host. O My Name! The Cause of God appears weak due to the prevalence of tyranny, and now lies under the claws of enemies. Beseech God to grant deliverance, preserve His Faith, and cause the light of the Sun of Justice to overcome the darkness of oppression and illuminate the horizons.

“Illumine the friends in every land with the light of the Most Great Name and convey to them the greetings from the Wronged One. Say: Strive to deposit precious jewels in the treasury of the Trusted One, the All-Wise. Today this is possible, but afterward impossible. The Command belongs to God, the Lord of the Beginning and the End. The fire of the Divine Lote Tree burns with such intensity and the light of His countenance shines with such brilliance, yet all remain extinguished save whom thy Lord willeth. But to the blind, darkness and light appear the same. Where are the penetrating eyes and the attentive ears?

“We beseech the All-Merciful to fulfill what He has promised in the Qur’an and make the earth a place for the manifestation of the blessed verse ‘Wherein thou seest neither crookedness nor unevenness.’ The glory from Us be upon you and upon those who have cast away the darkness of idle fancies, clinging to the light of certitude. Praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds.”

The Suns of Utterance of the Beloved of all possibility, despite these manifestations, effulgences, and dawnings, continue to educate the mines of love and wisdom, preparing them for the appearance of precious, wondrous, and exalted pearls. If today they do not appear due to the people’s lack of capacity, ultimately the victory belongs to Truth - He will manifest what He has willed. In His grasp are the reins of all affairs. He doeth what He pleaseth and ordaineth what He willeth. He is the Single One, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

God knoweth that separation from your honor has become complete and has had a profound effect. Now that you have settled at the seat of the throne in the Castle of ’Udi, O servant present, for many days we would walk and your honor, upon him be My glory, would appear from afar, and a certain state and sign would be observed, but now due to circumstances you are absent. Such words were heard repeatedly.

That you wrote of meeting the aforementioned person in the great city was necessary, and until now he has moved with wisdom, such that from the Land of Ha [Haifa] satisfaction has been expressed. God willing, affairs will be fulfilled according to God’s will. After your presence, three letters arrived from the Land of Ha addressed to that beloved one, mentioning the transactions of Beirut. After viewing and presenting them to the beloved Haji Siyyid Javad - upon him be Baha’u’llah - they were given to him to write a response. There was no new story except they had written details about sending funds to the Land of Ha. It is hoped the person in Beirut will act trustworthily and deliver it. The mentioned beloved one will present the details of affairs.

Mention was made of the movement of the Afnans - upon them be the Most Glorious Glory from all Glory - and their proceeding to the House of God. God willing, may they be blessed with health and reach their goal. This servant also begs for prayers, that perchance in those places perfumed with the fragrance of God they might remember and mention this evanescent one. God willing, may they attain the outpourings of the True Bestower, for it has often been observed that a soul may be amidst bounty yet deprived of it, and may be in his homeland yet a stranger. I seek God’s forgiveness for my mention, my thought, my proof and my evidence, for they are among those souls who have heard the word of acceptance and good-pleasure regarding themselves from the Divine Lote-Tree, and have attained the greatest honor of kinship. Truly, a favor has been ordained for them the like of which has not been witnessed. Soon will the signs of grace and favor become manifest and evident.

Concerning your mention of the departed and exalted Afnan, His Honor Aqa Siyyid Ja’far, upon him be all the most glorious Glory of God, and your mention of the friendship, unity and love that existed between you and him previously, and what you had written in this regard - all was presented before His presence. This is what the Kingdom of Utterance spoke: “O My Name! We make mention of one of My Afnans who was named Ja’far. We testify that he turned to the Most Great Scene and believed in God, the Controller of destiny, in days wherein every swift one hesitated, every near one became remote, every learned one denied, and every mystic retreated. The Supreme Pen hath testified that he attained the Kawthar of life when the horizon of utterance was illumined by the Sun of proof, and he testified to that which the All-Merciful testified before the mention of contingent beings - that there is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. O thou who hast turned to My face, soared in My atmosphere, and spoken My praise! I testify that thou didst attain the ornament of acceptance before thy ascension, and at the time of ascension the Concourse on High and those in the Kingdom of Names received thee, and the mercy and favor of God were with thee. Thou art he at whose calamity the near ones lamented and grief overtook those servants who circled round the Throne. The Glory be upon thee, and peace be upon thee, and the mercy that descendeth from the heaven of thy Lord’s favor be upon thee, O thou who didst hold fast to the cord of God and cling to the hem of His generosity. Thou art he who recognized the Path and the Balance when most of the servants were heedless of both. By My life! Were I to make mention of what thou didst manifest in thy love for God, the people would be thunderstruck. He Who possesseth the Mother Book beareth witness to this. Blessed is he who loved thee, mentioned thee, spoke thy praise, and visited thee as the Wronged One visited thee from His mighty prison. Praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

Praise be to God, Your Honor became the cause of the greatest bounty. The right of friendship and unity was fully discharged, nay, beyond that and far beyond that. Verily your reward is with God, the Lord of the worlds. God willing, they shall attain to other stations, that which that Beloved One has beseeched from the Truth.

And concerning your renewed mention of the meeting with His Honor Nabil-Ibn-i-Nabil, upon him be the Glory of God, and his namesake and two other believers, upon them be the Most Glorious Glory of God, and likewise the mention of the meeting on the Day of Vision at the request of the aforementioned one - this was presented. He said: “Excellent was what he did, excellent what he spoke, and excellent his meeting with them. O My Name! Thou wert created for mention and praise and association and meeting. God willing, may the dry lands be adorned with vegetation through the rains of thy utterance. In the utterance itself is concealed a mighty power and hidden are diverse manifestations. In one station it is water and in another fire, for it both gives drink and attracts excessive cold until true moderation appears. We have mentioned every name that was in thy letter with a mention by which all mentions were surrounded and by which all traces revolved. Blessed art thou and they, and he who spoke as a bounty from His presence, and he before whose face thou wert.”

And on Friday the sixteenth of the month of Dhi’l-Qa’dih al-Haram, three hours and twenty minutes after noon, this servant turned towards the Most Exalted Destination and, on your behalf, attained the honor of visiting the Desired One. Happy art thou and the servant.

He is the Dawning-Place from the Horizon of Eternity!

O Muhammad-Baqi, the Wronged One makes mention of thee, as thy name was presented before His name, unto Him be My Glory - he who was named Mahdi by the Supreme Pen in the Book of Names. Rejoice thou in this, then give thanks unto thy Lord, the Generous. Whoso hath attained unto mention from His presence hath attained unto all good - to this testifieth every discerning mystic. Beware lest the veils of men withhold thee from the Supreme Horizon. Cast aside what the people possess and take what thou art commanded by God, the Lord of all worlds. This is a day wherein swords have been drawn and the rumbling of cannons hath been raised through what the hands of the heedless have wrought. It behooveth thee and every believer to turn to the Most Exalted Horizon and to beseech God, the Lord of Names, to protect His party from the parties. Verily He is the Mighty, the Powerful. The Glory be upon thee and upon those who have recognized God and His oneness, and upon those who have turned unto His Straight Path.

He is the Compassionate, the Generous!

O Muhammad, thou hast been mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One, and this is yet another time, as a grace from His presence. Verily He maketh mention of all who have believed in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Say: O Thou through Whose love the hearts of the sincere have been set ablaze, and through Whose light the faces of those near unto Thee have been illumined! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the seas have surged, the fruits have appeared, the trees have spoken, and the mysteries have been revealed, to protect Thy servants from the evil of Thine enemies, through whom the fire of tyranny hath been kindled in Thy land. O my Lord! Ordain for the sincere ones that which befitteth Thy generosity and grace, then preserve them through the hosts of Thy invisible realm. Thou art He Whom the conditions of creation cannot frustrate, nor can the intimations of those who have denied Thy Self, disputed Thy signs, and turned away from Thy proof prevent Thee. Verily Thou art God, there is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Powerful.

To Haji Shaykh ’Abdu’l-Husayn-i-Lari:

In His Name, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed!

O ’Abdu’l-Husayn! God willing, thou shalt drink from the ocean of utterance and gaze toward the horizon of the All-Merciful. Today is the day of helplessness and supplication, for the oppressors of the earth have surrounded from all directions the party that is associated with the Truth. This fire of oppression will not be extinguished save through the power of God, exalted be His glory. The people of truth must beseech Him in the nights and days that the restraining veils may be rent asunder through divine power and the sun of justice and righteousness may illumine the world. Praise thou the Beloved of the worlds Who hath enabled thee and adorned thee with the ornament of His mention.

To Haji Mulla Husayn-i-Lari:

He is the Forgiving, the Merciful!

[…]

O Husayn! The Wronged One hath heard thy call and hath answered thee with that which He possesseth. He maketh mention of him who hath turned unto God, believed in His proof, and submitted to His binding and wise command. This is a day wherein the hearts of the sincere have been sorely troubled by reason of the ranks being arrayed of those who have denied God’s right and His sovereignty, and who have risen up in manifest oppression. Blessed is the eye that hath attained unto the Most Great Vision, and the ear that hath heard the warbling of the Nightingale of Eternity on this wondrous and glorious Day. Leave the various peoples to their vain imaginings and place thy trust in all things in the One, the All-Informed. Thus hath the Wronged One spoken, when sorrows had encompassed Him from every side, inasmuch as He summoned the people unto the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Jinab-i-Haji ’Ali-’Askar-i-Milani

He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing

O ’Ali-’Askar! Give praise unto the Goal of all that dwell on earth, in that He hath aided thee in a Cause whereof most of them that are on earth remain heedless. This station is most great; know thou its worth and preserve it through the Name of God, exalted be His glory. Heedlessness hath encompassed the world, and the people of tyranny have appeared with utmost rebellion. Beseech ye God that He may protect His loved ones from the evil of the enemies and enable them to achieve that which He loveth and pleaseth. Verily, He hath power over all things and is worthy to answer prayers.

He is the One Who hath dominion over all names

O servant, Ghulam-Husayn! Blessed art thou and thy father, whom neither the signs of oppression nor the doubts of ignorance have withheld from God, the Lord of all worlds. We have made mention of him time and again, whereat the fragrances of the All-Merciful were wafted throughout all possibility. Blessed is he who hath found, and woe unto the heedless. We bear witness that he hath held fast unto the Book of God and believed in Him when every remote scholar turned away from Him. He who hath recognized God is reckoned among the learned in the perspicuous Book, and he who remaineth heedless is accounted among the ignorant, as every discerning and well-informed one doth testify. We counsel thee to be trustworthy and truthful, and to that whereby the station of man is uplifted. We beseech God to grant thee success and to ordain for thee that which shall profit thee in all His worlds. Verily, He is the Almighty over whatsoever He willeth, and in His right hand are the reins of all affairs. There is none other God but Him, the Powerful, the Almighty, the All-Compelling.

Praise be to God that He hath once again made mention of these souls, one after another, and for each was revealed that which sufficeth the world. And especially for Nabil ibn Nabil, his namesake, the namesake of the Most Great Name, and Aqa Muhammad-’Ali - upon them be the Glory of God - there was revealed that which is the cause of the world’s joy. However, there was a delay in sending it as it was seen to be contrary to wisdom. Likewise, the aforementioned Tablets should not be sent to that land but should be sent to the land of M and Y. Whenever these souls turn towards that land, they should be given to them. Leave them in trust with A and H (upon him be the Glory of God) to be delivered at the appropriate time. Although it would not normally have been given now, it was revealed and sent from the horizon of grace purely as a kindness to your honor.

Aqa Siyyid ’Ali and Aqa Muhammad (upon them be the Glory of God) graced this land with their presence and stayed for a while, then returned to Alexandria, as news had arrived that those whose property was taken must be present for determination. Therefore, they are now in that land, and according to what they have written, business transactions are currently delayed. All reports have been of plundering, looting, burning, destruction and ruin, and British forces have taken control of all those regions. ’Urabi Pasha accomplished nothing and was ultimately humiliated and defeated. At first he did not consider the end, and paid no attention to the consequences. With utter recklessness he laid waste to a country. Strange that he even opposed the Sultan of Islam. Islam is very weak. God willing, through the efforts of His loved ones it shall be granted strength, and the horizons shall be illumined with the light of unity. The Glory that shineth manifest from the heaven of grace be upon you and upon those with you and upon those who love you and heed your counsel and follow in your footsteps.

=== END BH00263 ===

=== START BH00264 ===

O Mawzun, upon thee be the Glory of God! The Tablet of God, the All-Protecting, the Self-Subsisting.

He is the Protector over what was and what shall be.

This is a written Book sent down from God, the All-Protecting, the Self-Subsisting. Verily it is a Book through whose appearance the ocean and its waves have appeared, and from it is heard: “O concourse of creation! The Lord of the Kingdom of Names hath come with a Cause that hath stunned the denizens of Sinai, with a sovereignty that hath shaken the followers of the Bayan, and with a power before which all existence, both seen and unseen, hath bowed down. Through it the Sun hath shone forth with its lights and effulgences, and from it is heard in the final return: ‘By God! The All-Bountiful hath come, riding upon the clouds with a power that the armies of the world and the hosts of the nations who violated the Covenant and the pledges could not withstand.’ Say: This is the Day wherein the secrets of the earth and whatsoever lay hidden therein from God, the Mighty, the Loving, have been revealed. It proclaimeth with the most exalted call: ‘O concourse of names! Cast away what ye possess. He Who was treasured in knowledge and concealed from eyes and sight hath come. Fear God, O people; abandon the tributary and hasten to the River of Mercy which hath flowed from the Pen of God, the Lord of the Promised Day. We have forbidden you wickedness and indecency, and have commanded you righteousness and piety. Take hold, O people, of that which ye have been commanded in My Preserved Tablet.’”

O thou who art enkindled with the fire of love! There hath come before the Wronged One what thou didst send to Samandar, upon him be the Glory of God and His loving-kindness. We have read it and found therein the fragrance of thy turning to God, the Sovereign of the dominion and the Kingdom. We have sent down for thee from the heaven of bounty that which will draw thee nigh unto the Supreme Horizon and will raise thee up through His Name amongst His servants. Verily, He is the Omnipotent over whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be” and it is. We beseech God to preserve thee through the hosts of the unseen and the seen, and to guard thee through His Name that dominateth over every witness and witnessed thing.

We have desired at this time to mention him whom thou didst mention, that he might find the fragrance of his Lord’s loving-kindness and be among those on whom shall rest no fear, neither shall they grieve. O Hasan! Hearken unto the call that hath been raised from the Kingdom of bounty. Verily it draweth thee to the ultimate goal and will aid thee to spread the Cause of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, with wisdom and utterance, and will exalt thee through His Name. He, verily, is powerful over all things. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Glorious, the Loving. Forget not God’s favor upon thee. He hath aided thee and made known to thee His extended path, and hath sent down for thee that through which the fragrances of revelation have wafted and eyes have been solaced. Take hold of the Book as a command from Us, detached from the world and clinging to the cord of God, the Lord of Hosts. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon those who have turned to the horizon of manifestation and have not violated the Covenant and the pledges.

We have desired to make mention of him who has attained unto the days of his Lord and hearkened unto His call when it was raised amidst His creation - he who was named ’Ala’u’d-Din in My perspicuous Book. They who have fulfilled God’s Covenant and His Testament are indeed among those who occupy this exalted station. Take thou the chalice of My loving-kindness in My Name and drink therefrom in spite of every ignorant one who hath denied God, the Lord of all worlds. This is the Day wherein the Proof hath been sent down, the Salsabil hath flowed, and the path of God, the Lord of the mighty Throne, hath been made manifest. Say: O people of the Bayan! Abandon that which ye possess. The Cause of God hath come with a sovereignty before which all the books of the world have bowed down, as attesteth he who possesseth a perspicuous Book. On this Day no deed or mention from anyone is acceptable save through this wise Remembrance, whom neither the veils of the peoples nor the glory of the world have deterred. He hath appeared and made manifest whatsoever He desired with a power before which the power of all who are in the heavens and on earth hath proved impotent. Beware lest ye follow your own desires. Follow Him Who guideth you and leadeth you to the Kawthar of the utterance of your Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having sent down unto me Thy verses and manifested unto me Thy clear tokens, and for having spoken before the faces of Thy servants and caused all things to speak forth Thy praise, except those who have broken Thy Covenant and Thy Testament, who have denied Thy grace and who have disputed Thy signs. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the pearls hidden in the ocean of Thy knowledge and by the gems treasured in the depositories of Thy protection, and by Thy binding command and Thy firm cord, to assist me in spreading Thy traces with the wisdom whose decree Thou hast sent down in Thy Books. Then ordain for me that which will make me strong through Thy strength and steadfast in the service of Thy Cause. O Lord! Thou seest the poor one standing before the gate of Thy bounty, seeking from the heaven of Thy generosity and the ocean of Thy grace that which Thou hast ordained for Thy loved ones, whom neither anything among all things nor the doubts of the divines have deterred from Thy straight Path and Thy mighty Announcement. Thou art, verily, the Lord of all worlds and the Object of them that are sincere.

We make mention of him who was named Fadlu’llah that he may rejoice and be of them that have attained. Verily grace, in its primary station and highest rank, is that which acquainteth people with the ways of God’s good-pleasure, and in another station it is His confirmation which hath encompassed them that are nigh unto Him. We bear witness that His grace hath encompassed thee and aided thee until He drew thee nigh unto Him and adorned thee with the ornament of acceptance after the turning away of most men and women. He is, verily, the Protector of them that have turned unto Him. Make mention of My loved ones on My behalf and adorn them with that which hath been sent down for them at this time. O My loved ones in the world! Hearken unto My call from the precincts of My prison. He will assist you in that which will cause your mention to endure and that which hath appeared from you in the Announcement of God, the Lord of the mighty Throne. Render thanks unto God for having named thee with grace and sent down for thee through grace that which nothing among all things can equal, as every discerning one doth testify. We counsel thee and them that have believed in that which will exalt them amongst the servants and adorn them with virtues whereby the hearts of those whom neither the glory of names nor the doubts of the heedless have deterred have been attracted. Say: O Lord! Aid us in that which Thou lovest and pleaseth Thee, and ordain for us that which will draw us nigh unto Thee and preserve us from the hosts of the wrongdoers. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

O Tongue of Grandeur! Make mention of him who is named Ibrahim, who heard and turned to God, the Lord of all men, that the utterance of the All-Merciful might draw him to the horizon of knowledge, from which has shone forth the sun of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of lords. Blessed art thou for having attained unto My days, for having turned to My horizon and for having voiced My praise amongst My servants. Verily thy Lord is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Let not the clamor of the oppressors dismay thee. Cast aside all created things through the power of thy Lord and take hold of that which thou art commanded by the One Who is the Strong, the Ancient. Say: O people! Fear God and follow not those who have denied His Manifestation and disputed His verses. Follow him who guideth you to the path of righteousness. Say: This is the Day of God, to this testify the Daysprings of Revelation and the Manifestations of inspiration. Thus have We sent down the verses and expounded them that thou mayest thank thy Lord and say:

“Praise be to Thee, O Lord of all creation and King of the Kingdom of Names, for having illumined my heart with the light of Thy knowledge, for having sent down unto me Thy verses and shown forth unto me Thy clear tokens which none deny save every vicious infidel. Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of earth and heaven!”

O Muhammad-Qabli-Hadi! We beseech God to adorn thee with the ornament of righteousness and draw thee nigh unto Him in all conditions. Rejoice that thy name hath flowed from My Pen, and that We have aided thee to recognize the Dayspring of My verses and guided thee to the most exalted station. Beware lest the doubts of the wayward hinder thee or the veils of those who have denied the Beginning and the End conceal thee. We have made mention of Our loved ones and adorned them with the ornament of My love, from whose horizon the lights have shone forth. We have commanded all to unity and concord in this Cause whereby the faces of the idolaters have been darkened and the faces of the righteous illumined. Say: O people of God! Be not disturbed by the world’s vicissitudes. By My life! These shall pass away and ye shall behold what hath been ordained for you by God, the Lord of all beings. Say: This is the Day on which the light of divine command hath shone forth from its horizon and the Lote-Tree hath proclaimed: The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment. Thus have We made mention of thee as a favor from Our presence, and I am the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

Verily We have desired to make mention of him whom one of Our loved ones hath mentioned, who hath held fast to My cord and soared in My atmosphere. He hath been named Ali in the Book of Names by the command of God, the Sender of winds. O Ali! We have turned toward thee from the precincts of the Prison and have beheld thy burning love for God, the Dayspring of lights. Blessed art thou for having made mention before the Wronged One, Who hath sent down for thee that whose fragrance shall not cease as long as God, the Cleaver of daybreak, endureth. When thou hast drunk from the cup of My bounty and been seized by the attraction of My call, say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having given me to drink from the cup of Thy bounty, for having adorned me with the ornament of Thy knowledge, for having guided me to Thy attributes and for having attracted my heart through Thy most sweet call when it was raised from the most exalted horizon. I testify that Thou hast appeared and manifested what Thou didst desire through Thy power which hath conquered all things and through Thy sovereignty which hath encompassed all who are in earth and heaven. O Lord! Thou seest me detached from all save Thee and attracted by Thy verses. I beseech Thee by Thy Lamp which the winds have not preserved, to ordain for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen what Thou hast written for Thy chosen ones. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent over what Thou willest and in Thy grasp are the reins of the Kingdom of Names. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.”

O Kalb-Ali! Thy name hath been presented before the Wronged One. He maketh mention of thee with that which causeth rivers to flow. Wilt thou flow or remain still? Say: […]

Thou knowest, O my God, what I possess, and I know not what Thou possessest. Verily, Thou art the All-Mighty, the All-Knowing. I beseech Thee by Thy signs which have illumined the horizons, by the lights of Thy countenance through which the lights have appeared, by Thy name the All-Knowing, and by Thy name through which Thou hast subdued the lands and the hearts of Thy servants, to aid me to be steadfast in Thy Cause. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest. By Thy sovereignty do all created things testify, and by Thy power do all possible things bear witness. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.

O ’Ali, when thou dost inhale the sweet fragrances of My verses, turn thy heart toward My prison and say:

My God, my God, my Goal and my King! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Prison, by Thy Most Strong Fortress, by Thy standing and sitting therein, by Thy movement and stillness, by Thy sighs and tears, by Thy signs and mysteries, by Thy handiwork, by Thy Name through which Thou hast subdued all names, and by Thy remembrance through which the trees have spoken, to strengthen me to be steadfast in Thy love and to hold fast to Thy cord. O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I have turned with my whole being unto Thee, hoping for the wonders of Thy grace and the manifestations of Thy loving-kindness. I beseech Thee by Thy generosity which hath encompassed all existence not to disappoint me from that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and Thy trusted ones, who have drunk the choice wine of revelation from the hand of Thy bounty and have hastened to the place of sacrifice, yearning to meet Thee. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, Whose bounty all created things acknowledge, Whose generosity all beings confess, and Whose power all who dwell in earth and heaven testify. There is none other God but Thee, the Omnipotent in both beginning and return.

O Master craftsman ’Ali! Verily, the Lord of creation mentioneth thee among His servants with verses that neither the oppression of the oppressors nor the doubts of the polytheists can prevent. Give thanks unto God for this supreme bounty and this great favor. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Merciful, the Bountiful. Blessed is the heart that hath this day turned, detached from the people, unto Our Self-Subsisting Name, Who was foretold by the Qa’im aforetime. Thus hath the Tongue spoken in this station as a grace from God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. Let not the happenings of the world grieve thee, nor let the power of those who have denied the Faithful Spirit weaken thee - He Who circleth round the Kaaba of God, the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the Wise. O people of God! Take My Book with a power that the might of the oppressors cannot prevent, then read it with joy and fragrance. It will draw you to the horizon of Revelation in this Day which was promised in the Books of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. In Our tribulations We have remembered Our loved ones. Blessed is he who hath heard and attained, and woe unto the heedless. Cast aside the idle fancies of men, then turn to the light of certitude in this brilliant dawn. Thus have We taught thee and revealed unto thee that whereby the hearts of the mystics are attracted.

O ’Ali-Asghar! The Wronged One remembereth thee and those who have believed with a remembrance whereby all things have been attracted. When thou seest and hearest, say:

Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the Day of Resurrection, for having remembered me and revealed unto me that whereby my remembrance shall endure among all remembrances and my name among all names. Verily, Thou art the Praised One in Thy deeds and the Obeyed One in Thy command. Should Thou decree extinction to be permanence, or darkness to be light, none hath the right to say ‘why’ or ‘wherefore’, and whoso saith so hath turned away from God, the Lord of the Exalted Throne.

Blessed is he who hath discerned and witnessed, and blessed is he who hath heard the Call of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. He Whom ye were promised in the past hath come, and that which was hidden in the treasury of God’s protection, the Almighty, the Powerful, hath been made manifest. Rejoice, O people, and follow not every remote oppressor. Know then that the oppressor is he who hath prevented the servants from clinging to the hem of God, the Most Pure. We testify that the divines of Iran have prevented the people from drawing nigh unto the All-Informed One. When the Truth was made manifest, they turned away from Him and opposed Him until they pronounced sentence of death upon His most pure, most holy, and most luminous blood. Through their turning away, the rulers of the earth turned away - to this every fair-minded and discerning one doth testify. We beseech God to adorn them with justice and fair-mindedness and to aid them in that which beseemeth His days. Verily, He is the One, the Peerless, the Mighty, the Great.

O Husayn! The Wronged One hath turned toward thee and made mention of thee with clear remembrance. Whenever mention hath flowed from My Pen, the remembrances of the world and the scriptures of the nations have bowed down before it. To this doth God’s Book testify, which speaketh in this noble station. The Wronged One hath desired naught save the reformation of the world and the exaltation of the stations of the nations. To this doth My Most Exalted Pen bear witness. Blessed is he who hath heard and attained, and woe unto them that slumber. Say:

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having sent down unto me that which hath illumined my heart and adorned my temple. I testify that Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but Thee, the Protector of all things great and small.

The Will of God hath desired to make mention of him who was named Mahdi aforetime, that it might attract his eyes to the Light shining from the horizon of Revelation, his ears to the Source of the Call which God hath made the sanctuary of the Concourse on High, his hands to the heaven of bounty, and his heart to the Dayspring of his Lord’s verses, the Almighty, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One, whereby the tribes of the earth were seized with trembling and the limbs of those who denied God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen, were made to quake. Blessed is he who aided My Cause through My utterance, and joy be unto him who hath conveyed unto the servants that which hath flowed from My Pen, and happy is he who hath drunk the choice wine of My proof from the hand of My bounty. He is indeed among those who are near unto Me in My preserved Tablet. Say:

My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having aided me in a Cause from which most of Thy creatures have been held back. I beseech Thee, O God of Names and Creator of heaven, by the attraction of Thy Beloved One when He heard the call of meeting with Thee, and by the Spirit who arose to aid Thy Cause and upon whom the Jews inflicted that which caused the Daysprings of Revelation to lament, and by the Herald who sacrificed His spirit to exalt Thy Word and manifest Thy power, to make me steadfast in Thy love in such wise that none on earth may prevent me. Verily, Thou art the Almighty over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Loving.

O ’Ali-Akbar! The Wronged One remembereth thee and counselleth thee to fear God, the Lord of the worlds. We have made trustworthiness a crown for the heads of Our servants and godliness a robe for the temples of Our loved ones. Blessed is he who hath taken God’s counsel, and woe unto them that turn away. Blessed art thou for having heard and turned toward Him whilst the people were in manifest loss. He hath prospered who hath turned unto Him, and he hath lost who hath turned away - to this doth the Tongue of God, the True Sovereign, the Just, the Manifest, bear witness. When thou hearest My call, say:

O my God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having illumined my heart with the light of Thy knowledge and guided me to the horizon of Thy Revelation, through whose light earth and heaven were made to shine. I beseech Thee, O Lord of eternity, by Thy Most Great Name, to protect me from the evil of the barking ones who have denied the proof of God and His evidence, and disbelieved in His signs and in that which hath appeared from Him. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent One Whom nothing can weaken and no affair can frustrate. There is no God but Thee, the One Who hath power over whatsoever He pleaseth, by Thy Name, the All-Encompassing over all things small and great.

O Hasan! Hearken unto My call, for verily it draweth thee to My Kingdom, preserveth thee from Mine enemies, and aideth thee through My hosts. Blessed is the servant who hath on this day attained unto hearing it, who hath been honored by its traces, and who hath spoken forth its beauteous praise. O Hasan! Take hold of the Book of God with the power bestowed by Him and be not of the fearful ones. Verily He is with thee, witnessing and seeing, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Blessed are the days that have won the victory of His day, and blessed is the servant who hath turned toward His horizon; and woe unto every heedless and remote one. When thou hast attained unto the verses of thy Lord, render thanks and say:

Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of existence and Sovereign over the seen and unseen! I beseech Thee by the fruits of the Tree of Thy knowledge, and by the ocean that surgeth through Thy Name, and by the light that shineth before Thee, that Thou assist me to be steadfast in Thy Cause. O my Lord! Thou seest me directing myself toward Thy most exalted station, gazing toward Thy most glorious horizon, and holding fast to Thy firm handle. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me of that which Thou hast ordained for the sincere ones among Thy creatures and the near ones among Thy servants. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O ?akim! Where is thy theriac and where is thine elixir? Canst thou cure the malady of self and passion? Canst thou still the fire of rancor and hatred? We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to teach thee that whereby the fire of tyranny and wickedness in the world of creation may be stilled. Verily He is the Omnipotent over whatsoever He willeth through His mighty and wise command. O ?akim! O Aqa Baba! The disease of hypocrisy hath prevented the servants from unity. Hast thou any medicine to cure this chronic disease which hath kept the servants from love and unity, from rest and fellowship? Say:

O my God, my God! I beseech Thee by the joy of that servant among Thy servants who perceived the fragrance of the garment of Thy Command’s Joseph, that Thou purify the servants from the maladies that have prevented them from turning unto the lights of Thy countenance and drawing nigh unto the sanctuary of Thy presence. Verily Thou art He of Whose power and sovereignty the Books have testified, and of Whose grandeur and might the Scrolls have borne witness. There is no God but Thee, the All-Merciful, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

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=== START BH00265 ===

In the name of our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Lord!

Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having manifested Thy Cause, sent down Thy verses, revealed Thy proofs, and enabled the Hands of Thy Cause to exalt Thy Word. Thou hast granted them success in proclaiming that which Thou hast willed through Thy bounty and favor, given them to drink of Thy sealed wine, guided them to Thy extended path, and united their hearts through Thy beloved Name. I beseech Thee, O Lord of the Kingdom and Sovereign of grandeur and might, by Thy Name through which Thou hast conquered the hearts of Thy servants and adorned them with the light of Thy knowledge, to adorn them with the ornament of Thy Name, the All-Encompassing over all who dwell in Thy earth and heaven, that they may arise through Thy power to serve Thee and may open the doors of Thy servants’ hearts with the keys of Thy most excellent names and exalted attributes. There is no God but Thee, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Bountiful.

The handwriting of that beloved of the heart, like a rose from the garden of inner meanings, perfumed the courtyard of the heart, for all its letters and words spoke in praise and remembrance of the Lord of Names, bringing new joy to both the visible and invisible realms. Praise be to God that, beyond the supreme blessing and mighty feast that is the mention and praise of the Lord of all beings, it carried another joy, which was the glad tidings of the health and well-being of that beloved one. After its observation, reading and understanding, approach was made to the eternal gate, and before the seat of the Goal of all worlds, following permission and leave, all of it was presented. Thereupon the lips of the Lord of Destiny smiled, and He spoke that which caused the ocean to surge and the fragrance to waft, and that which had been hidden from eyes appeared, and that which had been preserved from comprehension and minds was revealed, until the utterance concluded with that which I am unable to mention to thee, O beloved of my heart, for when the waves of the ocean of utterance of our Lord, the Most Merciful, surge forth, none can contain and relate it save according to their capacity, through His might and power. Glorious is His utterance, mighty His proof, and magnificent His bestowal.

In My Name, warbling upon the branches with diverse melodies […]

O thou who gazest upon the Countenance and uttereth praise! Hear My call from the Prison of ’Akka. Verily, He maketh mention of thee in such wise as to bestow upon thee wings of moist crimson ruby, that thou mayest soar thereby in this atmosphere from whose rushing winds is heard that which the son of ’Imran heard on the Mount of Knowledge. Verily thy Lord hath turned toward thee at the most excellent of times and maketh mention of thee in such wise that its fragrances shall endure throughout the eternity of His mighty and wondrous Kingdom. We have brought forth from the shells of the ocean of knowledge the pearls of wisdom and utterance, and from the treasuries of My Pen the jewels of knowledge and certitude. Blessed art thou for having attained unto My presence, for having tasted the sweetness of My utterance, and for having witnessed the light shining resplendent from the horizon of the heaven of My Revelation, and for having achieved that which was inscribed in the Books of God, the Lord of all worlds. Be thou eloquent amongst My servants with such detachment as shall attract their hearts and tranquilize their souls. Verily thy Lord is the All-Wise Teacher, the Inspiring One, the Mighty, the Powerful. Thy letter hath arrived and was presented by the servant who standeth before the Face. We have sent down for thee that which shall draw thee nigh unto God, the Lord of this exalted station. We have indeed revealed verses throughout the nights and days in such wise that they have encompassed all created things and reached the East and West of the earth. Verily thy Lord is powerful over whatsoever He willeth through His Word that prevaileth over all who are in the heavens and the earth. Nothing escapeth His knowledge, nor can the oppression of the oppressors frustrate Him. O son of My Most Truthful Name! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. We have remembered Our loved ones in days wherein trials and tribulations have encompassed Us. This is attested by that which hath flowed from My Pen and been uttered by My tongue. Verily thy Lord is the Rememberer, the Commander, the All-Wise. Arise to serve the Cause with such steadfastness as cannot be hindered by hosts nor shaken by the clamor of the heedless. Say: O people! He hath come for your life and desireth naught save the refinement of your souls and the unity of your hearts. This is witnessed by that which hath been revealed in the Scriptures, the Tablets, and His perspicuous Book. We have lifted the law of holy war as a bounty from Our presence and have commanded all to unity and concord as a mercy from Us, and We are verily the Forgiving, the Merciful. Say: O My loved ones in Kha! The Lord of all mankind remembereth you as He hath remembered you before in various Tablets. Fear God, then help your Lord with the hosts of utterance, as bidden by Him. He will protect you and guard you, and He is the Protector, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Wise. We counsel you to be patient and forbearing in all circumstances. He hath chosen for you what He hath chosen for Himself. Rejoice in this utterance from which wafteth the fragrance of the loving-kindness of your Lord, the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful. O people of God! Purify your ears from the sayings of the heedless and the oppressors, that they may be illumined by the light of the utterance of the Purpose of all worlds. Whosoever attaineth unto this, neither the oppression of the world nor the tyranny of the nations shall keep him back from the Ancient of Days. Your station in the sight of God is great. Were you to catch a glimpse thereof for an instant, you would hasten toward it with heart and soul. Know ye the value of these days and the divine gifts and favors. Strive that ye may attain unto such deeds as shall be crowned with His good-pleasure. The whole world hath been created for the Day of God, yet all are heedless while ye have attained. Give thanks unto your Lord by night and by day, and praise Him at eventide and at dawn. The Glory manifest and resplendent and the Light bright and shining be upon thee and upon those who are with thee and who hearken unto thy words concerning the Cause of God, the Mighty, the Great.

All praise and glory be unto Him, all thanksgiving and radiance be unto Him, for He hath made mention of His loved ones in both states of sorrow and joy, in such wise that from every word thereof the fragrance of His bounty is wafted and the sweet savors of His generosity and bestowals are diffused. No matter and no thing can ever prevent the Most Great Ocean from the waves of His grace. Once these exalted words were heard from the Tongue of the Lord of all beings - exalted be His utterance: “O servant! The clamor of the people, the oppression of the tyrannical, and the transgressions of the mighty ones and pharaohs of the earth have not and will never prevent the Sun from its rays nor the Ocean from its waves.” Praise be to God, the Ocean is surging in such wise that were He to will it, He would verily draw all unto Himself and bring them near. However, He leaveth them be so that there might be manifested from them that which was deposited within them. The servant beseecheth his Lord to strengthen those whom He hath made the Hands of His Cause in His Book to mention and praise Him with joy and fragrance. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful.

Mention was made of the spiritual friend, Jinab-i-Mahmud, upon him be the Glory of God, and may He confirm him in that which He loveth and pleaseth. After being presented at the Most Holy and Exalted Court, the river of utterance flowed from the Tongue of Grandeur. A petition from his brother hath attained the Most Holy Court; a reply will be sent later. And this is what hath been revealed for them at this time from the heaven of greatness and power - blessed and exalted be His words: “O son of My Name! Remind them of My verses, give them the glad-tidings of My bounty, and illumine them with the light of My knowledge.” They have ever been and continue to be mentioned. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to aid them with the hosts of utterance. Verily, He is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth through His mighty and wondrous word.

Mention was made of Jinab-i-Fa’iz, upon him be the Glory of God and His bounty, and likewise his letter was presented at the Most Holy and Exalted Court. Blessed and exalted be His words: “Praise be to God that on a day when most of the people of the world turned away, he attained unto acceptance and received the most great bounty from the effulgences of the lights of the Sun of Truth. This station is great. We beseech God to strengthen him to preserve that which He hath given him and honored him with.” He hath repeatedly attained unto the Sacred Writings and been illumined by the light of utterance. A Most Holy and Exalted Tablet will be sent especially for him later. This servant beseecheth the True One, exalted be His glory, to open through his presence the doors of hearts and to ordain for him every good thing which He hath revealed in His Clear Book.

Regarding their will, as commanded both before and after, these matters are referred to the beloved of hearts, His Holiness the Trustee, upon him be the Glory of God and His favors. Whatever that beloved one has sent from the Sacred Writings to that land was truly a great bounty for the friends of that region - blessed and congratulations to them! At this time, these words have been revealed from the Mouth of the Will of the Lord of all possibilities, He, exalted and sanctified, says: “O son of My Name! Upon thee be My Glory and My favors. Beseech God to assist the friends to act according to that which hath been revealed in the Book on the Day of Return from the Pen of the Lord of all beings. For if they succeed in this, ere long will all the people of Iran turn towards the Horizon of the Appearance of the Desire of the worlds. We have commanded all to wisdom, and wisdom consists in such deeds and character as will draw people closer to the Most Great Ocean and become the cause of attraction for all. We beseech God to assist His servants to perceive the sweetness of His utterance, for if they find this sweetness, all will hold fast to what is with Him and abandon what is with themselves. Repeatedly in the divine Tablets have We commanded all to perform goodly deeds and display praiseworthy conduct. By My life! The victorious hosts have ever been and shall ever be goodly deeds. O son of My Name! Praiseworthy character constitutes the victorious standards in the world. Blessed is the one whose love for a day or two prevents him not from eternal life and everlasting bounty. We counsel all to assist the Cause of God through the hosts of deeds and character. Any deed performed by any soul for the sake of God that becomes the cause of guiding others is worthy to be recorded and, by the testimony of this Wronged One, neither obliteration shall overtake it nor change find its way unto it. We beseech God to assist them in that which will exalt His Cause among His servants. Verily, He is the Lord of creation and the Ruler in the beginning and in the end.”

The mention was made of the ascension of Mas’ud, upon him be the Glory of God and His mercy. After being presented before the Divine Presence, these sublime words were revealed especially for him. He, blessed and exalted, says:

He is the All-Forgiving, the Merciful

Blessed art thou, O Mas’ud, for having turned to the Supreme Companion in the Days of God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers, and for having attained unto His traces in thy life and after thy death. We make mention of thee at this time in such wise as the near ones bear witness to God’s loving-kindness, His grace and His mercy that have preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth. The resplendent Light shining from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness and the Grace dawning from the kingdom of My utterance be upon thee, O thou who soarest in the atmosphere of My love and who hast turned toward the lights of My countenance. Thou art he who hath recognized the Manifestation of God, His sovereignty, His grandeur and His power, and who turned unto Him when His servants turned away. Blessed art thou, O Mas’ud! At the time We desired to make mention of thee, the ocean of forgiveness surged by the command of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, and the fragrance of the Divine Vesture wafted as a token of His grace - and He is the All-Merciful, the Generous. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to make thee a companion of His chosen ones in the Most Exalted Paradise and to send down upon thee at all times a blessing from His presence and mercy from His side. Verily, He is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

We praise and thank Him for the wonders of His grace and the effulgences of the Sun of His bounty. He hath sent down for His loved ones, throughout the nights and days, that which shall endure as long as His dominion and His kingdom endure. Verily, He is the Mighty, the Ever-Giving.

The mention was made of the honored mother, upon her be the Glory of God and His favors. This is what was revealed for her from the heaven of the bounty of our Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. He, exalted be His majesty and mighty be His utterance, says: […]

He is the Manifest One, speaking from His Most Exalted Horizon

O My leaf and My handmaiden! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. We have previously mentioned thee in such wise that the hearts of all things were attracted, and We have revealed unto thee that which brought solace to the eyes of the Concourse on High. We called out to thee from the shore of the ocean of utterance with a call that caused rivers to flow and trees to speak. Dominion belongeth unto God, the One, the Chosen. Rejoice in what hath been sent down unto thee, then give thanks unto thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower.

Convey to those who are related to My Most Truthful Name, upon them be My glory, loving-kindness and mercy, the greetings of the Wronged One, and give them the glad-tidings of the dawning lights of the Day-Star of divine grace. Verily, He is the Bearer of Glad-Tidings, the Powerful over all who dwell on earth and in the heavens.

That honored lady, upon her be the Most Glorious Glory of God, hath ever been and will continue to be remembered. Who can reckon the bounties, favors, grace and gifts of God? In truth I say, were we to soar for a hundred thousand years, we would not reach the source of this supreme bounty from which at every moment an ocean floweth, nor the dawning-place of the Day-Star of generosity from which countless suns shine forth at every instant. The ocean of loving-kindness hath no shore, and the sun of grace never pauseth in bestowing its light. The servant beseecheth Him at all times, for himself and for the loved ones, for divine confirmation and assistance. Verily, He is the Compassionate, the Generous.

Concerning the mention of the first day of Ridvan and the mention of the Hands of the Cause and the gathering of the loved ones in the house of that beloved one, after being presented before the Most Exalted Horizon in the presence of the Throne of the Lord of the Kingdom of Names, these supreme verses were revealed from the heaven of the will of the Lord of all being. The Lord, exalted and sanctified be He, saith:

O son of My Name! Upon thee be My glory. Blessed are the Hands of My Cause who have attained unto My remembrance and praise and the service of My Cause, and joy be unto My loved ones who have drunk the choice wine of revelation from the hand of My bounty, and who have soared in My atmosphere and cast aside all else but Me. We have mentioned them in every world among My worlds with such mention as hath been confirmed by the tongue of My grandeur. Through their names have flowed rivers of wisdom and utterance before the faces of all religions. Exalted be the All-Merciful Who hath revealed for the Hands of His Cause and His loved ones that which drew nigh unto it the celestial spheres to hearken unto it, and the realities of all things to listen unto it. Thus hath spoken the Tongue of the Ancient of Days when He was the Lord of all peoples in this most exalted station, which hath been named with all names in His Mighty Book. Blessed is the house wherein My remembrance and praise have been raised, and blessed are the leaves who have clung to the Tree of My loving-kindness, and blessed are the handmaidens who have held fast to the cord of My grace. We give them the glad-tidings of My remembrance and praise, My loving-kindness and My mercy, which have preceded existence in both the unseen and visible worlds. Convey My greetings unto them, both men and women, and give them the glad-tidings of that which hath shone forth and appeared from the horizon of God’s will, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting.

O beloved of My heart! Although time is scarce and petitions are countless from every direction, and it is the day for sending tablets, nevertheless that which illumined the world with the light of loving-kindness was revealed. Blessed are the horsemen of this field, and joy be unto the handmaidens who have gathered in the house, from God, our Lord, the Lord of the Mighty Throne.

Concerning Mirza (Siyyid ’A.B.) and his son, upon them be the glory and favor of God, they wrote. His honor, praise be to God, has attained the divine verses both before and after, and now a Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet has been specifically revealed and sent to his son, Aqa Mirza Siyyid Muhammad, upon him be the glory of God. It is hoped that they will drink from the seas of the words of the Desired One of all worlds that which is the cause of eternal life. I beseech the True One, exalted be His glory, to water these saplings of the garden at all times with the water of utterance. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

Concerning S., what they have mentioned is correct, but in view of what he manifests, forbearance is necessary. However, association with him is not permitted, as his harm is clear and evident, unless it occurs for the sake of wisdom, concealed from the servants.

The prayer at the end of that beloved one’s letter was presented before the Presence and was honored to be heard. God enumerates what hath flowed from the mouth of His favor, what hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of His grace, and what hath caused the ocean of His bounty to surge. That which was revealed, all the pens of the world are incapable and powerless to recount. This ephemeral one hopes that that beloved one’s orientation toward Kha will cause the promotion of God’s Cause and the spread of His verses. Verily, He is the Helper, the All-Wise.

Mention was made of the spiritual friend ’Ayn and Ta, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God. Repeatedly from the Tongue of Grandeur was this supreme utterance heard, His word, exalted be His glory: “Verily, ’Ayn and Ta attained in the first days. We have mentioned him and his father in Tablets that testify for them in every world of the worlds of their Lord, and We have mentioned those who were in that house with a mention whose fragrance hath spread throughout all regions. My Tongue of Grandeur beareth witness to this in this hour wherein the Ancient Beauty walketh and calleth His loved ones who have recognized this Most Great News.”

This servant conveyeth greetings to the Hands of the Cause and all the loved ones, both male and female, young and old, and I beseech for each one the infinite favors of God. Verily, He is the Generous, the Possessor of Great Grace. The Branches of the Blessed Tree - may my spirit and being be sacrificed for the dust of their footsteps - have shown favor and each one hath mentioned that beloved of the heart with perfect sweetness. Likewise, the people of the pavilion of chastity and grandeur have shown kindness, and all have sought confirmation for that beloved one for the spreading of God’s verses throughout creation. God willing, this journey should take precedence over all journeys and lead all the servants of those regions to the court of oneness. Verily our Lord is the Helper, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Glory and mention and praise be upon you and upon those who are with you and who hear your words and your mention and your utterance concerning the Cause of God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and earths.

The Servant

27 Shawwal 1307

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In the Name of Him Who is manifest and Who calleth before all faces!

Today the Euphrates of divine bounty floweth from the right hand of the Throne of the All-Merciful, and the heaven of utterance is adorned with the stars of inner meanings. Perfect wisdom at times uniteth and at times separateth, and whatsoever appeareth is from God and is pure justice and unmixed good. Failure to attain unto the recognition of this most exalted station is the cause of anxiety and the source of fear. This is the Day of the Most Great Joy mentioned in the divine Scriptures and recorded by the Pen of Command. Blessed are they whom the happenings of the world have not prevented from the Ancient Lord, nor deprived of the Most Great Name. Were the ear of one’s true nature to become but slightly attuned to hear, the attraction of the blessed word “The Kingdom on that day shall be God’s” would seize all, in such wise that neither outward conditions, nor afflictions that befall, nor divine decrees that descend would hinder or deter them from turning unto Him.

O Haydar-’Ali! The Sun of loving-kindness is manifest and visible above all heads, its radiance having encompassed both the kingdom of earth and heaven. The penetrating eye beholdeth, and the attentive ear heareth the exalted call from every direction. The pearls of wisdom and utterance are at all times manifest and evident. Beseech the True One that He may set aflame the benumbed world with the fire of the Blessed Tree. He is the One Who is powerful - neither the happenings of the world nor the might and wrath of rulers and divines could prevent His loved ones from the Most Sublime Horizon and the Supreme Summit.

Convey My greetings to the people of God. We beseech Him to guide all and to open the gates of relief through His finger of power. By the life of God! Today the sun riseth in their name and the rains descend especially for them. When the time cometh, that which is now concealed shall be revealed. This Wronged One is visible and manifest, alone and without any veil or covering. The pharaohs of the earth and the tyrants of the lands behold Him and hear that which hath been sent down from His presence. Were the people of the earth to ponder on that which hath appeared, all would hold fast to the Straight Path. They regard the idolaters as earthworms and their clamor as the buzzing of flies. Make mention of the sanctified and assured souls through God’s verses, give them glad-tidings of His bounty, and remind them of His evidences. Verily, remembrance profiteth the believers.

His honor ’A, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, hath been and is before Our gaze. We have sent down for him, both before and after, that which cheereth the eyes, and in the Crimson Book from the Most Exalted Pen that which none knoweth save God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We beseech God, exalted be He, to ordain for whosoever hath turned toward My horizon, attained My presence, and heard My call, that which shall profit him in all the worlds of His worlds. Verily, He is the Almighty, the All-Powerful. The Son in his communion with God, blessed and exalted be He, said: “Thou knowest what is in my soul, and I know not what is with Thee. Verily, Thou art the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.” Were man to reflect but slightly, he would hold fast unto trust in God and resignation to His will. The tongue of the Wronged One beareth witness unto this from the presence of God, the Knower of the unseen.

We make mention of M.N.Sh. Nothing can equal the Word of God - this is evident and manifest. We beseech God the Exalted to reveal unto him that which is ordained for him. Verily, He is powerful over all things. We behold him beneath the canopies of grandeur, and We beseech God to aid him in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to assist him in that whereby His Cause, the firm and mighty, may be uplifted. This Wronged One maketh mention from the prison of those whose names have been sent to the Most Great Prison. We beseech God to aid them all to serve the Cause - that is, to engage in mention and praise with wisdom and utterance, and to guide others to the extent possible. On the Day of Revelation, all the divines of Persia turned away, while certain souls who had no standing in their gatherings ascended the standard and were seated upon the throne of certitude.

O Abbas Kh-A! Jinab-i-Haydar-’Ali made mention of thee. The Sun of the bounty of God, exalted be His glory, hath turned from the horizon of prison towards thee. Perchance its effulgences may cause the dispirited to attain unto the warmth of divine love. He is the Powerful One whom the power of the world could neither prevent nor weaken. He appeared and, with perfect steadfastness, called out before the faces of all peoples, commanded all to that which God desired, and gave them the glad-tidings of the waves of the ocean of His grace. O My Most Exalted Pen! Turn towards him who is named Muhammad and Ahmad and give them the glad-tidings of My turning towards them from this remote spot. Praise be to God! In the days when most of the people of the world turned away from the Ancient Beauty, ye attained unto acceptance. Count this bounty as great and preserve this grace by His Name. He is the Hearer, the Answerer, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

O Sulayman! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One with the ear of nature and hold fast unto the firm cord of God. The world is transient and what is with God endureth. Strive that thou mayest succeed in performing a deed whose fragrance will not be cut off and whose mention will not be erased from the scroll of them that have turned towards God. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

O Muhammad-’Ali Haydar! Thy name was sent to the Wronged One in the Most Great Prison. Blessed is he and blessed art thou. We beseech God, exalted be His glory, that He withhold thee not from the outpourings of His days and grant thee a portion of the choice sealed wine through His Name, the Self-Subsisting. His generosity brought existence into being, and His bounty adorned the world with its means. We beseech of Him that which is befitting. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

O Rida Quli Kh-A! Today the hosts of God are those who make people aware through deeds, character, wisdom and utterance, and who guide them to the horizon of the Peerless Friend. The visible hosts and manifest ranks hath God, exalted be His glory, entrusted to the manifestations of power, namely the kings. They, through these hosts, protect and safeguard cities and realms. And the friends, through the hosts of wisdom and utterance, conquer hearts and souls. Sword and spear have been removed, and spirit and delight have been established in their place. This is the firm decree that hath been sent down from the Most Exalted Pen in the Mother Book. Blessed are they that hold fast! Blessed are they that attain!

O ’Ali Kha! Reflect upon what hath befallen this Captive. God, the Tablet and the Pen bear witness that My sole purpose hath been the reformation of the world, the unity of nations, the advancement of existence and the upliftment of souls. Yet that which hath come to pass hath caused the Pen to tremble in its recounting. Since it hath occurred for the sake of God, it hath attained the station of life itself - tribulation in His path is rest, and calamity in His love is counted as bounty. O Pen! Turn thy face towards him who is named ’Ali Kha, that he may hear the call of the Wronged One and be of the thankful.

This is the Day of service and the Day of utterance. Blessed is he whom neither the world’s vicissitudes nor the ignorance of the divines hath debarred from the splendours of the Day-Star of Revelation, who hath rent asunder the veils and, through His Name, hath dispersed the doubts. Today the adornment of the world and the riches of nations cannot compare with a single word sent down from the heaven of the divine Will. Blessed are they whose names have been recorded by the Most Exalted Pen.

O Najaf-’Ali-Kha! All are asleep in this night of heedlessness, but the Wronged One is awake. All are silent, while this Prisoner speaketh in remembrance of His loved ones. In truth, whoso speaketh of aught but God is accounted as silent, nay rather as dumb before God. Hold fast unto unity and cleave unto concord. In your gatherings, despite the idolaters, occupy yourselves with the remembrance of the Word of Unity. The former people were deprived of the light of true unity, and thus were they debarred from the rays of the Sun of Truth and remained deprived thereof, save whom God willeth.

O ’Ali Kha! We counsel the friends of God to observe righteousness and fear of God, and We bid them to that which promoteth the Cause of God. The helper of His Cause and its supporter throughout all ages and centuries hath been the fear of God. Blessed is he who hath held fast unto it and taken shelter beneath its standard. Praise thou the Desired One of all worlds, Who hath remembered thee in this night in the Most Great Prison and hath illumined thee with the effulgences of the Sun of His utterance. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O my Desire, and glory be unto Thee, O my Hope and my Beloved, for having guided me unto Thy Cause, whereby the limbs of all names have quaked and the hearts of the learned have trembled. I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by the power of Thy most exalted Word, to make me steadfast in Thy love and to enable me to drink the choice wine of Thy revelation from the hands of Thy bounty. Thou art, verily, the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Pen! Blessed art thou for having made mention of the friends of God and His chosen ones, and for having guided them to His straight path and His mighty announcement. Make mention at this hour of him who hath been named Hidayat, that he may guide the people to the supreme horizon, the station wherein hath been raised the squeaking of the Most Glorious Pen. Beware lest the happenings of the world prevent thee from mentioning the peoples. Thus doth command thee He with Whom is the perspicuous Book.

O Hidayat! Today the call is raised high and the horizon of Revelation is illumined with the effulgences of the Sun of inner meanings, the ocean of utterance is surging in the realm of possibility, and the Sun of proof hath dawned and is shining before the faces of all religions. Blessed is the soul that hath turned towards it and hath not deprived itself of the sweet savors of revelation and the fragrances of remembrance. We beseech God to assist thee to serve His Cause in such wise that thou mayest occupy thyself day and night with the refinement of the souls of His servants, and quicken those who are dead in the valleys of heedlessness with the living waters that flow from the lips of the Will of Him Who is the Goal of all worlds, and lead them to the precincts of the Friend. Take what hath been revealed unto thee, holding fast to the cord of God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

O Muhammad-Qabli-Hasan! The call of the Wronged One hath been raised at all times in such wise that both kings and subjects have hearkened unto it. At all times, without any veil or hindrance, We have summoned the peoples to that which is the source of true wealth and spiritual riches, and We have commanded that which God hath willed, and We have counselled the kings to observe the Most Great Peace, that perchance the fire of war might be stilled and the world might be freed from this grievous calamity. They regarded the counsellor as a mischief-maker and counted pure mercy as vengeance. We beseech God to make them aware and acquaint them with His purpose. He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing.

O Murad-Ba’d-’Ali-Murad! The World is come but they recognized Him not, for His raiment and name were changed. Blessed is he who hath made his desire the desire of all who are in the heavens and on earth. Today all must renounce their own will and desire and fix their gaze upon the Will and Good-Pleasure of God. This is the truth. We beseech God to assist thee in that which is enduring and everlasting. Vain imaginings have withheld the world from the Lord of all names. They are occupied with themselves and are heedless of the Truth. Soon shall they witness the recompense of their deeds. Verily thy Lord and the Lord of the Throne doth witness and see, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O Mahmud! The Wronged One of the world hath awakened the heedless servants with His call and cry, that all might attain to the praiseworthy station, which is the station of man’s knowledge of that which profiteth or harmeth him. However, those who turn to Him are few and those who hearken are rare. Strive that thou mayest be the cause of guidance to a soul, or by some deed immortalize thy remembrance in God’s Book. This Wronged One hath been in the hands of His enemies from the earliest days until now. Today is tranquil and bright; tomorrow is unknown. The command is in God’s hands. O Pen! We have created thee for the remembrance of Our loved ones. Beware lest the fire of thy love be quenched. Make mention of them by My command and remind them of My verses. Verily thy Lord is the All-Commanding, the All-Knowing.

Remember him who is named Muhammad-’Ali and give him the glad tidings of My regard for him from the prison, that the attraction of My utterance may seize him and draw his heart near to the horizon of My loving-kindness. I am, verily, the Counselor, the All-Knowing.

All the world sought the Truth, and the people of Persia sought the Qa’im. At His mention, all smiled, were stirred, arose, and uttered “May God hasten.” Yet when He appeared, the first group heard but turned away, while the second approached with swords of hatred and martyred Him. This Tongue does not wish to utter the words “Nay, unto…” as We have forbidden cursing. Today the ocean of mercy surgeth and the sun of bounty shineth. We beseech God to aid all to do what beseemeth His Day.

O Baqir! The unconscionable ones of the world have reached such a state that they cite what hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen as proof of their own truth, while remaining heedless and unaware of its Source. The misleader of the world who counteth himself the guide of nations is, by the life of God, unaware and heedless of the Cause. It is not known whether he hath truly taken the path to hell or is merely confused. We beseech God to aid him to return unto Him. Verily He is the Forgiving, the Merciful, the Hearer, the Answerer. Praise be to the Goal of the world Who hath mentioned thee and hath turned toward thee in the Most Great Prison. He is, verily, the Most Merciful of the merciful ones and the Most Generous of the generous ones.

O Ja’far! The Lord of Power from the direction of the Most Great Scene declareth: Thou seekest the meeting and We seek the encounter, but the heedless servants have intervened. Each day a saying appeareth and they engage in consultation regarding the Wronged One. Say: My God, my God! I testify that Thou didst create me and make me manifest, and caused me to know Thee and to hear Thy most sweet call from the Most Exalted Horizon. Thou knowest, O my God, that I have desired to attain Thy presence and to stand before Thy face. I beseech Thee by the waves of the ocean of Thy utterance and the splendors of the light of the sun of Thy grace, not to disappoint me of that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and Thy loved ones. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the fragrances of Thy verses in Thy days and the manifestations of Thy power amongst Thy servants, to ordain for me the reward of attaining Thy presence and to accept from me what I have done in Thy path. O Lord! Make my will to be dissolved in Thy will and my desire in Thy desire, such that I seek only what Thou hast ordained for me and wish only what Thou wishest. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the Powerful.

O Haydar-’Ali! Praise be to God! Each of the names mentioned has been blessed with divine verses and illumined by the light of the Lord’s proof. Beseech God to preserve what He has bestowed, for He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

Mention Siyyid Mustafa - upon him be My glory - and give him the glad-tidings from the Wronged One. His name has repeatedly flowed from the Most Exalted Pen and been revealed from the Tongue of Grandeur. Say: O Siyyid, reflect upon Muhammad - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him - and His manifestation in Yathrib and Batha. The humiliation that befell Him was first from the opposition of His relatives and kin, second from the opposition of the divines and mystics, third from the neglect of the people of the city and surroundings, and fourth - which was greatest of all - from the seven scholars who later ascribed many partners to Him, even while they considered themselves monotheists and the most excellent of all people. Those who were created by His Word would sometimes exalt others above Him and at times far above Him. Though they may not openly acknowledge this statement, from the evidence the matter is clear and manifest.

O Mustafa! God willing, may your will be seen as effaced in God’s Will and your desire in His Desire, that you may arise to serve His Cause by His Will and undertake His service - which is His mention - with wisdom and utterance, with spirit and fragrance. Convey My greetings to the loved ones of that land and give them the glad-tidings of the Wronged One’s favor.

O Haydar-’Ali! Upon thee be the eternal glory of God. Convey My greetings to Mirza Kuchik from the Wronged One. He has attained to My mention before and to the traces of My Most Exalted Pen, through which all things have spoken: “The Kingdom belongs to God, the Lord of Names and Creator of Heaven.”

We beseech God to confirm him and ordain for him that which leads to eternal mention and everlasting name. O Haydar-’Ali, convey greetings to the other loved ones from the Wronged One. God willing - the names are many but time is scarce, indeed like non-existent elixir. From every direction, letters and petitions arrive continuously, all seeking replies. Though by God’s grace, from the first day We proclaimed the Cause of the Ancient King before the faces of the world, verses have been revealed and descended like rain from the heaven of God’s Will - God forgive me - tongue has no access here and there exists no likeness or parallel. We beseech God to adorn all with the ornament of contentment, which is the most excellent ornament of the world, to engage them in His service and confirm them. Verily, He has power over all things.

Mention all the relatives of Muhammad-’Ali on behalf of the Wronged One, especially ’Abbas-Quli who has always been and continues to be in Our sight, and whose mention has repeatedly been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen. We beseech God to assist him in His mention, enable him to serve Him, and remind him of His verses time after time. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Guardian over all in the heavens and earth. There is no God but He, the Compassionate, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

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He is the All-Powerful over whatsoever He willeth by His command, and He is God, the Omnipotent over all things!

Praise be to God, Who causeth the oceans of light to surge with divine, fiery waters; Who stirreth up the letters of manifestation through the Point of the Divine Cloud of Unity; Who unfoldeth the mountain of the unseen from the heaven of manifestation - the essence of hiddenness and the countenance of eternity; and Who causeth the Point of Lordship to revolve in the most glorious and eternal manner - that all may testify that verily He is the Truth, there is no God but Him, and that He is indeed the Single, the One, the Eternal, Who begetteth not nor is begotten, and there is none like unto Him, and He is God, the Supreme, the Compelling.

Praise be to God, Who causeth the depths of fire to overflow from the Temple of pure and simple holiness; Who filtereth the vessels of beauty through the outpourings of glorified and abstracted sanctity; Who attracteth divine countenances through the melodies of eternal oneness; and Who causeth the dove of light to warble with everlasting, eternal songs - that all may know that verily He is the Truth, there is no God but Him, the Abstract, the Powerful, Who hath no description save His Own Essence and no attribute save His Own Being, and verily He is the Almighty, the All-Compelling.

Praise be to God, Who unfoldeth light in the manifestations of His light; Who causeth light to revolve in the revolutions of His light; Who maketh light to radiate in the faces of His light; Who suppresseth light in the suppressions of His light; Who causeth light to surge in the movements of His light; and Who causeth light to shine forth in the appearances of His light. Praise be unto Him, again praise be unto Him, praise which He alone deserveth and none other.

Glorified art Thou, O my God, O my Lord! I have no light wherewith to call upon Thee through Thy sacred verses, no splendor wherewith to commune with Thee through the letters of Thy intimacy, no radiance wherewith to meet Thee in the sacred mysteries of Thy majesty, and no ray wherewith to behold Thee in the repositories of Thy light. Glorified art Thou, O my God, O my Lord! I shall call upon Thee at the time when Thou hast made me sorrowful before the surging waves of Thy joyfulness, and hast made me grieved on earth at the tumult of the billows of Thy serenity, and when Thou hast made me dispirited in my abode before the swelling of the oceans of Thy radiance. Glorified art Thou, O my God, O my Lord! I bear witness unto that wherewith Thou bearest witness unto Thyself before all things, that Thou art God, there is no God but Thee. Thou hast ever reposed upon the throne of grandeur, and wilt ever abide in the essence of grace and justice. Thou wast and forever shalt be as Thou hast been before in the glory of might and beauty. None shall ever know Thee as befitteth Thy true knowledge, and none shall ever describe Thee as befitteth Thy true description. All that the holy ones know of Thee is but falsehood before the court of Thy holy bountifulness, and all that the unitarians attribute to Thee is but polytheism in the precincts of intimacy with the Sovereign of Thy omnipotence. Glorified art Thou, O my God, O my Lord! Thou art He Who created me when I was naught in Thy dominion, and sustained me when I was not even an atom in Thy lands, until Thou didst make me know Thy remembrance and inspired me to acknowledge it for Thy sake and to submit to Thy Cause for Thy right, and didst deposit within my essence a light from Thy Being that I might thereby know Thyself and shine forth in Thy realm and find repose in the precincts of Thy glory, until there surged over me the seas of sorrow whereof none could drink even a drop, and I became grieved to such extent that the spirit was nigh to departing from my body, whereby I was distressed and the spiritual ones were distressed, and I was dispirited and the luminous ones were dispirited. And praise be unto Thee, O my Beloved, for all that Thou hast manifested through Thy power, ordained through Thy will, decreed through Thy judgment, and determined through Thy sanction, for all this is evidence of Thy Cause and a path to the sovereignty from Thee. Glorified art Thou, O my God, O my Lord! How can I call upon Thee through the wonders of Thy remembrance after Thou hast cut off the way to the knowledge of Thine Essence, and how can I not call upon Thee when Thou hast created me only to mention Thy favors and praise Thy bounties? Glorified art Thou! I was indeed among those who prostrate themselves before Thee. Glorified art Thou, O my God, O my Lord! I beseech Thee in this dark night, when the Dove of the Command warbleth in Mount Sinai at the right of the Crimson Tree with Thy eternal melodies, and in these lengthening shadows when the Nightingale of Light trileth behind the veils of obscurity with Thy everlasting songs, that Thou lift me to the heaven of the unseen through the dominion of Thy Self-Subsisting sovereignty, and raise me to the horizon of the visible through the power of the King of Thy Divinity, and cause me to ascend to the repositories of Thy oneness, and honor me with visiting Thy countenance, that I may dwell in Thy vicinity and repose upon Thy carpet and recline upon the cushions of light through Thy grace, and rest in the heaven of manifestation through Thy bounty, that perchance my heart may be at peace and my soul find rest and my being take delight and my essence be tranquil, that I may thus be among those who are certain of meeting their Lord.

O distinguished seeker, burning with the fire of the Friend! Be thou assured that from the first day when God confirmed me in acknowledging Him and in recognizing His Cause until this moment, I have never desired to answer any from among His servants. However, having perceived in thy heart a fire of the love of God and a spark from the light of the Manifestation of His Self, the oceans of my affection have been set in motion through my love for thee. Thus do I desire to answer thee, through God’s might and power, with that which overfloweth from me of the dewdrops of servitude in the land of manifestation, that the fragrances of light may draw thee to the summit of joy and bring thee to the station which God hath ordained for thee in these days wherein the winds of sorrow have encompassed me from every direction through that which the hands of men have wrought in uttering calumnies against me without any clear proof or book. O my Lord! Pour forth upon me patience and grant me victory over the transgressing people.

Know thou that for this celestial verse, this subtle fruit, this divine melody, and this heavenly pearl there are infinite meanings unto infinity. Through God’s grace and bounty I shall cause to flow unto thee an overflow thereof, that it may be a reminder to the believers, a light to the fearful, and a stronghold to those who waver.

Bear thou witness that food hath diverse stations, yet We shall suffice thee with four of these. Among them is the station of the Throne of Hahut, the Paradise of Oneness. None can interpret a single letter of that verse in that Paradise, for this is the station of the mystery of the Divine Eternality, the edifices of Unity, the Israel of Singleness, and the essence of Luminosity. Its outward is identical with its inward, and its inward identical with its outward. It behooveth no one to comprehend a single letter thereof, but God shall reveal it, when He willeth, to whom He willeth. In the measure of my distress and poverty, I know not a single letter thereof, for it speaketh of naught save God, its Creator and Originator. Glorified be God, its Creator and Quickener, above what the unitarians describe.

By Him Who holdeth my soul in His hand! Were the oceans of light to surge in that station, all who are in the heavens and earth would drown, save for the number of letters of the Manifestation. God sufficeth as a witness over me and thee.

Among them is the station of the Paradise of Eternality, the Throne of Lahut, the Light of the White Land. This is the station of “He is He” and there is none save Him. This Paradise is reserved for those servants who are established upon the Throne of Glory, who drink of the Camphor water before the Beauty, who recite the verses of light in the heaven of justice, who find delight therein and are blessed by that food. Glorified be God, its Originator, above what they describe.

Among them is the Paradise of Oneness, the Yellow Land, the Ocean of Might. This is the station of “Thou art He and He is thou” - servants who speak not save by God’s leave, who act not save by His command, and who forbid not save by His decree, even as God hath described them: “honored servants who precede Him not in speech and who act by His command.”

Among them is the station of the Paradise of Justice, the Green Land, the Deep of the Kingdom. This is reserved for those servants whom neither commerce nor trade diverteth from the remembrance of God. These are indeed the companions of the light, and they enter therein by God’s leave and repose upon the carpet of glory.

Among them is the station of the Paradise of Grace, the Red Land, the mystery of the Yellow, the hidden secret of the White, the Point of the human realm. Verily the evidences of remembrance therein are greatest, did ye but know. Alas, alas! Then alas, alas! Would that the Point of […]

In those days my grief bears witness, calling forth compassion and tenderness towards me, inspiring me at every moment and strengthening me at every instant. Alas, alas! Would that I had died after him before these days, or had become a thing forgotten, utterly forgotten! Say: O people, have mercy upon me, and cast not calumnies upon me, nor hasten in my affair, for I am a servant who has believed in God and His signs, and but few days of my life remain. God my Lord suffices as a guardian over you, for He is my sufficiency and the sufficiency of whomsoever has sought Him aforetime, and He alone suffices as the Reckoner. O Lord! Pour forth upon me patience and grant me victory over the idolatrous people who speak naught but their own vain imaginings and are moved only by their own desires. Say: What ails you? How is it that you do not reflect nor perceive?

O trusted one! When the breezes of love waft from the right of the Tree of Sinai, and turn thee to the right and to the left, then take refuge in the cave of light by God’s leave, the Most High - and He is God, powerful over all things. And if thou hast witnessed and known all that We have explained to thee, then know that We intend yet another interpretation. Know that by “food” is meant knowledge itself - all knowledge - and by “Israel” the Primal Point, and by “Children of Israel” him whom God made a proof unto mankind in those days, save what Israel prohibited for himself - that is, what the Primal Point prohibited for His servants and bondsmen. Then bear witness that all that God hath ordained in the Book of His command and His prohibition is truth wherein there is no doubt, and it is incumbent upon all to act according to it and to acknowledge it. Let not the deeds of those who spread corruption in the earth while thinking themselves rightly guided prevent thee. Nay, by the Lord of the realm of glory, they are liars and calumniators. Verily, such a group is not even permitted to eat barley in these days - how then could it be permitted for them to partake of what God hath forbidden in the Book? Glory be unto Him, glory be unto Him, above what the idolaters assert!

O faithful friend! When thou art illumined by the dawning lights of the Morn of Eternity whose radiance hath filled the horizons, and art attracted by the drawing power of the light of the Eternal, whose traces have appeared upon the Temples of Glory, know thou that the purpose of the food in those days when the Sun was shining in the midst of heaven and the lamp of eternity was gleaming in the niche of the divine cloud was naught but the recognition of Him Who is the Author of the Cause and Israel - namely, the Primal Will through which God created all that is in the heavens and earth and whatsoever is between them. And the children of Israel are those servants who were drawn to the fire of that Will in the year sixty until the Day when mankind shall be gathered before the Lord of the worlds. God wrongeth no one, but people wrong themselves. Know thou that the light of God hath ever been established upon the throne of bounty and will continue to be as it hath been, but people perceive not, neither do they witness. When We exalted thee to the summit of light and raised thee to the pinnacle of servitude in the land of joy, and when We gave thee to drink, from the hand of Joseph the All-Glorious, the water of oneness from the camphor fountain, and laid thee to rest in the cradle of security while the ant of gladness was singing - there did thy spirit find repose, thy soul delight, and thy being joy. Therefore give thanks unto God Who created thee aforetime by His command and made thee to be of them who are guided by His signs. But now I pour out my grief and sorrow unto God, for He witnesseth my anguish, beholdeth my state and heareth my cry. By Him Who caused the Bird of Light to soar in the realm of manifestation! Never have I found one cast down as I am now, seated in the dust in utter abasement, and there existeth not a soul who doth not grieve me in such wise that the heavens are nigh to being cleft asunder, the earth to being rent, and the mountains to falling in ruins. Never hath the eye of time beheld one so wronged as I. Yet I have been patient and forbearing, and have sat before God, trusting in Him and committing all affairs unto Him, that He might have mercy upon me and forgive what people have falsely attributed to me. Then know, O Kamal, that were I to interpret this verse from this day until the days reach unto the Most Great Resurrection - the Day when people shall arise before the presence of the Ever-Living, the Wondrous - I would be able to do so through what God hath bestowed upon me of His grace and bounty. For the mystery of Oneness hath stirred, and the ocean of Eternity hath surged, and the Countenance of Light in the heavens of the divine cloud, at the right hand of the Tree of the Cause, hath shone forth in these days the like of which the Sun of Manifestation hath never risen. Yet people know not their worth nor witness their grace. Alas, alas! Had they known, the proof would not have been concealed from them nor the blessing withdrawn from them. Say: What aileth you that ye associate partners with God Who created you and aided you with light from His presence, if ye be believers? O Kamal! Hearken unto the call of this lowly, banished ant who hideth in his nest and desireth to emerge among you and disappear from you because of what the hands of men have wrought. God is witness between me and His servants, and He is indeed witness over all things. Alas, alas! Were the Other Point, the Ever-Living, the Most Holy, present, He would surely grieve over my state and weep for what hath befallen me. And I beseech His presence at this moment and implore His court that He may raise me to His realm of glory and seat me upon His holy carpet, as though in those days I existed not, nor was I anything worth mentioning. O my Lord! Pour forth upon me patience and grant me victory over the wrongdoing people.

O thou trustworthy one! If thou hast dwelt in the white thicket, the Isle of the Furqan, know that by “food” is meant the divine authority which God ordained for its people therein. And verily the meaning of “Israel” is the Point of the Furqan, and by “Children of Israel” are meant His successors after Him. Thus doth God reward His God-fearing servants. And if thou hast dwelt in the crimson Isle, the Garden of the Bayan, know that when We speak of “food” We mean the Primal Point, the pure Essence of Oneness in one sense, and by “Israel” is meant the Other Countenance, the pure Essence of Eternality in another sense, and the Dawning-Place of Light, the pure Manifestation, and the Temple of Unity, whom the transgressors have imprisoned in the earth and concealed throughout the lands, in yet another sense. Glorified be God above what the hands of men have wrought! God is not unaware of what men do. When at that moment the fire of love surged in the heart of Baha, and the dove of servitude warbled in the heaven of the divine cloud, and the hoopoe of light trilled in the midst of the atmosphere, and the Tree of the Mount consumed itself with its own fire above the Ark of Testimony behind the letter Qaf in the land of fulfillment, and the ant of servitude toiled in the valley of oneness on that night with the mystery of faithfulness, I desired to interpret that verse according to what God had taught me at that moment through His grace and bounty - for verily He is the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. I testify that “food” is the Ocean of the Unseen which is treasured in the scrolls of light and stored in the inscribed tablets, and “Israel” is the Manifestation of the Cause in those days, and the “Children of Israel” are the people of the Bayan. That food was permitted unto them - that is, unto everyone who desired to ascend to the heaven of divine favor and drink the water of purity from that glass, the cup of servitude, which is naught but as a shadow upon the earth - nay, I seek God’s forgiveness for such limitation. Glorified be God far above what the oppressors say in describing Him! Alas! Alas! Were there to surge over me but a drop from the seas of permission from the Sovereign of the divine cloud and the King of Glory, I would interpret that verse with the melodies of the spiritual ones, the myriads of the sanctified ones, and the songs of those who are attracted. But since I have not detected the fragrance of fulfillment after the decree, let what I have imparted to thee suffice, that it may serve as evidence for those who in the days of their Lord are mindful. When thou art warmed by the warmth of the fire of love and delighted by the delight of the trace of ink in those steadfast tablets, then bear witness and be assured that I have claimed naught save servitude unto God, the Truth. God is my judge concerning what people fabricate. Say: Woe unto you for what your hands have wrought! Ye shall be returned to the world of the unseen and the visible, and therein shall ye be questioned.

Say: O people of the Concourse! Marvel not at what God hath wrought. The mercy of God and His blessings be upon you, O people of the Bayan, did ye but know. Fear God, then know ye that what God hath wrought shineth even as the lamp of eternity amidst the works of men. How is it that ye ponder not, nor do ye witness? Alas, alas! By Him Who hath caused the grieving Dove to warble in the breast of Baha, I have forgotten all that I witnessed from the day I drank the pure milk from my mother’s breast until this moment, by reason of what the hands of men have wrought. And God knoweth all that was, though men know not. Say: O people of blindness! Come ye forth from your dwelling-places to enter the sanctuary of light, the darkness of the Manifestation, the Most Great House of God, whose decree hath been recorded in the tablet of the heart by God’s leave, the Most High, and hath been witnessed. And I conclude these words with what the Dove of Light warbled aforetime upon its arrival in the land of joy, trilling with the melody of the heart: Thou knowest, O my Beloved, what I have intended, relying upon the face of God. Verily, patience hath been severed from me through my manifest love for the beauty of God. Thou knowest what the son of adultery intended against my blood deliberately. Nay, by the presence of Thy might, I shall not pledge allegiance to him, neither secretly nor openly. O God, hasten the day of my blood, then my tears upon the dust while reclining. Would that my day were the day of my blood, thirsting upon the earth. Glorified be God far above what the polytheists describe in their glorification, with a great glorification. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds, in all originality. It is finished.

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=== START BH00268 ===

In the Name of Our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Lord

The Intended One beareth witness that there is none other God but Him. His are grandeur and bounty, and He is knowing of all things. The Beloved beareth witness that there is none other God but Him. His are exaltation and glory, and He is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. The Lord beareth witness that there is none other God but Him. His are power and majesty, and He is potent over all things. The Adored One beareth witness that there is none other God but Him. He doeth what He willeth through His all-encompassing command. The Lord beareth witness that there is none other God but Him, and He is the Mighty, the Beautiful.

Praise and thanksgiving beseemeth Him Who hath illumined the world of vision with the light of His manifestation and hath quickened the world of hearing through the hearing of His life-giving call. In the first station and primary rank, all mention and description hath been and is reserved for the True One, exalted be His glory, even while acknowledging and confessing that He hath ever been sanctified beyond the mention of aught else and the description of all others. And in the second station and latter rank, praise beseemeth His chosen ones, whom the taunts of the polytheists, the turning away of the opposers, the tyranny of the transgressors, the doubts of the deniers, and the assault of the oppressors did not hold back from the Lord of the Day of Judgment. The wickedness of the evil ones and the clamor of those who deny did not deprive them of the Most Great Ocean and the Ancient Lord. They reduced to naught the intimations of the world and effaced and eliminated the doubts of the nations. In the path of Truth, sharp swords were to them as means of comfort, and pointed spears as spread-out couches. Their aspiration was the good-pleasure of the peerless Friend, and their goal the meeting at the most exalted height.

Glorified art Thou, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of wisdom and utterance, and in Whose right hand are the hearts of all who dwell in the realm of possibilities! Thou seest Thy loved ones among Thy heedless servants, who have wrought against them that which hath caused the near ones and the sincere ones to lament. I beseech Thee, O Thou through Whose name the ocean of knowledge hath surged amongst the peoples and through Whose remembrance the river of life hath flowed from Thy Most Exalted Pen in the final abode, to assist Thy loved ones in Thy remembrance and praise. Then adorn them with Thy virtues and character, illuminate their hearts with the light of Thy knowledge, and crown their heads with the diadems of piety. Verily Thou art the Lord of all beings and the Lord of the throne on high and of the dust below. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Thereafter, the letters of that spiritual friend arrived repeatedly, each one a true testament to your steadfastness, service, and devotion. After each was read and reviewed, it was taken to the Most Exalted Station and achieved the honor of being heard before the Countenance of the Intended One of all worlds. Each time, the Sun of loving-kindness rose and shone forth from the horizon of favor, until time progressed to this moment–the ninth night of the month of Jumada’th-Thani–when the new letter of that spiritual friend arrived. After its reading, it was carried on wings of longing and yearning to the Most Exalted Station, until it was presented before the face of our Intended One, your Intended One, and the Intended One of all who are in the heavens and the earth. And when it was concluded, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these revealed verses, blessed and exalted be His Word:

In His Name, the Manifest, the All-Knowing […]

The Light which the Speaker of Sinai hath manifested from this Horizon - named the Most Exalted Horizon in the Book of God, Creator of the heavens, and the Most Glorious Paradise in this noble station - blessed be the eye that hath attained unto it, and woe betide those who have denied this gracious and manifest bounty. This is the Day whereon the Mother Book doth speak, calling all to a station wherein naught can be seen save God’s command, His sovereignty, His grandeur and His power. He, verily, is the Almighty, the All-Powerful. By God! The Most Exalted Pen hath been set in motion, and from it hath flowed the Kawthar of eternity. Among the people are those who have heard, hastened, and drunk thereof, and those who have denied God’s favor and that which hath been sent down from Him - these are among the most lost in His mighty Book. All things have been stirred by the Word of God, Lord of the kingdom of creation, yet the people remain veiled by a thick veil.

O Muhammad! Hear the Call from the direction of Akka - verily there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Peerless. He speaketh before the faces of the world, as every knowing and informed one doth testify. Neither the ranks of the world, nor its armies, nor its cannons, nor its swords have hindered Him. He hath appeared and manifested what He desired, by His command, and He is the Strong, the Powerful. The world’s rejection hath not weakened Him, nor what the nations possess. He speaketh in every condition that which the Primal Point foretold: “Verily there is no God but I, the Speaker, the All-Knowing.”

Say: O concourse of the earth! This is the Day of remembrance and praise, if ye be of those who know. This is the Day of turning and drawing near, if ye be of those who hear. This is the Day which God’s Books have promised, if ye be of the fair-minded. This is the Day wherein the Mother of the Bayan hath appeared, if ye be of those who witness. God’s Kingdom hath been manifested, if ye be of those who see. Beware lest the veils of glory prevent you from turning to God, the Lord of the worlds, or the veils of the misguided conceal you in the days of your Lord, the Master of the Day of Judgment. Say: Fear God and follow not your desires. Be fair in what hath appeared through truth - this is better for you, as every fair-minded and clear-sighted one doth testify. Beware lest ye deprive yourselves of this Most Great Bounty. Soon shall the world and all that ye behold therein perish; then shall ye find yourselves in grievous torment. Cast away names and take what ye have been given from God, the Kind, the Gracious. God’s Cause and His decree have come. Verily His sovereignty sufficeth you, and He is the Protector of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

O Muhammad! Verily thy Lord hath been with His loved ones and heareth their call in His remembrance and praise - He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. We counsel thee and those who have believed with that which will exalt this mighty, wondrous Cause. Say: O people of God! Adorn your heads with the crowns of detachment and your temples with the raiment of chastity, trustworthiness, truthfulness and purity. Thus have We sent down the Book and adorned it with commandments and ordinances from God, the Speaker, the Mighty, the Wise.

We have forbidden all from contention and conflict, and commanded them to assist their Lord through the hosts of deeds and character. Verily, He is the Ancient Commander. By My life! We have commanded the servants only with that which profiteth them, preserveth them, and draweth them nigh unto this noble station.

Say: Purify your hearts and cleanse them from the fire of malice and hatred. This is what was revealed aforetime and at this moment. We have desired to make mention of Our friends there and give them glad tidings of Our remembrance of them, that they may rejoice and be of the thankful ones.

O My friends there and in all regions! The Most Great Announcement remembereth you from the precincts of His mighty prison, and commandeth you to righteousness and piety, and forbiddeth you from that which would lower your stations. Verily your Lord is the Counselor, the All-Knowing. Take hold of the Book of God with the strength that cometh from Him, then act according to what hath been sent down therein from the heaven of loving-kindness and favor. Verily it guideth you to His straight path.

When thou hast drunk the choice wine of My utterance from the chalices of My words, and the rapture of My call hath seized thee, say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having remembered me while I was among the heedless ones. I know not, O my God, which of Thy tribulations to recount, or for which of Thy calamities to weep and wail. Alas, alas, for what hath befallen Thee at the hands of the oppressors among Thy servants and the transgressors among Thy creatures.

Thou art He, O my God, Who ordained knowledge for Thy recognition and made it the greatest means of drawing near unto the Dayspring of the light of Thy unity. Yet when Thou didst manifest Thyself, those who were the manifestations and dawning-places of knowledge rose against Thee, approaching Thee only with the swords of malice and hatred. Alas, alas, for Thy sorrow and Thy loneliness!

I beseech Thee, O God of existence and Lord of the seen and unseen, to assist Thy servants in being just and fair. Then make known to them what hath escaped them in Thy days, and teach them what they have committed in following the manifestations of idle fancies and vain imaginings, without any clear proof from Thee or evidence from Thy presence. Alas, alas, O Thou Goal of the world and Beloved of the nations! How long wilt Thou hear what is unworthy to be heard, and how long wilt Thou behold what is unfit for any of Thy servants to see, let alone Thy most pure sight?

O Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Countenance and the mysteries of destiny to ordain for me and for Thy loved ones that which will adorn us with the ornament of patience, forbearance and resignation. Then decree for us the best of the hereafter and of this world. Verily Thou art the Lord of the Throne and the earth, and Thou art the Omnipotent, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Muhammad! You have heard the Voice of the Wronged One in the Arabic tongue; hear it now in Persian. The cause of the world’s differences has been and is vain imaginings and idle fancies, and their fountainheads are those who wear the turbans - they who lead the servants to an evil habitation. As was aforetime spoken: “They have changed God’s favor into ingratitude and caused their people to dwell in the abode of perdition.” For twelve hundred years they prided themselves before all the world’s peoples with mention of successorship, crying out “O Promised One!” day and night, yet when the blessed Tree grew forth they pronounced it astray and misguided, and afterwards cut it down with the swords of hatred. The deniers of the Bayan likewise walk in the footsteps of that faction, they too have clung to names and busied themselves with disputation, and will ultimately commit worse than what the Shi’ih perpetrated. This is a truth in which there is no doubt. Yet there is hope that after sincere investigation they may discover the root of the Cause - from Whom it came and what it is - and return to the truth.

Those souls whom you previously mentioned from the land of Shin and its surroundings have all attained to the grace of the Most Exalted Pen. Their mention is recorded and the effulgences of the Sun of favor are manifest. Well is it with them and pleasant it is unto them. We beseech God to assist His party in such wise that whatsoever the deniers possess of names and utterances may not debar them from the path of the Chosen One. Consultation in affairs is necessary and unity among the loved ones is essential. With harmony and accord and in a spirit of joy and fragrance they must enlighten the people of the earth and arise to reform it. Contention, conflict and objection are all forbidden. Blessed is the one who retires to his bed with a heart sanctified from rancor and hatred and purified from all that is unworthy of the days of God.

Say: O friends! Strive that the tribulations which in the path of God have befallen the Wronged One and His loved ones may not be lost among the people. Hold fast to the hem of chastity, and likewise to the cord of religion and trustworthiness. Consider the welfare of the world, not the promptings of self. O party of God! You are the shepherds of the world. Keep the sheep pure from the defilement of self and passion, and adorn them with the fear of God. This is the firm command which hath in this moment flowed from the Pen of the Ancient of Days. By the life of God! The sword of goodly character and conduct is sharper than blades of steel.

Thou didst make mention of Abbas of Aleppo. Say: The Day hath come, yet the people remain in manifest veils. Behold, then remember when Muhammad, the Apostle of God, came with the signs of unity and the standards of detachment, how the people turned away and opposed Him, until they pronounced judgment to shed His most pure blood. Thus was the matter decreed aforetime, and in this wondrous age. We beseech God to aid His servants to justice and fairness, and to assist them in that which draweth them nigh unto Him. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

O Abbas! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. He maketh mention of thee and counseleth thee in that which beseemeth these days. Beware lest the world debar thee from this Most Great Cause. Soon shall it pass away, and that which shall endure is what hath been ordained in the Kingdom of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, the All-Bountiful. We, verily, beseech God, exalted be He, to strengthen thee in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to ordain for thee the good of the hereafter and of the former life. He, verily, hath power over all things.

The souls who fix their gaze upon the dayspring of vain imaginings were not and are not aware. Were they to become conscious of the truth of the Cause, they would utter the words “We turn unto Thee, O Thou the Desire of the worlds!” Leave them to their vain discourses and their sport, for these souls walk precisely in the footsteps of the Shi’ih. Neither mention, nor truthfulness, nor utterance, nor verse, nor proof shall profit them, save whom God willeth. All know that this Wronged One arose before the faces of men without concealment and spoke forth the truth. Were it not for Him, who would speak amongst the servants and who would manifest the Cause throughout the lands?

A certain Arab in that land, despite being heedless and unaware of the root of the Cause, strove to lead souls astray and committed that which he shall soon behold its signs and fruits. I pour out my grief and sorrow unto God. Verily, He witnesseth and seeth, and He is the All-Seeing, the All-Informed. The Glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of grace be upon those who have heard the Call, responded, and acted according to that which they were commanded in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds.

Praise be to the Goal of the worlds Who bestowed His grace and confirmations and caused that spiritual friend to receive His favors. His mercy hath preceded all, His sovereignty is mighty, and His utterance is powerful. Letters have repeatedly arrived from that land, and in sending replies there has been delay due to the volume of correspondence that required attention. From all, forgiveness has been and is hoped for. In these days a letter was written and sent in reply to his honor Aqa Siyyid Mortaza, upon him be the Glory of God, and that letter contains the verses of God. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to illumine the eyes with His light and to adorn the hearts through its reading.

O My loved one! Meaningless tales of the past and false accounts from heedless souls have deprived the world of God’s wondrous bounties. It is most regrettable that the people of the earth should remain deprived of the outpourings of the true Bestower and the lights of the Luminary of inner meanings. You and this servant and other friends must beseech God to increase the light of vision that it may become capable of witnessing, and to strengthen the power of hearing that it may become capable of listening. Had the previous party, namely the Shi’ih faction, observed with their own eyes, they would surely have distinguished the straight path from the crooked. They clung to their divines and thus committed what neither Jews nor Zoroastrians had done. Until now the fire of their hatred has not been quenched. They occupy themselves with cursing and reviling the Truth from their pulpits. If one were to listen with the ear of the heart, one would hear the lamentation of the pulpits, for they were established for the praise of God, not for His censure.

Tyranny hath reached such a degree that all atoms have engaged in lamentation and weeping, yet the heedless and veiled souls remain deprived of the recompense of their deeds. I beseech God to cleanse all through the water of return. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. In truth, justice, fairness and fidelity have vanished. A certain Haji Muhammad-Taqi from the city of ?ad, despite being shown the utmost kindness and being the recipient of affection and favor, hath committed what no one from the beginning of the world until now hath committed. This servant hath concealed his deeds. Verily God is the Concealer and hath commanded all to maintain noble concealment and beautiful patience. For him too I beseech from God what is befitting, that perchance he may take heed or fear God and return unto God, the Lord of all men.

In the letter to his honor Aqa Siyyid Mortaza, upon him be the Glory of God, some of the incidents that have occurred have been mentioned. Perhaps that spiritual friend will see it. In any case, as commanded, you should meet the loved ones with the utmost joy and fragrance, and whatever the honored and esteemed Amin, upon him be the Glory of God and His favors, has accepted to deliver should be delivered. If anything is available with them, they will surely deliver it.

Glory be unto Him! Glory be unto Him! Without visible means He hath made His Cause victorious. With one pen He hath conquered the world and hath desired for all what hath had and hath no likeness or equal. I beseech God to adorn His people with that which will cause the exaltation of His Word and the upliftment of souls. Besides this, outwardly and inwardly, before God, our Lord and the Lord of the mighty Throne, there hath been and is no other purpose, as they have witnessed in the Psalms and Tablets and Books.

The petition of Jinab-i-Haji Siyyid Talib, may God the Most High assist him, was received and was presented before His countenance. The Beloved spoke: “O Siyyid Talib! Upon thee be My salutation. Verily the Wronged One hath heard thy call and hath answered thee with this perspicuous remembrance. We beseech God to assist thee to rend asunder the veils of idle fancies and to shatter the idols of vain imaginings, to acquaint thee with that which beseemeth this Day, and to make thee speak forth His Name with wisdom and utterance, and to ordain for thee the good of this world and of the world to come. Verily, He is powerful over all things. The Wronged One desireth for His servants naught save the grace of God and His mercy which hath preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth. What hath befallen thee of tyranny and oppression hath grieved Me. We beseech God to assist thee to practice beautiful patience and to open before thy face the doors of care and kindness. Verily, He is the Most Merciful of the merciful ones.”

This servant also conveyeth greetings unto him and beseecheth from God, exalted be His Glory, confirmation for him. Glory and remembrance and praise be upon you and upon whosoever heareth your words concerning the Cause of God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of the exalted Throne.

The Servant

9 Jamadi’th-Thani 1305

=== END BH00268 ===

=== START BH00269 ===

He is in His own Right the Supreme Ruler! The Pen of the Most High proclaimeth: O thou who hast imagined thyself to be the most exalted of men and who hast regarded as the lowliest of all creatures this divine Youth, through Whom the eyes of the Concourse on high have been illumined and made radiant! This Youth hath sought nothing from thee or from such as are like unto thee, inasmuch as from time immemorial, whenever the Manifestations of the All-Merciful and the Exponents of His unfading glory have stepped out of the Realm of eternity into this mortal world and revealed themselves to revive the dead, men such as thee have considered these sanctified Souls and Temples of Divine Oneness, upon Whom must needs depend the rehabilitation of the peoples of the earth, to be stirrers of mischief and worthy of blame. These men, verily, have all returned unto dust. Thou, too, shalt erelong take abode therein and find thyself in grievous loss. Even if this Lifegiver and World Reformer be in thine estimation guilty of sedition and strife, what crime could have been committed by a group of women, children, and suckling mothers that they should be thus afflicted with the scourge of thine anger and wrath? No faith or religion hath ever held children responsible. The Pen of divine Command hath exempted them, yet the fire of thy tyranny and oppression encompasseth all. If thou bearest allegiance to any faith or religion, then thou shouldst know that, according to all the heavenly Books and all the divinely inspired and weighty Scriptures, children are not to be held accountable. Aside from this, not even those who disbelieve in God have perpetrated such unseemly acts. Since from every thing an effect becometh manifest, a fact that none can deny save those who are bereft of reason and understanding, it is certain that the sighs of these children and the cries of these wronged ones will have their due consequence. Ye have plundered and unjustly despoiled a group of people who have never rebelled in your domains, nor disobeyed your government, but rather kept to themselves and engaged day and night in the remembrance of God. Later, when the order was issued to banish this Youth, all were filled with dismay. The officials in charge of My expulsion declared, however: “These others have not been charged with any offence and have not been expelled by the government. Should they desire to accompany you, no one will oppose them.” These hapless souls therefore paid their own expenses, forsook all their possessions, and, contenting themselves with Our presence and placing their whole trust in God, journeyed once again with Him until the fortress of ’Akka became the prison of Baha.

Upon our arrival, we were surrounded by guards and confined together, men and women, young and old alike, in the army barracks. The first night all were deprived of either food or drink, for the sentries were guarding the gate of the barracks and permitted no one to leave. No one gave a thought to the plight of these wronged ones. They even begged for water, and were refused. Time hath passed, and we all remain confined in these barracks, notwithstanding that during the five years we dwelt in Adrianople, all its inhabitants, whether learned or ignorant, rich or poor, bore witness to the purity and sanctity of these servants. At the time this Youth was departing from Adrianople, one of the loved ones of God attempted to take his own life, so unbearable to him was the sight of this Wronged One in the hands of His oppressors. During the journey we were thrice compelled to change ships, and it is evident how much the children suffered as a result. Upon disembarking, four of the believers were separated and prevented from accompanying Us. As this Youth was leaving, one of the four, named ’Abdu’l-Ghaffar, cast himself into the sea, and no one knoweth what befell him thereafter. All this is but a drop in the ocean of the wrongs that have been inflicted upon Us, and still ye are not satisfied! The officials enforce every day a new decree, and no end is in sight to their tyranny. Night and day they conceive new schemes. They have assigned each prisoner, from the government storehouse, a daily allowance of three loaves of bread that no one can eat. From the foundation of the world until the present day a cruelty such as this hath neither been seen nor heard of. By the righteousness of Him Who hath caused Baha to speak forth before all that are in heaven and all that are on earth! Ye have neither rank nor mention among them that have offered up their souls, their bodies and their substance for the love of God, the All-Powerful, the All-Compelling, the Almighty. A handful of clay is greater in the sight of God than all your dominion and your sovereignty, and all your might and your fortune. Should it be His wish, He would scatter you in dust. Soon will He seize you in His wrathful anger, and sedition will be stirred up in your midst, and your dominions will be disrupted. Then will ye bewail and lament, and will find none to help or succour you.

In making mention of these matters, it is not Our purpose to rouse you from your slumber, since the fury of God’s wrath hath so encompassed you that ye shall never take heed. Nor is it Our intention to recount the iniquities visited upon these pure and blessed souls, for they have been so intoxicated with the wine of the All-Merciful and are so carried away with the inebriating effect of the living waters of His loving providence that even were they to suffer all the cruelties of the world for His sake, they would remain content and yield thanks unto Him.

These souls have never held, nor shall they ever hold, any grievance. Nay, their blood continually imploreth and beseecheth the Lord of the worlds that it might be spilt upon the dust in His path, and their heads yearn to be borne aloft on spears for the sake of the Beloved of hearts and souls.

Several times calamities have overtaken you, and yet ye failed utterly to take heed. One of them was the conflagration which devoured most of the City with the flames of justice, and concerning which many poems were written, stating that no such fire had ever been witnessed. And yet, ye waxed more heedless. Plague, likewise, broke out, and ye still failed to give heed!

Be expectant, however, for the wrath of God is ready to overtake you. Erelong will ye behold that which hath been sent down from the Pen of My command. Have ye fondly imagined your glory to be imperishable and your dominion to be everlasting? Nay, by Him Who is the All-Merciful! Neither will your glory last, nor will Mine abasement endure. Such abasement, in the estimation of a true man, is the pride of every glory.

“The box,” he replied, “contains all these puppets. I have produced and presented this play throughout my life. I have also trained my son in this craft, that it may serve as his means of livelihood after me.” I was struck with wonder, reflecting how these puppets could be manipulated with such skill and with what mastery a scene of such majesty and pomp could be enacted through these small figures. At length it occurred to me that this elaborate display must have a meaning and must hold a lesson. For each character, even those that emerged but briefly and then vanished, had a part to play and an end to serve. The significance of this puppet show was not lost upon me: the fleeting moments of a king’s audience, of his majesty and pomp, of the obedience and submission of his courtiers, all enacted and brought to an end in the span of twenty minutes–what could all this signify but the transient nature of worldly majesty, power, and riches? And yet, how many souls in this world even now spend their lives in pursuit of such trifling diversions, never considering how brief is their duration and how empty their claim upon men’s hearts.[…]

“All this lavish display and these elaborate devices,” he replied, “the king, the princes, and the ministers, their pomp and glory, their might and power, everything you saw, are now contained within this box.”

I swear by My Lord Who, through a single word of His Mouth, hath brought into being all created things! Ever since that day, all the trappings of the world have seemed in the eyes of this Youth akin to that same spectacle. They have never been, nor will they ever be, of any weight and consequence, be it to the extent of a grain of mustard seed. How greatly I marvelled that men should pride themselves upon such vanities, whilst those possessed of insight, ere they witness any evidence of human glory, perceive with certainty the inevitability of its waning. “Never have I looked upon any thing save that I have seen extinction before it; and God, verily, is a sufficient witness!”

It behoveth everyone to traverse this brief span of life with sincerity and fairness. Should one fail to attain unto the recognition of Him Who is the Eternal Truth, let him at least conduct himself with reason and justice. Erelong these outward trappings, these visible treasures, these earthly vanities, these arrayed armies, these adorned vestures, these proud and overweening souls, all shall pass into the confines of the grave, as though into that box. In the eyes of those possessed of insight, all this conflict, contention and vainglory hath ever been, and will ever be, like unto the play and pastimes of children. Take heed, and be not of them that see and yet deny.

Our call concerneth not this Youth and the loved ones of God, for they are already sore-tried and imprisoned and expect nothing from men such as thee. Our purpose is that thou mayest lift up thy head from the couch of heedlessness, shake off the slumber of negligence, and cease to oppose unjustly the servants of God. So long as thy power and ascendancy endure, strive to alleviate the suffering of the oppressed. Shouldst thou judge with fairness and observe with the eye of discernment the conflicts and pursuits of this transient world, thou wouldst readily acknowledge that they are even as the play which We have described.

Hearken unto the words of the one true God and pride thyself not in the things of this world. What hath become of those like unto thee who falsely claimed lordship on earth, who sought to quench the light of God in His land and to destroy the foundation of His mighty edifice in His cities? Where are they to be seen now? Be fair in thy judgement and return unto God, that perchance He might cancel the trespasses of thy vain life. Alas, We know that thou shalt never attain unto this, for such is thy cruelty that it hath made hell to blaze and the Spirit to lament, and hath caused the pillars of the Throne to shake and the hearts of the faithful to tremble.

O peoples of the earth! Incline your inner ears to the call of this Wronged One and pause to reflect upon the story that We have recounted. Perchance ye may not be consumed by the fire of self and passion, nor allow the vain and worthless objects of this nether world to withhold you from Him Who is the Eternal Truth. Glory and abasement, riches and poverty, tranquillity and tribulation, all will pass away, and all the peoples of the earth will erelong be laid to rest in their tombs. It behoveth therefore every man of insight to fix his gaze upon the goal of eternity, that perchance by the grace of Him Who is the Ancient King he may attain unto the immortal Kingdom and abide beneath the shade of the Tree of His Revelation.

Though this world be fraught with deception and deceit, yet it continually warneth all men of their impending extinction. The death of the father proclaimeth to the son that he, too, shall pass away. Would that the inhabitants of the world who have amassed riches for themselves and have strayed far from the True One might know who will eventually lay hand on their treasures; but, by the life of Baha, no one knoweth this save God, exalted be His glory.

The poet Sana’i, may God’s mercy rest upon him, hath said: “Take heed, O ye whose unseemly conduct hath darkened your faces! Take heed, O ye whose beards have been whitened by age!” Alas, most of the people are fast asleep. They are even as the man who, in his drunkenness, became attracted to a dog, took it in his embrace, and made it his plaything, and who, when the morn of discernment dawned and the light of the sun enveloped the horizon, realized that the object of his affection was but a dog. Then, filled with shame and remorse, he repaired to his abode.

O think not that thou hast abased this Youth or prevailed over Him. The least of creatures ruleth over thee, and yet thou perceivest not. The lowliest and most abject of all things holdeth sway over thee, and that is none other than self and passion, which have ever been reprehensible. Were it not for God’s consummate wisdom, thou wouldst have been able to plainly behold thine own helplessness and that of all who dwell on earth. Our abasement is indeed the glory of His Cause, could ye but understand. This Youth hath ever been disinclined to breathe a word contrary to courtesy, for courtesy is Our raiment, wherewith We have adorned the temples of Our well-favoured servants. Otherwise, some of the deeds that ye believe to be concealed would have been divulged in this Tablet.

O exponent of might and power! These young children and these poor ones in God did not need to be accompanied by officers and soldiers. Upon our arrival in Gallipoli, a major by the name of ’Umar came into Our presence. God is well aware of what he said. After some exchanges in which his own innocence and thy guilt were mentioned, We declared: “From the outset, a gathering should have been convened at which the learned men of this age could have met with this Youth in order to determine what offence these servants have committed. But now the matter hath gone beyond such considerations, and, according to thine own assertion, thou art charged with incarcerating Us in the most desolate of cities. There is a matter, which, if thou findest it possible, I request thee to submit to His Majesty the Sul?an, that for ten minutes this Youth be enabled to meet him, so that he may demand whatsoever he deemeth as a sufficient testimony and regardeth as proof of the veracity of Him Who is the Truth. Should God enable Him to produce it, let him, then, release these wronged ones, and leave them to themselves.”

He promised to transmit this message, and to give Us his reply. We received, however, no news from him. Although it becometh not Him Who is the Truth to present Himself before any person, inasmuch as all have been created to obey Him, yet in view of the condition of these little children and the large number of women so far removed from their friends and countries, We have acquiesced in this matter. In spite of this nothing hath resulted. ’Umar himself is alive and accessible. Inquire from him, that the truth may be made known unto you.

Most of Our companions now lie sick in this prison, and none knoweth what befell Us, except God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing. In the days following Our arrival, two of these servants hastened to the realms above. For an entire day the guards insisted that, until they were paid for the shrouds and burial, those blessed bodies could not be removed, although no one had requested any help from them. At that time we were devoid of earthly means, and pleaded that they leave the matter unto us and allow those present to carry the bodies, but they refused. Finally, a carpet was taken to the bazaar to be sold, and the sum obtained was delivered to the guards. Later, it was learned that they had merely dug a shallow grave into which they had placed both blessed bodies, although they had taken twice the amount required for shrouds and burial.

The pen is powerless to depict and the tongue faileth to describe the trials which We have suffered. Yet sweeter than honey to Me is the bitterness of such tribulations. Would that at every instant all the afflictions of the world could, in the path of God and for the sake of His love, be visited upon this evanescent Soul Who is immersed in the ocean of divine knowledge!

We implore God for patience and forbearance, inasmuch as thou art but a feeble creature and bereft of comprehension. Wert thou to awaken and inhale the fragrance of the breezes that waft from the retreats of eternity, thou wouldst readily abandon all that thou dost possess and in which thou dost rejoice, and choose to abide in one of the dilapidated rooms of this Most Great Prison. Beseech God to grant thee such mature understanding as to enable thee to distinguish praiseworthy actions from those which merit blame. Peace be upon him who followeth the way of guidance!

=== END BH00269 ===

=== START BH00270 ===

Praise be unto Him Who is the Object of all existence, Who, through His prevailing Will and consummate wisdom, hath adorned the ranks of utterance and, through these spiritual hosts, hath taken possession of illumined hearts and minds. His hosts are the breaths of divine revelation, and through but one exalted word, His commanding Will hath conquered the people of the realm below and the Concourse on high. The power of the world boweth in submission before His power, and the books of nations are humbled before His utterance. The oppression of the oppressors hath not stayed the influence of His word, nor hath the prevention of the preventers impeded the power of His Pen. Each day the cry of the oppressed is raised from every direction, and at every moment the fire of the wicked is ablaze. Yet the fire of the malice of the evil-doers hath had no effect upon the righteous, nor hath the cruelty of the impious kept them back from drawing nigh unto the Truth, inasmuch as they are enkindled with the fire of the love of God and illumined by the light of the Sun of His Cause. Every person of insight is amazed, and every one possessed of knowledge is deep in thought - particularly in these days when in the City of the Lovers there is tumult and commotion. The First Preacher hath ascended the pulpit of love and is established upon the throne of sacrifice, speaking forth these blessed words: “O concourse of lovers! The breaths of divine revelation have attracted the heart and wrested all free will from the grasp of power. My desire is to sacrifice my soul for the One Beloved, that perchance the dead world may come to life and the withered souls may be refreshed.” Glory be to God! At that moment such rapture and attraction appeared among the company of lovers as the pens of the world are powerless to describe. Glorified be the majesty of our Lord, exalted be His Cause, and hallowed be His Name and His power! Each day, nay, each moment, He bestoweth the sealed wine in His blessed Name, the Self-Subsisting, yet few are they that seek it, and none are found worthy to receive it.

Glorified art Thou, O God of existence and Educator of the seen and unseen! I beseech Thee by Thy Name, the All-Loving, through which the Euphrates of Thy love hath flowed from the right hand of Thy throne and the rain of Thy mercy hath descended from the heaven of Thy bounty, to [aid] Thy loved ones to be patient in Thy days and to endure when Thy decree and destiny are made manifest. Blessed is the liver that melteth in Thy love, the heart that is pierced by separation from Thee, the blood that is shed in Thy path, the head that is raised to exalt Thy Word, and the throat that met the rope of the enemies to manifest Thy Cause and the cord of the wicked ones in longing to meet Thee and to demonstrate Thy power.

O Lord! Thou seest us circling round the throne of Thy will and the Kaaba of Thy purpose, our spirits awaiting the wonders of Thy Cause. O Lord! Accept from us, through Thy grace and generosity, that we may sacrifice it before Thy face in Thy days, though it befitteth not the court of Thy might and majesty, nor is worthy of the carpet of Thy grandeur and glory. Yet I beseech Thee by the mysteries hidden in Thy knowledge and the pearls treasured in the shells of the ocean of Thy wisdom, to accept from us that which is unworthy of Thy Cause and its sacrifice in Thy love.

O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy handmaiden. I am certain that our deeds befit not the glory of Thy splendor, nor are worthy of Thy presence, nor of the threshold of Thy gate which Thou hast, through Thy bounty, opened unto all existence, both seen and unseen. By Thy might, O Thou Desired One of all creation and Beloved of all possible beings, the hearts of Thy loved ones find no rest save in martyrdom in Thy path, and their souls rejoice in naught but the shedding of their blood in Thy love. Blessed is the land whereon Thy lovers are distressed, and the soul that hath attained the glances of the eyes of Thy mercy, and blessed is the spot adorned with the blood of Thy loved ones and over which pass the breezes of the morn of the appearance of Thy grace.

O Lord! Thou seest and knowest that the Son of the Wolf hath devoured Thy sheep and slain Thy she-camel. Because of this, the livers of Thy loved ones have melted and the hearts of Thy chosen ones have burned. O Lord! Thou seest the tears of those near unto Thee flowing before Thine eyes because of what hath befallen Thy loved ones in Thy lands. Alas! Alas! Grief hath consumed me, and patience hath well-nigh departed and left me. By Thy grandeur and sovereignty, it is grievous to Thy servant Badi’ to see Thee wronged in the hands of the tyrants among Thy creation and the oppressors among Thy servants. Alas! Alas! The serpent hath bitten the Beloved with such injustice that the dwellers of the pavilion of Thy greatness and glory have lamented.

Glorified art Thou, O my God, my Lord, my Support, my Beloved, and the Ultimate Object of my hope! I beseech Thee by Thy bounty through which existence came to be, and by Thy Name through which Thou didst rend asunder the veils of fancy, and by the Staff wherewith Thou didst cleave the sea and destroy the swords of time, to ordain for Thy loved ones from Thy Most Exalted Pen that which will draw them to the highest summit. O Lord! Thou seest them turning unto Thee and holding fast to the hem of Thy generosity and bounty. Then I beseech Thee, O God of Names, by Thy most great signs and by Thy mysteries which were treasured in Thy Pen and hidden in Thy knowledge, to aid me and Thy chosen ones to stand firm in Thy love and Thy Cause. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

O Lord! Adorn the countenance of the sovereign with the lights of the sun of justice and equity, and illumine therewith his heart, his outer and inner being. O Lord! Cause him to ascend unto the heights of mercy, compassion and bounty, then inspire him with that which will draw him nigh unto Thee, O Lord of all beings and God of the throne on high and of the dust below. O Lord! Enable him to achieve what Thou lovest and art pleased with, that he may turn unto the lights of Thy countenance and protect Thy sheep from the wolves of the earth and […]

O Evildoers! Verily Thou art the Omnipotent One Whom nothing among all things can frustrate, nor any name among all names, nor the oppression of those who have denied the Day of Judgment wherein the Kingdom crieth out “Unto God belongeth all dominion, the Lord of earth and heaven and the Possessor of the Mighty News!” Glory be to God! Verily on this Day the Voice speaketh yet the people hear not, and the Light calleth yet mankind perceiveth not. We beseech God to grant success to His servants and draw them nigh unto Him. Verily He is the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful.

The letter of that honored friend arrived, and from its horizon the sun of love shone forth resplendent. In truth, all its words and phrases appeared as a divine tree, speaking forth “I have turned my face toward Him Who hath created the heavens and the earth.” Its call was heard. Exalted be God, the True King, the Manifest, Who caused it to speak in His days, revealed it through His will, and planted it through His grace. We beseech God to strengthen it with a power that shall never be succeeded by silence, even for less than a moment. Verily He is the Mighty, the Bestower.

Thereafter, having turned toward the Most Exalted Kingdom, it was presented before His Countenance. At that moment, the waves of the ocean of favor and the effulgences of the Sun of Truth were manifested in such wise that this servant is powerless to describe and incapable to express them. After a time, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke, saying - exalted be His majesty and all-encompassing be His bounty:

I am the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing.

O thou who hast quaffed the wine of My utterance and who standeth to serve My Cause! Hearken unto My call from the Divine Tree which hath been raised up in the Most Exalted Paradise through My will and desire and My command that hath encompassed all existence. Verily there is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

O Ali! The ocean of My loving-kindness hath surged and the Sun of My grace hath shone forth as a bounty from My presence upon My servants, yet they have denied that which hath appeared, turning away from God, the Lord of all that was and shall be. They have cast the Book of God behind their backs, clinging to their own idle fancies and vain imaginings. We have opened the gate of reunion, yet they turn aside therefrom. We have revealed from the Most Exalted Pen the pearls of knowledge and wisdom, yet they remain far removed from them. The mysteries have been unveiled, the signs have been spread abroad, and the fruits have appeared, yet they remain heedless thereof. They have abandoned that which they were bidden to observe, clinging to that which they were forbidden. Lo! They understand not. They have cast aside that which would profit them and taken that which harmeth them. Lo! They know not. Soon shall they behold their recompense in justice from God, the Lord of all being.

O Akbar! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. The Son of the Wolf hath proven more wicked than his deprived father. Today in the arena of oppression none precedeth him. Reflect upon the grace and bounty of the Wronged One, and upon the wickedness of the people from the beginning of the Cause until now. We protected certain souls in such wise that none save God is aware thereof. The rejection of corruption led to the martyrdom of the Beloved. Blessed is he, then blessed is he! By the life of God, he hath attained unto a station which the sincere ones and those drawn nigh eagerly seek. Praise be to God, he was adorned with the crown of steadfastness and illumined by the effulgences of the light of the countenance. Convey My greetings to the friends. Say: Beware lest ye be grieved by the doings of the wicked or the onslaught of the ungodly. By My life! He who hath ascended hath attained unto the Most Great Joy. We beseech God, exalted be He, to assist His loved ones to remember Him and praise Him, that they may commemorate His days, His detachment, His orientation toward Him, and His spending in the path of God, the Lord of all worlds. We beseech of God that He may assist all to act with wisdom and utterance, and to act in accordance with what He hath revealed in the Book.

The End

O My beloved! The imprisoned Badi’ makes mention of you and says: Praise be to God, glory be to God, that you are illumined by the rays of the manifestations of the Sun of Truth and are mentioned and recorded in the remembrance of the Purpose of the world and in the traces of the Most Exalted Pen. Beyond this, no station remains for the mention of this servant, nor any rank for his praise before the Ocean of Praise and the Sun of Utterance. His power has encompassed the world and His grace has embraced all peoples. His Will is manifest and His Purpose all-pervasive. Blessed be the name of our Lord! Each day, through the attraction of the Most Exalted Word and the traces of the Supreme Pen, the essence of detachment appears before the faces of men, offering itself in sacrifice, yet none perceives it. What has caused the heedlessness of the people, and by what proof and evidence have they turned away from the Purpose of all worlds, clinging to their own vain imaginings? In truth, the malady of vain imaginings is severe and requires a perfect remedy, and the sickness of idle fancies is strong and needs a potent medicine. Glory be to God! His power is manifest and God’s sovereignty is dominant and evident; nevertheless, all remain heedless. We beseech Him to make the point of ink in this day the cause of unity and the source of enkindlement. Today the fire is visible and speaking in the Blessed Tree, and the light is dawning from the horizon of manifestation. Blessed are they whom the false tales of old did not prevent or deprive from the Lord of all beings. In these days, these wronged ones are observed between the greatest sorrow and the most profound joy - from one direction, the ocean of joy is surging, and from another, the waves of grief are visible. In these days the seat of the throne has been Akka, and a missive from His Holiness the Desired One reached the people of the palace. His blessed and exalted Word states: “Know ye that the oppressor has hamstrung My she-camel, and the wolf has devoured My sheep, and the spotted snake has bitten those who love Me. I do not complain of what has befallen My loved ones, but the Manifestations of My Cause and the Dawning-Places of My wisdom do complain. Say: My God, my God! Change the sorrow of Thy loved ones into joy, their grief into delight, their agitation into tranquility, their abasement into glory, their weakness into strength, and their powerlessness into might. O my Lord! I beseech Thee by the sovereignty of Thy Will, the all-encompassing nature of Thy power, and the ocean of Thy might, to make Thy loved ones the dawning-places of Thy name the All-Patient and the rising-places of Thy name the All-Forgiving. Then make known to those who were heedless in Thy days the mysteries of Thy Most Great Name and Thy momentous News, and what they missed at the dawning of the Day-Star of Thy manifestation. Then assist them to be fair-minded. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the Powerful, the Bestower.” From reading this most holy, most great Tablet, hearts were consumed and boundless grief descended, until another Tablet adorned with the traces of the Supreme Pen was read. His blessed and exalted Word states: “He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. What news is this today that causes the body to ascend and the spirit to soar in flight? The news is this: the Ridvan of the Most Exalted Paradise has given glad tidings to the Ridvan of the Supreme Paradise that a pure, holy, blessed spirit from the city of lovers has sacrificed itself and now seeks the Most Glorious Goal and circles round the gathering-place of the Supreme Concourse, and at this moment arrives. Today the lovers have another ecstasy and another attraction. My God, my God! Assist Thy servants to be truthful and to acknowledge Thy signs. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the All-Knowing.” Through this blessed Tablet came such relief and joy that the pen is powerless to describe it. Were it not for the joy of what came after, we would have been destroyed by the grief of what came before. The purpose of these mentions is that your honor might become aware of the events that have occurred and the details of the prison land, that perhaps what is mentioned may become the cause of the guidance of the people.

O my God, my God! Drive not Thy servants from the door of Thy bounty, and deprive them not from the ocean of Thy mercy. Lead them, though it be with a whip, to the right hand of Thy throne, then grant them to partake, in this Day, of the pure wine of Thy loving-kindness. Thou art, verily, the All-Powerful, the Almighty. There is no God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

Thereafter, this servant proceeded to the seat of the throne, and upon arrival in that most holy and exalted Court, the Tongue of Grandeur was heard to utter these words:

Glorified art Thou, O my God! Were it not for tribulations in Thy path, how would the station of Thy lovers be made manifest? And were it not for afflictions in Thy love, by what means would the rank of those who long for Thee be revealed? By Thy might! The companion of Thy loved ones is the tears of their eyes, the solace of those who seek Thee is the sighing of their hearts, and the sustenance of those who hasten unto Thee is the fragments of their livers. How sweet is the deadly poison in Thy path, and how precious are the arrows of the enemies for the exaltation of Thy Word! O my God! I love, in Thy love, whatsoever Thou hast ordained. By Thy might! I desire naught save what Thou desirest, and I love naught except what Thou lovest. In all things have I placed my trust in Thee.

This prayer was previously revealed for one of the friends, and in these days it was heard again from the Tongue of Grandeur. Blessed are they who read it and drink from the living waters concealed within the words of the Best-Beloved of the worlds. O My beloved! The fragrance of divine revelation refreshes the soul and bestows a new spirit. May the True One guide the opposers of the Cause and grant them fairness. They have manifested such tyranny that the very repositories of oppression and treasuries of hatred, both past and future, are astounded–how much more so ordinary mortals. That beloved one and this Prisoner must seek steadfastness for all. Verily, He is the Helper, the Hearer, the Answerer.

In these days the loved ones of Faran dwell in the vicinity and have attained the presence. Each day they have drunk from the cup of bounty, the water of reunion. The ocean of attainment is surging–exalted be the Gracious One, possessed of great bounty! They are truly in fervor, enkindled with the fire of love and illumined with the light of knowledge. Last night, which was the twentieth of Jumada’l-Ula, they were summoned to the palace and were blessed with special favors. Praise be to God! The tempestuous, devastating winds of the polytheists and atheists did not prevent the steadfast from the Manifest Cause of the Lord of the Worlds. At one time, these exalted words were heard from the ocean of verses. His blessed and exalted Word: “Let not the friends be sorrowful. The tyranny of enemies is the cause and means for the manifestation of justice in the world. The tyranny of Pharaoh brought forth the justice of Moses.” Indeed, these tyrannies of the world have been and are followed by the Most Great Justice. The power of God was not prevented by clamor, nor was it barred by the opposition of the opposers. That beloved one knew and knows the reason for that reprehensible deed. The rejection of corruption became the cause and means of the greatest bounty for the departed, elevated martyr. All matters return to the Truth. We beseech Him to cause all to attain that which leads to the exaltation and elevation of existence. Verily, He has power over all things.

Convey greetings and salutations from this prisoner to the friends in that land. I beseech and implore God, exalted be His glory, to protect them all and make them like the surging ocean and the fire kindled in the Sacred Tree. Those friends who were recently honored to attain Our presence - including Ibn-i-’Attar, Aqa Mirza Buzurg, and others - have been and continue to be remembered. In these days a letter arrived from ’Attar mentioning the captives. We beseech God to assist him in that which He loves and is pleased with, and to open before his face the gates of wealth and prosperity. Verily, He is the Lord of all creation, there is no God but Him, the Opener, the Giver, the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous.

The Most Great Branch and the Greater Branch, may my soul be sacrificed for them both, and His Holiness Diya’u’llah, may the spirits of all in the Kingdom be sacrificed for him, send their greetings and salutations, as do the members of the pavilion of chastity and grandeur. They have said: “Praise be to God, he has been and continues to be mentioned in the arena of grace, the Most Great Scene and the Most Pure Station.” We beseech God to assist him in all matters and conditions. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Choosing.

Responses to some of the petitions were sent in this dispatch. God willing, may each one receive their share of the precious pearls of utterance hidden in the treasuries of divine words and attain unto them. The light shining forth from the horizon of the Word of God be upon you and those with you.

I convey remembrance, greetings and salutations to His Holiness Jamal, upon him be the Glory of God, and to Ibn-i-Abhar, upon him be the Glory of God. In these days, responses to their petitions and those of some others and handmaidens will arrive. According to the people’s saying, the place of all is empty, but according to our saying, all are mentioned, present and existing. We beseech God on behalf of all for that which you seek and love. Glory be upon you and upon those with you and in your household and upon every steadfast and assured one.

Badi’

=== END BH00270 ===

=== START BH00271 ===

In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate!

All praise be to God Who caused the dove of utterance to warble upon the twigs of the tree of exposition with diverse melodies that there is none other God but Him. He hath brought the worlds into being and created all possibility through His Primal Will, whereby He hath created all that was and all that shall be. And praise be to God Who hath adorned the heaven of reality with the sun of meaning and knowledge, whereon hath been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Omnipotent, the Overshadowing, the Self-Subsisting” - Who hath manifested the Most Great Ocean gathered from the water flowing from the Source of the letter Ha’, which leadeth to the Most Ancient Name, wherefrom the Primal Point was differentiated and the all-embracing Word appeared and Truth and Law came forth, and whereby the unitarians have soared into the atmosphere of revelation and presence, and the sincere ones unto the manifestation of their Lord, the Mighty, the Loving.

And blessings and peace be upon the Dayspring of the Most Beautiful Names and the Most Exalted Attributes, in every letter of Whose name are treasured all names, and through Whom existence, both seen and unseen, hath been adorned - Who was named Muhammad in the Kingdom of Names and Ahmad in the Realm of Eternity - and upon His family and companions from this Day until the Day whereon the Tongue of Grandeur shall proclaim: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the One, the All-Compelling!”

Thy letter hath come before Us and We have taken note of thine allusions therein. We beseech God to aid thee in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to draw thee nigh unto the shore of the sea which surgeth in the name of thy Most Exalted Lord, wherein every drop proclaimeth that there is none other God but Him, and that He is verily the Creator of names and the Originator of the heavens.

O thou who asketh! When thou intendest to reach the sacred precincts and the Sinai of nearness, purify thy heart from all else but Him, then put off the sandals of idle fancies and vain imaginings that thou mayest behold with the eye of thy heart the revelations of God, the Lord of the Throne and of the dust. For this is the Day of revelation and witnessing - separation hath passed and union hath come, and this is through the grace of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Beloved. Leave question and answer to the people of dust. Soar on the wings of detachment unto the atmosphere of the nearness of thy Lord’s mercy, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate. Say: O people! The Primal Point hath been differentiated, the all-embracing Word hath been completed, and the sovereignty of God, the Overshadowing, the Self-Subsisting, hath been made manifest. Say: O people! Ye occupy yourselves with the rivulet while the sweet sea surgeth before your faces - what aileth you that ye comprehend not? Do ye speak of the knowledge ye possess after He hath appeared Who stood at the Point of Knowledge, from which all things have appeared and unto which they have returned and reverted, and from which have appeared the decrees of God and the knowledge which had ever remained treasured within the protection of your Lord, the Most High, the Most Great? Leave allusions to their people and seek the station wherein ye shall find the fragrances of knowledge from its atmosphere. Thus doth counsel you this servant, whose every limb and vein beareth witness that there is none other God but Him. He hath ever been in the heights of grandeur and glory and the summit of loftiness and majesty. And those whom He hath sent with truth and guidance - these are the Daysprings of His revelation among His creation, the Dawning-Places of His command among His servants, and the Recipients of His inspiration in His creation. Through them have the mysteries appeared, the laws been ordained, and the Cause of God, the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the All-Choosing, been made manifest. There is none other God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O questioner! Know that people take pride in knowledge and praise it, yet this servant complains of it. Were it not for knowledge, the Beauty would not have been imprisoned in the Most Great Prison of Akka, nor would He have drunk the cup of tribulation at the hands of His enemies. Rhetoric has distanced me, the science of meanings has brought me low, mention of union has disjointed my limbs, brevity has become the cause of prolixity in my hardship and tribulation, morphology has turned me from rest, syntax has erased joy and delight from my heart, and my knowledge of God’s mysteries has become chains around my neck. Despite this, how can I mention what you asked about the verses sent down from the heaven of might and grandeur, verses whose meaning has bewildered the minds of the wise and to whose heights the birds of understanding have failed to soar? The wings of this bird have been clipped by the scissors of envy and hatred. If this bird, whose primary and secondary feathers have been cut, could find wings to fly in the atmosphere of meanings and utterance, it would warble upon the branches of the tree of knowledge and exposition such melodies as would cause the hearts of the sincere to soar to the heaven of longing and attraction, where they would behold the effulgences of their Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower. But now I am prevented from revealing what is treasured, from expanding what is condensed, and from disclosing what is hidden. Rather, we must conceal rather than reveal. Were I to speak of what God has taught me through His grace and bounty, people would disperse from around me and flee, save those who have drunk from the Kawthar of life from the cups of the words of their Lord, the All-Merciful. For every word sent down from the heaven of revelation to the Prophets and Messengers is filled with the pure water of meanings, utterance, wisdom, and exposition. Blessed are they who drink thereof.

However, since We have perceived from you the fragrance of love, We shall mention briefly what you have asked, that you may detach yourself from the people of metaphor who have turned away from the truth and its mystery, clinging instead to their own suppositions and idle fancies, even after it was revealed aforetime that “conjecture profiteth nothing against truth” and in another place, “truly some suspicion is a sin.”

Then know that the sun mentioned in the blessed Surah has diverse applications. In its primary rank, in the station of divine unity and the ancient, heavenly sanctuary, it is a mystery of God’s mysteries, a protection from God’s protections, treasured in God’s treasuries, concealed in God’s knowledge, sealed with God’s seal. None has comprehended it save the One, the Single, the All-Informed, for in that station it is the Primal Will itself and the dawning of Divine Unity, shining forth by itself upon the horizons, illuminating whoever turns toward it. Just as when the sun rises, its radiance encompasses the world, except for lands that are veiled by some obstacle. Observe how lands without roofs and walls are illumined by it, while those with walls are prevented from its radiance. Similarly, behold how the Sun of Truth shines forth with the lights of meanings and utterance upon all creation. Whoever turns toward it is illumined by its lights, and their heart is brightened by its radiance and effulgence. But whoever turns away finds no portion thereof, for between them and it stands the veil of self and desire. Thus they remain far from the manifestation of the Sun of Truth that has dawned from the horizon of the heaven of names[…]

Then in another sense it [the word “sun”] is applied to the Prophets of God and His chosen ones, for they are the suns of His names and attributes amidst His creation. Were it not for them, no one would be illumined by the lights of divine knowledge. As thou observest, each of the peoples of the earth hath been illumined by one of these radiant Suns, and he that denieth hath been deprived thereof. For instance, the followers of Christ were illumined by the Sun of His knowledge until the Orb of the horizons dawned from the horizon of Hijaz. Those among the Christians and other peoples who denied Him were deprived of that Sun and its rays. Their very denial became as a wall between them and the Light that shone from the horizon of the Cause of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Help in Peril.

And in another sense it is applied to the friends of God and His loved ones, for they are the suns of divine guardianship among all creatures. Were it not for them, darkness would envelop the whole earth, save whom thy Lord willeth. And it hath diverse other applications. If ten scribes were to appear before Us and We were to dictate unto them for a year or two, they would witness their own impotence. And were it not for the denial of certain ignorant ones, We would extend the time further and the Pen of God, the All-Praised, would transcend all limitations.

Know thou that just as thou art convinced that there is no end to His words, be likewise convinced that their meanings also have no end - but this is known only to their Interpreter and the treasurers of their mysteries. Those who look into books and use them to oppose the Manifestation of divine authority are dead, not living, even though they walk and talk and eat and drink.

Alas! Alas! Were that which hath been treasured within the heart of Baha, of that which His Lord, the Lord of all names, hath taught Him, to be revealed, those whom thou seest on earth would fall senseless. How many meanings are there that words cannot contain! How many of them have no expression and have been given neither statement nor allusion! And how many of them cannot be uttered because their time hath not come, as it hath been said: “Not all that is known can be disclosed, nor is the time ripe for all that can be disclosed, nor are the people capable of hearing all for which the time is ripe.” And there are those whose mention dependeth upon knowledge of the Dawning-Places wherein We have expounded the sciences and revealed what was hidden. We beseech God to enable thee and assist thee to know the Source of knowledge, that thou mayest become independent of those who claim knowledge without clear proof or illuminating Book. Hold fast to the Source of knowledge and its Mine, that thou mayest find thyself independent of all who claim knowledge without clear evidence or an illuminating Book.

And in another sense it is applied to the Most Beautiful Names, whereby each Name of God, exalted be He, becometh a sun shining upon the horizons. For instance, observe the Name of God “the All-Knowing” - it is a sun that hath risen from the horizon of the will of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, and its lights, effects and splendors shine upon the temples of knowledge. Know thou that any true knowledge thou findest with the learned ones who follow not their own desires, who acknowledge the Cornerstone of divine decree and hold fast to the firm Handle - know that it is truth and its knowledge is a ray from the rays of this Sun.

We have interpreted the Names and explained their mysteries, splendors, lights, outer and inner meanings, the secrets of their letters, and the wisdom of their composition in the Book We wrote for one of Our loved ones who asked about the Names and what they contain. Know thou that the Word of God, blessed and exalted be He, in its primary reality and first station, comprehendeth meanings that most people are veiled from perceiving. We testify that His words are perfect, and in each word of His are concealed meanings that none hath understood save His own Self and those endowed with the knowledge of the Book. There is no God but He, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Bestower.

Know then that the interpreters who have interpreted the Qur’an were of two kinds: those who neglected the outward meaning and interpreted it according to the inner meaning, and those who interpreted it according to the outward meaning and neglected the inner meaning. Were We to mention their statements and explanations, such weariness would overtake thee as would prevent thee from reading what We have written for thee. We have therefore omitted their mention in this place. Blessed are they who have taken both the outward and the inner meanings - these are servants who have believed in the all-embracing Word. Know that whoso taketh the outward meaning and abandoneth the inner is ignorant, and whoso taketh the inner meaning and abandoneth the outward is heedless, and whoso taketh the inner meaning while maintaining the outward meaning is a perfect sage. This is a word that hath shone forth from the horizon of knowledge - recognize its worth and value its price highly. We make mention of Our purpose through allusions in Our signs and words. Blessed is he who apprehendeth it, for he is of those who have attained.

Say: O people! By God, the Dove hath warbled on the branches, the Cock of the Throne hath crowed with wisdom and utterance, and the wings of the Peacock have spread in the Garden of Paradise. How long will ye slumber on the couch of heedlessness and error? Arise from the beds of passion and turn unto the dawning-place of the mercy of your Lord, the Lord of eternity and the Revealer of names. Beware lest ye object to him who calleth you unto God and His ways. Fear God and be not of the heedless ones.

Then know that the Blessed and Exalted One hath sworn to His Prophet by the sun of Divinity, the sun of Providence, the sun of the Divine Will, the sun of Purpose, the sun of Names, and by the lights of these suns and their effulgences, their manifestations, their appearances, and their influences, and by the visible sun that shineth from the horizon of this exalted heaven.

And by the moon when it followeth it - and the moon is the station of Providence which followed the sun of Prophethood, that is, appeared after it to establish the Prophet’s Cause amongst the servants. Were We to mention the stations of the moon, thou wouldst find the book to be of great volume.

And by the day when it revealeth it - the intended meaning of the day in its primary reality is every day wherein appeared a Prophet from among God’s Prophets and His Messengers to establish His remembrance amongst His servants and to execute His laws among His creatures, wherein the Manifestation of the Cause revealed Himself to the manifestations of all things, and on that day the lights of the sun appear and it revealeth them in this sense, that is, in it and through it the sun of Prophethood illumined and shone forth.

And by the night when it enshroudeth it - the intended meaning of night is the veil of Oneness behind which was concealed the Primal Point, which, after Its descent from Its station, became established in the seat of Unity, the station of Primary Unity, from which came the flexible alif, and beneath the veil of Primary Unity It appeared with the moving alif, which is the upright alif, and the enshrouding is the veil, and that which is enshrouded is the Primal Point, which was the reality of the sun of Prophethood.

And by the heaven and That which built it - heaven hath diverse applications among the people of truth: the heaven of meanings, the heaven of mystical knowledge, the heaven of religions, the heaven of knowledge, the heaven of wisdom, the heaven of grandeur, the heaven of loftiness, the heaven of glory - and That which built it means He Who created these mentioned heavens and what thou seest outwardly.

By the earth and its expanse! The meaning of “earth” is the earth of hearts, which is vaster than earth and heaven, for the heart is the Most Great Throne for the establishment of thy Lord’s revelation, Creator of nations and Fashioner of bones. Verily it is the earth wherein God hath deposited the seeds of His knowledge and love, that from it may spring forth the ears of knowledge and certitude. Say: O people! Today is the day of sowing. Sow ye in your hearts, with the hands of certitude, that which ye have been given by your Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. For “earth” there are countless meanings, and We have chosen but one of them. “And its expanse” means: and by Him Who spread it forth by His power and the sovereignty of His command.

By the soul and Him Who perfected it! The soul hath many ranks and diverse stations. Among them are the heavenly soul, the celestial soul, the divine soul, the godly soul, the holy soul, the assured soul, the content soul, the well-pleased soul, the inspired soul, the reproving soul, and the commanding soul. What is meant in that which was revealed is the soul which God made comprehensive of all deeds, whether of acceptance or rejection, of error or guidance, of faith or unbelief. “And Him Who perfected it” means: and by Him Who created it and established it.

“And inspired it with its wickedness and its righteousness” means He taught it and informed it of its wickedness - that is, the deeds which profit it not and distance it from its Lord and Creator - and its righteousness - that is, He inspired it with that which sanctifieth it from what is forbidden. In other words, He created it and made known to it the path of guidance and error, truth and falsehood, light and darkness. Then He commanded it to abandon what was forbidden and to turn toward what was commanded.

“Successful indeed is he who purifieth it” - this is the answer to the oath, meaning that he hath prospered who purifieth it, who cleanseth it from imperfections and desires and from all that is forbidden in the Book. Consider those who have purified their souls in these days. By My life! They are the prosperous ones. They are men whom neither the world nor all that is therein hath prevented from turning toward the Straight Path. They are the exemplars of this blessed verse, who have made righteousness their garment and have clung to the hem of their Lord’s grace in these days wherein feet have slipped. We bear witness to that which God hath witnessed, and We acknowledge that which hath been sent down from Him. Verily He is the Truth, and after truth there is naught save error.

“And failed indeed is he who corrupteth it” means he hath lost who hath corrupted it, who hath neglected it and hath not purified it, who hath not restrained it from what was forbidden and hath not commanded it to what was enjoined.

“Thamud denied through their transgression” - Thamud, as mentioned in the Books, were a people to whom God sent Salih, peace be upon him. They denied him after he commanded them to good and forbade them evil. They followed not God’s command and obeyed not that which they were commanded, and abandoned God’s command and His ways until they hamstrung the she-camel.

“So their Lord destroyed them for their sin” means God was wroth with them and made them a lesson to the worlds. But in truth, whoever turneth away from the Truth is of Thamud, from whatever lineage he may be. Soon shall punishment encompass them even as it encompassed the factions of old. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the Powerful. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

We have not mentioned what the commentators have said in their interpretation of the blessed Surah, for their books of interpretation are readily available among the people. Whosoever wishes to examine their commentaries and explanations may consult their books. They have interpreted the sun as the visible sun, and likewise with the moon, and to the end of the Surah they have followed the path of the literal meaning and have contented themselves with what they possess. However, We have interpreted it in ways not mentioned in the books. We beseech God to make each letter of what hath been mentioned a chalice of meanings and knowledge, and to give thee to drink therefrom that which shall sever thee from all that His good-pleasure abhorreth and shall draw thee nigh unto the station which He hath ordained for His chosen ones. Verily, He is the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

Glorified art Thou, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which all things proclaim Thy praise, to open the eyes of Thy creatures that they may behold the manifestations of Thy mighty oneness and the dawning-places of the Sun of Thy bounty. O Lord! Leave them not to themselves, for they are Thy servants and Thy creation. Draw them, through the Most Exalted Word, to the Dayspring of Thy most excellent names and the Treasury of Thy most exalted attributes. Thou art, verily, the All-Powerful over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Wise.

=== END BH00271 ===

=== START BH00272 ===

He is the Interpreter, the All-Wise!

The True One, exalted be His glory, hath come to bring forth the pearls of inner meaning from the mine of man. Today, the Religion of God and the Faith of God is this: that the diverse religions and manifold ways should not be made the cause of enmity. These principles and laws, these firmly-established paths, have proceeded from one Source and shone forth from one Dayspring. These differences have appeared in response to the requirements of the time, the age, and the centuries and epochs. O people of Baha! Gird up the loins of endeavor, that perchance religious strife and conflict may be blotted out from among the peoples of the world. For the love of God and His servants, arise to serve this momentous and exalted Cause. Religious hatred and animosity is a world-consuming fire, and to quench it is most difficult, except through the hand of Divine Power delivering mankind from this irredeemable affliction. Consider the war that broke out between the Ottoman Empire and Russia - how both sides sacrificed life and property, how many villages were utterly destroyed. This word is as a lamp in the niche of utterance: O peoples of the world! Ye are all the fruits of one tree and the leaves of one branch. Walk with perfect love, unity, fellowship and concord. I swear by the Sun of Truth that the light of unity will illumine and brighten the horizons. The All-Knowing Truth beareth witness unto this utterance, now and forever. Strive that ye may attain unto this transcendent and most sublime station, which is the safeguarding and protection of mankind. This is the monarch of all aspirations, the king of all desires. Yet until the sun of justice emerges from the dark clouds of oppression, the manifestation of this station seemeth difficult. These dark clouds are the exponents of idle fancies and vain imaginings - namely, the divines of the age. At times We have spoken in the language of the Law, and at times in the language of Truth and the Path, and Our ultimate purpose and highest aim hath been the manifestation of this most sublime and exalted station. God sufficeth as witness.

O people of Baha! Associate with the followers of all religions with joy and fragrance. If ye possess a word or gem of which others are deprived, share it with them in a language of utmost kindliness and goodwill. If it be accepted and be effective, the purpose is achieved; if not, leave him to himself and pray for him, but do not molest him. The tongue of kindness is the lodestone of hearts and the sustenance of the soul; it is as meaning to words, and as the horizon from which shineth the Sun of wisdom and knowledge.

If the people of the Qur’an had acted according to the resplendent Law after the Seal of the Prophets - may the spirit of all else than Him be His sacrifice - and had clung to its hem, the foundation of the fortress of the Cause would not have been shaken, and prosperous cities would not have been laid waste. Rather, towns and villages would have been adorned and blessed with the ornament of security and safety. Due to the dissension of the favored community and the smoke of corrupt souls, the luminous Faith is seen darkened and weakened. Had they acted faithfully, they would not have remained heedless of the rays of the Sun of Justice. Glory be to God! One Nuni in the utmost enmity and hatred, and another Nuni his helper and supporter, both outwardly dwelling with their hosts and armies in the fortress of steel, while the Wronged One dwells in a house whose walls are as paper - severed from all save God. Verily, should He wish, He could make paper harder than steel and steel finer than an eyelash. By God’s life! I call them unto the light while they call Me unto the fire, but the call of the wrongdoers is naught but error. I desired glory for them while they desired for Me the greatest abasement. From the earliest days We have been captive in the hands of the heedless - at times in Iraq, at times in the Land of Mystery, and thence to ’Akka, which had been a place of exile for murderers and thieves. Without cause they banished Us, and from this Most Great Prison it is not known where and to what place We shall repair. Knowledge of this rests with God, Lord of the throne and the earth, and Lord of the exalted Seat. Wherever We may be, and whatever may befall Us, the people of God must gaze with perfect steadfastness and assurance toward the Supreme Horizon and occupy themselves in promoting the betterment of the world and the education of its peoples. That which hath befallen, and will befall, hath been and is conducive to the exaltation of the Cause. Take hold of God’s command and cling to it, for verily it hath been sent down from one Wise, All-Commanding.

With utmost kindness and mercy have We guided and directed the peoples of the world to that which profiteth them. I swear by the Sun of Truth which hath shone forth from the most exalted horizon that the people of God have had and have no purpose except the edification and betterment of the world and the education of nations. They have associated with all people in truth and sincerity; their outward appearance hath been identical with their inner reality, and their inner reality hath been the same as their outward appearance. The truth of the Cause is neither hidden nor concealed, but is manifest and evident before all faces. Their very deeds bear witness to this utterance. Today every possessor of vision can behold the lights of the dawn of His manifestation, and every possessor of hearing can hearken unto the Voice of Him Who spoke on Sinai. The waves of the ocean of divine mercy have reached such heights that the Dayspring of verses and the Dawning-place of clear signs associateth and communeth with all peoples without veil or hindrance. How many among the peoples of the world have entered in discord and departed in concord. The gate of grace hath been opened before the faces of all. We outwardly associate with both the rebellious and the obedient in the same manner, that perchance the evil-doers might discover the boundless ocean of divine forgiveness. The effulgences of the Name “the Concealer” have appeared in such wise that the evil-doer imagineth himself to be numbered with the righteous. No seeker hath been turned away, and no one who hath set his face toward God hath been denied. The opposition and avoidance of the people have been caused by the Shi’ih divines and their unseemly deeds. Glory be to God! In Our childhood We heard that a certain divine was discoursing about the word of the Qa’im, saying that according to traditions and reports that have reached us, on the Day of His manifestation that Holy Being would utter a word from which the Deputies would all turn away and take flight. What word could this be, that even the most exalted among the people would turn away from the Truth? O assemblage of the ignorant! That word is this, and at this moment He declareth: “He” hath appeared in the garment of “I” and the Hidden One speaketh forth with “I am the Manifest One.” Ye fled without hearing. Say: This is that word at whose sovereign might all are made to tremble, save him whom God willeth. By the divines in these passages are meant those souls who have prevented people from reaching the shore of the Most Holy Ocean. Otherwise, the learned who put their knowledge into practice and the just sage are as spirit unto the body of the world. Blessed is the learned one whose head is adorned with the crown of justice and whose temple is adorned with the ornament of equity.

The Supreme Pen counseleth the people of God and commandeth them to show forth love, kindness, wisdom and forbearance. Today the Wronged One is imprisoned; His hosts have been and are goodly character and upright conduct, not ranks, armies, rifles and cannons. One pure and goodly deed maketh the earthly world the Most Exalted Paradise. O friends! Aid the one true God, exalted be His glory, through praiseworthy character and goodly deeds. Today whosoever desireth to render assistance must not look to that which benefiteth himself, but rather to that which is with God. He must not consider that which profiteth him, but that whereby the Word of God, the Sovereign Truth, may be uplifted. The heart must be sanctified from all idle fancies and desires, for the weapon of victory and the primary cause of triumph hath ever been and still is the fear of God. It is the breastplate that protecteth the body of the Cause and the host of the people of God. Forever hath the standard of the fear of God been victorious and is reckoned among the most mighty hosts of the world. Through it have the near ones conquered the cities of men’s hearts by the leave of God, the Lord of Hosts.

The world hath been encompassed by darkness, and the lamp that giveth light hath been and is wisdom. Its requirements must be observed under all conditions. Among the dictates of wisdom is the observance of ranks and speaking in accordance with station and standing. And among the dictates of wisdom is prudence, for man should not accept whatever any soul may say. We have written aforetime: “Trust not every newcomer, and believe not every speaker.” Under all conditions, beseech ye the one true God, exalted be His glory, that He deprive not His servants of the sealed wine and the lights of His Name, the Self-Subsisting.

O people of God! The Most Exalted Pen counseleth the servants concerning the Most Great Trustworthiness. By the life of God! Its light is more manifest than the light of the sun. Every light hath been eclipsed before its light, its radiance and its effulgence. We beseech God that He deprive not His cities and lands of the splendors of the sun of trustworthiness. We have enjoined upon all to observe trustworthiness, chastity, purity and fidelity throughout all nights and days. Blessed are they that act accordingly.

From the first days when the rays of the Sun of the Cause shone forth from the horizon of Iraq until now, the Pen of utterance hath never ceased its movement. With the utmost joy and fragrance it counseled the people of the world to praiseworthy deeds and pleasing conduct. Throughout the nights and days the scratching of the Pen was raised and the tongue was speaking, so that in the face of the sword there stood the word, in the face of tyranny there was patience, and at the time of martyrdom there was submission. For thirty years and more, whatsoever befell this wronged community they endured with patience and left it to God. Every possessor of justice and fairness hath testified and doth testify to that which hath been mentioned.

During this period, this Wronged One clung to goodly exhortations and sufficient, healing counsels until it became evident and manifest to all that God hath appeared for the revelation of the treasures deposited within human souls. Conflict and contention have ever been the way of the beasts of the earth. Praiseworthy deeds are the attributes of man. Blessed is the Merciful One Who created man and taught him utterance.

After all these trials, neither the princes of the state were satisfied nor the divines of the nation. Not a single soul was found who would, for the sake of God, utter a word before the throne of His Majesty. “Naught shall befall us save that which God hath decreed for us.” They acted not with kindness, and in manifesting evil they showed no restraint. Fairness became as rare as the phoenix, and truthfulness as scarce as the philosopher’s stone. No one spoke a word of good. It seemed as though justice, like the people of truth, had become abhorred by the servants and banished from the lands.

Glory be to God! During the troubles in the land of Ta, no one spoke according to what God had ordained. With a view to displaying power and rendering service in the presence of the Sultan, they called good evil and the reformer a mischief-maker. Such souls would make a drop appear as an ocean and a speck as the sun. They would call a hut an impregnable fortress while turning a blind eye to the manifest truth. They seized a group of the world’s reformers on charges of corruption. By the life of God! Those souls had and have no purpose save the glory of the state and service to the nation. They spoke and speak for God’s sake and walk in His path.

O friends! Beseech the Purpose of all the worlds to assist His Majesty the King, that through the radiance of the Sun of Justice all the realms of Iran may be adorned with the ornament of security and peace. According to reports, he hath of his own accord freed those who were bound and granted liberty to those who were imprisoned. Certain matters must needs be brought before the people, and their disclosure beseemeth the righteous, that the chosen ones may be informed and made aware. Verily, He inspireth whomsoever He willeth with whatsoever He desireth, and He is the All-Powerful, the Commander, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

A word hath reached the ears of this Wronged One from that land which, in truth, hath caused astonishment. His Excellency Mu’tamidu’d-Dawlih Farhad Mirza hath spoken concerning the prisoner that which is not befitting to mention. This Wronged One had very few meetings with him and his like. What is remembered is that he came twice to Murgh-Mahallih in Shimiran where this Wronged One resided–the first time towards evening one day, and the second time on a Friday morning, departing near sunset. He is learned and aware; he should not speak aught but the truth. If anyone attaineth his presence, let these words be conveyed before his face on behalf of this Wronged One:

He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed

O son of the King! Your Excellency saw me before as but one among men. Were you to turn today, you would behold me with a light none knoweth who hath manifested it, and with a fire none knoweth who hath kindled it. Yet the Wronged One knoweth and is aware, and saith: The hand of God’s will, the Lord of all worlds, hath manifested it, and the hand of power hath ignited it. From its sighing [thou hearest]: By God! The promise hath come to pass, and He Who conversed on Sinai speaketh from the Sadratu’l-Muntaha, yet most of the people are heedless. O Prince! I had concealed my Cause; my Lord revealed me. I was sleeping; the breeze of God awakened me. When I raised my head, I heard from all directions: “O Thou Who speaketh in the Tree! Blessed is the land honored by Thy footsteps, the soul that hath attained Thy call, and the face that hath turned toward Thee. Arise and say: O people of the earth! My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor do I walk in your ways. Remember that which ye were promised [in what was revealed before] and in My perspicuous Book.” Then I arose and spoke as I was commanded. This is not from me, but from One mighty and powerful. I ask of Your Excellency justice and fairness concerning this momentous News and this noble Edifice. Your Excellency should inquire about the Cause for which blood was shed, heads were raised on spears, breasts were pierced, livers were melted, and the people were thunderstruck, save whom God, the Lord of all worlds, willed. The Cause is not in my hands, but in His. Verily, He is the Strong, the Triumphant, the Powerful. The tongue hath spoken according to its capacity, and He is the Ordainer, the All-Wise.

Blessed is he whom the doubts of the people of passion have not withheld from the Lord of all beings nor kept back from the Most Exalted Horizon. The greatness of the Cause and the greatness of the days are recorded and inscribed in the divine Books. Blessed is the eye that hath seen and the ear that hath heard that which the Tongue of the Will of the All-Merciful hath uttered upon the branches, and woe unto every heedless and remote one.

O friends! His honor Haydar-’Ali and Muhammad-Husayn, upon them both be my glory, have made mention of the friends of God. They have recounted tales city by city and house by house - nay rather, have told many tales - and have grieved over the absence of all at the Gate. O party of God in the cities and regions! Your names have been mentioned before the Face, and there hath been revealed for you that which the hands of change and annihilation shall never reach. He counseleth you to preserve that which hath been vouchsafed unto you from God, the Lord of all worlds. Preserve this most exalted station through the Name of the Lord of Names. Beseech ye God that He may assist all to accomplish that which will cause its fragrance and mention to endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven.

And at the end of the Book, We counsel you once again to observe chastity, trustworthiness, godliness, truthfulness and purity. Put away the forbidden and take hold of the good - a command from God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. At this hour the Most Exalted Pen lamenteth and uttereth that which was in the divine Books of the past and future. By God’s life! There hath appeared that which no eye in the world hath ever seen. Nevertheless, it is observed that some of the friends hesitate due to the sayings of the people of the Bayan, or are disturbed by the clamor of the hypocrites. This is a matter that is self-evident, and it behooveth all to observe the Cause with its own eyes. It beseemeth man that should the entire world attempt to prevent him from the Most Exalted Horizon or to turn him aside from the straight path, they would find themselves utterly impotent.

We previously informed all about the cawing of the crows and the clamor of the transgressors. The people of God must protect themselves from the corrupt ones among the people of the Bayan through the sword of this blessed word which hath shone forth from the Dayspring of the mouth of the Primal Point - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake - wherein He saith: “I have written an essence regarding His mention: He shall not be known through My allusions nor through what hath been revealed in the Bayan,” and through the shield of another blessed word wherein He saith: “Beware, beware lest thou be veiled by the Vahids of the Bayan, and beware, beware lest thou be veiled by what hath been revealed in the Bayan.”

Reflect upon the Manifestation of the Seal of the Prophets - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake - and the events that followed, and take heed. Consent not that once again there should arise the region of falsehood, the well of delusion, and the mythical Jabulqa and Jabulsa, leading astray the helpless people. Fix your gaze upon the Most Exalted Horizon and be detached, severed and free from all else. From the beginning of the Cause until now, all that hath been said hath been evident before all faces. God, exalted be His glory, is aware, and deeds bear witness. There is no power nor strength except through God. The glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon you, upon those who mention you and love you, and upon every steadfast and firm believer. Praise be to God, the Most Exalted, the Most Great.

=== END BH00272 ===

=== START BH00273 ===

In the Name of our Lord, the Most Impregnable, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Glorious

Praise be to God Who is single in majesty, unique in grandeur, sanctified above all that creation uttereth, and holy beyond the conditions of all created things - He Who hath spoken His most exalted Word, whereby the banner of Divine Unity was raised to the loftiest station in the kingdom of creation, and the standard of “He doeth whatsoever He willeth” was unfurled on the right hand of the most luminous Spot. Exalted is the Lord of Names, through Whom the stream of mercy flowed and the ocean of bounty surged, through Whom the Hidden Secret and the Treasured Mystery were revealed, through Whom the Lote Tree of the Extremity spoke forth in the Most Exalted Paradise, and the Call was raised between earth and heaven. Exalted is the Manifestation of this Day, which was heralded by the Tongue of Grandeur in ancient times in His words “Lead forth the people from darkness into light and announce to them the days of God,” and in His other words “The Kingdom on that day shall be God’s,” and again “The day when thy Lord shall come, or some of the signs of thy Lord,” and yet again “And thy Lord shall come and the angels rank on rank.” Praise be to God Who sent down the heavenly table and perfected His favor, Who manifested in His Day what He had revealed to His Prophets and Messengers, through whom the proof was completed for all creation and the lights of manifestation shone forth throughout all lands, through whom hearts and souls were attracted, and through whom was revealed what God had purposed throughout all ages and centuries.

Glorified art Thou, O God of existence, Who hast appeared through Thy Name, the All-Loving, in this Promised Day! Thou seest Thy servants and Thy creation, who have turned away from the Dawning-Place of Thy Cause, the Manifestation of Thy Revelation, and the Dayspring of Thy inspiration, after Thou didst command them in Thy Scrolls, Thy Scriptures, and Thy Tablets to turn unto Thee, to arise to serve Thee, and to draw nigh unto the ocean of Thy knowledge. And when the Dawn of Manifestation appeared and the Speaker on Sinai spoke forth, they turned away from Thee, broke Thy Covenant, and rose in opposition, to such extent that those who reclined upon the cushions of glory by Thy Name pronounced judgment against Thee. I beseech Thee by the revelations of the lights of Thy countenance after the extinction of all things, and by the manifestations of Thy power in the kingdom of creation, to aid Thy servants to recognize Him Whose advent and mention every Book hath proclaimed. O Lord! Rend asunder the greatest veil from before the faces of humanity with Thy finger, O Lord of destiny, that they may behold Thee with Thine own eye. Thou art He Who hath said - and Thy word is the truth - “Whosoever desireth to know Me must look with Mine eye, for without this he shall never know Me.” O Lord! I beseech Thee by the Name through which Thou didst subdue the world, to assist Thy loved ones to such steadfastness that the books of the world shall not prevent them from turning to Thy most exalted horizon, and to grant them the Kawthar of assurance through the hands of bounty, O Lord of the Beginning and the End! There is no God but Thee, the Omnipotent, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Thereafter, this servant attained to what thou didst send unto him. When he was attracted by what thy heart’s tongue had uttered in remembrance and praise of God, he turned toward the Dayspring of the Most Great Sign, the Station which God hath sanctified from all attributes and names. When he was present before the Gate which was opened unto all who are in earth and heaven, he submitted, after obtaining permission, what was in thy letter. Thereupon the Ancient King turned toward me and spoke that which caused the ocean of knowledge to surge before the faces of the nations. His word, exalted be His majesty:

He is the Manifest, the Speaking, the Trustworthy […]

O Abdu’r-Rahim! The All-Merciful remembers thee from the precincts of His Most Great Prison. Verily thy Lord is the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous. We have heard thy call and have answered thee with verses whereby the horizon of the heaven of utterance hath shone forth and the Dove of the Cause hath warbled upon the branches. The Promise hath appeared and the Promised One hath come with a sovereignty before which all who are in the heavens and on earth are powerless to resist. Be thou steadfast in the service of the Cause and eloquent in the praise of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, with wisdom and utterance. Thus wert thou commanded before and in this hour. Cast behind thee the mention of the world and hold fast unto My Name, the Self-Subsisting, through which was revealed that which was sent down in the Books of God, the Lord of all worlds. He Who directs the world with His finger hath been imprisoned by the heedless in the Most Great Stronghold. Among the people are those who have said that He hath fabricated a lie against God. Say: Bring forth what ye possess, if ye be of the truthful. Say: By God! The proof circleth round the All-Merciful and the evidence standeth before the Throne, were ye but to perceive it. The vain life hath deluded them from turning to the gathering-place of the Concourse on High - the Station wherein the Tongue of the Wronged One speaketh and calleth all unto God, the Peerless, the All-Informed. Say: O concourse of men! Fear God and follow not your idle fancies. By God! He Who was promised in the Books of God and mentioned in the hearts of the Messengers hath come. Cast aside tyranny, then look with the eye of fairness at that which hath been sent down from God, the Ancient Revealer. Beware lest the conditions of names prevent you from the Creator of heaven. Cast away what ye possess and take what ye have been commanded by One All-Powerful, Ancient. This is the Day wherein the Bridge hath been laid, the Balance set up, and all tribes seized with trembling, save whom God hath delivered by a sovereignty from Him. Verily, He is the Omnipotent over what He willeth and within His grasp is the dominion of the kingdom of the heavens and earth. This is the Day wherein every tongue hath spoken, every seated one hath arisen, every sightless one hath seen, and every lifeless bone hath stirred. Say: Know ye the value of these days wherein that which lay hidden in God’s knowledge, the Mighty, the Praised, hath been manifested. Preserve ye your stations through this Name whereby the earth hath been shaken, the mountains moved, the heaven cleft asunder, and the hearts of the deniers thrown into turmoil. The glory be upon thee and upon thy children and thy wife and upon them that are with thee among the loved ones of God, the One, the Peerless, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

From the divine verses His grace and bounty are manifest and evident. God grant that the True One, exalted be His glory, may assist His servants to discover the fragrance of His robe and attain unto the breezes of His verses. I swear by the murmuring of the Kawthar of inner meanings that if those on earth would, with even less than that, gaze with the eye of fairness upon what hath been manifested and ponder what hath been revealed, all would turn toward the supreme horizon and would utter the blessed words “I turn unto Thee, O God of Names!” However, the conditions of earth and its colors have rendered people heedless and preoccupied. From the beginning of creation until now, such a Cause hath never appeared. All events of the world that have since occurred or will occur have flowed with utmost clarity from the Supreme Pen and been recorded in the Tablets, and most of the servants have seen and heard them. Nevertheless, they remain veiled and heedless. Glory be to God! Man is bewildered, and this servant, like one distracted and astonished, observes the world. The party that counted themselves the most mighty, exalted, learned and ancient of the world, and who day and night made mention of the Qa’im, ultimately all issued the death sentence against that Luminary of the heaven of inner meaning and martyred that Essence of being with the worst torment. The curse of God be upon the wrongdoers! Even more veiled than that party of deniers are the people of the Bayan who follow exactly in the footsteps of those souls. They have not reflected, even less than that, what fruit was gained by that group. By the life of the Beloved! These souls are observed to be more veiled than those souls, nay more veiled than all the peoples of the world. The King of existence, concerning Whom the Point of the Bayan, may the souls of all else be sacrificed for His sake, hath said “Be not veiled from Him by what is in the Bayan, and be not deprived of Him by its letters” - they have arisen in opposition to such an extent that pen and tongue are powerless to describe it, even though they were never and are not now aware of the origins of this Cause. May God grant sight and bestow fairness. Verses are flowing and being revealed like torrential rain, and evidences are manifest and dawning from all horizons. Nevertheless, they have said that which the people of the Torah and other religions have not said. Fie upon them and upon those who have led them astray and misguided them from the straight path of God, the manifest, the evident, the straight. Praise be to God, the Most High, the Most Great.

Regarding the mention of certain souls in your letter, those names were presented at the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court, and the sun of grace dawned specifically for each one. God willing, may they be illumined by the lights of the suns of utterance of the Beloved of all possibility, and arise with complete steadfastness to serve the Cause. His mighty utterance states:

He is the Most Manifest, the Most Glorious

O Muhammad-Qabli! The Wronged One hath turned toward thee from the direction of the Prison and calleth thee to God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. He hath mentioned thy mention in this station and hath revealed for thee that which attracteth the hearts and minds. Take the verses of thy Lord with strength from Him, then make mention of Him by His command. He is the Commander, the Kind. Be thou observant of His supreme horizon and act according to what thou hast been commanded in the Book. He is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. Blessed is the servant who hath acknowledged what the Tongue of Grandeur hath uttered, and woe unto every heedless one who is veiled. The glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee from God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.

That which was revealed for the handmaiden of God, Sahib:

In the Name of the One God […]

O my handmaiden! Hearken in the Persian tongue to the Word of God, that perchance through the grace of the Most Great Name thou mayest attain to such a station wherein no doubt or uncertainty can find entrance. The whole world hath been created for this wondrous Day. Blessed is the soul that hath recognized this Day and hath arisen to render that which beseemeth it. While time remaineth, strive thou that haply thou mayest be enriched through the outpourings of the true Bestower and shine forth even as the morning star. We convey Our greetings to all the handmaidens in that land and bid them observe that which God loveth. Blessed is the handmaiden who hath heard, turned unto Him, and attained unto that which God, the Lord of all worlds, hath desired.

That which was revealed for Siyyid Sadiq, upon him be 96 [Baha’u’llah]. He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O Siyyid Sadiq! Fix thy gaze upon this blessed Word which is even as a spirit unto all books: “The beginning of all things is My knowledge, and the end thereof is steadfastness in My love.” God willing, through the grace of the Self-Subsisting Name thou shalt quaff the sealed wine and arise with complete steadfastness to serve the Cause of the Lord of all beings. This is the Sun of Days and its Lord. Beseech God that thou mayest be aided to accomplish that which shall endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. Verily He speaketh the truth and guideth to the Way. Sovereignty belongeth unto God, the Mighty, the Beautiful. The glory be upon thee, upon thy wife, and upon every handmaiden who hath believed in God, the Lord of all worlds.

That which was revealed for Nasru’llah, upon him be 96 [Baha’u’llah]. He is the True Witness.

O Nasru’llah! The people of Baha must ever ascend the heights of knowledge, seeking the Most Exalted Horizon. Today all things cry out and summon the people to the straight path of God. Blessed is he who hath truly heard; woe unto the heedless! God willing, thou shalt ever be illumined by the lights of the manifestation of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High, and remain firm and steadfast in His Cause. This is the most great bounty and the most exalted station. Be thou grateful and numbered with the thankful ones.

That which was revealed for Ahmad, upon him be the glory of God.

In the Name of the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

O Ahmad! The Point of the Bayan hath declared: “He is the One Who speaketh in every condition, saying: ‘Verily, I am God, there is none other God but Me, the Lord of all things, and all besides Me are My creation. O My creation! Worship ye Me.’” Nevertheless, they remain veiled. The people of the Bayan have objected to the mention of Divinity. By the Sun of the horizon of inner meanings, they are regarded by God as more base than the followers of the Qur’an and the previous religions. Guard thyself in the name of Truth from the breath of the polytheists. He is verily the Counselor, the All-Knowing. Praise be to God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

That which was revealed for Ustad Ibrahim K.J., upon him be the glory of God.

In the Name of the Most Ancient, the Most Great.

[…]

O Abraham! In the days when the fragrance of the garment of Revelation was wafted from Zawra, We informed all of the appearance of the croakers and the Book of Sijjin and the tablets of fire. Likewise in the Land of Mystery and the Most Great Prison. Blessed are they who hearkened unto the Word of Truth and acted upon it. This is the Day of vision, inasmuch as the Most Great Spectacle hath appeared. By the life of God! Ears were created for this Day, for the Most Sweet Call is raised from the supreme horizon. Take hold of the Truth, detached from all else. Although these wondrous and exalted verses from the Kingdom of Divine utterance were revealed specifically for the mentioned names, yet their purpose embraceth all the souls of the world - that is, those possessed of hearing and sight. Blessed is he who hath found and recognized, and hath attained unto that which the Tongue hath uttered in the Kingdom of utterance, and hath testified to that which God testified before the creation of the heavens and earth. He is, verily, the Single One, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

That which was revealed for His Honour ’Ali-Akbar, upon him be the glory of God:

He Who is seated upon the Throne of Revelation

O ’Ali-Akbar! Hearken unto that which the Wronged One mentioneth unto thee from this Spot which hath been illumined by the lights of the Countenance, and which God hath made the Dawning-place of His verses, the Dayspring of His revelation and the Recipients of His knowledge, the Mighty, the Wondrous. This is the Day wherein the sincere ones have hastened unto the Euphrates of the mercy of their Lord, the Generous, and the near ones have spoken that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken. Blessed is the speaker who hath acknowledged that which the Tongue of the All-Merciful hath uttered in the Kingdom of utterance, and woe unto every proud and suspicious one. This is the Day wherein the Mount calleth aloud, and the Tree of Revelation calleth out, yet the people are in manifest remoteness. When thou perceivest the fragrance of My loving-kindness from the garment of My utterance, render thanks and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp are the reins of all who are on earth, and glory be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Goal of them that know. Thus hath the Ark of Knowledge sailed upon the sea of wisdom. Blessed is he who hath recognized and is of them that render thanks.

The splendours of the Sun of bounty have encompassed all the mentioned names. God willing, may they recognize this most great station and preserve it, and may they be seen to be firm, steadfast and upright in the conclusive verses of the Manifestation of clear proofs. The evil ones have been and are lying in wait. The Command is in His hand - He doeth and decreeth as He pleaseth, and He is the Commander Whom the conditions of creation have not hindered. He hath appeared and made manifest what He willed through His sovereignty that overshadoweth all in the heavens and earth. Strange it is that some of the veiled ones have passed by the ocean of utterance and have lent their ears to the vain imaginings of every croaker. Fie upon them and upon those who have led them astray and kept them back from the straight path of God. Some time ago this exalted Word was revealed from the Divine Kingdom of knowledge - exalted be His utterance: Fix your gaze upon this Word which shineth as the sun from the heaven of the Divine Tablet: “Return ye to the traces, O people of insight!” Let your honour, and likewise this servant and all the friends, beseech God, glorified be His majesty, that perchance the lights of the sun of justice may not remain concealed behind the clouds of oppression, and the scratching of the Supreme Pen may not be confused with croaking and cawing. Glorified be He Who hath unveiled unto us and unto you, and concealed from them.

Three glorious Tablets specifically intended for your children have been revealed and dispatched. May they attain unto them. All the names mentioned in your letter have been honored with mention by the Supreme Pen, and those unnamed souls who are adorned with divine love have likewise been recorded by the Supreme Pen. All servants and handmaidens must occupy themselves with the remembrance of the Goal of all the worlds with perfect steadfastness and love, and act in accordance with what befits these days. God willing, may all be aided to perform goodly deeds. In numerous instances this blessed word was heard: The Truth, exalted be His glory, hath come for the reformation of the world. God willing, may all arise to aid the Cause through goodly character, pure words, and pleasing deeds. Corruption hath never been and shall never be the way of God and His loved ones. He desireth naught but the salvation of all who are in the world. To this testifieth every fair-minded and discerning one.

Furthermore, convey greetings on behalf of this evanescent one to each of the friends of God, exalted be His glory. God willing, may they all soar in the atmosphere of inner meanings on the wings of steadfastness and attain unto that which God hath desired. His honor the beloved, upon him be the glory of God and His mercy, namely his honor Aqa Mirza Asadu’llah, upon him be God’s grace and glory, wrote in detail about the friends of that land and their being set ablaze with the fire of divine love. God willing, all have been and are confirmed. And in this time when each hath attained innumerable favors, this evanescent servant beseecheth God, exalted be His glory, to grant all a portion from His ocean of mercy and to deprive no one. Verily, He is the Hearer, the Answerer, the Watchful, the Near One. Glory be upon you and upon your children and those with you and upon those who have drunk from the Kawthar of divine knowledge and have attained unto God’s bounty, the Powerful, the Munificent, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

The Servant

4 Rabi’u’th-Thani 1299

May the Glory of God illumine him! He that hath arisen to serve the Cause of the Ancient Beauty must be steadfast and unwavering in his purpose, and consider not aught save His good-pleasure. He must not allow the censure of the froward to deter him from his path, nor suffer the praise of people to deflect him from his goal. He must with the utmost wisdom testify to the truth of His Cause and proclaim the verities of His Faith. He must not rest until the banner of His Lord be unfurled in every land and His Faith be established throughout all regions. He must not pay heed to the commendation of men, nor be disheartened by their opposition. Thus will he attain unto that which was destined for him from time immemorial. May the Glory of God rest upon him and upon all who have believed in His[…]

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In the name of our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted and Most Glorious Lord!

Blessed art thou, O thou whose face hath turned to the countenance of the Lord of Names after the passing of all things, whose heart hath turned to the Most Exalted Horizon when it was illumined by the name of the Lord of all beings, whose tongue hath spoken in praise and glorification in days wherein the Ancient Beauty was established upon the throne of names, whose ears have heard the sweetest call raised from the Uttermost Lote Tree, whose hands have taken hold of the Book in the name of our Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, and whose feet have arisen to serve the Cause in the kingdom of creation.

Glorified art Thou, O Thou through Whose light the horizons of existence were illumined and through Whose name was manifested whatsoever lay hidden or revealed! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance and the manifestations of Thy power to give Thy near ones to drink, from the hands of Thy bounty, the water of life in the realm of possibility. Then draw them, through Thy name, the All-Merciful, to such heights that whatsoever hath been created on earth - its bounties, ornaments, favors, adornments, veils, divines and mystics - shall not prevent them from arising to serve Thee, from meditating on Thy signs and tokens, and on that which Thou hast manifested through Thy power in Thy days, and that which Thou hast announced in Thy Books, Thy Scrolls, Thy Scriptures and Thy Tablets.

O Lord! Thou art He through one of Whose names those in the graves arose, the trumpet was sounded, and that which was recorded by Thy Most Exalted Pen in Thy Scrolls was made manifest, O Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens! O Lord! Thou beholdest me aflame with the fire of Thy love and ascending, by the ladder of trust and certitude, to the court of Thy mighty oneness. I beseech Thee, O Lord of the worlds, by the Most Great Name, at this moment when my fingers cling to the hem of the robe of Thy bounty and grace, and mine eyes are fixed upon the horizon of Thy loving-kindness and generosity, not to disappoint the people of Thy kingdom from that which Thou hast manifested through Thy power. Thou art He before Whose door of riches every wealthy one hath bowed down, and before Whose manifestations of power and expressions of might every possessor of strength hath humbled himself. There is none other God but Thee, the Just Ruler, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Furthermore, the fragrances of thy words have gladdened Me, and thy words have informed Me of that which hath brought solace to Mine eyes, expanded My breast and cheered My heart. When I perceived the sweet perfume of thy praise in thy love for thy Lord, and heard of thy steadfastness in the Cause out of love for Our and your Purpose, and Our and the dwellers of earth and heaven’s Beloved, I then desired to arise and appear before the Face, and presented that which was therein. Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that whereby the Sun of Utterance shone forth from the horizon of the kingdom of knowledge. He spoke, and His Word is the Truth:

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Informed […]

The oceans have appeared with their waves and the trees with their fruits, and the Dove of the Cause has sung upon the branches, yet the people have clung to the buzzing of flies, turning away from God, the Lord of lords. Verily, he who stood before the Presence and served Him through the nights and days, they have taken as a lord for themselves, turning away from Him Who created all beings with a word from His presence. Thus did their souls entice them in the days of God, the Master of necks. O Lion! The servant in attendance hath presented thy letter before the Presence. He hath heard and answered thee with that which each letter thereof proclaimeth: “The Promised One hath come and God hath established Himself upon the throne of His Name, the All-Bestowing.” Blessed art thou for having turned when the divines and learned of the earth turned away. Joy be unto thee for having held fast to the cord of divine knowledge when the All-Merciful came with power and sovereignty. Say: O people of the earth! The Creator of heaven hath come and calleth out with the most exalted call, summoning you to the supreme height. Be fair and follow not those who worship suppositions and idle fancies. Rend asunder, through His Most Powerful Name, the greatest veil. Thus doth He command you, before Whom the Mother Book hath bowed down. My Most Exalted Pen hath testified for thee by that whose fragrance hath spread throughout the kingdom of names. Preserve this most exalted station through the name of thy Lord, around Whom circle the beginning and the return. Thus have We revealed from the Pen that which was hidden in the knowledge of thy Lord, the Ancient of Days. Be grateful and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the world, and glory be unto Thee, O Sovereign of verses.” The glory shining from the horizon of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon those who circle round My will and hear thy utterance concerning this Cause at whose appearance the foundations were shaken. Praise be to God, the Lord of religions.

This evanescent servant testifieth that that beloved one hath expended and continueth to expend the utmost effort and endeavor in service to the Cause, and this is among the special favors of God, exalted be His glory. In truth, if one attaineth not unto this station, he will be seen to be bereft of the fruit of the tree of existence. God willing, may that beloved one ever be watchful, hearing, speaking and attentive.

Regarding what thou didst write about his honor the Sahib, upon him be God’s favor - praise be to God, he hath attained unto God’s favor, and we beseech God to assist him in that which is befitting this day. By the life of God! Were he to taste the sweetness of the utterance of the All-Merciful, he would surely abandon all that the world possesseth and turn with a luminous countenance unto God, the Ancient of Days, Who calleth from the supreme horizon and summoneth humanity - to this every fair-minded and perceptive one doth testify. This evanescent one conveyeth greetings unto him and beseecheth God for his success.

Mention was made of his honor ’Ali Pasha Khan, upon him be the glory of God, and it was presented before the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence. His exalted Word:

He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great […]

O Ali! Thy mention hath been honored by the hearing of the Wronged One in this impregnable and forbidden prison. O Ali! We have mentioned thee before with My verses and have turned toward thee as a token of My grace. Verily thy Lord is the Almighty, the Glorious, the Loving. Whoso turneth today to the Most Exalted Horizon is indeed the best of all beings before God, the Lord of existence. God willing, mayest thou be blessed with divine favors and arise to serve Him. The divine call is raised at all times, but most people understand not. The wine of heedlessness hath intoxicated all save whom God willeth. O Ali! Stand thou firm in the Cause with utmost steadfastness and speak in praise of God, exalted be His glory. Today the true Purpose hath appeared and the world is illumined with the lights of His countenance. It behooveth everyone endowed with hearing, sight and heart not to deprive himself of the outpourings of this divine Day. Soon shall the world and all that is therein perish, and sovereignty shall remain with God, the Lord of the hereafter and of the former generations. Be thou assured of God’s grace and fix thy gaze upon His horizon. Verily He is with those who love Him and desire Him, and He is the Kind, the Generous.

This servant conveyeth greetings to him. It is hoped that he may at all times be blessed by God’s grace and receive his portion from the fragrances of His days. Verily He is the Protector of those who draw nigh, the Lord of those who turn unto Him, and the Goal of them that know.

As for the carpet that was sent for the small piece, it is present in Hudayba with His Holiness the Name 66, may all the Most Glorious Glory of God rest upon him. God willing, it will arrive. These matters depend on God’s grace and acceptance. Due to his acceptance, from the day it was mentioned, it was honored with acceptance even before its arrival. This is glad tidings from this evanescent servant to him. Regarding what you wrote about his book, Sabri Effendi has not yet arrived. Whenever the meeting takes place, what has been written will be carried out.

Concerning what you wrote about His Honor Aqa Mirza Ghulam-’Ali, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah’s Glory], a most holy and exalted Tablet was revealed several months ago from the heaven of divine favor in his name, and mention was made of the deceased, the honored Jinab-i-Dhabi?, upon him be God’s glory and favor, in detail in that Tablet. God willing, he will attain unto it. This servant conveyeth greetings and salutations to him and declareth that his honor should be so enkindled with the fire of divine love that it may cause others to be awakened. God willing, may he be confirmed and spend his youthful days in divine love.

His Honor Aqa Mirza Muhammad, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah’s Glory], who is engaged in transcribing the verses of God, exalted be His glory, and whose mention was in that beloved one’s letter, was presented at the Most Holy and Exalted Court. He saith, exalted be His grandeur:

In My Name, the Hearing, the Answering […]

O Muhammad! He who hath loved Me and turned unto My countenance and soared in My atmosphere hath made mention of thee, and the servant present before the Face hath presented it. We have remembered thee with My wondrous and glorious remembrance. This is a Day wherein the Remembrance calleth aloud with the most exalted call, summoning all unto the All-Knowing, the One. Grieve thou not over anything, but rejoice in the Book of thy Lord. Verily, He is with His accepted servants. We have aided thee and taught thee that which the learned and mystics of the earth know not, save whom God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, willeth. Be thou steadfast in the Cause and firm in the remembrance of thy Lord in such wise that the allusions of the wayward, who have cast the command of God behind their backs and followed every rebellious devil, shall not veil thee. Take hold of the Book with the power and might from Our presence. Verily thy Lord is the Ordainer, the All-Wise. We have forgiven thee and those whom thou hast mentioned. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Generous. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having taught me and caused me to hear and given me to drink from the Kawther of knowledge and honored me with this noble station. Verily Thou art the Powerful over whatsoever Thou willest through Thy Name, the Strong, the Mighty.

The servant beareth witness that His mercy hath preceded and His grace hath encompassed all existence, both seen and unseen. God willing, may He confirm all who are on earth that they may inhale the fragrances of His days and turn toward the direction of His grace. A hundred thousand regrets that they remain deprived of the lights of the divine dawn and are seen as mere rabble. Yet that which hath descended from the Kingdom of Will and appeared through His prevailing decree shall create attentive ears and grant the ability to hear, for the Divine Word hath ever been and shall ever be the bestower, the manifestor and the confirmer.

Mention was made in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence of Aqa Mirza Husayn of the people of Ba and Shin, upon him be the glory of God. This is what was revealed from the Kingdom of Power as a grace from His presence unto him. His blessed and exalted Word: O Husayn! Reflect upon what hath befallen the Wronged One in this Cause whereby every face was darkened, all tranquility was shaken, every foundation was made to tremble, every mountain was scattered, every steadfast one was made to quake, and every standing one did slip, save those who attained unto the grace of God, the Lord of all worlds. We arose for the Cause in such wise that agitation seized the people of the Bayan. When some measure of tranquility appeared, there emerged from behind the veil one who led the people astray and barred them from the straight path of God. They would flee from town to town from the onslaught of the wicked ones, yet when they felt secure, they arose against Us with manifest tyranny. The wicked ones are those divines who cast the ordinances of God behind their backs and took their vain imaginings as their lord without any clear proof or illuminating Book. O Husayn! Rejoice in that the Lord of the world remembereth thee from the Most Great Prison and giveth thee glad tidings of that which He hath ordained for His loved ones in the Crimson Scroll from His Most Exalted Pen. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. Give thanks unto God for having aided thee to serve His loved ones and enabled thee to recognize this wondrous and glorious Day. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of all names and Creator of heaven! I beseech Thee by the Word through which the sincere ones were drawn and the unitarians did soar, to ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones who have held fast to the cord of Thy loving-kindness and clung to Thy luminous hem. O Lord! I have turned unto Thee, detached from all else but Thee. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me of that which lieth with Thee. There is no God but Thee, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

In the Name of the Mighty, the Great

This was revealed for him who was named Ali in the Book of Names and was related to Kamaluddin, who attained certitude when all on earth lamented save whom God willed. His word, exalted be His grandeur:

Thy mention hath gained access to the Most Holy Court, and the Wronged One hath turned toward thee from the horizon of the Prison, counseling thee to be trustworthy, religious, truthful, and steadfast in this mighty Cause. Blessed art thou and thy father who was attracted by the verses of his Lord in the early days and attained His presence when the Light was shining from the horizon of Iraq. This is the day of goodly deeds, the day of remembrance and utterance. God willing, may ye attain to that which exalteth the Cause of God. Goodly deeds are in themselves promoters of God’s Cause and have ever been so. Blessed is he who acteth according to that which hath been commanded by God, and woe unto the heedless. Ye are all mentioned before the Throne and adorned with the ornament of His favor. God willing, may ye succeed in preserving this most exalted station and supreme rank. The Glory be upon thy father, upon thee, upon thy mother, and upon those who are with you, and upon My black handmaiden who attained My presence and was illumined by the lights of My countenance and ascended to the Supreme Companion, the station whereof every knowing and informed one is powerless to mention.

And concerning what thou wrote about Aqa Muhammad-Rida, nephew of his eminence the martyred Zabih, upon them both be the Glory of God, he hath been favored with God’s grace both before and after. Praise be to God, mention of him hath flowed from the Supreme Pen and his kinship to him who was martyred in the path of God is firm. Since his father is hesitant, his relationship before the Throne was given to his eminence the martyr, upon him be the Glory of God, and this matter was uttered from the Tongue of Grandeur in the Most Holy Court about a year ago. Blessed is he and joy be unto him. This lowly one conveyeth greetings to him and beseecheth God to make him manifest in such wise in the love of God that the tongues of all created things shall testify thereto. By the life of the Beloved, this is an exalted and mighty station. Likewise, this lowly one conveyeth greetings and salutations to both aforementioned souls, upon them be the Glory of God, and the other friends in that land, and sayeth: God willing, may they be occupied with the remembrance of God throughout the days and nights. Let them not lose the opportunity, for the days are passing like lightning. While the waves of the ocean of utterance are manifest and the effulgences of the sun of inner meanings are dawning and evident, arise to serve and undertake that which exalteth the Cause of God. The service today is and hath been the teaching of the Cause. God willing, may all be assisted to give life to those dead in the wilderness of remoteness with drops from the ocean of nearness, and counsel them to the most great steadfastness. Verily, He assisteth whom He willeth and guideth whom He willeth to His manifest, shining and luminous horizon.

The matters have concluded, yet the fire of the heart knows no end, and the warmth of love has not been diminished by the opposition of those on earth. This is naught but from God’s grace - our Goal and the Goal of all worlds. In these days news arrived that packets from that beloved one and also from some of the friends had been sent to Muhammad Mustafa, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah], for him to deliver to the Desired Land. He had entrusted these to someone who was journeying to the Most Luminous Spot to deliver them. However, the highway robbers seized these items along with other things from the messenger and sent him away empty-handed. When this matter was presented in the Most Holy Court, they instructed: “Write to Asad, upon him be the Glory of God, to consult about this matter. If there is a way to truly discover the purpose of Truth, it would be beloved - meaning, to know with absolute certainty that Truth has not come for conflict, disputation and corruption. Its purpose has been and is none other than the unity of creation, which is the cause of the exaltation of government and subjects. And if they truly arise for the elevation of the Word, We ask for him lofty station and supreme rank, and We guarantee it. Let them seek divine confirmation from God, exalted be His glory. If they reflect even a little, they will discover the greatest means of the world’s tranquility and what is beneath it. For some time now the earth has not found rest, and no one has known the reason. God, exalted be His glory, may confirm one of the princes and through him assist His Faith, and may the light of justice so encompass the earth that no trace of oppression remains - then shall you see therein neither crookedness nor inequality. Would that they discovered the will of God and remained not deprived of the outpourings and fragrances of the days of His manifestation.”

This servant submits that the Word should be delivered only after confidence and readiness of the place is established, and then only in summary, for in these lands some have shown acceptance while their purpose was investigation to determine the number of souls and the size of the community. However, in all cases, words should be spoken that convey the fragrance of goodness and pure benevolence. He is the Helper to success and the Protector of every truthful, eloquent and trustworthy one. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. Glory be upon you and upon whoever has heard the Call, and upon God’s chosen ones and His loved ones who have arisen to serve His Cause and have spoken His beautiful praise.

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In the Name of our Lord, the Most Ancient, the Comforter, the Consoler, the Compassionate, the Most High, the Most Exalted!

Verily the Pen lamenteth and the Tablet weepeth by reason of the sighs of the faithful that have ascended and the tears of the Most Exalted Paradise that have descended. It is as though joy hath barred its door, and gladness hath been shaken to its foundations, and the heaven hath withheld its rain, and the sun of delight its radiance, and the stars their light, and the breezes have grown still, and Paradise hath been cut off from its gentle winds, and the houses of love have had their lamps extinguished, and the blessed earth hath ceased in its growth, and the seas have become motionless in their movements and waves, and the birds in their cooing and warbling, and the rivers in their murmuring and flowing, and the heaven of exposition from its manifestation and utterance.

While I was in this mighty state, recording mention of the calamity that had appeared in the Kingdom of Creation, it was as though I heard a call from all directions: “O servant in attendance! What hath grieved thee and taken the reins of choice from thy hands? Hath the world been swallowed with its people? Have the trees been uprooted? Have the foundations been shaken and the buildings quaked? Have the mountains been scattered and the banners lowered? Have the standards been broken and the leaves fallen? Have the branches grieved and the armies been defeated? Have the ships been sunk and hath the mirror of knowledge been prevented from reflecting? Hath the Hand of Grace forsaken those in creation? Hath the Pen been prevented from flowing and the tongue been stripped of the ornament of utterance? Hath the outpouring been cut off? Hath the Builder regretted? Hath the Table retreated? Why do I see thee in the ocean of sorrows? At times thy sighs ascend and at others thy tears descend. Where is the pavilion of glory and the canopy of joy? Where is the tabernacle of gladness and the tents of delight? Where is thy smiling countenance and the ornament of thy name ‘the servant’? Where is thy resolve and determination and thy strength in setting down that which the All-Merciful hath revealed to all who are in the realm of possibility? […]

She was adorned with the sun and its shining forth, its lights and its manifestations. Verily her name, in its reality, its outward form and its inner meaning, remindeth the people of the days of their True Object and the Object of all else besides Him. She was indeed a leaf who clung fast to the Sadratu’l-Muntaha and attained the presence of the Lord of all humanity, and in this she surpassed all who dwell in the kingdom of creation, save whom God, the Lord of the Throne on high and of the dust beneath, hath willed. When I saw and heard, grief so seized Me that My heart melted, My skin quivered, My limbs trembled, and My sighing and lamenting were raised up. I returned to My station and My dwelling place and found it to be the house of sorrows, and I occupied Myself and My spirit with writing what the All-Merciful had revealed. When a few minutes had passed, she appeared before the Face by His irrevocable command over all created things. Then did the Qiblih of all who are in existence, both seen and unseen, turn toward Me and spoke, exalted be His majesty and His words: “Bring forth pen and ink that I may make mention of that remnant of the Point who sacrificed herself with love and devotion, that My loved ones and My handmaidens in the cities and lands may visit her through that which hath been sent down from My Most Exalted Pen.” His blessed and exalted Word:

He is the Consoler of the Sorrowful

O Pen! Upon thee hath descended a grievous calamity and a mighty affliction, whereat have lamented the denizens of the Most Exalted Paradise and the Supreme Heaven. Through it sorrows have mounted until they reached the hem of the robe of the All-Merciful. Blessed is he who sought to serve her in her lifetime and visited her after her ascension and passing, and blessed the handmaiden who sought her resting-place and drew nigh unto God through her.

The splendor shining from the horizon of My glorious brow and the light manifest and gleaming from the heaven of My Most Glorious Name be upon thee, O fruit of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, O blessed and luminous leaf, O companion of Him through Whose manifestation the Kingdom of immortality and the realm of creation have beamed in joy. We testify that thou wert the first leaf to attain the cup of reunion in captivity and the last fruit to surrender its spirit in separation. Thou art she whose heart melted and burned away and whose very being was set aflame in thy remoteness from His presence in the spot which God made the dawning-place of His verses, the dayspring of His evidences, the manifestation of His names, the source of His laws, and the seat of His throne.

O My leaf and fragrance of My paradise of good-pleasure! Thou art in the Supreme Companion while the Wronged One remembereth thee in the prison of ’Akka. Thou art she who discovered the fragrance of the shirt of the All-Merciful ere the creation of contingent beings, who wast honored by His presence and didst attain His reunion and drink the choice wine of nearness from the hand of His bounty. We testify that in thee were joined two signs - the sign of union gave thee life at first, and the sign of separation caused thy death at last. How many a night in which thy sighs ascended in thy love for God and thy tears flowed at the mention of His Most Glorious Name. Verily He was with thee and beheld thy burning ardor, thy attraction, thy longing and thy yearning, and heard the moaning of thy heart and the lamenting of thy soul.

O fruit of My Lote-Tree! Through thy calamity the ocean of sorrows surged and the winds of forgiveness blew. I testify that on the night wherein thou didst ascend to the Most Glorious Horizon and the Supreme Companion, and on its day, God forgave every male and female servant who had ascended, as a token of His grace and favor toward thee, save those who denied the right of God and that which was manifested from His presence openly. Thus did God distinguish thee, O My leaf, with this most great bounty and this most ancient and foremost station.

Blessed art thou, and blessed are they who visit thee, who dwell near thee, who circle round thee, and who have sought and seek intercession through thee with God. Thou art she at whose calamity wailed the Maids of Heaven and were saddened the leaves of the Tree of Revelation. Thou art she who, when hearing the call raised from the tongue of the Lord of the Kingdom of Names, didst turn to Him and wert so attracted that authority well-nigh departed from thy hand.

O My leaf! O thou who soarest in the atmosphere of My love, who turnest toward My face, and who speaketh in My praise! We have sent down for thee a remembrance which the vicissitudes of centuries and the events of ages shall not efface. We have immortalized thy mention by My Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Scroll which none but God, the Creator of all things, hath beheld, and We have remembered thee in this Tablet with that which shall cause those near unto God to remember thee and cause the sincere ones to turn toward thy resting-place.

Blessed art thou, and felicity be unto thee and unto him who presenteth himself before thy grave and reciteth that which the All-Bountiful hath revealed concerning the final end.

From the heaven of the will of the Goal of all the worlds hath been sent down that from which can be inhaled the fragrance of loving-kindness and compassion unto the endless end. Were it not for His grace, how could these wounds be healed? His loving-kindness hath ever been and shall ever be the balm for these afflictions. Without His protection, how could man be capable of bearing tribulations and sorrows that have had and shall have no likeness or parallel? His is the praise in all conditions.

O Afnan! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness! We have heard thy call and thy yearning for God, thy Creator and Protector, and have answered thee with a Tablet wherefrom hath shone forth the luminary of My tender mercy. By My life! I behold thee and hear what thy tongue doth utter. Verily, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Thou hast turned unto God, heard His call, responded to it, and acknowledged that which His tongue hath spoken. This, verily, is the Purpose in the days of thy Lord, the All-Knowing. Praise be to God that thou hast attained unto such lofty stations. In view of the precedence of mercy and the manifestation of grace and the advent of the Day which hath been especially designated in former Books and attributed unto it, His grace and favors are even as the rains, flowing and descending. Ere long shall My tender mercies, My loving-kindness and My mercy be made manifest unto My Afnan. Rejoice thou in this manifest grace. Under all conditions thou art beneath the glance of His favor. God willing, the sorrows that have come to pass will be stilled through steadfast patience, and God willing the loved ones will hold fast unto that which hath been revealed from the Supreme Pen concerning this great calamity. O Afnan! By My life! She hath seen and heard what was revealed from My Pen for her, and she now seeth and heareth what is being revealed from My manifest Pen. There hath been revealed for her that which proclaimeth My grace and loving-kindness toward her in every world of the worlds of her Lord. A Tablet hath also been specifically revealed for thy mother - upon her be My glory, My mercy and My grace. After the waves of the ocean of the mercy of the All-Merciful and the effulgences of the sun of grace, whatever this servant may say would not be befitting or worthy. God is my witness that in hardship and ease, in affliction and sorrow, this servant hath been and is a partner - nay, the greater portion and the most exalted cup is his. Though at one time the Tongue of Grace of the Lord of Verses uttered this most exalted word - glorified be His majesty: “O thou who art present! When the Supreme Pen expresseth grief in calamities, the purpose is to manifest mercy and loving-kindness. Otherwise, whosoever hath attained unto the love of God and ascended unto Him hath attained unto the most great joy. I swear by the Divine Lote-Tree which in all times speaketh and beareth witness: were the people of the earth to become aware of the joy of one steadfast and exalted soul, they would turn toward God - how much more for those who are related and those concerning whom the Supreme Pen hath revealed mention and testified to His being well-pleased with them.” Exalted be His generosity and sublime be His grace! This is the day of patience and resignation. These hosts will dispel the hosts of sorrows and raise the banners of contentment and submission upon the hills of existence. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth, and He, verily, hath power over all things.

And as to the request submitted that something be graciously revealed to be inscribed upon the blessed gravestone, this matter has been accepted and, God willing, will be sent later. That exalted fruit and most high leaf are the recipients of complete favor from God. Nevertheless, this is a great calamity and profound sorrow, for outwardly in that land they were a sign from the Exalted Truth and the Sovereign of existence, exalted be His remembrance and mighty His glory. And in her transfer from one place to another is a grief for which blood should flow from my eyes and the eyes of those who have clung to the Blessed, Lofty, Manifest and Speaking Tree. With both outer and inner tongue, this servant beseeches and implores the Exalted Truth to grant patience to that blessed being and other relatives - upon them be all the Most Glorious Glory - and adorn them with the ornament of steadfastness. The Afnan’s place of sorrows - their Consoler and Comforter is God, their Merciful Lord. This blessed word was heard from the tongue of the King of Oneness: “In truth it is fitting that this word be the seal of remembrances, for it is a mirror that fully reflects the Temple of Grace. My spirit be a sacrifice for His grace, for His favor, for His mercy and His kindness.”

Another bounty regarding the blessed leaf - God, our Lord and the Lord of all in the heavens and earth, has said: “O servant in attendance! The exalted fruit has truly melted from the fire of separation, therefore she is mentioned among the martyrs in God’s presence. The recompense for this deed is the mention revealed by the Supreme Pen in her visitation prayer. On that night and day, every soul that ascended attained the robes of forgiveness, except those souls who openly denied God’s right and His Manifestation and verses. And this grace is specific to her.” End quote.

As for the questions that were asked, one matter has been referenced by the Supreme Pen and all are clear and evident in that passage.

Another submission of this servant is that greetings should be conveyed on behalf of this evanescent servant to the honored Jinab-i-Khalil and the teacher - upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory and all supreme grace. His blessed letter was received and this servant was honored by it. God willing, it is hoped that a reply will be submitted later. Likewise, greetings and salutations are offered to the honored Afnan Aqa Aqa Siyyid M. - upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory. This evanescent servant beseeches the Truth, exalted be His glory, to assist him in all hours and moments to serve Him and to enable him to remember and praise Him. Praise be to God that he stands firm in this station, has attained this supreme honor, and is mentioned and recorded in God’s Book. Similarly, I beseech and implore the Goal of the world to grant patience to his honor and those afflicted with this calamity, as well as His friends and handmaidens. Verily, He heareth and answereth, and He is the Ordainer, the All-Wise.

And another submission: His Holiness Afnan, the honored Aqa Aqa Siyyid Muhammad, may the most glorious of all glory rest upon him, wrote a letter to the honored Haji Siyyid Javad, upon him be the glory of God, expressing grief. In truth, this is a time for grief - were it not for God’s grace, His bounty, His Manifestation and His days, this servant and every faithful and trustworthy lover would have perished. May they be blessed through God’s infinite bounties and remain steadfast in patience. I convey my greetings to him, and likewise to the honored Afnans, upon them be the most glorious of all glory, whose presence graces that land. May all abide under the shade of the Tree of Purpose, He Who is in the heavens and earth.

Regarding what was mentioned about the related items, His exalted Word states: “These ordinances refer to the Most Holy Book, and this matter is entrusted to him. Let him act as he deems appropriate and send such items that bear testimony to it to the Most Holy Court, that it may serve as a remembrance before God, its Creator.” End quote.

Another submission: When His Holiness the Most Great Branch - may my spirit, my being, and my essence be sacrificed for the dust of His footsteps - was present, they were blessed with His presence and wrote a leaf which was sent. God willing, they will be blessed with it. His Holiness the Most Mighty Branch - may my spirit, my being, and my essence be sacrificed for the dust of His most mighty footsteps - was in the city, which resulted in the absence of His blessed effect. It is hoped that henceforth He will bestow His grace and it will be sent.

Furthermore, the sorrows, griefs and sadness of the people of the pavilion of greatness and infallibility are manifest to such a degree that this servant is incapable and inadequate to mention them. They said we share with the Afnan in this great calamity, and they send greetings to Her Holiness the Greatest Holy Leaf, the Mother of His Holiness, upon her be the most glorious of all glory. Indeed, this grief is like an artery that has moved all bodies, creating movement in every vein. May the Ancient Lord grant patience. Were it not for His grace, bodies would melt, minds would vanish, and the hearts of the knowing ones would be thunderstruck. The command belongs to God, the Lord of the worlds. And the glory shining, manifest, and evident from the horizon of our Lord’s grace be upon you all and upon those with you and upon every steadfast soul who has turned towards Him.

The Servant

14th of ?afar 1300

Another submission: Three Most Holy and Most Exalted Tablets were sent, two for Nayriz which Your Honor should deliver, and one for Shiraz in response to the petition of the honored Yusuf Khan. His petition reached the Most Holy Court several times and this time was blessed with a response. Blessed is he. The Blessed Tablet should reach the honored Aqa Mirza Husayn, upon him be the glory of God, in the land of Sh[iraz] and they should deliver it.

=== END BH00275 ===

=== START BH00276 ===

In the name of our Lord, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious!

Praised be the peerless Lord and the incomparable Object of all desire, Who hath not deprived His loved ones of the cause of existence and the source of being. He hath given glad tidings unto all and, in the Books of the past and present, promised this blessed Day which is the Lord of all days. In truth, were all the pens of the world and the tongues of all nations to attempt to describe and enumerate the attributes of this Most Great Day, they would surely find themselves powerless to do so. Glorified be He Who hath manifested Himself, sent down His verses, chosen His loved ones, and aided them to make mention of Him and praise Him, to teach His Cause and carry out His commandments and laws. These are the servants whom He hath described by the tongue of His grandeur in His Books, His Scrolls and His Tablets. Through them His names and attributes are made manifest among His servants. The servant beareth witness to that which God hath witnessed, that they are honored servants who speak not until He hath spoken and who act by His command. Neither do the ornaments of the world distract them, nor do the affairs of men occupy them from drawing nigh unto God, the Creator of heaven and the Lord of the Kingdom of Names.

The exalted letter, like a brilliant star, illumined the realm of being, for it was adorned with the mention and praise of the Object of all the world’s desire. From each of its letters wafted the fragrance of love and diffused the sweet-scented breeze of affection. In truth, in this Day, should a soul attain unto recognition and steadfastness, he is the head of the world and the heart of nations. Well is it with him! Praise be to God, that spiritual friend hath attained unto this most exalted station. I beseech God that He may, day by day, nay, moment by moment, aid and assist him to make mention and praise of Him and to serve His Cause. Verily, He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

After reading, beholding, and experiencing joy and gladness, it was taken to the highest horizon and most exalted summit, and was presented before the countenance of the Lord of all beings, attaining the honor of His attention. Then the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that which caused the fragrance of grace and favors to waft to all regions. Exalted be His utterance and glorified His praise, and there is no Beloved besides Him.

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

O Nazim! What can this Wronged One mention when hearing ears are as rare as the philosopher’s stone, and what can He reveal when eyes are afflicted with the dust of idle fancies and prevented from seeing? The atoms of all created things bear witness that today the call of the Lord of Names is raised from the Prison of Akka, and the effulgences of the Sun of Truth are manifest and evident from this horizon. The Most Great Name hath appeared in such wise that the fair-minded ones from diverse communities are all bewildered and amazed. In the days and nights the Pen of the Lord of all beings moveth, despite the denial of the wicked, the indifference of the heedless, the prevention of the envious, and the oppression of the corrupt. The signs and traces of the Blessed Tree have become somewhat manifest from every direction and quarter. Say: Exalted is God, the Sovereign, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting! Exalted is He Who hath manifested His Cause despite every ignorant rejected one! Exalted is He Who hath revealed from the Pen the mysteries of eternity - blessed are they who know!

From the earliest days, when the fire of wrath was kindled and the world trembled at the might of the oppressors, this Wronged One, with no helper or supporter, raised aloft the standard of “There is none other God but Him.” With the finger of power He rent asunder the intervening veils that had become obstacles and cast them aside. Before the faces of all He proclaimed His Cause and revealed sacred and blessed Tablets specifically for the kings and rulers - some reached their destination while others were withheld. Neither the clamor of the people prevented Him, nor did the flame of hatred and enmity hold Him back from calling out. God is aware of what befell Him in the days and nights. We bore what no one else hath borne. The love of God made every poison sweet as honey, and every wrath a mercy.

When the effects of the Most Exalted Word and the power of the Supreme Pen became manifest, those who were concealed and veiled emerged from behind the veil with lying tongues and sharp swords to attack the Wronged One, and secretly engaged in stirring up government officials. Nevertheless, We concealed it and left it to God. Glory be to God! Although the waves of the divine ocean of utterance and the effulgences of the Daystar of the Lord’s Revelation were visible and manifest before all faces, and likewise the Lote-Tree of the utmost boundary appeared with countless fruits and its rustling was raised at all times, saying “O people! The Promised Day is come, deprive not yourselves of its outpourings” - despite this, all remained heedless and turned away, save those souls who held fast to the firm handle and whose hearts were freed and detached from all else but God.

When thou dost inhale the fragrant breeze of thy Lord’s utterance and drink the wine of joy from the cup of His bounty, say: My God, my God! Thou seest Thy chosen ones in the hands of the oppressors and Thy trusted ones under the rule of the treacherous. I beseech Thee by Thy horizon from which the Daystar of utterance shone forth upon all possibility, and by Thy Name through which Thou didst subdue all religions, to assist me and Thy loved ones to attain such steadfastness as would render powerless the promptings of the heedless and the doubts of the wayward. O my Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and detached from all else but Thee. Ordain for me that which will exalt me through Thy Name amongst Thy servants and through my relationship to Thee in Thy lands. Then open before the faces of Thy loved ones the gates of Thy grace and bounty. Verily, Thou art the Almighty Whom the power of the world cannot weaken, nor can the conditions of the nations prevent. There is none other God but Thee, the Strong, the Triumphant, the All-Powerful.

Despite the sorrows inflicted, the successive calumnies and the tribulations that have descended, the True One, exalted be His glory, makes mention of His loved ones and gives them the glad-tidings of His special favors. That which hath been sent down from the heaven of divine Will specifically for that spiritual friend testifieth to a bounty and generosity that hath no likeness, and a gift the like of which hath never come into existence from nothingness. Exalted is our Lord, exalted is His bounty, exalted is His gift, and exalted is His generosity. He is verily the All-Bountiful, the Kind, the Compassionate.

The Most Great Glad-Tidings is that the prayer of that spiritual friend was presented before the countenance of the Lord of all beings at a certain time and was honored to be heard, and when it was concluded these sublime words were revealed from the heaven of verses, manifest and evident. His blessed and exalted Word:

“O thou who hast held fast to My cord! We testify that thou hast attained unto My utterance time and again, and unto My verses repeatedly. Blessed are thine ears and thine eyes and thy heart, inasmuch as they have attained unto hearing, witnessing and understanding. By the life of God! No mention from among My mentions can equal the mentions of the world and the books of nations. To this beareth witness the Most Great Name in this station which God hath made the point of circumambulation of the most exalted Paradise and the supreme Heaven. Blessed is he who hath acknowledged and confessed that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken when seated upon the throne of utterance before the faces of all religions. Verily those who have been prevented from hearing have no share of this ocean from whose waves can be heard: ‘There is none other God but I, the All-Bountiful, the Generous.’ We have heard that wherewith thou didst commune with God. We have answered thee through this perspicuous Book, at whose appearance the Kingdom of Utterance bowed down in its longing to hearken unto the call of God, the Lord of the exalted Throne. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to aid thee in His remembrance and praise, and in the promotion of His Cause with wisdom and utterance. Blessed is he who hath heard and acted upon that which he was commanded. He is truly among the triumphant ones by the Pen of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Give thou glad-tidings unto My loved ones on My behalf and remind them of that which hath been sent down from the heaven of My tender mercy and the atmosphere of My loving-kindness, that joy and gladness may take hold of them and draw them unto a station wherein the call of God, the sovereign Lord, the Just, the Manifest Truth, hath been raised.”

For the proof of His all-encompassing and perfect grace, no mention of created things nor description of contingent beings is necessary or needed, for the utterance itself is a truthful witness to His infinite grace. A hundred thousand thanks unto the Desired One Who caused that soul to attain unto a mention before which the remembered ones of the world bow down in humility and submission. Soon that which is hidden shall be made manifest. None can repel His command or avert His judgment. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Single One, the Unique, the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

Concerning what was written at the time of the ascendancy of longing and yearning, attraction and rapture, I know it as though some disorder of the senses and confusion of mind had befallen this evanescent one, for what are these mentions, and what meaning have these utterances, where to speak them and before whom to express them? However, since it is divine madness, excellent is this madness, and since it is the frenzy of love for the Eternal Beloved, excellent is this disorder. Would that all the people of the world were, like me, mad with love for Thee! Excellent is what you mentioned, for after these stages were presented, they smiled. From every direction of the seat of divine tokens grace and mercy were manifest. In truth, that soul and this servant, nay all created things, are incapable of offering thanks for even the least of His bounties and mercy. In such case, one must enter the realm of madness and make such mention as would cause the blessed lips to smile. For now, you have attained this greatest bounty. Well is it with you!

He said, glorified and exalted be He:

With regard to the matter of movement which was made contingent upon wisdom, after this matter was presented They said: Praise be to God that you have attained unto recognition, acceptance, mention, praise and attention, and have partaken of the sealed wine and received your portion from the ocean of utterance of Him Who is the Desired One. All this is from God’s bounty unto you. We testify that the grace hath encompassed thee, mercy hath preceded thee, and the Call hath attracted thee. We beseech God to ordain for thee from His Most Exalted Pen that which will draw thee nigh unto Him in all conditions. Verily He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

In all circumstances keep your gaze fixed upon wisdom and hold fast unto its requirements. Verily, should He desire, He would record for thee the reward of attaining His presence, of appearing before His countenance, of hearkening unto His call, and of standing before the door of His bounty. Thy Lord ordaineth what He pleaseth for whomsoever He willeth. He is the Single, the One, the Powerful, the All-Choosing.

Concerning what was written about your brother who is named Mirza Siyyid Mehdi, upon him be the Glory of God, and likewise the mention of his ardor, his drawing nigh, his praise and mention, and his hospitality - these matters were presented and heard in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence. One Blessed Tablet was specifically revealed for him from the heaven of the Divine Will and was sent, and likewise another Blessed Tablet was revealed specifically for his wife, upon her be the Glory of God. We hope they will drink from the hidden oceans in the divine verses and attain unto the fragrance of the utterance of the Desired One of all worlds.

Mention was made of the honored wife and the other wife, upon them be the Glory of God, and likewise of their offspring and progeny, upon them be the Glory of God. After presentation in the Most Holy Presence, these manifest verses were revealed - His words, blessed and exalted be He:

He is the All-Mentioning, the All-Knowing

O Nazim! We have made mention of thee time and again with such mention as hath diffused the fragrance of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of all worlds. And We have mentioned those who were with thee, both female and male. Verily thy Lord is the Compassionate, the Generous. Nothing whatsoever escapeth His knowledge. He seeth and mentioneth, and He is the Witness, the All-Knowing.

Hearken in the Persian tongue that all may hear and become aware of God’s loving-kindness. Convey to each one greetings from the Wronged One, offer them from the cup of utterance of the Desired One of all worlds, and give each one the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness - exalted be His glory - a loving-kindness that hath preceded existence itself. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to ordain for each one of them that which will profit them and exalt them. Verily He hath power over all things. Thou and those with thee have attained unto verses that cannot be equaled by the fruits of trees nor by what appeareth from the seas and rivers. Verily thy Lord is the Expositor, the True One, the Trustworthy. The Glory from Us be upon thee and upon them, and upon every believing man and believing woman in God, the Single, the All-Informed.

This servant also conveyeth greetings, praise and salutations to each one, and beseecheth from God - exalted be His glory - whatsoever is the cause of glory, blessing and joy for all. Verily our Lord is the Hearer, the Answerer.

We make mention of Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Muhammad-Sadiq, upon him be the Glory of God. In truth, whosoever is mentioned before the Countenance of the All-Mentioned is the recipient of the Most Great Favor, even though he may not have attained the station of acceptance, attention and nearness to the Most Exalted Station, which is the station of presence and proximity. Yet the Hand of Providence will seize him and, in due time, will draw him to its loftiest heights. This is among the hidden pearls concealed within the Treasury of Divine Remembrance. Thus did the Herald, the Primal Point - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake - declare that all exists for the sake of being mentioned but once in His presence. After this matter was presented before the Throne of the Intended One, these decisive verses were revealed from the Kingdom of Utterance - exalted and glorified be His words:

“O Muhammad-Sadiq! We have mentioned thee before, and at this hour with verses from which the mystics perceive the fragrance of the mercy of thy Lord, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Hearken unto the Call raised in truth from the direction of ‘Akka, as a token of God’s grace, the Lord of existence. Cast aside what the people possess and take what thou hast been given of this Announcement, through which differences have appeared among the various sects. Verily, thy Lord is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. Blessed is he who hath heard My mention, the rustling of the Sadratu’l-Muntaha of My grace, the flowing of the Kawthar of My utterance, and the murmuring of the breezes of the dawn of My manifest and impregnable Revelation. From this station, We send Our greetings upon thee and upon thy wife who hath believed in God, the Mighty, the Loving. We beseech God to aid her at all times and to mention her in such wise that her remembrance shall endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. We make mention of the two daughters and give them glad tidings of God’s loving-kindness, the Mighty, the Beloved. We beseech God to draw them all nigh unto Him and to open before their faces the gates of grace and bounty. Verily, He is the Omnipotent over whatsoever He willeth through His command ’Be,’ and it is.”

This servant likewise maketh mention of each one and beseecheth from the Truth confirmation and assistance for them. My God, my God! These are Thy servants and handmaidens. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Exalted Word, through which Thou hast created all things, to assist them in that which will cause Thy Cause to be exalted among Thy servants. O Lord! Thou seest them clinging to Thee and to Thy verses, and holding fast to the hem of the robe of Thy mercy. I beseech Thee not to deprive them of the ocean of Thy generosity and the heaven of Thy grace. Thou art, verily, the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the Wise.

They made mention of the honored mother - upon her be the Glory of God. After this was presented, He said: “O Nazim, O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! We make mention of thee and those with thee - the mother, the brother, the wife, and those who are with them - and give them glad tidings of the Most Great Favor from this Momentous Announcement. We beseech God to ordain for thee and for them the good of the hereafter and of this world. Verily, He is the Mighty, the Generous. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having remembered me and those with me through Thy mercy that hath preceded existence and through Thy grace that hath encompassed all in the heavens and the earth.

We make mention of him who was named ’Ali before Akbar and his wife, and give them glad tidings of Our acceptance of them, which nothing in existence can equal. To this doth the Lord of creation bear witness in this exalted station. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to aid them, draw them nigh, and open before their faces the gates of goodly deeds. Verily, He is the Guardian of good deeds. There is no God but Him, the Forgiving, the Merciful. The Glory from Us be upon you all.”

Another glad-tiding is that a most mighty and holy Tablet hath been revealed from the heaven of grace and bounty specifically for his honor Aqa Mirza ?adiq, upon him be the Glory of God. This evanescent servant beseecheth and imploreth the True One to confirm him in teaching the Cause, a service whose mention hath ever been and shall forever be immortalized in the Books, Scriptures and Tablets. We hope that he may drink from the Kawthar of utterance and become a cup-bearer of the divine wine. Verily our Lord is the Hearer, the Answerer.

I convey greetings and glory to the loved ones of that land, and I seek divine confirmation that all may drink from the chalice of unity and arise, united and in complete accord, for the reformation of the world and the refinement of the souls of all peoples. Blessed is the one who hath sanctified himself from whatsoever pertaineth to the ways of savagery and the deeds of the predators of the earth, and who hath adorned the servants with kindness and care in that which will protect and preserve them from self and passion. Command and bounty and justice are in the hand of God, our Lord and the Lord of the mighty throne. Praise be unto Him, for He is the Goal of all Prophets and Messengers. Glory and remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those with you and upon those who have attained unto this most mighty Day and this most great, most wondrous, mighty and impregnable Revelation.

The Servant

15 Rabi’u’th-Thani 1308

=== END BH00276 ===

=== START BH00277 ===

In the name of He who is the Most Glorious and Most Mighty

Praise and glory befit those who are nigh unto God, who rejoice in the hope of nearness and who live by the promise of His presence. Their life-giving waters flow from the Supreme Pen, and their growth springs from the remembrance and praise of the Lord of Names. No tongue can adequately describe this station, and the pen itself confesses its impotence. This is the station of them that are nigh - how much more exalted then must be the station of Him through whose Word the near ones, the sincere ones, and the devoted ones exist, and through whose sweet savors they endure and are made manifest. Glorified be His greatness, exalted be His power, and sanctified be His sovereignty, His remembrance and His praise.

Since the realms of hearts and minds fall short and are powerless to know His Essence, Who is beyond all likeness, it behooveth us to make mention of the First Creation, the First Remembrance, the First Light, the First Manifestation, the First Appearance, the First Knowledge, the First Utterance, the First Dawning Point, the First Rising Place, the First Orient, and the First Source, and to adorn the preface of every book with His Name. For He standeth in the place of God and is the Manifestation of the Absolute Light, through Whom were revealed from the dust the mysteries of origin and return, and through Whom the Dove of Utterance warbled upon the branch of knowledge. Through Him the world was illumined with the light of unity and nations with the mention of detachment. Through Him the waters of life flowed throughout all contingent being, and the might of God encompassed all lands. Through Him every seeker turned to the Most Sublime Horizon and every tongue was loosened in praise of the Creator of Heaven.

He it was upon whom verses were sent down, at times in Yathrib and before that in Batha, at times in the air and again above the air, and at times at the distance of two bow-lengths or closer. Exalted be His most sublime station and His most resplendent glory. Upon Him be the blessings of God, the Lord of all things and the Sovereign of the hereafter and of this world, and upon His family and companions whom nothing whatsoever could deter and whom the might of men could not weaken. They drew their swords by the command of the Lord of creation and strove with utmost devotion. These are the suns in the heaven of knowledge and the stars in the horizons of certitude. Blessed is he who recognizeth them, attaineth unto their stations, beareth witness to that which their tongues have testified, circleth round their wishes, and holdeth fast to the cord of their favors. He is of those whom God hath described in His perspicuous, mighty and wondrous Book. And praise be to God, the Mighty, the Inaccessible.

And further, O beloved of my heart! Your letter has reached me and brought me glad tidings of your health, your remembrance, your praise, your devotion, and your humility and submissiveness before God, our Beloved and yours, your Goal and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and on earth. When I read and heard from the melodies of the birds of divine knowledge warbling upon the branches of proof, the attraction of your mention seized me through the fragrance of your turning to the Supreme Horizon - that station which is illumined by the lights of the countenance of our Lord and your Lord, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. I turned to the Ultimate Goal and faced the horizon which shone forth from the utterance of our Lord, Creator of heaven. When I attained presence, it was presented before His Face, and the Master - may our spirits be sacrificed for Him - said: “O Ali! Your mention has been made before the Prisoner both before and since, and you are adorned with the glance of favor. Praise be to God, your remembrance is spread abroad and your devotion shines forth like the brilliant sun. Every fair-minded person has testified to that which has appeared from you for the sake of God in this blessed Day. Blessed are you, and joy be unto you! We beseech the True One, exalted be His glory, to inscribe with the Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Book that which is lasting and enduring. Verily, He is powerful over all things and worthy to answer. Remind My loved ones on My behalf who have acted according to what they were commanded in the Book of God, Lord of the worlds. We beseech God, exalted be He, to aid them with the hosts of the seen and the unseen, and to send down upon them from the heaven of His grace His blessing from His presence. He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. There is no God but He, the Most High, the Most Great.”

This lowly one submits that the letter of that true beloved arrived and achieved the honor of being heard and seen before His countenance, but at that time this servant had no opportunity to submit a response. And on this night, which is the tenth night of the honored month of Sha’ban, while sitting facing the Qiblih and occupied with the mention of the loved ones of God, He is witness and testifier that you have not been and are not absent, and by the testimony of the Master - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him - you are present and standing firm. This testimony is greater than what this servant has mentioned or could mention. Ever have I besought and continue to beseech from the Self-Sufficient, the Exalted One, both inner and outer nearness, that we may dwell in the shade of the Blessed Tree and speak in remembrance of the Desired One. We seek divine success and heavenly confirmation that we may attain to that which has been revealed in the Perspicuous Book by the will of the Lord of the worlds.

Glorified art Thou, O God of existence and King of the kingdom of eternity and of the most exalted heaven! I beseech Thee by Thy Prophets and Thy chosen ones who arose to assist Thy Cause and spoke before the faces of Thy servants with Thy remembrance and with that which Thou didst command them in Thy Books and Thy Scrolls, and by the sighs of those near to Thee in Thy love and the tears of the monotheists in their longing to meet Thee, to ordain for Thy loved ones Thy nearness in the precincts of Thy mercy at the pavilions of Thy grandeur. O Lord! Thou seest them gazing toward the horizon of Thy Cause, turning to the lights of Thy countenance, and holding fast to the Tree which has yielded the fruits of Thy knowledge and utterance. Send down upon them, O my God, at every moment that which befits the heaven of Thy bounty and the ocean of Thy bestowal. Verily, Thou art the All-Informed, Whom nothing can frustrate and no affair can veil. Thou knowest the treachery of eyes and what the breasts conceal. Thou art the Lord of the Manifestation and the Caller from the Mount. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the Ancient of Days.

Concerning what they wrote about Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Ali-Akbar, upon him be God’s peace, truly the fragrance of love wafts from him. However, according to the command, that beloved one must observe wisdom and act according to its requirements. Repeatedly has this blessed word flowed from the Tongue of Utterance. Surely that beloved one and other chosen ones are holding fast to that which God has willed. This evanescent one conveys greetings to them and counsels as befits. He said write: “O Ali! You are mentioned in the Book among the most exalted ones. You must act according to what you deem wise. In all conditions we beseech confirmation and success for you. Verily, He is the Confirmer, the All-Wise.”

And concerning the mention made of Jinab-i-Haji Baqir and his son Muhammad-Aqa, it was submitted. He said: “We beseech God to confirm them in steadfastness in His love and to send down upon them from the heaven of His grace a blessing from His presence. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. O Ali! Upon you be My peace and My glory. Today you must hold fast to that which draws souls near. You must remind all of this matter, that they may attain to that which is the cause and means of the exaltation and unity of the servants.”

This evanescent servant beseeches the King of existence and the Educator of the seen and unseen to make steadfast these wondrous new souls and not deprive them from the ocean of His grace and bounty.

Concerning the mention made of the honored beloved H and S, upon him be God’s peace and care, and their being set ablaze with the fire of love - praise and gratitude be to God, and to Him be glory and favor. His grace seized them and His favor encompassed them. They saw and heard and drank. The servant asks his Lord and your Lord and the Lord of all in the heavens and earth to confirm him, to assist him, and to make him among those who aid His Cause and those who celebrate His praise. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Supreme, the Almighty.

Likewise mention was made of Jinab-i-Haji A.B., upon him be God’s peace and grace. After these exalted words were submitted, praise be to God, the receptive ones attained and drank from the Kawthar of mystic knowledge of the Beloved of all possibility. We beseech God to guard the cities and strongholds of the people of unity with the hosts of the unseen, that they may be protected from the artillery of the polytheists, and to illuminate the cities of the hearts of His loved ones with the effulgent lights of the Sun of Truth. He is the Generous and He is the Powerful. His mention was made in the presence of the Wronged One and he attained to grace. Blessed is he and joy be unto him.

And likewise, after mention of Jinab-i-Anis, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah], this blessed word was revealed: “O Anis! Upon you be My peace. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, in the nights and days, that He may confirm you in that which is His good-pleasure. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. Be not grieved. We beseech Him to send down upon you a blessing from His presence and to ordain for you what will profit you in every world of His worlds. Verily, He is the Supreme over what He willeth and the Powerful over what He desireth.”

And after mentioning the name of Haji Muhammad-Baqir, upon him be God’s peace, this utterance hath issued forth from the Dawning-Place of knowledge: The world hath been saddened by the clamor of the idolaters and the tumult of the aggressors. The hosts of idolatry have encompassed the people of unity. All that hath come to pass hath been the recompense of deeds, as ye have witnessed. They have forsaken all matters and turned against these wronged ones, bringing about that which caused the rock to cry out and the clouds to lament. Now, that which shall ensure the salvation of the people is their return unto God, exalted be His glory, and complete repentance. There is no other path than this, no other way than this. Beseech ye God to strengthen all and to reveal the cause and means of deliverance. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Thank thy Lord, then remember Him at all times. Verily, He is with thee, hearing and seeing, and He is the Witness, the All-Hearing.

And after mentioning the name of Muhammad-Qabl, upon him be God’s peace, these pearls have shone forth from the ocean of knowledge and wisdom: Today all must aid the Truth, but through the hosts of goodly deeds and virtuous character. These hosts are reckoned as the hosts of God, and the hosts of God shall triumph. Blessed is the soul that hath inhaled the sweet savors of utterance and hath acted in accordance with that which is befitting. Praise God, thy Lord, and say:

My God, my God! I beseech Thee to make me one of Thy devoted servants who are firm in Thy Cause, and to protect me from the evil of the aggressors and the idolaters who have violated Thy Covenant and have risen to extinguish Thy light. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

And after mentioning Ali-Qabl-R, these stars have dawned and appeared from the horizons of the heaven of utterance: This Wronged One, in the Most Great Prison, hath remembered and continueth to remember the friends of God, exalted be His glory, and counseleth all to that which will exalt the Word of Unity. The idolaters are manifest today with utmost power, might, and dominion, yet these powers are as nothing and non-existent before the Dawning-Place of Authority. O people of unity! Cling ye to the hem of divine favor and strive to make amends for whatsoever ye have neglected in the ranks of servitude. Perchance the signs of God’s grace may become manifest and His overwhelming power may restrain the transgressing idolatrous souls. By the Luminary of certitude that shineth from the horizon of the heaven of proof! Should the unitarians return and hold fast to the firm and mighty cord, the world would be illumined and brightened by the light of the blessed word “There is no God but Him.” The unitarians shall be directed to the Most Great Prospect, while the idolaters shall find their abode in the fire. He is the Almighty over what He willeth, and He is the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting.

And He said: O Javad! One of the Most Exalted Names hath mentioned thee, and this mention hath proceeded from sincere love. Love layeth waste cities and buildeth countless towns and dwellings. The world is set ablaze by its fire and illumined by its light. With a single manifestation it overturneth the world, and with a single revelation it scattereth the peoples. Power is His power, and might is His might, and this ability hath been bestowed upon him by God. Blessed is the soul that hath been adorned with the ornament of love. But the love that is well-pleasing and remembered in the presence of God - we beseech Him to grant His friends that which beseemeth His bounty and generosity. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, verily, He is the All-Merciful, verily, He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Muhammad Qabil-i-Ha and Sin! Seek confirmation from the Truth, that He may assist thee to make mention and offer praise and render service to His loved ones. Thy mention was made in the presence of the Wronged One. We beseech God to aid thee to achieve that which manifesteth His loving-kindness. The Sun of His generosity hath ever been resplendent and the Ocean of His bounty ever-surging. Every sincere one hath attained and every truthful one hath reached his goal. We beseech Him to illumine the horizons with the light of unity, that all may abide beneath the shade of the Tree of Hope and act in accordance with that which hath been enjoined in the Book. His grace hath ever been manifest and His loving-kindness evident. Strive ye, that perchance ye may be enabled to perform such deeds whose radiance shall endure eternally in the heaven of actions. He, verily, is powerful over all things. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

Thou didst also make mention of Aqa Muhammad-Rida and Haji Hasan, upon them be the peace of God. After this was presented before the Most Exalted One, the Lord - may our souls be offered up for His sake - spoke thus: O Muhammad-Rida! We have heard thy name and make mention of thee with that which will draw thee nigh unto God, the Lord of the worlds. In this day the loved ones of God, glorified be His majesty, must turn with radiant faces and illumined hearts toward the Most Exalted Horizon, and with utmost humility and supplication beseech the Self-Sufficing Lord for deliverance, that perchance the people of unity may be preserved from the evil of the oppressors. Praise be to the Ancient Lord Who assisted thee and enabled thee to attain unto the blessed Word of Unity. By the life of God! If a soul should, with clear certitude, but once make mention of the blessed word “There is none other God but Him,” this is greater in the sight of God than the world and all that is therein.

O Hasan! I bear witness unto that which God did testify before the creation of the heavens and earth: that there is none other God but Him. He hath ever been sanctified above all peers and exalted above all comparison. He is the One to Whose singleness all created things testify and to Whose oneness all contingent beings bear witness. Blessed is the soul that hath acknowledged His unity and recognized that which hath flowed from the Pen of God, the Most High, in His perspicuous Book. We beseech God to open unto the hearts of His loved ones the gates of His bounty. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

O Ali! Upon thee be the peace of God, His loving-kindness and His mercy. The Wronged One desireth to make mention at the end of this epistle of him who is named Abbas, who hath acknowledged the Unity of God and recognized that which hath been sent down from the Kingdom of God, the Lord of the worlds. O Abbas! The Wronged One counseleth thee with that whereby the Cause of God, thy Lord, may be exalted, and He beseecheth Him, exalted be He, to assist thee and confirm thee in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to grant thee every good thing ordained for His loved ones. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

Say: My God, my God! I beseech Thee by Him Whom Thou hast made the Dawning-Place of Thy commandments and through Whom Thou hast manifested that which was hidden in Thy knowledge and through Whom the breezes of revelation were wafted and Prophethood and Messengership were sealed, to make me to hold fast unto wisdom and utterance and to cling to that which hath been sent down in Thy mighty Book. O Lord! Assist me to serve Thy Cause and Thy loved ones and to make mention of Thy beauteous Name. There is none other God but Thee, the Omnipotent, the Supreme, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

Such bounty hath been vouchsafed that every letter among letters doth proclaim “The Sun of Divine Favor hath dawned!” Would that there were tongues to the number of all created atoms, that from time without beginning unto time without end we might render praise for but a single letter of His Book. Yet even then would we surely find ourselves abashed and humbled. Who is able to praise Him as He deserveth to be praised, and who can make mention of Him as He should be mentioned? Every possessor of knowledge hath confessed his powerlessness, and every one endued with insight hath acknowledged his shortcoming. He testifieth that there is no God but Him, in recognition of His oneness, His grandeur and His sovereignty, and in acknowledgment of that which He hath revealed in His Book, the Impregnable, the Mighty. All praise be unto Him, for He is the Lord of all worlds. Praise be to God that that Beloved One hath repeatedly been remembered, and this evanescent servant offereth greetings and praise in service to each of His loved ones, and seeketh for all divine confirmation and assistance. Every morn beareth witness and every eve is knowing and aware. At all times hath this servant beseeched from the ocean of God’s bounty, for His loved ones, that which in all His worlds would be their companion and intimate friend. In His grace have I been, and am, confident. Verily He is powerful over all things and worthy to answer prayer. Peace and praise be upon you all, upon those with you, and upon God’s sincere servants. And all praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

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Praise be to God, Who is sanctified above all mention and glorification and exalted above whatsoever the tongues may utter and the pens of all created things may set in motion. He Who hath caused His most exalted horizon to appear through His Most Glorious Name and hath summoned all unto it through His sweetest call, whereby those endued with understanding and they who are established upon the thrones of the names have been enraptured. Exalted be His grandeur, all-encompassing His power, all-pervading His mercy, complete His proof, and perfect His favor. He hath ever been, in the transcendence of His Being and the exaltation of His attributes, sanctified above all else and holy beyond aught else beside Him. He hath spoken His most exalted Word and made it the standard of justice for all who are in earth and heaven. Blessed are they who have turned towards it and have attained that whereunto most of mankind have been denied, and woe betide him who hath turned away and been deprived of God, the Lord of the Hereafter and of the former generations. I offer praise and glory unto those who in this day speak His most beautiful names and utter that which hath been revealed in the Tablets through His Most Exalted Pen. These are they who are accounted as the people of Baha in the presence of God, the Lord of all names.

My soul be a sacrifice for Thy love! It has been some time since we received news from you, although every soul who departed from here for that direction was given the trouble of carrying successive and consecutive letters, until two letters from you arrived. In truth it was joyous and gladdening news. After reading and learning of its contents, it was presented to the Most Holy Court and all was submitted. He said: “Your companion did not act according to divine counsels, inasmuch as he had ever heard from the tongue of this Wronged One that one must associate and converse with all people with the utmost love, kindness and patience, and must proceed with the teaching of the Cause with perfect wisdom. Yet in gatherings and assemblies he spoke other than what God permitted and became a cause of discord. In all the Tablets We have commanded the people to love and unity, for discord in this day is the cause of the wastage of God’s Cause. God willing, you will succeed in rectifying whatever discord hath appeared and will draw all to the divine word in the city of oneness, that perchance the breezes of detachment and fellowship may waft from the cities of hearts and dispel the dark and turbid airs.” Verily He is the Commander, the Almighty, the All-Knowing.

Some petitions were presented to the Most Holy Court containing complaints about Nabil. Some of what these souls reported was in accordance with fact. Therefore, one day Nabil was summoned and the Tongue of Grandeur spoke to him directly with sufficient and healing words. Thereafter he became agitated and sent a petition to the Most Holy Court wherein he expressed repentance, remorse and boundless powerlessness. In truth, his intention in every circumstance had been to promote the Cause. Whatever he had done and said, he had considered to be in the best interests of the Cause. However, this evanescent servant is perplexed as to how it is possible that after the revelation of Tablets, firm ordinances and recorded commandments, one such as he would not act according to the requirements of individuals, gatherings and assemblies, and would be heedless of the wisdom revealed in the Tablets. However, God has pardoned him as a token of His grace. Verily He is the Pardoner, the Forgiving.

There are many actions which, though outwardly appearing to promote the Cause, yet being contrary to the command of God, have not and will never yield fruit. For example, His honor Aqa Jamal, upon him be all the most glorious Glory of God, arose with utmost steadfastness to serve the Cause of God and nothing appeared from him that would harm God’s Cause. However, since his actions deviated from the revealed wisdom, the Supreme Pen hesitated to endorse what he had done. For today all are commanded to observe wisdom and are forbidden from that which causes tumult and corruption. God willing, you should strive with utmost effort to remove the differences that have arisen, for differences among the loved ones of God today cause the joy of enemies from various nations and result in harm to the Cause. We beseech God to assist His loved ones to achieve love and unity, love and unity, love and unity.

Observe that in most Tablets the decree of wisdom has been revealed, and whoever attained the presence of the Ancient Beauty was explicitly commanded by Him to observe wisdom. Despite these firm decrees and established commands, many of the friends in most lands have acted without wisdom, thereby causing the cawing of the ravens and the outcry of the deniers to be raised, leading to the perturbation and veiling of weak souls. Whatever occurs contrary to God’s command, even if it be pure good, will yield no fruit; rather, evil will result from it.

Regarding what was mentioned about His honor Haji Ahmad, upon him be the Glory of God, it is correct. Indeed, Nabil acted without wisdom. The ruling about the water-pipe was not revealed in the Kitab-i-Aqdas. God, exalted be His grandeur, in view of His consummate wisdom and protection of His servants, did not issue any decree in this matter so that the friends of God would not be afflicted. Only this much was heard from the blessed tongue: that children should be trained so they do not become addicted to it from the beginning. Beyond this blessed word nothing was heard. Today all are commanded to act according to the Kitab-i-Aqdas, and even then not in ways that would cause elaboration and public clamor. In all cases wisdom must be observed. We beseech God to protect us, preserve us, and aid us to serve His firm and mighty Cause.

No recent news has occurred in this land except that travelers continue to arrive without permission. At present, forty-five persons are here in addition to the early emigrants who were here before. A few of these souls came with permission, but the rest without it. They heeded not the divine prohibition and act according to their own fancy. We beseech for them the grace of obedience, submission and contentment. Due to the press of affairs, this servant has not had opportunity to attend to the small plot, but whenever we gather there, mention of you is made. We beseech God to unite us and you therein.

Concerning what was written about Mirza Muhammad-’Ali, praise be to God he has turned to the Truth and shows tenderness whenever the Truth is mentioned. We beseech God to confirm him and adorn him with that which is beloved today, that he may arise to serve the Cause with perfect steadfastness. By the Sun of the horizon of inner meanings, if any soul today would reflect upon what has appeared and view the divine Tablets with the eye of fairness, he would assuredly become illumined with the lights of faith, detached from all else. God willing, may He not deprive any from the ocean of His mercy. Verily He is the Mighty, the Powerful.

Regarding what was written about the souls who turned to the Lord of Lords after your departure, the names of all were presented before the Most Holy Court. He showed favor to all of them, but due to the gathering of travelers and press of occupation, there was no opportunity for Tablets to be revealed specifically for each one, as all these travelers have come with petitions requiring answers. And you know that the Most Great Branch (may my spirit be a sacrifice for the dust of His footsteps) must write these Tablets, therefore their dispatch has been delayed this time. Hereafter the matter is in His hands.

Concerning what was written about Rida (upon him be the Glory of God), that his condition these days is good and he has shown love to you - excellent is what he has done, and all should act likewise. I beseech God to confirm him in all conditions, and assuredly divine confirmations have been and will be directed toward him. He too must conduct himself with perfect wisdom, for this is God’s decree and both hidden and manifest effects will surely result therefrom. Verily He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

That which you had written was received through Haji, that is Aba-Badi’, upon him be the Glory of God. You must, on behalf of this evanescent servant, convey greetings to all the friends of that land and say: O beloved friends of the contingent world! This is the Day when the sweet-scented spiritual breeze is wafting from the luminous garment of the Lord, and the Holy Spirit, with utmost delicacy and grace, is in motion and vibration. Turn your hearts that you may find it, and incline your ears that you may hear its sweet melody. That which is lost by any soul today cannot be compensated for in centuries and ages to come. Be gathered together like the ring of a signet, occupied with the remembrance of the Friend, that you may receive the living waters of knowledge from the hand of bounty and drink thereof in gatherings free from strangers, and cause others to drink, lest the envious, the slanderers and the deniers become aware. They must lift their gaze from all else save God and fix it upon the Truth, for should they attain to this station, the unpleasant things of the world and the veils of the people of error will neither sadden them nor keep them from God. This servant summons all to the most great steadfastness, for in most of the Tablets, both before and after, He hath given tidings of the cawing of the crows and the like thereof. All must be so firm in the Cause of God that neither the might of the world nor the combined forces of the nations may disturb them or cause them to waver. Say: Blessed are ye, O people of Baha, for ye have attained unto the Most Exalted Horizon and the Most Luminous and Pure Fountain. By God’s life! There hath been ordained for you in God’s Kingdom that which no eye hath seen nor ear heard. Were God to reveal but a hair’s breadth thereof to the people of the earth, they would surely destroy themselves in regret for having been deprived of that glorious and impregnable station. And concerning what was written about your having prevented some travelers, there is a saying among the common folk that goes, “Thank God they bled him, otherwise who knows what would have happened.” O my master! Beseech God that He may enable all to obey His Cause.

Concerning what you wrote about Aqa Shaykh-’Ali, he wrote a detailed letter to this servant, and this servant wrote him a detailed reply. God willing, may we - this servant, he, and others - become enabled to act according to divine good-pleasure. In the Kitab-i-Aqdas, all have been commanded to engage in an occupation. Today, everyone who claims to love God must be engaged in some work. Whoever you observe to be idle, you should, through kind counsels and good advice, encourage them to work and earn. The good of all souls lies in this, and since it has been revealed by the Supreme Pen, its fruits will surely become manifest. If the friends of God had acted upon what was revealed, no discord would ever have occurred, for all were commanded to humility, submissiveness, resignation, contentment, love, trustworthiness, religiosity, kindness, truthfulness and sincerity. This servant, with utmost supplication and lamentation, clings to the hem of the robe of grace, that He may raise up souls who will be dawning-places of detachment and daysprings of trustworthiness and sincerity, and who will, with perfect kindness, purely for the sake of God, invite the weak among mankind and lead them to the ocean of grace. This servant was greatly affected by your letter, for what you wrote corresponds to reality and truth. Had visitors and seekers conducted themselves as they ought to have done, the fragrance of holiness would surely have perfumed the entire world. But what was destined has come to pass. It behooves us to hold fast to the cord of His favors and beseech Him to manifest in His kingdom that which befits His days. He is, verily, the Mighty, the Powerful.

As for what you wrote in praise of Aqa Mirza ’A.B., upon him be the Glory of God, I beseech and implore God, exalted be His grandeur, to grant him complete success. In previous years a Tablet was specifically revealed for him, and this servant was writing in His presence when a passage was observed in that Tablet which convinced this servant that he would attain to glory and power.

Regarding what you wrote about Jenab-i-’A.B. Nur, upon him be the Glory of God, may he be assisted and successful in all conditions and become firm and steadfast in the Cause of God. He was mentioned in the Most Holy Court, and it is indeed exactly as you wrote - that he has shown forth with perfect love, eagerness and longing. He was mentioned before, that is, before he declared his acceptance. This servant sends greetings to him, and some of the names that were sent with Jenab-i-Haji and Jenab-i-Nabil have been received.

Furthermore, your willow-musk arrived, though it was willow without musk. In truth, you took great pains, and this servant deeply regretted that such expense was wasted - that is, apparently wasted. However, I hope that, God willing, its hidden sweet fragrance will become manifest, for in His presence He said it would become well, and this surely is due to your pure intention. May I be a sacrifice unto you! From the abundance of writing the pen cries “O help!”, yet the heart is not content to cease writing and cries “O longing!” According to His command, the new Mosaic leaf should be preserved in the House, that is, should remain in your keeping. I hope that, God willing, news of your well-being will arrive continuously and successively. One letter sent through the post from the direction of Erzurum arrived safely at its destination, but since you and my brother were not in Tabriz at that time, no reply was sent. Let it be known that that writing arrived. A firm arrangement can be made henceforth for the post to arrive, and if this can be accomplished it would be most excellent, for if news from the Most Holy Court arrives continuously, it will be the cause of the revival of souls. Furthermore, someone has requested a black Najafi cloak - if one can be found there, please send one. Likewise, some saffron. We beseech God for your preservation, protection, meeting and presence. Verily, He is the Fulfiller of the needs of all seekers. Convey exalted greetings to my honored master, my brother, as well as his son and other relatives, dependent upon His grace. Each of the circumambulators offers pure devotion and greetings too sacred for mention or description to your presence. The Glory be upon you, then the Spirit be upon you. Regarding the request that a Tablet be specially granted to Aqa Mirza Muhammad-’Ali, a most wondrous and impregnable Tablet has been revealed from the heaven of the All-Merciful Will concerning him and has been sent, that his eyes may be solaced thereby, his heart gladdened, and he may arise to serve his Lord. Convey greetings to him on behalf of this servant. The Servant. In Jumada I, 1293. In these days, observe the Surih of Ra’is. Turmoil and upheaval have seized all regions to such extent that three souls in the great city have perished from fear, and dominion has passed from the hand of the sovereign. After studying the divine Tablet, it becomes clear what has transpired. Surely some news has reached you. Likewise in the Most Holy Book, regarding the great city, He says, exalted be His glory: “O Spot that art situate on the shores of the two seas” to His exalted words “We testify that He is indeed the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful, the Omniscient, the All-Informed.” Would that that Surih had been given to him beforehand, that he might have become aware and made preparation for these days. But he was heedless and the matter was decreed in truth. Verily, He is the Decree-Maker, the All-Knowing.

At the conclusion of the text […]

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=== START BH00279 ===

He is the True and Trusted Expounder! While We were pacing in the house and hearing the discourse of the earth, suddenly there arose a call from the Most Exalted Paradise: “O concourse of earth and heaven! Glad tidings, glad tidings, for ’Ali-Qabli-Akbar hath turned towards the prison for the sake of God, the Lord of Destiny!” Then the call was raised again from the Most High Paradise: “O people of the Crimson Ark! Rejoice, for the Trusted One hath arrived at a mighty fortress and a manifest prison for the sake of God, the Lord of all the worlds!”

Today is the day of joy and delight. By My life, in the Concourse on High a feast of gladness hath been spread that shall never be folded up, for on this day the lovers in the city of unity and concord have, with utmost yearning, spent their souls in the path of the Luminary of the horizons and sacrificed them for the sake of the Peerless Beloved. The might of bloodthirsty oppressors did not prevent them, nor did the fire of bestial wrath deter them from their purpose. Today in the city of lovers melodies are raised and spiritual, delicate whispers are heard. Blessed are the ears that have attained to hearing and have not been deprived of the Most Sweet Call and the rustling of the Most Exalted Pen.

Fresh news has arrived from the land of Ta and Ya. His Majesty the King (may God strengthen him) has seized a group of people, including two souls from among the people of Baha and companions of the Crimson Ark, even though all bear witness that this community’s purpose has been and continues to be the reformation of the world and the refinement of the peoples’ souls. The reported cause of this seizure was that certain letters and papers were found in inns and marketplaces that were deemed contrary to the views of the government and nation, and it was suspected that some of these were from this community. I swear by the Sun of Truth that today shines forth from the horizon of the prison of Akka that this community has ever been and continues to be sanctified and pure from unseemly deeds and rejected actions. These matters and their like are from the base elements among the people. The people of Baha have, without any veil or covering, openly stated before the faces of princes and divines whatsoever would cause the unity and accord of the servants of God, as well as the prosperity of lands, hoping thereby to remove the foundation of corruption and strife from the earth and to transform the world’s weapons into means of reformation. God is witness and His Majesty the King (may God strengthen him) can testify to what has been mentioned. For forty years this community has been subjected to the lash of oppressors, to such an extent that even children have been slain. How many sons have been beheaded before their fathers’ eyes! Homes and possessions have been plundered and pillaged. Yet not one from this community has uttered a word of protest or risen in defense. Among the incidents that occurred was the event in Ishqabad, and likewise what transpired in the land of Sad that caused the pen and paper to lament. The most grievous matter that caused the greatest sorrow was when a known person arrived in Akka from a prominent figure and made certain statements - we seek refuge in God from such statements, the mention of which is in no way permissible, for the darkness of oppression has veiled, nay obliterated, the light of justice. No soul can be found who would raise a breath for the sake of God and hear the petitions of the oppressed ones of the world. Is there any ear that would hear what has befallen Us, and any eye that would behold Our tears? We beseech God to adorn the rulers with the ornament of justice and the learned with the light of fairness, and to aid them to turn unto Him. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Oft-Returning. And when that person’s demands were not accepted, he and his sender rose up in enmity. They martyred an illustrious Siyyid from among the descendants of the Prophet and the progeny of the Virgin in the land of Sad, and afterward burned and dismembered his luminous and pure body. Through this all things lamented, but the people remain in heedlessness and error. And from that day until now, matters have manifested with utmost oppression and enmity. The properties of this oppressed community have been seized each day under some pretext. Now multiple deeds exist in hand, but they remain concealed until God comes with His light of justice.

Among those apprehended in the land of ?a was Siyya? Effendi. When his master learned of this dire news, fear seized his very being, dreading that hidden secrets would be revealed and concealed animosities would become manifest. Glory be to God! Despite His Majesty the King having maintained justice in every station and having striven to the utmost of his ability for the development of his lands and the comfort of his subjects, those who attained exalted positions and became treasurers through royal favors have plotted harm against him. Yet His Majesty remained unaware of these enemies within. In any case, when he heard the news of Siyya?’s arrest, he kindled in the land of Ya such a fire of oppression as had no equal or parallel, hoping perhaps through these actions to purify and exonerate himself.

As for the account of the Land of Ya [Yazd], on the twenty-third night of the blessed Ramadan, the governor of that land, by order of the chief oppressor, moved against the friends of God. They seized Aqa ’Ali and Aqa ’Ali-A?ghar (upon them be the glory and mercy of God) in the mosque of Shaykh Hasan-i-Sabzivari. With utmost degradation, they were taken by the governor’s deputy, Haji Nayib, into his presence. After the fire of tyranny and wrath was kindled, they were sent to prison where, as reported, they were relieved of their worldly possessions and released. Later, by order of the governor, these two along with several other innocent souls were seized again. The names of these holy beings are recorded and inscribed by the Pen of Justice in the divine ledger. At the place of their arrest, these innocent ones were bound in chains, and along the way the tyrannical people struck them with sticks, stones and chains until they were brought before the governor, who was greatly pleased. Then the clergy were summoned and incited. Praise be to God, these holy souls showed forth the utmost steadfastness - neither their power prevented them from the straight path, nor did their wrath deprive them of the light of certitude. To whatever they were asked, they gave complete and sufficient answers.

Then the order for imprisonment was given, and in prison they extracted payment. On Monday morning, the honorable governor Jalal’ud-Dawlih summoned Aqa Shaykh Hasan and his sons Shaykh Baqir and Shaykh Ja’far, as well as Aqa Siyyid ’Ali the teacher with two other sons, and a group of other clergy. They threw a rope around the neck of the innocent Aqa ’Ali-A?ghar in their presence, and took him and six others with that most pure body, with trumpets, drums and music. Behind the telegraph office, they beheaded the divine philosopher, His Holiness Mulla Mahdi. While still alive, they cut open his stomach and stoned him. Then they took his pure body to another quarter and set it on fire. They also beheaded Aqa ’Ali at the door of one of the clergy’s houses, raised his head on a spear, and made his pure body a target for stones of hatred.

As reported, they brought the divine mystic Mulla ’Ali-i-Sabzivari to Shaykh Hasan’s door, but that one intoxicated with the wine of “Am I not your Lord?” said to the people: “In the land of ?aff, the Prince of Martyrs (may my soul be sacrificed for him) said ‘Is there any helper who will help me?’ This servant says ‘Is there any observer who will observe me?’” Glory be to God! From these sublime words the light of detachment dawned. We testify that he drank the wine of immortality from the hands of his Lord’s bounty, the Kind, the Compassionate. The sealed wine so overtook him that he passed beyond the world and all within it, and sacrificed his life - the most precious thing in existence - in the path of the Friend. Him too they beheaded, and stoned his blessed body. The attraction and longing of the lovers on that day astonished the Concourse on High.

Can anyone be found in the world who would protect the sheep from the wolves for the sake of God and in His path? Have the kings of the earth reserved all matters for their own preservation? What answer will they give before the divine throne of justice? O Times! O bearer of words and source of news! Pause for an hour over the oppressed ones of Iran and observe how the dawning-places of justice and the daysprings of equity suffer under the sword of the oppressors. Children are left without milk, and families are captive in the hands of the wicked. The earth is adorned with the blood of lovers, and the sighs of those near to God have set the world of being ablaze.

O KINGS OF THE EARTH! Ye are but the manifestations of power, and might, and the daysprings of glory, and grandeur, and authority of God. Cast your eyes upon the state of the oppressed. O manifestations of justice! The tempestuous winds of rancor and hatred have extinguished the lamps of virtue and piety. At daybreak the breezes of divine mercy passed over the charred and scattered remains, and from their whispering were heard these sublime words: “Woe, woe unto you, O people of Iran! Ye have shed the blood of your friends, and ye perceive it not. Were ye to become aware of your deeds, ye would flee to the wilderness and lament your tyranny and cruelty. O misguided people! What sin had the children committed? It is reported that in those days some from among the followers of the Spirit (Jesus) - upon Him be the peace and mercy of God - secretly sent sustenance, and out of pure compassion aided those oppressed ones. We beseech God to aid all to do that which is pleasing unto Him.

O NEWSPAPERS OF THE CITIES AND LANDS! Have ye heard the moaning of the oppressed and their lamentations, or have these remained concealed from you? We hope that ye will investigate and proclaim that which hath occurred, that perchance your wise counsels and admonitions may awaken the heedless servants and adorn them with the ornament of justice.

O MAHDI! Blessed art thou! We bear witness that God was with thee when thou didst speak the truth. We testify that thou didst drink the choice wine of martyrdom in His path and didst sacrifice thyself for the exaltation of His Word. My tongue and My Pen bear witness that thou didst champion the Cause of God with true championship, and didst endure with patience that which befell thee at the hands of His heedless servants.

And they also beheaded Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad-Baqir at the house of Sadr’ul-‘Ulama and stoned him. They took two brothers to the Shah Square - they beheaded Aqa Asghar and drove Aqa Hassan with blows of clubs to the end of the square. One of the prince’s attendants said to him, who was the youngest of all, “Come and speak ill [of the Faith] and I will buy you and give you money.” That sapling of the garden of divine love replied, “What shall I say? You do what you are ordered and carry it out.” At that moment, a cruel one struck his blessed side with a sword, and several others with daggers cut that sacred body into pieces, and another oppressor thrust a spear into that breast which was a treasury of divine love. Then the executioner came and severed the head, placed it on a spear, and took it to the house of Aqa Shaykh Hasan Mujtahid. Then they committed acts which no one before or since had done and which the eye of creation had never witnessed. It is reported that the Shaykh gave a reward to the executioner. Then they paraded the head through the streets and dragged the pure bodies on the ground while people struck them with stones and sticks. They threw them into pits, and the Noble Prince ordered the city to be illuminated and people to engage in revelry and offer congratulations. That night they repeatedly gathered at the doors of the martyred innocents’ homes playing music, while the families of the oppressed locked their doors in fear and dread. God alone knows what was said and done and what befell those innocent ones. They released two of Jinab-i-Mulla Mahdi’s sons to bring three hundred tumans. So far they have martyred seven people and imprisoned several others. It is not known what they will do to those souls and other servants. Verily our Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. One of those souls spoke words that were most touching - when the Noble Prince Jalal’ud-Dawlih told one of the confident and assured believers to deny and repudiate [the Faith] to be freed, that elder of the city of the Bayan said: “For forty years I have awaited this day when my white beard would be stained with blood in the path of God.” From these words his stations of love and devotion became manifest and evident. Blessed are they that understand.

According to what they have written, these abhorrent acts were not from His Majesty the King of Iran, may God strengthen him, and no order was issued from the government. In truth, for several years His Majesty, may God strengthen him, has dealt with the oppressed ones of the world with kindness and mercy. This order and others like it were issued by the Noble Prince Zillu’s-Sultan, and it is said that when he heard news of the arrest of Siyyah [the wanderer], he wanted through these acts to dispel certain suspicions. God knows best. It is not for us to mention what we know. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to make known to His Majesty the Sultan what has been hidden from him. Verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer.

Some time ago, papers were discovered in homes and localities and were brought to the sublime presence of His Majesty the King - may God strengthen him. Certain enemies attributed these to the Babis. His Majesty stated that no such actions had ever been witnessed from this community, and that this deed must be from a person who had taken refuge at the Shrine of Abdul-Azim and resided there. He then commanded that this person be seized and expelled from the borders of Iran. After his expulsion, papers were again found daily in some homes and marketplaces containing whatever would cause sedition and corruption. After seeing these papers, orders were given to arrest two members of this community. These two took solemn oaths and submitted with utmost humility that, by divine grace, the hem of this community is sanctified and pure, for this community is loyal to both government and nation, and is free and clear of such unseemly falsehoods. In brief, through divine justice, the determination of His Majesty, and the earnest efforts of loyal government servants, the author of the papers was caught. His name is Ahmad, from Kerman. Upon his arrest, he confessed to his deed. When asked about the reason and cause, he stated that enmity towards the Babi community had compelled him to write these papers, his purpose being to once again afflict this oppressed community. All know that this oppressor has harbored and continues to harbor the utmost enmity towards this community and is aflame with the fire of hatred, for he is of the opposition party and his antagonism is clear and evident as the sun.

O King! I adjure thee by God’s justice and sovereignty, and by the Manifestations of His grace and the Dawning-places of His signs, to investigate so that the truthfulness of these oppressed ones and their freedom from corruption and their well-wishing may become clear and evident in the royal presence. O King! I swear by the Sun of Truth that this community is loyal to the government, for they are wise. Their character is adorned with praiseworthy manners and their nature with spiritual, pleasing qualities. We hope that through the radiance of His Majesty the King’s sun of justice, the people of the world may be adorned and illumined with the ornament of rest and tranquility. Command and rule are within the grasp of God’s power, the Lord of the mighty throne and the exalted seat.

Three letters were sent from the Land of Ya describing the kindling of the fire of hatred and the martyrdom of souls who were content, pleasing and assured. However, the contents of each contradicted the others. Through pure grace, a tablet was revealed from the heaven of will corresponding to each one. Blessed are they who attain! And this blessed scroll is one of them. Blessed are they who read!

[In the margin of page 143 of the book appears the phrase “His lordship hath appeared from the knowledge of God, the Lord of the worlds,” the relationship of which to the blessed Tablet cannot be determined]

=== END BH00279 ===

=== START BH00280 ===

This is the Tablet of Visitation which hath been sent down from the heaven of grace for the First Name of God, that through it he may visit the Most Great Maiden and those who have believed in God and His signs and were among the triumphant.

He is the Mighty, the Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious!

This is a Book from the Wronged One, Who in the kingdom of eternity was named Baha, and in the realm of glory the Most Exalted, and in the domain of the divine cloud by all the most beautiful names of God, and in the world of creation as Husayn–yet most people remain veiled in grievous delusion. In every age there befell Him that which none can reckon save God, the King, the Most High, the Great. Once He was afflicted at the hand of Cain and was slain in the path of God, ascending unto Him wronged–thus was it ordained aforetime, and God is witness and well-informed of this. Once He was afflicted at the hand of Nimrod who cast Him into the fire, yet God made the fire as light and mercy unto Him, for He doth protect His near servants. Once He was afflicted at the hand of Pharaoh and there befell Him that which causeth the hearts of the sincere to burn. Once He was raised upon the cross and ascended unto God, the Mighty, the Beautiful. Once He was afflicted at the hand of Abu Jahl and those who rose against Him in discord from among the hypocrites, and they visited upon Him that which cannot be mentioned in words–and the Spirit of the All-Merciful is knowing and witness to what befell Him. Once He was martyred in the land of Taff and with Him were martyred those whom God had related to His holy and luminous Self, until they severed His head and took His family captive and paraded them through the lands–thus was He condemned by the hosts of Satan. Once He was suspended in the air and martyred in the path of God, the Protector, the Mighty, the Powerful. Once I was imprisoned in the land of Ta for four known months, and what befell Me cannot be reckoned by the Pen of the worlds. Thereafter they expelled Me from the prison and banished Me with My family from Our homeland until We entered Iraq and dwelt therein. And in that land there befell Us, from those who were created by My command, that which none can reckon, such that at every moment I was assailed by the darts of hypocrisy. Yet withal We concealed the Cause and continued to herald glad tidings among the servants and summon them unto God, the Mighty, the Beautiful, until all the peoples rose against Me with every stratagem. And I alone stood forth by Myself to face the enemies and aided My Lord to the extent of My power, until God’s Cause was established through His words and the deeds of the idolaters were rendered vain. Thereby was the fire of hatred kindled in the breasts of those who claimed faith in the Point of the Bayan. Thus did their souls entice them and Satan made their deeds appear fair in their eyes, and they were among the heedless. By God! There befell Me at their hands that which had never befallen anyone, whereupon the eyes of the maidens in their chambers wept for Me, and the hearts of the sincere cried out, and beyond them wept the Eye of God, the King, the All-Glorious, the Mighty, the Most High, the All-Wise. And whomsoever’s ears God hath opened can hear in those days the lamentation and outcry of all things at what befell Me from these who had first acknowledged God then denied Him after He came to them with a new beauty with clear authority. And We remained between them and those who had denied from previous religions until the sun of tribulation dawned from the horizon of destiny and the decree of exile came to pass according to what was inscribed in the preserved holy Tablets. By God the True One! I stood forth to face the enemies in days wherein hearts were […]

The hearts of the mystics were seized with trembling, the foundations of every soul were shaken, and the flesh of those who dwelt round about Us and were among the unitarians quivered, until at length the hosts of divine succour descended from the heaven of God’s dominion, the All-Possessing, the Almighty, the All-Glorious. He protected Me in truth and aided Me through the angels of the heavens and earth and through the hosts of His exalted and invisible realm. We went forth from that city in such wise as to stupefy the minds of the wise and the hearts of the mystics. The Ancient Beauty passed not through any city but that the necks of the proud were humbled at His manifestation, nor did He arrive at any place but that the heads of both the unitarians and the idolaters were bowed before Him, until We reached this Prison. God well knoweth what befell Me therein at the hands of those in whose breasts lurked rancor against this Youth, as if they had been lying in wait to manifest their malice. Not a moment passed but that the arrows of faithlessness were launched at Me from the hosts of the malevolent. By God! I was slain in every instant by the swords of hatred, whereunto the Tongue of God, the Most High, the Most Exalted, doth testify, yet the people remain in grievous heedlessness and conflict. Were men to purify their ears, they would hear in this moment that wherewith their Lord, the All-Glorious, calleth from the most exalted Companion, and they would be numbered among them that hearken. But they have veiled themselves from that which the Ancient Tongue speaketh in the Most Great Domain, and are accounted among the heedless. They have risen against Me in such wise as to pronounce My death sentence without any evidence from God or manifest Book. Yet time and again have the hosts of divine succour descended, whereby God hath preserved Me and made Me to speak forth His remembrance, to manifest His sovereignty, to shine forth with the lights of His hallowed grandeur, and to voice the praise of His Own exalted and glorious Self. Thus was it ordained for Us, and We have recounted it in truth, that perchance the people might become among them that are informed. O Leaf of Paradise! When this luminous and crystalline Tablet reacheth thee, arise from thy place and take it with the hand of submissiveness, then inhale from it the fragrance of God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. Call to mind My tribulations that are mentioned therein, that thou mayest be numbered among them that remember in the Tablets of God, the All-Possessing, the Almighty, the Powerful. Then convey the Cause of thy Lord unto those women who are round about thee, and unto them who have been guided by the guidance of the Spirit and are among the assured ones. Blessed art thou, O Leaf of Paradise, inasmuch as the breezes of the Spirit have stirred thee and drawn thee unto the Egypt of reunion, the seat of thy Lord’s knowledge, the Mighty, the Wondrous. Thou hast drunk from the cups of thy Lord’s mercy and attained unto that which none among all the worlds hath attained. Therefore render thanks unto thy Lord, then be devoutly obedient unto Him, then bow down in worship, then take hold of the Book of God with His strength - verily it is a mighty Book. How excellent is thy station, inasmuch as God hath associated thee with His Name through which the standards of victory were raised aloft, the sun of grace shone forth, the moon of bounty appeared, and the Ancient Beauty was established upon the throne of His Most Great Name. Through it were raised the kingdom of names and adorned the temples of attributes, and the Temple of Holiness appeared with the ornament of His Ancient Name. Through it the sovereignty of the Cause encompassed all things, the sun of bounty dawned upon all beings, and through it flowed the two mighty rivers in the two most exalted Names, wherefrom none did drink save them whom God had singled out for His Cause, chosen from among His servants, elected from among His creatures, and made them the dawning-places of His most excellent names and the manifestations of His most exalted attributes, and made them among those who have attained His presence, the Inaccessible, the Mighty, the Wondrous. And verily thou, O Leaf of Paradise, visit Him on My behalf with that which hath now been sent down from the heaven of God, the Sanctified, the Exalted, the All-Wise, the All-Knowing.

When thou desirest to commence thy visitation of the Dawning-Place of Names and their Source, the Day-Spring of Attributes and their Treasury, arise and turn thy face toward Paradise, the Place wherein was interred the First Name, which God made the Shrine of His hallowed, mighty and resplendent Temple. When thou hast turned thyself thither, pause in stillness and magnify thy Lord nineteen times, and at each magnification God shall open before thy face one of the gates of Ridvan and waft upon thee from the direction of Paradise the fragrance of glory. Thus hath the matter been decreed by One mighty and wise.

Then glorify God nineteen times in certitude of His Cause, in acknowledgment of His sovereignty, in exaltation of His Being, in submission to His Revelation, and in turning toward His holy, manifest, evident, brilliant, radiant and luminous countenance, and say: I bear witness with my soul, my being, my essence, my tongue, my heart and my limbs that there is none other God but Him, and that the Point of the Bayan is His manifestation, His emergence, His glory, His honor and His grandeur unto those in the Supreme Concourse, then His greatness, His power and His might between earth and heaven, and that He Who hath appeared in truth is verily His sovereignty over all who are in the heavens and the earth, and His splendor upon all who are in the dominions of Command and Creation.

Then say: O First Spirit that emerged from the Treasuries of Grandeur, and First Mercy that descended from the heaven of holiness at the right hand of the Throne, the seat of our Lord, the Most High! Upon thee, O Mystery of Destiny, Temple of Fulfillment, Most Perfect Word in the dominion of immortality, and Most Great Name in the kingdom of creation! I testify with my being, my soul and my tongue that Thou art He through Whom the Beauty of the All-Glorious was established upon the throne of His name, the All-Merciful, and through Whom the Primal Will was manifested unto all created beings, and through Whom the bounty of Paradise descended from the heaven of grace from Thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower, and through Whom the Command of God, the Supreme, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Omnipotent, was revealed.

I testify that Thou wert the first Light that shone forth from the Beauty of Divine Unity and the first Sun that dawned from the horizon of Divinity. But for Thee, the Beauty of the Divine Identity would not have appeared, nor would the mysteries of the Divine Eternity have been revealed. I testify that through Thee the birds of the hearts of them that long for Thee soared into the atmosphere of nearness and reunion, and through Thee the hearts of lovers tasted the sweetness of intimacy and beauty at the dawning of the sun of Thy Lord’s countenance, the Lord of Majesty and Glory. But for Thee, none would have known God’s Self and Beauty, none would have attained the shore of His nearness and meeting, no contingent beings would have drunk from the waters of His generosity and favors, and no created things would have been given to drink of the wine of His grace and bounty.

Through Thee were rent asunder the veils of all created things, through Thee appeared the kingdom of names and attributes, through Thee was every soul guided to the shore of hallowed might, through Thee did the Dove warble upon the branches of eternity, and the Bird of the Throne sing upon the twigs of the Lote-Tree of Glory. Through Thee appeared the Beauty of the Unseen by His Most Exalted Name, through Thee descended every good thing from the dominion of the cloud of mystery to the kingdom of creation, and every grace was inscribed by the Finger of God upon the tablets of destiny. Through Thee did the mercy of God, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the Most Great, encompass all contingent beings. But for Thee, the heaven would not have been raised up, nor would the earth have been established, nor would the seas have appeared, nor would the trees have yielded fruit, nor would the leaves have turned green, nor would the sun of grace have shone forth from a holy and luminous horizon […]

Through Thee the breezes of forgiveness have wafted over all who are in the heavens and on earth, and the gates of Paradise were opened to all creation. The hearts of those who have believed in God, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Generous, were attracted. Thou art the Word whereby all created things were distinguished, the fortunate separated from the wretched, light from darkness, and the believer from the idolater, from that day until the Day when the heaven shall be cleft asunder and God shall come in the shadows of His Cause, surrounded by hosts of angels. Then shall the clouds be rent asunder and the Face shall appear from behind the veil with legions of mighty glory, while the idolaters shall flee to the right and to the left, and all who are in the heavens and on earth shall be seized with intoxication, save only the letters of the Face of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, the Compassionate.

I testify that Thou didst bear the trust of Thy Lord, the All-Merciful, and didst know the Beauty of the All-Glorious before the creation of all things, and didst attain the presence of God on a Day which none but Thee hath known - this being a grace specially conferred upon Thee by God before the creation of the heavens and the earth. I testify that through Thy remembrance the tongues of all created things were loosed in praise of their Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, and through Thy glorification of Him Who brought Thee into being, all arose to praise Him, whereunto testifieth all existence, both seen and unseen, and beyond this God Himself beareth witness and is All-Knowing.

I testify that Thou didst aid the religion of God and manifest His Cause, and didst strive in His path to the utmost of Thy ability. Through Thy assistance were made manifest the proof of God and His evidence, then His power and might, then His grandeur and majesty, then His sovereignty over all created things. Blessed are they who strove alongside Thee, who fought against the enemies of God at Thy bidding, who circled round Thee, who entered the fortress of Thy protection, who drank from the Kawthar of Thy love, who were martyred before Thy face, who rest in Thy vicinity and are among those who lie in repose. I testify that they are the helpers of God in His earth, His trusted ones in His lands, the party of God among His creatures, the hosts of God amidst His creation, and the chosen ones of God between the heavens and the earth.

I testify that in Thy path there befell Thee great tribulations and mighty calamities, afflictions encompassed Thee from every direction, yet nothing prevented Thee from following the way of Thy Creator. Thou didst strive with Thy very being until Thou wert martyred in His path and became one of the martyrs. Thou didst sacrifice Thy spirit, Thy soul and Thy body out of love for Thy Ancient Master. I testify that at Thy calamity all things between earth and heaven wept, then the eyes of those brought nigh behind pavilions of mighty glory. The celestial maidens in their chambers uncovered their heads and struck them with fingers of wondrous holiness, fell upon their faces in the dust, sat in ashes and lamented at that time in chambers of radiant crimson. I testify that at Thy calamity all things donned the garment of darkness, the faces of the sincere turned pale, the pillars of the monotheists were shaken, and the eye of Grandeur and Majesty wept in the heaven of exalted holiness.

I testify, O my Master, at this my station, that Thou didst not fall short in the Cause of Thy Lord, nor didst Thou waver in the love of Thy Master. Thou didst proclaim His Cause to the east of the earth and to its west until Thou didst sacrifice Thyself in His path and became one of the martyrs. May God curse the people who wronged Thee and rose […]

Upon thee they waged war, and with their own selves they fought against thee, and disputed with thy presence, and denied thy proof, and were neglectful of thy cause, and waxed proud, refusing to humble themselves before thee, and were among the polytheists. Therefore, I beseech God, by thee and by those who circle round thee, to forgive me and expiate my transgressions, and purify me from earthly defilement, and make me one of the purified ones, and grant me the blessing of meeting Him in these days wherein all have become heedless of Him and are among the veiled ones. And may He enable me to acknowledge Him and submit to His Cause, and attain certitude regarding His Being, and acknowledge His signs, and enter beneath His shadow, and abide in the precincts of His mercy, and bear witness in His path, and turn unto His exalted and mighty Self. We beseech God by thee that He deprive us not in these days of the splendors of the light of His countenance, and that He render us not bereft of the wonders of His grace nor hopeless of His mercy that hath encompassed all worlds, and that He establish us in His love and make us steadfast in His Cause, that our feet may not slip from His path which hath appeared in truth between the heavens and the earth. May mercy, glory and splendor rest upon you, O chosen ones of God among His servants and His trusted ones throughout the lands, and upon your bodies, your forms, your spirits, your first and your last, your outward and your inward being, and upon those who dwell in your vicinity and circle round about you, and who have alighted at the gate of your mercy and stood fast at the manifestation of the light of your pardon, and who have entered the courtyard of your nearness, and have drawn nigh unto God through you, and have sought intercession with God through your own selves, and have visited your sanctuary, and have sought blessings from your dust, and have been guided by your guidance, and were among those who turned their faces toward your purified, sanctified, radiant and luminous countenances. O my God and my Lord! I beseech Thee by him and by those who rest round about him to make us among those who soared in the atmosphere of Thy mercy and drank from the wine of Thy bounty and favor, and attained unto the summit of grace through Thy generosity and loving-kindness, and tasted the sweetness of Thy remembrance, and ascended to the highest horizons and most exalted stations through Thy grace and Thy gifts, and who have detached themselves from all directions and hastened toward the court of Thy favors, and who were seized by the breezes of the might of Thy mercy and the sweet-scented savors of the holiness of Thy oneness. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Wise. O our God and our Beloved! Forgive us and our parents and our kindred among those who have believed in Thee and in Thy signs and in Him Who hath appeared through Thy sovereignty. Then cause us, O my God, to be honored in this world through Thy glory and in the next world to attain unto meeting Thee, and deprive us not of that which is with Thee, nor cause us to despair of all that beseemeth Thee. Verily Thou art the Lord of bounty and favor, the Lord of grace and beneficence, and verily Thou art our All-Merciful Lord and our Help in Peril. In Thee do we place our reliance. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful, the All-Merciful. Thus have We expounded for thee, O Leaf of Paradise, and mentioned thee in this Tablet that thou mayest follow that which thou hast been commanded and be among the devoted ones in the Tablets of holy and luminous decree.

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=== START BH00281 ===

In the name of our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted and Most Glorious Lord!

These are days of sorrow, and waves of hatred and malice surge in the hearts of the enemies. The flames of pride and vainglory and the smoke of greed and avarice have darkened the world of joy. Glory be to God! Despite the manifestation of favors and the emergence of grace and bounties, that which no soul could have imagined has come to pass. This servant beseeches his Lord to spread another carpet and to purify the hearts of His servants with the waters of Kawthar and illumine them with the lights of His Most Great Countenance. Verily, He is the Hearing, the Answering, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O beloved of my heart! Your letter addressed to this evanescent servant, as well as the successive letters addressed to His Holiness the Most Generous Name, upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, all attained the honor of being presented before and heard by the One Who converseth from the Tree. These are His blessed and exalted words:

In My Name, the One Who calleth between earth and heaven!

This is a letter from the Wronged One to him who hath believed in God, the Protecting, the Self-Subsisting. Sorrows have encompassed the Lord of all possibility and His loved ones through what hath been perpetrated against Him by the manifestations of idle fancies and vain imaginings. By the life of God! The Supreme Pen hath lamented in the Most Exalted Horizon, and Zion hath cried out, and the Mount of God hath crumbled through what the hands of those who denied God’s proof and evidence have wrought after their confession, and who disbelieved in the Witness and the Witnessed. The oppressor hath been consumed with the fire of greed, passion, tyranny and wickedness, and hath committed that which hath caused trustworthiness to lament and honored servants to weep. He hath conspired with God’s enemy to misappropriate people’s wealth. The Pen is powerless to recount their deeds and what hath befallen God’s Cause through them, the Lord of what was and what shall be.

Hearken in the Persian tongue to the call of the Wronged One! Glory be to God! One who was outwardly the recipient of the greatest favor and for whom the means of commerce were provided from every direction, when he became possessed of worldly ornaments, first drew forth the sword of cruelty against his helper, supporter and confirmer, and then against His loved ones and friends. That unjust one coveted the property of the Afnan and other friends, raising the cry of ‘Woe is me! They have taken my wealth!’ and committed that which hath caused the Cause to suffer loss. The Supreme Pen at this point is engaged with these words so that neither the fiery Samandar nor Nabil-i-’Ali might become saddened or dejected by the sorrows that have befallen them and the events that have transpired. In these sorrows thou hast a great partner. O Samandar! Grieve not for what hath befallen Me and thee at the hands of every remote oppressor and every obstinate transgressor. Be thou ablaze with the fire of My love and soaring in the atmosphere of My tender mercy and speaking that whereby hearts and minds may be attracted. Illumine each of the loved ones with the light of the utterance of the Goal of all the worlds and set them aflame with the fire of the Sacred Tree. Each one is present before Our face and mentioned by the tongue of favor. In accordance with the requirements of wisdom, names have not been mentioned, but none have been absent from before Our face, nor are they now. To this beareth witness My ocean of utterance and My heaven of bounty, and beyond them both the Tongue of Grandeur in its praiseworthy station.

Say: O my God, my God! Thou seest what hath befallen Thy loved ones at the hands of Thine enemies. He whom Thou didst exalt by the hands of Thy bounty hath denied Thee and rejected Thy truth, allying himself with the source of hatred in Thy days. O Lord! Thou seest how the wrongdoer hath taken Thine enemy as his helper and supporter, and hath committed that which hath caused grief to seize the inhabitants of the pavilion of Thy protection and the tabernacle of Thy grandeur. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance to protect Thy loved ones from their evil and their plotting. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and within Thy grasp are the reins of all affairs. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Kind, the All-Forgiving.

O beloved of my heart! Indeed a strange matter has appeared. Muhammad-’Ali Isfahani arrived in this land some years ago with Aqa ’Abdu’r-Rahim, upon him be the Glory of God. He dwelt in prison for a time, then requested permission to stay in the great city. After permission was granted, he proceeded there and took up residence until the time when our spiritual beloved, Haji Shaykh Akhavi, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, decided to engage in commerce there. The aforementioned Muhammad-’Ali’s capital was meager, therefore assistance was suggested for him. Some of the honored Afnans, upon them be the Most Glorious Glory of God, each entrusted him with one hundred liras, and likewise sent him goods from China and India regularly. This year when news of the commercial upheaval in that land reached the owners of the capital, they intended to proceed to the city for investigation and collection. That oppressor, upon hearing this, immediately united with the source of hatred. One day he cried out that his strongbox had been broken into and three hundred and fifty liras stolen. Each day he would attribute this to someone else and finally accused a Siyyid, bringing charges to the government, and that poor destitute one was imprisoned. After some time when his lie became apparent, the government released the Siyyid. Finally he brought this accusation against the poor Nazir, upon him be the Glory of God, for he imagined that since Jinab-i-Nazir had arrived there, perhaps the commerce of that place would be referred to him. With this delusion he attributed it to him, held gatherings, wrote to various places, and would tell any denier he met that the Babis had come and stolen and taken his money. In brief, he united with the enemy of God and said to many merchants that which caused harm to the Cause of God. Indeed, from the beginning until now, no such blow has been dealt to the Cause. His Honor Mu’inu’l-Mulk, may God the Exalted strengthen him, told the friends that the Siyyid says Muhammad-’Ali is lying, the owners of the capital have demanded their money, and he has resorted to these games and tricks, and I too share the Siyyid’s opinion - his lies are as evident as the sun from his records. Then he sent a letter to this evanescent one and to His Holiness Ismu’llah M.H., upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, stating that for the protection of God’s Cause this servant had not mentioned the theft, and if permission were granted, he would prove that Jinab-i-Nazir had committed the theft. Permission was issued from the Source of Command to certainly prove it and take his money. Some time passed and no news came from him regarding this matter. His Holiness Afnan, upon him be the Glory of God, also demanded proof from him in that land, saying that since you yourself wrote this, now fulfill it. He resorted to unworthy false excuses. Then he wrote to His Holiness Ismu’llah that “they have taken my money, you say come prove it” while he himself had repeatedly declared this matter. From these words the rest of his words and deeds are clear and evident. Indeed he has manifested an oppression that has no equal or likeness. And later it became known that before making this declaration here he had written everywhere. In brief, he has vowed not to speak one word of truth in the world. The river of lies and hypocrisy has joined the sea of infidelity and rebellion. To God we belong and to Him we shall return.

The recent news is that the honored Afnans of the Blessed Tree arrived in the middle of the blessed month of Ramadan with the utmost joy and fragrance, and attained His presence and meeting. Now, through divine bounty and merciful grace, they have taken residence and are dwelling beneath the pavilions of grandeur. Blessed are they, and joyous tidings to them! God is witness and testifier that most often the mention of that Beloved of hearts flows from the tongue of the soul. Your remembrance brings joy and Your memory quickens the spirit. Repeatedly in these days this exalted word has flowed from the tongue of the Lord of all beings. He spoke, and His word is truth: “There hath befallen Samandari what hath befallen My own Self.” In these days he shares in sorrows, but these have not endured nor shall they endure. Soon they shall pass away and glory, joy and delight shall remain for Me and for him and for the friends of God, His chosen ones and His trusted ones. The praise be to God! His honor Shaykh, upon him be the glory of God and His loving-kindness, attains His presence and meeting most days. His son is seen with utmost humility and joy, and stands before the Seat of the Lord. In truth, the ear vibrates at the pure mention of that Beloved and the eye rejoices with greatest gladness at the sight of those related to Him. The servant begs his Lord to honor your honor through His might and to exalt you and those with you through His power and sovereignty. Verily He is the best of helpers and the best of supporters, and He is the Most Merciful of the merciful ones and the Most Generous of the generous ones.

As regards what was written concerning the spiritual friend His Honor Sheikh Muhammad Arab, upon him be the Glory of God and His bounty - he is truly engaged in service and has attained the grace of his Lord. His mention has repeatedly flowed from the Tongue of Grandeur, and all the letters he has sent to this servant have been honored to be received in the Most Holy Court. Specifically regarding the loved ones and friends he has mentioned - all have been blessed with the fragrances of revelation and the mention of God, exalted be His glory. Divine favors have been and continue to be bestowed upon him, and sacred Tablets have been sent at his request. That beloved of hearts has witnessed the waves of the ocean of grace and knows that the sea of bounty has no shore and the light of the orb of generosity no limit. The servant beseeches his Lord to assist those who are near to recognize what was hidden in His verses and treasured in His words. Verily He has power over all things.

The Most Great Glad-Tidings and Supreme Announcement is the blessed word which the Tongue of Grandeur openly and without veil spoke on a certain day to His Honor Nabil ibn Nabil, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, and that is permission for that beloved of hearts to attain His presence. The servant indeed praises Him for this and offers endless thanks that endure with His eternal grace and remain unchanged through the permanence of His names. However, He made it contingent upon wisdom, saying one must be mindful of its requirements.

And regarding what His Honor Sheikh has mentioned about the designation - that beloved one knows that sometimes it is present and sometimes absent, at times the sun of wealth is visible and at times poverty. However, concerning His Honor Sheikh, upon him be the Glory of God, He commanded that it be transferred through His Honor Aqa Ali-Haydar, upon him be the Glory of God, to be delivered. The delay and postponement of such matters is due solely to the absence of the mentioned thing and nothing else. And His Honor Sheikh should also treat His Honor Amin, upon him be the Glory of God and His bounty, with love. At present His Honor Amin has a paternal relationship with most and has been engaged in service from the beginning of the Cause until now, occupied with speaking well of all the divine friends. In truth, he has repeatedly spoken well of this very His Honor Sheikh, upon him be the Glory of God, and sent such mentions to the Most Holy Court. If sometimes, out of wisdom or counsel, he should speak a word, they should not become upset. In mentioning these stations, this supreme word appeared from the Tongue of the Lord of all beings - blessed and exalted be His word:

“O Samandari! Upon thee be My Glory and My Bounty! The waves of the divine ocean of grace and the effulgences of the orb of heavenly bounty have been and continue to be directed towards the loved ones. Praise be to God that to this day, every minor deed that has appeared from the loved ones, or towards which the glance of grace was directed before its appearance - verily He does not allow to be lost the reward of the doers of good. All must look to that which hath appeared from Him, and He is the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.”

Indeed the mention of His Honor Sheikh, upon him be the Glory of God, is true and acceptable before the Lord, for those souls who are sanctified from outward conditions and transient ornaments - their words and deeds prove effective. In most stations regarding the conditions of teachers, He has stated that which is clear and evident to that beloved one. The glance of grace has been and continues to be directed towards them. Detachment is the cause of exaltation and piety the means of advancement. In brief, all that they have mentioned regarding the stations of contentment and piety has been accepted in the Most Holy Court. The servant beseeches his Lord to assist his honor with means that may become the cause of people’s acceptance and their turning to the countenance of their Lord, the Possessor of all existence.

He made mention of Haji Darvish Aqa, upon him be the Glory of God. After submission before His presence, these sublime words were revealed from the Mother Book, blessed and exalted be His words:

O Darvish Aqa! Upon thee be the Glory of God, Creator of Heaven! The people of the Path have for ages and centuries been occupied with the mention and praise of the Lord, and have counted themselves among the people of Truth, making mention of the stages of unity, detachment and severance. Yet when the Lord of the World appeared with the Most Great Name, all denied Him save whom God willed. We beseech the Truth to strengthen thee in such manner as would cause the people of the Path to turn unto Him. Take, in His Name, the Self-Subsisting, the wine of immortality from the hands of bounty, then drink in His manifest remembrance.

Say: O people of the world! Today the proofs of those nigh unto God and His Messengers stand before the countenance of the Most Great Name, engaged in mention, praise and circumambulation. Cast aside your idle fancies and take what hath been ordained by the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Reflect upon the various sects and likewise upon the remaining proofs, that the truth may become manifest unto thee, and His sovereignty, and His power, and His might, and His signs, and His clear evidences, and that thou mayest be of them that attain.

It is hoped that through the sweet savors of the utterance of the Desired One of the worlds, they may arise with complete dedication to serve, and find and drink the hidden wine in the divine verses. The Command is in His grasp. He strengtheneth whom He willeth through the hosts of the seen and the unseen. He is the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Wise.

He made mention of Haji Mirza Fadlu’llah and his wife. After their mention was submitted before the Most Holy Court, there was revealed for each that which is the point of adoration of all the books of the earth. I beseech the Beloved to aid them to hearken unto His utterance as it behooveth them to hearken. Amen, Amen, O Goal of the mystics! Amen, Amen, O Beloved of all who are in the heavens and the earth!

Mention was made of the honored brother Aqa Mirza Ibrahim, upon him be the Glory of God, and likewise of his letter which he sent to that Presence. It was submitted in the most mighty, most holy and most exalted Court, attained the honor of being heard, and one blessed Tablet was revealed from the heaven of will especially for him and was dispatched. The servant beseecheth his Lord to assist him in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to ordain for him the meeting with his Tablet, from whose horizon hath shone the luminary of favor and bounty. Verily He doeth what He willeth, and He is the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Powerful.

I make mention of the loved ones of that land, each one of them, and I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to bestow upon them at every moment the wine of utterance, that they may drink thereof and become eloquent in praise and thanksgiving. In truth, the assured souls that exist have won the prize from the world and all who dwell therein, and in His days have attained unto the bounties of the All-Bountiful. Who can fulfil the obligation of gratitude? There is no recourse but inability, and no refuge but to confess one’s shortcoming. The Command is in His hands and authority is in His grasp. He is the Mighty, the All-Choosing.

Mention has been made of the honored teacher, upon him be the Glory of God. Although arrangements had been made, in view of his being alone, there was agreement to pause. This agreement found acceptance in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence, such that the reward of attainment was specifically revealed and sent down from the Ancient Tongue, and at the end the Tongue of the All-Merciful spoke these words: “Blessed is he and blessed is the one who made arrangements for him. We have, in Our wisdom, veiled the mention of his name, and We are the Chooser.” The Glory, the Remembrance and the Praise be upon you and upon those who are with you and those who are in your household and who love you and who hear your word for the sake of God, the Lord of Lords. And praise be to Him, for He is the Master of creation and the Lord of all beings.

The Servant

26 Shawwal 1306

Three pieces were sent, one specifically for the aforementioned person, may God, blessed and exalted be He, strengthen him, and of the other two, one specifically for your honor and the last specifically for the beloved of the heart, the honored Muhammad Javad, upon him be [the Glory of God].

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=== START BH00282 ===

Praise be to God Who hath manifested through His all-prevailing power that which was concealed, and brought forth through His Most Exalted Pen that which was recorded in the scrolls of creation - He through Whose Name the Tablets have been adorned and all things have been stirred, through Whom necks have been freed and the All-Bountiful hath come in the clouds of heaven. He is the One through Whose manifestation the fragrances of the All-Merciful have wafted throughout all possibility, and when He was established upon the throne with majesty and sovereignty, thereupon did the Dove of the Cause warble upon the twig of eternity, and the Bird of Faithfulness coo upon the branches of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, and the Nightingale of Utterance sing upon the leaves of the Tree of Blessedness, and behind it all the Tongue of Grandeur between earth and heaven.

By My life! That which was hidden hath appeared, and that which was treasured hath shone forth from the horizon of creation. Come ye and draw near, O Concourse of Names! Then hasten and approach, O Denizens of the highest paradise! Raise your voices and come quickly, O people of creation! Hearken, O people of earth, unto My sweetest call once again, and deprive not yourselves of that which hath been ordained for you in My most exalted Kingdom. Behold and observe: in My right hand is My crimson scroll, and in My left is My purest wine, whose seal hath been broken through My Most Glorious Name. By God! Through it the Most Great Ocean hath surged, and the mountains have moved, and earthquakes have seized the tribes of the earth in all regions, and through it the heaven of idle fancies hath been cleft asunder and the ground of the hearts of those who denied the beginning and the end hath been split.

And praise be to God Who hath caused His loved ones to hear the rustling of His branches upon the Tree that hath overshadowed all regions with its shade. Blessed and exalted is He Who hath caused them to hear His call and summoned them by Himself unto Himself, and made known to them His beauty, and caused them to soar in His atmosphere, and taught them His path, and inspired them with His remembrance and praise, and expanded their breasts for His utterance and their hearts for His establishment, and nourished them with the wine of His revelation and the fountain of His inspiration, and caused them to speak His words. He is indeed the Single One Whom the calumnies of the polytheists cannot harm, and the One Whom the ascription of partners by satans cannot prevent. Verily, He is the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but Him, the Inspirer, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

The servant has attained unto the dewdrops from your pen, which have sprinkled forth from the ocean of your love - our Beloved and your Beloved, our Goal and the Goal of all the worlds. When the wine of your affection’s Kawthar overwhelmed me and the fragrances of your mention stirred me, and while I was repeatedly reading your letter, I was summoned to ascend unto the seat of the Desired One. When I attained His presence and presented it, thereupon the Kingdom of Utterance was stirred and the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that which the people of creation cannot bear, save those whom His prevailing Will and His all-encompassing Purpose have chosen. By God’s life! I have drunk from the ocean of bounty that which I cannot mention, nor can pens describe, nor tongues express. And I gave thanks unto God that I beheld the countenance of the Beloved turned towards His Afnan who have attained the Most Great Bounty in His days. He, verily, is the All-Compelling, the All-Seeing, the All-Hearing. My very being and all I possess be a sacrifice for your love!

The exalted letter which was inscribed with this evanescent one’s name dispelled sorrows and extinguished the fire of grief. Praise be to God, it bestowed the Salsabil of joy and granted the Kawthar of delight. His be the praise in all conditions. Three letters were received from your honor, but since outwardly the passages requiring response were not clear, therefore there was delay. Otherwise, how could this servant, according to his capacity, postpone or be negligent? In all conditions I beseech and hope from the True One that He may assist this servant to manifest that which brings joy to the luminous heart.

At this moment when this servant was occupied with this petition, he again observed your honor’s letters to present answers to the passages written therein. After visiting the first letter and reading the prayer mentioned therein, I took it once again and proceeded with it to the Ultimate Goal and the Most Exalted Horizon, and presented it before His countenance time and again. Thereupon the Tongue of God, the Lord of the first and the last, spoke. He said, exalted be His glory and universal be His bounty:

“O My Afnan! We have heard thy rustling and thy call, and witnessed thy clinging and thy steadfastness and thy turning unto Us, and We know the state thou art in regarding the love of thy Lord, Who was banished time after time and imprisoned again and again in the path of God, the Lord of the worlds. We take pride in what hath befallen Us at the hands of the enemies, and through it the Cause of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, hath been exalted. We have named this prison the Most Great Prison. It behooveth everyone to reflect upon it and upon that wherewith it hath been named by the Mighty, the Wise. We have mentioned thee before from My Most Exalted Pen, and We have turned unto thee at this time from this noble station. Thou hast been beneath the glances of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, and the Wronged One greeteth thee from this glorious spot. Blessed art thou for having drunk the choice wine of utterance from the hand of the bounty of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, and for having attained unto that which most of mankind hath been deprived of. The Tongue of Grandeur beareth witness to this in this Clear Book. We have heard thy call which was raised in the days of thy Lord, and We know that wherewith thou didst commune with God, the True Sovereign, the Manifest. We beseech Him to strengthen thee in all conditions and to send down upon thee from the heaven of grace that which beseemeth His mercy that hath preceded the world and His generosity that hath encompassed the heavens and the earth.”

Thus endeth the Word. Praise be to God! The ocean of bounty is surging, the sun of grace is shining, and the heaven of mercy is elevated. From the verses sent down from the heaven of God’s Will, His infinite favors are made manifest and […]

The fragrance is manifest. Blessed is the nose that perceiveth its perfume, blessed the mouth that tasteth its sweetness, blessed the heart that discerneth its station, and blessed the body that is stirred by its breezes. In truth, for every member of the body a portion is ordained. O how excellent is the blessing that hath been destined for the souls of the sincere ones, which is the verses of God and His words, and the utterance of God and His proof. I beseech Him, exalted be His glory, not to deprive the people of the world from the fragrances of the Most Great Name. Verily, He is the Hearer, the Answerer.

Those who circle the divine throne have been mentioned to be of three kinds in a Tablet revealed from the horizon of God’s will during the days when the military barracks served as the seat of the throne. Some gaze toward the Most Exalted Horizon and are nourished by the Most Glorious Nectar - these are souls who truly “speak not before He speaks and act by His command.” Blessed are they and theirs is a goodly beginning and end. Another kind are below this station, while others rise at times and fall at others. Thus was it sent down in truth from God, the All-Knowing Revealer. Now, praise be to God, all are blessed with the eternal, everlasting bounty of attaining the presence of the Beloved of the worlds. We beseech God to assist all who circle and dwell in this land to achieve what befits this Day. All the loved ones lived in perfect comfort and bounty for several years until the horizon of trustworthiness darkened. The details of this matter cannot be revealed. Verses were revealed to one of the loved ones dwelling in Ottoman lands. Some of these verses are presented here, revealing what befell the Beloved of the world. Thus spoke the tongue of the Beloved:

“O My Physician, My Physician! Your call has risen until it reached the ear of your All-Knowing Lord. The Present Servant appeared and presented before the Face what you called unto God, Lord of the worlds. Blessed is the tongue that speaks truth and the eye that beholds My luminous horizon. Blessed is the eye that weeps for My tribulations and the hearts that yearn in My great affliction. By My life! Were the veil to be lifted, wailing would rise between the heavens and earth. How many deeds melted My heart, yet I concealed them through My Name, the Concealer, the Gracious. How many acts caused My heart and pen to lament, yet I preserved them such that none in the world learned of them. How many afflictions seized Me and how many calamities surrounded Me in this mighty prison, yet My Name the Forgiving prevented Me from mentioning them, and My Name the Merciful took hold of My hem saying: ‘Verily, Thou art the Most Merciful of the merciful ones.’ Thus did My tongue speak that you might learn what befell the Wronged One in this remote spot.”

All matters that occurred in this land were previously mentioned in divine Tablets. Thus at first arrival this prison was named the Most Great Prison, and it was said its mystery would later be revealed. By the Sun of the horizon of inner meanings, the Cause of God was so exalted in this land that none could adequately describe it. The prison door was opened, although the original decree issued by Sultan Abdul-Aziz had stipulated that none should be allowed near, not even a barber for shaving without a guard present. Nevertheless, the prison door was opened such that companions could freely travel to any land they wished without question. This supreme power and mighty sovereignty appeared without material means, for it was never expected that such severity and harshness would be removed. We testify that He is truly powerful over whatsoever He willeth. There is no God but Him, the Able, the Ruler, the Mighty, the Wise. The heedless servants in power and […]

The people do not reflect upon the power of God. At all times manifest signs and clear evidences appear, yet they remain unaware and have not raised their heads from the slumber of heedlessness. If the blessed Surih of Ra’is has reached your presence, you will have become aware of the degree of the heedlessness of the servants. The All-Glorious, Most Great God has spoken the truth. All that has occurred in these two years was mentioned and recorded in that Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet. That which was promised in the Book has appeared, and that which no one among the servants can today comprehend shall appear. In truth, the overwhelming attraction and rapturous yearning of this servant in your presence has caused this petition to become lengthy, yet in all cases pardon is hoped for.

And regarding what you had written about the Holy Land, this matter has been forbidden, and the decree concerning it was revealed from the Supreme Pen and sent beforehand. In this regard, this evanescent servant has deemed it necessary to submit a brief account of these matters so that you may be informed. For two years in this land, the price of things has been rising day by day, and likewise some of the pilgrims have taken large sums of money from the people and have not repaid them, claiming that the money was entirely lost. And the small amount of money that the government was giving to some of the prisoners has decreased due to the wars occurring between the two states, as they now give promissory notes worth one-third of what they used to give. Some friends wrote about these hardships and difficulties that had befallen them by way of information to his honor, the Name of God (66), may all glory most glorious be upon him, and he, due to his being enkindled with the fire of divine love, thought it advisable to inform the friends. God knows that he intended nothing by this except to manifest that which he possessed in his love for God and His Cause. And afterward, he wrote the details to this servant. After presenting it to the Most Holy Court, they commanded: Write to the Name of Ha that no one should proceed to the land of Kha, and they should not mention the details of this land in that region. Therefore, this servant submitted a letter to him, and in that letter mighty, impregnable verses were revealed from the heaven of the Divine Will. A copy of that letter is being submitted to your presence, that you may be informed of that which has shone forth from the horizon of the will of our Lord, the Powerful, the Mighty.

He is the One Who has power over whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be” and it is!

Verily the evanescent servant calleth out before the face of the world and maketh mention of that which hath reached his ears through hearkening unto that which the Tongue of Grandeur and Glory hath spoken. He hath spoken, and His word is the truth: “By God! The horizon of trustworthiness hath been darkened, the countenance of faithfulness hath been altered, and the hem of fidelity between earth and heaven hath been sullied. There hath appeared that which beseemeth not the Cause of God, His days, His majesty and His glory in this land which hath been named the Crimson Spot among the Concourse of Names and in the heaven of this heaven from My Most Exalted Pen.” We beseech Him, exalted be He, to set right what we have neglected in regard to Him, to forgive us for what we have wrought in His presence, and to ordain for us justice and that whereby His Cause and sovereignty may be uplifted among His servants.

O beloved of my heart! Although sorrows have taken their toll and the hearts of the pure ones in God’s lands and realms have been troubled by what hath occurred in the Prison Land, yet we thank the Beloved that the world hath been honored with the Most Great Joy, and verily He is seated upon the throne before the face of the nations. There is none other God but He, the Mighty, the Bestower.

This is a petition from the evanescent one to him who hath dawned from the horizon of ?ad for the love of God, our Lord and the Lord of the sincere ones, and I inform him of what the Ancient Beauty hath commanded me in this station. He hath spoken, and His most sweet utterance is: “O My Name ?a! No one should proceed to the land of Kha and inform its people of matters that have newly arisen in this White Land, whose very atoms proclaim that there is none other God but He, the Mighty, the Loving.”

As commanded, inform His Excellency that no one should specifically proceed to the land of Kha regarding recent events, and if anyone has gone or taken anything, let him return it to the direction of the Intended One and surely restore it to its owner. Likewise, that person himself should abandon his intention and return. This is what the Beloved of the Worlds hath decreed.

And regarding what was given in the lands of ?a and Kaf, if it has been sent, the matter is concluded; if not, let it remain with His Excellency and let him send the names of those souls to the Most Holy Court. Verily, He is the Ruler over what He willeth. There is none other God but He, the Mighty, the Wise.

In view of this firm decree issued from the Source of Command, if what was taken has been returned, they have acted according to what God commanded them. If it still remains, according to the decree it must be given to the poor of the land of Kha. Verily, He does not allow to be lost the reward of one who spendeth in His path. He is the Giver, the Bestower, the Ordainer, the Generous.

The copy of those names to whom that sum should be given will be sent by Nabil-i-Qa’ini as commanded, and God is the guardian of the beneficent ones.

That which was issued from the Source of Command this year was that if anyone wishes to pay the Huququ’llah with complete willingness and satisfaction, the Trustees of the lands should receive it and present it. Until this year, although the law of Huquq was revealed in the Book of God with explicit text, not a word was heard from the blessed tongue regarding this matter. However, this year what was decreed was decreed. Verily, He is the Decreer, the All-Knowing.

This servant further begs of your honour that to each one of them that drink of the wine of divine love who attain your presence, and as you deem fit, mention this servant’s utter effacement and nothingness. And another entreaty to be conveyed to the Afnan of the Sacred Tree - may my soul be a sacrifice for them - is an expression of pure devotion and absolute nothingness, contingent upon your honour’s grace and favours, especially to his honour M and H - upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory - who was mentioned in your honour’s letter. The essence of glory and remembrance be upon your honour and upon them and upon those who cling to the hem of God’s sacred, pure, mighty and luminous robe. And praise be to God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Wise.

Additionally, it is submitted regarding the sum about which news arrived from the land of Kha, and which your honour directed payment for before its arrival and inquiry - when this was submitted in the Most Holy Presence, He smiled and said: “They have even added benefit to it for him. We have accepted all that was done in God’s path. He has indeed done what was befitting of him and We have accepted double what he did for the love of God.” However, that sum must be handled according to the mentioned command, meaning it should be distributed in the land of Kha according to the list sent by Nabil-i-Akbar.

The Servant

9 Dhi’l-Hajjih 1295

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

Praise be to God Who is unique in His grandeur and peerless in that Name which He hath made the Sovereign of all names. He hath created all things through the Most Exalted Word and caused them to voice His praise throughout the kingdom of creation. He hath manifested the Word at one time in the form of the Balance, and at another in the likeness of an Ocean casting forth the pearls of divine knowledge, and yet again He hath revealed it in the image of the Path, and at times in the temple of the Trumpet whereinto He blew, causing all who are in the heavens and on earth to swoon away, save whom He willed and desired. He, verily, is the One Who hath power over His servants, Who is manifest in the beginning and in the end. There is no God but Him, the Possessor of all existence. And I pray, offer salutations and glorification upon the first One Whom God made as a Sun in the heaven of His knowledge, an Orbit for the ocean of His will, and a Light from among the lights of His countenance, and upon those who drew nigh unto Him with illumined hearts and radiant faces, who were so transported by the rapture of His Manifestation that they circled round tribulation and set their faces toward hardship and adversity in His path. These are they whom neither the howling of the oppressors, nor the roaring of the infidels, nor the croaking of the heedless could deter. They aided the Cause of God with their hearts, their eyes, their ears, their tongues, their hands and their feet. Upon them the Concourse on High and the denizens of Paradise send their blessings morning and evening, and upon those who dwell beyond the crimson sea of grandeur. Exalted is their Creator, exalted is their Maker, exalted is their Strengthener, and exalted is their Provider, Who created them through His Will. He, verily, is the Single One, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O beloved of my heart! I was asleep when the Messenger of my Lord awakened me. When I arose, He said: “The Desired One of the world and the Ancient King commands thy presence.” Thereupon I turned and made my way to that place until I attained the presence of the Lord of all beings. The Tongue of Grandeur then spoke as He desired. Then the sun of permission to return arose, and I returned to my dwelling. Upon entering, I found a letter. When I opened it–God knoweth–I detected the fragrance of your sincerity to God, our Lord and your Lord. When I read it, the attraction of your love seized me in such wise that I am powerless to describe it. It was as though from each word of your words and each letter of your letter, I read a book about your love for the Desired One of the world, your detachment from all else save Him, your steadfastness in His remembrance and praise, and your dedication to teaching His Cause. Blessed are ye, and joy be unto you, and glory be unto you, and delight be unto you! Were this servant to repeat these words throughout the duration of the kingdom and the heavenly realm, it would be fitting, inasmuch as He found your hearts to be vessels of the love of God, your tongues the dawning-places of His sweetest praise, and your ears attuned to hearken unto His most exalted call. I beseech Him, exalted be He, to set you ablaze at every moment with a flame that will increase thereby the heat of the love of God in all else. Verily, He is the Hearer, the Near, the Answerer.

In truth, this evanescent servant was so delighted by the mention and praise of that spiritual beloved that it is impossible to describe or enumerate it. One night it was all presented before His presence. Thereupon the ocean of bounty surged, and the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that which none can reckon save Himself. At the end of the utterance, His mighty glory proclaimed: “O thou who art present! Verily, he hath been set ablaze with the fire of the love of God and hath spoken His praise amongst His servants. He giveth to drink the wine of His bounty and the Kawthar of His grace to those who desire to draw nigh and turn unto God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. We shall aid him through Our grace and shall write for him that which will gladden his heart. Verily his Lord, the All-Merciful, is powerful over whatsoever He willeth through a word from His presence, and He is indeed the Protector over what hath been and what shall be.”

O thou who hast turned thy face toward My horizon and soarest in Mine atmosphere! Hearken unto My call at times from My palace, at others from My prison, and yet again from thy Lord’s garden, the Lord of all existence. The servant who is present hath come with thy letter and hath presented before the Throne that which hath diffused the fragrance of My Beloved’s love. Blessed art thou and blessed is thy father who dwelt in the vicinity of My mercy. Verily, grace is in the hand of God–He singles out whom He willeth through a command from His presence. He is indeed the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. Convey My greetings to the faces of My loved ones who were not held back by adversity or prosperity from the remembrance of My praiseworthy station. Say: Beware lest the world withhold you from the Lord of Names. Look, then remember the generations of old. Where are the great ones and the princes and the learned? And where are the tyrants and the Pharaohs and the Caesars and the Chosroes? Where are their visible traces and their lofty palaces and their adorned houses and their trellised gardens and their spread-out carpets and their elevated thrones and their assembled armies and their adorned maidens and their embroidered garments and their precious things and their bejeweled crowns and their fortified refuges and their elevated strongholds and their visible treasures and their hidden hoards and their valiant tribes and […]

Where are their marshalled armies? And where are the horsemen and the footmen? And where are the heroes and the champions? And where is he who was a vessel on the sea of oppression and a ship upon the air of vain imaginings? And where is he who, were he to be given all the treasures and riches and ornaments and bounties of earth, would say “Is there yet more?” All have returned to dust with such regret and remorse as none save God, the Lord of all worlds, is aware. Say: O My loved ones! Arise to make mention of Me and to praise Me, and hold fast unto the wisdom that hath been sent down in My Book that hath appeared from the kingdom of Mine utterance. Soon shall extinction overtake all that can be seen, and sovereignty shall remain with the Lord of the throne and of the dust, the Lord of the world to come and of the world that has been. Thus hath spoken My Most Exalted Pen in this station which God hath made a throne for the heaven, adorned with the light of the manifestations of My Most Great and Most Glorious Name.

Say: O friends! This Day hath no peer or likeness. On this blessed Day, any pure deed that appeareth is accounted as the sovereign of deeds, and any mention that proceedeth from the lips is and shall be the king of all remembrance. I swear by the pearls of the divine ocean of knowledge that the greatness of these days hath not been and shall never be limited. Strive ye that ye may attain unto a station that shall endure, and that no possessor of power shall be able to seize. Meditate upon and act according to those divine qualities and attributes with which the Tablets are adorned and honored to make mention. God willing, ye shall attain unto a glory that is exalted in the presence of God. Those souls who have truly partaken of the Kawthar of the utterance of the All-Merciful and have drunk of the choice wine of recognition on this divine Day are seen to be more enkindled in times of hardship and tribulation. Well is it with the soul that hath on this Day attained unto that which God hath desired. Assuredly the diverse colors of the world and the varying conditions of the peoples shall not withhold him from the Ancient Lord. The ocean of joy surgeth in his heart and the sun of gladness shineth from the horizon of his breast. Thus doth God exhort you and counsel you and explain to His loved ones that which shall exalt them unto His holy, mighty and inaccessible kingdom.

[…]

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Knowing, the Manifest, the Holy, the Mighty, the Wise!

A remembrance from Us unto those who have been stirred by the fragrances of My verses, drawn by the perfume of My robe, and brought near through the manifestations of My Will and Purpose, that joy may seize them in such wise that the doings of them that have denied God, the Lord of all worlds, may never sadden them.

O My loved ones in Sisan! We have mentioned you before, and now once again, as a token of Our grace - and verily, I am the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. How many a learned one hath been withheld by his learning from the Sovereign of all knowledge, and how many a mystic, when the Object of all mystic knowledge appeared, turned aside from Him and opposed God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Blessed are ye, inasmuch as ye have rent asunder the most great veil and shattered the idols of vain imaginings through the name of your Lord, the Almighty, the Powerful.

Say: O concourse of divines! By God, the ocean of knowledge hath appeared. And O company of mystics! By God, He Who is known hath come with manifest sovereignty. Cast away what ye possess of idle fancies and vain imaginings, then hasten to the horizon wherefrom the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimeth: “The Kingdom is God’s, the One, the Single, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy!” Do your suppositions profit you? Nay, by My Name, the Self-Subsisting! Do your imaginings enrich you? Nay, by My sovereignty that overshadoweth all who are in the heavens and on earth!

O concourse of divines! Turn ye unto the Most Sublime Horizon, then rend asunder, through the Name of the Lord of Names, the veils and glorifications that have prevented you from beholding My luminous horizon. O My loved ones! Give praise unto your Lord, the All-Merciful, then thank Him for having aided you to recognize the Dawning-Place of His signs and the Treasury of His mysteries, when most of His servants remained heedless thereof. Thus doth God make mention of you and inform you of that which shall profit you. He, verily, is the Forgiving, the Generous.

Hold ye fast unto the cord of the Cause in such wise that neither the clamor of the world nor the allusions of the misguided ones who have cast the Book of God behind their backs and followed the biddings of every ignorant suspicious one shall debar you. We, verily, send Our greetings from this spot unto you, that ye may rejoice in God’s glorification and remembrance. He, verily, guideth whom He willeth unto His straight path.

Take ye hold of the Book of God with might, then observe that which hath been sent down therein from the presence of a wise and knowing Ruler. Say: Thine be the praise, O Lord of Names, and Thine be the glory, O Sovereign of earth and heaven! We beseech Thee by the Name which Thou hast made the Dayspring of all names to number us among such as have stood firm in Thy love and have quaffed the wine of certitude from the hands of Thy bounty in such wise that neither riches have withheld them from turning unto Thee, nor tribulations from gazing toward Thy horizon. O Lord! We are poor at Thy gate. We implore Thee by Thy Most Exalted Pen to ordain for us that which beseemeth Thy generosity, Thy grace and Thy favors. Thou, verily, art the Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.

All that was written in that loved one’s letter was presented at the Most Holy Court, and an answer was graciously vouchsafed - may the spirits of all who dwell in the world be a sacrifice for His favor, and may the spirits of all who dwell in the Kingdom be a sacrifice for His grace. The circular design of the Temple that was requested was presented, and the Sun of permission hath risen from the horizon of the All-Merciful’s mercy. God willing, this servant shall send the writing whenever opportunity permits, and other designs shall also be sent thereafter, God willing.

Regarding the souls that were mentioned, from the heaven of the favor of the Goal of all the world’s peoples, a most holy and most exalted Tablet was revealed and sent specifically for each one. However, some are in the handwriting of this evanescent servant, copied from the original revelation, as in these days His Holiness the Most Great Branch - may my spirit, my being, and my essence be sacrificed for the dust of His footsteps - is not present here.

While the servant was engaged in writing, he was summoned to the Most Exalted Summit and the Supreme Horizon. When he attained the presence, He, exalted be His glory, said: “We desire to make mention of the Letter ‘Ayn, upon him be My Glory, that he may rejoice in the remembrance of God, the Lord of the worlds. We have mentioned him before in verses from which the fragrance of utterance was diffused throughout all possibility. He is, verily, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the Wise. He is among those who have attained unto the Most Great Ocean and have drunk the choice wine sealed from the hand of My Hidden Name, Who calleth out in the Most Great Prison amidst the nations: ’There is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Powerful.’ We have written down for him from the Most Exalted Pen that which shall profit him in every world of the worlds of his Lord, the All-Informed. By My life! Were there to be revealed unto him that which hath been concealed from him, he would soar upon the wings of longing and cry out in all regions: ‘Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Desire of the world, and glory be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Object of adoration of them who are nigh unto Thee!’ We counsel him to be wise and give him the glad-tidings of My grace, My loving-kindness and My gracious mention. Glory be upon him and upon those who are with him and upon those who have acknowledged and witnessed that which God witnessed before the creation of the heavens and the earth. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.”

God willing, may they drink from the springs of exalted words from the fountainhead of divine favors, and may they comprehend the manifestations of the veiled meanings which are concealed in the palaces of the letters of the Lord of Names and Attributes. Indeed, grace hath reached such a station that the pen and tongue of all peoples are powerless to describe and record it. We beseech Him, exalted be He, by His power and sovereignty, to accept from us whatsoever proceedeth from us in His days. He is, verily, the Hearer, the Answerer.

[…]

Another matter is good ink, especially for writing Tablets and Books - its availability is scarce but its need is great. Therefore, if it could be sent according to the qualities that are being mentioned, it would be most welcome. The ink that has been sent thus far from that land has either been glossy and sticky, or extremely dark black, and these two qualities have never been and are not desirable for writing Tablets. Some has also had a reddish tinge, which is known as peacock-like, and this too is not desirable. The ink that is desirable and required should flow well and be extremely black but not glossy, and should not be sticky. And some is like gold that when applied to paper becomes smooth - this too is not desirable; its raised quality is what is desired. It should have absolutely no yellow or red tinge in its color.

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In the name of our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted, Most High Lord.

Praise be to God Who assisted His loved ones to serve His chosen ones and confirmed them through His grace to remain steadfast in His Cause. And praise be to God Who sent the Messengers and revealed the Books that there is none other God but Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. He is the One Who caused all things to speak of His unity and singleness, and to acknowledge that which the Tongue of Grandeur spoke before the creation of humanity - that there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Loving.

Glorified art Thou, O my God and the God of the world, my Goal and the Goal of the nations! I beseech Thee, O Lord of existence, by Thy sovereignty which hath encompassed the seen and unseen, to transform oppression into justice and tyranny into equity. O Lord! Cleanse all eyes from the ophthalmia of desire that they may turn unto Thee and acknowledge that which Thou hast commanded them in Thy Book and Thy Tablets. O Lord! Thou seest them heedless of turning unto Thee. Make known unto them, O my God, Thy path, Thy balance, and Thy straight way. Deprive them not, O my God, through Thy bounty and grace. Draw those on earth near unto the ocean of Thy oneness and illumine their hearts with the lights of Thy knowledge. O Lord! Thou seest Thy loved ones beneath the claws of the heedless. By Thy glory! I do not wish to call down evil upon them, for I am certain that Thy mercy embraceth all things and Thy loving-kindness encompasseth all things. I beseech Thee, O God of Names and Creator of heaven, to transform enmity into love, wickedness into virtue, and rancor into kindness. Thou art He in Whose grasp are the reins of all things and the control of adversity and hardship. There is none other God but Thee, the Strong, the Powerful.

Thereafter, your letter was received time after time, and from each wafted the fragrance of the love of the Beloved of the worlds. After perusal and reading it attained the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence and was presented. This is what the Tongue of Utterance spoke in the Kingdom of knowledge. His mighty word states:

In the name of God, the Lord of what was and what will be!

K. the Wronged One makes mention of thee and gives thee glad tidings of that which was ordained for thee in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds. Praise be to God that thou hast attained to acceptance, to turning unto Him and to serving the friends of God. Thou hast been confirmed in a great blessing whose mention is adorned with the ornament of immortality. The recompense for good deeds rests with God, exalted be His glory, and it will surely become manifest. Blessed art thou and blessed is thy brother who attained the presence of God and thy other brother who was honored to attain His presence. Verily He hath forgiven you all, for He is the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. Praise the Goal of all the worlds Who in these days hath favored you with His special grace. Blessed is thy mother from whom steadfastness was manifested in the days of fear and agitation. She is mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One and a Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was revealed specifically for her. We have made mention of her with a mention that is enduring and everlasting. Convey on behalf of the Wronged One greetings unto her and give her the glad tidings of that which hath been revealed for her from the heaven of the bounty of her Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon you from the Ancient Bestower.

The grace of the True One, exalted be His glory, has no need of mention by this servant, neither now nor before. This evanescent one, with both outer and inner tongue, praises the Peerless Beloved for having confirmed that honored one in service to the Cause. What you wrote was acceptable in the sight of God. God willing, its reward shall soon be manifest. O My loved one! Exercise utmost discretion in sending correspondence. Mention it not to anyone, whether from within or without, for if it were discovered it would not be good for you, and it may well be that its harm would reach the very Root of the Tree and likewise His trusted ones. Among the friends are those who give daily accounts to certain others. This is not new - it existed before and has now emerged again. In any case, discretion is necessary and obligatory. The servant speaks what he heard from the Tongue of Grandeur. Under these circumstances, great caution is most beloved.

As for what one of the friends told you about someone writing to government officials claiming to have gone to ’Akka and attained the presence - this is an absolute falsehood. No such person ever came to ’Akka, as the people of this city, both within and without, can testify. Moreover, the Iranian officials know he never came to ’Akka. And even assuming what he said were true, it would be clear proof of the Truth, exalted be His glory. First, smoking the water pipe is not permitted in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence, so he wished for it and took it, but to no avail. This resembles the deeds of certain heedless ones who will ultimately find their actions fruitless and indeed suffer great loss.

As for the matter of food, where he claimed many covered dishes were brought but when uncovered contained nothing - the speaker was either a believer or a hypocrite. If a believer, he would never utter such words, for lying is among the traits of hypocrites and the heedless. Thus it is clear and evident that he was a hypocrite. Certainly he was not worthy to partake of the food served in the Supreme Presence, so though he desired it, he was not blessed to eat of it. For whatever is presented in the Most Holy Court is the true feast and heavenly sustenance. The Copts have no share of the water of the Israelites, let alone of that station which is sanctified above the mention and description of all the worlds. In any case, outwardly no such things occurred - perhaps he saw it in a dream. The friends of the True One, exalted be His glory, must not today become disturbed by what they hear. For if they pay proper attention and reflect upon what they hear, they will find every word to be a proof and evidence for the Cause. Once these supreme words were heard from the Tongue of the Lord of Names: “Every word uttered by the enemies becomes itself a herald of this Most Great Announcement and a guide to this Straight Path.”

The people of the earth know not what hath come to pass. The religious leaders have prevented the hapless souls from the straight path and deprived them of the ocean of utterance. A hundred thousand blessings be upon the mother of that honored one, who is mentioned before the Divine Presence and hath attained His special favors. All that they have endured in the path of God in these days is recorded at the Most Holy Court. Verily, He doth not suffer to be lost the reward of the righteous, be they men or women. In this great upheaval, several of the leaves have indeed moved like steadfast and firm men, and have engaged in service to the oppressed ones. In these days, truth is distinguished from all else, and the straight path from other paths is clear and evident. Blessed are the men who have attained, and the leaves who have succeeded. Praise be to God that ye have attained with tongue, pen and utterance to the truth. This is a great bounty and a mighty favor. All the souls mentioned in your letter are remembered in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court, but due to wisdom, it is not permissible at this time to mention names one by one. God beareth witness that all have been illumined by the rays of the Sun of Providence, and God willing, in future all shall be done according to the requirements of wisdom. For there is fear that if the friends mentioned become aware of the sending of the letter, the news would spread, as the oppressor is ever waiting in ambush that he might find some pretext to object against the friends of God and His chosen ones. Keep hidden from all the sending of letters. This matter hath been mentioned repeatedly that it be not forgotten. It is essential and obligatory to exercise the utmost caution and protection regarding those who associate with the great calamity and her relatives. Verily, they are among the enemies of God and His friends. Previously these matters were concealed and all were forbidden to speak or reveal anything about Mirza Rida-Quli. However, this year some of the comprehensive malevolence hidden in their hearts has been revealed through the great calamity, that impostor, and from the confidants of Mirza Rida-Quli, one of whom is Mirza Mahmud. All the friends must avoid and shun them. Whatever they learn they spread abroad. What benefit can divine friends derive from association with such malicious, lying and calumnious souls? God’s grace protected until last year, but this year a matter hath appeared from them the concealment of which is forbidden. And if visiting Thamirih (upon her be the Glory of God) becomes cause for meeting those veiled souls, that too is not permitted. Say: O friends! You have suffered hardships and endured so many trials. Preserve your reward and station. By the life of God! Naught is found in that place save the world and whatsoever pertaineth unto it. Thus hath my Lord, the True One, the Trustworthy, informed Me. Some of the helpless ones have imagined that some of them are good, meaning they are among the devoted ones. Nay, by the Lord of the worlds! Never have they been aware of this Cause. Always these souls were concealed. After the migration from the Land of ?a, they heard certain words and for a while clung to them, but afterwards remained deprived. They have returned to the world and become occupied with it. They consume usury and commit what is unseemly, and say that from which the Concourse on High would dissociate itself. Today those souls inwardly feel the utmost joy at what hath […]

Those who oppose the friends of God are themselves souls who have never been worthy of mention - like bats they have dwelt and continue to dwell in their holes. In any case, in these days and during this tribulation that has befallen us, some were made fearful and others were made steadfast, while that vile band was made joyful. Light becomes distinguished from darkness in days such as these. Those souls who in these days are engaged in service to the Cause, whether men or women, occupy such a station that the Concourse on High point to them with their fingers.

O beloved, honoured and revered Ibn-i-Abhar, upon whom be the Glory of God and His grace! Some steadfast and upright souls have been mentioned, including your esteemed mother, upon whom be the Glory of God. May you be confirmed and assisted at all times, and may you remain constant in praise, glorification and service, ever-mindful and speaking. Multiple letters have been received from you, and though the lack of response has caused this evanescent one grief, yet due to the wisdom which we are all commanded to observe, there was delay in sending replies. Convey on my behalf greetings, salutations, remembrance and glory to them. Truly, what his honor Ismullah, upon whom be all the Most Glorious Glory, has written is correct and appropriate. I beseech the True One, exalted be His glory, to protect them from the deception, trickery and schemes of certain satanic ones. Today deceit and trickery have prevailed; often the hypocrite presents himself in the guise of the faithful and mentions truth, yet his purpose is to find opportunity to insinuate some word. You and they and other friends - that is, the steadfast friends - must protect the weak ones through wisdom and utterance. Verily God forgives all sins. God willing, may the loved ones of the Cause arise to serve the Cause with perfect detachment and trust, and turn to the reformation of the world. The buzzing of flies, croaking of frogs, and clamor of hypocrites shall not extinguish the fire of the Divine Lote-Tree nor put out the celestial light. Whatever has transpired has been and is the cause of victory, as witnessed before and after. With perfect submission and contentment, this servant and [those souls] must beseech the Exalted Truth to preserve us from discord. Whatever occurs from others becomes the cause of exaltation, but harm to the Cause comes from those who call people to truth in name only. Such souls are many and will soon become manifest. The pure ones must reach such a station that they consider such souls as non-existent. In the days when I was writing the reply to the beloved Ibn-i-Abhar’s letter, upon whom be the Glory and praise of God, He commanded: Write to him: “O Ibn-i-Abhar! The Wronged One remembers thee from the direction of His Most Great Prison and gives thee glad tidings of God’s grace and mercy. Verily He is the Forgiving, the Generous. Soar by the power of the Most Great Name above the world, that thou mayest see the reins of all possibilities in the grasp of thy Lord’s power, the Strong, the Dominant, the Mighty. Counsel the servants to patience and calm regarding what befalls them in the path of God, the Lord of the worlds.” God willing, may you ever speak in the name of Truth and remain firm in His Cause. Verily He is the Witness, the Hearing One. We counsel patience, prudence and protection of the Cause. Previously this exalted word was revealed from the Supreme Pen: “Believe not every speaker, nor trust every newcomer.” For a long time this word has issued from the Tongue of Grandeur, yet until now its effects have not been manifested from anyone. What has transpired was not caused by the government alone, nor were the investigator and informer limited to those two. Knowledge of this is with my Lord, the All-Informed. Be vigilant and consider not everyone a confidant. God willing, may the unified and sincere ones strive with utmost effort to reform the condition of the people of the world and heal the disease of the polytheists with the antidote of the word of unity.

The beloved letter of his honor Ibn-i-Abhar, upon him be the Glory of God, the Lord of the Worlds, was seen. Praise be to God, they are confirmed. The numbered letters arrived and each, after being read and reviewed, was presented at the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court at its appointed time. Whatever emanated from the Source of Command and Dawning-place of Divine Revelation was conveyed and expressed in response to their letters. However, there was a delay in sending them, and this was due solely to wisdom. Due to wisdom and the ignorance and unawareness of heedless souls, they were not sent. God willing, they will be sent henceforth. Some time ago, these words were heard from the Tongue of Truth, exalted be His glory. He said: “It would be closer to righteousness and more beloved in the sight of God if Ibn-i-Abhar were not to remain in the Land of ?a for some time.” And on another occasion He said: “His stay in the Land of ?a is not permitted. He must proceed to other lands.” This matter requires haste, as his presence in that land for any time is not permitted. He should proceed, detached from all else and relying upon the Ancient Lord. Surely he will act according to what has been written as commanded.

And regarding the mention made of the beloved one, his honor Aqa Siyyid Abu’l-Fadl, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God - his mention was made in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court. Praise be to God, he has received his portion from the fruits of the eternal Tree, such that the preface of the Book of existence shall be adorned with his mention. Obliteration shall not touch it, nor shall the vicissitudes of time and ages and centuries alter it. Blessed is he, blessed is he.

Mention was made of the honored friend, his honor Aqa Mirza Ayyub, upon him be the Glory of God and His favors. Praise be to God, he is adorned with the ornament of love. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to grant success to him and this servant, that we may become wholly detached from ourselves and all else, become entirely captivated by the Peerless Friend, cling unto Him, and arise to that which will exalt His Cause. At the beginning of this month, a special visitation was performed on his behalf. I convey greetings and salutations to him, and give him this great glad-tidings that praise be to God, his brothers too have been and are being illumined by his light. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, for assistance on their behalf.

Mention was made of the honored lady, daughter of the Most Truthful Name of God, upon her be the Glory of God, and the honored Hudhud, as well as the light of the eyes, upon them be the Glory of God. Praise be to God, all have been and are recipients of God’s favors. The Glory that is manifest, evident and shining from the horizon of the heaven of grace be upon those who have been patient and have spoken that which they were commanded by God, the Lord of the Worlds.

The Servant

14 Mu?arram 1301

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=== START BH00285 ===

He is God - Exalted be His Glory, the Most Great, the Most Luminous

This Wronged One has been and continues to be between the fangs of wolves. In this state, the flow of the Supreme Pen has not ceased, nor has the call of the Desired One of the world been stilled. At all times have We summoned the peoples of the world to the horizon of the All-Merciful. When the effulgences of the Sun of Revelation encompassed the world, a faction arose with sword and spear against the Desired One of all worlds. They utter that which no idolater has ever uttered, and each day some ignorant one speaks a word. Verily, many worshippers of the calf may appear in these lands, even as We previously announced the cawing of the crows, which has appeared and continues to appear in every city. We beseech God to protect His loved ones from the evil of such souls and to illumine hearts with the lights of unity and fellowship.

O people of God! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. Reflect upon the crows of the past, how many souls they have afflicted with doubts and idle fancies. They said “Truth” and martyred Him; they said “Qa’im” and cursed Him from their pulpits. Such is the state of heedless souls - they committed that which caused the world of justice to weep and the realm of equity to lament. A heedless one arrived in this land, outwardly showing harmony and faith while inwardly harboring infidelity and discord. Yet the Concealer concealed and made no mention of it. He thought God was unaware, supposing from His non-disclosure that He had no knowledge, ignorant that the name “the Concealer” had sought the hem of “the Chosen One” and asked for concealment.

O friends! Be steadfast and firm in the Cause. Should anyone utter a word, say in reply: “That which has appeared has, through a single effulgence from the lights of His Cause, illumined the world, and a single utterance from the heaven of His Will has made all independent of the books of the world and the utterances of nations.” Blessed is he who has attained unto God and His signs and turned away from every remote cawer.

Verily, any soul who today makes mention of that which causes discord is rejected in the sight of God. By God’s life! The Cause is complete and perfect, and the manifestations have reached their end. Yet crafty souls, like those of the past, exist and love discord. We beseech God to aid them, to assist them in helping His wondrous Cause, to prevent them from that which causes division among people, and to protect them from the whisperings of Satan.

O Samandar! Thy letter which thou didst write to him who was named Jud, upon him be My glory, was presented before the Most Holy Court. Thou didst mention several of the loved ones. Praise be to God that from the beginning until now thou hast been enabled to make mention of God and praise Him, and likewise to make mention of His loved ones. Thou hast turned unto Him, faced Him, and arisen to serve Him. Who can deny that which the tongue of the Wronged One hath uttered in His manifest prison?

His honor Nabil-i-Akbar, upon him be the glory of God, the Lord of destiny, has reportedly departed to other regions for the purpose of teaching. We beseech God to assist him and enable him to do that which He loves and is pleased with. His honor Javad, upon him be the glory of God - he and his relatives are occupied with praise, glorification and service to the Cause. This is from God’s bounty upon him. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

Thou didst mention his honor, the teacher. We have mentioned him before and after with a wondrous mention. Likewise the mention of other souls - each has attained to that which is recorded and inscribed in all the divine books and scrolls. O Ustad Qabil-i-’Ali, say:

My God, my God! All praise be unto Thee for having guided me, caused me to hear, recognized me, and taught me Thy path from which most of Thy servants and creatures have turned away. I beseech Thee by the Point through which Thou didst detail the Books, the Psalms and the Tablets, and through which Thou didst reveal the scrolls of Thy glory and the mysteries of Thy Cause, to make me steadfast in Thy love in such wise that the doubts of those who will come and whisper dissension among the servants on the Day of Meeting shall not prevent me. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all horizons and the One Who uniteth all hearts through Thy Name, the Mighty, the Bestower.

O Hasan! Hear the call from the precincts of the Prison. Verily, there is no God but Him, the Single, the All-Informed. When thou beholdest the stars of the heaven of My utterance and drinkest the choice wine of knowledge from the cup of My bounty, say: My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having awakened me and remembered me in Thy prison, and strengthened me to turn unto Thee when most of Thy servants turned away. I beseech Thee by the standing, the sitting, the speech, the silence, the appearance, the radiance, the stillness and the movement of the Dayspring of Thy Cause and the Source of Thy laws, to make me, in all conditions, one who calleth unto Thy Name with wisdom and utterance, and who remaineth steadfast in Thy Cause amidst all religions. O Lord! Withhold me not from the Kawthar of Thy grace, nor from the chalice of Thy bounty. Ordain for me that which will cause me to be detached from all else save Thee and to hold fast unto Thy cord. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful.

O Muhammad-Rida! The call hath been raised, and the Wronged One hath ever been in the hands of enemies. The tyranny of the oppressors, the turning away of the deniers, the onslaught of the transgressors, the malice of the divines and the hatred of the rulers have not prevented Him from mentioning the Lord of Names and the Creator of heaven. Before all faces, with the most exalted call, We summoned all, but the people accepted not the Word of truth and remained occupied with vain imaginings. Especially did the deniers among the people of the Bayan change affirmation into denial and gratitude into complaint. We beseech God to aid thee to be steadfast and to preserve what He hath bestowed. He is the Bestower, the Merciful.

O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of Siyyid Abdul-Ghani that his mention may attract him to the Dayspring of the Sun of steadfastness. O Pen! This is the day of utterance. Say what must be said. Deprive not the friends of God from the true choice wine, and withhold them not from the divine ocean of bounty. The Day is Thy Day; bestow from the treasuries of meanings and utterance that which befitteth these days. Say: O friends! The divine light shineth from the most exalted horizon of the world. He is the Sun of Truth and the Dayspring of Knowledge. The Sun of Manifestation hath been called by every name; nay rather, the most beautiful names and most exalted attributes have ever circled and continue to circle round Him. Gaze with penetrating eyes and turn with detached hearts. Vision is a magnet for the gate of knowledge, awareness and wisdom. Understanding cometh from the sight of the eye. Blessed is the soul that hath recognized the straight path and held fast unto it.

We make mention in this station of thy father who hath ascended to the Supreme Companion, as bidden by God, the Lord of Lords. We have purified him with the Kawthar of pardon and forgiveness and caused him to enter a station which the pens are powerless to describe. The glory from Us be upon him and upon those who remember him through that which the Most Exalted Pen hath uttered in this exalted station. The breezes of grace and favor have wafted over him from all directions. This is from the bounty of God, the Lord of all men. We make mention in this station of his wife and those who have believed in God, the Lord of all religions. Thus hath the Pen spoken while the Ancient King was in His Most Great Prison through that which the hands of the oppressors have wrought.

O Samandar! The mention of the friends in the land of Ra and Shin and its surroundings hath repeatedly flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. The pearls of the shell of divine knowledge have ever been sent by the hands of those who have turned towards God. Remember them all on behalf of the Wronged One and convey to them His greetings, that perchance the fragrances of the utterance of the All-Merciful may purify them from their sorrows and grant them access to the Most Great Joy.

Thou didst make mention of Aqa Siyyid Ahmad. Convey to him greetings on behalf of the Wronged One. We beseech God that He withhold not the rain of mercy which descendeth and floweth from the heaven of grace. O Ahmad! Thou hast attained unto the divine verses; strive that thou mayest attain unto such deeds whose fragrance shall never be cut off from the world. The treasures of the world cannot compare with the Word of God. Know thou the value of the Word of God and hold fast unto it. There are many barking dogs; seek protection from God. He is the Hearer, the Answerer.

We wish to make mention of him who was named Husayn, who hath ascended unto God, the Lord of the worlds. By the Sun of the horizon of the heaven of inner meanings! whatsoever floweth and is revealed from the Most Exalted Pen regarding those souls who have ascended unto the Most Glorious Horizon doth, at that very moment, bestow strength upon those pure spirits, and furthermore increaseth their glory, exaltation, bounty and repose. For the preservation of the servants, consummate wisdom hath concealed these stations. Every verse from among the verses of this Revelation is a perspicuous Book. From the mention of the Point described in the Tablets, the station of verses, letters and words is clear and evident to them that are endued with insight. Praise be to God that Husayn, upon him be My glory, hath attained through the Blessed Verse unto that which hath no peer or likeness.

O Samandar! The divine grace hath taken hold of the servants, and the Name of the Forgiver and the Concealer hath manifested His favors in such wise that justice is hidden and the luminary of grace is shining and manifest from the horizon of the heaven of bounty. Blessed are they who sail upon this sea and find that which beseemeth wisdom.

O Ghulam-’Ali! Hearken unto the voice of the Wronged One and be steadfast in the Cause of God in such wise that thou mayest find thyself, through God’s grace, independent of all else but Him. If thou attainest unto this station, thou shalt be preserved from the barking of the dogs and from those who love sedition and discord. Give thanks unto the Goal of all creation Who hath made mention of thee and caused thee to attain unto the verses of the Most Exalted Pen. Vain imaginings and idle fancies have ever been worthy of them that indulge in them. Fix thy gaze upon the lights of certitude and hold fast unto the cord of steadfastness. The friends have repeatedly been mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One, and for all We beseech steadfastness. He is the Kind, the All-Merciful.

O Abu-Turab! Your mention hath been made in the presence of the Wronged One, and thou hast been honored with the remembrance of the Most Exalted Pen. We beseech God to aid thee in such wise that neither the happenings of the world, nor the clamor of the nations, nor the intimations of the ignorant, nor the utterances of the feeble, nor the doubts of the learned shall sadden thee. Be thou joyous in the name of the True One and intimate with Him. At all times drink thou from the choice wine of the love of the Beloved of the worlds, and in His remembrance forget the world. Convey the greetings of the Wronged One to Taqi, upon him be Baha, and give him the glad-tidings of the effulgences of the light of the Orb of bounty. Perchance this glad-tiding may cause the people of the world to awaken. None hath comprehended the power of the Most Exalted Pen and the penetrating influence of the Most Great Word. Every utterance that appeareth from the horizon of the heaven of the Will of Him Who is the Desire of the worlds - its fragrance pervadeth and perfumeth the world. Blessed are they who perceive and find. The glory from Us be upon you both and upon those who heard the Call when it was raised from the Most Exalted Horizon and said: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the mystics and the Beloved of the sincere ones!”

O Samandar! The Most Exalted Pen, through pure grace and favor, hath willed in the Prison of Akka to make mention of M.L.K., upon him be Baha, and to gladden him with the effulgences of the Sun of utterance of the All-Merciful. O Muhammad-i-Qabil-i-Sadiq! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. Verily, He calleth at all times before the faces of all religions and summoneth them unto God, the Lord of the worlds. We make mention of them through My Pen, remind them of My signs, and give them the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of the Day of Judgment. We have stood before all faces in days wherein the feet of the learned have slipped - He Who possesseth the perspicuous Book beareth witness to this. We have heard thy call, made mention of thee and turned toward thee that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous.

We have sent down the verses and manifested the clear proofs and opened before the faces of the servants the gates of favor and bounty from God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. We have commanded them to that which draweth them nigh unto Him and aided them through His grace that hath encompassed the world and His mercy that hath preceded all in the heavens and the earth. When thou dost inhale the fragrance of My utterance and drinkest the choice wine of revelation from the cup of My bounty, say: “My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having mentioned me and sent down for me that whose fragrance shall never cease throughout the duration of Thy kingdom. I testify, O my God, to Thy oneness and Thy singleness. I beseech Thee by the penetrating power of Thy Will and the all-encompassing nature of Thy Purpose, and by the waves of the ocean of Thy utterance and the lights of the Orb of Thy proof, to make me detached from all else save Thee and wholly turned toward Thee. My God, my God! Thou seest my turning unto Thee and my clinging to Thy cord. Illumine my outer and inner being with the lights of Thy knowledge. O Lord! Deprive me not of that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones, nor withhold from me that which Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the Word whereby the mountains of idle fancies were scattered and the heaven of religions was cleft asunder, to make me steadfast in Thy Cause and firm in Thy love in such wise that neither the croaking of the croakers shall prevent me from turning to Thy horizon, nor the onslaught of the oppressors from taking hold of Thy Book. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

In this station We make mention of him who was named Lutf-’Ali, that he may give thanks unto the One Who remembered him when he was in the hands of the oppressors. O Lutf-’Ali Samandar, upon thee be My glory! He made mention of thee, and these special words have been revealed from the Mother Book, that they may revive thy spirit and strengthen thy limbs and cause thee to remain firm and steadfast in God’s Cause. How many souls cling to vain imaginings and have turned away and continue to turn away at a mere word! Beseech thou the True One, exalted be His glory, that He may aid all and bestow upon them the power of smell, and likewise the power of hearing and sight, that they may discover and see and hear. O Mahdi! The people of the Bayan beheld the Shi’ih faction and their vain imaginings and fancies, and likewise their deeds and stations on the Day of Reckoning; yet despite this they occupy themselves in organizing such a faction. Such is the condition of the servants. Know thou this and be of the discerning ones. Praise be to God! Each of the loved ones mentioned in the Book of Samandar attained unto the outpourings of the true Effulgent One. We conclude Our discourse with mention of Khalil and those with him. By the life of God! He hath been remembered before the Wronged One with a remembrance whose light shall never fade, nor shall the happenings of the world alter it, nor the tempests of nations, nor the veils of the transgressors. O Khalil! Hearken unto the Call. He is God; there is none other God but Him. He hath appeared and made manifest His Cause, the firm, the mighty. Neither have the tales of the world prevented Him, nor the oppression of those who denied the Day of Judgment. O Khalil! The most abject people in the world have been and are the faction of Iran. By the Sun of Utterance which shineth from the highest horizon of the world, the lamentation of the pulpits of that land is raised at all times, and in the early days this lamentation was heard in the Land of Ta [Tehran]. For the pulpit was established for the mention of God, exalted be His glory, but now in Iran it hath become the seat of cursing the Goal of all the worlds. Observe what the most abject of factions hath done and said. The deniers of the Bayan likewise follow in the footsteps of that faction. His honor Haydar-’Ali, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, hath written from the Land of Sad that the deluded ones of that land are calling people to the dawning-place of vain imaginings through the Book of Iqan. Such is the condition of the servants. Where is justice and where is fairness? Leave them to their vain disputes. We make mention of Muhammad-Karim and give him the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Remember him through My verses and give him the glad-tidings of My mercy which hath preceded all things and My grace which hath encompassed existence. God willing, may they be enkindled with the fire of the Divine Lote-Tree, illumined by its light and hold fast unto its branches in such wise that they may regard the world as non-existent and null. The glory be upon thee and upon him and upon those who are with you both and upon all who are firm and steadfast. We make mention of him who was named Yahya, who attained unto Our presence and won the victory, and whom God aided to be fair in this momentous News. O Yahya! Thou wert present and didst hear and see when the Supreme Pen spoke, as it sat upon its exalted throne. Blessed is he who hath drunk the choice wine of inspiration from the hands of the bounty of his Lord, the Lord of all beings, and who hath held fast unto the wisdom which We have sent down in diverse Tablets and unto that which We have enjoined upon the servants in My perspicuous Book.

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=== START BH00286 ===

In answer to the letter of Mulla Husayn Zavarih which was sent to Zayn, upon him be 66-9 [Baha’u’llah]:

In the Name of Him through Whom the Herald called out on the Day of Return: “The Kingdom belongs to God, the Lord of all beings!”

O Zayn! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness! There hath come before the Wronged One the letter sent to thee by him who was named Husayn in the Book of Names. We testify that from this Most Exalted Horizon he hath attained the choice wine of revelation and, through the grace of his Lord, the All-Merciful, hath taken and drunk from the cup of recognition in His name, the Mighty, the Wondrous. We have read his letter and answered him with a remembrance before which all remembrances bow down, with an utterance around which all utterance circles, and with a Book that proclaimeth before the faces of the world: “The gate of heaven hath been opened and the Lord of Names hath come with the hosts of revelation and inspiration!” Blessed is he who hath heard and attained, and woe unto the heedless!

O Husayn! Hear the call from the direction of the Wronged One - verily there is no God but Him, the Peerless, the All-Informed. He hath come for the salvation and life of the world. To this testifieth He Who proclaimeth in every state: “There is no God but I, the Mighty, the All-Praised!” Thy letter hath attained unto the hearing of the Wronged One, and He hath sent down for every name mentioned therein that which beareth witness to His grace, His bounty and His mercy that hath preceded all who are in the heavens and the earth.

Jinab-i-Mir Muhammad-’Ali, upon him be 66-9 [Baha’u’llah]:

O Pen! Make mention of him who was named Muhammad-’Ali, that this remembrance may draw him near unto God, the One, the Single, the Peerless, the Mighty, the Generous. Blessed is the temple adorned with the ornament of detachment, and blessed is the head honored with the crown of godliness from God, the Lord of the worlds. Say: Shatter the idols of vain desire through the name of the Lord of all humanity, and follow not every deluded remote one. Say: O people! The Day hath come, and the Self-Subsisting calleth out from the most exalted horizon: Fear God and be not among the oppressors! Cast aside the sources of idle fancies, turning unto the Self-Subsisting Who hath come with an authority before which neither the hosts of Pharaohs nor the ranks of tyrants can stand. Thus hath the Pen spoken when the Wronged One was established upon this exalted station. Take hold of the Book of God with the power from Him, then read what hath been sent down therein from One All-Knowing, All-Informed. The glory be upon thee, upon thy wife and thy son. We beseech God to assist them in what He loveth and is pleased with, and to ordain for them the good of the hereafter and of this world. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Jinab-i-Mirza Abu’l-Qasim, upon him be 66-9 [Baha’u’llah]:

O Abu’l-Qasim! He Who is encompassed by sorrows mentioneth thee that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Master of the Day of Judgment. By the life of God! The Most Exalted Pen hath raised its scratching in the nights and days, yet most of the people are heedless. They have not heard the Cry, nor the Call, nor the lamentation of those near ones who have lamented for what hath befallen Us at the hands of the oppressors. We counsel thee to fear God and to observe trustworthiness, which God hath made a wealth for His servants and a treasure for His creation. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Powerful. Give thanks unto God for that the Wronged One hath mentioned thee in this Great Prison. The glory be upon thee, upon thy brother, and upon whoso is with thee and hath attained unto the Kawthar of utterance from the hands of the bounty of his Lord, the Kind, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Jinab-i-Ustad ’Ali, upon him be 66-9 [Baha’u’llah]: […]

O Ali! The world hath been illumined by a Light that hath shone forth and gleamed from the highest horizon, yet the people have turned away therefrom and opposed it, following the sources of conjecture and idle fancy - they who have broken the Covenant and disbelieved in God, the Lord of all worlds. This is the Day wherein the Mount calleth out: “My Interlocutor hath come!” and the Light proclaimeth: “My Creator hath appeared!” The rapture of this Revelation hath seized all things, and the highest Paradise hath trembled with longing to attain the presence of God, Lord of the throne and of the dust, and Sovereign of this wondrous Day. Take hold of the Book of God with the strength that cometh from Him and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who hast remembered me, and glory be unto Thee, O Thou Who hast honored me with the tokens of Thy Most Exalted Pen and remembered me when I was heedless of Thee. I testify that Thou hast appeared and hast manifested that whereby the dwellers of the graves have arisen, and the Dove of Revelation hath warbled upon the branch of the Mount. The appointed time hath come, and the abode of signs hath appeared through a manifest command.”

O Sabbagh! Hear the call from the direction of Akka - verily there is no God but Him, the Single, the All-Informed. He hath created all things through a word from Him; He is the Powerful, the Mighty. We have preferred white above all other colors. Verily thy Lord doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. It is the mother of colors in the Book of God, the Mighty, the Great. Blessed is he who is dyed with the dye of God, which is sanctification from the world and its colors and all that is therein. Thus hath spoken the Tongue of the Wronged One while in the hands of the oppressors. We counsel thee and those who have believed to show forth the utmost steadfastness in this Cause, whereby the feet of those who claimed knowledge without clear proof or manifest Book have slipped.

O My loved ones in Jowshaqan! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One, Who hath borne all tribulations for the manifestation of God’s Cause, the Lord of all worlds. We counsel you to wisdom and utterance, and to those virtues which We have made the hosts of the Cause in this mighty Announcement. Aid your Lord through goodly deeds and through that which We have revealed in a Tablet from whose horizon the light of your Lord’s command, the Strong, the Powerful, hath shone. The glory from Us be upon you and upon the handmaidens of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

O My loved ones in Badegan! We make mention of My loved ones in Badegan that the remembrance may draw them to the highest horizon and bring them near unto God, the Mighty, the Great.

O Mahmud! We have heard thy call and have answered thee; thy name was present and We mentioned thee with a wondrous mention. Take hold of the Book of God with the strength that cometh from Him and say: “Praise be to Thee, O Thou the Goal of the world, for having caused me to hear Thy call and to behold the tokens of Thy Pen, and for having guided me to Thy path. I beseech Thee to aid me to be steadfast in this Cause whereby the skin of the deniers who heard and turned away when the All-Merciful came with a mighty proof hath quivered.” Let not the affairs of the world sadden thee, nor the doubts of any heedless one far removed from God hold thee back. Arise to serve My Cause with wisdom and utterance, then give thanks to thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous. He hath guided thee to His path and hath mentioned thee in His prison with the tongue of the Dayspring of His verses, the Dawning-place of His clear tokens, and the Source of His luminous, resplendent Command.

[Addressed to] Ghulam-’Ali

O Ghulam-’Ali! Hearken unto the call of Him Who standeth before the faces of the world, speaking by the command of God, the Lord of Religions. We have arisen and summoned the servants unto that which thou wast bidden by the One True God, the Chosen One. The happenings of the world and the books of nations have not deterred Us, as doth testify He with Whom is the Mother Book. We have manifested the Cause and revealed the verses by the command of God, the Lord of all men. Blessed is he who hath gathered the fruits of My Lote-Tree and hath attained unto My Cause, at Whose appearance all necks were humbled.

O Muhammad! The Wronged One remembereth thee at this hour when His sighs have ascended and His tears have fallen by reason of what hath befallen the Cause of God from them that denied Him when He came with power and dominion. They awaited the days of the Manifestation, yet when the ocean of utterance surged in the realm of possibility and the Dayspring of the Cause appeared, they turned away and denied the proof and the evidence. We counsel thee and them that have believed in that which beseemeth the Lord of Days. Blessed is the strong one whom the might of the people hath not shaken, and the steadfast one whom the power of the wicked hath not deterred. Thus hath the Pen spoken when the Wronged One was in the Most Great Prison through that which the hands of the evil ones have wrought.

O Muhammad-Sadiq! Hast thou heard the call of thy Lord when it was raised in truth, and hast thou beheld His signs when they encompassed the horizons? When thou findest the fragrance of that which hath been revealed from My Most Exalted Pen, say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of all beings and God of the throne on high and of earth below, for having enabled me to turn unto Thee and to acknowledge that which Thy tongue hath uttered. I beseech Thee by Thy greatest signs and the manifestations of Thy Will amongst all created things, to make me and them that have believed to be among such as hold fast unto the cord of Thy commandments and laws. Then assist us, O our God, with the hosts of wisdom and utterance. Verily Thou art the Mighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful. Then ordain for us that which shall be a treasure with Thee. Verily Thou art the Mighty, the All-Munificent.

Badaqan - And We make mention of the servants of God there whose names were not mentioned before the Face, and We remind them of My verses and give them the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of Lords. The glory from Us be upon them and upon the leaves who have clung to the Tree which was planted by the hand of power in the midst of Paradise. Is there any with hearing to hear the melodies of My Pen and the cooing of the Dove of My utterance upon the branches? Blessed is the servant whom the ornaments of the world have not kept back from the Lord of nations, and the heart that hath been illumined with the light of faith.

Zavarih - O Husayn! Upon thee be the glory of Husayn. We have heard thy call and what thou didst mention regarding the enkindlement of God’s loved ones in Qaf. We bear witness that they have attained when the All-Bountiful came with the kingdom of utterance. We make mention of them with My remembrance and remind them of My verses and give them the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of the final end. Thou didst mention him who ascended to the Supreme Companion, who was named ’Abdu’r-Rahim in the Book of God, the Lord of creation. He ascended with the light of certitude and the Concourse on High received him with the banners of verses, and We mentioned him before his ascension and after it with that whose fragrance shall not cease to endure as long as the Book of God, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing, shall endure. And We make mention of his sons at this time and We beseech God to aid them to be so steadfast that neither the hosts of the world nor the doubts of them that denied when the Desired One came with might and power shall deter them.

Aqa Mirza Mahdi, son of him who ascended unto God […]

O Mahdi! Hear thou the call of the Wronged One. Verily He hath appeared before all faces without veil or covering. Hast thou not heard His call betwixt earth and heaven? Hast thou not witnessed His power which neither the might of princes nor the oppression of the divines who denied the Manifestation when He came from the Mount of Knowledge with God’s proof, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High, could weaken? Husayn made mention of thee, and We too make mention of thee as a token of Our grace, for I am verily the All-Knowing Rememberer. Blessed art thou for having turned toward the horizon of the Cause when the Wronged One was in the most desolate of lands. We beseech God to aid thee to be steadfast and to reinforce thee with the hosts of utterance that thou mayest establish thy Lord’s Cause amongst all peoples. We make mention of thy wife and give her glad tidings of her Lord’s mercy which hath preceded the earths and the heavens.

O My loved ones! The Wronged One calleth unto you from the Most Great Prison with that which shall exalt God’s Cause, the Revealer of verses. I have witnessed in the prison that which I love not to witness and have heard that which I love not to hear. To this testifieth He with Whom are the treasuries of wisdom and utterance. That hath befallen Me at which all things have lamented, yet the people are wrapped in heedlessness and veils.

O Mahmud! He Who hath come with an irrevocable decree from God, the Supreme Ordainer, the Self-Subsisting, maketh mention of thee. Husayn made mention of thee, and We too make mention of thee that thou mayest give thanks unto thy Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. Arise to serve the Cause of thy Lord, then remind the servants of that which hath appeared and shone forth from the most exalted horizon. Thus hath the Mother Book spoken forth in this praiseworthy station. When the wine of My utterance hath taken hold of thee, say:

My God, my God! I testify that Thou hast manifested Thy Cause, guided Thy servants, made known unto them Thy path, shown them Thy horizon, and sent down unto them Thy proof. Some have turned away and some have turned toward Thee. I beseech Thee, O Lord of the worlds and Goal of all peoples, by Thy Most Great Name, to aid Thy servants to turn toward Thee, to acknowledge that which Thy tongue hath uttered, and to act according to what Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Truth, the Knower of things unseen.

O My loved ones in Hamadan! We make mention of the land of Ha and Mim that God’s loved ones who believed in Him when He came with His choice-sealed wine may rejoice thereby. O My loved ones in that land! We made mention of you before with a mention by which hearts were attracted, and We make mention of you at this time when the Wronged One is between the jaws of wolves through that which the hands of every malicious oppressor have wrought. Aid ye your Lord through utterance. We have lifted the decree of holy war by the sword and have made it to be waged through refinement, goodly character and knowledge. Blessed is he who hath cast away his vain desire, taking hold of My preserved tablet.

O Exalted Pen! Make mention of My loved ones in Dawlatabad and give them the glad-tidings of the loving-kindness of their Lord, the Possessor of existence. O My loved ones in that place! Hearken unto My call. Verily, there is none other God but He, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Loving. We have mentioned you before and have sent down for you that which caused the Most Exalted Paradise to be stirred. My inscribed Tablet beareth witness to this. We have veiled your names as a wisdom from Our presence and as a protection from Us. We beseech God to aid you to champion His Cause through remembrance and utterance, and to make you ensigns of love amongst all people. Verily, He is the One Who has power over whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be” and it is. We behold those who have turned towards the Countenance and We hear their mention of this Cause whereby hearts have been perturbed and souls have lamented. The glory rest upon you and upon those whom neither the ranks of the world nor the cannons and armies have deterred.

The loved ones of God in Khalajabad! O Temple of Utterance! Turn thy face towards My loved ones in Khalajabad, then bring forth from the ocean of utterance the pearls of wisdom and explanation. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest and within Thy grasp are the reins of all affairs. O loved ones of God in that place! We have mentioned you before and have acquainted you with God’s extended path, and We have revealed for you that which has brought solace to the eyes of the people of the cities of knowledge and wisdom. To this beareth witness He Who summons all to the horizon of the Revelation from God, the Lord of the unseen and the seen. Give thanks unto God for having aided you to turn towards Him and for having sent down for you that whereby your mention shall endure amongst His servants. Verily, He is the Powerful over what was and what shall be. Nothing whatsoever escapeth His knowledge. He witnesseth and seeth, and He is the Speaker, the Hearer, the Mighty, the Beloved. Soon shall the cawing be raised in that place. This is what We have informed you of before, did ye but know. This is the Day which Muhammad, the Apostle of God, and before Him the Gospel, the Torah, and the Psalms have foretold. Blessed is he who hath laid hold on the Most Great Cord and clung to the hem of the mercy of his Lord, the Sovereign, the Self-Subsisting.

The loved ones of God in Shahabad! We make mention of My loved ones in Shahabad and counsel them to perform pure deeds for God, the Lord of the worlds. Hearken unto My call. Verily, it will draw you nigh unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Beware lest the doubts of the cawing ones debar you from the straight path of God. Take hold of the Book of God with the strength that proceedeth from Him and follow not every heedless sinner from among those who have violated God’s covenant and His testament by following the promptings of the Evil Ones. Thus hath the Pen spoken when the Wronged One was in His mighty prison. Blessed are ye for having turned towards the Most Exalted Horizon when every transgressor and doubter turned away. Ye have drunk the choice wine of utterance from the hands of the bounty of your Lord, the Most Merciful. We counsel you to be steadfast in this Most Great Cause whereby the hearts of the deceivers have been perturbed.

The loved ones of God in Sultanabad! O Thou Who art wronged! Make mention of Thy loved ones in the land of Sin and Lam and give them the glad-tidings of the loving-kindness of their Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous. O My loved ones in that place! We have mentioned each one of you in the Crimson Scroll by My Most Exalted Pen as a bounty from God, the Powerful, the Mighty. We mentioned you before with that which all the treasures of kings cannot equal. Ye have attained unto the traces of the Most Exalted Pen, to this doth testify He with Whom is the clear Book. Rejoice, then give thanks to your Lord, the Most Merciful, for this great bounty. We have mentioned the names as a command from Us. Verily your Lord, the Most Merciful, is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We beseech Him to aid you in His remembrance and praise, and in steadfastness in this wondrous Cause.

O Husayn! We have made mention of the loved ones of God in Nun and Jim in various Tablets. Their names were present before the Wronged One, and We revealed for each one of them that which brought solace to the eyes of the sincere ones. From this station We send Our greetings to them and bid them to deeds and virtuous conduct. Thus have We counseled Our loved ones before and after. Blessed are they who act! The glory from Our presence be upon His loved ones and chosen ones who were moved neither by the tempests of hatred nor the storms of adversity. They heard the Call from the Most Exalted Horizon and said: “Here am I, O Thou Goal of the mystics! Here am I, O Thou Who art worshipped by all who are in the heavens and on earth!”

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This is the Tablet of Baha from the dominion of eternity. Read it, O concourse of the exalted ones, that perchance ye may ascend unto the heaven of the Cause in this atmosphere and stand firm in the Cause of your Lord, the All-Merciful.

He is the Ever-Abiding

O handmaiden of God! Dost thou remain seated after the Youth’s garment hath been dyed crimson with the blood of hatred between earth and heaven, while He crieth out at every moment with a sorrowful voice? And whenever He seeketh help from His loved ones, they draw nigh unto Him with swords of jealousy. Thus hath the matter been, if thou be of them that know. Now hath the Beauty of Baha fallen into the depths of the pit. If thou findest a caravan of the exalted ones, send it forth that perchance it may lower the bucket of faithfulness into this dark well and raise up the Youth thereby, and all the worlds may be illumined by His glance.

O my handmaiden! Dost thou remain in thy place after the Friend hath been afflicted at Nimrod’s hand, finding no helper save God, the Mighty, the Beautiful? O my handmaiden! Dost thou drink water after Husayn was parched with thirst in the land of ?aff, when He could but suck drops of luminous blood from His own sweat? Dost thou walk in the paradise after the Beauty of the All-Glorious was transformed by the afflictions visited upon Him by the satanic hosts?

O my handmaiden! Dost thou rejoice after God’s joy hath been changed to the greatest sorrow, whereby the hearts of all contingent beings and then the hearts of them that are nigh unto God were made to bleed behind the veils of wondrous glory? Dost thou partake of God thy Lord’s bounty after the Youth hath been made to eat of pieces of His own liver by that which the hands of the hypocrites have wrought?

Say: O people of the Bayan! Do ye rest in your homes after the Ancient Beauty hath been exiled and settled in lands where none of its people, neither noble nor base, recognize Him? Do ye laugh after the Spirit was in the hands of the Jews who would sting Him like serpents at every moment? Alas for you, in that ye have forgotten God’s covenant and His testament, cast behind you God’s Cause, and taken that which your own desires have commanded you, O company of hypocrites!

O handmaidens of God! Do ye apply kohl to your eyes after the eyes of the Ancient One weep and tears flow down His cheeks like the rain-bearing clouds pour upon the cheeks of a wondrous land? Do ye adorn your bodies after God’s robe hath been pierced by the spears of the deniers? Do ye enter chambers of delight after the sweet fragrances of joy have been cut off from the paradise of My Most Great Name?

O my handmaidens! Do ye redden your faces while God’s face hath grown pale from the blows of hatred from those who believed not in any of God’s Messengers, having denied this mighty, exalted Grace? O my handmaiden! Know thou that the Beloved of the All-Merciful hath been afflicted among the people of the Bayan even as ’Ali was afflicted among the people of the Furqan. By God! Nay, even more grievously, if thou be of them that witness. And Joseph of Beauty crieth out when He hath fallen beneath the claws of the wolf, seeking help from His loved ones, that perchance someone might arise to aid Him and be numbered among the helpers.

Therefore strike ye upon your thighs, then upon your breasts, then upon your heads, for the Youth desireth to depart from among these people because of what hath befallen Him, which none in all the worlds can reckon. By God! The Lote-Tree of the far boundary hath quivered and fallen with its trunk upon the earth, as the winds of poison have blown upon the Divine Lote-Tree from the direction of the hearts of Our idolatrous servants.

O my handmaiden! Dost thou cover thy head after the Youth’s head hath been raised upon the spears of hatred, whereby the Maids of Paradise have uncovered their heads in the chambers of eternity and torn out their hair when they witnessed the Most Glorious Sovereign in the hands of the wretched ones who opposed […]

O Beauty of the Ancient! Remind the servants of that which We mentioned to thee behind the pavilion of infallibility, then unveil the beauty of mysteries from behind the veils of concealment. None shall turn thereunto save every pure, sagacious and knowing one, that perchance they may recognize what We have sent down of wisdom in the Torah and made it a lesson for those who hear. For in this are signs for the mystics, clear proofs for those possessed of certitude, and evidences for every faithful striver - those whom the allusions of words shall never prevent from attaining the presence before the Throne, this sacred spot by whose dust the people of the most exalted Paradise seek blessing in the retreats of sublime holiness.

Say: We created Balaam aforetime from a handful of clay, then We clothed him with the garment of names such that We made his name renowned among Our near servants and raised his mention to a station wherein people would remember him in most lands. The rain of grace encompassed him from the clouds of Our firm, mighty and powerful Command. When his days were fulfilled, We sent after him Moses with clear signs and sent him to his land. Then he denied Him and was deluded by leadership until he warred against Him by Whose word were created the heavens and all beneath them and the earths and all upon them, and We made Him the Manifestation of My All-Knowing, All-Wise Self.

O servant! Take hold of the reins of the Pen, then restrain what thou hast caused to flow from its mouth of the choice wine of holiness and the luminous Tasnim. Conclude the discourse at this point, then begin with the mention of My chosen ones that it may be a remembrance and honor for those who remember.

Say: O people of Baha! Board ye the Ark of Eternity which saileth upon the crimson sea. God hath ordained no portion thereof for the idolaters, for it beareth none save the people of piety from among the companions of this Youth, Who hath mounted the pavilion of glory and calleth out between heaven and earth, summoning all peoples to the countenance of God that they may be of those who turn unto Him.

O people of Baha! Should ye find one who can engrave diamond and cause it to flow upon tablets, then write ye therewith what hath been revealed in this Tablet, then spread it throughout all lands that the signs of God may be made manifest among His assured servants. And if ye find not such means, then write it with pure gold. Beware lest ye transgress what ye have been commanded and be of the patient ones.

Say: God hath caused suns to dawn from the horizon of these words, whose number none knoweth save God, the Counter, the All-Knowing. By each one thereof He nurtureth a world among His worlds whereof none among all created things is aware save God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Blessed is he who faceth them, is illumined by them, falleth prostrate at their dawning and is not of the proud ones.

Verily, a single letter of this Tablet sufficeth as proof and evidence for all who are in the heavens and on earth, though none comprehendeth this save every just and insightful one. Were anyone to place it upon all things, or were it to be recited to all who are in the heavens and on earth, thou wouldst find them bowing down before the face of thy Lord. These words We cast upon the servants that perchance the people may be of those who advance, may stand firm in the Cause, and may aid this solitary, unique and peerless Servant.

He is the Ever-Abiding

O handmaid of God! Wouldst thou place patience in the seat of authority, or choose forbearance over agitation, after the garment of God’s Servant and the robe of this Spiritual Beauty hath been stained and reddened with the blood of hatred between earth and heaven, and at every moment He crieth out with a sorrowful voice? And whensoever He seeketh succor from His friends or assistance from His loved ones, they draw near with swords of jealousy and respond with blades of envy and wrath. Thus hath it been with this wronged Beauty, if thou be of them that comprehend. At this hour, the Ancient Beauty is imprisoned in the darksome pit and confined in the night of tribulation. Therefore, if thou findest the wandering star of blindness, guide it to the head of this dark well, and direct it to aid this Joseph of the divine Egypt, that perchance it might lower the bucket of faithfulness into this dark pit, that this divine Beauty might ascend, and by His glances and gaze the worlds might be illumined.

O My handmaid! Wouldst thou remain patient in thy place and seek comfort in thy dwelling after the Friend of the All-Merciful hath fallen into the hands of Nimrod, the sovereign of rebellion, finding no helper and beholding no supporter save God, the Mighty, the Beautiful? O My handmaid! Wouldst thou drink of sweet Euphrates water after the martyred Husayn’s blessed liver was consumed by the fire of thirst, and His radiant face was inflamed by the heat of His parching thirst, to such degree that drops of blood were drawn from His delicate veins?

O My handmaid! Wouldst thou direct thy steps toward pleasure gardens or transport thyself to paradise groves for recreation and delight after the Beauty of the All-Glorious hath withered from the persecution and torment of the satanic hosts of self, and the fire of His countenance hath been extinguished and grown cold? O My handmaid! Wouldst thou seek joy and gladness, or pursue delight and pleasure, after the joy and happiness of thy Lord hath been transformed into supreme sorrow and grief, wherefore the pieces of the livers of all created things and the hearts of them that are nigh have been turned to crimson blood behind the veils?

O My handmaid! Wouldst thou seek enjoyment from the bounties of thy Lord and pursue contentment after God’s Servant must feed upon pieces of His own liver because of what the hands of the hypocrites have wrought? Therefore cry out with a loud voice and with greatest lamentation: O people of the Bayan! Would ye rest in your homes after the Beauty of the Ancient One hath set from the realms of nearness and descended in a land where none of its people, whether lowly or noble, recognize Him? Would ye smile and laugh after the Spirit fell into the hands of the Jews and was slain and crucified by the wound of the envious and the gallows of the malicious, while at every moment the serpent of hatred doth bite Him? Woe unto you, for ye have broken the Covenant of Him Who […]

O company of hypocrites! O handmaidens of God! Do you adorn your eyes with kohl after the eyes of the Ancient One are weeping, and tears flow down His cheeks like spring rain? Do you bedeck your bodies after the robe of the Beloved has been pierced by the spears of the deniers? Do you enter chambers of delight and attend gatherings of joy and manifestation after the breezes of joy have been cut off and the signs of gladness and manifestation have been forbidden from the paradise of My Great Name?

O My handmaidens! Do you paint your cheeks rose-red when the Most Glorious Beauty has turned pale from the blows of hatred inflicted by those who have believed in none of the Messengers of their Lord, having denied this mighty, exalted grace? O My handmaiden! Know that the Beloved of the All-Merciful among the people of the Bayan has been afflicted as was the Primal Point among the people of the Furqan. I swear by the Beauty of the All-Glorious that the tribulations of this Beauty are greater than the tribulations of all those who have gone before and shall come after. At this hour, the Joseph of Beauty cries out with sorrowful voice from beneath the claws of the wolf, seeking help from His loved ones, that perchance some soul might arise with divine power and sovereignty to aid this wronged Beauty.

O handmaidens of God! At this time, when this spiritual servant has determined to conceal the luminous Beauty from the eyes of believers and deniers alike, strike your heads and breasts in utmost regret and bewilderment, and harmonize with mournful lamentations and cries of grief, until springs of blood surge from your eyes and rivers of blood flow from your hearts. By God! The furthermost Tree in the most exalted paradise has fallen to the ground at its root, for poisonous winds have blown upon this Divine Lote-Tree and the Most Glorious Beauty from the hearts of those who were and ever shall be polytheists.

O My handmaiden! Would you cover and adorn your head with colored veils after the head of the Youth of the immortal realm has been raised upon the spears of hatred? For this cause have the Maids of Paradise dwelling in the lofty chambers of eternity uncovered their heads and disheveled their hair, for they have witnessed the Most Sublime King in the hands of the wicked ones, who at every moment raise objections against this Ancient Beauty.

At this moment, the Most Glorious Beauty speaks with holy, divine utterances and sublime, glorified words, saying: O companions of Baha! Board the Ark of eternity and sail upon the crimson sea in this Greatest City. Know your station in this place, for none has been or ever shall be partner to this mighty bounty and supreme favor, since today all ships are engulfed in the depths of the ocean of annihilation save this divine and glorified Ark […]

The Ark of Glorification of the All-Merciful - whosoever clingeth thereunto shall be preserved from the tribulations of the age, and the Lord hath sanctified it from bearing the polytheists and from the sitting of the opponents. This is the bounty of the Lord that is specially reserved for the leaves of the Sacred Lote-Tree which have appeared from the bosom of the Most Glorious Vesture with the most wondrous and purest radiance. Know ye then the worth of this wondrous bounty and exalted grace, lest the manifestations of Satan prevent you from the shade of the Lote-Tree of the All-Merciful and ye be reckoned among the deprived ones in the land. Therefore, O My servants and mirrors of My beauty, if ye find one who is able to dissolve and cause diamonds to flow, then write with diamond ink that which hath been sent down from the heaven of glory and sanctity, and spread it throughout all lands that the divine traces may be diffused among His servants. And if ye find not such a one and are unable to accomplish this, then write these wondrous and exalted words with pure gold ink and send them to My cities and territories that perchance the people of the lands may find their way to the Beauty of the Chosen One and be guided, and may drink from this Salsabil of holy exaltation and this Tasnim of wondrous glory. This is the counsel of your Lord if ye be of them that hearken.

From the horizon of these words the Lord of the worlds hath caused to shine forth such suns of divine glory that none can reckon their number save your Lord, Who is the Counter and the All-Knowing. And through each of these suns He educateth a world from among His worlds, worlds which none among all created things hath discovered save His Self, Who is the All-Knowing and the All-Encompassing over all His worlds. Glad tidings, then, to the one who turneth the mirror of his heart toward these suns of mighty establishment which have risen from the dawning-places of the Command of the Lord of the Worlds and have shed their radiance, and who falleth upon his face in the dust at the rising of these Suns of inner meaning, and who is not of the proud ones.

These words have been mentioned in the translation of the verses of divine glory in the Persian tongue, that every soul may seek everlasting life from the holy living waters that flow and stream from the mouth of the All-Merciful. Some verses of this exalted missive have not been translated, being dependent upon and conditional on the understanding of the readers, that they may comprehend what they will. Upon God is the goal of the path; He guideth whom He willeth unto His mighty and straight path.

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=== START BH00288 ===

Praised be the most holy and exalted Presence of the Lord of existence, Who, through the effulgent rays of the Sun of proof, hath illumined the world with the light of recognition. Through His absolute Will and His pervading Purpose, He ordained the Supreme Pen to be the Dawning-Place of His most exalted Word. He is the true Trumpet, possessing eternal treasuries. Through His transcendent grace and by His conquering and mighty power, He blew into it, whereupon those in the graves arose, the mountains passed away, and the cry of all things was raised up, in such wise that every possessor of hearing and sight did hearken unto the blessed words “The Sovereign Lord hath come! The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting.” This Pen was attracted, not thunderstruck, by the divine Call, and through its treasuries was manifested that which enabled the thirsty to attain the living waters, the poor to reach the endless treasure, and the seekers to find the Object of all created things. Exalted be His dominion, sublime be His Word, and great be His signs. There is no God but Him.

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! Thou hearest the cry of them that are near unto Thee among Thy servants, and the lamentation of them that are sincere among Thy trusted ones. There hath befallen them in Thy days that which hath caused the dwellers of the cities of Thy glory to wail, and the Countenances enshrined within the tabernacle of Thy majesty and the pavilions of Thy grandeur to cry out. O Lord! Thou hearest that the crier hath cried out in the letter Ta, and with Thee is the knowledge of all things in Thy Book. I beseech Thee by Thy signs spread abroad in Thy lands, and by the lights of Thy Manifestation on the mount of Thy recognition, to aid Thy loved ones to attain unto such steadfastness as no oppression of the oppressors nor cawing of the cawers can shake. O Lord! Strengthen them through Thy bounty, then preserve them from the whisperings of those who have broken Thy Covenant and Thy Testament. Then I beseech Thee, O Revealer of verses and Manifester of clear tokens, by Thy Name through which the limbs of all names have trembled, to enable all Thy servants to turn unto Thee and to repair to the gate of Thy grace which hath been opened to all in Thy earth and Thy heaven. Verily, Thou art the Almighty over what Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all things. There is no God but Thee, the Strong, the Conquering, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O ’Ali-i-A?ghar! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Lord of the Throne on high and of the earth below, the Possessor of the hereafter and this world. Thy letter hath come time and again, and every letter thereof hath attained the honor of acceptance and good-pleasure. We have found from it the fragrance of thy sincerity and thy devotion to this Cause, whereby the feet of the worshippers of names who denied God’s proof, His testimony, His Manifestation and His sovereignty have slipped. Blessed art thou and blessed is he who hath heard, turned unto, and responded. He is indeed of the people of Baha in the Self-Subsisting Lord of Names. To this beareth witness the Mother Book in this return. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to make thee steadfast in His love, speaking His praise, holding fast unto His cord, and clinging to the hem of the robe of His mercy. Verily, He is the Most Merciful of the merciful ones and the Fulfiller of the needs of all supplicants. We wish at this time to make mention of those whose names were in thy letter, that thou mayest give them the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness and grace which have encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth.

O Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who was named Tahir, who was formerly Mirza - upon him be the glory of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed - that he may find from thy mention the fragrances of revelation which, when diffused, perfumed earth and heaven. To this beareth witness the Lord of all beings in the prison of Akka. Blessed is he who hath found, and woe unto every heedless doubter.

O Ta who was formerly Ha! Hearken unto the call which hath been raised from this spot which God hath made the circling-place of them that are nigh unto Him and the sincere ones. We have sent down for thee aforetime that which attracted the hearts of those who soared in the atmosphere of divine knowledge and cast behind them all else but God. We bear witness that they are among the triumphant in the Book of God, the Lord of the mighty throne. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to make thee a standard of His name amongst His servants and an ensign of power throughout His lands. He, verily, is the Powerful, the Mighty. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having guided me unto Thy path and for having revealed unto me that whereby my reality, my spirit and my name shall endure in Thy manifest Book. I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by the light of Thy Cause and the fire of Thy Lote-Tree on Sinai, to aid me in all conditions to assist Thy Cause through wisdom and utterance. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Bountiful.

O Rida! The world hath been illumined by the radiant and resplendent light which hath shone forth from the horizon of God’s will, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Rejoice thou in My remembrance of thee and glorify the name of thy Lord. He, verily, is the helper of them that remember Him. Grieve not because of the people and their deeds and that which proceedeth from their mouths. It behooveth thee to rejoice in My name, the Mighty, the Luminous. Say: O my God! Thine is the greatness and the sovereignty and the glory. I beseech Thee by the Dawning-Place of Thy signs and the Source of Thy clear tokens, and by the Sovereign of Names through Whom the limbs of the people of the kingdom of creation have quaked, to make me steadfast, articulate, upright and firm in Thy love and Thy Cause. Thou, verily, art the Powerful, the Mighty.

O Mir, formerly Muhsin! Say: O people of the Bayan! Verily, He hath claimed neither prophethood, nor guardianship, nor imamate, nor any name from among the names. I was asleep when the hands of divine power awakened me, I was seated when they raised me up, and I was silent when they caused me to speak. This is not from me - to this do My Books, My Scriptures and My Tablets bear witness. Thus have We sent down the proof both before and after. Well is it with the fair-minded. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, my Lord and my Support, for having made me articulate in Thy praise and steadfast in Thy Cause. Thou hast appeared and revealed in Thy Book the mysteries of what was and what is to be. O Lord! Thou seest this poor one turning toward the heaven of Thy bounty and the ocean of Thy generosity. I beseech Thee not to disappoint him of that which Thou hast ordained for them that are nigh unto Thee among Thy servants, nor to debar him from turning toward Thy gate which Thou hast opened unto the faces of Thy servants and Thy creatures. Thou art, verily, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Great.

O Ali! Rejoice in that the Wronged One hath remembered thee while imprisoned in the most desolate of lands. The appointed time hath come to pass, the verses have been sent down, the clear proofs have appeared, yet the people are in strange doubt. Say: O people! Fear God and follow not him who hath denied the appearance of God and His sovereignty. Cast away what ye possess and take hold of that which ye have been commanded in the Mother Book. We have mentioned thee before and at this time with that which hath attracted the realities of the servants. Blessed is the soul that hath acted according to that which it was commanded in the Mother Book. We have heard thy call and have turned toward thee through Our grace, and We are, verily, the Powerful, the All-Choosing.

Verily We have desired to make mention of him who was named Muhammad before Aqa, that he may render thanksgiving unto his Lord in the evening and at dawn, and at sunrise and sunset. O Muhammad! The All-Bountiful hath come, riding upon the clouds, while the people are in doubt and discord. They see, yet they deny - verily they are among the companions of error. They have cast the path of God behind their backs, clinging to the vain imaginings and idle fancies they possess. Say: O concourse of the earth! Fear ye God! He hath come for your salvation and reformation. Fear God and be not of the companions of the Fire. Blessed is he who hath turned unto the Most Sublime Horizon and acted in accordance with that which hath been commanded by God, the Cleaver of the Dawn.

The heaven of utterance desireth to make mention of one of its loved ones who was named Muhammad before ’Ali, that he may rejoice in God’s loving-kindness and mercy which have preceded all created things. The Tongue of Grandeur beareth witness at this moment that there is none other God but He, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting. He it is Who hath been established upon the throne and hath spoken that which was the Water of Life unto all them that are in the realm of possibility. Blessed is he who hath drunk thereof and attained, and woe unto every heedless one who remaineth veiled. We beseech God to draw thee nigh unto Him and to open before thy face the door of His bounty. Verily, He is the Single, the One, the Almighty, the Glorious, the Beloved.

O Siyyid before Muhammad! The Lord of the worlds hath come, yet the people know not. The Hidden One hath appeared, yet most of the people understand not. The Promise hath come, and the Promised One proclaimeth with loudest voice: “Verily He is God; there is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Loving.” Take thou the chalice of utterance in the name of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, then drink thereof, detached from all names and from whatsoever the people possess. Thus hath decreed the Lord of the worlds as a bounty from His presence, and He is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. Most of the servants have been prevented from drawing nigh unto God by following the desires of them who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen. O Muhammad! Give thou glad tidings of this Most Great Revelation unto the people. Say: O people! Fear ye God and be not of them who see yet deny. Thus hath the call been raised from the Most Sublime Horizon that it might attract all beings unto God, the Lord of existence.

O Pen! Make mention of him who was named Mir ’Ali-Akbar, who turned unto God when most of the servants turned away. We beseech God to aid him to be so steadfast as to cause the hearts of them who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of lords, to quake. We have made mention of them who have turned unto the Countenance and aided them with verses whereby the spheres have been attracted. Say: O people! This is the Promised One Who was inscribed in the Books, the Psalms and the Tablets. This is the day whereon the lamentation of them who are nigh unto God hath been raised by reason of what hath befallen the Wronged One at the hands of every calumniating liar. Say: Be fair, O people, concerning that which hath appeared in truth, and be not of them who have violated the Covenant and the Testament. Thus hath the hand of power seized the reins of them who have denied that which hath been sent down from the heaven of God’s grace, the Lord of all men.

O My loved ones in Ishqabad! The Wronged One desireth to make mention of you in such wise as to cause your names to endure in God’s Book, the Lord of creation. He hath appeared and revealed whatsoever He desired. Beware lest the names hold you back from their Lord, or the might of them who have disbelieved in the Return strike fear into your hearts. Take ye the chalice of recognition in the name of the Lord of all possibilities, then drink thereof in defiance of him who hath raised his voice there without any clear proof or evidence. We beseech God to aid you to be so steadfast that the promptings of them who disbelieved in God when He came riding upon the clouds shall not cause you to slip. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon you and upon them who have turned with radiant faces unto God, the Almighty, the All-Choosing.

O Mir, O ’Ali before Asghar! The Lord of destiny desireth to make mention of them whom thou didst mention in His Most Great Scene, that thou mayest give thanks unto thy Lord, the Lord of all worlds.

O Pen! Make mention of him who hath been named Haji-’Ali-i-Akbar. We testify that he hath attained unto that which was inscribed, recorded and mentioned by the Most Exalted Pen in the Books of God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment. Verily, he hath quaffed the wine of utterance from the hand of My bounty and hath attained unto that which most of mankind hath failed to attain. To this beareth witness the Mother Book which moveth and proclaimeth: “There is none other God but He, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” Through My remembrance all mention is humbled, and through My call the hearts of the sincere are attracted. We beseech God to protect thee and His loved ones from the most wicked and most lying among men who hath turned towards that place, having followed the desires of every heedless and remote one. Say: O people! The Day hath come, and it is the Day of God wherein no names are mentioned. To this testifieth He Who speaketh before all faces by the leave of the Wise Commander. Say: Verily, this Speaker is the Commander, and this perspicuous Book is the Ruler. Say: My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having illumined me with the light of Thy knowledge and sent down unto me that which shall cause my mention and my name to endure throughout the eternity of Thy Kingdom and Thy dominion. I beseech Thee by the Fire which called out in the Sinai of Thy Cause, and by the Light which shone from the horizon of the Mount through Thy will, to make me steadfast, firm and upright in such wise that neither the cawing of the crows nor the clamor of the infidels may move me. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The Trusted One hath mentioned My loved ones there time and again. We have answered him with that which hath caused hearts to soar and mountains to pass away. Exalted is this wondrous and glorious remembrance.

We have desired to make mention of him who hath been named ’Ali of Mim and Ya, that he may give thanks unto his Lord and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Beloved of those who are in the heavens and on earth.” O ’Ali! Thou hast attained unto My remembrance time and again, and We make mention of thee now with that which the treasuries of the servants cannot equal. Verily thy Lord is the Powerful, the Almighty. O ’Ali! The Lamp is amidst the winds by reason of that which the hands of the oppressors have wrought. The people of hypocrisy have risen up in such wise as hath caused the tears of the Concourse on High and the near angels to flow. We beseech God to protect thee and those who have believed. Verily, He is the Single, the One, the Compassionate, the Generous. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon those who have held fast unto this luminous Handle and clung to My gleaming hem.

O Mashhadi-’Ali! We make mention of those who have turned towards the Countenance, both before and after. Blessed is he who hath heard and said: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Goal of those who are in the heavens and on earth.” When the Cause was manifested and that which had been hidden from the servants appeared, the people denied it: among them were those who turned away, those who disbelieved, and those who pronounced sentence to shed His most pure and radiant blood. We, in the midst of tribulations, make mention of the loved ones and give them the glad-tidings of God’s favor, the Lord of all worlds. Grieve thou not at anything. In all matters put thy trust in God, the Single, the All-Informed. Verily, He protecteth whom He willeth and aideth him to remain steadfast in this Great Cause, this Mighty Announcement. Thus hath the call been raised from the Prison of ’Akka, despite every croaking raven who hath denied God’s right and His sovereignty, clinging to that which he possesseth from the promptings of the polytheists.

O Jabbar! The Chosen One maketh mention of thee from the precincts of the Prison with that which shall draw thee nigh unto the Dayspring of God’s revelation, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. Say: O people of the earth! The Light hath shone forth and the Tree and the Mount speak, proclaiming: “I have attained unto the presence of my Goal and the Goal of those who are in the heavens and on earth.” Turn ye, O people, unto the Most Great Path which speaketh before the faces of the world: “There is none other God but He, the Forgiving, the Merciful.” The divine call hath been raised when the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that whereby the hearts of the monotheists were attracted.

O Sadiq! The crier has come. Guard thyself through My Name, then through My sovereignty, then through My might and power, in such wise that shouldst all who are in earth and heaven come against thee, they shall find thee steadfast as an immovable and upright mountain. Beware lest the veils of any ignorant doubter conceal thee. Take hold with thy right hand of the most pure and luminous hem of God and say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having caused me to hear Thy call, to behold Thy signs, and to witness Thy clear tokens. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance and by Thy might, Thy grandeur and Thy power, to make me so firm in Thy love that the manifestations of vain imaginings shall not prevent me from this mighty and perspicuous Cause.

O Ali-Qabli-Akbar [of Maraghih]! Thou hast come with a Cause at whose appearance the limbs of the idolaters trembled - they who violated God’s Covenant and Testament and committed that which caused the near ones to lament. Say: I testify that Thou hast appeared and hast manifested that whereby the dwellers of the graves have arisen. I beseech Thee by the Dawning-Places of Thy verses and the Manifestations of Thy beauty in the most exalted Paradise and the supreme Heaven to enable me to serve Thy Cause. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Kind.

O Zaynu’l-Abidin! The Wronged One, beneath the talons of the idolaters, remembereth His loved ones with that which causeth the fragrance of utterance to be diffused throughout all possibility. Blessed is he who hath found, and woe unto every heedless and rejected one. This is a day wherein hath been heard the rustling of the Sadratu’l-Muntaha, the scratching of My Most Exalted Pen, and My sweetest call. Blessed is he who hath heard, and woe unto him who hath been debarred from hearkening unto the utterance of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. And blessed are My loved ones who have drunk the Kawthar of utterance from the hands of My bounty - they are the people of Baha in the Book of God, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon those who have testified to that which God hath testified: that there is none other God but Him, the Truth, the Knower of the unseen.

O Ghaffar! Blessed art thou for the All-Forgiving One hath turned toward thee from the direction of the Prison and hath mentioned thee with that which caused the rains of loving-kindness to shower from the clouds of thy Lord’s mercy, the Mighty, the Beloved. When thou hast attained unto My verses and hast heard My call and beheld My signs, say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having guided me, caused me to hear, and given me utterance. I beseech Thee by Thy greatest signs and Thy mysteries hidden in the hearts of Thy chosen ones to make me in all conditions one who speaketh Thy praise, who gazeth toward Thy horizon, and who proclaimeth Thy Cause with wisdom and utterance. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the Bestower. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon My loved ones who have quaffed the choice wine of revelation from the chalice of the bounty of God, the Lord of the worlds.

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=== START BH00289 ===

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

Praise befitteth the most holy and most exalted court of the Desired One, Who chose for Himself hardship, imprisonment and tribulation, while desiring for the peoples of the world freedom, comfort and prosperity. Glorified, glorified be He! All who possess understanding are powerless to comprehend the mysteries of His wisdom and its requirements. Glory and exaltation be upon His chosen ones, His loved ones, and His friends who have arisen to serve His Cause and to act according to what hath been revealed in His perspicuous Book.

Thereafter, thy letter dated the 12th of the month of Sha’ban was received. Praise be to God, the fragrance of love for the Beloved of all worlds was wafting therefrom. Blessed is he who hath taken the chalice of utterance in the days of his Lord, the Most Merciful, and hath drunk therefrom in His Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous. After perusal, it was brought to the Most Great Prison and what was contained therein was presented. This is what the tongue of our Lord, the Most Merciful, hath spoken. His word, exalted and mighty is He:

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

This is a Book We have sent down in truth as a token of Our grace, and verily We are the Mighty, the Bestower. O ’Abdu’r-Rahim! The servant who is present brought thy letter and presented it before the Wronged One. We have desired to reveal for each name that which will attract him and draw the servants to the supreme horizon, and from which the Kingdom of Names will perceive the fragrance of My Most Glorious Raiment. Verily thy Lord is He Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but He, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. Give thanks unto God for this most great favor, for He hath appeared and manifested what He desired, and hath revealed unto those who have turned towards Him that which the pens are powerless to recount.

O Muhammad-Husayn! The Wronged One remembereth thee with verses which, were they to be cast upon the mountains, would transform them into the sea of life. Exalted be the Most Merciful Who hath come with power and sovereignty. Knowest thou who hath turned toward thee? Say: Yea, by my Lord, through Whose remembrance the Sacred Texts and Tablets have been adorned! Blessed is he who hath inhaled the fragrance of God and the one whose heart hath turned toward the horizon wherein the atoms proclaim that there is none other God but He, the Mighty, the Compelling. Take hold of God’s verses with the power granted by Us and say: Praise be to Thee, O Manifestation of clear evidences!

We make mention of him who was named Muhammad-Sadiq as a mercy from Us, and verily We are the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. O servants of the Most Merciful! Rejoice in this Day wherein the ocean of forgiveness hath surged and the fragrance of your Lord’s loving-kindness, the Lord of the final end, hath been wafted abroad. Hold fast unto the cord of the Cause and cling to the hem of God, the Manifestation of Religions. Beware lest the affairs of men hold thee back from the Truth. Leave behind what the people possess and take what thou art commanded by God, the Cleaver of the Dawn. Blessed is he who hath sought My path, and he who, while seated, hath arisen to serve My Cause, and he who hath spoken forth in praise of Me amongst My servants.

We make mention of him who was named Husayn that he may rejoice in My remembrance of him, and I am verily the Expositor, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. O Husayn! The Most Great Ocean remembereth thee. Doth the Ocean speak? Say: Yea, by the Lord of Lords! Verily He speaketh and walketh, and He hath power over whatsoever He willeth. Say: This is a Day wherein the Sure Hour hath come to pass, the breeze hath wafted, the cry hath been raised, and the mountains have passed away. Thus hath the Sun of Utterance shone forth from the horizon of the Most Merciful’s loving-kindness. Blessed is he who hath heard and seen, and woe unto every heedless doubter.

O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who hath been named Jafar, that he may draw nigh unto the Most Sublime Vision and be made joyous in the Sovereign of Days. This is a Day wherein the gate of mercy hath been opened and the heavenly table hath been sent down, yet the people remain in strange slumber. We have made mention of him who hath turned to the Countenance, and We turn unto all who turn unto God, the Lord of all men. O people of the earth! Sleep hath overtaken you on this Day, though ye were created to serve this Cause before which all necks have bowed low.

We make mention of the youth, before Rida, and counsel him and those who have believed with that wherefrom the near ones perceive the fragrance of sincerity unto God, the Revealer of verses. Blessed is he who hath attained to the knowledge of the Intended One, at Whose appearance hearts were troubled and eyes were fixed in amazement. Blessed is he who hath shattered the idols of vain desire and turned with his heart to the Most Sublime Horizon, who hath answered the Lord of Names when the Call was raised betwixt earth and heaven. By the life of God! He is indeed among those who are nigh in the Mother Book. Bear thou witness unto that which God did testify before the creation of the heavens and earth: There is none other God but Him, the One, the All-Compelling.

O ’Abdu’l-Karim! The Great Announcement hath come, in yearning for Whose meeting servants have expired whom none knoweth save the Mighty, the All-Knowing. We have entered the prison and called all to that which draweth them nigh unto the Most Sublime Horizon. To this beareth witness He with Whom is the Mother Book. Grieve not in the days of God. Rejoice thou in this remembrance whereby the horizons have been illumined. The Hidden Secret and the Treasured Mystery have been revealed, calling out amongst the servants without veil or concealment: Rejoice, O people of the righteous, in this bounty the like of which no eye in former ages and centuries hath beheld!

O Muhammad-?adiq! The Tongue of the Ancient of Days maketh mention of thee in the Most Great Prison and giveth glad tidings to those who are nigh of that which shall bring them close to the most exalted station. Seize thou the opportunity in the days of God. Cast aside what is with the people, then make mention of Him by night and by day. Nothing whatsoever escapeth His knowledge. He heareth and seeth, and He is the Mighty, the All-Seeing. Blessed is the doer who hath held fast unto that whereby the Cause of God hath been exalted in this Day wherein feet have slipped.

O Abu’l-Qasim! We have come from the heaven of grace to guide the servants to the straight path. By the life of God! We desired for them light, yet they kindled fire for Us. They are indeed in heedlessness and error. Soon shall the carpet of the world be rolled up and the guards of torment shall seize them from every direction. Say: Be fair, O people of the earth! For what crime have ye banished Us from Our lands? Fear God, O followers of the religions! Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken whereby the proof hath been made manifest, yet the people are in doubt and schism.

O Dayspring of Revelation! Turn thou unto him who hath been named Husayn and give him the glad tidings of God’s loving-kindness, the Self-Subsisting, the Self-Existing. That which was inscribed in the Books of God hath been made manifest, yet the people do not understand. They have turned away from the Countenance and denied the signs of God, the Lord of existence. O people of the earth! Fear ye God and follow not your desires. Follow ye Him Who hath come to you with manifest sovereignty. The Self-Subsisting hath appeared after the Qa’im and hath manifested His determined Cause. Be thou steadfast in the Cause in such wise that neither the hosts of the world nor the doubts of every veiled learned one shall deter thee. The learned one is he who hath heard My call and spoken My praise and given the people glad tidings of that which hath been sent down from the heaven of My Will, and hath given the servants to drink of My sealed wine.

We make mention of (Mulla) Husayn, whose name hath been present in the Most Great Prison, that he may rejoice in the loving-kindness of God, the Mighty, the All-Loving. Verily, We have sent down the verses and expounded them by Our command, for We are, in truth, the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth through My word “Be,” and it is. Hearken unto the Call from the white spot, from the right hand of the Crimson Sea of grandeur, from the Divine Lote-Tree: He is, in truth, none other than God, the True One, the Knower of things unseen. All things have testified to the Lord of Names, and every stone to the Sovereign of all beings, yet most of the people know not. They have violated God’s Covenant and His Testament, and have turned away from Him Whom they remembered at eventide and at dawn, and who would make mention of God by night and by day. Yet when He appeared, they turned aside from Him and pronounced judgment against Him with such tyranny as caused the dwellers of the Kingdom to lament. Observe, then recall what befell Our Messengers aforetime, whom We sent to give the people glad tidings of this Promised Day. Among the people were those who denied them, those who turned away from them, and those who derided them. Thus did they act in former times, and likewise in this Day wherein God hath come with manifest sovereignty. Rejoice thou in that the countenance of the Ancient One hath turned toward thee from His Most Great Prison, and hath remembered thee in such wise as to cause those near unto God to perceive the fragrance of His sealed wine.

O Abu-Talib! We love to make mention of all who have turned unto God and to show them Our horizon wherefrom the Light hath dawned. Blessed is he who hath heard and responded, and woe unto every heedless one who is rejected. Say: O God of Names, Lord of creation, and Creator of earth and heaven! I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy utterance and the ark of Thy wisdom to make me steadfast in Thy Cause in such wise that neither the power of idols may hold me back nor the manifestations of vain imaginings debar me. I am he who, O my God, hath turned toward Thee, hoping for the wonders of Thy bounty. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me of that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones who have shown forth the most great steadfastness in such wise that neither ranks nor swords did cause them to fear.

Thus hath the tongue of might spoken from before God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.

O Hasan! It behoveth thee to render thanks unto God for having been made the recipient of His favour - He Who is the Lord of the seen and the unseen - from this Station before which all regions of the earth have bowed down in submission, as attested by the Preserved Tablet in His possession. Take what hath come to thee from God with His strength. Verily, He will protect thee and be with thee in all His worlds. Thy Lord is, in truth, the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved.

O loved ones of the All-Merciful in all lands! Hold fast unto goodly deeds and praiseworthy conduct. By My life! Through these shall the Cause of God be exalted amongst His servants and the standards of victory be hoisted upon every lofty mountain. Aid ye your Lord through the hosts of deeds, for these are mightier than all the hosts of the earth, would that ye knew. Be ye trustees of God in His lands and dawning-places of His loving-kindness. Thus doth the Lord of all worlds nurture you from this glorious Station. Be ye so trustworthy that if your trustworthiness were to be distributed among all the peoples of the world it would suffice them, and likewise in forbearance. Blessed is he who hath heard and acted upon that which he hath been commanded by God, the Lord of the seen and unseen. He counselleth you with that which profiteth you and adviseth you concerning that which will elevate your stations among His creatures. He is, verily, the Kind, the All-Forgiving.

O My Most Exalted Pen! We hear thy call in the morning and in the evening. Dost thou see anyone who heareth it with ears other than physical ears? Dost thou see any who respondeth, saying: “Here am I, O Thou Wronged One! Here am I, O Thou in Whose grasp lieth the reins of all things!” I testify that Thou hast appeared and revealed that which was hidden within the pavilion of infallibility and treasured in the knowledge of God, the Lord of Hosts. The world hath been adorned with the ornament of the utterance of the All-Merciful. Blessed is the eye that seeth, and woe unto every obstinate infidel.

O Ja’far! We desire to give thee to drink of the Kawthar of utterance from the hand of the bounty of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Drink thou therefrom in My Name, the Manifest, the Hidden. Confine thy affairs to that which will exalt this Cause - the Cause at whose revelation all who are in the heavens and on earth were thunderstruck, save a mere handful who beheld the countenance of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Witnessed.

O ’Abdu’r-Rahim! Give thanks unto God for having revealed for every name thou didst mention that which cannot be equalled by all the treasures of the earth. Recite unto them with the denizens of the Most Exalted Paradise. Thus doth the Lord of all creation command thee from the precincts of His mighty Prison. Grieve not over the world and what occureth therein. Act in accordance with that which will preserve thy remembrance throughout the eternity of My most beautiful names. Thy Lord is, in truth, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Remind My servants and give them the glad-tidings of My mercy and loving-kindness, and acquaint them with the station of this mighty Cause. We make mention in this Station of thy wife who hath heard and turned unto God, the Lord of all worlds. Give her glad-tidings from Me and glorify her with the name of thy Lord, the All-Seeing, the All-Perceiving. The glory be upon thee and upon her and upon those women who have believed in God, the Lord of this wondrous Day. O My handmaidens! Rejoice in that the face of God, the Mighty, the Luminous, hath turned toward you and hath revealed for you that which will preserve your names throughout the eternity of God’s kingdom, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

O Mir! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness, and upon thy sons and those who are with thee, both female and male, young and old.

The End

What can this evanescent servant say? He perpetually beholds himself bewildered and astounded. I swear by the Sun of the All-Merciful’s utterance which is risen from the horizon of the Prison that were the people of the earth to hearken unto these verses at the moment they descend from the heaven of divine Will, they would all sacrifice their souls at the feet of the Beloved of the worlds - this, provided they be adorned with even a trace of fairness. The Sun of bounty hath risen in such wise that all tongues and pens are powerless to describe it. Praise be to God that your honor hath attained this greatest bounty, and through you this most great favor hath encompassed the aforementioned souls. In truth, you have been the cause and means of this grace. Well is it with you!

His honor Aqa Mir Abu’l-Qasim, upon him be the glory of God, your son, hath written a letter to this servant requesting that I should, on his behalf, attain the presence of the Sovereign of existence and the Lord of the seen and unseen. On this blessed night, which is the fifth night of the month of Rabi’u’th-Thani, after the revelation of verses from the heaven of the Will of our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of earth and heaven, I submitted the request of your honored son, and after permission was granted, the visitation and circumambulation were performed. God willing, it hath been accepted. Verily, He doth not suffer the reward of the doers to be lost. This visitation was most timely. Well is it with you and with him and with me. This servant conveyeth his greetings and salutations to him and to all other sons and relatives and the friends of God, and beseecheth the True One not to deprive any of them from the fragrances of His days and to aid them to achieve that which beseemeth them in His days.

Regarding what you mentioned about his honor Shaykh Hasan, upon him be the glory of God, his words were exactly presented in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court and gained the honor of being heard, and these sublime words were revealed specifically for him and the friends of that land. His word - exalted be His majesty and mighty be His utterance:

In My Name, the One dawning from the horizon of utterance!

O Hasan! We have made mention of thee in numerous Tablets and have turned unto thee at one time with the countenance of My loving-kindness and at another with the verses of My mercy which have preceded all who are in the heavens and the earth. O Hasan! At times We gave thee to drink of the Kawthar of My love, and at other times of My choice sealed wine, the mighty, the wondrous. Be thou thankful unto God in all conditions. Verily He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We have found the fragrance of Our love from the direction of thy heart. We have turned unto thee and made mention of thee in such wise that its fragrance shall never be cut off from the world. To this beareth witness the Lord of Eternity in this sublime station.

Convey My greetings to all the friends of that land on behalf of the Wronged One and remind them with wondrous and sublime remembrances. Today the breezes of the All-Merciful’s mercy are passing, the fragrances of the garment of grace are wafting, and the lights of the Sun of divine generosity are manifest, brilliant and visible. How excellent is the state of the one who hath in this blessed Day attained unto the recognition of God, exalted be His glory. The whole world hath been created for this Day. Blessed is the soul that hath become aware and hath attained unto this most great favor. Keep all enkindled with the fire of the love of the All-Merciful and illumined with the light of His bounty. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Generous.

The mention of ’Ali-Khan - upon him be the Glory of God - has been heard. Praise be to God that he has attained unto His grace. He is among those souls whose mention has repeatedly flowed from the Most Exalted Pen and who have been remembered in the Most Holy Court. God willing, may he be enabled to preserve this most exalted station. The entire world cannot equal a single word thereof. We, from this station, magnify him and make mention of him in both stations, and give him these glad-tidings that he may rejoice and be among the thankful ones. He was content with a dot while We bestowed upon him a Book; he was satisfied with a drop while We granted him an ocean of bounty. For verily every letter of the Divine Words is a manifest book and an evident ocean. Blessed are they who attain and are possessed of understanding, and woe unto the heedless.

This evanescent servant offers greetings and glorification to each one, and beseeches from God - exalted be His glory - the good of this world and the next for each one. Verily, He is the Hearer, the Answerer. May the Glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of the bounty of our Lord and our Desired One be upon you and upon those with you and upon those who have acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur has uttered before all things: verily there is no God but He, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

=== END BH00289 ===

=== START BH00290 ===

He is God, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted

That which was revealed for Ha before Sin from the dominion of God, the Sovereign, the Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most Great, in Jim.

A leaf from thee hath come before Us, and from it We perceived the sweet savors of thy love for the Beloved of the worlds. We have therefore made it one of the leaves of this Ridvan, which God hath placed above all paradises out of love for thee, that thou mayest be of the thankful ones. The first that thou didst write in the Tablet was “The Most Glorious, the All-Glorious,” and at the scratching of thy pen when this Name flowed from it, the tongues of the Concourse on High were loosened in praise of thee. Thus doth God reward His servants who make mention of Him.

Say: He is the Splendor of God amongst the worlds, and His glory between the heavens and the earth. He is the Glory before Whose lights every shining sun and luminous moon grow dark. Say: He is the Splendor that was revealed in the Bayan, if ye be of them that know. Say: He is the Glory through Whom the Messengers were sent aforetime, from a beginning that hath no beginning, and through Whom they shall continue to be sent unto an end that hath no end, testifying that there is no God but I, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Most High, the Most Great.

Say: He is the Glory through Whom ’Ali was raised up in truth, and before Him Muhammad the Messenger of God, and before Him the Spirit, and before Him the Beauty of Moses shone forth from the Dawning-Place of the Cause. Say: He is the Glory through Whom God’s books were sent down in every age, and scriptures of manifest might. Say: He is the Glory through Whom God’s Cause was established among His servants, the veils were rent asunder, and the Ancient Beauty arose with the lights of a luminous dawning-place.

Say: Through His glory were illumined the denizens of the highest Paradise, then the dwellers of the cities of eternity, then the inmates of the pavilions of grandeur, were ye of the assured ones. Say: Whoso is not illumined by this Glory that shineth from this heaven shall not be mentioned before my Lord, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate. Say: Every pure glory derives its glory from this Glory, and every possessor of light and radiance is illumined by His Cause, which hath appeared through the gesture of but one finger of His mighty, exalted, glorious and wondrous hand.

Say: By the movement of His fingertips were ordained the laws of divine knowledge and the paths of all religions, were ye of the certain ones. Say: He hath appeared in days wherein no suns of grandeur and majesty have ever shone forth. By God! He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. Say: This indeed is the Glory but for Whose love the Primal Point moved not, nor breathed save in His praise, nor spoke except in remembrance of Him, the Mighty, the Inaccessible.

Say: Were it not for Him, the Bayan would not have been revealed, nor would its heaven have been raised up, nor its laws promulgated, nor its lights have shone forth - to this every fair-minded and perceiving one doth testify. Say: O people of the Bayan! Die in your wrath, for ’Ali hath appeared anew and drawn nigh. O people of the Furqan! The Night Journey hath returned suddenly. O people of the Gospel! The Spirit hath descended from the heaven of the Cause with manifest sovereignty.

Say: All began from this Glory and all returned unto Him, then appeared from Him once again. Blessed be God, the Best of creators! Say: He is God’s Balance among His creation, His proof amongst His servants, and His path between the heavens and the earth. Whoso hesitateth today in His Cause hath strayed from God’s Balance, disbelieved in God and His messengers, and is among the perishing ones.

God now bestoweth His glory upon thy countenance as a reward for having mentioned His name in thy book. Upon thee be the glory of God, then His glory, then the glory of all things, then the glory of the worlds.

Should all who are in the heavens and on earth assure thee of God’s eternity, it would be but little in comparison with this supreme bounty; and should all things praise thee through the perpetuity of the Kingdom and the Realm above, it would not equal what hath passed through thy mind in remembrance of this Name, through which God hath distinguished between truth and falsehood, and made it the sword of His might against the wayward and the cloud of His mercy unto those who have turned unto Him. And thou didst say: “If I send thee my salutation, Thou art the Salutation itself.” Whereupon God from the direction of the Throne magnified thy countenance, and through My magnification of thee, the people of the unseen and the seen magnified thy countenance. None comprehendeth this save he who hath drunk the choice wine of understanding from the hand of thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. And peace be upon thee from this Peace which hath been a mercy unto all the worlds, and glory be upon thee from the quarter of Glory, for He is the best of all who glorify. Were We to make mention of what thou hast mentioned and expound every letter of thy letter, their remembrance and what they contain would never be exhausted, for they flowed from thy pen at an hour when the fragrances of the love of thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Great, were wafted from the direction of thy heart.

Then know that most of the people of the Bayan are still being nourished from the breast of heedlessness and ignorance - their weaning time has not yet come, much less their maturity. Thus have We been witness. Behold their lack of understanding and knowledge! They claim belief in the previous Manifestation, yet from My Own Self they remain veiled. They read My words, yet remain heedless of their Revealer. They cite My previous verses as proof against Me, though all of them proceeded from the Point of the Mouth of My all-pervading, all-encompassing Will. They object to Me while clinging to one who was in My sight but as one among them, save that We adorned him with one of the Names that he might aid his Lord and be among the thankful. Indeed, My servants have become veiled by one of My Names, though We commanded them not to be veiled in this Revelation by anything created between the K and the N. Say: Is there doubt about God, or about His verses which have descended in truth from the heaven of exalted glory? Say: We have revealed in the Tablets explicitly that you should not cling, at the time of the Manifestation, to the letters of the Bayan nor to what was revealed therein, lest you follow the path of previous peoples and commit what they committed when We sent ’Ali with the truth, with the verses of God, the King, the Mighty, the Praised. By My life! They are more veiled than previous peoples, would ye but reflect upon their deeds. Say: Do ye deny Him from Whose countenance all suns shine forth, before Whose presence all bow down in worship, and by Whose Name all are remembered - after We supported them in the Bayan and exalted their mention, as ye yourselves witness? We cast the Word upon all who are in the heavens and earth - to this My Self, the Guardian, the Self-Subsisting, bears witness. We commanded them according to what was revealed in the Bayan and forbade them what was forbidden in the Tablets of God, the King, the Mighty, the Beloved. I appeared among them as though I were one of them - this was My grace unto them, though they perceive it not. I aided the Cause of God by My Own Self, yet they made My Cause an object of mockery and continue to deride it. Say: Ye mock yourselves and your leaders, though ye perceive it not. They read the verses morning and evening as though ascending the heights of knowledge, yet they deny their Revealer and comprehend not what they do. Say: The very pen with which ye write God’s verses condemns you, though ye hear it not. The verses themselves, by their very essence, disavow you and seek refuge with God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. Their heedlessness has reached such a state that the Pen does not wish to record their names or even compare them to previous peoples, for they are more veiled than all that was or ever shall be. Say: Die in your wrath! He has indeed appeared with all the verses, whether ye be convinced or turn away. O My Name! They imagine themselves to be virtuous and to have reached the heaven of knowledge, and all peoples, due to their arrogance, bear witness to their shadow. But when the Cause came and the heavens of their idle fancies were rolled up, We found in them not even an atom’s weight of worth in God’s sight - then were they counted among the most contemptible of creatures. By My life! He who objected to My Self was standing before My face in the Land of ?a, and I cast upon him from the verses of God, the King, the Guardian, the Self-Subsisting. He wrote them in his own hand until there wafted from his nature a breeze from the surging of the Most Great Ocean. Then did he grow proud and became one of those who are veiled, as thou hearest now from those who were present before the Face while We cast upon them thy Lord’s verses every evening and […]

By God! There hath appeared from these souls that which excelleth what hath appeared from him, and they are at this hour honoured servants. All this is from Our bounty unto them, that they might aid God, their Lord, the Lord of the heavens and of the earth, the Lord of what was and what shall be. Would that thou hadst been present to witness these souls and what floweth from their nature by the command of My All-Compelling, Self-Subsisting Pen. Their every melody is none other than the cooing of the doves of the divine cloud, would ye but know it, and their every song is none other than the crowing of the cock of glory, even as We revealed aforetime, if ye would bear witness. Their likeness is as a child who, whenever he doeth or committeth aught, is praised by his father and mother and then by his kinfolk, as ye observe. And this is naught but for his encouragement, for were one who hath reached maturity to commit what he committeth, would any praise him? Nay, by My Self, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting! Thus observe thou the description of every soul in its station and condition. Beware lest ye transgress. Say: He can never be confused with any other, and that which hath appeared from Him shall ever be distinguished from what hath appeared and shall appear, would ye but know it. Say: He, verily, is the Truth, there is no God but Him, and His verses are indeed the Sovereign of verses, would ye but be assured. I seek God’s forgiveness for this, for the words of others cannot be mentioned in the presence of what hath been sent down from Him, even as naught else can be mentioned before His Self, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. Say: Verily the ocean of inner meanings surgeth within itself. When We desired to distinguish some parts from others, We created the names and through them made distinctions between them, as ye reckon and remember. Say: The names are Our raiment wherewith We adorn whom We will and strip from whom We will, and We consult none of Our servants in this, would ye but be assured. Look not upon them save as that which hath ordained and created them by His command, for He, verily, is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. Were the people of the Bayan to sharpen their vision, they would witness all things in the garment of names, but they understand not, and though they claim, they speak not truth, for had they been aware, they would not have allowed a name from among the names to come between them and their Creator, as ye observe. Say: We commanded you aforetime not to look upon the names in themselves, but rather upon that through which the names were established. Observe how ye have taken unto yourselves a name from among them and been veiled thereby from God, your Lord, and thus ye are reckoned among the worshippers of names in the sight of God. Say: Were We to desire to name an atom of dust with all the most beautiful names, We would be able, for I am the Most Exalted, the All-Powerful, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. By My Self! We have made all things repositories of My names and manifestations of My attributes. All that ye pride yourselves upon today in mentioning “thou art He and He is thou” or other names pertaining to the Essence and the Self and the like - that which is composed of letters or comprehended by minds or uttered by tongues - all these were created by My Word and exist within the bounds of My creation and return to that which is other than Me by My command, would ye but understand. And We manifest from all things whatsoever We will of Our most beautiful names, would ye but know. And these are remembrances and names We have ordained in the rank of creation, and He is exalted, exalted far above what ye know, and exalted, exalted far above what ye witness, and exalted, exalted far above what ye […]

Exalted, exalted is He above what ye make mention of, and exalted, exalted is He above what ye affirm, and exalted, exalted is He above what ye comprehend, and exalted, exalted is He above what ye know, and exalted, exalted is He above what ye judge, and exalted, exalted is He above what ye behold, and exalted, exalted is He above the loftiness of every lofty one and the sublimity of every sublime one, and above the knowledge of every knower and the cognizance of every cognizant one and the certitude of every certain one and the perception of every perceiver, and exalted, exalted is He above the mention of “He” and its like, for by it His creation is indicated, and exalted, exalted is He that there should be attributed to Him what His creatures possess, and verily He is sanctified from all else and from what those who make mention mention. How can He be mentioned by the sun when the sun in its essence was created by His power and moveth by His will? How can He be mentioned by names when they in their kingdom were created by His leave and His purpose? All names are servants at His court and prostrate themselves at the dawning of the lights of His mighty sovereignty. And if He nameth Himself by names, this is of His grace toward His creation, would ye but know it, that the servants who act according to His command might mention Him thereby. Otherwise He is sanctified from every description, transcendently glorious, and from every name, supremely magnificent.

And when We gazed upon creation and desired its ascent to the heights of recognition, We commanded them in the Bayan that they should trace every mention of good to this Revelation, that perchance thereby they might comprehend all good. Yet they abandoned that which We commanded them and were not content that We should trace a name from among the names to Our own Self. The Truth, therefore, blessed are they who weep for what hath befallen My Self at the hands of these, and verily honored servants shall lament their deeds. Say: O people, fear God! We created all names even as We created all things, and they glory in their relation to Us. Beware, O people, lest ye transgress your bounds, then disbelieve in the signs of God. Beware lest ye be veiled by aught from My beauty, then join partners with My Self. Reflect upon that which I have brought; by God, were ye to reflect, ye would find…

O My Name! Know thou that We desired to expound in detail whatsoever hath appeared from thy pen upon thy tablet, but since time was pressing, We have contented Ourselves with two words from thy letter, as a remembrance from Us unto thee and unto them that are God-fearing. And verily the servant present before the Throne who writeth at this moment before the Countenance saith that were more to be revealed than hath been revealed, the time would pass and it would not reach those who bear it. And he speaketh truly in what he saith, and besides this he is occupied with the verses of God at all times, such that he findeth no opportunity to move of his own accord. Even so hath the matter been, would ye but know it.

Behold then how We have manifested Husayn in truth, who was present before the Throne in My previous Manifestation and from whose pen flowed the verses of God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. Then observe his writing, how it is he himself, yet the people perceive not. And were God to will it, He would manifest that which is hidden today, for verily He is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth. There is no God but He, the Mighty, the Beloved.

Look thou therefore upon the power of thy Lord, then look upon the people and what issueth from their mouths. By God, all things curse them thereby, yet they perceive it not. Leave them to themselves, then detach thyself from them through the power of God and His sovereignty, then aid this Youth in whatsoever thou art able. By My life, it is better for thee than whatsoever hath been ordained for the creation of what was and what shall be.

As to what thou hast mentioned concerning thy affliction, We beseech God to deliver thee from it and to purify thee from every calamity, misfortune, illness, ailment, plague and infirmity. Verily, He is nigh and responsive to those who call upon Him. Say: Glory be to Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by this Name through which Thou hast shattered the idols of fancy and desire, and through which Thou hast become independent of all who dwell in the kingdom of glory and eternity, to send down upon me from the clouds of Thy mercy that which will purify me from this malady that hath troubled my inner and outer being. I am he, O my God, who hath called upon Thee by Thy Name, the Healer, then by Thy Name, the Sufficing, then by Thy Name, the Bestower, that Thou mayest cause to flow upon me from the ocean of Thy healing that which will deliver me from this sickness that hath seized me. Then clothe me, O my Beloved, with the robe of well-being from Thy presence and the garment of mercy from Thy side. Verily, Thou art the Bestower according to Thy pleasure, and Thou art the Forgiving, the Merciful. Thus have We commanded thee in truth. Act thou according to what thou hast been commanded and be not of them that hesitate. And glory be upon the countenance of him whom We loved before and love now and shall love hereafter, and upon the members of thy household and upon the servants of your house, be they female or male, young or old. Read thou this Tablet unto the loved ones of God, then convey to them the remembrance of thy Lord in all days, that they may remember God in His days and be not of the heedless.

=== END BH00290 ===

=== START BH00291 ===

In the name of our Lord, the Most Impenetrable, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious.

Praise be to God Who hath individuated Himself through utterance and warbled through speech. Verily He it is Who spoke the First Word, whereupon the Supreme Pen was thunderstruck by the sweetness of the Call. When it recovered, supreme joy overtook it; it prostrated itself and said: “Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of Names and Creator of Heaven, for having caused me to hear Thy sweetest call and made me the interpreter for Thy servants in the kingdom of creation. I beseech Thee, O Lord of all beings and Sovereign of the hereafter and the former times, to make my scratching a Kawthar of life for all contingent beings and the choice wine of divine knowledge for the followers of all religions. Thou art He from Whose knowledge nothing escapeth, and no decree is impossible for Thee. Thou givest and withholdest, and Thou art the Almighty to Whose power and sovereignty all atoms testify, and all beings to Whose might and authority bear witness. Blessed is the servant who hath tasted the Salsabil of Thy love, cast away vain imaginings through Thy Name, shattered the idols through Thy power, and arose to serve Thee out of love for Thy Beauty. I beseech Thee to make me a light unto Thy loved ones and a fire unto Thine enemies. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Ruler over whatsoever He pleaseth, and in Thy hand is the kingdom of creation. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O God of creation, known by Thy Name, the Truth! Thou knowest, seest, and bearest witness that this evanescent servant hath exerted his utmost effort and striving to manifest Thy Cause, to exalt Thy Word, and to convey that wherewith Thou hast gladdened Thy servants and creatures, that they might behold Thy path and turn toward it with insight from Thee. Let them not be hindered by the allusions of those who have turned away from Thy Beauty, been heedless of Thy proof, and rejected that which Thou hast sent down from the heaven of Thy bounty and grace. O Lord! Illumine the eyes of Thy servants with the lights of Thy countenance and their hearts with the radiance of Thy knowledge. O Lord! They are Thy servants and Thy creation; acquaint them with that which they have neglected. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

O my God, my Beloved! Thou art witness and well aware that this evanescent servant is occupied with Thy remembrance and that of Thy loved ones throughout the nights and days, and with utmost lowliness and supplication beseecheth Thee to confirm those souls who are enkindled with the fire of Thy love and are engaged in Thy service under all conditions. Thou art the Powerful and the Mighty. Thou beholdest that some have arisen to serve Thy Cause and are traveling through various lands in Thy Name. O Lord of the world and Goal of the nations! Increase at all times the fire of love in steadfast souls and protect them from oppressive hands, in such wise that no languor may overtake it nor pursue it. O Lord! Enable them to observe that which Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth, and Thou art the All-Hearing, the All-Responding.

This humble one has repeatedly been blessed with your letters which diffused the fragrance of love for the Beloved of the worlds. In truth, each letter was a volume in praise of the Friend and a herald proclaiming souls’ arising to serve the Beloved. Blessed are the people of Baha whom nothing has prevented from that which they were commanded in the Book of our Lord, our Goal and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and earth. After observing these letters and traces from that beloved one, this servant found himself in such joy that the pen is powerless to describe it. After presenting this at the Most Holy Court and turning towards the Most Exalted Horizon, details were submitted. Repeatedly mention was made of you from the Tongue of Grandeur. May you ever be and continue to be blessed with that which God loves and is pleased with. These effulgent words shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of utterance:

He is the Powerful over whatsoever He willeth

O dear one! The servant present has repeatedly presented your letters at the Most Holy Court. Praise be to God that you have been assisted to serve the Cause of God and to mention and praise Him. Verily He remembers whoever remembers Him, answers whoever seeks Him, and hears the mention of His loved ones and the praise of His chosen ones, and sees what befalls them in His path. All souls were created to serve the Cause of God, yet today most are veiled and occupied with their own imaginings. It behooves you, O dear one, and My loved ones to thank God for having aided you to remember Him and enabled you to serve Him and to manifest what He desired. Verily He is the Master of the servants, the Sovereign of creation, and the Ruler in the beginning and in the end. O dear one, strive to attain all bounties and become the cause of affection and unity of hearts. The True One, exalted be His glory, created the world through loving kindness and compassion, and revealed sacred laws for the unity and concord of the people of the world, yet the heedless servants made it the cause of revolution and discord. Blessed is the soul who strives for the unity of the world’s peoples - such a one is of the people of Baha in the Crimson Book.

Blessed are ye, O inheritors of Moses, in that ye have turned, heard, responded and arisen to serve God, the Lord of the worlds. Verily He heareth what your tongues have uttered and seeth what ye have done in His path. He is verily the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. We send Our greetings from this station upon thee and upon My loved ones there, and We have mentioned them and will mention them in that whereby their names shall endure throughout the kingdom. Thy Lord is verily the Powerful, the Mighty. God willing, may you be occupied at all times with the spread of the Word with perfect wisdom.

Thus far several Tablets and numerous letters have been sent. God willing, you have received them and will continue to receive them. A few days ago a detailed Tablet was revealed from the heaven of will and was sent, and specifically exalted Tablets were revealed for the mentioned souls - some were sent and some were delayed due to new circumstances. God willing, all will be sent. Two Most Holy and Most Exalted Tablets specifically for Aqa Shahvirdi and Aqa Isma’il, upon them be 96 [Baha’u’llah], which are among the remaining Tablets to be sent, will God willing be sent this time. A letter came from Tiflis and was immediately answered. God willing it has arrived and they have received it. Regarding what you mentioned about your brother Aqa Asadu’llah, it was presented at the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court. This is what was revealed in reply […]

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

O dear one! Previously, special verses were sent down for Asadu’llah and Rahmatu’llah, and some wondrous and exalted verses descended from the heaven of loving-kindness and were dispatched. God willing, may they be blessed by the fragrances of divine verses and be engaged in His mention and praise. We make mention in this station of him who is named Jahangir H.A. and give him the glad tidings of God’s grace and mercy. Verily, He is the Protector of the sincere ones. O Jahangir! The All-Knowing One has turned towards thee and makes mention of thee with exalted words that thou mayest rejoice and be among the thankful. We have made mention of those who have believed with a remembrance whose fragrance shall not cease throughout the duration of thy Lord’s names, the All-Knowing. Ask thou God to assist thee to remain steadfast in this Cause and to give thee to drink from the choice wine of His utterance, the Mighty, the Wondrous. The Promise hath come, and the Sovereign of the Manifestation speaketh before the Mount: “Verily, there is no God but I, the Mighty, the Wise.” How many a learned one hath spoken through passion, and how many an ignorant one hath attained to the mention of the Lord of all beings, Who proclaimeth throughout the world: “Verily, there is no God but I, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.” The glory rest upon thee and upon him who hath found the fragrance of the All-Merciful as it wafted between the heavens and the earths.

(Mihr ’Ali Khan of Khaf)

And likewise, concerning Jinab-i-Mihr ’Ali Khan, these exalted words were revealed from the heaven of grace:

He is the Dawning-Place from the horizon of proof!

Glorified be He Who hath appeared and manifested what He desired. Verily, He is the One sought after in the beginning and in the end. O Mihr-’Ali! There hath come before the Wronged One a letter wherein thou wast mentioned. We have made mention of thee with a remembrance that nothing can equal, as attesteth He with Whom is the decisive Word. Blessed is he who hath attained unto the Word of God and His remembrance, and woe unto every heedless doubter. Be thou vocal in the praise of thy Lord and steadfast in the service of His Cause in all conditions. Say: O servants of the All-Merciful in all lands! Fear ye God and abandon not what ye call upon by night and day. This is your Lord, the All-Merciful, Who hath come with clear proof. Reflect, O ye who are endowed with insight! This is indeed the Promised One, through Whose mention the Scriptures and Tablets have been adorned. Say: By God! He hath come for your life and teacheth you what shall profit you in every world of the worlds of your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. Beware lest ye deprive yourselves of the Greatest Joy or deny the bounty of God which hath descended in […] Blessed art thou for having attained unto the recognition of God and His Cause when every polytheist transgressor turned away from Him. The glory rest upon thee and upon those who have held fast to […] the Most Great which was sent down from God, the Lord of Lords.

And concerning what you wrote about Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad Sadiq, that after returning from the Land of Purpose he proceeded to Bukhara and guided two souls from among those related to Kalim to the Supreme Horizon - this detail was presented at the Most Holy Court. This is what the Tongue of Grandeur uttered:

He is the One manifest in the fortress of Akka through His Most Beautiful Names […]

We make mention of Muhammad-Qabli-Sadiq who attained the lights of the Kingdom when the Sovereign of might came with an authority that conquered all who dwell in the realm of possibility. He attained the lights of faith when the All-Merciful appeared with this Name whereby the hearts of lovers were melted. This is the Day wherein that which was never manifested before hath appeared, and that which caused the hearts of the chosen ones to be attracted hath been uttered. Say: This is the Day of God, did ye but know it, and this is the Cause of God, did ye but recognize it. Say: He walketh and the hosts of revelation, bearing the banners of verses, circle round Him - yet the people understand not. Say: He speaketh in the Kingdom of utterance saying “I am, verily, the All-Merciful” - yet most people hear not. They behold the proof of God yet turn away from it, and hear the verses of God yet dispute them - verily they perceive not. We make mention of him who desired to drink from the Kawthar of utterance from the hand of the bounty of his Lord, the Mighty, the Loving, that this remembrance may draw him to a station wherein he may partake of that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken: “Verily, I am God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting.” Reflect upon that which hath appeared in the realm of possibility and that which the All-Merciful hath sent down; then shalt thou find thyself in the stronghold of knowledge. Thus doth He command thee, with Whom is the preserved Book. Remember thy Lord in all conditions. He remembereth him who remembereth Him and aideth him who hath turned to the Praised Station. And We make mention of the other one whose acceptance hath been mentioned in this forbidden prison. Verily the Wronged One loveth God and His chosen ones, and remembereth them in the night season and throughout the day, at eventide and at dawn. Take the chalice of certitude in the name of thy Lord, despite those who have disbelieved in God by following the people of idle fancies.

As to what you wrote concerning the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar and the blessed spot and the place of consultation and the united, assured souls - praise be to God that the friends of Truth have attained to the service of the Cause. Regarding the blessed spot for which permission was previously sought and granted, and the Mashriqu’l-Adhkar which was revealed in the Most Holy Book, and consultation which hath ever been heard from the Tongue of Grandeur - all these matters are contingent upon wisdom, until difficulties and commotion be removed and they become not the cause of grief and sorrow to holy hearts. This evanescent servant beseecheth God that He may aid all the friends to that which is beloved, and concerning what you wrote asking that God may grant success to act with utmost steadfastness according to His revealed laws in His Book during His days - this matter that was submitted received a manifestation of favor from the horizon of grace, shining and evident, and He spoke these blessed words, exalted be His glory:

May their mention, God willing, be manifest and evident from the horizons of the Book. This is a station wherein the denizens of the Kingdom take pride. Rejoice, O friends of God, in that the glance of God hath been directed towards you from His mighty Throne, and hath mentioned you in such wise as to cause the Supreme Paradise to rejoice - and I am the All-Seeing Witness. God willing, may your names be mentioned at the Throne, your temples stand in service before His Cause, your tongues speak His praise and utterance, and your eyes be directed to the Most Great Prospect. Rejoice in that ye have attained unto mentions that cannot be equaled by anything that eyes can behold. God willing, strive ye that discord and differences may be removed from the world. It behooveth you to observe the counsels of God and that which ye have been commanded by One Who is Sympathetic, All-Knowing.

A letter from His Honor Aqa Muhammad-Taqi, upon him be the Glory of God, was written to this lowly one. After reading it, this lowly one submitted its details before His Presence. This is what the Tongue of the All-Merciful uttered in the Kingdom of utterance:

He is the Rememberer and the Remembered […]

O Muhammad-Qabli-Taqi! May thou drink at all times from the ocean of the All-Merciful’s bounty and engage, purely for His sake, in service to His Cause. Time and again hath thy mention flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. Blessed is the servant who hath attained unto this most glorious station. Woe unto the heedless! This Day is attributed unto the Truth. All the friends must strive to receive their full portion thereof. We make mention of Abdul-Baha and give him the glad-tidings of My Most Great Remembrance, and counsel him with that whereby the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds, will be exalted. And We make mention of Abdul-Jalal that he may rejoice in the bounty of his Lord, the All-Bountiful. Blessed is the youth who hath turned with his heart to the Most Sublime Horizon, and blessed is the child who hath spoken that which the Nightingale spoke upon the branches of the Lote-Tree that proclaimeth: “There is none other God but Me, the Forgiving, the Merciful.” The glory be upon thee and upon thy two sons and thy wife from the presence of the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

And likewise concerning Aqa Ishaq these sublime words shone forth from the Dayspring of the Will of the Revealer of verses:

He is the Most Ancient, the Most Generous

This is a Book sent down by the All-Bestowing to him who hath turned unto the Countenance and drunk the choice wine of life from the hand of the bounty of his Lord, the All-Bountiful. O Ishaq! The Luminary of the horizons, Who is imprisoned in this fortress through that which the hands of the oppressors have wrought, maketh mention of thee. Hearken unto the Call from the direction of the snow-white Spot, then give thanks unto thy Lord, the Forgiving, the Merciful. Verily He heareth thy call and witnesseth thy turning unto Him. He hath turned unto thee and made mention of thee in this perspicuous Tablet. Grieve not at anything, but place thy trust in all matters in the Strong, the Almighty. Verily He is with those who love Him - He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Ask thou God to assist all to achieve that which the Dayspring of Revelation hath desired and to aid them to serve His Most Great and Mighty Cause.

Thy [intention?] hath also been accepted before the Throne. Verily it hath been adorned with the ornament of acceptance from God, the Mighty, the Wise. Previously, the glad-tidings of this matter were written and sent. Convey my greetings to the divine friends who are present in that land. Express my sincere greetings and praise to the spiritual loved one, the son of Ismullah-i-Asdaq - upon them both be 966 [Baha’u’llah]. The expression of sincerity and praise from this servant is bound to the love of that person. Likewise, I convey greetings to all the honored ones - Mulla Ali and Aqa Mirza Kazim, upon them both be 966 [Baha’u’llah], and Aqa Khudadad and others, upon them be the glory of God. I hope that through the detachment of these assured souls, the effects of detachment may become manifest in the world, and through their steadfastness in God’s Cause, they may become the cause of steadfastness and assurance for doubtful and troubled souls. By the life of the Beloved! Pure deeds have influence in the kingdom. This matter is clear and evident to every person of insight. Blessed are the companions of God, and blessed are His loved ones through whom the decree of the Covenant appeared and the horizons were illumined. O friends! Today is the Day wherein whatsoever appeareth for God’s sake shall endure and remain established through the perpetuity of God’s names. The servant beseecheth his Lord and your Lord, his Beloved and your Beloved, to assist him and you in this Cause whereby the mighty deep hath been stirred, and every mighty fortress and every lofty mountain hath quaked. Praise be to God, our Lord, the Mighty, the Impregnable.

=== END BH00291 ===

=== START BH00292 ===

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

Praise be to God Who is one in His unity and single in His singleness. He hath manifested the Word from the horizon of the heaven of Will–nay, it is the very Will itself and its essence–and through it He created volition in the world of sovereignty. Exalted be the Lord of creation, through Whom the Bayan was sent down, the Kingdom of Knowledge was adorned, and the Nightingale of Utterance warbled upon the branches. Verily, there is none other God but Him, the One, the Powerful, the Single, the Self-Subsisting, the Most High, the All-Wise.

This evanescent one submits to your eminence that two letters from you were received, and the utmost joy and delight were obtained from learning of your well-being. If there has been delay in reply, it is hoped you will forgive, as for nearly three months, nay more, the verses of God have not descended from the heaven of the Lord’s Will. The Most Exalted Pen has been silent and the ocean of utterance still, and this servant, like one bewildered and astonished, has been lost in thought and, from excess of grief, has been unable to pen a single word–until these days when the gates of divine bounty were opened and the heaven of grace was adorned with the stars of utterance, and the rain of mercy once again poured forth from the clouds of generosity. This servant has therefore ventured to make up for what was lost through this petition, and hopes for forgiveness from you as well.

You had asked about the news from Istanbul - it is in such a state of disorder and upheaval that this servant and others like him are unable to properly describe it. All that was revealed from the heaven of God’s Will concerning the chief, princes and deputies in the blessed Surih of Ra’is, the Most Holy Book, and other Tablets has now emerged from the realm of the unseen into the arena of manifestation. Yet despite these Tablets being in many hands, the people remain heedless and unmindful. Justice is rare indeed. I swear by the Sun of Truth that everything that has appeared in the world was clearly foretold in the revealed Tablets, yet none of the heedless ones turned to the horizon of the mercy of the Lord of the Worlds. There is a story from before that is fitting to mention here: When the Manifestation was in the Land of Mystery, known as Adrianople, a special Tablet was revealed from the Supreme Pen addressed to the sovereign of Paris. In that Tablet proper etiquette was observed, and it was then sent to one of his ministers who had expressed loyalty. After some time, a petition arrived from that minister at the Most Holy Court stating that they had taken the blessed Tablet to the Foreign Minister and delivered it to the Emperor, but no response was received from him. Thereafter, another Tablet which forms part of the blessed Surih of Haykal was revealed from the heaven of God’s Will, wherein news was given of his abasement, the loss of his entire kingdom, the ruin of that land, turmoil and revolution, and what you have heard. After the revelation of these blessed verses, most were observed to be in utmost bewilderment and astonishment. Indeed, someone mentioned to this servant that the sovereign of Paris was the foremost person in the world, that he ruled over all the earth, held the reins of all kings in his hands, and controlled the management of all the world’s affairs - how could such a person be overcome or brought low? Even some of the loved ones were perplexed, for in no way could human minds comprehend it and were incapable of imagining it, until there came to pass exactly what was revealed in the divine verses. Though it is likely that your honor has observed this in Iran, it is mentioned again that it may bring joy and delight to pure hearts. His exalted Word[…]

O King! We have heard the words thou didst utter concerning the decision with regard to war, in answer to the question of the Russian sovereign. Thy Lord, verily, knoweth, is informed of all. Thou didst say: “I lay sleeping upon my couch, when the cry of the oppressed, who were drowned in the Black Sea, wakened me.” This is what we heard thee say, and, verily, thy Lord is witness unto what I say. We testify that that which wakened thee was not their cry but the promptings of thine own passions, for We tested thee, and found thee to be afar. Arise, and pronounce betwixt men with justice, and be thou of the well-informed. Give ear unto the Voice, and turn thy sight unto the horizon wherein it appeareth. We wish not to address thee words of condemnation, out of regard for the dignity We conferred upon thee in this mortal life. We have chosen courtesy, and made it the true mark of such as are nigh unto Him. Courtesy is, in truth, a raiment which fitteth all men, whether young or old. Well is it with him that adorneth his temple therewith, and woe unto him who is deprived of this great bounty. Hadst thou been sincere in thy words, thou wouldst not have cast behind thy back the Book of God, when it was sent unto thee by Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Wise. We have proved thee through it, and found thee other than that which thou didst profess. Arise, and make amends for that which escaped thee. Erelong the world and all that thou possessest will perish, and the kingdom will remain unto God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy fathers of old. It behooveth thee not to conduct thine affairs according to the dictates of thy desires. Fear the sighs of the Wrong One, and shield Him from the darts of such as act unjustly. Because of what thou hast done, thy kingdom shall be thrown into confusion, and the empire shall depart from thy hands, as a punishment for that which thou hast wrought. Then wilt thou know how thou hast plainly erred. Commotions shall seize all the people in that land, unless thou arisest to help this Cause, and followest Him Who is the Spirit of God in this straight Path. Hath thy pomp made thee proud? By My life! It shall not endure; nay, it shall soon pass away, unless thou holdest fast to this firm Cord. We see abasement hastening after thee, whilst thou art of those who slumber.

These verses were shared with certain Christians before the events occurred and were translated into French and sent. Nevertheless, none responded. If any soul were to observe with an eye of justice, he would instantly proclaim “I believe in God, the Lord of all worlds.” However, eyes are afflicted with the soreness of vain imaginings and ears are blocked with the cotton of ignorance and unawareness. We beseech God, exalted be His glory, to raise up in the assemblage of the world one possessed of true hearing and sight, that he may acquaint all with that which befitteth them and that which they have missed.

In these days, the affairs of Constantinople and its surroundings are proceeding as was revealed in the divine Tablets, including what was revealed in the Suriy-i-Ra’is, which was revealed at the time of departure from the Land of Mystery [Adrianople], apparently between friend and foe, and which this servant wrote down. He says: […]

O Chief! Hear thou the Voice of God, the Sovereign, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. He, verily, calleth between earth and heaven, and summoneth all men to the scene of transcendent glory. Neither thy growling, nor the barking of those around thee, nor the combined forces of the world can withhold Him… O Chief! Thou hast committed that which hath caused Muhammad, the Apostle of God, to lament in the most sublime Paradise. The world hath made thee so vain that thou hast turned away from the Face through whose brightness the Concourse on high hath been illumined. Soon thou shalt find thyself in manifest loss! Thou didst conspire with the Persian Ambassador to harm Me, notwithstanding that I had come unto you from the Source of majesty and grandeur with a Revelation that hath solaced the eyes of the favored ones of God. By God! This is the Day whereon the Fire speaketh through all things: “The Beloved of the worlds is arrived!” And before all things there standeth Moses, hearkening to the Word of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Knowing. Were We to divest Ourselves of the mortal raiment which We have worn in consideration of your weakness, all that are in the heavens and on earth would offer up their souls for My sake. To this thy Lord Himself doth testify. None, however, can perceive it save those who have detached themselves from all things for love of God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. Hast thou imagined thou couldst quench the fire which God hath kindled in the horizons? Nay, by Him Who is the Eternal Truth! Rather, by that which thou hast done its flames were fueled, and its blaze shall soon encompass the earth and whatsoever dwelleth therein. Thus hath the decree been issued, and none can withstand the command of those in the heavens and on earth. Soon will the land of Secret (Baghdad) be changed, and that which is outside it, and it shall pass out of the hands of the King, and commotions shall appear, and the voice of lamentation shall be raised, and corruption shall become manifest on all sides, and affairs shall be disrupted by reason of that which hath befallen these captives at the hands of the hosts of oppression. The established order shall be changed, and conditions shall wax so grievous that the very sands on the desolate hills will moan, and the trees on the mountain will weep, and blood will flow out of all things, and thou shalt behold the people in sore distress.

From these resplendent verses it is clear what hath happened and what shall come to pass. And similarly in the Most Holy Book was revealed: O Spot that art situate on the shores of the two seas! The throne of tyranny hath, verily, been established upon thee, and the flame of hatred hath been kindled within thee, in such wise that the Concourse on high and they who circle around the Exalted Throne have wailed and lamented. We behold in thee the foolish ruling over the wise, and darkness vaunting itself against the light. Thou art indeed filled with manifest pride. Hath thy outward splendor made thee vainglorious? By Him Who is the Lord of mankind! It shall soon perish, and thy daughters and thy widows and all the kindreds that dwell within thee shall lament. Thus informeth thee the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Likewise in the Surih of Fu’ad, which was revealed at the beginning of arrival at the Most Great Prison, and in the Tablet revealed in Persian specifically for ’Ali Pasha, who was then the Grand Vizier, all future events were clearly revealed in these Tablets. Nevertheless, people remain heedless and veiled, save whom God willeth. Our Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Were this servant to mention the mysteries of what is to come from the divine utterances, an extensive book would need to be presented. In any case, in these days every day a new opinion appears in the great city and fresh disagreements arise. Until now matters have not settled, and hereafter the affair is in His hands. Turmoil and divergent views have encompassed that land, and no peace is evident.

By now news of Sultan Murad and [the slain ones] has surely reached your honor, and now Sultan Abdul-Hamid sits upon the exalted Ottoman throne. Due to the severity of these times, the turmoil in the lands, and the clamor of the people, they have said that Sultan Murad’s mind has become disturbed. This servant, from what he has heard from the utterances of the Best-Beloved of the worlds, just as no glory shall remain with the people of ’Ayn and Lam though they cling to every means, so too shall personal independence be removed from Mim and Lam. Although we have not been and are not focused on these matters, whatever has flowed from the Supreme Pen shall surely come to pass, as indeed it has. It is most strange that people rejoice in outward positions and such things. In one instance it was revealed from the Supreme Pen that the time will be recognized as the manifestation of maturity and wisdom when independent personal sovereignty remains and no one accepts its burden to bear it. This is the purport of what flowed from the Supreme Pen. Were there to be found penetrating eyes, attentive ears, illumined hearts and pure souls, all would clearly behold the mysteries of what is to come in the divine Tablets.

As for what you asked about conditions in Iran, all the matters they were intent on implementing have been delayed, and they have also released Jinab-i-Aqa Jamal, upon him be the glory of God. At first they released him several times but he did not accept. Later at their insistence they brought him out of prison and released him, and he went to Burujird. However, news has recently arrived that he is in Hamadan and after Naw-Ruz intends to go again to the Land of Ta. We beseech God to assist all through His revealed wisdom, for the promotion and exaltation of the Word and the manifestation of the Cause have been and are dependent upon it. In any case, these regions are outwardly in turmoil, and the powers are creating much tumult and speaking of war, but perhaps, God willing, war will not break out. He setteth aright affairs as befitteth them and manifesteth whatsoever He willeth through His sovereignty. He, verily, is the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

And as for publishing the treatise you mentioned, the reward for you and those who initiated and caused it rests with God. God willing, all shall attain the fruits of their benevolent deeds. The leaf you sent was presented at the Most Holy Court, however on its first page “tasaluka ila maqam la tara” was seen while in the original manuscript it was “tawasuluka.” Exercise utmost care in correcting the treatise. We beseech God to rend asunder, through His consummate wisdom and effective Will, the veils of vain imaginings of the people of those lands, that they may behold the Truth without veil or covering and attain true recognition. Many souls who claim recognition accept whatever is said, but without true consciousness. Their acceptance differs not from the rejection of others, for both speak without awareness. This servant’s statement requires investigation, but time and opportunity for its exposition are now lacking. Whenever God, exalted and glorified be He, wills, it shall, God willing, be explained. I beseech God not to deprive any from the outpourings of the Sea of Revelation which today surgeth between earth and heaven, nor withhold the effulgences of the Sun of grace. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Almighty, the Generous.

The two letters enclosed within your letter were presented at the Most Holy Court, and their answers have dawned from the horizon of grace and descended from the heaven of bounty. God willing, may they attain the seas deposited within the divine words and drink therefrom without delay or postponement. This servant is greatly astonished that in such days as these, the like of which the eye of creation hath not seen nor the ear of the world heard, most people remain heedless and silent behind their veils. He hath spoken, and His word is the truth: “The eyes were created for this Greatest Vision, and the ears for this Utterance through which the Essence of Knowledge hath spoken - the Word belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the All-Encompassing, the Self-Subsisting.”

And if you inquire about the Land of the Prison, outwardly it remaineth as before, but inwardly, as the Truth hath spoken, it is turbulent. Each day groups arrive from various directions, with and without permission. We beseech God to assist them in that which beseemeth these days wherein the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimeth: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the One, the Almighty, the Chosen One.”

Concerning what you mentioned about the stations of the heart, it was presented. He said that whatever was mentioned before regarding these stations was specific to those days. In these days all must gaze toward the Most Exalted Horizon and witness, without veil or covering, the effulgences of the lights of the Manifestation of God’s Cause. And He said: “God willing, may you be assisted in serving the Cause. You are and will remain in Our thoughts.” We beseech God not to withhold His favors in all conditions.

The Most Great Branch and the Most Mighty Branch - may my spirit be a sacrifice unto the sacred dust of their most glorious footsteps - mention that Most Exalted Being with most wondrous praise and most sublime glorification. Likewise, the denizens of the Tabernacle of Sinlessness and the Afnan of the Blessed Tree - may my spirit be sacrificed for them - as well as those who circle round and the pilgrims, all convey their glorification. And furthermore, may that Most Exalted Being not look upon the negligence of this servant, nor forbid this servant from written remembrances. Your honor is well aware of the details of the affairs and occupations of this servant, and there is no need to submit them again. The preserves that his honor the Khan - upon him be the glory of God - had sent have arrived. They have taken great pains, but the true taste of the honey of divine knowledge that hath appeared from their pure nature hath sufficed and will continue to suffice. This is a honey that hath endured and will endure as long as the names of God endure. Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto it, and woe unto the heedless ones. And praise be to God, the Lord of all the worlds.

=== END BH00292 ===

=== START BH00293 ===

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

Praise, sanctified beyond all mention and limitation, befitteth the Possessor of the unseen and the seen, Who illumined the hearts and souls of His loved ones with the light of recognition through the bounty of His Most Great Name. The outward tongue speaketh “The Helper hath come,” while the inner tongue uttereth “The All-Merciful hath come.” His hosts are goodly deeds, His helper virtuous character, and He hath made godliness the commander of these hosts. Blessed is the soul that hath attained to witnessing and hearkening, to such extent that it beholdeth all else save God as non-existent and null. The Day is His Day, and the Cause His Cause. Today through His Name the banner of “He doeth whatsoever He willeth” hath been raised, and through His remembrance the standard of “The Sovereign hath come and the Kingdom is God’s” hath been unfurled before the faces of all parties, without veil or concealment. Every fair-minded one beareth witness, and every just and discerning one testifieth and is aware.

Glorified art Thou, O God of all beings and Goal of all creation! Thou seest Thy servant distraught upon the dust by reason of that which hath befallen Thee at the hands of those who have cast the Book behind their backs and followed what their own desires commanded them. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the blood that hath been shed in Thy path, by the hearts that have been consumed in Thy love, and by the Word whereby the hearts of them that are nigh and sincere have been attracted, to assist Thy loved ones in all conditions to remember and praise Thee and to serve Thy Cause. Thou art, verily, the One Who hath power to do as He pleaseth. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. O Lord! Thou seest me turning away from all else save Thee and clinging to Thy cord. I make mention of that which will draw Thy loved ones nigh unto the sanctuary of Thy holiness and will aid them to remember and praise Thee amidst Thy creation. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance to make Thy loved ones the emblems of Thy guidance and the banners of Thy victory. Then ordain for them the good of this world and the world to come. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

Thereafter, the letter of that beloved of the heart arrived and was honored to be heard in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court, and this is what the Tongue of Grandeur spoke in reply - exalted be His utterance and glorified His proof:

He is the Manifest Book […]

O Abdu’l-Hamid! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Praised. The servant who is present hath appeared and read that which thou didst commune with God, thy Lord, the Lord of the mighty throne. From it We perceived the fragrance of love and affection on this Day wherein the Herald hath proclaimed: “The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Lord of creation!” The cry of all things was raised when the call of God, the Lord of the Kingdom of Names, was lifted up, and they acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath uttered from this station which God hath made the most exalted of stations. We have sent down the verses and manifested the clear proofs and summoned all unto God, the Lord of lords. Thou knowest, and others besides thee know, that the Wronged One hath appeared without veil or covering before the faces of all parties. Among the people are those who heard and responded, and among them are those who turned away from God, the Dawning-Place of verses, and among them are those who disbelieved and uttered that which caused the dwellers of the cities of justice and fairness to lament, and among them are those who hesitated and are in strange doubt. Neither the clamor of the people nor the doubts of those who denied God’s manifestation in the return have deterred Us. The more they increased in their rejection, the more the remembrance and utterance increased from God, the Revealer of religions. Thou art he who turned to the Countenance when the servants turned away from it in the earliest days, and answered the call when it was raised between earth and heaven. Thus doth My Most Exalted Pen bear witness, as a grace from Him, and He is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. When the light of certitude shone forth to a certain degree, a band of servants emerged from behind the veil and perpetrated that which none had ever perpetrated before. To this the Mother Book beareth witness in this station. We beseech God to make thee a champion of His Cause and one who speaketh His praise among His servants in such wise that neither the veils of the oppressors nor the power of the pharaohs shall hinder thee. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. We love to see thee detached from all else but Him, holding fast to His cord, and gazing toward His horizon at all times. Cast the people and what they possess behind thee, then protect the sheep of God from the wolves of the earth. He will protect thee, aid thee, assist thee, and reinforce thee with the hosts of the seen and the unseen. He hath power over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but Him, the Protector of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

Hear the Call of the Wronged One in the Persian tongue. Ever has the glance of loving-kindness been directed towards you, and the purpose is that you may, to the extent possible, lead souls from the defilement of the world to true tranquility. Reflect upon the previous people: for one thousand two hundred years and more they were occupied with the mention of God, uttering His praise and speaking His glorification from the pulpits. Yet when the touchstone appeared and the horizon of the world was illumined with the Light of His Manifestation, all drew sword and spear against the Goal of all the worlds. Finally, by the decree of the leaders of church and state, they hanged Him and shed His blood. God is witness, and the atoms of creation bear testimony, that the purpose of this Wronged One has been to preserve souls from the vain imaginings of the former people, lest there be repeated what you have seen and heard. The cause of His martyrdom and the reason for the opposition of church and state were the vain imaginings that emerged from heedless souls in the early days. Glory be to God! The manifestations of justice and fairness are astonished at what the previous people professed and how they acted on the Day of Judgment. It is incumbent and necessary upon this Wronged One, upon you, and upon the upright souls to protect, to the extent possible, the people of God, lest they be afflicted with the vain imaginings and idle fancies of the former people. For the sake of God, you must exert your utmost in what has been mentioned. Arise by thy Lord’s leave to serve His Cause, remind the people of His verses, and give them the glad tidings of His loving-kindness.

The purpose of this Wronged One is, first, that the fire of hatred and animosity blazing in hearts and souls may be quenched by the Kawthar of counsel and the Salsabil of wisdom, and that the lights of unity and concord may shine forth from the horizons of the hearts of all servants. Second, that the decree of conflict, strife, corruption, murder, and all that disturbs existence may be lifted. This has been forbidden in most Tablets. Today all must hold fast to that which conduces to the reformation of the world and the education of its peoples. Knowledge is that which preserveth man from that which is unworthy and unseemly, and teacheth him that which will benefit both himself and all mankind. This is what the Wronged One desireth. Blessed is he who aideth Him in what He desireth; he is assuredly numbered among the helpers in the Book of God, the Lord of all worlds. It is hoped that through loving counsels the world may be adorned with the ornament of justice and fairness. He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. There is none other God but He, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O thou who gazest toward the horizon! That which is most harmful today is the people’s lack of understanding concerning what has transpired. By God’s life! Had there been found a soul worthy of mention and utterance, this Wronged One would surely have chosen silence and would not have accepted countless afflictions. We arose for the sake of God. You and every truthful and just one bear witness to the uprising of this Wronged One and His mention before all faces. Now that some measure of assurance hath appeared, the opponents, that is, those who have turned away from the Cause, have arisen in greater hostility than the former peoples and are occupied with the same vain imaginings. Is there any helper who will assist the Cause of God with wisdom and utterance? Is there any servant who will arise for the sake of God to serve His Cause, to remind people of His verses, and to illumine their hearts with the light of His Command? We beseech God to aid thee in that which hath flowed from My Most Exalted Pen in this Most Glorious Station. There is none other God but He, the Lord of the Throne and the earth. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My Kingdom be upon thee and upon those who have aided the Cause of God in the evening and at sunrise, at eventide and at dawn.

This lowly servant has ever beseeched the True One, exalted be His glory, for that which would cause the manifestation of infinite bounties and the exaltation of the Blessed Word. Ever has the mention of that beloved one been made in the Most Holy Court, and this servant, with utmost humility and supplication, begs and hopes from the Self-Sufficient One that He may illumine the horizons of that blessed city with the light of faith and certitude. Praise be to God that that which was the hope of this evanescent servant has dawned forth, for in these days the petition of that beloved one and the friends has arrived. His is the praise and the glory, His the gratitude and the splendor, for He has confirmed His loved ones in their recognition, turning and certitude. I have besought and continue to beseech the True One, exalted be His glory, that He may strengthen that beloved one in unifying and bringing into agreement the friends of that land - this is not difficult for Him.

Certain souls speak such calumnies that one is bewildered - exactly the same allegations as before have resurfaced. The Kitab-i-Iqan was specifically revealed in Iraq for the honored Afnan, the Great Uncle (of the Bab), may the Most Glorious Splendor rest upon him. The details are thus: When he journeyed to the Holy Shrines and after pilgrimage arrived in Baghdad, the honored Haji Siyyid Javad - may the Most Glorious Splendor of God rest upon him - attained the presence and submitted that two maternal uncles of the Exalted One - may our souls be sacrificed for His sake - had arrived in this land and intended to proceed to the Land of Shin. He asked, “Have you mentioned anything to them about this Cause?” He replied, “No.” At that moment the blessed countenance became flushed and He said, “Go to them, convey greetings from the Wronged One and say: We have never sought to meet anyone, but we do desire to meet you.” And Hadrat-i-Javad - may God’s Most Glorious Splendor rest upon him - went forth, and later in the afternoon returned with the Great Uncle - may the Most Glorious Splendor rest upon him. When they attained the presence He said, “It would be most grievous to this Wronged One if you and the other Afnans should remain deprived of the Tree that has been planted and grown in your midst.” They submitted that there were certain matters that had prevented and continued to prevent them. He said, “Mention those matters that have prevented you from recognizing the supreme horizon and the Blessed Tree, and ask your questions.” The next day they came to the sanctuary basement where He summoned them one by one, and they submitted that which had caused their hesitation, and in their presence answers descended from the heaven of God’s will, exalted be His glory, and were bestowed. Surely that beloved one and others have heard and know these details. The following day they attained the presence and submitted: “Wretched would be the soul who should read this Book and hesitate.” The journey of the Ancient Beauty - exalted be His glory - is mentioned therein; nevertheless, they have said what they have said and attributed it to one who, by God besides Whom there is none other God, is incapable of comprehending it. Likewise they say the Bayan has been altered - one’s heart melts at such words, for the beginning has become like the end of the Shi’ih party. They also say that they have taken verses from those of the Primal Point - may our souls be sacrificed for His sake - and publish them in their own name, even though now two […]

Equal indeed, triple equal are the Revelations vouchsafed, and the distinction between their utterances is as clear and evident as the sun. Let them consider the Book of Iqan and that which hath been revealed in the Persian tongue with the Persian Bayan of the Primal Point–may the spirit of all else but Him be sacrificed for His sake–and the other Persian writings; likewise the wondrous verses with the verses of that Being bear no outward resemblance whatsoever–indeed the difference is great. That beloved one and this servant must beseech God–glorified be His majesty–to guide all and enable them to achieve that which is conducive to the manifestation of justice and fairness. This matter cannot be realized except by those souls who observe with their own ears and eyes, and this is specifically true of this Most Great Revelation. I beseech God to aid that beloved one to rend asunder the veils of the people’s idle fancies with the finger of certitude and remove them. The calumnies of the idolaters exceed all bounds. Those souls who were heedless and unaware of the Cause now claim to be the first to have believed in God. This servant knoweth not what fruit the Shi’ih sect and their words and deeds have yielded on the Day of His Manifestation, that now a group like unto them should, through the efforts of Mirza Hadi-i-Dawlat-Abadi, darken the world. We beseech protection and grace from God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of the mighty Throne and the exalted Seat.

At this moment the Ancient Beauty uttered this most exalted word - His word, exalted be His glory: O Abdul-Hamid! Upon thee be the glory of God and His loving-kindness. Today it is incumbent and necessary for you and others to reflect upon these events that have transpired. At first, outwardly, it was not expected that certain souls would turn away from what is with the Truth, preferring what they possessed, or that they would fail to distinguish between the effulgences of the Sun of Truth and the shadow, or that the source of vain imaginings would, unbidden and without consent, utter words. However, the corruptor seduced and cast forth that which led to error. Now if you arise to render this service, trusting in God and committing your affair to Him - that doubts may be dispelled - it would be acceptable and beloved before God. Two or three individuals who are truly possessed of hearing and sight, and are free from love and hatred, should proceed and remain on the island for a time, truthfully relating whatever they perceive. Perhaps through this investigation that which causes certitude and assurance of souls will become manifest, and the light of certainty will be distinguished from the darkness of imagination, that all people may discover and know. This servant beseeches God to raise up several souls who will investigate for His sake, lest time pass and those possessed of vain imaginings remain in their delusions. This matter is truly necessary. Glory be to God! It is not known what they have understood of the Day of God and what the purpose of this Revelation has been. While there is still time, effort is necessary. Those who were with Him have denied all and repudiated whatever was said, while the newly-found deluded ones say with their tongues what their hearts and very beings deny - they say with their mouths what is not in their hearts. I beseech God to assist that beloved one in all conditions. If anyone sets out and does not know how to reach the island, let them arrive in Beirut and inquire, or come to this land. The intent is that that beloved one may become the cause of manifesting that which will dispel delusions. In any case, this servant implores God, exalted be His glory, to aid that beloved one in unveiling what is now concealed. Likewise, night and day I have besought and continue to beseech God, exalted be His station, to assist you and those souls who turned to Him in the early days to achieve what befits His Day. I convey greetings to the friends in that land and beseech for each one that which will cause the elevation of their station. The Branches of the Blessed Tree - may my spirit, being and essence be sacrificed for the dust of their most pure feet - are present and each one expresses loving-kindness. The glory, remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those with you and upon all who are steadfast and firm.

The Servant

27 Muharram 1306

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

At every moment doth the Herald of Truth, glorified be His majesty, summon the servants and command them to that which exalteth them, raiseth them up, and profiteth them. From the sweetness of His call is the world of utterance enthralled, and from every deed among the deeds are the means of preservation in their completeness made manifest. Whatsoever hath appeared or shall appear from the realm of the will of the Sovereign of Divine Purpose is for the purpose that man might attain unto that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Furqan. His word, blessed and exalted be He, is: “The All-Merciful hath taught the Qur’an, created man, taught him clear expression.” By the Sun of Truth! The oceans of knowledge and understanding lie concealed in this most exalted Word. Glory be to God! While words may be effaced by water in their outward form, yet the Word of God containeth oceans of meaning that neither effacement can seize upon nor change can affect. And likewise He saith: “Men whom neither merchandise nor selling diverteth from the remembrance of God.” Should man attain unto the spirit of detachment and sanctity that lieth hidden within this blessed verse, he would behold himself freed and detached from all else but God.

O friends of God, strive! O party of God, arise! Today must the world of ears and eyes be preserved and sanctified from beholding and hearing the suspicions and idle fancies of heedless souls. Meeting with such souls is a deadly poison, and intimate association with them is a stinging serpent. Through the grace of God, glorified be His majesty, let not the hem of sanctity be sullied by the calumnies of the godless. Though they may cause certain matters to appear dubious in darkness, yet what can they do and what remedy can they seek after the sun hath risen at its meridian? Nay, by God! They have no remedy, for all the mysteries and secrets of hearts shall be made manifest and evident. The tongue of truth in the Kingdom of utterance hath aforetime spoken this most exalted word: “Verily God knoweth the treachery of the eyes and that which the breasts conceal.”

In all circumstances must one take refuge in God. Who would have thought such matters would occur in that land? On the first day when it was arranged that the beloved of the heart, the honored Haji Shaykh, and his esteemed brother, the honored Aqa Muhammad-’Ali, upon them both be the peace of God, would engage in commerce in that city, it was thought that this commerce would be a means for the manifestation of trustworthiness and religiosity among the servants. However, it yielded the opposite result, and there occurred what occurred.

O my God, my God! The sweetness of Thy remembrance departeth not from the soul. Bestow upon the people of the world but one drop from that ocean of longing, yearning, attraction and enkindlement that Thou hast bestowed upon Thy lovers, that discord may be wholly removed and the light of concord may shine forth. O my God! What transgression hath poor Nur committed that he should receive its recompense? At present he is behind veils of darkness - when, through Thy grace, shall he emerge from behind them and show himself to all the world? This servant hath ever raised the hands of hope and desire toward the heaven of Thy bounty, and he beseecheth of Thee that which would bring ease and tranquility to Thy creation. O God! Guide the souls that oppose, and make the heedless aware. Thou art the Lord of existence and the Sovereign of the seen and the unseen. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Loving.

After greetings, the successive letters from that beloved of the heart arrived, and after their reading and perusal, were taken to the Holy Presence and attained the honor of being heard. This is what the Lord - may our spirits be sacrificed for Him - spoke:

“We desired to send thee the fresh dates of utterance from the palm tree of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of all worlds, and We desired to present unto thee the fruits of wisdom and knowledge from the Sacred Tree, planted by the hands of grace and bounty in the luminous spot, as a command from God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.”

The manifestation of unseemly matters in that land hath clouded the world of being. Thou and all things bear witness to the loving counsels and goodly admonitions that have flowed from the tongue and pen by night and by day. Nevertheless, the Wronged One’s counsel only increased the oppressor’s bonds. O thou who gazest upon the Face! Certain souls have committed that which hath caused the heart of the world to be troubled and its eyes to weep. After countless claims, it was observed that one made peace with the enemy and assailed the friend, and the Name ‘the Concealer’ concealed and did not reveal. We ask and beseech God not to deprive His servants of the waves of the ocean of trustworthiness, religion, truthfulness and sincerity. All must ask of God that which is the cause of tranquility for the people of creation. The pearls of wisdom and utterance that were hidden in the treasury of the Pen have been revealed in such wise that no just and fair-minded one can deny them, and must acknowledge this bounty and favor as unmerited.

O my God, my God! I beseech Thee by the movement of Thy Pen of destiny, through whose motion all created things were set in motion, and by Thy Will which hath preceded all contingent beings, to make us of those who have caused their wills to be extinguished in Thy Will, and their desires in Thy Desire, and have chosen for themselves what Thou didst choose for them through Thy bounty and generosity. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

O thou who gazest upon the Face! Some of the servants have imagined that the place of commerce in that land is connected to this place, while thou knowest, and the world knoweth, and God knoweth that it hath had and hath no connection whatsoever with this place. The purpose was to establish a place both for commerce and for the exaltation of the Word. Another person was specifically appointed so that, trusting in God, he would not be without work and occupation. His lack of contentment kindled the fire of sedition, and each day groundless discussions arose and were spread. Envy is a world-consuming fire, and greed is a world-destroying flame. In any case, this fire brought shame and disgrace, and the Cause’s reputation was compromised among the servants, for most are seeking some pretext to which they might cling and thereby sully the pure and holy garments with their calumnies. Now observe what was intended and what was done. The turbidity of unseemly deeds and false words reached such a point that the tongue of the Wronged One uttered the blessed words “I complain of my grief and sorrow unto God,” and likewise these other blessed words “Patience is seemly, and God is the One Whose help is to be sought against that which they assert.” That which the tongue seeks to shun mentioning and the pen to avoid recording hath come to pass. In all cases one must hold fast to the cord of grace and with outward and inward tongue remember these words[…]

My God, my God! We are Thy servants and Thy creatures, within the grasp of Thy power. I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou hast subdued cities and lands, and through which Thou hast raised the standards of Thy unity in all regions and the banners of Thy justice amongst Thy servants, and by Him Whom Thou hast established in the place of Thyself in the realm of creation and through Whom Thou hast manifested the kingdom of attributes and names, to make known unto us that which will preserve us from all that beseemeth not Thy sincere servants and trusted ones who are nigh unto Thee, and teach us that which will profit us outwardly and inwardly and draw us closer to Thee in all conditions. Verily, Thou art the All-Possessing, the Most High. O Lord! Leave not the cities of hearts and minds deprived of the splendors of the Sun of Thy justice and trustworthiness. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O beloved of my heart! What can I say? The reading of that beloved one’s letter, far from bringing joy, has added immeasurably to the world’s sorrow - an addition beyond measure and count. Many had imagined that in that land the door of trustworthiness would be opened, that justice and fairness would find there a dwelling place, and that in that great city there would appear such deeds as would cause religion to flourish and bring about the acceptance of existence. All has been reversed to such a degree that every believer and sincere one, out of shame and embarrassment, neither wished nor wishes to hear anything about the affairs of that city. The case of Aqa Muhammad-’Ali is evident, his occupation known. He had no involvement in any direction, yet to every soul he spoke of His Holiness the Sheykh (69) [Baha’u’llah] that which caused astonishment. Everyone who arrived in this land, he recorded in a register. In short, he set aside all matters and focused on that helpless one, hoping perhaps to eliminate him and have affairs referred to himself. To those within and without he said that which was neither fitting nor worthy. After all, what was the cause of such enmity, and what was the reason for such calumnies? Nevertheless, these matters were concealed in this land, and absolutely nothing was revealed about these subjects, not even a word, lest it cause sorrow. Finally, matters reached a point which that beloved one knows. However, these things occur due to heedlessness. Had he accepted the counsel of the friends and occupied himself with his own work and attended to his own affairs, his commerce would now be renowned throughout the horizons. Even now I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to assist him and guide him to that which will cause the elevation, exaltation, ascent and advancement of his station. In any case, hope has not been and is not cut off, for the door of divine grace has ever been and remains open. Verily, He is the Most Merciful of the merciful ones and the Most Generous of the generous ones.

As to what was written about traveling to various lands in the path of God for the purpose of teaching the Cause, refining souls and exalting the Word - after these matters were presented before His countenance, He said that it is very clear and evident that matters which cause the refinement of souls and the unity of hearts and minds take precedence with God over other deeds. You are certainly inclined toward what was mentioned, but what is beloved to the Wronged One today is that arrangements be made for your relatives to establish a dwelling place near you. This dispersion has not been and is not beloved. In any case, matters should be arranged such that both the first matter and this matter are accomplished. At present, whatever divine wisdom requires and whatever means become available should be embraced. And regarding the two matters mentioned by the Afnan, upon him be God’s peace and loving-kindness, concerning the honored Afnan, upon him be God’s grace, mercy and loving-kindness, as well as ’Ishqabad - both are acceptable and should be carried out. We hope that God, exalted be His glory, will grant complete assistance and manifest that which will cause the spread of knowledge and wisdom. God willing, you will be assisted. Your mention has not and will not leave Our thoughts, and you will not be forgotten. Surely divine assistance will reach you. Perhaps through your attention and the efforts of some of the friends, a door may be opened for the reformation of the world and preservation of peoples, and all may attain to that which brings comfort and tranquility. O thou who gazest upon the Face! The deeds in that land have grieved the Wronged One to such an extent that the pen has been prevented from mention and utterance. The intent is that the friends of this Wronged One should become the cause of the reformation of the world and the comfort of nations. Now nothing is evident except conflict, corruption and discord. Nevertheless, in all cases I beseech God to grant fellowship and manifest that which causes the elevation of existence. Now the affairs occurring in that land have become and continue to be the subject of discussion everywhere. Reflect on the conditions of the Wronged One - the bearing of countless afflictions was for the preservation of stations, yet now it has yielded the opposite result and caused waste. Repeatedly in these days letters have arrived from the honored Afnan Aqa Siyyid M, upon him be God’s peace and loving-kindness, and the honored Amin, upon him be God’s grace and bounty, but until now no reply has been sent, as conflicting matters and unseemly deeds have prevented the pen from mentioning the friends. Not for a moment was it considered what the fruit of this discord would be and what the end of this antagonism would be. In any case, we beseech God - and you should beseech Him - not to deprive His servants of the adornment of wisdom and to assist them in that which befits the station and rank of humanity. From this land also no good signs are observed. They have turned their attention to every kind, yet in the prison-land no place can be found. Perplexity has resulted, and it is very clear and evident that not all act according to the requirements of wisdom and timing, and the door of commerce is entirely closed, and there is talk about the commitment of some […]

The condition of the people of that land is evident - to this moment they speak and utter according to their own selves and desires. Justice and fairness have departed from the world, or from tyranny and oppression have hidden in dark corners. From the might of the oppressors and tyranny of pharaohs, naught remains of these two wronged ones - namely justice and fairness - save their names. Let us see what the Hand of Power will manifest hereafter. However, the discord and incidents of that land have surpassed all trials and in truth are the greatest, as We have stated before: “My calamity is not My imprisonment, nor what hath befallen Me from Mine enemies, but from those who attribute themselves to Me and commit that which causeth My heart to lament.” Your honor knows well what has transpired. Many complaints have been written from Yazd about the commerce of that land - nothing has resulted save shame and disgrace. If they would now become mindful and arise to make amends, it would still be good. He, verily, is the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

This servant beseeches God in the nights and days to manifest that which was the purpose of creation. The friends in this land, despite the difficulties and constraints that have occurred, remain patient and grateful. We beseech God to send down from the heaven of His bounty mercy from His presence, grace from His side, and relief from His direction. He, verily, is the Compassionate, the Generous.

The repeated supplications at the beginning and mention of farewell at the end were both read in His presence. He said: “O servant present! The mention of separation and farewell is most touching. Praise be to God that his tongue hath attained to praise and his being to service. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to manifest through him that which shall cause the greatest joy among mankind, to strengthen him with the waves of the sea of His utterance, and to assist him with the hosts of His favors. He, verily, hath power over all things and is worthy of answer.”

Indeed, perfect effect hath been achieved and grace and bounty are manifest and evident. We beseech God to manifest that which will cause the exaltation of His Cause and sublime station, and not to deprive His loved ones of service, remembrance, praise, presence and meeting. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the All-Forgiving, the Merciful.

The letter from the spiritual beloved, his honor Aqa ’Azizu’llah, upon him be God’s peace, which that loved one sent, was received and its answer was sent some time ago. It was decided that the charitable funds should be spent in that same land, and all the mentioned souls have attained to remembrance. God willing, may all be confirmed in that which hath been revealed in the Perspicuous Book. And regarding the trust of his honor Haji Siyyid Nasru’llah, upon him be 66 [Baha’u’llah], His Holiness the Name of 66 [God] J.M., upon him be God’s peace and care, it was received and they have written and sent it. Peace, remembrance, mercy and glory be upon your honor and upon God’s righteous servants. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

The Servant

18 Rajab 1306

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This is the City of Divine Good-Pleasure - enter therein, O concourse of them that are well-pleased, and rejoice in the effulgent lights of God, the Sovereign Protector, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

In the Name of Him besides Whom there is none other God, and by our Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted.

This is a mention of God’s mercy unto His servant in truth, that he may glory therein before the concourse of the worlds and give thanks unto his Lord at all times for the completion of His favor upon him and upon all them that dwell in the heavens and the earth. This is from a Book wherein is mentioned that which draweth mankind nigh unto the court of manifest holiness, and it beareth witness that there is none other God but Him, and all are His servants and unto Him shall all return.

The likeness of them who hear the melodies of God and then follow them is as the likeness of a light that shineth from the light of God, the Mighty, the Powerful. Thus observe thou from crystal which catcheth fire when it faceth the sun - this is a reminder from Us to them that remember. Say: O concourse of the earth! Were ye to sanctify your souls and your spirits, ye would find them more delicate than crystal, and this is an undoubted truth. And were ye to turn them toward God, your Creator, there would be reflected therein the Word of God, the Supreme, the Ancient, and there would be kindled therein the fire of nearness, whereby your bodies and your frames and all that ye possess would be illumined, such that there would be ignited in the trees of your beings the torches of love, and thereby would be consumed the veils that have come between you and the lights of His countenance. Thus do We teach you the ways of righteousness, that ye may be among them that know.

Say: If there remained in your hearts the slightest trace of attachment to the world and its ornaments, ye would never find the fragrances of eternity from this holy and luminous garment. Therefore follow, O people of the earth, that which God hath commanded you, and dispute not concerning that which He hath ordained in the Book. Then hold fast unto the cord of God, the Almighty, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

This indeed is a tablet wherein the Dove singeth with melodies of eternity and casteth upon you that which is better for you than all that hath been ordained in the kingdoms of the spirit. Therein is guidance and a reminder for them that believe. Thus doth God single out for His mercy whomsoever He pleaseth and sendeth down upon you from the heaven of glory fruits of wondrous glory.

Say: O people of the earth! The lamp of light hath been lit in the glass of holiness and the dwellers of the most exalted Paradise have been illumined thereby. Fear ye God and be not veiled from Him, and be not of them that are veiled. The Ark of God hath been fashioned by the hands of the angels of Paradise; therefore hold fast unto it, O people of the Bayan, for this is better for you than the treasures of the earth and whatsoever precious gems of glory have been stored therein.

The Sun of Beauty hath risen at high noon while ye lie sleeping upon the couch of heedlessness and are deprived of this bounty which the eyes of them that are nigh unto God have never beheld. Fear ye God, then follow the paths of divine good-pleasure in these days of God, the Almighty, the Mighty, the All-Praised. And if ye know not His path, We shall teach you in truth through a letter of that which God hath given Me, that the proof may be complete unto all who dwell in the kingdom.

Know ye that divine good-pleasure hath infinite degrees, and We teach you that which God causeth to flow from My pen, and this sufficeth you above the dominion of the first and the last ones. And for him who desireth to traverse the paths of divine good-pleasure, it behooveth him to be well-pleased with God, his Creator, in whatsoever He hath ordained for him and in whatsoever hath flowed from the Pen of the Most High in truth, and in all that hath been prescribed by Him upon the preserved tablets of holiness, and to be well-pleased with himself - and this is not possible for anyone except after his detachment from all that is in the heavens and the earth, if ye be of them that know. For if man should commit even less than an atom’s weight of unseemly deeds, he will not be pleased with himself, and […]

This is what We have witnessed unto you in truth, that ye may be numbered among the content. And that one should ascend to such a station wherein poison and honey are accounted as one, for all these are ordained by the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful. Should anyone worship God from all eternity, yet harbor in his soul aversion to that which befalleth him of hardship and tribulation, his name shall never be inscribed in the Tablets as among the content by the holy and luminous Pen. For they who proclaim their love for God in their hearts, yet groan when afflictions overtake them in His path - the decree of contentment shall not be attributed unto them. This We impart unto you in truth, that ye may be steadfast in love. How can one claim to cherish love for God in his heart, yet despise that which descendeth upon him from his Best-Beloved, the All-Wise, the All-Knowing? And that he should be content with the loved ones of God on earth and lower his wing in humility before the believers. For whoso showeth pride toward them that have believed, hath shown pride toward God Himself - God forbid! O ye sincere ones! And whoso is content with God his Lord is content with His servants who have believed in Him and in His signs on the Day whereon all who are in the heavens and on earth were thunderstruck. For the contentment of the servant with his Creator cannot be established save through his contentment with the loved ones of God who have detached themselves from all else and were of them that place their trust in Him. Await thou the Day when the Trump shall be sounded and the Dove shall warble, when the gates of Paradise shall be flung open and God shall come with a wondrous Cause. Then hasten ye unto Him, O people of the Bayan, and tarry not for less than the twinkling of an eye. This is of the essence of contentment - dispute ye not concerning it, O ye who are brought near! Then shall ye discover the breezes of contentment from the holy Dayspring, and the raptures of yearning shall seize you and transport you to a seat of glorious security.

O concourse of the Bayan! Beware lest ye tarry in your own selves or be veiled from the Beauty of God, the Mighty, the Praised. By God! To stand but once in His presence is better than sovereignty over the heavens and earth. But thou, O wayfarer unto God, rejoice within thyself, for thou hast reached the City of Divine Good-Pleasure and art numbered among those who journey to the sanctified realms. We bear witness at this moment that thou hast soared in the atmosphere of contentment, hast detached thyself from all else, hast drawn nigh unto God, the Mighty, the Bountiful, hast emigrated from thy home and journeyed unto God until thou didst arrive at the spot which the denizens of the eternal pavilions visit at morn and eventide. Blessed art thou and those like thee whom God hath enabled to arrive at the shore of eternity, the crimson sea, and who have heard the melody of God from behind the veils of power, and visited the spot round which circle the Lote-Trees of Sinai, where all who have entered the garment of existence, whether of the ancients or the more recent ones, must remove their sandals. Know thou that thy love for thy Lord is God’s good-pleasure with thee and thy good-pleasure with Him. This is of the law which hath been ordained from the right hand of God’s wisdom and will not change with the changing of Prophets nor the renewal of Messengers. Rather, all enjoin the people to this, and this is God’s trust in the hearts of the sincere ones, and this sufficeth you above all else. Whoso entereth this flowing law will not abandon a single letter of the Book and will be content only with what God hath been pleased with. Thus do We expound the verses in truth that thou mayest be of the assured ones. When thou hast quickened thy spirit with the melodies of the Dove and renewed the temple of thy inner being with the garment of eternity, return to the House of God in thy land and be of those who, through Our grace, give glad-tidings unto them that rejoice in the Spirit. Remind them of God’s verses and be as the spring breeze unto the people of thy land that they may renew their souls and spirits thereby. This is what We command thee in truth if thou be of them that hearken. Thou shalt not be able to accomplish this unless thou turnest wholly unto God and detachest thyself from all that is in the hands of all created things. When thou renewest thyself, thou shalt be able to renew the people. This is how the Dove counseleth thee in truth that thou mayest be among the beneficent ones who have been preceded by God’s guidance, who have tasted the sweetness of love and have drunk from the springs that have gushed forth from the direction of a mighty throne.

Then remember from Us all who have believed in God and His verses in thy land, and those who have migrated unto God and entered beneath the shelter of God, the Mighty, the Bountiful. Among them is the letter Kaf, who excelled in grace and whom We now mention in the Book amidst hosts of holy ones. Among them is the letter Qaf, who migrated unto God in His days and was among the God-fearing. Likewise the letter Ha’ who migrated then returned by Our leave and was among those immersed in the ocean of love. And among them is the letter Ra’ who heard the melodies of the Dove and entered beneath the shadow of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. And among them are those who migrated and returned, whose names We have not mentioned, and all attained such stations of grace as none among all creation can comprehend. God shall soon manifest unto them the fruits of their deeds and they shall soar on wings of ruby in a holy and bountiful paradise. Among them are those who journeyed with their hearts, whose names were inscribed by the Pen of Power on tablets of impregnable glory. God shall open before their faces the gates of Paradise and they shall enter therein with peace and mercy from Us, and shall be among those who rejoice. By God! Were there to be revealed to the peoples of the heavens and earth less than can be numbered of what is ordained for those who journeyed and migrated unto God, all would hasten with their eyes and heads to a holy and wondrous shore. But they are all veiled by what their hands have wrought in God’s time and are among the most lost people of evil. Say: O concourse of believers! Be patient in what hath befallen you and be not distressed by the adversities and hardships that have touched you, for God shall soon recompense the patient ones. The world and its people shall pass away and all shall return to their abode in the Fire, with no escape from God’s vengeance, the Subduer, the Conquering, the Mighty, the Powerful. Say: O people of the earth! Do ye not witness the changes in dominion and the transformations of the earth, such that no moment passeth but most affairs are altered therein? By what thing, then, are your hearts and souls assured? Woe unto you for what ye have wrought in your vain life! Ye have turned to your own selves and turned away from Him Who created you and sustained you and was more merciful to you than any who showeth mercy. Say: By God! Ye are but as travelers in the shade of a tree which must needs vanish. Be not assured by it and by that which perisheth, but be assured by that which perisheth not and endureth through the endurance of God, the Everlasting, the Eternal, the Mighty. Say: Have ye found your mornings like unto your nights, or your youth like unto your old age? All this is a reminder to you, O concourse of Muslims. The differences in all things have been ordained only to remind you of the passing of your own selves, that ye may not turn unto them nor be among those who cling. Cling ye to the cord of God, then hold fast to the handle of the Bayan - this is what hath been ordained for you by a mighty and potent Finger. Thus have We taught you the gems of knowledge, acquainted you with the wonders of wisdom, imparted to you the realities of understanding, and shown you the ways of Paradise, that your hearts and the hearts of the mystics might find assurance thereby. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and mercy be upon you, O people of the Bayan. Now do I love to detach Myself from all mention and call upon my Lord with melodies that draw unto them the hearts of the monotheists.

Glorified art Thou, O my God! Send down upon Thy loved ones that which will bring comfort to their hearts and tranquility to their souls, that they may remember Thee openly as they remember Thee in secret. This is easy for Thy all-encompassing power. Then raise, O my Beloved, the standards of Thy victory and triumph over the people of Thy realm, that these scattered ones who are dispersed throughout Thy lands and countries may gather beneath the shade of Thy loving-kindness. They find no shelter save in Thee, no refuge except in Thee, and no sanctuary but from Thee. Gather them beneath the tree of Thy loving care, then honor them with Thy grace. Verily Thou art the Most Generous of the generous.

Thou knowest, O my Beloved, how Thine enemies have dealt with Thy loved ones, seizing from them all that Thou hadst bestowed upon them through Thy bounty, and inflicting upon them what no ear hath ever heard before. No land remaineth but their blood hath been shed therein, no wood but their bodies have been burned thereby. How many little ones, O my God, are left without elders, how many mothers cry out for their sons, how many sons weep for their fathers. Thou hast recorded all this and art witness thereto.

Thou seest, O my God, how oppression hath encompassed Thy lands and realms, such that no trace of justice can be found, and all have followed the evil ones. The matter hath nearly reached such a state that Thy name and signs would be erased from the earth. All have taken gods besides Thee, and Thou art indeed the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. The darkness of heedlessness hath encompassed all the people of Thy earth to such an extent that when any of Thy servants mention Thy name, they mock him. This hath burned my heart and the hearts of the sincere ones.

By Thy glory, O my Beloved, I find none among Thy servants upon Thy path, nor do I perceive from them the fragrance of Thy love. All have taken the world as their protector, save those who have turned unto Thee and were of those who return. Every day, O my God, I associate with the people and find them heedless of Thee, turning to every face except Thy luminous countenance, and to every city save the cities of Thy mighty dominion, as though Thou hadst not created them nor provided for them. Thus have we found the matter among these polytheists.

Abasement hath reached such a degree that Thy loved ones cannot mention Thee, and if they wish to read Thy words, they must hide in their places. This hath caused the hearts of the lovers to bleed. O my God, if Thou shouldst accept these conditions for Thyself, then alas for Thy chosen ones in Thy land, how they must hear from Thy enemies that which beseemeth not Thy station! Would that they were all blind and could not see, deaf and could not hear that which is unworthy of Thy luminous beauty.

By Thy glory, if Thou leavest them in this state, the signs of Thy sovereignty in Thy realm will cease to exist, the pillars of Thy government in Thy land will be demolished, and Thy name and trace will be erased among all creation. Therefore, O my God and my Beloved, grant them no respite after these matters. Send down upon them that which will turn them toward Thee. Then remove this youth who hath risen against Thee completely, and those who follow him in his desires, that Thy holy land may be purified from these unbelievers. Indeed, O my God, I know that Thou hast willed this in all Thy days, but it hath not come to pass due to the manifestation of Thy wisdom and […]

This is the truth assured. Therefore, O my God, send down upon him from Thy firm decrees and Thine irrevocable ordinances that which no predestination can avert nor any whim can alter. Then, O my Beloved, inscribe this upon tablets of preserved glory and a wise and holy Book wherein erasure shall not enter and the decree of expungement shall never return, but rather wherein matters are fixed by the pen of a mighty and powerful decree. Then ordain thereafter, O my God, that which is best for Thy servants - and in Thy hand is all good - for verily Thou art the Judge, the Arbiter, the All-Knowing, the Bestower, the Wise. How long, O my God, wilt Thou forbear with the enemies of Thy Self? By Thy glory! In judgement they have reached such a state that Thy servants have come to doubt Thy wondrous power, nay, they have become certain of its absence, after my certainty that Thou art powerful over all things and that Thou art the most powerful of the powerful. Thou knowest that my anguish is not for myself nor for the abasement of those who love Thee, but rather when I witness that all have turned away from Thee and Thy beauty, and have made Thy signs an object of mockery. Therefore is my heart consumed, my inner being lamenteth, and mine eyes weep. Thou knowest what is within my soul, and Thou art encompassing over all things. Therefore, O my Beloved, forgive me and my transgressions which I have committed before Thee, for my very mention of Thee is a sin that nothing in earth or heaven can equal. Then forgive my parents, my loved ones, my kindred and my relatives, for verily Thou art the Most Merciful of the merciful. Then forgive the one who hastened unto Thee and arrived before Thee, then his parents, and take them not to task, O my Beloved, for their transgressions and sins, and have mercy upon them and pardon them, for verily Thou art the Most Merciful of the merciful and the Most Generous of the generous.

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Since Thou hast, O my God, established Thyself upon the throne of Thy transcendent unity, and ascended the mercy seat of Thy oneness, it befitteth Thee to blot out from the hearts of all beings whatsoever may keep them back from gaining admittance into the sanctuary of Thy Divine mysteries, and may shut them out from the tabernacle of Thy Divinity, that all hearts may mirror Thy beauty, and may reveal Thee, and speak of Thee, and that all created things may show forth the tokens of Thy most august sovereignty, and shed the splendors of the light of Thy most holy governance, and that all who are in heaven and on earth may laud and magnify Thy unity, and give Thee glory, for having manifested Thy Self unto them through Him Who is the Revealer of Thy oneness.

Divest, then, Thy servants, O my God, of the garments of self and desire, or grant that the eyes of Thy people may be lifted up to such heights that they will discern in their desires naught except the stirring of the gentle winds of Thine eternal glory, and may recognize in their own selves nothing but the revelation of Thine own merciful Self, that the earth and all that is therein may be cleansed of whatever is alien to Thee, or anything that manifesteth aught save Thy Self. All this can be fulfilled throughout Thy dominion by Thy word of command, “Be,” and it is! Nay, even swifter than this, and yet the people understand not.

Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou, O my Beloved! I swear by Thy glory! I recognize this very moment that Thou hast granted all for which I have supplicated Thee, in this blessed night which, as decreed by Thee, calleth to remembrance Him Who was the Companion of Thy beauty and the Beholder of Thy face, ere I had been mentioned by Thee, or called into being within the court of Thy holiness.

I perceive that Thou hast made all things to be the manifestations of Thy behest, and the revelations of Thy handiwork, and the repositories of Thy knowledge, and the treasuries of Thy wisdom. I recognize, moreover, that were any of the revelations of Thy names and Thine attributes to be withheld, though it be the weight of a grain of mustard seed, from whatsoever hath been created by Thy power and begotten by Thy might, the foundations of Thine everlasting handiwork would thereby be made incomplete, and the gems of Thy Divine wisdom would become imperfect.

For the letters of negation, no matter how far they may be removed from the holy fragrances of Thy knowledge, and however forgetful they may become of the wondrous splendors of the dawning light of Thy beauty, which are shed from the heaven of Thy majesty, must needs exist in Thy realm, so that the words which affirm Thee may thereby be exalted.

Thy might beareth me witness, O my Well-Beloved! The entire creation hath been called into being to exalt Thy triumph and to establish Thine ascendancy, and all the bounds that have been set by Thee are but the signs of Thy sovereignty, and proclaim the power of Thy might. How great, how very great, are the revelations of Thy wondrous power in all things! They are such that the lowliest among Thy creatures hath been made by Thee a manifestation of Thy most august attribute, and the most contemptible token of Thy handiwork hath been chosen as a recipient of Thy most mighty name. Poverty, as decreed by Thee, hath been made the means for the revelation of Thy riches, and abasement a path leading to Thy glory, and sinfulness a cause for the exercise of Thy forgiveness. By them Thou hast demonstrated that to Thee belong Thy most excellent titles, and unto Thee pertain the wonders of Thy most exalted attributes.

Since Thou hast purposed, O my God, to cause all created things to enter into the tabernacle of Thy transcendent grace and favor, and to waft over the entire creation the fragrances of the raiment of Thy glorious unity, and to look upon all things with the eyes of Thy bounty and Thy oneness, I beseech Thee, therefore, by Thy love, which Thou hast made to be the mainspring of the revelations of Thine eternal holiness, and the flame that gloweth within the hearts of such of Thy creatures as yearn towards Thee, to create, this very moment, for those of Thy people who are wholly devoted to Thee, and for such of Thy loved ones as love Thee, out of the essence of Thy bounty and Thy generosity, and from the inmost spirit of Thy grace and Thy glory, Thy Paradise of transcendent holiness, and to exalt it above everything except Thee, and to sanctify it from aught else save Thyself. Create, moreover, within it, O my God, out of the lights shed by Thy throne, handmaidens who will intone the melodies of Thy wondrous and most sweet invention, that they may magnify Thy name with such words as have not been heard by any of Thy creatures, be they the inmates of Thy heaven or the dwellers of Thine earth, nor been comprehended by any of Thy people. Unlock, then, the gates of this Paradise to the faces of Thy loved ones, that haply they may enter them in Thy name, and by the power of Thy sovereignty, that thereby the sovereign bounties vouchsafed by Thee unto Thy chosen ones and the transcendent gifts granted unto Thy trusted ones be perfected, that they may extol Thy virtues with such melodies as none can either intone or describe, and that none of Thy people may conceive the design of appearing in the guise of any of Thy chosen ones, or of emulating the example of Thy loved ones, and that none may fail to discern between Thy friends and Thine enemies, or to distinguish them that are devoted to Thee from such as stubbornly oppose Thee. Potent art Thou to do what Thou willest, and powerful and supreme art Thou over all things.

Exalted, immeasurably exalted art Thou, O my Beloved, above the strivings of any of Thy creatures, however learned, to know Thee; exalted, immensely exalted art Thou above every human attempt, no matter how searching, to describe Thee! For the highest thought of men, however deep their contemplation, can never hope to outsoar the limitations imposed upon Thy creation, nor ascend beyond the state of the contingent world, nor break the bounds irrevocably set for it by Thee. How can, then, a thing that hath been created by Thy will that overruleth the whole of creation, a thing that is itself a part of the contingent world, have the power to soar into the holy atmosphere of Thy knowledge, or reach unto the seat of Thy transcendent power?

High, immeasurably high art Thou above the endeavors of the evanescent creature to soar unto the throne of Thine eternity, or of the poor and wretched to attain the summit of Thine all-sufficing glory! From eternity Thou didst Thyself describe Thine own Self unto Thy Self, and extol, in Thine own Essence, Thine Essence unto Thine Essence. I swear by Thy glory, O my Best-Beloved! Who is there besides Thee that can claim to know Thee, and who save Thyself can make fitting mention of Thee? Thou art He Who, from eternity, abode in His realm, in the glory of His transcendent unity, and the splendors of His holy grandeur. Were any one except Thee to be deemed worthy of mention, in all the kingdoms of Thy creation, from the highest realms of immortality down to the level of this nether world, how could it, then, be demonstrated that Thou art established upon the throne of Thy unity, and how could the wondrous virtues of Thy oneness and Thy singleness be glorified?

I bear witness, this very moment, to what Thou hast testified for Thine own Self, ere Thou hadst created the heavens and the earth, that Thou art God, and that there is none other God besides Thee. Thou hast from everlasting been potent, through the Manifestations of Thy might, to reveal the signs of Thy power, and Thou hast ever known, through the Day-Springs of Thy knowledge, the words of Thy wisdom. No one besides Thee hath ever been found worthy to be mentioned before the Tabernacle of Thy unity, and none except Thyself hath proved himself capable of being praised within the hallowed court of Thy oneness.

I yield Thee such thanks as can establish the Manifestations of Thy sovereignty upon the throne of independent dominion, and set up the Exponents of Thy unity upon the seats of undisputed supremacy. I yield Thee such thanks as can make the corrupt tree to bring forth good fruit through the holy breaths of Thy favors, and revive the bodies of all beings with the gentle winds of Thy transcendent grace. I yield Thee such thanks as can cause those who are the manifestations of Thy names to be rid of all desire except what Thou desirest, and to accept naught except what Thou hadst destined for them through Thy decree. I yield Thee such thanks as can teach the birds of the souls of men the song of Thy transcendent oneness, and enable them to soar upward to the highest heaven of Thy presence and Thy bounties. I yield Thee such thanks as can magnify Thy holy Word, and exalt Thy divine Unity, and sanctify Thy Cause from the mention of aught else except Thee, and purge Thy Remembrance from all derogatory allusions to any save Thyself.

I yield Thee such thanks as can fulfill the needs of every soul that seeketh Thee, and realize the aim of them that have recognized Thee. I yield Thee such thanks as can blot out from the hearts of men all suggestions of limitations. I yield Thee such thanks as can unite the hearts of Thy servants, and gather together all the peoples of Thine earth in the paradise of Thy transcendent oneness […]

sovereignty upon the throne of Thy governance, and set up the Exponents of Thy glory upon the seat of Thy Divinity. I yield Thee such thanks as can make the corrupt tree to bring forth good fruit through the holy breaths of Thy favors, and revive the bodies of all beings with the gentle winds of Thy transcendent grace. I yield Thee such thanks as can cause the signs of Thine exalted singleness to be sent down out of the heaven of Thy holy unity. I yield Thee such thanks as can teach all things the realities of Thy knowledge and the essence of Thy wisdom, and will not withhold the wretched creatures from the doors of Thy mercy and Thy bountiful favor. I yield Thee such thanks as can enable all who are in heaven and on earth to dispense with all created things, through the treasuries of Thine all-sufficing riches, and can aid all created things to reach unto the summit of Thine almighty favors. I yield Thee such thanks as can assist the hearts of Thine ardent lovers to soar into the atmosphere of nearness to Thee, and of longing for Thee, and kindle the Light of Lights within the land of ’Iraq. I yield Thee such thanks as can detach them that are nigh unto Thee from all created things, and draw them to the throne of Thy names and Thine attributes. I yield Thee such thanks as can cause Thee to forgive all sins and trespasses, and to fulfill the needs of the peoples of all religions, and to waft the fragrances of pardon over the entire creation. I yield Thee such thanks as can enable them that recognize Thy unity to scale the heights of Thy love, and cause such as are devoted to Thee to ascend unto the Paradise of Thy presence. I yield Thee such thanks as can satisfy the wants of all such as seek Thee, and realize the aims of them that have recognized Thee. I yield Thee such thanks as can blot out from the hearts of men all suggestions of limitations, and inscribe the signs of Thy unity. I yield Thee such thanks as that with which Thou didst from eternity glorify Thine own Self, and didst exalt it above all peers, rivals, and comparisons, O Thou in Whose hands are the heavens of grace and of bounty, and the kingdoms of glory and of majesty!

Lauded be Thy name, O Lord my God, and my Master! Thou bearest witness, and seest, and knowest the things that have befallen Thy loved ones in Thy days, and the continual trials, and the successive tribulations, and the incessant afflictions, which have been sent down upon Thine elect. Such hath been their plight that the earth became too strait for them, and they were encompassed by the evidences of Thy wrath and the signs of Thy fear in every land, and the doors of Thy mercy and Thy loving-kindness were shut against them, and the garden of their hearts was deprived of the overflowing showers of Thy grace and Thy bountiful favors. Wilt Thou withhold, O my God, from such as love Thee the wonders of Thine ascendancy and triumph? Wilt Thou shatter, O my Beloved, the hopes which they who are devoted to Thee have fixed on Thy manifold bounties and gifts? Wilt Thou keep back, O my Master, those that have recognized Thee from the shores of Thy sanctified knowledge, or wilt Thou cease to rain down upon the hearts of such as desire Thee the showers of Thy transcendent grace? No, no, and to this Thy glory beareth me witness! I testify this very moment that Thy mercy hath surpassed all created things, and Thy loving-kindness encompassed all that are in heaven and all that are on earth. From everlasting the doors of Thy generosity were open to the faces of Thy servants, and the gentle winds of Thy grace were wafted over the hearts of Thy creatures, and the overflowing rains of Thy bounty were showered upon Thy people and the dwellers of Thy realm. I know full well Thou hast delayed to manifest Thy triumph in the kingdom of creation by reason of Thy knowledge which embraceth both the mysteries of Thy decree, and the hidden things ordained behind the veils of Thine irrevocable purpose, that thereby those who have entered beneath the shadow of Thy transcendent mercy may be separated from those who have dealt disdainfully with Thee, and turned back from Thy presence at the time when Thou didst manifest Thy most exalted Beauty. Exalted, immeasurably exalted art Thou, therefore, O my Beloved! Forasmuch as Thou hast divided, in Thy realm, Thy loved ones from Thine enemies, and hast perfected Thy most weighty testimony and Thy most infallible Proof unto all who are in heaven and on earth, have mercy, then, upon those who were brought low in Thy land, by reason of what hath befallen them in Thy path. Exalt them, then, O my God, through the power of Thy might and the potency of Thy will, and raise them up to proclaim Thy Cause through Thine omnipotent sovereignty and purpose.

I swear by Thy glory! My sole purpose in showing forth Thine ascendancy hath been to glorify Thy Cause, and to magnify Thy word. I am persuaded that if Thou wert to delay to send down Thy victory and to demonstrate Thy power, the signs of Thy sovereignty would assuredly perish in Thy land, and the tokens of Thy rule would be blotted out throughout Thy dominion.

My breast is straitened, O my God, and sorrows and vexations have compassed me round, for I hear among Thy servants every praise except Thy wondrous praise, and behold amidst Thy people the evidences of all things save the evidences of what Thou hast prescribed unto them by Thy behest, and destined for them through Thy sovereign will, and ordained unto them by Thine overruling decree. They have strayed so far from Thee that should any of Thy loved ones deliver unto them the wondrous tokens of Thy unity, and the gem-like utterances that attest Thy transcendent oneness, they would thrust their fingers into their ears, and would cavil at him and mock him. All this hast Thou set down through Thine all-encompassing sovereignty, and apprehended through Thine omnipotent supremacy.

Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou, O my Master! Look, then, upon the hearts which, in their love for Thee, have been transfixed by the darts of Thine enemies, and the heads which were borne on spears for the sake of the exaltation of Thy Cause and the glorification of Thy name. Have pity, then, upon those hearts which have been consumed by the fire of Thy love, and been touched by such tribulations as are known only unto Thee.

All laud and honor to Thee, O my God! Thou well knowest the things which, for a score of years, have happened in Thy days, and have continued to happen until this hour. No man can reckon, nor can any tongue tell, what hath befallen Thy chosen ones during all this time. They could obtain no shelter, nor find any refuge in which they could abide in safety.

Turn, then, O my God, their fear into the evidences of Thy peace and Thy security, and their abasement into the sovereignty of Thy glory, and their poverty into Thine all-sufficient riches, and their distress into the wonders of Thy perfect tranquillity. Vouchsafe unto them the fragrances of Thy might and Thy mercy, and send down upon them, out of Thy marvelous loving-kindness, what will enable them to dispense with all except Thee, and will detach them from aught save Thyself, that the sovereignty of Thy oneness may be revealed and the supremacy of Thy grace and Thy bounty demonstrated.

Wilt Thou not, O my God, look upon the tears which Thy loved ones have shed? Wilt Thou not pity, O my Beloved, the eyes which have been dimmed by reason of their separation from Thee, and because of the cessation of the signs of Thy victory? Wilt Thou not behold, O my Master, the hearts wherein have beaten the wings of the dove of longing and love for Thee? By Thy glory! Things have come to such a pass that hope hath well nigh been banished from the hearts of Thy chosen ones, and the breaths of despair are ready to seize them, by reason of what hath befallen them in Thy days. Behold me, then, O my God, how I have fled from myself unto Thee, and have abandoned my own being that I may attain unto the splendors of the light of Thy Being, and have forsaken all that keepeth me back from Thee, and maketh me forgetful of Thee, in order that I may inhale the fragrances of Thy presence and Thy remembrance. Behold how I have stepped upon the dust of the city of Thy forgiveness and Thy bounty, and dwelt within the precincts of Thy transcendent mercy, and have besought Thee, through the sovereignty of Him Who is Thy Remembrance and Who hath appeared in the robe of Thy most pure and most august Beauty, to send down, in the course of this year, upon Thy loved ones what will enable them to dispense with any one except Thee, and will set them free to recognize the evidences of Thy sovereign will and all-conquering purpose, in such wise that they will seek only what Thou didst wish for them through Thy bidding, and will desire naught except what Thou didst desire for them through Thy will. Sanctify, then, their eyes, O my God, that they may behold the light of Thy Beauty, and purge their ears, that they may listen to the melodies of the Dove of Thy transcendent oneness. Flood, then, their hearts with the wonders of Thy love, and preserve their tongues from mentioning any one save Thee, and guard their faces from turning to aught else except Thyself. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou, verily, art the Almighty, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

Protect, moreover, O my Beloved, through Thy love for them and through the love they bear to Thee, this servant, who hath sacrificed his all for Thee, and expended whatsoever Thou hast given him in the path of Thy love and Thy good pleasure, and preserve him from all that Thou abhorrest, and from whatsoever may hinder him from entering into the Tabernacle of Thy holy sovereignty, and from attaining the seat of Thy transcendent oneness. Number him, then, O my God, with such as have allowed nothing whatever to deter them from beholding Thy beauty, or from meditating on the wondrous evidences of Thine everlasting handiwork, that he may have fellowship with none except Thee, and turn to naught save Thyself, and discover in whatever hath been created by Thee in the kingdoms of earth and heaven nothing but Thy wondrous Beauty and the revelation of the splendors of Thy face, and be so immersed beneath the billowing oceans of Thine overruling providence and the surging seas of Thy holy unity, that he will forget every mention except the mention of Thy transcendent oneness, and banish from his soul the traces of all evil suggestions, O Thou in Whose hands are the kingdoms of all names and attributes!

Lauded be Thy name, O Thou Who art the Goal of my desire! I swear by Thy glory! How great is my wish to attain unto a detachment so complete that were there to appear before me those countenances which are hid within the chambers of chastity, and the beauty of which Thou didst veil from the eyes of the entire creation, and whose faces Thou didst sanctify from the sight of all beings, and were they to unveil themselves in all the glory of the splendors of Thine incomparable beauty, I would refuse to look upon them, and would behold them solely for the purpose of discerning the mysteries of Thy handiwork, which have perplexed the minds of such as have drawn nigh unto Thee, and awed the souls of all them that have recognized Thee. I would, by Thy power and Thy might, soar to such heights that nothing whatsoever would have the power to keep me back from the manifold evidences of Thy transcendent dominion, nor would any earthly scheme shut me out from the manifestations of Thy Divine holiness.

Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou, O my God, and my Beloved, and my Master, and my Desire! Shatter not the hopes of this lowly one to attain the shores of Thy glory, and deprive not this wretched creature of the immensities of Thy riches, and cast not away this suppliant from the doors of Thy grace, and Thy bounty, and Thy gifts. Have mercy, then, upon this poor and desolate soul who hath sought no friend but Thee, and no companion except Thee, and no comforter save Thee, and no beloved apart from Thee, nor cherished any desire but Thyself.

Cast, then, upon me, O my God, the glances of Thy mercy, and forgive me my trespasses and the trespasses of them that are dear to Thee, and which come in between us and the revelation of Thy triumph and Thy grace. Cancel Thou, moreover, our sins which have shut off our faces from the splendors of the Day-Star of Thy favors. Powerful art Thou to do Thy pleasure. Thou ordainest what Thou willest, and art not asked of what Thou wishest through the power of Thy sovereignty, nor canst Thou be frustrated in whatsoever Thou prescribest through Thine irrevocable decree. No God is there save Thee, the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the Ever-living, the Most Compassionate.

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=== START BH00297 ===

This is the Surah of Remembrance which hath been sent down through grace, that perchance the people of the Bayan might detach themselves from that which they possess and turn toward the right hand of justice, and arise from the slumber of vain desire, and take unto their Lord, the Most High, the All-Glorious, a path of truth.

In the Name of God, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most High!

This is a Book from the Primal Point unto those who have believed in God, the One, the Single, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Therein He addresseth those among the people of the Bayan who have hesitated in this Cause, that they might perchance become aware of the wondrous words of God and arise from the slumber of heedlessness in this radiant and luminous Dawn. Say: We commanded you in the Book that ye should not prefer any group from which would appear the Beloved of the mystics and the Object of desire of all who are in the heavens and earth. And We commanded you that should ye attain unto the presence of God, arise before His countenance and then utter on My behalf these mighty and impregnable words: “Upon Thee, O Baha’u’llah and Thy kindred, be the remembrance of God and the praise of all things, in every time, before time, and after time.” And We made these words a glory for the people of the Bayan, that through them they might ascend unto the holy heights and be numbered among the triumphant.

Yet they abandoned that which they were commanded, such that not one among them appeared before His countenance with that which We had enjoined upon them in the Tablets. Rather, they cast toward Him from every direction the arrows of hypocrisy, whereat I wept, and the denizens of the heaven of grandeur wept, and then the Faithful Spirit. Say: O people, be ye ashamed before My beauty! Verily, He Who hath appeared in truth is the Glory of the worlds, were ye of them that know, and He is Baha’u’llah, upon Him be the remembrance of God and His praise, then the praise of the Concourse on High, then the praise of the denizens of the immortal realm, and the praise of all things at every moment. Beware lest ye be veiled by that which hath been created between earth and heaven. Hasten unto the paradise of His good-pleasure and be not of them that slumber.

Say: His beauty was My beauty in truth, and His Self was My Self, and all that We revealed in the Bayan was revealed for His firm and wondrous Cause. Fear God and dispute not concerning that whereof We informed you and wherewith We gave you glad tidings of His appearance, and took the covenant of His Self before the covenant of Mine own Self, and every thing beareth witness to this, if ye be of them that deny. By God! Through one note of His melodies were all things given new birth, and through another note were drawn forth the hearts of them that are brought nigh. Beware lest ye be veiled by aught from Him Whose meeting was the essence of My meeting, and Who sacrificed His soul in My path even as I sacrificed in His path, out of love for His mighty and impregnable beauty.

Say: Were it not for Him, the letter ?a would not have been joined with Ba, nor would the form of Ha have been established upon the Vav, nor would have been created what was and what shall be, were ye of them that perceive. And were it not for Him, I would not have cast Myself before the polytheists, nor would I have been suspended in the air. By God! Through My yearning for Him and My longing for His Self have I borne that which no Prophet or Messenger hath borne, and I accepted all this upon Myself lest there should befall Him that which would grieve His most subtle, tender, gracious and mighty heart.

We counseled you throughout the Bayan that none should cause grief to another, lest grief should touch Him; otherwise what have I to do with remembering you or occupying Myself with you, O company of the neglectful! Verily, I intended in the Bayan naught except His Self, and from all mentions naught except His mention, and from all names naught except His blessed, most mighty, most holy, most wondrous and most beauteous Name. By My life! When I made mention of the Lord, I intended naught except His Lordship over all things, and when there flowed from My pen the mention of Divinity, My purpose was none other than the God of the worlds, and when there flowed from My pen the mention of the Object of Desire […]

Verily, if I mentioned the word “Purpose”, He was indeed My Purpose, and likewise with “Beloved”, He was indeed My Beloved and the Beloved of those possessed of understanding. And if I mentioned prostration, I intended naught but prostration before His exalted, mighty and inaccessible Countenance. And if I praised a soul, My heart’s intent was naught but praise of His own Self. And if I commanded people to an act, I desired naught but deeds performed in His good-pleasure on the day of His Manifestation. To this testifieth all that hath been sent down upon Me from the heaven of My Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. I have made all things dependent upon His confirmation and good-pleasure, for He is the One Who hath ever been the God of all worlds and the Purpose of all who seek. And if ye would observe with discerning eyes, ye would surely witness the Manifestations of “He doeth whatsoever He willeth” as devoted servants beneath His shadow. Yet ye have done unto His Self what neither the people of the Furqan did unto My Self, nor the concourse of the Jews unto the Spirit. Alas, alas, for the anguish of My heart and the lamentation of My soul for what hath befallen My Beloved at the hands of the idolaters! Fie upon you and upon your fidelity, O company of oppressors! We created fidelity and courtesy for His sake, that perchance at His appearance ye would not commit that which would grieve My reality and the realities of all things. Yet ye have transgressed the bounds set forth in God’s Book, the Most High, the Most Great. Ye have rent asunder the veils of modesty and the covering of reverence, and have perpetrated that which the Pen of Creation is ashamed to mention between earth and heaven. Alas, alas, for what ye have inflicted upon this Wronged One, the solitary, the stranger. I know not what ye will do to Him hereafter. Nay, by My knowing Self, rather I do know, and with Me is the knowledge of all things preserved in a Tablet which God hath protected from the eyes of the idolaters. We have informed Him beforehand of what hath befallen Him and what will befall Him, though He is Himself aware of what lieth within the breasts of all beings. Not an atom escapeth His knowledge, nor can aught that hath been created by a word from Him elude His grasp. There is no God but He, the Single One, the Raiser, the Quickener, the Slayer. Say: O people! He is the One Who, were He to will to make all who are in the heavens and on earth enduring proofs from His presence, would be able to do so, and this would be easy for Him. He is the One Who created the Paradise of the Bayan for His own Self, from which all things have their beginning and to which they return, were ye but to know. Yet with Him in Whose grasp lieth the kingdom of creation, ye were not content that He should be called by any name, though these names and their kingdoms were created by His mighty and exalted command. Alas, alas, for your heedlessness, O people of the Bayan! Alas, alas, for your veiling of yourselves, O company of idolaters! And when ye exceeded all bounds regarding your own selves and reached the heights of understanding in your own estimation, ye made mention of successorship for one of His enemies and used this as proof against God, through Whom the laws of religions were ordained in both former and latter times. Ye have returned to that which the people of the Furqan adduced as proof, after We had forbidden you in His presence from all mention save by His leave. And God is witness and well-aware of this. Therefore, consider your condition and your understanding. Fie upon you and upon your minds and your comprehension, O most lost ones! Know ye not that We have rolled up what was with the people and spread another carpet? Blessed be God, the King, the Unfolder, the Mighty, the Generous! Say: O people! Do not fabricate lies against My Self. I have not spoken except in mention of this Manifestation […]

Thou hast not drawn breath save through His love, nor turned thy face except toward His luminous and radiant countenance, and hast made the Bayan and that which was revealed therein as but a leaf from among the leaves of the garden of paradise for His Own Self, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Powerful. Beware lest ye usurp it and return it to him who sought to shed My blood once again through following his own desires and passions, and was among the warmongers. We have expounded the Bayan from a single Word, then returned it unto that Word, and commanded the Word to appear before the Throne, that all creation before it might witness and His All-Knowing, All-Wise Self might rejoice therein. Judge ye then with fairness: Is it fitting that its rightful Owner should dispose of it, or another? What aileth you, O company of the veiled ones? We commanded the people of the Bayan to wear silk and keep themselves and their garments clean, lest His eye should fall upon what He loveth not. Thus have We expounded all things in detail in a perspicuous Book. All this was for His sake, would ye but judge with fairness. We created the heavens and the earth and whatsoever lieth between them for His loved ones - how much more so His radiant, mighty and luminous Beauty! Yet ye cling to that which We ordained for Him and thereby oppose My Beloved. What aileth you, O company of the malicious ones, and what will profit you this day, O assemblage of evil-doers? Ye opposed Him and all that appeared from Him, after We had counseled you in the Tablets that whosoever should call to mind the mention of His Most Great and Wondrous Name should rise from his seat and say “Glory be to God, the Lord of the Kingdom and the Realm” nineteen times, then “Glory be to God, the Possessor of Might and Omnipotence” nineteen times, unto the end of what We revealed in a mighty and glorious Tablet. Yet ye denied Him and His signs, and were not content with this, nor did ye observe the rights of God regarding Him, nor did ye heed the command of God concerning His exalted and all-knowing Self. To such an extent did ye object to His every deed, one after another, and were among the mockers. Among you were those who said “He drinks tea,” and those who said “He eats food,” and those who objected to His attire, though every thread of His garment testifieth that there is none other God but Him and that He is the Goal of all who draw nigh. I Myself bear witness that at times He had but two garments in His presence, to change from one to the other - thus doth the tongue of truth, possessed of knowledge, testify. And on some nights He had not even sustenance for the family of God, yet He concealed His plight to preserve God’s firm and mighty Cause, though He had created all things for Himself and with Him are the keys to the treasuries of the heavens and the earth. Fie upon your shame, O people of the Bayan! By God, I am ashamed of your deeds and I now disavow you, O company of devils! Alas, alas for His tribulations among you! Alas, alas for what hath befallen and continueth to befall Him at every moment! O people, be fair and reflect for less than a moment: If ye remain behind such veils, why did I manifest Myself and what is the fruit of My manifestation, O company of hypocrites? God hath sent Me to rend asunder the veils and purify you for this Revelation, yet ye have done that which causeth Mine eyes and the eyes of the holy ones to weep. The faces of all past religions have been whitened by your deeds, for ye are more veiled than they and more heedless than the people of the Torah, the Psalms and the Gospel. Would that I had never been born of My mother and had never manifested Myself among you, O company of traitors! […]

By Him Who hath sent Me with the truth! I have encompassed the knowledge of all things, and all that hath been treasured in God’s inviolable repositories and all that hath been veiled from the eyes of men. Yet have I not found souls more wretched than you, nor more remote from God. For after We had set forth in the Tablets, and counseled you in every leaf, We had not supposed that anyone would appear in the realm to oppose God, in Whose grasp lieth the kingdom of the heavens and of the earth. We are, therefore, amazed at your creation, and know not by what word ye were created, O ye at whom are bewildered the hearts of the people of the world, and then the hearts of them that are sincere and near to God. Thus have We recounted unto thee, O servant, in this Tablet that which the Dove of Utterance warbleth at this moment before the throne of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Read thou what hath been sent down therein, and guard these pearls of inner meaning from every treacherous thief among the hosts of Satan. And shouldst thou find one possessed of insight, share it before his eyes that he may witness it and be of them that attain. Perchance they that are endowed with vision among Our chosen servants may become apprised of that which hath befallen the Beauty of the All-Possessing at the hands of these reprobates who have taken the Calf as their lord instead of God and worship it at eventide and at dawn, and are of them that rejoice. And thou, grieve not for what hath befallen Us, but be patient even as We have been patient, for He is the best of helpers and protectors. Remember thy Lord by night and by day, and voice His praise amongst His servants, that perchance through His praise the fire of His love may be kindled in the hearts of the well-favored, and all may arise to praise God, their Lord and the Lord of all that is seen and unseen, and the Lord of your fathers of old.

We have sent down verses unto thee aforetime and dispatched them to thee by the hand of one of Our servants named Muhammad - verily We have been the Sender. A single word thereof excelleth all that hath been created in the heavens and earth. If thou shouldst see Muhammad, remember him from Us, for thy Lord is the best Rememberer and the All-Knowing. Say: O Muhammad! We have counseled thee in the Book not to transgress the bounds of justice and truth. Beware lest thou be of the transgressors. Be grateful to God for having honored thee with His presence, and preserve thyself lest there appear from thee that which would render thy deeds of no effect. Thus do We counsel thee in truth, as a mercy from Us unto thee and unto the devoted servants.

Then convey Our greetings unto thy children and thy kinsmen who have chosen for themselves a path unto God. Then make mention of thy brother who is named Ahmad. Say: Beware lest thou hesitate in the Cause of thy Lord. Hearken unto My words and pass along the path as a cloud. Hast thou heard in all creation of a Revelation mightier than this Revelation which hath appeared with the truth? Nay, by thy Lord! To this do they that are possessed of understanding bear witness. This is He above Whose head the Tongue of Grandeur and Glory proclaimeth: O peoples of earth and heaven! This is My Manifestation and My Beauty, then My greatness and My proof. Turn ye unto Him with humility and contrition. Say: They who claim to love thee, love thee for their own sakes, but God loveth thee for thine own sake and hath called thee through the tongue of this Youth and aforetime through the tongues of His Messengers. Fear thou God, unto Whom returneth the decree of the beginning and the end.

Remember thou, on Our part, him who hath been named Ahmad, who appeared before Our countenance in Iraq, that he may detach himself from all else save God and draw nigh unto the All-Merciful. O Ahmad! We behold thee lingering about the Fire. Hear thou My word, then enter therein with the leave of thy Lord. By God! It is light unto him who hath detached himself from all things and hath clung to the cord of God’s command, the Mighty, the Bountiful. O Ahmad! Ponder upon that which thou hast, then upon the proofs of the Prophets of old, and that which hath been sent down in the Bayan, that thou mayest wholly detach thyself from all things and turn unto the sanctuary of nearness, the station wherein the lights of the Face shine forth with a radiance that illumineth the realities of all created things. None hath any choice except to deny God’s Messengers of old or to follow this Cause which hath dawned from the horizon of holiness with power and sovereignty. O Muhammad! Deliver unto him the messages of thy Lord, that he may stand firm in the Cause of his Lord and not be circumspect in this matter round which circle both proof and evidence. Whoso turneth to God, it shall be for his own good, and whoso turneth away, it shall be to his own loss. Naught is incumbent upon thee except to convey unto men the Cause of thy Lord and to call them unto the All-Highest Paradise. Beware lest thou grieve over aught, for verily thy Lord is with thee at all times. There hath been ordained for thee, with thy Lord, a station which none knoweth save God, the Mighty, the All-Glorious. Tarry not in thy place, neither be silent in the remembrance of thy Lord. Make mention of Him amongst His servants, that perchance there may be kindled in their hearts the fire of the love of God. Thus hast thou been commanded by thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Merciful. Convey the greetings of the Youth to the faces of them that have believed, then gather them beneath the shade of this Paradise which God hath created above all other paradises. Say: O people! Know ye the worth of these days and be not of them that have cast the command of God behind their backs and are of the lost. Give thanks unto God for having aided you to recognize His Self and for having sent down unto you verses from the heaven of grace, that He might draw you nigh unto a station which God hath sanctified from the knowledge of them that have transgressed, who have exceeded the bounds set by God and have forgotten His covenant and His testament. By God! They are none other than the companions of error. And upon thee be glory, and upon whomsoever hath held fast unto God and shunned Satan.

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=== START BH00298 ===

His Holiness the Name of God Jamal, upon him be all the most glorious Glory. On the 10th of Jamadi’l-Avval 1299.

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

Praise be unto God Who hath appeared and manifested His sovereignty and enforced His command in such wise as to subdue the world and cause all peoples to speak that there is none other God but Him. He hath ever been and will ever be. He is the Single One, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

Glorified art Thou, O Thou at Whose Name the Cockerel of the Throne crowed, and through Whose love they that are in the heavens and on earth were drawn! I beseech Thee by Thy Name which Thou hast made the Sun of the heaven of Thy utterance and the Lote-Tree of the paradise of Thy knowledge, and the Most Great Word in Thy Hidden Book and the Mystery of the Command in Thy Treasured Tablet, to protect Thy near servants from the oppression of those who have been heedless of Thy Cause, who have turned away from Thy sovereignty, who have disputed Thy signs and denied Thy proof. O Lord! Thou seest Thy chosen ones in the hands of Thine enemies. I beseech Thee to ordain for them that which befitteth Thy power and might. Thou knowest, O my God, that this servant hath attained unto the letter of one of Thy friends and hath been seized by the wine of His love in such wise as to raise his hands in supplication to the heaven of Thy grace, seeking from the wonders of Thy bounty that which would assist him in Thy service with such confirmation as would cause the tongues of Thy creation to testify. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and within Thy grasp are the reins of all things. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

May my spirit be a sacrifice for your exile! Its duration has passed, and this servant was not successful in expressing his longing and yearning in the presence of Your Holiness, as the whereabouts of that Beloved One was unknown, until praise be to God, the spiritual herald brought the glad tidings of your well-being and settlement in the land of Hadba. After offering praise and thanksgiving to the Lord of the Seen and Unseen, and learning of that which was revealed from the treasure of divine knowledge, I approached the station and presented myself before His presence. Then He spoke, and His sweetest utterance was: “O My Name, O Jamal! At the time when the gaze of God’s favor was directed toward thee, the servant present arrived and mentioned thy letter in its entirety before the Face. God willing, mayest thou ever be illumined by the Sun of divine favor, gazing toward its horizon, speaking His praise, and arising in His service. The people of the world have been overtaken by the slumber of heedlessness to such extent that they have not been awakened by the cry, the call, and the trumpet blast. This is in consequence of the deeds they have previously committed. Should the True One, exalted be His glory, act according to the requirements of justice, all would return to the most wretched of abodes, save whom God willeth. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Bountiful. The fire of corruption hath encompassed the world, yet none is aware of it and all are utterly heedless of its cause and reason. God willing, may that honored one drink at all times from the Kawthar of joy and hold fast in that land to silence and quietude, for the light of the All-Merciful is not visible on the foreheads of those people, and they seek to lay hold of some matter and rise up in rejection and opposition. The divine religion and community, namely the religion of Islam, has become exceedingly weak. The enemy, like unto a serpent, hath begun to move from every direction. Implore the Exalted True One to aid His religion through the hosts of the unseen. Verily He is the Powerful, the Mighty. O My Name! As yet no ear hath been found into which a word might be cast. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist His servants to turn unto Him and to make known unto them that which profiteth them. Verily He is the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate. The light shining forth from the horizon of the Will be upon thee and upon those who are with thee, from God, the Lord of the worlds.” Thus ended His words. Praise be to God that the Sun of favor hath ever been and will continue to be shining and manifest in relation to Your Holiness.

Two Most Holy Tablets were previously revealed and sent specifically for the Imprisoned Leaf, upon her be the Glory of God, and likewise specifically for his honor Buzurg, upon him be the Glory of God. They commanded: Write in My name to Jamal that they should be mindful of wisdom in all circumstances, for the ears of the mischief-makers are alert at their posts, appearing with a hundred thousand tricks and deceptions that perchance they may, in their imagination, find cause for corruption. Silence is best, and the Lord of creation, the Beloved of the world, hath said: “The most excellent of deeds is silence.” By God, silence is beloved in all circumstances, that is, in that land and its surroundings, and in this land and its surroundings. Regard the world as a child in need of education, both now and in the past, but the Educator is forbidden. In these days the secret movement of this land has somewhat come to light, therefore one must act according to the requirements of wisdom and hold fast to that which is befitting. Verily He is the Counselor, the Commander, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Given these manifest, evident and luminous bestowals, there remains and shall remain no station for the utterances of this evanescent servant. The silence that hath ever been and shall ever be beloved is the silence of this servant in this station. God willing, may they drink in all conditions from the ocean of grace and be blessed with the bounty of remembrance and praise. I convey greetings and glory to the friends of God who dwell in that land. God willing, may all drink from the Kawthar of wisdom and be occupied with the mention of the Peerless Friend.

As for your mention of his honor Aqa ’Abdu’s-Samad, upon him be the Glory of God, from the people of Mim, it was presented before His presence. This is what the tongue of the Beloved spoke in reply:

In the Name of the One God

The whole world hath been created for the recognition of this blessed Day, and hath been brought from nothingness into being. This is the Day that cannot be compared to a single moment of past ages and centuries. How excellent is the state of the one who hath attained unto its recognition and been illumined by its lights. Today is the day of service and assistance, and assistance hath been and shall be through teaching His Cause. O ’Abdu’s-Samad! By My life! If thou attainest unto this most exalted station, thou shalt have attained unto all good. Strive that perchance thou mayest guide one who is lost by the fragrance of utterance to the horizon of the All-Merciful. This is among the greatest of deeds in the sight of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. All affairs have been and are in the grasp of God’s power. With a single word He transformeth remoteness into nearness, separation into union, and the poison of absence into the honey of presence. He is the Supreme, He is the Powerful. If thou observest with the eye of truth, thou wouldst testify that nothing that is witnessed on earth can compare with this Tablet. Be thou grateful to thy Lord for this mighty grace. Say: Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

God willing, may they attain unto this Most Holy, Most Great Tablet and drink from its oceans of inner meanings. Today is the day of mention and utterance. They and the friends in that land must be aflame with the fire of God’s love and, with perfect wisdom, be occupied with teaching the Cause of the All-Merciful. God willing, may they not be deprived of this greatest bounty. This is the most mighty deed that hath ever been acceptable in His presence. Blessed is he who achieveth it, and woe unto the heedless. If their journey towards pilgrimage is necessary, let them proceed as commanded, otherwise God shall record for them the reward of attaining His presence, the Mighty, the Beloved. This lowly one also conveyeth greetings and glory to them, and beseecheth God, exalted be His glory, for their success and confirmation.

Regarding what was written about whether it would be advisable to send a letter to His Majesty the Sultan or to the Viceroy - to His Majesty the Sultan it is not necessary, but if to His Excellency the Viceroy a letter were written indicating and demonstrating the absence of corruption and conflict - that is, drawing evidence from divine verses that in numerous Tablets all have been forbidden from reprehensible and displeasing acts - and if some relevant verses in Arabic and Persian were quoted exactly, there would be and is no harm. And it should be written that given these clear verses, how could those who have accepted the Faith transgress the aforementioned bounds. And they should write: I swear by the lights of His countenance that shall endure after all things have perished, this community has never been, even to the extent of a needle’s point, willing to harm anyone. This servant dwelt for years in the land of Ta [Tehran]. If its people speak with fairness, all would testify to the truthfulness, honesty and religiosity of this ephemeral one. I seek testimony from His Excellency himself - did those who suddenly entered this ephemeral one’s house and other houses during this period observe any trace of corruption, conflict or contention? No, by God! Through God’s grace, the hearts of these servants are sanctified and purified from all that is unworthy of human station. The fruits of the divine tree of humanity have been kindness, grace and forbearance, and its root truthfulness, trustworthiness and religion. This blessed word is counted among the essence of books: “The heaven of understanding is illumined with two luminaries: tolerance and righteousness.” Praise be to God that despite the clamor of the calumniators, His Excellency has not turned a blind eye to the care of these poor ones. I swear by the Source of existence and the Educator of the seen and unseen, among all parties, this party has been and is the one showing perfect trustworthiness and truthfulness toward government and nation. God, exalted be His glory, is witness and testament that these words were submitted with perfect sincerity. God willing, the rays of His Excellency’s sun of justice will encompass and surround all the inhabitants of the earth.

In any case, if something with such contents were written and sent directly through the post office, there would be and is no harm. These souls have been and are a hundred thousand times more distinguished, ancient and exalted than the ignorant ones of the earth who are known by the name of learned. If the rulers of the earth had acted according to the judgments of the divines, assuredly not one person of truth would remain on earth. The wickedness of those people has reached such a degree that pen and tongue are powerless to mention it. One day this supreme utterance was heard from the Dayspring of utterance, the Lord of Names. He said: “The dog of princes is better than the knowledge of these ignorant ones, and their oppression is better than the justice of those calumnious, heedless and veiled souls.” In their own estimation, the death sentences they have issued against the gems of existence have been from justice. Nay! The curse of God be upon the wrongdoing people! Ask God, exalted be His glory, to free the sun of justice from the clouds of oppression. Verily He is the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

And regarding what you had written about the honorable and just lady, upon her be the glory of God, it was submitted before His presence. These exalted words appeared from the Dayspring of grace:

In the name of the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful […]

All the peoples of the earth, both men and women, were expectant and yearning for this glorious and wondrous Day. Yet when the effulgent rays of the Sun of Truth shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of revelation, all were found lifeless and veiled, save whom God willed. The affairs of the world have made the people of creation heedless of the Lord of Names. The most heedless among the servants have been and are the divines of the age, for the false utterances of those heedless souls have prevented the servants from the Dawning-Place of the Light of Oneness. Consider the lack of understanding of these souls - they themselves say that when the Qa’im appears, He will speak a word that will cause the nobles of the earth to flee. Yet they have not reflected in the least what that word might be that would transform acceptance into rejection. Fie upon them and upon what their hands have wrought!

Praise be to the Beloved of the worlds Who has enabled thee to recognize the Cause whereof most upon earth remain heedless and veiled. Were thou to know the station of this Most Exalted, Most Holy Tablet which hath been revealed in thy name, thou wouldst be detached from the world and all who dwell therein, and wouldst be occupied with the remembrance of the Beloved of all possibility in the night season and in the hours of day. Be not saddened by worldly affairs. Verily, He giveth and withholdeth, and He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Say:

“Glory be to Thee, O Thou Who art the Object of worship of the worlds and the Desire of the nations! I beseech Thee by the Most Great Name, through which the ocean of Thy bounty surged and the fragrance of Thy garment was wafted, to ordain for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen that which shall profit me in the next world and in this one, and shall draw me nigh unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all beings and the King of the throne above and the dust beneath. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.”

As to what was written concerning being at the house of Aqa Muhammad-Taqi at the time of writing, and that Aqa Mirza Habibu’llah and Haji Muhammad, as well as Haji Muhammad, upon them be the Glory of God, were present and requested that mention of them be made in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence - these matters were presented, and the Sun of favor dawned upon each one:

O Muhammad-Qabli-Taqi! Blessed is the place that hath been honored with the mention of My Name, and the assembly wherein the call of My loved ones hath been raised, and the house wherein My verses have been recited. God willing, thou shalt be so enkindled with the fire of the love of the All-Merciful that the polytheists shall be powerless to quench it. Every word that proceedeth from the mouth of thy Lord’s Will is verily a precious, mighty, and priceless jewel whose value no reckoner can reckon, no accountant compute, and no learned one eloquently express. Be thankful unto God for My remembrance of thee and My attention to thee from this exalted station.

O Habibu’llah! My Name “The Beauty” hath mentioned thee that thou mayest attain unto the remembrance of the Wronged One. However, at this time this lofty and most mighty station is hidden from eyes. By the Essence of Being! The entire world cannot equal one blessed word that floweth from the Divine mouth. Rejoice thou in this bounty and be of the thankful ones.

O Muhammad! My Name hath mentioned thee. We make mention of thee in the Prison that thou mayest be mindful of God’s favor and mercy which have preceded existence itself. Bear thou witness to that which God Himself hath testified: that there is none other God but He, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. He hath created all things by His command and brought the existences into being as a grace from His presence. He is powerful over what was and what will be. Glory be upon those who have cast away what the people possess and have taken what they were commanded by God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen.

O Muhammad! The Wronged One makes mention of thee. Verily He hath made mention of all who have believed in God, the Lord of all worlds. He beseecheth God to confirm His loved ones in steadfastness in His Cause, the Unassailable, the All-Wise. Be thou vocal in the remembrance of thy Lord and grateful to thy Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. The Glory and Peace be upon thee and upon God’s chosen ones and His loved ones who have shown patience in adversities, holding fast to the cord of their Lord’s grace, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

This lowly one offers praise that, by God’s grace, the friends of God have been and continue to be the recipients of divine favors. I convey greetings and salutations to all. God willing, may all be assisted to achieve that which leads to the exaltation of the Cause and the betterment of the world.

Concerning what was written about the steadfast leaf, upon her be the Glory of God, it was presented before the Most Holy Court. He said: “Blessed is she. We were with her and witnessed her deeds and heard what she uttered, and We have revealed for her that which every letter thereof testifieth to My loving-kindness, My mercy and My tenderness towards her. O My Name! She must in all conditions praise the Beloved of the worlds, for He hath enabled her to attain unto that which shall never be overtaken by extinction nor comprehended by annihilation. Convey to her My glad-tidings and greet her from thy Lord, the All-Informed. Every bounty in the world shall change, every glory shall be transformed, every wealth shall return to nothingness, and every existence shall be seized by non-existence. However, that which she heard and witnessed in the path of Truth, and that which hath been recorded concerning her in the Tablets, hath been and shall ever remain steadfast, mighty and everlasting. By the life of God! O My Name! She hath attained unto that which is mentioned with God and is adorned with the ornament of His acceptance.”

This servant also conveys greetings to that leaf, upon her be the Glory of God, and offers true congratulations, for she hath attained the ornament of the grace and acceptance of God, exalted be His Glory. Well is it with her and may she rejoice. This evanescent servant beseecheth the Exalted Truth to confirm that leaf, in all conditions, in that which is beloved before His Presence.

=== END BH00298 ===

=== START BH00299 ===

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

Praise befitteth the most holy and exalted court of the Desired One, Who hath aided His Afnan in assisting the Blessed Tree and associated them with Himself. His is the bounty and the generosity, and His is the glory and the power amongst the peoples. And blessings and peace be upon Him Whom He established in His own station amongst His creation, through Whom He illumined His servants with the light of His oneness and the radiance of His knowledge, He Who made Him a lamp unto all who are in the heavens and the earth, and a glory unto all who are in the kingdom of Command and Creation. And upon His family and companions, whom He made the shepherds of His flock, the protectors of His loved ones, the guardians of His chosen ones, and the guides of His creation to His straight path and His mighty Message.

May my soul be a sacrifice for your steadfastness, for your mention, and for your utterance. The blessed letter, each word of which was the dawning-place of joy and gladness and the dayspring of delight and expansion, transformed the realm of grief into supreme joy, to such extent that repeated smiles appeared during its reading. I beseech the True One and hope that He may aid that exalted person in all good and in every service, and bring His servants and creation unto Him. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

After the visitation, reading and partaking of its bounty, we proceeded to the Shrine where it was mentioned. He said: “The letters of the honored Afnan, upon him be My Baha and My loving-kindness, became the cause of joy and gladness in the days of sorrow. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to open through him the doors of the hearts of His servants, and to change their hardship into ease and their difficulty into comfort. Verily, He is the Lord of humanity and the Powerful over whatsoever He willeth.

O My Afnan! Thy mention and thy letter brought supreme joy to those in sorrow and manifest relief to those in hardship. A group was gathered before Us to hearken, that joy might take its place and reach its goal. We make mention of the son, upon him be My Baha and My loving-kindness, and the loved ones there. O thou who gazest! Grieve not for what hath befallen thee from those who have denied God’s favor, His grace, His bounty and His gift. They are engaged in a great scheme to harm the Wronged One. Glory be to God! They are so consumed by the fire of greed, transgression, covetousness and passion that it is beyond reckoning. They have taken people’s wealth and deposited vast sums in the bank while crying ‘woe unto us!’ Truly, the like of such souls hath never been seen. They have committed that which no oppressor hath ever perpetrated. We beseech God to aid them to be just and fair and to return unto Him. Verily, He is the Ever-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

Peace and glory be upon thee and upon the son and upon those who love you for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds.

This lowly servant at all times beseeches the King of existence to protect that honored one from the evil of the associating, lying, and commanding souls. Verily our Lord is the All-Powerful, the Almighty. May He make manifest that which will cause the spread of verses and the appearance of clear signs. The Afnan, his honor Aqa Siyyid Aqa, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s glory - although news of his health and well-being has outwardly reached and continues to reach the Most Holy Court, nevertheless mention of his circumstances and affairs is beloved. The beloved of the heart, his honor the Observer, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s glory and favors, is remembered with special favors. This servant beseeches God to deliver him from the imaginings of the polytheists, their suspicions, their calumnies and their hatred. Verily He is the Strong, the Trustworthy. His honor Aqa Nuru’llah, upon him be God’s peace, is confirmed in what befits his presence with your honor. Likewise his honor Aqa ’Ali-Akbar and Aqa Muhammad, upon them be God’s peace and favors - I send greetings and salutations to all, and I beseech the All-Powerful on behalf of each one that which leads to elevation. Verily He has power over whatsoever He willeth. May Qurratu’l-’Ayn Rif’at, God willing, be adorned with an exaltation befitting the fruits of this Name and be illumined with spiritual qualities. God is witness and testament that this servant ceaselessly supplicates in His presence on behalf of His loved ones for that which befits His favors. He is the Generous, the Kind, the Mighty, the Bestower.

That which you wrote regarding that oppressive person - his calumnies and lies have grieved the people of the cities of truth, and it is just as flowed from your honor’s pen. In these days they have appeared with complete wretchedness, they are aflame with a fire that has had and has no equal. That great miscreant’s wretchedness stems from his calumnies not being believed and not attaining the honor of acceptance. In truth, the likes of such souls have never been seen.

Regarding what you wrote about the affairs of the beloved of the heart, his honor the Observer, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s glory - I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to open the gates of comfort and blessing upon him and to act with complete steadfastness in accordance with what they have willed, for occupation is necessary and is reckoned before God among good deeds. Verily our Lord is the Compassionate, the Generous.

Regarding the Greatest Holy Leaf, the honored mother, upon her be Baha’u’llah’s glory and favors - after presentation in the presence of the Master, He said: “O Afnan! Upon thee be My glory and My favors. That which they have mentioned is the truth in which there is no doubt. They have always been and continue to be remembered. If wisdom requires it, We shall summon them. Whenever you send a letter, write on behalf of the Wronged One that which causes greatest joy and supreme gladness. O Afnan! We have heard that with which thou didst commune with God. In every word was stored the fire of thy love and the light of thy trust and detachment. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to assist thee with the hosts of the heavens and earth and to ordain for you the good of the hereafter and this world. Verily He is the Lord of the Throne and earth. There is no God but Him, the Most High, the Most Exalted.” End.

Divine favors from the earliest days until now concerning that noble person and his kin have been more evident than the sun at its zenith. I beseech Him to manifest that which is the cause of unity - truly separation is the cause of sorrows while unity is the source of supreme joy. Verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer, the Powerful, the Mighty. Peace, remembrance and glory be upon you, upon those with you, and upon those who are humble before the face of God, our Lord and the Lord of the exalted Throne.

When the petition reached its end, your blessed and noble handwriting shone forth like the true Sun from the supreme horizon of the heart, illuminating the court of hearts with the light of joy. Indeed, your luminous handwritings are the gladdeners of the spirit. We beseech God that these blessed pages, which diffuse the fragrance of reunion and meeting, may not be cut off, though the hands of the oppressors exist. The Command is in God’s hands, the Possessor of the unseen and the seen.

In the beginning of the letter was mention of those who had migrated unto God, and among the most pleasing and excellent coincidences was that the letter of Muhammad, upon him be the glory of God, was honored to be heard at the time of its arrival, as this servant was present when the blessed letter arrived and all that was contained therein was presented in full.

As for Muhammad, upon him be the glory of God, who has been confirmed by God’s grace and favors in his detachment from the name of Mulla Abdullah - blessed be he for that which God enabled him to achieve, for in this most mighty, most holy and most exalted Revelation, there hath proceeded from the ignorant ones of Persia who are known as divines that which proceeded not from Shimr and Yazid. In truth, the tongues of Shimr and Yazid cry out in hell with these words: “O God, O God! The time has come for Thee to forgive us, for our evil deeds are as mercy compared to the evil deeds of the ignorant ones of Persia.” I seek refuge in Thee, I seek refuge in Thee, O my God, from their evil. I seek refuge in Thee, O my God, from their tyranny. I seek refuge in Thee, O my God, from their wretchedness. I seek refuge in Thee, O my God, from the fire of their polytheism, their unbelief and their discord.

Glory be to God! Their rebellion has caused them to speak thus. Though right is not with them, yet these words are from them. O my God, my God! Though outwardly the Pen has written in jest, intending to bring a smile to Thy Afnan, yet the mention of the deeds of these wretched ones has melted hearts and consumed souls. O my God, my God! Bestow new ears upon the people of the world and grant them penetrating vision that they may see and hear that which will draw them near unto Thee and guide them to Thy path. Verily Thou art the Helper, and verily Thou art the Mighty, the Bestower.

The first mention in the ear of the aforementioned one [Muhammad] was 92. When presented, the court was illumined with the lights of the Sun of permission. Permission was granted and grace was evident. For each of those souls was manifested that which is the supreme cause for the continuation of existence. They directed that the Afnan should give the glad-tidings of what had been revealed to the emigrants, that they might thank God, the King of grace and favors, and the Sovereign of justice and fairness.

That which was revealed for Ibrahim Effendi, upon him be [the glory of God]:

He is God, exalted be His station, the Greatness and the Power […]

O Ibrahim! Upon thee be My salutations! The honored Afnan, upon him be the loving-kindness and mercy of God, made mention of thee. Therefore doth this Wronged One turn unto thee at this moment. Verily, the Wronged One hath not uttered, nor doth He utter, save that which draweth the servants nigh unto God, the Lord of all worlds. He hath commanded all to that which profiteth them in this world and the next, and giveth them to drink that which stirreth the hearts of His servants and guideth them to the Straight Path of God. It behooveth everyone to beseech God, his Lord, to protect the people of unity from the oppression of the polytheists who have encompassed the lands and each day seize a portion thereof. We testify that they are among the transgressors. Their deceit and oppression have encompassed all. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to aid His loved ones with the hosts of the unseen and to guard them by His sovereignty which embraceth all who are in the heavens and on earth.

Say: My God, my God! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and holding fast unto Thy cord. I beseech Thee by the Word which Thou hast made as a fire unto the polytheists and a light unto the monotheists, and by Thy power which hath encompassed all existence, both seen and unseen, to aid me to perform such deeds as shall diffuse the fragrance of Thy good-pleasure. Then preserve me, O my God, from all that Thy good-pleasure abhorreth. Verily, Thou art the Lord of the world and the Sovereign of the nations. Thou doest what Thou willest and ordainest what Thou pleaseth. Thou art, in truth, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

O Ahmad! The Wronged One sendeth thee greetings and counseleth thee to act in accordance with what God hath revealed in His Book whereby He hath distinguished between truth and falsehood, and through which the Herald hath cried out betwixt earth and heaven that there is none other God but Him. Blessed is he who hath heard and responded, and woe unto the heedless. We counsel you to observe fasting and prayer and that whereby the standard of unity and the banner of detachment may be raised aloft. We beseech Him to assist thee in drawing nigh unto Him in all conditions. Verily, He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

O Hafiz, O Ismail! Preserve the Book of thy Lord, then act according to it, that thy name may be inscribed among the preservers in the Book of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Hold fast unto righteousness in all conditions; verily it shall deliver thee from the great terror and preserve thee from the opposition of the opposers. We beseech God to ordain for thee what He hath ordained for His loved ones. Verily, He is the Protector of the sincere ones.

O Hafiz, O Rajab! I was sleeping when the Will of God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, awakened Me. When I arose, I remembered the people through what He taught Me through His grace. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. I commanded the people to righteousness and piety, and forbade them from tyranny and wickedness. I desired naught but to extinguish the fire of hatred and animosity in the hearts of the various peoples. Because of this, there befell Me that which caused the hearts of the sincere ones to melt. We beseech God to ordain for thee that which shall profit thee in all the worlds of His worlds. Verily, He is the Bestower, the Possessor of manifest grace.

O Uthman! Upon thee be the peace of the All-Merciful. Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. Verily, He desireth naught through mention and utterance save to deliver mankind from the chains of self and passion, and to strengthen them in that which hath been commanded in the Book. Say:

My God, my God! Illumine the hearts of Thy servants with the light of Thy knowledge and adorn them with the ornament of justice and equity. Then write down for me that which shall cause me to seek refuge in Thy presence, to worship at Thy threshold, and to hold fast unto Thy cord. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Chosen One. O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I desire from the heaven of Thy bounty that which shall render me detached from all else save Thee. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

O Ahmad! We beseech God that He may strengthen thee to reform the world and empower thee to assist and aid His manifest Faith. The oppressors have encompassed the people of unity, and each day in some place the fire of corruption is kindled. Say: […]

O my God, my God! Help Thy servants among the people of unity against the evil of those who have broken Thy Covenant and Thy Testament and have wrought corruption in Thy lands. O Lord! Assist them to act with justice. Verily, Thou art the Possessor of bounty. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Conquering, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Ashiq! O Hasan! We beseech God to adorn you with goodly deeds and praiseworthy conduct. Corruption, conflict and contention are the attributes of predatory beasts of the earth, while the attributes of man are benevolence, forbearance, love, faithfulness, trustworthiness, religiosity and purity. We hope that thou mayest attain to that which is the cause of the refinement of the souls of the people of the world. This is not difficult for God.

Praise be to God! Special favors have encompassed all, and that which is the cause of salvation in this world and the next, both outwardly and inwardly, hath been made manifest to each one. This servant, with hands of supplication and hope, hath grasped the sacred hem and beseecheth Him to cause His servants to attain that which promoteth the exaltation of the Word of Unity. Verily, God is the All-Bountiful, the Ever-Flowing, the Forgiving, the Merciful. In those regions and these parts, all have been commanded to that which causeth the light of the Sun of Unity to shine forth, and likewise they have been forbidden from that which leadeth to division and separation. Some time ago, His Honor Haji Mirza Musa - may God assist him - attained the presence, whereupon it was said: “O Musa! Be not idle like some of the Babis. Hold fast to fasting and prayer. A person without deeds is, according to Christ, like a tree without fruit, and a fruitless tree hath ever been and will ever be fit for the fire.” If the blessed community had acted or would act with clear certitude and firm steadfastness according to that which they were commanded, surely this weakness would be transformed into strength and this abasement into glory. Blessed are they that act! Some of the servants are unaware and heedless of the purpose; therefore they have called the Reformer of the world a corrupter. We beseech God to cause all to attain that which leadeth to certitude and assurance. Verily, God is the Almighty, the Powerful, and worthy to answer prayer.

As to the petitions that were submitted, He said: “O Afnani! We have heard the cry of the oppressed ones of the earth. The Wronged One beareth witness to their oppression. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to ordain for them that which will bring comfort to their eyes, joy to their hearts, and tranquility to their souls.” Praise be to God! The Afnan are possessed of true trust and have committed their affairs [to God]. The means are in His mighty grasp. We beseech Him to manifest that which is desired and beloved. Should the will for existence in this land be realized, We ask thee to mention them on behalf of the Wronged One and to give them the glad-tidings of God’s grace, bounty and mercy. Verily, He is with them under all conditions, to which testifieth He with Whom is the knowledge of the Book. The reply to the petition of His Honor Aqa Mirza Ali-Rida - upon him be the Glory of God - will be sent later. Praise and glory be upon you and upon those who are with you.

=== END BH00299 ===

=== START BH00300 ===

In the Name of the One dawning from the horizon of tribulation

The Tablet of God, the All-Dominant, the Self-Subsisting

In these days the letter Alif stands upright, and from its standing the world has arisen in lamentation. The letter Ha weeps from both eyes, and the condition of Ba is beyond mention. None has understood the mysteries of God save His own Self. He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, the Powerful, the Mighty. The equivalent of all books past and future has been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen before all faces, yet they have attributed each to someone unaware. One who, by the life of God, is powerless and incapable of comprehending divine verses - to such a one they attribute them. The challenge to spiritual combat in the Land of Mystery occurred before all faces, yet all denied it. Groups of every kind, both from within and without, were present on that day. The Cause shone forth like the sun, manifest and evident, yet they veiled it with the veils of idle fancies.

O Haydar! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. Yahya, though he traveled with seventy others, wrote to some denying his presence, and the deluded ones accepted it. They have walked and continue to walk in the footsteps of the odious Shi’ih sect. Leave them in their error and their vain imaginings. Glory be to God! In the past they claimed that the daughter of the Messenger of God - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him - was not in the house of ’Uthman, but rather it was one of the jinn appearing in her form who was with ’Uthman. Should one ask what became of that blessed leaf and where she went, he who disbelieved was confounded. The divines of the past and present, that party whether in the graves of earth or in the graves of self and desire, all await the Promised One to appear from imaginary stations. Such is the condition of those heedless servants. It is most regrettable that one should become the object of worship or the goal of such a people.

Your letters arrived at various times. For some, detailed answers were revealed from the heaven of utterance of the Goal of all the worlds, while others remained pending. The Command is in His hand - He doeth whatsoever He willeth. What can one say? In all cases, submission and contentment have been and are beloved.

Mention was made of the assured souls in Qam?ar. Each has been honored with mention and distinguished by the traces of the Most Exalted Pen. The mentions of the world cannot equal this mention. We, from this station, glorify their faces, remind them of Our verses, give them glad tidings of Our loving-kindness, and counsel them to the Greater Steadfastness and to Trustworthiness, which God hath made the sun of all deeds.

O Haydar! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Lord of Destiny! In one of the Tablets this exalted Word was revealed in Persian. The Trusted Counsellor saith: O friends of God! Hold fast unto that which causeth the exaltation of His Word and the spread of His Cause. Today, victory hath been ordained through the hosts of deeds and character, and hath been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Scriptures and Tablets. This is among God’s ordinances in this Most Great Revelation; thou shalt find no change or alteration in His ordinance. This is a decree which God hath rendered safe from the word “God doth blot out what He pleaseth” and hath adorned with the ornament of “He doth establish what He willeth, and with Him is the Mother Book.” Blessed is the soul that hath held fast unto this binding decree and hath preserved its sight, hearing, tongue and heart from that which is forbidden. Say: O people! By the life of God, the eyes were created for beholding His signs, the tongue for His mention, the ears for hearkening, and the heart for turning unto Him. Know ye this and be not of the heedless. Know ye the value of these divine days. By the life of God, their like hath not been seen nor hath come into being from nothingness.

And likewise mention was made of the friends in the land of Kaf. We bear witness that they have attained unto My knowledge, spoken My praise, and turned towards My horizon. We beseech God to assist them with the hosts of the seen and the unseen, to aid them to be steadfast, and to draw them nigh unto Him in this world and the next. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful. Convey the greetings of the Wronged One unto them and give them the glad tidings of what hath been revealed for them in this manifest time.

His honor the Trustworthy, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, hath in every instance made mention of you and sought assistance, bounty and mercy. Praise be to God that you have attained unto that from which the fragrance of His good-pleasure is wafted. Likewise, mention hath been made of the party of God in Dawlatabad. Repeatedly have their names flowed from the Pen. Each of the mentioned names hath attained unto the remembrance and attention of the Wronged One. We beseech God, exalted be He, to grant them success and aid them in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to make them among those whom the doubts of the divines and the hints of those who have denied the Day of Judgment have not kept back.

O Heydar! The objectors to the Cause have not reflected upon what they clung to in past ages and centuries, and what their recompense was on the Day of Retribution. Lost indeed are they who denied the days of God and turned away from the Truth, following every remote polytheist. Particularly have these faithless people followed Hadi Dowlat-Abadi and Baqir Isfahani, who dwells in the land of Ta, though these two heedless ones are unaware of and veiled from the root of the Cause. Would that they had clung to their own kind and left the helpless people to themselves! Say: O Hadi, fear God and conceal not the Cause, nor cleave to that which thy self desires. Hide it not - thou went to the island and saw. Make not thyself doubtful of it. Leadership will not protect thee. Rend asunder the veil of heedlessness and with the arm of certitude shatter the idol of vain imaginings. I swear by the Sun of Truth which hath shone forth from the most exalted horizon - I speak for the sake of God - thou art not aware. Reflect upon the past, when one of the women became the narrator of the Qa’im’s existence. Several turbaned ones joined with her in denouncing Ja’far, contriving the Holy Precinct and Jabulqa and Jabulsa, thus depriving the helpless people of the divine revelatory breezes in God’s days. Blessed are they who are detached from all directions and have turned solely toward the Most Exalted Horizon. These are the manifestations of godliness and the dawning-places of trustworthiness, truthfulness and faithfulness.

O Heydar! Great is the Cause of this Wronged One, for He neither flattered the princes nor concealed God’s truth and His Cause from the divines. In the Most Great Prison, openly and clearly did He proclaim that which was opposed to the desires and passions of the people of the earth, save those who cast away all else but God and took what they were commanded by the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Thou didst mention his honor Ashraf, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness. We shall mention him at the end of this Tablet. The honored Afnan who circleth round Me sent his letter to Our presence - that letter which he had written in reply to the heedless Ahmad. repeatedly, before and after, it was heard. Blessed is he and joy be unto him. He hath spoken the truth, as attesteth the people of the cities of justice and fairness and the denizens of the realms of might and kingdom. We beseech God to assist him in all conditions. Through him shall the doors of hearts be opened. Verily He is the Almighty, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Convey My glorification to him and to his son who was named Husayn in God’s Book, the Lord of all worlds.

O thou who soarest in My atmosphere! Convey to each and every one of the friends the glorification of the Wronged One, and give them the glad-tidings of God’s grace, bounty and mercy. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous, the Forgiving, the Merciful. The splendor shining from the heaven of My grace be upon thee and upon those who have heard the call and turned with radiant faces and illumined hearts to the Most Exalted Horizon. They are indeed among the sincere in God’s Mighty, Great Book.

O Haydar-’Ali! Once again hearken unto the rustling of the Most Exalted Pen. Verily it draws hearts and illumines them with the light of the knowledge of God, the Lord of all worlds. Be thou a bearer of glad-tidings in My Name and one who speaks with wisdom of My remembrance amongst My servants. I bear witness that thou hast attained unto the recognition of God and the promotion of His Cause, and from thee hath appeared that which hath attracted the hearts of those who have drawn nigh. The letter which thou didst send to the Name of Bounty hath been presented by the servant who standeth before the Face. We have answered thee with that which calleth out between the heavens and the earth. By God! The Sovereign of Utterance, and His Revealer and Sender, hath come. He, verily, is the Most Wise of the wise. Blessed is the servant whom the deniers have not prevented from turning unto the All-Knowing, the Peerless One, and blessed is the servant who hath cast away the world, clinging fast to the oneness of God, the Lord of the mighty throne. We have sent down for thee that which none can reckon. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this manifest grace. As to what thou hast mentioned concerning the servants of God in Ta and Ra, We beseech God to assist them in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to make them among those whom the calumnies of the divines have not prevented from turning unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. They have cast away what they possessed and taken what they were commanded in the Book of God, the Omnipotent, the Mighty.

O people of Tar! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. By the Sun of Truth, He speaketh for the sake of God. There hath befallen Him that which hath befallen no one else. He hath, for the salvation of the world and the edification of nations, accepted tribulations in the path of God. Not for a moment did He conceal Himself, but proclaimed the Cause of God with the loudest call, without any veil or hindrance. Some accepted it, while others, due to the vain imaginings of the former people, slipped from the straight path. Convey My greetings to the servants and say:

O people! If ye be followers of the Bayan, its essence is this exalted word which hath flowed from the tongue of the Primal Point, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake. He saith: “I have written the essence of His remembrance, and it is that He shall not be referred to by My references, nor by what is mentioned in the Bayan.” And if ye be followers of the Furqan, He saith: “Lead the people out of darkness into light and remind them of the days of God.” And if ye be possessed of insight, the Greatest Scene is manifest and shining like the sun, and the Tree with its countless fruits is visible and raised up before all faces, and the ocean with its waves of proof is evident. Hearken unto the call of the trusted Counsellor and deprive not yourselves, like the former people, of the knowledge of God and true oneness. For years they cried out “O Truth!” yet when He appeared from the horizon of the world, they girded themselves to extinguish His light and rose up to harm Him, and finally martyred Him with the fire of hatred and the sword of tyranny. The cause and reason were and are the divines of the former people, as ye have witnessed and continue to witness. They committed that which no oppressor hath ever committed. They abandoned righteousness and piety, and occupied themselves with self and passion. The sun of justice and fairness is veiled behind a thick covering due to the tyranny of those souls. We beseech God to illumine the world through the effulgences of the light of the orb of justice.

Here follows mention of Ghulam-’Ali, upon him be my Baha. Blessed is he and blessed is his son. Remember them both with what hath flowed from My Pen and give them the glad tidings of My mercy and My loving-kindness. We beseech God to aid this youth to rend asunder the veils of the vain imaginings of men and to number him among those who have aided the Cause of God, the Lord of the exalted Throne. Some time ago his letter, which he had written to Mihdi, upon him be my Baha, was presented at the Most Holy Court and gained the honor of His notice. Praise be to God, the fragrance of humility, submissiveness and steadfastness wafted from every word of his letter. We have indeed mentioned him in numerous Tablets, aided him to attain Our presence, and drawn him nigh unto a station which hath been the hope of them that are sincere and near unto God. We beseech the True One to aid him in such wise that he may be occupied with service both night and day. We testify that he was created for this purpose.

O Haydar-’Ali! We have approved what thou didst mention regarding the Feast. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. And We make mention of Sad, upon him be My Baha and My loving-kindness, who hath attained unto that which was recorded in God’s Scrolls. Praise be to God, they are remembered in the Most Great Prison and have attained unto His loving-kindness. We beseech God to exalt him through His Name and make him a remembrance amongst His servants. Verily He is the Almighty, the Powerful. In these days their letters too have arrived. God willing, a reply will be sent that they may rejoice and be among the thankful. The members of the household have ever been mentioned in all exalted stations and lofty gardens. Blessed are they, and woe unto the heedless.

O Haydar-’Ali! The trust must be returned to him. Thus hath the Wronged One decreed aforetime and at this moment. Hearken and be of them that act. Thou didst mention the sons of Khalil and the sons of Zardusht, upon them be the Glory of God and His loving-kindness, in the land of K, how they have been guided through two souls, Muhammad and Husayn, upon them be the Glory of God and His mercy, and have turned towards the Prison. Blessed are they both and joy be unto them. They have attained unto that which they were commanded in the Scriptures and Tablets. Give them and those who have believed glad-tidings of the mention of the Wronged One and His attention to them, that they may rejoice and be of those who, on wings of longing, have soared in the atmosphere of God’s love, the Lord of the Day of Judgment.

O Haydar-’Ali! Some of those souls are, praise be to God, illumined with the light of recognition and are firm in the Cause of God, while others are of two faces. Thy Lord verily knoweth and concealeth, and He is the Concealer, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Verily We make mention of him who is named Aqa Baba and We beseech God to make him among those who prefer the loved ones of God over their own selves and who act according to that which they have been commanded in the Book - a command from One Who is All-Knowing, All-Wise. God willing, may he be aided to do that which will cause the exaltation of the Word of God. Were he to possess all the world and spend it in the path of the Friend, it would not equal these revealed words. It behooveth him to thank God, his Lord, at eventide and at dawn, and in the morning and at sunset.

Convey My greetings to the loved ones of Mazgan. We have mentioned them before with a mention that neither perisheth nor endeth. Proclaim My greetings unto them and give them the glad-tidings of My verses, My bounty and My mercy. We beseech God to assist them and aid them to the Greater Steadfastness. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

We make mention of him who is named Mulla Mirza and those who have believed in God, the Single, the All-Informed. Blessed is he who hath purified himself with the water of detachment, adorned his head with the crown of godliness, and arisen to teach the Cause with wisdom and utterance. By My life! He is of the people of Baha mentioned in the Qayyumu’l-Asma, which was revealed in this great Remembrance and this firm, mighty Command. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to ordain for him the reward of one who hath stood before the Countenance, that he may spend his days in the remembrance of his Lord and be numbered among those who have attained.

O Mashhadi Hasan! He hath made mention of thee who hath loved Me and attained unto My remembrance, My service and My presence. Upon him be My glory and upon those who have acknowledged that which the Ancient Beauty hath spoken forth in this luminous Scene. O Mashhadi Hasan! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. He hath appeared with His Name, the Self-Subsisting, and hath spoken amongst men that which He hath been commanded by God, the Creator of earth and heaven. Rejoice in My mention of thee and say:

Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the world, for having remembered me while I was in the most desolate of lands. I beseech Thee to assist me to remember Thee and praise Thee, and to remain steadfast in Thy Cause, through which the hearts of the wicked have been set ablaze.

O Haydar-’Ali! Convey My greetings and salutations to the friends in every land. Make them joyous through His grace and illumined through the light of His Cause. Verily, He is with His loved ones wheresoever they may be. To this beareth witness My tongue and My pen and those who circle round the Supreme Throne of God. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Merciful. And once again may the Glory from Our presence rest upon thee and upon those who hearken to thy words concerning the Cause of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

=== END BH00300 ===

=== START BH00301 ===

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

May my spirit be offered up for your remembrance! God willing, may they drink forever and always from the imperishable cup of bounty and remain occupied with the mention of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. The letter from his honor Aqa Mirza Haydar-’Ali–may the Most Glorious of all Glory rest upon him–which was addressed to that beloved one, was presented at the Most Holy, Most Exalted Threshold. Praise be to God, [from each word thereof] streams forth the river of love. However, we must drink in the name of the Friend and make mention of Him before the Friend, and beseech God, glorified be His majesty, to cause this river to flow and surge in the [valleys of the hearts] of all the peoples of the world, and likewise cause countless rivers and endless tributaries to branch forth from it, and from the murmuring of each of these [pure, sweet] flowing rivers may the Most Exalted Word be heard in praise and glorification of the Lord of creation. O what a murmuring, from which is heard at one time “Verily, there is none other God but He, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting,” and [at another] “There is none other God but He, the Mighty, the Beloved,” and at times is heard “The gate of reunion hath been opened and the Lord of Names hath come,” and yet again “The world hath attained to that which was promised in the Books of God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen.”

Following the presentation of these luminous words, there dawned from the Dayspring of verses His–exalted be He–utterance: God willing, may the true friends of God attract the peoples of the contingent world through the magnet of utterance, that perchance the vain imaginings of the world’s peoples might be transformed into certitude, darkness into light, tyranny into justice, ignorance into knowledge, weakness into strength, and poverty into wealth. He is the Helper and He is the All-Powerful, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

O Haydar-i-’Ali! How numerous are the verses that have been sent down in thy name from the heaven of God’s Will! Know thou their worth and thy station, and be of the thankful ones. This Wronged One is occupied night and day with proclamation and utterance, and the servant present recordeth them. Were it not for My protection and bounty and power, the world would [swoon away] at but a single gleam from the gleams of the Sun of My Word, through which the suns have shone forth in every world of the worlds of thy Lord, the All-Wise, the All-Informed.

Mention of his honor ’Ali-i-Naqi hath been granted the honor of being heard. We make mention of him and account him as one of those who have attained unto the Purpose, through Whose remembrance the Books of God, the Lord of the worlds, have been adorned. God willing, may they at all times hold fast to that which is conducive to kindling the fire of God’s love. They have been remembered in the past and will be remembered hereafter. We beseech God to aid him and ordain for him that whereby his mention shall be exalted. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

O beloved of my heart! This servant offers greetings and praise. In truth, this evanescent one remains perpetually bewildered and astounded, for he observes that the peoples of the world, from diverse nations and parties, are each striving with utmost determination to cling to some cause and exert themselves to the fullest extent to promote it. Yet this Most Great, Most Holy Cause, which has no peer or likeness in all creation, has appeared in Iran, while its people remain utterly heedless and veiled from it. This matter has been and continues to be a source of infinite regret.

Say: O people of the world! This is the Day wherein the Ancient King has proclaimed with the most exalted call. This is the Day of vision, for the greatest vista has appeared and the highest horizon is manifest and evident. This is the Day of hearing, for the Call of God is raised. Strive that ye may not be deprived of the outpourings of the All-Bountiful, nor be barred from the lights of the dawn of His Revelation. At every moment the Tongue of the All-Merciful uttereth words in the Kingdom of utterance such that were all the peoples of the world to taste the sweetness of but one verse thereof, or attain unto its comprehension, they would all arise to serve and achieve that which God desireth.

Concerning what was written about whether migration for the purpose of teaching should be undertaken alone or in the company of a companion - this matter was presented before His presence, and this is what the Tongue of Grandeur, exalted be His glory, spoke: One must act according to the requirements of the time and circumstances. If a trusted companion is available, this would certainly be preferable, for in strange lands situations may arise where assistance is needed. Otherwise, what one possesses might fall into others’ hands and become a cause of agitation among the heedless and hostile.

As for what was written about the consultation of the loved ones of God and their decision that the beloved of the heart, Ali-Qabl-i-Akbar, upon him be the glory of God, the Lord of Power, should remain in the land of Ta - this was presented and met with acceptance. Indeed, he should remain in that land and occupy himself with protecting the souls. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to confirm him in exalting the Word and kindling the fire of divine love. It would also be praiseworthy if the beloved of the soul, the son of the Most Truthful, upon them both be His most glorious splendor, would sometimes stay in that land. They should take the reins of the Cause with utmost determination and remind both the strong and weak souls, and those in between, of God’s verses and evidences, exerting great effort in teaching with perfect wisdom.

Regarding what was written about their visit to the land of H.M. with the beloved of the heart, the son of the Name of God - news of their arrival has reached us from that land itself, and the beloved one, the son of the Name of God, upon them both be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, has written a letter to this evanescent one detailing the matter. God willing, a response will be sent. I beseech God to confirm them in all conditions in teaching the Cause. May they be the cupbearers of the water of divine knowledge. Blessed are those souls who have taken and drunk in the name of Truth. Woe unto the heedless and the deniers.

And concerning what they wrote about openly proclaiming the Cause of God without concealment or secrecy, this matter that was submitted - He said that his honor Mirza has acknowledged his lack of wisdom, and the limit has been applied to him. However, God is the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. This matter became a cause of joy - verily He changes whatever He wishes to whatever He wishes, and He is the Powerful, the All-Knowing.

And concerning the detailed account they wrote about what befell them on the path in every respect - this was submitted to His Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence. He said: God willing, may they remain steadfast in service and speak in remembrance of God, exalted be His glory. Praise be to God, through their falling some of the dead have risen. For those souls who arise to serve the Cause of God, whatever befalls them is the supreme remedy for the world’s ills and the cause of life for the nations. By God’s life, in this station is concealed that which, were it mentioned, would cause souls to swoon away.

And concerning what they wrote about unity and harmony - in truth this matter has been and continues to be the cause of the exaltation of the Cause, the manifestation of the Cause, the ascendancy of the Cause, and the sovereignty of the Cause. His word, exalted be His glory: God willing, may the horizons be illumined by the light of unity and may all utter the blessed words “We are God’s.”

It was mentioned before from this station that if a kind companion accompanies one on the path, it is most fitting, excellent and preferable. Praise be to God, those loved ones have been and are successful. The Tablets which the beloved of the heart, the son of the Name of God the Most Truthful - upon them both be all His most glorious glory - had requested specifically for the mentioned souls have been sent down from the heaven of favor. In these days, God willing, they will be dispatched. The Command is in God’s hand, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the Wise.

This evanescent one submits that regarding the conditions for teachers, certain utterances were heard from the Kingdom of Utterance. What is in mind shall be mentioned: First, that whoever desires to teach God’s Cause must move with complete detachment, but should have sufficient means with them so that wherever they arrive, all their attention may be focused on conveying the divine word. In this regard, various utterances have previously been revealed from the Supreme Pen. God willing, they have and will attain to them. As commanded, wisdom and the requirements of the time must always be observed. Verily He is the Interpreter, the All-Informed.

At this moment while this servant was engaged in writing, he was summoned to the Most Holy Presence. Their mention was made in His presence. He said: Write, O Haydar! Whatever has befallen you in the path of God, glorified be His majesty, is mentioned before the Wronged One and recorded by the Supreme Pen in God’s Book. We bear witness that you have attained and there befell you in God’s path what befell God’s chosen ones before and after. Be glad then and be of the thankful ones. And such utterances were revealed from the Kingdom of Will in this station that this servant is incapable of mentioning them all. A hundred thousand tongues would be needed to give thanks for this supreme bounty, this great favor and mighty mercy - nay, a hundred thousand worlds would need mouths and tongues that perchance they might fulfill this duty. Praise be to Him, then thanks be to Him.

With regard to the mention of Aqa Khudadad and Aqa Shahvirdi, upon them be the Glory of God, their mention has been particularly made in these days at the Most Holy Court. Praise be to God, they have attained His bounties and are recipients of His bestowals. Some time ago Aqa ’Azizu’llah, upon him be the Glory of God, sent a letter and a Most Holy and Exalted Tablet was revealed and sent especially for him. God willing, may they ever be enkindled with the fire of love and illumined by the light of His favor, and wherever they may be, may they be occupied with the promotion of God’s Cause and be the cause of unity and harmony among the friends. It is hoped that the loved ones of God will preserve their exalted stations. If the station of but one of God’s loved ones were to be made manifest in the visible world, all would, involuntarily, find themselves in a state of complete humility and submissiveness. However, God has unveiled it to some and concealed it from others. Verily, He is the All-Powerful, the All-Choosing.

As to the mention made of Mulla Muhammad-i-Salmani, a Most Holy and Exalted Tablet was revealed and sent especially for him. God willing, may they deliver it that he might receive his portion from the treasuries of divine knowledge and inhale the fragrance of His favor. Likewise, mention was made of Aqa Abu’l-Qasim-i-Baqqal and others, upon them be the Glory of God. This was presented before His presence and verses of divine revelation descended from the heaven of God’s Will for each one. God willing, may they attain unto them and act in accordance with what is befitting. His Word, exalted be His glory:

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

O Abu’l-Qasim! The Wronged One remembers thee from the prison and calls thee to God, the Lord of the worlds. Blessed art thou for having turned to the Most Exalted Horizon and for having desired to take the cup of prosperity in the name of the Cleaver of the Dawn on this glorious and wondrous Day. How many a servant desired the days of his Lord, yet when the light of Revelation shone forth from the horizon of the Day, he turned away and was numbered among the idolaters. Be thou steadfast in the Cause in such wise that neither the oppression of every tyrant nor the hints of the heedless may weaken thee. The oppressor is he who denieth the right of God and turneth away from the Water of Life when it surgeth in His Most Great, His Most Mighty Name. Thus have We sent down for thee from My Most Exalted Pen that which shall gladden the eyes of them that are nigh unto God.

O ’Ali-i-Akbar! Say: By God! The Day is come and the Great Terror hath appeared, and the Lord of Destiny calleth all to His luminous horizon. The Path hath appeared and the Balance hath been set up, and the command belongeth unto God, the Protector, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Beware lest the conditions of creation cause thee to slip. Arise with supreme steadfastness in the Cause of the Lord of all being, Who hath come with manifest sovereignty. Say: O my Lord! I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance, after all things have passed away, to aid me to be steadfast in this Cause whereby the feet of the mystics have slipped.

O Muhammad-i-Ibrahim! We found thy mention in the letter of one of Our loved ones and make mention of thee as a token of My grace. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. We counsel thee to observe truthfulness and trustworthiness, which God hath made to be the first ornament of the temple of man. Verily He is the Counselor, the Faithful. We enjoin all to observe righteousness and that whereby this sacred and manifest Cause may be exalted. Be thou steadfast in serving His loved ones and vocal in His beauteous remembrance. Take thou the cup in My name and drink therefrom in spite of the heedless. We make mention of thy mother as a token of Our grace. Verily thy Lord is the Rememberer, the Mighty, the Wise. The Glory be upon thee and upon her and upon thy daughter and upon every maidservant who hath turned unto God, the Mighty, the Most Praised.

We make mention of the Siyyid, before Husayn, that he may rejoice in My remembrance of him and be among those steadfast in this Cause, at whose appearance the pillars were shaken and souls were thunderstruck, save those whom God, the Mighty, the Powerful, willed. Hold fast to the cord of thy Lord’s grace in such wise that the words of the godless may not hinder thee. Remember God by night and by day. Verily He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Blessed is he who hath attained unto the knowledge of God on this Day which was promised in the Books of the Prophets and Messengers.

We make mention of the Siyyid, before Mahmud, and give him the glad-tidings of his Lord’s grace, that he may be among the steadfast. Today steadfastness is essential. The recognition of God, exalted be His glory, taketh precedence over all deeds, and thereafter steadfastness in His Cause. The friends of God must at all times be mindful of this. Great is the Cause and narrow is the path. Though the Sun of Truth hath shone forth in such wise that none hath excuse to tarry, yet eyes are clouded by the dust of vain imaginings and are prevented from beholding the light. This dust consisteth of the ignorant ones who appear in the guise of knowledge. They are the primary cause for preventing the people from the Truth. Beseech ye God to remove, through His complete power, these dark and gloomy clouds from the earth, that all may turn with pure and penetrating vision toward the supreme horizon and attain unto the effulgences of the light of His countenance.

Praise be to God! The sun of grace shineth forth from every word of God’s words, nay from every letter thereof, in such wise that the Sun of Truth is so manifest that every fair-minded soul acknowledgeth its existence, manifestation and appearance. Wretched is the one who remaineth deprived of it, and blessed is the one who attaineth unto it.

As to what was written concerning Rustam Beg, a wondrous and sublime Tablet hath been specifically revealed for him and sent to the beloved ’Ali, before Akbar, upon him be the glory of God and His favors. God willing, they will deliver it. Since mention was made of him in the beloved’s letter, it is therefore being sent to them. Likewise, may Amir Khan, God willing, attain unto divine bounties and drink from the chalice of eternity in such wise that he may find himself detached from the world and all who dwell therein. This lowly one conveyeth his greetings to each one and beseecheth God, exalted be His glory, for their success and confirmation. Verily He is the Generous Giver.

Sublime and holy Tablets were specifically revealed and sent for certain souls mentioned in the land of K. God willing, they have attained unto them. Indeed there hath never been, nor shall there ever be, any interruption in the outpouring of grace. May all existence be a sacrifice for His bounty. Glory and praise be upon your honor, upon his honor, and upon the manifestations of the Most Beautiful Names.

=== END BH00301 ===

=== START BH00302 ===

Exalted is this Day wherein the horizon of utterance hath been illumined, wherein the All-Merciful hath established Himself upon the throne of grandeur and bounty, and hath spoken throughout all creation that whereby the sincere ones were attracted, the unitarians soared, and those near unto God did speak, saying: “There is none other God but Him.” He hath ever been sanctified above all similitudes, and will ever be even as He hath always been. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Most High.

This is the Day wherein the Most Great Name hath appeared and the world hath been illumined thereby. Blessed is he who hath turned unto Him and hath drunk the cup of tribulations in His path and of sorrows in His love. He is indeed among those who have attained unto His knowledge and soared in the atmosphere of His nearness. The Concourse on High shall pray for him, and the Kingdom of Names shall seek blessings through him. Joy upon joy unto him who hath been clothed with the garment of tribulation in the path of God, the Lord of all names. Blessed, then blessed is he who hath been seized, prevented, imprisoned and tried in the love of God, the Creator of earth and heaven.

By the life of God! The essences of existence address him from the lofty chambers of words, and the realities of names remember him in the palaces of remembrance and attributes. God knoweth that all things praise him, and through him do the servants draw nigh unto God, the Revealer of verses. Would that this servant could have been with the loved ones of God when they entered into prison and tasted the cup of tribulation through that which the hands of the people of discord had wrought. God shall soon seize them with a mighty retribution from His presence, and shall adorn the temples of His loved ones with an ornament that shall not fade, and a glory that shall not perish, and a beauty that no veil of creation can conceal, and a light that the darkness of those who have turned away from the Most Sublime Horizon cannot obscure. Thus doth God reward the sincere ones among His servants, the unitarians among His creation, and the faithful among His chosen ones. He, verily, is the One with power over whatsoever He pleaseth. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Beloved.

O beloved of My heart! How can My feeble pen recount one who hath drunk the wine of revelation from the hand of the bounty of his Lord and hath borne hardships in His path? By Thy life! I acknowledge My powerlessness and inadequacy to properly praise that which thou hast attained in the love of God, thy Lord and My Lord and the Lord of all worlds. Yet I rejoice in making mention of thee, for thereby do I see myself ranked among those who make mention of God’s chosen ones and His loved ones, God’s friends and His faithful ones.

Then I submit that after hearing the praise of your honor, the Beloved of the world, and recognizing what the dove of your pen warbled in remembrance of God, the Lord of Eternity, I found my house spacious, my heart expansive, my breast dilated, and my inner being soaring to the ultimate goal and Most Glorious Horizon. I presented what was in your letter, whereupon the face of the Beloved turned toward me and spoke that which attracted all hearts. Exalted, exalted is His utterance above His servants’ description of it! It was as though I saw the Kingdom of Utterance circling around that which proceeded from the tongue of His grandeur, and the essence of the unseen and the visible hastening at that which the mouth of His power pronounced. He said, exalted be His glory: “O ’Ali-Akbar! We make mention of thee from the direction of My Most Great Horizon, that thou mayest hear My call and find thyself in great joy. By My life! I was with you when you entered the prison. Blessed are ye, then blessed are ye, for having borne tribulations in My path and afflictions for the exaltation of My Word and the advancement of My Cause. Thy Lord is indeed the All-Seeing. Blessed are they who have entered the fortress of My knowledge, soared in the atmosphere of My love, drunk the choice wine of My revelation, and been seized by the intoxication of the wine of My utterance to such extent that they have detached themselves from all else save Me, turned toward My face, advanced toward the horizon of My grace, held fast to the cord of My favor, and clung to the hem of My generosity. These are they whose names the tongues of the world mention and before whose names all nations bow down. To this beareth witness the tongue of My grandeur, the kingdom of My utterance, and this Pen which raceth in the arena of knowledge - and I am the All-Informed. Verily, those who have attained imprisonment have attained mention by My Most Exalted Pen, and this is more precious than all that hath been created between earth and heaven. By the life of God! Nothing can equal it. Blessed, then blessed is he who hath been adorned with the ornament of steadfastness. He is among the most exalted of creation in the Book of God. Thy Lord is indeed the All-Knowing. Convey My Glory upon their faces and say: Blessed be your faces for having turned toward the Face of God, and your hearts for having drawn nigh unto the Ultimate Goal, and your souls for having advanced toward the Most Exalted Horizon. Ye have drunk the cup of tribulations in My path; drink ye today from the hand of My bounty My Most Glorious Wine and My Purest Kawthar, that I may say: Pleasant and wholesome be it unto you in the Kingdom of Creation. Thus doth God make mention of you with the most excellent mention. He is indeed the All-Bountiful. Rejoice ye in My Name and drink ye in My remembrance. We have turned toward you and glorify your faces from this beautiful station. We were saddened by your grief, and We rejoice at this time in that God mentioneth you by His own Self, as a recompense for what ye have wrought in His straight path. Were My loved ones to taste the sweetness of tribulations in My path, they would offer gifts in My name to Mine enemies as a reward for what they have done unto them, for through them they have attained this station wherein the Ancient Beauty maketh mention of them in this Great Prison. They have purchased for themselves a station in the Fire, while for you is a station at My Most Great Horizon. Exalted is He whom the harm of the world and the oppression of the nations harm not His loved ones. Glad tidings, then, to the soul that hath recognized that which My mighty tongue hath uttered.”

O joy of My heart! Behold the divine favors. I swear by the Sun of the horizon of utterance that were all the people of the realm of possibility to ponder these revealed verses and contemplate the tenderness, compassion and favor of God - exalted be His glory - all would assuredly turn to the ocean of generosity and fix their gaze upon the horizon of grace. What benefit is there when the intoxication of passion hath seized all who are in creation, save those preserved by the hand of the power of our Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful.

As to what was written concerning the Greatest Holy Leaf, the Holy Sister, upon her be all the most glorious glory of God, it was presented to the Most Holy Court. According to His command: whosoever wishes to pay the Huququ’llah, and from such payment some portion reaches her, it is acceptable before God to the extent of sufficiency and payment of debt. However, it is not permissible to demand the Huquq from anyone. Ask God to assist the loved ones in paying the Huququ’llah, for this matter has been and will continue to be the cause of the purification of wealth, its preservation, and divine bounties and blessings.

Regarding the mention of the names of the loved ones of God, namely those souls who entered prison for the love of God, the servant bears witness to what the All-Merciful has revealed concerning them, which suffices the world and causes the tongues of nations to speak their praise and glorification. At one time, mention of these souls was heard from the Tongue of Grandeur. He mentioned each one with supreme kindness and then said: Ask God that they may preserve this most exalted station and greatest bounty for the sake of His truth and love for Him, and that they may not be disturbed by the imaginings of the servants. They should, with the utmost effort and endeavor, keep their gaze fixed upon this most sublime and exalted station, and at all times be engaged in divine thanksgiving.

Concerning what was written about Jinab-i-Aqa Mir Abdul-Baqi and two others, upon them be the glory of God, it was presented to the Most Holy Court. He said: Blessed are they, and theirs is the most splendid station in the Book of their Lord, the Mighty, the Wise. We have adorned those who were touched by tribulation in the path of God, the Lord of Names, with that which shall eternalize their remembrance in the Kingdom of God, the Lord of the worlds. Say: Be patient as your Lord was patient, and verily He is with you and will aid you as He pleaseth. There is none other God but He, the Mighty, the Powerful. Upon them be the glory of God and His mercy. Thus doth the Beloved of the world remember you in this manifest Prison. It behooveth you today to ask your Lord, the All-Merciful, to treasure up what ye have wrought in His path and to preserve you in your present state. By My life! This is indeed the greatest favor, to which the Lord of Destiny beareth witness. Blessed is every hearing and seeing one.

In truth, after the details about the prisoners were presented before the Most Holy Court, perfect grace was manifested concerning them, as is evident from the revealed verses. Blessed are they, and God willing, they shall soon attain deliverance, though in reality they have already attained the greatest deliverance, having been imprisoned in the path of God.

According to His command, all the loved ones of God must conduct themselves with utmost calm and dignity, hold fast in all conditions to the cord of wisdom, and with the utmost joy and fragrance quicken the people of the world with the living waters. And He revealed in the verses sent down words to this effect: that if the loved ones were to taste the sweetness of tribulations in the path of God, they would surely offer gifts to those who enabled them to attain this supreme bounty. Now it is evident that the intention was to demonstrate the exalted nature of this station and the sublimity of this rank. Should anyone literally present gifts now, they would surely have departed from wisdom, as this would cause agitation, commotion and clamor.

Say: O friends! The Tongue of the All-Merciful commands you to hold fast to that which will cause joy, delight and tranquility among the servants. In most Tablets it hath been revealed that the children of the age must be nourished with milk that is mild and delicate until they attain maturity, for surely they cannot bear heavy food. He remindeth them of that which profiteth them, and He is the best of rememberers. And glory be upon you and upon those who have turned and have attained to the hearing of the verses of God, the Lord of all worlds.

O Ali! Once again My Most Exalted Pen speaketh and counseleth His loved ones to unity in the Cause of God. By My life! Through it are opened the gates of goodly things. Thy Lord is verily the All-Explaining, the All-Knowing. Blessed is he who setteth this Word before his eyes. We bear witness that he is of them that have attained.

Although divine favors have been manifested towards these souls in the revealed verses to such a degree that nothing higher can be imagined, after your visitation they too will testify to what was presented. Nevertheless, at the time of the revelation of verses, a word was heard from the Tongue of Grandeur indicating that Tablets would be specifically revealed for those souls, even if but a single verse. Blessed are they for having attained the grace of their Lord while most people are deprived of this most holy, most mighty, most great, most wondrous and most glorious bounty.

Say: Another entreaty is that unto all the friends - that is, those souls who are inebriated with the wine of divine remembrance and content in the remembrance of the Beloved - convey from this evanescent one a wondrous and sublime greeting, and say to them: This is the Day for which all the Prophets and Messengers have waited, and from the Truth, exalted and glorified be He, have sought to attain its presence and yearned for it. This is the Day wherein God hath come, this is the Day wherein the Furqan hath spoken: “The Kingdom on that Day shall be God’s.” This is that Day by whose mention all the sacred Books have been adorned. The loved ones of God must remain steadfast and firm in God’s Cause with perfect unity, oneness and singleness of purpose.

He hath said: Write to his honor ’Ali-Akbar, upon him be 96 [Baha’u’llah], that today the souls who have accepted the Faith must be given to drink, cup after cup, from the chalice of recognition, and be nurtured by the wondrous and glorious heavenly food, that they may become steadfast and firm in the Cause of God to such degree that none among the peoples of the world would be able to alter or change them. The people are weak, and certain unprofitable and useless utterances of the people of the Furqan remain in their minds and hearts. Therefore they may give ear to certain vain imaginings. Say: The matter is not as such. Were that which is hidden from you to be unveiled, ye would abandon the world and whatsoever words and allusions are therein, and would hold fast unto the Word that hath encompassed the world. O friends! Purify and sanctify your hearts from vain imaginings and mention of the past, that ye may perchance become illumined with wondrous lights. Reflect and ponder upon that which they have said and that which hath come to pass. In this way ye shall become aware of the falsity of the narrators who arose in the first generation.

By God’s life! Then shall ye behold the sun of certitude rising from the horizons of your hearts and the moon of assurance shining from the heavens of your being, and ye shall find yourselves at a station that none other than you can attain, and ye shall see all others among the Concourse of the Bayan at the lowest of stations. Say: O My loved ones! Leave them to their vain imaginings and to that which their lying tongues utter. By God’s life! This is a Day wherein that which they possess is not mentioned. The Supreme Pen and the Tongue of God in the kingdom of creation bear witness to this. He, verily, is the Expositor, the All-Informed.

God willing, the loved ones of the Beloved of the worlds must reflect upon these passages and other passages that have streamed forth from the Pen of Revelation. In this way, they shall behold all souls - that is, those who have been deprived and forbidden from the true wine - as mere nothingness and utter non-existence. By the Beloved’s right! The hearing soul shall witness from the words of these polytheistic, rebellious, false, and imaginary souls the power of Truth, how after the rending of imaginary veils they have again become afflicted with other vain imaginings. By the Most Great Name! They have not understood aught of the Day of God and have not drunk a drop from the divine ocean of utterance. Leave them to their vain discourse wherein they sport.

However, the loved ones must be trained until they regard a hundred thousand such imaginary souls as non-existent and evanescent. They have newly intended a new well and wish to proceed to Jabulqa. Say: Establish ye also a holy precinct and occasionally issue forth numerous epistles therefrom. Say: Well done to your understanding and perception, that ye have still not comprehended that which ye possessed and […]

That which you took pride in was not mentioned before God. A few arose and took the reins of the hapless people, and how many falsehoods and vain imaginings were spread by those souls who counted themselves as leaders of the people and chiefs of the earth. Were one to be fair, one would observe that these lying souls were the cause of the martyrdom of the Primal Point, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him. Would that I were permitted by God to express and mention that which is hidden from them and from most people. The Command is in His hands; He commands and forbids, and He shall not be asked of His doings, and He is the Questioner, the Mighty, the Powerful. Now observe that which was mentioned - all the people of the Bayan are aware of it, yet one cannot clearly mention this station, for they are seen to be disturbed and shaken. Now observe the power of vain imaginings, how it hath encompassed and seized these imaginary souls. Say: if ye were to busy yourselves with the construction of a cellar, it would be far better, for as someone hath said, what follows must conform to what precedes. There is no doubt that the imaginary conformeth with imagination through imagination. Woe unto them and unto those who follow them! The All-Merciful hath testified that this is a wondrous Cause which God hath made sanctified above similitudes and comparisons, and above before and after, and verily He is the Originator of the heavens and the earth. Blessed are they who understand. In any case, that honored one must speak with the utmost wisdom, for there are certain statements which, though clear and manifest as the sun, would cause the hearts to be disturbed were one to utter them. The mysteries of inner meanings and utterance cannot be mentioned among the manifestations of the animal kingdom. God willing, whatever strength and power ye possess shall be expended in wisdom and utterance in service to the Cause of the All-Merciful.

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

Praise, sanctified above the understanding of all creation, beseemeth the most holy court of that Self-Subsisting One Who, through His Most Exalted Word, hath brought forth all who dwell on earth and in heaven from utter nothingness into the realm of being. This Word manifesteth itself in every station through one of the revelations of God - exalted be His glory and magnified be His grandeur. At times, the Water of Life floweth from it, bestowing life upon the world and causing it to endure. At other times, the Fire of Love appeareth therefrom, igniting the lovers and setting them ablaze in the wilderness of longing with the fire of separation. Were all the tongues of created things to attempt to describe or mention the revelations of this Most Exalted Word as they truly are, they would surely find themselves powerless and wanting. Exalted is its grandeur, sublime its station, magnificent its glory!

This Word, despite its majesty, might, power, authority and influence, was revealed in one instance from the Supreme Pen, whereupon the Pen, after hearkening to the irrevocable command from the tongue of the Will of the Ancient Lord, was observed to fall unconscious and bewildered. None save God is aware of the duration of its swooning. Reflect now upon the greatness and loftiness of the Ancient Lord, the Sovereign of the Word, the Revealer of verses. This is the station that hath bewildered the chosen ones and near ones of God, and concerning which the Seal of the Prophets - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake - declared: “Lord, increase my wonderment in Thee,” for such wonderment hath ever been and shall forever remain beloved. Well is it with them that comprehend.

Glorified art Thou, O Cleaver of the dawn and Kindler of the light! I beseech Thee by the light of Thy countenance after the extinction of all things, by the manifestations of Thy power in the kingdom of creation, and by the revelations of Thy grandeur between earth and heaven, to aid Thy loved ones to remain steadfast in this Cause whereby every foundation hath been shaken, every forward-moving one hath retreated, every firm foot hath slipped, and the heart of every tranquil one hath been disturbed. Thou art He Whom the conditions of Thy servants cannot frustrate, nor can the might of Thy enemies weaken. Thou hast manifested whatsoever Thou didst desire through Thy sovereignty, and hast spoken whatsoever Thou didst ordain through Thy will. There is none other God but Thee, the Ruler, the Commander, the Almighty, the Powerful. O my Lord! Thou seest Thy loved ones amongst Thy creatures and hearest their cries and lamentations by reason of what hath befallen them in Thy days at the hands of the oppressors among Thy creatures. I beseech Thee to ordain for them from the Supreme Pen that which will draw them nigh unto Thee in all conditions. There is none other God but Thee, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

Thereafter, it is submitted that the letter from that honoured one arrived through the postal courier, and as it was adorned and embellished with the mention and praise of the Beloved of the worlds, it increased the power of sight and hearing. Indeed, the fragrance of divine love wafted from it, and after perusing its contents, it was presented before the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence, before the countenance of the Ancient Lord. This is what the Tongue of Grandeur spoke in reply - exalted be His glory:

In My Name, the One Who ruleth over all names […]

Mention from Us to him who has attained to the lights of faith while the people of the world turned away from the All-Merciful, save whom God, the Lord of the worlds, willed. This is the Day wherein the Book speaketh: By God! The Promised One hath come with a sovereignty that none in the heavens and earth can resist. Blessed is the soul that hath heard and responded, and woe unto the heedless. Be thou thankful for having been mentioned by the Wronged One during numbered years. Verily thy Lord is the Reckoner, the All-Knowing. We have mentioned thee in such wise as the treasuries of kings cannot equal, whereunto beareth witness the Sovereign of the Kingdom in this glorious Tablet. How many a servant was attracted by the verses of his Lord, and how many a master turned away, having followed the sources of idle fancies who disbelieved in the Day of Judgment. All people, both high and low, sought the presence of the divine Day, yet when the light of the dawn of Revelation illumined the horizon of the world, all turned away and remained veiled. Thereafter, the Truth, beholding with His all-encompassing mercy, His pre-existing grace, and His revealed wisdom, raised the devoted ones to maturity like children through the milk of forbearance, kindness and compassion, and made them aware - exalted be His glory, His grandeur, His might and His sovereignty. And after the veils were rent asunder by the finger of divine Will and the seal of the choice wine was broken, the assured, steadfast, contented and well-pleased souls arose with perfect steadfastness to serve the Cause of the Lord of all beings, while others remained deprived by the veils of idle fancies. And the most veiled of all parties have been and continue to be the followers of the Bayan. By the Sun of the horizon of Revelation! The understanding of animals is seen to be higher and more exalted than these heedless souls. Today is the Day of God, and none except God, exalted be His glory, has been or will be mentioned. Those heedless ones, like unto the people of the Furqan, cling to mention of chiefs, nobles, the Imam, and what is above and below these. Not for a moment have they come to their senses nor reflected upon what became of those souls who for twelve hundred years considered themselves more pious and learned than all peoples. Yea, the outcome of their deeds, words and beliefs was that they martyred the Beloved of all possibility and manifested such tyranny as the eye of creation had never witnessed. And the cause of this rebellion, tyranny and unbelief were words that issued from the source of falsehood. For had they acknowledged that God, exalted be His glory, is the All-Powerful, the All-Choosing, that which occurred would not have occurred. The manifestations of falsehood and dawning-places of hypocrisy veiled the people through mention of regions, Jabulqa and Jabulsa, and the appearance of an imaginary form from imaginary cities, to such extent that they denied the Manifestation of Truth and arose with utmost hatred and rancor, martyring the Truth and His loved ones with the most grievous torment. O thou who gazest upon the Face! Ponder the utterances of the Beloved of all possibility and observe with penetrating vision, that perchance those who follow the vain imaginings of the people of the Bayan, who have turned from Truth and clung to falsehood, may not remain deprived and forbidden from the straight path. The world hath never been faithful, nor will it be. Strive thou to attain unto that which beseemeth this divine Day. Convey to the friends in that land from the Wronged One […]

Convey My greetings that perchance they may be enkindled with the fire of greeting–an enkindlement that shall not be quenched throughout the duration of the kingdom of earth and heaven. Blessed is he who hath attained unto the Kawthar of steadfastness in this Announcement, through whose remembrance the Books of God, the All-Subduing, the Self-Subsisting, have been adorned. O Muhammad-Qabli-Kazim! Rejoice in that We have heard thy communion with God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forebears. Blessed be thy tongue for what it hath uttered, thy heart for what it hath understood, thine eye for what it hath beheld, and thy hand for what it hath grasped of the Tablet of God, the Mighty, the Wondrous. We counsel thee and them that have believed to act in accordance with what hath been sent down in the Book of God, the Mighty, the All-Wise. He desireth for you naught save that which shall profit you in all the worlds of God, the Goal of them that have recognized Him. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

As to what thou didst write concerning the two letters thou hadst sent to which no reply had come, God is My witness that those two letters were received and detailed replies were written and dispatched. Although this evanescent servant hath had and hath no time–for night and day he is occupied with the revelation of the verses of God–nevertheless there was no delay in replying to that beloved one, and this servant’s letter, together with wondrous and sublime verses revealed from the heaven of God’s Will, was sent. God willing, it is hoped it will arrive. Verily, He is the All-Powerful, the All-Choosing.

Concerning what thou didst write about the ascension of the forgiven and elevated one, thy brother, upon him be the glory of God, it was presented before the Countenance of the Desired One. This is what was revealed in his remembrance, exalted be His majesty:

In My Name that is sanctified above all that was and that shall be

Blessed art thou, O Baqir, in that thou didst hear the call of thy Lord, the Most Glorious, and didst respond to it with manifest sincerity. We bear witness that thou hast believed in God and His verses and hast turned unto Him when the learned ones of the earth and its princes turned away. Verily thy Lord is the All-Remembering, the All-Informed. Blessed art thou in that thou hast attained unto the Most Great Ocean and hast believed in God, the Goal of them that have recognized Him. Thou art he at whose mention My Most Exalted Pen was moved, and thou hast attained unto My choice wine. The glory that hath shone forth from the horizon of the Pen of the Ancient of Days, and the glory of the Concourse on High and the Kingdom of Names, be upon thee and upon them who have acknowledged that which God acknowledged before the creation of the heavens and the earth.

If a soul were to possess all that is on earth and were to expend it, he would still not attain unto this supreme mention which hath appeared from the Pen of the Ancient of Days concerning him. Now be thankful for God’s favor and behold the station of His loved ones, for these holy, assured and tranquil souls who have been afflicted in God’s path by the taunts of the idolaters, the turning away of the deniers, and the oppression of the wrongdoers, have been and shall forever be remembered in His presence and recorded in the Book of God. Know this and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Goal of the world, and glorified be Thou, O Beloved of the worlds.

You have appeared before Our presence in the blessed night of the twenty-seventh of the revered month of Sha’ban to perform visitation on behalf of the departed one, as per his last testament. Blessed be he, and blessed be you and I. This visitation was performed twice - once upon the arrival of the letter and its presentation to the Most Holy Court, and again at the time of submitting the response. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Helper, the Mighty, the Bestower.

This evanescent servant beareth witness to the recognition, certitude and sincerity of that departed soul, for he attained to even more than that which he desired. Praise be to God in all conditions. I beseech God that love for this fleeting world may not prevent or deprive His loved ones from attaining their lofty and everlasting stations. Would that the people knew and understood!

Regarding what you wrote about properties, act in accordance with what God hath ordained in His Most Holy Book.

Concerning your mention of the honored Sheikh Aqa, upon him be the Glory of God, it was presented before His presence. These are the words uttered by the Tongue of the All-Merciful in the Kingdom of Utterance - exalted be His grandeur: “We make mention of him who hath attained unto My love, who speaketh My praise and who hath turned towards My luminous horizon. We have turned towards and made mention of him who hath ascended unto Us, that this remembrance may be a treasure for him in the dominion of God, the Master of this mighty Cause. We testify that he believed in God and attained the recognition of the Manifestation of His Cause, and drank the choice wine of utterance in the name of his Lord, the Munificent, the Generous. Glory be upon him and upon those who have cast away idle fancies, clinging to the hem of certitude.”

The tongue of the world is powerless to offer thanks for even a drop from the ocean of His bounty. By night and by day, the Most Exalted Pen of God and the Tongue of Grandeur and Glory are occupied with the mention of His loved ones. May the Gracious Lord assist all to arise to that which beseemeth His infinite favors. However, they must in all circumstances hold fast to the cord of wisdom and perform such deeds as will quench the fire of hatred and silence the clamor of the people of discord. The triumph of the Cause dependeth upon mention and utterance, conducted with the utmost joy and radiance. All must aid the Cause of God, glorified be His majesty, through goodly deeds and luminous, spiritual qualities, and must engage in teaching the Cause with the utmost wisdom, that perchance a wanderer may find his way and one who is deprived may attain to the fruit of the tree of creation, which is the recognition and meeting with God. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Helper, the Almighty.

The mention of the honored brothers Aqa Muhammad Ja’far and Aqa Muhammad Sadiq and Haji ’Abdu’l-Husayn, upon them be the Glory of God, the King, the Just, the Mighty, the Wise, was presented before the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court. This is what was sent down for them from the Kingdom of the will of our All-Knowing Lord - exalted be His glory:

He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great […]

O My loved ones! Rejoice in that the countenance of the Wronged One hath turned toward you and His Most Exalted Pen hath moved to make mention of you in this Great Prison. Ye are they who have borne tribulations in the path of God and have heard in His love what the ears of most of the servants have not heard. To this beareth witness the Lord of creation on this night wherein all things proclaim: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the Speaking, the All-Seeing.”

Be not grieved by the world’s vicissitudes and tribulations. By the life of God! That which hath been ordained for you surpasseth all the treasures of the world. Rejoice ye and be of them that are thankful. Whatsoever hath befallen you from the first day of recognition until now is remembered before God and recorded in His divine Book. All the world and its treasures cannot equal a single word heard from the tongue of the Divine Unity. Praise be to God! Time and again ye have drunk from the living waters of the All-Merciful’s utterance and have attained unto the mention of the Most Exalted Pen. This station is most great; know ye its worth and preserve it in the name of Truth, for the treacherous ones, the thieves, the godless, and the deniers lie in wait with utmost deceit.

While this servant was engaged in writing verses before His presence on this night, he heard from the tongue of Grandeur mention of his honor Aqa ’Abdu’r-Rahim - upon him be the Glory of God. He said: “O servant present! We make mention of ’Abdu’r-Rahim who turned, hastened, entered, attained, and heard the call of the Wronged One in this noble station and drank the water of reunion from the hands of his Lord’s bounty, the Forgiving, the Merciful. We have mentioned him before and mention him now that it may be a treasure for him with his Lord, the Preserver, the Trustworthy.”

God willing, may they hold fast in all conditions to wisdom and cling to the hem of teaching. Whosoever attaineth unto teaching today hath attained unto all good. However, teaching must be accomplished with spirit and fragrance. All causes of sorrow, vexation and corruption are forbidden in God’s Book. This matter hath been revealed in numerous places. Blessed is he who holdeth fast unto that which he hath been commanded by One knowing, wise.

Convey these glad tidings to them wherever they may be. God is witness that this ephemeral one hath mentioned and continues to mention them most often, and beseeches God, exalted be He, to aid them in serving His Cause. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Hearer, the Answerer.

This evanescent servant conveys sincere greetings and praise to each of your brothers, and begs of God that He may cause them to attain His bounties at all times and make them steadfast in His Cause. This is among the greatest prayers before God, our Beloved and the Beloved of all in the heavens and earth, our Goal and the Goal of all in the dominions of Command and Creation.

Another submission: The petition of his honor Aqa Mirza Ahmad from the Land of Ya - upon him be the Glory of God - which you had sent was presented before the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence. Its answer was revealed from the heaven of grace and sent. God willing, they will attain unto its perusal and be refreshed with a new spirit. Glory be upon you and upon your brothers and upon those with you and upon those who have turned to the horizon of the Cause and have attained unto the knowledge of God, the Lord of the worlds.

The Servant

27 Sha’ban al-Mu’azzam 1298

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

Praise be to God Who hath sent down the Books and dispatched the Messengers, and made them the lamps of His guidance amidst His creation. Through them He distinguished truth from falsehood and separated the rejector from the acceptor. They are God’s straight path and His firm and mighty command. Through them God gave glad tidings to His creation of His hidden Name, His treasured Secret, His mighty News and His ancient Light, until the appointed time was fulfilled and the Promise came to pass, and the horizon of the world was illumined by the Day-Star of Manifestation, and the Voice of the One Who conversed on Sinai was raised - a Voice at which all in the heavens and earth were thunderstruck save those whom the hands of grace had delivered and who found the fragrance of the Garment when it was diffused among all creatures. These are they who attained to the Day wherein the earth shone with the light of its Lord, and the Dove of Paradise warbled in praise of its Creator, and the rustling of the Lote-Tree was heard, bringing glad tidings to all of the appearance of their Goal and their Beloved, calling all until the days reached these days wherein the minds of the wise were perturbed and the edifices of the mighty were shaken and the limbs of princes trembled and the hearts of the learned and the divines were convulsed, save those whom the hands of Power had created from the essence of steadfastness and whom God’s will, the Lord of creation, had reared in a station none knoweth save His all-encompassing knowledge. These are servants who, when cast into prison, uttered what the Ridvan had uttered when the near ones entered the most exalted Paradise. The rapture of God’s love so seized them that they chose imprisonment over paradise out of love for God, their Lord, the Most Merciful. They took the cup of tribulation in the name of the Lord of Names and drank thereof with such love that patience and forbearance themselves declared: “God hath created us from a light from the lights of your patience and steadfastness. By the life of our Goal! We are ashamed to manifest our existence before your faces; rather it behooveth us to circle round you throughout the eternity of the kingdom of our Lord, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.”

Glory be unto Thee, O Thou through Whose Name the sea of life surged and the winds of trial blew and the hearts of the sincere were set ablaze and the minds of the unitarians took flight! I beseech Thee by the penetrating power of Thy verses and the appearance of Thy signs and Thine Own oppression among Thy servants and by those who chose imprisonment for themselves in hope of what lieth with Thee, to send down from the heaven of Thy bounty that which will gladden the eyes of those who have held fast to the cord of Thy providence and clung to the hem of Thy mercy. O Lord! Thou seest Thy loved ones and chosen ones turning toward Thy most exalted horizon, acknowledging that which the tongue of Thy grandeur hath spoken in the kingdom of creation. Ordain for them, O my God, what beseemeth Thy generosity and favors and what befitteth Thy grace and bounty. Then write down for them, O Thou Goal of the world and Lord of the nations, from the Pen of Will that which will profit them in every world of Thy worlds. O Lord! The heart of this servant hath melted by reason of what hath befallen those whose names Thou didst mention in the Crimson Scroll from Thy Most Exalted Pen, and whom Thou didst remember in such wise as caused the denizens of the Kingdom and the companions of the Realm above to lament. O Lord! Draw them nigh unto Thee in every world of Thy worlds and ordain for them that which will solace the eyes of Thy servants and gladden the hearts of the sincere ones among Thy creation. Thou art He through Whose Name the ocean of bounty surgeth, O Lord of Names, and at Whose mention the Peacock crieth out before the throne of Thy grandeur, O Creator of heaven! I beseech Thee to send down upon Thy chosen ones that which will manifest their stations in the kingdom of creation. Verily Thou art the Lord of humanity and the Sovereign of the throne on high and of the dust below. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Beloved. May this servant be a sacrifice for Thy prison.

In My Name, the Compassionate, the Generous

O Ali! Thou hast ever been beneath the glances of God’s favor, exalted be His glory, and there hath been sent down for thee from the Kingdom of grace that which neither the treasuries of kings and subjects, nay the treasuries of the world, can equal. The people, heedless and deluded in their wealth and comfort, have reached such a state that they make no distinction between truth and falsehood, between tyranny and justice, between equity and oppression. They count affliction as blessing and mirage as water, unmindful that with a single change joy may turn to sorrow and song to lamentation. Glory be to God! All are aware of change and extinction and bear witness to it, yet they remain occupied with deeds the like of which have never been seen. By the life of God! Soon shall they find themselves in manifest loss. In this Most Great Revelation, God, exalted be His glory, hath not and will not grant respite to the oppressors. Were it not for His prior decree, they would have seen the recompense of their deeds in less than a moment, such that the tempests of wrath would have scattered them like dust. God hath been with you and hath witnessed the actions of the oppressors and transgressors. The Supreme Pen did not attribute what occurred to lack of wisdom but accepted it as a favor from Him. He beareth witness to you, to your uprising, your steadfastness, your mention and praise before all faces, your persecution, and all that befell you in the path of God, your Creator, your Fashioner, your Goal and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and on earth. Thus did the Pen speak when the Lord of Eternity was seated upon the Most Great Throne on a night wherein the Herald proclaimed: “The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Lord of the Beginning and the End!” Blessed are they who served the friends of God and sought their companionship. Today not a single atom of good deeds remaineth hidden, and its recompense becometh manifest. Blessed are they who have attained unto your love and service in the path of God, the Lord of the worlds. Whatever hath befallen you hath been for the sake of God. In His path you heard what was unworthy to be heard and saw what was unworthy to be seen. This testimony of the Supreme Pen is greater than the world and all that is therein. It behooveth thee to thank thy Lord, the Rememberer, the Generous. Convey My greetings to the friends and gladden them with God’s favors. Say: Verily, He is with you, hearing and seeing, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. The glory shining forth from the horizon of My Kingdom be upon thee and upon those who have acted according to what they were commanded in My perspicuous Book. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

From the flowing pen of the Most High are manifest the degrees and stations of grace and favor. There is no need to mention this weak and feeble one. I swear by the Sun of the horizon of inner meanings that if the ears of the world were sanctified and pure, they would be set ablaze by hearing this call - an ablaze whose mention is beyond pen and ink. To this testifies the Lord of the worlds and the Goal of all nations. This bounty has no likeness or peer, and this mercy has no equal. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to bestow favor and deliver His servants from the slumber of heedlessness through the Most Great Word, and guide them to the horizon of awareness. How excellent is what was said:

If thou desirest that reason should not suddenly cast thee into bondage,

Take it to the school of the All-Merciful and there confine it.

I beseech God to make the heedless aware and not deprive them of the sweetness of His utterance. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Furthermore, it is most beloved that the sending of correspondence remain concealed, for if the oppressors become aware, they will surely arise to prevent it. Often the unwisdom of friends reveals news. In all cases, as commanded, they must hold fast to wisdom and cling to it.

Again, when thy beloved supplication was presented in its entirety before the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence, unto Whom there is no likeness, this utterance shone forth from the Dayspring of the favor of the Beloved of all possibility. His mighty utterance, exalted be His mention:

“Verily, I am the Hearer, the Answerer.

O ‘Ali! The rivers of thy remembrance and utterance have flowed into the Most Great Ocean, and It desired to cast upon thee the pearls of remembrance and utterance. Gather them in His Name, the All-Powerful, the Mighty. We have heard thy praise and witnessed the fruits of the tree of thy sincerity, and We have mentioned thee in this wondrous Tablet. Blessed be thy rising up, thy service, thy composure, thy dignity, thy steadfastness, and thy beautiful patience. We beseech God to make thee a standard in His Cause and to attract thee to a station wherein thou wilt see not what thou hast but rather that whereby the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds, may be exalted. Know thou of a certainty that nothing whatsoever escapeth His knowledge, and He is the Kind, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. Thus have We adorned thy temple with the raiment of My favor and thy head with the crown of My grace, than which there is none other equal. Rejoice and say: ’Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the worlds, for having mentioned me, taught me, made me know, caused me to witness, shown me, given me utterance, and made me attain Thy presence and the Kawthar of reunion with Thee, and attracted me in such wise that the power of the powerful weakened me not, nor did the majesty of princes frighten me.’ O my Lord! I beseech Thee by Thyself to protect me and draw me near unto Thee, and to ordain for me that which beseemeth the heaven of Thy generosity and the sun of Thy grace. Verily Thou art the Munificent, the Generous. There is no God but Thee, the Most High, the Great.”

Praised be God! The effulgent rays of the Sun of Divine Providence, glorified be His majesty, are manifest and resplendent like His very Being, and despite the clouds and veils that have encompassed all horizons, the light of God’s Cause remains, to those who are near and sincere, more evident than all else. His is the praise in all conditions. This servant beseeches his Lord to assist His servants to be fair, for verily He is the Helper, the All-Wise. Praise be to God, the Mighty, the Great.

As to what was written about Ibn-i-Sultan, who is titled Vazir-Nizam, he has uttered many embellished words claiming: “I had association with Him” - meaning the Ancient Beauty, exalted be His glory - “and I am aware.” By the Lord of the Throne and earth, this is false. No meeting occurred with the existing sons of the Sultan. Yes, when We were in the prison of Shimiran, before the manifestation of the Greatest Spectacle, the noble princes, including Murad Mirza titled Husam-us-Saltanih, Farhad Mirza, and Imam-Quli Mirza titled Imad-ud-Dawlih, along with Sayf-ud-Dawlih, son of Zill-us-Sultan, came twice to the prison and attained the blessed presence. As for Fereydun Mirza, titled Farmanfarma, the Ancient Beauty visited his house once since he lived in the vicinity. Beyond this, whatever they have said is false. Some relatives had associations with them, and some were occupied with certain affairs.

Glory be to God! If we were to verify the words of such souls, the manifestation of the Most Great, Most Mighty, Most Exalted and Most Glorious Cause would be witnessed, and the conclusive proof would be complete and perfect for all. They say what was said before. In truth, one who is without insight and fairness is and shall be deemed as non-existent. Princes who are characterized by such attributes are and have been like the tombs of Pharaohs - outwardly perfect but inwardly otherwise. This servant beseeches his Lord to assist them to be fair and adorn them with the ornament of justice and truthfulness. Although the deeds of such souls have blocked all paths except one, every fair-minded and insightful person bears witness to this.

In response to the beloved of the heart, Ibn-i-Abhar, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, concerning these matters, that which has been revealed from the Supreme Pen before is such that any fair-minded person who observes it will perceive the fragrance of the Merciful’s utterance. Mention was made of Jinab-i-Aqa Siyyid Aqa Buzurg, upon him be the Glory of God. His mention has ever been heard from the blessed tongue. Repeatedly He said: “There has befallen the people of Mim from the descendants of the Prophet that which has not befallen anyone before.” And this time, regarding the conditions you wrote about, after they were presented in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence, He said: “True, by the Lord of the Verses! True, by the Lord of the Clear Proofs! There has befallen them greater than what befell Us when the polytheists brought Us to the city named Amul, when clamor was raised at all times, and every day the herald would cry out, ‘This is the day when the pure blood shall be shed.’ Blessed are the people of Mim upon whom has befallen that which caused the dwellers of Paradise and those who circle around God’s mighty throne to lament. And We mentioned the Most High with such mention that caused all things to wail, the rock to melt, the clouds to cry out. And We mention at this time the one who ascended unto God in prison. My Supreme Pen has acknowledged his martyrdom in My path. Blessed is he and joy be unto him. By the life of God, at the time of his ascension […]”

The Concourse on High welcomed him by God’s leave, the Lord of all names and Creator of heaven, and the maidens of Paradise in their celestial chambers sought blessings through him. Blessed are God’s chosen ones and His loved ones, and woe unto those who have wronged without clear proof or evidence. We remember all who have broken the chains of idle fancies and attained the lights of certitude on this Day wherein all atoms proclaim: “The Kingdom belongs to God, the Lord of creation.”

A hundred thousand praises and thanks be to the Goal of all the worlds, that whatever has been endured in His path has been accepted. Soon these governments, authorities and oppressions shall pass away, and every oppressor shall witness his own loss. Glory be to God! Despite the fact that the continuance of these souls in this world is not known - whether it be a day or two days, a moment or two moments, a minute or two minutes - nevertheless they have deprived themselves of the lights of justice and have committed that for which the recompense shall endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. Woe unto them and unto that which their hands have wrought in the days of God, their Creator and Maker.

Convey My greetings to the aforementioned wronged Siyyid - upon him be the Glory of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting - and to the other gentlemen. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to ordain for them that which will preserve their stations, and I likewise ask for their good in this world and the next. He is the Powerful, the Mighty, and He is the Compassionate, the Generous. Glory, praise and magnification be upon you all from God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and earths. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

The Servant

29 Dhi’l-Hijjih 1302

At this moment, having intended the Most Exalted Goal, after attaining the presence They commanded: Write to ’Ali-Qabli-Akbar - upon him be My glory - that he must strive with the utmost diligence to unite and harmonize hearts. The conflicts of the world cannot harm this station. Its reward is treasured and preserved in the divine repository of knowledge. Verily thy Lord is the Truthful, the Speaker, the All-Seeing. Hold fast unto that which thou hast been commanded. By My life! It shall benefit thee in all the worlds of thy Lord, the All-Informed.

One further submission: A separate Most Holy and Most Exalted Tablet has been revealed from the heaven of will specifically for your honor and has been sent. This is grace upon grace.

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=== START BH00305 ===

O Mulla ’Ali-Akbar in the Land of Alif! He is the Ever-Abiding, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise!

O Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who is immersed in the oceans of fancy and desire, that haply what floweth from thee may deliver him and purify him from the defilement of the deluded ones. Say: O servant who standeth perplexed upon the land of bewilderment and circleth round the fire! Utter “In the Name of God, the Most Glorious, the Most Holy, the Most Splendid,” then enter therein and fear no one. Put thy trust in God, the Almighty, the Powerful. Verily He shall make it a light for thee, and a mercy upon thee, and a peace unto all worlds. Beware, beware lest thou fear any save God Who created thee by His command, and be not of those who doubt Him Who sent down the Bayan and all that is therein for the recognition of His Own Self, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate. God hath quickened all things for His meeting, and this We have revealed in all the Tablets, if thou be of them that understand. All matters lie within His grasp, all faces are submissive to His sovereignty, and all creation existeth by His firm and wise command. Dost thou doubt Him before Whose countenance every possessor of splendor boweth in adoration, before Whose grandeur every possessor of beauty humbleth itself, before Whose sovereignty every possessor of light submitteth, before Whose knowledge every possessor of learning is ignorant, before Whose door every possessor of wealth is poor, before Whose manifestations of might every possessor of glory is abased, before Whose evidences of power every possessor of strength is impotent, before Whose holy court every possessor of simplicity is confined, before Whose rays of everlasting light every possessor of perpetuity is evanescent, and before Whose luminous countenance every possessor of radiance is darkened?

Dost thou hesitate regarding Him through Whom every Book was sent down, every Scripture was revealed, and every exalted and lofty name was created? Dost thou inquire about the shadow from the sun and its light? Open thine eyes and behold it at its zenith with the sovereignty of grandeur and majesty, with lights whereby the denizens of the highest Paradise, the dwellers in the depths of the names, and all that was and shall be have been illumined, if thou be of them that witness. And if the ophthalmia of vain imaginings preventeth thine eyes from beholding the lights of thy Lord’s Beauty, the Most High, the Most Exalted, then seek healing through My Name, the Healer, the Sufficient, the Manifest, the Wondrous.

Dost thou inquire about the drop remaining at the bottom of the dark well concerning the ocean, its waves, and its sovereignty? By God, this is an injustice from thyself against thyself and against God, thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Would it befit one possessed of sight to inquire about the sun in heaven after its rising? Nay, by the Lord of all worlds! Beware, beware lest thou make the Cause of thy Lord dependent upon the acceptance of others or the approval of any among created things, for all else besides Him is created by His command and brought into being by His Will. He created them even as He created thyself, and there is no difference today between thee and any other save those whom God hath aided through His Cause and made to recognize the Manifestation of His Self. Such are among the most exalted of creation in the Tablets of holy preservation.

Say: He hath ever been known through His Own Self, not through the testimony or acceptance of any among His servants, and will ever continue to be what He hath been. None denieth this save every froward denier. O servant! Judge fairly within thyself: Is God powerful in His Cause, or art thou powerful in determining the time of His manifestation? If thou acknowledgest that He is powerful through His sovereign might, then verily He hath manifested Himself as He pleaseth and shall not be asked of what He willeth. And if thou thinkest thyself powerful, then bring forth thy proof […]

Be not of the patient ones. Beware lest thou confine the Cause of God within the limitations of thy self or of any other among His creatures. Know thou that all else are powerless to recognize His Self and the manner of His Revelation save through what He graciously vouchsafeth unto them as a token of His bounty and mercy, for He is the Most Merciful of the merciful. From thy fancies well nigh do the tempests of wrath and the storms of anger blow upon all created things. Fear God, then seek forgiveness seventy times, that He may forgive thee through His grace, for verily He is the Munificent, the Generous. Purify thy heart from the allusions of such words as thou hast from those possessed of the Furqan, then ascend unto that atmosphere wherein shine the lights of thy Lord’s countenance, the All-Merciful, that thou mayest find thyself independent of all thou hast heard and find it empty of all the worlds. By God, O servant! The proof of God in this Most Great, Most Mighty Revelation had been established ere a single letter of His verses was revealed, which every learned and wise one failed to comprehend. And after the Revelation, look thou with the eye of origin at the proof whereby thy faith was established aforetime. Beware lest thou ask anyone concerning this; rather be content with what appeareth from thy Lord, for it sufficeth thee above all else. Say: Glory be to God, the King of the Mighty Throne! Many a questioner remaineth veiled by his own veils at the time of Revelation and is among the heedless. The example of one who asketh such as these is like unto a blind man asking another blind man - can this profit him in aught? Nay, by thy Lord, the Most High, the All-Wise! Beware lest thou be like those who clung to the hem of their leaders when God came upon the clouds of the Cause with His name, the Most High, the Most Great. They turned away from God by their turning away, and thus was the word of chastisement fulfilled against them and they returned to their abode - evil indeed is the abode of them that turn away. Cast the veils of fancy beneath thy feet, then ascend to the seat of glory, sanctity and majesty, that thou mayest witness all things beneath the shadow of the Word that hath proceeded from His Pen, how much more His own exalted and wondrous Self. O servant! We have found from thee the fragrance of the allusions of those who were given the Furqan before concerning mention of successorship and the like, and by this have We grieved, and grieved have the Manifestations of the Names in their Kingdom and the Dawning-Places of the Attributes in their Dominion. For We commanded the servants in the Bayan to sanctify themselves from that which they possess, for what they possess did not profit them on the Day of Resurrection and veiled them from the meeting with God and deprived them of the breezes of His holiness, as thou hast witnessed and wert among the witnesses. Hast thou not heard that He liveth in the Most Glorious Horizon? Can He need a successor after His manifestation? Say: Glory be to God from what thou hast imagined regarding My Self - I have wronged and am among the wrongdoers. He hath no perishable things that His successor might divide among the heirs. His Cause is with Him and will never be separated from Him. Beware lest thou take for thyself a deputy, or successor, or reckoner, or minister, or peer, and be thou among the penitent. He sufficeth by Himself all created things, and naught sufficeth in His stead, neither in the heavens nor on earth, if thou be of those who perceive. Yea, for His Self are mirrors wherein He shineth upon them through themselves for themselves when they face the Sun and its radiance, and this is what thou witnessest in the outward mirrors, if thou be of those who observe.

The mirrors give account of the shining of the sun when they face it and remain steadfast as they were, and after turning away the light returns to its source and resting-place, while the veil remains with the mirrors. Thus have We explained to thee that of which thou wert heedless, that thou mayest be of them that are certain. This station is not reserved for any one to the exclusion of another. By God the Truth! If today all created things were to turn towards the lights of this Sun which hath dawned from the horizon of holiness with the ornament of God, the Almighty, the Most High, the Great, the reflection of the lights of the Sun would be imprinted in them, and none would deny this save every remote ignorant one. Apart from this, hast thou not heard, O servant, that the Manifestation Who appeared in the year sixty is the Manifestation of God, and that Prophethood was sealed with the appearance of Muhammad, the Apostle of God, and that God, thy Lord, is sanctified from every mention, indication, sign, relation and connection, and that He hath ever been established upon the throne of sanctification and exalted above all creation, and it behooveth no one to appoint for Him a successor, for successorship pertaineth only to the Prophets who were created by His Word - then say: Blessed be God, the best of creators, blessed be God, the best of inventors. Verily We have raised up such names in the Bayan and have shattered the idols of vain imaginings lest anyone be veiled thereby from God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers of old. Beware lest thou regard Me through any eye save Mine own, for if thou desirest to know Me, look with Mine eye, otherwise thou wilt never know Me even shouldst thou ponder My recognition till the end which none among the reckoners can reckon. And if thou desirest to attain the summit of grace and reach the Most Exalted Habitation, and have ordained for thee every good thing in the heaven of destiny from thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Glorious, then detach thyself from all things, then perform ablutions with pure, clean water as thou wert commanded in the Bayan from an ancient Revealer, and when thou washest thy hands say: “O my Lord! Purify me from all else save Thee, then make me ready to meet Thee in the Day of the manifestation of Thy Beauty and the appearance of Thy Self, then sanctify me from that which hath veiled me from Thy resplendent Beauty, and deliver me, O my God, for the recognition of Thy exalted, all-knowing Self.” And when thou washest thy face say: “O my Lord! This is my face which I wash as Thou hast commanded me with this water. Then, O my God, I beseech Thee by Thy Name from which the servants are veiled except the sincere ones among Thy creatures, that Thou wash my face with the water of Thy mercy which hath flowed from the right hand of the throne of Thy grandeur, that it may be pure for Thy holy, radiant, resplendent Face. O my Lord! Preserve it from turning to any but Thee and from approaching those who have disbelieved in Thy greatest signs at the appearance of Thy Most Exalted Self, by Thy Most Holy, Most Invincible, Most Wonderful, Most Glorious Name. Make me not, O my God, deprived of the glances of the eyes of Thy grace, nor despairing of the sweet savors of the sanctity of Thy favors. Verily Thou hast ever been the Answerer of those who have called upon Thee, and nigh unto those who have sought Thy presence. Verily Thou art the Lord of great bounty. O my Lord! Make it radiant on the Day wherein faces shall be darkened, and illumined with the lights of Thy generous Countenance.” And if thou readest after the ablutions there is no harm upon thee, as a grace from thy Lord, the All-Knowing. And after completing this, use perfume, then don thy finest garments, then turn thy face toward the Sanctuary of God, round which circle at this moment the spirits of existence from the unseen and the visible realms, and then the spirits of those who were not commanded with any command and have ever been gazing upon the face of thy Lord, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. Then stand firm in thy place and raise thy hands toward God with evident tranquility and dignity, saying: […]

O Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou didst manifest Thyself unto all created things and didst exalt Thyself above all beings, that just as Thou hast perfumed me with this fragrance, so do Thou perfume me with the sweet-scented breezes of the paradise of Thy divine unity and the fragrances which bear the scent of the garment of Thy luminous and glorious Self, that none may perceive from me aught save the holy fragrances of Thy grace and bounty. May I be wholly turned toward Thee and detached from all else but Thee, for Thou art the All-Powerful over what Thou willest, and Thou art the All-Bountiful, the All-Merciful.

O Lord, my Beloved, my Hope, the Sovereign of my being and my soul! Rain down at this moment upon Thy servant that which befitteth the sovereignty of Thy tender mercy and grace, and that which is worthy of the wonders of Thy bounty and favor. Deprive me not, O my God, of that which Thou hast ordained in the heaven of Thy Will and the clouds of Thy Purpose for Thy chosen ones, whom Thou hast singled out for Thy glorious and beauteous Self.

O Lord! I am the poor one who hath clung to the cord of Thy riches; I am the lowly one who hath held fast to the thread of Thy glory and majesty; I am the weak one who hath drawn near to the pavilions of Thy mighty power and the tabernacle of Thy glorious dominion and sovereignty. Here am I, O my God, standing before Thee, hoping for Thy grace, forgetting all else save Thee, fleeing from all but Thee, and turning to the sanctuary of Thy presence and the Kaaba of Thy good-pleasure. Is there any existence besides Thee to which I might turn, or any manifestation other than Thee to which I might repair? Nay, by Thy Beauty! Rather, all manifestation is as nothingness before the revelations of the holy lights of Thy grandeur, and all loftiness is as non-existence before the evidences of Thy transcendent glory and elevation. Therefore, O my God, send down upon Thy servant that which will render him independent of all that hath been created between the heavens and earth. Verily, Thou art the Most Merciful of the merciful.

Then walk three paces toward the direction of God, and at the first pace say:

O Lord! Reveal in this station what Thou didst reveal unto Him Who conversed with Thee in the Paran of Thy love, the Horeb of Thy grace, and the Sinai of the glory of Thy divine unity, the Mighty, the Impregnable. Then cause me, O my God, to be detached from all names and their kingdom, lest I be veiled by them from Him Who created them by His command. Verily, Thou art powerful over all things. Then cause me to hear, O my God, Thy call from all the trees, even as Thou didst cause Thy servant, whom Thou didst choose and send unto all the worlds, to hear it from the Divine Lote-Tree.

At the second pace, pause and say:

O Lord! Reveal unto me in this station what Thou didst reveal unto the Spirit, that I may arise to praise Thy Self and speak forth Thy verses among Thy heedless servants, that perchance thereby their hearts may be purified from doubt and misgiving concerning Thy Cause, whereby all who dwell in the realm of names were thunderstruck, save a select few. O Lord! Sanctify me in that station from all attributes and their realm, which stand as a barrier between me and the vision of the lights of the Divine Essence. Then give me to drink, O my God, from the cup of everlasting life through the hands of the remembrance of the name of my Lord, the Most Exalted, in this latter resurrection. Verily, Thou art possessed of great bounty. O Lord! Let me taste of the fountain of life that I may be enkindled with the heat of Thy love in such wise that Thy servants may be set ablaze by me. Then cause to flow from my mouth the pure springs of divine knowledge in recognition of Thy Self, the All-Merciful, that I may thereby guide Thy creatures who have strayed from Thy manifest, evident, and straight path.

Then at the third pace, pause and say:

[…]

O Lord! Manifest Thyself unto me in this station even as Thou didst manifest Thyself unto Thy Prophets and Thy chosen ones who are nigh unto Thee. Then detach me, O my God, from this world and the next, and cause me to enter the garden of Thy presence and the paradise of Thy glory, the Mighty, the Luminous. O Lord! Efface from my heart every remembrance except Thy remembrance, that I may arise to praise Thee between the heavens and the earth. O Lord! Forgive my grievous trespasses and my great sins, and what I have neglected in regard to my Lord, the Most Exalted, and my hesitation on the path that encompasseth the worlds. O Lord! Clothe me with the robe of forgiveness and the garment of certitude, for Thou art the Fulfiller of the needs of them that seek Thee.

Then prostrate thyself upon the dust and say:

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for the wonders of Thy bounty and the manifestation of Thy favors towards me, whereby Thou hast taught me the ways of Thy knowledge and the paths of Thy guidance. Therefore, O my God, I beseech Thee by the light of Thy countenance, through which all created things and all existence were illumined, that Thou make me not of them who heard Thy call yet answered Thee not, and unto whom Thou didst reveal Thyself in Thy most exalted manifestation and most glorious dawning, yet who obeyed Thee not. Then assign unto me a seat of honor near unto Thy name, the All-Merciful, in the paradise which Thou hast created in the heart of heaven. Then join me with Thy chosen servants, and send down upon me every good thing in Thy knowledge, and raise me up on the Day of Resurrection before the Manifestation of Thy Self, the Most High, the Supreme, the Almighty.

Then lift up thy face from the dust, for thou hast completed the deed which thou wert commanded in this perspicuous Tablet. By the life of Him Whom God shall make manifest, whosoever performeth this deed purely for the sake of his Lord and detached from all else, God will fulfill his needs and will raise him up on the Day of Resurrection adorned with such beauty as to astonish the angels who are nigh unto God. Thus have We taught thee and made mention unto thee that thou mayest attain unto the presence of thy Lord and not be deprived of that which is better for thee than the treasures of the heavens and the earth. If thou performest it, it shall be for thine own self, and if thou forsaketh it, verily thy Lord is independent of all the worlds.

=== END BH00305 ===

=== START BH00306 ===

O light of truth and sword of faith

And soul of generosity!

No prince hath sky or earth begot

Who fain could hope to rival thee!

I know not why the tie of love was so abruptly severed and the firm covenant of friendship broken. Did ever, God forbid, My devotion lessen or My sincere affection fail, that I came to be so neglected and forgotten?

What fault didst thou observe in me

That made thee cease thy tender care?

Is it that poverty’s our lot

And wealth and pageantry thy share?

Or is it that a single arrow hath driven thee from the battle? Hast thou not heard that steadfastness is the prime requisite of the mystic path and the means of admittance to His holy Court? “They that say ‘Our Lord is God’, and continue steadfast in His way, upon them, verily, shall the angels descend.”

Likewise He saith, “Be thou steadfast as thou hast been bidden.” It followeth that they that abide in the court of reunion must needs conduct themselves accordingly.

I do as bidden and convey the message,

Whether it give thee counsel or offence.

Though I have received no reply to My letter, and it would be unbefitting, in the eyes of the wise, to express anew My devotion, yet this new love hath annulled and effaced all the old rules and ways.

Tell us not the tale of Layli, nor speak of Majnun’s woe–

Thy love hath made the world forget the loves of long ago.

When once thy name was on the tongue, it reached the lovers’ ears

And set the speakers and the hearers dancing to and fro.

And as to divine wisdom and heavenly admonitions:

Each moon, O my belov’d,

For three days I go mad;

Today’s the first of these–

’Tis why thou seest me glad.

I hear that thou hast journeyed to Tabriz and Tiflis to engage in debate and instruction, or hast set out for Sanandaj to scale the heights of knowledge.

O my eminent friend! They that seek to ascend to the heaven of mystic wayfaring are of four kinds only. I shall describe them in brief, that the signs and degrees of each may become plain and manifest to thee.

If the wayfarers be among them that seek after the sanctuary of the Desired One, this plane pertaineth to the self–but the self which is intended is “the Self of God that pervadeth all His laws”. In this station the self is not rejected but beloved; it is regarded with favour and is not to be shunned. Although at the beginning this plane is the realm of conflict, yet it endeth in the ascent to the throne of glory. As it hath been said:

O Abraham of the Spirit and God’s Friend in this day!

Slay! Slay these four thieving birds of prey!

that after death the mystery of life may be unravelled.

Enter thou among My servants, and enter thou My Paradise. This station hath myriad signs and countless tokens. Hence it is said: “We will surely show them Our signs in the world and within themselves, until it become plain to them that there is no God save Him.” One must, then, read the book of one’s own self, rather than the treatise of some grammarian. Wherefore He hath said, “Read thy Book: There needeth none but thyself to make out an account against thee this day.”

The story is told of a mystic knower who went on a journey with a learned grammarian for a companion. They came to the shore of the Sea of Grandeur. The knower, putting his trust in God, straightway flung himself into the waves, but the grammarian stood bewildered and lost in thoughts that were as words traced upon the water. The mystic called out to him, “Why dost thou not follow?” The grammarian answered, “O brother, what can I do? As I dare not advance, I must needs go back again.” Then the mystic cried, “Cast aside what thou hast learned from Sibavayh and Qawlavayh, from Ibn-i-Hajib and Ibn-i-Malik, and cross the water!” With renunciation, not with grammar’s rules, one must be armed: Be nothing, then, and cross this sea unharmed.

Likewise He saith, “And be ye not like those who forget God, and whom He hath therefore caused to forget their own selves. Such men are the evil doers.”

If the wayfarers be among them that dwell in the court of the All-Praised, this is the station of the Intellect, which is known as the messenger of the realm of the body and the most great pillar. That which is intended, however, is the universal divine Intellect, whose sovereignty fostereth the growth of all things, and not every vain and feeble mind. Thus hath the wise Sana’i written:

How can feeble reason embrace the Qur’an

Or the spider snare a phoenix in its web?

Wouldst thou that the mind not hold thee in its snare?

Seize it and enrol it in the school of God instead!

On this plane, the traveller meeteth with many a trial and reverse. Now is he lifted up to heaven, now is he cast into the depths. As it hath been said: “Now Thou drawest me to the throne of the realms above, again Thou scorchest me in the fire of hell.” The hidden mystery of this station is divulged in the following blessed verse from the Surih of the Cave: “And thou mightest have seen the sun when it arose, pass on the right of their cave, and when it set, leave them on the left, while they were in its spacious chamber. This is one of the signs of God. Guided indeed is he whom God guideth; but for him whom He misleadeth, thou shalt by no means find a guardian and guide.” If a soul could grasp the allusions that lie hid in this single verse, it would suffice him. Such indeed are those whom He hath extolled as “men whom neither merchandise nor traffic beguile from the remembrance of God.” This station is that of the true standard of knowledge and the final end of tests and trials. Nor is it needed, in this realm, to seek after knowledge, for He hath said concerning the guidance of wayfarers on this plane, “Fear ye God; God will teach you”, and again, “Knowledge is a light which God casteth into the heart of whomsoever He willeth.” Wherefore, one must make ready the receptacle and become worthy of the descent of heavenly bestowals, that the all-sufficing Cup-Bearer may give one to drink of the wine of bounty from the crystal chalice of mercy. “For this let the striving strive!” And now do I say, “Verily, we are God’s, and to Him shall we return.” If the lovers be among them that abide within the precincts of the abode of the Lodestone of hearts, no soul may dwell on this kingly throne save the countenance of love. I am powerless to describe this station or to depict it in words. Love shunneth this world and that world too; In him are lunacies seventy-and-two. The minstrel of love harpeth this lay: Servitude enslaveth, lordship doth betray. This plane demandeth pure love and unalloyed affection. In describing these companions He saith: “They speak not till He hath spoken, and act according to His commandment.” In this station, neither the reign of the intellect is sufficient nor the rule of self. Thus one of the Prophets of God asked, “O my Lord, how shall I reach Thee?” And the answer came: “Leave thy self behind, and then approach Me.” In the estimation of such souls, to be seated amidst the sandals by the door is the same as to abide at the place of honour, and in the path of the Beloved the retreats of earthly beauty differ not from the field of a battle waged.

The dwellers of this abode know not the destination, yet they spur on their chargers. They see naught in the Beloved but His very Self. They find all words of sense to be meaningless, and senseless words to be full of meaning. They cannot distinguish head from foot or one limb from another. To them the mirage is water itself and departure is the mystery of return. Wherefore hath it been said: The story of Thy beauty reached the hermit’s dell; Crazed, he sought the Tavern where the wine they buy and sell. The love of Thee hath levelled down the fort of patience; The pain of Thee hath firmly barred the gate of hope as well.

In this station, both instruction and apprenticeship are assuredly of no avail: The lovers’ teacher is the Loved One’s beauty, His face their lesson and their only book. Learning of wonderment, of longing love their duty; Not on learned chapters and dull themes they look. The chains that bind them are His musky hair; The Cyclic Scheme, to them, is but to Him a stair.

Here followeth a supplication to God–blessed and glorified be He: O Lord, O Thou Whose grace fulfilleth every need! To mention aught before Thee would be sin indeed. Allow this mote of knowledge hidden in my soul To free itself of lowly clay and reach its goal. And grant this drop of wisdom that Thou gavest me To be at last united with Thy mighty sea.

Thus do I say: There is no power nor strength except in God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

If the mystic knowers be among them that have attained the beauty of the Beloved, this station is the throne of the inmost heart and the secret of divine guidance. This is the seat of the mystery “He doeth what He willeth, and ordaineth what He pleaseth.” Should all that are in heaven and on earth attempt to unravel this exalted allusion and subtle mystery, from now until the Day whereon the Trumpet shall sound, yet would they fail to comprehend even a letter thereof, for this is the station of God’s immutable decree and His foreordained mystery. Hence, when asked regarding this matter, He made reply: “It is a bottomless sea that none shall ever fathom.” And when the question was repeated, He answered: “It is the blackest of nights through which none can find his way.”

Whoso comprehendeth this station will assuredly conceal it, and were he to reveal but the faintest trace thereof, they would assuredly hang him from the gallows. And yet, by God, were a true seeker to be found, I would divulge it to him; for He saith: “Love is a distinction never conferred upon a heart possessed by fear and dread.”

In truth, the wayfarer who journeyeth unto God, who treadeth the snow-white Path and turneth towards the Crimson Pillar, will never reach his heavenly home unless his hands are empty of such worldly things as are cherished by men. “And he that feareth not God, God shall make him to fear all things; whereas all things fear him who feareth God.”

Speak the Persian tongue, though the Arabian pleaseth more: Love indeed doth have a hundred other tongues in store.

How sweet in this connection is the following couplet:

Our hearts will be as open shells

Should He the pearls of grace bestow;

Our lives will ready targets be

Were He to hurl the darts of woe.

And were it not contrary to the commandment of the Book, I would surely have bestowed a part of My possessions upon My would-be murderer, and given him to inherit Mine earthly goods, and rendered him a myriad thanks, and solaced Mine own eyes with the touch of his hand. But what can I do? Neither have I any wealth, nor hath the Lord of destiny so decreed.

Methinks at this moment I perceive the musk-scented fragrance of the garment of Ha’ from the Joseph of Baha; verily He seemeth near at hand, though ye may think Him far away.

My soul doth sense the fragrant breath

Of a well-beloved soul:

The fragrance of that kindly friend

Who’s my heart’s desire and goal.

The duty of long years of love obey,

And tell the tale of blissful days gone by,

That land and sky may laugh aloud today,

And it may gladden mind and heart and eye.

This is the realm of pure awareness and utter self-effacement. Not even love can find a way to this plane, nor doth affection have a place therein. Wherefore is it said: “Love is a veil betwixt the lover and the beloved.” Here love becometh but an obstructing veil, and aught save the Friend but a curtain. Thus the wise Sana’i hath written:

None may approach that well-belov’d

Who harboreth his own desire;

None may embrace that beauteous form

Who’s burdened with his own attire.

For this is the realm of God and is sanctified above every allusion of His creatures.

Abiding in the court of rapture, the dwellers of this mansion wield with utmost joy and gladness the sceptres of divinity and lordship; and, established upon the lofty seats of justice, they exert their rule and bestow upon every soul its due. Those who drink of this cup abide beneath the canopy of glory, above the throne of the Ancient of Days, and dwell upon the seat of grandeur beneath the tabernacle of majesty. These are they that “know neither sun nor piercing cold”.

On this plane the highest heavens are neither opposed to, nor distinguished from, the lowly earth, for this is the realm of divine favours, not the arena of worldly contraries. Albeit at every moment a new condition be displayed, yet that condition is ever the same. Wherefore He saith in one instance, “Nothing whatsoever keepeth Him from being occupied with any other thing.” And in another He saith, “Verily, His ways differ every day.”

This is the food whose savour changeth not and whose colour altereth not. Wert thou to partake thereof, thou wouldst assuredly recite the verse “I have turned my face to Him Who hath created the heavens and the earth, following the right religion and submissive before God. I am not one of those who add gods to God.” “And thus did We show Abraham the kingdom of the heavens and of the earth, that he might be stablished in knowledge.” Wherefore, put thy hand into thy bosom, then stretch it forth with power, and behold, thou shalt find it a light unto all the world.

How clear this crystal water that the enraptured Cup-Bearer passeth round! How exquisite this pure wine that the intoxicated Beauty doth proffer! How pleasing this draught of joy that floweth from the Heavenly Cup! Well is it with him who drinketh thereof, and tasteth of its sweetness, and attaineth unto its knowledge. No more than this will I impart to thee: The riverbed can never hold the sea.

For its mystery lieth hid in the storehouses of His inviolable protection and is laid up in the treasuries of His power. It is exalted above the highest essence of utterance and sanctified beyond the subtlest mode of explanation.

Astonishment here is highly prized, and utter poverty greatly cherished. Wherefore hath He said, “Poverty is My pride.” And again: “God hath a people beneath the canopy of grandeur, whom He hath concealed in the garment of poverty to exalt in rank.” These are they who see with His eyes and hear with His ears, as hath been recorded in the well-known tradition.

Concerning this realm there is many a tradition and many a verse, whether of general or specific import, but two of these will suffice, that they may serve as a light for knowing hearts and bring delight to longing souls.

The first is His statement “O My servant! Obey Me, that I may make thee like unto Myself. For I say ‘Be’, and it is, and thou shalt say ‘Be’, and it shall be.” And the second: “O son of Adam! Seek fellowship with none until thou hast found Me, and whensoever thou shalt long for Me, thou shalt find Me nigh unto thee.”

Whatever high proofs and wondrous allusions are recounted herein concern but a single letter and a single point. For such is God’s method, and no change canst thou find in His mode of dealing.

I would write this epistle some time ago in your remembrance, and since your letter had not yet reached Me, I began with words of grievance and reproach. Now, your new missive has dispelled that feeling and has caused Me to send you this letter. To speak of My love for your eminence is needless. “Sufficient witness is God unto us.”

As for his eminence Shaykh Muhammad–may God, the Exalted, bless him!–I shall confine Myself to the two following lines, which I request be delivered to him:

I seek thy nearness, more desired than heaven in mine eyes;

I see thy visage, fairer than the bowers of Paradise.

When I entrusted this message of love to My pen, it refused the burden and swooned away. Then, coming to itself, it spoke and said, “Glory be to Thee! To Thee do I turn in penitence, and I am the first of them that implore Thy pardon.” All praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds!

Let us tell, some other day

This parting hurt and woe;

Let us write, some other way,

Love’s secrets–better so.

Leave blood and noise and all of these,

And say no more of Shams-i-Tabriz.

Peace be upon thee, and upon them who circle round thee and attain thy presence.

That which I had written ere this hath been eaten by the flies, so rich was the ink to their taste, even as Sa’di hath said:

I write no more, beleaguered by the flies

That my sweet words have drawn about the page.

And now the hand can write no more, and pleadeth that this is enough. Wherefore do I say: Far from the glory of my Lord, the All-Glorious, be that which His creatures affirm of Him!

=== END BH00306 ===

=== START BH00307 ===

O He who is our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted and Most Glorious Lord!

Praise sanctified above the utterance and mention of all who dwell within the realm of possibility beseemeth the court of nearness of the Holy One, the Best Beloved, Who with a single drop from the ocean of knowledge hath adorned the first and the last with the ornament of life. He is that Sovereign Whom the descriptions and praises of the world cannot augment, nor can the denial and rejection of the peoples diminish. From time immemorial He hath been established upon the throne of power, speaking forth the words “I am the Truth.” The signs of His might are present in all things, and the tokens of His Revelation are manifest from every direction. The entire world existeth through His Word; should He desire, through another Word it would cease to be. Whatsoever hath appeared and will appear from Him hath been according to His all-pervading wisdom. One sitteth upon the seat of glory while another lieth in the dust of abasement, yet when observed with the eye of insight, from the horizon of both doth the sun of justice shine forth resplendent. How sweet is His remembrance, how exalted His Cause, how manifest His justice! Glorified be His grandeur and exalted be His dominion. There is none other God but He, no Beloved besides Him, and no Object of desire save Him. He hath created all created things and brought forth all existence for this Day wherein walketh the Lord of Names and Attributes, with the hosts of divine verses on His right hand and manifest signs on His left.

Glory be unto Thee, O Thou through Whose will all created things were manifested and all contingent beings were set in motion! I beseech Thee by Him around Whom circle the Daysprings of Thy wisdom, the Repositories of Thy knowledge, the Dawning-places of Thy revelation, the Daybreaks of Thy Cause, and the Manifestations of Thy Self, to aid Thy loved ones and chosen ones to make mention of Thee, to praise Thee, and to serve Thy Cause. O my Lord! Thou seest how the world is consumed by the fire of heedlessness and desire, and how the hearts of them who are nigh unto Thee are melted by reason of what hath befallen them at the hands of Thy wicked servants who have cast behind their backs Thy Cause, violated Thy Covenant, disputed Thy verses, and warred against Thy Self. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the Most Great Word and by the lights of Thy countenance, O Thou Lord of all names, to transform this fire into light and to acquaint Thy servants with that which Thou hast ordained for them in this Revelation whereby the Sinai hath proclaimed: “By God! He Who conversed with me hath come, and my Object hath appeared!” O Lord! Thou seest Thy servants who are far removed; draw them nigh, through Thy name the Almighty, unto the shore of the ocean of Thy recognition. Verily, Thou art He Who hath ever been seated upon the throne of bounty, O Lord of all men! There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O my God, shower Thy blessings, O my Beloved, bestow Thy favors upon them who have quaffed the wine of Thy utterance in Thy days and who have, through Thy power and might, seized the reins of self and passion. These are servants whose service, remembrance and praise every Book beareth witness to, and all things testify to their elevation, their acceptance, their glory and their might. O Lord! Strengthen them through Thy might, aid them through Thy power, and illumine their faces in such wise that Thy servants and creatures may be enlightened thereby. Verily, Thou art He Whom nothing whatsoever can frustrate and no affair can hinder. There is none other God but Thee, the Strong, the Trustworthy.

And thereafter, thy letter from which dripped the drops of affection arrived, as if thou hadst swum in the ocean of love, seeking the ultimate goal, the loftiest summit and the highest horizon. Praise be to God that thou didst attain unto the station of “God was”, and wast honored with hearing “there is none like unto Him”. And these exalted words shone forth from the Dawning-Place of utterance, the Revealer of verses, His words, exalted be His glory: “O Husayn! Praise be to God that through divine grace thou hast attained unto that which was the purpose of creation. Thou didst hear and turn unto Him, and the intention of thy heart’s core became manifest until thou didst attain unto the visitation of the true Ka’bah and wert honored with the effulgences of the Sun of Manifestation. Blessed is he who sought, intended and attained, and woe unto him who was heedless and slept. O Husayn! The breeze of grace passeth over the trees of being at every dawn. Say: Today is the day of fruits, today is the day of hearing, today is the day of utterance, and today is the day of meeting. For all things an eye hath been ordained - some outward, some inward, and some both outward and inward. How excellent is the eye of the spirit that hath attained unto the vision of the Beloved of all possibility. Today, from the whistling of every breeze the attentive ear heareth ‘The Beloved hath come’, and from the murmur of every stream it heareth ‘The Promised One hath appeared’. Adorn the temples of the friends with the ornament of the mention of the Intended One of all possibility. Say: Know ye your worth and recognize your stations. At all times hold fast unto the Strong Cord, for the cawing of devils hath been raised. Although every possessor of hearing and sight beholdeth the Truth distinguished from all else in all respects, by the life of God, from the traces of the opposers and their words their station is evident and manifest. Verily He speaketh the truth, demonstrateth the proof, and guideth the way. There is no God but He, the Mighty, the Beautiful.”

The copy of the telegram thou didst send was indeed most apt - truly the electric current spoke completely and most appropriately. O beloved of my heart! From the beginning that hath no beginning to the end that hath no end, the source and dawning-place of oppression hath been and will be such souls. The spirits of such vile and impure ones are known by their evil-commanding nature, while Satan himself is characterized by the self-accusing spirit in the second degree. In truth, the fire of his self was derived from that fire - such as he are first, and Satan is second. May God protect us and you from their evil. They have attributed to Him Who is in the nights and days that which they have attributed, and they have pronounced against Him at Whose mention they would stand in reverence of His name and in demonstration of their submission to Him - may God multiply their like, or rather, may God break their necks. But thou didst write correctly. As this servant knoweth not to what this referreth, he somewhat departed from wisdom. I hope for forgiveness - I seek God’s pardon, the All-Glorious - for we are all commanded to observe wisdom. Once the Lord of creation uttered this exalted word: Had the rulers obeyed such persons who considered themselves leaders of the people, not a single person of truth would have been seen in any century of the centuries or any age of the ages. We beseech God to confirm the rulers of this age in not obeying such ignorant, heedless, satanic souls. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth, and in His grasp are all hearts and minds. In any case, the telegram was most fitting. God willing, may such telegrams always be sent to all regions, and may one always be engaged in uttering such praiseworthy words.

As for your mention of his honor [name], who has been afflicted with gout - it was not gout alone but rather chronic, deadly, and malignant diseases. They stated that every soul who entered into the Cause of the King of Martyrs was and will be afflicted with such accursed ailments. “The Book of A and S has come into My presence, therefore We have concealed it. Verily thy Lord is the Concealer, the Forgiving, the Generous.” Indeed he deprived himself. Now observe, according to one of the chosen ones, would it have been better to sacrifice his life in the path of the King of Martyrs, or to depart from this world with a sin heavier than mountains and in such abasement? We beseech God to preserve these servants through His special grace. Repeatedly has this exalted word been revealed from the Supreme Pen, stating: “Verily the Cause is mighty, mighty!”

As for your mention of his honor Aqa Muhammad-Hashim, son of Aqa Qadir, upon them both be the Glory of God, from the land of K, it was presented at the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court. His blessed and exalted Word: “O Muhammad before Hashim! Verily We have mentioned thee before, be thou of the thankful ones. We have sent down verses for thee that thou mayest praise God, the Lord of the worlds. We have heard and answered thee, and verily We are the Hearer, the Answerer. Be thou a doer of what is in My Book, and adorned with My virtues, and steadfast upon My straight path. This is the day of trial. Say: Here am I, here am I, O Thou Goal of the world! Yea, yea, O Thou Beloved of the worlds! Verily the sea hath surged and the river hath flowed and the nightingale hath warbled and man hath come riding upon the clouds while the people are in manifest loss. Verily loss is for him who gaineth, and gain is for him who loseth for this Blessed and Great Name. Every gain that preventeth the servant from his Lord is a loss, and every loss that remindeth the servant of God is indeed a mighty possession.” We make special mention of the friends in the land of K. Praise be to God, souls are observed to be enkindled. God willing, may they be steadfast in the Cause. God will soon make manifest their stations. Verily He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

As for what thou didst write regarding his honor Aqa Mirza ’Abdu’l-?amid, upon him be the Glory of God, it attained the honor of being heard. His blessed and exalted Word: “O ’Abdu’l-?amid! Blessed art thou and blessed is he with whom thou wast when thou didst purpose to visit the House of God, the Most High, the Great. He visited and thou didst visit, and I am the All-Knowing Witness. He turned and thou didst turn, and I am the Hearing, the Seeing. He traveled through lands in his longing to meet Me, and thou didst travel with him until he attained and thou didst attain unto a place which the Concourse on High circumambulated, accompanied by tribes of near-stationed angels. We counsel thee with that through which the fragrance of sincerity unto God, the Lord of the worlds, may be diffused, and through which His Cause may be uplifted among His servants. And I am the Counselor, the Compassionate, the Generous.”

O Fadl! Behold the divine favor vouchsafed unto thee. The whole world was created for this Day and for the recognition of Him Who hath appeared therein. Yet now all the peoples of the earth, save whom God hath willed, are seen to be heedless of the original purpose and veiled from the Most Great Manifestation, while ye are blessed with this supreme bounty. I swear by the Sun of Truth that one atom of the deeds of a soul that hath turned towards God is better and more pleasing before Him than the deeds of both worlds. Strive thou to preserve this lofty and most exalted station through the Name of the Lord of Names, for the cawing of the divines on one hand and the croaking of the foolish on the other have been raised. Hold fast unto the hem of grace and cleave unto the sure handle, that perchance thou mayest not be deprived of the Lord of all being through the tales of old and the conditions of Lat and Uzza. By Lat and Uzza and every base word that hath flowed and floweth from the Most Exalted Pen in the Book are meant the ignorant ones of the earth who are known as divines. Know thou this and be of the thankful. Thou hast been blessed with My remembrance and hast drunk the choice wine of My loving-kindness. By My life! Nothing that thou beholdest can equal these. Thy Lord is verily the Perspicuous, the True, the Faithful. Glory be upon thee and upon every discerning believer.

This evanescent servant conveyeth greetings and salutations to the gentlemen, and beseecheth the exalted True One to aid them in that which profiteth them in all the worlds of His worlds. He is verily the Generous, the Munificent.

As for the mention at the end of the Book of the secretary - upon him be the Glory of God - and likewise Aqa Mirza Siyyid ’Ali and Aqa Ghulam-Husayn - upon both of them be the Glory of God - their mention was presented before His Countenance, and there was revealed for each that which all the world is powerless and incapable of describing. His exalted Word: Verily We make mention of the Sh following the N and the M, that he may rejoice in the remembrance of the Wronged One Who hath borne tribulations and ordeals in the path of God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen. We have mentioned thee before and We mention thee at this hour wherein verses are sent down from the heaven of the will of thy Lord, the Lord of the most ancient Days. Say: Glory be unto Thee, O Thou through the movement of Whose Pen all things were set in motion and through its cry the dead were raised in the kingdom of creation! I beseech Thee to strengthen me to stand firm in this Cause which hath shaken every edifice and caused the hearts of Thy servants to tremble. My Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and speaking Thy praise. I beseech Thee to number me among the company of Thy chosen ones who have fulfilled Thy Covenant and who have said in all conditions: “God is our Lord and the Lord of all things, our Goal and the Goal of all things, our Beloved and the Beloved of all who are in the heavens and the earth.” My Lord! Aid me to serve Thy Cause and enable me to achieve that which Thou lovest and art pleased with. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Omnipotent.

And this is what was revealed for Aqa Mirza Siyyid ’Ali - upon him be the Glory of God - In My Name, the Most Ancient, the Most Great […]

O Ali! Thou hast turned towards Us from that region and We have turned towards thee from the precincts of My Most Great Prison. Know thou the value of the days of God, then thank Him for having caused thy name to be mentioned by His Most Exalted Pen, as a token of His grace. He, verily, is the All-Knowing Rememberer. Be thou steadfast in My Cause, speaking forth My praise and drinking from the Kawthar of My love at all times. O Ali! The lights of Revelation have shone forth upon the Mount, and the Tree hath raised its call: “The Kingdom is God’s, the One, the All-Informed!” Behold the people and their heedlessness and error. They make mention of God at morn and eventide, yet when He appeared they pronounced judgment against Him with such tyranny as caused the Faithful Spirit to lament. O Ali! Were We to recount unto thee what hath befallen Us at the hands of the manifestations of tyranny, thou wouldst weep, and with thee would weep the Concourse on High and the dwellers of Paradise. We have therefore concealed it from thee and from them. Thy Lord is verily the All-Merciful, the Gracious. The Glory be upon thee and upon them who have shown justice in this mighty Cause.

This is what was revealed for his honor Ghulam-Qabl-Husayn, upon him be the Glory of God:

In My Name, the Most Beautiful

Thy name is remembered before the Wronged One. Know thou the worth of this blessed name and arise to render such servitude as befitteth the station of this Most Great Name. In all conditions, act and speak in ways that will exalt the Cause. By the life of God! Thou hast attained unto that which hath had and shall have no peer or likeness. Turn thy heart toward the Most Exalted Horizon and say:

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, and glorification be unto Thee, O my Aim, and splendor be unto Thee, O my Beloved, for having strengthened me, made me know Thee, enabled me, and guided me unto Thy straight path. I beseech Thee by the wonders of Thy bounty and the totality of Thy words to ordain for me through Thy Most Exalted Pen that which shall profit me in every world of Thy worlds. O Lord! Thou art the Strong, and I am the weak. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me of what lieth with Thee. There is no God but Thee, the All-Witnessing, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Reflect upon the divine favor. Whenever mention is made of one of the friends before His presence, the ocean of bounty surgeth with such waves that this servant and a hundred thousand like him are powerless to describe or recount it. May the whole world be a sacrifice unto His grace and bounty. The conveyance of this lowly one’s greetings and salutations to each of the friends of God is entrusted to your honor.

Another matter this evanescent one wisheth to mention is that no news hath been received from his honor Aqa Muhammad-Rida, upon him be the Glory of God, and his brother who bore the name of the Intended One, who emigrated and drank the cup of reunion from the hands of bounty. If wisdom permitteth and you meet with them, convey this lowly one’s greetings unto them. Praise be to God, they have attained unto His grace and are mentioned in the Most Holy Court. May the Glory that shineth resplendent from the horizon of the heaven of the grace of our Goal and the Goal of the world be upon you and upon those whose names thou hast mentioned and upon every steadfast and assured believer. Praise be to God, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the Wise.

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=== START BH00308 ===

In My Name, which standeth supreme above all names

Praise and glory beseem the Lord of Names and the Creator of the heavens, He, the waves of Whose ocean of Revelation surge before the eyes of the peoples of the world. The Day-Star of His Cause shineth through every veil and His Word of affirmation standeth beyond the reach of negation. Neither the ascendancy of the oppressor nor the tyranny of the wicked hath been able to thwart His Purpose. How glorified is His sovereignty, how exalted His dominion!

Great God! Although His signs have encompassed the world and His proofs and testimonies are shining forth and manifest as the light, yet the ignorant appear heedless, nay rather, rebellious. Would that they had been content with opposition. But at all times they are plotting to cut down the sacred Lote-Tree. Since the dawn of this Revelation the embodiments of selfishness have, by resorting to cruelty and oppression, striven to extinguish the Light of divine manifestation. But God, having stayed their hands, revealed this Light through His sovereign authority and protected it through the power of His might until earth and heaven were illumined by its radiance and brightness. Praise be unto Him under all conditions.

Glory be unto Thee, O Lord of the world and Desire of the nations, O Thou Who hast become manifest in the Greatest Name whereby the pearls of wisdom and utterance have appeared from the shells of the great sea of Thy Knowledge, and the heavens of divine revelation have been adorned with the light of the appearance of the Sun of Thy countenance. I beg of Thee, by that Word through which Thy proof was perfected among Thy creatures and Thy testimony was fulfilled among Thy servants to strengthen Thy people in that whereby the face of the Cause will radiate in Thy dominion, the standards of Thy power will be planted among Thy servants, and the banners of Thy guidance will be raised throughout Thy dominions.

O my Lord! Thou beholdest them clinging to the rope of Thy grace and holding fast unto the hem of the mantle of Thy beneficence. Ordain for them that which may draw them nearer unto Thee, and withhold them from all else save Thee. I beg of Thee, O Thou King of existence and Protector of the seen and the unseen, to make whosoever ariseth to serve Thy Cause as a sea moving by Thy desire, as one ablaze with the fire of Thy Sacred Tree, shining from the horizon of the heaven of Thy Will. Verily Thou art the mighty One Whom neither the power of all the world nor the strength of nations can weaken. There is no God but Thee, the One, the Incomparable, the Protector, the Self-Subsistent.

O thou who hast quaffed the wine of Mine utterance […]

The third ?araz concerneth good character. A good character is, verily, the best mantle for men from God. With it He adorneth the temples of His loved ones. By My life! The light of a good character surpasseth the light of the sun and its effulgence. Whoso attaineth unto it is accounted as a jewel among men. The glory and the upliftment of the world must needs depend upon it. A goodly character is a means whereby men are guided to the Straight Path and led to the Great Announcement. Well is it with him who is adorned with the saintly attributes and character of the Concourse on High. It beseemeth you to fix your gaze under all conditions upon justice and fairness. In the Hidden Words this exalted utterance hath been revealed from Our Most August Pen:

“O Son of Spirit! The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes.” […]

concerneth good character. A good character is, verily, the best mantle for men from God. With it He adorneth the temples of His loved ones. By My life! The light of a good character surpasseth the light of the sun and the radiance thereof. Whoso attaineth unto it is accounted as a jewel among men. The glory and the upliftment of the world must needs depend upon it. A goodly character is a means whereby men are guided to the Straight Path and are led to the Great Announcement. Well is it with him who is adorned with the saintly attributes and character of the Concourse on High. It beseemeth you to fix your gaze under all conditions upon justice and fairness. In The Hidden Words this exalted utterance hath been revealed from Our Most August Pen: ‘O Son of Spirit! The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbour. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behoveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes.’ They that are just and fair-minded in their judgement occupy a sublime station and hold an exalted rank. The light of piety and uprightness shineth resplendent from these souls. We earnestly hope that the peoples and countries of the world may not be deprived of the splendours of these two luminaries.

The fourth ?araz concerneth trustworthiness. Verily it is the door of security for all that dwell on earth and a token of glory on the part of the All-Merciful. He who partaketh thereof hath indeed partaken of the treasures of wealth and prosperity. Trustworthiness is the greatest portal leading unto the tranquillity and security of the people. In truth the stability of every affair hath depended and doth depend upon it. All the domains of power, of grandeur and of wealth are illumined by its light. Not long ago these sublime words were revealed from the Pen of the Most High: ‘We will now mention unto thee Trustworthiness and the station thereof in the estimation of God, thy Lord, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. One day of days We repaired unto Our Green Island. Upon Our arrival, We beheld its streams flowing, and its trees luxuriant, and the sunlight playing in their midst. Turning Our face to the right, We beheld what the pen is powerless to describe; nor can it set forth that which the eye of the Lord of Mankind witnessed […]’

‘in that most sanctified, that most sublime, that blest, and most exalted Spot. Turning, then, to the left We gazed on one of the Beauties of the Most Sublime Paradise, standing on a pillar of light, and calling aloud saying: “O inmates of earth and heaven! Behold ye My beauty, and My radiance, and My revelation, and My effulgence. By God, the True One! I am Trustworthiness and the revelation thereof, and the beauty thereof. I will recompense whosoever will cleave unto Me, and recognize My rank and station, and hold fast unto My hem. I am the most great ornament of the people of Baha, and the vesture of glory unto all who are in the kingdom of creation. I am the supreme instrument for the prosperity of the world, and the horizon of assurance unto all beings.” Thus have We sent down for thee that which will draw men nigh unto the Lord of creation.’

O people of Baha! Trustworthiness is in truth the best of vestures for your temples and the most glorious crown for your heads. Take ye fast hold of it at the behest of Him Who is the Ordainer, the all-Informed.

The fifth ?araz concerneth the protection and preservation of the stations of God’s servants. One should not ignore the truth of any matter, rather should one give expression to that which is right and true. The people of Baha should not deny any soul the reward due to him, should treat craftsmen with deference, and, unlike the people aforetime, should not defile their tongues with abuse. In this Day the sun of craftsmanship shineth above the horizon of the occident and the river of arts is flowing out of the sea of that region. One must speak with fairness and appreciate such bounty. By the life of God! The word ‘Equity’ shineth bright and resplendent even as the sun. We pray God to graciously shed its radiance upon everyone. He is in truth powerful over all things, He Who is wont to answer the prayers of all men.

In these days truthfulness and sincerity are sorely afflicted in the clutches of falsehood, and justice is tormented by the scourge of injustice. The smoke of corruption hath enveloped the whole world in such wise that naught can be seen in any direction save regiments of soldiers and nothing is heard from any land but the clashing of swords. We beseech God, the True One, to strengthen the wielders of His power in that which will rehabilitate the world and bring tranquillity to the nations.

The sixth ?araz

Knowledge is one of the wondrous gifts of God. It is incumbent upon everyone to acquire it. Such arts and material means as are now manifest have been achieved by virtue of His knowledge and wisdom which have been […]’

Despite unprecedented hardships and after enduring years of imprisonment, captivity and woeful trials, We now perceive that veils thicker than the ones We have already witnessed have intervened between men’s hearts and their attainment of the knowledge of God. Sciences have appeared which have allured the minds of men away from God. We observe that knowledge hath given rise to doubts and evil suggestions which have deprived mankind of tranquil confidence in God. But today this Leader of Knowledge, this Manifest Light, hath arisen with such splendor as to dispel all darkness from the face of the earth.

Every child today knoweth far more than the most learned men of former times could grasp, and can comprehend with ease what they with utmost difficulty could understand. The printing press hath enhanced the power of the word and increased the speed with which it can be disseminated. These developments in themselves are to be viewed as signs of the approaching Hour when all things shall be made new.

The Sun of Truth shineth in splendor above the horizon of the world. In the Books of God mention hath been made of a Day when darkness shall cover the earth, when men’s hearts shall be hardened, and when mankind shall be sorely afflicted. That Day is now come. Such hearts have been created as surpass in hardness the stones themselves - hearts that doubt even the evidence of their own eyes. Despite all that hath been revealed in the Books of God, no one hath paused to reflect, and none hath arisen to proclaim the Truth to his fellow-men.

they still reject the truth and have turned towards their own selfish desires. This Wronged One calleth aloud for the sake of God. Whosoever wisheth, let him turn thereunto; whosoever wisheth, let him turn away. Verily God can well afford to dispense with all things, whether of the past or of the future. O people of the Bayan! It is men like unto Hadi Dawlat-Abadi who, with turban and staff, have been the source of opposition and hindrance and have so grievously burdened the people with superstitions that even at the present time they still expect the appearance of a fictitious person from a fictitious place. Be ye warned, O men of understanding. O Hadi! Give ear unto the Voice of this trustworthy Counsellor: direct thy steps from the left unto the right, that is turn away from idle fancy unto certitude. Lead not the people into error. The divine Luminary shineth, His Cause is manifest and His signs are all-embracing. Set thy face towards God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Renounce thy leadership for the sake of God and leave the people unto themselves. Thou art ignorant of the essential truth, thou art not acquainted therewith. O Hadi! Be thou of one face in the path of God. When in company with the infidels, thou art an infidel and with the pious, thou art pious. Reflect thou upon such souls as offered up their lives and their substance in that land, that haply thou mayest be admonished and roused from slumber. Consider: who is to be preferred, he who preserveth his body, his life and his possessions or the one who surrendereth his all in the path of God? Judge thou fairly and be not of the unjust. Take fast hold of justice and adhere unto equity that perchance thou mayest not, for […]

selfish motives, use religion as a snare, nor disregard the truth for the sake of gold. Indeed thine iniquity and the iniquity of such people as thyself have waxed so grievous that the Pen of Glory was moved to make such observations. Fear thou God. He Who heralded this Revelation hath declared: “He shall proclaim under all conditions: ‘Verily, verily, I am God, no God is there but Me, the Help in Peril, The Self-Subsisting.’” O people of the Bayan! Ye have been forbidden to contact the loved ones of God. Why hath this ban been imposed and for what purpose? Be ye fair, I adjure you by God, and be not of the heedless. Unto such as are endued with insight, and before the Most Great Beauty, the object of this ban is known and evident; it is so that no one may become aware of his (Hadi’s) secrets and deeds. O Hadi! Thou hast not been in Our company, thou art therefore ignorant of the Cause. Act not according to thine idle imaginings. Aside from these things, scrutinize the Writings with thine own eyes and ponder upon that which hath come to pass. Have pity upon thyself and upon the servants of God and be not the cause of waywardness like unto the people aforetime. The path is unmistakable and the proof is evident. Change injustice into justice and inequity into equity. We cherish the hope that the breaths of divine inspiration may strengthen thee and that thine inner ear may be enabled to hear the blessed words: “Say, it is God, then leave them to entertain themselves with their cavillings.” Thou has been there (Cyprus) and hast seen him (Mirza Yahya). Now speak forth with fairness. Do not misrepresent the matter, neither to thyself nor to the people. Thou art both ignorant and uninformed. Give ear unto the Voice of this Wronged One and hasten towards the ocean of divine knowledge that perchance thou mayest be adorned with the ornament of comprehension and mayest renounce all else but God. Hearken unto the Voice of this benevolent Counsellor, calling aloud, unveiled and manifest, before the faces of kings and their subjects, and summon the people of the world, one and all, unto Him Who is the Lord of Eternity. This is the Word from Whose horizon the day-star of unfailing grace shineth resplendent. O Hadi! This Wronged One, rid of all attachment to the world, hath striven with utmost endeavour to quench the fire of animosity and hatred which burneth fiercely in the hearts of the peoples of the earth. It behoveth every just and fair-minded person to render thanks unto God - exalted be His glory - and to arise to promote this pre-eminent Cause, that fire may turn into light, and hatred may give way to […]

fellowship and love. I swear by the righteousness of God! This is the sole purpose of this Wronged One. Indeed in proclaiming this momentous Cause and in demonstrating its Truth We have endured manifold sufferings, hardships and tribulations. Thou thyself wouldst bear witness unto that which We have mentioned, couldst thou but speak with fairness. Verily God speaketh the truth and leadeth the Way. He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the Gracious. May Our Glory rest upon the people of Baha whom neither the tyranny of the oppressor nor the ascendancy of the aggressor have been able to withhold from God, the Lord of the worlds.

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=== START BH00309 ===

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

Bombay. O esteemed sir, his honor the Afnan, Haji Mirza Muhammad-’Ali - upon him be all the Glory of God, the Most Glorious - may he be blessed with the most gracious and luminous glance.

Tremors have seized the tribes, and turmoil hath encompassed the dwellers of earth, save whom God hath willed. That which hath appeared hath transcended the power of comprehension. Conjecture hath no path to what hath been manifested, and fancy hath no movement in this arena for Persia. Glorified be the All-Bountiful, the Possessor of Great Grace! The King of Names hath astounded the manifestations of might and wealth, and realms which their men had imagined to be free from decline now show evident cracks. Indeed, the fair-minded and discerning are increasingly amazed, for the outward causes in no way correspond to what hath transpired. Praise be to God Who hath appeared and made manifest His Cause, and made all things speak according to His Will, despite every heedless doubter.

May the light that shineth and blazeth from the heaven of bounty and generosity be upon the Afnans of the Divine Lote-Tree and its loved ones, whom neither clamor nor that which hath appeared in the realm of creation hath frightened. The lights are astounded by their radiance, all who are steadfast by their steadfastness, and all who are influential by their influence. These are they who see death in His love as a gateway to His mercy, and martyrdom in His path as a crown that telleth of His glory and sovereignty. It is naught but the door to rest and tranquility from the All-Merciful. Blessed is he who pondereth upon it and upon the mysteries deposited therein.

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! Thou seest the Afnans of Thy Lote-Tree amidst the enemies of Thy Self and the wolves of Thy earth, who desire naught in the kingdom but to extinguish the light of Thy Cause and quench the fire of Thy love. I beseech Thee, O Educator of the world and Goal of the nations, by Thy Most Great Name and by the Manifestations of Thy supreme Word, through whom Thou hast adorned Thy cities and lands, to protect him who hath acknowledged Thy manifestation and appearance, then guard him from the oppression of those who have violated Thy covenant and denied Thy signs. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the Word whereby hearts and minds were attracted, to protect the lamps of Thy guidance from the violent winds. Verily, Thou art the Revealer of verses and the Lord of names and attributes. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful.

May my spirit be a sacrifice for your steadfastness, your constancy, and your utterance. The two exalted letters, each of which truly shineth as a lamp, have illumined the heart and pillars, and brought to remembrance the days of presence and meeting. Their mention is the cause of remembrance, and their reading the cause of awakening. From each word the fragrance of the detached ones wafteth. The servant beseecheth his Lord to raise your honor for the exaltation of His Cause and the elevation of His Word. Verily, He is the Most Powerful of the powerful ones. And after the recitation, reading, and contemplation, having aimed for the supreme height, it was presented before the countenance of Him Who conversed on Sinai and was blessed with the honor of His attention. Thereupon the ocean of grace and bounty surged, and He revealed that whereby the realities of all things were attracted. His word, exalted be His glory:

In My Name, the Manifest, the Speaker before the faces of the world […]

The fire of oppression and tyranny has been kindled, and every treacherous one has arisen with lies and calumnies, consumed by the fire of greed and passion–a recompense for his deeds in this worldly life. We beseech God to illumine all regions and to ordain for His servants that which will draw them nigh unto Him and guide them to His straight path. They have denied God and His signs, and have rejected what hath appeared from Him. Thus have their souls enticed them. God will soon seize them as He seized those before them. Verily, He is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth through His mighty and wise command.

Glory be to God! Although it hath become clear and evident to all, the rejected souls inflamed with the fire of tyranny and wickedness have not yet awakened. However, to those endowed with vision and those who possess the Most Sublime Vision, good deeds are clearly distinguished from evil ones. They have committed that which hath no parallel in the world. In all circumstances, We have commanded the loved ones of God to patience and tranquility, lest there occur that which is contrary to what hath been ordained, both aforetime and hereafter. We have sent down the verses and manifested the clear proofs, and have commanded all to that which will exalt them and adorn them among the servants–yet they have wrought that which causeth every just and discerning one to lament. Greed hath taken hold of their reins, and they have devoured the wealth of the people. We testify that they have cast behind them that which was sent down from the heaven of God’s Will, the Lord of creation, and have taken that which their passions commanded them. They are indeed in darkness and error.

Although they witness at all times the evanescence of the world and its variations and passing away, they have clung to deeds and actions from which even Satan would shrink. Today the verses have encompassed all regions, and the rivers of wisdom and utterance flow and are visible before all faces, and the Sun of Truth shineth resplendent above all heads. Yet this hath had no effect upon the manifestations of turning away and the dawning-places of heedlessness. However, whatsoever hath been revealed in the Tablets from the Pen of God hath all come to pass and will continue to do so. There is no doubt in this: verily these have been sent down from God, the Mighty, the Glorious, the All-Knowing.

Despite the lack of means and the differences both internal and external, the Cause of God hath encompassed all, and now most are observed to be searching and seeking. Soon will God’s Cause encompass the East and the West of the earth, and there shall appear that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’an through His words: “The unbeliever shall say, ‘Would that I were dust!’” Each day some harm befalleth and some falsehood becometh manifest, yet since it occurreth in the path of God, it is beloved and acceptable. Praise be to God!

That honored one is aware that nothing but goodness hath been shown by the Afnan towards that heedless one. Nevertheless, through the instigation of certain ones, he hath acted in such a way regarding people’s property that now the people of the great city testify to his falsehood, wickedness, and treachery. We beseech God to make the heedless ones aware and not to deprive the world of the lights of the Day-Star of justice and equity. That honored one’s journey at such a time became a cause of grief. Hidden matters have become evident and clear. Previously, there was expressed to the Afnan, Aqa Siyyid Mirza, upon him be the Glory of God, that which was expedient for the time and conducive to the exaltation of the Word. Negligence in affairs and the latter matter have caused delay and suspension in outward occupations. However, that honored one in all […]

All must appear with such joy and radiance as would gladden the hearts of all. Every sorrow and grief that hath been manifested is, in the sight of God, a key among the keys of His grace, mercy, compassion, bounty and generosity, whereby the doors of joy and radiance shall soon be opened. We have previously mentioned: O Afnan! Your dominion is established in the divine Kingdom, not in the earthly soil of water and clay. All that exists must be placed for sale and given to the creditors. Now they have accepted this matter, but had it been done before these matters arose it would have been more beloved and excellent in the sight of God and men. All must consult together and act according to what they deem advisable. We beseech God to assist them, grant them success, and ordain for them that which will exalt them through His Name amongst His servants. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

His Holiness Afnan (A. and H.), upon him be the Glory of God the Most Glorious, had no desire to travel to the land of Ha. When the letter from His Holiness Afnan Haji Siyyid Mirza, upon him be the Glory and Grace of God, arrived, it was sent to him to consider and act as he deemed appropriate, for it was known to God that his journey to the land of Ha would bear no fruit whatsoever. Indeed, these exalted words were heard from the Blessed Tongue: They said that if his journey to that land would have borne any fruit, We would certainly have commanded him to proceed in that direction.

It is strange that His Holiness Afnan Haji Siyyid Mirza still writes that if Aqa Siyyid Ahmad had gone to India, matters would not have turned out this way. During those days, someone from that land arrived in Beirut and did not speak well of certain affairs of the honored ones. Even if His Holiness A. and H., upon him be the Glory of God, had gone to that region and the accounts were settled, where would the funds have been found to pay the creditors? In those days, some understood the details and would not deal with him in trade at all.

Now he must, detached from all else, hold fast to what has been commanded. Whatever was present in the house was given without discussion. Among these, the remaining balance of the late Haji Shaykh, upon him be the Glory and Favor of God, amounting to six hundred and seven Ottoman liras, was paid in cash, which included some of his own funds that he had relinquished. When in the early days of the arrival of Samandar, upon him be the Glory of God the Most Glorious, he sent two thousand tumans through the late Haji Shaykh, upon him be the Glory of God - one thousand tumans in silk and one thousand in cash - to the Most Holy Court, after being presented it was not accepted until, considering the distress of the aforementioned one, they accepted it to remain with him for trading purposes. After the loss occurred, the deceased was commanded to pay his brother’s debt from that amount, and Samandar also agreed to pay it, though it appears difficult that he would be able to do so.

And considering the helplessness of His Holiness Afnan Haji Siyyid Mirza, upon him be the Glory of God the Most Glorious, who had written in his letter that Shaykh knows this money was not ours, now what answer shall we give to the creditors? This matter was settled after the aforementioned payment was made. Likewise, His Holiness Afnan Aqa Siyyid Ahmad, upon him be the Glory of God the Most Glorious, after proceeding to the Threshold, received all possible assistance, both apparent and hidden, and His Holiness Afnan Aqa Mirza Mu?sin, upon him be the Glory and Might of God, knows of some matters, and other affairs have also occurred of which His Holiness may be aware of some. The honored Amin, upon him be the Glory of God, also gave some funds, and he too was instructed not to demand repayment. Divine favor has always been with them, both openly and secretly, but what emanated from them was not befitting, and after the arrival of Mirza’s letter, absolutely A. and […]

“H” was not prohibited from proceeding, nor was there an explicit command given, for it was stated that it has been and would be fruitless and would yield naught but embarrassment. This was expressed to his honor Afnan, Haji Siyyid ’Ali, upon him be the Glory of God, the Most Glorious, and a firm decree was issued that you must send an account statement so it would become clear to all what has entered the storehouse in Beirut, what has left, and what remains. What is evident and visible here is that there is a plot of land acquired in Haifa, whose value has now increased. According to the command, it must be auctioned and the proceeds given to settle debts, with everyone’s knowledge. Similarly, there is a house which, having met with the blessed approval, was purchased, though it is small, being around one hundred liras and some change. Until now, no ruling has been issued regarding this matter. Regarding the land, a command was issued to his honor Afnan to proceed hastily to ’Ishqabad for the sale of properties. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to moderate the negligence and delay of Afnan. Verily, He has power over all things. And in all circumstances, one must act according to the command with trustworthiness, religious devotion and justice. Verily, He aids those who hold fast to trustworthiness and justice. Indeed, He is the Guardian of those who do good.

In any case, a brief account of each matter has been submitted, as these days are more suited to other mentions and other utterances. It would be better that I submit that your supplications were presented before His presence at the designated times, and in response to each one was revealed that which no treasure could equal and no mention could fulfill. In one instance, these exalted words were revealed from the Source of verses and the Manifestation of clear proofs. His word, exalted be His utterance: […]

O Afnan! Upon thee be My glory, My loving-kindness and My mercy. We testify that thou hast been with Me from the earliest days, and hast attained to the hearing of the Call and the beholding of the Supreme Horizon, and We have known from thee what We have known from none else. He is thy Helper in all conditions. We beseech God to transform your sorrow into an ocean of joy and delight, and to ordain for you that which will attract all things. The servant present here hath recited before Our face what thou didst send regarding the mention of God and His praise, from every word of which was wafted the fragrance of detachment, trust and supplication. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to open through thee the doors of goodly things and to raise through thee the standards of triumph throughout all lands and the banner of victory amongst the servants. He is, verily, the Lord of creation and the Omnipotent over whatsoever He willeth.

We make mention of all the Afnans. We hope they will succeed in acting according to that which hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. When deeds are pure and sanctified, man is assured and joyous before God and within himself. The pen cannot adequately describe this station. Your honor is aware to the extent possible. We beseech Him not to withhold the rain of His grace, bounty and generosity, nor to deprive His Afnans. Should a soul be confirmed even slightly and take one step beyond this world, he will witness what hath been ordained for those related to Him, namely the Afnans whom He hath claimed as His own. By the Sun of Truth, all would be bewildered, nay thunderstruck, at beholding it, except whom God willeth - their Lord, their Master, their Manifestation and their Sovereign.

Repeatedly have they mentioned that which hath been recorded in the inner reality of the world, which no obliteration can affect nor seizure take hold of. That they have made mention of his honor the Afnan Nuru’d-Din Hasan, upon him be the Glory of God, the Most Glorious - after presenting these supreme words, the obvious is known. As commanded, they have acted and continue to act in accordance with wisdom.

They repeatedly mentioned the difficulty and necessity of that honored one’s migration from Fars, until news arrived of his arrival in that land. This servant clingeth to the hem of that honored one’s special favors and beseecheth him to manifest that which will cause the exaltation of God’s Cause. Verily, He is powerful over all things. I convey greetings and nothingness to the honored Afnans of that land, upon them be the Glory of God and His favors, and I beseech from the ocean of divine generosity that which is the cause of glory and exaltation. Nothing escapeth His knowledge. He worketh and judgeth, and He is the Commander, the All-Knowing.

I make mention of all the friends of God and convey glorification, praise and greetings. It is hoped that all will be assisted to achieve what God loveth and is pleased with. Glory and remembrance and praise be upon your honor and upon those who are with you and who love you and who hearken to your words concerning God’s Great Announcement and His Wise Remembrance.

The Servant

6 Muharram al-Haram 1308

As commanded, mention of giving the Beloved’s countenance - nay, concealment is preferable.

=== END BH00309 ===

=== START BH00310 ===

He is God, exalted be His station, the All-Wise, the All-Eloquent

O Haydar-i-Qabli-’Ali! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. Convey greetings from this Wronged One to his honor the Traveller. Say: O thou S! Today the Tree of Utterance in the midmost heart of creation thus proclaimeth this most exalted Word: “Whoso is for God, God is for him.” Though this Word was spoken before, yet this Tree was martyred on that day and this […] hath come to fruition. God willing, thou shalt be nourished by this fruit. Thou hast ever been and art still remembered in the presence of this Wronged One. Multiple petitions have been presented before the Wronged One, and in each thy mention was made. We beseech God to aid thee to assist His Cause through wisdom and utterance, and to ordain for thee that which shall endure forever in His everlasting dominion of earth and heaven. The people of God have ever been faithful. Thy friendship, intimacy and love have existed from the earliest days. This fact hath not been and shall not be erased from the ledger of the world. We beseech God, exalted be He, to assist thee in preserving that which [He hath bestowed] upon thee. Verily, He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

O Haydar-i-Qabli-’Ali! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. Deliver unto him whatsoever hath specifically been revealed for the Mentioned Name from the Most Exalted Pen, and pray for him. Seek for him divine success and confirmation. The Name of Jud, upon him be My glory, forwarded thy letter to the Most Holy Court. It was seen, and this utterance shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of the Most Exalted Pen, that perchance the utterance of the All-Merciful may attract all who are in creation to the most exalted horizon. It is most regrettable that the servants should remain deprived of their Lord, their Origin and their Ultimate End. Convey greetings from this Wronged One to ’Abbas-Quli. Say: Praise be to God, thou hast attained unto that which most of the peoples of the earth are deprived of. Thou wast created for this Day, and absolute nothingness hath been adorned with the ornament of being. Yet most are debarred and heedless, while thou, through God’s grace and favor, exalted be His glory, hast attained thereunto. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this tremendous bounty.

Mention was made of his honor Aqa Muhammad-’Ali and [his son] Aqa Muhammad-Isma’il and Haji Haydar and Aqa Muhammad-Husayn. Their names were present before the Face, and there was specifically revealed from the heaven of divine Will for each one that which shall last and endure.

O Muhammad-’Ali! We have heard thy call and seen thy name. We make mention of thee through the verses of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Blessed be the face that hath turned in this Day to the lights of the countenance of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. The Wronged One hath, from the direction of the Prison, turned toward thee and made mention of thee through that which hath diffused the fragrances of revelation in this praiseworthy station.

And We make mention of Isma’il and give him glad tidings of the trace of My Most Exalted Pen, with which nothing whatsoever can compare, as [this Day] doth testify. O Isma’il! We make mention of thee as a favor from Us. We have turned toward thee from the direction of My destined Prison. When thou attainest unto the verses of God, thy Lord and the Lord of the mighty Throne, say:

Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the world and Master of eternity, for having aided me and caused me to recognize the Manifestation of Thyself and the Dawning-Place of Thy verses. I beseech Thee by the Most Great Name to assist me to be steadfast in Thy Cause and in Thy love. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest through Thy word “Be” and it is.

We make mention of him who hath been named Haji Haydar, that the call may attract him to the horizon from which hath shone forth the Sun of wisdom and utterance from before the All-Merciful, that he may be of them that attain. O Haydar! This Wronged One calleth thee from the direction of the Most Great Scene, and biddeth thee to steadfastness. Praise be to God, thou hast attained unto that for which the heavens and earth were created. This station is great; preserve it through the Name of Truth.

And We make mention of Muhammad-Husayn and give him the glad-tidings of God’s mercy which hath preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth. O Muhammad-Husayn! Reflect upon the Shi’ih party. For one thousand two hundred years they were occupied with the mention of the Truth and were awaiting His days, yet when the blessed Tree grew forth from the holy and pure earth, both learned and ignorant turned against it with their swords and cut it down. Behold! The curse of God be upon the wrongdoing people! Now too some among the people of the Bayan desire to establish anew a Shi’ih sect. We beseech God to protect His servants from the evil of these people and draw them nigh unto Him. Verily, He is potent over all things.

Likewise mention was made of Rajab-’Ali and his brother. They attained unto the presence and each was illumined by the divine verses. We beseech God to preserve them from the evil of the barking ones who denied God’s signs and His evidences and that which appeared from His presence, and who prevented people from His straight path. O Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who hath been named Rajab-’Ali that he may give thanks unto his Lord, the Compassionate, the Generous. Praise the Desired One of the worlds Who aided thee to turn towards Him and guided thee to the Most Great Ocean. This is a great bounty and a mighty favor. Know thou its worth and like […] preserve it. Thus doth thy Lord command thee from the prison-ward. He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous.

O ’Ali! Today the divine Books make mention of the Day of God, yet the earthworms are occupied with the vain imaginings of the past, endeavoring anew to build imaginary cities. Say: Shame upon you, O company of divines, and perdition upon you, O congregation of doctors! Ye are worshippers of idle fancies and vain imaginings. He Who possesseth the Preserved Tablet beareth witness unto this. We beseech God to preserve thee and aid thee to be steadfast. He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

Mention was made of the souls of Abadih and their acceptance, steadfastness and enthusiasm. This is evident and manifest before the Wronged One. Their supplications arrived and were seen, and that which was sent was adorned with the ornament of acceptance. Remember them on My behalf, remind them of My verses, give them the glad-tidings of My loving-kindness, and illumine them with that which hath shone forth and appeared from the horizon of the Tablet of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

The roll of names that His Honor Ashraf, upon him be My Baha and My loving-kindness, sent was observed, and each one of those souls has been honored with mention by the Supreme Pen. Blessed are they and theirs shall be a goodly return. Say: O party of God! Preserve your worth and station. By the life of God! That which no tongue or pen in the world can adequately describe has been ordained specially for the chosen ones. Blessed are ye and joy be unto you! The divines and theologians of the earth and their followers are deprived and forbidden from the breezes of the dawn of the manifestation of Him Who conversed on Sinai, while ye have attained to that which hath no peer or likeness. Reflect upon the loss of the Shi’ites and the gain of the party of God. This is the Day whereof God, exalted be His glory, informed His Beloved, saying: “The Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds” and “Thy Lord shall come and the angels rank on rank.” And in another blessed verse He spoke unto Moses: “Lead forth thy people from darkness into light and remind them of the days of God.” These verses have repeatedly flowed from the Supreme Pen that the greatness of the Day may not be forgotten. By the life of God! Great is this Day and great is this Cause. Blessed are they whom the colors of the two days do not debar from the everlasting, eternal bounty.

O Haydar-’Ali! Upon thee be My Baha and My loving-kindness. Wondrous and sublime Tablets have been revealed specially for the chosen ones of Alif and Ba. Some were sent, and if God willeth, more shall be sent hereafter. The command is in His hand. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Helper, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the All-Wise. Regarding those enkindled souls, what was mentioned was fitting and acceptable. We beseech God to aid them and assist them to that which He loveth and is pleased with. That which hath been revealed from the Supreme Pen concerning them surpasseth all the riches, might, treasures and buried wealth of the world. God willing, they shall at all times be occupied with promoting and teaching the Cause of God. As for what thou mentioned about His Honor ’Ayn, his departure was for wisdom’s sake, and likewise his return was presented before the Divine Presence and gained acceptance. In all conditions they must be mindful of wisdom, for its importance hath repeatedly been revealed and recorded by the Supreme Pen in the Tablets. Blessed are they that act accordingly. Those souls known by this name, wherever they go, must strive to mention and convey the Word, and when departing, if they find blessed and goodly soil, let them deposit the Word and proceed to another land. Prolonged stays cause commotion and are contrary to divine wisdom. Previously there hath flowed from the Supreme Pen that which will guide and direct all. The mentioned enkindled souls have been and are remembered in the Holy Presence, and His Honor Gh, upon him be My Baha, attained the presence and dwelt for some time beneath the shade of the Divine Tree. He came by My leave and departed by My leave. Likewise, the word of permission hath shone forth from the horizon of God’s Tablet for two souls, upon them be My Baha and My loving-kindness. However, it is contingent upon wisdom. When wisdom requireth, let them proceed. We gave them these glad-tidings before, and We give them again at this time, as a grace from Us, and I am the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous.

Concerning the ‘Rib’, what thou didst write before and after hath been heard, and a most exalted and holy Tablet specifically for him hath been revealed and shall be sent from the heaven of divine favor. If someone were to journey to that land, that is the land of ?, and if you were to proceed to the land of ? for the purpose of meeting, this would be more acceptable in the sight of God. In the land of ?, one of the enkindled, assured, steadfast and firmly-rooted souls should, with the utmost wisdom, tarry for a while, and this should be renewed from time to time. Thus hath the Wronged One decreed.

O Haydar-’Ali! There hath befallen thee in the path of God that which hath been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Book. The disorder in outward affairs, the opposition and indifference of the heedless divines, and remoteness from the Most Holy Court - each of these hath been raised before thee like standards and banners from the right and the left and before thy face. Yet the hand of divine favor shall set all things aright, and the light of grace shall shed its radiance. Verily thy Lord is the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

Concerning the mention of Muhammad Y [Yusuf] Kh, a most holy and exalted Tablet hath been revealed specifically for him and sent. God willing, he shall attain unto it and drink from the ocean of the utterance of the All-Merciful. Let him not be saddened, but rather act as behooveth him. Assuredly the door of grace shall be opened by the key of divine favor. Of this there is no doubt whatsoever. The grace, favor and mercy of God have ever been and shall continue to be directed towards the people of God, though they appear and manifest themselves according to the requirements of wisdom and outward means. Reflect upon the companions of the Seal of the Prophets, may the spirit of all else but Him be sacrificed for His sake. Consider what occurred at first and what happened at the end. The Cause is in His grasp. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Praised.

Say: O people of God! Spend this precious life in service to the Cause. In every land the loved ones should consult together and appoint someone from among the people of that land for the purpose of teaching. Through an unnamed and unidentified intermediary, they should provide the teacher with sufficient means to meet his needs, that he may, with complete assurance, summon the servants of the All-Merciful to the horizon of God’s bounty. And that soul must be adorned with the ornament of wisdom and be aware of the disposition of those who are near to God and sincere. Say: O people of God! Consider this time a precious opportunity. Know ye the value of this divine Day. Help your Lord and He will help you through His grace. He, verily, is the Counselor, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

And specifically for [him whose number is] 1111, upon him be My glory and My loving-kindness, a most holy and exalted Tablet hath been revealed and shall be sent. We beseech God for whatsoever shall assist him, both outwardly and inwardly, and in all the worlds. Verily, We have besought God to ordain for him that which shall profit him in all His worlds. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Powerful.

Verily, We make mention of him who is named Muhammad Kh and give him the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of all worlds. O Muhammad! Give thanks unto God for having made thee attain unto His holy and mighty and wondrous Tablet. Be thou steadfast in the service of My Cause, speaking My praise and holding fast unto My strong cord. To journey in this direction is forbidden at this time, for some upheaval hath occurred therein. Outwardly it is calm, but inwardly it is in turmoil. Thus hath the Pen spoken when We arrived in the Most Great Prison. Blessed are they that hear.

Concerning what was written about Jinab-i-’Ali-A?ghar, upon him be the Glory of God, and Aqa ’Ali, they have been honored with the glance of divine favor. Praise be to God, they have turned towards Him and attained the supreme honor. We beseech God to assist them in that which will cause the exaltation of the Word of God. Convey greetings to the friends of God in every land thou meetest on behalf of this Wronged One, and give them the glad-tidings of God’s grace, exalted be His glory. God willing, may they be enkindled by the fire of the Divine Lote-Tree and be illumined by the light of recognition. May they drink at all times from the chalice of certitude and hold fast to the cord […]

Concerning what thou didst write about Rama?an-’Ali Big, his deed is accepted and hath attained the honor of divine acceptance. We beseech God to assist him and enable him to do that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to serve His mighty and impregnable Cause. O Rama?an-’Ali! Praise the Desired One of the world Who hath mentioned thee in the Most Great Prison and honored thee with the effects of the Supreme Pen. Verily, He remembereth those who remember Him and turn to Him. We beseech God to ordain for thee the good of this world and the next. He is, verily, the Lord of the Throne on high and of earth below. There is none other God but Him, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

As to what thou didst mention regarding Jinab-i-Anis, be not grieved. The Cause is in His hands. He doeth what He willeth, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Beseech God to grant people fairness. By the life of God! They speak according to their desires and commit what their souls command them. We testify that they are among the most lost in the Book of God, the Lord of all worlds. However, perhaps Jinab-i-[Maq] spoke from what he heard from others, in which case there is no harm. However, wisdom and prudence require that matters not be revealed to those who are employed by the government, for it often happens that a person is devoted and believes in the Divine Manifestation, yet suddenly an uncontrolled word issues forth whose mention is contrary to wisdom. Therefore, concealment is preferable. In all circumstances they must act with wisdom and speak according to need. Thus doth He command His servants from His presence in the Preserved Tablet. Praise be to God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.

We have mentioned Jinab-i-Haji Muhammad, upon him be the Glory of God. A most holy and exalted Tablet was revealed specifically for him and sent. We have delayed permission for his presence, that he might perhaps succeed in guiding a soul in those parts, and for another reason related to the affairs of this land, as was previously revealed from the Supreme Pen. We send greetings upon his countenance and beseech God, exalted be He, to assist him in serving His Cause in all conditions. Verily, He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

=== END BH00310 ===

=== START BH00311 ===

The Green City. Let the honored friend, his eminence Aqa Muhammad-Kazim, upon him be the Glory of God, take note.

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

Praise befitteth the King of existence and the Sovereign of the unseen and the seen, Whom neither the clamor of the divines, nor the objections of the theologians, nor the conditions of princes could deter from His purpose. Through His first Word He created the kingdom of names, and through His second Word He made manifest the resurrection, the gathering, and the manifestations of union and separation. He is the Omnipotent One Whom the power and might of the people of the world and their dominion cannot render helpless nor hold back from His Will. Through a single decree, the banner of “Verily He is God” was raised at the center of the world. From time immemorial He hath been sanctified in His most holy station above all created things, and unto everlasting He will remain exalted in the sanctification of His Own Essence above all contingent beings. He hath ever been, and will ever be, sanctified and exempt from the conditions, manifestations, allusions and utterances of the world of creation. He is the First, though sanctified above all firstness, and He is the Last, though exalted above it. All mention and names that appear in the world and are attributed to that sanctified Being are in view of the loftiness and sublimity of these stations in the eyes of creation, for the servants are powerless and fall short of comprehending beyond this. All things testify to the sanctification of His Being, and all who dwell on earth and in heaven bear witness to our inability to know Him. That which beseemeth His presence is what appeareth from Him and what speaketh in the kingdom of His utterance. I testify that there is none other God but Him, in acknowledgment of His grandeur and in confession of His oneness. He hath been, and will ever be, even as He hath been. There is none other God but Him, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bountiful.

Glory be unto Thee, O Lord of the world and Master of the nations! I beseech Thee by Thy imprisonment which caused the denizens of the highest Paradise and the dwellers of the kingdom of names to lament, to assist Thy loved ones to celebrate Thy praise and remembrance, to arise to serve Thy Cause, and to become acquainted with the conditions of those who hastened unto the ocean of Thy grace and discovered the fragrances of the garment of Thy Revelation in Thy days - days whose remembrance and praise have been sent down from Thy Most Exalted Pen in Thy Scriptures, Thy Books, Thy Tablets, and Thy Verses. O Lord! Send down upon them from the heaven of Thy bounty that which will sanctify them from all else beside Thee and draw them nigh unto Thee in all conditions. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

And then your letter arrived, bringing joy and delight, for from it was inhaled the fragrance of acceptance and sincerity. Praise be to God that you have attained to the eternal blessing and heavenly bounty which is the love of the Beloved of all worlds. God willing, may this precious pearl, through the grace of the Lord of all worlds, remain protected from the hands and eyes of the treacherous and the thieves. O friend! How many were the divines, mystics, kings, monarchs, and nobles of the earth and other servants who all sought this most exalted, most holy Day, and with utmost supplication beseeched the Lord of all destinies for its station. Yet when the Great Luminary of Revelation appeared from the horizon of the world, all were found bereft and deprived, save whom God, thy Lord, willed. I swear by the Sun of the All-Merciful’s utterance, which shineth and riseth from the horizon of the Prison, that were even less than a needle’s eye of this Most Great, Most Glorious Station to be revealed, all would turn, detached from all else, toward the Prison, and would circle round the very atoms of dust of this blessed land. Now consider those souls who have attained to this supreme honor, this mighty gift, and this most exalted summit. God the All-Knowing beareth witness that if one who hath drunk from the living waters of immortality and the Kawthar of utterance of the Lord of Names were to comprehend his station, such joy and gladness would encompass him that the troubles of the world, its conditions, hardships and sorrows would neither hinder him nor even be perceived to exist. Blessed is he who hath attained unto this most exalted station and ultimate goal. He is indeed among the companions of the Crimson Ark in the Book of God, the Lord of all worlds. When I read your letter and learned of its contents, I approached the Presence and presented it before the countenance of the Lord of all beings. Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that which the pens are powerless to recount. Exalted be His bounty, exalted be His generosity, and exalted be His greatness and favor! After sufficient, healing, supreme and penetrating utterances, which this servant was and will ever be incapable of recording in their entirety, these sacred and decisive words were revealed from the horizon of the mouth of the Revealer of verses - these are His words, exalted be His grandeur […]

O servant in attendance! The grace of God, exalted be His glory, has been and ever shall be all-encompassing. In all conditions He hears and sees; He hearkens to the mention of those who have turned to Him and beholds the devotion of the sincere ones. Blessed are they who, in this divine Day, have drunk from the ocean of His knowledge and turned toward the horizon of His grace. Write to Kazim: We have heard thy call and, through grace and favor, have responded to it. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this great bounty. Praise be to God that thou hast attained, from the hand of the bounty of the Lord of destiny, the most pure wine which, in one sense, is interpreted as the love of the Beloved of the world. Thou hast attained to that which most of the peoples of the world are deprived of. Even if thou shouldst endure for as long as the kingdom of earth and heaven endures, and render thanks unto the exalted Lord, it would still be as naught compared to this supreme bounty. Rejoice in what hath flowed from My Most Exalted Pen on this darkest night. Thy Lord is, verily, the All-Wise Expositor. From this station We send Our greetings to the faces of My loved ones who have cast aside all else but Me, who have held fast to the cord of My grace, who have clung to the hem of My bounty, and who have spoken My beautiful praise. We counsel them with that which We counseled them before in My Great Tablet. Blessed is he who hath heard My call, attained unto My knowledge, and acted according to that which was sent down in My wondrous Book. God willing, all must achieve, through the name of God, the grace of God, the bounty of God, and the mercy of God, such deeds as will endure forever. He, verily, is the All-Knowing Teacher. Beseech God that He may enable all to do that which befitteth this most holy and most exalted Day. We counsel all to observe the wisdom revealed in the Book. That which causeth tumult and uproar among the people hath been and will continue to be forbidden. The chosen ones and friends of God must refresh the withered ones with the name of God and guide them to the supreme horizon. If wisdom doth not allow it, speech is not permissible. Thus was it revealed before and now. Blessed are they that act accordingly.

This evanescent servant beseecheth God, exalted be His glory, to enable all creation to hearken to the melodies of the birds of inner meanings, for if they truly succeed in hearing, they will find themselves detached from the kingdom of creation and all that is therein. Verily, our Lord, the Most Merciful, is the Bestower, the Powerful, the Generous, the Bountiful.

Regarding what was written about multiple letters having been sent to this servant: all that were received were answered and sent. All were adorned with divine verses and heavenly evidences. God willing, they have arrived and will continue to arrive.

The petition of the aforementioned one, upon him be the glory of God, reached Us and was presented before the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence. At that very moment, a most wondrous Tablet was revealed from the heaven of the Divine Will specifically for him. God willing, he will attain unto it and drink from its flowing rivers. The grace of God, exalted be His glory, is evident and manifest from the Tablet itself and hath no need of presentation by this evanescent servant. May he rejoice in it and may it be wholesome unto him.

As regards the intention to turn towards the Promised Land, this was presented, and this is what the All-Merciful hath spoken in this station. His word, exalted be His glory: “We have inhaled from him the fragrance of Our love and have recognized his longing and yearning for God and His presence. We have written down for him, by My Most Exalted Pen, the reward of those who have attained unto My presence, who have drunk the choice wine of reunion with Me, who have presented themselves at the gate of My loving-kindness, who have heard My call whilst in My presence, and who have witnessed My imprisonment and what was visited upon Me by those who turned away from My countenance when its lights shone forth from this heaven which hath appeared and been raised up through My name, the All-Wise. We give him the glad-tidings of that which hath been sent down for him from the heaven of My mercy and the clouds of My loving-kindness, that he may render thanks unto his Lord, the Self-Subsisting, the Most High.”

Praise be to God, his visitation hath been accepted in the presence of the Countenance. This is evident from the divine verses that have been revealed, and after the revelation of these decisive verses and this most mighty Tablet, the Tongue of the Beloved spoke this most exalted word, glorified be His grandeur: “O thou who art present! Those assured souls who have drunk from the Kawthar of oneness on this spiritual morn are the recipients of God’s favors. Even as they have sought and continue to seek reunion with the Truth, so hath the Truth, exalted be His grace, desired to meet with them. However, the deniers, the malevolent ones, and the corrupters have intervened. Blessed is he whose devotion and presence have been testified to by the Tongue of Grandeur, and who hath been honored with that which was the object of God’s Books, the Lord of the seen and the unseen.”

I swear by the Sun of the horizon of utterance that nothing visible or hidden can equal this testimony. Some years ago this blessed word was revealed from the Kingdom of divine utterance: “The Prison Land is outwardly at rest, yet inwardly it is in turmoil and commotion. Soon shall its inward state become its outward condition, and its outward state its inward condition.” And He said: “Although this holy land hath been mentioned and recorded in all divine Books and Scriptures, yet its people are the most evil people in the world, and in previous Books they have been designated as the offspring of vipers, save those souls who, through divine power, have rent asunder the dark veils and turned towards the Most Glorious Horizon. These are accounted among the most exalted of beings in the sight of the Truth.” And now this Wronged One calleth out amidst vipers and summoneth the peoples of the world to the Most Exalted Horizon. Blessed are they that hear, and blessed is he who hath recognized his Lord in this Day wherein His decree was sent down aforetime–the Day wherein all men shall stand before the Lord of the worlds.

As for what thou didst write concerning the Huquq, this was presented and was accepted with favor.

Concerning what you had written about the House, it was presented at the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence. He said: “Excellent is what has been done in the path of God, but in all matters they must observe wisdom. The unfair people have for centuries, ages and eras lamented their separation from the Truth and sought the appearance of one of the divine names, as they arose in mentioning the Qa’im - may my glory be upon Him - and uttered the words ‘May God hasten His appearance.’ Yet now they remain heedless and veiled from the One by Whose word all the most beautiful names were created. Moreover, they have not pondered upon the words ‘May God hasten His relief’ - what are these hardships and trials, and to what degree must they manifest, that all are beseeching and hoping for His relief? By God the Truth, they have not profited in their trading. The Tongue of Grandeur has testified to their loss, their heedlessness, their transgression and their injustice against God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Observe how they have deprived themselves of everlasting stations for the sake of these few fleeting days and these transient, ephemeral colors. The eye of My loving-kindness and grace weeps, and the hand of My justice and power seizes, and I am the Just, the Wise.”

And concerning what you had written about Aqa ’Azizu’llah, upon him be the Glory of God, God willing may he be assisted in all conditions. His mention was made at the Divine Throne. May this supreme bounty, God willing, be eternal and everlasting, enduring for as long as the kingdom of earth and heaven endures. Some time ago a letter arrived from Aqa Khudadad, upon him be the Glory of God, mentioning him and some of the friends in the land of Kha. This servant wrote a reply and sent it; it is hoped it has arrived by now. God is witness and aware that this servant has always been and continues to be occupied with mentioning the friends of God. In any case, on behalf of this evanescent servant, convey sublime greetings to Aqa ’Azizu’llah and the other friends in the land of Kha, as well as the friends residing in that land - if present, by word of mouth, and if absent, by pen. This evanescent one beseeches God, exalted be His glory, to assist them all in that which will cause the exaltation of the Word of God. The mention of the souls named in your letter, both male and female, was presented at the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence, and the Sun of Grace has dawned upon them all. God willing, may they be blessed in all times with the grace of the Beloved of all possibility, and be engaged in the triumph of the Cause through wisdom and utterance. Praise be to God, you have been assisted in serving the Cause and have been successful in that which was mentioned in the divine books. And praise be to God, your residence has become a place for the arrival of the friends of God, and likewise a place of mention and praise. He gives to whomsoever He wishes whatsoever He wishes, and ordains for whomsoever He wishes whatsoever He wills. Indeed, bounty is in His hand, and He is the Giver, the Forgiving, the Generous.

And concerning what you had written about a few people of occupation having turned to the Living Waters, their names were presented at the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence. This is what was revealed for them:

He is the Expositor, the All-Knowing

O Muhammad! The One Who was immersed in the seas of sorrows mentions you and gives you glad tidings of that which has appeared and shone forth from the horizon of your Lord’s will, the Merciful. Know thou the station of this Day which the tongues of the Messengers have praised. Look, then mention that which the Tongue of Grandeur spoke in the Qur’an: “Lead forth the people from darkness into light and remind them of the days of God.” We testify that they have appeared, and in them speaks the One Who conversed on Sinai. Verily, there is no God but Him, the All-Knowing, the Wise.

We make mention of Haji Qabl-Muhammad, that he may rejoice in My remembrance and give thanks unto his Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. We make mention of him who hath turned towards the Most Sublime Horizon and give him the glad-tidings of that which hath been ordained for him by God, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Grieve not over this world and its affairs. By My life! It shall pass away, and there shall remain for thee that which hath been sent down from God, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Great.

We make mention of him who is named Hasan and counsel him to show forth the greatest steadfastness in this Cause, at whose appearance the foundations of those who have denied God, the Lord of this wondrous Day, were shaken. O Hasan! Show forth excellence even as God hath shown excellence unto thee, then speak forth that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken before the creation of the heavens and earth: “Verily there is no God but I, the Single, the One, the Imprisoned, the Exile.” Blessed is he who hath testified to that which God hath testified, and woe unto the heedless.

The glory from Our presence be upon you and upon My loved ones in that place, and upon him who hath mentioned your names in his book, and upon every servant who hath arisen to serve this firm and impregnable Cause. Praise be to God that the final correspondence hath been adorned with the manifest verses of God, exalted be His glory, and thereby its conclusion hath become as musk, nay rather, sanctified above all that hath been mentioned by the pen or will be mentioned. Verily our Lord, the All-Knowing, hath ever been sanctified above what was and what will be, and praise be to God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting.

The Servant

22 Dhi’l-Qa’dih 1298

=== END BH00311 ===

=== START BH00312 ===

O Nabil, upon thee be My glory, My remembrance and My praise! Blessed art thou in that thou hast attained the presence of the Countenance and hearkened unto the call of thy Lord, the Lord of all worlds, and hast won that which He desired for thee. Verily He is the One Who ruleth as He pleaseth. O Nabil! The Youth hath been imprisoned and the croaking of the raven hath been raised. Soon wilt thou hear it from most lands. When thou hearest it, turn thy face toward God, the Holy, the Mighty, the Beloved. Say:

I have turned my face unto Thee, O Thou unto Whom the hearts of the chosen ones have turned and by Whom the faces of the Messengers have been illumined. I testify that Thou wert seated upon the throne of unity. Thou hast no peer in all creation, nor any likeness in invention. Whoso claimeth a matter after Thee is assuredly among the calumniators.

Say: O people! Hold fast unto this mighty cord. We have forbidden you from following vain imaginings and have bidden you to turn unto the Sovereign of the Unseen and the Seen, Who hath dawned from the horizon of power. Ye have followed your desires and have held fast unto the imaginings of your own selves, supposing your Lord to be heedless of you. Nay, by My Self! With Me is the knowledge of what hath been and what shall be. Of this beareth witness he who hath known My Self and hath read what hath been sent down from One All-Knowing, All-Informed. We have dealt with the servants in such wise that they supposed what they supposed, yet they are among the heedless ones. Say: Beware lest ye associate partners with God. Through My Name have the standards of unity been raised and the signs of detachment been manifested. Verily He is the Single, the One, the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

O Nabil! The forbearance of God has reached such a degree that some of His servants have deemed themselves wise and knowing while considering God to be unaware. This is manifest loss. Nothing moves except by His leave and will, and no thought enters any heart save that He encompasses it, knows it, and is aware of it. Many souls have committed that which was forbidden, and despite their knowledge of this, they have witnessed God’s grace and generosity manifestly bestowed upon them, and they have attributed this to a lack of divine omniscience - heedless that My Name the Concealer loves not to rend asunder veils, and My preceding mercy has not torn away the veils of creation. O Ali! By My life, My Name the All-Forgiving has been the cause of the postponement of punishment, and My Name the All-Bestowing has been the reason for the delay of chastisement. The details of this Most Great Revelation have not been mentioned except according to the known capacity of the people. Were they to ponder deeply that which was revealed in the Bayan, they would be blessed with a drop from this vast ocean. All the emphases that were revealed in the Bayan from the heaven of the will of the Lord of creation regarding the recognition by the servants were because He observed that the Divine Tree, the Sacred Lote-Tree, and the Apple of the Eye of divine manifestations would be present and visible; otherwise, He would not have uttered a single word of what was revealed. At this station, thou hast heard the utterance of the All-Merciful directly. The deluded ones are many, and each is afflicted with some delusion. We have forbidden the people from clinging to vain imaginings, that they might hold fast unto the Sovereign of reality. Some have clung to their own vain imaginings and held fast to them. They wander in the wilderness of fancy while counting themselves among those endowed with insight, and they walk in the desert of heedlessness while reckoning themselves among the horsemen in the arenas of divine presence. By My life! They are among the deluded ones, they are among the bewildered ones, they are among the heedless ones, they are among the abased ones. They have not yet attained to that which even children have comprehended, for every child knows that if a new Revelation were to appear each day, divine ordinances and heavenly laws would remain suspended and ineffective among the people. Say: O people! If passion has prevented you from the Dayspring of guidance, at least do not transgress the bounds of fairness. If one were to be even slightly fair-minded, he would never utter a word that might cause division among people and discord among the loved ones. Rather, he would expend his utmost effort and power in exalting the Most Great Name. By My life! They are asleep, and were you to see them through My eyes, you would find them among the dead. During Our migration from Iraq, We informed most of the servants about what had appeared and would appear, such that were the revealed Tablets to be read, all would testify to that which has flowed in this Tablet from the pen of the Truthful, the Trustworthy. Say: O people! If ye desire the water of life, by God it has flowed in His Name, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious. Blessed are they who drink thereof. And if ye desire power, verily it has shone forth from My horizon - exalted be your Lord, the Lord of all worlds. If ye desire signs, they have filled the horizons - fear ye God and be not among the deluded ones. If ye desire clear proofs, they have appeared in their essence and have shone forth each day from this manifest horizon. Say: Be attracted […]

O servants! By this Name through which the Cry was raised, the Hour was fulfilled, earthquakes seized all tribes, the heaven was cleft asunder, the earth was split, the mountains were crushed, and that which was revealed in the Tablets of God, the Omnipotent, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the Great, was made manifest. Whosoever claims a station, attraction, rapture or longing without this Name is among the most lost, even if he should speak with all eloquence, or cause rivers to gush forth from rocks, or command the winds, or cause the clouds to rain. Thus have We sent down the Command on this blessed Night wherein the Tongue of Eternity spoke through His Most Great Name, and the Kawthar of utterance flowed from the mouth of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. When thou art successful, arise, then lift up thy hands and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O God of all who are in the heavens and on earth!”

O Nabil! Convey on behalf of this Prisoner unto the loved ones sublime and glorious greetings with kindly counsels and goodly admonitions, and say: Today is the day to assist the Cause of God through wisdom and utterance. Fix your gaze upon the root of the Cause and turn away from aught else, that perchance ye may become the cause of guidance and the gathering of peoples upon the shore of the Most Great Ocean. No excellence hath equaled or will equal this excellence. The Manifestation Who preceded Me and heralded My Beauty made the entire Bayan contingent upon the word “Yea” in this Most Great Revelation, and not a word was sent down from the heaven of His Will except that from it could be inhaled, and still can be inhaled, the fragrance of the garment of My love. They entirely forbade the people from denial, even though many false claimants are seen and have existed and will exist in every age. Yet none hath pondered what might be the reason and cause for commanding all not to remain veiled from the Ancient Beauty and what hath been revealed in the Bayan concerning Him. Blessed are they that are endued with insight! Blessed are they that are possessed of discernment! Blessed are they that observe with the eye of the spirit! Blessed are they that attain!

By My life! This was naught but what they beheld: that the Tongue of Eternity was speaking in the heart of the world, saying “Verily, there is none other God but Me.” Were they to meditate upon and immerse themselves in the ocean of these words, they would discover the cause of the endless emphases that were revealed by the Pen of the Command in the Bayan. Recognition of this station is the key to divine knowledge. All must strive that they may perchance attain unto it and bear witness with perfect certitude that “He Who is the Beloved of the worlds is made manifest.” Say: O ye who are fair-minded! This is not a day wherein ye should cause people to waver through your own vain imaginings and thus deprive them from the shore of the Divine Unity. This is a day wherein ye should call out amongst the peoples through this Most Great Name. “Conquer the world through this Name, the Sovereign, the Exalted.” This is the truth, the mention of truth, and the utterance of truth, and after it there is naught but manifest error. God willing, ye should teach with utmost kindliness. Conflict, contention, warfare and corruption have all been forbidden in this Most Great Revelation. This is of His grace unto the peoples, but most of them comprehend not.

Say: O servants, count not the Cause of God as a child’s play and be not heedless of the divine all-encompassing knowledge. Let all be witnessed among creation with radiant countenance, truthful tongue, pure heart, complete steadfastness, unadulterated trustworthiness, absolute sanctity and utter detachment. Gird up the loins of service while uttering the praise and glorification of the Truth, that perchance in these cherished days of God ye may succeed in rendering some service and commit not that which would bring harm upon you and the servants of God. Be ye the cause of guidance through word and deed - this is the most great counsel that hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. For years We bore tribulations and calamities until the Cause of God was raised up and made manifest amidst all else. Now, be not the cause of its degradation, and soil not the sacred hem with the clay of the idle fancies of the heedless ones. By Him Who hath established Me in His station before all who are in the heavens and earth! We have not for a moment considered Our own Self. The Most Glorious Horizon hath ever been and will ever be turned toward the horizon of the Cause. For the glory of the Cause We accepted the most great abasement. I desire not My will but the Will of God, were ye of them that know, and I desire not My Cause but the Cause of God, were ye of the fair-minded. By My life! His Cause is My Cause and My Cause is His Cause. Blessed are they that know. However, there are souls for the sake of Truth who regard the cry of all else as the buzzing of flies and witness all in the world as non-existent, and turn not their gaze from the Divine Court and the Most Great Scene. These are the people of Baha and the dwellers of the Crimson Ark. Upon them rest the remembrance of God, His praise, and the praise of the Concourse on High.

O Nabil-i-’Ali! Some among the people are observed to be most unfair. Consider Hassan-i-Bajistani: when he was present in Iraq before Us, he entertained doubts concerning the Cause of the Primal Point - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him - which he presented before Our countenance, and received the answer directly from the tongue of the Manifestation of Divine Unity. Among his objections to the Primal Point was that His Holiness had, in all His revealed Books, described the Letters of the Living with countless attributes, saying “I am counted as one of those souls, yet I know myself and observe that I have never been, nor am I now, worthy of these attributes.” These very attributes became the cause of his doubt and misgiving, heedless of the fact that while the farmer’s purpose is to water the wheat, the tares are watered incidentally. All the attributes of the Point of the Bayan refer to the first to believe and a limited number; Hassan and his like have incidentally partaken of the waters of the Bayan and the attributes of the All-Merciful. This station endures only so long as acceptance endures, otherwise it returns to the lowest depths. This is why He says that many from the loftiest Tree of Affirmation are, in the Manifestation of the Most Great Luminary, accounted as belonging to the basest Tree of Negation. The Command is in God’s hands; verily He is the All-Wise, the All-Knowing.

His Holiness’s attributes were bestowed because these souls had, outwardly, attained to the word “yea,” but He explicitly made all of them contingent and dependent upon this Most Great Manifestation. If thou shouldst see him, remind him on My behalf; perchance thou shalt find him among those who have returned unto God Who created all things by His command. Verily, He is the Protector of those who turn unto Him.

Say: Be fair, O servant! By God, if thou wert to be fair and to ponder that which was revealed in the Bayan, thou wouldst cry out My Name and praise between the worlds. He specifically refers to the Bayan and what was revealed therein, saying “Be not veiled from the Letters thereof and from the Manifestation of the All-Merciful, for the entire Bayan is but a leaf from that true Paradise.” He was not steadfast even in the Cause of the Primal Point, being always observed to be disturbed and wavering. God willing, may He cause him to recognize the Dawning-Place of His Cause and draw him nigh unto Him. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Specifically in the Bayan, such addresses have been made to the Letters of the Living that were they to understand them, they would surely destroy themselves lest a word should proceed from the Source of Divinity bearing the fragrance of displeasure regarding them. Say: O Hassan, reflect that thou mayest know; perchance thou shalt find a path to the Beloved. It behooveth him to carefully study the Book of Badi’, which was revealed from the Dawning-Place of the Bayan, the Lord of Lords, in the name of one of the loved ones; perchance he may take the Intended One as his Beloved.

Strange it is that they have not attained to a single letter of the Bayan and have not reflected upon the countless emphatic statements that have flowed from the Supreme Pen. By My life! Were they to reflect, they would understand. He says that if someone should appear with a single verse, ye shall never deny him, and if someone should make a claim without proof, ye shall not oppose him. This is most evident and manifest. Since the Countenance of Divine Unity observed the Dawning-Point of holy revelations manifest and knew that none other than that Ancient Beauty would be capable of raising the call, therefore did He educate all to gather at this Law […]

They have emphasized this matter in the revealed verses to such a degree that no possibility of hesitation or objection remains for anyone, otherwise They would never have uttered such words. Even now the Ancient Pen and the Most Great Name declares: if any soul should appear with all the verses before the completion of a full thousand years - each year comprising twelve months according to what was revealed in the Qur’an, or nineteen months according to what was revealed in the Bayan where each month consists of nineteen days - you must never acknowledge him. In one of the Tablets it is revealed: “Whosoever makes a claim before the completion of a full thousand years is a lying impostor. We beseech God to graciously assist him to retract and repent. If he repents, God will verily turn unto him. If he persists in what he claims, a bearer of divine chastisement will be sent who will deal mercilessly with him. Verily God is severe in punishing!” For the harm of such souls has affected the divine Tree of Truth itself and has been the cause of discord, contention, conflict, the wavering of weak hearts, and the instability of the Cause among the people - and will continue to be so. Therefore, beseech God to make them know themselves and to assist them in what He desires. Verily thy Lord is the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful. Say: Do not regard the Cause of God as a trifling matter, O ye who are endowed with taste. Be not content with the bitter sea when the sweet and flowing ocean is in surge. Meditate upon the merciful utterances and regard them with penetrating vision, that perchance ye may become aware of a drop from the ocean of inner meanings that lies concealed within the Bayan. In this spiritual dawn, deprive not yourselves and other souls from the wafting breezes of the divine Robe. I swear by the Essence of Pre-existence that Baha weeps over you and laments for you. He has desired nothing for Himself and has accepted the harm of all who are on earth for your deliverance, salvation and turning unto God, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Thus have We imparted to thee that thou mayest convey the Cause of thy Lord with wisdom and utterance. He will verily assist thee and He is the Helper. Glory be upon thee and upon thy son and upon those who hearken to thy words concerning the Cause of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bountiful.

=== END BH00312 ===

=== START BH00313 ===

The City of God

Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Musa, upon him be the Glory of God

Muharram 1307

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

Though at the beginning of every letter it is necessary, nay obligatory, for every soul to make mention of the One Friend, the One Beloved, and the One Goal, and to express to the extent possible His all-encompassing favors, His precedent mercies, and His all-pervasive grace which hath surrounded every atom of existence, yet due to strange occurrences and the unseemly rejected deeds of some, one finds oneself bewildered and astounded to such degree that silence is preferred over speech and utterance. O Beloved of my heart! Thou Thyself art witness and testament that the Pen of counsel of the Blessed Beauty hath moved by night and day, commanding all to goodly deeds and praiseworthy character through utterances that have enkindled the hearts of the fair-minded and through remembrances wherein every word concealed an ocean of counsel. Nevertheless, from some who claim to love Him there hath appeared that which hath caused the Cause to be wasted among the servants. They have shown no mercy to themselves, nor to the Cause, nor have they acted upon the counsels; rather they have done what was prompted by self and passion. They have cast aside righteousness and embraced tyranny and wickedness. God is witness and testament that this servant desireth to cry out and raise his voice, perchance some ear might hearken or some eye might see, that they might hear and behold that which is the good of existence. In any case, now that from certain deeds the greatest despair hath become manifest, we must wait to see what divine forgiveness and grace shall reveal. Well was it said of old: “Woe unto me, and again woe unto me, should I come before Thee while Thou art displeased with me.” It is hoped and expected that the loved ones will shine forth among the servants with the light of sanctity and detachment, in such wise that all shall acknowledge the loftiness and elevation of the true people of divine unity and the companions of spiritual detachment. I conclude these words at this time with these utterances, saying:

My God, my God! Thou seest some of Thy loved ones in the darkness of their deeds which Thou didst forbid them in Thy Book. I beseech Thee, O God of the world and Educator of the nations, by Thy Prophets and Thy Messengers and Thy Chosen Ones and Thy trustees, and by Him through Whom the Sun of Unity shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of Thy grace and the Moon of Sanctity appeared from the horizon of Thy Will, and by His family and His companions whom Thou didst make mighty against the infidels, to assist those who have gone astray to return unto Thee and to turn to the ocean of Thy forgiveness. Verily, Thou art the All-Forgiving, the Generous, the All-Bountiful, the Kind, the Merciful.

O Beloved of my heart! O Beloved of my heart! What can I say regarding what transpired after reading the letter of that Beloved? Sorrows encompassed me to such a degree that the response to the letter was long delayed, and the pen was prevented from inscription. If, God forbid, a wrong should appear from someone, it must be concealed and dealt with forbearingly. All discord, conflict, disputation and that which causes grief have been forbidden. All have been commanded to love and fellowship. Nevertheless, each day a new flame appears and corruption manifests. In the great city, Muhammad-‘Ali Isfahani, despite being shown the utmost love, was so consumed by the fire of greed and passion that he abandoned all trustworthiness and religion, and joining with another like himself, denied possession of considerable funds belonging to others, including those of His Holiness the Afnan, upon them be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah]. In his greed for wealth he accused some of theft and resorted to various calumnies. Likewise, whenever anyone claims their portion of the believers’ funds, he says they were stolen and taken away. He has manifested such opposition as has had and has no equal. One is bewildered, the pen is bewildered, the page is bewildered at how a person can abandon that which is the cause of his honor and elevation, and cling to that which degrades, abases and humiliates him. In any case, after reading that Beloved’s letter, I proceeded to the Most Great Shrine and it was presented before His countenance. He said: “O thou who gazest upon the Face! In all conditions this Wronged One hath mentioned that which conduceth to the glory, exaltation and tranquility of humanity, and hath counseled all toward that which draweth them nigh unto God. Were anyone to question all things regarding what this Wronged One hath intended, all would proclaim at the top of their voices: ‘Verily, He hath enjoined what is right and forbidden what is wrong.’ We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to unite the hearts of His servants and to acquaint them with that which profiteth them in all the worlds of His worlds.” The signs of thy grief have affected this Wronged One as well. Despair not of God’s grace and mercy, and grieve not over the evil deeds of His servants. Ask God to adorn all with the ornament of justice and fairness. Verily, He hath power over all things. This land hath been named the Most Great Prison, and in this are signs for those who perceive and evidences for those who see. We beseech Him to open before thy face and those with thee the gates of grace and bounty, and to send down upon thee from the heaven of generosity a mercy from His presence and a favor from His own Self. Verily, He is the Hearer, the Answerer, the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Peace be upon thee and upon thy son. We beseech God, exalted be He, to cause the fountain of His utterance to flow through him for the irrigation of His servants, and upon those with thee among the sincere, devoted, and righteous ones who profess His unity.

God willing, through his presence may differences be transformed into unity, corruption into righteousness, discord into harmony, and sadness into joy. This is not difficult for God, our Lord and your Lord. O beloved of my heart! Truly the world and its events are the cause of great sorrow. Although it has been said “tribulation is for those near to God, then for the Prophets, then for the chosen ones,” and in light of these words one remains patient and content when afflictions befall oneself - yet the grief of God’s loved ones and what befalls them melts the liver and burns the heart. Among these is the harm that befell the beloved of my heart, His Holiness Mirza [Baha’u’llah]. This sorrow is beyond sorrows, for despite the failing health, overwhelming weakness, and the burning separation, there arose the sighs of the sincere and tears of the fair-minded. What became of mercy? Where did compassion go? What effect did the counsels and advice in the Tablets have? In any case, after presenting these matters before His presence, there appeared outwardly that which this ephemeral one is unable to describe. These are days when the loved ones must soar with a single wing and gather in one place, dealing with each other with the utmost kindness and compassion, so that through their love the people of the world may be illumined by its light and enkindled by its fire. Good manners are part of human nature, and honor and respect are among its characteristics. The young must show reverence to the elder, and the lesser must recognize the station of the greater. This matter caused the greatest sorrow. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, that those who committed these acts may return and arise to make amends for what was lost, so that sorrows may not exceed their measure and cause destruction. It is better that we now grasp the hem of His generosity and say:

My God, my God! Thou seest Thy servants and Thy creation, and Thou knowest them better than they know themselves. Transform their evil into good and their injustice into justice. Then, O my God, extinguish the fire of hatred and animosity with the Kawthar of Thy mercy and the water of Thy grace. O Lord! Aid them in what Thou lovest and art pleased with, through Thy bounty and generosity, and assist them to achieve love and unity through Thy power and dominion. O Lord! Illumine their outer and inner beings with the lights of Thy virtues. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the Wise.

Beyond these matters, what befell that beloved one caused countless sorrows, and what can I say about what occurred after learning of it, to such an extent that the paper fell from my hand as if the power to hold and grasp had been taken from it. In any case, in complete wonderment and engaged in praise, prayer and supplication, I approached the Presence and made my submission. He said:

O thou who gazeth upon the Face and art immersed in the ocean of remembrance and praise! What befell thee hath grieved Me. We beseech God, the Lord of the Throne and earth, by the waves of the ocean of His utterance and the lights of the sun of His grace, to protect thee through His care and guard thee with His hosts and heal thee through His bounty and purify thee from every disease and illness and from all that would trouble thy heart. Verily, He is the Healer, the Sufficient, the Powerful, the Almighty.

Praise be to God, repeatedly you have attained to His mention. Truly, what befell you produced mighty effects and caused many sorrows, but we hope that God will transform it into health and safety and joy and gladness. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Concerning what you wrote about the attention, steadfastness and service of Mirza, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s glory, after presenting it He said: “Whosoever is for God, God is for him.” Deeds in God’s path are never lost, like a sapling in blessed and goodly soil that ever grows, nourished by the water of God’s grace - exalted be His glory. Soon its signs, leaves and fruits will become manifest. One pure deed performed for the sake of the Lord will lead one to the highest paradise. Verily He does not suffer the reward of the doers of good to be lost. We beseech God to adorn souls who have turned to Him with the ornament of steadfastness and wisdom.

O my God! O my God! Thou seest Thy servants who have turned unto Thee. Adorn them with the robe of steadfastness and godliness, and assist them in that which Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. O Lord! Deny them not the ocean of Thy bounty nor the lights of the Sun of Thy giving. Ordain for them that which Thou hast ordained for those of Thy servants who are near unto Thee and for the sincere ones among Thy creation. Verily Thou art God, there is none other God but Thee, the All-Bountiful, the Generous.

That soul should assist all to perform deeds that cause the elevation and progress of souls. The deeds and actions that appeared from some in the early days caused both the wicked and the righteous to withdraw, distance themselves and flee. And the Shi’ih party - may God abandon them - attributed as many calumnies as they could to these servants, and the divines of that heedless group strove to spread them. Thus befell what befell. We hope that the loved ones in that land will hold fast to the Law and to good deeds. A human being without deeds and fruits is like a dried-up tree. This Wronged One, during His sojourn in that land, would go to the mosque and likewise visit the holy and purified shrines. Nevertheless, after this Wronged One they did that which was contrary to all parties. We beseech God to aid all to do what He loves and is pleased with, and to assist His loved ones to perform deeds that draw people near unto Him. Verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer of prayer. Praise be to God, the Lord of the Throne and the Possessor of the exalted Seat.

We hope that all may attain to deeds that cause the drawing near and attraction of the servants. God willing, may they be assisted in matters that cause the exaltation of the people of unity and the turning of all. In this land, some weak souls and children, out of their love for good deeds, despite the length of days, fast during the blessed month of Ramadan and stand in prayer throughout the night, all holding fast to God’s laws and clinging to the hem of His grace and generosity. Deeds have been and are the cause of nearness, exaltation and propagation. Blessed are they that act and blessed are they that understand.

At one time He uttered this blessed word: “There hath come upon that Wronged One what hath come upon this Wronged One. We beseech God to assist the heedless to return. Verily He is the Ever-Forgiving, the Generous, the Pardoner, the Merciful.”

Another submission: No one’s word concerning that beloved one has been or is acceptable. In previous years He would repeatedly utter these words - may our spirits be sacrificed for Him: “Let no one speak aught but good concerning Mirza M., upon him be God’s peace, care and mercy. Leave him to Us.”

This servant has repeatedly heard similar words and written them to various regions. God is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed Witness. As they have again mentioned the loved ones, for each one a special mention has been made. The word of the Lord - may our spirits be sacrificed for Him […]

O Muhammad-Qabil-Shuja’! Your mention hath been made in the presence of the Wronged One. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to illumine thee with the lights of His most excellent names and His most exalted attributes, and to adorn thee with that which will draw thee nigh unto Him in all conditions. Verily, He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. We counsel thee to be trustworthy, to be religious, to be truthful and pure, and We ask for thee divine confirmation and assistance. Verily, He is the Single, the One, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

O Muhammad! The Wronged One hath turned toward thee and made mention of thee that thy heart might rejoice thereby. Give thanks unto God, thy Lord, and say: “My God, my God! Protect Thy unified servants from the evil of the idolaters who have encompassed their homes and lands. I beseech Thee, O God of Names, to guard them with the hosts of the unseen and the visible, and enable me to perform such deeds as will diffuse the fragrance of Thy acceptance. Verily, Thou art the Forgiving, the Merciful.”

O Abdul-Nabi! Sorrows have encompassed Me from those who claim to be of Mine own Self yet perpetrate that which causeth My sighs to ascend and My tears to fall. We beseech God, the Lord of the Throne and of earth, the Lord of the Hereafter and of this world, to assist the heedless to turn unto Him and seek forgiveness for their deeds. Verily, He is the Almighty, the All-Choosing.

Praise be to the Purpose of the world and the Beloved of nations, Whose grace hath encompassed the earth and its people. His manifest and hidden bounties are ever-present and descending at all times. Who is able to describe Him as He deserves to be described, or praise Him as He deserves to be praised? This is especially true of those servants who reap without having sown and take without having given. The servant beareth witness that grace is from Him, bounty is from His presence, the verses are by His command, and the laws are in the grasp of His power. He is the Almighty, the Omnipotent.

Three assured souls are mentioned, praise be to God, and have attained to such mention as leadeth to attention, supplication and trust. This lowly one conveyeth greetings to each one and beseecheth the Self-Sufficient, the Exalted for bounty, blessing and steadfastness for each. Verily, God is the Provider, the Lord of Strength, the Firm. And specifically for the apple of the eye of His Honour Ibn, upon him be God’s peace, a special tablet was sent. God willing, he will attain unto it.

As to what thou didst write regarding certain matters, after presenting them He said: “We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to manifest for him that which will profit him and to send down upon him from the heaven of generosity that which will exalt him. Verily, He is with His trusting servants.” That which now causeth the manifestations of grace is association with the servants in a spirit of fellowship and fragrance, and likewise unity, harmony and love. Verily, God is the Hearer, the Answerer. Peace, remembrance and glory be upon you and upon those with you and upon God’s righteous servants.

=== END BH00313 ===

=== START BH00314 ===

He is the All-Knowing Expounder!

This is a Book sent down by the Wronged One. Verily it is the sealed wine from God, the Protecting, the Self-Subsisting. Blessed is he who hath heard and taken and drunk, detached from all that was and shall be. Is there any possessed of might whom the power of the world cannot weaken? Is there any who standeth firm whom the hosts of the oppressors cannot cause to sit? Is there any possessed of vision who beholdeth the Most Exalted Horizon? Is there any possessed of hearing who heareth the Call of God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen? We have called all to the Most Great Path of God and made known unto them that which shall deliver them from His grievous chastisement. Say: O concourse of the earth! The Sun of Revelation hath dawned from the horizon of the heaven of knowledge. Turn ye unto Him and be not of them that turn aside. By the life of God! That which ye possess shall profit you not except through this Cause whereby the pillars of idolatry were shaken and the hearts of the transgressors were perturbed. We have sent down the verses and manifested the evidences, yet most of the people are in evident veils. They have cast the Book of God behind their backs, clinging to the whisperings of the idolaters. O My Name! Upon thee be My Glory! The Most Great Branch hath presented thy letter and mentioned it before the face of the Wronged One. We have answered thee with that which no treasuries of utterance can equal, and when it was sent down, the necks of the just bowed before it. O people of Baha! Take ye the cup of eternity in the name of your Lord, the Lord of all mankind, then drink ye therefrom in His Name, the Sovereign over all who are in the heavens and on earth. Grieve not at what hath befallen you from the malice of the enemies and what is beyond it. The days shall pass away, and sovereignty shall remain with God, the Lord of the worlds. Soon shall their glory be turned into abasement and their wealth into poverty, while glory and power shall abide with God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Say: Know ye your stations. Verily, he who hath turned and attained is of the people of the Most Exalted Paradise. To this beareth witness My Most Exalted Pen in this lofty station. Remember My loved ones on behalf of the Wronged One and give them the glad-tidings of My remembrance and My loving-kindness and the bounty of God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. Say: Beware lest anything whatsoever prevent you from turning unto the Powerful, the Trustworthy, Whom neither the denial of princes could weaken nor the clamor of divines could hinder. He hath stood before all faces and proclaimed: The Kingdom is God’s, the One, the All-Informed.

We have changed the eloquent tongue to the luminous tongue. O My Name! Reflect upon the people of the earth. With the utmost diligence they occupy themselves with arranging the means of livelihood for two days of earthly life, yet remain heedless and veiled from the world that endureth through the sovereignty of earth and heaven. Luqman spoke a worthy word to Nathan his son: “O son! If thy purpose be the world, thou shouldst have made provision while still in thy mother’s womb, for each day thou drewest nearer to it and further from that other realm. But now that thou art come into the world, each day thou growest more distant from it and nearer to the other world. Therefore, provision for that realm is now necessary and obligatory.” We beseech God not to deprive the peoples of the earth from this everlasting bounty and heavenly sustenance. He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

O My Name! They that are adorned with the ornament of divine distinction must conduct themselves with complete detachment, and each must be a manifestation of sanctity and purity. Among the servants hath been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen concerning the conditions of teachers that which, should any soul cleave unto it, will deliver the peoples of the world from ignorance and unawareness and lead them to the realm of knowledge and wisdom. Well is it with him who, with penetrating vision, perceiveth that which hath appeared from the Treasury of the Most Exalted Pen and attaineth unto the recognition thereof.

The first command, which causeth the manifestation and appearance of God’s laws and ordinances, hath been unity and concord. This utterance hath streamed forth from the Pen of the All-Merciful in most of the Tablets. O My Name! Thou wert present before the Wronged One and didst witness the waves of the ocean of His utterance and the horizon of His manifestation and power. We beseech God to adorn all with His attributes and to aid them in that which conduceth to the exaltation of the Word of God and of souls. All that hath befallen thee in the path of God hath been recorded and inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Crimson Book. Rejoice thou in this manifest remembrance and this mighty favor.

That which thou didst mention concerning him who hath turned towards God, upon him be His glory and that which hath appeared from him in His path, hath attained unto the honor of being heard. God sufficeth him and He is the best of protectors. And We have sent unto him this word that he may rejoice in God’s loving-kindness and mercy and be of them that are glad. He hath been and is beneath the glances of divine mercy, and whatsoever he hath wrought in the path of God hath been adorned with the ornament of acceptance and recorded in the Book. The passing of centuries and ages shall not erase this remembrance, nor shall the happenings of the world alter it.

We counsel Ha and Sin unto that which beseemeth the days of God, the Lord of the Exalted Throne. We beseech God to aid him in that which causeth the manifestation of sanctification and detachment and the exaltation of His Word.

O Jamal! Upon thee be the glory of thy Lord, the All-Possessing, the Most Exalted. These days are the days of mention and praise and of teaching the Cause through wisdom and utterance. Blessed are they who have attained unto service to the Cause. The conditions of the world did not withhold them from the Lord of mankind nor prevented them from turning unto Him. One word of the divine words is more exalted than a hundred thousand children and treasures, for that word hath in every world of the worlds a manifest effect and a resplendent fruit. Were the people of earth to become aware and cognizant of this, all would turn from what they possess unto that which is with God. How many children have become the cause of abasement and the source of corruption, and how many riches have resulted in poverty. O Jamal! The Cause is in God’s hands. He changeth whatsoever He willeth and ordaineth as He pleaseth. He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous.

And as for what thou didst submit regarding the funds, We have heard and accepted it. However, if it be given in accordance with what is ordained for the sake of God, it is acceptable in the sight of the Wronged One. Convey greetings from the Wronged One to Muhammad-Qabli-Husayn and give him the glad-tidings of the favour of the Imprisoned One. His mention hath been and is before those who are nigh unto God. O Jamal! Some among the people of the Bayan have loved and continue to love discord, and have been and are awaiting the calf of haste. Say: O servants! Know ye with complete certitude that the Revelation hath ended. Should anyone appear, whatsoever he may bring or say before the passing of a thousand years would be and is false, for it would be the cause of corruption and turmoil in the world. The Herald came and gave the tidings; the Fulfiller came and completed it. For what and for whom would there be another Revelation? Blessed is the soul that hath drunk from the Kawthar of steadfastness. Today the meaning of steadfastness is that they should see themselves independent and in need of none save God, exalted be His glory. This is the meaning of true wealth and spiritual riches that hath been manifested from God. Blessed be they that have attained, and woe unto the heedless. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My Kingdom be upon thee and upon those who have not broken God’s Covenant and Testament, and who have arisen to serve the Cause with such steadfastness as hath caused the feet of the doubters to slip and the hearts of the false ones to tremble.

At this moment this most exalted Word hath repeatedly been revealed from the Pen of the Lord of all beings: O My Name Jim! Upon thee be My glory! Convey on behalf of the True One greetings to the steadfast souls and give them glad-tidings. All have been and are in Our sight, and for each We desire that which is conducive to the eternal perpetuation of their mention, name and station. Convey My glory to ’Ali-Haydar, and likewise to other souls. Out of wisdom, names are not mentioned. Knowledge is with God, thy Lord, and His favour is His to bestow.

As for what thou didst mention concerning one of the sons of Khalil and heirs of Kalim, convey to him greetings and give him glad-tidings from the Wronged One. We have accepted his deed in the path of God, the Lord of all worlds. We beseech God to strengthen him, assist him, and record for him the reward of attaining His presence, and to give him to drink from the Kawthar of His bounty. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Generous. In truth he hath rendered service. We beseech God, exalted be His glory, to protect him, strengthen him and send down blessings. O Jamal! His contribution should arrive soon so that all may be enabled to serve in His path, exalted be He, and act with joy, delight and utmost contentment in that which is pleasing to the Friend. Glory be upon thee and upon him and upon every servant who hath arisen to serve the Cause of his Lord, the Commander, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Concerning the loved ones of the land of A. and S. it was revealed […]

O My loved ones in that land! Ye have been before My face, and We have made mention of you before and after, and adorned you with the ornament of My love and mercy, and guided you to the knowledge of God and the Dawning-Places of His Cause and the Day-Springs of His Revelation. Upon you be the blessings of God and His peace, and the peace of His Prophets and His chosen ones. We beseech God to unite us with you, and to assist us and assist you, and to ordain for you from the wonders of His bounty that which will bring solace to your eyes and tranquility to your souls. Verily, He is powerful over all things and worthy to answer prayer.

O My Name Jamal! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. That person’s work in the path of God hath been accomplished and hath been adorned with the ornament of divine acceptance. However, the spreading of such matters is a hundred thousand leagues removed from wisdom. The mention of known persons hath not been and is not permissible, particularly the mention of their works in His exalted path which are most important matters. The evil ones spread news and manifest harm befalleth the doer of the deed. From the land of ?a, two persons other than you have written about this matter until now. Should contact with the mentioned souls become necessary regarding any matter, it must be done with the utmost concealment, and even then only by chance. Do not let this matter disappear from view and act with utmost love toward the friends in the land of ?a. The expression of love is for the Cause of God and for the sake of God. Well is it with them that act.

O My Name! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. The letter of Abu’l-Hasan - upon him be My glory - which he wrote to thee was presented by the Most Great Branch before the Countenance and attained the honor of being heard. He hath desired to attain the presence and meeting, but in these days, due to the fire of hatred burning in the breast of the chief of this land and his followers, We have withheld permission, as a wisdom from Us, and We are the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Convey greetings from the Wronged One to him and give him the glad tidings of mention by the Supreme Pen. Blessed is he, for in days when the most exalted among creation, namely the divines, have turned away and engaged in opposition, he hath turned to the most sublime horizon and acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath uttered. Blessed is he and his is a goodly return.

O My Name! The letter of Muhammad-i-Qazvini which he sent to Nasru’llah - upon him be My loving-kindness and My glory - attained the honor of Our gracious regard and We heard his call. Repeatedly hath mention of him flowed from the Supreme Pen, time after time and again and again. Give him glad tidings from Me and remind him of that which hath been revealed for him from the Kingdom of My wondrous utterance.

O Party of Dal and Alif and all others whom we have repeatedly mentioned and continue to mention! Ibn-i-Abhar, upon him be the Glory of God, the Lord of Power, hath submitted mention of certain loved ones and sent it to the Most Holy Court. Each one hath attained unto the Word of God and been mentioned and recorded by the Supreme Pen. In accordance with wisdom and its requirements, We withheld its proclamation and dispatch. Praise be to God! The light of divine love is shining from the horizon of that land, and the eye of favor and the glance of loving-kindness are directed towards that region. Ere long will the fire of the Word ignite most souls and guide them to the highest horizon. We convey greetings to all and beseech the True One to illumine the horizons of hearts with the lights of the Most Great Luminary and to make them steadfast in the Cause of God. The barking ones have been and continue to be in transit, striving through various schemes and devices to extinguish the light and quench the fire of God. O people of God! The crafty ones lie in wait, hoping perchance to prevent those who have turned towards the Most Great Ocean and to summon them to their own vain imaginings. For twelve hundred years and more that vile party, namely the Shi’ih idolators of vain imaginings, were the most lost among all the peoples of the world, as was clearly and evidently manifested on the Day of Resurrection through the fruits of their deeds. Such tyranny was perpetrated by that group that the realities of the Prophets and the chosen ones, the Concourse on High, the dwellers of the Supreme Paradise, and the Tablet and the Pen, all lamented and wept. Now again certain vile and heedless souls have arisen to promote these same vain imaginings. May God, exalted be His glory, protect all.

The petition of Mahdi, who attained unto the presence and won the honor of recognition, reached the Most Holy Court. We have heard his call and wish to answer him at this time through the Pen of God, the Lord of the worlds. O Mahdi! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. He mentioneth thee through His verses and clear proofs and commandeth thee to observe the wisdom that hath been sent down in My wondrous Book. Praise be to God! Thou hast attained unto that which hath been the purpose of the chosen ones and the loved ones. The fragrance of steadfastness was wafted from thy letter. Blessed art thou, and again, blessed art thou! We beseech God to aid thee in such wise that no chance for mention or utterance may remain for the barking ones, the infidels, and the transgressors. Convey greetings from the Wronged One to the people of God in that land. Say: Today is the Day of God, sanctified from names and mentions. Strive that ye may succeed in rendering such service as will cause its fragrance to endure throughout all ages. Thou didst mention a certain person. He hath gone to other lands also and said there what he said here. Beseech God to guide him and make him aware. O My loved ones in that land! Today the proof is manifest, the light is shining, the verses are being revealed, and the evidences are clear. The path is visible and the way is plain. Blessed is the soul that hath cleaved unto the truth and found itself detached and free from all else. This is the most exalted station and the supreme summit. We beseech God to adorn all with the ornament of steadfastness and to aid them in teaching the Cause. Verily, He is powerful over all things. Soon will come unto you a barking one with another barking one. He will inform you as a token of His grace, for He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. We beseech God to protect you from the evil of those who have broken the Covenant of God and His Testament, who have disputed His verses and turned away from His Cause. They are indeed among the most lost in the Book of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon you and upon those whom the affairs of creation have not prevented from the Truth, who have turned towards it and have said […]

Praise be unto Thee, O God of Names and Creator of heaven, for having enabled us to turn toward Thee, to hear Thy call, and to recognize Thy straight and manifest path. We beseech Thee to make us among those who cling to the cord of Thy grace and hold fast to the hem of the robe of Thy mercy. Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all things. There is none other God but Thee, the Omnipotent, the Mighty.

=== END BH00314 ===

=== START BH00315 ===

In the Name of our Lord, the Most Wondrous, the Most Impregnable, the Most Mighty, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious!

All praise, sanctified above the understanding of all created things, befitteth the presence of Him Who is the Desired One, Who through a single glance of His favour can cause an atom to be adorned with the glory of the sun, and transform a drop into an ocean. And were He, God forbid, to withhold His special grace, the meaning of “all things shall perish save His face” would be made manifest. Sanctified and holy is His sacred court above the praise of all the eloquent ones and learned ones of the earth. Every fair-minded mystic hath confessed his powerlessness, and every truthful scholar hath acknowledged his shortcoming. Glory be unto Him, glory be unto Him, far above that which those who are nigh, and they who profess His unity, and the sincere ones attribute unto Him! He is the Omnipotent One Who, through a single revelation from His Most Great Name, illumined the world, made manifest the Balance, and established the Straight Path before the faces of all His servants. And through that same revelation - which in one station is referred to as the Word, in another as the Will, in yet another as the Divine Purpose, and the like - the trumpet was sounded, the cry was raised, and those that lay in their graves were stirred. Exalted be His dominion! Exalted be His power! Exalted be His greatness! He hath created all things through a word from His presence. How then can anyone know His Originator, His Creator, and His Manifestation? The servant beseecheth His Lord to assist His servants to turn towards the horizon which hath been illumined by the lights of His countenance, and unto the ocean which surgeth through His firm and mighty command.

And furthermore, thy letter dated the 25th of the month of Safar was received, and since it was adorned with mention of the Purpose of all worlds, it brought the utmost joy and gladness. May thou never be deprived of the splendors of the Sun of Truth and the outpourings of the ocean of grace. Continuously drink and quaff and share with others the cup of divine love. Strange it is that people have let slip from their grasp such a blessed Day and remained deprived of recognizing it. The vision of the servants is weak, while the Sun of Truth shineth with perfect radiance and light. I beseech the True One, exalted be His glory and His sovereignty, to grant strength to weak eyes that they may not be deprived of beholding the spiritual Sun. Verily He is the Mighty, the Powerful.

Likewise, another letter dated the 10th of Rabi’u’l-Avval was received, and after perusing and becoming acquainted with its contents, it was brought to the Most Great View, and after permission and leave was granted, it was presented before the countenance of the Lord of Destiny. He, exalted be His glory, said: “O Abu’l-Hasan! Rejoice in that thou hast been mentioned before the Throne time and again, and the face of the Wronged One hath turned toward thee from this remote prison. We have sent down for thee in the Palace that which hath diffused the fragrance of the All-Merciful throughout all creation, and in this Prison that which hath stirred every frozen and weighty soul. Behold none save God and His Cause. This is a word through which the horizon of the Tablet hath shone forth and the faces of the sincere have been illumined.”

O Abu’l-Hasan! God willing, thou shalt attain unto the Kawthar of inner meanings and utterance that lieth hidden and concealed within the divine words, and shalt drink therefrom. All are speaking the Word of God, and yet one soul gave up his life upon hearing the blessed word “Say: God; then leave them to their vain disputes,” while another, after hearing divine verses which are beyond reckoning, stirred not from his place and remained deprived of the breezes of the days and bereft of the lights of His countenance. They mention by word the Kawthar and Salsabil, while both appear before their faces yet they remain utterly remote and distant from them. The Supreme Pen counseleth at all times the people of the world regarding that which is to their benefit, both outwardly and inwardly; nevertheless, they have prevented their ears from hearing and have veiled their eyes from beholding the lights with the veils of idle fancy.

O Abu’l-Hasan! Give thanks unto thy Lord for having aided thee to recognize Him and for having caused thee to appear before His face in the Most Great Prison and for having enabled thee to hear His sweet call. Thy services have been adorned with the ornament of acceptance, and this is from God’s great bounty. Know thou this and be of the thankful ones. How many are the servants who attained not unto recognition of the Truth, and how many the souls who attained unto the honor of recognition but were not successful in rendering service to the Cause, and how many the souls who arose to serve but received no mention from the Supreme Pen; yet thou, praise be to God, hast attained unto this great bounty. Should the lowliest of earth’s inhabitants diffuse from him a breath of sincerity, he would be accounted before God as one of those who circle round the Throne and as one of the people of Baha. Blessed are they whom the doubts and imaginings of men have not withheld from the ocean of certitude and […]

The oppression of the people of the world hath not deprived them of the light of the Manifestation. Convey My greetings to all the friends on behalf of the Wronged One and say: O My loved ones! Hold fast to the cord of steadfastness through My power, and cling to the hem of patience through My Name, the All-Patient, the Mighty, the Wise. Know ye the value of these days and deprive not yourselves of the infinite bounties. Arise to serve the Cause of God in complete unity - that is, be occupied with His mention, His praise and the promotion of His Cause. Any matter that today becometh the cause of someone turning away or the source of grief is not acceptable in the sight of God. Associate with the servants of the All-Merciful with the utmost joy and radiance. Thus have ye been commanded aforetime by My Most Exalted Pen. Verily, your Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Almighty, the Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O honored brother! Praise be to God, thou hast attained His grace and art adorned with the ornament of trustworthiness. Beseech God, exalted be His glory, that He may aid all the loved ones to achieve that which is befitting and worthy in this day, lest transient affairs and their manifestations deprive them of the eternal Kingdom.

Concerning what thou didst write about trade and its profit, it is evident that since thou hast acted for the sake of God and hadst no personal motive, the blessing of His grace was bestowed. Any deed performed for God’s sake will surely manifest its effect in the material world. Blessed art thou for having attained unto the recognition of God and the choice wine of reunion, while every heedless one remained far removed. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to make manifest the effects of thy services. O My loved one! Consider the divine bounty - although hoarding was forbidden, yet since thou wert unaware and whatsoever thou didst was for the sake of God, it was accepted and blessed with bounty. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. I have been and am hopeful of God’s grace, and I beseech Him to ever illumine the Trustee and thyself with the light of trustworthiness.

As for what thou didst write concerning the people of Mamqan, it was presented at the Most Holy Court. This is what the All-Merciful hath revealed from the Kingdom of Utterance:

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious […]

O loved ones of God in Mamqan! Hearken unto the call of the All-Merciful that hath been raised from this place which the oppressors have made a prison for Him Who summoneth mankind unto the straight path. He commandeth you to righteousness and piety and to turn with illumined hearts to the supreme horizon. Thus hath the Beloved of all possibility decreed. Verily, He is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth. The affairs of creation cannot frustrate Him, nor can the veils of them that have disbelieved in God, the Lord of all worlds, prevent Him. This is the Day wherein the horizon of Revelation hath been illumined and all things have cried out: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise!” Well is it with him who hath cast away the world and taken hold of that which God, the Lord of all nations, hath commanded. He is assuredly among the people of Baha in the Preserved Tablet.

God willing, may ye be blessed through the grace of the All-Merciful and be detached and free from all else but Him. How many souls awaited the days of God, yet when the Most Great Light dawned above the horizon of the world, all peoples turned away save those whom God, exalted be His glory, preserved through His complete power and delivered from the darkness of self and desire. Know ye the value of this Day. Break the idols of vain imaginings through the name of the Lord of all names and fix your gaze upon the horizon of certitude. Forget not the counsels of the Truth and preserve the pearls of His words within the shell of the heart. Praise be to God that His grace hath not left you to yourselves. Be ye occupied with His remembrance and praise throughout the days and nights. Soon shall the earthly world and all that is therein perish and vanish away, while that which hath been recorded by the Divine Pen concerning His loved ones shall remain and endure. Strive ye for that which will profit you and enrich you above all else. Thus doth the Wronged One command you from this mighty prison.

O loved ones of the All-Merciful in Sisan! Rejoice in that the Most Exalted Pen maketh mention of you in the kingdom of your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. Hold fast unto the firm handle and cling to the hem of the bounty of your Lord, the Lord of the Return. By the True One! The horizon of Revelation hath been illumined and the Speaker of Sinai speaketh forth on this Day that was promised in the Books of God, the Lord of all men. Blessed is the soul that hath cast away whatsoever preventeth it from piety and hath taken hold of that which it was commanded by God, the Revealer of verses. Blessed is the stranger who hath sought the supreme homeland, and the poor one who hath hastened to the ocean of wealth, and the one who hath turned with God’s leave to the Most Exalted Word, God, the Cleaver of the dawn. How many a learned one hath been debarred from the ocean of knowledge, and how many a veiled one hath hastened and drunk and said: “Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of Lords!” I testify that Thou hast manifested the Manifestation of Thyself and hast sent down that which hath weakened the servants and caused feet to slip. Thus have We adorned the horizon of utterance with the sun of proof. Blessed is he who hath found the fragrance of the garment and held fast to the Command of God, the Mighty, the Bountiful.

We make mention of Our loved ones in the land of M and T that they may rejoice in the remembrance of God, the Lord of Names, and thank Him at eventide and at dawn. The lamp of God hath been lit in the world. Draw near, O people of the earth, and follow not every idolatrous impostor. Those who have debarred the servants from the Most Great Sea are wrapped in heedlessness and veils. They have cast the knowledge of God behind their backs and followed vain fancies and imaginings. Take ye what ye have been commanded and leave those who have disbelieved in the All-Merciful after the proof and evidence had come unto them. Hold fast unto the cord of steadfastness in this Cause whereby souls have been shaken and the faces of the righteous illumined.

O friends! God willing, may you drink, through the bounty of the All-Merciful, from the Living Waters which by God’s will have flowed forth throughout creation, and partake thereof. Today the Sun of generosity is shining and the ocean of bounty is surging - deprive not yourselves. Under all conditions, hold fast to the cord of His remembrance and occupy yourselves with the praise of God, exalted be His glory. The satans of the earth have not and will never cease in their efforts to lead the servants astray. You must preserve the pearls of His love through His Name, lest the hands of the treacherous pollute them and strip them of their freshness. Know ye the value of this call, for this Day will not always be manifest nor this call forever raised. How many were the saints and chosen ones who gave up their lives yearning for the divine call, yet attained it not. Know ye the value of these days and this remembrance which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken in this mighty prison. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

Concerning what you requested about the people of Mamqan, Sisan and Mataneh, praise be to God it was blessed with acceptance and adorned with favor. As commanded, this evanescent servant wrote and sent word. However, you must proceed with perfect wisdom and never let go of wisdom in any circumstance, lest something occur that might extinguish enkindled souls. People are weak and heedless of God’s will - for if they were to become aware of but a drop from the ocean of His will, you would find them all turned towards Him. In any case, impart the divine words to them with utmost care and counsel those souls with wisdom. Conflict and contention have never been and are not permitted.

Regarding what you wrote about his honor Afnan Aqa’i, Mr. A. and H., upon them be all the Glory of God, a firm decree was previously issued that whatever they have written should be acted upon. The earthly resources of Kh. were all distributed according to the record sent in this letter, and they have been and are delivering them to the mentioned souls as commanded. Whatever is with you should be delivered to them.

And concerning what you wrote mentioning Mr. Muhammad Sadiq and others, it was presented and the Sun of favor has risen upon each one. They were previously mentioned in the Most Holy Court and sublime, wondrous verses were specifically revealed for them. I beseech God to assist them all in what He loves and is pleased with. Similarly, you had mentioned Mr. Mirza Ghulam-’Ali, upon him be the glory of God. He has not been forgotten and God willing never will be. He was mentioned in the Most Holy Court. This evanescent servant beseeches God, exalted be His glory, to strengthen him in matters that cause the exaltation of his station and the elevation of the Cause. Please convey greetings on behalf of this evanescent servant to him and other friends, upon them be the glory of God, who have drunk from the cup of detachment and are gazing toward the horizon of unity.

Furthermore, a few days ago a detailed reply to your letter was sent, and mention was made in the Most Holy Court of those souls whose names were inscribed in that missive. Specifically for each one, both living and departed, wondrous and exalted verses were revealed and dispatched. God willing, they will attain to their perusal. May He bestow fresh life upon the living and grant eternal remembrance to the departed. His is the grace, the generosity, the bounty and the bestowal. God willing, may you ever abide peaceful and at rest beneath the shade of the Blessed Tree. A letter reached this evanescent one from the beloved Nazim, upon him be the Glory of God, and God willing its reply shall be submitted. Your honor should consult with him on matters and act upon whatever is deemed advisable. Furthermore, on behalf of this evanescent servant convey greetings to the honored friend Jinab-i-Varqa, upon him be the Glory of God. God willing, through divine grace may they ignite with the fire of His love those who are dispirited, and guide the thirsty to the stream of the All-Merciful’s mercy. Furthermore, it was intended to submit a petition in reply to the letter of the honored beloved Nabil-i-Qa’in, upon him be the Glory of God, but since they had written of their intention to depart, it was delayed until their place of residence becomes known. Though they wander in the path of God - would that I could share in what hath befallen him in the Cause of God, our Beloved, our Goal and the Goal of all the worlds. Convey on behalf of this evanescent one wondrous and exalted greetings to Jinab-i-Amin, upon him be the Glory of God. God willing, may they fix their gaze upon that which God hath desired and remain firm and steadfast in His service. The Glory be upon you and upon him.

The Servant

11 Jamadi’l-Avval [1297]

=== END BH00315 ===

=== START BH00316 ===

He is the Most Great Name, the All-Evident, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed!

The essence of praise and the pure crystal of glorification beseemeth the hallowed court of that Beloved One Who hath ever been sanctified beyond the loftiest description of all created things and Who shall forever remain exalted above the most sublime mention of all beings. His sanctified Being transcendeth the understanding of the wise, the comprehension of the learned, and whatsoever the people of utterance speak. He hath been from all eternity a hidden Mystery and a treasured Secret. None hath known Him, and no soul hath fathomed His reality. Thus hath it been aforetime, and thus shall it be evermore. There is none other God but He, Who speaketh from the blessed Tree upon the elevated Mount in the holy and single Spot: “Verily, I am God; there is none other God but Me.”

Though the tongues of creation have, from time immemorial, spoken His praise and uttered His glorious mention, We testify that He hath never been described, mentioned, or praised. For whatsoever can be conceived or contemplated in creation hath been and shall ever be His handiwork. Exalted, immeasurably exalted, is He above being described by aught else, and sanctified, immeasurably sanctified, is He above being praised by other than Himself or being mentioned by any save Him. And when that Ancient Ocean desired to be known, He created the heavens and the earth through the blessed and primal Word which shone forth from the dayspring of the Will of the Lord of Oneness. This Word hath in one place been referred to as “Be and it is,” yet in the sight of them that have quaffed from the Kawthar of utterance and sought the Yemen of knowledge, that Word hath been and shall ever be the Manifestation itself. He, in His own Essence, is sanctified above manifestation, appearance, ascent, descent, mention, utterance, knowledge, witnessing and vision. No vision can encompass Him, but He encompasseth all vision, and He is the Subtle, the All-Informed. And if it be said that the Will is itself the Manifestation and that a word hath appeared from it, this is the truth in which there is no doubt.

Blessed are they who have purified their ears from the sayings of the peoples of the world, for unpurified ears were not and will never be worthy of hearkening unto the Word of God. As is evident, He Who conversed with God calleth out in the Most Great Name amongst the nations with the most exalted call, yet souls remain veiled from Him and deprived of the sweetness of divine utterance. They have ears but hear not therewith, and hearts but understand not therewith. This blessed Primal Word hath been designated by all the goodly names. He is the Straight Path and the Mighty News. He is the Dawning-Place of God’s Cause and the Dayspring of His divine revelation. He is the Sure Handle and the Supreme Horizon. He is the Manifestation of God amidst all else beside Him. All that which creation hath heard and become enabled to know and comprehend hath been taken from that Source of divine wisdom and that Dayspring of celestial knowledge. For had that Primal Manifestation and that all-embracing Divine Word not spoken concerning the oneness of the Ancient Being and the Most Great Sea and His knowledge, none would have attained unto the recognition of that sanctified Being Who is the Cause and Purpose of creation. He is the Most Great Gate and the Most Straight Path, the Primal Point and the Most Exalted Word, the Divine Lote-Tree and the Ultimate End. Were it not for Him, no one would have known God and none would have become aware of Him. All the knowledge of those who know, the understanding of the sincere ones, the remembrances of those near unto God, and the descriptions of those who describe, return unto this station. For the recognition of His Self is the recognition of God, His commandments are God’s commandments, His utterance is God’s utterance, and His word is the Word of God. Whoso turneth away from Him hath turned away from God, and whoso turneth unto Him hath turned unto God. No one’s knowledge and deeds are accepted save through His love and good-pleasure, His command and will. He is the Manifestation of ‘He doeth whatsoever He willeth’ in the kingdom of creation, and He is the fulfillment of that which the All-Merciful hath sent down in the Qur’an: “On the day when thy Lord shall come, or some of the signs of thy Lord.” By God the Truth! The morn hath truly dawned and the night hath departed, and this is God’s remembrance unto mankind. This is the day wherein sight is dazzled and the moon is eclipsed, and man hath no refuge or rest save for him who hath laid hold on God’s cord, the Lord of Destiny. This is the day whereon the Spirit and the angels stand arrayed; none shall speak save him whom the All-Merciful permitteth. This is the day whereon the unbeliever shall say “Would that I were dust!” This Most Great, Most Exalted Manifestation and Most Sublime, Most Glorious Appearance hath appeared in every age and epoch under a different name. He is the Sun of Truth which shineth forth from the horizon of grace. Through His appearance the Hidden Treasure is revealed, meaning His manifestation is itself the manifestation of God amongst His servants. For were He not to appear, that Hidden Treasure would remain concealed forever and none would inhale the fragrance of His knowledge or attain unto the oneness of His sacred Being. Through Him doth He try all the peoples of the earth. His word, exalted is He: “Do men think when they say ‘We believe’ they shall be left unchallenged?” He is the true Balance between creation, and by Him are all the peoples of the earth brought to account. He is the Eye of God and the Ear of God and the Tongue of God […]

The Manifestation of God, whenever the fragrance of God perfumed the world and the breeze of God wafted and the Sun of Truth dawned from the horizon of grace, all people rose up in rejection and protest, and with the utmost effort and striving attempted to extinguish the light of God, as is recorded in the books and as most have witnessed, except for those souls who shut their eyes to all else but God and turned to the Kawthar of the knowledge of the All-Merciful. These indeed are honored servants, these indeed are sincere servants, these indeed are humble servants who speak not until He hath spoken and who act by His command. The rejecters and protesters each cling to the cord of their vain imaginings and turn away from the Sovereign of the throne of “He doeth whatsoever He willeth.” Some are deprived of the Most Great Announcement through mention of prophethood, some remain barred from the dominion of God through mention of successorship, and some are veiled from the Dawning Place of God’s Cause through mention of divinity. As can be observed, the followers of the Torah and Gospel and some of the peoples who possess a Book remain far from the river of life and the outpourings of the All-Merciful through mention of prophethood and divinity and what they possess. Thinkest thou that most of them hear or understand? They are but as the cattle - nay, more misguided still. Most wondrous of all is he who said that He Who appeared had claimed divinity for Himself and thereby disbelieved in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Say: O thou that art dumb, hast thou not heard the call of God from the upraised Tree upon the luminous spot that there is no God but Him? Reflect and be not of those who hear but understand not. Say: All names are but creation in His kingdom and He is sanctified above them, would ye but perceive. All names are within His mighty grasp and all things were created by His command. Blessed is he who reflects upon the handiwork of God and witnesses what His Essence hath witnessed unto His Essence - that there is no God but Him, the Powerful, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Loving.

O people! Ponder the words of God, then judge with fairness concerning Him Who hath appeared with the truth and Who calleth the sovereign and the subject unto God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. Cast aside what ye possess of images and likenesses and suspicions and idle fancies, and turn with your hearts to the Truth, the Knower of all that is hidden. By God! Neither your ornaments, nor the knowledge of your learned ones, nor the wisdom of your mystics shall profit you. Cast aside what ye possess and take what hath been given you from before God, the Possessor of the Unseen and the Seen. Unto him who heareth, it shall be to his benefit, and unto him who heareth not, it shall be to his detriment. He is indeed self-sufficient from all eternity. To this testify all atoms, would ye but hear. Whoso is for God, God shall be for him, and whoso turneth away shall have no portion of this sealed nectar.

Although the blessed Sermon of Tanjih, which has dawned from the horizon of the heaven of absolute guardianship, was expounded in the most wondrous Persian tongue - since from the Persian utterances which, by divine permission, have flowed from the Pen of Truth, the meaning of the aforementioned sermon can be largely understood - blessed are they who gaze with penetrating eyes upon the revealed words and reflect thereon. Assuredly will the virgin mysteries of divine knowledge, secluded in the mansions of the comprehensive words of the Lord, be reflected in the mirrors of their hearts, and they shall attain unto that which is intended. Blessed are they who behold, blessed are they who perceive, and happy are they who attain!

The intention of His Holiness (may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake) in mentioning the sermon was this blessed word wherein He says: “Expect ye the Speaker of Moses to appear from the Tree upon the Mount.” This word is as the pivot around which revolve the millstones of wisdom and utterance. Through this word He gave glad tidings of the Manifestation of God to all the peoples of the world. Should anyone deny this station, he hath denied the Truth itself. In those days He spoke inwardly, and now He speaketh outwardly. Yet weak eyes afflicted with the ophthalmia of vain imaginings perceive it not, and ears that hear not are not blessed with hearkening to the words of the Lord of all beings.

Today the Speaker of Moses hath appeared and proclaimeth “Verily I am God,” and regarding this station He said to Kumayl ibn Ziyad an-Nakha’i: “Extinguish the lamp, for the morn hath dawned” - meaning, extinguish the lamp of doubt and questioning, for verily the dawn of truth hath appeared. It is clear and evident that after the rising of the Sun of Truth, to question concerning It would be vain, like one who, after the appearance of the sun, should ask “Where is the sun?” and “Where can it be found?” This station appeareth and shall appear after the dissolution of vain imaginings and the rending of the veils. This is the station wherein He saith: “His proof is His signs, and His being is His revelation.” This is the station of “He is He” that is mentioned in the noble tradition. This utterance is confirmed by the word of God, exalted be His glory, which saith: “Say: ‘God!’ then leave them to their vain discourse.”

Should anyone reflect purely for the sake of God upon that which hath been mentioned, and look with the eye of fairness, he will become detached from the world and all that dwell therein, and will turn with his whole being to the lights of the divine countenance. The verses of the Qur’an and the traditions handed down concerning the mention of this station are numerous. For the sake of brevity, we have confined ourselves to this much. Verily, He guideth whom He willeth unto the straight path.

His word, exalted is He: “God is He Who raised the heavens without pillars that ye can see; then He established Himself upon the throne of authority, and subjected the sun and the moon; each one runneth unto an appointed term; He ordereth all things. He showeth His signs distinctly, that ye may be assured of the meeting with your Lord.”

There hath been and there is no doubt that the Ancient Essence, with Its attribute of absolute invisibility, hath been and ever shall be sanctified from manifestation and appearance, and none shall attain unto It save during the days of the appearance of the Divine Manifestations and the Fountainhead of heavenly knowledge. Whosoever hath attained unto Him hath attained unto the meeting with God. And today, when the Sun of Truth is at its zenith and the river of reunion is flowing and surging forth, most are seen to be deprived thereof, wandering thirsty and bewildered in the wilderness of error[…]

Some among the people who have not drunk from the Kawthar of divine knowledge and remain heedless of the ocean of inner meanings have interpreted the divine presence mentioned in the blessed verse as meaning His revelation on the Day of Resurrection. But the discerning sage perceives that what they have said is mere fancy, for they have neither understood the Resurrection nor grasped its meaning. The Resurrection is the arising of the Manifestation of God Himself to establish His Cause. He is the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling, the Guardian over all that is in the heavens and on earth.

O people of the earth! In truth I say, this Day has no equal nor likeness. This is the Day of pure deeds, the Day of revelation and divine presence. Strive that ye may receive a portion of God’s infinite bounties, and be not among those of whom He says: “They behold the grace of God, yet they deny it.” Know ye this much: that the Hidden Mystery has not been, nor will be, revealed save through the Manifestation of His Cause. For were it not for the Divine Manifestations and the Daysprings of His Revelation giving tidings of the treasured Mystery, no one would ever be aware of it. To this testifies every mystic who has ascended the steps of justice to the kingdom of utterance.

It is most evident that this Wronged One in prison has had and has no desire of His own, but speaks by God’s Will and moves by His Purpose. He summons all to truth and, despite countless afflictions, grievous calamities, the oppression of the oppressors, and the chains of the captors, has not been and will not be hindered. Through God’s grace, He continually guides the people of creation to the Most Exalted Horizon. All that has been mentioned and continues to be mentioned is according to the capacity of the people, else the ocean of utterance has […] which none has comprehended save God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Were worthy souls to be found, a drop from that ocean would be bestowed. Now it remains concealed and treasured in the divine repository of knowledge and veiled in the heaven of God’s Will. O servants! Hearken unto the counsel of the faithful counselor and in these fleeting days acquire eternal blessings. The world is and has ever been transient. Set not your hearts upon it, and deprive not yourselves of that which is with God because of it. Be not among those of whom He says: “When they see a sign they turn away and say: ‘This is continuous sorcery.’” And likewise He says: “Thou seest the people therein prostrate, as if they were hollow trunks of palm trees.”

I conclude with that to which God Himself has testified: There is no God but Him, and He Who has appeared speaks by My command and calls the people purely for My sake, and strengthens them through My Name and reminds them through My remembrance. He has borne hardships in My path and accepted imprisonment for the exaltation of My Cause. Whosoever turns to Him has turned to My Face, and whosoever has heard from Him has heard from Me, and whosoever attains His presence has attained My presence, and whosoever acknowledges Him has acknowledged My sovereignty, and whosoever has seen Him has seen Me, and whosoever denies Him has denied Me, and whosoever turns away from Him has turned away from Me and disbelieved in My proof and disputed My signs and warred against My sovereignty and denied My favor and associated partners with My Self, the All-Compelling over the worlds. Glory be unto those who have turned to the Countenance and have testified to that which God has testified. These are the lamps of guidance among creation. Upon them pray the Concourse on High and the people of this exalted and glorious station. Praise be to God, the Lord of the visible and invisible, and the Lord of all the worlds.

=== END BH00316 ===

=== START BH00317 ===

The honored friend, his eminence Aqa Mirza Habibu’llah - upon him be the Glory of God - may take note:

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

The essence of praise and glorification and the quintessence of commendation befitting those of understanding is due to the people of God, whom neither the tempests of objections from the people of the Bayan nor the storms of intimations from the people of the Furqan could deter from steadfastness, recognition, certitude, and turning toward and drawing nigh unto God. Exalted, exalted be their station, their rank, their loftiness, their elevation, and their steadfastness in a Cause at which hearts have trembled and feet have slipped, save those whom God, the Lord of Names and Creator of Heaven, has willed. The servant bears witness that they are such servants whose stations in the sight of God the pen and tongue are powerless to comprehend. These are the dawning-places of steadfastness, the daysprings of dignity, the manifestations of certitude, and the sources of power, majesty and might.

Glorified art Thou, O Thou through Whose Name the horizon of the heaven of recognition was illumined and the ocean of knowledge surged in contingent being! I beseech Thee by the influences of Thy power and the manifestations of Thy grandeur to protect them from Thine enemies. Then send down upon them from the heaven of Thy favors that which befits Thy gifts, and grant them that which will strengthen them in all conditions. Verily, Thou art the Lord of the servants in the beginning and in the end.

Thereafter, it is submitted that your letter was received and all was presented before His presence. He said […]

O My loved one! God willing, may you be preserved through the grace of God, exalted be His glory, and remain firm and steadfast in His Cause. Today you must fix your gaze upon that which is of God and befitting His Cause. The endeavors of the people of Baha must reach such a stage that they occupy themselves with the reformation of the world and the education of its peoples. Convey My greetings to the people of Kirmanshah on behalf of the Wronged One. The petitions of each one were presented, and answers have descended from the heaven of God’s will. We beseech God to aid all to remain so steadfast that they will not be moved by the tempestuous winds or the intimations of the malicious, but rather stand firm and immovable as mountains in the Cause of God.

O loved one! The clamor of the baying ones has risen from the land of Kaf and Ra, and is rising in other lands as well. This is the promise which the Most Exalted Pen gave to all in Zawra and the Land of Mystery and in the early days of the Most Great Prison. Some helpless souls, having no understanding of the fundamental truth of the Cause, have been misled by the deception of the baying ones and have strayed from the straight path. Glory be to God! How thoroughly do fabricated falsehoods affect the hearts of some! The source of oppression and corruption issued a verdict against the Most Great Branch and others like him, and martyred him, and afterward they would speak of their own oppression in various regions - while God is witness that not even to the extent of a needle’s point were those souls harmed. Every fair-minded person testifies that this Wronged One has, from the inception of the Cause, stood before the faces of the world and accepted all tribulations for the sake of God, to manifest His Cause and exalt His Word. Blessed are the fair-minded!

Consider the Shi’ih sect. For years they considered themselves the best of creation, yet with the slightest test it became evident they were the basest of servants, as evidenced by their martyrdom of the Bab. Now too the deniers among the Bayan cling to the same vain imaginings. Whatever fruit the Shi’ih sect reaped from the tree of their deeds, these souls shall reap as well. You must, with the utmost joy and fragrance, remind the people and guide them to the highest horizon.

The extent of deceit and trickery among the people of the Bayan exceeds all reckoning. By the life of our Lord and the Lord of earth and heaven, they intended to shed holy blood, and after revealing what was in their hearts, the greatest separation occurred. To this every discerning and fair-minded one bears witness. Nearly a hundred souls became aware of this matter, yet with complete power, God did not permit any action against those souls. The servants are like sheep, possessing neither understanding nor discernment, save those whom God wills. We beseech God, exalted be His glory, to guide all and show them the way. He is the All-Powerful and the Mighty over all things.

Mention was made of one named Shaykh Muhammad. He and his like have no understanding whatsoever. Whatever the followers of Siyyid Muhammad-i-Isfahani - who is the root of this mischief - have said, he has accepted, and thus he has risen in opposition. Those helpless ones are heedless and deprived of awareness. We beseech God to grant them fairness, that they may not accept merely through hearing, but see with their own eyes and hear with their own ears. However, their rebellious deeds have barred and deprived them from this most exalted station. Let us see what the power of God’s gracious aid, exalted be His glory, will accomplish.

Verily, that honored one must return to that land, that perchance some may become aware of the truth of the Cause and turn unto the straight path. In truth his letter brought wondrous joy, for it spoke in praise of God and bore glad tidings of his well-being. For this bounty we offered praise and rendered thanks, and we beseech Him to assist that honored one. He is verily the All-Powerful, the Helper. If they obtain a copy of the letter of His Holiness Ismu’llah Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin, upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, it would be most beloved, for it contains the utterances of God, exalted be His glory, that perchance every heedless one may be reminded thereby, every ignorant one may gain knowledge thereby, and every distant one may draw nigh thereby. The Command is in His grasp - He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

As to what was mentioned regarding Kermanshah, it was presented at the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court. This is what the Tongue of Grandeur spoke in reply, blessed and exalted be His Word:

The barking one of Kermanshah had and hath no knowledge of the essence of the Cause. That wretched, helpless one hath accepted whatever they have said. The dawning-places of idle fancies first attribute tyranny to God, exalted be His glory, saying that they killed so-and-so, heedless that they themselves committed that which caused the atoms of creation to lament and the denizens of the highest Paradise to wail and cry out. The entire world - all the Tablets, Scriptures and Books sent down from the heaven of the Divine Will in this Revelation have strictly forbidden conflict, contention, killing and the like. We beseech and implore God to sanctify the people of Baha in all conditions from such matters and to withhold them from all that diminisheth human dignity. This is the true religion of God among the people today. Well is it with them that attain thereunto.

As for the one whom the Exalted One - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him - designated as Dayyan, and who according to the explicit sacred texts was a repository of divine mysteries and the seat of trust and wisdom - they passed judgment against him and martyred him, and likewise others similar to him, and still others. This servant pauseth in elaborating these matters, for they are the cause of grief and sorrow. By the life of God! They committed that which would set ablaze the heart of any fair-minded person. Surely they have heard of the violation of chastity and what disgrace it brought about. Nevertheless, wherever they found one as heedless as themselves, they imparted whatever was in their hearts. Today is the Day when secrets shall be disclosed. They have revealed what was hidden and concealed in their hearts. They are not even aware enough to know that objection to God is not permitted. “He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth” - what meaneth this? If they deny this word they have denied God, and if they acknowledge it, what meaning have these objections? By the life of our Purpose and the Purpose of all who are in earth and heaven! They committed that which the Pen is powerless to describe. In any case, we hope that that honored one will arise as befitteth and will observe wisdom.

As to the mention of Abu’l-Qasim, upon him be the Glory of God, that he was present and sought to be remembered, this was granted audience before the presence. His Word, exalted be His glory: […]

O Abu’l-Qasim! We beseech God that He may aid thee to act in accordance with that which hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen in the Book. Be thou observant of that whereby the Cause of God is exalted. We have commanded all to cast away that which remoteth them and to take hold of that which draweth them nigh unto the Truth, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. O Abu’l-Qasim! Take hold of the Book of God with the power that proceedeth from Him. This is what beseemeth this praiseworthy station. We convey greetings to all and give them the glad-tidings of God’s grace, exalted be His glory.

As to what was written concerning Jinab-i-Aqa Shaykh Sadiq, upon him be the Glory of God, and likewise two others, Jinab-i-Karbila’i ’Ali and Ustad Naqi, upon them be the Glory of God, that they desire to journey to the Most Holy Court - this matter was presented before His presence. This is what was revealed in response, blessed and exalted be His words: If it be accomplished with joy and fragrance, and be in accord with wisdom, there is no objection to their coming. And if they be engaged in service in that land, this is acceptable before God. We beseech God to record for them, by the Most Exalted Pen, the reward of attaining His presence. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

The beloved of God in that land - mention of them hath flowed from the tongue and pen. Praise be to God, all have attained unto the Word of God and have been sustained by the heavenly feast. We beseech God to aid them that they may, at every moment, drink the water of steadfastness from the chalice of certitude, for the barking ones and the transgressors have been and are lying in wait. O My loved ones in that land! Hearken unto My call from the direction of My prison. Verily, it draweth you to My horizon, bringeth you near unto My Self, and giveth you to drink of the choice wine of My wondrous utterance. Your names have been mentioned before the Wronged One, and We have revealed for each one of you that which shall not change so long as the names of God, the Lord of all worlds, shall endure. Beware lest the doubts of every remote barking one cause you to slip. By the life of God! They have followed vain imaginings and perceive not, and have acted upon mere conjectures and understand not. We counsel you to manifest goodly character and that whereby the Cause of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, may be exalted. Be ye as mountains in the Cause of God, your Lord. Verily, He is with you, hearing and seeing, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Object ye not to anyone. In all matters, place your trust in the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

Under all conditions, ye should manifest the utmost composure and dignity. Should a heedless soul arise in opposition, oppose ye him not, lest the clamor of the heedless be raised. Blessed are My loved ones in Khadra. They are reckoned among the patient ones in God’s Book. The ignorant divines in that land have manifested the utmost rebelliousness. Nevertheless, the friends of God, exalted be His glory, out of their love for God and their adherence to His command, never opposed the oppressive souls. Finally, the government authorities were enabled to execute justice, judged with truth, and restrained the hands of the oppressors from their taking. Follow ye, O My loved ones, that which hath been revealed in the Book, then be patient in His love. Verily, He is the All-Patient, the Commander, the All-Wise.

Likewise, mention of the friends of those regions hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. This is what was revealed for the friends of God in Al-Alif and Al-Sin (Asadabad). These are His blessed and exalted words: […]

O My loved ones in that land! We counsel you to manifest supreme steadfastness, such that the godless and the deniers shall be rendered powerless to speak. Today belongeth to the Truth - naught shall be mentioned save Him alone. Reflect upon the deeds of the people of the Furqan (Muslims). They considered themselves supreme over all the world. For twelve hundred years they enthroned an imaginary being that had no external existence upon the seat of Jabulqa and Jabulsa which they had constructed with the hands of idle fancies. Then they strove to lead the helpless masses astray. The ultimate fruit of their deeds, beliefs and words was that they martyred the Lord of the world with the most grievous torture. All the divines, together with the tyrannical masses, pronounced death sentences in their gatherings and assemblies, and engaged in cursing and vilification, God forbid! Not a single divine showed acceptance in the early days of the Cause, for they were nourished at the breast of fancy and vain imaginings. Now the deniers of the Bayan are playing the same tune behind a veil. With turbans and robes they have arisen to harm the Truth. The ultimate fruit of these souls’ deeds shall be the same as those who came before.

O concourse of loved ones! God willing, may you remain firm and steadfast through the power of the Truth, exalted be His glory, and through His favors, in such wise that the tongues of all created things shall testify to your steadfastness. By God’s life! The deniers were not and are not aware of the root of the Cause. They soar with the wings of self in the atmosphere of heedlessness and rejection. Praise be to God that you have attained to the mention of the Truth and have been beneath the glances of His favor. Know the value of this station and preserve it as the apple of your eye. Today the hosts of Truth and His helpers have been and are goodly deeds and pure, holy, pleasing character. It is not and was never permissible to oppose anyone. Hold fast unto righteousness and cleave unto that which God hath ordained. Soon shall you attain unto the fruits of your deeds if you succeed in acting for God’s sake.

[A note follows that specific responses are being sent separately to certain ones whose names or petitions reached the Most Holy Court.]

The end belongs to the God-fearing, and praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

This evanescent one conveys greetings to each of the loved ones in that land and its surroundings, and begs confirmation from God, exalted be His glory, for each one. And he submits to the service of each that the deniers among the people of the Bayan have turned away from the Truth. All know that from the beginning of the Cause this servant has been in every place and station and is informed of every matter. Nevertheless, not one of the deniers has inquired of this servant to become informed and aware. They have clung to the words of Siyyid Muhammad-i-Isfahani and his like, who had no knowledge whatsoever, and have turned away from the Truth. By the life of our Object of desire and the Object of desire of all who are in the heavens and earth! The tyranny of these oppressive souls is more severe, greater and graver than the tyranny of the people of the Furqan. In brief, this servant has submitted for God’s sake and submits for God’s sake, and has not refrained and will not refrain from speaking the truth, even should the whole world advance with sword and spear. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to purify the loved ones of that land from the doubts and conditions of the deniers and transgressors among the people of the Bayan. Verily He is powerful over all things. Glory and remembrance and praise be upon you and your family and those with you and upon every one firm, steadfast and unwavering. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

The Servant

18 Dhi’l-Qa’dih 1302

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=== START BH00318 ===

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

Praise be unto Him Who is sanctified above the comprehension of all created things, the Goal of all possibility, Who through His all-encompassing Will caused the heaven of utterance to be raised up and adorned with the stars of inner meanings. He is the One Who hath power to interpret all the books of the world from a single point and make them manifest. From Him hath appeared the Most Great Word which is like the Water of Life in its effects, and through Him the world and all created things have attained unto the ornament of life. Nay, in truth, He Himself is the Water of Life, and upon Him dependeth the life of all things. Through Him the Path is laid down, the Balance established, the Way made clear, and the Hour set. Blessed are they who have quaffed the wine of understanding from Him and who have attained unto the word “Yea.” The description of this blessed Word transcendeth the power of tongue, pen, and the comprehension of nations. In every station it is known by a different name and described by different attributes. All the most beautiful names and most exalted attributes circle round it, and all stations have been and shall be through its name. Blessed is he who hath attained unto hearing it in the days of its Lord, its Revealer, its Speaker and its Manifestation. The servant beseecheth his Lord to guide all unto it, to make known unto them its station, its significance and its mysteries, and to aid them to turn towards it and arise to serve it. Verily He is the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Glorified art Thou, O my God and the God of all who are in the world, my Goal and the Goal of the nations! I beseech Thee by this Word through which the tongue of Thy grandeur spoke when Thy Temple was established upon the throne of Thy mercy, to assist Thy loved ones to be steadfast in Thy Cause and to make known unto them that which shall profit them in all Thy worlds. O Lord! Disappoint them not of that which lieth with Thee, for when Thou didst call them unto the Dayspring of Thy Cause and the Dawning-Place of Thy Revelation, withhold them not from the Kawthar of Thy utterance and the Salsabil of Thy knowledge. I testify that Thou hast manifested Thyself for Thy creatures and servants to know Thee, and hast made the Supreme Pen to be Thy interpreter that it might remind all in Thy days, draw them nigh unto the horizon of Thy grace, and cause them to hear the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree through Thy permission and will. O Lord! Thou seest them turning unto Thee and directing their faces toward Thy countenance, grieving for the oppression of Thine enemies who have broken Thy Covenant, disputed Thy signs, denied Thy right, and risen up to extinguish Thy light. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the power that hath encompassed all created things and by the might that hath prevailed over all possibilities, to protect Thy loved ones through Thy bounty and grace, and to honor them with such a station that neither the hosts of the earth nor the ascendancy of every denier who hath turned away from Thy Cause shall frighten them. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Wise.

Thereafter this evanescent one submitteth in Thy service that the honored letter was received, causing perfect joy and complete gladness, for the fragrance of sincerity was wafting from it and it spoke in praise of the Goal of the world. After reading and learning of its contents, one night during the revelation of verses from the heaven of the Will of the King of Names and Attributes, your letter was presented. This is what the Tongue of the Desired One spoke, exalted be His glory:

He is the Compassionate, the Bountiful […]

O Muhammad-Qablil-Husayn! The Wronged One of the horizons heard thy call and witnessed thy devotion, and maketh mention of thee in these sublime words. This is among the great bounties of the Lord of the worlds. Praise be to God that thou hast turned to the highest horizon and attained the recognition of the Lord of Names, from which most of mankind remain deprived. Strive thou, that thy remembrance, praise and devotion may increase at all times. This is a Day whereon the call of the All-Merciful is raised, and likewise the croaking of the manifestations of Satan. These manifestations of Satan have never been and are not confined to any limits. Every soul who in this Day uttereth a word that causeth the enkindled hearts to become dejected is accounted before the All-Merciful as being of Satan’s company. Obstacles have appeared and will continue to appear before the wayfarer in the divine path, but those powerful and mighty souls who have partaken of the Kawthar of steadfastness - no barrier can deter them and no waters of the world can quench their ardor. They are set ablaze by the Word of God and are gazing toward and turning to the horizon of His Cause with such devotion that all the world is powerless to prevent. Today the people of Baha who are seated in the Crimson Ark must fix their gaze upon the tracing of the Most Exalted Pen, not upon the vain imaginings of deluded souls. In one word the effect of the living waters appeareth, and from another the scorching wind bloweth. They that are drawn to the Ka’bah of Reality and circle round the Sanctuary of the Spirit must strive to remove conflict, strife and corruption from the entire world, nay rather to obliterate even their mention, and attain such a station wherein the doubts of the possessors of doubt, uncertainty and misgiving among heedless souls will not prevent them from the light of oneness. Convey greetings from the True One to the friends in that land and remind them all of the divine verses, that they may not be deprived of the fruits of the recompense for what they have endured and heard in the path of God. Say: Your stations are ordained and mentioned in the divine Kingdom, for ye have borne in the path of the Friend that which none hath borne and have heard that which none hath heard. Now preserve these lofty and most exalted stations and squander them not through the whisperings of devilish souls and the doubts of heedless hearts. Arise with complete steadfastness in the Cause of the Lord of all beings, and with wisdom, utterance, spirit and fragrance guide the servants to the court of the All-Merciful. Say: O friends! This is the Day of pure deeds. Strive ye and endeavor, that perchance ye may succeed in performing a deed the mention of which shall endure throughout the Kingdom of earth and heaven. This is a Day that hath been mentioned in all the divine Books, and all the Prophets and Messengers have given the glad-tidings thereof to the peoples of ancient and modern times. Fix your gaze upon this blessed verse which hath been revealed in the Book of God: “Verily He is the One Who is named in the Torah as Jehovah, in the Gospel as the Spirit of Truth and the Comforter, and in the Qur’an as the Great News.”

Say: O friends! Do not believe every speaker, and be not assured by every claimant of love. Look ye to that which God hath sent down in the Book, hold fast unto it and act accordingly. The Truth hath ever been and still is with you - He heareth and seeth. Verily He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. The world is like unto a passing shadow; soon it shall perish and become non-existent. At every moment its annihilation can be witnessed. Beware lest its conditions, ornaments, words and embellishments prevent you from Him Who brought it into being, created it and originated it. In the name of God preserve your stations, and beseech the Truth that ye may attain unto that which shall cause your remembrance to endure in the Book of God. This is the most exalted station, the highest rank and the ultimate goal. Blessed is he who hath attained thereunto, and woe unto the heedless. Praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds.

The favor of the Truth unto your honor is evident and manifest from the aforementioned revealed verses. God willing, may you speak the mention of the Truth in all conditions and remain steadfast in His Cause. Today, if a soul should become the possessor of but one word from the presence of the Truth - that is, if one word of good-pleasure should be revealed concerning him from the Supreme Pen - in truth he hath been and shall be the possessor of the most precious of all things. The treasures of the world cannot and will never equal this supreme bounty. This evanescent servant beseecheth the Exalted Truth to grant success unto your honor and confirm you in that which containeth the good-pleasure of the Friend. It is hoped that the masters and nobles of that land may discover the sweetness of the utterance of the All-Merciful, may hold fast unto that which hath been sent down from the Kingdom of grace, and may act accordingly. This evanescent servant offereth thanks with a hundred thousand tongues unto the Eternal Truth for having enkindled your honor with the fire of His love and confirmed you in the service of His Cause. His is the praise in all conditions. There is no God but He, the Confirmer, the Compassionate, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

As to what you mentioned regarding separation from the Beloved of the horizons, He said: “Let him praise God for having aided him to serve the Cause.” That which is beloved in the sight of God today is the teaching of the Cause with wisdom and utterance. Blessed is he who attaineth unto this most exalted station. Verily, He recordeth for the one who hath arisen to serve His Cause the reward of attaining His presence. Thy Lord is, verily, the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth, and He is the Kind, the Generous.

In truth, today is the day of mention, praise and assistance of the Cause of the Lord of Names through wisdom and utterance. You must impress upon all that the triumph of God’s Cause hath not been and is not through contention, warfare and corruption. All must strive and endeavor to conquer hearts and souls with the sword of wisdom and utterance. At times, these words have issued from the Most Holy Tongue and been revealed in the Most Holy Tablet: “Blessed are they who have not oppressed but were oppressed, and who, without rebellion, became the object of vengeance in the path of God.”

Consider the Lord of existence, that is, the King of Martyrs. He conducted himself with the utmost joy and fragrance among all peoples, and never did he cause harm to anyone. Even the Armenians of the land of Sad (Isfahan) expressed their satisfaction with that holy being. Several years passed, and no one ever observed him acting contrary to God’s will. His will and desire were annihilated in the Will of God. This is the station of the Most Great Martyrdom that hath formerly flowed from the Supreme Pen. He had attained to the Most Great Jihad and was adorned with outward martyrdom as well.

Now reflect upon God’s favors towards that essence of being. In his final days he attained to such a station that tongues and pens are occupied with his mention and praise. From all directions, elegies commemorating his tribulation have been submitted and sent, and they continue to arrive unceasingly. Were it not for the decree of wisdom from the Supreme Pen, thou wouldst witness people from every city and land turning towards that blessed land for pilgrimage. Had this occurred for any name other than God’s, it would never have been mentioned. How many honored souls - those who, due to their earthly authority, considered themselves the most noble of creation - have returned from palaces to graves, and from the highest station to the worst abode, and today are neither remembered nor mentioned by anyone.

These are but the outward virtues that have been mentioned. Otherwise, I swear by the scratching of the Pen of the Lord of Eternity that were the inner stations of that essence of being to be revealed, all would fall unconscious and bewildered, save whom God willeth. This servant, if able, would cry out a hundred thousand “Would that I were!” at every moment. In short, martyrdom is not so cheap as to be attained by this evanescent one. He begs the Exalted Truth to be counted among those who long for this most exalted station. Verily, He ordaineth what He willeth for whomsoever He pleaseth. He is, verily, the Powerful, the Mighty.

Another submission: All that was sent was presented in the Most Holy Presence, that is, mention of the items and of those who sent them. Praise be to God, they were adorned with the ornament of acceptance.

In regard to the matter mentioned concerning thy wife, upon her be the Glory of God, it was presented before the Throne. A most holy and exalted Tablet was revealed from the heaven of mercy specifically for that noble lady and was dispatched. God willing, she will recite it and become intimate with it. However, at this point one of the handmaidens of God made a supplication, and its answer was revealed from the divine Kingdom of Utterance. This servant wished to include its contents in this letter so that all may be gladdened by the divine glad-tidings and act as befitteth this Day. His words, exalted be His majesty: “Whatsoever appeareth hath not been and is not outside divine wisdom. The people of insight and understanding have borne and bear witness to this truth. Today thou art blessed with something that is seen to be superior to and more faithful than a hundred thousand children. Today is different from other days. Whosoever hath drunk even a drop from the Kawthar of knowledge confesseth to that which the Pen of God hath confessed. Children are for the perpetuation of mention and good deeds and the continuation of name and the like. And if God, exalted be His glory, should bestow His grace and those children be adorned with the ornaments of worthiness, humanity and piety, their mention will soon come to an end with the passage of time. But the mention of the Most Exalted Pen will endure as long as God’s most beautiful names endure. Hold fast unto this if thou be of the people of Baha. Thou hast better than what thou desirest and higher than what thou hast, but thou art unaware of it. God willing, if thou become aware of it thou shalt attain unto the greatest joy and supreme gladness. Thus hath My Pen spoken out of grace to My name. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Forgiving, the Generous.” End quote.

I beseech you to convey greetings from this evanescent servant to the friends in that land. Praise be to God, all have attained to that which others are deprived of. They must preserve this great bounty in the name of God and remain so firm and steadfast in the Cause of God that none shall be able to prevent them. The world hath had and hath no significance. They should speak in remembrance of the Friend and drink the water of love in His remembrance. Verily He is with His remembering servants and with His steadfast servants. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. The Glory shining from the horizon of our Lord the Most Merciful’s bounty be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto the greatest bounty in the days of God, the Lord of all beings, and upon every faithful servant to the Covenant on the Day of Separation.

The Servant

24 Sha’ban 1298

Again it is submitted that you should be vigilant in all conditions, and every person’s tablet should reach them. Jinab-i-Kazim Nasrabadi, upon him be the Glory of God, has sent two petitions to the Most Holy Court, therefore two most holy and exalted Tablets have been revealed in response. God willing you will deliver them to him. Another submission: Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad Riday-i-Misgar sends greetings to you and his request is that you consider how his wife’s properties might be sold in whatever way possible and the proceeds collected and sent. Now too, whatever is expedient and appropriate for these days, whether through power of attorney or otherwise, write so that the aforementioned person’s wife may act accordingly. If a power of attorney is needed, send it. These matters depend on what you deem advisable. Since these matters pertain to the friends of God, therefore attention to them is beloved by this servant and you and others.

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=== START BH00319 ===

In the Name of Him Who hath made subject unto His command the Tablet and the Pen, meaning and utterance!

O Ahmad! Hearken unto the Call from the right hand of the Divine Lote-Tree, from the Luminous Spot, in the Supreme Horizon: Verily there is none other God but Me, the One, the Single, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We have, in truth, revealed the verses and manifested the clear tokens and rent asunder the veils in such wise as hath caused the hearts of them that have denied God, the Lord of all worlds, to tremble. Successful indeed is he who hath turned towards it and hearkened, and lost are they who have denied God’s testimony and His proof - these are truly among the transgressors in God’s Mighty, Praiseworthy Book.

That which thou didst send hath reached the Wronged One. We have heard its contents and have answered thee with this Tablet, before which the books of the world bow down, as doth testify He Who proclaimeth that there is none other God but Me, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. The seal of the Choice Wine hath been broken by the hand of might, and the veils have been rent asunder through a command from the presence of the Powerful, the Ancient of Days.

O Ahmad! O Ahmad! Look to the Most Exalted Horizon. By God! We have made clear the path and manifested the proof, and have caused to flow from the fountain of My Most Exalted Pen the Kawthar of eternity. Blessed is he who hath drawn nigh, and partaken, and drunk in My Name, the Lord of all who are in the heavens and the earth. And woe betide them who have turned aside and remained heedless of this supreme bounty and who have denied Him in Whom they had believed - these are truly among the dead in God’s Mighty, Glorious Book.

We have rent the veils asunder in such wise that every hearing ear hath heard the sound of their being rent. Thy Lord, verily, is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth, and He is the Mighty, the All-Compelling, the Powerful. Blessed art thou, inasmuch as thou hast attained unto the traces of My Pen time and again, and this is yet another time, as a token of My favor, for I am verily the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

Ponder upon that which hath been sent down from the heaven of thy Lord’s Will. It will acquaint thee with that which thou didst desire to know and will cause thee to soar unto the heaven of knowledge. Then shalt thou behold the Cause shining forth from its horizon. Thy Lord is, in truth, the Helper, the All-Wise. The Cause is more manifest than the sun in midheaven. Soon shalt thou know and witness that which thou didst ask from the ocean of thy Lord’s knowledge, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon those who are with thee, and upon those who have remained steadfast in this mighty Cause, whereby the limbs of the world have quaked and every ignorant one hath been struck dumb.

Hear in the Persian tongue the Voice of the Wronged One, Who speaketh from the direction of the prison. O Ahmad! The Cause is more manifest than the sun and more exalted than the heavens. Observe the verses sent down and reflect: verily they will grant thee true knowledge and draw thee nigh unto a clear and straight path. Reflect upon the Shi’ih sect. Previously We commanded all through the Most Exalted Pen to ponder upon this heedless people who, throughout ages and centuries, were speaking of God, glorified be His majesty, yearning and hoping for the days of His meeting. Yet when the dawn of His Revelation rose and shone forth, they all rose up in opposition and protest. Reflect upon the fruits of these souls’ deeds. In the early years, all the divines of the lands of Sh, Sad and Kha and other cities, and their followers, issued the decree for the death of the Lord of the world. The writings of the divines of the lands of Sh and Sad were brought into Our presence and met Our gaze. Verily My Most Exalted Pen doth not wish to mention what they wrote. Thou knowest what they said and what they did. The consequences of all shall become evident on the Day of Reckoning and the fruits of their deeds shall then be made manifest. From the beginning of Islam, most were immersed in the ocean of idle fancies and vain imaginings. After the Seal of the Prophets - may the life of all else be sacrificed for His sake - and the holy Imams, only two souls attained unto the truth and were adorned with the ornament of true understanding: the late Shaykh and Siyyid - upon them be the Most Glorious Glory of God. These two souls were confirmed in their recognition of the Lord of mankind. Verily We were with them and heard from them that which none hath known save God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Through the nobility of these two souls, receptive souls turned toward the direction of Shin and attained unto the dawning-place of bounty and the day-spring of knowledge. This was through the grace of those two blessed beings, to which every fair-minded and discerning one and every learned and informed one beareth witness.

O Ahmad! In a certain station this most exalted Word hath been revealed from the Most Sublime Pen: What strange intoxication and what strange heedlessness hath seized all! From the beginning of Islam until the first day of the Manifestation, not one of the Shi’ih divines was aware of the nature of the Manifestation and the existence of that Essence of Being in the loins. This was the station of the former divines who possessed not an atom’s weight of knowledge. Were you to reflect briefly on this matter, you would cry out and praise the All-Powerful Lord day and night, for He hath unveiled and rent asunder the veils. The aforementioned Word was revealed in response to the gathering of Manshad. We have sent its copy in the handwriting of Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin, upon him be the Glory of God, that you may observe and gain complete knowledge of the conjectures, idle fancies, and heedlessness of the people of the Bayan. That party committed what neither the Jews, nor the Christians, nor any other parties in the world have committed. Yes, a few among the Shi’ih party became aware during the time of occultation, but due to the dominion of the divines, they did not reveal it and hastened to the most exalted horizon. The corruption of this sect is more evident than the sun in the midst of heaven. In the early days, all were occupied with cursing, denouncing and rejection. The heedlessness of these souls reached such a degree that they would mention the Prince of Martyrs from the pulpits and weep, and then curse and denounce the One by Whose word a thousand Husayns sacrificed their lives in the field of martyrdom, and from the pulpit they would hasten towards hell. And thereafter that honor knoweth how this Wronged One arose before all the world. Neither the clamor of the divines prevented Him, nor the might of princes. We summoned all the peoples of the world to the horizon of the All-Merciful, until some of the people of Iran turned towards the most exalted horizon. These are the gems of creation, and likewise those souls in these lands who from among the community have attained unto the light of certitude, and likewise from among the children of the Friend and the heirs of Him Who conversed with God. O thou who gazeth upon the Face and drinketh the choice wine of My grace! Had the Herald - may the spirit of all else but Him be sacrificed for His sake - appeared in these lands, thou wouldst now behold most of the people among the people of truth, for the idle fancies of the Shi’ih party concerning Jabulqa and Jabulsa and the region between them were not and are not among these people. O Ahmad! These idle fancies caused the blood of the Master of the world to be shed. These idle fancies - from whom did they proceed and who caused the people of Iran to be deprived? If anyone would utter a word contrary to that, they would issue a decree for his death. Reflect and observe with thine own eyes, that perchance thou mayest, through the handle of inner meanings and exposition, deliver the heedless ones from the well of idle fancies and cause them to attain unto the splendors of the sun of certitude. O Ahmad! Leave the world behind and soar above it. The Most Exalted Pen is forbidden, yet despite the opposition of the people of the world and the arising of all to turn away, the Finger of Power hath rent asunder some of the veils and made aware the seeing one who possesseth knowledge and the knowing one who is informed. It became the balance of favor - weigh every word by it. Reflect upon the fruits of the deeds of the various parties. In one respect, that same balance is the truth, for it makes souls known. However, it is hoped that the world will attain unto the light of true unity and that polytheism will be utterly removed. Fix thy gaze upon God alone. This is the counsel of the Wronged One to that honor and the friends of God. The Author of the Bayan, in the second chapter of the eighth Unity, saith - exalted be His utterance […]

This is the mystery of the words of the late Shaykh when someone asked him about that word which His Holiness had uttered, and the three hundred and thirteen individuals who would be the most God-fearing of that Dispensation could not bear it, and His Holiness Sadiq mentioned the letter ‘kaf’ concerning them. After much warning that “thou canst not bear it,” he had said, “If His Holiness should appear and say ‘abandon the Guardianship of the Commander of the Faithful,’ wouldst thou abandon it?” He immediately refused, saying “God forbid!” It is evident to the people of truth that they heard the word from His Holiness, and since he could not bear it, he became an unbeliever, though he was unaware of it. This stems from their not looking to the Source of the Cause.

Now ponder upon the ocean of this utterance which hath flowed from the tongue of the Point and the Shaykh, that thou mayest know the station of Truth to be sanctified above all things, and mayest behold all things as created by the Word. How excellent is this word at the end of His Holiness’s utterance where He saith that this stems from their not looking to the Source of the Cause, for if they were to look to the Source - that is, to behold the very Manifestation establishing all else beneath Him through His Word.

O Ahmad! The station of the Manifestation is above what the servants mention of Him. Then shineth forth the light of unity and are extinguished the lamps of fancy and conjecture. O thou who soarest in the atmosphere of My love! Know thou that the people of the Bayan are more lost than all previous peoples, for after the removal of the veils, the rending of the coverings, the appearance of the light of manifestation, and the call of the Speaker on Sinai, they have uttered that which no polytheist had ever uttered. They cling to previous fancies and strive zealously to lead people astray. They attribute to distortion those statements of the Primal Point that oppose them. The previous fancies are not worthy of mention; it would be a waste for pen and tongue to be occupied with them.

Say: My God, my God! I have turned toward the horizon of Thy Cause and have directed my face to the lights of Thy countenance. I beseech Thee to assist me to attain such steadfastness whereby Thy servants may stand firm in Thy Cause and arise to serve Thee. My God, my God! I perceive Thy fragrance from Thy utterance, though I have not attained the station whereon the throne of Thy grandeur is established. O my Lord! Honor me with Thy presence and the visit of Thy beauty and the fountain of Thy reunion, or inscribe for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen the reward of those who stand before Thy face and who are stationed at the door of Thy mercy. My God, my God! Thou seest me turning toward Thee, hoping for Thy bounties and favors. I beseech Thee by the mysteries of Thy knowledge and that which was hidden from the eyes of Thy creation, to assist me to arise to mention Thee, to praise Thee, and to serve Thy Cause. Verily Thou art the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The law of fasting hath been revealed by God in His Most Holy Book. There is no doubt that it hath been sent down from One Who is All-Knowing, All-Wise. The laws of fasting and prayer as revealed have not been changed, but wisdom is necessary. Hitherto, most have acted in accordance with the laws of the Qur’an. Were something entirely different to suddenly appear before the people, great discord would arise and none would draw nigh to hear the Word of God. In any case, divine forgiveness hath ever encompassed and continueth to encompass your honour, but others must hold fast to wisdom and cling to its hem. This utterance is a mercy unto the friends and a bounty unto the party of God, lest the clamour of every ignorant one and every dissembling hypocrite be raised.

O Ahmad! A prayer hath been revealed which, shouldst thou recite it, would kindle within thee such a fire as no power in all the world could extinguish. Yet wisdom forbiddeth its disclosure. Convey the greetings of the Truth to the party of God. Say: Ye are all remembered in the presence of the Wronged One, and mention of each and every servant, man and woman, hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. Reflect upon that which hath been manifested and seek recourse unto God. Verily, He will open before your faces the doors of grace and guide you to the straight path. Be not heedless of that which befitteth this Day, and arise to secure it. Thus doth the Wronged One counsel you from His prison-cell and summon you unto that which draweth you nigh unto God, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O Ahmad! Again and again do We make mention of thee, as a favour unto thee, that thou mayest give thanks unto thy Lord, the All-Remembering, the All-Knowing. The purpose of all that hath been mentioned is that thou mayest enlighten the people, that all may testify to that which hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. Until now, the station of the Manifestation Himself hath remained concealed. None hath attained unto the light of true Divine Unity save whom God willeth. The purpose is that the station of the Manifestation be made known. For example, the Apostle of God - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake - is the Manifestation of “He doeth whatsoever He willeth and ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth” and is established upon the throne of “He shall not be asked of His doings.” In this station, He hath no partner or peer; nay, none is even mentioned in that realm, and all were created by His Word. This utterance diminisheth not the station of any. Blessed is he who distinguisheth ranks and stations - he is of them that are endowed with insight in the Most Sublime Vision. Reflect upon this utterance revealed in the Bayan, which declareth that if the Manifestation Himself should designate a tree as proof, it becometh proof. The Manifestation Himself is sanctified above all lesser conditions. All are created by His Word, and this station remaineth so long as no deviation occurreth. After deviation, one is numbered and accounted among the people of fire. Today is the Day of God, wherein none save He is mentioned. This is the Day of true Divine Unity. Blessed are they that attain! Should one discover the shrill voice of the Most Exalted Pen within the depths of these words, he would find himself in a new world and would attain unto the light of true Divine Unity. I end My words thus: There is no God but I, the Single, the One, the All-Powerful, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

O Ahmad! Upon thee be My glory! The mention of fasting and prayer is renewed, that it may become clear and evident that the fast of the Bayan is acceptable before the All-Merciful and its ordinance hath been revealed in the Most Holy Book. As to prayer, verily it hath been sent down from My Most Exalted Pen in such wise as to set ablaze the breasts and attract the hearts and minds. However, until now none hath attained unto it save some of them that circle round it. Verily thy Lord commandeth all with wisdom. He is, in truth, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The ordinance of fasting was formerly specific to the servants in this land, for its abandonment caused commotion. Today they must hold fast unto that which accordeth with wisdom. Thou art adorned with the ornament of grace. It is not for thee to fast, but rather to arise to serve the Cause with joy and fragrance, and with the wisdom We have sent down in the Psalms and Tablets. Verily thy Lord doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He desireth. He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty. Behold, then mention what the Point hath uttered. His word is: “Were He to pronounce the earth to be heaven and heaven to be earth, none hath the right to say why or wherefore, and whoso doth say this hath verily disbelieved in God, the Lord of the worlds.” The glory be upon thee and upon those with thee and upon those who love thee for the sake of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

=== END BH00319 ===

=== START BH00320 ===

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

This is a remembrance from Us to those who have held fast to the cord of God, the Sure, and have clung to the hem of the robe of their Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful. O Solomon! The fragrance of the All-Merciful hath been wafted throughout creation. Turn unto Him with a luminous heart. We have seen thy name and have revealed unto thee this perspicuous Tablet that thou mayest give thanks unto thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

O Judah! The Lord of Names in the prison of ’Akka hath turned toward thee with a countenance whereby the heavens and earth were illumined. Blessed is he who hath seen, and woe unto the heedless! O Solomon! We have seen thy name and have made mention of thee with a remembrance from whose horizon hath shone the sun of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, the Mighty, the All-Wise. We counsel thee and them that have believed with that whereby the Cause of God, the Lord of all worlds, may be exalted.

O Mahdi! The Lord of inner meanings maketh mention of thee with a remembrance whereby the fragrance of utterance hath been diffused throughout all creation. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this great favor. Beware lest the affairs of the world withhold thee from the Lord of Eternity. Cast away what the people possess and take what thou hast been bidden by thy Lord, the Commander, the Ancient of Days.

O Hayyim! We have turned toward thee from the precincts of the Prison and have sent down unto thee that wherefrom those near unto God perceive the fragrance of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Take hold of the verses of God with the strength that proceedeth from Him and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who hast remembered me in Thy Most Great Prison and hast turned toward me from Thy far-distant station.”

O Lalehzar! We make mention of those who have believed in God and have turned unto the Most Sublime Horizon. Blessed is he who hath seen with insight and heard with hearing ears the call of God, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the All-Loving. Beware lest human affairs grieve thee and withhold thee from the Lord of Decree. Thus have We commanded thee. Act according to what thou hast been bidden for the sake of God, thy Lord, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate.

O Nasir! The Almighty hath heard thy call and hath answered thee with exalted words and brilliant verses. By the life of God! He shall suffice thee throughout the dominion of earth and heaven. O Joseph! We make mention of thee even as We made mention of thy father. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Remembering, the All-Informed. Rejoice in My favor unto thee and My remembrance of thee in My Great Prison.

O Isaac! The Lord of the Covenant maketh mention of thee on this Day of Meeting. Give thanks and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp is the dominion of existence.” We counsel those who have believed to manifest deeds and virtuous character. Verily, thy Lord doeth what He willeth through His word “Be,” and it is.

O Joseph! Hear the call from the Most Exalted Word in the prison of ’Akka: “There is none other God but Me, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.” We have sent the Messengers and revealed the Books as a grace from Us, and We are verily the All-Bountiful, the All-Wise.

O Benjamin! The All-Wise maketh mention of thee from this Most Exalted Station which God hath made as a canopy for Himself, that thou mayest give thanks unto thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Arise to serve the Cause with supreme steadfastness. Say: “Glory be unto Thee, O Lord of Names! I beseech Thee to make me steadfast in Thy Cause and to hold fast unto Thy Most Great Name.”

O Mahdi! The Promised One hath come and the Herald hath proclaimed: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Lord of the Day of Judgment.” Among the people are those who have turned away, those who have denied, those who have pronounced judgment against Us without clear proof or illuminating Book, and those who have forsaken the world out of their longing for the Most Great Name. Thus hath the matter been decreed, and most of the people are among the ignorant.

O Jacob! The story of Job hath returned, and the Intended One is in grievous affliction. Sorrows have encompassed Him from all directions by reason of what the hands of the idolaters have wrought. O people of God! Be not grieved by what hath befallen Us. God shall soon exalt His Cause through His grace, and He is verily the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

O Mahdi! Verily We summon the world unto light while they call Me unto fire. By this have the dwellers of the Most Exalted Paradise wailed, yet most of the people are fast asleep. Reflect upon the greatness of thy Lord’s patience despite His power and His mighty dominion.

O Yari! We have mentioned thee before and at this hour with that whereby thy remembrance shall endure in the Book of God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forefathers. Say: O people of the earth! By God, the Friend from the Kingdom of utterance doth call out: O peoples of the earth! The Glorious One hath come with a manifest Cause. Cast aside the books of the world and hold fast unto this wondrous Book. By God! Verily it is the Mother Book, speaking throughout the world and calling all unto the Most Great Name. To this testifieth every discerning knower. Arise to serve the Cause with a power that the hosts of the world cannot weaken. Verily thy Lord is the Ordainer, the All-Wise.

O Khadadad! Hearken unto that which the Lord of Creation calleth out on the Day of Return: “Verily there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Bestower.” Blessed is the servant who hath turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon, and woe unto every heedless and remote one. Take thou the chalice of recognition in My Name, then drink therefrom through My wise remembrance. Thus did My Most Exalted Pen move when the Wronged One was in a mighty fortress.

O Sulayman! The Lord of all possibility mentioneth thee that the rapture of remembrance might seize thee and bring thee to a station wherein naught is heard save the verses of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. Beware lest the clamor of the divines hold thee back from the Lord of Names, or the might of princes from the Creator of the heavens. Soon shall all thou seest today perish, and there shall remain for thee what hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen in this wondrous Tablet. We make mention in this station of him who heard My call, turned unto My face, attained unto My days, and ascended unto the Most Glorious Companion, being among the triumphant. He was named Aqajan in the Tablet of the All-Merciful. Blessed is he and blessed is he who remembereth him according to what was revealed for him from the presence of a trusted Speaker. We have remembered him before and after, and I am the All-Knowing Rememberer.

O Moses! The Speaker of Sinai hath come, and the Temple of Revelation proclaimeth, saying: “Look and thou shalt behold Me, the One powerful over whatsoever I will through My blessed, mighty, and great Word.” Be thou vocal in My remembrance, steadfast in the service of My Cause, turned toward My face, and advancing toward My luminous horizon.

O Hayyim! The Bestower hath come, riding upon the clouds, yet the people behold and do not give thanks. He Who was hidden in the Books of God and inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen hath appeared, yet most of the people do not understand. The divines have taken for themselves lords besides God. Indeed, they are the ignorant ones, though they perceive it not. Say: O people! The Self-Subsisting hath come and proffereth unto you His sealed wine. Come ye, and be not among the slumberers. The Most Great Name hath appeared for the life of the world, yet most of the nations do not comprehend. Blessed is he who hath laid hold on the Most Firm Handle and clung to the hem of the robe of his Lord’s loving-kindness, the Sovereign of all sovereigns. Be thou in such wise that neither the ranks of princes nor the intimations of divines grieve thee. Thus doth the Pen of Revelation counsel thee as it moveth upon the Tablet.

O Rubin! This is the Day wherein the Call hath been raised from the Most Exalted Horizon, yet the people do not hear. That which was hidden in knowledge and treasured in the repositories of thy Lord’s power, He Who overshadoweth what was and what shall be, hath been made manifest.

O Harun! Say: The Speaker (Moses) prostrated before the face of God, and Aaron circled round His throne, and the Spirit proclaims: “The Object of all desire has come! The Kingdom is God’s, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting!” We counsel thee and those who have believed to show forth the supreme steadfastness in this Cause whereby the hearts of the men of insight have been troubled and the foundations of those who denied the Witness and the Witnessed have been shaken. Say: O children of the Friend! By God, the Glorious One has come and calls you to a station wherein the call has been raised from God, the Sovereign of the Kingdom. Grieve not at anything, place thy trust in God in all matters. Verily He protects whomsoever He willeth through His authority, and He is the Truth, the Knower of the unseen.

O Moses! The Tree of the Cause has been raised up and calls out to the world: “O Moses! Verily I am God, the Lord of the worlds!” This is the right valley on the right side of the Garden of Paradise, and it proclaims with the most exalted call: “There is no God but I, the Mighty, the Great!” When thou hearest My call and findest the sweetness of My utterance and knowest the mysteries of My Kingdom, arise and say:

“Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the world and Educator of the nations, for having made known unto me the Dawning-Place of Thy signs and having manifested unto me Thy clear tokens. I beseech Thee by the Most Great Sign and the manifestations of Thy Cause in creation to make me steadfast in Thy remembrance and praise amongst Thy servants. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent over what Thou willest, and within Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth.”

O Solomon! Be wise in My days. Beware lest things prevent thee from the Lord of Names or the might of princes veil thee. Arise and say: “God is our Lord and the Lord of all on earth and in heaven.” Thus doth thy Lord teach thee from the Kingdom of eternity that thou mayest thank Him and be of them that stand firm. Thus have We mentioned thee and sent down for thee the verses and expounded them in truth and dispatched them unto thee. Give thanks and say: “Praise be to Thee, O Thou the Goal of the worlds!”

O Isma’il! Dost thou know what hath appeared in My age and in My days? How many sacrifices have We sent to the place of martyrdom who gave up their lives in this straight Path! We have a sacrifice in Iraq who slept turning toward the House, and his throat was cut in his longing to meet God, the Mighty, the Beautiful. And We have a sacrifice in Sad - by the life of God, the Concourse on high were amazed by him - and likewise another sacrifice, and before them another sacrifice. Verily thy Lord recounteth unto thee what hath appeared in His mighty Day. And We have a sacrifice in Ta who was circled round by the Concourse on high, who was named “The Wondrous” in My Wondrous Book. And We have another sacrifice who was named ’Ali in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds. He advanced to the place of sacrifice with such steadfastness as amazed the denizens of the highest Paradise and those who circle round the throne of God, the Great. He proceeded, and with him proceeded the angels and the Spirit and the souls of those brought near and the sincere ones. He reached the station and took the cup of martyrdom in the name of the Lord of Names and drank thereof with spirit and fragrance, with a love that enraptured the dwellers of the highest Paradise and the Lote-Tree of the utmost boundary. Blessed is he and pleasant it is unto him and unto those who remember him through what the All-Merciful hath revealed after his ascension. He verily is the Rememberer, the Forgiving, the Generous. By God the Truth! The Spirit hath circled round My Cause and the Speaker (Moses) calleth out before My face, yet the people are among the dead. They were not awakened by the Call nor by the Cry when it was raised in truth. Verily thy Lord is the Expositor, the Mighty, the Praised. And I have sacrifices in the land of Ta and Ya, to which testifieth the Lord of Names and the Creator of heaven from His exalted station.

O beloved! The Mighty One remembers thee, He Who accepted abasement in the path of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Say: By God, abasement in His path is glory, poverty is wealth, mercy is comfort, and adversity is healing. Blessed is he who attains unto that which My Most Exalted Pen hath uttered, and woe unto the oppressors who have denied the rights of God and His loved ones, and have wronged in such wise as caused the dwellers of the cities of names and those who circle round My mighty throne to lament.

O Sulayman! Hearken once again to the call of thy Most Glorious Lord, which hath been raised from the highest horizon, and be thou of the thankful. He hath sent down for thee that which shall endure as long as the kingdom and the realm endure. Of this doth testify the Preserved Tablet in His presence.

O Elijah! The Lord of all creation remembers thee and counsels thee to remember God in all conditions. Be thou steadfast in the Cause and speak forth that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Book. Read what hath been sent down from the Kingdom of Utterance. It will draw thee to the court of nearness, of holiness, and of reunion. Grieve not over anything and place thy trust in all matters in God, the Lord of Lords.

O Ezekiel! The Glorious One hath come, and the Friend is at His right hand, calling: “O people of the Torah! The Revealer of verses hath come with clear evidences. Beware lest what ye possess prevent you from Him by one of Whose revelations the dwellers of Sinai were thunderstruck and the limbs of the righteous did tremble, save him whom the hand of power did rescue and raise to the most exalted station.” Take hold of the Book of God with the strength that cometh from Him, then make mention of Him amongst the servants with wisdom and utterance.

O Pen! Make mention of him who is named Khudadad that he may give thanks unto his Lord, the Lord of creation, Who remembers him in His Most Great Prison - this station wherein the Tongue of Grandeur doth proclaim: “The kingdom belongeth unto God, the One, the Chosen!” Thus have We sent down the verses and manifested the evidences as a grace from Us, and verily I am the Generous, the Bountiful. Blessed are they who have not broken the Covenant of God and His pledge; these are indeed the people of this station.

O Sulayman! The Wronged One makes mention of thee and counsels thee with that which will make manifest the station of man in the contingent world. Hold fast unto the Most Great Cord and cling to the hem of thy Lord, the Lord of the Return. Thus hath flowed the river of knowledge from the Pen of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, that thou mayest give thanks and arise to serve the Cause in the evening and at dawn.

O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who hath been named Mirza Aqa, and give him the glad-tidings of the loving-kindness of his Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. Say: By the life of God! A single verse from among the verses of God outweigheth the treasures of earth and heaven. Blessed is he who hath attained unto His mention, hath turned unto His horizon, hath arisen to serve Him, hath uttered His praise, and hath soared in an atmosphere wherein naught can be heard save the rushing winds of the mercy of his Lord, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving. Thus hath the Dove of the Pen warbled upon the branches, as a token of grace from God, the Manifestation of all religions. Glory be unto you, O children of the Friend and heirs of Him Who conversed with God, from One Who is the Daybreak.

O Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of those whose names were not mentioned before the Face, and say: O people of God! We counsel you with that which will draw you nigh unto Him, and We strengthen you to remain steadfast in this Cause whereby the feet of the mystics have slipped. We have heard your cries and lamentations by reason of that which hath befallen you in the path of God, the Lord of all lords. We have been with you in all conditions. We bear witness and We see, and verily I am the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Grief hath seized you when ye heard the gloating of the enemies. Rejoice ye now, for the Lord of all beings speaketh unto you. He is with those who love Him and make mention of Him at eventide and at dawn. We counsel you to be trustworthy, religious, to perform goodly deeds and to manifest praiseworthy conduct, and with that which will exalt you to the most sublime station. That which ye behold shall perish, but that which We have built with the hands of knowledge shall endure. It changeth neither from the sun nor from the rains. Rejoice in My remembrance of you. By the life of God! It is a treasure for you with God, the Lord of all beings. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My Kingdom be upon you and upon those who have held fast unto certitude, turning away from idle fancies.

We make mention of My handmaidens and the sons and daughters of My loved ones, as a token of grace from Me, and I am the Generous, the All-Bountiful. O handmaidens of God! The Wronged One remembereth you from His prison cell and counseleth you to manifest pure devotion unto God, the Lord of all men. It behooveth you to hold fast unto the cord of God and to cling to the hem of His mercy, which hath preceded all who are in earth and heaven. O sons and daughters of My loved ones! Rejoice in My remembrance, then give thanks unto your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Choosing. Soon will there come unto you one who will croak to lead you astray from the path. Leave him behind you, turning unto God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment. Thus hath shone forth the Sun of loving-kindness from the horizon of grace, and the verses have been sent down in truth. Rejoice in this bounty which hath no equal in the possession of His servants. He who hath attained My presence and soared in My atmosphere and visited the Temple of the Ancient of Days as your representative hath appeared, and this blessed deed, whose decree hath been sent down in the Book of God, the Manifester of clear evidences, hath been accepted before the Face. The glory that hath dawned resplendent from the horizon of My loving-kindness be upon you and upon those who have cast away what the people possess, yearning for that which is with God, the Revealer of verses.

=== END BH00320 ===

=== START BH00321 ===

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

Praise be befitting the most holy court of the Desired One, whose power is sanctified above all earthly powers and whose sovereignty is exalted beyond the comprehension of all peoples. His sword is utterance and His helper is the divine Word. Glory be unto Him! Glory be unto Him! In the Word He placed the effect of the sword, and in utterance the effect of the water of life. At times He takes, and at times He gives - meaning that the spirit’s manifestation and emergence is a divine trust. This is a power specific to the realm of Truth; the might and power of creation neither weakens it nor prevents its influence. In the Word are concealed both the ocean of mercy and the preordained sword. These mysteries are witnessed in the divine verses. Blessed are they who possess true vision! One word gives life while another takes it away. Blessed are they who possess insight! Glory be unto Him! Glory be unto Him! Though no fire is visible in the Word, yet it ignites; though no water is present, yet it quickens and bestows life. Fresh tongues are needed to properly render thanks for these bounties, and penetrating vision is required to behold them. The instruments of corruption and destruction that come from the outward sword and spear, and the inward sword and spear which are rancor and hatred, have been forbidden in this Most Great Revelation. The hosts of God, as commanded, are goodly character and deeds, and the commander of these hosts is the fear of God. Repeatedly in the Tablets of God - our Goal and the Goal of the world - has this blessed verse been revealed: “Blessed are they who act!”

Glorified art Thou, O Lord of Names and Goal of all who dwell on earth and in heaven! I beseech Thee by the Word through which Thou didst quicken all created things and didst strengthen them at all times through the spirit of life, and by Thy mercy which hath preceded all created things, and by Thy Will which hath encompassed the earth and the heavens, to assist Thy loved ones to mention Thee, to praise Thee and to serve Thy Cause. Thou art He Who hath created all things and hath desired naught thereby save Thy recognition and the recognition of that which profiteth them in every world of Thy worlds. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance to enable them to do that which Thou lovest and pleaseth Thee, and to aid them to champion Thy Cause through the hosts of wisdom and utterance. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Exalted, the Bountiful.

Praise, mention, glory and splendor be upon Thy loved ones who have spoken Thy praise and have arisen to serve Thy Cause in such wise that nothing whatsoever could prevent them from making mention of Thee in the realm of creation. Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power to do as He pleaseth. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Generous.

This evanescent one makes known to your honor that two letters were received which brought joy and bestowed gladness, for from them wafted the fragrance of love for the Desired One - may my spirit and the spirits of all who dwell in the kingdom of Command and Creation be offered up for His sake. After reading and reciting them, they were presented at the Most Exalted Threshold and Supreme Height, and these sublime words and decisive verses were revealed from the Dawning-Place of the utterance of the Beloved of all possibility. Thus sayeth the Lord, exalted and sanctified is He:

He is the Hearer, the Answerer.

O thou who hast turned thy face! Hear the call from the Lote Tree beyond which there is no passing, raised before all faces: Verily, there is none other God but Him, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. He hath appeared and hath manifested that which draweth the people nigh unto the supreme horizon. He, verily, is the Omnipotent over what He willeth, the One, the Peerless, the Mighty, the Beloved.

When the Most Glorious Horizon appeared and the Supreme Pen raised its shrill voice, the people turned away and uttered what the ancients had never uttered, and committed that which caused the dwellers of the pavilions of grandeur to lament. Soon shall they behold the recompense of their deeds, even as those before them beheld. Verily, thy Lord is the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. Save those who cast away vain imaginings, hastening unto God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.

Say: O people! Look with the eye of justice upon the light of divine grace which hath dawned from the horizon of the heaven of your Lord’s bounty, the Possessor of existence. Beware lest the veils of glory prevent you from the seat of divine verses, or the veils from His praiseworthy station. By God! Ye were created for this Day, did ye but know it. This is He Whom God’s Books had promised aforetime, and Whose remembrance hath adorned the Tablets, were ye to recognize it.

Fear God and follow not your own selves, nor the selves of others. Set aside what the people possess, holding fast to that which ye have been commanded by God, the Possessor of the Seen and Unseen. Say: O peoples of the earth! The Lord of Names hath come with such sovereignty as no hosts of the world nor powers of the nations can withstand. To this beareth witness the Preserved Tablet.

He hath come from the horizon of utterance with a proof before which all that the people possess hath bowed down. Fear God and follow not the desires of those who have denied the Witness and the Witnessed. This is the Day whereon the Faithful Spirit proclaimeth: O world! Thine eye is solaced by that which was hidden in knowledge and inscribed by the Supreme Pen, by the command of God, the Lord of the Promised Day.

Thy letter hath come before the Wronged One, which thou didst send to the servant who standeth before the Face. We have answered thee with that which all the treasures and riches cannot equal. Give thanks unto God for this supreme bounty and say:

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having made known unto me Thy path, for having guided me to the dayspring of Thy Revelation, the dawning-place of Thy inspiration and the Manifestation of Thy Self. I was asleep; Thy pervading Will awakened me. I was dormant; Thy all-encompassing Purpose roused me. I was immersed in the ocean of vain imaginings; the hand of Thy bounty saved me. I was in the darkness of idle fancies; the evidences of Thy grace and favor delivered me. I beseech Thee, O Creator of the world and Helper of the nations, to assist me to mention Thee and praise Thee with wisdom and utterance, then enable me to act in accordance with what Thou hast commanded me in Thy Book. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Hear now the divine verses in the Persian tongue. By the Sun of the horizon of unity! Should any soul truly hearken to the utterance of the All-Merciful, he will find himself detached and freed from the world and all who dwell therein, and will become so enkindled by the fire of the Word that its effects shall become manifest and evident throughout all regions. Convey to the loved ones the greetings and glory from the True One. Say: These days in the divine Books are attributed to God, exalted be His glory, referring to Moses, son of Imran: “Lead forth thy people from darkness into light and remind them of the days of God.” Say: Know ye their worth and recognize their station, and arise to redeem what hath escaped you. The deeds of centuries and ages cannot equal a single deed in this Day. Strive that there may appear from you that which beseemeth the Day of God. Conquer hearts through the hosts of deeds and character. God regardeth not wealth, dominion, or the perishable things that pass away. The purpose is that through the power of utterance and the Kawthar hidden in the name of the All-Merciful and the water of love and forbearance, ye may remove the hatred and animosity among the peoples of the world and transform them into mercy, kindness, affection and unity. O people of God! Consort with the followers of all religions in a spirit of fragrance and fellowship. This is a word We have formerly revealed from the kingdom of My wondrous utterance. Blessed is the servant who retireth to his bed purified from malice and hatred and adorned with the love of all that dwell on earth. The wish of the Wronged One hath been and is to establish this matter. Every possessor of knowledge, every discerning one, and every just and fair-minded one beareth witness to this. O people of God! The Day is your Day. Hold fast unto wisdom and arise to serve. The world is opposed to this Cause to such an extent that it striveth with utmost diligence to extinguish its light. However, God hath, through the scratching of the Pen and to their dismay, assisted His Cause and exalted it. Neither the forces of the world nor its hosts can resist this power and ascendancy. He is the Powerful and Mighty over all things. O thou who hast turned to the Countenance! Convey glory from the Wronged One to His honor Siyyid Mustafa. Say: Praise be to God that thou hast attained unto the traces of the Most Exalted Pen. Beseech God to preserve this station and to aid thee in that which He loveth and is pleased with. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon My loved ones who have turned away from idle fancies, advancing toward the lights of certitude. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

Praise be to God! His is the bounty and the giving, His the supreme gift and the greatest bestowal. Through pure grace, He caused the lights of wisdom and utterance to shine forth from the horizon of the Supreme Pen. In truth, should one observe with the eye of reality, one would witness the light of knowledge, understanding, grace and favors shining from the horizon of every word of God’s words. The ocean of proof is manifest in His utterance, and the sun of bounty dawns from the horizon of His Pen. I beseech Him, exalted be His glory, to enable His servants to advance from remoteness to nearness, from heedlessness to awareness, and from ignorance to knowledge, that all who dwell on earth may not be deprived of His days nor remain bereft of His bounty. This bounty grows not from the earth but descends from heaven - God forgive! This heaven is unlike other heavens. This heaven has had and has infinite suns and countless moons. They rise perpetually; setting has neither existence nor trace nor fruit in that realm. Exalted be God, the Lord of the Kingdom, of the heavenly realm, of grandeur and might!

The reason for the delay in responding to the letter and its expression was that last year a Kurdish official in this city occupied the seat of government, daily manifesting deceit. Indeed, beyond deceit and guile, he displayed such tyranny as caused astonishment, for without any cause or reason that person arose in enmity. He caused certain matters to arise in the prison that are not worthy of mention. Yet in all conditions the Supreme Pen remained occupied. Later the order for his dismissal came, and he and his associates returned to their place, humiliation encompassing them from all directions. Indeed, what transpired was a lesson for those of insight and understanding. However, after the city was relieved of his presence, some effects of his words remained, therefore patience was enjoined and this supreme verse flowed from the tongue of the Lord of all beings: “O thou who gazest toward the Most Sublime Horizon! Verily thy Lord is the All-Patient, and He biddeth thee to observe gracious patience.”

In truth, if one encounters no difficulty in God’s path and remains ever in comfort, this has not been and is not beloved in the sight of the lovers and those filled with longing. Through tribulation the book of faithfulness is adorned and the tablet of steadfastness is embellished. Thus in one place He says: “Were it not for tribulation in Thy path, my life would have no sweetness.”

Two days ago these sublime words were revealed in the garden for one of the friends, addressed to Javad in Qaf. His exalted Word:

“O Javad! Say: My God, my God! I love life only to serve Thee, and I desire existence only to spend it in Thy path. I love the house only that Thy mention and praise be raised therein, and I choose a son only that he may arise to help Thy Cause and acknowledge that which the tongue of Thy grandeur hath uttered, and I desire a spouse only […]”

In all conditions, this evanescent one beseeches the eternal Truth, exalted be His glory, for this station, and likewise for His loved ones. We beseech Him to assist His loved ones to that which He loves and with which He is well-pleased.

Regarding what you wrote about the loved ones of that land being engaged in utmost independence and joy and delight in the mention and praise of God, aflame with the fire of His love - after this matter was presented in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence, these words were revealed from the Kingdom of Utterance. His blessed and exalted Word:

He is the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful, and He is the Hearing, the Answering.

We have heard thy call and answer thee once again that thou mayest be drawn to the Kingdom of My wondrous utterance. When thou readest My verses and findest from them the fragrance of My loving-kindness, say: “My God, my God! Aid Thy servants to draw nigh unto Thee, and cause them to know Thy straight Path and Thy mighty Message. O Lord! Withhold them not from the ocean of Thy bounty in Thy days, and disappoint them not of that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones in Thy Book. I beseech Thee, O Lord of the world and the One with power over the nations, by Thy Most Great Name and by Thy Command through which Thou hast subdued the world, to ordain from Thy Most Exalted Pen for the people of Baha that which will assist them in Thy remembrance and praise, and will cause them to know Thy manifest Way and Thy evident Command. Then make them the emblems of Thy remembrance in Thy lands and the standards of Thy praise amongst Thy servants. Moreover, ordain for them the best of this world and the next. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent over what Thou willest, and within Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth. Praise be to Thee, O God of the worlds.”

The showers of mercy have not ceased, and the clouds have not prevented the rays of the Sun of grace from shining forth. His loving-kindness is more manifest than the sun and His grace is greater than the ocean. God willing, may the friends in that land drink from the Kawthar of eternity which floweth from the fountainhead of the Pen of the Lord of Names, and may they, with wisdom and utterance, summon the people of the world to the horizon of the Manifestation. The assistance of God encompasseth all. He will aid them through His sovereignty and will reinforce them with the hosts of revelation and inspiration. Verily our Lord is the Omnipotent, the Mighty.

As to their request that someone be sent to those parts for the exaltation of the Word of God, after this matter was submitted, the blessed Tongue spoke these words: In these days there is no one in this land who can proceed to those parts and fulfill this task. However, we beseech God to strengthen someone from the realm of Persia or these parts to proceed to those regions for the edification of the servants. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

This lowly one at all times begs and hopes from God that He may strengthen your honor to accomplish that which causeth acceptance and attraction. The grace of God, exalted be His glory, hath assisted and continueth to assist. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Regarding what was written about the published treatises in London, it hath been evidently proven that some newspapers speak without investigation and seek new stories to print whatever is written. Some persons who intended to write new books requested that details about these matters be written so they might publish them. No word was given to them. Likewise, some newspaper owners made the same request, but it was not granted. Verily, He speaketh the truth and guideth to the Way, and He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

Convey greetings and glorification to the friends of that land, and I beseech confirmation and assistance for each one, especially to Aqa Siyyid Mu??afa, upon him be the glory of God. God willing, may they be strengthened in that which shall endure through the eternity of God’s Most Beautiful Names and His Supreme Attributes. Verily our Lord is the Omnipotent over what He willeth. There is no God but He, the Compassionate, the Generous. Glory and remembrance and praise be upon your honor and upon those who have heard and responded to the Call of God, the Mighty, the Wise.

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=== START BH00322 ===

Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Asadu’llah, upon him be glory!

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

Praise be befitting and worthy of my Beloved Who caused the Sun of the Most Exalted Word to appear from the horizon of the Tablet through the movement of the Most Exalted Pen, and through that blessed and firm Word adorned the whole world with the garment of existence. He is the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful. The conditions of the world and the intimations of the nations have not and will never prevent Him from that which He hath willed. From time immemorial He hath spoken through the word “Verily I am God” and unto eternity He will utter whatsoever He willeth. No created thing in earth or heaven can frustrate Him, nor can any matter in the kingdom of creation prevent Him from that which He desireth. Exalted be His grandeur, exalted be His dominion, and exalted be His power! He is, verily, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Omnipotent.

I offer praise, peace, and glory unto those who have arisen to aid His Cause and who have voiced His praise amongst His creation. The servant beareth witness that through them steadfastness was manifested among all created things and the banner of victory was raised in this Day wherein the Cry hath been raised, the Sure Hour hath come to pass, and the Calamity hath appeared. These are servants whom the veils of creation have not hindered and whom the swords of the enemies have not frightened. God hath rendered them sanctified from all corruption and contention and from all that causeth souls to be perturbed. They speak with wisdom, hold fast unto wisdom, and walk in the path of wisdom. These are honored servants, these are sincere servants, no fear shall be upon them, neither shall they grieve.

Glory be unto Thee, O Thou through Whose love the sighs of them that are nigh unto Thee have ascended and the tears of the sincere ones have fallen! I beseech Thee by the Name through which the Day of Judgment was manifested and every wise decree was revealed, to aid Thy loved ones and chosen ones to serve Thy Cause and to manifest that which Thou hast willed in Thy dominion. O my Lord! Thou beholdest them hastening unto Thee, turning unto Thy face, speaking Thy praise amongst Thy servants, and arising to serve Thee in Thy lands. O my Lord! Assist them through Thy power and sovereignty, and ordain for them that which beseemeth Thy bounty and generosity. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

This servant submitteth that your letters, arriving one after another, have been the cause of joy and the source of gladness to the heart. The exalted Truth is witness that this evanescent servant is occupied day and night in remembrance of the friends of God. All that you had written was presented at the Most Holy and Most Exalted Threshold, and in response to each, the Sun of favor hath shone forth from the heaven of the Divine Will. However, the letters addressed to this servant, as well as the petitions, did not reach this evanescent one for some time due to the turmoil in these parts, excessive rain, and other impediments. After their arrival, a detailed account was presented. Some time ago, a Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet specifically addressed to you was revealed from the heaven of oneness and was dispatched, and likewise, in response to the petitions from the land of Kha, mention of you was revealed from the Most Exalted Pen. God willing, all shall attain unto them. When your letter arrived this time, after this evanescent one had read and reviewed it, he attained the Most Holy Presence and presented all before God. This is what the Tongue of God hath spoken from the Kingdom of Utterance:

He is the Witness, the All-Hearing […]

I have remembered thee before and after, and have sent down unto thee from the Kingdom of utterance that which hath caused the foundations of the earth to tremble. I, verily, am the True One, the All-Knowing. This is the Day whereon all atoms proclaim: The Kingdom is God’s! And I, verily, am the All-Seeing Witness. The Pen testifieth unto the Ancient of Days, and I, verily, am the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing. Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto My service, circled round My will, soared in the atmosphere of My love, and observed that which was commanded in My perspicuous Book. O Lion! Thou hast attained unto My remembrance aforetime and in this glorious Tablet. We have heard thy call time and again, and that wherewith thou didst commune with God, the Lord of the worlds. We have answered thee with that whereunto nothing can be compared. Thy Lord, verily, answereth whomsoever He willeth, and I am the All-Responding. By God’s life! Nothing whatsoever escapeth His knowledge. He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Seeing, the All-Encompassing.

God willing, thou shalt attain unto all that hath been revealed in the Divine Books. The bounty of the True One toward His loved ones is manifest and evident as the sun. Were thou to render thanks throughout the duration of the kingdom of earth and heaven, it would not equal this supreme bounty, nor ever shall. He, verily, praiseth His Own Self through His loved ones. This beseemeth Him and befitteth His Self, the Sovereign over all who are in the heavens and on earth.

From most regions, petitions have reached the Most Holy Court, all adorned with mention of God and speaking of thy services rendered for the sake of God and in His path. God willing, mayest thou be assisted and confirmed by God’s grace to mention that which hath been revealed in His Book. Whosoever ariseth today to aid the Cause of God with wisdom and utterance is recorded among the people of the Crimson Ark. Strive that perchance differences may be wholly eliminated and transformed into the light of unity. Thy Lord, verily, is the Almighty, the All-Powerful. Glory be upon thee and upon those who have held fast to the cord of wisdom on this Day, which hath been mentioned in the Books of God, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling.

All thy services are visible and mentioned in the Most Holy Court. God willing, mayest thou be assisted at all times to aid the Cause, and strive that no matter contrary to wisdom may appear. For if something should appear and cause commotion, the weak souls would perish. In view of divine compassion and His pre-existing mercy, all have been charged to observe wisdom. Its laws have been sent down as a grace from His presence and a kindness from His court. In all conditions His eye of compassion is turned toward the servants. Nevertheless, that which hath never been witnessed in any age is now observed. Shame upon the people who have broken God’s Covenant and His Testament, and have forbidden men from drawing nigh unto Him.

Concerning what thou didst write about meeting with the Wolf in the land of ?ad, this matter was presented in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court. This is what the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken […]

O Lion! The deeds of that heedless ignorant one are a most dense veil that surely prevents him from hearkening to utterances that emerge from the heart and tongue for the sake of God. Nevertheless, We permit association with him; perchance in some matters he may remember or become mindful. Verily He aids whomsoever desires His aid, and heareth the call of whomsoever heareth His call, and turneth unto whomsoever turneth unto Him. Verily thy Beloved is the Near, the Responsive.

Thy turning to the land of Sad is good; perchance someone may be found who will arise as befitteth. If thou attainest the presence of the fruits of the Tree of Faithfulness, convey to them greetings and comfort from the True One. This is what thou art bidden in the Tablet. He is verily the Commander, the All-Knowing. This turning is acceptable before the Throne if it be accomplished with joy and fragrance.

Concerning what thou didst mention about the Blessed Place in the land of Kha, whatsoever was carried out is ratified and accepted before the Throne. However, in the lands of Ya, Shin, Ta, Qaf and Kaf, in view of the wisdom revealed in these days, it is not permitted until its time and season come. It is known that this is the greatest good deed for all, and any deed that is manifested today and proceedeth from a doer is accounted as the king of deeds before God. This blessed word hath previously been heard from the Tongue of Grandeur: every matter, deed and word that is today adorned with the ornament of God’s acceptance, its fragrance hath been and shall forever be. Just as there hath been no likeness or similitude for God - exalted be His glory, abundant be His favors, and magnificent be His grandeur - there hath not been and shall never be any likeness for the good deeds that are manifested in the Days of God for His sake.

People seek children for the perpetuation of their remembrance, and build mosques and thoroughfares for the preservation of their names - though it is not known how long such names and remembrances will endure between one person and another, or within families. However, whatsoever appeareth in the Days of God - its fragrance and remembrance have endured and shall endure for as long as the kingdom and the realm of heaven exist. These brilliant utterances are manifest and evident from the horizons of divine Tablets. There is nothing that God hath not revealed in the Book.

The servant seeketh forgiveness at all times for his mention, thoughts and utterance. I beseech Him, exalted be He, to expiate my misdeeds and transgressions which, were they to be laid upon the mountains, would render them dust scattered and level plain.

O beloved of my heart! All holy souls should strive to transform the coldness and lifelessness of the world through the fire of the Most Great Name. His Holiness Afnan - upon him be all the most glorious glory - sent a letter to him who beareth the Name of God (66) - upon him be the most glorious glory of God - and deemed it expedient that the Blessed Place be established in a specific location in the surroundings of this land. This matter was accepted in the Most Holy Court. Assuredly, any deed that is performed today in this land or in the lands surrounding this holy land shall be accounted as the sun of deeds in all worlds, and its sweet fragrances shall never be cut off from the world. God willing, may all the friends of God be assisted to achieve that which is befitting today.

Concerning the accounting books of the King of Martyrs, may my spirit be a sacrifice unto him, which you mentioned - certainly the accomplishment of this matter in any form is beloved before God and His loved ones. As for what you wrote regarding the petitions from the Land of Kha which were submitted to the Most Holy Court, as well as the four letters addressed to this servant which you gave to the Afnan, upon him be all the glory of the Most Glorious, to forward - these have arrived and God willing, replies will descend from the heaven of grace and be sent. Praise be to God, all have been honored and achieved success through the radiant effulgences of the Sun of Providence and are mentioned before His Presence. Would that the people of the world could behold the station of this most mighty, most impregnable, most holy and most exalted Cause! By the life of the Beloved, they would pass by themselves and all else like lightning, and would act according to that which exalteth the Cause of God. Verily the Command is in God’s hand - He aideth whomsoever He willeth through His Command, and ordaineth what He desireth through His Most Exalted Pen in His holy, mighty and wise Book.

As for what you wrote at the end of your letter that it has been nearly a year since they have been favored with replies to their petitions - the exalted Truth is witness and testament that you have always been mentioned before His Presence. How could it be that one who arises to serve the Cause of God and to make mention of His praise should be deprived of His favors? Far be it! The glances of grace and mercy have ever been and continue to be directed towards His loved ones. His is the praise and the bounty. That which all the learned, all the mystics, all the eloquent writers and all the wise orators have failed to mention hath appeared and been made manifest.

Furthermore, convey my greetings to the loved ones of God who have quaffed from the wine of steadfastness and are gazing toward the Most Exalted Horizon. God willing, may they not be deprived of spiritual deeds in this luminous Day and may they be enabled to perform such actions as befit this Day. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Compassionate, the Generous.

Regarding what you mentioned about turning toward the Desired Land, it was submitted before the Divine Throne. This is what the Tongue of the Desired One hath spoken forth from His praised station:

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

The Beloved hath heard thy call and hath answered thee through His grace. Verily thy Lord is the Answerer. We have seen thee turning toward the Most Exalted Horizon and We have turned toward thee. Verily thy Lord is the Generous One. We have manifested Our Cause with truth and have sent down what was inscribed in the Tablet, and I am the Great Book. Blessed art thou for having attained unto the traces of My Most Exalted Pen and My beauteous mention. Know thou the value of this station, then give thanks unto thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Behold and remember when thou didst turn toward the Countenance and didst traverse the lands until thou didst enter the Most Exalted Paradise - this Prison which hath been named with the Most Beautiful Names by the tongue of thy Lord, the Creator of heaven - and didst behold the Most Glorious Horizon and didst hear the Call of God, the King, the Omnipotent, the All-Knowing. Thou hast attained unto the presence and hast drunk the Kawthar of reunion. It behooveth thee to remind the people of the goodly things which have been sent down in the Tablets of thy Lord, the Ancient Revealer.

O Lion! Thou hast attained unto the light of His countenance, and stood before His gate, and entered the heaven of His dwellings, and perceived the true Ka’bah, and heard with thine outward ear the voice of Him Who spoke on Sinai. Shouldst thou spend all thy life in praise and thanksgiving and glorification of the Lord of Names, it would be as nothing compared to this bounty. Now thou must occupy thyself with teaching His Cause with wisdom and utterance. By the life of God, this station is most great! O Lion! With perfect detachment and sincerity, fix thy gaze upon God, remember Him, speak of Him, and turn to Him. He verily witnesseth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing.

God willing, may earthly means not prevent the friends of God from mentioning Him, praising Him, and teaching His Cause. We make mention of Our loved ones in all lands and give them glad tidings of God’s remembrance, the Lord of all worlds. Say: O My friends on earth! The fragrances of revelation have been wafted among you. Be thankful to your Creator for this mighty bounty. Purify your hearts that the effulgence of My Name, the Most Merciful, may be established therein, for I am the Compassionate. We give you glad tidings of what hath been ordained for you in God’s Kingdom and counsel you to manifest supreme steadfastness on this Day whereon the call of the Lord of Return hath been raised, and behind it is heard the buzzing of flies. Thus have We revealed the pearls of Our all-encompassing knowledge. Doth the world sadden you after ye have witnessed its transience? By the life of God, it shall perish, and there shall remain for you that which no swift penman can describe. Hold fast unto the cord of steadfastness in all conditions. He verily commandeth you that which profiteth you. To this testify the Concourse on High and the dwellers of Paradise in this exalted station. Glory be upon you and upon My handmaidens who have attained unto the waters of My love and the choice wine of My knowledge, and have turned toward My luminous horizon.

Praise be to God that in this time, time and again, ye have attained unto the bounties of the Desired One of all worlds. God willing, may ye ever attain unto this most great bounty and mighty gift. That which is most beloved in the presence of God this day is unity and concord. It is hoped that the world may be illumined by its light. Your honor must exert the utmost effort in this regard. He is verily the Protector of the doers of good. Glory be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto this Cause and have arisen to serve God, the Lord of all worlds.

On […] Jumada II 1298

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=== START BH00323 ===

In the Name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful!

Praise be to God Who hath ever existed through the perpetuity of His Essence and hath been eternal through the everlastingness of His Pre-existence, Who hath created all things through the Word of His command and hath manifested all possibilities through the effulgence of the lights of His love, Who hath made the hearts of His chosen ones the throne whereon sitteth the beauty of His oneness and a mirror reflecting the glory of His sovereignty. And blessings and peace be upon the First Point that appeared from the invisible realm of Oneness, the First Letter whereby was completed the All-Embracing Word, the First Light that shone forth from the dayspring of the Divine Identity, and the First Breeze that wafted from the gardens of Divinity - He Whom God made in the world of Command the Manifestation of all His names and attributes, and in the world of creation named Muhammad amongst His servants. And peace be upon His family and His companions.

O thou who ascendeth to the heaven of divine unity and mounteth unto the kingdom of divine singleness! Thy letter hath reached me, and I have understood what thou hast mentioned therein concerning the question that confoundeth minds and bewildereth souls. It seemeth that thou desirest from this evanescent one its interpretation, the unveiling of its mysteries, and the removal of its veils and coverings, even though I have never claimed the stations of learning nor the attainment of the heights of wisdom from God’s mysteries deposited in human temples. Despite what I have heard of the clamor of the idolaters and the tumult of the hypocrites in what they have said concerning me and intended against my person, how can this divine bird warble in the garden of inner meanings, or this dove soar in the meadows of eloquence? Yet, having witnessed in thy countenance the lights of love and in thy heart the love of divine mysteries, I shall cause to flow upon thee a stream from this Most Great, Surging Ocean and from this outpouring, abundant cloud, that it may be a token of my love for thee from this moment until the Day when lovers shall be gathered beneath His banner and the mystics shall be assembled at the dawning of His lights.

Know thou that the mystics who have reached the depths of the seas of divine favor and have recognized the mysteries of the beginning in the end speak words that have an outward meaning while intending by them an inner significance. This is their way and custom, for which reason some of the ignorant denounce them as unbelievers, the contentious ones revile them, and the people of error dispute with them in speech. Among their utterances is this word, which is a light and mercy unto the righteous, but a retribution and wrath unto the wicked.

When We reached this stage in Our discourse, We desired to mention certain stations that the path might become clear to thee before the presentation of proof from this lowly servant who hath been afflicted in these prolonged darknesses, and from whose heart every dweller in the precincts of the Friend heareth lamentations when he entereth the pavilion of divine unity at the unveiling of the lights of the Glorious One […]

Know that the first dawning of the Divine Sun in the kingdoms of creation is its establishment upon the throne of the All-Merciful. From this manifestation, the lights of mercy from the Eternal Sovereign shone forth upon all contingent beings. This mercy is divided into two kinds: One kind is called the all-encompassing mercy, the universal mercy, the comprehensive mercy, the treasured mercy, the absolute mercy, the all-surrounding mercy, and other such names mentioned in the books of the mystics - may God Most High sanctify their secrets and spirits. This is the mercy that gives without being asked and bestows upon all contingent and created beings, from their beginning to their end, whether concealed or manifest. This is the mercy that preceded all things that were and will be in the worlds of creation, and through this all-encompassing mercy, the universal lordship of the True Educator is made manifest to all who are in the heavens and earth. Through it, all things are sustained, all things are provided for, and all things are given before they ask or desire or will, just as you have heard and known concerning the first Adam - upon our Prophet and upon him be prayers and peace - that when God, blessed and exalted, created him by His power and breathed into him of His spirit and formed him in His image, He prepared for him his means and all that he needed. Likewise, observe in the case of infants how God, blessed and exalted, has ordained their sustenance and all they need before their appearance and birth, and when they emerge from their mothers’ wombs, they find their sustenance without having asked for it or sought it, for they were not yet in the world to ask for anything or seek anything. When the water of this mercy flowed from the ocean of Oneness into the world of Divine Eternality, God made it sanctified above all limitations and directions, and exalted above all requests and questions. Therefore God named Himself the Lord of all the worlds. Were I to describe this lofty station and this holy, transcendent matter throughout my life and the duration of my being, my heart’s love for this most great station and this most noble, subtle mystery would not be exhausted, but I have kept its description brief lest you grow weary in studying and contemplating it. We ask God to grant you success in arriving at its mysteries and reaching its depths, for verily He does what He wills, and He is the Mighty, the Generous.

The other kind is called the limited mercy and the restricted mercy and such names. From this mercy descends from the clouds of justice the rain of bounty after the servants ask in the world of existence. This is the station of justice, that is, giving to each one his due right. This is the station of the ordering of creation after its coming into being, and the degrees of destiny in manifestation and creation, as was revealed from the Kingdom of Immortality to the Seal of the Prophets - peace be upon him: “There is not a thing but with Us are its storehouses, and We send it not down save in determined measure.” From that station surge the seas of destiny in the worlds of creation, and the sun of Lordship shines in the heaven of munificence.

God is Most Great! This sea has surged,

And the wind has stirred waves casting forth pearls.

This is a station wherein the feet of the mystics have slipped and the steps of the eloquent have faltered, even as one of the holy ones, when questioned about this most manifest station and this greatest of vistas, replied that it was a surging ocean not to be approached, and in another instance a lightless night not to be traversed. He further said that destiny is a mystery of God’s mysteries and a treasure of His treasures, sealed with God’s seal, folded within God’s knowledge. God has lifted its recognition above His servants and placed it beyond their comprehension, for they cannot attain to the secret of the Divine Self-Subsistence nor to the manifestation of the All-Merciful.

As thou dost witness today, the differences among the nations exist solely due to their failure to recognize this most glorious Cause. Otherwise, had they attained unto this supreme station and this most great symbol, none would oppose another, nor would any soul blame another. Even as the Dove has warbled upon the branches of the Tree of Eternity: “How strange that one should be occupied with the faults of others while being heedless of one’s own faults!” In this station, it behooveth every soul to turn unto himself and purify it from whatsoever God hath forbidden, and not to oppose anyone according to his own desire. Rather, concerning matters of his faith, let him inquire of those who are the mirrors of God’s knowledge, the manifestations of His Cause, the dawning-places of His wisdom, and the repositories of His commandments. These holy ones have the right to bid people to do what is good and forbid them from evil. They are they who hasten to perform good deeds and rush to virtuous acts. None besides them hath any portion of this cup, nor can others find any way unto it.

I swear by thy life! Were it not for My fear of the Nimrod of the earth of self and his cohorts, I would have imparted unto thee such divine knowledge as would have caused thine eyes to be solaced and would have enabled thee to attain all that thou didst desire from this Fish that writheth in the dust. However, given My tribulations at the hands of these iniquitous and immoral ones, I am unable to open unto thee the gate of knowledge and recognition with the keys of wisdom and utterance, or to mention unto thee the melodies of the Sinai of eternity upon the branches of the Tree of Certitude. Thou hast indeed enumerated some of what hath befallen Me from the arrows of discord and the blows dealt to My mouth by the hands of hatred and hypocrisy. Verily, they conspire against Me each day according to their desires. We beseech God to ordain for Us what He loveth and is pleased with from the decree of fate in the worlds of its execution. This shall soon be made manifest, as shall some of what they have intended, for I have sacrificed My spirit, My soul, and My body in the path of My Beloved. My yearning for God is as the yearning of the eye for beauty and of the fish for crystal water - nay, greater than that and more exalted than what can be recorded by the pen upon the tablets. However, reveal not what We have indicated to thee until what We have imparted unto thee becomes manifest.

Then We left that discourse and returned to what We were discussing. Know thou that in that station, which is the station of Divine Decree, all matters flow according to their natural order and original balance, as ordained by the eternal decree. For everything in that station there is a measure, limits and duties. Should anything transgress therefrom by even less than a needle’s point, it would depart from God’s fortress which He built by the hands of His command for the protection of His servants. Whosoever departs from His fortress has no path back to it, nor any guide to the springs of His mercy, except through repentance and return unto Him.

If thou wouldst observe with the eyes of thine inner being, thou wouldst witness that this purified Law is in truth the fortress of divinity in the realm of humanity, wherein take refuge honored servants who speak not before He speaks and who act by His command, as well as other servants who desire to enter into mighty strongholds. Whosoever enters this fortress shall not be touched by the arrows of doubts and conjectures, nor shall fatigue or aversion affect him. But whosoever departs therefrom, the thief shall steal away the garment of his knowledge, the cloak of his faith, the banner of his trust, and the mantle of his devotion, leaving him stripped of the beautiful robes which God had woven by the hands of His Prophet, His Messenger, and His Chosen One.

May God protect us and you from the evil of these thieves who are not content with wealth nor with what pertains to glory in the world of detail after the summary, but rather take from people all that God had given them of the shirts of His favor and the garments of His generosity. In this station is verified concerning them that poverty which causes the face to blacken in both worlds, even as the Nightingale of Oneness sang in the gardens of eternity: “Poverty is blackness of face in both worlds and well nigh leads to unbelief.”

By My life! Were I to reveal unto thee the mysteries of these allusions, thou wouldst detach thyself from all who are on earth and soar to the City of Divine Attributes at the manifestation of the lights of the Divine Essence. But the Pen restrains Me from this, and the Tablet prevents Me from it. We beseech God to bring about days wherein the sun of knowledge shall shine forth from the horizon of wisdom and the moon of mysteries shall rise from God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

Since the decree of bestowal upon all who are in the heavens and earth according to their capacities and ranks has been established, know thou that the wayfarer who journeys unto God, who emigrates unto Him, who severs himself from the perishable homeland and desires to ascend to the eternal abode - unto him shall be unveiled the hidden mysteries and treasured realities, and there shall appear unto him the essences of divine unity and the manifestations of eternal oneness. When he attains to this exalted station and this glorious homeland, it becomes incumbent upon him to be a trustee of God’s knowledge-treasuries and a custodian of the pearls of His wisdom’s mysteries. He must be a preserver of these divine knowledge-trusts deposited in the vessels of illumined hearts by God, the Creator of all beings. He must guard them as his own eyes and conceal them in his breast. Should he reveal even a single letter of these mysteries to one unworthy, three crimes shall be charged against him: First, betrayal, for he has betrayed God by revealing His secrets to those unworthy; Second, injustice, for he has given this station to one unworthy of it and burdened him with what he cannot bear and is unable to carry, thus establishing against himself the decree of injustice […]

And what greater oppression is there than this? The third is murder, because he has led this helpless one astray and killed him a spiritual death. For when he is unable to comprehend these divine truths, his feet slip from where he stood regarding the matter of his origin and return. Therefore, the judgment of one murdered applies to him, and upon his killer falls the judgment of retribution. This killing, in the sight of the people of truth, is greater and more grievous than the killing of the body, were you to behold with the eye of the heart. This is evidenced by what was sent down from the Kingdom of Oneness upon the Countenance of Ahmad (may my spirit and the spirit of those immersed in the depths of light be a sacrifice unto Him) concerning Hamza, the Prince of Martyrs, and Abu Jahl: “Is he who was dead and whom We have raised to life, and for whom We have ordained a light whereby he walks among men, like unto him who is in darkness from which he cannot emerge?” Therefore, ponder this blessed verse. If by death was meant physical death, and by life physical life, then the judgment of death and life would not apply to Hamza, for outwardly he was alive with physical, elemental life. Rather, what is meant by death in this noble verse and divine word is spiritual death and the death of the heart. For when Hamza (may God be pleased with him) believed in God, His verses, and His Messenger whom He sent with truth, he became alive with the life of faith and drank from the cup of the Living, the Life-Giving One, from the spring of certitude. The judgment of death applies to him - that is, death to temporal accidents - and life - that is, the enduring life of faith. The opposite judgment applies to Abu Jahl. This spiritual life endures and does not perish, as evidenced by His exalted word: “We shall surely give him to live a goodly life.” But physical life perishes, for “every soul shall taste of death.” Thereby it is established that spiritual death is greater than physical death. When this is established, it is also established that spiritual killing is likewise greater than physical killing. Therefore, the judgment of retribution falls upon this killer. Since we have proven the judgment of retribution upon the mystic knower with clear proofs and firm evidence, know that none can execute this retribution except those who drank the wine from the Cup-Bearer of Beauty in the world of spirits before the appearance of creation in the world of forms. It befits these Poles to execute judgment upon him, for it befits that retribution be carried out by one upon whom the limitation does not apply, not by every ignorant rabble who cannot distinguish truth from falsehood nor darkness from light. Therefore, we suffice with what we have mentioned to you, and conclude with praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and peace be upon whoever follows guidance.

=== END BH00323 ===

=== START BH00324 ===

The City of God. To the honored physician, upon him be the Glory of God. On the 15th of Muharram 1303.

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

Praise, sanctified from the comprehension of all created things, befitteth that Eternal Lord Who hath, from time immemorial unto time everlasting, guided through His Most Exalted Word the people of the mortal realm unto the highest horizon. He sent forth the Prophets with clear proofs and evidences, with scriptures, tablets, books and testaments, that the diverse paths of the world might converge into a single path, and the manifold ways of the peoples into one way. And since it was intended from the beginning that the mystery of mysteries be revealed, He made it manifest in the Mirror of the Seal, and He is the Manifestation of the divine names most beautiful and attributes most glorious. With Him ended Prophethood and Messengership. He is the true Baptizer, for He hath cleansed hearts and souls with the waters of divine knowledge. Even as Christ declared, He is the Dawning-Place of the light of unity and the Dayspring of the blessed word “There is none other God but Him.” Through Him was raised the pavilion of knowledge and wisdom in the contingent world, and the light of the All-Merciful shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of understanding. Upon Him be God’s blessings, peace, mercy and favors, and upon His family and companions who drew their swords in aid of God’s Cause, the King of Kings. Through them were the banners of victory raised throughout the lands, and the sun of justice shone forth upon all horizons. Through them were made manifest Paradise and its stations, according to His words, peace be upon Him: “Paradise lieth beneath the shadow of swords.” Peace, great and abundant peace be upon Him.

Thereafter, thy noble letters arrived repeatedly, and all were received. Each appeared as a garden adorned with the flowers and blossoms of mention and utterance, its trees speaking in praise and glorification of God, its fruits manifest to those of humility and lowliness. For in truth every letter thereof bore the fragrance of divine love, and every word thereof indicated steadfastness in service to the eternal Purpose. O beloved of my heart and physician of my soul! Love is that which openeth the sealed doors and showeth the path of nearness and reunion. If I say it is light, this is the truth without doubt, for through it do lovers attain unto the lights of nearness to the All-Merciful Lord. And if I say it is fire, this too is true, for it consumeth the moisture of lethargy and manifesteth the reality of heat. Glory be to God! Its might hath seized and conquered the hearts of kings, and bound the heroes of the world in chains. Whatever is said of it is but a drop from this ocean. Pens are powerless to describe it, let alone to describe its Creator. Glorified, glorified be He from being mentioned by my tongue or pen, or by the tongues and pens of the world and its peoples. I seek forgiveness before me and before all, and I turn unto Him in repentance. Verily, He is the Ever-Forgiving, the Merciful.

In truth, what shall I say - where was I and where have I fallen? My intention was to seek pardon from that Beloved One for the delay in response. That did not come to pass, and this transpired instead. The command is in His hands - He doeth whatsoever He willeth and ordaineth as He pleaseth. I swear by the peerless God, the All-Knowing, that the delay was not due to neglect, but rather stemmed from wisdom. For they have said that people are heedless and unaware of the purpose. Should a word be dispatched to those parts and be spread abroad, they would interpret and explain it according to their own vain desires. For most of the servants have been and continue to be vessels of ignorance and corruption, ever waiting to invalidate truth or to clothe falsehood in the garment of truth. Even as the divines of Iran from the inception of Islam until now maintain that the Promised One dwells in Jabulqa and Jabulsa, and whosoever speaks otherwise, they pronounce his death sentence and mock the Sunnis, since those souls do not cling to such invented fancies but rather affirm and proclaim His birth. One is perplexed - nay, the world is perplexed - that from the earliest days until now, among all the divines who have come and gone, not one has been aware of the truth. Indeed, it is cause for amazement. We beseech God not to deprive these servants of the ocean of true knowledge. Given such profound ignorance, what can be said? What can the tongue utter and the pen record?

This lowly one is immersed in the ocean of wonderment, for it is observed that the people of the Bayan too have become occupied with the same vain imaginings, whereas today all Islam should hold fast to a single word - that is, the blessed word “There is none other God but Him” - and strive to protect God’s religion and God’s law from enemies. They have devoted all their energy to depriving these servants of all rights. The body of Islam lies exposed while the beasts of the world snatch and carry away its limbs and members piece by piece. The eye of justice weeps and the form of equity laments. Whatever befalls them, they say nothing, yet when true believers, who after God’s grace are adorned and illumined by the lights of unity, speak a word of counsel or show a path of protection, all rise up in rejection and protest. Such is the condition of the heedless ones. However, I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to unite all Islam through His conquering might and overwhelming power, and to aid them to act according to what He has revealed in the Book. He is the Powerful, the Mighty. After observing and examining the noble letters, proceeding to the station, the details were presented before Him, and He said […]

O Physician! Upon thee be My salutation and My bounty! We beseech the True One that He withhold not the world from the light of the Sun of Love, and deprive it not from the ocean of knowledge and wisdom. The world hath been encompassed by the smoke of heedlessness and seized by the dust of ignorance, to such extent that eyes are prevented and ears deprived, save whom God willeth. Today all must, with utmost lowliness and supplication, beseech the Self-Sufficient for the victory of His manifest Faith. The lamp of understanding hath been surrounded by tempestuous winds, and the horizon of the Sun of Justice hath been seized by dark clouds. We beseech Him to preserve the former in the glass of wisdom, and to remove the latter from the horizon.

This Wronged One’s counsel is that all associate with the servants of God in the utmost spirit of joy and fragrance. Every time hath its command, and every season its requirement. Noah did say “Leave not upon the earth any dweller from among the unbelievers,” while the Spirit (Christ) said “If Thou punish them, they are Thy servants, and if Thou forgive them, verily Thou art the Mighty, the Wise.”

At one time in the world of dreams, I attained the presence of the Messenger of God - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him. Words were revealed from that Dawning-Place of the Divine Book, and utterances shone forth from that Ocean of Divine Wisdom. During His utterance He said: “Formerly I declared ‘Paradise is beneath the shadow of swords,’ but in these days were I manifest I would say ‘Paradise is beneath the shade of the Tree of Unity and Mercy.’” After hearing this most exalted blessed Word, I said: “May the spirit of the world be sacrificed for Thy loving-kindness, for Thy bounty, for Thy mercy!” Thereafter there flowed from the Ocean of Utterance that which no pen hath the station to express, nor ink the position to reveal. When I arose from sleep, for a time I found myself in such joy as cannot be described. That which was witnessed and heard transcendeth the understanding of the servants. We beseech God to confirm all and cause them to attain the Most Exalted Station, which is the station of knowing Him, that all may acknowledge the sanctification of His Essence from likeness and the exaltation of His Self from similitude. True acknowledgment is achieved and established when they act according to that which hath been revealed in the Book from the Supreme Pen.

That Beloved One and this servant and the people of unity must all take refuge in God from the evil of those who are veiled by the Bayan, who mislead and train the servants exactly as the Shi’ih did. Glory be to God! Until now they have not realized what Day this is and what the Manifestation is. They drink from the spring of fancy yet count themselves among the people of certitude. They walk in the wilderness of conjecture yet consider themselves companions of assurance and conviction. God forbid that a party like the previous one, namely the Shi’ih, should appear in the world. Reflect upon the deeds of those oppressive souls - what they claimed and what they did, what they said and what they practiced.

At this moment I was summoned to the Most Exalted Summit, and after attaining the presence, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these words - exalted be His glory: “O servant in attendance! Write to the Physician - upon him be My salutation - For a long time the Supreme Pen hath spoken about the deeds of the previous party. The wisdom in this is that later souls might become aware and informed, that perchance they might not be afflicted with previous vain imaginings. The deniers of the Bayan are occupied with the same vain imaginings. By My life! Until they pass beyond the gulf of fancy they will not enter the ocean of certitude, and until they traverse the path of names they will not attain to the lights of the Sun of inner meanings. This is the truth, there is no doubt therein.”

We beseech God to grant sight. The veils have been rent asunder by the finger of power, and it is hoped that the people of the Crimson Ark will not be afflicted with the idle fancies and vain imaginings of the past, nor will they defile their hearts and minds with the worthless utterances of this one and that. They had sent a copy of the letter written to Husayn, known as Sukht�. Glory be to God! How he has advanced! He has become an emigrant and has learned from the white bankers. What that beloved one has seen is but a drop from his ocean of nonsense. It would be well for him to send such writings far and wide. Ask ye God to bestow upon the eyes of the people of the world a subtle light. This servant hath seen many things and hath much in his possession, yet I pray and beseech all the friends to guide those veiled souls and remove from the world the foul odor of ignorance, folly, rancor and hatred. He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

If you inquire about the news of this land, praise be to God, all are well. For some time now the twin luminaries of the heaven of grace, namely His Holiness Aqa Mirza ?iya’u’llah and His Holiness Aqa Mirza Badi’u’llah - may my spirit be sacrificed for their coming - and the people of the pavilion of purity have gone to Beirut and will return in a few days. The pilgrims to the House of God have been many this year, praise be to God, and have attained His presence. I beseech God not to deprive anyone and to aid and assist all to achieve that which He loves and is pleased with. Verily, He is the Hearing, the Responding One.

Mention was made of the friends of that land. After this matter was presented before the Master, He said: Convey greetings to all from the Wronged One. Verily We remember them as We have remembered them before, and We beseech God to protect them from the evil of every oppressor and to guard them with the hosts of the seen and the unseen, to aid them to act according to what is in His Book and to draw them near to Him in all conditions. Goodly deeds and praiseworthy conduct are God’s ladder among His creation. Through these every soul can ascend to the ultimate goal and the highest summit. Blessed is he who attains unto them, and woe unto him who neglects them. They must associate with all with fragrance and spirituality, with love and affection. Love is the light of God among His creation - through it every light appears and the world is illumined by it. It is the cause of creation and its manifestation, as spoken by the Almighty: “I was a hidden treasure and loved to be known, therefore I created creation that I might be known.” Hold fast, O friends of God, to love and affection, to kindness and unity. Your station is above all stations and your conditions above all conditions, for you are the people of unity and the companions of detachment. Ask ye God, your Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and the earth, to protect you from the artillery of the polytheists and the swords of the infidels, and to assist you against His enemies through His grace and bounty. Verily, He is the most powerful of the powerful and the most generous of the generous. Praise be to God Who is the Goal of the mystics and the Almighty over all who are in the heavens and the earth. End.

This evanescent one beseeches and implores God, exalted be His glory, to assist His friends to preserve the pearls of His love and that which will calm the fire of hatred in the world of creation.

As for the matter of the House, some time ago His Holiness A. and H., upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, wrote to this servant that the honorable physician, upon him be God’s peace and loving-kindness, had requested a power of attorney. This servant presented this before His presence and He said […]

Half of the sum remains, therefore We did not wish to issue any decree in this regard. Half of the sum has reached them and We await the remainder, after which whatever is commanded will be beloved. God is witness and testament that We do not wish any harm to befall anyone, therefore the matter remains pending. We know not what the honored physician, upon him be peace, hath done. In any case, We beseech God to soon provide the means whereby this sum may be paid.

This evanescent servant continually beseecheth and imploreth for the exaltation, sublimity, glory and elevation of that beloved one. Were it not for the unwise actions of the friends, I would have caused much trouble. Praise be to God, that beloved one is remembered in most times. All the friends and pilgrims send their greetings and praise, and this servant conveyeth greetings and praise to each of the friends in that land. That land and those regions have ever been and continue to be before Our sight. For each one I seek divine confirmation that they may be assisted in that which will cause the exaltation of the Cause and may be strengthened with such steadfastness as is the mightiest foundation. Verily He will assist them through His grace, and He is the Mighty, the Powerful.

At this moment, having approached the Sacred Threshold, the Lord spoke thus: “We send greetings from this station to the physician, upon him be My glory, and to the leaf who is with him, and to his son who hath been mentioned before and after in the presence of the Wronged One, and to the monotheists and the sincere ones. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.”

This servant also conveyeth greetings to the honored leaf and to the son, upon them both be the glory of God, and beseecheth God to ordain for them the good of this world and the next. Peace, praise, remembrance and glory be upon thee and upon those who have acknowledged and recognized the Word that there is none other God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

=== END BH00324 ===

=== START BH00325 ===

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

Glorified be He Who hath illumined the horizon of the world with the Day-Star of His Most Great Name, whereby all the tribes were seized with trembling and the nations were shaken, save those whom the hand of divine power did rescue. He, verily, is the Peerless, the Chosen One. He, verily, is the One through Whom the Most Exalted Pen hath spoken amidst the concourse of creation, and the Lord of Names hath testified to that which He hath testified. He, verily, is the Sovereign Whom the understanding of all who dwell within the realm of possibilities cannot comprehend, Whom the birds of the hearts of the people of certitude cannot reach. Every mighty one hath been abased before the manifestation of His power, and every powerful one rendered impotent before the revelation of His might and grandeur. The Books of Heaven have been adorned with His mention and praise, and the Preserved Tablet with His Name and sovereignty. Were it not for Him, the All-Merciful would not have revealed the secrets of what was and what would be. Through Him the Hidden Name bore witness and the Treasured Name prostrated, and through Him the door of the Treasury was opened and the Hidden Mystery which was recorded in the Scriptures, the Psalms and the Books was revealed. He calleth aloud, saying: “O concourse of creation! The All-Merciful hath come with clear proof and evidence. Blessed is the soul that hath turned unto Him and hath attained unto the Most Great Ocean which hath flowed from the wellspring of His utterance amongst His creatures.” I beseech God to aid His servants to turn toward the Most Exalted Horizon and to recognize that which is hidden from the eyes of all who dwell in creation. He, verily, is the One Who is supreme over all names. There is no God but Him, the Omnipotent, the Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Thereafter, the servant hath received thy letter and perceived from it the fragrance of thy sincerity toward God, the Lord of the worlds. When I came to know and learn and became acquainted with its contents, I turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon and drew nigh unto the Ultimate Goal, until I attained His presence and presented that which thou didst call upon our Lord and the Lord of the mystics. Thereupon the door of grace was opened and the Day-Star of the bounty of the Lord of Justice shone forth. He, exalted be His grandeur, saith: “O ’Ali-Qabli-Nabil! Blessed be thine eyes for having been honored to behold the Ancient Beauty, and thine ears for having heard His sweetest call in the land of Zawra, and thy form for having attained the presence of the Wronged One. Thus doth the Self-Subsisting remember thee in this Most Great Prison. Moreover, blessed be thy mother who turned toward Him, attained His presence, and won that which is the object of the Books of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Blessed again and again be thy father through whom servitude unto God, the True One, was adorned. By My life! He truly attained, when he stood before the Throne, that which most of the servants have failed to attain. He is the one in whose affliction the Most Exalted Pen spoke that whereby his remembrance shall endure in the Kingdom of God, the Almighty, the Exalted, the Bountiful. We bear witness that he left his home at the bidding of his Lord, detached from all else but Him, and traversed deserts, wilderness, mountains and hills until he reached the seashore and crossed it in His name until he entered the Luminous Spot and the White Land - the place which the Sinaitic Tree did circle and where he heard the call of God, the Lord of Names and Creator of Heaven. Blessed be he and whoever visiteth it through My binding command. That hath been revealed for him whereby the fragrance of the Beloved hath wafted throughout the world. Verily, thy Lord is the True Informer. Be thou thankful unto God for having made you to know Him and aided you and raised up your names among all peoples. He, verily, is the Protector of the sincere ones.”

God willing, through His infinite bounty, thou shouldst at all times be joyous, and with the utmost spirit and fragrance be occupied with the remembrance of the Beloved of the worlds. Praise be to God that thou didst attain the shore of the Most Great Ocean and didst drink from the Kawthar of reunion, and wert blessed with the presence of the Beloved’s countenance in days when all things shall return to nothingness. Know ye the value of this supreme bounty and preserve it as thou wouldst thy very life. O ’Ali-Qabli-Nabil! God is the All-Seeing, the All-Hearing. Whatsoever hath befallen you in His path, He hath witnessed it all and recorded it by the Most Exalted Pen in the Preserved Tablet. No grace can equal or will ever equal this grace. Look not unto the people and their ways, but rather gaze toward the Most Exalted Horizon and say: “O Lord of all names and Creator of the heavens! I have turned with my whole being unto Thee. Aid me to act as befitteth Thy days and my connection to Thy Name, the Mighty, the Wondrous.”

Every thing hath and shall have its fragrance. Assuredly the fragrance of deeds performed purely for God’s sake shall encompass the world, and every person possessed of smell shall perceive it. Be thou assured of thy Lord’s favor and hold fast to His luminous hem. In all matters–be they goodly deeds, spiritual qualities, or praiseworthy actions–follow the example of My Most Truthful and Holy Name. He is among those souls who have in truth been adorned with the ornament of servitude unto God. It behoveth every soul to remember him as the Tongue of Grandeur hath remembered him in the kingdom of My wondrous utterance. O ’Ali-Qabli-Nabil! Hearken unto that which the Glorious Lord calleth unto thee from this beautiful spot: Verily there is no God but Me, the Almighty, the Powerful. Hear what the idolaters say–they utter that which the people of the Torah, the Gospel, and the Furqan have not said. Among them are those who claim He hath asserted Lordship. Say: Yea, by the Lord of creation! He hath spoken that which the All-Merciful foretold in the Bayan. To this testifieth whosoever hath found the fragrance of My garment, turned toward the horizon of My grace, soared in My atmosphere, and become detached from all else besides Me. Thus doth My Most Exalted Pen make mention of thee, and I am the All-Informed.

The people of the Bayan, they who have turned away from the Lord of all possibility, cling to the words and allusions of the people of the Furqan and utter them. Now observe in what station standeth the Cause of Truth, and in what station the understanding of the heedless ones. Shame upon them! Perdition upon them for having turned away from the Truth and spoken that which even the children of this Revelation would not speak! To this testifieth every possessor of vision and understanding, and beyond these the Pen of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

O ’Ali-Qabli-Nabil! Through divine grace and the boundless heavenly favor, thou must remain steadfast and immovable in the Cause of God with complete firmness, and dispense the wine of steadfastness in the name of Truth, that the friends of God may rise resplendent from the horizon of certitude and assurance. Certain vain and false souls who have turned away from the Countenance of Unity and clung to the form of fancy are, at all times, occupied with leading astray poor souls through satanic whispers and devilish promptings, and have taken hold of the vain imaginings of the people of the Furqan. Say: O ye who possess sight, the people of the Most Sublime Vision soar above the world. At all times ye must fix your gaze upon the highest horizon and regard as absolute nothingness and sheer non-existence all else save God - that is, those souls who have passed by the Intended One and clung to vain imaginings.

That which hath been manifested from thee in service to the Cause hath been and shall ever be remembered before the Throne. We were with thee when thou didst speak in the Ridvan among the loved ones of God, and We heard what thou didst utter in praise of thy Ancient Lord. I beseech God to aid thee and strengthen thee to serve Him in all conditions. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Powerful. We saw thee in the land of Ha and Mim and in other regions, and We heard what thou didst mention in this Wise Remembrance.

God willing, that beloved one should at all times be occupied with the promotion of God’s Cause through wisdom and utterance, that perchance withered hearts may be refreshed by the choice wine of the mention of the One True God and turn toward the horizon of His Cause. We beseech God, exalted be His glory, to protect all. Most people still know not what Day this is and what Cause this is. They are like sheep - when one goes forth on a path, all the others follow behind it. Observe the very foundation of the religious beliefs of those heedless souls among the followers of the Qur’an who counted themselves the most exalted of creatures and knew themselves greatest of all, yet for ages and centuries followed imaginary words. They arranged a Jabulqa, built a cellar with the clay of fancy, established an imaginary place with foundations of conjecture, and named it the Sacred Precinct. Is there any possessor of sight to see, and any possessor of hearing to hear what the Truthful, the Trusted One speaks? O true brother and real beloved! One cannot speak the truth, as in most instances flows from the Pen of the All-Merciful: “Whatever thick veils and massive coverings We rent asunder by the finger of power, yet it was observed that the people had fashioned for themselves veils thicker than those and coverings greater than those.” For a thousand years and more, imaginary creatures who deemed themselves the gems of existence were gazing toward and turned to an imaginary city, an unknown cellar, and a precinct of fancy. And from time to time mention was made of communications that would emerge from that precinct. O God! Is there any one strong whom the fancies of men cannot weaken, and any one assured whom the clamor of the servants cannot frighten? It is observed that some among the people of the Bayan who have shunned the Countenance of the All-Merciful are occupied with the same imaginings. His blessed and exalted Word states: “Say: Fie upon you, O Concourse of the Bayan, for having done what none among the people of the Qur’an had done. They followed vain imaginings, and you followed their fancies after having renounced them.”

I beseech God to raise up assured, mighty souls who may, with wisdom and utterance, summon the heedless people to the wellspring of the All-Merciful. Although the people of the Bayan witnessed that whatever they previously possessed had an imaginary foundation, yet one cannot properly convey even this single point to them, for they are seen to be presently wavering and disturbed. For instance, they observe that the lamp of knowledge is extinguished, yet if even this very thing which they witness were to be spoken, they would be transformed and would turn upon their heels, retreating until they return to their abode in the fire. Were I permitted, I would mention that which would open eyes. In any case, they have carried fancies and imaginings to such a point that they became the cause and reason for the martyrdom of the Beloved of the worlds, the Point of the Bayan - may the spirit of all existence be sacrificed for Him. For had there not been false and fabricated communications and mention of two imaginary cities and what pertained to them, with which the books were filled, they would not have denied the Countenance of the All-Merciful and would not have risen to shed His most pure blood. Were this to be explained further, clamor and lamentation would be raised from all directions. Most strange of all that they deny what they themselves witness! We beseech God by His sovereignty to raise up men possessed of mighty steadfastness and severe strength who may acquaint the people of the earth with what benefits them in this world and the next. Verily He is the Protector of the sincere ones.

Concerning what you wrote about dependents, this was presented before the Most Holy Court. He said: “God willing, the True One will assist those souls who pay the Huququ’llah according to their means and provide for their dependents according to their needs. O ’Ali-Qabil-Nabil! There has never been any doubt that whatever has been revealed and issued forth from the Most Exalted Pen regarding commandments and prohibitions redounds to the benefit of the servants themselves. For example, among these is the Huququ’llah that hath been revealed. If people succeed in paying it, assuredly God, glorified and exalted be He, will bestow His blessing, and that wealth will benefit that person and his posterity. As thou observest, most people’s wealth does not benefit them, and God causes others to gain mastery over it, or it passes to heirs who are strangers to them. The consummate divine wisdom transcends mention and description. People witness, then deny; they recognize, then remain ignorant. Were they to act upon the commandments, they would attain the good of this world and the next. I beseech God to assist His servants in that which will profit them. He is verily the Helper, the Generous.”

This servant submits that whenever you write something for the relatives of His Holiness the Most Truthful, the Most Holy–upon him be all the most glorious Glory, all the most excellent praise, all the most brilliant Light, and all the most beautiful Radiance–convey countless greetings from this ephemeral one. The Glory be upon him and upon you and upon them.

Another submission: As commanded, in these days travel to the Desired Land is not permitted. God willing, you must engage in service to His Cause in the divine realm with utmost joy and fragrance, that perchance the cities of hearts may become illumined by the rays of the Sun of Truth. This is among the greatest of deeds, by My Self that ruleth over the worlds.

All those circumambulating and those who dwell nearby send greetings to your honor and those with you. Furthermore, this servant sends greetings and praise to the spiritual beloved, Aqa Muhammad-’Ali, upon him be the Glory of God.

Concerning what you mentioned about one named ’Ali from the people of Qa’in, it was presented before His Presence. He, exalted be His grandeur, said: “O ’Ali! The ocean of certitude is surging and the Sun of assurance is shining and manifest from the horizon of the heaven of the Will of the Beloved of the world. Take steps in remembrance of the Truth and by His Name ascend to a station that transcendeth all people and their imaginings and conjectures. O ’Ali! Among the conditions of the believer today is that he should, like the morning breeze, pass fresh and invigorating through the realm of possibility and enter, through the blessing of the Most Great Name, into the realm of the placeless. If the unfair people had not denied the Truth and imprisoned Him through the greatest oppression in the prison of envious souls, He would assuredly have manifested that whereby the whole world would have become rich and independent of all things. In any case, the possessors of rancor and hatred have desired to conceal this spiritual Sun of Truth behind the veils of fancy and imagination. By God’s life! The Pen is bewildered at mentioning what they have wrought in their vain life. Soon shall they find themselves in evident loss. If anyone denies this station, to what station will he turn? All existence, both seen and unseen, beareth witness unto it, but the people are in a mighty veil. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.”

Another matter is to convey from this evanescent one most glorious greetings to his honor Aqa Muhammad-’Ali, upon whom be all the most glorious Glory of God. We beseech God to grant him success and to assist him in His Most Great Cause, to bestow upon him the good of this world and the next, and to ordain for him that which brings joy to the eyes and gladdens the hearts. A most wondrous, impregnable and most holy Tablet specifically for him has been revealed from the heaven of the Divine Will and has been sent. God willing, he will attain unto it. Then peace be upon you and upon him and upon all who have believed in God and are guided.

The Servant

25 Ramadan 1295

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O spiritual friend, His Honor Aqa Mirza Muhammad-Taqi of Abhar, may the glory of God rest upon him! May these lines be noted.

In the Name of our Lord, the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious!

Praised be thy deeds, O thou who hast been afflicted in the path of God, the Creator of heaven! Blessed art thou, O thou who hast drunk the cup of tribulation in the love of God, the Lord of Names! Joy be unto thee, O thou who hast borne hardships and adversities in the Cause of God, the Creator of all things!

All praise, sanctified above every mention, befitteth the Lord of all mankind, Who hath ordained the abasement of His loved ones to be the cause of the glory of the people of the world, and made the imprisonment of His chosen ones the means of freedom for all nations, and caused the wandering of His friends to become the source and origin of the gathering and turning of all lovers toward their true homeland.

Glory upon glory be unto thee, O thou who hast left thy dwelling place in the path of God, the Ancient of Days! Then praise and glorification be upon thee, O thou who art enkindled with the love of God, the Sovereign of all nations!

Can the pen adequately render such thanksgiving, or can the tongue succeed in fully expressing these stations? Today all things cry out, “Would that I had borne hardships in Thy love, O God of the worlds!” and “Would that I had endured all tribulations in Thy path, O Ultimate Goal of all who seek Thee!”

The Christ of the age appeared from the dawning-place of the Most Merciful’s Cause, yet became the object of the rejection and opposition of all servants save a few. After the ruling of the Mufti of the age, these few were driven from their homes and scattered in different directions, to such extent that they had not even sustenance for the day. Now observe how kings remove their crowns and bow down at the mere mention of each of these souls. Such is the glory hidden within these apparent humiliations, today concealed from eyes and sight.

The Lord of Ba??a appeared from the dawning-place of the will of the Lord of all mankind, and at first His enemies arose in such fashion that any fair-minded person would be ashamed to recount the details. The polytheists conspired to martyr all His companions, whereupon He informed them that they must all emigrate from that land at dawn. Among those holy souls was Ja’far-i-Hayyar, upon whom be the glory of God, who journeyed with a group to Abyssinia where they dwelt for some time, occupied with utmost joy and enthusiasm in the remembrance of the Lord of all mankind. The details thereof have flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. Blessed are they who have attained and beheld!

Though in those days they were afflicted with utmost poverty and were seen in apparent abasement, it was later observed that through the blessing of those holy souls, the treasures of wealth were opened to the people of Islam, the gates of glory were unlocked, and the nightingales of joy warbled sweet and wondrous melodies upon the branches of the trees of human existence. Glorified be He Who doeth whatsoever He willeth through His power and sovereignty, and ordaineth what He desireth through His command and will!

The cause of life hath been water, as witnessed by “from water did We make all things living.” At times He hath bestowed this virtue upon fire, even as He made the fire of the Mount the cause of life for all peoples. Who can prevent His sovereignty? I testify that there is no God but Him. He hath ever been sanctified beyond the understanding of those near unto Him and exalted above that which the tongues of the sincere have uttered. He hath manifested what He hath willed and […]

He manifesteth whatsoever He willeth. The conditions of creation cannot weaken Him. He is, in truth, the Ruler, the Commander, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. O beloved of my heart! That which melteth the heart and consumeth the body are the regrets that dwell in the heart of this evanescent servant. Behold the holy souls in the land of Sad - how, through God’s grace, they were manifest in the utmost glory and elevation while they lived, and how at the end of their days they attained a station the like of which hath truly never been seen or heard. This servant uttereth at every moment “Would that I had been with them!” Yet this honor hath slipped away and this regret remaineth in the heart. From the Supreme Pen there was revealed concerning them that which causeth all the atoms of creation to weep and lament. They attained unto that which shall endure as long as the kingdom of earth and heaven shall last. And now this regret too remaineth in my heart - why was I not with that honored one who hath left his home and country in the path of God and journeyeth through the wilderness with no helper or assistant? Would that I had been with thee and attained unto that which thou hast attained in the path of our Beloved, our Goal, and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and the earth! But the servant giveth you glad tidings of God’s victory, His grace and His mercy which have preceded all existence, both seen and unseen. The servant hath received your letter, and from each word thereof he witnessed the fire of longing and yearning. When I understood and became aware of its contents, I turned toward the Desired One until I attained the presence before the Throne and presented what was therein. Then did the Tongue of Grandeur and Glory speak that which caused the earth to quiver and the mountains to pass away. I find my pen unable to describe what the Kingdom of Utterance did speak - nay, all the pens on earth - until the Tongue of Eternity spoke these sublime words, and His sweetest utterance and the Beloved of all on earth and in heaven declared: “O Muhammad! Verily the Single One, the Unique, maketh mention of thee from this station unto which the birds of divine attributes cannot soar. Rejoice thou and be of the thankful. We have given thee to drink of the Kawthar of Our utterance and the choice wine of Our knowledge, and We give thee to drink through these verses that which will draw thee to a station wherein neither the clamor of the world nor the oppression of those who have denied God, the Lord of all worlds, will grieve thee. Verily He will purify the earth from the defilement of those who have risen in opposition, and will cause thee to attain the supreme summit. Thy Lord is, in truth, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. By My life! Thou hast attained unto the recognition of the Desired One, through which the books of God, the Sovereign, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, have been adorned. God willing, thou shalt soar on the wings of detachment in the atmosphere of the love of the Creator of new creation, and shalt at all times be enkindled with the fire of His love. Blessed art thou and thy father, whom the Concourse on High remember and to whom the Most Glorious Pen hath borne witness in His preserved Tablet. O Taqi! Hearken unto My call from the precincts of My throne. It will draw thee to My Kingdom and the station of My nearness, and will give thee to drink of the choice wine of My wondrous utterance. Thy letter hath come before the Wronged One. We found it aflame with the warmth of My love and adorned with My mention and praise. Blessed art thou, and thy pen, and thy tongue, and thy heart. Rejoice thou in the remembrance of thy Lord and be steadfast in My service and speaking forth My beauteous praise. Look not upon the people and their clamor. Look upon that which hath been ordained for thee by My mighty Pen. This hardship shall, God willing, be followed by ease and […]

If thou desirest to follow the example of thy Lord, verily He was well-pleased with whatsoever befell Him in the path of God, and remained thus, as all things and every discerning soul doth testify. Where are the Caesars and the Khosroes and the Pharaohs and the tyrants who built for themselves dwellings on mountain peaks and disdained the Command of God, thy Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and on earth? Thus doth a preserved Book recount unto thee from His presence. How many were the souls who appeared in the utmost outward glory and deemed not their own extinction possible, yet today neither they nor their habitations nor their ornaments nor their dwellings can be seen, and no trace remaineth of those heedless and veiled souls upon earth save the effects of their tyranny and oppression which still persist in diverse regions. Thus do all atoms curse them, as doth every person of understanding and insight and every eloquent tongue that speaketh the truth. Verily thy Lord recounteth unto thee that thou mayest be of them that are assured. Ask thou God to assist thee and those who have believed to serve His Cause and to make mention of Him and to praise Him, for verily He is the Almighty, the All-Powerful. Make thou mention of My loved ones who have cast away all else save Me and have held fast unto My Strong Handle and clung to the hem of My luminous Robe. Give thanks unto God that the Goal of the world hath inhaled from thy letter the fragrance of contentment, and this sufficeth thee and the Lord of all names, yet most men are heedless. I have found in the spirit of thy commune the spirit of My good-pleasure. Blessed is the babe that hath drunk from the breast of My loving-kindness and hath grown up beneath the shadow of My mercy and hath won My acceptance in My days. Thus doth My Most Exalted Pen make mention of thee with such mention that if they who are on earth were to perceive its fragrance, by God the True One, they would abandon all they possess and hasten to the precincts of the Throne - the Spot whereon the Ancient Beauty hath established Himself with manifest sovereignty. God willing, mayest thou remain firm and steadfast in this most exalted station, for certain of the friends of God presented their petitions at the Divine Threshold, adorned with the ornament of His good-pleasure, but then another fragrance wafted and concealed the first. Thus doth the Goal inform thee that thou mayest be of them that are steadfast and firm. Grieve not at separation and remoteness, for by His Pen He transformeth estrangement into reunion and remoteness into nearness. Exalted be thy Lord, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days. Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds.

Indeed these verses have been revealed with such bounty as cannot be described by pen or tongue. In every word there is a luminous lamp. Blessed is he who hath found and recognized. After perusing the revealed verses that soul will testify to that which this servant hath submitted.

As for those souls who through the grace of the All-Merciful have quaffed from the Kawthar of divine knowledge and are gazing toward the horizon of certitude - whose names were mentioned - all their names were presented at the Most Holy Court and unique and wondrous verses were revealed for each one. However, this servant found no opportunity to write in detail. Gladden ye them all with God’s bounty and convey greetings on behalf of this evanescent servant, for this servant found himself powerless to mention all that was revealed from the Kingdom of divine knowledge. Most often the verses of God are revealed in such manner that even the Supreme Pen of the world is incapable and unable to transcribe them. However, I give this much glad tidings to the friends of God that all those verses were revealed with perfect bounty and undoubtedly their effects will appear in the world. Verily our Lord, the All-Knowing, hath power over all things. I beseech you to convey greetings once again on behalf of this evanescent servant.

Blessed art thou, O thou who hast voiced the praise of him who illumined the horizon of faithfulness in the kingdom of creation, and blessed is every one who hath uttered mention of Ha and Ha! O Zaynu’l-’Abidin, hearken unto that wherewith the Lord of all worlds maketh mention of thee from this manifest Castle. By My life! Wert thou to taste the sweetness of My utterance, such joy would seize thee that sorrows would never grieve thee, and the eye of thy heart would be opened in such wise that thou wouldst behold the Twin Lights in the most exalted horizon, the most glorious station, the supreme height, and the ultimate goal. And thou wouldst say: “Praise be unto Thee, O my God and the God of the world, and glory be unto Thee, O my Beloved and the Beloved of the nations! I testify that Thou didst create them both, and didst strengthen them, and aid them, and exalt them, until Thou didst sacrifice them in Thy path. Thou didst desire for them naught save that which the pens of possibility are powerless to record and the pages of time cannot contain. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

Though the friends be abased in the eyes of men, they are most honored in the sight of God, and soon shall the sun of glory be seen dawning from the horizon of the world and become manifest. Reflect upon previous centuries and whatsoever occurred therein. Then shall be revealed unto thee that which hath been uttered by My wondrous tongue. The entire world and whatsoever existeth therein cannot be compared to a single word from the words of God, for the fragrance of that word persisteth forever in its diffusion. The recompense of no sincere deed hath ever been, nor shall ever be, effaced or forgotten. With Him is the knowledge of all things in His Book, and verily He is the Munificent, the All-Bountiful.

The hatred, enmity and harm of the people have never been worthy of mention or attention. Observe this world, which is the abode of such events: at every moment it proclaimeth “Behold my evanescence!” Consider the world as a book; at every moment obliteration seizeth its words, as every person of insight can perceive. But the words of God have a station that neither obliteration can seize nor extinction approach. Blessed art thou and those who behold all things with Mine eyes and who have confined their affairs to the promotion of My Cause through the wisdom which the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Book.

As to the previous question regarding where they should reside and what they should do, these matters have been referred to consultation, as is recorded in the divine Tablets. One must consult with steadfast, assured souls and act accordingly. That which proceedeth from consultation is best for him who holdeth fast unto wisdom in the kingdom of creation. When thy first letter arrived, it was presented at the Most Holy Court. They said: “Wherever they reside, they dwell beneath the shade of the Tree of Divine Mercy, the pavilions of grandeur, and the tabernacle of grace.”

I swear by the pearl of God’s ocean of knowledge, when this servant heard these blessed words from the Tongue of Divine Unity concerning thee, he was well-nigh transported with joy. In all conditions, all these servants must occupy themselves with tongues numbering as many as the atoms of the universe, nay more, in praise and glorification of the loving-kindness and favor of the Beloved of the world. Well is it with thee and with us all! The circling spirits around the Throne of the All-Merciful send their greetings. Glory be upon thee and upon those who have turned with radiant faces toward the Supreme Horizon. Praise be to God, the Lord of the Throne on high and of earth below.

That which today is in truth greater than all other deeds is the unity of the loved ones of God, even as hath been stated in numerous passages: “Through unity the Cause of God, the Lord of [mankind], will be made manifest.” Today confusion and chaos are observed everywhere. Neither do the young show respect to their elders, nor do the lowly pay deference to those of high rank. All must now fix their gaze upon that which hath been revealed from the Supreme Pen. You must strive mightily in this matter, that perchance you may become the cause of unity and concord among the friends of God. Assuredly, through discord the Cause becometh of no account among the servants. I beseech God to grant enabling grace and to adorn all with that which He loveth and is pleased with.

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He is the All-Eloquent, the Expositor, the All-Informed

This is a remembrance from Us unto him who hath turned unto God, the Lord of all worlds, and whose letter hath reached the Most Great Prison, and who hath been blessed to hearken unto the Wronged One whilst He was in the hands of the heedless. O Muhammad-Qabli, hearken unto the Call from the direction of grandeur, from the right hand of the luminous spot, from the Divine Lote-Tree: Verily, there is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We have heard thy cry and perceived therefrom the fragrance of thy love. We have turned unto thee and answered thee through this Epistle, from which the sincere ones shall inhale the sweet savors of the loving providence of their Gracious Lord. How many a learned one hath been veiled by his learning from the Sovereign of all knowledge, and how many an illiterate one hath shattered the idols of vain desire in the name of the Lord of all mankind and turned with radiant countenance toward the supreme horizon. How many a mystic hath found mysticism to be as chains about his neck, barring him from the shores of the ocean from whose waves can be heard: “The world hath been illumined with the lights of the Manifestation, and He Who conversed upon Sinai hath come with clear sovereignty.” How many a divine hath been held back by the greatest veil from the Lord of Destiny, and how many an ignorant one hath rent it asunder through the name of his Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful. O Muhammad-Qabli, arise to serve thy Lord with wisdom and utterance. Thus hath the command been sent down from the presence of the All-Merciful, whilst most of the people remain heedless. Among the people are those who have turned away from the Mother Book, clinging to such fancies and idle imaginings as they possess. This is the Day that was attributed unto God in the Books of the Prophets and Messengers. This is the Day whereon all things proclaim: “The Lord of all names and Creator of the heavens hath come with a Cause before which all the hosts of earth and heaven are powerless to stand.” Cast aside the people’s ancient tales through the power of thy Lord. By God’s life! Such tales have held them back from the supreme horizon. Verily thy Lord is the Expositor, the Mighty, the All-Wise.

Say: O people, be fair in the Cause of God which hath appeared with the truth, and follow not the vain imaginings of those who have cast behind them God’s Covenant and Testament, following every ignorant remote one. Break the idols of fancy through His Name, the Self-Subsisting, then turn with radiant faces toward the Dawning-Place of the revelation of your Lord, the Lord of all beings. This will profit you in the Hereafter and in this world, if ye be of them that know. This is a Day wherein that which ye possess of the interpretations of those whom knowledge hath made vain will profit you not, such that they have been prevented from the Sovereign of all knowledge, Who calleth aloud between earth and heaven: “Verily there is no God but Me, the Omnipotent, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” Say: O concourse of divines, consider and remember when ye gave verdict against the Messengers of God in the past, denied God’s right and sovereignty, disputed His signs, and disbelieved in His firm and mighty Cause. Cast aside that which hath kept you from the path of God and take hold of that which ye have been commanded in His mighty Book. Open your eyes! By God’s life, the ocean of life surgeth before your faces and the fragrance of the All-Merciful wafteth through your lands. Fear God and be not of the wrongdoers. Your likeness is as one who holdeth fast to a single letter, turning away from the Most Great Book wherein are revealed the mysteries of what hath been and what shall be. Say: Come ye, come ye, that I may reveal unto you what ye possess of God’s Books and Scriptures and what was sent down unto My chosen ones from the First for Whom there is no beginning. Thus hath the Bird of Utterance warbled upon the branches and the Tongue of the All-Merciful in the Kingdom of knowledge, would that ye might know. Say: Ye have taken a drop and cast the ocean behind your backs. What aileth you, O company of polytheists? Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One from the direction of His Name, the Self-Subsisting, and arise to aid the Cause of your Lord, the Knower of the seen and unseen. Say: By God, the Wronged One calleth you for the sake of God, as witnessed by what hath befallen Him in His days at the hands of those through whose tyranny the Concourse on High have lamented and the eyes of those who have held fast to the Most Firm Handle have wept on this witnessed Day. Thus have We sent down the verses and expounded them in truth that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. The splendor shining from the horizon of the loving-kindness of the Lord of Names be upon thee and upon those who have been just in the Cause of God, the Sovereign of existence.

Praise be to God that thou hast hearkened to the call of the Lord of Names and turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon. Thy letter arrived and was mentioned by this servant in the presence of the Wronged One, and was granted audience. Blessed is every one who hath turned, every hearer who hath heard, and every seeing one who hath beheld the Most Exalted Horizon and the Supreme Summit. All sacred Books and Scriptures have testified to the greatness of this Cause, and the True One, exalted be His glory, hath attributed this Day among all days to Himself. Nevertheless, all remain heedless and veiled from its greatness. Strange it is that certain divines of the earth who are veiled have not yet reflected upon what caused the divines of past ages and former centuries to reject and oppose the Manifestations of the Divine Unity. By My life! They are the great veils and the august shrouds that have been and continue to be the cause of preventing the eyes of the people. It is most regrettable that anyone should today deprive himself of the outpourings of the All-Bountiful One, for that which is lost today cannot be regained through human power. Stand firm for God’s sake and speak for God’s sake. Every word that proceedeth from the tongue purely for the sake of God is effective. The deeds of this day are recorded in the divine Books as the sovereign of all deeds. Strive that thou mayest be accounted as one of the trees of the eternal paradise in God’s Book and that thy mention may endure in the Book of the world.

As to your question concerning the reality of the soul, it is a divine sign and a heavenly essence which all the learned have failed to comprehend and all the wise have been powerless to understand. It is the first entity to speak of God, its Creator, to turn towards Him, to hold fast unto Him, and to bow down before Him. In this state it is ascribed unto truth and returneth unto Him; otherwise it is reckoned among the followers of self and passion and returneth unto them. Today, whoso hath not been hindered by the doubts of the peoples from attaining unto the truth, and whom neither the clamour of the divines nor the might of princes hath deterred, is accounted among the greatest signs in the sight of God, the Lord of all beings, and is recorded by the Supreme Pen in God’s Book. Blessed is he who hath attained thereunto and hath recognized its station and rank. Regarding the stages of the soul, such as the soul that commandeth to evil, the self-reproaching soul, the inspired soul, the assured soul, the pleased soul, the soul that is well-pleasing, and the like - these have been mentioned before and the books of the people are replete with such references. The Most Exalted Pen hath had and hath no desire to mention these stations. The soul that is, in this day, submissive to God and holding fast unto Him - all names are its names and all stations are its stations. During sleep it hath no attachment to anything external, but remaineth at rest in its own station. All matters appear through their causes, and through causes do the stations of wayfaring, perception and vision vary. Consider the faculty of sight: it beholdeth all created things of earth and heaven, trees and rivers and mountains, yet through one small hindrance it may be deprived of all. Exalted is He Who created all causes, and exalted is He Who hath made all things dependent on causes. Every single thing among all things is a door leading to His knowledge, a sign of His sovereignty, a revelation of His names, a testimony to His majesty and power, and a path unto His straight way.

O Muhammad-Qabli-’Ali! Give thanks unto God that We have turned toward thee from the precincts of the Prison and have made mention of thee with a mention wherewith the honored servants shall remember thee. Verily the soul, as it is, is a sign among the signs of God and a mystery among His mysteries. It is the Most Great Sign and the Herald that giveth tidings of the divine worlds. Within it lieth concealed that which the present world with all its capacity is powerless to mention or describe. Behold the Soul of God standing firm upon the ways of truth, and the commanding soul that hath risen in opposition and forbiddeth men from drawing nigh unto the Lord of Names, bidding them instead to wickedness and iniquity. Know ye that it is in manifest loss. Consider the ignorance of the people, who, while knowing that none hath had access to the source of opposition, have yet spoken that which the ancients never uttered. Stand thou firm in the Cause with such steadfastness that every person of insight may perceive therefrom the fragrance of steadfastness in the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds. Say: O concourse of the ignorant! Come ye that we may examine the traces, for they will guide us to the straight path, acquaint us with what was hidden, and draw us near unto God, the One, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower. Say: Cast away what ye possess and take hold of that which ye are commanded in the Book. By God! He hath come with such sovereignty as none can deny save those who have cast fairness behind their backs and have risen in tyranny. Say: Come ye, come ye, that We may show you the Sun at its noontide zenith. Fear God, O people, and be not of them that are astray. He hath come for your salvation and hath sent down for you that which will draw you nigh unto God, the Lord of all men. Cast off the rivulet, for by God, the Most Great Ocean hath surged before the faces of the nations. Turn ye unto Him and be not of those who saw the proof yet denied it, following every heedless doubter. Thus hath the Supreme Pen coursed in the arena of proof and demonstration. Blessed is he who hath attained unto its cry, and woe unto him who hath turned away from God, the Lord of the Final End.

As to thy question regarding whither the soul returneth after the dissolution of the body: if it be associated with truth, it returneth to the Supreme Horizon. By the life of God! It returneth to a station whereof all tongues and pens are powerless to make mention. Every soul that is firm and steadfast in the Cause of God shall, after its ascension, be the source from which all worlds derive their bounties. Such a soul is the leaven that giveth rise to the world and the crafts and visible things therein, through the command of the True Sovereign and the True Educator. Observe ye the leaven, how it requireth a leavening agent - and pure souls are the leaven of the world. Ponder thou and be of the thankful. These stations, and likewise the stations of the soul, have been mentioned in various Tablets. The soul is a sign that is sanctified from entry and exit; it is both still and in motion, seated yet soaring. It beareth witness to a world that hath beginning and end, and likewise to a world that is sanctified from beginning and end. In this night thou observest a matter, and after twenty years, more or less, thou shalt behold that very same thing. Now consider what manner of world this is. Reflect upon the wisdom of God and His manifestations, and say […]

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, my Lord and my Goal, for having enabled me to recognize the ocean of Thy bounty and the heaven of Thy Revelation, and for having given me to drink from the Kawthar of acceptance through the hands of Thy generosity. I beseech Thee by the lights of the Sun of Thy countenance and the fire of the Tree of Thy Cause to assist me under all conditions to serve Thee and to promote Thy Cause. O Lord! Thou art the All-Bountiful, possessed of great grace. The affairs of the world do not withhold Thee, nor do the hints of the nations render Thee powerless. O Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Self to open before my face, with the finger of Thy power, the door of Thy knowledge, then ordain for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen the good of the hereafter and of this world. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all beings. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the Omnipotent.

As for what thou hast mentioned, whether belief in Thee and Thy Manifestations hath different grades according to varying levels of understanding, or whether it hath but one reality - regarding this question, there arose in the past among the different sects of the Qur’an vain disputations that neither nourish nor satisfy. Such disputations are, in truth, as clouds and veils before new-born sight. However, for those whom God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy, hath endowed with insight, there are assuredly different stations and varying levels of comprehension. Observe and ponder the signs of creation. The Seal of the Prophets hath said: “Lord, increase my astonishment in Thee!”

As for what thou hast mentioned concerning the end of the physical world, the recognition of this station dependeth upon the vision of the beholder. In one respect it is finite, and in another it is sanctified therefrom. The Truth hath ever been, and will ever be, and likewise creation, except that the latter is preceded by causation. In this case the principle of unity is established and realized.

As for thy question about the celestial spheres, first it must be known what is meant by the mention of spheres and heaven recorded in the books of the past and present, and likewise how they relate to and influence the visible world. All minds and hearts are bewildered at this station. None hath comprehended it save God alone. The philosophers who have interpreted the age of the world to be many thousands of years have not in this period enumerated the planets. How many differences are visible and evident between the sayings of those before and after! And for every fixed star there are planets, and for every planet there are creations whose number the enumerators are powerless to count.

O thou who gazest upon My countenance! This day the Most Exalted Horizon is resplendent and the Call of God hath been raised. We have revealed in the Tablets: “This is not a Day for questions.” It behooveth whosoever hath heard the Call from the Most Exalted Horizon to arise and say: “Here am I, here am I, O God of Names! Here am I, here am I, O Fashioner of the heavens! I bear witness that through Thy Manifestation there hath appeared that which lay hidden in the Books of God and concealed in the Scriptures of His Messengers.” Verily, should any soul truly comprehend the utterance, let him arise with utmost endeavor to serve the Cause with wisdom and eloquence, in such wise that neither the clamor of the polytheists nor the croaking of the heedless shall deter him. There hath appeared from the Most Exalted Pen such scientific truths as all on earth are powerless to comprehend, save whom God willeth. The Primal Point hath declared: “He it is Who in every condition proclaimeth ‘Verily I am God, no God is there but Me’” and the Divine Lote-Tree likewise hath voiced this most exalted word and still doth voice it. Blessed is he who hath found the fragrance of the All-Merciful, detached from all else - he is indeed of the people of Baha in the Crimson Book. Blessed are they that have attained! Well is it with thee for having turned unto Him and believed in this Day wherein the earth hath lamented and the heavens have cried out, wherein the limbs of all names have trembled and the feet of the learned have slipped - they who violated God’s Covenant and His Testament by following vain imaginings and idle fancies. Give thanks unto God for having aided thee, given thee knowledge, granted thee utterance, and taught thee that which hath guided thee to the straight path. We have indeed perceived the fragrance of thy love and thy turning unto Him and the burning of thy heart, and have therefore revealed unto thee this Book wherein We have set forth the verses as a command from Us. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the Bestower. We have seen thy condition and heard that wherewith thou didst commune with God. Verily He witnesseth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Behold, then remember what thou hast heard aforetime and what hath been manifested in this Revelation, and arise to serve the Cause with such steadfastness as shall make firm all feet. Thus doth the Wronged One counsel thee from the precincts of the Prison, and make mention of thee with verses that shall never be exhausted. The splendor shining from the horizon of thy Lord’s bounty be upon thee and upon whosoever hath clung to the hem of God, the Lord of all creation.

=== END BH00328 ===

=== START BH00329 ===

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

Praise be to God Who hath raised up the heaven of utterance and adorned it with brilliant stars, and illumined its horizon with the Sun of the remembrance of the Most Great Name, whereby the world was illumined. When the air stirred and the heaven moved, the ocean of knowledge surged and the Ark of God sailed thereon through His Most Glorious Name. Blessed is he who clung unto it and embarked upon it through the Name whereby the veils were rent asunder and the coverings were torn away. Glorified be He Who hath revealed what He desired through His exalted Word and hath spoken and caused all things to speak. Verily His Word is the path of truth and the balance of justice, whereby the lovers were attracted and soared in the atmosphere of longing, and whereby the sincere ones arose to promote the Cause of God between earth and heaven, and bore in His love such tribulations as none can reckon save God, the Lord of all names. Through it were opened the gates of the treasuries of heaven and the Kingdom of Names was revealed. Through it the Trump was blown and the Call was raised amidst the concourse of creation. Through it the mountains of idle fancies were scattered and the heavens of vain imaginings were cleft asunder and the earths of knowledge were split among the peoples. At times thou seest it flowing like water in the valleys, and at other times blazing like fire upon the heights. Through it were the hearts of the wretched consumed and the Concourse on High made glad. Can the Pen ever exhaust Its praise? Nay, by the Lord of Names! Can paper ever contain It? Nay, by the Creator of heaven! Verily, It is that through which the names and all things were manifested. There is nothing but that it hath withered at Its appearance and manifestation. Through It the fragrance of God was wafted throughout creation, the dwellers in the graves were stirred, and the Day of Resurrection came to pass. Exalted, exalted be He Who revealed It and created It and made It the source and educator of all things. Exalted, exalted be He Who hath made Himself known and taught His servants what He desired. He is, verily, the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful.

Thereafter, the servant hath attained to that which flowed from your pen that moved in praise and glorification of God and in describing His attributes and names. When I opened it and read it and became aware of its contents, I turned toward the heaven of the Cause and presented what was presented before the Throne. Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that whereby the world was gladdened and the mouldering bones were quickened. He–glorified and exalted be He–spoke […]

O Ali! We were seated upon the throne in the Most Great Prison when the servant who is present before Us entered with thy letter and made known its contents - and verily We are the Hearing, the Answering One. We have heard thy call and recognized the depth of thy love for thy Lord. Remember when thou didst turn toward the Prison and stand before its gate, hearing the call of the Wronged One Who spoke from the most exalted station that there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. O Ali! Hearken unto what the polytheists say in this Most Great Revelation whereby the limbs of all nations have trembled. Thy Lord is verily the Expositor of Truth, and He is the All-Knowing. They say He hath claimed Divinity - a claim that beseemeth no one among His servants. Thus have their hearts hardened and their souls deceived them. Thus do We recount unto thee the utterances of the heedless ones, and We are the All-Informed, the All-Aware. Say: By God! This is God’s Day wherein none is mentioned save Him. He is verily the One Who speaketh in the Most Great Prison and calleth betwixt earth and heaven. No Prophet there was who did not herald this Day to all creation, and no Book exists but was adorned with this Most Great Name. Say: None is mentioned on this Day save God, His names, and that which hath appeared from Him. Thus hath the Command been sent down in all the Tablets, yet most of the people are heedless. Say: This is the Wondrous One through Whom the horizon of creation was illumined and through Whose Word was manifested that which lay hidden in the treasuries of God’s protection, the Mighty, the Powerful. Say: Were He to speak other than what He hath spoken, then ye might have cause to object. Say: Reflect and be not among the opposers. Say: This is He Who hath come from the heaven of grandeur with manifest sovereignty and hath called all to God in such wise that neither ranks nor hosts nor the protestations of the polytheists could deter Him. And those among the people of the Bayan who denied the All-Merciful forgot all they were promised, speaking as spoke the people of the Furqan before them. Say: Woe unto them and unto you, O company of doubters! They followed vain imaginings as did their forebears. Thus doth the Tongue of Grandeur speak the truth. Be thou thankful and say: Praise be unto Thee, O God of all worlds! Blessed is he who hath cast behind him vain imaginings and stood firm in this Cause whereby the feet of the mystics have slipped. Say: Fear ye God and follow not your idle fancies. Follow Him Who hath come unto you with a proof that neither the heavens nor the earth can withstand. Grieve thou not over anything. Verily He heareth and seeth, and We are the All-Seeing. We have remembered thee time and again, and this is yet another time. When thou dost inhale the fragrance of thy Lord’s verses, arise and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Creator of the heavens! Glory be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp lieth the reins of all worlds! I praise Thee and thank Thee for having caused me to turn toward Thy most exalted horizon and to recognize Thy Beauty after every remote polytheist had turned away therefrom, for having shown me Thy countenance after the passing away of all things, for having made me hear Thy most sweet call, for having enabled me to attain unto the ocean of Thy Most Great Name, and for having given me to drink, through Thy bountiful hands, the water of everlasting life. Every limb of my body testifieth to Thy grace, Thy bestowal, Thy generosity and Thy gifts, and verily Thou art the Generous Giver. O my God! Thou seest that mine eyes are turned toward the horizon of Thy favor and mine ears are attentive to hear Thy call. O Lord! The yearning one’s longing and rapture never cease, nor doth his love and ardor ever cool. I beseech Thee by Thine own Self to make me in all conditions enraptured by Thy verses, delighting in the fragrances of Thy raiment, clinging to Thy robe, and speaking Thy praise amongst Thy creatures. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Akbar! The Lord of Destiny calls thee from the direction of His Most Great Scene, as a token of His grace upon thee, that thou mayest be of the thankful ones. From this Most Holy Station We send greetings to the faces of those who have turned to the countenance of God and responded when the Call was raised between earth and heaven, and followed that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in a preserved Tablet. We make mention of them and give them glad tidings of that which hath been ordained for them in the Kingdom of God, the Lord of all worlds. Say: Beware lest the world prevent you from the Creator of heaven. Leave the people to their vain imaginings and take what hath come to you from God, the Mighty, the Great. He loveth him who loveth Him, and remembereth him who remembereth Him, and beholdeth him who standeth firm in His remembrance and the service of His Cause. He, verily, is the All-Hearing, the All-Wise.

At the end of the Tablet We make mention of him who is named Rida, who hath turned to the Face and believed in God, the Single, the One, the Powerful. Convey My greetings to him and give him the glad tidings of that which hath been sent down for him from God, the Ancient Revealer. We then make mention of the handmaidens who have turned, drawn nigh, recognized, and drunk of My luminous wine. Blessed are they in that they have fulfilled God’s Covenant and His Testament, and remained steadfast in this wondrous Cause. The glory be upon thee, upon thy family, and upon those who have believed in God and held fast to His wise Book.

The verses sent down from the heaven of divine Will bear witness to the special favors that have been and continue to be directed toward you. Regarding what you wrote about this servant being remiss in sending letters - yes, indeed there was a delay, but this was neither due to laxity and indolence, nor, God forbid, from any lack of sincerity. God is aware and bears witness that your mention and love have been and will remain in heart and tongue.

And concerning what you wrote about circumambulating the Temple of Unity on your behalf - at the time of the revelation of verses, praise be to God, this evanescent servant attained this bounty and performed the visitation and circumambulation on your behalf.

And regarding what you wrote about the loved ones of Qamsar who have arisen to serve the Cause - this was presented before the Most Great Scene. This is what was revealed for them from God, the Lord of all worlds:

O My loved ones in that place! Hearken unto My sweetest call which hath been raised from this luminous Spot. Verily, there is no God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The glance of the Wronged One hath been directed towards you from this known Station. He, verily, is the Hearing, the Responding One. Blessed are ye for having believed and turned toward the Supreme Horizon, after the servants turned away save whom God, the Single, the All-Informed, willed. Hold fast to the cord of unity, then make mention of your Lord, the All-Merciful, with joy and fragrance. Thus doth command you the All-Knowing Commander. We have seen you and heard your call and have answered you with these verses through which the fragrance of utterance hath been wafted throughout all possibilities. He, verily, is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. By God’s life! There hath been ordained for you in My Most Glorious Kingdom that which the pen cannot describe, yet most of the people know not. Rejoice in My Name, then drink the water of life through My wondrous remembrance. We counsel you to show forth supreme steadfastness and to observe that which God hath revealed from the Supreme Pen in the Crimson Tablet. He commandeth you that which shall profit you in the Hereafter and in this world. To this beareth witness the Lord of creation in His mighty prison. Be gladdened by My remembrance of you. All the treasures of the heavens and earth cannot equal it. Hearken unto him who is among you and remindeth you of the remembrance of God, the Mighty, the Beautiful.

O My Most Exalted Pen! Turn towards the Land of Kaf and make mention of them who have soared in the atmosphere of Thy nearness and have attained the recognition of Him Who caused thee to speak with truth. Verily thy Lord is the Bestower, the Generous. Blessed are ye for having attained and recognized the Wronged One when every heedless and remote one turned away from Him. The world and all that is therein shall perish, and there shall endure for you that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in His perspicuous Book. God hath testified to your acceptance and your faith. Rejoice then in this Most Great Remembrance, and drink of My luminous wine. Guard your stations with supreme steadfastness lest the allusions of them who have disbelieved in the Lord of all worlds cause you to slip. The glory be upon you and upon them who have laid hold of God’s Book with His strength and have acted according to that which they were bidden by their Lord, the All-Wise.

The names mentioned in your letter were brought before the Most Great Presence. Praise be to the Beloved of the worlds that they were adorned with the ornament of His love and attained His recognition. They took and drank the wine of immortality from the hand of bounty. Happy are they and those who have attained this noble station. Wherever ye attain unto a divine Tablet, ye should deliver what is inscribed therein to its people or send it to them, and convey to each one specifically a wondrous and sublime greeting from God.

And concerning what ye wrote about the steadfast women, the submissive ones, the believing women, and the confined ones of that land - this was presented at the Divine Throne. Wondrous and sublime verses were revealed from the heaven of God’s Will specifically for each one, and the glance of mercy was directed towards each. Blessed are they for having attained the recognition of God and the service of His firm and wise Cause. It is clear and evident to every person of understanding that whatsoever is in this world has been and will be mutable and transient. Soon all that is visible shall vanish, and that which shall endure forever is the mention that floweth from the Most Exalted Pen specifically for each of the servants and handmaidens. Blessed are they who have attained this most exalted station. By God’s life! Were We to fully describe this station, all the peoples of the world would turn to the most exalted horizon and engage in service to the Cause with the utmost joy and fragrance. Thus doth the Truth speak with truth and make mention of that which gladdeneth the hearts of the sincere ones and the minds of them who are firmly established.

Beseech ye God, and let them beseech, that they may remain firm and steadfast in the Cause of God. Say: O handmaidens of God! Be thankful that your mention was presented before the Throne and that your deeds were for God’s sake and were accepted in the Most Holy Court. God willing, may ye be blessed at all times with the fragrances of divine verses and be gladdened by His remembrance.

And concerning what ye wrote about the word of forgiveness regarding the late Haji Mulla ’Ali-Akbar - this was presented before the Throne. This is what was sent down from the Kingdom of Utterance from God, the Mighty, the Bestower.

O My handmaiden! We give thee glad tidings of thy Lord’s grace and make mention of that which will rejoice thy heart and the hearts of those women who have believed in God, the Mighty, the Bestower. Know thou that God hath forgiven him through His grace, purified him and caused him to ascend unto the Most Exalted Companion. Verily thy Lord’s grace hath encompassed all created things. Thus doth God change whatsoever He willeth and ordain for whomsoever He pleaseth whatsoever He desireth. Nothing can frustrate Him and no affair can defeat Him. He doeth what He willeth through His power and ordaineth through His sovereignty what He desireth. Give thanks and make mention through these verses which have been sent down from the heaven of thy Lord’s mercy, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. The glory be upon thee and upon those women who have perceived the fragrance of the garment in the days of God, have turned toward the horizon of Revelation and have hearkened unto the call of God, the Lord of Religions.

Furthermore, regarding the matters which His Holiness the Name of God “Ha” - upon him be all the most glorious glory and upon him be all the most excellent praise - hath undertaken, this servant hath briefly submitted according to the Most Holy, Most Exalted Command. Undoubtedly they will inform your honor thereof and it should be carried out accordingly.

Moreover, regarding the mother of the sacred household - upon her be the glory of God - who resideth in the Land of Kaf, let them emphasize strongly that the souls dwelling in that land should show her respect, for truly she hath endured manifold afflictions in the path of God. Blessed is she for what she hath patiently endured in the path of our Lord and the Lord of the worlds. Now she remaineth in a foreign land and with utmost distress she is patient and grateful. We beseech God to assist her and grant her what beseemeth His abounding grace, and to assist those who honor and revere her for the love of God, the Mighty, the Wise. If possible, convey glad tidings to her on behalf of this evanescent one, for mention is made of her at the Divine Throne and the glance of favor is directed towards her. Blessed is she and blessed her patience, her gratitude, her generosity and her turning unto God, the One, the Peerless.

This evanescent one entreateth your honor to convey most glorious, most sublime, most exalted greetings on behalf of this servant to the friends and notables of every land. Furthermore, the friends of the Prison Land and those who circle round it all remember your honor with most excellent remembrances and salutations. The glory of God be upon your honor and your family and upon all the loved ones of God, and praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

The Servant

17 Sha’ban 1295

=== END BH00329 ===

=== START BH00330 ===

In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate!

Praise be to God Who hath ever existed through the existence of His Essence and hath been eternal through His everlasting nature, Who hath created all things through the Word of His command and made manifest all possibilities through the revelation of the lights of His love, and Who hath made the hearts of His loved ones a throne for the establishment of His Oneness and a mirror reflecting the glory of His sovereignty. And blessing and peace be upon the First Point that appeared from the unseen realm of Oneness, and the First Letter through which the all-encompassing Word was completed, and the First Light that shone forth from the dawn of the Divine Identity, and the First Breeze that wafted from the gardens of Divinity - He Whom God made in the world of Command the Manifestation of all His names and attributes, and in the world of creation named Muhammad among His servants - and upon His family and companions, with abundant peace.

O thou who ascendeth to the heaven of unity and mounteth unto the kingdom of oneness! Thy letter hath reached me and I have understood what thou hast mentioned therein concerning the question that confoundeth minds and bewildereth souls. It seemeth thou hast desired from this evanescent one its interpretation and the unveiling of its mysteries, the removal of its veil and covering, although I have never claimed scholarly attainments nor the reaching of the heights of wisdom from God’s mysteries deposited in human temples. Yet despite what I have heard of the clamor of the polytheists and the tumult of the hypocrites in what they have said concerning me and intended against my person, how can this divine bird sing in the garden of inner meanings, or this dove soar in the meadows of eloquence? However, since I beheld in thy countenance the lights of love and in thy heart the love of divine mysteries, I shall cause to flow upon thee a portion from this Most Great, surging Sea and from this pouring, abundant Cloud, that it may be a token of my love for thee from this moment until the Day when lovers shall be gathered beneath His banner and the knowers assembled at the dawning of His lights.

Know thou that the mystics who have reached the depths of the seas of grace and recognized the mysteries of the beginning in the end speak with words that have outward meanings while intending inner significances, and this is their way and custom. Therefore some of the ignorant denounce them as unbelievers, and the contentious ones revile them, and the people of error dispute with them in speech. And among their utterances is this word, which is a light and mercy unto the righteous, and a retribution and wrath unto the wicked.

And when We reached this station in Our discourse, We desired to mention certain stations that the path might become manifest to thee before the presentation of proof from this lowly servant who hath been afflicted in these prolonged darknesses and from whose heart every dweller in the precincts of the Friend heareth lamentations when the lights of the Glorious One are unveiled in the pavilion of Oneness.

Know thou that the first effulgence of the Divine Sun in the worlds of creation is His establishment upon the throne of All-Mercifulness, and from this manifestation the lights of mercy from the Sovereign of Eternity shone forth upon all contingent beings. This mercy is divided into two kinds: One kind is termed the all-encompassing mercy, the universal mercy, the all-embracing mercy, the treasured mercy, the absolute mercy, the all-surrounding mercy, and similar terms mentioned in the books of the mystics, may God sanctify their secrets and spirits. This is the mercy that giveth without being asked and bestoweth upon all contingent and created things, from beginning to end, whether hidden or manifest, more comprehensive than what is concealed or revealed. This is the mercy that hath preceded all things that were and shall be in the worlds of creation, and through this all-encompassing mercy the universal Lordship of the true Educator is made manifest to all who are in the heavens and the earth. Through it all things are sustained, all things are provided for, and all things are given before they ask or desire or will, even as thou hast heard and known concerning the first Adam, upon our Prophet and upon him be blessings and peace, that when God, blessed and exalted is He, created him by His power and breathed into him of His spirit and formed him in His image, He prepared for him his means and all that he needed. Likewise, observe how God, blessed and exalted is He, hath ordained the sustenance of infants and all their needs before their appearance and birth, and how upon emerging from their mothers’ wombs they find their provision without having asked for it or sought it, for they were not yet in the world to ask for anything or seek anything. When the water of this mercy flowed from the ocean of Oneness in the world of Divine Unity, God therefore made it sanctified beyond limitations and directions, and exalted above request and supplication. Therefore did God name Himself the Lord of all the worlds. Were I to describe this exalted station and this most holy and transcendent Cause throughout my life’s duration and the continuation of my being, the love in my heart for this most great station and this most noble and precious symbol would not be exhausted, but I have been brief in mentioning it lest thou grow weary in studying and considering it. We beseech God to assist thee in attaining unto its mysteries and reaching its stations, for verily He doeth what He willeth, and He is the Mighty, the Generous.

The other kind is termed the limited mercy, the restricted mercy, and similar terms, and from this mercy there descendeth from the clouds of justice the rain of bounty after the supplication of servants in the world of existence. This is the station of justice, that is, giving to each one his due, and this is the station of the ordering of creation after its coming into being, and the degrees of destiny in creation and origination, even as was revealed from the Kingdom of eternity unto the Seal of the Prophets, peace and blessings be upon him: “And there is not a thing but with Us are the treasuries thereof, and We send it not down save in appointed measure.” From that station the seas of destiny surged in the worlds of creation and the sun of Lordship shone forth in the heaven of bounty. God is Most Great! This sea hath surely surged, and the wind hath stirred up waves that cast forth pearls.

This is a station wherein the feet of the mystics have slipped and the steps of the eloquent have stumbled. When one of the holy ones was asked about this most manifest station and this greatest vista, he replied that it was a surging ocean not to be entered, and in another instance, a pitch-dark night not to be traversed. He further said that destiny is a mystery among God’s mysteries and a safeguard among His safeguards, sealed with God’s seal, concealed within God’s knowledge. God has lifted its recognition above His servants and placed it beyond their understanding, for they cannot attain to the secret of the Divine Singleness nor to the revelation of Divine Mercy, and so forth.

As thou dost witness today, the differences among the peoples exist only because of their failure to recognize this most glorious Cause. Otherwise, had they attained to this supreme station and this greatest symbol, no one would object to another, nor would any soul blame another. Even as the Dove warbled upon the branches of the Tree of Eternity: “Strange it is that one should be occupied with the faults of others while heedless of one’s own faults.” In this station, it behooveth everyone to turn unto himself and to purify it from whatsoever God hath forbidden, and not to object to anyone according to his own desire. And concerning matters of his religion, let him inquire of those who are the mirrors of God’s knowledge, the manifestations of His Cause, the dawning-places of His wisdom, and the repositories of His commandments. These holy ones have the right to bid people to do what is good and forbid them from evil. They are those who hasten to perform good deeds and rush to virtuous acts. None besides them hath any share of this cup, nor is there any way thereto for others.

I swear by Thy life! Were it not for my fear of the Nimrod of the earth of self and his hosts, I would have imparted unto thee such divine knowledge as would have delighted thine eyes and enabled thee to attain all that thou didst desire concerning this Fish bewildered in the dust. But in my affliction at the hands of these iniquitous transgressors, I am unable to open unto thee the gate of knowledge and recognition with the keys of wisdom and utterance, or to mention to thee the melodies of the Mount of Eternity upon the branches of the Tree of Certitude. Indeed, thou hast enumerated some of what hath befallen me from the arrows of discord and the blows dealt to my mouth by the hands of hatred and hypocrisy. Every day they conspire against me according to their desires. We beseech God to ordain for us whatsoever He loveth and pleaseth of the decree of fate in the worlds of its execution. This will soon be manifest, as will some of what they intended, for I have spent my spirit, my soul, and my body in the path of my Beloved. My longing for God is like the eye’s longing for beauty and the fish’s for crystal waters - nay, greater than that and more exalted than what can be recorded by the pen upon tablets. But reveal not what We have intimated to thee until what We have imparted unto thee becomes manifest.

Therefore We leave aside this discourse and return to what We were mentioning. Know thou that in that station, which is the station of Divine Decree, all matters flow according to their natural order and original measure, as ordained by the eternal ordinance. For everything in that station there is a measure, limit and duty - were it to transgress by less than a needle’s eye, it would depart from God’s fortress which He built by the hands of His command for the protection of His servants. Whoso departs from His fortress shall find no path back to it, nor any guide to the pools of His mercy, except through repentance and return unto Him.

Indeed, if thou wouldst behold with thine inner eye, thou wouldst witness that this purified Law is in truth the fortress of divinity in the realm of humanity, wherein take refuge honored servants who speak not until He hath spoken and who act by His command, as well as other servants who desire to enter into mighty strongholds. Whoso entereth this fortress shall not be touched by the arrows of doubts and conjectures, nor shall fatigue or aversion afflict him. But whoso departeth therefrom, the thief shall steal away his garment of knowledge, his robe of faith, his banner of trust, and his cloak of devotion, leaving him stripped of the beautiful garments which God had woven by the hands of His Prophet, His Messenger and His chosen ones. God protect us and you from the evil of these thieves who are not content with wealth nor with what pertains to glory in the world of detail after the abstract, but rather take from people all that God hath given them of the garments of His grace and the robes of His generosity.

In this station is verified concerning them that poverty which causeth the face to blacken in both worlds, even as the Nightingale of Oneness sang in the gardens of eternity: “Poverty is blackness of face in both worlds and well nigh leadeth unto unbelief.” By My life! Were I to reveal unto thee the mysteries of these allusions, thou wouldst detach thyself from all who are on earth and soar unto the City of Divine Attributes at the manifestation of the lights of the Divine Essence. But the Pen restraineth Me from this, and the Tablet preventeth Me therefrom.

We beseech God to bring forth days wherein the sun of knowledge shall shine forth from the horizon of wisdom and the moon of mysteries shall rise from God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving. When the decree of bestowal upon all in the heavens and earth according to their capacities and stations is established, know thou that the wayfarer who journeyeth unto God, who migrateth unto Him, who severeth himself from the transient homeland and desireth to ascend unto the eternal abode - unto him shall be unveiled the hidden mysteries and treasured realities, and there shall appear unto him the essential seeds of divine unity and the manifestations of eternal oneness.

When he reacheth that lofty station and this exalted homeland, it behooveth him to be trustworthy with the treasuries of God’s knowledge and reliable with the pearls of His wisdom’s mysteries. He must be a guardian of these divine teachings deposited in the vessels of illumined hearts by God, the Creator of all beings. He must preserve them as his very eyes and conceal them in his breast. Should he reveal even a letter of these mysteries to one unworthy, three crimes shall be charged against him: First, betrayal, for he hath betrayed God by revealing His secrets to the unworthy; Second, injustice, for he hath given this station to one undeserving and laid upon him what he cannot bear nor is capable of carrying, thus establishing against himself the decree of injustice […]

And what greater wrong than this, the third being spiritual murder, for he has led this helpless one astray and slain him with a spiritual death. For when one cannot recognize these divine truths, his feet slip from where he stood regarding the matter of his origin and return. Therefore the judgment of one who is slain applies to him, and the law of retaliation runs its course upon his slayer. This slaying, in the eyes of the people of truth, is greater and more grievous than the slaying of the body, were you to observe with the eye of the heart. This is evidenced by what was sent down from the Kingdom of Oneness upon the Countenance of Ahmad (may my spirit and the spirit of all who are immersed in the depths of light be a sacrifice unto Him) concerning Hamza, the Prince of Martyrs, and Abu Jahl: “Is he who was dead, and whom We have raised to life and provided with a light whereby he walks among men, like him who is in darkness from which he can never emerge?” Therefore ponder this blessed verse. If by death was meant physical death, and by life physical life, then the judgment of death and life would not apply to Hamza, for outwardly he was alive with elemental, physical life. Rather, what is meant by death in this noble verse and divine word is spiritual death and the death of the heart. For when Hamza (may God be pleased with him) believed in God, His verses and His Messenger Whom He sent with truth, he became alive with the life of faith and drank from the cup of the Living, the Life-Giving One, from the spring of certitude. Thus applies to him the judgment of death - that is, from temporal accidents - and life - that is, eternal, faithful life. And conversely runs the judgment upon Abu Jahl. This faithful life endures and does not perish, as evidenced by His exalted Word: “We shall surely give him to live a goodly life.” But as for outward life, every soul shall taste of death. Thereby it is established that spiritual death is greater than physical death. When this is established, it is also established that spiritual murder is likewise greater than physical murder. Therefore upon this slayer runs the judgment of retaliation. And since we have proven the judgment of retaliation upon the gnostic who unveils with clear proofs and firm arguments, know that none can execute retaliation save those who drank the wine from the Cup-Bearer of Beauty in the realm of spirits before the appearance of creation in the realm of shadows. And it befits these Poles to execute judgment upon him, for it befits that retaliation be carried out by one upon whom the law’s limits do not apply, not by any ignorant rabble who cannot distinguish truth from falsehood nor darkness from light. Therefore we suffice with what we have mentioned to you and conclude with praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds, and peace be upon whoever follows guidance.

=== END BH00330 ===

=== START BH00331 ===

In the Name of God, the Most Mighty, the Most Pure!

This is a Book from Us to him who hath been named the Beloved, that he may be remembered through the remembrance of God. Verily, His remembrance hath preceded all created things, and God is witness unto this. Were He not to remember His servants, none would be able to remember Him. Thus hath the matter been inscribed in the Tablets.

Arise to remember and praise God, then shun every sinful idolater. Follow the religion of the Spirit in this Cause which hath come in the shadows of lights with manifest sovereignty. Tarry not in thy Lord’s Cause even for a moment. Draw nigh unto Him with thy heart, then remember Him with wondrous tongue. Recite what hath been sent down unto thee of His verses. Thus hath the matter been ordained from the heaven of mighty glory.

Grieve not at anything, but put thy trust in thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Verily, He will guard thee from every wretched infidel. Say: The Kawthar of life hath flowed from the Pen of my Lord, the All-Merciful. Therefore, come ye, O peoples of the worlds, with the chalices of certitude and take therefrom according to your capacity.

Dost thou remain in thy house after all things have been stirred by the stirring of thy Lord, and every soul possessed of spirit hath been enraptured with love for My Self, which hath appeared with a glorious name? He that is not enraptured with My love is indeed dead - thus doth this Tongue testify in this Spot whereon the Throne of Glory is established, and around which circle the realities of all things past and present. Yet the people are wrapped in thick veils.

Thus doth the Sovereign of Command instruct thee, that thou mayest be numbered in the Mother Book among the doers of His bidding. Convey Our blessing unto thy mother’s face and establish her firmly in this Cause which hath been inscribed as mighty in the Tablet. Glory be upon thee, and upon her, and upon those who in the Book are accounted among the God-fearing.

If you inquire about the state of the Prisoner, He is the target of the arrows of the wicked and the object of the swords of enemies. He drinks from the cup of woe and partakes of the chalice of tribulation and hardship. Though outward friends are visible, they offer no aid; and though those who claim to love are present, they give no succor. He is afflicted as was Joseph in prison, Noah in His lamentation, Abraham in the fire, Job in His suffering, Zechariah in His anguish, Isaiah in His grief, the Spirit [Jesus] in His trials, and the Primal Point in His adversities. Each of these chosen ones was afflicted by the oppression of enemies, and this Servant has endured and continues to endure from both friends and foes that which none can reckon save God, my Lord and the Lord of all worlds. The oppression of enemies is well known and needs no mention, but this Servant’s cry of anguish, lamentation, and grief arises from the afflictions caused by those who claim to love the previous Manifestation. For they all prove more veiled than the followers of previous religions, just as it was observed that all professed love, obedience and submission to the Point of the Qur’an [Muhammad], yet after the appearance of His reality, all remained in the wilderness of error, to such extent that they all rose in opposition and objection against His person. Woe unto them and to what they wrought in the days of God without proof or divine Book!

Throughout the Bayan, the people were given glad tidings of this holy divine Manifestation and celestial dawning, to such degree that all Tablets began with this Name and concluded with it. Despite this, most turn away from the cloud of His mercy and flee from the rain of His grace. They have manifested such hypocrisy as has never been seen in creation, striving with all their might and main to cut down the divine Tree, though they are considered the most base of all people and the most contemptible of all in God’s sight. Now observe: if these idolatrous souls were to appear with manifest power, what would they bring to pass? At all times We take refuge in God, lest through the promptings of the satans of self and passion, His weak servants remain deprived of the Beauty of God and bereft of His recognition.

Ask God for sight, for without sight none can gaze upon the Most Great Scene. Blessed are those souls who behold the Truth with the eye of Truth. Such souls are not held back by allusions nor veiled by indications, for they attain to the purpose of the Bayan and discover the pearls of divine knowledge hidden in the ocean of words. Besides such souls, none have any portion of this cup except after their return unto God. For instance, consider the utterances of the Point of the Bayan, exalted be His glory. In one place He says that Sun of divine glory will shine forth at the time of Mustaghath from the horizon of the divine Will. In another place He tells one of the Letters of the Living that “thou wilt recognize Him as thou hast recognized.” In yet another place He reveals a tablet stating that He should be present in the school before God. And in another place He states that whenever He appears, all must acknowledge that Sun of Reality and render thanks to God. Now behold how these united statements, which outwardly appear different and contradictory, can be comprehended by these weak servants and […]

Let them drink from the crystal waters of inner meanings that flow from the streams of divine utterances. There is no doubt that none shall attain save those possessed of pure hearts, illumined breasts, penetrating vision, sanctified souls, attentive ears and assured hearts - except such souls as are touched by the breezes of divine favor. This is a station bestowed without desert and given without request. Soon will the martyrs of negation who have appeared in the Bayan, who have become proud of their stations and remained deprived of the shore of divine unity, each cling to one of these verses while interpreting away others according to their desires and passions, each seizing upon some point and conforming it to their own selfish inclinations, using those very verses revealed by the Truth to veil the weak from the Truth itself. Consider, for instance, the Qa’im who was promised - all the Shi’ih sects would prove through transmitted traditions and successive reports that He must now exist and appear from a specific land with specific signs. Yet with the appearance of the Point of the Bayan it became clear that all had been walking in the wilderness of error and treading the path of ignorance. If you would reflect a little on what was in the possession of this group before, you would become aware of many hidden and concealed matters. In brief, they who possess insight and certitude today are those who look to the essence of the Cause, and who turn with the same vision by which they recognized and knew the Point of the Bayan to the Most Sublime Vision, interpreting all the words of the Ancient Beauty that have flowed from the Pen of His binding Command in light of Him Whom God shall make manifest. For the Bayan and all that was revealed therein is identical to the words of this Revelation. Therefore seek divine assistance and turn to none but Him. If you cannot yourself understand the complexities of divine principles, ask of the Fountain of eternal meanings, for none but Him has understood or will understand His words. As you observe, the leaders of the Bayan have used the verses of the Bayan to reject the All-Merciful, while remaining utterly veiled from Him by Whose will the Bayan was revealed. All these diverse statements that He uttered converge upon a single word, namely His saying that at the time of His manifestation, be not veiled from Him by the Bayan and what was revealed therein. And now “the Truth hath become manifest and falsehood hath vanished away.” May my spirit be a sacrifice unto His Being! He hath not failed in manifesting His Cause and proclaiming His praise. This word is the mightiest word - whosoever is veiled from it is veiled from the entire Bayan at the time of His manifestation. Now observe that although that Ancient Beauty declared that whenever He appears all must acknowledge Him and render thanks to God, He did not suffice with this, for He knew what the people of the Bayan would perpetrate. Therefore these words were revealed: “Beware, beware on the day of His manifestation lest thou be veiled by the Single Chapter of the Bayan, and beware, beware lest thou be veiled by the words that were revealed in the Bayan.” Despite these decisive and established verses, most of them remained veiled from God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

Moreover, they have manifested such deeds and actions that the name of the All-Forgiving is nigh ashamed to cleanse the sins of these transgressors. They commit all manner of grievous sins while forbidding others from minor transgressions in order to display their piety. For instance, they have tampered with that which was forbidden unto them in all the Tablets, and concerning the next Manifestation - about Whom it is recorded in all the Tablets of God that even were He to appear without proof, none should utter an unseemly word - they have issued the death verdict against Him despite His presentation of the most perfect and complete proofs and evidences. Yet in their own inflammatory tablets they write: “Do not eat onions” and “Do not smoke tobacco” and such like. The curse of God be upon them and upon whatsoever hath proceeded and will proceed from them. Their habitation is none other than the fire, and evil indeed is the abode of the wrongdoers.

Your servant should strive earnestly to protect and safeguard the people, for they are weak and moved by every breeze. God willing, through your servant’s endeavors and efforts, may all become steadfast in the Cause of God and be united, for such unity is divine assistance, would that they knew. Strive that His servants may be adorned with divine attributes and heavenly characteristics, and that these may become manifest among the people. From the beginning of this wondrous Revelation, in all the Tablets there has been prohibition of conflict, contention, warfare, opposition and bloodshed. Nevertheless, some acted in ways whose harm has affected the very root of the Divine Tree. I swear by the Beauty of the Beloved that God’s conclusive proof has not been completed for His servants, though His proof has ever been and will ever be perfect, complete and conclusive. For instance, observe how most people have not attained to the Source of Divine bounties and the Mine of the pearls of divine mystical knowledge, and have been and will remain heedless of the proof’s sufficiency in itself and what proceeds from it. For the seat of the establishment of the throne of manifestation is confined to one place, thus it remains concealed from most and most are veiled from it. What is spread abroad and apparent and manifest among people are His words and His loved ones. Yet from His loved ones who are known by His name and attributed with His love, none has inhaled the fragrance of sanctity and detachment, as most engage in deeds that are displeasing and commit reprehensible acts. People judge by analogy - what they observe from this group they attribute to the Manifestation of the lights of Oneness. This is why divine wrath has not yet seized the polytheists. I swear by the Ancient Beauty that if the loved ones of Truth had appeared among creation with sanctity, detachment, deeds and character like unto His, to the extent of their capacity, you would today find most people believers and turned toward God. Consider for example a tree - before its fruits appear, if it is described, some people will acknowledge it while others will waver between acceptance and denial until the fruits appear. And after the fruit appears, if it is bitter, they will surely reject the descriptions of that describer and all will arise in denial, both those who wavered and those who accepted. Thus the tree of human existence becomes known and proven by the fruits of deeds, and all observe its acts and deeds. If they find them good and pleasant they will surely accept, and without this they will surely turn away. Now from the divine loved ones who are counted as fruits of the tree of the All-Merciful, people have perceived naught but unpleasant deeds, therefore all remain turned away and veiled. God willing, in this springtime season may the sweet fragrances of the divine holy Ridvan be inhaled from those who seek the sanctuary of the August King, so that through breathing in the fragrances of those sanctified souls, the servants may return to the original Ridvan. In any case, some of the loved ones have caused the robe of holy glory to be soiled with the dust of people’s vain imaginings, and the beauty of the Cause has remained hidden behind veils of suspicion. We beseech God to sanctify them from all that His good-pleasure abhors, for verily He answers whoever calls upon Him. Say: […]

Glorified art Thou, O my God! Purify the hearts of Thy servants with the waters of Thy mercy and loving-kindness, then with the Kawthar of Thy grace and bounty, then with the Tasnim of Thy gifts and favors, then with the Salsabil of Thy generosity and beneficence, that all who dwell between the heavens and the earth may arise to praise the Manifestation of Thy Self, the Dayspring of Thine Essence, the Repository of Thy Revelation, the Treasury of Thine inspiration, and the Dawning-Place of Thy Cause. I beseech Thee, O my Beloved, by Thy Name which Thou hast made sanctified from the allusions of the polytheists and the signs of the opposers, through which Thou hast distinguished between Thy servants, and through which Thou hast caused to flow among them the laws of Thy Cause and the streams of Thy ordinances and decrees, to gather all upon the shore of the ocean of Thy oneness, that they may sanctify Thee from all things and praise Thee with the most wondrous tongues amidst the peoples of all worlds. Then raise them, O my God, to such heights that they shall see in all things naught save the effulgence of the lights of Thy unity and the manifestations of the glory of Thy mercy, that they may turn wholly unto Thee and be detached from all else besides Thee. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent over what Thou willest, and Thou art the Mighty, the All-Wise. O Lord! Protect Thy creation from the wolves of the earth who have denied Thee and Thy signs, and who have disputed with Him Whose covenant Thou didst take ere His own covenant was taken, and concerning Whom Thou didst send down the Bayan in His remembrance and praise. I moved not except in His remembrance, nor breathed save in His description, nor desired in Thy days aught but His beauty. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent over what Thou willest, and the Ruler over what Thou desirest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, the Most Exalted, the Most High, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting, the Almighty.

O Servant! Remember Me in My land and My territories, so that My remembrance may enable thee to detach thyself from all that thou hast. We have sent down for thee that which will draw thee nigh unto God, the Lord of the worlds. And We have commanded thee to observe that which will profit thee in this world and the world to come. Thus hath the Command been sent down from the heaven of the Will of thy Lord, the All-Wise, the All-Knowing. Remember the grace of thy Lord, and thank Him at all times. He, verily, beholdeth thee in thy state of oneness with Him, and is witness over all things. […]

=== END BH00331 ===

=== START BH00332 ===

O beloved of my heart! Praise be to God that through His infinite bounties you have attained, and have been blessed with His remembrance, and confirmed in teaching His Cause. For His sake you undertook migration, aspiring to the most exalted station, the highest rank, the ultimate goal, and the most glorious vista. Through the special confirmations of the Lord of Oneness, you traversed land and sea through divine love and reached your goal. You drank from the ocean of reunion, and after returning, girded up your loins with determination and turned towards all regions to proclaim and raise aloft the Word. These stations require a hundred thousand nightingales and a hundred thousand doves, and like these two divine birds, one must needs raise such melodies as befit these stations in the divine days, reaching the ears of the sincere ones, the near ones, and the believers in unity. What else can this small bird accomplish, and how can it raise its song in this garden of inner meanings where every branch of its sacred trees speaks with a different melody or sings in remembrance of the Friend? I seek God’s forgiveness! I swear by the Sun of Truth that this servant sees himself as lower than even a small bird, for that which today befits divine grace, this Day of God, and celestial bounty and mercy has not been manifested from him. For every good deed manifested by one of the loved ones, this servant utters “Would that I…”, and for every praiseworthy characteristic shown by one of the chosen ones, this ephemeral one remembers “Would that I were with him.” What more can be said and expressed? Were it not that divine praise and remembrance and the teaching of His Cause are beloved to the soul and the qiblih of the spirit, surely this ephemeral one would not have relinquished holding fast to silence and quietude. However, this is the Day in which He says: “This is the Day of calling out, yet you remain silent” to the end of His exalted Word - exalted be His station, elevated be His grandeur, and glorious be His manifestations.

It would be better to take hold of the reins of the pen from this station and turn to necessary supplications. At the beginning of this letter, the intention was to make a brief submission, but the flame of love for your honor took away the reins of choice and will. This ephemeral servant begs and hopes from God, exalted be His Glory, that He may assist your honor and this ephemeral one in that which pleases Him and benefits His Cause. Your honor, who praise be to God is confirmed, I request that you also supplicate God, exalted be His Glory and Greatness, for this ephemeral one, that He may assist him and other friends. Verily He answers every caller, confirms every seeker, and assists every sincere aspirant. He is indeed the Powerful, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Wise.

I submit that your letter dated the tenth of Jumada II brought glad tidings and increased joy. It taught the bird of separation the path of reunion and bestowed the Kawthar of meeting, for it was adorned with the mention of the Beloved of the worlds. After becoming informed of its contents, it was presented before the Throne, and after the submission of these exalted words, these appeared from the Dayspring of utterances of the Lord of Names and Attributes - praise and gratitude be to God. All things have testified to His grace, mercy and bounty. Blessed is he who has found and recognized. Woe unto the heedless and the deniers. His Word, exalted be His grandeur […]

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

Thou hast been mentioned before the Throne, and there hath been revealed for thee that which hath diffused the fragrance of the All-Merciful throughout all lands, and the Dove of the Cause hath warbled upon the branches, saying: “There is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” Blessed art thou for having attained unto the verses of God and His mercy, and for having traveled through the lands to exalt His Cause. Verily thy Lord is the Witness, the Hearer, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. This is the Day whereon the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken, calling all to this noble scene, round which circle the denizens of the highest Paradise and those who have acknowledged that which the Tongue of Ancient Days acknowledged before the creation of the heavens and earth. We have revealed in thy name various tablets. Thy Lord is, verily, the Omnipotent, the Almighty. We have caused diverse rivers to flow, as a mercy from Us unto thee, that thou mayest be of the thankful. Blessed art thou for having cast away that which is possessed by men, taking hold of that which thou wast bidden by One mighty and powerful. Remind the people of that which We have revealed unto thee, that perchance the remembrance may draw them nigh unto the kingdom of the loving providence of their Lord, the Forgiving, the Merciful. The Day is come, yet they have turned away from it. They hear the call of God, yet they are heedless thereof. They have cast the command of God behind their backs, having followed their own desires. They understand not. They drink from the seas of fancy and vain imaginings, and deny that which hath appeared from God, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling. Arise to aid My Cause through wisdom and utterance. Thus was it revealed aforetime and in this praiseworthy station.

Praise be to God, time and again hast thou been blessed with God’s special favors. He was with thee as thou didst journey through the lands. He heard thy voice when thou didst speak in remembrance of Him, the All-Wise. All the friends and loved ones of God must, as decreed by God, observe wisdom and hold fast unto it. This binding divine command hath been revealed in most of the Tablets, yet some have not heeded it and have not comprehended its purpose. Today, by command, every matter must be carried out through consultation with souls who are devoted and assured, and be made manifest. Say: O servants! Whatever floweth from the Most Exalted Pen hath as its purpose a benefit that returneth, both outwardly and inwardly, to those souls themselves. They must act with complete submission and contentment in accordance with whatsoever appeareth from the Dayspring of the Cause. This is God’s counsel that hath been recorded by the Most Exalted Pen in diverse places. Well is it with them that act, and well is it with them that have attained!

From this station We send Our greetings to the loved ones of God and His chosen ones who have acted in accordance with that which they were bidden in His mighty Book. We counsel them with that which beseemeth this blessed, mighty and wondrous Day. He who acteth, acteth for himself, and he who turneth away - verily He is independent of all that hath been created in the heavens and on earth. To this testifieth every possessor of utterance, understanding and enlightened vision. The praise of God - the favors of the Truth, exalted be His glory, are manifest and evident from the ocean of utterance. Verily, He needeth not the mention of any mentioner, nor the description of any describer, nor the exposition of any expounder, nor the praise of any praiser, nor the testimony of any just and knowing one.

Concerning what you wrote about Jinab-i-Aqa Siyyid Abu-Talib, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s glory - some time ago funds were written about which had become available in a certain place to be sent to the Most Holy Court. By specific command it was written to send these to your honor - thirty tumans of it to be given to Jinab-i-Aqa Siyyid Abu-Talib. Some was also assigned to Jinab-i-Ibn-i-Abhar, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s glory. Previously too some funds became available elsewhere which were assigned to the Land of Ta, but that did not arrive. People are waiting to serve the Cause, and moreover they do not pay the Huququ’llah as they should, although this matter is the cause of protection, blessing and bounty. Blessed is the patient poor one who was among the patient ones. At one time this firm and established word shone forth from the Dawning-Place of divine utterance - exalted be His grandeur: “If those who have turned to God had acted according to what God desired, the earth would now be seen as other than it is.” Words to this effect were repeatedly heard from the Tongue of Grandeur. God willing, your honor and this servant beseech the True Outpouring Grace that He may assist all and deprive no one from what His will desires.

Another matter - Jinab-i-Mulla Sadiq, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s glory, from the people of Baku wrote a detailed letter to this servant and its reply was sent. Among other things he had mentioned that the chief of police, in their words, had asked for assurance regarding absence of corruption. Although it is now clear to all that the purpose was not and is not corruption and upheaval - that beloved one himself mentioned this matter - but due to previous errors that appeared from some at the beginning of the Cause, it is very difficult for the hearts of government authorities to become free and pure from suspicions and imaginings. However, if they became aware of the verses that have been sent down from the heaven of God’s will regarding kindness, compassion, and absence of corruption, conflict and dispute, they would attain certain faith and would testify to what God, exalted be His glory, has willed. When this servant presented Jinab-i-Mulla Sadiq’s letter at the Most Holy Court, this blessed word emerged from the Source of Command - exalted be His grandeur: “If they had known the Truth to be truthful, surely a Tablet would have been bestowed and in that Tablet would have been revealed from the Supreme Pen that none from this party should commit any act contrary to the interests of the government.” In the Tablet to the Sultan it was also revealed that God, exalted be His glory, has relinquished the earth, both land and sea, to the kings - what He has desired for Himself has been and will be the hearts of His servants. Would that the people of the earth were fair and would attain to hearing what has been sent down from the heaven of divine will. At that time they would speak these words: “Would that we had attained in the beginning of the Cause to what we have attained today, and would that we had known in the beginning of the Manifestation what we know today.” Some deeds have become the cause of preventing the turning and attention of the servants. This evanescent servant beseeches from the Exalted Truth that He bestow a drop from the ocean of insight upon these people, that all may see and know and hear and become aware. He is the All-Merciful, the Kind. There is no God but Him, the Forgiving, the Generous.

With regard to what you wrote about your brother, upon him be the Glory of God, and also about Ali Akbar Bey, upon him be the Glory of God, it was presented before the Most Holy Court. He says, exalted be His grandeur: “Let them not be saddened by outward upheavals. Today the Kingdom of wealth has been and will continue to circle round the people of God. In accordance with the time it shall be made manifest. The steadfast and assured souls have attained unto the Most Great Grace, the Supreme Bounty, and true wealth. And if for a few days in the outer world the manifestation of certain matters is delayed, this is due to divine wisdom and His expediency. Ask God, thy Lord and the Lord of all who are in earth and heaven, to ordain for them that which shall profit them in the Hereafter and in this world. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Giving, the Generous.”

Regarding what you wrote about Dervish Abdul-Samad, upon him be the Glory of God, the prayer which that loved one submitted in his name was presented before the Most Holy Court. This is what the Tongue of the All-Merciful spoke in reply, exalted be His grandeur: “We have heard thy call and what thou hast praised the Wronged One with a tongue that hath testified to what God hath testified and acknowledged what the Desired One hath acknowledged in the Holy Books and Tablets. Blessed art thou for having attained, and seen, and heard what the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken. Verily, there is no God but Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. There hath befallen thee what hath befallen Us time and again. Be thou thankful and say: ‘Praise be unto Thee, O God of the Kingdom and the Realm.’ Grieve not for what hath befallen thee in My path. Rejoice in that thou hast been mentioned in the prison by the Pen of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.”

With a hundred thousand tongues give thanks to the Desired One of the world that He hath preserved you from the manifestations of idle fancies and vain imaginings and guided you to the Dawning-Place of certitude. By the life of God! The objectors to the Bayan are seen to be more veiled than the parties of old. They have newly purposed to establish chiefs and nobles and pillars and the fourth pillar and the successor and the like thereof, in the same manner as existed before. By My life! They are in evident delusion. These mentions are as thorns and thistles in the City of inner meanings. Beseech God that He may purify and sanctify that City from thorns and thistles. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

O Lion! O thou who gazest upon the One, the Single! Strive to sanctify the people from these vain imaginings. In all conditions, be occupied with the triumph of the Cause through wisdom and utterance. God willing, thou shalt take possession of the cities of hearts through the mention of the Beloved. Verily, He aids whomsoever He willeth through a command from His presence, and He is the Manifest, the Speaker, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Another submission is that some time ago a detailed letter was sent to the beloved of heart and soul, his honor Aqa Mulla ’Ali-Akbar, may the glory and favors of God rest upon him, together with sacred and exalted Tablets. God willing, they will arrive and he will attain unto them. It would be most pleasing if copies of some of the divine sacred Tablets and this evanescent one’s letters were sent to various regions, for although most people have, through divine assistance, broken the chains of vain imaginings, they nevertheless require a reminder. The divine rose garden must be kept fresh and verdant through the rain of the All-Merciful’s grace. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the All-Knowing Educator. The submission of nothingness and evanescence to all the friends in that land is contingent upon the grace of that Beloved One. Glory be upon you and those with you and upon all who stand firm, whom the doubts of those who have denied God, the Lord of all worlds, have not caused to slip.

It is further submitted that regarding the honored mother of the household, may the glory of God rest upon her, you had written about the sum of one hundred tumans - fifty tumans for her and fifty tumans specifically for the orphans of the late Haji ’Ali of Qarabagh. As commanded, it was written that they should deliver it. Surely it has arrived by now.

Another submission to the honored friend, his honor Aqa Mirza ’Ali-Naqi, may the glory of God rest upon him - I offer greetings. Some time ago, this servant submitted a detailed letter in response to the letter written on behalf of his honor Aqa Shahvirdi, may the glory of God rest upon him. That letter also bore divine verses specifically for them and his honor Aqa Shahvirdi and other souls, may the glory of God rest upon them, who were mentioned in that letter. God willing, it has arrived by now and they have attained unto it.

The Servant

29 Rama?an 1298

=== END BH00332 ===

=== START BH00333 ===

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

The Day of God hath come. The Throne of Divine Utterance hath appeared at the heart of contingent being, and the Speaker of the Mount is seated thereon. The river of mercy floweth from the right hand, and the banner of authority is raised on the left. Praise be unto God, His is the bounty and the bestowal, His is the grace and the exaltation and the glory. Before the faces of all peoples He proclaimed His Cause with the most exalted call. The might of the world deterred Him not, nor did the hatred of the nations stay Him from His purpose. In days when, by reason of the darkness of tyranny, no distinction could be seen between night and day, He stood forth before the faces of all peoples, unveiled and unobscured. Neither chains nor fetters could prevent His independence, nor could bonds and imprisonment alter His Cause. He bore all trials and tribulations for the exaltation of the Word of God. Every fair-minded soul beareth witness, and every just one testifieth to this. The Cause is in His grasp; He doeth as He willeth and ordaineth as He pleaseth. He is the Mighty, the Helper.

Glory and radiant praise be upon the friends of God and His chosen ones who have arisen to aid His Cause, who have spoken His praise, and who have acted according to that which was revealed in His Book. The Servant beseecheth his Lord to strengthen them in all conditions. Verily, He is the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. There is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Thereafter, the letter of that spiritual friend arrived, and as the fragrance of the love of the Beloved of the worlds wafted therefrom, it gave strength to the spirit and bestowed light and power upon sight and hearing. After reading and reviewing it, having proceeded to the Most Exalted Station, it attained the honor of being heard before His presence. This is what God hath revealed in reply, blessed and exalted be His Word:

He is the Dawning-Place from the Horizon of Eternity […]

The Call hath been raised from the Most Exalted Horizon, the dwellers of Sinai have swooned away in the vale of knowledge, and the Divine Lote-Tree hath cried aloud, saying: By God! The ocean of reunion hath surged, and the Lord of the Day of Return hath appeared, riding upon the clouds. Blessed is he whom armies have not weakened, though mighty, and whom ranks have not frightened, though powerful. He hastened, and hearkened, and attained the presence of God, the Almighty, the All-Bestowing.

Say: O concourse of earth! Hear ye My call that hath been raised in truth, and follow not vain imaginings and idle fancies. The proof hath appeared and the fountain of Salsabil hath gushed forth from the Pen of God, the Speaker in the most exalted station. We have heard thy call and have turned toward thee from this Spot which God hath made the Dayspring of lights, and We have answered thee with a Tablet from whose horizon shineth the Sun of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, the Lord of creation. The servant who standeth before the face of the Wronged One hath presented himself and read thy letter. We have revealed for thee that which shall endure as long as the Kingdom of God, the Lord of Lords, shall endure. We beseech the Most High to make thee a sign of His signs and a standard among His standards in this Cause whereby faces have been darkened and feet have slipped.

There hath befallen Me in the path of God that which no eye hath seen nor ear heard. To this testifieth the Mother Book that speaketh before the faces of all parties. Sovereignty belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the All-Choosing. When the light shone forth from the horizon of Revelation, the Maid of Paradise came forth from the Most Exalted Paradise and walked until she stood before the face of the Lord of all beings, and, pointing with her luminous finger to the head of the Lord of destiny, she proclaimed: By God! This is the Hidden One now manifest in truth, and this is He Who was treasured in the hearts of the Prophets and mentioned in the Books of God, the Lord of all men.

Say: Be fair, O people of the Bayan, concerning this Book which God hath made the point of adoration for the books of the world, and this Remembrance before which all remembrances have bowed down. Say: Present yourselves before the Face that your eyes may behold what no vision hath beheld and your ears may hear what no ears have heard. He is the One Who cannot be known except through Himself, and Who needeth not the testimony of scriptures, books, and tablets to prove His Cause. Were it not for Him, the Bayan would not have been revealed, nor would My Herald, Who sacrificed His soul in My path, have come. Fear God, O people, and be not of them that have gone astray.

Say: By God! He was silent - God made Him speak. He was seated - the hands of power and might made Him arise. He was asleep - the breezes of the morn of Revelation that blew by God’s will, the Lord of the Day of Return, awakened Him. Say: O people of the Bayan! He speaketh not of His own desire - to this testifieth that which hath been revealed from His Most Exalted Pen. Fear ye God and follow not every heedless doubter.

Say: O company of the deniers! Do ye deny Him Who hath come with that wherewith the Messengers came of old, and Who hath revealed that which lay hidden in the treasure of God’s protection from time immemorial? Say: Read ye what ye possess and We shall read what We possess. Then shall ye find yourselves in manifest loss, greater than the loss of every calumniating polytheist.

Say: Remember thou the Day of Imprecation in the Land of Mystery when the Dayspring of Inspiration came forth from the horizon of the House, proceeding to the House of God, the Lord of all men. We arrived thereat while none else arrived. Then did the Sun of the Cause shine forth and the Ancient Beauty appeared without veil or covering. Say: Can anyone stand with Him in the arena of proof and evidence? Nay, by His Self, the All-Merciful! Yet the people are in doubt and dissension.

Thus have We sent down the verses and manifested the evidences that thou mayest arise to aid the Cause of thy Lord with power and sovereignty. The glory be upon thee and upon those who have testified to that which God hath testified when He came from the horizon of might with grandeur and majesty.

Praise be unto God that thou hast attained unto that which hath no peer or likeness. Glory be to God! This servant hath ever been present before His Face, from the first days in Baghdad until now, engaged in service and writing both day and night while verses descended like rain. Yet they have uttered that which no ignorant one hath ever spoken. First came mention of alteration, following exactly in the footsteps of the previous dispensation. For twelve hundred years and more they were occupied with dispute and contention, awaiting the Day of Manifestation. Yet when the Sun of Truth dawned from the horizon of God’s Will, they committed that which no oppressor had ever committed. To this day they occupy pulpits cursing. By the life of our Lord! They are indeed in drunkenness, heedlessness and thick veils. This evanescent servant beseecheth the eternal Truth that He may assist thee to promote His Cause and protect the servants from idle fancies and vain imaginings. It is incumbent, nay obligatory, upon thee and the other loved ones to protect the servants from whatsoever leadeth to error and perdition. By the life of thy Lord and mine! Whenever this servant pondereth the deeds of the former community, he findeth himself bewildered and astonished. For despite all their professions of sincerity and love for the Sovereign of existence, when He appeared, in His early years all the divines arose to reject Him. God forbid! They did not even count Him among the believers, let alone above them. Now those same vain imaginings have emerged among souls who were and are unaware of the root of the Cause and know not from whom these revelations have appeared. Yet they have uttered that which no heedless one hath uttered. We beseech God to adorn His servants with justice and fairness and to still the hatred in their hearts through the Kawthar of counsel and utterance. Verily He is the Mighty, the Bestower. After the presentation of that prayer in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court, these verses were revealed from the heaven of the Will of the Lord of all beings. The Lord, exalted and sanctified be He, saith: He is the Hearer, the Answerer.

O thou who gazest upon the horizon of evidence! The servant who was present hath arrived and recited that which thou didst commune with God, the Lord of the Throne and of earth, and the Sovereign of the hereafter and of former times. We perceived from it the fragrance of thy knowledge, thy turning unto Him, thy sincerity and thy submission before the face of God, thy Lord. Blessed be thy tongue for having spoken the truth, and thy countenance for having turned toward His Face, and thy heart for having been attracted to the horizon of His Manifestation. We beseech God to aid His Cause through thee, to manifest His Faith through thee, and to raise through thee the standards of His Revelation throughout all lands and the banners of His guidance amidst His servants. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower.

O thou who soarest on the wings of knowledge in the atmosphere of God’s wisdom! Behold, then mention what the lying tongues have uttered. Among them is he who hath calumniated the Wronged One and said that He hath stolen the verses of the Point and revealed them in His own name. Say: Woe unto thee, O heedless one! Present thyself before His face and be not of them that hesitate. And among them are those who have lamented in such wise as to cause the near ones to weep. The horizons have been filled with thy Lord’s verses, yet most of the people know not. They hear the call, yet perceive not. They have committed that which no community among all communities hath committed. The Book of God in this exalted station beareth witness to this. Were We to mention to thee what hath befallen Us, grief would seize thee from every direction. We have therefore been patient and concealed it. Verily thy Lord is the Concealer, the All-Patient, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting.

We beseech God to assist thee to rend asunder the veils of the people and to send down upon thee from the heaven of bounty a mercy from His presence and a blessing from His court. Verily, He is the Hearer, the Answerer, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Beloved. Be thou steadfast in the service of the Cause in such wise that the hosts of the world shall not hold thee back, and be thou vocal in His praise in such wise that the clamor of the nations who have violated God’s Covenant and Testament and have spoken that which the ancients never spoke shall not prevent thee. Thus hath the Living Waters flowed from the Pen of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, and We have sent it unto thee that thou mayest drink and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose grasp is the dominion of existence!

O Nura! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. As for what thou hast mentioned concerning the statement “the Simple Reality containeth all things” - in the first degree and primary station, by the Simple Reality is meant the Truth Itself, glorified be His majesty. Since all things are manifestations of His names and attributes, exalted be He, it is true that He is all things. This is a truth wherein there is no doubt, and what We mentioned before was revealed in the language of the people. We beseech God to unveil for thee what We intended in the depths of allusions in the previous Tablet. Verily, He is the Expositor, the All-Knowing.

Know thou moreover that the Wronged One never attended schools nor associated with divines and theologians. I mention what God, glorified be His majesty, hath taught Me through His grace and bounty. If thou wouldst turn with the ear of the heart to the melodies of the Bird of Proof upon the branch of evidence, it would attract thee to a station wherein thou wouldst see naught save the sovereignty of God and His power and His greatness and His might, and thou wouldst be assured that the ocean surgeth by itself and for itself, and the sun shineth by its own essence and for its own essence. Say: Verily, the ocean needeth not aught else to prove its greatness.

O thou who drinkest the choice wine of utterance from the hands of the bounty of thy Lord, the All-Merciful! Grieve not at anything, but place thy trust in God in all matters. He shall verily assist thee through the truth and fulfil thy need. He, verily, is the Compassionate, the Generous.

Arise in the name of God and say: O people of the Furqan! By God, the All-Merciful hath come, and that which was hidden in knowledge hath been revealed. Fear ye God, and be not of them that hesitate.

O people of the Spirit! The gate of reunion hath been opened by the finger of the power of the Lord of all being. Hasten ye, and follow not every ignorant doubter.

O people of Moses! This is the Day whereof God’s Messengers gave you tidings aforetime. Fear ye God, and be not of the heedless. The Mount hath attained the presence of its Interlocutor, and the Light its sovereign Lord, and the Tree hath revealed its fruits, and the Ocean its waves, and the Sun its radiance. Fear ye God, and be not of the wrongdoers.

O followers of Zoroaster! Hearken unto the Call from the direction of ’Akka. Verily, it is raised in truth from God, the Goal of them that are nigh. The Fire of God hath been kindled in the Tree of the Cause at this glorious station. It hath appeared in the form of Light, speaking and proclaiming: “The Resurrection is come and the people of the graves have arisen by reason of the blast of the Trumpet.” Yet most of the people are fast asleep. They have not awakened at the Cry, though it was raised, nor have they drunk the choice wine of Revelation when its seal was broken by this Great Name.

Say: O people of the Bayan! Die in your wrath! By God’s life, your turning away, your denial, and whatsoever ye possess shall profit you not. Open your eyes and the gates of your ears that ye may hear that for the hearing of which the ears were created, and behold His lights for the vision of which the eyes were fashioned. Beware lest he who is called the Guide mislead you, and lest the doubts of the dubious cause you to slip. Forge not lies against God and His Cause. Verily, He hath appeared with the truth and hath sent down that which all who are in the heavens and on earth are powerless to produce the like thereof. That which hath been sent down from His presence is even as the sun among the stars and as the ocean among the rivers. To this beareth witness the Lord of the worlds in this Most Great Prison. Blessed is he who hath heard and hath turned unto Him and hath said: “Thine be the praise, O Thou Who art the Goal of the worlds, and Thine be the glory, O Thou Who art the Beloved of the Messengers!”

The Sun of Utterance hath so brilliantly risen and shone forth that no mention or description remaineth possible for the stars, and the Ocean of Mercy hath appeared in such wise that no power of speech remaineth for the drop. Exalted be His grandeur and mighty be His proof. There is no God but Him.

And regarding the mention of the rational soul which appears at the end of the Book, these passages were repeatedly revealed in the days when the Sun of the horizons was dawning from the horizon of Iraq. In these days also, some time ago, one of the friends from the land of Qaf and Vav inquired about the soul, and an answer was revealed. By command, a copy thereof was dispatched to your honor. God willing, you will attain unto it and drink from the ocean of utterance that which will intoxicate you to arise in the assemblage of the world to spread the verses of God, His laws and His commandments. Convey greetings and Baha from this evanescent one to the friends of that land. God willing, they will attain unto that which befitteth this divine Day. In truth, that which is beloved today and is the cause of deliverance of the servants from the well of vain imaginings hath been mentioned in the letter of the honored beloved, Aqa Mirza ’Abdu’l-Hamid, upon him be the glory of God and His favors. The servant beseecheth his Lord to manifest the truth through His sovereignty and guide the people to His straight path. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. Glory and remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those who have taken hold of the Book of God with power from Him, detached from the world and all that is therein in the days of our Lord, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. These are among the birds of the arena of wisdom and utterance. Upon them be the blessings of God and His glory, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

The Servant

27th of Safar 1306

[The geographical location and name of the addressee of this blessed Tablet have been erased, though parts of it remain legible]

=== END BH00333 ===

=== START BH00334 ===

This is the Surih of the Pen, which hath been sent down from the heaven of eternity unto them that have fixed their gaze upon His Throne.

In the name of God, the Most Wondrous, the Most Glorious!

O Pen of the Most High! Bear thou witness, in thine own self, that verily He is God and that there is none other God but Me, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Bear thou witness, then, by thine own essence, that verily I am God and that there is none other God but Him, that all have been created at My behest and that all abide by My command. Bear thou witness, moreover, by thine inmost being, that this is the Beauty of God which hath dawned above the horizon of the Unseen, a Beauty that hath ever been, and shall ever remain, unknown to all save Himself. He, verily, is the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Best-Beloved. Through but one of His effulgences the Day-Stars of majesty and grandeur have shone forth, the hearts of the denizens of the everlasting realm and the sanctified realities that lay hid beneath the mystic veil have been called into being, and the secrets of all that was and shall be have been laid bare.

O Pen! Let nothing dismay thee, for unto thee have We vouchsafed the inviolable protection of Our sovereign might and power, and into thee have We breathed a spirit, one breath of which would, if wafted upon the bodies of all existence, cause them to arise from their couches, unloose their tongues, speak forth, and bear witness in their inmost being that there is none other God but Me, the Powerful, the Glorious, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Peerless, the All-Subduing, the Self-Subsisting.

]

O Pen of Command! Be assured in thyself, and reveal then unto all beings a measure of that which God bestowed upon thee ere the creation of words and letters and the fashioning of all things, and ere the establishment of the kingdom of names and attributes and the revelation of His mighty and guarded Tablet. Say: This is a Power unsurpassed from all eternity to all eternity, could ye but know it, O concourse of the Spirit, and this is a Beauty unrivalled from the beginning that hath no beginning, could ye but perceive it. Say: Whoso conceiveth the least design to confront this Pen, to presume partnership with it, to gain intimate access unto it, or to fully grasp that which emanateth from it, be assured that the Evil One doth whisper within his breast. Thus hath the Divine Command been issued, could ye but understand. Say: By God! None hath ever been, nor shall ever be, able to rival Me amidst all creation. Thus hath it been inscribed by the Pen of divine revelation, could ye but comprehend it. Say: A single letter of Mine utterance hath, verily, brought forth the entire universe, the realities of all things, and worlds which none can fathom save God, the Almighty, the Most Manifest.

O Pen! Give ear unto that which the unbelievers have imputed to thee. Say: O assemblage of malice! Perish in your hatred, in your envy and your unbelief! By Him Who is the Eternal Truth! This is that Pen through a mere intimation of whose will the souls of the Concourse on high, and the realities of the denizens of the everlasting realm, and the essences of human hearts and minds, were all fashioned. This is that Pen through but a movement of which the sun of might and grandeur, and the moon of loftiness and sanctity, and the stars of grace and favour, were called into existence. This is that Pen through which were created the all-highest Paradise and all that abide therein, and the celestial garden and all that pertaineth thereto, could ye but comprehend. Say: Through but a single stroke have been manifested the knowledge of all that was and shall be, and the creation of all things past and future. Open then your eyes that ye may bear witness to this truth.

Since this text is already in English and appears to be a complete passage, no translation is needed. The text stands as it is.

Since this text is already in English, no translation is needed. The text remains as presented.

O Pen! Proclaim unto the concourse of eternity, saying: O ye that rove in the arenas of immortality! O ye that abide beneath the tabernacle of grandeur! O ye gem-like realities that lie hid from the eyes of creation! Descend from your lofty retreats to celebrate and rejoice, and to quaff from the cup of everlasting life that the hand of the All-Glorious is proffering on this Day. This, in truth, is a Day the like of which hath never been witnessed in all creation, a Day whereon the Eye of Grandeur hath been cheered in the Seat of transcendent glory. O ye bearers of the throne of God! Adorn the most great throne on this Day, for the unseen Beauty hath appeared–He Whose presence the inmates of the all-highest Paradise and the dwellers of the garden of repose have thus far been powerless to attain. Say: By God! The Hidden Secret hath appeared in the plenitude of His glory and hath solaced by His beauty the eyes of all things seen and unseen, and beyond them the eyes of them that have cleansed their souls with the holy waters streaming from the ocean of the Name of their Lord, the Most Manifest.

O concourse of monks! Abandon the churches wherein ye have glorified your Lord, for He Who ascended unto heaven hath in very truth come down again and circleth round the Throne of God. I swear by the one true God! In this Day the bells are pealing out in My remembrance, the Trumpet soundeth My praise, and the Bugle proclaimeth My Name, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Deprive not yourselves of the grace of this day; hasten rather to the seat of the Throne, forsake that which ye possess, and take fast hold of the Cord of God, Who hath arisen and manifested Himself and spoken forth for all to hear.

O inhabitants of the realms of the seen and the unseen! Sing, O sing the most joyous melodies on this Festival of God which hath appeared with the power of truth and to which the former and latter generations had never attained, could ye but know it. This is the Day whereon the Pen of God hath absolved all who are in the heavens and on earth. Thus hath His eternal command shone forth from the dayspring of His Pen, that ye may rejoice in your souls and be of those whose hearts are gladdened.

O Pen! Announce unto the Maid of Paradise: “By God! This day is thy day. Come forth as thou willest, and array thyself as thou pleasest with the broidered robe of names and the silken vesture of immortality. Emerge then from thine eternal habitation even as the sun that dawneth from the countenance of Baha. Descend from thy lofty heights and, standing betwixt earth and heaven, lift the veil of concealment from thy luminous face and shine forth above the horizon of creation as the black-eyed Damsel, that haply the most great veil may be torn away from the eyes of these people and they may behold the Scene of transcendent glory, the Beauty of God, the Most Holy, the Most Powerful, the Best-Beloved.”

“O Ancient Beauty! The unbelievers, verily, are lost in the stupor of idle fancy and are powerless to turn their eyes towards the most hallowed Court. Through the sovereign potency of Thine inviolable protection, Thou hast shielded me beneath the veils of light and guarded my beauty from the gaze of Thine enemies. Thine is the power to command; Thou ordainest as Thou pleasest through Thy word ‘Be’, and it is.”

O Maid of Baha! Step forth from the court of eternity, but let not thy most pure gaze linger upon the faces of mortal men. I swear by the one true God! None save them that are possessed of true insight can ever hope to behold thee in this most sublime vision. Leave the kingdom of names on thy right and the dominion of attributes on thy left, and shine forth by My leave above the horizon of Mine inviolable protection, divested of all that hath been created in the realm of Revelation and shorn of all that hath appeared in the kingdom of creation, that thou mayest manifest the beauteous image of God in all regions. Intone, then, the sweetest of melodies betwixt earth and heaven, that all existence may be detached from aught save the face of thy Lord, the Most Holy, the Most Gracious, the Well-Beloved. Beam forth above the horizon of the Ridvan with the beauty of the All-Merciful, and let thy fragrant locks flow upon thy bosom, that the perfume of the garment of thy most gracious Lord may be diffused throughout the world. Hide not thy luminous form from the eyes of the concourse of Revelation, and withhold not thine ethereal veil of holiness from the gaze of the people. Present thyself, then, before the Throne with thy locks flowing, thine arms bejewelled, thy countenance blushing, thy cheeks aglow, and thine eyes adorned, and take hold of the snow-white chalice in My most exalted Name. Proffer then to the denizens of the realm of eternity the crimson wine of Mine all-glorious Beauty, that haply the concourse of Revelation may sanctify their souls in this most august Festival by virtue of this pure draught, and that they may emerge from behind the veil of concealment through the power of Mine almighty and all-powerful, Mine all-subduing and self-subsisting sovereignty.

By God! I am the Maid of Heaven, abiding in the midmost heart of Paradise, hidden behind the veil of the All-Merciful and concealed from the eyes of men. From time immemorial I remained shrouded in the veil of sanctity beneath the Tabernacle of Grandeur. I heard a most sweet call from the right hand of the throne of my Lord, the Most Exalted, and I saw Paradise itself set in motion and all its inhabitants stirred up in their longing to attain the presence of God, the All-Glorious. Whereupon another call was raised: ‘By God! The Beloved of the worlds is come! Blessed be the one who attaineth His presence, and beholdeth His face, and giveth ear to His most holy, His most glorious and beloved utterance. The Voice of God hath enraptured the souls of the Concourse on high and the hearts of the dwellers of the everlasting realm, and the all-consuming ecstasies of love have caused them to tremble with yearning and to fix their gaze upon the court of sanctity, the station of unapproachable glory.’ Were I to speak in every tongue, I would nonetheless be powerless to describe that which I beheld in that state. And yet, in spite of this grace that hath encompassed all things, and this rapture that hath overtaken all that are immersed beneath the ocean of names, behold, I found the people of the Bayan veiled and heedless, and lying as dead in the graves of oblivion. O people of the Bayan! Reckon ye to be treading the path of the spirit even as ye have rejected this Revelation? Nay, by my Beauty, which God hath ordained as the manifestation of His own Beauty amongst all the former and latter generations!

O Maid of holiness! Forsake the mention of such people, for their hearts are as immovable as stones and impervious to all but the promptings of idle fancy. For they remain immature in the Cause of God and suckle the milk of ignorance at the breast of waywardness. Leave them to dwell upon the dust, and warble thou My melodies in the realm of eternity. Apprise, then, the inhabitants of Paradise of that which hath been manifested in the kingdom of creation. Thus may they become attracted by Thy sweet accents, hasten towards this hallowed and promised Beauty, and become fully apprised of this Day–a Day whereon all things have been adorned with the ornament of names, a Day whereon every poor one hath found the source of true wealth and every deprived and sinful soul hath attained forgiveness.

O people! Seek ye in these days the grace of God and His all-embracing mercy, and beware lest ye follow in the footsteps of every veiled and heedless soul.

Thus the summons of the Pen regarding this blessed and fated account endeth, in this Tablet.

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In the name of our Lord Who hath described His own Self through His sanctification above all names! The Kingdom of Glory and Beauty, and the Dominion of Grandeur and Majesty, befit the Sovereign of the Divine Realm and the Ever-Living, Immortal King, Who by a single breath from the breezes of the Hidden Sea of Ink that flowed from the Most Exalted Pen made manifest the Beauty of the Prophets, and by the Sun of the blessed word “Verily, I am God, the One possessed of power over all things” which shone forth from the horizon of the Mouth of Will, made them luminous and radiant. Exalted be His Cause and His power, exalted be His glory and station, and exalted be His grandeur and sovereignty!

The rays and effulgences of this brilliant, luminous, manifest Sun appeared in the horizons of the existence of contingent beings and the realities of created things, until the veils of forgetfulness intervened and prevented eyes from beholding. At that time, the Countenance of Him Who conversed with God appeared from the horizon of the Will of the Ancient of Days. Glorified be He Who manifested Him, glorified be He Who sent Him, and exalted be He Who addressed Him from the midst of the fire: “O Moses! O Moses! I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob!”

When He heard the Call from the Center of Fire and was seized by the rapture of the Almighty, He covered His face in fear, unable to look upon it, and fell unconscious from the Call of the Lord for eighty-one thousand eternal years. Then the grace of His Lord drew nigh unto Him, and the fragrance of reunion wafted over Him. When He recovered, He said: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who hast brought me to life through the sweetness of Thy Call and hast raised me again through the spirit of Thy utterance, O Lord of all names!” Then He arose and stood before the Lord for nine thousand thousand years, humble and submissive, praising, mentioning, and glorifying in the inner depths of mystery.

Then the Call was heard from the Supreme Horizon time and again: “O Moses! O Moses! Go forth with My peace and the fragrance of My garment to the sanctuaries of My holiness and the places of My intimacy, then to the cities of the divine cloud and the realms of spirit and the supreme worlds and the fields of splendor and the highest pavilions and the gardens of immortality. Thou art permitted to ascend every heaven, enter every sea, and board every ship. But beware, beware lest thou cross to the gulf of the sea of grandeur, or approach the crimson ships, or draw nigh to the sacred white land, for there is a station wherein the realities of names are consumed.

“Verily, when I hearkened to the cry of My hidden people and heard the lamentation of My loved ones whom none save Me hath known, and when I became aware of their crying out in separation from Me and their clamoring in the wilderness of supplication out of longing to meet Me and desire to attain My presence, and knew their thirst and burning for the Kawthar of My hidden and treasured Name, I desired to send thee unto them with My breezes, My fragrances, My sweet-scented streams, and then My favors, My glad-tidings, and My bounties.”

Then He Who conversed with God submitted to the Ancient Lord: “When I reach them and say to them ‘Your Beloved hath sent me unto you,’ and they ask me ‘What is His name?’ how shall I answer them?” Then the Divine Realm of Grandeur was shaken, the Dominion of Power was stirred, and the Kingdom of Glory and Loftiness was thunderstruck. Then the heaven of the highest heavens trembled as the Call was raised from the Unseen Realm of Grandeur, and the voice of the Lord caused all the ancient mountains to quake: “Say: ‘Ehyeh Asher Ehyeh Shelahnua Elohim.’ Say: ‘Ehyeh Who is Ehyeh hath sent me unto you.’ O Moses, thus shalt thou say to the thirsty ones who desire the Kawthar of My reunion: ‘Jehovah, your Beloved, hath sent me unto you.’” Then He heard the Call from the Most Exalted Direction: “Say: ’Yah, your heart’s Desire, hath sent me unto you to give you glad tidings of the appearance […]”

Say: He is the One whom He yearns for from the unseen realm of the heavens. I heard His voice and hearkened to His call, yet I saw Him not nor gazed upon Him. He commanded me to turn toward you, who recognize the garment of the Beloved, that I might instill patience in your hearts concerning His separation and departure, and console you in your remoteness through the length of His days. Then came the call from the Ultimate Tree, grown from the heart of the Throne in the snow-white bowers beyond the veil of grandeur: “O Moses! This is My name and My remembrance unto them throughout their holy and blessed generations that end not with the ages of eternity nor conclude with the times of perpetuity. This is My sign among them on the day of My coming unto them. By this shall I make Myself known to them, and by this shall I lift the veil from My beauty, for they know none save Me, and no name other than this My name, and no remembrance other than this My remembrance shall ever be mentioned among them. These are My servants whom I commanded not to prostrate when I created Adam, and whom neither the dwellers of My mystic pavilions nor the inhabitants of My cloud-realms have discovered. O Moses! Bear thou witness that I am indeed the Lord. I have ever been alone, sanctified in My essence from all names. I was not known from time immemorial, and in the mystery of My beauty I shall never be known unto the endless ages. I appeared unto Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as God, the Almighty over all things, but by My name Jehovah I made not Myself known until this day. This is the treasure of My hidden Name, this is the mystery of My treasured Name, and this is the symbol of My concealed and guarded Beauty, which hath ever been and shall forever remain hidden in the treasuries of My command and the repositories of My protection, veiled by the curtains of My glory and the covering of My power, authority and preservation. I concealed it beneath the mantle of My grandeur and the pavilion of My greatness until a time known only to Me, in a land that remaineth hidden behind the veils of My unseen realm and the ocean of My all-encompassing knowledge. And I shall appoint for this a fixed time, which is: verily, verily, I am most assuredly drawing nigh. Then shall I reveal this Treasure through the sovereignty of My Will, break its seal with the finger of My power and the digits of My might, and bring forth that hidden Pearl through the agency of My Most Exalted Pen from the depths of My unseen, pure and simple ink.” When the call ended and the mighty, mystic letters were completed in triangular form within the square frame, and the most hidden secret and most concealed treasure appeared, and the Throne bore the eight luminous letters, then was perfected and completed and sealed the temple of the Most Great Name in a holy and preserving seal. Blessed is he who gazeth upon the seal of the Beloved and recognizeth what was ordained therein of mysteries deposited in the treasuries of former Books from One all-knowing and wise.

O my brother, O my friend Khalil! This servant, you, and all friends must beseech the Glorious Lord to first bestow, through His wondrous favor, the spirit of prayer, that through it we might seek to renew the world of the world of the soul, and the world of the world of the spirit and mind, and the world of the world of heart and tongue and utterance, that He might create them anew through the holy breath of the All-Merciful and the exalted fragrance of the Eternal, so that with that Kingdom of utterance and expression we might render thanks and praise for this most great bounty and supreme gift, and might sacrifice those worlds of soul and spirit. For He hath enabled these servants to attain unto the knowledge of this most precious, most glorious, most resplendent Treasury. How many Prophets and Messengers and chosen ones and near ones sacrificed their lives in search of this manifest Treasury and found no trace thereof, while we, these servants, without any worthiness or seeking, and without toil or labor, have attained unto this endless divine Treasury. O my brother! In truth another world is needed and another knowledge is befitting to comprehend and recognize the worth and value of this eternal sovereignty and everlasting bounty, and to arise in a manner worthy of this station and these days. None but the Pen of the Ancient can describe this station, and none but the Tongue of Grandeur was or ever shall be worthy to make mention of this bounty which He Himself hath bestowed through His pure grace. In any case, in view of the saying “The remembrance of friends is pleasing to the Friend,” this servant desired to send to his honor the Hakim, upon him be the Glory of God, a fragrance from the rose-garden of the utterances of His Holiness Moses and a sweet scent from the fragrances of the remembrances of the Messengers which had previously been diffused and made manifest in mention of this Manifestation of the evident Truth. Therefore these remembrances flowed forth from the pen without intention. Blessed is he in that he hath attained, and succeeded, and known, and found. Therefore at every moment it behooveth him to say: “Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Beloved of all in the heavens and the earth.”

Praise be to God! They beheld the New Jerusalem, which was foretold in the Holy Books of old and new, wherein He saith it shall appear anew. They dwelt beneath the blessed pavilion of which Isaiah the Prophet gave tidings, saying “A tabernacle that shall not be taken down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be removed.” They attained the presence of their Glorious Lord in that exalted spot situated upon the shore of the mighty river, and entered time and again into that City which David, with utmost longing and yearning, had sought to enter, even as he saith: “Who will lead me into the strong city?”

This blessed City hath been named by the Pen of the Most High as the Most Great Prison, and in one place as the Supreme Paradise and the Heaven of all heavens, and in another by all the Most Beautiful Names. In the Books of the Messengers of old it was designated as the New Jerusalem, the Desired Land, and other beloved names. The Tongue of Revelation aforetime gave it three titles: the Land of Resurrection, the Holy Land, and the White Spot.

In this sacred place they found, in one respect, everlasting joy and eternal delight, even as He saith: “All joy and gladness and felicity shall be in Jerusalem, for the Everlasting God shall dwell there with His people.” And in another respect, they drank from the cup of sorrow, for they witnessed that which had been foretold of old. The Bearer of the Psalms, after making reference to the Lord’s Land, declareth: “There they that carried us away captive required of us a song; and they that wasted us required of us mirth, saying, Sing us one of the songs of Zion.” Then He saith: “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?”

O Khalil! I swear by the Glorious Lord that if they were to become aware of but a drop from the limitless oceans of tribulations that befell the Ancient Beauty, and of His loneliness, estrangement and oppression in the Most Great Prison, they would spend their entire lives in lamentation, weeping and mourning, and would proclaim “May my spirit be a sacrifice for Thy trials, O Beloved of the worlds!” Praise be to God that they entered the holy Zion which was raised aforetime as foretold, and they arrived at the site of the House of the Lord, and beheld from the horizon of the Tent of Meeting the light and radiance of the splendor of their Lord without any veils, and dwelt in the holy shelter, and drank from the river of the path of which the truthful Prophet gave tidings, and ascended the mountain of the House of the Lord, and attained again and again to standing before their Lord while the mouth of the Lord was melodiously uttering words and expressions of favor, grace, mercy, kindness and compassion. And they were saved from the terror of these words with which the trustworthy Warner gave warning - these are His true and manifest words: “Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of His majesty.” And He repeats these words in three places. Praise be to God that they attained to all these bounties and above these and far above these which are beyond reckoning, description and utterance. What else do they desire that they have not attained? What do they seek that they have not reached? What station do they hope for that the transcendent Lord has not already bestowed through His generosity and grace before they even asked? However, there is one station which is greater than all stations, and this servant and you and they and all the friends must at all times beseech it from the Praiseworthy Lord with the utmost humility, submissiveness and supplication, and that is steadfastness, then steadfastness, then steadfastness unto infinity - steadfastness until the last breath, steadfastness until the spirit departs, steadfastness. For this matter has been mighty in all ages, times, dispensations and centuries, and its importance great, especially in this Most Great Manifestation whose greatness and grandeur is recorded and inscribed in all divine books, tablets and scriptures. Blessed is he who attains unto it and drinks from its oceans.

As for what you wrote about not having rendered any service, it was presented at the Most Holy Court and He said: “Grieve not over this. Thou didst hasten to the City when thou didst hear and didst turn to the station whereunto thou wert called. Thus doth the Pen testify in this Mighty Tablet.” Praise be to God that through the special favor of the True One thou didst attain to service and didst drink from the choice wine of reunion and didst attain to the blessed Word. India was and will be the courtyard of the gate of meeting, and its parrot is the Pen of Revelation. What bounty is more beloved, more desirable and more exalted than this? Rejoice in this sweet mention. And what thou hast heard about the condition there is not worth mentioning. Verily, the people hasten to the Evil One, turning away from God, the Sovereign of the Kingdom, except those whom thy Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful, willeth.

Regarding what you mentioned about listening at the time of revelation, this matter has always been explained to the friends that this depends on coincidence, and the proof of this is clear and evident, as you have repeatedly listened[…]

With regard to what you mentioned concerning Tiberias - His Honor Hakim was given permission to go to Acre, but as for your going, considering the wisdom in all matters it is not advisable, for in these lands any mention of this Cause is absolutely forbidden. Should you accompany them, discussion would inevitably arise. His Honor Hakim too must absolutely make no mention of these matters in those places, as this would yield nothing but mischief and will continue to do so. And concerning what you wrote about His Honor Hakim having mentioned that he acts according to God’s commandments and prohibitions - this is through His grace upon him. God willing, may he be confirmed in this matter and remain steadfast with complete firmness. The Command is in His grasp. Verily He is the Commander, the All-Wise. The Glory be upon you and upon him and upon all who have believed in God, the Single, the All-Informed.

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He is the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise! The winds of hatred have encompassed the Ark of Ba??a, by reason of that which the hands of the oppressors have wrought. O Baqir! Thou hast pronounced sentence against them for whom the books of the world have wept, and in whose favour the scriptures of all religions have testified. Thou, who art gone far astray, art indeed wrapt in a thick veil. By God Himself! Thou hast pronounced judgement against them through whom the horizon of faith hath been illumined. Unto this bear witness They Who are the Dawning-Places of Revelation and the Manifestations of the Cause of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, Who have sacrificed Their souls and all that They possessed in His straight Path. The Faith of God hath cried everywhere, by reason of thy tyranny, and yet thou disportest thyself and art of them that exult. There is no hatred in Mine heart for thee nor for anyone. Every man of learning beholdeth thee, and such as are like thee, engulfed in evident folly. Hadst thou realized that which thou hast done, thou wouldst have cast thyself into the fire, or abandoned thine home and fled into the mountains, or wouldst have groaned until thou hadst returned unto the place destined for thee by Him Who is the Lord of strength and of might. O thou who art even as nothing! Rend thou asunder the veils of idle fancies and vain imaginings, that thou mayest behold the Day-Star of knowledge shining from this resplendent Horizon. Thou hast torn in pieces a remnant of the Prophet Himself, and imagined that thou hadst helped the Faith of God. Thus hath thy soul prompted thee, and thou art truly one of the heedless. Thine act hath consumed the hearts of the Concourse on high, and those of such as have circled round the Cause of God, the Lord of the worlds. The soul of the Chaste One melted, by reason of thy cruelty, and the inmates of Paradise wept sore in that blessed Spot. Judge thou fairly, I adjure thee by God. What proof did the Jewish doctors adduce wherewith to condemn Him Who was the Spirit of God, when He came unto them with truth? What could have been the evidence produced by the Pharisees and the idolatrous priests to justify their denial of Muhammad, the Apostle of God when He came unto them with a Book that judged between truth and falsehood with a justice which turned into light the darkness of the earth, and enraptured the hearts of such as had known Him? Indeed thou hast produced, in this day, the same proofs which the foolish divines advanced in that age. Unto this testifieth He Who is the King of the realm of grace in this great Prison. Thou hast, truly, walked in their […]

Know thou that he is truly learned who hath acknowledged My Revelation, and drunk from the Ocean of My knowledge, and soared in the atmosphere of My love, and cast away all else besides Me, and taken firm hold on that which hath been sent down from the Kingdom of My wondrous utterance. He, verily, is even as an eye unto mankind, and as the spirit of life unto the body of all creation. Glorified be the All-Merciful Who hath enlightened him, and caused him to arise and serve His great and mighty Cause. Verily, such a man is blessed by the Concourse on high, and by them who dwell within the Tabernacle of Grandeur, who have quaffed My sealed Wine […]

in My Name, the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful. O Baqir! If thou be of them that occupy such a sublime station, produce then a sign from God, the Creator of the heavens. And shouldst thou recognize thy powerlessness, do thou rein in thy passions, and return unto thy Lord, that perchance He may forgive thee thy sins which have caused the leaves of the Divine Lote-Tree to be burnt up, and the Rock to cry out, and the eyes of men of understanding to weep. Because of thee the Veil of Divinity was rent asunder, and the Ark foundered, and the She-Camel was hamstrung, and the Spirit groaned in His sublime retreat. Disputest thou with Him Who hath come unto thee with the testimonies of God and His signs which thou possesest and which are in the possession of them that dwell on earth? Open thine eyes that thou mayest behold this Wronged One shining forth above the horizon of the will of God, the Sovereign, the Truth, the Resplendent. Unstop, then, the ear of thine heart that thou mayest hearken unto the speech of the Divine Lote-Tree that hath been raised up in truth by God, the Almighty, the Beneficent. Verily, this Tree, notwithstanding the things that befell it by reason of thy cruelty and of the transgressions of such as are like thee, calleth aloud and summoneth all men unto the Sadratu’l-Muntaha and the Supreme Horizon. Blessed is the soul that hath gazed on the Most Mighty Sign, and the ear that hath heard His most sweet Voice, and woe to whosoever hath turned aside and done wickedly. O thou who hast turned away from God! Wert thou to look with the eye of fairness upon the Divine Lote-Tree, thou wouldst perceive the marks of thy sword on its boughs, and its branches, and its leaves, notwithstanding that God created thee for the purpose of recognizing and of serving it. Reflect, that haply thou mayest recognize thine iniquity and be numbered with such as have repented. Thinkest thou that We fear thy cruelty? Know thou and be well assured that from the first day whereon the voice of the Most Sublime Pen was raised betwixt earth and heaven We offered up Our souls, and Our bodies, and Our sons, and Our possessions in the path of God, the Exalted, the Great, and We glory therein amongst all created things and the Concourse on high. Unto this testify the things which have befallen Us in this straight Path. By God! Our hearts were consumed, and Our bodies were crucified, and Our blood was spilt, while Our eyes were fixed on the horizon of the loving-kindness of their Lord, the Witness, the All-Seeing. The more grievous their woes, the greater waxed the love of the people of Baha. Unto their sincerity hath borne witness what the All-Merciful hath sent down in the […]

Here is a verse of the Qur’an: “Wish ye, then, for death, if ye are sincere.” Who should be considered superior - one who has hidden himself behind veils, or one who has sacrificed himself in God’s path? Judge with fairness, and be not among those who wander distracted in the wilderness of falsehood. So carried away have they been by the living waters of the Most Merciful’s love, that neither worldly armies nor the swords of nations have deterred them from turning towards the ocean of their Lord’s bounty - the Giver, the Generous. By God! Tribulations have failed to unnerve Me, and the rejection by religious leaders has been powerless to weaken Me. I have spoken, and continue to speak before mankind: “The door of grace has been unlocked and He Who is the Dayspring of Justice has come with clear signs and manifest proofs from God, the Lord of strength and might!” Present yourself before Me that you may hear the mysteries which were heard by the Son of ’Imran upon the Sinai of Wisdom. Thus commands you He Who is the Dawning-Place of your Lord’s Revelation, the God of Mercy, from His mighty Prison. Has leadership made you proud? Read what God revealed to the Sovereign ruler, the Sul?an of Turkey, who has imprisoned Me in this fortress, so you may know the condition of this Wronged One, as decreed by God, the One, the Single, the All-Informed. Are you content to have the base and worthless as your followers? They support you as did those before them who followed Annas, who condemned the Spirit without clear proof or testimony. Study the Kitab-i-Iqan and what the All-Merciful has revealed to the King of Paris and others like him, that you may understand past events and be convinced We have not sought to create disorder in a well-ordered land. We counsel solely for God’s sake. Let whoever wishes turn to Him, and whoever wishes turn away. Our Lord, the Merciful, is truly the All-Sufficing, the All-Praised. O religious leaders! This is the day when nothing among all things, nor any name among all names, can benefit you except through this Name which God has made the Manifestation of His Cause and the Dawning-Place of His Most Excellent Titles to all in creation. Blessed is the one who has recognized the fragrance of the All-Merciful and been counted among the steadfast. Your sciences will not profit you today, nor your arts, nor your treasures, nor your glory. Cast them all […]

behind your backs, and set your faces towards the Most Sublime Word through which the Scriptures and the Books and this lucid Tablet have been distinctly set forth. Cast away, O concourse of divines, the things ye have composed with the pens of your idle fancies and vain imaginings. By God! The Day-Star of Knowledge hath shone forth above the horizon of certitude. O Baqir! Read and call thou to mind that which was said of old by a believer of thy stock: ‘Will ye slay a man because he saith my Lord is God, when He hath already come to you with signs from your Lord? If he be a liar, on him will be his lie, but if he be a man of truth, part of what he threateneth will fall upon you. In truth God guideth not him who is a transgressor, a liar.’ O thou who art gone astray! If thou hast any doubt concerning Our conduct, know thou that We bear witness unto that whereunto God hath Himself borne witness ere the creation of the heavens and of the earth, that there is none other God but Him, the Almighty, the All-Bounteous. We testify that He is One in His Essence, One in His attributes. He hath none to equal Him in the whole universe, nor any partner in all creation. He hath sent forth His Messengers, and sent down His Books, that they may announce unto His creatures the Straight Path. Hath the Shah been informed, and chosen to close his eyes to thine acts? Or hath he been seized with fear at the howling of a pack of wolves who have cast the Path of God behind their backs and followed in thy way without any clear proof or Book? We have heard that the provinces of Persia have been adorned with the adornment of justice. When We observed closely, however, We found them to be the dawning-places of tyranny and the daysprings of injustice. We behold justice in the clutches of tyranny. We beseech God to set it free through the power of His might and His sovereignty. He, verily, overshadoweth all that is in the heavens and on earth. To none is given the right to protest against anyone concerning that which hath befallen the Cause of God. It behoveth whosoever hath set his face towards the Most Sublime Horizon to cleave tenaciously unto the cord of patience, and to put his reliance in God, the Help in Peril, the Unconstrained. O ye loved ones of God! Drink your fill from the well-spring of wisdom, and walk ye in the garden of wisdom, and soar ye in the atmosphere of wisdom, and speak forth with wisdom and eloquence. Thus biddeth you your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Knowing. O Baqir! Rely not on thy glory, and thy power. Thou […]

*that signal its completion art even as the last trace of sunlight upon the mountain-top. Soon will it fade away, as decreed by God, the All-Possessing, the Most High. Thy glory and the glory of such as are like thee have been taken away, and this verily is what hath been ordained by the One with Whom is the Mother Tablet. Where is he to be found who contended with God, and whither is gone he that gainsaid His signs, and turned aside from His sovereignty? Where are they who have slain His chosen ones and spilt the blood of His holy ones? Reflect, that haply thou mayest perceive the breaths of thine acts, O foolish doubter! Because of you the Apostle lamented, and the Chaste One cried out, and the countries were laid waste, and darkness fell upon all regions. O concourse of divines! Because of you the people were abased, and the banner of Islam was hauled down, and its mighty throne subverted. Every time a man of discernment hath sought to hold fast unto that which would exalt Islam, ye raised a clamour, and thereby was he deterred from achieving his purpose, while the land remained fallen in clear ruin. Consider the Sul?an of Turkey! He did not want war, but those like you desired it. When its fires were enkindled and its flames rose high, the government and the people were thereby weakened. Unto this beareth witness every man of equity and perception. Its calamities waxed so great that the smoke thereof surrounded the Land of Mystery and its environs, and what had been revealed in the Tablet of the Sul?an was made manifest. Thus hath it been decreed in the Book, at the behest of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

O My Supreme Pen! Leave Thou the mention of the Wolf, and call Thou to remembrance the She-Serpent whose cruelty hath caused all created things to groan, and the limbs of the holy ones to quake. Thus biddeth Thee the Lord of all names, in this glorious station. The Chaste One hath cried out by reason of thine iniquity, and yet thou dost imagine thyself to be of the family of the Apostle of God! Thus hath thy soul prompted thee, O thou who hast withdrawn thyself from God, the Lord of all that hath been and shall be. Judge thou equitably, O She-Serpent! For what crime didst thou sting the children of the Apostle of God, and pillage their possessions? Hast thou denied Him Who created thee by His command ‘be, and it was’? Thou hast dealt with the children of the Apostle of God as neither ’Ad hath dealt with Hud, nor Thamud with ?ali?, nor the Jews with the Spirit of God, the Lord of all being. Gainsayest thou the signs of thy Lord which no sooner were sent down from the heaven of His Cause than […]

all the books of the world bowed down before them? Meditate, that thou mayest be made aware of thine act, O heedless outcast! Ere long will the breaths of chastisement seize thee, as they seized others before thee. Wait, O thou who hast joined partners with God, the Lord of the visible and the invisible. This is the day which God hath announced through the tongue of His Apostle. Reflect, that thou mayest apprehend what the All-Merciful hath sent down in the Qur’an and in this inscribed Tablet. This is the day whereon He Who is the Dayspring of Revelation hath come with clear tokens which none can number. This is the day whereon every man endued with perception hath discovered the fragrance of the breeze of the All-Merciful in the world of creation, and every man of insight hath hastened unto the living waters of the mercy of His Lord, the King of Kings. O heedless one! The tale of the Sacrifice hath been retold, and he who was to be offered up hath directed his steps towards the place of sacrifice, and returned not, by reason of that which thy hand hath wrought, O perverse hater! Didst thou imagine that martyrdom could abase this Cause? Nay, by Him Whom God hath made to be the Repository of His Revelation, if thou be of them that comprehend. Woe betide thee, O thou who hast joined partners with God, and woe betide them that have taken thee as their leader, without a clear token or a perspicuous Book. How numerous the oppressors before thee who have arisen to quench the light of God, and how many the impious who murdered and pillaged until the hearts and souls of men groaned by reason of their cruelty! The sun of justice hath been obscured, inasmuch as the embodiment of tyranny hath been stablished upon the throne of hatred, and yet the people understand not. The children of the Apostle have been slain and their possessions pillaged. Say: Was it, in thine estimation, their possessions or themselves that denied God? Judge fairly, O ignorant one that hath been shut out as by a veil from God. Thou hast clung to tyranny and cast away justice; whereupon all created things have lamented, and still thou art among the wayward. Thou hast put to death the aged, and plundered the young. Thinkest thou that thou wilt consume that which thine iniquity hath amassed? Nay, by Myself! Thus informeth thee He Who is cognizant of all. By God! The things thou possessest shall profit thee not, nor what thou hast laid up through thy cruelty. Unto this beareth witness Thy Lord, the All-Knowing. Thou hast arisen to put out the light of this Cause; ere long will thine […]

own fire be quenched, at His behest. He, verily, is the Lord of strength and of might. The changes and chances of the world, and the powers of the nations, cannot frustrate Him. He doeth what He pleaseth, and ordaineth what He willeth through the power of His sovereignty. Consider the she-camel. Though but a beast, yet hath the All-Merciful exalted her to so high a station that the tongues of the earth made mention of her and celebrated her praise. He, verily, overshadoweth all that is in the heavens and on earth. No God is there but Him, the Almighty, the Great. Thus have We adorned the heaven of Our Tablet with the suns of Our words. Blessed the man that hath attained thereunto and been illumined with their light, and woe betide such as have turned aside, and denied Him, and strayed far from Him. Praised be God, the Lord of the worlds!

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O beloved of my spirit and heart! May the revered Varqa, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, take note:

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

These days are days of new joy, for in the City of Lovers a lover has attained his heart’s desire and achieved that which is beloved. Though in one sense it is a time of grief, lamentation and mourning - for it is observed that the thirst of the oppressors remains unquenched, and each day they are seen in fresh flames and boundless conflagration - yet when one who seeks attains the supreme homeland, and a lover resolves to sacrifice himself, drinking with utmost desire and love from the cup of annihilation in the path of the Lord of eternity - a draught whereat the angels of the highest heaven and the cherubim exclaimed “Well done! Well done!” and beyond them the Tongue of Grandeur from the Throne of Glory spoke the words “Blessed, blessed is he!” - this is a station of greatest joy and supreme gladness. For a lover from the City of Lovers has attained that which was the ultimate hope of those who draw nigh and those who yearn. In these days the court of the presence of the Lord of all beings is perfumed with his mention and illumined by the light of utterance. Would that this cup were destined for me and His grace would bestow upon me that which He has bestowed upon the sincere and the sanctified ones. His is the praise and the glory, His the thanks and the bounty. There is no God but He, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious.

O beloved of my heart and joy of my soul! Your letter arrived like spiritual springtime blossoms from the divine Lote-Tree and was beheld. The water of the love of God flows from its every word, for the fragrance of detachment, sincerity and love for the Lord of the worlds and the Ancient King wafts from it and spreads abroad. We beseech God to strengthen your pen and your treasury of love, from which has appeared that which brings delight to eyes and illumination to hearts. After its perusal and reading, it was presented before the Divine Presence, after which permission was granted, and He, blessed and exalted be He, spoke thus:

“O Varqa! Upon thee be My glory, My grace and My mercy! These days are different days, for the fragrance of steadfastness has pervaded the world and fresh musk of utterance is wafting anew from the Lote-Tree of the Purpose of all worlds. The lovers are seized with fresh ecstasy and those who are attracted have a new melody. The breeze of the dawn of Revelation has strengthened the Sinai to utter the final call, the supreme attraction, the sweetest chant, and the most glorious song. This song in one station renews the world and gladdens the nations. In this station the tongue of grace speaks this most exalted word: The blessed fruit has sought the divine Lote-Tree and the goodly leaf has intended the supreme Paradise. The blessed Word of the Book has returned to the Mother Book, and the cry ‘The Truth has appeared’ has reached the Tree of Sinai. No utterance can fully describe this station, nor can the bird of understanding soar in this atmosphere. What has been mentioned is but a drop from the ocean of the love of God.” And in another station the Tongue of Grandeur speaks thus: “O Varqa! Upon thee be My glory and My grace! Verily the serpent has opened its mouth and swallowed its master. Glory be to God! Oppression has reached such a state that justice laments, patience is struck down, and forbearance has taken flight. Yet these countless transgressions and oppressions are the cause and reason for the appearance of the greatest justice, and these sorrows that have come to pass are the cause of supreme joy. Those possessed of vision behold this, and accepted souls comprehend it. Soon will God purify the earth from the defilement of these people. Verily He is the Ruler in the beginning and the end.”

The letter of A. H., upon him be my Baha and loving-kindness, attained unto hearing, and the gaze of the Wronged One and the glance of the Beloved were directed towards it. His call hath ever been heard by the Most High. The Hand of Supreme Benevolence and the Great Bestowal hath manifested for him that which transcendeth description by ink, pen, and paper. Lofty and graceful trees have been specially planted for him. How many were the servants who, from the earliest days and thereafter, desired to render assistance and service, yet attained not thereunto; while he desired and attained, reaching that which had been the hope of those near unto God and the desire of the sincere ones. O dove! The Supreme Pen hath testified and doth testify. Reflect upon the bounty of God and His mercy, and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the world! And thanksgiving be unto Thee, O Lord of all names! And glory be unto Thee, O Beloved of those who are in the heavens and on earth!

Convey My greetings to the loved ones of that land on behalf of the Wronged One, and draw them from the north of sorrow to the right hand of joy through the fragrances of the revealed and inscribed verses. Verily thy Lord is the All-Forgiving, the Merciful, and He is the All-Knowing, the Wise. The servant present hath appeared before the Countenance and presented that wherewith thou didst call upon God, the Lord of Bounty and the Sovereign of existence. Blessed be thy tongue for what it hath acknowledged, and thy pen for what it hath confessed, and thy heart for what it hath accepted. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to aid thee to exalt that which He hath willed and to manifest that which hath been forbidden to the peoples of the earth. The world is bewildered by these heedless people. At every moment the world calleth out and giveth tidings and showeth forth, yet all remain veiled and heedless save whom God willeth. The loved ones of God must today engage in the assistance of the Truth with perfect patience, forbearance, calm and dignity, and act in accordance with that which is befitting. Say: By the life of God! This is the Day before whose revelation centuries and ages bow down in worship. O loved ones of God and His party! Strive that perchance ye may raise up the dwellers of the graves through the sealed wine. Today is the day of arising, not of sitting, but arising through wisdom and utterance. Blessed is the soul who, through the Name of God, glorified be His majesty, hath purified both the seen and the unseen from the dust of idle fancies and vain imaginings through the Kawthar of His utterance, and hath turned with a pure heart toward the court of God. Though such a one be asleep, yet in the sight of God he is vigilant, hearing and speaking, for all his limbs, members and hair have been manifested through the love of God, have derived strength from His grace and favor, and have arisen to serve. Neither the clamor of the world can prevent this arising, nor can the chains of the people of the contingent world hold back this tongue from utterance. Before all faces He hath said and continueth to say: The Day hath come, yet the people are in a strange sleep. Thus hath the Sun revealed its light and radiance, and the sea its waves, and the Tree its fruits, and the Pen its tokens. We, from this Prison, send Our glorification at this moment to Our loved ones who are described by the All-Merciful in the Qur’an as “honored servants who speak not until He hath spoken, and who do His bidding,” and through what the All-Merciful hath revealed at this time. These are servants whom the power of the world cannot weaken, nor can the hosts of nations prevent. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth, and He is the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Praised. The splendor shining from the horizon of My heaven, and the wave surging from the ocean of My favor, and the light dawning from My western horizon be upon thee and upon My loved ones there, and upon all who are steadfast and firm. There is no God but He, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Glory be to God! The inanimate is moved, attracted and gladdened by the fragrances of the utterances of the Lord of creation, yet the people are all deprived save whom our Lord, the Lord of the Throne and of earth, willeth. All the world and the communities of nations have been and are beseeching and yearning for God, glorified be His majesty, to hear the blessed word “O My servant” or a word from which the fragrance of relationship might be inhaled. Yet in these days, when they hear at every moment the blessed words “My servant,” “My leaf,” “My fruit,” “O thou who hast turned to the lights of My countenance,” “O My loved one,” and “O thou who seeketh Me,” they pay no heed, for they are deprived of the ocean of knowledge […]

The lamp of loving kindness shineth bright and luminous before all faces, and the radiant beams of the Sun of Truth are manifest and visible from every horizon. They have forsaken all divine favors and heavenly bounties, occupying themselves instead with ancient names. They have taken fancy as their lamp and conjecture as their remedy. I seek forgiveness from God the All-Glorious for the deeds of these heedless souls and the beliefs of this rejected band. Soon shall the hand of divine power rend asunder the veils and remove the barriers. At that time, the opposers shall be afflicted with a punishment the like of which no ear hath heard nor eye hath seen. The actions of these days have surely reached the ears of that Beloved One. In the land of Sad, what Ibn-i-Dhi’b hath done and continueth to do - verily he hath surpassed his father in oppression, unbelief, hypocrisy and tyranny.

In any case, this servant beseecheth, imploreth and asketh from God, exalted be His glory, that which will cause the removal of veils and the lifting of barriers. Verily our Lord is the Strong, the Powerful, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Great.

Concerning the mention of Karbila’i Zayn, upon him be the glory of God, and likewise his request, after this matter was presented before the Most Holy Court, these blessed words were revealed from the Tongue of Grandeur. The Lord, blessed and sanctified be He, saith: “O Zayn! Upon thee be the glory of God, the Lord of Creation. Turn thy face toward the House, then turn to Him with such detachment that all created things shall turn with thee. Thus hath the Luminary of utterance shone forth from the horizon of thy Lord’s will, the All-Merciful. He is the Hearing, the Answering. We have permitted thee what thou didst desire in the path of God, thy Lord, the Lord of all lords. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having guided me and permitted what I asked from the ocean of Thy bounty and generosity. My limbs, my members, my outer and inner being all testify that Thou art the Forgiving, the Merciful.” It endeth thus.

Praise be to God that after this submission, the sun of permission hath risen and shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of God’s will. Blessed is he and joy be unto him. This servant conveyeth greetings and praise to all the friends in that land, and beseecheth and hopeth that all will seek divine confirmation and assistance for him. Verily our Lord hath power over whatsoever He willeth. He heareth and seeth. There is no God but Him, the Hearing, the Seeing.

Especially for the pilgrims, upon them be the glory of God - meaning those souls who are related to the presence of A and H, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God - wondrous and exalted Tablets have been revealed, each adorned and illumined with the seal of the Lord of the Day of Judgment. A hundred thousand congratulations would be insufficient, nay less than that. As commanded, one must hold fast to wisdom. The people are both ignorant and heedless. In all cases, forbearance is necessary and wisdom is essential. It endeth thus.

In truth, the honored master, His Holiness the Haji, upon him be the eternal glory of God, performed in the days of the Manifestation that which the people of the world are deprived of. This is a testimony which this servant hath repeatedly heard with his own ears from the Tongue of Grandeur.

Another matter is that His Excellency the Crown Prince has not, to this time, outwardly been involved in the blood of this community - this is a gift and favor from God, exalted be His glory, towards him. Would that His Excellency could become aware of this great bounty. If one of the pure-hearted, fair and just officials were to be inspired regarding this matter and make it known, it would be most excellent, for then he would become aware of the divine confirmation and favor that has thus far been shown him and would recognize the value of this great blessing and supreme gift. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to protect His Excellency from this manifest injustice. Praise be to God who has protected him until now and will continue to do so, for verily He has power over all things and is worthy to answer prayers. This matter must be confirmed by someone outside this community who will say it, for He inspires whom He wishes with what He wishes, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

The cause of martyrdom of the honored teacher (upon him be the Most Glorious Glory and the Most Resplendent Light) in the land of Sad in these days was not sedition, for those who intended sedition had their intentions rejected and were not accepted. God Himself, exalted be His glory, knows of His favors and gifts. Praise and glory be unto Him. He has commanded all to reform and forbidden them from corruption, and through His supreme grace prevented the manifestation of rancor and hatred. Verily He has power over whatsoever He willeth. There is no God but He, the Ruler, the All-Knowing, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting.

Regarding what was mentioned about the two sacred books, they were instructed to bring the volumes to His presence so that His Excellency could make multiple copies, after which His Holiness Alif and Ha (upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God) and each of the steadfast ones could obtain copies. Those two were read in his presence and corrected. The previous verses with anyone should be erased as they are not correct.

And regarding what was mentioned about the Chief Artist (upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God) and his intention, it was presented in the Most Holy and Exalted Presence. His blessed and exalted Word states: “Excellent is what he has intended. Praise be to God.” His work and service are present before the Face. In truth, this work of his has no equal and will be eternally preserved in the Book of God. We give permission for him to paint a limited number for Abu’l-Jamal and Abu’l-Hassan specifically for that honored one and one or two of the friends. This is from God’s favor, His Most Great Bounty, and His Most Perfect and Complete Gift. Glory from Us be upon him, his son, his wife, and upon those who have witnessed what God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne, has witnessed. A limited number is permitted; if increased it is not beloved, and the reason is known. Praise be to God, they are assisted and confirmed, and likewise are the seekers and those who have attained. The Branches of the Blessed Tree (may my spirit, my being, and my essence be sacrificed for the dust of their footsteps) mention that beloved one with utmost grace and send greetings and praise. Glory, remembrance and praise be upon your honor and upon those who are with you and who hear your words in this Most Great, Mighty and Protected Cause.

The Servant

27 Rabi’u’th-Thani 1306

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In the name of our Lord, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious

Praise be to the Lord of creation and the King of existence, Who is worthy and deserving, for through the rays of the Sun of Revelation He hath illumined the world of utterance and through His perfect power hath raised aloft the banner proclaiming “Verily He is the Truth” to the highest station of possibility. He is the Omnipotent One Whom neither armies, ranks, rifles nor cannons can prevent from that which He desireth, and through His all-pervading might and conquering power He taketh whatsoever He willeth and bestoweth whatsoever He desireth. The hand of God is above all hands and His command prevaileth over the highest and the lowest. Exalted, exalted is He Who hath announced what hath appeared and shall appear, and hath revealed every hidden secret. Verily He is the Lord of destiny Who hath called all to His Most Great Horizon.

Today the straight path is manifest, the true balance is set up, the verses are revealed, the evidences are clear, the sun of bounty is shining and the ocean of generosity is surging. Nevertheless the people of the earth remain deprived and portionless, save whom God willeth. All are occupied with that which is with the creation and are deprived of that which is with the Truth. Wondrous talismans have appeared, and there hath been sent down from the divine Kingdom of Will that which no previous Books or Scriptures can equal. Glory be to God! What hath happened that despite this Cause which hath encompassed both past and future, the people remain heedless and deprived of this supreme bounty? Every group clinging to some book or scroll or pages, yet heedless of the Kingdom of verses. In one instance the Tongue of Grandeur uttereth this most exalted Word - blessed and exalted be His saying: “Do ye object to Him Who hath come unto you with all the proofs and evidences of God?” to the end of His blessed utterance. Similar statements have repeatedly been heard from the Tongue of Grandeur and revealed by the Most Exalted Pen, yet the unjust people have risen in tyranny and cling to that which harmeth rather than benefiteth them. Shame upon them and perdition! Soon shall they find themselves in manifest loss and in a barren station.

My spirit be a sacrifice for your service and your steadfastness […]

O Afnan! The darkness of oppression and the gloom of people’s deeds have veiled the radiance of the Sun of Justice, and the smoke has encompassed the world. Yet tribulations and hardships have not awakened souls, for their hearts have been deprived of acceptance and awareness through the punishment of their abhorrent deeds. O Afnan! How many are those who have witnessed the waves of the ocean of utterance of the All-Merciful, yet remain halted and heedless. Beseech God that He may not deprive His servants of the lights of the dawn of inner meanings, and that He may adorn His loved ones with the ornament of love and unity. Say: The most beloved of all things in the sight of God is agreement in His Cause. Indeed it is exalted in rank and station. Hold fast unto it, O people of Baha, then give thanks unto your Lord, the All-Bountiful. O Afnan! Be vigilant, watchful and mindful in the service of God, your Beloved, your Goal and the Goal of all worlds. You have indeed shown great diligence in serving the Cause, which merits beautiful mention from God. Praise be to God that through His grace you have attained and are adorned with a remembrance whose fragrance shall never be cut off from the world. He has verily exalted you and related you to Him, and He is the All-Merciful, the Bountiful. Your attention, humility and supplication are mentioned before God. Rejoice in My grace, My bounty and My mercy which have preceded both worlds. Convey My greetings to the friends of God, if wisdom permits, and say: Know the station of this time and arise to redeem what has passed. By God’s life! You are the stars of the heaven of manifestation. Know your worth and lose not this mighty station. Act in accordance with what befits the Day of God. Thus have We revealed the pearls of utterance from the ocean of My bounty which has encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. There are souls who stand before Our eyes, but mention of their names is and has been concealed due to wisdom. By My life! Were they to know their station, they would soar on wings of longing in this atmosphere wherein is heard what Moses heard on Sinai. He Who spoke therein beareth witness to this, but most of the people are heedless. May the Glory which hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of My grace be upon you, O Afnan, and upon those who are with you and love you, by the command of God, the Ordainer, the All-Wise. The days are most precious, the Cause most mighty, and the grace most great. This evanescent servant beseecheth God, exalted be His glory, to grant all a portion from the ocean of His mercy in this blessed Day and to adorn them with the garment of His good-pleasure. He is indeed the Powerful, the Mighty, the Omnipotent, the All-Knowing.

That which was written concerning Jinab-i-Mulla Raj, upon him be the Glory of God and His favor, is truly a cause for wonderment, inasmuch as the Day of God does not call for such mentions, nor has it ever done so. God, exalted be His glory, says: “This is not the Day for questions. It behooveth every soul, when hearing the Call, to say: ‘Here am I, here am I, O Lord of all names! Here am I, here am I, O Lord of the first and the last!’” to the end of His mighty and exalted utterance. He likewise says: “I love to proclaim in every state: ‘Verily, I am God, there is none other God but Me, the All-Subduing, the Self-Subsisting.’”

Apart from these matters, in every condition whatsoever there hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen that which sufficeth the world and all that dwell therein. From aforetime, revelation hath been sent down concerning every branch of knowledge, but due to migration and the intense enmity and hypocrisy of the peoples of the earth and the oppression of tyrants, these writings have remained scattered and dispersed, and some have been lost. God willing, his honor will be assisted to teach the Cause of God and to turn the faces of souls unto His countenance. This is a deed that hath no peer or equal in this day. And since there are differences between philosophers and theologians concerning certain questions, with each group having expressed its own views, his honor hath desired to discover that which is true. However, the Primal Point, may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake, hath forbidden all from questioning in this blessed Day.

Some time ago, Jinab-i-Mulla Muhammad-’Ali, upon him be the Glory of God, posed certain questions, and there was revealed from the Most Exalted Pen, as a bounty unto him, that which increaseth the fair-minded and moveth those who hesitate. Let his honor obtain a copy thereof and deliver it to the aforementioned one. God willing, upon studying it, he will find himself independent of the questions mentioned. The servant beseecheth God, his Lord and the Lord of the heavens and earth, to make his honor a leader of the servants, their guide and their enlightener. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

And concerning what was mentioned about Aqa Mirza Haydar-’Ali, upon him be the Glory of God and His praise–praise be to God, he is assisted in mentioning God and teaching His Cause. His letters have reached certain of the friends in this land, and the details have been presented at the Most Holy Court. In these days, God willing, a reply will be sent.

And concerning what was written about the funds, this servant, in accordance with the instruction of that Beloved One, sent a receipt of acknowledgment. God willing, may all the friends receive their portion from the divine fragrances of these days and act according to that which hath been revealed in the Book. Thus far, whenever anyone hath been mentioned at the Most Holy Court and some measure of acceptance hath been shown by him, he hath become the recipient of the dawning grace from the horizon of bounty, for were it not for divine bounty, few among the servants would be found worthy of grace. The Day is God’s Day, the Manifestation is God’s Manifestation, and the effulgences of the Sun of Bounty have encompassed the world. Thus it is that whosoever hath evinced the slightest fragrance of love hath attained unto that which, at present, is hidden from eyes and sight. It is hoped that God, exalted be His glory, will enable all to preserve that which He hath bestowed and will assist them to do so, for many deeds efface good works and rend asunder the veils. The Command is in God’s hands–there is none other God but He, the Doer, the All-Wise.

Concerning what was written about the divine tablets, thus far all names specifically mentioned before the Most Holy Court have been the recipients of grace from the Dawning-Place of bounty. However, according to His command, that beloved one must act with wisdom as required, for in all conditions you must observe wisdom, and whatsoever contradicts it is not permissible in the Holy Court. He has said: “O Afnan! God doeth whatsoever He willeth.” For instance, in these days We do not associate with the noble ones of the city and the princes who come and go, yet in these days We summoned one of the thieves. The Manifestation of the Revelation and the Speaker of Sinai conversed with him for a time and counselled him as was befitting. Nevertheless, the Afnan must in all conditions be mindful of wisdom. This is Our command and Our decree in the Scriptures and Tablets.

The command of wisdom hath been revealed with great firmness. The honored Afnans, upon them be all His most glorious Baha, and the other friends, upon them be the Glory of God, must act in accordance with it, lest that which would disturb souls should appear.

Concerning what you wrote about Mirza Badi’u’llah, upon him be the Glory of God, after it was presented, the Tongue of God spoke these words, exalted and glorified be His utterance: “O My Afnan! Badi’ has been and is under the glances of God’s loving-kindness, glorified be His majesty. Blessed is he and his father who sacrificed his life in My path. We have accepted him as a bounty from Our presence and have mentioned him with such mention before which all mentions bow down.” Convey Our greetings to him and send him the glad tidings of God’s favor.

The son of his honor Mu?sin, upon him be My glory, needs counsel. Should he become aware of his father’s station, he would arise as befitteth him. Verily He commandeth His loved ones with that which benefiteth them in every world of the worlds of their Lord, the Mighty, the Wise.

Regarding what you wrote about the friends of M, after it was presented in the Most Holy Court, He spoke words from which it was understood that the cause and reason were not confined to the two persons mentioned, but rather some others were also partly responsible. Beseech God that those who claim divine love may be adorned with the garment of unity. By the ocean of utterance! Had the friends of God who are in various regions attained to and acted upon that which hath flowed from the Supreme Pen, surely the light of fairness would have dispelled the darkness of oppression, and the radiance of the sun of justice would have prevailed over the gloom of tyranny. Although this land was called the Most Great Prison, in truth the Hand of God’s power made it the Most Exalted Paradise, and all those within and without testify and bear witness to this fact. Extraordinary blessings in trade became manifest, and every elevated place became a spot for the recreation of companions, despite the heedless and the transgressors. The doors of relief and joy were opened, yet from certain ignorant ones heedlessness and pride were observed, which ultimately led to treachery. God, exalted be His glory, knows what has happened and what will happen. Knowledge is with God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. The purpose of these submissions is that had the friends of God who are in various regions acted upon what God hath revealed, the earth would now be observed in a different state. Such utterances have repeatedly flowed from the Supreme Pen, and this servant has heard them.

A petition from Muhammad-Qablih-Hasan (the weaver) - upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah] - reached the Most Holy Court and was at one time presented before the Throne, and an answer was sent down from the heaven of grace. God willing, they will drink from the fountainhead of its words the sweet waters of mercy and wisdom, and will arise to serve the Cause in such wise that neither the insinuations of the opposers, nor the conditions of the heedless, nor the might of princes, nor the power of the mighty shall hold them back. Those souls who have truly inhaled the fragrance of this Revelation - even should the entire world arise in opposition - would accord no station or dignity to such opposition, nor ever shall. These are servants whom the conditions of the pharaohs prevent not from turning unto God, our Lord and the Lord of all things, our Beloved and the Beloved of all worlds. This evanescent servant, who is utter nothingness and absolute extinction, presents his submission to the honored Afnans - upon them be the glory of God, His mercy, His grace and His favor. It is hoped that your honor will convey this. May the Glory that is manifest, evident and shining forth from the horizon of eternity be upon you and upon those whom this fleeting life has not prevented from attaining unto everlasting stations, and upon those who have attained unto the Most Exalted Word from God, the Lord of all beings. Praise be to God, the Lord of the Last and the First.

The Servant

11 Dhi’l-Hajjih 1299

=== END BH00338 ===

=== START BH00339 ===

In the Name of God, the Most Inaccessible, the Most Holy, the Most Mighty, the Most Exalted, the Most High, the Most Glorious!

Blessed is He in Whose hand is the kingdom of all things. He createth whatsoever He willeth by His command, and verily He is powerful over all things. He giveth life and causeth death, then He raiseth to life as He pleaseth through a breath from the breezes that waft from His Pen, the influence and decree of which encompasseth the worlds. Hearken unto that which is revealed unto thee from the Divine Mouth, the Tongue of God, the Speaking, the Articulate, which speaketh in all things: “Verily, I am God; there is none other God but Me. I have created all contingent beings for My meeting, and have brought all existing things into being that they might stand before the gates of My Cause.” Thus have We ordained aforetime and thus do We now reveal it in truth, that thou mayest be possessed of knowledge thereof.

Know then that thy letter hath come before the Divine Throne, and We have read it and become acquainted with its contents. When We found therein the fragrance of thy love for God and thy sincerity towards Him, We therefore answered thee with these words, each letter of which, were one possessed of insight to behold it, would testify that all shine forth like the sun in the midst of the heaven of knowledge, illuminating the hearts of them that have set their faces toward the Divine Countenance and have detached themselves from every rebellious devil. Put thy trust in all things in God and He will suffice thee, sending down upon thee that which is ordained for thee. Verily He doth watch over His servants. He will never forsake His loved ones for a moment, but will be with them in all conditions, causing the melodies of the spirit to surge within their breasts. Indeed His grace hath ever been great toward the doers of good. He exalteth whom He willeth through the sovereignty of His Cause and abaseth every proud and wretched one. Blessed art thou, O thou who gazest toward the Holy Court, for having remained steadfast in the Cause of God and His religion, and for having recognized thy Lord in these days when all have turned away from Him after He came unto them with all the signs and with a sovereignty that was manifest. His servants, who were created by His command, opposed Him and denied Him in Whom they had believed, unaware in their vain lives of what they had perpetrated. Thus have We sealed their hearts such that they understand not a word. Thou hast tasted of the fruits of the Tree that hath been raised up in truth and planted by the hand of the All-Merciful in the midst of the Ridvan, and hast drunk the water of life from the lips of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Bestower. Cut thyself off entirely from them that have disbelieved and associated partners with God and broken their covenant and turned back on their heels. Arise to promote the Cause through God’s might and power and say: O company of the heedless! Do ye doubt God Who created all things by His command and created you for His meeting and came to you with a Cause before which all in the heavens and earth shall prove powerless, did ye but know it? Do ye turn your backs on the Most Great Ocean while drinking the bitter waters of hell? Woe unto you, O company of sinners! How long will ye occupy yourselves with your selves and your desires, and not turn toward the desert wherein every Prophet did remove his sandals and walk barefoot? Fear God and dispute not with Him through Whom was established the prophethood of every Prophet, the message of every Messenger, the proof of every bearer of proof, the authority of every bearer of authority, the evidence of every possessor of evidence, the sign of every guide, the faith of every believer, the certitude of every one convinced, and the knowledge of every learned one elevated. Say: Fear God, then open your eyes that ye may behold the Sun of Glory at its zenith with the sovereignty of grandeur and independence. Beware lest ye deprive yourselves of the wondrous effulgences of its dawning. Fear the day when God’s wrath and vengeance shall return you, and be God-fearing in this Cause. Say: O people! Dispute not with Him Who speaketh among you with truth and remindeth you of this Great Announcement which hath ever been supreme in all the Tablets. Say: By God! Were ye to discover the root of the matter, ye would sacrifice yourselves in the path of Him Who remindeth you with this Remembrance–how much more for My Beauty that encompasseth the worlds! Fear God, O people, and spread not corruption in the earth, and speak not according to the promptings of your souls and your desires, but rather speak from your seats that which the Spirit inspireth […]

That which hath been enjoined upon you in the Tablets - interpret not the words of God according to your desires, for this is indeed a grievous error in the Tablet. Say: O people! Associate not partners with God. He hath taken unto Himself neither partner, nor likeness, nor peer, nor equal, nor opposite, nor similitude. He hath been and will forever remain One in His Essence, and none shall deny this save every ignorant doubter. Say: Purify your hearts from doubt and misgiving, then aid your Lord, the All-Merciful, in these days, and be not of them that rest at ease upon their seats. Is he who calleth the people unto the All-Merciful like unto him who calleth them unto Satan? Nay, by My glorious and mighty Self, the All-Bountiful - were ye but to know it! Say: O people! Have mercy upon yourselves and upon Me, for ye know what I have borne in the Cause of God for the exaltation of His Word. Beware lest ye differ in His Cause and be not an oppressive wretch. Say: Are diverse lords better for you than He Who hath been One from all eternity, Whose oneness every atom doth attest? Beware, O people, lest ye ascribe partners unto Him. Purify your faces for God, your Creator, then call upon Him at eventide and at dawn, and He will verily answer you with truth and send down upon you that which shall make you independent of all else on earth. O people! Fear ye God and refute not the truth by that which ye possess. Read ye what We have revealed in this Tablet, then ponder it, that ye may know what God intendeth for you. This is better for you than all ye love, and God is witness unto this.

O thou servant! Convey that which thou art bidden and fear no one. Verily thy Lord will protect thee from those who dispute the signs of God and follow their own desires, and who are far removed from the straight path. We have loved thee aforetime and have sent down unto thee this Tablet that thine eyes may be consoled thereby, that thou mayest read it purely for thy Lord’s sake and reflect upon that which hath flowed from the wondrous Pen of Glory. And the splendor of God be upon thee and upon thy kindred and upon those who have shattered the idols of vain imaginings through the power of thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, and who remain steadfast in the true path.

Hearken with thine ear, in the Persian tongue, to the firm words of God, and praise thou the Ancient Beloved that thou hast attained unto the recognition of His Self. By God, besides Whom there is none other God! This is a bounty which, like unto the Essence of Truth itself, hath had and shall have no peer or likeness in all creation, from time immemorial unto time everlasting. Shouldst thou render thanks throughout thy entire life for this abiding divine gift, it would assuredly be but little in comparison with this most great bounty. Blessed art thou that thou hast drunk from the Most Glorious Wine and been sustained by the blessings of the Supreme Paradise. However, seek thou refuge with God at all times, that thou mayest remain steadfast in the path of God, for the deceitful and guileful are ever engaged with all their cunning and strategems that perchance they might prevent people from approaching the holy and eternal Spring. Like unto wolves they lie in wait for the servants, busying themselves in diverse ways to snatch them away, save those whom God hath preserved through His power. The Oppressor of the world hath arisen in hypocrisy and claimed to be oppressed. O thou helper of the Truth! He hath not appeared with such sovereignty that His manifestations of power, His revealed verses, and His evident signs could remain hidden from anyone save those who have veiled themselves with the veils of idle fancy and clung to the flimsiest of dwellings. What regret and remorse shall be the portion of such souls who have remained heedless of the Sovereign of all possibility and who have found joy in clinging to this or that one. Fie upon them and upon that which their hands have wrought and that which their souls and desires have commanded them! But that honored one must not be saddened by the turning away of those that have turned aside, for the greater the Revelation, the more powerful have been and shall be its deniers and those that turn away from it. This hath been among the ways of God, and none hath understood its wisdom save My All-Knowing, All-Informed Self. And think not that Revelation is such that any soul may, whenever it pleaseth, manifest itself in any day or hour. The wondrous Revelation was specifically reserved for the Primal Point, exalted be His grandeur, and “whoso associateth any partner with Him hath verily disbelieved in God and His signs and His Messengers and His chosen ones, and hath been recorded among the idolators in the Tablets by the Pen of Glory.” And those who have dawned forth from that Luminary of the heaven of inner meanings and that Sun of eternal glory are considered as mirrors in the sight of God, and this station endureth so long as they remain in a state of facing Him, but after deviation they are and shall be as nothing. Blessed are they that have turned unto Him! That holy and eternal Being was the Herald of this glorious and divine Revelation, and now all besides God stand at one level and one station. Whosoever hath become assured and hath faced Him, upon him have shone the lights of the never-setting Sun, and he is mentioned as being of the people of God in all the Tablets, and besides this all are unmentioned and are and shall be consigned to the fire. By God, besides Whom there is none other God! Whosoever hath believed in and become assured of this Revelation is facing all who are in the heavens and the earth. And in the manifestation of this Most Great, Most Glorious Revelation, even though but days had elapsed since My previous Revelation, there lieth a hidden wisdom and a veiled mystery, reserved for an appointed time, which none hath known or shall ever know.

Let no soul save he who gazes upon the Hidden Book, therefore seek thou from God that thou mayest attain unto that Book, for We have not yet made it manifest and its appearance hath been and shall remain suspended in the heaven of Will. In all the heavenly Books, from that which was revealed from the beginning that hath no beginning until this time, in all of them mention of this hidden Manifestation hath been made, and all the Prophets in their primal reality have been its heralds, such that should any soul now observe with penetrating vision the Tablets revealed aforetime, he would become aware that the Cause of God hath not been a frivolous thing that any soul might lay claim to it. Woe unto those who have openly denied God and turned away from a grace the like of which hath not appeared between the heavens and the earths.

At the time of the Ancient Beauty’s departure from Iraq, it was revealed in Tablets sent to various regions that the Calf would cry out, the Samiri would appear, and the birds of night would stir after the setting of the Sun. The Samiri and the Calf did appear, but the birds of night are those souls who arise to make claims and measure the Spirit of God by their own standards and consider His words like unto their own. Now if thou wouldst reflect upon the manifestations of power and the extraordinary signs that have appeared in this most wondrous and exalted Revelation, thou wouldst comprehend how great the Cause of God hath been and will be. Say: O people! Be not content with a mere drop from the Most Great Ocean, and seek not to cling to a shadow when the Sun of unfading glory hath risen and shineth from the horizon of the heaven of inner meanings. If ye show no mercy unto yourselves, at least show mercy unto the Cause of God and consider how many infinite tribulations and countless afflictions I have borne so that the Cause of God might become manifest, encompassing and evident to all else besides Him. Say: O loved ones of God! It behooveth you on this day to raise up the pavilion of detachment upon the shores of this Most Great, Most Exalted Ocean and to unite in the Cause of God and His ways. Show at least some fairness and be not the cause of discord. Today it is incumbent upon all the loved ones to manifest themselves in such wise that all who dwell in earth and heaven may inhale from them the sweet savors of truth, for mere verbal claims cannot suffice. Say: None can find protection from the Cause of God today save through obedience to My Command. This verily is the truth that hath been sent down in all the Tablets, were ye of those who understand. All besides God have been and ever shall be created beings, and never have they been nor shall they ever be capable of transgressing their limitations. However high a contingent being may soar, it can never transcend its own contingent nature. Hearken unto the counsel of this compassionate Counsellor. Say: O people! By God! This servant’s life hath ever been in the hands of His enemies, as ye have witnessed and do now witness. Not for a moment have I sought to preserve it, while ye all dwell secure and at rest in your homes. Yet even if ye arise not to aid Me, at least be not the cause of My harm, and be not of those who distort the words of God and interpret them according to their desires. Truth hath ever been and shall forever remain independent of the belief or denial of all created things. That He counseleth His servants is a grace bestowed upon the servants themselves, that perchance a few may pass from the narrow confines of mortality to the holy precincts of everlasting life and attain the Most Sublime Vision and the most exalted, most pure station. This hath been and shall ever remain crystal clear. Neither doth the belief of His servants profit Him nor their denial harm Him. Rather, belief and denial pertain to the believers and deniers themselves. God speaketh the truth, but most people understand not. O Nasir! Be thou confident in God’s grace and steadfast in His Cause. Ere long the rain of His bounty shall descend upon thee from the clouds of eternal glory. Verily, He ordaineth what He pleaseth for whomsoever He pleaseth, and sendeth down through His truth according to a decreed measure. All praise be to God, the Almighty, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Beloved.

Then give greetings from Our presence to thy family, then give them the glad-tidings of the good-pleasure of God, the King, the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most Great, and of the mercy which hath shone forth from the Dawning-Place of eternity from the direction of the throne of thy Lord, the Most Glorious. Upon thee and upon Our sincere servants be the glory of God.

=== END BH00339 ===

=== START BH00340 ===

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

Praise be to the Goal of the world Who hath revealed that which was hidden in hearts and souls, Who hath distinguished the righteous from the wicked like unto light from darkness, and made them manifest. Exalted be His might and great be His dominion! And blessings and peace be upon the Lord by Whom was inscribed the decree of lordship among creation, through Whom shone forth the light of unity and were raised the banners of victory and triumph amidst all created things, and upon His family and companions whom God made the shepherds of His flock and guides of His servants, and upon every steadfast and upright one, and every knower who hath uttered that which he was commanded in His perspicuous Book.

And then, my spirit be a sacrifice for your remembrance and your utterance! Your esteemed letter was the source of true joy and spiritual delight, for every word thereof testified to the oneness of God, exalted be His glory, and to your health and well-being. After reading and perusing it, I sought the Presence, and after receiving permission to enter, I presented it before Him. He said:

“O My Afnan! Upon thee be My peace and My glory! We were walking in the house when We heard a call, as though the caller were giving Me glad tidings of that which had befallen the friends of God and His chosen ones. This is the day wherein the Most Great Branch turned toward the Prison for the sake of God, the Lord of destiny. Then We heard again from the right side: ‘O people of the Crimson Ark! Rejoice in that the Trustworthy One hath turned toward a mighty fortress and a manifest prison for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds.’”

In truth, this is a day of joy and gladness. By My life, in the City of Lovers a feast of delight hath been spread that shall never be folded up, for on this day the lovers in the City of Unity and Concord, with utmost longing, sacrificed their souls and offered them up for the sake of the One Beloved. The might of bloodthirsty oppressors deterred them not, nor did the wrathful tongues of the savage ones hold them back from their purpose. How wondrous, nay doubly wondrous, that which hath come to pass - the like of which the eye of time hath never witnessed! Without cause or reason, suddenly the fire of hatred was kindled. On the twenty-third of the blessed month of Ramadan, the wolves of the earth set upon the divine sheep. Without proof or evidence, such tyranny was unleashed that caused the realities of existence to weep. Those possessed of hearing can this day hear the lamentation of all things. They seized those who were the dawning-places of virtues and the daysprings of refinement. First they took all they possessed, then with diverse torments put seven souls to death, in such wise that every soul who heard of it wailed in grief. One of those souls uttered these exalted words: “O people! The Prince of Martyrs - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake - cried out in the land of Taff, ‘Is there any who will help me?’ This lowly one declareth, ‘Is there any who will behold me?’” It is reported that some they hanged and set ablaze, while others they cut to pieces and burned. One of those souls addressed these exalted words to the tyrannical commander, saying: “For forty years have I awaited this day, that this hair of mine might be dyed with my blood in the path of God.” In brief, they first commanded them to recant and curse this Wronged One. They refused, and with supreme steadfastness acknowledged that which was written in the divine Books of old and of recent times. These events had no connection to the land of Ta. They wrote that when Zillu’s-Sultan merely heard that the Wanderer had been seized, fearing lest secrets be revealed, he commanded his son to do what transpired, that perchance he might once again render His Majesty the King - may God assist him - heedless, lest he become aware of his internal enemy. After despairing of the wronged ones of the world, he martyred Siyyid Ashraf in the land of Sad with unprecedented tyranny. The purpose of all these deeds was that the secrets of his breast and the treachery of his eye might remain concealed.

O Afnan, upon thee be My glory! Thou knowest that this Wronged One hath in all Tablets forbidden this party from corruption, conflict and contention. The writing of anonymous letters and casting them before houses and in streets is the way of the ignorant and the base ones of the earth. By the blood of the martyrs in the land of Ya, We have had and have no purpose save the reformation of the world and the edification of the souls of the peoples. This party hath, without concealment or veiling, mentioned before the faces of rulers and divines that which conduceth to the exaltation, elevation, comfort and tranquility of the peoples of the world. By the life of God! Their purpose is to serve the government and nation, not to engage in that which would lead to corruption, conflict and contention. To this testifieth every fair-minded and discerning one, and every learned and informed one. Never hath any incident or movement from these souls been witnessed in the land. God is sufficient witness to this.

In the land of Ta [Tehran] they arrested two of these companions, and likewise Sayyah and his associate. According to reports, Sayyah threw himself from the window attempting to escape, but broke his leg and was unable to flee. Praise be to God for this - your honor knows in detail what his purpose was. This Wronged One intended to send a few words to His Majesty the King of Iran, may the All-Merciful strengthen him, that perhaps contrary to what has passed, he might grasp those things that ensure the perpetuity of his government and the preservation of his glory, and in all conditions do what befits his station. These are those words:

O King! It behooveth, nay it is imperative upon Your Majesty in such days as these that the justice of God’s shadow on earth inquire of Sayyah Effendi, the true minister of the noble court: What was the purpose of your journey to Akka in that known year? By whose direction was it made? What was your objective? And what response did you receive? However, this has not yet been sent, for it is not known whether Your Majesty will hearken unto the petitions of the wronged ones of the world. By My life! This Wronged One has ever held fast to that which prevents corruption and preserves order. Though forty years have passed, during which in every year the hosts of self and passion have assailed the innocent and shed pure and holy blood, yet none arose in defense. All have held fast to the cord of divine commands and clung to the hem of His laws, and continue to do so. This matter is as clear and evident as the sun. Either His Majesty the King of Iran - may God preserve him - and the ministers and princes of the government have not noticed, or they have noticed and deemed it expedient to turn a blind eye. Would that someone could be found with whom this Wronged One might make a firm and binding covenant that this community, so long as they exist in Iran, would arise to serve the government - a covenant that the passage of centuries and ages would not alter, and that time would not erase. However, since there are many deceivers in the world, the acceptance of this matter is difficult. God knows that whatsoever this Wronged One mentions is adorned with the ornament of truth and is sanctified from erasure and change. We beseech God to aid the ministers of Iran to look upon matters with the eye of justice and fairness. Verily, He is the Lord of gifts and favors.

This evanescent servant beseeches from the Eternal Truth that which brings assurance to hearts and justice to souls. For forty years this community has dwelt in the domains of this eternal empire, and during this time no opposition has appeared from any soul. If occasionally an outcry has been raised, its cause has been certain Iranian officials, as in this year when they have groundlessly harassed some in Baghdad, as though they understood their own glory to lie in the abasement of the servants of God. Nevertheless, none uttered a word, bearing tribulations for the sake of God. And since they are commanded to patience, submission and contentment, they therefore hold fast to the cord of trust and cling to the hem of resignation.

From the day that His Majesty Sultan Abdul-Hamid Khan - may God, the Blessed and Exalted, strengthen him - ascended the throne of sovereignty, he has striven day and night in the affairs of the realm and the comfort of his subjects. Upon merely hearing that a place has caught fire, he personally rises to extinguish it. In truth, he is a sign of God’s mercy unto creation. Wherever there appears the slightest famine, that blessed being immediately convenes an assembly under his leadership and takes whatever measures are necessary for its relief. In all hardships he is the helper of the nation, and in all matters the well-wisher of his subjects. None denies his grace save the envious deceiver. Indeed, among the Ottoman sultans none like this blessed being has appeared - or if one has, this community was not aware of it.

In any case, it is necessary and obligatory for this community to beseech God, exalted be His glory, night and day for the might, wealth, exaltation and health of that blessed being. Verily, God is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

This servant is greatly perplexed, for this time in Iran there has appeared that which had no cause, and from what they have done they had a purpose, which was to remove doubts and conceal misdeeds. Every fair-minded person will understand from what has been mentioned who and what was the source and origin of these affairs. Now it has become necessary for this servant to mention somewhat of what has occurred, that perhaps the hand of divine power may raise up a soul who would hold fast to justice and fairness.

This week these reports arrived: On the night of the 23rd of the blessed Ramadan, they seized two souls in the mosque of Sheikh Hasan Sabzavari and brought them before the governor. After much torment and extraction of money, they released them. Then they seized those two souls again along with five others - each of whom was like a lamp illumined with proper conduct and virtuous character - and in public thoroughfares struck them with stones, clubs and chains until they reached the presence of His Excellency, expressing joy and delight at the abasement and humiliation of those friendless and helpless souls, doing what no eye has seen nor ear has heard. Then they summoned the clergy and incited them until they issued a decree, after which they placed a rope around one person in their presence, dragging that innocent one forward and taking the other six behind him. Some they beheaded in various places and […]

Some they cut into pieces, and those pure and holy bodies they burn with fire. Then they command the Jews to take those bones and cast them into pits. God knows that tongue and pen are ashamed of what they have done. And some have written that they placed one person before a cannon. In brief, oppression reached such a point that Justice itself wept. At night they were occupied with revelry and merry-making, the whole city was illuminated with lamps, and instruments of pleasure were at hand. The rabble of the city went about with drums and tambourines, uttering curses and imprecations. Such tumult ensued that the people of the city complained of the chaos that occurred that night. The wives and children of those martyrs remained that night without helper, companion or sustenance. It is reported that subjects of foreign powers, with utmost love and kindness, secretly sent provisions and assisted the oppressed ones to the extent possible. And it is reported that His Majesty the Shah of Iran was unaware and uninformed of these matters, all of which occurred by order of the governor of the Land of Sad [Isfahan], whose purpose was to keep His Majesty - may God strengthen him - ignorant of these hidden secrets. Glory be to God! Such occurrences will cause a time when, by the decree of the clergy, all people will rise against the government itself. Great astonishment has overtaken me that they were content to create such disgrace and chaos by these manifestations of suspicion and fancy. God is witness and aware that if there had been the slightest fault or misconduct by those souls, this servant and his Master would not have mentioned them. The peerless One God is witness that after divine grace and heavenly favor, the attention of this people is fixed upon royal justice. Now I beseech that Your Majesty personally investigate what has occurred and make inquiries, that what is hidden may be revealed and enemy distinguished from friend, and that you may turn your attention to assisting these oppressed ones of the world. This servant beseeches his Lord to assist His Majesty the Sultan to look after his oppressed subjects and the just servants of God. Verily He is powerful over what He willeth, and He is the Single, the One, the Compassionate, the Generous.

At this point the Master - may our spirits be sacrificed for Him - uttered these sublime words: “What was the fault of Mu’inu’l-Mulk that they dismissed him? He in no way neglected his service and duties. Praise be to God that through him and his name no harm occurred. If you reach his presence, convey greetings from the Wronged One and say: ‘Patience, O Mu’inu’l-Mulk, if adversity befalls, for the end of beautiful patience is beautiful. After the darkness of night comes the light of morning, and after the eclipse of the sun its radiance and splendor become manifest.’ We beseech God, blessed and exalted, to assist him and enable him to practice justice whose fragrance and traces will not cease. Verily He is the Bestower, the Commander, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” End quote.

Every day this servant has been and is anticipating news of Your Honor’s health and well-being, and surely you will show kindness and make it known. Peace, praise, remembrance and glory be upon Your Honor and upon those who love you and hear your word for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds.

The Servant

19 Dhi’l-Hijjih 1308

=== END BH00340 ===

=== START BH00341 ===

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

Praise befitteth and is meet for my Beloved, Who hath guided His loved ones to the stream of His mercy and made them aware: some hastened with their whole being and drank thereof, while others remained bewildered in the claws of idle fancies. The burden of meaningless words from the learned hath deprived the ears of the servants from hearkening to the melody of God and prevented them from hearing the songs of the Nightingale of eternity. The thick veils of conjecture have left eyes bereft of beholding the light of His countenance on this divine Day. This evanescent servant beseecheth the True One, exalted be His glory, to rend asunder these veils by the hand of His power, even as He hath done, and to deliver the ears from this greatest of burdens, even as He hath delivered them, that all may not be deprived of the effulgent splendors of His Revelation nor be forbidden from hearing His soul-stirring divine call. His is the grace, His the bounty, and His the grandeur. Yet the colocynth shall never taste of sweetness nor find therein any pleasure. The goodly counsels of the Prophets yielded no fruit with Satan, nor left any trace. Nevertheless, we have not been, nor shall we ever be, by God’s leave, in despair of His ocean of mercy. We beseech Him to strengthen and assist all. Verily He is the Almighty, the Powerful.

Be it known that the letter from that honored loved one brought perfect joy, adorned as it was with the mention and praise of the Beloved of the world and the Goal of all peoples. Moreover it brought glad tidings, conveying news of health and well-being. After perusing its contents, attention was directed to the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court, and following the granting of permission to arise, the letter was presented before His presence. Likewise was your petition presented before the Throne. One Most Holy, Most Glorious, Most Mighty Tablet was revealed from the heaven of the Divine Will specifically for you, and this evanescent one hath transcribed it from the original revelation and dispatched it. God willing, you shall attain unto it and drink from the oceans of divine mercy concealed within its exalted words. Regarding what you wrote about the handmaidens of God, it is evident that you have extended and continue to extend to the male and female servants of God whatever kindness lies within your power. Today all who have turned to God must occupy themselves with serving one another. Praise be to God that you have been assisted in this, and though you have truly borne hardships in this matter, the recompense thereof is treasured and preserved with God. Every deed performed for God’s sake will assuredly receive its compensation both in this world and the next. In all conditions one must be mindful of praiseworthy characteristics and act with wisdom, for to do otherwise causes distress and sorrow.

And regarding what you wrote about the Most Great Name J.M., upon him be the Glory of God, the Most Glorious, it was presented in the Most Holy Court. These are the words uttered by the Beloved, exalted be His grandeur: […]

Verily, We mention Our Name “The Beauty” as We have mentioned it before, and We give him glad tidings of My grace, My loving-kindness, and My mercy, for I am the Compassionate, the Generous. Blessed art thou, O Abdul-Hussein, for having honored his dwelling when he came to thee out of love for God, the Lord of the worlds. From this station We send Our greetings upon him and upon thee and upon those who have believed in these days and have turned to the Most Sublime Horizon and have testified to that which God, the Goal of all mystics, hath testified.

This servant conveys his greetings and salutations to them. Wherever they have gone, convey to them that which hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. The most important of all matters is the teaching of the Cause. Repeatedly hath this word been heard from the Ancient Tongue: This duty is incumbent upon all the friends, but it must be done with wisdom and utterance. For if any of the matters that are today obligatory and necessary should cause commotion, it is not permissible to act upon it. One must speak with perfect wisdom and utterance, without mention of this matter, and then, when the soil is found to be receptive, cast the word. To exceed these bounds was not and is not permissible. All teachers must, as commanded, observe the established teachings, lest the infant of mystic knowledge perish at the outset from heavy food and fail to attain true maturity, which is the station of recognizing the Lord of all being.

Likewise, after people have shown interest, one must impart to the seekers that which is beloved and acceptable in the sight of God, lest conflict, disputation and corruption appear from anyone and become the cause of the world’s people being veiled. All must know with perfect certainty that the purpose of the Truth was not and is not to cause corruption, disputation and conflict, but rather for the unity of hearts, the fellowship of souls, the reformation of the world and the well-being of all. If these matters are not truly understood as they should be, they may become the cause of sedition and turmoil.

Should His Holiness Ismu’llah-i-Jamal, upon him be all My most glorious and resplendent Glory, proceed to Kermanshah and those regions and act with consummate wisdom, perchance the fire of love may be ignited in those lands; or he may choose and send someone suitable. We beseech God, exalted be His glory, to raise up souls that are assured, certain, steadfast and resolute, and to adorn them with the ornament of wisdom, that all the peoples of the world may derive nobility from their breath and be illumined by their light. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

If you have inquired about his honor the beloved, His Holiness Ismu’l-Jud, upon him be all My most glorious and resplendent Glory, praise be to God, he dwelleth near the House, is engaged in serving the Cause, is gazing toward the horizon of God’s good-pleasure, and is drinking from the ocean of grace. Happy is he and those who love him, and this servant is among the lovers.

As to what was written about one of the khans and several of the sons of the Friend and heirs of the Interlocutor having turned toward the divine direction, this matter was presented in the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence, and specifically for each one wondrous and sublime verses were revealed from the heaven of the Will of the King of Oneness, that all might be sustained by the heavenly table of loving-kindness. As commanded, this servant wrote these wondrous and sublime verses on various pages and sent them to those souls […]

He Who speaks on Sinai hath appeared, and He, the Lord of Revelation, hath taken His seat upon the Throne. Blessed are they that have heard His Call and recognized Him. On this day earth and heaven have been adorned with a new vesture, and the holy city hath descended from heaven, blessed by His hallowed Name. The gates of mercy have been flung open, and the oceans of bounty and grace surge forth. God willing, ye shall quicken the dead in their sepulchres through the sprinkling of the ocean of utterance and meaning. The Kawthar floweth and the Salsabil is present - drink ye in the name of your Lord and be free from all else. Thus hath the Tongue spoken in the Kingdom of utterance. Blessed is he who hath heard and attained, and woe unto the heedless ones.

O David! Give thanks unto God for having remembered thee and revealed unto thee that which shall never perish, so long as His most excellent names endure. Give thanks and then stand firm in this mighty Cause. We make mention in this place of thy wife and give her the glad-tidings of thy Lord’s forgiveness and mercy. Convey My greetings unto her and remind her of that which the Most Exalted Pen hath uttered in this glorious and impregnable station.

This is what was revealed for him who was named Ibrahim. He saith, exalted be His glory:

He Who shineth from the horizon of eternity:

O Ibrahim! This is the Day whereon the Temple (Masjid-i-Aqsa) calleth aloud and giveth the glad-tidings of this Most Great Manifestation to all who dwell on earth. This is the Day whereon the Temple proclaimeth: “That which was recorded in God’s Books hath come to pass,” and the River Jordan crieth out: “The Lord of the seen and the unseen hath appeared - turn ye unto Him with illumined hearts and be not of the heedless ones.” On this Day all that was mentioned and recorded in previous Books hath become manifest and evident. Blessed is the eye that hath beheld it and the ear that hath heard it. God willing, thou shalt speak His praise and glorification with the utmost steadfastness and arise to serve His Cause. He verily doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth, and He is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

And this is what was revealed for Lalih-zar. He saith, exalted be His grandeur:

In My Name, Who speaketh between the heavens and the earths […]

God willing, through divine grace may you attain to that which is beloved before the Lord of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. I swear by the Sun of the Most Merciful’s utterance that eyes were created for this glorious day and ears came into being for these days. The temple is for this wondrous day and the soul for comprehending this exalted Cause. Strive that perchance you may drink from the divine Jordan and circumambulate the true Sacred Mosque. Whosoever arises today with complete steadfastness in the Cause of the Lord of all beings, he has been and is among those who prostrate, humble themselves, circumambulate and bow down. Thus does the Wronged One testify in this clear Prison. O garden of tulips, rejoice in My remembrance of you. By the life of God, it is more beloved than all else in a mighty Book. And praise be to My mighty, all-knowing Self.

This was revealed for Haqq-Nazar, His glory be exalted:

He is the Most Holy, the Most Glorious

O Supreme Pen! Make mention of him who is named Haqq-Nazar from the direction of thy Most Great Horizon and give him glad tidings of thy Lord’s grace, the Possessor of Destiny, through which the Hour appeared, the moon was cleft, and every hidden matter was revealed, that he may rejoice in My remembrance of him and arise to serve his Lord in such wise that the conditions of men shall not prevent him. Verily We have sent down the verses and manifested the clear proofs in such manner that necks bowed before them, save those who chose for themselves a station in hell. Give thanks to God for the Ancient Beauty having turned toward thee and made mention of thee in such wise as to gladden hearts and console the eyes of the people of insight. Glory be from Us upon those who have attained the Supreme Horizon and drunk of this most pure wine.

And likewise these manifest verses were specially revealed from the heaven of divine grace for the loved ones of God. His grandeur be glorified:

He is the Witness and the Witnessed

The Supreme Pen gives glad tidings of His grace to all the friends and counsels them to the Most Great Steadfastness. Today the hidden treasures are revealed, the forbidden springs are flowing, and all the setting stars, suns and moons are risen, shining and radiant. Say: O seekers of inner meanings, the divine Kawthar is flowing - drink ye, drink ye! O poor ones of the earth, the sea of grace is surging and the gate of bounty is open. Beseech ye God that He deprive none of the Most Great Grace and forbid none from the Kawthar of eternity. Praise be to God that ye are all mentioned in the Most Great Scene and have attained divine grace. Strive that what hath been inscribed by the Supreme Pen concerning you may remain preserved. Today security exists and the pearls of divine knowledge are manifest, while thieves and traitors lie in wait on all sides. All must preserve these precious pearls with complete steadfastness in the name of the Lord of the Day of Judgment, and like their very souls exert mighty efforts to guard them. Verily He speaks the truth and guides the way, and He is the Mighty, the Beautiful.

This letter is being sent as requested to his honor Samandar, upon him be the glory of God, that he may deliver it. Since mention was made of his honor, in the words of a previous speaker, upon him be God’s grace:

When his name was mentioned, it became necessary […]

To expound a mystery of His bestowal: In truth, they stand with supreme steadfastness in the Cause of the Lord of creation. They are beloved of heart and soul and, by God’s grace, are mentioned before the Throne. This evanescent one beseeches the Ancient Lord with utmost humility and supplication to raise up souls who will act as befits these days and who will be observed to serve the Divine Cause with perfect wisdom, firm and steadfast. It would be better to mention again the beloved of the heart, his honor Samandar, since mention has not previously been made of his honor Nabil-ibn-Nabil, and it is beloved that mention of these two beloveds should together flow from the pen of sincerity and the tongue of love. God willing, may they remain firm, steadfast, constant and eloquent in service to the Cause of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High in all conditions. The Glory be upon you and upon those who are there among the loved ones of God and His friends, and upon those who have cast away idle fancies after the dawning of the Luminary of Certitude from the horizon of God, the Most High, the Most Great. And praise be to God, the Lord of the throne and earth, the Lord of all beings and the Beloved of the worlds.

=== END BH00341 ===

=== START BH00342 ===

He is the Herald between Earth and Heaven! O peoples of the earth! Hear ye the call of the Wronged One from the precincts of the Prison. Verily, He draweth you nigh unto God, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. By God! The Day hath come, yet the people perceive it not. The Banner of the Revelation hath been raised upon the highest summit of the Mount, yet most of the people comprehend it not. Lo, the Divine Lote-Tree calleth out in the midmost heart of Paradise, and the nightingales of mystic knowledge warble upon the highest branches, yet the people hear not. They have cast the Self-Subsisting One behind their backs, clinging to the manifestations of idle fancies and vain imaginings. They have broken God’s Covenant and His Testament, yet they know it not. They have taken vain imaginings as their lord instead of God. Thus have their souls beguiled them. To this beareth witness He with Whom is the Preserved Tablet.

O Haydar-’Ali! Upon thee be My glory, My loving-kindness and My mercy which has preceded all existence. The account of tribulation has returned, and the Lord of Names from His horizon calls out and says: “The gate of heaven has been opened and the Promised One has come with a Book which none has comprehended save God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. Remind My loved ones of My presence and give them the glad-tidings of My grace, and illumine them with the lights of My utterance. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the Glorious, the All-Loving.”

Say: “By God! The Fire speaks forth - the Chosen One has come with manifest sovereignty.” Verily the All-Hearing hears from all things among all things. The Hidden has been revealed through a Cause against which neither hosts nor ranks can stand. He calls out before the faces of princes with that which the True One, the Knower of the unseen, has commanded.

Today the Call is raised high, the Sun of Truth has dawned, the waves of the ocean of the Most Merciful’s utterance are manifest before all religions, yet the servants remain veiled and deprived. We complain unto Thee of those who attribute themselves to Us yet have committed that which has caused My heart and My Pen to lament until now. From various directions complaints have reached the Most Holy Court. In the land of Ha and Mim, a certain soul has acted in such way that the veil of sanctity was rent. We do not wish to mention the names of the heedless. Verily thy Lord is the Concealer, the All-Patient, the Kind, the Generous.

In brief, unworthy deeds have caused the fire of divine love to grow cold. Complaints have come from Kurdistan and other places. Glory be to God! They attribute themselves to the Lord of existence and the praiseworthy station, yet their deeds are rejected deeds. The people of Baha, concerning whom He says that a one-year-old child of that Day is mightier than all who are in the Bayan - now it is observed that through the abhorrent deeds of those nurtured by self and passion, they turn away from the Truth Itself. The previous party is now seen to be stronger, for despite wine-drinking, idol-worship, and the deceit and trickery of some companions, they did not slip from the path.

In brief, from some the known station has become unknown and the flourishing station has been laid waste. Acceptance has turned to rejection - we seek refuge in God from their words and deeds. Your honor has long dwelled beneath the pavilions of grandeur and reposed in the vicinity of mercy. You are aware of the sanctity and purity of the Cause. Wonder upon wonder! Beseech God to erase such letters by His mighty hand. God effaces what He wills and confirms what He wills, and with Him is the Mother Book.

Your honor knows how many tribulations this Wronged One has endured, how many times imprisoned, and from the earliest days until now has been in the hands of enemies. Nevertheless, night and day We have been occupied with assisting the Cause of God and voicing the exaltation of His Word, such that no fair-minded one can deny. The Cause of this Wronged One has been and is as clear as the sun. Grief has encompassed Us to such degree that its reckoning is beyond the world and its causes. Their deeds have saddened Me, their actions have weakened Me, and their words have bewildered Me. We beseech God to make His servants aware, that all may gaze toward the highest horizon and what appears from His presence, not toward those who cling to self and soar on wings of passion.

Your letter arrived and was honored to be heard before the Face. Ibn-i-Abhar, upon him be My glory, has presented a detailed account of his affairs to the Most Holy Court, therefore he is not permitted to proceed to the land of Sad. If your honor yourself, after staying some time in the land of Shin, should proceed to that land, it would be loved. Ask God to raise up such servants as are worthy of this supreme honor and mighty gift, who will summon the people of the contingent world to the horizon of the All-Merciful through wisdom and utterance.

In these days petitions from Ismi-Jamal and Ali-Qabil-Akbar, as well as a letter from Ali-Haydar, upon them be the Glory of God, have arrived addressed to Jud. Praise be to God, they are adorned with the ornament of steadfastness and are holding fast to the cord of His Cause. We beseech God to make them the banners of His remembrance among His creation and the standards of His signs amongst His servants. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Thou didst make mention of the friends of God. Each one is favored with the waves of the ocean of divine mercy and infinite bounties. Convey to all of them the greetings of the Wronged One and say: Today is the day of mention and utterance and service to the Cause. Strive ye, that perchance in this blessed Day ye may attain unto that which shall cause your names to be mentioned in God’s Book throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven.

O Haydar! By the life of the Lord of Destiny, were the faithful to become aware of what hath been ordained for each one of them, they would see themselves above the world and would arise with complete dedication to serve the Cause. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the Expounding One. Permission was granted for thee to proceed to the land of Shin. Time and again thy mention hath been made at the Most Holy Court. Two days ago the Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was revealed from the heaven of God’s Will. When thou attainest unto it and findest the fragrance of thy Lord’s utterance, say:

Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art wronged by the world, for having illumined the hearts and minds with the lights of Thy knowledge and for having revealed unto Thy servants that which was hidden in Thy knowledge. I beseech Thee by the fire of the Tree of Thy Cause and by the lights of Thy countenance to assist Thy loved ones to perform such deeds as are befitting of Thy days. Do Thou raise up, O my God, through Thy power and sovereignty, such servants as will remember Thee, praise Thee and promote Thy Cause. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

O Haydar-Qabil-Ali! Upon thee be My Glory and loving-kindness. The matters mentioned in the letter of Ismi-Jud were submitted to the Most Holy Court. They were seen, and at this moment the response hath been revealed from the Supreme Pen. Ibn-i-Abhar, upon him be My Glory, is occupied, as permitted, with his necessary affairs, and later, God willing, he will undertake that which will cause the Word of God to be exalted. In any case, it is essential that someone in the land of Sad should, for the sake of God, engage with perfect wisdom in reforming and educating souls. However, at present no one capable of this task can be found. We beseech God to raise up in that place and other lands one who will arise therein and give the glad-tidings of God’s Manifestation and His Cause.

His honor Aqa Siyyid Mustafa is, praise be to God, engaged in service. We beseech God to strengthen him and aid him to achieve what He loves and is pleased with, and to exalt His Cause through him. Verily, He is powerful over all things. Permission for your journey to the land of Shin was sent via telegraph through His honor Ali, upon him be My Glory. Behold the signs of God’s mercy and grace, then give thanks to thy Lord, the All-Bountiful, the Generous.

Thou didst make mention of the imprisoned one. Previously, words were revealed from the Supreme Pen concerning him which are the cause of his salvation in this world and the next, and they are these:

My God, my God! I have turned unto Thee, holding fast to Thy cord and clinging to the hem of the robe of Thy mercy, detached from all else save Thee. Ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee and make me a helper of Thy Cause through the wisdom Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

Ask thou of God that they may be assisted to achieve that which hath shone forth from the horizon of the utterance of the All-Merciful.

Thou didst mention Jinab-i-Ghulam-Qabli-Husayn, upon him be the Glory of God, who hastened, attained, heard and achieved victory. Praise be to God, they are ever remembered and are recipients of His grace. Verily, all that hath been revealed by the Supreme Pen shall, in due time, become manifest as the sun. Thy Lord is indeed the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, the Almighty, the Omnipotent. He changeth the Command as He pleaseth and will change it as He willeth. Verily, He hath come from the horizon of power, and on His right is the banner of ‘He doeth what He willeth.’

Mention was made of the friends in Dawlatabad. Blessed are they and joy be unto them. The Wronged One hath turned His face toward them from the horizon of the prison and hath remembered them in such wise as shall endure throughout the dominion of earth and heaven. The Herald, namely the Primal Point, hath declared that a one-year-old seed of His Day is mightier than all who are in the Bayan. The few souls in Dawlatabad have, God willing, attained unto this station, for neither the doubts of the dubious nor the misgivings of the polytheists affected these souls. They are firm in the Truth and detached from aught else. Happy are they, blessed are they. Remember them on My behalf and give them the glad-tidings of My grace and mercy.

Hadi of Dawlatabad is truly observed to be one of the turbaned folk of the Shi’ih party. Say: O hapless one! Thou who wert a Shi’ih, why didst thou abandon it only to cleave to it again? The fruit of this will be that, like that same party, thou wilt engage in cursing and reviling the Truth, and ultimately pronounce the verdict for His martyrdom. Dost thou recall what issued from thy tongue at the beginning of the Revelation? We were not present with thee, yet We heard thine unseemly words. In any case, that heedless one is occupied with arranging Jabulqa and Jabulsa and the realm of falsehood. Say:

O my God, my God! Purify the hearts of Thy servants from the mention of aught else but Thee, and illumine them with the lights of Thy knowledge. Then assist them to turn unto Thee and to behold Thy signs and to hearken unto the rustling of Thy Pen. Verily Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth, and Thou art the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

Thou didst mention His Honor the Secretary, upon him be the Glory of God. He hath been and is beneath the glance of grace. We beseech God to assist His loved ones in that which will cause the exaltation of His Word and lead to eternal and abiding remembrance. At the end of the utterance, this most exalted word is revealed in response to the request of His Honor ’Ali, upon him be the Glory of God: Should you tarry for a while in the Land of Shin with wisdom, it would be acceptable in the presence of the Wronged One, and should you meet with certain ones for a few days with complete wisdom, it would not be without fruit, for We have accepted the petition of His Honor ’Ali. Verily thy Lord is the Ordainer, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Your servant’s other letter dated the second of Sha’ban arrived at this moment when the Most Exalted Pen is in motion. We saw and heard that you again mentioned the friends of Dawlatabad. Blessed are they! Praise be to God, they have attained eternal prosperity. We beseech God to strengthen them at all times to dispel vain imaginings and to establish that which hath been sent down from the heaven of God’s will, the Lord of the worlds. O Haydar-’Ali! Upon thee be My glory. This station that was mentioned is most great - this is the station wherein “God doth blot out or confirm what He pleaseth, and with Him is the Mother Book.” The mention of the people of that land hath repeatedly flowed from the Most Exalted Pen, and each one hath attained that before which the world is as naught and non-existent. Give them once again the glad-tidings of My loving-kindness and remind them of that which hath been sent down for them from the heaven of My Pen. In the days when all the rulers of the earth arose to extinguish the fire and put out the light, the deluded souls remained veiled behind the clouds of fancy, and when the light of the Cause shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of will and the fire of wrath and might somewhat subsided, they ran forth like wolves from the jungles of self and passion and purposed that which caused the highest Paradise and the exalted Garden to tremble. We beseech God to grant His servants a portion from the ocean of wisdom, that perchance they may act with justice and not conceal the Truth, exalted be His glory, and His signs behind the veils of rejection and denial. He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

Thou didst mention ’Ali-Akbar - upon him be My glory and loving-kindness. This word of thine is accounted among the most sublime words, for from it wafteth the fragrance of love and harmony and unity, which have ever been well-pleasing before the Throne. Well is it with thee and well is it with him, blessed art thou and blessed is he. And by this word thou hast again become the possessor of the word of divine good-pleasure. Give thanks unto thy Lord for a bounty the like and similitude of which none can find were it to remain suspended in the heaven of thy Lord’s will. Say: Thine is the praise, O Lord of all names, and Thine is the glory, O Thou in Whose grasp is the dominion of earth and heaven, and Thine is the grace, O Thou Who art the Lord of justice, and Thine is the bounty, O Thou Who art the Sovereign of creation. I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which earthquakes seized all the tribes, to aid Thy loved ones, Thy chosen ones, Thy envoys and Thy trustees to perform such deeds and make such mention as will tranquilize souls and illumine hearts. Verily Thou art God, the Mighty, the Beloved.

O Haydar-’Ali! Repeatedly have answers to thy questions been sent down. Verily, thy Lord is the Bestower, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Concerning the Shadow, all must remain silent. The loved ones must not utter a word without God’s leave. Once again, make mention of the friends on behalf of the Wronged One. They have ever been and shall ever remain remembered. We beseech God to unite all and illumine them with the light of harmony, that they may arise to serve and be detached and free from all else but God. Praise be to God, thou hast been successful and hast associated with the servants in a spirit of joy and fragrance. The names mentioned, both past and present, have each attained unto the Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet. Blessed is he who hath attained unto the pearls of divine knowledge from the ocean of his Lord’s utterance, the Mighty, the Bestower. God willing, may they discover the fragrances of the Tablets. These fragrances enhance sight, hearing, speech and utterance. O My loved ones! Strive that perchance ye may purify the world from the dust and smoke of greed and hatred. By the life of God! Should they who have turned to Him arise as they ought, ere long they shall witness all regions as one region and all the sections of the earth as a single section. To this beareth witness the Mother Book in this exalted station. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My Kingdom be upon thee and upon them that love thee and serve thee and hearken to thy word in this mighty and wondrous Cause.

=== END BH00342 ===

=== START BH00343 ===

He is the Most Exalted, the Most High!

O Dhabih! We have previously sent thee a mighty and impregnable Tablet wherein was mentioned that which God hath made a testimony unto those who dwell in the highest Paradise and unto those who abide in the kingdom of the heavens and earth. Act thou in accordance with that which is therein contained, by My sovereignty which fadeth not and by My all-encompassing Self from which nothing escapeth nor is any knowledge hidden. Fear not those whom thou findest to be like earthworms, nay less than that, for they say “We believed in Ali aforetime,” yet when His sovereignty, grandeur and majesty were made manifest, they denied Him and became of those who turned aside.

O servant! Deliver unto Our veiled servants that which We have commanded thee. Tarry not in thy Lord’s command, and be not patient therein, for patience is praiseworthy save in the mention of My Name, the Most High, the All-Knowing. Open thy lips and let issue forth from them the pearls of thy Lord’s remembrance, then scatter them upon the heads of them that are nigh, for those beneath them have no eyes to distinguish pearl from stone; nay, stone to them is preferable to a precious and holy pearl.

O Dhabih! By the True God! Should all things today desire to learn of what was and what shall be, to ascend unto the holy atmosphere of the Kingdom, to mount unto the Sadratu’l-Muntaha - the seat of the manifestation of Our most beautiful Names - and to drink from the cups of everlasting life from the manifestations of thy Lord’s name, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate, they would be enabled to do so, for the sun of the remembrance of thy Lord’s name hath shone forth in such wise that by its radiance the dwellers of the heavens and earth have been illumined. Say: O concourse of deniers! You and all that ye possess are, in the estimation of Him Who by His sovereignty is established upon the throne of mighty glory, but as a gnat’s eye, nay less than that, were ye but to perceive it.

O Dhabih! Drink at all times from thy Lord’s words the wine of immortality that it may purify thee from all that beareth a name, and from all that hath a sign, from all that hath attachment, and from every mighty veil. And shouldst thou meet any among the deniers, stretch forth thy hand with the power of My hand within whose grasp lieth the kingdom of all things, then take hold of his ear with thy hand and bring thy mouth close to his ear and say: O servant! Didst thou not claim that thou hadst rent asunder the veils of all religions and purified thyself from all defects, and consider thyself among the unitarians, adducing proof for thy religion in God, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Most High, the Omnipotent, through what was revealed unto Him of the verses of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, and thus didst thou establish thy religion over others, as thy own self beareth witness, if thou be of the deniers? Yet when He changed His former Name and donned the garment of another of His most beautiful Names, why didst thou turn away from Him and become of the deniers? Fie upon thee and upon thy state! Then shall thy very essence curse thee, then thy self and thy spirit, then all who are in the heavens and earth. Dost thou deny Him at Whose meeting the eyes of the denizens of Paradise have been solaced, and in Whose presence the dwellers of the highest Paradise have sought blessing? Yet thou deemest thyself virtuous in thy deed. Nay, by the Lord of the realm of glory! Rather thou art a liar unto thyself, and to this now testifieth the Tongue of God, the Sovereign, the Speaking, the All-Knowing. Say: O thou who associateth partners with God! Doth there remain any proof that hath not been manifested in truth, or any bounty that hath not been perfected through grace, or any word that hath not reached the pole of glory? Say: By God! The Sovereign of Words hath come upon clouds of verses, whereupon the words of every obstinate polytheist have been struck dumb. Dost thou consider in establishing My Cause […]

O thou who hast turned away! What is thy proof in this matter? Bring it forth! By God, thou art powerless, as is he whom thou hast taken as thy lord apart from My Self, the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate. All existence hath been humbled before My sovereignty, all traces have been effaced before My traces, all creation hath trembled before My dominion, and the denizens of Sinai were brought to naught upon the sublime Mount at the revelation of the lights of My Face, the Dawning, the Holy, the Mighty, the Luminous. Can aught besides thy Lord suffice thee in any matter? Bring it forth if thou art able! Can any besides Him enrich thee in any way? Nay, by My Beauty, before Whose radiant light the people of the highest Paradise and the realities of the Messengers have fallen prostrate! Say: This Day none shall bear the Throne of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, save His Own Self, the Almighty, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful - thus hath the matter been ordained, if thou be of them that know.

Say: O manifestation of hatred! If thou didst believe aforetime in the Manifestation of thy Lord’s Self, Who was named Ali before Nabil, through what shone forth from the Dayspring of the Cause with the signs of God, the King, the Supreme, the Mighty, the All-Knowing - by God, these are His verses, sent down from the heaven of destiny once again through the grace that hath shone from the horizon of Glory. This is His proof, which hath appeared in the form of letters - thou beholdest it once upon the sea of meanings in the form of ships, then once in the form of waves, then once in the form of fish. Therefore, fear God Who created and fashioned thee, strip thy body of all allusions, then enter this crimson sea by thy Lord’s leave, the Most High, and take thy portion thereof, and be not of the patient ones.

If thou hast believed in God through what hath appeared of His sovereignty, might and majesty - by God, the Truth, there hath appeared a power the like of which hath never appeared in creation, and it hath encompassed all contingent beings of the first and the last. I know not, O thou veiled and rejected one, by what proof thy faith was established, and by what evidence thou deniest the faith of those who have believed in God in this Revelation which hath appeared with truth and whose grace hath encompassed the worlds. It behooveth thee, O thou who hast turned away, to ask thy mother about thy condition, that thou mayest perchance become aware of thy vile self, recognize it, and be of them that know.

Say: The ocean of grandeur hath surged on the right hand of the Throne, and with but a drop thereof all servants would be purified, were they to be of the assured ones. The sun of bounty hath shone from the horizon of the Cause with a radiance by whose light all the worlds are illumined. The clouds of grace have been raised up, raining down at every moment verses of mighty, impregnable glory. By God, the Truth, through one drop thereof there would spring forth from the soil of every soul the anemones of utterance, were they to be of them that turn unto Him.

Say: Do ye forbid yourselves from the sacred sanctuary while calling yourselves among its circlers? Say: This, verily, is God’s sanctuary in the Supreme Concourse, the Holy Kaaba in the heaven of eternity, the Spot where the Command was fulfilled in the kingdom of names, the Sacred Monument between earth and heaven, and the House Inhabited in the heaven of this luminous, resplendent Revelation. Say: All words have prostrated themselves before the Word of God, thy Lord, and all suns have been darkened before the radiance of the dawning lights of this Countenance, which hath rent asunder the veil by its sovereignty and manifested its lights amongst the worlds.

And if thou seest My Name, the Ha, remind him with the verses of thy Lord, that perchance he may be of them that turn towards the direction whither whosoever turneth hath attained salvation, and whoso turneth away hath perished. Thus hath the Spirit spoken at this hour between the heavens and the earth. Say: O servant, hearken unto My words! By God, the Truth, thou shalt find no counsellor more faithful than I. Tarry not upon the path, but pass by like the passing of a cloud. Thus did We command thee before, and thus do We command thee now, and if thou acceptest not from Me, We shall surely command thee thereafter, and after thereafter, until thou passest by through My sovereign, conquering, mighty and wise authority.

Rend asunder the veils of idle fancy through My remembrance and My Name, and cast behind thee all that holdeth thee back. Then appear suddenly through the appearance of thy Lord, and be not of the patient ones. Beware lest leadership prevent thee from the remembrance of thy Lord. By God, the Truth, were all who are in the heavens and on earth to prostrate before thee, yet thou be not beneath My shadow, it would profit thee not - and to this thy spirit beareth witness, if thou be of them that hear. Dost thou love to be of those whom leadership prevented in the days when the heaven of the Cause was cleft asunder and the Sun of the Beauty of thy Lord, the Most High, the Most Great, came riding upon holy clouds, and they occupied themselves with their leadership and denied God, their Creator and their Fashioner, until they pronounced His death sentence after He had come unto them with a proof from God and a mighty evidence?

By God, O servant, My purpose hath been naught but to purify thee from all that beseemeth thee not, and whenever I have remained silent in mentioning thee, the Tongue of God speaketh through My tongue and commandeth Me to convey unto thee, and naught is incumbent upon Me save clear delivery. Reflect within thyself for less than a moment - hast thou heard of a Revelation more mighty than this, or of verses greater than what hath been sent down in truth? Then speak with pure sincerity and be of those who turned unto the Most Sublime Vision on the Day when the faces of all created things were transformed.

And if thou fearest for thy faith, take this Tablet and preserve it in the pocket of thy trust, and when thou enterest the gathering place of the resurrection on the Day when all created things shall be raised before the face of thy Lord through His wondrous and new breezes, and God shall ask thee by what proof thou didst believe in this Revelation, then bring forth the Tablet and say: By this Book, sent down, blessed, ancient. Then read what hath been revealed therein before the face of thy Lord, the station wherein all the Prophets and Messengers bear witness. By God, then shall all stretch forth their hands toward thee and take the Tablet and place it upon their eyes out of longing to meet Me and ardent love for Me, and they shall find from it the fragrance of My holy and mighty holiness.

Thus have We detailed the verses unto thee that thou mayest be at peace within thyself and be of them that are at peace. And if God were to chastise thee for believing in His verses in this Revelation, then by what proof would He chastise those who believed not in ’Ali before, and before him in Muhammad the Messenger of God, and before him in Jesus son of Mary, and before him in Moses, and before him in Abraham, until the Revelations end at the First Creation who was created by the will of thy Lord, the Powerful, the Purposeful.

O My Name! Verily the Cause is more manifest than to be concealed and more evident than to be veiled, and it shineth like the sun at high noon, and if thou wouldst free thyself from the veils, thou wouldst surely reach it more quickly than thine eye could return to thyself and […]

This is verily truth assured. Hearken unto the word of Him Who speaketh the truth and dispute not the verses of God after their revelation, even if all people should bid thee to do so, and withhold not thyself from His grace even if both worlds should prevent thee therefrom. Behold thy Lord’s Cause with thine own eyes, then recognize Him through thyself and thy spirit, for the recognition of others shall not serve as proof for thee, nor shall the rejection of all else stand as evidence against thee. Beware lest thou be veiled from Him Who, shouldst thou be veiled from Him for less than a moment, would cause thy deeds to be rendered null - and every Scripture sent down aforetime from the tablets of God, the Sovereign, the All-Powerful, doth verify Me in this. Verily, those who turned away from this Beauty, when they found themselves powerless before thy Lord’s might, arose to practice deception and at every moment devise new schemes. Thus have We counseled thee before and now, and thou mayest choose for thyself what thou willest, for verily thy Lord is independent of all worlds.

And verily thou, O Zabih, deliver the messages of thy Lord in truth and justice, and fear not any possessor of might, nor any wielder of power, nor any holder of great dominion. Blessed is the soul that forsaketh all things and taketh what hath shone forth from this resplendent, luminous, and effulgent Dawn. How excellent is the soul that draweth nigh unto this Ocean and taketh its portion therefrom, and doth not deprive itself thereof nor remain among the heedless. Say: Today, were all who are in the heavens and on earth to possess books, scrolls and tablets, and were people to cling to them, these would profit them not except by God’s leave. Thus hath the finger of Truth inscribed upon the preserved tablets of might. For all writings point to His Cause and all books lead to His path. When He appeared in truth, naught profiteth a soul except by His command. Thus hath the Sun of wisdom shone forth from the horizon of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful. Say: Is there any doubt about God, or about His signs, or about His power which encompasseth all created things? O people! Associate not partners with God, nor take idols as gods besides Him. Fear God and be ye among the righteous. Say: Today, whatsoever preventeth you from God is an idol, even were it to be of the highest existence. For the excellence of every possessor of excellence lieth in his acknowledgment of God, his recognition of His Self, his entry beneath His shadow, and his prostration before His exalted and mighty Countenance. And should anyone deprive himself of what We have revealed unto thee, he would be numbered among the idolaters in the sight of thy Lord, and thus hath his name been inscribed upon the preserved tablets of might. O Zabih! Hearken unto the words of Him Who calleth thee with grace and loveth thee for His own sake, purely for the sake of thy Lord. Hold not thy tongue back from remembrance, for We created it for this grace, if thou be of them that know. And if thou findest not the Beloved upon earth, then convey what We have revealed unto him who walketh in His footsteps, and be thou among the deliverers of the message. Thus have We commanded thee in a previous tablet and We command thee now as a grace from thy Lord unto thee and unto Our believing servants who transgress not the bounds set by God and His command, and who hold fast unto a mighty and manifest handle. Then make mention from Us of thy brother. Verily We sent unto him aforetime a gracious letter that his soul might be assured thereby and that he might stand firm in the Cause of his Lord and be among the thankful. Then remind those in whose hearts thou findest the fragrances of My love and on whose faces thou beholdest the brightness of joy. But besides these, their names shall not be mentioned before thy Lord; rather, they are as lost ones, possessing neither mention, nor name, nor trace before thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. And the radiance that hath shone forth from the horizon of holiness be upon thee and upon those who hearken unto thy words concerning the Cause of God, thy Lord and the Lord of all that is seen and unseen, and the Lord of all worlds.

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In the Name of God, the Most Invincible, the Most Holy, the Most Exalted, the Most Great, the Most Mighty, the Most Glorious, the Most Splendid!

These are the verses of God which have been sent down in truth. Verily they are the water of life for the people of the Supreme Concourse, the food of eternity for the dwellers of the cities of names, the white light of the Cause for those who abide behind the pavilions of the divine cloud, the Most Great Sea for the whales of knowledge and utterance, and the Fire of Sinai for those who have cast off the sandals of idle fancy and have attained unto the crimson hill, the station wherefrom this Tree of eternity was raised up, proclaiming that there is none other God but Him, the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Praised.

Verily these verses are a light unto those who have detached themselves from all who dwell on earth and have sought guidance from the Merciful, and a fire unto those whom the whisperings of Satan have prevented from turning to the Beauty of the All-Bountiful in the midmost heart of Paradise, which God hath created in the highest heaven. Thus have We sent down the Command in truth for Our servants who have ascended to the seat of the throne with joy and fragrance.

Say: By God! Every letter of God’s Book hath an effect in the realm of being, whereby it giveth every rightful one his right and raiseth up its voice at all times, proclaiming that there is none other God but Him, the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Praised.

O thou servant who hast attained unto the presence of the throne! Know thou that from the first day when the Sun of Baha dawned forth from the horizon of eternity, the realities of creation were so transformed that they rent asunder the veils whose glory had caused the hearts of the pure ones to tremble. These indeed are servants whom God hath raised up through His power, the like of whom the eye of creation hath not seen, and whose deeds have astounded the denizens of the Supreme Concourse, how much more those below them! Thus do thou witness thy Lord’s power and say: Blessed be God Who hath manifested this Revelation, through which, if He wished, He could quicken all things by His power and sovereignty.

Say: By God! No power hath been manifested in creation greater than what hath been manifested in truth, yet the people have veiled themselves therefrom and are in heedlessness and loss. Say: O people of the earth! Consider how the hand of divine Will hath rent asunder the veils of contingent beings and brought forth from behind them a numbered few, and caused them to ascend unto the Lote-Tree of the uttermost boundary, while leaving those who disbelieved and associated partners with God in their abode at the root of the fires.

O thou servant who gazest upon the countenance! Remind the people of the Bayan who are today veiled from the beauty of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Say: Have ye forgotten what We revealed aforetime?

Glory be unto Thee, O my God! Thou art the God of gods and the Lord of lords. Thou givest sovereignty to whom Thou willest and takest it from whom Thou willest. Thou bestowest lordship on whom Thou willest and withdrawest it from whom Thou willest. Verily, Thou art the Almighty over what Thou willest, and Thou art the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Bountiful.

When We manifested less than a needle’s eye of this power which We have mentioned to you, and removed from the temple of one of Our servants the garment of a name from among names, you turned away and denied Him in Whom you had believed. Woe unto you, O concourse of the heedless and rebellious! Say: Woe unto you! He Whom you testify hath power to remove Lordship from whomsoever He willeth - when He changed the garment of one of His servants, why did you object to Him and become of those who have denied God from all eternity? Thus have you deprived yourselves of that which God ordained in this Paradise. Say: By God! Were We to name this lamp which is before Us with all the most beautiful names of God at one time, and take them away at another, We have the power to do so, and none hath the right to object. Whoso objecteth hath denied God, and all created things shall deny him. Say: O people, fear God, then open your eyes and be assured that your Lord, the Most Merciful, hath power over all things. He withholdeth as He giveth, and taketh as He bestoweth. Verily He hath power to give and to take, and His might over all things hath never been diminished. Say: Do you believe in His giving but deny His taking? Then all things shall belie you, as those of understanding know. Say: If He so willeth, He can transform all created things by His command, and thus His power encompasseth all beings. None deny this save those wrapped in heedlessness and forgetfulness. Say: Fear God and deny not His power, His greatness and His majesty. Compare not His Self with your selves, nor His power with your power. Fear God, O people, then be ashamed before God, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Merciful. By My life! Were men to reflect on what hath been manifested in truth of God’s sovereignty and grandeur, they would surely fall upon their faces in the dust and proclaim: “There is none other God but Him,” and that this Cause is one against which neither all who are in the heavens nor all who are on earth can prevail, neither what is nor what hath been. But when people are veiled by the veils of fancy, they recognize not God’s Cause and remain heedless of the wonders that have appeared in truth, and thus they follow in Satan’s footsteps. O servant who hath migrated unto God! If thou journeyest to those lands and seest him who is submerged to his throat in the mire of self and discord, say: O thou bat! By the True One, this is not thy day, for the hour of thy death hath come, since the Sun hath dawned from the horizon of eternity in My Most Glorious Name, and by it are illumined the realities of the Prophets and the chosen ones, who seek blessing through this Name in the most exalted Paradise and seek intercession through it on the Day when eyes shall stare in fear. Say: O thou who associateth partners with God! It behooveth thee to dig a pit in the lowest depths of hell and hide thy face from its radiance, for God hath ordained that in its shining forth thy spirit shall be seized, thy heart shall die, and thy self shall perish. Thus hath it been decreed for thee, O thou from whom even the denizens of hell take flight! Say: O thou gnat! By My true Self, thou shalt find no rest or stability this day, for the fragrance of the Cause hath wafted from the direction of destiny and […]

The tempest of divine wrath hath come from the repository of judgment, and for thy vile self there is no refuge, no protector, no helper, and no defender. Through thy disbelief hath every infidel denied God, and through thy turning away have Satan’s temples turned from prostration. O thou rejected polytheist! God hath ordained within thy soul all the layers of fire, and from thee hath appeared the heat of infidelity and hypocrisy, and within thee hath grown forth the Zaqqum tree, which was watered with putrid water and hath borne in these days the fruits of polytheism and denial. Yet thou perceived it not and wert among those who take pleasure in God’s punishment while remaining unconscious thereof. Thus have We detailed thy soul that thou mightest know it and be among the people of understanding. O essence of hell! Hast thou not reflected upon thyself for even a moment concerning the proof whereby thou wouldst establish thy faith in God at the hour when the heaven of destiny was cleft asunder and the Temple of the Exalted One came upon the throne of eternity, and the matter was decreed by the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful? O thou wretched one! Did We not manifest Ourself with all the signs? Dost thou play with God’s clear proofs after their appearance, or with His verses after their revelation? Woe unto you and unto those who detect from thee the stench of hell yet remain unaware within themselves. By God! The hearts of men and jinn are bewildered by such as these. O Most Exalted Pen! Leave them, then abandon these ones in the whisperings of fancy and desire. Then mention him who circumambulated the sanctuary of grandeur and entered the holy spot, the station whereby the chosen ones were guided, that he may remember the mention of his Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Bountiful. O servant who hath attained unto God! Hearken unto the call of this Prisoner, then act as thou art bidden and tarry not in what thou art commanded for less than a moment. Adorn thy head with the bandage of detachment and thy body with the robe of sanctity, then journey through the lands with God’s signs and clear proofs. Fear no one, for verily thy Lord will protect thee from those who have risen in denial - they who speak of that whereof they are unaware and who bid others to righteousness while forgetting their own selves. Thus doth this Bird, warbling upon the branches, command thee. Tell the servants what thou hast seen with thine eyes, heard with thine ears, and known with thy heart, that they may take unto God a way. Say: By God! The lips of utterance have smiled at my utterance, and from my beauty hath the garden of exposition blushed crimson. Say: This is the sanctuary which Moses sought aforetime, then the Spirit thereafter, then Ali. By God! He drank no water save in remembrance of Me, nor breathed save in love for Me, nor moved save in longing to meet Me, nor spoke save in praise of My Self. What aileth you, O concourse of loss? Do ye deny Him by Whose pen’s will the gardens and all within them were created, and from Whose right hand wafteth the fragrance of forgiveness? Say: He who prideth himself on the dust of My sandals, then writhed like a spotted snake behind Me after having stood before My face while verses were revealed unto him which he would write and send to various lands - then he manifested such hatred as the eye of possibility hath never witnessed. Verily, he whom We reared with the hands of mercy and protected beneath the cloak of grace hath risen against Me with the sword of hatred and sought to shed this radiant crimson blood. When he failed in what he intended, he became oppressed by what Satan cast into his soul and […]

He desired nothing by this except to lead people astray and prevent them from their Lord’s path. Thus do We impart to you what you may impart to the servants, and what you have learned after arriving at the place of this Prisoner Who is surrounded by sorrows. Trust in God in all matters, then walk in the paths of His good-pleasure, then aid Him with the swords of exhortation and utterance. Say: O people! Fear God and do not dispute His verses, and forget not what you have been commanded in the Tablets. If you wish to help Him, help through remembrance, then abandon disputation and the sword, for these are forbidden to you, O people of certitude! Beware lest you dispute with anyone or wage war against any soul. Fear God with true fear. Thus doth the Most Exalted Pen teach you and counsel you with truth, lest harm befall you and that you may abide in joy and delight. Remind people of what the Spirit teaches you. If you find one turning to God, turn to him, and if you see one turning away, turn away from him and leave him in the fires. Say: O people! By God, if you were aware of what hath befallen My person, you would surely weep and lament night and day. But since you are far from the Holy Court, you are heedless of what hath befallen this Wronged One from the manifestations of Satan. By God, at every moment there hath descended upon Me from the direction of destiny what hath caused the eyes of those near unto God to weep, and then the eyes of the devoted ones in the pavilions of good-pleasure. Say: O people! If you deny Him Who hath appeared with the truth, then by what cause do you rejoice within yourselves or find tranquility in your beings? Nay, by My wronged Self! There is no protector today for anyone, nor refuge for any soul, except through repentance and returning to God Who created all things by His command. There is no God but He, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Glorious.

O servant who gazeth upon the Throne! Forget not the days of meeting Me, then remember each day My imprisonment and tribulation, and what befalls Me morning and evening from the hands of the oppressors. We beseech God to deliver Us from among these people and settle Us in another land, or to raise Us to the Holy Place, the station where the decree of eyes and ears becomes one. You have indeed become aware of most matters, their roots and branches. Tell the people what God hath taught you, that they may detach themselves from that which the followers of religions have clung to. Say: O people! Today the decree of existence is not valid for anyone except those who submit to this Garden whose gates have been opened to all in the heavens and earth. Those besides these are non-existent on earth and have no mention before thy Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Judge.

O servant who gazeth upon the Face! Hear what issues from the mouths of the polytheists. Among them are those who mention guardianship, succession, and leadership, attributing these to one who has no knowledge of them nor of their fundamental reality. By God, they wander distracted in the wilderness of error, unaware of what their tongues utter. Say: The carpet of these names has been rolled up, and God Himself has come upon crimson clouds, and the matter has been decided by Him, and none knows this save those endowed with insight. Say: All names from Our most beautiful names have returned to their kingdom before the Throne. Blessed is the soul upon whom descends from God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Glorious. Say: The Letter of the Living is he who acknowledges My Cause and […]

The Mirror is he who hath detached himself from all else save Me, and the Guardian is he who hath loved Me, and the Leader is he who hath attained unto the knowledge of My Self, and the Executor is he who hath responded to My Word, and the Immaculate One is he who hath arisen to aid Me and taken refuge in the stronghold of My Cause, and the Messenger is he who hath proclaimed My Cause, and the Prophet is he who hath acknowledged God, the Mighty, the Glorious, the All-Praised. O My Name! Time hath abased Me, hath abased Me, and hath humbled Me, hath humbled Me, to such extent that I must strive against those who were created by My Word. Thus have vain imaginations in this earthly life preoccupied them, and they have denied God in these days wherein the parties have been separated. Grieve not thou at this, for it behoveth such as these to follow the calf instead of God and to follow every ignorant rabble, even as did the idolaters of old in the time of every Prophet, denying them and that which they brought from God, the Mighty, the Glorious, the All-Merciful. Thus have We imparted unto thee the word of truth and have mentioned thee in this Tablet as a mercy from Us unto thee and unto those who hearken unto thy words concerning God, thy Lord, in all lands. The Spirit and Glory be upon thee and upon those who have purified their hearts from self and passion and have drunk from the Salsabil of love from this Ocean, every wave of which proclaimeth that there is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful.

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The honored friend Aqa Mirza Kazim, upon him be the Glory of God, may consider.

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

Praise, sanctified above mention by pen and ink, befitteth and beseemeth the Lord of creation, Who through His Most Great Word renewed the kingdom of utterance and brought the Concourse on High into a state of joy and rapture. Through that blessed Word the Divine Spirit wafted and the Spirit of God pervaded all things; the dead world was adorned with the ornament of life, and withered souls were observed in a state of freshness and vitality. Glorified be His greatness, exalted be His power, and sublime be His majesty! Pure hearts, penetrating eyes, and illumined breasts behold at every moment the signs of divine power and perceive the fragrances of the garment of His Revelation. Through His will, the Most Great Prison, with all its severity and confinement, became the All-Highest Paradise and the Dawning-Place of His supreme mercy. Those who were forbidden from beholding the paths, mosques, and streets of the city are now observed in complete freedom. True indeed is the word of our Lord, the Most High, the Most Great. His word, exalted be His majesty: “Soon will that which was closed be opened, that which was joined be separated, that which was forbidden enter in, that which was united be divided, that which was difficult be made easy, and that which was hidden be revealed. Ponder, O ye who are endued with insight, that ye may understand what hath been inscribed of the mysteries.” We beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist all who are on earth to turn unto Him and to act according to that which He hath revealed in His Book. Verily, He is the All-Powerful, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Thereafter, there reached this servant thy letter which was adorned with the mention of our Lord and your Lord, and the praise of our Lord and your Lord, and I found from it the fragrance of your sincerity, your devotion, your humility, and your submissiveness before God, our Goal and your Goal and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and the earth. When I became acquainted with and understood its contents, I approached the presence of the Throne until I stood before the Desired One and presented what was in your letter. Thereupon the Speaker of the Mount spoke and uttered that which none can reckon save God alone. I confess my powerlessness and testify to the powerlessness of all on earth, and to this our All-Informed Lord doth testify. In truth, this evanescent servant is powerless to mention that which was heard, but some of the revealed verses that are before me shall be mentioned. He, exalted be His glory, spoke these concluding words:

“O My servant! Write for My servant Kazim what thou hast heard from My tongue, that he may rejoice in My remembrance and speak My praise in such wise that the clamor of the divines who have cast the ordinances of God behind their backs and followed their own vain imaginings may not dismay him. This is the Day wherein the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimeth from the Most Exalted Horizon: O people of creation! By God, the gate of heaven hath been opened and the Lord of Names hath come. And He is this Beauty shining forth from the horizon of the Unseen with power and sovereignty. Blessed is he and blessed is his father who gave his spirit and sacrificed himself in the path of God, the Lord of all men. We testify that he attained unto My presence and gained the honor of meeting Me, and drank the choice wine of My utterance, and discovered the fragrance of My garment, and heard that which the Interlocutor heard on the Mount of Knowledge. O Kazim! Hearken once again unto My most sweet call. By My life! If thou wert to taste the sweetness of My call, joy would take hold of thee and sorrows would flee from thee. Be thou at all times immersed in the ocean of My good-pleasure, speaking My praise amongst My servants, and acting according to that which God hath revealed in the Book. Thus hath the horizon of utterance been illumined by the Sun of thy Lord’s remembrance, the Revealer of verses. The Glory of God rest upon thee and upon thy family from God, the Lord of all men.”

From the blessed verses, divine favor is evident and clear. You must, God willing, arise with utmost endeavor to serve the Cause of God and be occupied with wisdom and forbearance. If in these days matters that cause grief are witnessed, behold them all as moths around the lamp - if they briefly intervene, in an instant they are destroyed and perish. God willing, the sound of the waves of the sea of joy shall obliterate and remove the cawing of the raven of sorrows. Verily He is the Omnipotent, Whom nothing can frustrate and no power can weaken. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Triumphant, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

And concerning what you wrote about mentioning to Jenab-i-Ismu’llah Jamal, upon him be all the Most Glorious Beauty, that he would remember in the Most Holy Court yourself and your mother and sister and other family members - he fulfilled his promise and presented it in the Most Holy Court, and again in these days expressions of favor have been shown to each one. Give them the glad tidings of God’s grace and His mercy that hath preceded existence in both the unseen and visible realms. All have been adorned with the ornament of forgiveness and have attained unto the Kawthar of mention. This evanescent servant beseecheth God, exalted be His glory, that He may enable all to succeed in His remembrance, praise and service, and to remain steadfast in this mighty Cause. Verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer.

And concerning what was mentioned about those souls who have newly attained to the ocean of recognition, it was presented. This is what the Desired One hath revealed in response:

He is the Most Ancient, the Most Great

[Muhammad Hasan Sultan] A mention from Our presence to those on earth, that they may forsake what they possess and turn to God, Knower of the unseen and the seen. O peoples of the earth! Hasten ye to the remembrance of God and His mercy. He calleth you and mentioneth you in that which causeth breasts to expand and hearts to rejoice. O Hasan! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. Verily He mentioneth thee from this Prison for the sake of God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. How many a servant desired to draw nigh but vain imaginings prevented him, and how many a man aimed for the Desired One but idle fancies barred him. Give thanks to God for having enabled thee to recognize the Dawning-Place of His verses and made thee aware of this Cause, whereof the generality of the learned remained heedless, save whom God, the Lord of existence, willed. We have sent thee the pearl of the ocean of utterance. When thine eyes are solaced thereby, arise and say:

Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the nations and the One manifest through the Most Great Name! Thanks be unto Thee, O Thou Who hast mentioned me from Thy glorious station! Glory be unto Thee, O Lord of Names! And praise be unto Thee, O Creator of the heavens, for having moved Thy Most Exalted Pen to mention me in Thy beloved Prison!

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

[Quli Khan] A Book sent down by the Bestower to him who hath turned to the Most Great Sea when the Lord of Eternity came with manifest sovereignty. O Quli! He Who is mentioned mentioneth thee from this spot round which circle the Concourse on High and the dwellers of the cities of eternity. Verily there is none other God but He, the Peerless, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. When thou hearest the creaking of My Pen and findest the fragrance of My robe from Mine utterance, turn thy face toward God, the Protector of the worlds, and say […]

O my God, God of the world, my Beloved and the Beloved of all nations! I beseech Thee by the kingdom of Thy utterance and the dominion of Thy knowledge to ordain for me that which shall profit me in every world of Thy worlds. Then grant me, by Thy bountiful hand, the waters of steadfastness. Verily, Thou art the One with power over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Generous.

He is the Dawning Place from the Horizon of Utterance

This is a mention from Our presence to him who seeketh the waters of utterance from the hand of the bounty of his Lord, the Generous. O Rida! Rejoice that the countenance of thy Lord, the Most Glorious, hath turned toward thee from this distant station. He maketh mention of thee as a bounty from His presence, that He may draw thee nigh unto the Supreme Horizon and acquaint thee with His straight path. We have manifested the Cause and set up the Balance and called all unto God, the One, the All-Informed. Among the people are those who have violated God’s Covenant and His Testament and opposed Us, and among them are those who have pronounced judgment against Us without clear proof or an enlightening Book. How many learned ones have denied the Known One, and how many mystics have disbelieved in the Recognized One when He came with the standards of signs from the presence of the Mighty, the Wise. Thus have We sent down the verses unto thee and dispatched them to thee that thou mayest be among the firmly established ones. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

The servant giveth you glad tidings that the Beloved of the world hath visited on behalf of you and your mother and your sisters and your wife and those of your household. It behooveth me and thee and all on earth to thank Him and praise Him and glorify Him by night and day. Praise be to God. This servant succeeded in fulfilling your wishes exactly as you had written, visiting on behalf of all. We beseech Him to make this blessed, doubly blessed and righteous deed a treasure for you and for us. Verily, He is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth through His command “Be!” and it is.

As to what you mentioned regarding the friends of God being engaged every Friday in the recitation of verses and the remembrance of God, by the life of God, they have a station among the stations in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds. Convey greetings on behalf of this ephemeral servant to them and say: The Day of the Covenant hath come, and the earth hath told its tales, and the mountains have passed away by the command of their Creator, and all who are in the heavens and on earth were thunderstruck save those who have detached themselves from all on earth and turned with radiant faces toward God. God willing, you must stand with perfect steadfastness in the Cause of God. Though the clouds of oppression may momentarily obscure the light of the Sun of Justice, the time will come when the winds of the Divine Will shall, in less than a moment, disperse them and illuminate the world with the light of justice. We beseech God that those illumined hearts may be so enkindled by the heat of Divine remembrance that its effects may become manifest in all directions. Would that the servant could be with you in that house wherein the mention of God, the Lord of all beings and the King of the throne on high and of earth below, hath been raised. O friends! Strive ye, for this is the day of endeavor and this is the day of steadfastness, that perchance ye may receive your portion from the outpourings of the cloud of divine mercy and the effulgences of the Sun of Reality. Verily, He is with you and guideth you to the right path.

As for what you wrote concerning the house, it was presented before the Throne. This is what the Desired One hath revealed in response: We have accepted the house and made it a meeting place for the loved ones of God who have forsaken the world and turned wholly unto God, the Lord of the worlds.

O Kazim! The aforementioned house has been accepted and mention thereof was made in the Most Holy Presence. God willing, may it become a gathering place for His loved ones. Remember Me therein and praise Me at eventide and at dawn. Blessed is thy father who soared in the atmosphere of the love of God in such wise that he sacrificed his spirit and his being in a land whose mention God hath revealed in His Mighty Book. We testify that he turned unto God, hearkened to His call, and hastened to the Dawning-place of sacrifice. Thus doth God mention whom He willeth as a token of His grace. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Generous.

O Most Exalted Pen! Turn towards those who have turned to the countenance of their Lord when He appeared with the truth and came with mighty sovereignty. Say: O loved ones of God in His lands! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One which hath been raised from the precincts of the Prison. There is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Great. Be ye united in the Cause of God and His remembrance, and be ye as the fingers of one hand. Thus doth He Who hath in His keeping the Preserved Tablet teach you. Set right that which is between you and put your trust in God. Verily, He is with His trusted servants. Thus surgeth the ocean of thy Lord’s mercy, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate. Glory be upon you, O My loved ones and chosen ones, and upon those who have attained unto My days and acted in accordance with that which they were bidden in My perspicuous Book.

As for what you wrote concerning the Leaf of Paradise, upon her be the Glory of God, it was presented before the Throne, and this evanescent servant attained to visitation on her behalf. We thank God and praise Him for this. Especially in these days her mention was made in the Most Holy Presence, and a most mighty, most glorious, most holy Tablet was specifically revealed for her from the heaven of the All-Merciful’s will and was sent. God willing, may she attain unto it. Convey greetings on behalf of this servant to her and her relatives, wherever they may be. And concerning those whom you mentioned who have detached themselves from all save God and believed in Him on a day wherein the pillars of the world were shaken and the limbs of the nations trembled - upon them be the Glory of God, His mercy, His care and His favors. This evanescent one conveys greetings to all.

And as for your mention of Aqa Khudadad, Aqa Shahvardi, Aqa ’Azizu’llah and Aqa Muhammad-Taqi, upon them be the Glory of God, it was presented one night in the Holy Presence. The Sun of Divine favor shone forth upon each one. He, exalted be His glory, said: “These are they who have attained unto the days of God and have drunk His most pure wine in the name of the Lord of Power, through Whom the Greatest Scene was honored - the place which was named the Most Great Prison and with the most beautiful names by My Most Exalted Pen. Upon them be My glory, My mercy and My care which have preceded all worlds.”

In these special days, wondrous and exalted verses are being revealed from the divine Kingdom of Utterance. God willing, may they attain unto them and inhale the fragrances of the Raiment of the All-Merciful therefrom. This evanescent servant has attained to their presence aforetime. I beseech the Most High to assist them in His remembrance and praise, to aid them in that which He loveth and approveth, to ordain for them the good of this world and the next, and to record for them through His Most Exalted Pen in the Book of Names that which shall cause their mention, their spirits, and their bodies to endure. Verily, He is powerful over whatsoever He willeth. There is no God but Him, the Almighty, the Powerful. As for those souls whom you mentioned who have ascended unto God, mention of some of them hath been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen both before and after. Upon them be the glory of God and His mercy. Others were also mentioned in this instance, and all have been adorned with the ornament of forgiveness both before and after. Glory be upon you and upon those who have turned unto God and have attained unto the recognition of God, our Lord and their Lord, our Purpose and their Purpose, and the Beloved of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

The Servant

Sha’ban 1297

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In the Name of the Compassionate, the All-Loving!

O Mahdi! Hearken unto the call of Him Who is immersed in the ocean of tribulation, and when the waves grant Him respite, He raises His head, gazing toward the East, and proclaims: “The Beloved is come, turn ye unto Him!” Then do the waves overtake and submerge Him. And when they subside, He lifts His head again, looking toward the West, crying out in His loudest voice: “This is the Beloved of the worlds! He is come for your life and the exaltation of your station. Yet ye have abandoned Him in this tribulation, the like of which the eye of creation hath never beheld.” He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O Mahdi! By My life! Were the veils to be rent asunder and thou wert to behold Me in the darkness wherein I dwell, thou wouldst surely go forth and cry out amidst all created things, forgetting thyself and whatever sorrows may have befallen thee. But We have concealed it as a token of grace from thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bountiful. Yet in such a state and under such conditions, I remain radiant from the horizon of Beauty and dawning forth from the Dayspring of Power and Majesty, in such wise that were anyone to look upon Me, he would find in the features of My countenance the joy of God, and in My cheeks the light of God, the Almighty, the Mighty, the Great.

Though man may flee from tribulation, yet Baha findeth His solace therein in the path of God, the Lord of all names. Thus do We impart unto thee that thou mayest cast thy sorrows behind thee and follow the Manifestation of the All-Merciful amidst all worlds. This, verily, is a mighty triumph. Cast aside thy disappointment and acknowledge that which the Supreme Pen hath testified concerning thee in numerous Tablets. Verily, thy Lord hath acknowledged thy love and hath sent down that which hath diffused the fragrance of the Beloved throughout all regions. Is it befitting to acknowledge what hath been revealed for thee, or to doubt? Nay, by thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing! Abandon all else and find tranquility in thy Lord’s grace. Thus doth the Wronged One command thee, and He, verily, is to be obeyed in whatsoever He willeth.

Hear in the Persian tongue concerning that which hath been revealed, be thou assured therein and seek steadfastness from God in what thou art engaged. Doth not the testimony of God suffice thee? Indeed He hath testified to thy faith, thy turning unto Him, thy call, and thy assistance. By My life! Wert thou to know what hath been revealed for thee with true knowledge, thou wouldst soar upon the wings of longing. Beware lest the fragrance of despair pass from thee. Be thou hopeful, then send forth in every instance that which will diffuse the sweet savors of joy before the face of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. This is what We counseled thee aforetime and in this luminous Tablet.

No one from the beginning of the world until now hath been afflicted with such tribulations. Consider thou the Messenger of God: despite His manifest power, during the Battle of the Trench some of His companions who outwardly showed the utmost devotion and self-sacrifice, whispered secretly saying “Muhammad promiseth us the treasures of Chosroes and Caesar, yet none of us can even go to relieve himself in safety.” And this matter hath been among the claimants for numbered years without outward victory or manifest dominion - what hath occurred and what shall occur is evident.

One of His companions stole a coat of mail one night. In the morning the Jews gathered and traced its tracks and signs. After discovering this they came before His presence. It is known what these obstinate Jews did. The Prophet paused and did not wish this sin to be proven against Islam, as it would cause the undermining of God’s Cause among the people. Suddenly Gabriel descended and recited this verse: “Lo! We have revealed unto thee the Scripture with truth that thou mayst judge between mankind by that which God showeth thee. And be not thou a pleader for the treacherous.”

Thereafter Tu’mah turned away and spread calumnies about the Prophet among the people which the Pen doth not wish to recount. He then completely apostatized and returned to Mecca, dwelling among the idolaters. Similarly, between Zubayr, who was related to the Prophet, and Hatib there arose a dispute about water and land, until they came before the Prophet for judgment. The Prophet said: “O Zubayr! Water thy land.” At this point Hatib spoke words suggesting that the Prophet had deviated from justice. This blessed verse was revealed: “But nay, by thy Lord, they will not believe until they make thee judge of what is in dispute between them and find within themselves no dislike of that which thou decidest, and submit with full submission.”

When they went out, Ammar Yasir and Ibn Masud asked “For whose sake was the judgment made?” Hatib, with utmost mockery and derision, raised his eyebrow indicating Zubayr. Several Jews who were present said: “God destroy these people! What manner of folk are these who testify to this man’s prophethood yet suspect his judgment?” At this point Ammar Yasir declared: “By Muhammad’s God, if Muhammad were to command me to kill myself, I would do it!” And Thabit ibn Qays and Ibn Masud spoke likewise. This verse was revealed: “And if We had prescribed for them: Lay down your lives or go forth from your dwellings, but few of them would have done it […]”

If they had acted in accordance with what they were counseled, it would have been better for them and more firmly established. And in another instance, a dispute arose between a Jew and one of the companions. The Jew sought judgment from His Holiness, while the Muslim preferred Ka’b ibn al-Ashraf. At the Jew’s insistence, they came before His Holiness, and the initial judgment favored the Jew. Then this verse was revealed: “Have you not seen those who claim to believe in what has been revealed to you and what was revealed before you? They wish to refer legislation to Taghut, while they were commanded to reject it; and Satan wishes to lead them far astray.” The ‘Taghut’ referred to here was Ka’b ibn al-Ashraf. Then the Muslim turned away and said he would go to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab. After presenting the details to him, ’Umar said: “Wait until I return.” He entered his house, took his sword, returned and struck off Ka’b’s head, saying: “This is the reward for one who is not satisfied with the judgment of God’s Messenger.” When this reached the Messenger, he named him ’al-Farooq’, and from that day he was known by this title.

From these accounts it appears that today the Supreme Pen is engaged in interpreting the Qur’an and explaining its revelation. This is sorrow upon sorrow, although by the truth itself, the mention of God’s chosen ones and their traces has always been and will always be beloved. Our yearning for what is attributed to them, what their tongues have uttered, and the mention of what appeared in their days - the sorrow stems from the fact that in all ages such tribulations have befallen the Manifestations of Truth. Moreover, these times have necessitated that these mentions flow from the Chosen Pen as a matter of wisdom, so that you and the loved ones of Truth might become aware, through the allusions in the revealed verses of the Beloved of earth and heaven, of a drop from the vast ocean of tribulations that befell Him.

Let us return to our narrative: After the conquest of Mecca, the Battle of Hunayn, which is between Mecca and Ta’if, took place. After the victory, much wealth was gathered before His Holiness, including camels, sheep, and other things. His Holiness bestowed upon the nobles of Mecca, such as Abu Sufyan and others, one hundred camels each, and to those below them, forty each. Someone remarked, “I do not see you acting justly.” The Messenger became angry and said, “If justice is not with me, then with whom is it?” At this point, the Ansar became distressed, for they were the poorest of all and had received nothing from these spoils. When evil thoughts and doubts seized them, the hand of your Lord’s grace, the Master of all beings, took hold of them. The Messenger - may the spirit of all in the Kingdom be sacrificed for him - said: “O Ansar, are you not satisfied that they return with camels and sheep while you return with God’s Messenger?”

O observant servant, if I were to mention all that occurred, according to the divine verses, the discourse would be prolonged and we would stray from our purpose. The point is that despite their manifest power and the connection of inner authority with outer sovereignty, all these tribulations befell them, even while they were implementing the outward laws, as evidenced when in one day they executed seven hundred people and […]

This concerned the Battle of Banu Qurayza. After the Battle of the Trench, Gabriel descended and said, “O Messenger of God! The Lord of great command orders you and your companions to pray the afternoon prayer at Banu Qurayza.” The Prophet commanded his companions as ordered and departed with them to Banu Qurayza. When they arrived, God’s forces surrounded them and terror seized their hearts. Then the Aws tribe asked the Messenger of God to release them as he had released Banu Qaynuqa, allies of the Khazraj.

The Aws and Khazraj were two tribes that had been in constant warfare until the Messenger arose and appeared with the truth - Islam united them. Therefore these two tribes were often treated similarly. The Banu Qurayza were allies of Aws, and since the Prophet had previously pardoned the Banu Qaynuqa (allies of Khazraj) through the intercession of certain hypocrites who outwardly claimed Islam and were counted among the companions, the Banu Qurayza hoped for the same treatment.

The Messenger - may all else be sacrificed for him - said, “Would you not be satisfied if Sa’d ibn Mu’adh judges their case?” He was the chief of Aws. They agreed, but Sa’d, upon whom rested the dewdrops of light, was prevented from attending due to wounds received in the Battle of the Trench. The Prophet specifically sent for him and he was brought with great difficulty. When he arrived, they informed him of the Messenger of God’s command. Sa’d said, “I judge that their men should be killed, their property divided, and their women and children taken captive.” The Messenger said, “You have judged as God has judged above the seven heavens.”

Then the Prophet returned to Medina and the army carried out Sa’d’s judgment - they struck off their heads, divided their property, and took their women and children captive. In two days they beheaded seven hundred people. Yet despite manifest and hidden power and divine might, some continuously became apostates, some returned to idols, and some turned to pure denial.

This Wronged One in the land of exile - all know that all kings have turned away and all religions oppose. Now it is clear what afflictions have come and continue to come. For instance, if someone is told “Do not drink wine” or “Do not say what God has not permitted,” they immediately rise up with unprecedented calumnies. As when We banished two wicked souls after countless transgressions - I swear by the Sun of sanctified glory - they manifested such rebellion as had never been seen in creation, attributing all their own forbidden and reprehensible acts to the Truth before all the people of the land. Upon them be what is upon them.

Now consider the degree of harm and the level of tribulation. They do what they wish and judge as they desire, except for those who have believed in God and remained steadfast. The affairs of this land are very severe - observe the Tablet of Samsun and likewise tablets revealed in previous years containing news of what was to come. All these matters return to the Truth itself. Nevertheless, We have been and remain engaged in what was commanded among the servants with perfect joy and delight. Therefore that soul should not be saddened by certain matters. Walk in the footsteps of thy Lord - this is God’s decree from before and after. Follow and be among those who act. The more you are wronged, the more beloved it is and shall be, following the example of thy wronged Lord.

Convey My glorification unto thy nephew on behalf of this Wronged and exiled One. Say: O ’Ali-Qabli-Akbar! The fire hath been kindled by the fingers of thy Lord and hath set the horizons ablaze, yet the people remain veiled behind a mighty veil. Draw nigh unto it with thy heart, purely for the sake of God. By My life! Through it shall be ignited within thy heart the lamp of His love in such wise that neither the winds nor all the seas of the heavens and earth can extinguish it. Give thanks unto thy Lord for having drawn nigh, entered in, attained His presence, and been the recipient of thy Lord’s glance, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Recognize the value of this bounty and arise to praise Him amongst all peoples. After having attained the presence of thy Lord, can anything cause thee grief? This beseemeth thee not. Be content with My love and hold fast unto it. It shall suffice thee, if thou be of them that know. Though thou be heedless, He is never heedless of thee and remembereth thee, having perceived from thee the fragrance of the garment. He shall bestow upon thee whatsoever He willeth. He, verily, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Merciful. Be steadfast in the Cause. By My life! Nothing that hath been created on earth can equal it. Be thou among the firm ones. Then make mention of the Friend and say: Thou art in exile while thy Lord is the Exile. Yet there is this difference: thou hast none who would harm thee, torment thee, or speak evil of thee, whereas this Exile hath fallen into the hands of the oppressors who do with Him as they please, speak of Him as they wish, and pronounce against Him that which even the rejectors of former ages never pronounced. Give thanks unto thy Lord in this condition even as I give thanks in this affliction. Thus doth He Who is most loving and merciful unto thee command thee. Grieve not over anything. Stand firm in the Cause and say: Thine be the praise, O Thou Who art the Object of praise of the sincere ones! My soul be a sacrifice for Thy imprisonment and Thy exile, O Thou Who art wronged in the hands of the wicked ones! When thou meetest those two who attained the presence of the Countenance and from whom thou perceivest the fragrance of God, convey unto them My glorification and give them the glad-tidings of this noble remembrance. Glory be upon you and upon them who have held fast to truth and justice from the presence of a Mighty, Ancient Being. Praise be unto God, the Lord of the worlds.

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O Pope! Rend the veils asunder. He Who is the Lord of Lords is come overshadowed with clouds, and the decree hath been fulfilled by God, the Almighty, the Unrestrained. Dispel the mists through the power of thy Lord, and ascend unto the Kingdom of His names and attributes. Thus hath the Pen of the Most High commanded thee at the behest of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Compelling. He, verily, hath again come down from Heaven even as He came down from it the first time. Beware that thou dispute not with Him even as the Pharisees disputed with Him without a clear token or proof. On His right hand flow the living waters of grace, and on His left the choice Wine of justice, whilst before Him march the angels of Paradise, bearing the banners of His signs. Beware lest any name debar thee from God, the Creator of earth and heaven. Leave thou the world behind thee, and turn towards thy Lord, through Whom the whole earth hath been illumined.

We have adorned the Kingdom with the ornament of Our name, the All-Glorious. Thus hath it been decreed by God, the Fashioner of all things. Take heed lest thy vain imaginings withhold thee, when once the Sun of Certitude hath shone forth above the horizon of the Utterance of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Beneficent. Dwellest thou in palaces whilst He Who is the King of Revelation liveth in the most desolate of abodes? Leave them unto such as desire them, and set thy face with joy and delight towards the Kingdom.

Say: O peoples of the earth! Destroy the abodes of negligence with the hands of power and assurance, and raise up the mansions of true knowledge within your hearts, that the All-Merciful may shed the radiance of His light upon them. Better is this for you than all whereon the sun shineth, and unto this beareth witness He Who holdeth within His grasp the ultimate decree. The Breeze of God hath been wafted over the world at the advent of the Desired One in His great glory, whereupon every stone and clod of earth hath cried out: “The Promised One is come! The Kingdom is God’s, the Mighty, the Gracious, the Forgiving.”

Beware lest human learning debar thee from Him Who is the Supreme Object of all knowledge, or lest the world deter thee from the One Who created it and set it upon its course. Arise in the name of thy Lord, the God of Mercy, amidst the peoples of the earth, and seize thou the Cup of Life with the hands of confidence. First drink thou therefrom, and proffer it then to such as turn towards it amongst the peoples of all faiths. Thus hath the Moon of Utterance risen above the horizon of wisdom and understanding.

Still your pens, O concourse of divines, for lo, the shrill voice of the Pen of Glory hath been lifted up between earth and heaven. Cast away all that ye possess and take fast hold of that which We have revealed unto you with power and authority. The Hour that was concealed within the knowledge of God hath struck, whereupon all the atoms of the earth have proclaimed: “The Ancient of Days is come in His great glory! Hasten unto Him, O peoples of the earth, with humble and contrite hearts.” Say: We, in truth, have given Ourself as a ransom for your own lives. Alas, when We came once again, We beheld you fleeing from Us, whereat the eye of My loving-kindness wept sore over My people. Fear God, O ye that perceive.

Consider those who opposed the Son, when He came unto them with sovereignty and power. How many the Pharisees who were waiting to behold Him, and were lamenting over their separation from Him! And yet, when the fragrance of His coming was wafted over them, and His beauty was unveiled, they turned aside from Him and disputed with Him. Thus do We impart unto thee that which hath been recorded in the Books and Scriptures. None save a very few, who were destitute of any power amongst men, turned towards His face. And yet today every man endowed with power and invested with sovereignty prideth himself on His Name! In like manner, consider how numerous, in these days, are the monks who, in My Name, have secluded themselves in their churches, and who, when the appointed time was fulfilled, and We unveiled Our beauty, knew Us not, though they call upon Me at eventide and at dawn. We behold them clinging to My name, yet veiled from My Self. This, verily, is a strange thing.

Say: Take heed lest your devotions withhold you from Him Who is the object of all devotion, or your worship debar you from Him Who is the object of all worship. Rend asunder the veils of your idle fancies! This is your Lord, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, Who hath come to quicken the world and unite all who dwell on earth. Turn unto the Dayspring of Revelation, O people, and tarry not, be it for less than the twinkling of an eye. Read ye the Evangel and yet refuse to acknowledge the All-Glorious Lord? This indeed beseemeth you not, O concourse of learned men! Say: If ye deny this Revelation, by what proof have ye believed in God? Produce it then. Thus hath the summons of God been sent down by the Pen of the Most High at the bidding of your Lord, the Most Glorious, in this Tablet from whose horizon the splendour of His Light hath shone forth. How many are My servants whose deeds have become veils between them and their own selves, and who have been kept back thereby from drawing nigh unto God, He Who causeth the winds to blow.

O concourse of monks! The fragrances of the All-Merciful have wafted over all creation. Happy the man that hath forsaken his desires, and taken fast hold of guidance. He, indeed, is of those who have attained unto the presence of God in this Day, a Day whereon commotions have seized the dwellers of the earth and filled with dismay all save those who have been exempted by God, He Who layeth low the necks of men.

Adorn ye your bodies whilst the raiment of God is stained with the blood of hatred at the hands of the people of denial? Issue forth from your habitations and bid the people enter the Kingdom of God, the Lord of the Day of Judgement. The Word which the Son concealed is made manifest. It hath been sent down in the form of the human temple in this day. Blessed be the Lord Who is the Father! He, verily, is come unto the nations in His most great majesty. Turn your faces towards Him, O concourse of the righteous!

O followers of all religions! We behold you wandering distraught in the wilderness of error. Ye are the fish of this Ocean; wherefore do ye withhold yourselves from that which sustaineth you? Lo, it surgeth before your faces. Hasten unto it from every clime. This is the day whereon the Rock crieth out and shouteth, and celebrateth the praise of its Lord, the All-Possessing, the Most High, saying: “Lo! The Father is come, and that which ye were promised in the Kingdom is fulfilled!” This is the Word which was preserved behind the veils of grandeur, and which, when the Promise came to pass, shed its radiance from the horizon of the Divine Will with clear tokens.

My body hath borne imprisonment that your souls may be released from bondage, and We have consented to be abased that ye may be exalted. Follow the Lord of glory and dominion, and not every ungodly oppressor. My body longeth for the cross, and Mine head awaiteth the thrust of the spear, in the path of the All-Merciful, that the world may be purged from its transgressions. Thus hath the Daystar of divine authority shone forth from the horizon of the Revelation of Him Who is the Possessor of all names and attributes.

The people of the Qur’an have risen against Us, and tormented Us with such a torment that the Holy Spirit lamented, and the thunder roared out, and the clouds wept over Us. Among the faithless is he who hath imagined that calamities can deter Baha from fulfilling that which God, the Creator of all things, hath purposed. Say: Nay, by Him Who causeth the rain to fall! Nothing whatsoever can withhold Him from the remembrance of His Lord.

By the righteousness of God! Should they cast Him into a fire kindled on the continent, He will assuredly rear His head in the midmost heart of the ocean and proclaim: “He is the Lord of all that are in heaven and all that are on earth!” And if they cast Him into a darksome pit, they will find Him seated on earth’s loftiest heights calling aloud to all mankind: “Lo, the Desire of the World is come in His majesty, His sovereignty, His transcendent dominion!” And if He be buried beneath the depths of the earth, His Spirit soaring to the apex of heaven shall peal the summons: “Behold ye the coming of the Glory; witness ye the Kingdom of God, the Most Holy, the Gracious, the All-Powerful!” And if they shed His blood, every drop thereof shall cry out and invoke God in this Name through which the fragrance of His raiment hath been diffused in all directions.

Though threatened by the swords of Our enemies, We summon all mankind unto God, the Fashioner of earth and heaven, and We render Him such aid as can be hindered by neither the hosts of tyranny nor the ascendancy of the people of iniquity. Say: O peoples of the earth! Scatter the idols of your vain imaginings in the name of your Lord, the All-Glorious, the All-Knowing, and turn ye unto Him in this Day which God hath made the King of days.

O Supreme Pontiff! Incline thine ear unto that which the Fashioner of mouldering bones counselleth thee, as voiced by Him Who is His Most Great Name. Sell all the embellished ornaments thou dost possess, and expend them in the path of God, Who causeth the night to return upon the day, and the day to return upon the night. Abandon thy kingdom unto the kings, and emerge from thy habitation, with thy face set towards the Kingdom, and, detached from the world, then speak forth the praises of thy Lord betwixt earth and heaven. Thus hath bidden thee He Who is the Possessor of Names, on the part of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Knowing. Exhort thou the kings and say: “Deal equitably with men. Beware lest ye transgress the bounds fixed in the Book.” This indeed becometh thee. Beware lest thou appropriate unto thyself the things of the world and the riches thereof. Leave them unto such as desire them, and cleave unto that which hath been enjoined upon thee by Him Who is the Lord of creation. Should anyone offer thee all the treasures of the earth, refuse to even glance upon them. Be as thy Lord hath been. Thus hath the Tongue of Revelation spoken that which God hath made the ornament of the book of creation.

Consider a pearl which shineth by virtue of its inherent nature. If it be covered with silk, its luster and beauty will be concealed. Likewise, man’s distinction lieth in the excellence of his conduct and in the pursuit of that which beseemeth his station, not in childish play and pastimes. Know that thy true adornment consisteth in the love of God and in thy detachment from all save Him, and not in the luxuries thou dost possess. Abandon them unto those who seek after them and turn unto God, He Who causeth the rivers to flow.

Whatever proceeded from the tongue of the Son was revealed in parables, whilst He Who proclaimeth the Truth in this Day speaketh without them. Take heed lest thou cling to the cord of idle fancy and withhold thyself from that which hath been ordained in the Kingdom of God, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful. Should the inebriation of the wine of My verses seize thee, and thou determinest to present thyself before the throne of thy Lord, the Creator of earth and heaven, make My love thy vesture, and thy shield remembrance of Me, and thy provision reliance upon God, the Revealer of all power.

O followers of the Son! We have once again sent John unto you, and He, verily, hath cried out in the wilderness of the Bayan: O peoples of the world! Cleanse your eyes! The Day whereon ye can behold the Promised One and attain unto Him hath drawn nigh! O followers of the Gospel! Prepare the way! The Day of the advent of the Glorious Lord is at hand! Make ready to enter the Kingdom. Thus hath it been ordained by God, He Who causeth the dawn to break.

Give ear unto that which the Dove of Eternity warbleth upon the twigs of the Divine Lote-Tree: O followers of the Son! We sent forth him who was named John to baptize you with water, that your bodies might be cleansed for the appearance of the Messiah. He, in turn, purified you with the fire of love and the water of the spirit in anticipation of these Days whereon the All-Merciful hath purposed to cleanse you with the water of life at the hands of His loving providence. This is that peerless One foretold by Isaiah, and the Comforter concerning Whom the Spirit had covenanted with you. Open your eyes, O concourse of bishops, that ye may behold your Lord seated upon the Throne of might and glory.

Say: O peoples of all faiths! Walk not in the ways of them that followed the Pharisees and thus veiled themselves from the Spirit. They truly have strayed and are in error. The Ancient Beauty is come in His Most Great Name, and He wisheth to admit all mankind into His most holy Kingdom. The pure in heart behold the Kingdom of God manifest before His Face. Make haste thereunto and follow not the infidel and the ungodly. Should your eye be opposed thereto, pluck it out. Thus hath it been decreed by the Pen of the Ancient of Days, as bidden by Him Who is the Lord of the entire creation. He, verily, hath come again that ye might be redeemed, O peoples of the earth. Will ye slay Him Who desireth to grant you eternal life? Fear God, O ye who are endued with insight.

O people! Hearken unto that which hath been revealed by your All-Glorious Lord, and turn your faces unto God, the Lord of this world and of the world to come. Thus doth He Who is the Dawning-Place of the Daystar of divine inspiration command you as bidden by the Fashioner of all mankind. We, verily, have created you for the light, and desire not to abandon you unto the fire. Come forth, O people, from darkness by the grace of this Sun which hath shone forth above the horizon of divine providence, and turn thereunto with sanctified hearts and assured souls, with seeing eyes and beaming faces. Thus counselleth you the Supreme Ordainer from the scene of His transcendent glory, that perchance His summons may draw you nigh unto the Kingdom of His names.

Blessed the one who hath remained faithful to the Covenant of God, and woe betide him who hath broken it and disbelieved in Him, the Knower of secrets. Say: This is the Day of Bounty! Bestir yourselves that I may make you monarchs in the realms of My Kingdom. If ye follow Me, ye shall behold that which ye were promised, and I will make you My companions in the dominion of My majesty and the intimates of My beauty in the heaven of My power forevermore. If ye rebel against Me, I will in My clemency endure it patiently, that haply ye may awaken and rise up from the couch of heedlessness. Thus hath My mercy encompassed you. Fear ye God and follow not in the ways of those who have turned away from His face, though they invoke His name in the daytime and in the night season.

Verily, the day of ingathering is come, and all things have been separated from each other. He hath stored away that which He chose in the vessels of justice, and cast into fire that which befitteth it. Thus hath it been decreed by your Lord, the Mighty, the Loving, in this promised Day. He, verily, ordaineth what He pleaseth. There is none other God save He, the Almighty, the All-Compelling. The desire of the Divine Sifter hath been to store up every good thing for Mine own Self. Naught hath He spoken save to acquaint you with My Cause and to guide you to the path of Him whose mention hath adorned all the sacred Books.

Say: O concourse of Christians! We have, on a previous occasion, revealed Ourself unto you, and ye recognized Me not. This is yet another occasion vouchsafed unto you. This is the Day of God; turn ye unto Him. He, verily, hath come down from heaven even as He came down the first time, and He desireth to shelter you beneath the shade of His mercy. He, verily, is the Exalted, the Mighty, the Supreme Helper. The Beloved One loveth not that ye be consumed with the fire of your desires. Were ye to be shut out as by a veil from Him, this would be for no other reason than your own waywardness and ignorance. Ye make mention of Me, and know Me not. Ye call upon Me, and are heedless of My Revelation, notwithstanding that I came unto you from the heaven of pre-existence with surpassing glory. Rend the veils asunder in My name and through the power of My sovereignty that ye may discover a path unto your Lord.

We should have made mention of Napoleon, for he too received Our Tablet while in his glory. We addressed him from the Seat of the Most Great Prison and acquainted him with that which his spirit had prompted him to do. He cast the Tablet of God behind him when We made known unto him that which We had formerly known. Thus hath his work been brought to naught, and humiliation overtook him, and he went unto destruction. O King of Paris! Tell the priest not to ring the bells. By God, the Most Great Bell hath appeared in the form of Him Who is the Most Great Name, and the fingers of the will of your Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most High, toll it out in the heaven of Immortality in His Name, the All-Glorious. Thus have the mighty verses of your Lord been again sent down unto you, that ye may arise to remember God, the Creator of earth and heaven, in these days when all the tribes of the earth have mourned, and the foundations of the cities have trembled, and the dust of irreligion hath enwrapped all men, except such as your Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, was pleased to spare. Say: He shall not be asked of His doings. He maketh what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

Know ye that if We raise Our voice, the whole of creation would be disrupted, and if We cause the outpourings of Our utterance to be stilled, all things would perish, and ye would become as lost ones. Be not dismayed or perturbed if the inhabitants of the cities of unbelief repudiate your claim and deny your testimony. No man can comprehend that which hath streamed forth from the ocean of divine grace in these days. He Who is the Ancient Beauty ruleth upon the throne of glory, and the power of His might beareth witness unto His creatures. No one, except those who have withdrawn themselves from the shadow of the divine bounty and attached their hearts to the Evil One, will deny the power of His sovereignty.

O kings of the earth! We see you increasing every year your expenditures, and laying the burden thereof on your subjects. This, verily, is wholly and grossly unjust. Fear the sighs and tears of this Wronged One, and lay not excessive burdens on your peoples. Do not rob them to rear palaces for yourselves; nay rather choose for them that which ye choose for yourselves. Thus We unfold to your eyes that which profiteth you, if ye but perceive. Your people are your treasures. Beware lest your rule violate the commandments of God, and ye deliver your wards to the hands of the robber. By them ye rule, by their means ye subsist, by their aid ye conquer. Yet, how disdainfully ye look upon them! How strange, how very strange!

Now that ye have refused the Most Great Peace, hold ye fast unto this, the Lesser Peace, that haply ye may in some degree better your own condition and that of your dependents.

O rulers of the earth! Be reconciled among yourselves, that ye may need no more armaments save in a measure to safeguard your territories and dominions. Beware lest ye disregard the counsel of the All-Knowing, the Faithful.

Be united, O kings of the earth, for thereby will the tempest of discord be stilled amongst you, and your peoples find rest, if ye be of them that comprehend. Should any one among you take up arms against another, rise ye all against him, for this is naught but manifest justice.

=== END BH00347 ===

=== START BH00348 ===

Revealed for Ali-Akbar, who emigrated unto God and entered into the presence of the Throne, and was among those who attained. He is the All-Possessing, in His Most Glorious Name.

O Ali, hearken unto the call of God, thy Lord, from the right hand of the Throne: “Verily, I am God, there is none other God but Me, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. We have indeed sent Messengers aforetime and dispatched them unto those who were heedless of God’s Cause, that they might guide them to a holy and praiseworthy station. Among the people are those who denied God’s Messengers and believed not in them throughout all ages, who turned away from His countenance and were among those who turned back. And among them were those who believed, then ascended to such a station that they gave up their spirits in their Lord’s path, and were among those who, at all times, would ascend.

How many Messengers delivered unto the people their Lord’s messages, and thereby were afflicted with adversity and tribulation until they were slain in God’s path–the Mighty, the Exalted, the Beloved–and were martyred in such wise that all things, nay, whatsoever hath been and will be, wept for them. The more intense grew their tribulations, the more their yearning increased, to such extent that they found no rest in the abode of security. To this do honored servants bear witness.

The days passed until they culminated in the Sovereign of Days, and the Beauty of Ali appeared in truth from the dawning-place of His hidden Name. He said: ‘O people! I have come unto you from the Orient of the Cause with a clear proof and a manifest evidence from God, the Mighty, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. O people! Deny not the signs of God, and be not of those who showed pride before the Ancient Beauty and were among the deniers.’ Thereupon the divines rose up against Him with swords of rejection and hatred, and forbade the people from drawing nigh unto the holy and blessed shore. Each day they seized upon a verse from the Book and a tradition from those who had passed away before, whereby they sought to prove their rejection of God and the Manifestation of His Self. Thus did they corrupt and cause the people to become corrupt, following their own desires. Thus do We recount what they did, that those who believed in those days might become aware thereof, and that it might serve as a reminder to those who are to come.

Until the servants in all lands rejected Him, save a numbered few. When He witnessed the Cause in such state, He counseled those who had believed in Tablets of glory inscribed, saying: ‘O people! Do not act as did those who associated partners with God, who warred against My Self, who denied My signs and rejected My compelling, mighty, and manifest proof. Should anyone come unto you, be not veiled by the First One, nor by the Mirrors, nor by all that hath been created between the heavens and the earth. Beware lest ye divide the word of God, the Mighty, the Beloved. By God! He is verily My Self, My Glory, My Grandeur, and My Sovereignty, and in the Bayan there is mention of Him and proof of Him, would ye but be certain. O people! Deal not with Him as the followers of the Furqan dealt with My wronged Self. O people! When ye hear mention of Him while in your prostration or bowing down or circumambulating the House, cease from what ye are doing and hasten unto Him, for on that Day the deeds of creation shall not be accepted save by His leave and the recognition of His exalted, mighty, and praiseworthy Self. By God! All deeds have been fulfilled through the Word that hath flowed from His Self-Subsisting Pen, and We created all things for His sake and gave glad tidings of His appearance in all the Tablets and in a preserved Tablet.’ And He delivered unto the servants what He desired until they rose up against Him and slew Him with such injustice that all things wept and the Spirit […]

How I wish the world and all that is therein had never been created, and that this wrong had never appeared - a wrong by which God lamented upon the throne of grandeur and the garments of forbearance were rent asunder in all that was and will be! Would that I had never been born of my mother, or having been born, had never been suckled, or having been suckled, had never grown to maturity, that I might not have heard what befell His sacred, pure, exalted, mighty and beloved Beauty! Time passed until the shameful event occurred, when faithless servants calumniated Us, attributed this Cause to My own self, seized Me unjustly and cast Me into prison for four known months. Therein I endured what none can reckon and what defies all reckoning. When the term of imprisonment, as decreed in the preserved tablets of holiness, was fulfilled, they released Me therefrom and banished Me with My family from Our homeland in winter days when the cold was so intense that even severe frost was made to shiver. We suffered what cannot be described in words and what none save God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the Self-Subsisting, knows. We traversed the way until We reached Iraq and dwelt there for numbered months, finding not a trace of the Cause from any quarter, nor from the city wherein We dwelt. Then did the eye of My inner and outer being weep, and God bears witness to what I say, though the people do not testify. Whenever I left the house and passed before people’s eyes, they would look upon Me as one looks upon the unconscious, and would shake their heads in mockery of My stranger and grief-stricken self. The situation became so dire that the earth grew strait for Me, and We remained in that state for numbered months. In those days We heard no mention of the loved ones and found no trace of love from anyone save in a measured degree. Intoxication had seized all who professed allegiance to the Bayan, and such perturbation overtook them that they hid their faces from friends and foes alike, each soul adopting a veil for his face to protect himself, save a few of Our thankful servants. By God! We found none to help the Cause of God and His command, and We witnessed the fire of God extinguished in hearts. Then did We arise by Our own self to uplift the Cause, unveiled Our countenance, and shone forth from the horizon of holiness with God’s sovereign might, the Self-Subsisting. We opened wide the door of the House to all in the heavens and earth, and aided the Cause in such wise that none could deny it save every rejected denier, until the banners of the Cause were raised in every land and the fire was kindled in the breasts of those who were detached and among those who were detached. When God’s Cause became renowned, His proof appeared, His evidence shone forth, His signs encompassed all, His word was fulfilled, His sovereignty was exalted, His countenance became radiant - then did two parties rise against Me: a party from among the loved ones and a party from among the wicked ones. How many nights did eyes sleep while My family remained sleepless in fear for My person - all who dwelt in Iraq can testify to this, if you should ask. The matter reached such a pass that all peoples rose against Me with every stratagem, yet I stood alone against them all and aided God, My Lord, at times with My glance, at times with My tongue, at times with My hand, and […]

At times through the breezes of My heart, at times through the hosts of revelation and inspiration, and at times through the very Breath of God, the Almighty, the Most High, the All-Wise, have I been aided. Never did I seek anyone’s help in the path of God, My Lord - to this every soul bears witness, and beyond them the Tongue of God, the True, the Faithful Sovereign. In those days, the souls of the loved ones were so agitated on My account that they would cry out in their homes because of My tribulations at the hands of the idolaters. Then the cries of My family arose constantly from the house. Once the Youth turned toward the Sanctuary with streaming tears and said: “O handmaidens of God, remain seated in your places, then be patient and endure for the sake of God, the Mighty, the Wondrous!” On another occasion I turned to the party of God and commanded them to be calm and dignified, and forbade them from becoming agitated - thus were We conducting ourselves. I Myself never hesitated for a moment in advancing God’s Cause, nor did I compromise with anyone. I shone forth amidst the enemies with the holy and luminous lights. Among the idolaters, some declared that in those days He would be seized and sent to the Persian king to do with Him as he pleased. Others said He would be slain in that land. Still others said they would soon seize Him with His family and banish them to other lands. Some cried out that they would drown them in the river. Thus did they speak. By God! In those days the dwellers of the Supreme Paradise were bewildered by My circumstances. They all descended from their most exalted seats and stood above My head, gazing upon My majesty and sovereignty, and hearing what emerged from My mouth of God’s words and verses amidst the company of the idolaters. The Youth walked among the people, openly proclaiming what the Spirit had uttered in His breast, without any veil or barrier, as you have heard and were among those who listened. While I walked among the servants, God’s Kingdom would walk before Me, His Dominion to My right, His Sovereignty to My left, and His Power behind Me. Yet the people were heedless of all this, for their eyes were veiled by thick coverings, save for a few letters who loved My exalted and mighty Self. By Him Who holds My soul in His hand! Were I to recount what befell Me on the day I left the house alone and proceeded to the presence of the oppressors until I entered upon them with manifest sovereignty, the hearts would be consumed of those who perceive the fragrance of God in what descends from His presence. Therefore have We concealed its mention, restrained the Pen from it, and entrusted it to God’s Will - the Mighty, the All-Knowing - until its appointed time comes and it flows from an omnipotent and ancient Pen. We remained in that state until God raised Me up by His command and aided Me through His own Self, and those who had denied and associated partners with God were brought low and were among the deniers. One of the ministers appeared before the Throne with numerous letters, mentioned what he mentioned before the Face, and confirmed the decree of departure. We left the city through God’s sovereignty - the Mighty, the Exalted, the Triumphant, the Powerful. The breezes of glory wafted from all directions, the Cause of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, the Compassionate, became renowned, all faces submitted to the Face of God, and all souls were humbled before His sovereignty. Thus were We among the witnesses. When those in whose hearts […]

The Youth whispers in the most hidden mystery that whatever harm hath touched Me in My manifestation amongst the people and My exaltation throughout the lands - they regretted their concealment and veils and rose against Me with a scheme which, by the True God, cannot be compared to the schemes of the first or the last ones. At all times they stung Me like serpents, to which the Tongue of the All-Merciful beareth witness upon the mighty throne. When We observed their condition, We left the matter be, and thus were We afflicted with hardships until We arrived at this remote prison. After Our arrival in this land, God recorded all that befell Us from those who were created by Our command and whom We had protected from the harm of every stubborn harmful one - until they pronounced the verdict of My death without any proof or clear evidence. The matter reached such a state that I departed from among all the loved ones to extinguish the fire of jealousy in the hearts of the hateful ones. When We left their midst and they found themselves disappointed in what they desired, they rose up with calumnies. Thus have We related a letter from the story of the Youth, and We have been brief in the mention lest the souls of the readers grow weary. Those endowed with penetrating vision will understand from what We have mentioned in the Tablet that which We have not unveiled to them, for they can extract from allusions the realities of clear declaration, and a mere sign in the utterance from One All-Knowing, All-Wise sufficeth them. Now from the depths of this pit, in this prison, I call out to the sincere loved ones of God, that perchance they may arise to help the Youth and deliver Him from this deep well.

O ’Ali-Qabl-i-Akbar! Take this Tablet and return to the precincts of God, that perchance the people may become aware of what hath befallen this Wronged One at the hands of these oppressors. Victory cometh only from God - He aideth whomsoever He willeth through His sovereignty, and His victory is nigh unto the believers. Blessed art thou, O servant, for having migrated from thy self and traveled unto God, and entered the seat of thy Lord’s throne, the Most High, the All-Wise, and attained the presence of His countenance, and art among those who have won the meeting with God, the Mighty, the Beautiful. God will soon reveal the reward for what thou hast borne in His path, and verily He doth not suffer to be lost the reward of the doers of good, if thou remainest steadfast in the love of God and His Cause, and art among the firmly rooted ones. If thou findest in any city one who turneth unto God, remind him on My behalf, for My mercy hath encompassed all worlds. Apart from such, leave them to themselves and be thou wary of them; then take up an assured station in the shadow of thy Lord’s protection. When thou arrivest in Kha, present thyself in the presence of Our name Muhammad, then mention to him what thou hast heard and known of the Youth’s tidings with manifest truthfulness. Thus have We commanded thee in truth, that thou mayest be among those who act. O ’Ali! Associate with people in the spirit of God and His sweet fragrance, then unite with those in whose hearts thou findest the love of God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. Adorn thy tongue with truthfulness, then thy heart with remembrance, then thy hands with trustworthiness, then thy soul with submission, thy face with humility, and thy body with lowliness. Thus do We counsel thee now in truth. Take, then, what thou art commanded from the presence of One Dominant, Powerful. Beware lest thou grieve over anything, and should hardships afflict thee, remember what hath befallen My soul, then be patient and be of the patient ones. God will soon transform the hardship for whomsoever He willeth and send down upon him of His bounty what He desireth, and He is the most powerful of the powerful ones. And may the mercy that wafteth from the direction of the Throne be upon thee and upon God’s assured servants. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

=== END BH00348 ===

=== START BH00349 ===

In the Name of Him Who is the Overseer of all who are on earth and in heaven!

O Name of Bounty! Tablets have been revealed equal in number to the raindrops, and books to match the number of all knowledge, psalms, scriptures and what lies between them, which none has comprehended save God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. The essence of utterance has reached such a station that every letter thereof is a clear book establishing the Cause of God, the Lord of all worlds. Infinite realms are set ablaze, yet most of the people of this world remain deprived and veiled. That which has been revealed is beyond the reckoning of those present. The hearing ear is rare and the seeing eye non-existent. Beseech ye God to bestow upon the world attentive ears and penetrating vision. Verily, He is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth, the Overseer, the Self-Subsisting.

His honor Haydar-’Ali, upon him be My glory, hath mentioned certain souls who have turned towards God, and We desire to send down for them from the heaven of Will and Purpose that which will draw them nigh unto God, the Lord of the worlds. O Pen! Make mention of Muhammad, who turned towards the Dayspring of Revelation when the people were in manifest rejection. He hath attained unto My Tablet once, and again unto another Tablet from whose horizon shone the sun of his Lord’s tender mercy, the All-Bountiful. O Muhammad! Hear the call from the Uttermost Tree upon the shore of the Sea of Eternity: Verily, there is none other God but He, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. The Dawning-Place of favors hath come with the banners of justice and fairness, yet the Evil Whisperer remaineth in strange delusion. He whispereth in the breasts of men - yet he is among the most lost in the Book of God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

We have sent down for thee from the heaven of grace that which shall testify in thy favor in every world among the worlds of thy Lord, the Almighty, the Powerful. Give thanks unto God for this supreme bounty and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the nations, for having caused me to turn towards Thy horizon, to gaze upon the lights of Thy countenance, and to speak in Thy beauteous praise. My Lord! Aid me to be steadfast in Thy Cause, then ordain for me that which befitteth Thy bounty and generosity. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

O Amanu’llah! Hearken unto the scratching of My Pen and the rustling of My Tree, then look to the Most Exalted Horizon that thou mayest behold the dawning lights of My Manifestation and that which hath been ordained in that station by the will of thy Lord, the Almighty, the Powerful. By God! When the call was raised from the Supreme Pen, the call of all things was raised. The gate of heaven was opened and the Lord of Names came with clear sovereignty. Through His appearance the ocean of utterance surged in the contingent world, and by His uprising the people arose for the Lord of the worlds. Give thanks unto God, for My Pen hath moved to make mention of thee and My tongue hath spoken thy name, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

O Hassan! We have observed thy devotion and heard thy call. At the outset of this utterance, We counsel thee to be steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord, the All-Merciful, and in that which will exalt this wise Remembrance, through which the limbs of all names have trembled and the Most Exalted Pen hath proclaimed: “Sovereignty belongeth unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.” Be thou eloquent in My praise, hold fast unto My cord, cling to the hem of the robe of My loving-kindness, turn thy face toward the lights of My countenance, and be thou a helper of My Cause, the Mighty, the Wondrous. Take hold of the Book of God with the strength that proceedeth from Him. Verily, He hath mentioned thee in that which shall never perish. To this beareth witness the Mother Book in this exalted station. Verily, He once reposed upon the dust in the Prison of Ta, and at another time in the land of Mim, then He ascended the throne in this Great Prison. Thus hath the Divine Lote-Tree spoken as a token of Our favor unto thee. Be thou grateful unto thy Lord and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the worlds!” I beseech Thee by the power before which nothing can stand firm among all things, to make me a helper of Thy Cause and one who speaketh Thy praise, wherein the affairs of creation and the doubts of those who have denied Thy blessed, pure and luminous Name shall not hinder me.

O servant of God! Thou wert silent and thoughtful regarding the manifestations of My power and the expressions of My loving-kindness. Thou hast heard the cry of all things - how the stones call out to the trees: “This is the Day of the Chosen One. It behooveth us to sing in the days of God.” The attraction of the verses hath seized the dwellers of earth and heaven. Blessed is the soul that hath been drawn by the breezes of revelation, and woe unto the heedless. Say: O peoples of the earth! Open your eyes. The sun of inner meanings hath shone forth before your faces. Fear God and be not of them that slumber. He hath appeared unto Whom all in the heavens and earth have bowed down in praise, and through Whose remembrance all in the heavens and earth make mention of Him. We counsel thee and them that have believed to act in accordance with what hath been sent down in the Book of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

O Ali-Askar! The Most Exalted Pen proclaimeth: The clamorous ones have appeared with deception and guile, desiring to veil the lights of the Sun of Truth with the clouds of their idle fancies and to prevent Its shining forth. They have contrived calumnies whereby they have prevented those helpless servants from the Dayspring of the Light of Divine Unity. Say: O worthless ones! The entire world beareth witness that from the first day this Wronged One hath stood forth before the faces of men in the name of the Self-Subsisting, steadfast in the Cause, calling all with the most exalted call to the supreme horizon. His Cause is manifest, His decree evident, and His deeds witnessed, for He hath never concealed Himself behind veils nor sought protection for Himself. At all times countless souls have dwelt and found rest in His vicinity. Nevertheless, a company of the heedless have turned away. By God’s life! They have turned to that which neither nourisheth nor endureth. Glory be to God! What have they seen and what have they heard? The world of knowledge is astonished at these souls. O people of God! Ye must arise with complete steadfastness in the Cause of the Lord of all beings and strive to reform the peoples of the world, that perchance ye may be assisted to purify the hearts of the nations from rancor and hatred. O people of God! Until now the servants have been heedless of the blessed words “He doeth whatsoever He willeth and ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth,” for whosoever is blessed with this holy word will remain firm, steadfast and unwavering in the Cause of God. We convey Our greetings to the friends of God, glorified be His majesty, and give them glad-tidings of His grace. Blessed are they that hear and blessed are they that act. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

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

O Husayn! Hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. Verily, He maketh mention of thee with that which God hath made a spirit unto all bodies, a light unto all horizons, and a treasure and honor unto all who are in the heavens and the earth. This is a Day wherein the atoms themselves have testified that the Promise hath come to pass and that which was hidden in the hearts of the chosen ones and inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Books of God, the Lord of all worlds, hath been fulfilled. On this Day all things proclaim: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the All-Praiseworthy!” Say: O people of God! We have enjoined upon you in the Psalms and Tablets that which will exalt the Cause of God and manifest the station of His party amidst all parties. Say: Blessed is the arm that hath shattered the idols of vain imaginings through the power of the Name of God, the Lord of all lords. We have made mention of the people of Shin, and We make mention of them at this time through verses that have illumined the horizons. By God! All things were stirred by the scratching of My Most Exalted Pen, and yet the people remain heedless and veiled. Their desires have withheld them from My horizon, and their idle fancies from the straight Path. Say: O concourse of divines! Die in your wrath! The Hour hath come to pass and the mountains have been scattered. This is the Day of Reckoning. The recompense of your deeds hath prevented you from Him Whom ye mentioned throughout the nights and days, at eventide and at dawn. Open your eyes! The Sun hath dawned from the horizon of proof by the command of God, the Lord of all men. O My loved ones in Shin! Ye have been blessed by My remembrance in My days and have inhaled the fragrances of revelation when every ignorant doubter was debarred therefrom. Blessed are your eyes for what they have beheld and your ears for what they have heard: the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree as it was raised up by God, the Mighty, the Bestower. We counsel you to perform such deeds as will guide those who turn towards the Dayspring of lights, and to manifest such virtues as will lead all servants to the Source of commandments and ordinances. Aid your Lord, the All-Merciful, through deeds and virtuous character. This is what ye have been commanded in the Psalms and Tablets. Beware lest the clamor of the divines or the tyranny of those who have denied the Beginning and the End frighten you. Soon will God seize them even as He seized those before them. Verily, He is severe in punishment. The might of kings cannot frustrate Him, nor can the ranks of subjects. He calleth out before all faces with the most exalted call: “The Sovereign hath come, and sovereignty belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the All-Choosing!” We give glad tidings unto Our loved ones who have not broken Our Covenant of that which hath been ordained for them by the Pen of God, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

O Husayn! Be thou enkindled with the fire of My love, that the peoples of the lands may be set ablaze thereby, and be thou attracted by My verses, that the servants may be drawn unto them. Say: Cast aside what the people possess, and hold fast unto that which hath come from the Dayspring of Power with the standards of His verses. Beware lest the might of the world weaken you, or the power of the wicked render you helpless. Thus hath the Ocean of Proof revealed His utterance, and that which was hidden in the shells - the pearls of the wisdom of your Lord, the Lord of all mankind - hath appeared. By God! The Sun hath manifested its radiance, the Words their light, the Pen its traces, and the Tree its fruits. Blessed is he who hath turned, witnessed and beheld, and woe unto every denying infidel.

O Husayn! Hearken unto the divine call in the Persian tongue, that perchance the ears of the world may hear that for which they were created. The friends of God must be as firm mountains, unchanged by the events of time and the rains. Glory be to God! Some are like clods that dissolve at the touch of moisture, or like dried leaves stirred by every wind. Today the people of God must fix their gaze upon the highest horizon and remain steadfast in His Cause with complete firmness. Their deeds must be for God and their attention turned to God.

O friends of God on earth! Be not grieved by the happenings of the age, for they are limited to prescribed bounds. Strive to attain eternal stations in this transient realm. Reflect upon past centuries and ages - how many souls emerged from dust and returned to dust. By the Sun of Proof that shineth from the highest horizon of possibility, that which hath been ordained for the sincere ones and those near unto God hath neither likeness nor equal. Thus hath the Pen spoken, yet the people perceive not, save him who hath cast away what he possessed in his longing for that which is with God. He, verily, is among the sincere ones in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds.

What is needed today is the sanctification of hearts and breasts from rancor and hatred. Blessed is the one who reclines upon the couch of ease while his breast is illumined with the light of love for all the peoples of the world. Unity and concord are beloved today and have ever been. Associate with all the peoples of the world with the utmost spirit, fragrance, dignity and composure, that your goodly character may spread its fragrance among them. This fragrance hath ever been and shall ever remain a guide. Consult in all matters and strive earnestly in that which will exalt the Word of God. Blessed are those souls who have arisen to render assistance and have guided the wayward to the straight path and the mighty, unshakeable way through the utterances of the Goal of all creation.

We convey Our greetings to the friends in that land and give them the glad-tidings of the favors of God, exalted be His glory. We have not mentioned names as this would be contrary to wisdom. The Command is in His hands - He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth, and He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

As for the mention of journeying from those lands, this is acceptable at the Divine Threshold, as perchance directing oneself to the land of Shin may cause the exaltation of the Word. We beseech God that He may enable that one, sanctified from the world, to reach that land, and that all may attain through his endeavors to that which beseemeth the Cause of God and the Word of God.

The book mentioned previously for publication has been delayed in these days, for due to the maliciousness of certain souls its writing has been prevented until God brings about His decree. Mention was made of Mulla Shafi’; his response has been sent down from the heaven of grace and will be dispatched later. Some time ago, a Most Holy, Most Great Tablet was sent specifically for him, Jalal, and the other friends of that land. We beseech God that they may attain unto it and receive their portion from the ocean of divine utterances’ inner meanings. In these days, mention of Jalal’s relatives also reached the Most Holy Court, and each was favored with special bounties. And those souls who have ascended to the Supreme Companion were each mentioned before the Divine Presence and were favored with grace - God hath forgiven them as a bounty from His presence, for He is the All-Bountiful, the Generous.

Today, whosoever ascendeth unto God in love, the Concourse on High welcometh that sanctified spirit and inhale from it the fragrance of God, and with exclamations of “No God is there but Him” and “God is Most Great” and praise, they usher it into the station ordained for it. By the life of God! Were but an atom of that station to be revealed, all who are on earth would fall senseless. Verily His bounty is great and His mercy hath preceded all existence, both seen and unseen. The Glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon those who have held fast to the cord of My grace and clung to the hem of My bounty, and upon those whom We have caused to join the Supreme Companion, through Our command, for I am the Commander, the Ancient of Days.

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O honored master, his eminence Afnan, Haji Siyyid M, may the Most Glorious Glory of God rest upon him. In the Name of our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Lord.

Praise befitteth the Mighty Hand that raised high the standard of trustworthiness and cast down the decree of treachery, and through the light of justice adorned and illumined this darkened world. Chastity and trustworthiness are as two luminaries in the heaven of benevolence and favor, the light of each exceeding that of the sun. The Lord of the unseen and the seen beareth witness to these words, and the Ordainer of what hath been and what shall be testifieth to this utterance. Glorified be He Who hath raised the stations of man in knowledge and hath sent down wisdom in the Mother Book. Glory and praise be upon the Lord of all possibility and the Master of all religions, through Whom was manifested that which lay hidden in the treasure-house of God’s protection and was concealed from the eyes of all else.

My spirit be a sacrifice unto your mention, your utterances, your arising, your service, and your steadfastness. Your letters have descended like successive rains; before one heavenly table could be consumed, another blessing arrived. Glorified be He Who strengtheneth His Afnan and assisteth His trusted ones. In truth, each of your esteemed letters radiates a light and diffuses a sweet fragrance, for they are adorned with the mention of the Lord of the worlds and the praise of the Master of Eternity. After reading them with joy and delight, we proceeded to the station of the Lord of Sinai, presented them before His presence, and they were honored to be heard by Him. His mighty utterance and exalted proof proclaim:

In My Name, the Speaking Silent One […]

O Afnan! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness! The latest news is that one of the firm and sincere believers has departed from this earthly homeland, intent upon the most exalted homeland, hastening from the realm of creation to the Most Glorious Companion. Exalted be his station with his Creator, and magnified his rank with His chosen ones in His paradise. By My life! The Concourse on High and the denizens of the most exalted Paradise welcomed him. And other news is that the swords of oppression have fallen upon the temple of justice. In the great city, the fire of hatred is ablaze and hath consumed the veil of honor. The station of religion hath become vengeful, and the station of light hath become darkness. They have cast the counsel of God behind their backs, clinging to the evil whisperings of the heedless. Greed and envy have prevented their ears and eyes from hearing and seeing. Without veil or covering they have manifested that which caused the very essence of existence to lament and the Dawning-place of bounty to cry out. Glory be to God! They have forsaken the Known for the unknown, and in the presence of the manifestations of the Self-Subsisting Name, they have deprived themselves of the choice-sealed wine. The fire of greed, passion, tyranny and corruption hath become an obstacle and veiled the light of guidance and godliness. O Afnan! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness! The heaven of reformation hath been rolled up, and the scroll of corruption hath been spread out. Some have turned from Paradise to hell, and from light to the flames. Beseech thou God to guide the misguided and deprive not the treacherous of the grace of trustworthiness. Say: O my God, my God! I testify that the gate of Thy bounty hath ever been open to the faces of Thy servants. Aid them, O my God, to return unto Thee and to repent before the ocean of Thy forgiveness and bounty. O Lord! Thou seest Thy Afnan turning unto Thee, clinging with the fingers of hope to the hem of the robe of Thy generosity and bounty. I beseech Thee not to disappoint the heedless of the outpourings of Thy days, nor to drive away those who are lost in fancy from attaining Thy presence. O Lord! Transform their fire into light, their turning away into drawing nigh, their tyranny into justice, their ignorance into knowledge, and their death into life. I testify that Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever Thou willest, and in Thy right hand is the Kawthar of life. There is none other God but Thee, the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the Most Bountiful.

Most wondrous of all is that souls who have been the recipients of the utmost mercy, favor and kindness have acted in such wise as to cause grief to encompass all and the dust of their deeds to reach the hem of His sanctified robe. They have made lying their emblem, calumny their garment, treachery their nature, and their deeds the deeds of Pharaohs. This servant beseecheth his Lord to aid them to make amends for that which hath escaped them in His days. Verily He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty, and worthy to answer prayers.

As to what was written regarding transactions, this too hath caused perplexity. Now the honored Afnan, His Holiness Aqa Siyyid Ahmad, upon him be the Glory of God, the Most Glorious, after a long journey hath attained the Most Great Presence and is attending to these matters and will send word. However, let them not be saddened by these affairs, for hardship and ease have ever been within the grasp of His power - He altereth them as He pleaseth. As was witnessed, He dissolved the tribulations of the Most Great Prison and raised high the banner of ease and comfort. Never was it thought that imprisonment would be transformed, until a blessed verse descended from the heaven of the Divine Will, which was a key to open the gate, leading to the opening of the gate of egress and ingress for those who sought His presence and the emigrants. In any case, it is hoped that He will manifest and adorn all affairs through His absolute Will in the most excellent manner. Verily our Lord is the All-Powerful, the All-Choosing.

The honored Afnans of that land, as well as the loved ones, have been and are remembered in the Holy Presence. This servant beseecheth for each one that which is adorned with and worthy of acceptance, and entreateth the Sovereign of existence not to deprive any of them from the clouds of generosity and the heaven of bounty. Verily He is powerful over whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be” and it is.

Concerning what was written about the great city and the presence of someone in that land, and likewise what was expressed about trade yielding no fruit - if it be required for the Cause, the matter is in God’s hands and whatever is decreed shall be carried out. These matters have been brought to attention in His presence. His words, exalted be His utterance: Let them act as they deem wise. The means currently present in that city and the presence of any individual will not yield fruit. However, if a wise person be found who knoweth the proper ways of association and intercourse, it would be good, and his movements should be for the sake of God. He should be among the assured souls who fear not falsehoods and calumnies, engaging in his work with firm determination and a strong heart. His Honour Aqa Mirza Muhsin hath also arrived from the great city. Praise be to God, he is adorned with the ornament of health and hath attained the station of nearness.

O Afnan! You are accounted as being of the Sacred Tree. From the beginning of the Cause until now you have attained that which none other hath attained. Your purpose must be the exaltation of the Word of God, and your efforts must be directed toward this end. In numerous Tablets that which none save God, exalted be His glory, can reckon hath been revealed concerning the Afnan. You have been and continue to be assisted, God willing. Be thou vocal in My remembrance, hold fast unto the cord of My Cause, and be steadfast in My service. Verily He is with thee, He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. We have adorned thee with the ornament of Our love, and We beseech Him, exalted be He, to make thee in all times turned toward Him and aided in manifesting His Cause through wisdom and utterance. He is verily the Almighty, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. Thou hast ever been beneath the glance of Our loving-kindness. We testify that thou didst turn to the Most Sublime Horizon and didst traverse the stages until thou didst arrive at the Most Great Prison and attain the presence before the Face and didst see and hear that which was uttered by the Tongue of God, the Self-Subsisting, the Most High, and didst attain to that which was denied the servants of the earth except whom God, the Lord of existence, did will. We beseech Him to send down upon thee from the heaven of bounty mercy from His presence and blessing from His side and loving-kindness from His direction. Verily He is He Who is established upon the Throne in His praiseworthy station. The splendor shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon those who are with thee and who hear thy words in this manifest Cause. Praise be to God, the Afnan have attained unto a bounty which hath had and hath no likeness. It behooveth them to thank their Lord at all times. Verily He is the Single, the One, the Mighty, the All-Loving.

The bounty, mercy and loving-kindness in relation to the Afnan, upon them be the Glory of God, the Most Glorious, is of such magnitude that its mention is beyond the capacity of pen and ink. I beseech Him, blessed and exalted be He, to aid them and assist them and reinforce them with the hosts of wisdom and utterance. Verily He is the Almighty, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

Mention was made of the beloved of the heart, his honor ’Andalib, upon him be the Glory of God and His loving-kindness. His mention hath been in the Most Sublime Horizon. From the beginning of the Cause he hath been speaking in remembrance and praise and hath been steadfast in service. Praise be to God, his tongue was created for the mention of the Lord of all beings. That which hath appeared from him beareth witness unto him in all conditions and in all the worlds of our Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Generous. And after these matters were presented in the Most Exalted Station, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these words, blessed and exalted be His utterance:

O My Afnan! Upon thee be My glory! Praise be to God, thou hast attained unto that which was mentioned and recorded in the holy Books. Thank thy Lord for this manifest bounty. Praise thy Lord for this mighty generosity. Say: Praise be unto Thee for having made me a helper of Thy Cause and submissive before the manifestations of Thy commandments and ordinances. Verily Thou art the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous. Convey My greetings to ’Andalib, upon him be My glory. The loving-kindness hath encompassed him and mercy hath preceded him. Verily We caused him to speak Our praise and guided him to Our path and acquainted him with Our Message at which the limbs of Our servants trembled save whom God, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, did will. Blessed is the time which was illumined by the lights of the Sun of Manifestation, and blessed is the life which was spent in My remembrance and praise and service. Today is the last day of the month of Ramadan, and a number of people have attained to deeds for the sake of God. For fasting there are stations and ranks, and effects and fruits beyond counting. Blessed are they who have attained. This deed is obligatory in prison, a wisdom from Our presence, and I am the Commander, the All-Wise.

The mention of the beloved of hearts, his honor Mirza Abu’l-Fadl, upon him be the glory of God and His grace, brought boundless joy and infinite gladness. He is the one whose remembrance, praise, service, steadfastness, utterance and grace the All-Bountiful has testified to. Praise be to God that he was enabled to achieve that which caused the exaltation of the Word of God. Time and again was his mention heard from the Tongue of Grandeur. Verily, He does not suffer to be lost the reward of them that act, the reward of them that do good, and the reward of them that are assured. We hope that through the fragrance of his utterances the world of being may be quickened and find its way to the truth. Verily our Lord is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. And after presentation before the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence, these words were revealed from the Kingdom of Utterance - exalted and sanctified be His Word: “O Fadl! Upon thee be My Glory! We have sent down for thee aforetime that which was the spirit of life for the people of creation, and We have desired to send thee at this time from the treasuries of My Most Exalted Pen the pearls of wisdom and utterance, that the breathings of revelation in this manifest Day may attract thee and through thee God’s servants may be drawn to the mention of this Mighty News. If thou desirest to turn toward any direction, turn with such steadfastness that all created things may thereby turn toward God, the Revealer of verses.” Thus has spoken the Kingdom of Utterance in this station which God has made the circling-point of the Manifestations of Names and Attributes. It has ended. Praise be to God! The splendors of the Sun of favor have appeared in such wise that none has cause to hesitate. Blessed are they who have arisen today to champion the Cause with spirit and joy. Upon them be the glory of God, our Lord, the Lord of the Throne on high and of earth below, and the glory of the most exalted Paradise and the highest Heaven.

As to what was written concerning the departed, the late Aqa Muhammad Hasan, upon him be the glory of God and His mercy: praise be to God that he attained and was successful, and drank once more from the wine of bounty. Good fortune was his companion and the solace of his soul. Repeatedly did he attain unto the presence, and for some he requested Tablets and petitioned that the very original Tablets of revelation be bestowed. As a token of grace, they were revealed at that very moment, though there was a delay in their dispatch. God willing, they shall be sent. As to the matter of the will, he repeatedly mentioned that “I have no heir. There is a sum of money in a certain place, and likewise two shawls have been sent to ’Akka - all must revert to the Truth.” He made this bequest repeatedly, and likewise on the way, when he was in the company of some of the friends, he made this bequest time and again. The servant beseecheth his Lord to forgive him through His grace, to grant him at all times the food of His bounty, and to rain down upon him mercy from His presence. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Bestowing. Praise be to God that His Holiness hath attained and continueth to attain. I beseech God to aid the loved ones of that land to forsake that which hath been forbidden by the Most Exalted Pen in His Most Holy Book. His blessed and exalted Word is: “It hath been forbidden you to smoke opium. We, verily, have prohibited this practice through a most binding prohibition in the Book. Should anyone partake thereof, he is not of Me. Fear God, O ye men of understanding!” And in another passage: “The use of opium hath been forbidden unto you, as well as gambling. Eschew them both, O people, and be not of the transgressors. Beware of using any substance that induceth sluggishness and torpor in the human temple and inflicteth harm upon the body. We, verily, desire for you naught save what shall profit you, and to this bear witness all created things, would that ye could perceive it.”

It is most regrettable that man should allow his desires to lead him away from the divine Will and the binding decree of His Book, and act contrary to His good-pleasure. Take heed, O brethren, and cleave unto God’s compassionate counsels and hold fast unto them. This is better for you, did ye but know it. Glory and remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those who are with you and who love you and hearken unto your words concerning the abandonment of this unseemly, shameful, abhorrent and rejected practice. The command belongeth unto God, the Lord of existence.

The Servant

1st of Shawwal 1306

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=== START BH00351 ===

O Ghulam-Qabli-’Ali! Repeatedly has thy mention been made in the presence of the Wronged One, and likewise the letters thou hast sent to the friends of God have each been presented and heard. From the heaven of especial bounty, replies have repeatedly been sent down for thee and for Mihdi. Blessed art thou for having confined thy affairs to the remembrance and praise of God and the promotion of His Cause. We beseech God to aid thee and thy son in that which befitteth His Most Great Cause and His Mighty Call.

His Honor Ismu’llah, upon him be My Glory, forwarded thy letter to the Most Holy Court several days ago. It was perused and heard. Well is it with thee and with those who have drunk the choice wine of utterance from the hand of the bounty of their Lord, the All-Merciful. By choice wine is meant at times the divine verses themselves, and at times His love - whoso drinketh thereof shall never thirst. This choice wine bestoweth life and conferreth eternal existence. In another sense, what is meant by it are the hidden pearls within the utterance of the Goal of all worlds, and its chalices are the writings revealed by the Supreme Pen. This choice wine shall never perish but hath been and ever shall be preserved by divine will, sealed with the seal of infallibility. When by God’s leave We removed its seal in this Most Great Revelation by the hand of power, the sincere ones, those near to God, and those who were ready perceived its fragrance and hastened toward it.

In one station, choice wine refers to the means that lead man to his Source and spread the carpet of detachment before him. In another station, choice wine is the blessed word of unity itself - whoso attaineth unto it hath attained unto the knowledge of God, the Lord of all worlds. And in yet another station, it hath been and is His Hands of the Cause - they are the cupbearers of the choice wine of recognition. Blessed is the soul that hath attained thereunto. Within this choice wine lieth concealed true investigation. Every ear that hath been blessed to hear it is numbered with the dwellers of the City of Immortality in the sight of God. This is the water that bestoweth eternal life and is the cause of everlasting existence. Today the Hand of God giveth and bestoweth. We beseech Him to enable all to attain unto this spiritual, true choice wine and to deprive no one. He is the Bountiful, the Powerful.

O Ghulam! Were ye to count its meanings, ye could not reckon them. Praise the Goal of the world Who hath turned toward thee on this night of the blessed month of Ramadan and maketh mention of thee. His Honor Amin hath set out for those parts several days ago. We beseech God to make him like rain clouds for the soil of His knowledge, that ears of recognition may spring forth therefrom for the followers of all religions. Verily He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower.

Thou didst mention those who have turned toward God. Each hath been blessed with His grace and adorned with the ornament of His greatest mention. However, O Ghulam, upon thee be My Glory, each day petitions arrive at the Most Holy Court, and likewise letters to the friends, each bearing numerous names. Therefore time hath become like the rarest elixir - scarce, nay, unobtainable. Hence if replies are delayed, there is and hath been no harm in this. Praise be to God, whosoever turneth toward Him is blessed in that moment, before it and after it, with God’s mention and the attention of His merciful grace. Verily thy Lord is the Master of existence and the Knower of things unseen. There is no God but He, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Beloved.

O Ghulam-Husayn-i-?arami-baf! Upon thee be the Glory of God[…]

O Ghulam-i-Qabli-Husayn! The Lord of the worlds hath made mention of thee from His Most Great Prison. We testify that thou hast attained unto His remembrance, hast turned toward His horizon, and hast drunk the choice wine of His love from the hand of the bounty of His loved ones who have cast aside the world and taken hold of that which they were bidden by God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

O ’Ali-i-Qabli-Akbar! The hidden mystery hath been made manifest and the Most Great Countenance illumined with the light of the Face. By God! The Cause hath appeared quicker than the twinkling of an eye. It behooveth him who hath believed in destiny to cast aside what the people possess and to turn with his heart unto God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. Thou hast at this hour attained unto My mention, My acceptance and My turning toward thee. Well is it with thee and with him who hath attained unto this manifest Cause.

O Isma’il! Art thou still or in motion, art thou attracted or holding fast? Cast aside the paths of the ascetics who have broken God’s covenant and His testament in this most wondrous, most mighty, most great and glorious Manifestation.

O Mir Abu’l-Qasim! Thy name was present before the Wronged One, and He hath made mention of thee in such wise as hath caused the fragrance of the Merciful’s garment to waft throughout all creation. When thou findest and knowest, say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the worlds, for having adorned me with the ornament of Thy utterance while I was among the heedless among Thy servants. I beseech Thee to make me so strong through Thy power that neither the doubts of the wayward among the people of the Bayan nor the might of the divines of Iran may hold me back. Verily Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth.”

O Mir Muhammad-’Ali! Hast thou turned toward the Most High Horizon or art thou among those who hesitate? Say: “By Thy glory, O Thou the Desire of the world! I have turned unto Thee and have turned away from all else beside Thee. Verily Thou hearest and seest, and Thou art the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.”

O Mahmud! Upon thee be My glory. Hearken unto My call which hath been raised from My station and draweth all nigh unto the Dayspring of God’s revelation, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Take hold of thy Lord’s verses with strength from Him. Say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who hast illumined my heart with the light of Thy knowledge and hast sent down unto me that which hath attracted the hearts of those who are endowed with understanding.”

O Muhammad-i-Qabli-Baqir! Thou hast attained unto My mention, My verses and My tablets. Blessed art thou for having turned unto the Desired One in the earliest days and for having drunk the sealed wine when most of mankind were debarred therefrom. Glory be upon thee and upon thy father and upon those who have turned unto the Countenance and have acknowledged that which hath been sent down from the heaven of God’s will, the Mighty, the Powerful.

O Muhammad-Aqa! We have indeed found the fragrance of thy love and have witnessed thy turning toward Us. We have turned toward thee and made mention of thee in such wise as to illuminate the horizon of love amongst the servants. We beseech God to assist thee in His remembrance and to adorn thee with the Most Great Steadfastness. Verily He is the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the Wise.

We make mention of Aqa Baba and give him the glad-tidings of God’s remembrance of him, and We counsel him with that whereby the stations of man are elevated in the contingent world. Verily He hath power over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but He, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Great.

[…]

O son of my heart! The Servant hath made mention of thee, and We have sent down from the heaven of Our mercy that which causeth the flowers of knowledge and wisdom to spring forth from the soil of hearts. Be thankful and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the world! And glory be unto Thee, O Thou the Beloved of those who are in the heavens and on earth!”

His honor Arbab ’Ali, upon him be the Glory of God! O Arbab ’Ali! Praise thy Lord, for He hath turned unto thee and heard thy call. He hath answered thee with words through which the rain of bounty hath descended from the clouds of God’s mercy. Blessed is the servant who hath attained thereunto and recognized its station, and woe unto the heedless.

His honor Ghulam-Husayn, upon him be the Glory of God! O Ghulam-Husayn! Who enabled thee to turn unto Him? Say: God, the Mighty, the Powerful! And who made thee know His Cause? Say: He Who created me, through His grace, for He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous! And who mentioned thee on this darksome night? Say: My Lord, the Forgiving, the Merciful! Blessed is the ear that hath been honored to hear the Call, and the eye that hath beheld the signs of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

His honor Aqa Siyyid Muhammad, upon him be the Glory of God! O Tongue of Grandeur! One of thy branches, who is named ?iya, is commanded to make mention of him who is named Muhammad after Siyyid, that he may inhale the fragrance of God, the Self-Subsisting. He hath turned unto him and remembered him with verses from which the light of God, the Mighty, the Loving, hath shone forth. O Muhammad! We have made mention of him who hath turned toward Our horizon, and have sent down for him that whereby the heaven of bounty hath rained upon all who dwell in the kingdom of creation. Verily thy Lord is the Powerful over what He willeth, and He is the Truth, the Knower of things unseen.

[…]

O Muhammad-Qabli-Rida! Blessed is the servant who hath drunk the choice wine of utterance from the chalice of My bounty and hath attained unto the traces of My Pen - that Pen which, when It moveth upon the Tablet, causeth all existence, both seen and unseen, to move. Blessed art thou, inasmuch as the Ancient Beauty hath turned toward thee from this forbidden quarter.

Jinab-i-Aqa Shukru’llah, upon him be the Glory of God! O Shukru’llah! Give thanks unto thy Lord, for the ocean of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of all worlds, hath turned toward thee. Say: I thank Thee, O my God, and I praise Thee, O my Lord, and I remember Thee, O Thou Master of them that know. I beseech Thee, by the breathings of Thy Revelation, to assist me in that which beseemeth Thy glorious Day.

Jinab-i-Aqa Siyyid Kazim, upon him be the Glory of God! O Kazim, after Siyyid! The Countenance of the Ancient One hath turned toward thee from this exalted station, and remembereth thee with that which draweth thee nigh unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Blessed is he who hath heard the scratching of My Pen, hath attained unto My days, and hath witnessed that which the tongue of My grandeur hath witnessed. He is indeed of the people of Baha in the crimson Tablet, as attested by Him with Whom is the perspicuous Book.

Jinab-i-Mirza Ghulam-Husayn, upon him be the Glory of God! O Ghulam! We have desired at this moment to seal the Tablet with the mention of him who is named Ghulam-Qabli-Husayn, that he may give thanks and say: Thine is the glory, O Lord of Names, and Thine the bounty, O Thou in Whose grasp is the dominion of all things! I beseech Thee by every heart illumined by the lights of Thy knowledge, by every breast that hath advanced toward the arrows in exalting Thy Word, and by every head that was raised upon the spears in Thy path, to make me steadfast in Thy love, firm in Thy Cause, and devoted to serving Thy loved ones in Thy path. O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant, acknowledging Thy oneness. I beseech Thee to ordain for me the good of this world and the next. Verily, Thou art the Lord of the Throne and earth, and the Sovereign of this glorious and resplendent Day.

O Ghulam! Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, and glory be unto Thee, O my Heart’s Desire, for having remembered Thy loved ones in Thy prison and sent down to them from the clouds of Thy grace that whereby their names shall endure throughout the duration of Thy Kingdom. I beseech Thee to aid them to serve Thee with spirit and fragrance, and with the hosts of wisdom and utterance. Verily, Thou art God; there is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon those who are with thee, and who have answered when the call was raised betwixt earth and heaven from every servant and handmaiden, from every young and old.

He is God! O Ghulam-Qabli-’Ali! Thy letter was sent by My Name Who was named Mahdi - upon him be My glory - after this clear Tablet was revealed for thee. He mentioned thee before and after. Verily thy Lord remembereth him who hath turned unto Him. He is indeed the All-Merciful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The Glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee in this manifest Cause. As for what thou didst mention regarding the mount, We have bestowed it upon him who desired to send it. We beseech God to record for him the reward of what he intended. Verily, He is the Lord of all servants in the beginning and in the end.

O Ghulam-Qabil-’Ali! We make frequent mention of the friends in that land. Ibrahim - upon him be My glory - sometimes known as Nazir and at times remembered as Mulla Ahmad, hath for years been engaged in service night and day. For a time he was in charge of providing water at the Sacred House of God, and at another time was properly occupied in the bathhouse. Convey My greetings to all his relatives on behalf of this Wronged One. He hath repeatedly made mention of his brother, and each time was blessed to remember the Dawning-Place of the Light of Divine Unity. We beseech God to aid Ibrahim to serve Him and to make him steadfast in His love and His Cause. Verily, He is the All-Powerful, the Strong, the Almighty, the Omnipotent.

=== END BH00351 ===

=== START BH00352 ===

He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed Speaker!

O Muhammad-Qabli-’Ali! The successive letters from the beloved ones of the land of Kha - upon them be My Glory - which they sent to you were all presented before the Throne by this servant, and the gaze of favor was directed towards them. God willing, they have ever been and shall ever be like banners raised upon the hills among men, renowned and manifest in the name of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Blessed are they who have arisen to aid the Cause of the All-Merciful with wisdom and utterance.

Concerning what Kazim - upon him be the Glory of God - mentioned about M.S., that which is the cause of salvation has already flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. In His grasp is the dominion of all things; He takes and He gives, and He is the Forgiving, the Generous. In the early days of his tribulation, We commanded this servant to write and send the impregnable, exalted circle of the Most Great Name for his protection and deliverance. Divine favor has surely encompassed and will continue to encompass him. However, beseech God to assist him in that which shall be the greatest cause for the perpetuation of remembrance. He commands those who have turned to Him with what benefits them in this world and the next. Thus far, God, exalted be His glory, has protected and delivered him several times. We beseech Him to make known to him what He has decreed for him and what He has sent down for him from the heaven of His Will. He is verily the Ordainer, the Ruler, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

God willing, may he be assisted in serving the Cause and act as befits it. This is the Day that has been attributed to the Truth in all the Books. Observe what the All-Merciful has revealed in the Qur’an through His exalted words: “Lead forth the people from darkness into light and remind them of the days of God.” All the sincere ones, the near ones, and the unified ones have sought the advent of this Day, and with utmost humility and supplication have besought the Self-Sufficient, the Most High for its appearance.

That which Kazim - upon him be the Glory of God - has mentioned was heard. Praise be to God that they were assisted in the remembrance of God and His praise. Blessed is he and his household wherein has been raised the remembrance of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. There has been revealed for him that from which the sincere ones perceive the fragrance of acceptance and the near ones the sweet savors of their Lord’s favors, the Mighty, the Loving.

From the land of Kha, the honored Aziz and Khudadad have repeatedly sent letters to this servant, mentioning the exaltation of God’s Word in cities and regions. Blessed is the son of My Most Truthful Name - upon him be My Glory and My Mercy. Praise be to God that all those souls have been successful in serving the Cause and have arisen with complete dedication to exalt the Word. By the life of God! From every doer of deeds, when a deed is manifested for God’s sake, it has been and will be penetrating, moving, conveying, and victorious. This is that Word which is observed shining and radiant like the sun from the horizon of the heaven of the Tablet. Blessed are they who attain.

God willing, may they be assisted in all that has been revealed in the Book, that perchance the fragrance of unity may obliterate and remove the foul winds of discord. Wondrous and exalted Tablets have been sent down from the heaven of God’s Will for the mentioned souls. God willing, they have attained and will attain unto them, and will drink from the chalices of words the Kawthar of utterance of the Revealer of verses. Blessed are My loved ones! By My life, they have attained unto the sun of My remembrance, the ocean of My favor, and the heaven of My grace.

From His Holiness Asad, upon him be the Glory of God, multiple petitions were received. Praise be to God, he has been and continues to be confirmed in service to the Cause. Great is this Day! We beseech the Most High to make known to all His station, His glory, His might, and that which hath been manifested therein. Blessed are the souls who have left their homelands for the sake of God, who have traversed lands for the sake of God, and who have spoken for the sake of God. God will soon reveal the fruits of their deeds. He, verily, is the Announcer, the All-Informed.

That which His Holiness Ali, upon him be the Glory of God, mentioned attained unto the honor of being heard by the Lord of Names. He must at all times voice his gratitude to the Beloved of all possibility, for He confirmed him in His mention and praise and in service to His Cause. All that appeared from him in the path of God was witnessed. Verily, He heareth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. Under all conditions they must be engaged in the promotion of the Cause of God with wisdom and utterance. He, verily, aideth him who aideth Him, remembereth him who remembereth Him, and draweth nigh unto him who draweth nigh unto Him. He, verily, is the Near One, the Watchful. Not an atom’s weight of deeds remaineth concealed, for today the Balance proclaimeth “I am the Distinguisher, the All-Knowing” and the earth speaketh the word “I am the Gatherer, the Resurrector, the Narrator, the All-Informed.” Consider what was revealed in the Qur’an, His exalted Word: “O my son! If there be (but) the weight of a mustard-seed and it were (hidden) in a rock, or (anywhere) in the heavens or on earth, God will bring it forth.”

The purpose is that all the loved ones of God should know that the Truth, exalted be His glory, is the All-Knowing and the All-Encompassing. By the life of God! Unto Him ascendeth the goodly deed and the goodly word. Alas! Alas! Were it not for the clamor and outcry of the people, I would have revealed that which is hidden behind the veils of the unseen and mentioned that which is inscribed in the Crimson Tablet by My Most Exalted Pen. The heedlessness of people hath reached such a state that they cannot distinguish shadow from light, and now they turn away from and complain about that which they themselves were seeking with utmost desire in days and nights gone by. Fie upon them, upon their fidelity, their station, and their remembrances! They have mistaken mercy for vengeance and have deemed the greatest bounty insignificant. They have been nurtured by vain imaginings and turn unto their sources. Beseech ye God to rend asunder the greatest veil, which are the divines of the age, and not to deprive all servants from the ocean of knowledge and the sun of awareness. He, verily, is the Compassionate, the Forgiving, the Kind, the Generous, the Merciful.

As for their seeking permission to travel annually to various regions for the triumph of God’s Cause, this matter hath been adorned with the ornament of permission and embellished with the decoration of acceptance. God willing, in all his journeys he will move for God’s sake, journey toward God, and speak for the sake of God. In truth, all souls have been created for the service of God’s Cause. They must, with perfect wisdom, engage in this righteous deed, which is among the greatest of deeds, in the name of the Truth, exalted be His glory. God’s favor hath been and will continue to be with him. And concerning what was written about not speaking a word until seeing a seeker, this accordeth with the Most Exalted Word that was revealed aforetime by the Supreme Pen, stating that the wise ones among God’s servants are those who do not open their lips until they find a hearing ear, and similar utterances have been revealed in various instances. Blessed is he who hath recognized and attained. The ear is for the tongue, and the tongue is for the ear.

O Ali! In no matter should the loved ones of Truth let go of wisdom. In all conditions they should be mindful of it. It is the firm decree of God and the luminary of the heaven of divine ordinances. Blessed art thou and thy sons and those who have believed in God, the Single, the All-Informed. God counsels you with wisdom lest an outcry be raised by those who denied what they had previously known and turned away from Him Whom they used to invoke by night and day.

As for what was written concerning those souls who have ascended to the Supreme Companion and winged their flight to the Most Glorious Horizon: We made mention of them before and after their ascension with such mention as caused the Concourse on High and those who circle round His mighty Throne to be attracted, and We make mention of them at this hour as a token of Our grace, for verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. O Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of those who have turned to the Most Glorious Horizon when earthquakes seized all the tribes of the earth, and the idols wailed, and false deities cried out, and feet did stumble. We testify that they heard the call of God and answered their Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower. Say: Upon you be the glory of God and His chosen ones, and the glory of the Concourse on High and the Kingdom of Names, and the glory of those who hastened to the place of sacrifice in the name of their Lord, the Sovereign of Names, and the glory which has shone forth and gleamed from this Station which has been named with the Most Beautiful Names in the Book of God, the Lord of creation. We testify that you have attained unto the Most Great Ocean and have drunk of the choice sealed wine, whose seal was broken by the finger of the power of God, the Lord of lords. You are they who remained faithful to God’s Covenant and His Testament when the learned, the mystics and men of letters broke it, save whom God willed, the Lord of all men. You are they whom neither the veils of glory deterred nor the hosts of those who turned away from your Lord, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High, did frighten. Blessed are you for having attained unto this Mention at whose raising the angels and the Spirit descended, and the Maids of Heaven emerged from their chambers, and the Concourse on High from their loftiest stations, to hearken unto what was sent down from the heaven of the will of your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. Verily We made mention of you at the time of your ascension and preferred some of you above others. He, verily, is the Single, the One, the Chosen One. Blessed are you, and joy be unto you, for having drunk from the Kawthar of utterance from the chalices of the bounty of your Lord, the Lord of all mankind. Through My mention of you, you have been mentioned by the tongues of the seen and the unseen, and none has been apprised thereof save him who possesses the Mother Book. Blessed is the tongue that speaks your mention and the heart that turns toward you and visits you through what God has sent down in this Tablet whereby all things have proclaimed: The kingdom belongs to God, the One, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving. Some of these assured souls ascended adorned with the ornament of divine forgiveness and attained unto the Supreme Companion, and now God’s favor has encompassed all and they have been blessed with that which pens are powerless to describe. Say: O My loved ones! It behooves you to make up for what has escaped you in the days of God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Verily, We make mention in this station of the children of the Friend and the heirs of Him Who conversed with God - from whom the sweet savors of the love of the All-Merciful have been wafted throughout all possibility - and We give them glad tidings of that which hath been ordained for them in the Kingdom of God, the Lord of all worlds. By God! He Who spoke on Sinai calleth you and He Who hath come with clear sovereignty maketh mention of you. Blessed is he who, while seated, hath arisen to serve the Cause of God; and he who, while silent, hath spoken forth this wise Remembrance; and he who, while halted, hath hastened in the name of God and spoken that which the Spirit hath spoken in this valley that hath been honored by the footsteps of God, the Possessor of Supreme Glory. We have made mention of them in the Crimson Book with such mention as no treasures of earth nor heavenly repositories can equal. To this beareth witness every fair-minded and perceiving one. Rejoice, O My loved ones, in that the Wronged One maketh mention of you in this exalted and wondrous station, and counseleth you with that which will cause the Cause of God to be exalted and with that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in His perspicuous Book. Glory be upon you and upon those who have aided the Cause of their Lord, the Almighty, the Powerful.

Convey greetings to all the friends on behalf of the True One. God willing, they will, through these greetings, drink of the sealed wine mentioned in the divine Books, and will act with utmost delicacy, freshness and wisdom in a manner befitting the Days of God.

The letter of Haji Mirza ’Ali-Akbar was presented by this servant. May he, God willing, be confirmed in the praise and glorification of God. We have heard what he composed in praise of God when this servant recited it, and We make mention of him as a bounty from Us, that he may rejoice and be among the thankful ones. O ’Ali-i-Akbar! Remember when thou didst enter the prison and attain the presence of God, the Lord of all worlds, and didst hear His sweetest call and witness the effulgences of the lights of His most exalted horizon. Preserve this most glorious station through My Name, the Mighty, the Invincible. Remember what thou didst hear from the Tongue of Grandeur and reflect upon His mighty Cause. We counsel thee and those who have believed with that which beseemeth the Days of God. Say: O My loved ones! Hold fast unto goodly character in all conditions. Through it will your stations be made manifest and the Cause of God, the Mighty, the Beautiful, be exalted. Glory be upon thee and upon them and upon whosoever hath inhaled My fragrance on this wondrous Day. Praise be to God, the Mighty, the Invincible.

O My loved ones! Although this is the Day of the Greater Separation, yet were this separation to be fully realized, none would draw nigh to become acquainted with God’s Cause and turn towards the Most Exalted Horizon. For the people are ignorant and are seen to be veiled from the Most Luminous Horizon by the greatest of veils. Therefore must all affairs be conducted with the utmost wisdom, that perchance the warmth of the fire of divine love might be kindled in dispirited souls. If today the disclosure of a matter would cause tumult and disorder, its concealment is preferred in the sight of God. And whereas in certain Tablets mention hath been made of exaltation, elevation, manifestation and proclamation, what was intended thereby was the appearance of goodly deeds, beneficial counsels and praiseworthy character, which cause the exaltation and advancement of the Cause. In one instance, these exalted words have shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of God’s Tablet - exalted be His majesty: “This is the Day of arising, yet ye are seated; this is the Day of proclamation, yet ye are silent; this is the Day of awakening, yet ye are asleep; this is the Day of utterance, yet ye are at rest.” Similar luminous statements that have shone forth from the Most Exalted Pen are recorded in the Tablets. However, what was intended was arising to teach God’s Cause with wisdom and utterance, not such manifestation and proclamation as would cause the ignorant of the earth to turn away, so that hearts, which are the cities of God’s love, might be opened with the key of wisdom. In all conditions wisdom is beloved. Seize upon it, O My chosen ones, in His Name, the One Who ruleth over all the worlds. At the close of this Tablet, We counsel My loved ones and him who hath been named ’Ali-Akbar with that which was formerly sent down from the presence of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed: Associate with all people in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship. We have revealed the Most Great Law for the unification of mankind. To this beareth witness that which hath been sent down from this wondrous Pen. We send Our greetings to the handmaidens of God who are there, and We give them the glad-tidings of My remembrance, whereby the hearts of them that have recognized Him are dilated. The glory be upon you and upon them from the presence of One Who is mighty and powerful.

=== END BH00352 ===

=== START BH00353 ===

In His Name, the Dawning-Place from the Horizon of Utterance!

Today the Sun speaks with “The All-Bestowing One has come,” and all things proclaim “The Creator of the heavens has come.” The Divine Lote-Tree gives glad tidings to all trees, leaves and fruits, announcing the appearance of the Hidden Treasure and the Concealed Mystery, and congratulates the mountains of the world upon Mount Sinai, for in these days it drinks from the cup of reunion and partakes of the Kawthar of meeting after despair, finding intimacy with its Interlocutor. From the Supreme Pen upon every leaf of leaves is inscribed this exalted word: “Pass beyond the winds and move by the will of God.”

O Zayn! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. The Most Sublime Vision hath appeared and the Lord of Destiny speaketh with the mysteries of wisdom and utterance. Yet heedless souls cling to means whose transience is more evident than the sun, while remaining veiled and oblivious to the Most Great Ocean of God, each drop of which giveth life to the world. It is not known what Dawlat-Abadi, in his heedlessness, hath understood, by what proof he accepted the Primal Point, and by what evidence he turned away from the Truth Itself, exalted be His glory. O Zayn! Beseech God that He may, through the ocean of His bounty and grace, awaken the heedless ones and adorn them with justice and fairness, that all may attain to that which is the cause of eternal salvation. By the life of God! The Supreme Pen speaketh these words purely through grace, that perchance the helpless servants may not again be afflicted by the vain imaginings of the party, and be not deprived of the Kawthar of the All-Merciful’s utterance.

O Zayn! Upon thee be My glory and My mercy. The letter of Mulla Baqir which he sent to thee was presented at the Most Holy Court and attained unto Our hearing. Well is it with him! We have indeed found the fragrance of his love. We mentioned him before with verses that testified to his acceptance on a day wherein most of the servants turned away from God, the Lord of the worlds. We desired to mention those whose mention he sought, as a mercy and grace from Us, and verily I am the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous.

O Husayn (the master craftsman)! Hearken unto the call of God, the King, the Truth, the Manifest Justice, Who speaketh before the faces of the world and summoneth all unto the One, the All-Informed. The tempests of the oppressors deterred Him not, nor did the hurricanes of the idolaters. The veils of those who denied the Day of Judgment hindered Him not. When thou hast drunk the choice wine of My utterance and found the fragrance of My loving-kindness, say:

“My God, my God! Thou seest Thy servant standing before the door of Thy grace, asking of Thee that which will draw him nigh unto Thee in all conditions. O my Lord! I beseech Thee by the pearls of the ocean of Thy wisdom and the mysteries hidden in Thy knowledge, to make me steadfast in Thy Cause in such wise that the doubts of them that have disbelieved in Thee and in Thy signs will not shake me. Verily, Thou art the All-Powerful, the Almighty.”

O Muhammad-Taqi! Hear the call of the Wronged One from the horizon of tribulation. Verily, there is no God but I, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Tribulation hath not prevented Me from the Lord of Names. I have manifested the Cause before the faces of the rulers with evident sovereignty. Blessed is the servant whom neither the tyrants of the earth nor its Pharaohs have prevented from drawing nigh unto God, the Powerful, the Strong, the Dominant, the Mighty. When the attraction of the Call from the Supreme Horizon taketh hold of thee, say:

“I beseech Thee, O Creator of the heavens and Lord of Names, by the places that were honored by the glances of Thy loving-kindness and were ennobled by Thy footsteps, and wherein arose Thy sighs for what befell Thee from Thine enemies, to make me so steadfast in Thy love that through my steadfastness Thy servants and creatures may become steadfast. Verily, Thou art God, the One, the Single, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

O Abraham! Can sorrows prevent Me, or tribulations frighten Me, or power weaken Me, or names veil Me? Nay, by My Most Great Throne and My Mighty Message! I have proclaimed the Cause before the faces of kings and subjects alike, and summoned all through wisdom and utterance to the horizon of the All-Merciful. Among them are those who heard and turned away, those who pronounced judgment against Me, and those who imprisoned Me in this remote place. When the breezes of the morn of My Revelation stir thee and the wine of My utterance intoxicates thee, say: My God, my God! By Thy might and Thy majesty, Thy greatness and Thy power! Separation from Thee hath destroyed me and Thy remoteness hath consumed me. Thou seest me, O my God, in the fire of separation and remoteness. Where is the river of Thy presence, O Thou Desire of the world? By Thy might! My heart findeth no rest save in the remembrance of reunion with Thee, and mine eye is not solaced except by the collyrium of Thy grace. For what purpose didst Thou create it and reveal it, if Thou deniest it the vision of Thy horizon? O Lord! Deny not existence the signs of Thy bounty and generosity, nor human temples the ornament of Thy mercy and forgiveness. O Lord! The livers of the lovers are melted in their separation from the precincts of Thy nearness. I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy verses and the heaven of Thy mercy to make me steadfast in Thy Cause and firm in Thy love, such that I may see all else as non-existent before the manifestations of Thy grandeur and as nothing before the revelations of the lights of Thy countenance. Thou art verily the Mighty, the Powerful, the Great.

We beseech God to forgive thy father and to send down upon him at all times a blessing from His presence and a mercy from His side, and to make him hear His verses and behold the mysteries of His dominion and kingdom. He is verily the Mighty, the All-Choosing.

[…]

Praise be unto Thee, O my God, my Lord, my Support and my Hope, for having made me to know Thy path, taught me Thy message, and caused me to speak Thy remembrance. I beseech Thee by Thy Cause whereby Thou hast subdued the hearts and minds, to aid me in Thy remembrance and praise with the wisdom Thou hast commanded me in Thy Book. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Knowing.

The Wronged One wishes to mention him who was named Muhammad-’Ali, whose name was present in a place where was raised the call of God, the Lord of the worlds. Remember him who hath remembered thee, then give thanks for the bounty of God, the Almighty, the Powerful. He hath turned from the direction of the Prison unto His loved ones who have taken the cup of certitude from the hands of the bounty of their Lord, the All-Merciful, and have drunk therefrom in His Name, the Mighty, the Powerful, the Most Great. Beware lest the oppression of those who have denied the Day of Judgment prevent thee. Cast aside what the people possess and take the Book of God with clear certitude. He, verily, will aid those who have heard the Call and will assist those who have turned unto Him with radiant countenance. Thus hath sung the Nightingale of Utterance upon the highest branches, as a token of grace from the presence of One All-Knowing, All-Wise.

We make mention of him who was named ’Ali-Akbar that the Utterance may draw him nigh unto God, the Lord of all religions, and confirm him in steadfastness in this mighty Cause. Thou hast attained unto My remembrance in My prison. We beseech God, exalted be He, to aid thee and those who have believed to act in accordance with what hath been revealed in His mighty, wondrous Book. Say: Praise be unto Thee for having given me to drink from the cup of Thy knowledge, guided me to Thy path, and sent down unto me the table of Thy utterance. I beseech Thee, O Thou the Goal of the world and the Beloved of nations, by Thy Cause that hath encompassed earth and heaven, and by Thy Name whereby Thou hast subdued the cities of names, to make me attracted to Thy verses and steadfast in the service of Thy Cause amongst Thy servants. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Muhammad-Qabli-Husayn! Hear thou with the ear of reality the call of the Wronged One. On the twenty-second night of the blessed month of Ramadan, when the people of Iran are occupied with praising the chosen ones and cursing the wicked ones, We have turned toward thee and make mention of thee. Reflect upon what hath come to pass. Ibn-i-Muradi martyred one of the chosen ones, but the people of Iran martyred the Lord of the world and are unaware - they are a hundred thousand times more wicked and oppressive than Muradi. This is what the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken in this exalted station. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having delivered me from the vain imaginings of my peers, drawn me nigh unto Thee, caused me to know the Dayspring of Thy signs and the Dawning-Place of Thy clear tokens, given me to drink of the Kawthar of Thy bounty, and guided me to Thy straight and manifest path. I beseech Thee to aid me in Thy remembrance and to ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones. Thou art, verily, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

O Abu’l-Qasim! The Lord of the Kingdom of Utterance maketh mention of thee from the prison, remindeth thee of His verses, showeth thee His signs, and giveth thee glad tidings of His bounty. Thy Lord is, verily, the All-Merciful, the Bountiful. Say: My God, my God! Thou art He Who created me by Thy command and Thy will, caused me to hear Thy call, made me to know Thy way, and gave me to drink of the Kawthar of Thy utterance. I beseech Thee by Thy Cause whereby Thou didst change the earth into another earth, spread abroad Thy signs, subdued the hearts of Thy loved ones, and by the showers of Thy mercy in the springtime of Thy grace, and by the pearls of the ocean of Thy bounty, to make me in all conditions to hold fast unto the cord of Thy obedience and to be directed toward Thy horizon. O my Lord! Thou seest the ignorant one seeking after the ocean of Thy knowledge, and the lowly one yearning for the sea of Thy glory. Ordain for him what beseemeth Thy glory and power, Thy grandeur and might. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Powerful.

O Wronged One! Remember the one named Turab, that the verses may draw him nigh unto the most exalted station. Hear My call from this Station which hath been named by all names in the Book of God, the Lord of Lords. He verily guideth thee to His path and giveth thee to drink from the Kawthar of His bounty and draweth thee nigh unto Him in all conditions. When thou hearest the scratching of My Pen and findest the fragrance of Mine utterance, say:

My God, my God! Thine is the bounty and the giving, and Thine the grace and the glory! I testify that Thou hast created the world to hearken unto Thy sweetest call and to know the Dawning-Place of Thy Cause, O Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens! O Lord! Thou seest this servant of Thine acknowledging that which the Pen hath spoken from the most exalted station, and confessing that which the Tongue of Thy grandeur hath commanded when it was in the prison of Akka. I beseech Thee by the breasts that were pierced by the arrows of Thine enemies, and by the hearts that were melted in separation from Thee, and by the tears of them that are near unto Thee among Thy creation and their submission at the dawning of the Day-Star of Thy power, to ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and Thy trusted ones. Verily Thou art the Almighty Whom neither the tyranny of the world nor the clamor of the nations can hinder. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Great.

O Muhammad-Qabl-i-Karim! We counsel thee and those who have believed to be trustworthy and religious and to act in ways that bring assurance to hearts and souls. The companions of the Crimson Ark must distinguish themselves among the people of the world in such wise that all may testify to their detachment and holiness. The people of Iran have throughout ages and centuries been occupied with the remembrance and praise of the Truth, yet on the Day of His Manifestation they did what no other people have done. From their pulpits they curse and revile the Truth, exalted be His glory, while speaking in praise of His servants. Were one to ponder the deeds and actions of these souls, one would find oneself bewildered. They have done that which hath caused the Tablet and the Pen to lament, and the Ancient Beauty to cry out from the most exalted horizon of the world. Ask thou of God that He may guide the misguided and show them the way. Verily He is the Strong, the Mighty, the Powerful. We have remembered and continue to remember His loved ones by night and by day, and for each we seek divine confirmation. Verily He is the Most Powerful of the powerful and the Most Merciful of the merciful.

O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who is named Muhammad-Qabl-i-’Ali, then send down upon him from the heaven of Thy bounty that which will draw him nigh unto Thee, that he may arise to celebrate Thy praise and glorification among Thy creatures and guide them to a station wherein all things proclaim: The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of the worlds. Say: O concourse of divines! Behold, then remember what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’an: “When the Event befalleth, there is no denying its befalling.” Say: Today the Event mentioned hath come to pass and its hour and signs are manifest. This is the Day whereon the secrets shall be tried, this is the Day whereon the mountains shall pass away. The Cry hath been raised, the earth is in motion and trembling, the light hath shone forth from the horizon of the Speaker on Sinai and is manifest, and the scratching of the Pen can be heard from the most exalted horizon of the world. Fear ye God! He is the true Avenger. This is the Most Great News and the mighty Matter. Understand ye its station and judge with fairness concerning that which hath appeared. The earth hath been illumined with the light of its Lord, and the lands have been brightened by the light of their Creator. Strive ye while there is yet time and while the Cause is manifest. Deprive not yourselves. O Muhammad-Qabl-i-’Ali! Thy name was mentioned before the Wronged One, whereupon the fragrance of forgiveness was stirred and the ocean of pardon surged. He hath forgiven thee and those who have believed in Him and His verses, as a grace from His presence upon thee and upon them. He is verily the Ancient Commander.

=== END BH00353 ===

=== START BH00354 ===

He is the All-Knowing

O Vafa! Render thanks unto thy Lord for having aided thee to embrace His Cause, enabled thee to recognize the Manifestation of His Own Self and raised thee up to magnify Him Who is the Most Great Remembrance in this glorious Announcement.

Blessed art thou O Vafa, inasmuch as thou hast been faithful to the Covenant of God and His Testament at a time when all men have violated it and have repudiated the One in Whom they had believed, and this notwithstanding that He hath appeared invested with every testimony, and hath dawned from the horizon of Revelation clothed with undoubted sovereignty. It behoveth thee, however, to exert thine utmost to attain the very essence of fidelity.

This implieth to be well assured in thy heart and to testify with thy tongue to that whereunto God hath testified for His Own exalted Self, proclaiming: ‘Verily, self-subsisting am I within the Realm of Glory.’ Whoso is enabled in these days to solemnly affirm this truth, hath attained unto all good, and the heavenly Spirit shall descend upon him in the daytime and in the night season, shall graciously assist him to glorify the Name of his Lord and suffer him to unloose his tongue and uphold with his words the Cause of his Lord, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

And none can ever achieve this except he who hath purged his heart from whatsoever is created between heaven and earth, and hath entirely detached himself from all but God, the sovereign Lord, the Almighty, the Gracious.

Arise thou to serve the Cause and say: I swear by the righteousness of God! Verily this is the Primal Point, arrayed in His new attire and manifested in His glorious Name. He at present beholdeth everything from this Horizon. Indeed He is supreme over all things. Amongst the Concourse on High He is known as the Most Great Announcement and in the Realms of Eternity as the Ancient Beauty, and before the Throne by this Name which hath caused the footsteps of them that are endued with understanding to slip.

Say, I swear by God! In this Revelation even before a single verse was sent down from the realm of holiness and sublimity, the supreme testimony of God had been fulfilled for all the inmates of heaven and the dwellers on earth; moreover, We have revealed the equivalent of whatsoever was sent down in the Dispensation of the Bayan. Fear ye God and suffer not your deeds to be rendered vain and be not of them that are sunk in heedlessness. Open your eyes that ye may behold the Ancient Beauty from this shining and luminous station.

Say, God is my witness! The Promised One Himself hath come down from heaven, seated upon the crimson cloud with the hosts of revelation on His right, and the angels of inspiration on His left, and the Decree hath been […]

fulfilled at the behest of God, the Omnipotent, the Almighty. Thereupon the footsteps of everyone have slipped except such as God hath protected through His tender mercy and numbered with those who have recognized Him through His Own Self and detached themselves from all that pertaineth to the world. Hearken thou unto the Words of thy Lord and purify thy heart from every illusion so that the effulgent light of the remembrance of thy Lord may shed its radiance upon it, and it may attain the station of certitude. Know thou moreover that thy letter reached Our presence and We perceived and perused its contents. We noted the questions thou hast asked and will readily answer thee. It behoveth everyone in this Day to ask God that which he desireth, and thy Lord will heed his petition with wondrous and undeniable verses.

Thou hast asked regarding the subject of the return. Know thou that the end is like unto the beginning. Even as thou dost consider the beginning, similarly shouldst thou consider the end, and be of them that truly perceive. Nay, rather consider the beginning as the end itself, and so conversely, that thou mayest acquire a clear perception. Know thou moreover that every created thing is continually brought forth and returned at the bidding of thy Lord, the God of power and might.

As to the Return, as God hath purposed in His sacred and exalted Tablets wherein He hath made this theme known unto His servants; by this is meant the return of all created things in the Day of Resurrection, and this is indeed the essence of the Return as thou hast witnessed in God’s own days and thou art of them that testify to this truth. Verily God is fully capable of causing all names to appear in one name, and all souls in one soul. Surely powerful and mighty is He. And this Return is realized at His behest in whatever form He willeth. Indeed He is the One Who doeth and ordaineth all things.

Moreover, thou shouldst not perceive the fulfilment of the Return and the Resurrection save in the Word of thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Knowing. For instance, were He to take a handful of earth and declare it to be the One Whom ye have been following in the past, it would be undoubtedly be just and true, even as His real Person, and to none is given the right to question His authority. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth whatsoever He pleaseth. Moreover, in this station take thou heed not to turn thy gaze unto limitations and allusions, but rather unto that whereby the Revelation itself hath been fulfilled and be of them that are discerning. Thus do We explain for thee in a lucid and explicit language that thou mayest comprehend that which thou didst seek from thine ancient Lord.

Consider thou the Day of Resurrection. Were God to pronounce the lowliest of creatures among the faithful to be the First One to believe in the Bayan, thou shouldst have no misgivings about it and must be of them that truly believe. In this station look not upon human limitations and names but rather upon that whereby the rank of the First One to believe is vindicated, which is faith in God, and recognition of His Being and assurance in the fulfilment of His irresistible and binding command.

Consider thou the Revelation of the Point of the Bayan - exalted is His glory. He pronounced the First One to believe in Him to be Muhammad, the Messenger of God. Doth it beseem a man to dispute with Him by saying that this man is from Persia, the Other from Arabia, or this one was called Husayn while the Other bore the name of Muhammad? Nay, I swear by God’s holy Being, the Exalted, the Most Great. Surely no man of intelligence and insight would ever pay attention unto limitations or names, but rather unto that with which Muhammad was invested, which was none other than the Cause of God. Such a man of insight would likewise consider Husayn and the position he occupied in the Cause of God, the Omnipotent, the Exalted, the Knowing, the Wise.

And since the First One to believe in God in the Dispensation of the Bayan was invested with command similar to that with which Muhammad, the Messenger of God, was invested, therefore the Bab pronounced him to be the latter, namely His return and resurrection. This station is sanctified from every limitation or name, and naught can be seen therein but God, the One, the Peerless, the All-Knowing.

Know thou moreover that in the Day of Revelation were He to pronounce one of the leaves to be the manifestation of all His excellent titles, unto no one is given the right to utter why or wherefore, and should one do so he would be regarded as a disbeliever in God and be numbered with such as have repudiated His Truth.

Beware, beware lest thou behave like unto the people of the Bayan. For indeed they erred grievously, misguided the people, ignored the Covenant of God and His Testament and joined partners with Him, the One, the Incomparable, the All-Knowing. Verily they failed to recognize the Point of the Bayan, for had they recognized Him they would not have rejected His manifestation in this luminous and resplendent Being. And since they fixed their eyes on names, therefore when He replaced His Name ‘the Most Exalted’ by ‘the Most Glorious’ their eyes were dimmed. They have failed to recognize Him in these days and are reckoned with those that perish. Indeed, had they known Him through His own Self or by virtue of that which He […]

hath revealed, they would not have repudiated Him when He appeared in this glorious and incomparable Name, which God hath ordained to be the Sword of His Revelation between heaven and earth, and through which truth is separated from error, even from now until the Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds. Know thou moreover that in the Day of His Manifestation all created things besides God shall be brought forth and placed equally, irrespective of their rank being high or low. The Day of Return is inscrutable unto all men until after the divine Revelation hath been fulfilled. He is in truth the One Who ordaineth whatsoever He willeth. When the Word of God is revealed unto all created things whoso then giveth ear and heedeth the Call is, indeed, reckoned among the most distinguished souls, though he be a carrier of ashes. And he who turneth away is accounted as the lowliest of His servants, though he be a ruler amongst men and the possessor of all the books that are in the heavens and on earth.

It behoveth thee to look with divine insight upon the things We have revealed and sent unto thee and not towards the people and that which is current amongst them. They are in this day like unto a blind man who, while moving in the sunshine, demandeth: Where is the sun? Is it shining? He would deny and dispute the truth, and would not be of them that perceive. Never shall he be able to discern the sun or to understand that which hath intervened between him and it. He would object within himself, voice protests, and would be among the rebellious. Such is the state of this people. Leave them unto themselves, saying: Unto you be that which ye desire and unto us that which we desire. Wretched indeed is the plight of the ungodly.

Know thou moreover that the former Manifestation affirmed that the return and rising of the spirits would occur on the Day of Resurrection, while in truth there is a return and resurrection for every created thing. However We do not wish to mention aught that is not set forth in the Bayan, lest perchance the people of malice raise a great outcry. O would that that which interveneth between the children of men and their Creator were dispelled that they might be enabled to behold God’s invincible sovereignty and dominion, quaff from the wellspring of His heavenly streams, be sprinkled with the outpourings of the ocean of true understanding and be purged from the defilements of the ungodly and the suspicious.

As to thy question concerning the worlds of God. Know thou of a truth that the worlds of God are countless in their number, and infinite in their range. None can reckon or comprehend them except God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Consider thy state when asleep. Verily, I say, this phenomenon is the most mysterious of the signs of God amongst men, were they to ponder it in their hearts. Behold how the thing which thou hast seen in thy dream is, after a considerable lapse of time, fully realized. Had the world in which thou didst find thyself in thy dream been identical with the world in which thou livest, it would have been necessary for the event occurring in that dream to have transpired in this world at the very moment of its occurrence. Were it so, you yourself would have borne witness unto it. This being not the case, however, it must necessarily follow that the world in which thou livest is different and apart from that which thou hast experienced in thy dream. This latter world hath neither beginning nor end. It would be true if thou wert to contend that this same world is, as decreed by the All-Glorious and Almighty God, within thy proper self and is wrapped up within thee. It would equally be true to maintain that thy spirit, having transcended the limitations of sleep and having stripped itself of all earthly attachment, hath, by the act of God, been made to traverse a realm which lieth hidden in the innermost reality of this world. Verily I say, the creation of God embraceth worlds besides this world, and creatures apart from these creatures. In each of these worlds He hath ordained things which none can search except Himself, the All-Searching, the All-Wise. Do thou meditate on that which We have revealed unto thee, that thou mayest discover the purpose of God, thy Lord, and the Lord of all worlds. In these words the mysteries of Divine Wisdom have been treasured. We have refrained from dwelling upon this theme owing to the sorrow that hath encompassed Us from the actions of them that have been created through Our words, if ye be of them that will hearken unto Our Voice. Where is the one who can help Me and shield Me from the swords of these faithless souls? Where is the man of insight who will behold the Words of God with his own eyes and rid himself of the opinions and notions of the peoples of the earth? O servant! Warn thou the servants of God not to reject that which they do not comprehend. Say, implore God to open to your hearts the portals of true understanding that ye may be apprised of that of which no one is apprised. Verily, He is the Giver, the Forgiving, the Compassionate. Thou hast moreover asked Me concerning the ordinances of God. Know thou of a truth that whatsoever hath been prescribed in the Book is indeed the truth, no doubt is there about it, and it is incumbent upon everyone to […]

For every act performed there shall be a recompense according to the estimate of God, and unto this the very ordinances and prohibitions prescribed by the Almighty amply bear witness. Were a man to put them away despite his being aware thereof, God would truly be clear of such a one and We too would be clear of him, inasmuch as His ordinances constitute the fruits of the divine Tree and none other than the heedless and the wayward will deviate therefrom.

As to Paradise: It is a reality and there can be no doubt about it, and now in this world it is realized through love of Me and My good-pleasure. Whosoever attaineth unto it God will aid him in this world below, and after death He will enable him to gain admittance into Paradise whose vastness is as that of heaven and earth. Therein the Maids of glory and holiness will wait upon him in the daytime and in the night season, while the day-star of the unfading beauty of his Lord will at all times shed its radiance upon him and he will shine so brightly that no one shall bear to gaze at him. Such is the dispensation of Providence, yet the people are shut out by a grievous veil.

Likewise apprehend thou the nature of hell-fire and be of them that truly believe. For every act performed there shall be a recompense according to the estimate of God, and unto this the very ordinances and prohibitions prescribed by the Almighty amply bear witness. For surely if deeds were not rewarded and yielded no fruit, then the Cause of God - exalted is He - would prove futile. Immeasurably high is He exalted above such blasphemies! However, unto them that are rid of all attachments a deed is, verily, its own reward.

Were We to enlarge upon this theme numerous Tablets would need to be written. I swear by the righteousness of the One true God! The Pen is unable to move by reason of that which hath befallen its Lord, and it weepeth sore, and so do I weep, and likewise weepeth the eye of Him Who is the Essence of Grandeur behind the Tabernacle of Names while seated on the Throne of His glorious Name.

Purge thou thy heart that We may cause fountains of wisdom and utterance to gush out therefrom, thus enabling thee to raise thy voice among all mankind. Unloose thy tongue and proclaim the truth for the sake of the remembrance of thy merciful Lord. Be not afraid of anyone, place thy whole trust in God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing.

Say, O people, fulfil whatever ye understand of the Persian Bayan and whatever ye understand not ask this unerring Remembrance that He may set forth clearly that which God hath intended in His Book, for in truth He knoweth that which is enshrined in the Bayan by virtue of the Will of Him Who is the Omnipotent, the Powerful.

Thou hast enquired about the warning We gave to the people at the time of Our departure from ’Iraq to the effect that when the Sun disappeareth from sight, birds of darkness will be in motion and the standards of Samiri will be reared high. I swear by God! Those birds have stirred in these days and Samiri hath raised his clamour. Well is it with him who recognizeth and is numbered with men of understanding. We have also warned them against the appearance of the calf. God is My witness! All Our warnings have come to pass, as indeed, they are bound to, inasmuch as they have issued from the fingers of glory and might. Beseech thou God to protect thee from the mischief of these men and to purify thee from the insinuations of the froward. Strengthen thy loins then for the promotion of the Cause and pay no attention unto the words uttered by the people of the Bayan, for they are truly incapable of understanding and have failed to comprehend the essence of the Cause as is revealed in this august, this Most Great Announcement. Thus have We inspired thee, and infused into thy heart that which will make thee independent of the allusions of mankind. The glory of God be upon thee and upon them that give ear unto the words thou dost utter for the love of God, thy Lord, and remain steadfast in His Cause. All praise be unto God, the Lord of the worlds.

=== END BH00354 ===

=== START BH00355 ===

In the Name of the One True God

Say: O friends! The falsehood of the past crucified the Beloved of the future and martyred Him with the bullets of tyranny. Reflect upon those deceitful and treacherous souls who appeared among the people in the guise of truthfulness, trustworthiness, detachment and piety, that ye may be preserved from the terror of this Most Great Day. One made mention of Jabulqa, another alluded to Jabulsa, yet another false one devised an imaginary form and established for it a station upon the throne of vain imaginings. One unjust one made mention of the Holy Land, and another attributed words unto Him falsely. These repugnant and false matters became the cause and reason for the martyrdom of the King of the City of Oneness with utmost tyranny. Should the Hand of Divine Power rend asunder all veils, ye would witness new matters and hearken unto novel utterances. Now He speaketh but one word, that perchance it may serve as a barrier between truth and falsehood, and that word is this: “Purify your ears from that which is uttered by those who attribute themselves to the Bayan, yet deny its Revealer, its Sovereign and its Sender.” For these veiled souls follow exactly in the footsteps of those others. Blessed is the eye that seeth and comprehendeth - such a one is accounted before God as among the most powerful and capable of all people.

Hearken unto that which My Herald spoke before Me. He said, and His Word is the truth: “A one-year-old seed on the Day of His Revelation is mightier than all the Bayan.” These mentions flow from the Pen of the All-Choosing out of pure loving-kindness and compassion. Preserve them and say: Praise be unto Thee, O God of all the worlds!

The Shi’ih sect, who counted themselves as the saved and blessed community and knew themselves as the most excellent of all people, related successive traditions stating that whosoever claimed the Promised One would be born was an infidel and outside the religion. These traditions caused many to be martyred without guilt or crime, until the Primal Point - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him - was born in Fars from the loins of a known person and made the claim of being the Qa’im. Thereupon, those who followed vain imaginings and idle fancies were in manifest loss, and the Cause appeared to all the world like the rays of the sun. Nevertheless, that heedless and rejected sect turned away and arose to slay that Essence of being.

O people of Baha! The Lord of Names commandeth you to reflect upon these matters, that ye may truly shatter the idols of fancy and vain imaginings, and not be afflicted with the new idle fancies to which the deniers of the Bayan cling. Arise to uphold the Cause with divine strength and power, and protect the servants from the tyranny of the idolatrous souls and the imaginings of the false and heedless ones. Reflect upon the hidden mysteries - how at the time of the Revelation, the people of the Furqan, namely the Shi’ih sect, were unaware of the Day of God and the manner of its manifestation. They were as though entirely bereft of the ocean of knowledge and deprived of the effulgences of the Sun of inner meanings. The divine Cause appeared and was manifested contrary to all that they had understood through their vain imaginings and to which they had held fast. And those deluded souls who counted themselves the most God-fearing of creation and the most detached in all the world arose in such tyranny that the Concourse on High, the denizens of the Cities of Names, and the Kingdom of Creation all were bewildered. Thus hath the Most Exalted Pen spoken, as a grace from Him, that ye may become aware of that which was concealed from you and witness what lay behind the veil through what the hands of those who wandered in the wilderness of fancy and vain imaginings had wrought, and who pronounced judgment against Him Who came with the truth from God, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling.

O ye who drink the choice sealed wine of the Name “Qayyum”! Consider those who regarded themselves as saved and blessed: when tested, they were accounted among the rebellious, transgressing, repudiating, rejected faction, and in God’s Book they are inscribed by the Supreme Pen among the manifestations of negation. The people of Baha, who are mentioned in the Qayyum-i-Asma as companions of the Crimson Ark, must show forth such steadfastness as befits this Most Great Cause and this blessed Day. This is the day of service and steadfastness. If a child remains firm in this Cause, he is mightier than all the Bayan - by the testimony of God and the testimony of Him Who appeared before and gave glad tidings to the people of this Great Announcement. In the Tablets revealed in Iraq, the Land of Mystery, and the Most Great Prison, We warned God’s loved ones and informed them of the appearance of the calf, the barking ones, the birds of night, the book of perdition, and the tablets of fire, that all might become so steadfast that neither the people of the world nor all they possess could corrupt these firm and upright souls. They must be seen as mountains, not as leaves that are moved by every wind and overturned by the slightest breeze. Thus doth the All-Knowing teach you, the All-Aware make you understand, and guide you to His straight path. Strive ye, and with the utmost lowliness and supplication beseech the Mighty, the Powerful to assist you in that which is adorned with the ornament of His good-pleasure, and likewise to enable you to perform such deeds as shall endure forever in God’s Book throughout the dominion of earth and heaven. Let not this opportunity slip from your grasp, nor waste your time. I swear by the ocean of divine knowledge that a single moment of these days excelleth centuries and ages - to this doth your Lord, the Chosen One, bear witness in this glorious station. God willing, burn away the veils that hinder you with the fire of the love of the All-Merciful, and illumine hearts with the light of His countenance. This is the day of this blessed and decisive Word, which the Tongue of Unity previously uttered: “All things are perishable save His Face.” This is the Day of God, wherein naught is mentioned save He alone. Where are the pure and penetrating eyes, and where are the illumined and detached hearts? This is the day of eyes and ears and hearts - beseech ye God to possess these three and keep them free from veils. For verily, a thin veil, nay the thinnest of veils, preventeth the eye from seeing, the ear from hearing, and the heart from understanding. Consider this exalted word which was previously revealed from the Supreme Pen: O SONS OF KNOWLEDGE! The eyelid, though delicate, can nevertheless shut out the entire world from sight. Consider then what would result if the veil of greed were to descend upon the heart!

O friends! Today the gate of heaven hath been opened with the key of God’s Name, the ocean of bounty surgeth and billoweth before all faces, and the sun of grace shineth forth resplendent. Deprive not yourselves, and waste not your precious lives in heeding the words of this one or that. Gird up the loins of endeavor and turn your attention to the education of the peoples of the world. Consider not the religion of God as a cause of opposition, rancor and hatred. The Tongue of Grandeur proclaims: That which hath been sent down from the heaven of the Will of God in this most holy and exalted Revelation hath been for the unity of the world and the love and fellowship of its peoples. The people of Baha, who have drunk of the choice wine of significance, must associate with all the peoples of the world with the utmost spirituality and fragrance, and remind them of that which profiteth all. This is the counsel of the Wronged One to His loved ones and chosen ones. The world was created through love, and all are commanded to fellowship and unity. Fix your gaze upon this blessed word which hath dawned from the horizon of the mouth of the King of Oneness, and make mention of it: “I was in My Ancient Entity and My Eternal Being. I knew My love in thee, therefore I created thee, cast upon thee My image and revealed to thee My beauty.”

O people of Baha! While ye are in your homes and this Wronged One is in the Most Great Prison, submerged in an ocean of tribulations, He mentioneth each one of you with such words and utterances that were but one letter thereof to be shed upon the mirrors of all created things, the words “Thou art the Beloved” would appear visible in all things, in such wise that all would read and recite them. Let not this boundless grace slip from your grasp, and be not heedless of what hath befallen this Wronged One and you in the path of God. Know ye your worth and preserve your stations in the name of the Truth, for the polytheists, the deniers, and the treacherous have appeared in the guise of unity, acceptance and trustworthiness, and strive with the utmost effort to lead souls astray. Verily your Lord, the All-Merciful, speaketh the truth and informeth you of His grace and guideth you to His straight path. Abandon the ways of men and count as non-existent the paths of the heedless, and say: He walketh not in your ways, nor doeth what ye do. He hath appeared and made manifest His straight path, and made known to all His mighty course. Blessed is the soul that hath hastened to the ocean of its Lord’s mercy, and the ear that hath heard the Most Exalted Pen’s scratching, and the eye that hath beheld His mighty signs, and the tongue that hath spoken His beautiful praise. Say: Have mercy upon yourselves and follow not those who have denied God and His signs, rejected His proof and His evidence, and have risen up in opposition with manifest injustice. Verily He, from the Most Great Prison, summoneth both kings and subjects unto the Most Great Name, which was hidden in God’s knowledge and mentioned in the Scriptures of the Messengers.

O friends! The mention of all hath been and shall continue to be recorded in the divine Books, and should some of God’s chosen ones not be honored with a separate Tablet, let them know with absolute certitude that their names, their devotion and their acceptance, according to their ranks, have been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Book. Beseech ye God for His confirmation, that ye may achieve that which shall cause your eternal remembrance. Verily He seeth and heareth, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

The world hath never had, nor doth it now possess any significance. Ere long shall all who dwell on earth return to their graves. By Him Who hath caused all things to speak forth His praise! This world and all that is therein appeareth, in the eyes of the discerning, as worthless as a single word from the divine utterances, for the former is transient and perishable, while the latter shall endure as long as God’s names and attributes endure. No person of understanding would forfeit the everlasting divine bounty for the sake of a day or two of earthly life.

In truth I say, the soul hath ever yearned and will continue to yearn for the garden of revelation and divine presence, yet vain imaginings and desires have prevented it from the kingdom of nearness. Ye must consume the veils with the fire of certitude and the light of faith, and illuminate your hearts and minds. Strive ye to drink from the Kawthar of certitude which floweth from the right hand of God’s throne. Whosoever attaineth unto it is numbered among the people of eternity in the Crimson Book.

Praise be to God! His grace and favors have guided those who have turned unto Him to the straight path and blessed them with the supreme gift and the greatest bounty. Know ye the value of your station and be vigilant at all times, for those who would lead astray have ever lain and shall continue to lie in wait for the guides. Verily your Lord, the All-Merciful, is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Hath there ever been seen on earth a sincere seeker who was deprived of the outpouring grace, or a true pursuer who, having intended with complete sincerity to reach his ultimate goal, was prevented therefrom? Nay, by His very Self, the Truth! And if some of the unitarians, near ones, and sincere ones sought something outwardly but did not attain it, this was due to God’s all-encompassing wisdom. They must not be saddened, for unto everything there is an appointed time. When its hour cometh, it shall be manifested in truth from God, the Lord of the worlds.

Rejoice, O friends of God and His chosen ones, in that My Most Exalted Pen remembereth you on this night wherein the Tongue of Grandeur proclaimeth that there is none other God but He, the Helper, the Counselor, the Single, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Blessed is he who hath attained unto the most great steadfastness; he is indeed among the people of the highest Paradise in the Book of God, the Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens, Who hath appeared in truth with manifest sovereignty.

Beware lest the veils of names prevent you from their Sovereign, their Source and their Creator. Hold fast unto the cord of your Lord’s loving-kindness and cling to His resplendent hem. Whoso acteth according to what hath been commanded, the Concourse on High shall pray for him, as shall the dwellers of the Most Exalted Paradise and they who abide within the tabernacles of grandeur, as ordained by God, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Thus doth the Wronged One remember you while in the prison of the heedless, and teach you that which shall, under all conditions, draw you nigh unto God, the Powerful, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Peerless. We […]

We counsel all to observe wisdom and utterance in the Cause of their Lord, the All-Merciful, even as We counselled them aforetime. He, verily, is the True Counsellor. These are words We have sent down in diverse Tablets. It behooveth everyone who hath believed in God in this Revelation to hold fast unto them and be of those who are steadfast. We have forbidden all from whatsoever God loveth not and have commanded that which gladdeneth the hearts of the peoples. He, verily, is the Most Gracious, the All-Bountiful. Associate with the followers of all religions, O My loved ones, in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship. Beware lest ye make the Word of God the cause of your differences or a pretext for manifesting hatred among you. Say: Fear ye God, O people of the earth, and be not of the negligent. He commandeth you to that from which ye can inhale the fragrance of the spirit, were ye of them that comprehend. The glory be upon you and upon those who are with you and who love you and serve you and hearken unto that which hath been inscribed by the Supreme Pen in this irrevocable, this manifest and perspicuous Cause.

=== END BH00355 ===

=== START BH00356 ===

In the name of our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted and Most Glorious Lord

Praise befitteth the most holy and exalted court of my Beloved, Who hath caused His loved ones to be enkindled with the fire of His love and illumined with the light of His knowledge, to such extent that neither the opposition of His servants nor the turning away of the peoples of the lands could extinguish or impede it. Glorified be His majesty, widespread be His bounty, exalted be His station, and there is none other God but Him.

Glorified art Thou, O God of Names and Creator of the heavens! Thou seest and knowest that in my mention I have intended naught but Thy mention and the mention of Thy loved ones, and I desire for them naught save what Thou hast ordained for them through Thy generosity and bounty. I know with certainty that Thou hast written for them only that which will exalt them among Thy servants through Thy Name and make them signs of Thy Cause and standards of Thy victory. O my Lord! Aid them through Thy bounty and generosity to that which will draw them nigh unto Thee and will acquaint them with that which will attract the hearts of Thy creation. Verily Thou art the One Who cannot be weakened by the conditions of the servants nor hindered by the clamor of them that dwell in the lands. O my Lord! Enable them through Thy favors to remember Thee with spirit and fragrance, and with wisdom and utterance. Verily Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

Thereafter, the letters of that honored beloved arrived - both what was sent to this land and what was dispatched to Mim and ?ad. Praise be to God, each was a clear book in remembrance and praise of God, glorified be His majesty, and the fragrance of steadfastness and constancy wafted therefrom. In such days when steadfastness is as rare as the philosopher’s stone, praise be to God they attained unto it. How many were the servants who claimed love and sent petitions to the Most Holy Court, and in response to each a perfect proof and conclusive testimony was sent. Nevertheless, they remained deprived of the Lord of Lords by the buzzing of a fly, and were barred from the Most Great Ocean by the whisperings of souls who never had and have not any awareness of this Cause. In one of the Tablets revealed from the Pen of the Cleaver of Dawn, this blessed verse appears, His words, blessed and exalted is He: […]

Thou seest mankind as but earthworms, and their clamoring as the buzzing of flies. Such souls are worthy of this Most Great Revelation, who behold all save God as non-existent and as naught. For thirteen hundred years the Shi’ih sect was occupied with vain imaginings. From the early days of Islam, a few individuals in tattered garments and with humbled necks, with visible sighs and lamentations, preyed upon the hapless people. In every town they entered, they would seek a secluded place to reveal secrets and manifest hidden mysteries. Then, after mentioning Nahiyih and Jabulqa and Jabulsa, and two or three fabricated traditions, they would depart. The helpless people, unaware of these deceptions, were thus led to a point where it caused the shedding of the Most Pure Blood. Those fabrications appeared in the form of sword and spear, and there befell the Desired One that which no tongue can tell nor pen record. Now too, similar souls have appeared and are secretly engaged in misleading the people. From the beginning of this Revelation until now, in every land, divine verses have been revealed the like of which have never been seen; nevertheless, the servants remain heedless and veiled. After all the claims of the former sect, it became clear and evident on the Day of Revelation that they were the most lost among the peoples of the world and the most ignorant and tyrannical of all communities. The deniers of the Bayan have followed in the footsteps of that sect. Glory be to God! Heedlessness hath reached such a point that they again cling to that which they have seen with their own eyes to be contrary, opposed, and devoid of fruit and effect. This servant beseecheth God to bestow justice and grant insight, that His servants may not be veiled as the former sect, nor fall into the well of falsehood and vain imaginings. Verily our Lord is the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. The letter of that loved one was presented before the Face on a certain night, and these exalted words were revealed from the heaven of the Will of the Desired One of all the worlds. His words, blessed and exalted be He:

He is the Helper and the Succourer.

O Mahdi! Your letter was presented to the Wronged One, We heard your call and listened to your mention. We beseech God for whatsoever will cause the exaltation of His Most Sublime Word and the advancement of His loved ones. Were the people of the earth and those who claim divine love to ponder with justice and fairness upon that which hath been manifested, all would turn from what they possess to that which is with God. Verses have been sent down like rain, and Tablets shine forth like unto the sun, yet some among the people of the Bayan remain heedless and turn away. God hath ever been the Concealer and likewise the All-Patient, and He hath commanded His servants to observe sublime concealment and beautiful patience.

If thou shouldst arrive in the land of Ha and Mim, convey My greetings to the loved ones in that land. Say: O people of God! Reflect upon the deeds and words of the former party, and contemplate the fruits of their actions, that perchance ye may be preserved from the deceptions and wiles of the barking ones. From time immemorial this blessed and exalted word hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen: “Believe not every claimant, neither trust ye in every newcomer. Whoso desireth to know Me, must look upon Me with Mine eye, and he who regardeth Me with any other eye shall never know Me.” This is specific to this Manifestation.

Glory be to God! Some of the deniers of the Bayan have raised objections concerning the mention of Divinity, their purpose being to cast doubts in the hearts of the weak ones. It is evident that the people of the Furqan, despite their rigidity and torpor, are more discerning than the deniers of the Bayan, for that party, despite their loss and error, accepted the words “Verily I am God” from the Divine Tree, while from Him Who, single and alone, hath appeared and stood and spoken before the faces of the divines, princes and jurisprudents from the beginning of the Cause, they accept not these words.

O Mahdi! Upon thee be My glory! Say: O heedless ones of the world! The Exalted One hath specifically mentioned this Wronged One in the beginning of the Bayan, saying: “He is the One Who uttereth in every condition, ‘Verily I am God, there is none other God but Me’” unto the end of the verse. By My life and His life! Were it not for His mention, this Wronged One would not have uttered these words, except before those who are truly wise and mature. The Exalted One Himself, when mentioning this Revelation, declareth: “Verily, I am the first of them that worship.”

Say: O people of the Bayan! Look with fairness and read the Persian Bayan, that perchance ye may attain unto a drop from the ocean of divine knowledge and preserve yourselves from the doubts and idle fancies of the former party. From the beginning of the Cause until now, there hath befallen this Wronged One that which hath no likeness or parallel, yet from those who claim to love Him there hath appeared that which causeth the heart to lament and the being to be consumed.

O Mahdi! Make mention of the friends in every land on behalf of the Wronged One. Praise be to God that thou hast attained His presence and heard His call. The clanking of the chains of the people of error did not prevent thee from the Dawning-Place of divine verses and the Day-Spring of heavenly evidences. With the finger of certitude thou didst rend asunder the veils and didst attain unto His presence, hearing and vision. In the land of Ha and Mim, make mention of the children of the Friend and the inheritors of Him Who conversed with God. Say: Blessed are ye and joy be unto you! The station of each one is visible and […]

We have heard mention of each one and beseech God to aid you in that which will exalt His Cause. We have heard your call and witnessed your turning unto Him, and We enjoin upon you that which will elevate your stations. Verily, He is powerful over all things. Blessed is he whose strength is not weakened by the might of the tyrants and pharaohs of the earth, and blessed is he who remains standing when the doubts of the deniers and the hints of the suspicious would cause him to falter. God hath aided and will continue to aid - whoso is for God, God is for him. Rejoice in what hath been sent down to you from My Most Exalted Pen before and at this time, and say: O God of Names and Creator of Heaven! We beseech Thee to grant us steadfastness in Thy Cause and firmness and constancy in Thy Mighty Message, whereby the limbs of the nations have trembled and the pillars of the world have quaked, save those rescued by the hand of Thy grace and the arm of Thy power. There is no God but Thee, the Protector, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to protect and strengthen His loved ones that they may see and hear with their own eyes and ears, and not be deceived like the former party by the whisperings of the evil ones of the world who secretly cast doubts, imagining themselves to be learned while being - God forbid - heedless of the Truth. Would that they had understood the root of the matter! Nay, by God, they are in manifest error. We beseech the Most High to aid His servants in that which befitteth His days. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Regarding what was mentioned about two souls in Qarabagh, Haji Yusuf and Mulla Mamish, upon them be the glory of God, who have drunk from the chalice of recognition and remain firm in the love of God, aflame with the fire of knowledge - these matters were presented before the face of the Desired One and attained the honor of His hearing, and these manifest verses were revealed specifically for them from the heaven of the grace of the Lord of Names and Attributes. His blessed and exalted Word:

In My Name, the Remembering, the All-Knowing

This is a Book sent down by the Desired One to guide people to His straight path and draw them near to the station wherein the Tree calls out: “The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Lord of the worlds.” O Yusuf! Hear the call from the direction of the Wronged One. He makes mention of thee and aids thee to draw nigh unto the ultimate goal and the highest summit, the station whereon is established the throne of thy Lord’s grace, the Forgiving, the Generous. Give thanks unto God for having enabled thee to turn unto Him when every learned one turned away. Say:

My God, my God! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I have turned unto Thee and seek from the ocean of Thy bounty that which will render me detached from all else save Thee, speaking Thy praise and soaring in Thy atmosphere. I testify that the choice wine of Thy utterance hath seized me and the pure water of Thy expression hath intoxicated me. I beseech Thee by Thy glance and Thy call, and by the Command whereby Thou hast subdued all created things and attracted all beings, to send down upon me from the heaven of Thy bounty that which will purify me from the doubts of those who have denied Thy Manifestation, disputed Thy signs, and turned away from the Dawning-Place of Thy attributes and the Source of Thy commandments. O Lord! Ordain for me through Thy bounty that which will make me steadfast in Thy Cause and in service to Thy loved ones. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

And this is what was revealed for Mulla Mamish, upon him be the glory of God:

He is the One Who gazeth from His most exalted horizon […]

O Mulla! Hearken to the call of the Lord of all beings from the precincts of the prison. Verily it draweth thee nigh unto God, purifieth thee from transgression, and causeth thee to drink from the Kawthar of life through the hands of grace and bounty. He, verily, is the Mighty, the Bestower. We have revealed unto thee on this night that which will draw thee unto God, the Lord of Lords. Say: O people of the Furqan! Open your eyes, for the All-Merciful hath come with power and sovereignty. Beware lest the doubts of men debar you from the Greatest Outlook, or the might of the oppressors frighten you - they who have violated the Covenant in the final abode. When thou hearest the utterance of the Wronged One and drinkest the choice wine sealed with My Self-Subsisting Name, say:

My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having caused me to hear Thy most sweet call and shown me the traces of Thy Most Exalted Pen. I beseech Thee by the Word whereby the earth and heaven were attracted, to make me one of those whom nothing whatsoever hath deterred from turning toward the lights of Thy countenance, O Thou Who art the Lord of the heaven and the Kingdom of Names. O Lord! Thou seest my tears and hearest my sighs. I beseech Thee by the rustling of Thy Divine Lote-Tree and the murmuring of the water of Thy loving-kindness to enable me to do that which Thou lovest and art pleased with. O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant, acknowledging Thy Manifestation, Thy power, Thy grandeur, and Thy sovereignty. I beseech Thee not to deprive me of any good that Thou hast sent down in Thy Book and ordained for Thy chosen ones. Verily, Thou art the Almighty over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Praise be to God! Each one hath attained that which is the cause of eternal salvation. Today the sun of loving-kindness hath dawned and shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of grace. That which is incumbent upon God, exalted be His glory, is to manifest and proclaim, and that which is incumbent upon us, His servants, is submission, contentment and the preservation of His bounties. The servant at all times beseecheth His favors and seeketh His grace, that all may remain protected from the whisperings of the ungodly ones and hold fast to the cord of the utterance of the Purpose of all worlds. Verily our Lord, the Merciful, is the Hearer, the Answerer, and verily He is worthy to answer. Glory, remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those who have believed in God, our Lord and your Lord, the Lord of the Throne and of the dust, and the Lord of the world to come and of the first. God, exalted be His glory, is my witness that this servant hath ever loved and continueth to love the mention of His loved ones, and seeketh divine confirmation. That cherished friend is well aware of the frequency of this servant’s writing - from every direction it cometh, and most times engaged in writing while in His presence, therefore time is scarce. The purpose is that if there be delay or postponement in any matter, this is due to lack of time and opportunity; otherwise, the light of love and the fire of affection are manifest and ablaze from every limb. His is the praise and the glory, His the grace and bounty. There is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

=== END BH00356 ===

=== START BH00357 ===

In the Name of the One True God! May my spirit and being be offered up as a sacrifice unto Thee! From the intimations of the divine utterances, this servant hath understood that with the emergence of a fresh ordeal, the breezes of the All-Merciful have been cut off from the hearts of most of humanity, and they have been deprived of the shore of ancient glory, save those who have detached themselves wholly from all things and have held fast to the Most Firm Handle in these days wherein the standards of His decree have been raised aloft and the cawing of the ravens hath been lifted up between earth and heaven. These are they whose hearts God hath sanctified from the winds of self and passion, and hath made them to be numbered with the pure ones.

For a long time all paths were cut off and all ways were blocked. Now that one of the friends is departing, I trouble you with these few words. You have observed that although in all the Tablets the tribulations of these grievous days were foretold, yet all were found to be disturbed. The purpose of these announcements from the Pen of the All-Powerful was that all might be informed, lest on that Day they turn away from the King of Oneness due to worldly events. Verily there is no escape from divine destiny, and in the time when the winds of tests blow, none shall find refuge. All are seen as dried leaves before fierce winds, except those whom thy Lord willeth.

Although all were forbidden from causing corruption - by God besides Whom there is none other God - such was the prohibition that in some Tablets it was revealed that should harm befall this servant, it would be more acceptable than for any of those associated with the Truth to harm anyone. As you have observed in all the Tablets, He says that victory is through wisdom and utterance, not through contention, objection, warfare and conflict. Nevertheless what was destined came to pass. Things reached such a point that these actions became an excuse for the deniers of the Bayan to cling to, attributing to the Truth all that they had perpetrated during this long period. Yet you know that in the books written by the deniers previously, they explicitly and without ambiguity prescribed the killing of all souls and issued such rulings. From the first arrival in Iraq, the Ancient Beauty forbade everyone, especially in this land where after arrival He repeatedly prohibited all from conflict, contention, bloodshed and other reprehensible and unacceptable deeds. Nevertheless each person committed, according to their own desires, things that were forbidden in all the Tablets. Thus most unknowingly commit all that is prohibited, and the harm of all returns to the Truth, as all know that whatever occurs they say is from the Source of the Cause. Especially in this wondrous Revelation which is afflicted between internal and external enemies.

I know not what has happened that people have entirely forgotten all they have seen and heard of the deeds of Truth, while the unseemly actions of the deniers have become so prominent in their sight. Now observe the deeds of Truth and other than Truth. You have been informed of the details of the Ancient Beauty’s arrival in Istanbul and have heard from everyone how He departed with such honor, wealth and independence, and for four months associated with no one and made no demands, such that His conduct was praised even by enemies, let alone by the friends. For six months the one who associated partners with God went to Istanbul on behalf of the Manifestation of the Letter ’Ayn and the Essence of Nun and the Primal F, entering every door and beginning complaints until they inquired from Istanbul from the Holy Presence what was being given to these people in every city. He replied: Give these greedy souls all that you send, that perhaps they may cease their disgraceful behavior and […]

The fire of their greed would be stilled, and they would not send women to beg daily, nor run about for a morsel of bread. They sold the Truth and all that pertains to it for a few dirhams. Although there were only nine persons who had come to this land, Siyyid Muhammad and that known person claimed, “We are twenty,” until they were given fourteen tumans to Siyyid Muhammad himself and twenty-six tumans to that mentioned person from the funds that were specifically sent for the servants. Nevertheless, they write to various places saying, “We have no bread and are destitute.” By God, double what the government was sending was being spent in every city and given to all. Now observe the deed of Truth and the deed of its opposite. I know not what garment they have clothed this deed in, that they mention it among the people of the Bayan. O my Siyyid and my beloved, you know not how deceitful and crafty they are, and how confident they are that whatever they say will be heeded. Thus one day, when one of his wives forbade him concerning certain matters, saying that it was not befitting for him to commit certain acts, he replied, “Be assured, whatever I write, the people of the Bayan will accept it.” By God, besides Whom there is none other God, what I have here submitted is the pure truth, and indeed he understood correctly, as you observe how different these two deeds are from each other - that one the path of the All-Merciful, and this one the path of Satan. From that one wafts the fragrances of divine detachment, and from this one emanates satanic exhalations. Yet no one is aware. He has denied the money for which he sent you the receipt and which is now in his possession. What more can I submit? And you know not what vile accusations that impure soul made against the Ancient Beauty in the great city. However, praise be to God, they are absolute nothingness and utter non-existence. Although your grief is known, and all matters are visible in the presence of the King of Names and Attributes, still the heart awaits news from you outwardly.

Say to his honor Dhib on my behalf to convey greetings, and inform him that these are the days mentioned in the Tablets, and likewise the Point of the Bayan (may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him) foretold that all would turn away from the Most Holy Shore, as now the clamor of the polytheists has been raised and each soul has returned to his own station. In these days the polytheists have spread new rumors, as someone has claimed that verses are not proof, and likewise they have rejected miraculous deeds and manifestations of grace, knowledge and perfection - for their purpose has been to deny whatever has appeared from the Truth. That polytheist was asked what then constitutes proof of the Truth, and he said something else. By God, they have clung to such a vain imagination that the imaginings of all nations and peoples of the earth are as nothing compared to their fancy. Now observe how the Point of the Bayan (may the spirit of all in the kingdoms of existence be sacrificed for Him) removed such imaginings, yet these polytheistic souls have returned to them. It seems they have taken stupidity, deceit, lies, calumny and begging as proof, and counted hatred, rancor and hypocrisy as evidence. Now passing over all this, say to the opposers that if you have not seen that imaginary being, you have seen Siyyid Muhammad Isfahani whom you have taken as a guide, while turning away from the Truth through whom you have witnessed and understood all divine proofs. O people of fairness, say by what evidence have you taken as guide such a one from whose countenance the signs of polytheism and error are manifest? Although such a person is fitting for people, as most inhabitants of earth from various sects are still idol-worshippers. Apart from this, they have known and seen that this servant has not sought the world nor desired leadership, as I have personally served and continue to serve the people of the Bayan and have been a servant to all. For fourteen years I associated day and night with that Hidden Person, yet my word carries no weight while the word of Siyyid Muhammad Isfahani, who only met Him two or three times in Iraq and had no knowledge of any matter, is heard and accepted - even though they always disavowed each other and mocked one another, as most have seen during this migration. Now consider regarding that imaginary being - after causing corruption in the land of Ta, he fled and hid in Iraq. By God besides whom there is no God, his fear was such that when some of the loved ones would come to Iraq seeking to meet the Ancient Beauty, [he would say] how do we know these souls are believers who have love and are not spies who have come specifically to determine my whereabouts and inform my enemies? Thus whenever any rumor would arise he would flee. Now during all this time that out of fear for his life he was hiding in women’s garments, he has transformed his severance and attributed to the Truth all that he harbored within, for the Ancient Beauty was manifest among the enemies […]

Every year he would summon a virgin from the outlying regions, and all are aware of this. By the Most Great God, I have neither heard nor seen anyone who lived in such comfort and luxury in this world. And now he writes what he writes and says what he says. I hope that your honor will completely sever yourself from this group and occupy yourself with the praise of God Himself. By God, I have no purpose except that I love to remind the loved ones of God, that perchance the sincere ones may not be veiled by the imaginary veils of these idolatrous temples whose reality is evident from their deeds.

Likewise convey my greetings to his honor N.S. and say that this is a day wherein the breaths of steadfastness and certitude must waft from pure hearts, for these are the days about which they have foretold that soon a pack of wolves will emerge from the thickets of hypocrisy. They have also foretold that Satan will appear in different forms in every land - to some in the form of written sheets, to some in the form of messengers, and to some in the form of letters. In short, he has appeared in all forms until that which was revealed in the Tablets is fulfilled. Furthermore, God willing, your honor should remain steadfast in the Cause of Truth to such a degree that all are amazed. As the way was blocked, no bold step was taken until now, and even now only a brief mention is made until, God willing, a detailed account can be presented later.

Convey my greetings to his honor Z.M. and say that by God, besides Whom there is no other God, the Truth has informed of what was sent to you and to the one who sent it to you from the renowned city. One year ago, in a special Tablet addressed to him - which your honor may have seen since copies of it may exist in that land - some of the passages revealed in this connection are these, exalted be His grandeur: “Soon there shall come before you that which will cause the Youth to show aversion, and you will be commanded by a command. Then turn not towards it and leave it behind you by the power of your Lord, the Everlasting, the All-Wise. This is of the tidings of the unseen which We have informed you with truth that you may act according to what you have been commanded by the All-Informed Commander. All this is from My love for you, and all things, of what has been and will be created, bear witness to this, and then this Faithful Pen.”

Again, out of love for you, it is submitted that God willing, you should remain firm in the Cause of God and not be deprived of the breaths of the All-Merciful by Satan himself. By the Truth, if you would reflect even briefly on recent events, you would confirm this servant and become steadfast in the Cause of God. Blessed are they who are firmly rooted. And if in these days you would examine those Tablets that were previously revealed and sent to your honor, it would be most beloved, for some matters were foretold to your honor personally. Blessed are they who read and who perceive.

Furthermore, convey infinite greetings to his honor J., upon whom be the praise of God. The intention was to submit a special letter to each of the gentlemen, but in consideration of current circumstances, this has been postponed.

And convey to the friends of God, both men and women, who are today seated upon the cushions of steadfastness, the greetings of this evanescent servant, particularly to your brother and those who are related to your honor. And further, two brief exalted Tablets have been revealed from the Most Great Scene specifically for your honor and for J, and have been dispatched. And the spirit and glory and might and splendor be upon you and upon those who are today among the steadfast in the Cause of God.

=== END BH00357 ===

=== START BH00358 ===

This is the Surah of Blood which We have caused to distill from the Ocean of the Unseen, that it may be a sign of My Revelation amongst all created things. He is the Everlasting One upon the Throne through My Most Glorious and Most Luminous Name.

O Muhammad! Hearken unto the Voice of thy Lord from this Station which the hands of all contingent beings cannot reach, nor the hearts of existent things, nor the realities of those who have slumbered for less than a moment in this sacred, mighty and hidden Cause. Say: O people! Hasten ye to the sanctuary of God and His Essence, to the House of God and His Identity, to the Manifestation of God and His Sovereignty. Be not of them who make mention of God with their tongues, yet oppose His verses. Say: O people! This is the Station round which circle the denizens of the Supreme Paradise, then the dwellers of the pavilions of eternity, then they that abide behind the billows of grandeur, would ye but understand. Say: This is the Sacred Place of God and His Precinct, the Countenance of God and His Greatness. O ye dwellers of the realms of divinity, then ye who dwell in the domains of might, then ye who abide in the pavilions of glory in the kingdom of earth and heaven! Come ye forth from your habitations that ye may visit the Station whereunto none have attained save they who have detached themselves from all that is in the heavens and the earth, and from all that hath a name, or trace, or direction, or sign, would ye but know. Say: O people! This is the Station of God and His Court, then the paradise of God and His garden, then the tabernacle of God and His pavilion. Beware lest ye turn to aught else but Him. Hasten ye unto Him that ye may be sustained by the fruits of the spirit. O people! This is the Station whereat the righteous have halted, and they who circle round the Throne, even as ye do witness.

O Muhammad! Act thou according to what the tongue of thy Lord now counseleth thee, and do what thou art bidden by God, the Help in Peril, the Mighty, the Well-Beloved. First, with My mighty, powerful and manifest sovereignty, rend asunder the veils of idle fancy from the face of thy heart. Then enter the Egypt of the All-Merciful through My glorious and most holy Name, and pay no heed to what was and what shall be, even shouldst thou witness Satan seated at its gate, barring thee from entry. Close thine eyes to him, then seek refuge in My blessed, sovereign and beloved Beauty. Beware lest thou sit with those in whom thou findest traces of rancor like unto the heat in summer or the cold in scorching winds. Indeed, flee from them and their like, and look not upon them and what they possess, but rather unto My Cause which is better than all else, would ye but perceive it. And if thou desirest to journey through the lands, illumine them with the lights of thy Lord, then ponder what thou seest of thy Lord’s handiwork, that thou mayest be of those who reflect. Be thou adorned with My attributes, such that if anyone should extend toward thee the hands of tyranny, thou wouldst pay no heed nor oppose him. Leave his judgment to thy Lord, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. Be thou in all conditions an object of oppression. By God, this is My nature, and none knoweth it save the sincere ones. Know thou that the sigh of the oppressed one in his patience is more precious in God’s sight than all deeds, would ye but know. If tribulation befalleth thee, be patient and place thy trust in all things in God, thy Lord. He will suffice thee against the harm of all created things, past and future, and will protect thee in the shelter of His Cause and the stronghold of His providence. There is no God but Him. His is the creation and the command, and all seek His help. And if anyone slandereth thee, do not respond in kind, lest thou become like unto him. Rather, turn away from him and set thy face toward the holy retreat within this sacred and exalted pavilion. Be thou among the people like unto musk-laden hills, that the sweet fragrances of holiness may waft from thee among them, that perchance they may be drawn to the holy court of the Beloved. If thou findest a helper to thyself among the loved ones of God, seek intimacy with him at eventide and at dawn, through all years and months. In all things follow God, thy Helper. Then walk among the servants with His dignity and tranquility, and convey unto them the Cause of thy Lord to the extent they are able to hear.

O Hoopoe of Sheba! Take My missive unto the cities of God, and if the birds ask thee concerning the Divine Bird, say: “Verily, I left it when it was beneath the talons of denial and the beak of the wicked, with none to help it save God Who created it and fashioned it and made it a lamp of His beauty between the heavens and the earth, if ye be of them that are assured.” And shouldst thou find any of My loved ones who inquire of Me, say: “By God! I departed from the Prison City at an hour when Husayn lay prostrate upon the earth, with the knee of malice upon his chest, about to sever his head, while the spearpoint stood poised before his head, waiting to raise it aloft - thus was the matter in the innermost mystery, if ye could perceive it. In that state I saw his lips move as he gazed heavenward with a look that rent all hearts, and beyond them the heart of God, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. And when I drew near to his lips, I heard him say, even beneath the sword: ‘O people! By God, I have not spoken among you out of desire, but rather through what the Voice of Sinai hath spoken within my most holy and pure breast. By God, the signs of God shall never be confused with aught else that hath been ordained in the dominion of destiny, nor with what hath been in the hereafter and the former days. O concourse of the idolaters! Inhale ye these verses that have descended from the dominion of the Divine Essence, from the Lord of Names and Attributes. If ye detect from them the fragrance of the garment of Joseph, the Mighty, then have mercy upon him and slay him not with the swords of rancor, if ye would observe with the eye of justice and then judge fairly within your souls.’”

“O people! By God, I have sealed the gates of Paradise for twenty years lest there should issue from My lips that which would kindle the fire of hatred in your breasts - to this doth the Tongue of Grandeur bear witness, and then the Pen of Command upon preserved and holy tablets. O people! I am indeed Ali, and this is the latter return after the former one. I have manifested unto you greater than what I manifested before, and I have come from the Source of grandeur and glory, the Treasury of loftiness and majesty, with verses whereof not a single letter hath appeared in all creation. And this Tablet is My proof among you, for you and against you, if ye would understand.”

“O people! By God, I was dwelling quietly in My house, silent from all melodies, but the Spirit stirred Me and caused Me to speak the truth, and its signs appeared in My countenance, if ye would observe My beauty. I had closed the gates of utterance for years, but the tongue of God opened My tongue, if ye would know. Would ye slay Him by Whose command the heavens were raised up, the seas were made to surge, the trees brought forth their fruits, the mysteries were unveiled, and the beauty of the Chosen One appeared from behind the veils? O concourse of the Bayan! Fear ye God, and be not of them that deny the signs of God.”

“O people! By God, I am not of them that have denied the signs of God, even if ye should slay Me with all the swords or pierce Me with all the arrows at every moment. I speak in the kingdom of the heavens and earth and fear no one - this is My way, if ye would perceive it. By God, this is the way of all the Messengers, and what was revealed unto Ali in all the tablets, though I know not what path ye follow.” And when the holy melodies reached this point, he fell silent from the weakness that had overtaken him, and remained thus for a time. When he regained consciousness, he opened his eyes and turned toward the holy direction with an intimate gaze and said […]

O Lord! All praise be unto Thee for Thy wondrous decrees and the totality of Thine afflictions. At one time Thou didst deliver me into the hands of Nimrod, then into the hands of Pharaoh, and there befell me that which Thou hast reckoned in Thy knowledge and encompassed by Thy will. At another time Thou didst confine me in the prison of the idolaters because I had related to the people of the realm of glory a letter from the vision which Thou hadst inspired me with through Thy knowledge and made known to me through Thy sovereignty. At another time my head was severed at the hands of the infidels, and at yet another time Thou didst raise me upon the cross because I had revealed in the kingdom the gems of the mysteries of Thy glorious oneness and the wondrous tokens of Thy sovereign singleness. And at another time Thou didst afflict me in the land of Taff wherein I was alone among Thy servants and solitary in Thy realm, until they cut off my head and raised it upon a spear, parading it through all regions and presenting it at the seats of the idolaters and the abodes of the deniers. At another time they suspended me in the air, then struck me with the bullets of their hatred and malice until they dismembered my limbs and severed my body, until these days when the hateful ones have gathered against my soul and at every moment scheme to instill enmity and hatred for me in the hearts of Thy servants, plotting thereby with all the power at their command. Yet despite all this, O my God and my Beloved, Thou hast delivered me into the hands of these idolaters. Therefore, O my God, let me bear witness upon the dust and beneath the swords of Thine enemies. By Thy glory, O my Beloved! I thank Thee at this moment in this state and for all that hath befallen me in Thy path, and I am content with Thee and with the wonders of Thy trials. But O my God, I beseech Thee by Thy hidden names and by Thy manifest, concealed Beauty cast upon the dust of abasement, to cause Thy love to enter the hearts of Thy servants, then establish them, O my God, upon the carpet of Thy mercy, then shelter them in the shade of the tree of Thy oneness, and deprive them not of the holy breezes that waft from the paradise of Thy beauty and blow from the direction of Thy grace. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and verily Thou art the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

And thou, O Muhammad, know the worth of what We have imparted unto thee of the gems of mysteries, then reflect on what We have taught thee of the wonders of Our knowledge which lay concealed behind the veils of light, that thou mayest become aware of what hath befallen Us and be of them that are informed of the mysteries of the Cause. Then say with the tongue of thy spirit in thy inmost heart: “Is there any helper who will help the Beauty of the First in the countenance of the Last? And is there any supporter who will aid the Point of the Last in His resplendent and most luminous beauty?” Perchance thereby God may raise up someone to help the Youth in these days wherein intoxication hath overtaken the dwellers of the heavens and the earth save them that have fixed their gaze upon the direction of nearness to this Beauty. But O Muhammad, by God, soon shalt thou witness the opposition of the opposers and their pride, and their uprising in all directions against this Youth with hatred, save whom thy Lord, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting, may will.

O Muhammad! Hearken unto that which the Pen of Divine Decree commandeth thee in this celestial realm - air which God hath sanctified from the temples of hatred and purified from the touch of the polytheists and the knowledge of the falsifiers. Rend thou asunder the veils, then arise from the dawning-place of the Cause with manifest sovereignty. Then proclaim amongst men this luminous, mighty and resplendent Beauty. Then enter upon Him Who is named by the letter Ha and impart unto him that which the Spirit of God, the Mighty, the Glorious, the Bountiful, hath imparted unto thee, that perchance he may remember within himself, detach himself unto his Lord, and be of them that are guided.

Say: O servant! We have sent down unto thee tablets and scriptures which none knoweth save God, wherein is that which shall make thee independent of all that hath been created in the realm of creation and whatsoever is in the heavens and the earth. However, We sent them not unto thee, for We found not from thee the fragrance of the exalted ones regarding this manifest Arabian Youth.

Say: By God! That which thou possessest shall perish, and naught shall endure save that which is with thy Lord behind pavilions of impregnable glory. Leave the world unto its people, then detach thyself from all that hath been created therein, then turn thy face unto thy Lord, the Bestower, the Ancient of Days.

Say: This is indeed Ali Who hath appeared once again in this most pure, most manifest, most luminous Beauty, and Who speaketh the truth in the heaven of immortality and the kingdom on high, if ye be of them that hear.

Say: O people of the Bayan! The Spirit of Divine Exposition shall never speak in your hearts except through My love, and this is from the foundation of religion, if ye be of the assured ones.

Say: O people of the Furqan! By God! The Truth hath come unto you - that by which religions are distinguished and truth is separated from falsehood. Fear ye God and be not of them that turn away.

Say: O people of the churches! Strike not the bell, for the Most Great Bell hath appeared in this Trump which hath appeared in the form of verses between earth and heaven, and calleth out in truth through this radiant, manifest and gleaming Name.

Say: He is the One at Whose bidding the verses were sent down and by Whose leave all tablets were inscribed. To this testifieth the musk that floweth from this camphor spring through this Most Ancient and Pre-existent Pen.

Say: He verily speaketh at all times verses that bewilder the minds of the wise, the knowledge of the mystics, and the hearts of the accomplished ones.

Say: This is what ye were promised in the Books of God, if ye be of them that know, and this is that whereby the Truth was established in the eternity of eternities and shall be established unto the end that hath no end.

O Muhammad! Close thine eyes to all who are in the heavens and on earth, that thou mayest be enabled to enter into the fortress of thy Lord, the Bestower, the Almighty. Kindle from this Fire in the trees of all created things, that they may speak even as the Fire spoke in the form of Light upon the Mount of Revelation. Thus doth the Ancient Beauty bestow His grace upon thee and command thee regarding the Cause, that thou mayest detach thyself from all things and hold fast unto the handle of impregnable glory. And the Spirit and the glory and the splendor be upon thee and upon them that hearken unto thy words concerning this mighty Announcement.

=== END BH00358 ===

=== START BH00359 ===

In the Name of the One True God!

The Most Exalted Pen hath made mention of the friends of God in the most eloquent tongue, and now uttereth in the sweetest Persian that this is a Day of surpassing greatness and magnitude, a Day attributed in all the Divine Books to God Himself and known as the Day of God. It behooveth all to ponder the greatness of this Day and to refrain from comparing that which hath come to pass therein with aught that hath preceded or shall follow it. Let them reflect upon the diverse parties in the world, how each hath clung to a name among names, fixing their gaze upon God, the Most Glorious, and beseeching Him night and day, hoping that in the days of the appearance of the Dayspring of His Cause, the Dawning-Place of His Revelation, and the Source of His inspiration, they might not be debarred from the ocean of His grace nor be deprived of His abundant favors. Yet when the Sun of Truth shed its radiance from the heaven of God’s Will, all returned to their own kind, which is the embodiment of darkness, save whom God did will. Blessed are they who, in this spiritual morn, have quaffed the wine of inner meanings and who have arisen, with supreme steadfastness, to serve the Cause of the Lord of creation.

O friends of God! Every word of the most excellent Words is an ocean most great, from which flow countless streams. Blessed is the one who, in the name of God, hath drunk therefrom. By God’s life! Such a soul is mentioned in the sight of God as among the most powerful of all creation. In all the Books, Tablets and Scriptures of God, mention hath been made of souls who are well-pleased, pleasing unto Him, assured and tranquil. These are they who stand firm in service to the Cause, whom neither the opposition of the world, nor the ranks of the nations, nor the conditions of the deniers, nor the insinuations of the heedless, nor the clamor of the rejectors could deter from turning to God, the Manifest Truth, or prevent from directing their gaze to the supreme horizon.

By the Sun of Truth which shineth from the horizon of this Prison! The corruption of the world hath ever been, and shall ever be, from the ignorant one who appeareth in the guise of knowledge, and from the transgressor who is known and seen in the garb of piety. Reflect upon the early days of Islam: a few ignorant and false ones adorned themselves with the ornament of knowledge and truthfulness among the servants, and this became the cause of countless perils surrounding the world of the Qur’an. Some time ago this Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was revealed from the Most Exalted Pen. Blessed are they who read it and ponder its ocean of meanings. By God’s life! Should one attain unto its sweetness, such a soul would be mentioned in the sight of God as among the most exalted of all creation.

In the Name of the One True God!

Say: O friends! The falsehood of the past hanged the Beloved of the future and martyred Him with the bullet of tyranny. Reflect upon those deceitful, treacherous souls who appeared among the people in the name of truthfulness, trustworthiness, detachment and piety, that ye may be preserved from the terror of this Most Great Day. One made mention of Jabulqa, another pointed to Jabulsa, and yet another devised an imaginary form and established for it a seat upon the throne of idle fancies. One unjust one made mention of the Holy Land, and another unjust one attributed words unto Him. These abominable, false matters became the cause and reason for martyring with utmost tyranny the Sovereign of the City of Oneness. Were the Hand of Divine Power to rend asunder all veils, ye would witness new matters and hear novel utterances. Now He uttereth but one word that perchance it may serve as a barrier between truth and falsehood, and that word is this: Purify your ears from that which is spoken by those who claim to be of the Bayan yet deny its Revealer, its Sovereign and its Sender. For these veiled souls walk exactly in the footsteps of those souls. Blessed is the eye that seeth and perceiveth - such a one is regarded before God as the most powerful and capable among men. Hearken unto what My Herald spoke aforetime. He said, and His Word is the Truth: A one-year-old seed on the Day of His Manifestation is mightier than all the Bayan. Out of loving kindness and compassion have these utterances been revealed from the Pen of the All-Powerful. Preserve them and say: Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds! The Shi’ih sect, who considered themselves the saved and favored denomination and regarded themselves as the most excellent of all people, repeatedly related traditions stating that whoever claimed the Promised One would be born was an infidel and outside the religion. These traditions caused many to be martyred without fault or crime, until the Primal Point - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him - was born in Fars from the loins of a known person and made the claim of being the Qa’im. Thereupon, those who followed vain imaginings and idle fancies were in manifest loss, and the Cause appeared to all the world like the rays of the sun. Nevertheless, that heedless and rejected sect turned away and arose to slay that Essence of being. O people of Baha! The Lord of Names biddeth you to reflect upon these matters, that ye may truly shatter the idols of fancy and vain imaginings and not be afflicted with the new idle fancies to which the deniers of the Bayan cling. Arise to champion the Cause with divine strength and power, and protect the servants from the tyranny of the idolatrous souls and the fancies of the heedless and false ones. Reflect upon the hidden mysteries: Until the time of the Manifestation, the people of the Furqan, namely the Shi’ih sect, were unaware of the Day of God and the manner of His appearance. They seemed entirely bereft from the ocean of knowledge and deprived of the dawning rays of the sun of inner meanings. The divine Cause appeared and was manifested contrary to all that they had understood through their fancies and vain imaginings and to which they had held fast. And those imaginative souls who considered themselves the most God-fearing and detached in all the world arose with such tyranny that the Concourse on High, the dwellers of the Cities of Names, and the Kingdom of Creation were all bewildered. Thus hath the Most Exalted Pen spoken, as a grace from His presence, that ye may become aware […]

Those things that were concealed from you shall be revealed, and you shall witness what lay behind the veil through that which was wrought by the hands of those who wandered in the wilderness of fancy and idle imaginings, and passed judgment against Him Who came with the truth from God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. O ye who drink the choice sealed wine! The Name ‘the Self-Subsisting’ declareth: Consider the people who counted themselves among the saved and blessed ones - how at the time of trial they were reckoned among the rebellious, transgressing, denying and rejected faction, and were recorded by the Supreme Pen in God’s Book as manifestations of negation.

The people of Baha, who are mentioned in the Qayyumu’l-Asma as the companions of the Crimson Ark, must, God willing, demonstrate such steadfastness as befitteth this Most Great Cause and this blessed Day. This is the day of service and steadfastness. If a child remaineth firm in this Cause, he is mightier than all the Bayan - by the testimony of God and the testimony of Him Who appeared before and gave the glad tidings of this Great Announcement.

In the Tablets revealed in Iraq, the Land of Mystery, and the Most Great Prison, We informed the friends of God and gave them tidings of the appearance of the calf, the barking ones, the birds of night, the book of perdition, and the tablets of fire, that all might become so steadfast that neither the peoples of the world nor all that they possess would have the power to cause these firm and upright souls to deviate. They must be seen as mountains, not as leaves that are stirred by every wind and overturned by the slightest breeze. Thus doth the All-Knowing teach you, the All-Informed acquaint you, and guide you to His straight path.

Strive ye, and with utmost lowliness and supplication beseech the Mighty, the Ancient One to aid you in that which is adorned with the ornament of His good-pleasure, and to assist you in such deeds as shall endure forever in His divine Book throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. Let not this opportunity slip from your grasp, nor waste this time. I swear by the ocean of divine knowledge that a single moment of these days excelleth centuries and ages. Your Lord, the Chosen One, beareth witness to this from this glorious station.

God willing, may ye consume the veils that hinder with the fire of the love of the All-Merciful and illumine your hearts with the light of His countenance. This is the day of this blessed and decisive Word, which the tongue of the Divine Unity spoke aforetime: “Everything shall perish save His Face.” This is the Day of God, and God alone speaketh therein - naught is mentioned save Him. Where are the pure and penetrating eyes, and where are the illumined and detached hearts? This is the day of eyes, ears and hearts. Beseech ye God to grant you possession of these three and to sanctify them from veils. For verily, a thin veil - nay, the thinnest of veils - preventeth the eye from seeing, the ear from hearing, and the heart from understanding.

Consider this exalted word which was revealed aforetime by the Supreme Pen: O Sons of Knowledge! The merest speck of dust upon the eye shutteth out the vast world from its vision - consider then what would be wrought if the veil of covetousness descendeth upon the heart!

O friends! Today the gate of heaven is opened by the key of God’s Name, the ocean of bounty surgeth before all faces, and the sun of grace is shining and […]

Do not deprive yourselves of the manifest Light, nor waste your precious life heeding the words of this one and that. Gird up the loins of endeavor and turn your attention to the education of the peoples of the world. Consider not the divine religion as a cause of opposition, malice and hatred. The Tongue of Grandeur proclaims: That which has descended from the heaven of the Will in this Most Holy, Most Exalted Revelation has been for the unity of the world and the love and fellowship of its peoples. The people of Baha who have drunk of the choice wine of inner meaning must associate with all the peoples of the world with the utmost joy and radiance, and remind them of that which profits all. Such is the counsel of this Wronged One to His loved ones and chosen ones. The world was created through love, and all are commanded to live in fellowship and unity. Fix your gaze upon and make mention of this blessed word which hath shone forth from the horizon of the mouth of the King of Oneness: “I was in My Ancient Being and My Eternal Essence; I knew My love in thee, therefore I created thee, cast upon thee My image and revealed to thee My beauty.”

O people of Baha! While you are in your homelands, this Wronged One is in the Most Great Prison. Even while submerged in an ocean of tribulations, He makes mention of each of you with such words and utterances that were but a single letter thereof to be reflected upon the mirrors of all created things, the words “Thou art the Beloved” would appear from them all, in such wise that all would see and read them. Let not this boundless grace slip from your grasp, and be not heedless of what hath befallen this Wronged One and you in the path of God. Know your worth and preserve your stations in the name of the Truth, for the polytheists, deniers and traitors have appeared in the guise of unity, acceptance and trustworthiness, and strive with the utmost effort to lead souls astray. Verily your Lord, the All-Merciful, speaks the truth and informs you of His grace and guides you to His straight path.

Abandon the ways of the people and count as naught the paths of the heedless, and say: “He walks not in your ways, nor does He act according to what is with you. He has appeared and made manifest His straight path, and made known to all His mighty course.” Blessed is the soul that has hastened to the ocean of its Lord’s mercy, and the ear that has heard the scratching of His Most Exalted Pen, and the eye that has beheld His mighty signs, and the tongue that has uttered His beautiful praise. Say: Have mercy upon yourselves and follow not those who have denied God and His signs, rejected His proof and His evidence, and have arisen to turn away with manifest injustice.

Verily, He has, from the Most Great Prison, called both kings and subjects unto the Most Great Name, which was hidden in God’s knowledge and mentioned in the Scriptures of the Messengers. O friends! The mention of all has been and will continue to be in the divine Books, and should some of the loved ones of God not receive a separate Tablet, let them know with absolute certainty that their names, their turning to God, and their acceptance, according to their stations, have been recorded and inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in the Book. Ask God for His confirmation, that you may succeed in that which will be the cause of everlasting remembrance. Verily, He sees and hears, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

The world has never had, nor does it now possess any significance. Soon shall all who dwell on earth return to the graves. By Him Who has caused all things to speak forth in praise of His Self, this world and […]

Whatsoever is visible to mortal eyes cannot, in the sight of one endowed with insight, compare with even a single word of God’s utterance, for the former is transient and perishable and ever shall be so, while the latter endures eternally through the permanence of His names and attributes. No person of understanding would forfeit God’s everlasting bounty for the sake of fleeting days. Verily I say, the soul has ever yearned and will forever yearn for the rose-garden of divine revelation and attainment unto His presence, yet vain imaginings and futile desires have held it back from the realm of nearness. You must burn away the veils with the fire of certitude and the light of faith, and illumine your hearts and minds. Strive to drink from the Kawthar of certitude which flows from the right hand of God’s celestial throne. Whosoever attains unto it is recorded among the people of eternity in the Crimson Book. Praise be to God that His grace and favors have guided the faithful to the straight path and enabled them to attain the supreme gift and greatest bounty. Know the station you occupy and remain vigilant at all times, for the misguided have ever lain in ambush for the guides and ever shall. Verily your Lord, the All-Merciful, is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Has there ever been seen on earth a sincere seeker who was deprived of the outpourings of the All-Bountiful? Or has there ever been witnessed one who, with complete truthfulness, desired the ultimate goal and was held back from it? Nay, by His very Self, the True One! And if certain of the monotheists, near ones, and sincere ones outwardly sought something but did not attain it, this was due to God’s all-encompassing wisdom. They must not be saddened, for every matter has its appointed time. When its hour comes, it shall be manifested in truth from God, the Lord of all worlds. Rejoice, O friends of God and His chosen ones, in that My Most Exalted Pen makes mention of you on this night wherein the Tongue of Grandeur proclaims: There is none other God but He, the Supporter, the Counselor, the Single, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Blessed is he who attains unto the Most Great Steadfastness; he is assuredly among the dwellers of the Most Exalted Paradise in the Book of God, the Lord of Names and Creator of Heaven, Who has appeared in truth with manifest sovereignty. Beware lest the veils of names hold you back from their Sovereign, their Source and their Creator. Hold fast to the cord of your Lord’s loving-kindness and cling to His luminous hem. Whoso acts in accordance with what has been commanded, upon him shall bestow their prayers the Concourse on High, the dwellers of the Most Exalted Paradise, and they who abide within the Pavilions of Grandeur - a command from God, the Mighty, the All-Praised. Thus does the Wronged One make mention of you while confined in the prison of the heedless, teaching you that which shall, under all conditions, draw you nearer unto God, the Almighty, the All-Compelling, the Mighty, the Unique. We counsel all to wisdom and utterance in the Cause of their Lord, the All-Merciful, even as We counseled them before. He is in truth the Counselor, the Faithful. This is a word We have revealed in various Tablets. It behooves everyone who has believed in God in this Revelation to hold fast unto it and to be of those who are firmly established. We have forbidden all from whatsoever God loves not, and have commanded that which gladdens the hearts of the peoples. He is verily the All-Kind, the Gracious. Associate, O My loved ones, with the followers of all religions in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship. Beware lest ye make God’s Word an occasion for your disputation or a cause for manifesting hatred among you. Say: Fear God, O people of the earth, and be not of the negligent. He commands you to that from which you will perceive the fragrance of the Spirit, were you of those who are endowed with understanding. The glory be upon you and upon those who are with you and who love you and serve you and hearken unto that which has been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen in this irrevocable, manifest, and perspicuous Cause.

=== END BH00359 ===

=== START BH00360 ===

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

Praise befitteth the most holy and most glorious court of the Beloved, Who hath, through a single point of knowledge, in truth guided this evanescent one to the ocean of knowledge and freed him from idle fancies and vain imaginings. And this point is that He hath declared that none but Him is capable of His praise. Therefore, whatsoever this evanescent servant might utter would be unworthy and shall ever be unworthy. With a hundred thousand tongues must one at every moment voice a hundred thousand thanks and praises that He hath reckoned the confession of powerlessness as true knowledge. Exalted be His bounty and magnificent His favors. There is no God but Him.

Glorified art Thou, O my God, my Purpose, and my Hope! Thou seest my powerlessness, my poverty, and my need before the manifestations of Thy might, Thy power, and Thy riches. I am he who, O my God, doth confess, even as Thou hast testified, to my inability to attain unto the pavilion of glory of any one of Thy chosen ones, how much less unto the revelations of the lights of Thy countenance. I beseech Thee by the glory which Thou hast made the adorning of Thy chosen ones, and by Thy Name whereby Thou hast subdued Thy servants and Thy creation, to aid me to be steadfast in Thy Cause. O my Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee, directing myself to the horizon of Thy good-pleasure, and awaiting the wonders of Thy mercy. I beseech Thee to ordain for me that which beseemeth the heaven of Thy grace. O my Lord! I implore Thee by the Most Great Name, through which the limbs of the world have quaked, to strengthen him who hath mentioned Thy servant to be steadfast in Thy Cause, and to make known unto him the manifestations of Thy grace and the revelations of Thy mercy. Verily, Thou art He Whom nothing whatsoever escapeth and from Whose knowledge nothing is hidden. There is no God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

Furthermore, this evanescent one presents that the letter of that honored one, which bore a whole world of joy since it was adorned with the mention of the Beloved of the worlds and was redolent with the fragrance of His love, was received. After perusing its contents, having directed myself toward the most exalted summit and the highest horizon, its details were presented at the most holy and most glorious court. His blessed and exalted Word: “O Ali! Thou hast previously been blessed with the mention of the Truth and the effects of the Most Exalted Pen. God willing, thou shalt drink of the choice sealed wine and share it with those who are ready. This is the Day of mention and praise. Blessed is the soul that hath not let slip its opportunity and hath arisen to that which beseemeth the Days of God. Say: O friends! Be not saddened by the conditions of the world. By the life of God! All that ye behold is in the grip of extinction. Hold fast unto that which is lasting and enduring. Today, the teaching of God’s Cause is binding upon every soul and is accounted as the most meritorious of all deeds in the sight of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. It is quite evident that had all the friends, from the beginning of the Cause, held fast to this most exalted station with the utmost joy and fragrance, with kindness and forbearance, the lights of the Sun of Truth would have captured most souls. Blessed is he who hath confined his affairs to the service of God and the teaching of His Cause. The glory be upon thee and upon those who have attained unto that which the sincere ones have attained.” God willing, may you ever drink from the cup of grace of the Lord of Justice and be blessed with the bounty of the Truth, exalted be His glory.

O Ali! Thou hast attained unto that which nothing can equal. Rejoice thou and be of them that render thanks. Conclude. All praise be unto God that ye are mentioned in His Most Holy Court and have attained unto His bounty. This is a station whereof tongues and pens are powerless to make mention. Under all conditions remain mindful of wisdom, for this mighty commandment hath been revealed and sent down in diverse Tablets from the Supreme Pen. God willing, may all cleave unto it and attain thereunto.

As to the souls who have turned towards the Most Great Ocean, which thou didst mention, this was presented at the Most Holy Court, and for each one a wondrous and glorious Tablet was revealed, as a bounty from His presence upon thee and upon them. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

This is what was revealed for his honor Aqa Siyyid Mahdi, upon him be the Glory of God. His words, exalted be His majesty:

He is the All-Seeing, the All-Hearing

O Mahdi! The Self-Subsisting hath come and calleth aloud in the Most Great Prison, while the peoples remain veiled by a thick veil. Their desires have prevented them from turning unto the Countenance, and their idle fancies from setting their faces toward the Supreme Horizon. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken in this exalted and glorious station. Behold thou the power and sovereignty of God! He hath transformed the prison into the Most Exalted Paradise and made it the Seat of His mighty Throne. Say: O peoples of the earth! By God, the river of the mercy of your Lord, the All-Merciful, hath flowed, and the ocean of bounty hath surged at the center of all possibilities. Draw ye nigh and be not of the heedless. Say: Come ye, come ye, that I may show you His most exalted horizon and cause you to hear His sweetest call from this wondrous and glorious Tablet. Say: By God, the All-Merciful hath come, and the Kingdom of utterance circleth round Him. Open your eyes and be not of them that slumber. Every seated one hath risen at this Call, and every sleeping one hath been awakened by this Cry which hath been raised in truth between the heavens and the earth. O Mahdi! The Cause is mighty, mighty indeed. Be thou steadfast in such wise that what is with the parties shall not deter thee. Verily thy Lord, the Bestower, is the Expositor, the All-Knowing. We make mention of thy family from Our presence, that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the All-Informed.

That which was revealed for his honor Mirza ’Ali-Rida, upon him be the Glory of God.

In My Name, through which hearts have melted […]

O Ali-Qabli-Rida! Fix thy gaze upon this Most Exalted Word which is as the sun in the heaven of inner meanings and as a ship upon the ocean of wisdom. O people of the earth! Purify your souls from rancor and hatred, then inscribe upon them with the pen of truthfulness the verses of kindliness, love and fidelity. The world today is seen to be deprived of the recognition of the Most Great Name, save whom God willeth. Say: Strive that ye may not be deprived of the bounties of the True One, the All-Bountiful. This is a Day before which all days past and future bow in humility. Bereft indeed is he who hath not found it and hath not recognized its Lord. O friends! Know ye the value of your stations, and waste not your rank through the cawing and croaking of the misguided ones, nor let your deeds in God’s path come to naught. Verily He witnesseth and seeth, and He is the All-Knowing Witness, the All-Seeing Witness.

That which was revealed for his honor Mirza Abu’l-Qasim, upon him be the glory of God:

In the Name of the Compassionate, the Merciful

Verily the Wronged One remembereth thee and giveth thee glad tidings of God’s grace and His mercy which hath preceded existence itself. Bear thou witness to that which God hath testified, that there is none other God but Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Every soul that hath turned unto the Most Great Name hath attained, and every seeing one hath beheld that which hath shone forth and appeared from this Horizon, from which the suns have risen. We make mention of thee and of My loved ones who have cast away idle fancies and have held fast unto this Extended Cord. Arise ye to remember and praise your Lord in His days, the Lord of all names. Then make peace among yourselves through this Name that dominateth over all that was and that shall be. This is a day wherein the heaven of divine knowledge hath been adorned with the stars of wisdom and utterance. Blessed is he who hath witnessed and seen, and woe unto every heedless and veiled one. Glory be upon those who have fulfilled their covenants in the days of God and have followed that which they were bidden in a preserved Tablet.

Thanks and praise be unto Him. At no time have They ceased to make mention of the chosen ones, the loved ones and Their friends, and night and day hath the Supreme Pen been in motion. Nevertheless have the ignorant divines forbidden the people from this supreme bounty and mighty favor. They cling to the Book while turning away from its Revealer. They have made God’s religion a means for fulfilling their selfish desires and His Book an instrument for their unworthy purposes. By a single word are they deprived of the kingdom of utterance, and by a croak are they barred from the warbling of the Nightingale. We beseech God to open their eyes and show them the way. Verily He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

Mention was made of his honor, My brother, upon him be the glory of God. This is what was sent down for him from the heaven of the will of our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of all worlds:

He is the Most Great, the Most Mighty

O Ali-Qabli-Akbar! Give thanks unto God for having aided thee to turn unto Him and for having mentioned thee in this perspicuous Tablet. Verily He mentioneth him who maketh mention of Him, and draweth nigh unto him who draweth nigh unto Him. Verily He is the Gracious, the Generous. Mention of thee was made before the Wronged One, and there was revealed for thee that which the treasures of the world and the ornaments of the nations cannot equal. Give thanks and be of the grateful ones. Look not unto the creatures and what they possess. By the life of God! That which they desired hath passed them by, and the matter hath been decreed from God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Be thou steadfast in the Cause and speak forth in praise of thy Lord Who hath turned toward thee from His glorious station. Say: […]

Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Goal of the world, for having caused me to hear Thy call and recognize Thy Cause, from which the learned and mystics of the age have remained veiled, save him whom the hand of Thy power hath delivered. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the Powerful. O my Lord! Write down for me by Thy Most Exalted Pen that which shall profit me in the Hereafter and in this world. Verily Thou art He to Whose power and grandeur all created things have testified, and to Whose might and sovereignty all beings have borne witness. Take my hand with the hand of Thy bounty, then grant me that which Thou hast sent down from the heaven of Thy generosity. Verily Thou art powerful over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

God willing, may they drink from the choice wine of divine meanings from the chalice of God’s words and become engaged in His mention and praise. As for what you wrote concerning Aqa Muhammad-’Ali, upon him be the Glory of God, his reward is with God. God willing, may he act according to God’s will in all conditions and remain oriented toward His horizon. His desire was presented, and the Sun of Grace shone forth and was manifest toward him. And as for his supplication to God, exalted be His glory, seeking forgiveness for his parents, this was presented, and the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these words: “Upon them be the Glory of God. God hath forgiven them both as a favor from His presence unto thee, O ’Ali. This is naught but a great bounty. Be thou grateful and say: Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds.”

This evanescent one conveys greetings and glorification to all the friends, and beseeches the Exalted True One for assistance and grace for all. God willing, may they attain unto that which God loveth and hold fast unto that which He hath revealed in the Book. Likewise, I convey greetings and glorification to the honored friend Jinab-i-Habibu’llah Kh-A, upon him be the Glory of God. God willing, may he be steadfast, speaking, remembering, watchful, successful and confirmed.

Another glad tidings is that this evanescent servant attained to pilgrimage on behalf of your honor, and it was adorned with the ornament of acceptance. This bounty has no equal, past or present. Praise be to God that this servant and your honor have been blessed with this.

And concerning what was mentioned about the friends and their gathering with wisdom, this was presented before the Divine Presence, and He said: “Excellent is the reward of those who act. Blessed is the tongue that is honored by the mention of God, and the limbs that have attained to the service of His Cause, and the soul that hath associated with His loved ones, and the ear that hath attained to the hearing of His verses, and the house that is illumined by the light of the faces of His friends.”

In all matters, let them observe the utmost wisdom, lest the clamor of those who have turned away from God be raised.

Mention was made of his honor Aqa Siyyid ’Abdu’l-Hadi, upon him be the glory of God and His favors. He is among the early believers and has borne grievous trials in this Most Great, Most Holy Cause. For each atom of what befell him, a hundred thousand thanksgivings must be rendered, inasmuch as it was endured in the path of God. That which hath come to pass would bring extinction to all the world, save for what God hath specially ordained for His loved ones or what hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen in their remembrance. His honor hath been and is mentioned in the presence of the Countenance. He attained the presence repeatedly, and his family too have partaken of this cup. Mention of his passing was made in the Most Holy Court. Thus did the Tongue of the Intended One speak forth in the Kingdom of Utterance: “She did emigrate in My path and attained My presence. We have forgiven her at the time of her ascension, purified her, and remitted her misdeeds. Verily her Lord, the Most Merciful, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Pardoner, the Generous.” Every soul that ascendeth with love for God, glorified be His majesty, is numbered with the people of Paradise in the sight of God. Blessed is she and joy be unto her, and the glory of God rest upon her. She recognized that which the divines of the earth remained veiled from. Joy be unto her and woe unto them! Glory be unto her and regret unto them! The glory shining forth from the horizon of eternity be upon you and upon the loved ones of God in that place and upon all who are steadfast and victorious.

The Servant

29 Jamadi 1299

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The friends in Qaf, upon them be the Glory of God!

He is the Rememberer and the Remembered One!

This is the Day wherein the Herald hath proclaimed: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting!” The mysteries have appeared, the veils have been drawn aside, and that which lay hidden in God’s knowledge, the Lord of all being, hath been made manifest. This is the Day wherein the Mother Book speaketh, yet most of the people comprehend not. On this Day hath the Temple of the Manifestation and the Interlocutor of the Mount taken His seat upon the throne of utterance, yet most of the people see not. They have cast the Truth behind their backs, clinging to that which the people possess, yet verily they know not. Blessed is the servant who hath cast aside the people and what they possess, who hath taken the Kawthar of everlasting life in My Most Glorious Name and drunk thereof in remembrance of Me, the Mighty, the Beloved.

Glorified be He Who hath appeared and revealed what He desired, despite every heedless and veiled one. There is none other God but Him. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. The Euphrates of utterance hath flowed through creation, and from its murmuring is heard: “The Desired One hath come with manifest sovereignty!”

O My friends in Qaf! We make mention of you with verses that have encompassed the Concourse on High, the Supreme Paradise, and the dwellers of the Most Exalted Paradise, that they might hearken unto My sweetest call. Joy be to him who hath drawn nigh and attained, and woe unto every heedless one who is debarred! O people of God! Let not the might of any oppressor frighten you. Arise in My Name and say: “O people! By God, we have not come to create corruption in the land, but rather to build it up and reform it, if ye but knew. Cast aside vain imaginings and idle fancies, turning unto God, the Mighty, the Loving. Beware lest ye deprive yourselves of this Most Great Ocean, each wave of which announceth to the world the appearance of the Lord of Nations, Who hath come from the heaven of proof with a Cause that hath encompassed both the unseen and the seen.”

We have desired to make mention of Our friends in this Clear Book, that the breaths of revelation might seize them and draw them nigh unto God, the Lord of the worlds.

O Muhammad-Qabl-Baqir! We found Ourselves in the vicinity of God’s mercy, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy, and desired the other station. When We arrived, We commanded the Branch to be present, and We revealed unto thee and unto Our friends that which caused them to be intoxicated with the wine of My luminous revelation. Say: “Praise be unto Thee, O my God, my Lord and my Support, for having illumined me with the lights of the Sun of Thy utterance and remembered me when I was wronged among Thy servants and debarred from that which Thou hadst created by Thy power. I beseech Thee by the sighs of them that are nigh unto Thee in their separation from Thee, and by the tears of them that are devoted to Thy unity in their remoteness from Thee, and by Thy Cause whereby Thou hast subdued the kingdoms of wisdom and utterance, to make me patient in all conditions in adversity and tranquil in Thy vicinity, O Lord of all mankind! My Lord, deprive me not of the manifestations of the lights of the Orb of Thy Manifestation, nor of the mysteries of the Lote-Tree of Thy Lordship. I testify, and all created things testify, to Thy manifestation, Thy power, Thy sovereignty, and Thy authority. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Everlasting, the Eternal, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

O Muhammad-Qabli-Hasan! He who hath loved Me hath mentioned thee in this perspicuous Book which proclaimeth before the faces of all mankind that there is none other God but Him, the Peerless, the All-Informed. We have adorned the heaven of utterance with the stars of knowledge - a bounty from the presence of the Ancient Bestower. We have announced unto all this Most Great Revelation, yet most of the people remain heedless. They have cast behind their backs the Will of God and have taken what they desired - they are indeed among the most lost. Say: Fear ye the All-Merciful, O people of the Furqan! Cast away the idols of your vain imaginings, then turn ye towards the Dawning-Place of the signs of your Lord, the Almighty, the Powerful. That which ye possess shall profit you not this Day; cast it away in My Name and take hold of the Book of God with the power that proceedeth from Him and the sovereignty that cometh from His presence. He, verily, is the most powerful of the powerful. This is the Day wherein the Spirit giveth glad-tidings unto all who are in earth and heaven of this Light which hath shone forth and gleamed from the horizon of God’s Will, the Lord of the Mighty Throne.

When thou art seized by the rapture of the flowing stream of My mercy, arise and turn toward the House of God and say: O Lord of all names, Creator of the heavens, and Sovereign of all things! I beseech Thee by Thy Beloved One and by His joy when He ascended unto Thee, and by His attraction when He heard the call of Thy meeting, and by His longing when He arrived at Thy court, and by His supreme gladness when He turned toward Thy most great prospect, and by His utmost delight when He heard Thy sweetest call from Thy most exalted horizon, and by the fire of His love when He attained Thy presence, and by the light of His detachment when He drank the chalice of reunion from the hand of Thy bounty, and by the spirit and its ascension unto Thee, that Thou assist Thy servants to redress what they have missed in Thy days. O Lord! Deprive not Thy near ones from the rustling of the Lote-Tree of the uttermost end and the whisper of the winds of Thy mercy, O Creator of all things! O Lord! Aid them to turn unto Thee and to return unto the court of Thy glory, and assist them, O my God, in deeds adorned with the glory of Thy acceptance. Verily, Thou art the Almighty over whatsoever Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all things, of the first and the last.

O Husayn! The Wronged One hath been encompassed by the manifestations of tyranny and the daysprings of oppression, and while under the swords of hatred, We make mention of thee and those who have believed, with such mention as hath attracted the hearts of the sincere ones. The arrows of the enemies have not prevented Me from remembering God, the Creator of earth and heaven, nor have the hosts of those who denied God’s testimony and proof, who were heedless of His path, who broke His Covenant, and who wrought that which caused the Concourse on high to lament, struck fear within Me. O Hasan! Grieve not at anything, trust in all affairs in God, the Master of the Day of Judgment, and commit them to Him. Verily, He loveth those who trust and those who commit their affairs unto Him. Soar with the wings of trust and commitment unto God, the Master of this lofty station. Say: My God, my God! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant, acknowledging what hath been sent down from the heaven of Thy Will, confessing what the tongue of Thy grandeur hath spoken, holding fast unto Thy cord, and clinging to the hem of Thy loving-kindness. O Lord! I testify to Thy oneness and Thy singleness, and to the sanctity of Thy Being above the description of Thy creatures, and the exaltation of Thine Essence above the mention of Thy servants. I beseech Thee, O Creator of all things and Master of destiny and fate, by Thy Name through which the pavilion of Thy glory was raised and Thy path appeared in Thy lands, to ordain for him who hath turned unto Thee the reward of those who have attained unto Thy presence, who have stood before Thy gate, who have heard Thy verses, and who have witnessed the horizon of Thy manifestation. O Lord! Thou art He by Whose name the ocean of wealth surged among creation and the fragrance of bounty was wafted in the prison of Akka. Send down upon Thy servants from the clouds of Thy generosity that which beseemeth Thy greatness, Thy sovereignty, Thy grace, and Thy power. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.

We have desired at this moment to make mention of him who hath been named Muhammad, that the call of God, the Single, the One, may draw him nigh and bring him unto a station wherein all atoms proclaim: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Revealer of verses.” O Muhammad! Hearken unto the call from this most exalted station, from the Divine Lote-Tree raised before the faces of all peoples. Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

O Qasim! Remember the day when thou didst drink the choice wine of reunion from the hand of bounty, and wert present before the gate which was opened unto all who are in the heavens and the earth. Tribulation and adversity have encompassed Me, and there hath befallen Me at the hands of the calumniators that which hath caused the tribes of earth and heaven to lament, and every knowing and perceiving soul. We commanded all to be trustworthy, yet they cast it behind their backs. The fire of greed, passion, tyranny and wickedness hath been so enkindled that it hath wrested from them all restraint. Thus hath the decree been fulfilled from God, the One, the All-Choosing.

The fire of polytheism hath been kindled in all regions, and the Revealer of verses declareth: “O Lord of Lords! Thou seest Me in the hands of the oppressors among Thy servants, beneath the talons of the misguiders among Thy creation and the transgressors among Thy creatures. I beseech Thee by the leaves of the Tree of Thy utterance and the fruits of the Tree of Thy oneness to aid Me to stand firm in such wise as to shake the heart of every heedless doubter. O Lord! Thou knowest and seest that Thy people desired naught save to serve Thy servants and to reform their affairs in Thy days, yet they have risen against them with such tyranny as hath caused them that are endued with understanding to weep. My God, my God! Thou seest Thy servant standing before the gate of Thy grandeur, beseeching Thy generosity and bounty. I beseech Thee not to disappoint him of the wonders of Thy favors and bestowals. Thou art, verily, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Bountiful.”

O Eternal Pen! Make mention of him who hath been named Muhammad-i-Taqi, that the joy of the Revelation may seize him and bring him nigh unto the Mighty, the Bestower. O Lord! Forbid not Thy servants from drawing nigh unto Thy court, and deprive them not of the outpourings of Thy days. O Lord! Thou seest the sinner hastening toward the ocean of Thy forgiveness, the poor one toward the heaven of Thy bounty, and the abased one toward the cord of Thy glory. O Lord! Thou seest what hath befallen Thy loved ones at the hands of Thine enemies. I beseech Thee, O God of Names and Creator of heaven, by Thy Name through which Thou hast subdued the cities and regions, and by the lights of Thy countenance whereby the lands were illumined, and by the flowers of the gardens of Thy bounty and the fruits of the Tree of Thy power, to ordain for this servant of Thine mercy from Thee and grace from Thy presence. Thou art, verily, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

My God, my God! Thy separation hath caused me to perish. Where is the light of Thy presence, O Illuminator of the world? The venom of remoteness from Thee hath destroyed me. Where is the fountain of Thy reunion, O Quickener of nations? I beseech Thee by the heaven of Thy bounty and the mysteries hidden in Thy knowledge to ordain for me and for Thy loved ones every good thing Thou hast sent down in Thy Books, Thy Scriptures and Thy Tablets. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty over all who are in the heavens and the earth.

O Pen! Make mention of him who was named Ali and surnamed Jinab, as bidden by God, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the All-Bountiful. O Jinab! The Lord of all men hath come, yet the people remain wrapped in heedlessness and veils. They have cast aside their God and followed their desires - verily, they are in strange drunkenness. They have cast certitude behind their backs, clinging to the suppositions and idle fancies they possess. They have broken God’s Covenant and His Testament, and have denied Him to Whom the Mother Book hath testified in the final return.

Say: O peoples of the earth! Be fair before God - by what proof did ye believe in the Manifestations of the past, and by what evidence do ye deny this bounty whereby the horizons have been illumined? Say: O son of Baqir! Canst thou present thyself before His face with thy ropes and staves? And canst thou contend with the Knight of utterance in the arena of inner meanings and exposition? Be fair before God - if thou deniest God’s Most Great Book, by what proof can that which thou holdest be established? Fear God, then judge fairly concerning Him Who hath appeared before the faces of the parties.

O son of Baqir! Present thyself before His face to hear that for which ears were created to hearken unto. Then behold this horizon whence hath dawned the Day-Star of loving-kindness and favor. Hast thou attained through thy vain imaginings, and art thou content with what thou hast? Nay, by My Cause whereby We have subdued the lands! If thou desirest verses, they have encompassed all regions, and if thou seekest clear proofs, We shall show thee, shouldst thou stand before the Gate. This is My hand wherefrom hath shone the Sun of God’s Revelation, Lord of Lords, and this is My heaven wherefrom have been sent down the verses of God, He Who causeth the dawn to break. Were thou to turn with the ear of thine inmost heart, thou wouldst hear from the pebbles: “The Revealer of verses hath come!” and from the plants: “He Who was promised in God’s Books, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the All-Choosing, hath come!”

O son of Baqir! Hear My counsel for the sake of God, then present thyself before His face to behold what eyes have been prevented from seeing. This is the Day whereof Moses gave tidings, and whereof the Messenger of God, Lord of all religions, brought glad-tidings. Canst thou produce what the Wronged One hath produced through power and sovereignty? Nay, by His very Self, the True One, and by His Cause that hath encompassed the lands! We summon thee to the light while ye summon Me to the fire, and your call is naught but error. Thus hath the Tongue spoken in utterance. Blessed is he who hath turned and hearkened, and woe unto every obstinate infidel.

O Ali-Qabli-Akbar! We saw thee in a state of intoxication and bewilderment when thou wert present before the Wronged One in a spot which God had made the Dawning-place of lights. Say: Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having honored me with Thy presence, caused me to hear Thy call, shown me Thy beauty, guided me to Thy path, and revealed unto me that whose fragrance shall never cease throughout the eternity of Thy kingdom and dominion. My Lord! Thou seest me standing at the door of Thy grace, voicing Thy praise amidst Thy servants. I beseech Thee by the Dawning-place of Thy utterance and the Dayspring of Thy mysteries to ordain for me that which shall preserve me from turning to any besides Thee and from inclining toward other than Thee. My Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant, enkindled with the fire of Thy love and detached from those who have denied Thee and Thy verses. My Lord! Write down for me, with the Pen of Thy bounty, that which shall draw me nigh unto Thee in all conditions. Verily, Thou art the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

O Pen of Oneness! Make mention of him who is named Taqi with a remembrance whereat all remembrances proclaimed: “By God! He Who is the Remembered One hath appeared with majesty and power!” The harm inflicted by the world and the opposition of the peoples did not deter Him. He stood before the faces of the divines and princes and taught them that which would draw them nigh unto God, the Lord of Lords.

O Taqi! We have counseled thee with that which will exalt thy station. He desireth naught save that which will draw thee closer to God, the Lord of all men. The Kawthar of life hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen of God. Blessed is he who hath drunk thereof and rendered thanks unto his Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower.

Beware lest the conditions of men and the doubts of the divines grieve thee. Turn unto the Most Sublime Horizon and say: “My God, my God! Thou seest me clinging to the cord of Thy bounty. I beseech Thee not to disappoint me of that which Thou hast ordained for them that love Thee. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Choosing.”

Cast away what the people possess and take hold of the Book of God with such strength that the clamor of the wicked ones, who have broken God’s Covenant and His Testament and have disbelieved in God, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful, shall not deter thee.

We make mention of Our loved ones there whose names were not presented before Our face, and We give them the glad-tidings of that which hath been ordained for them by the Pen of God in the Mother Book. O people of God! Let not the might of those who have denied the Beginning and the Return frighten you. The splendor shining from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon you, O My friends, and upon those women who have believed in God, the Revealer of verses.

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

Praise be to God Who hath perfumed the world with the fragrances of His revelation and illumined the hearts of the sincere with the light of His knowledge. Blessings, peace, glory and splendor be upon His loved ones and chosen ones who have arisen to serve His Cause, whom neither the swords of His enemies nor the power of the wayward among His servants could deter. They have arisen with the power of detachment and aided God, the Lord of creation. No might or power could weaken them. These are servants through whom the decree of unity was established, the banners of detachment were raised, and the light of proof shone forth through the manifestation of His glorious and wondrous Name.

Glorified art Thou, O my God, my Lord, and my Support! Purify the ears of Thy servants with the waters of Thy bounty that they may hearken unto Thy call, and illumine their eyes to behold the horizon of Thy Revelation. O Lord! Thou seest how the Shi’ih party boasted of their knowledge and learning, yet when the promise was fulfilled and the light of the Cause shone forth, they denied Thy truth and disputed Thy signs, until they pronounced death upon the Dayspring of Thy grace, the Source of Thy clear tokens, and the Fountainhead of Thy commandments and ordinances. O Lord! Sanctify the hearts of Thy sincere ones from their tales and remembrances, then adorn them with the ornament of that which hath flowed from the Pen of Thy justice and the Reed of Thy utterance. O Lord! Thy favor hath encompassed and preceded all, and Thy mercy hath encompassed and preceded all. Ordain for those who seek Thee among Thy loved ones and those who are nigh unto Thee among Thy creation that which will cause them to be detached from all else save Thee and to hold fast unto that which Thou hast commanded them in Thy Book. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful, and worthy of answering prayer.

Thereafter, the letters of that honored brother arrived, each one a clear testament and faithful witness to his orientation, adherence and devotion to God, our Lord, the Self-Subsisting. After their reading, they were taken to His presence and presented before the countenance of the Lord of all beings, attaining the honor of His attention. This is what the Tongue of Utterance spoke forth in the Kingdom of knowledge. These are His mighty words and His glorious proof:

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

O Mustafa! Upon thee be the peace of God, the Lord of earth and Creator of heaven. The servant present before the Wronged One hath presented thy letter before His face. We have heard it and answer thee with clear verses that will draw thee near unto God, the Lord of all worlds. This is a Day wherein the Herald calleth out at every moment: “The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment!” This is a Day in which every steadfast one hath attained, every ear hath heard, and every seeing one hath witnessed that which hath appeared, shone forth, become manifest and radiant from the horizon of God’s will, the Lord of the mighty throne. He desireth naught save the sanctification of His servants and their purification from tyranny, indecency, wickedness and transgression. He, verily, is the Most Merciful of the merciful. When thou hearest the call from the Most Exalted Horizon and drinkest the choice wine of utterance from the cup of the bounty of the Lord of the Kingdom of Names, say: […]

My God, my God! I testify that Thou didst create Thy servants for none other than the recognition of the Dayspring of Thy signs and the Dawning-Place of Thy clear tokens, and didst fashion ears but to hearken to the shrill voice of Thy Pen, and eyes but to behold the lights of the horizon of Thy Revelation, and hands but to grasp Thy Book through Thy power and sovereignty, and hearts but to turn toward the Kaaba of Thy knowledge, might and command, and feet but to tread Thy path. I beseech Thee by the faces that were reddened with blood in Thy path, and by the breasts that were pierced by the arrows of the enemy in exaltation of Thy Word, and by the hearts that were not deterred by the oppressors’ might nor frightened by the cannons of the idolaters, who turned to the Manifestation of Thy Self in Thy Name and circled round His will in their longing to attain Thy presence, to aid me in all conditions to hold fast to the cord of Thy Cause and to arise to serve Thee and make mention of Thee among Thy servants. O Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant and the son of Thy handmaiden. I find myself bewildered by Thy Revelation, Thy dawning, and Thy signs that have encompassed Thy earth and heaven. I beseech Thee to adorn my head with the crown of detachment and my temple with the robe of humility and submissiveness before the appearance of Thy commandments and ordinances. O Lord! Assist me through Thy bounty and generosity to attain the wisdom wherewith Thou hast bidden me in Thy Tablets and Scriptures, then enable me to achieve such steadfastness as Thou hast sent down its decree from the heaven of Thy knowledge and wisdom. O Lord! Strengthen this servant to arise to serve Thee with wisdom and utterance, then aid him with the power that encompasseth all things and the might that subdueth all existence. By Thy glory, O God of the world and desire of the nations! My soul findeth no tranquility save through Thy favors and loving-kindness, nor doth mine eye find solace except by witnessing Thy signs. I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Name to inscribe me among the companions of the Crimson Ark, which the Herald of Thy Cause announced unto all creation and which Thou hast made specially for the people of Baha. I testify that Thou hast never disappointed those who have sought Thee, nor dost Thou disappoint those who have placed their hopes in Thee. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

O Mustafa! With a wondrous voice, hearken unto the call of the Wronged One. Today the call is raised high, the light is radiant, the fragrance of utterance is diffused, the Kaaba of God is manifest, and the gate of bounty is flung open. Blessed are they who have sanctified themselves from the delusions of the former people and whatsoever tales and idols they possess, and who have, with pure hearing and hallowed sight, turned their attention and gazed upon that which hath appeared. Though in these days receptive ears and penetrating eyes, like justice and fairness, are rare - nay, non-existent. The first thing that is incumbent upon the sincere seeker is sanctification and detachment from the tales, proofs and arguments to which the Shi’ih party hath clung. By God! They are in manifest error. Their remembrances are but calumnies. Heedlessness hath reached such a point that they curse from their pulpits the Manifestations of God’s attributes and names, and they perceive it not. They do that from which the oppressors of the earth have sought and seek refuge with God. We beseech God to make thee aware and to aid thee in the promotion of His Cause. The promotion of that which hath been sent down in the Book of Baha from the Most Exalted Pen hath been and is through deeds and character. These hosts are observed to be mightier and more valiant than the armies of the world. Convey My greetings to the friends and say: The hosts of God today are goodly deeds and praiseworthy character. Hold ye fast unto them. By My life! Through these hosts the cities of hearts and minds have been and will be conquered. In this Most Great Revelation, the most great bounty is manifest and the supreme favor is evident. We have forbidden all to engage in cursing and execration, and likewise from deeds that cause grief and are the cause of anxiety and sorrow. O Mustafa! We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to aid thee in that which will cause thy remembrance to endure among all remembrances and thy name among all names, and to adorn thee with the word of His good-pleasure. Verily, He is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. There is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the Most Generous.

Praise be to God that on this night, which is the fifteenth night of the month of Sha’ban the Glorified, they have attained unto the traces of the Most Exalted Pen and likewise unto the waves of the ocean of utterance of our Lord, the Most Merciful. Would that the people of the world might attain unto a drop from the ocean of divine justice and be illumined by the splendors of the Day-Star of fairness. Glory be to God! The essence of justice is manifest and the reality of grace is evident before all faces, and yet the unfair ones of the world, namely the people of Iran, are turning to vain imaginings and are turned away from the Lord of all beings. Through error they have passed by the eternal gift and through tyranny they are deprived of divine forgiveness and justice. They reckoned and knew themselves to be the best of mankind and the most excellent among nations, yet when the Finger of Power drew aside the veil, the opposite became manifest and apparent. They are bereft of human attributes and are recorded as companions of the Fire in the Most Great Scene. God is witness and aware that whenever this evanescent servant contemplates the divine favors, grief seizes him to such a degree that he nearly perisheth, inasmuch as every soul hath been and is a seeker of good and hopeful of grace; nevertheless they are observed to be deprived and forbidden.

My God, my God! Aid Thy servants to recognize what Thou hast intended for them through Thy bounty and generosity, and inspire them with what Thou hast purposed for them through Thy grace and bestowal. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance and the mysteries of Thy knowledge that Thou disappoint them not of the wonders of Thy grace and bounty. Thou art, verily, the Omnipotent over what Thou willest, and within Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

In the Name of God, the One, the Single, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise!

O Abu’l-Zafar! The Wronged One makes mention of thee from the prison with that which will draw thee to God, the Lord of all worlds. He hath verily revealed in the Book that which guideth all parties unto His path and teacheth them what will draw them nigh unto Him. He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. Victory, in the first instance, is belief in God and recognition of the Dawning-Place of His verses, the Dayspring of His Revelation and the Repository of His all-encompassing knowledge. The servant who is present hath brought a letter from him who is named Mustafa, upon him be the glory of God and His mercy, wherein mention was made of thee. We have made mention of thee with a mention that attracteth the hearts of them that have turned towards God. The Wronged One counseleth His loved ones with that which will exalt their stations among His servants. Blessed is he who hath hearkened unto the call and acted in accordance with that which hath been commanded by the Ordainer, the All-Wise. We have made mention of those who turned towards the Countenance both before and after they turned, as every just and perceiving one doth testify.

And this is what the Tongue of the Beloved hath spoken unto him who is named Khayru’d-Din: He is the One Who gazeth from His most exalted station. O thou who hast turned towards God! Thy name was present in the prison. We have made mention of thee with that which causeth thee to find the sweet-scented breezes of thy Lord’s loving-kindness, the All-Informed. Say: My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having given me to drink from the Kawthar of knowledge through the hands of Thy bounty and for having made mention of me through Thy Most Exalted Pen in such wise as nothing created on earth can equal, through Thy name, the All-Powerful. I beseech Thee, O Thou through Whose Most Exalted Word the names were attracted and through Whose Most Glorious Name all who are in earth and heaven were subdued, to make me one who speaketh Thy praise amongst Thy creation and uttereth Thy glorification amidst Thy servants. Then cause me to be steadfast in Thy love in such wise that neither the veils of the oppressors nor the might of the pharaohs shall hinder me. O my Lord! Thou seest the weak one clinging to Thy Name, the Mighty, the distant one to Thy Name, the Near One, and the poor one to Thy Name, the Strong, the Dominant, the Powerful. O my Lord! I am he who hath cast aside all else but Thee, holding fast unto Thee and unto what Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. I beseech Thee not to deprive me of what lieth with Thee. Thou art, verily, the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Great.

And this is what hath been revealed for Muhammad Isma’il: He is the One Who speaketh before all faces. O Isma’il! Reflect upon the diverse parties of the world, what they believe in and what proofs and evidences they cling to. The Shi’ih party rejected the divine counsels, occupied themselves with their desires and were debarred from the Lord of all beings. When He Who was their heart’s Desire, for Whom they had waited throughout centuries and ages, appeared, they pronounced Him an infidel and martyred Him through their tyranny. And now once again the deniers of the Bayan cling to the same vain imaginings and hold fast to the same suppositions. Say: My God, my God! I beseech Thee by the power through whose manifestation the power of the world was obliterated, and by the light of Thy countenance whereby the nations were illumined, to aid Thy servants to draw nigh unto the ocean of Thy knowledge and to turn unto the Dayspring of Thy bounty and the Treasury of Thy wisdom. Verily, Thou art the Ever-Flowing, the Omnipotent, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

O Siyyid Mustafa! Each of the mentioned souls has attained that which hath no peer or likeness. Convey greetings to the other friends on behalf of the Wronged One, and give them the glad-tidings of the effulgences of the Luminary of God’s grace, exalted be His glory, that they may rejoice and be numbered among the thankful ones. We counsel all to observe trustworthiness, righteousness, purity and faithfulness - hosts that are the helpers of the Truth and the cause of the exaltation of the Word of God. Praiseworthy character and goodly deeds have repeatedly flowed from the Pen of the Wronged One. Blessed are they whose paramount concern is the betterment of the world and the education of its peoples. He, verily, is the All-Knowing Expositor. There is none other God but He, the Single, the One, the Sovereign over all who are in the heavens and on earth.

O beloved of My heart! Under all conditions that honored one must observe wisdom, lest that which would disturb souls should appear. Wisdom is the cause of the salvation of the servants and likewise the means of their protection and preservation. I beseech God to illumine His loved ones with its lights and to adorn them with its traces. Our Lord is, verily, the Faithful Speaker and the Manifest Counsellor. I make mention of the friends of that land with spiritual and gracious remembrances, convey greetings to them, and beseech for them that which is the cause of elevation and the source of exaltation. Verily God, our Lord, is the Almighty, the Powerful, and worthy to answer prayers.

In response to the petition of the honored beloved, Haji Siyyid Mahdi, upon him be the eternal glory of God, and his wife, upon her be the glory of God, two Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablets were revealed and sent. God willing, may they drink and give others to drink from the Kawthar of utterance. The Branches of the Blessed Tree, may my spirit be a sacrifice unto the dust of their footsteps, send special greetings and express their favors. Glory, remembrance and praise be upon you and upon those with you who have drunk the wine of recognition from the hands of the bounty of their Lord, the Giving, the Generous.

The Servant

15th of the month of Sha’ban the Great, 1306

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O Afnan, his honor Aqa Siyyid Ahmad, upon him be the Most Glorious Splendor of God! This weak and ailing one hath clung to the Name of God, the Speaker, the All-Healing, the Glorious.

Praise be to God Who is one in the sovereignty of His oneness and single in the dominion of His singleness, Who is sanctified above the most exalted mention of all contingent beings and holy beyond the most glorious description of all created things, and exalted above every pure mention and every essence of description. The near ones have acknowledged their shortcoming in that which beseemeth His sovereignty, and the sincere ones have confessed their powerlessness in that which befitteth the court of His glory. He hath ever been single and alone, and will forever continue to be even as He hath always been. Through His prevailing Will, He hath established the edifice of His Cause upon the foundation of exposition and the elements of explanation, and hath created for it guardians and protectors to preserve it from every heedless betrayer and ignorant speaker - they who transgress not what God hath revealed in the Book and who speak naught except that which He hath permitted them in the final abode. I bear witness that they are the Hands of His Cause amidst all creation and the Lamps of His guidance between earth and heaven. They are they who stand at His gate and drive away such as are unworthy to enter His court. There is no God but Him, the Ruler, the Commander, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Glorified art Thou, O my God! Grief hath seized me to such a degree that it cannot be described in words, when I behold the Dayspring of Thy Name, the All-Merciful, confined in the prison of contingent being. By Thy might! Hearts should be transformed into blood, tears should flow from the eyes of Thy chosen ones, livers should be consumed with fire, and its flames should appear from the veins of Thy loved ones. How could it be otherwise, when the Hidden Treasure and the Concealed Mystery hath been wronged among the rebellious ones of Thy creation and the insolent ones among Thy creatures? I beseech Thee, O Lord of the worlds, by the Most Great Name, which when read to the mountains, they were humbled, and to the rocks, they were cleft asunder, and to the seas, they surged, and to the graves, they were opened, and to the stars, they were scattered, and to the hearts, they were attracted, and to the necks, they were bowed, and to the idols, they were shattered–to rend asunder the veils that have prevented eyes from turning toward Thy most exalted horizon and beholding Thy most glorious vision. O Lord! Aid Thy creation and Thy creatures to stand firm in Thy love and to follow what hath been sent down in Thy Tablets. Strengthen their hearts to remember Thee in Thy days, then cause them to hear, at all times, Thy most sweet call which hath been raised betwixt earth and heaven, lest they be troubled by the doings of the Pharaohs and the gestures of the tyrants who have become renowned among Thy servants for knowledge, grace, wisdom and justice. I testify concerning them, O my God, even as Thou hast testified in Thy Book, that they are the ignorant ones, they are the oppressors, they are the heedless ones, they are the deniers, they are the rejecters, they are the polytheists, and they are the ones who turn aside. Through them the blood of Thy chosen ones was shed, the hearts of Thy loved ones were consumed, the breasts of Thy messengers were constricted, the crystal waters of Thy knowledge were muddied, and the hem of Thy robe was soiled. O Lord! Forsake them through Thy sovereignty and power, then seize them through the King of Thy punishment and might, although I am certain that the stars of their glory have set and the planets of their exaltation have declined, even as I have seen how Thy Most Exalted Pen hath brought them low in Thy Tablets, and the hands of Thy justice have stripped them of what Thou hadst bestowed upon them through Thy bounty. They wallow in their vain imaginings and think themselves knowing, they turn away from their Creator yet fancy themselves drawing nigh. Nay, verily, nay! Far be it, far be it! They are a people through whom the veil of sanctity hath been rent asunder, and through whom the countenance of humanity hath been altered. I beseech Thee, O Creator of the heavens, by the sovereignty of the Names, to protect Thy loved ones from these people and to make known to Thy servants what lieth within their hearts and breasts, and what their mouths utter, that they may become aware of their schemes and avoid their evil. Verily, Thou art powerful over what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Inspirer, the All-Knowing. Then I beseech Thee, O Cleaver of the dawn and Sender of the winds, to make known to some of Thy loved ones their station and condition, lest they transgress what hath been ordained in Thy Book and decreed in Thy Tablets, that they may know themselves and speak what beseemeth them. Then grant them the sweetness of the cup of servitude in Thy path, and the delight of poverty at the manifestation of Thy wealth, and of powerlessness at the appearance of Thy might. By Thy glory, O my God! If they were to drink of this pure wine, they would hold fast to the cord of servitude, free from all investigation. And I, O my God, beseech Thee not to withhold me from this sweet flowing fountain, nor to turn me away from this path. Then I beseech Thee to reveal to all servants the nobility of this most exalted station and the excellence of this most sublime summit. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Supreme, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

May my soul be a sacrifice for your steadfastness! This servant attained to the perusal of your letter which was addressed to His Holiness, the Name of God, Mahdi - upon him be all the most glorious Glory of God. On one hand it brought boundless joy, for the sweet fragrance of the love of the Beloved of the worlds wafted from it. On the other hand it caused infinite sadness, for it was observed that some of the loved ones of God utter words which in themselves prevent the manifestation of divine assistance and cause discord among the people, and in truth lead to the frustration of God’s Cause among all else. Today those who claim relationship with the Truth must be set ablaze with the fire of the Divine Word and speak such utterances among people as would attract their hearts and souls, so that all may turn to the horizon of certitude through the light of utterance and the fire of the love of the All-Merciful. They must not speak words that extinguish souls and disturb hearts. From the unprofitable and useless utterances which some unconsciously make, no obligation remains for anyone. I swear by the Sun of the horizon of inner meanings that if the loved ones of God had acted according to what hath flowed from the Most Exalted Pen, all would have turned to the Most Glorious Horizon or returned to the fire. It is strange that some who consider themselves soaring in the atmosphere of divine knowledge have not yet attained to even the outer meaning of the divine words, nay rather, have not even inhaled their fragrance. For example, at the beginning of Ridvan He says, exalted and glorified be His Word: “We have manifested Ourselves through all names unto all things.” The purpose of this blessed word is that all things today have attained to the manifestation of the Lord of Names. Similar and even loftier utterances have been revealed in the divine scriptures, tablets and books, and their meanings and purposes have been explained in Persian and Arabic in numerous tablets from the Pen of Command. Blessed is he who hath recognized the intention of God and hath held fast unto it, detached from every barking one who knoweth not what he saith and every braying one who comprehendeth not what he uttereth. After the rending of veils and clouds and the shattering of the idols of vain imaginings, they have begun speaking ancient words anew. On one occasion this servant was present in the Most Holy Court and the Countenance of the Beloved turned toward me and spoke in Persian saying: “Once We went to certain lands for hunting until We reached a place where We observed a dervish preparing food. We asked him what he was doing. He stated ‘I am cooking God, I am cooking with God, I am cooking for God.’ We observed how far that poor one was from the stream of the knowledge of the Lord of the Worlds. Then We paused and spoke to him with utmost kindness and counsel until the rays of the Sun of Truth dawned from the horizon of his heart. He arose in apology, and he had a companion who walked naked among the people uttering the same words, and both attained to the lights of the dawn of inner meanings to such extent that the next day they ran barefoot alongside the mount, even though that land had many thorns, and they would not accept the offer to ride.” I beseech God, exalted and mighty be He, to protect His loved ones from the evil of harmful utterances, that all may speak that which God hath permitted and engage in service to His Cause. In the Most Holy Book and most of the Tablets He hath clearly and with perfect proofs set forth the obligations of His loved ones. His Word, mighty be His grandeur: “The Revelation hath […]”

Similarly, in a Tablet revealed from the heaven of the All-Merciful’s Will addressed to Nabil-i-’Ali of Qa’in, He has fully expounded the obligations of the people. Likewise, during the days when Baghdad was the seat of the All-Merciful’s throne, He warned the friends in numerous Tablets about the braying of calves, birds of darkness, croaking of ravens and the like. Similarly, in Constantinople and this land, these utterances were revealed in certain Tablets, and assuredly these matters will occur in most cities. We beseech God to assist His loved ones to remain steadfast in His Cause and to act in accordance with what they have been commanded in His Book.

There are some who are observed to be occupied with the mention of God and are speaking and remembering His praise to the utmost possible degree, yet they make that very mention and praise a snare for people. After they have captured the hearts of the weak, they cling to certain divine verses, both Persian and Arabic, that have been sent down from the heaven of God’s Will, interpreting these verses according to their own desires and thereby establishing a station for themselves, becoming the cause of people’s deviation and discord.

Today, should anyone be designated by all the Most Beautiful Names, yet utter a word other than pure servitude, he would be accounted before God as one of the losers. Do they not reflect that if a new claimant to truth should appear each day, all divine ordinances and heavenly commands would be suspended and delayed? We hope that some of the friends who speak according to their desires will show mercy upon themselves and others and not allow God’s Cause to be lost among the people.

In the Most Holy Book He says, exalted and mighty be His Word: “Let not your deeds be as snares wherewith to trap the object of your aspiration.” That is, do not make your deeds a trap to achieve your own desires, as is now observed among various sects where some appear with the utmost piety, remembrance and deeds, while their purpose is to achieve the desires they have concealed in their hearts. God protect us and you! Indeed, the sorrows that come from the friends have a more severe effect than what has appeared and appears from the idolators. We beseech God to protect His loved ones from both groups.

Today, each of the friends of God who are spread throughout His lands should be as a lamp for the guidance of the people, should walk among the servants with perfect wisdom, and should speak of the divine knowledge that has been revealed in the Book, so that all may be sustained by the living waters and may recognize the Dawning-Place of the Cause. After the martyrdom of the Most Great Branch, upon him be the most glorious of all glory, strife, contention and matters that cause the agitation of the heedless have been forbidden. The details of wisdom and the propagation of the Cause have been revealed fully in the Tablets and are available in most lands. I beseech God to assist all and enable them to attain His good-pleasure, which is the greatest of all deeds.

Every day a new call is raised and a commotion appears. In the previous year, two persons appeared in Rasht claiming truth, and some of the friends who had no knowledge of the root of the Cause […]

Those two souls had gathered and became the cause of dissension, until a petition reached the Most Holy Court. After receiving the response, they returned to the Supreme Horizon. God hath forgiven them as a token of His grace. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Bountiful, and His Self is the Truth. Should they find the sweetness of the Kawthar of servitude and become aware of this most exalted station, they would cling to it with such tenacity that all the peoples of the world would be powerless to separate them from it. However, they are heedless of the root of the Cause and unaware of the majesty of God and His sovereignty. If, today, any one of the loved ones should utter a word that is contrary to the good-pleasure of God, the people of Baha should counsel him, that perchance through their loving admonition he might become aware. Otherwise, none should draw nigh unto him. This is what our All-Knowing Lord hath decreed in His mighty Book. To each of the Afnan, upon them be all the most glorious splendor of God, I convey expressions of utter nothingness and complete effacement, and the Most Sublime, Most Holy, Most Glorious salutation. To his honor Shaykh Sadiq, upon him be the glory of God, I convey salutations and say that God willing, they may be enkindled at all times with the fire of God and illumine the peoples of the world with the lights of the utterance of God. Likewise, I have been and am mindful of and send greetings to the other gentlemen and friends. Glory be upon you and those who are with you.

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Blessed is the beloved friend, Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Muhammad-Husayn, may the Glory of God and His favors rest upon him!

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

Praise be to God Who taught the Supreme Pen that by which the denizens of the Kingdom of Names were attracted, and revealed therefrom that whereby those who have turned to the Most Glorious Horizon drew near, and those who have approached the Dawning-Place of Names, and those sincere ones who have attained to such a station that they speak not except by His leave and move not except by His command. These are servants whose praise and tribute the tongues of pens are powerless to render, and whose station and rank the pen of the world is incapable to describe. These are servants who have arisen to serve the Cause with wisdom and utterance. God hath sanctified their hearts from the insinuations of those who are veiled, who have cast away, denied, and turned away from God, the Revealer of verses.

O thou who art imprisoned for the love of God and His Cause, and who hast migrated in His path! The breezes of the morn of your love and sincerity toward God, our Beloved and your Beloved, have awakened me, and I was gladdened by the traces of your pen which moved in praise of our Creator and your Creator. When I opened and read it, I presented it before the Throne. These are the words which my Beloved and the Beloved of all who are in the heavens and earth caused me to hear - His word, exalted be His glory:

O Husayn! Thou hast been favored with the grace of God and hast borne tribulations and afflictions in His path. However, what is most important today is steadfastness in His Cause and to restrain hand and tongue from God’s creation. The victory of the Cause is now confined to goodly deeds, praiseworthy conduct, revealed wisdom, and exalted utterances which can be derived from the Book of God regarding the loftiness and transcendence of the Cause. I swear by the Sun of the heaven of God’s Command that should anyone today intend harm against this Wronged One, We would certainly not oppose him. This Cause has another station, another rank, and cannot be compared with the past or future. The people of Baha must raise their gaze and move above the earth and all that hath been and will be termed as heaven. Were We to unveil to those who are heedless what We have unveiled to you, all would hasten to the seat of nearness, sanctity and beauty, and would turn to the Self-Subsisting, the Most High. Blessed are they who are slain but slay not, who bear afflictions in the path of the Beloved but intend harm to no one. This is the station of My loved ones and chosen ones.

O Husayn! What have they gained from the world and what benefit have they seen? By the life of God, all of it cannot equal a single breeze that wafteth from the paradise of God’s bounty. What life is that which death doth not overtake, and what prosperity is that which ruin doth not seize? If one is deprived of the wine of divine love and is unaware of His realms, or is in despair, with what can he console himself or find joy? By My life, all are immersed in idle fancies and vain imaginings. Beseech ye God that He may cause all to attain unto the fragrances of His days, that they may perceive the fragrance of the true rose-garden and discover the purpose of creation.

At the beginning of Ridvan, the Ancient Tongue spoke three verses. In one verse, He removed strife, contention, corruption, killing and plunder from the world. All must fix their gaze upon that which God hath willed. The world never was nor is worthy of attachment, for every eye beholdeth its change and extinction. The world itself is a complete book, and all of it telleth of its own revolution, variation, transformation and extinction. Blessed are they that perceive, blessed are they that hear.

Some time ago, one of the friends of God sent this servant a letter, and at its end mentioned an intent to harm one of the people. It is quite clear that he intended this for God’s sake, as that person had perpetrated a great injustice in the land. After this was presented in the Most Holy Court, these exalted words descended from the heaven of will - His word, exalted be His glory:

Beware, beware lest thou commit what thou hast written at the end of thy letter. These are the deeds of the ignorant and the acts of the heedless. I swear by the Most Great Name that if any of the friends should harm anyone, it is as though he hath harmed God Himself. Conflict, contention, corruption, killing and the like have been strictly forbidden in the Book of God. Turn thou unto God from what thou hast intended in thy soul, then return unto Him and say […]

O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Exalted Word to inscribe for me the word of forgiveness, for I have desired within myself that which Thou didst not desire and which Thou didst forbid in Thy Book. I beseech Thee to absolve me of my misdeeds and to immerse me in the ocean of Thy forgiveness. Verily, Thou art the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

Every injustice that hath proceeded from an oppressor, leave it to the True One Himself. The hand of divine justice is all-encompassing and all-powerful. There hath never been, nor is there now, any need for corruption, conflict, disputation, murder and plunder. The triumph of the Cause hath been and ever will be through utterance, and all else proceedeth from the promptings of self. God protect us and you, O concourse of those who have turned towards Him.

It is abundantly clear that this person is unaware of what hath been revealed by the Most Exalted Pen concerning triumph. For had they been aware, they would never have undertaken such actions that contradict divine ordinances and bring harm to the Cause. Those like yourself should convey to others some of what hath been mentioned in this letter, that all may walk the straight path and hold fast to what the True One, exalted be His glory and greatness, hath ordained as the triumph of His Cause, and may awaken the heedless. One pure deed and one goodly attribute hath guided and will continue to guide multitudes. In ancient times, a person known as Hanzala, through one word spoken with sincerity, guided a king and many of his subjects. As the details thereof are recorded in previous books, this servant hath refrained from mentioning them.

In truth, this servant is perplexed and knoweth not how long certain matters shall remain confusing to some of the friends. I beseech the True One to assist all to achieve that which pleaseth Him and to enable them to fulfill what hath been recorded in the Book by the Most Exalted Pen. By His very Self, the triumph achieved through one goodly deed is superior and more perfect than a hundred thousand swords. Today all must free themselves from their own will, desire, conjectures, imaginings and fancies, and fix their gaze upon the Will of God. Blessed is he who hath attained, and woe unto the heedless.

Concerning what thou didst write about the honored mother of the sacred household, upon her be the Glory of God, it is clear and evident. However, until now no mention of such matters hath been made to anyone. God willing, all affairs shall be and are being set aright.

With regard to what you wrote concerning the mention of Jinab-i-Ismu’llah (upon whom be all the Glory of God, the Most Glorious), and likewise concerning his acting with wisdom, this detail was presented at the Most Holy Court. This firm and blessed word emerged from the Kingdom of Utterance - He says, exalted be His grandeur: “Blessed is he who holdeth fast unto it and followeth that which hath been commanded by the One Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.” May my namesake Jamal, through God’s eternal favors, be ever successful and act according to what God desires, becoming a cause of unity and concord in such wise that differences may be removed from among the friends. We, from this station, send Our greetings upon him and upon those with him, and upon those who observe the rights of God regarding His loved ones, and upon those who hold fast to wisdom, turning away from all else. Thus hath the Book decreed from God, the Mighty, the Bestower. We have made mention of Jamal and have sent to him in these days that which hath illumined the horizons. By My life! Wisdom is to teach My Cause with fragrance and spirituality, with remembrance and utterance, and with that which adorns the world with the ornament of love and fellowship. God willing, may they be ever focused on truth, joyous in His love, and successful through His grace. O Jamal! We have counseled thee with wisdom and counsel thee with wisdom and with that which will unite all in one station. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing Teacher. Convey My greetings to My loved ones and give them the glad-tidings of My mercy and My grace. Prolonged stay in the lands of Y and Sh is not permitted. Any of the friends who enter these two lands must, after staying a few days, proceed to another land. Verily He knoweth, decreeth, seeth and speaketh, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.

As for what you wrote about the aforementioned person speaking vain words in other lands as well - it is strange that the friends of God give ear to such nonsensical utterances of heedless souls. Such persons should be left to themselves - neither opposition nor association is acceptable. Leave them to their vain imaginings. Praise be to God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.

And concerning what you wrote about the honored and esteemed gentlemen Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Seyyed Ali, Aqa Ghulam-Husayn, and Aqa Mirza Muhammad-Baqir (upon them be the Glory of God) having shown their kindness in the previous post - it has not yet reached this ephemeral one, though news has come that their packet has arrived in the Prison Land. However, since this servant is now occupied with writing verses before the Throne outside the Prison Land, he has not yet been blessed with their kindness, though in truth it is considered as received, for whatever reaches Jinab-i-Samandar (upon whom be all the Glory of God, the Most Glorious) will reach him unless divine decree prevents it. In any case, mention of them was made in the Most Holy Court. This is what the Desired One hath revealed for them, that their mention may endure as long as the Kingdom endureth.

He is the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Ancient, the Most Exalted.

Remember My loved ones who have believed in God, the Protecting, the Self-Subsisting. He is a light unto them that see and a fire unto them that deny God, the Lord of existence. O Ali! Hearken unto My call, for it shall draw thee in such wise that neither the veils of the world nor the might of armies shall hold thee back. If thou findest the sweetness of the utterance of the All-Merciful, thou wilt forsake all creation and proclaim with wisdom: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of the seen and the unseen.” Thus hath the Supreme Pen spoken in the Kingdom of creation and summoned all unto God, the Mighty, the Loving. Hold fast unto the cord of thy Lord’s bounty and trust in Him in all matters. The glory that shineth forth from the mouth of the Will of the All-Merciful be upon those who have cast away vain imaginings, who have taken the choice sealed wine and drunk in His Name, the Best-Beloved.

He is the One Who speaketh through evidence

We have heard the call of those who have turned toward the Countenance when Its lights shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of God’s Manifestation, the Mighty, the Great, and We have answered them through Our grace with that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken. Exalted is He Who hath sent down this clear utterance. The heaven hath been cleft asunder, the earth hath been rent, and earthquakes have seized the tribes of the earth, yet the peoples remain behind a thick veil. They hear God’s verses and deny them, they behold God’s evidences and turn away from them, for they follow every ignorant remote one. Say: O people! The ocean of utterance hath surged and the All-Merciful hath come with proof and evidence. Fear God and be not of the heedless. Blessed be thy name, O youth, shouldst thou hold fast to that which beseemeth this mighty, sublime Name. When thou findest the fragrance of thy Lord’s verses, render thanks unto Him Who possesseth a preserved tablet.

He is the One manifest above the world through His Name, the Self-Subsisting

O Muhammad-Baqir! Hearken unto that wherewith the Wronged One remembereth thee. He calleth thee and all in the world unto God, the Lord of Lords. Say: By God, O people! He hath sacrificed Himself and all He possessed in God’s path. Fear God, O people, and follow not every aggressive tyrant. Behold the Dayspring of the Cause with His eye in this Revelation. This is what ye were commanded in the Scriptures and Tablets. Those who have cast God behind their backs shall soon be seized by the breezes of chastisement from all directions. Rejoice, O people of Baha, in that the Lord of Names hath guided you to the straight path. Say: Forsake what ye possess and take what ye are commanded by God, the Lord of the beginning and the end. Be thankful that the Wronged One hath remembered thee with that which all the treasures of the world cannot equal. The Lord of Eternity beareth witness to this in this station round which the Supreme Paradise circleth at eventide and at dawn.

Praise be to God that the mentioned souls have attained divine bounty. Today, whosoever hath attained God’s bounty is accounted among the gems of existence before the Throne. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to aid this servant and all the friends to preserve what hath been granted. Verily, He is the Generous, the Bountiful. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. On behalf of this evanescent servant, convey greetings to them and to each of the friends. God knoweth that this evanescent servant mentioneth God’s loved ones before the Throne and asketh for them that which will benefit them and draw them nigh unto God, the Goal of the mystics. The blessed Divine Branches - may my spirit, my being, and my essence be sacrificed for the dust of their feet - remember that noble one with most wondrous, most impregnable, most holy, most great, most exalted mention, and likewise those who circle round and stand before the prison-land convey their greetings with utmost sincerity and love. Glory be upon you and upon those with you and upon those whose names you mentioned and who have attained the bounty of God, the Lord of the worlds.

The Servant

23 Rabi’u’l-Avval 1298

=== END BH00364 ===

=== START BH00365 ===

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

The Divine Lote Tree beareth witness unto Him Who hath appeared in the kingdom of creation, that there is none other God but Him. He hath ever been sanctified above mention and praise, and exalted beyond the comprehension of all who dwell on earth and in heaven. He is the Hidden Mystery and the Treasured Symbol, He through Whose remembrance the books of the world have been adorned, and of Whom the All-Merciful hath spoken in the Qur’an: the Day when all people shall stand before the Lord of the worlds.

O Mahdi! Thy letter hath reached the Wronged One, and the servant standing before the Throne hath read it. Thou art he who hath acknowledged what God hath acknowledged, and hath spoken what the Most Exalted Pen hath spoken between earth and heaven. Blessed be thine eyes for having beheld the Most Great Sign, and thine ears for having heard My sweetest call, and thy heart for having turned toward My luminous horizon. We have nurtured thee, guided thee, caused thee to hear, and made known unto thee this Revelation, at whose appearance every edifice hath been shaken, the heart of every learned one disturbed, the foot of every man of wisdom hath slipped, and every lofty mountain been leveled.

We have found from thee the fragrance of sincerity. We made mention of thee before, and at this moment when the Speaker on Sinai calleth out upon the Branch of Revelation: “There is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.” Rejoice in this Tablet from which the fragrance of the loving-kindness of the All-Merciful hath been wafted throughout all possibility. He Who possesseth the perspicuous Book beareth witness to this, and give thanks for being mentioned by the Mother Book from this station which hath been named with the Most Beautiful Names in the Book of God, the Lord of all worlds. Thou hast attained unto that whose fragrance shall never cease to exist, as long as God, thy Goal and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and on earth, endureth.

Thou wert silent - His sweetest call made thee speak. Thou wert asleep - the Cry which was raised in truth awakened thee. Thou wert seated - the hand of thy Lord’s power, the Mighty, the Powerful, caused thee to arise. Canst thou render thanks befitting this most great favor? Say: There is no strength nor power except through Thee, O Beloved of the world, and no might nor ability save through Thy mighty sovereignty. Thus have the pearls of knowledge appeared from the ocean of thy Lord’s mercy, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

God hath ordained for thee that which shall gladden the hearts of them that are nigh unto Him. My Most Exalted Pen beareth witness that thou didst hear the Call and didst turn toward the horizon of the Cause when every learned one remote from God turned away therefrom. The glory be upon thee and upon thy wife, toward whom the glances of thy Lord’s loving-kindness have been directed. Give her the glad-tidings of her Lord’s bounty, that she may rejoice in this remembrance from which the sincere ones perceive the fragrance of the garment of their Lord’s grace, the Bestower, the Mighty, the Wise.

We make mention of Hashim, who was mentioned in thy letter, that he may rejoice in God’s remembrance, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. O Hashim! Hear the call of thy Lord, the All-Glorious, from the Supreme Horizon in the luminous spot: “Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Loving.” The world was created for this Most Great Revelation, yet when it appeared in truth, every heedless one turned away and every ignorant one rejected it. Say: O people of the earth! This is the Day of remembrance and praise, and this is the Day of the Call - how is it that ye hear not? This is the Day wherein the Supreme Horizon hath been illumined with the lights of the Revelation of Him Who is the Lord of Names - how is it that ye see not? By My life! This is the Day of utterance, yet ye remain silent, and this is the Day whose mention God hath sent down in the books of old, yet most of the people are unaware. Hold fast unto the cord of thy Lord’s grace, and cleave unto the hem of the True One’s loving-kindness, the Knower of all secrets. Thus hath My tongue spoken, as a favor from Me unto thee, that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Possessor of all existence.

We make mention of him who hath been named ’Ali in the Kingdom of Names, who desired to drink of My choice-sealed wine. O ’Ali! Hear My call from the precincts of My prison. Verily, He remembereth thee with that which gladdeneth the hearts and souls. Open thy vision that thou mayest behold My greatest signs and My most exalted horizon, then incline thine ear that thou mayest hear the call of God, the Self-Subsisting, the All-Compelling. Say: O concourse of the earth! This is a Day wherein all things speak forth: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of all mankind!” Verily, He hath appeared with the truth, with a sovereignty before which the hosts of the world cannot stand, nor can the cannons of the nations frighten Him. He proclaimeth between earth and heaven with the most exalted call: “By God! The Desired One hath come with manifest sovereignty!” Arise with supreme steadfastness in the Cause of the Lord of all creation, then rend asunder the veils in the name of thy Lord, the Sovereign of the seen and the unseen. Beware lest the veils of the peoples prevent thee from the Most Great Name. Behold, then remember when Muhammad, the Apostle of God, came, the divines of that age denied Him, and when the Spirit came, the Jewish scholars turned away from Him. Were anyone to judge with fairness, even to the extent of a needle’s eye, he would arise and cry out among the servants by virtue of this Name, through which the sincere ones have hastened to the shade of the mercy of their Lord, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving. Should anyone deny this Cause, by what proof can he establish that which he possesseth, and by what evidence can his heart find assurance? Thus have We expounded the verses and sent them down unto thee that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Possessor of the Kingdom. Leave the world behind thee, turning unto God and detaching thyself from all existence. This is a Day wherein the proof calleth aloud and the evidence crieth out, yet the people do not understand. When thou findest the fragrance of the garment and hearest the call of the Wronged One, turn thy face toward God and say: “I testify that Thou hast appeared and hast manifested Thy Cause, the Mighty, the Hidden.”

O Mahmud! The Best-Beloved turneth toward thee and calleth thee from the precincts of His hallowed House, and remindeth thee of that which God hath revealed in the Book. We make mention of them who have believed in God and We leave every sinful doubter. Blessed is he who hath attained unto the Most Exalted Word, which the Tongue of Grandeur hath uttered in this Prison, round which circle the Concourse on High at eventide and at dawn. We have found thy acceptance, wherefore We have turned toward thee and mentioned thee with that which shall cause thy remembrance to endure throughout the eternity of the names of thy Lord, the Revealer of verses. Preserve this station through the Most Great Name, Which speaketh from the most exalted station. We counsel thee and those who have believed in that which exalteth the Cause of God, the Lord of Lords. Blessed is he who hath arisen to serve the Cause and hath done that which he was bidden in the Book.

O Muhammad-Rida! The Lord of Names maketh mention of thee that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the All-Forgiving, the Most Bountiful. We counsel thee and those who have believed to perform pure deeds in this Day which was mentioned in the Books of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Take hold of God’s Tablet with the power that proceedeth from Him, then act in accordance with that which thou hast been commanded by an All-Wise Ordainer. Beware lest the veils of creation prevent thee from this Truth, at Whose appearance the atoms cried out: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of the worlds!” This is the Day of deeds, yet most of the people are heedless. This is the Day of knowledge, yet most of the people are turning away. And this is the Day of God, were ye of them that know. Say: Cast behind you what ye possess of idle fancies and vain imaginings, and hold fast unto that which ye have been commanded in a glorious Book. Every rock hath stood up, every stone hath stirred, and every clod hath spoken through the fragrances of the verses, yet the people are in evident blindness. Blessed is the strong one who hath shattered the idols of vain imaginings through My Name, the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Compelling.

O Muhammad-Sadiq! The face of Him Who was wronged hath turned towards thee, inasmuch as thou hast turned unto God, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting. Render thanks unto God for having caused thy name to flow from His Most Exalted Pen, and for having honored thee with this Tablet which hath been ordained, from which all who are endowed with perception can inhale the fragrance of God, the Lord of the Kingdom. We counsel thee and those who have believed to observe trustworthiness and truthfulness, and all that whereby the Cause of God, the Lord of all that hath been and shall be, may be promoted. Strive that there may appear from thee that which shall immortalize thy name in God’s preserved Tablet. Be thou a speaker before the face of thy Lord and a doer of that whereunto thou art bidden by God, the Mighty, the Beloved. It behoveth every one who hath believed in God to act according to that which hath been ordained in the Most Holy Book, which hath been sent down from the presence of the True One, the All-Knowing.

O Ali-Muhammad! Bear thou witness unto that whereunto God hath Himself borne witness - that there is none other God but Him, and that He Who speaketh is the Hidden Mystery, the Treasured Secret, He Whom the Messengers of God, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting, have heralded. By God’s life! The Day is come, yet the people have turned away therefrom. The time of escape hath arrived, yet most men understand not. Hold fast unto the Book of God; verily it shall suffice thee. He Who hath turned towards thee from His Glorious Habitation beareth witness unto this. Say: This is the Day whereon the Trumpet calleth out, saying: “The Lord of Revelation is come!” and the Speaker of the Mount proclaimeth: “There is none other God but Me, the Mighty, the Well-Beloved!” All things have testified to the Lord of Names, and the Balance crieth out from the heart of creation: “By God! The All-Merciful is come, yet the people are turning away!” Blessed is the heart that hath turned towards Him, and the face that hath set itself towards Him, and the eye that hath beheld the glorious station. Arise, O My loved ones, to remember and praise God, then act in such wise as to exalt your stations and elevate your names in the worlds of the seen and the unseen. Thus doth the Mighty in Power instruct thee - He Who hath come with the Greatest Sign unto all who dwell in the kingdom of creation. Thy Lord is, verily, powerful over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but Him, the Protector of all that hath been and shall be.

O My Pen! Make mention of him who hath been named with My name, and give him the glad tidings of God’s signs, the Lord of all worlds. O Ha preceding Sin, and Ayn preceding Lam! Rejoice that the King of Names remembereth thee from His resplendent seat. Say: By God! The Greatest Vision hath appeared and the Lord of Destiny proclaimeth therein, saying: “O people! Cast away what ye possess and take that which I have commanded you from God, the Mighty, the Beauteous.” How many learned ones have been kept back by their knowledge from My Self-Subsisting Name, and how many unlettered ones have heard and hastened to the ocean of My Great Name! Say: O peoples of the earth! Fear ye God, then judge fairly of this Cause, at whose revelation all who are in the heavens and on earth were thunderstruck, save such as God willed, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Thus hath the sun of thy Lord’s utterance shone forth from the horizon of the Tablet. Be thou thankful and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Goal of them that are near unto Thee!”

O Hasan! Show kindness even as God hath shown kindness unto thee. Then praise thy Lord for having turned unto thee from this exalted station. Verily He hath borne for the sake of God that which none before Him hath borne, whereunto testifieth every fair-minded and discerning soul. Say: He was imprisoned once in the land of ?a, and again in Mim, then once more in ?a, and yet again in this mighty prison. By God’s life! Were it not for tribulation, nothing in this world would have profited Me, as testifieth the Lord of all things. He, verily, is the All-Informed, the Trustworthy. Blessed is the tongue that hath acknowledged that which God hath acknowledged, and the hand that hath taken what it was given from the presence of One mighty and powerful. We make mention of God at all times and guide mankind to His straight path. Among them are those who turned away, those who objected, those who denied, and those who pronounced judgment against the All-Informed One. Thus did they violate God’s Covenant and His Testament - they are assuredly among the losers. Say: O people! Fear God and abandon not that which ye invoke by night and by day. Verily your Lord, the All-Merciful, is the All-Knowing Counselor.

O Muhammad-Qabli-Hasan! Dost thou hear the Call of God, or art thou among the slumberers? Dost thou behold the Supreme Horizon, or art thou among the heedless? Hast thou found the sweetness of My most sweet utterance as it was raised betwixt earth and heaven, or wert thou far removed? Say: Glory be to Thee, O Thou by Whose name the horizon of knowledge was illumined and by Whose face-light all creation was made to shine! Thou seest and bearest witness that this servant hath cast aside all else save Thee and hath turned to the horizon of Thy grace, the ocean of Thy mercy, and the heaven of Thy bounty. My Lord! I testify that Thou didst cause me to hear Thy call, showed me Thy signs, and guided me to Thy mighty and perspicuous path. I bear witness to that which the Tongue of Thy Grandeur testified before the creation of Thy heaven and earth: There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Bountiful. I beseech Thee, O God of Names, by the Most Great Word and Thy Most Exalted Self, to ordain for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones and destined for Thy loved ones. Thou art, verily, the Almighty over what Thou willest, and within Thy grasp lies the kingdom of creation. Thou doest and judgest, Thou givest and takest away. There is none other God but Thee, the Omnipotent, the Almighty.

O Abu’l-Qasim! The Day hath come, and the Self-Subsisting calleth aloud from the Supreme Horizon, yet most of the people hear not. The greatest veil hath prevented them from the Lord of Destiny, as attesteth He with Whom is the hidden Book. All things have been illumined by the lights of the countenance of the Lord of Names, yet the people have turned away. Heedlessness hath so seized them that they have denied God and rejected His proof and testimony that encompasseth all beings. They would enter mosques and temples to remember God, yet when the Dayspring of Revelation appeared, they turned away from Him, following instead vain imaginings and idle fancies. Blessed is the strong one who hath broken the idols, and the steadfast one who hath arisen for this forbidden Cause. We made knowledge for the recognition of the Known One, yet when He appeared in truth, the learned and the mystics turned away, save whom God willed, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken. Blessed is he who hath heard and woe unto every heedless and veiled one.

O Mir-Muhammad! We make mention of thee and those who have believed in God, the Lord of all worlds. Say: O people of the earth! Set aside mere words and hold fast unto deeds. Thus doth command you the Self-Sufficient, the Most High, would that ye might perceive. This is the Day of remembrance and praise, and this is the Day of revelation and meeting, yet the people turn away therefrom. This is the Day wherein the ocean of divine knowledge hath surged and the fragrance of the All-Merciful hath wafted, yet most of the people know it not. They have cast aside their God and taken their vain desires, yet they perceive it not. They hear the verses of God and deny them, yet they understand not.

We counsel thee and those who have believed to observe My virtues and that which hath been sent down in My Book. By My life! Through these shall the Cause of God be made manifest amongst the servants. Of this beareth witness the Preserved Tablet that is with Him. Thus have We illumined the horizon of the Tablet with the sun of the remembrance of My Name, the Mighty, the Loving.

O Mahdi! Thou hast heard the divine verses in eloquent Arabic; now hear them in the sweeter Persian tongue and arise to praise and glorify the Best-Beloved of the worlds. Praise be to God that thou hast attained unto the hearing of the Call and been enabled to respond, for verily, in this day whosoever hath attained unto “Yea” is recorded among the near ones in the Manifest Book. All people have been created for the divine Day, for His recognition and service, yet when the banner “Verily I am the Lord of Revelation” was raised upon the highest summit of Sinai, all were found to be deniers and turned away. Fie upon them and upon those who followed them without clear proof or Book!

Praise be to God that thou art triumphant through divine grace and occupied with the mention and promotion of His Cause. This station is most great in the presence of the Throne. Know thou its value and preserve it in the Name of Truth, for the barking ones and the satans lie in wait, occupied with utmost deceit and craft. Ask thou God to protect those who have believed from the evil of these ones. Verily, He is the Hearing, the Answering.

God willing, thou shalt offer the Kawthar of divine knowledge to the people of the world with joy and fragrance, and like a banner upon the hills thou shalt be known by the divine Name. Today, conflict, corruption and contention have all been strictly forbidden in God’s Book, and victory hath been made dependent upon wisdom and utterance. Blessed is the soul that hath held fast unto these through the teaching of One Who is All-Informed.

Remind all through wisdom. The promotion of God’s Cause hath been and shall ever be among the greatest of deeds. Assured, content and well-pleasing souls must engage in this most great matter with perfect wisdom. Divine confirmation hath assisted and will continue to assist. Verily, He is the Bountiful, the Generous.

Convey greetings from the Wronged One to all the friends. God willing, may all act as befitteth the days of God. Say: O friends! The Tongue of the All-Merciful declareth: Until ye become aware of the false utterances of the past, ye shall not properly comprehend the truth and sincerity of this wondrous Day. Say: Hold fast unto that which the Wronged One hath taught you, purely for the sake of your Lord, the Mighty, the Wise.

Today the people of Bayan are seen to be the most veiled of all people, for they cling to vain imaginings and hold fast to idle fancies. To this beareth witness the Book of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. The cause of the world’s ruin hath been and is those souls who, in utter ignorance, have appeared in the guise of knowledge, and falsehood that hath appeared in the garment of truth. O people of Baha! Avoid these and remain at a clear distance. The glory of God rest upon thee and upon them from God, the Mighty, the Great. Praise be to God, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the Wise.

=== END BH00365 ===

=== START BH00366 ===

He is God, exalted be His station in uniqueness above all contingent beings! By His mighty and irrevocable Word He distinguishes between all created things, and verily He is the One who has power over whatsoever He willeth, and He is the All-Glorious, the Most Glorious.

Thy letter hath come into the presence of the Throne, and toward it have turned the eyes of God, the Sovereign, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. The Countenance of God hath been directed towards it as a grace unto thy soul, a bounty unto thine essence, a mercy unto thy being, and a favor unto thy reality. This is that whereunto nothing can be compared amongst all that hath been created between the heavens and the earths.

We have heard that wherewith thou didst call upon thy Lord, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the Inaccessible. We have learned that which the Spirit of the Command cast into thee, and whereby the Holy Spirit strengthened thee, and the Most Great Spirit spoke within thy illumined breast. Therein didst thou call upon God, thy Lord, with the sweetest of melodies, as though thou hadst heard the songs of the Dove upon the branches of the Tree of Glory, and recognized the melody of God from the Ultimate Tree and the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing. Well is it with thee for having drunk the wine of inner meanings from the hands of the immortal youths, and for being among those who have attained.

We shall therefore answer thee from the direction of the Throne with verses which render every possessor of knowledge powerless, and by a single letter whereof are created worlds the knowledge of which none comprehendeth save God, thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Thou didst call upon God at the beginning of thy letter saying: “Glory be unto Thee, Who hast glorified Thyself beyond the glorification of all else but Thee, and none hath any way unto Thy call and Thy good-pleasure.” O thou who art the manifestation of Our Name, the Generous! Bear thou witness that He hath ever been and that there hath been naught else besides Him. He hath thus glorified His Self through the glorification of His Essence, and glorified His Essence through the glorification of His Self. He hath sanctified His knowledge beyond the knowledge of all contingent beings, and none hath any way unto Him. He hath ever been in the heights of grandeur and glory, and in the summit of loftiness and majesty. That which the mystics know and the perceivers perceive - this is but a creation created by His command and returneth unto the seat of that revelation wherewith We have revealed Ourselves unto all contingent beings. Whoso turneth towards it reflecteth the revelation of his Creator and ascendeth unto the station of nearness, and whoso depriveth himself thereof is indeed cast upon the earth of forgetfulness. Thus doth the Tongue of the All-Merciful speak at this moment, that thou mayest be of them that know.

Bear thou witness at this moment that His Self hath ever been sanctified beyond the knowledge of every knower, the learning of every learned one, the perception of every perceiver, and the attainment of every seeker, and shall ever remain as He hath been. Verily, He is the Peerless, the Most Exalted, the Inaccessible, the Mighty, the Most High. That which His servants attain unto - this is the station We have created for them through them, by themselves. Thus have We detailed in all the Tablets, and thus do We detail at this moment in truth, that it may be a remembrance from Us to them that remember.

We have accepted from thee this glorification and have sent its fragrances to the most exalted Paradise, wherefrom the people of the holy realm have inhaled them, that thou mayest be of them that receive glad-tidings. O joy be unto thee for that thy tongue hath been loosened and hath spoken that which the Spirit spoke, and hath testified before God with a testimony that hath caused the spirits of the Concourse on High and the realities of the sanctified ones to rejoice. Detach thyself from the world, then take comfort in the remembrance of thy Lord, that God may cause to flow from thy tongue rivers of Kawthar and Salsabil. By My beauty! A single drop thereof is better in the sight of thy Lord than all that is treasured in heaven and stored on earth. Thus do We cast upon thee that which shall make thee independent of all the worlds. Therefore give thanks unto God, thy Lord, in that He hath heard thy call and accepted thy glorification and revealed unto thee in this Tablet that which is hidden from the eyes of the polytheists. Hearken unto that which is revealed, then take the Book of God with authority from Him, then recite it with the melodies of the Spirit[…]

Let thy heart be drawn unto Him, and the hearts of those who glorify God in the depths of sanctity and who, at all times, are engaged in a wondrous remembrance. And thou didst call upon thy Lord with another call, and it is this: I call upon Thee, though I am aware of this, with my inner and outer tongue, my manifest and hidden being, that Thou art God, there is no God but Thee. From time immemorial Thou hast been sanctified above being called upon by any of Thy creation, and Thou wilt ever remain exalted above being invoked by any of Thy creatures. I have heard Thy call, and I bear witness to that which Thou hast testified through Thy Self, Thy Tongue, and Thy Pen, that He is God, there is no God but Me. I have created all things by My command, and brought all beings into existence through the influence of My Pen. None besides Me can attain to the court of My glorious presence, and naught except Me can ascend to the heaven of holy knowledge of Me. For how can that which was created by My command attain unto My sanctified, purified, exalted, blessed, and luminous Self? Every call that ascendeth from all created things can rise no higher than the seat of revelation whereon We have manifested Ourselves through Our decisive, transcendent, mighty, and beauteous call. Beyond this, none hath any portion. Blessed is he who attaineth unto this exalted and glorious station. We beseech God to enable thee to achieve that which thou hast uttered in thy letter, to make thee steadfast in His Cause, to aid thee with the power of His triumph amidst all peoples, and to grant thee the fruits of the Tree, each leaf of which speaketh that whereof not a letter hath been mentioned in all creation. Thus have We expounded the verses unto thee and given thee glad tidings of that which is treasured in the sanctified repositories of Him Who preserveth all things. And thou didst call upon thy Lord again, and it is this: The believer is he who hath believed in Thy wondrous Manifestation, and the living one is he who hath been quickened by a breath of his recognition of Thy sovereignty, and the idolater is he who hath denied Thy radiant and resplendent Countenance, and the infidel is he who hath not been illumined by the dawning of the Sun of Thy manifest and glorious Visage. By My beauty! The Holy Spirit hath spoken through thy tongue, and God doth testify even as thou hast testified in thy letter, and calleth out from His ultimate dominion, nigh unto the divine Lote-Tree, the seat of His most exalted Throne: By God, the Truth! Whoso hath believed in Me hath attained all good, and hath drunk from the stream of certitude, and hath immersed himself in the oceans of knowledge, and his temple hath been adorned with the robe of grace from his Lord, the All-Merciful, and hath believed in all the Prophets and Messengers. Say: When the temple of the All-Merciful was established upon the throne of His name, the All-Bountiful, the Spirit of Life was breathed into the realities of all creation and possibility. Whoso hath arisen to serve His Cause, acknowledged His sovereignty, and spoken His praise is alive with the life of God, thy Lord, and hath entered the eternal, everlasting, transcendent and mighty City of Oneness, the All-Glorious, the Most Bountiful. And whoso hath turned away from the Spirit of God and His breathings, the Spirit hath been taken from him and his name shall not be mentioned before the Throne, and he shall be of those who have no remembrance, no name, and no trace, and who abide within the veils of their own selves among the dead. Say: O people! Fear God and associate not partners with Him in Whom ye have believed. Whoso associateth partners with Him hath associated partners with Manifestations who have no beginning and no end, and is recorded among the idolaters in the preserved tablets of holiness. Say: O people! Beware lest ye deprive yourselves of the grace of God and […]

Do not deny yourselves the wondrous tokens of His mercy. By the True God! Should anyone today engage in the worship of all who are in the heavens and on earth, and acknowledge in his heart the Manifestations of justice, and perform with his limbs every good deed, it shall profit him not so much as a grain of mustard seed unless he enters beneath the shadow of the Divine Countenance, becomes assured of God’s grace and mercy, and arises to serve God and assist His Cause to the extent of his ability. This indeed is a revelation from Us, and We are the Revealer thereof. Say: Do ye make mention of God with your tongues while denying His sovereignty? Woe unto you, O heedless ones! If God accepted the faith of nations in the past, will He accept your faith? Nay, by My true Self! He will accept naught from anyone save after they have loved Me, and this is indeed a mercy unto all the worlds.

I called upon my Lord again and again, saying: I render thanks unto Thee for having created me when I was nothing, and for having fashioned me to seek what Thou lovest and art well-pleased with. Deprive me not, by Thy right, from the manifestations of Thy Most Great, Most Exalted Revelation. For Thou art the Doer of what Thou willest, and the Ordainer of what Thou desirest for what Thou desirest. Know thou that God hath accepted thy gratitude, and by thy thanksgiving do the dwellers of the pavilions of eternity give thanks. This is of His grace upon thee, and none hath preceded thee in this bounty. Be thou, therefore, in great thankfulness.

We created thee through the hands of might and power, as a mercy from Us unto thee and unto Our sincere servants. We fashioned thee with wondrous attributes, caused thee to speak in praise of My true Self, wafted upon thee the breaths of the Spirit, and made thee a remembrance from Us that thou mayest remind the people of that which thy Lord hath inspired thee. Be not thou of the patient ones. We delivered thee from the veils of fancy through Our sovereignty, preserved thee from the darts of idle fancies through Our power, bestowed upon thee that which established thee upon the throne of unity, saved thee from the hosts of Satan, and clothed thee in the garment of acceptance between the heavens and earth that thou mayest remember thy Lord within thyself and find rest in thy station. Strive then within thyself to be among the steadfast ones. By the True God! This is a matter at which all things are thunderstruck, every soul’s lament is raised, and the mountains of the heedless are crushed.

We heard thy later call whereby were gladdened the hearts of those who sought the most exalted stations, who heard thy call and arose in thy love. Thus did We cause to flow from thy tongue that which is better than what is witnessed and seen, that thou mayest be among those firmly established. And it is this: By Thy glory, O my Lord and Master! Since Thou hast, through Thy mercy, enabled me without any merit to attain that for which none can adequately render thanks, enable me through Thy loving-kindness to be a prostrate servant before Thy Manifestation and a conquering soldier for Thy sovereignty. Through Thy power, make me such that whenever I encounter Thine enemies, I may vanquish them through a power from Thee and debate with them through an authority from Thy presence.

We have heard thy sweetest call and enabled thee through Our mercy and made thee worthy of the wondrous tokens of Our grace. We have therefore arrayed thee in the garment of names between earth and heaven and raised thee to the station of remembrance in the kingdom of creation. Arise then by thyself and fear no one, for thy Lord shall cause thee to triumph over whomsoever He willeth through His power and dominion from His presence. He is indeed the Strong, the Triumphant, the Almighty. Should all who are in the heavens and earth dispute with thee concerning the Cause of thy Lord, thou shalt not weaken. Draw strength from My Name, the Ruler, the Powerful, the Most Great, the All-Encompassing, for in His hand lies the kingdom of all things. He doeth what He willeth through His sovereignty […]

He ordaineth what He willeth through His command, and He, verily, is the Most High, the Almighty, the All-Wise. Be not grieved by anyone’s turning away, but remain steadfast in the Cause in such wise that the rejection of every infidel shall not harm thee, nor shall the cry of any crier prevent thee, nor shall the words that issue from the mouths of the idolaters sadden thee. By God, the Truth! Their association with God shall suffice them. Soon shall the fire of divine wrath be kindled in their hearts and shall return them to their abode in the nethermost depths, wherein they shall wail with the wailing of the distressed. And whenever they cry for help, they shall receive no succor. Thus hath the matter been ordained, and the sun of utterance hath shone forth from the horizon of revelation as a remembrance from One Who is mighty and beautiful.

Upon thee rest only My remembrance and the proclamation of My Cause. Whoso accepteth it doeth so for his own sake, and whoso turneth away - turn thou away from him and abide within a mighty stronghold. God shall soon distinguish between truth and falsehood, light and darkness, the fortunate and the wretched. Verily, He distinguisheth all things through a word from His presence, and He, verily, is the Powerful, the Ruler, the Resurrector, the Mighty, the All-Informed.

We have now made mention of some of what was inscribed in thy letter, and have deposited some of it in the treasuries of God’s will. God shall fulfill it in truth and shall manifest it as He pleaseth. Verily, He is the Most Merciful, the Compassionate.

As to what thou hast mentioned concerning thy brother, We have previously sent tablets unto him that he might become mindful within himself and return unto God, thy Lord, and be of them that return. All this is of Our grace towards him. Should he accept, God will reward him for his deeds, and should he turn away, no blame shall rest upon thee. Grieve not over this, but be patient in all matters and be of them that are patient. Deal with him in such matters that the fire of sedition may not be kindled between you, for this is nearer unto grace, and We have ever been gracious. Moreover, counsel him with wisdom and goodly exhortation, and contend not with him lest enmity arise between you, until God shall bring about His purpose. This is My bidding unto thee; act according to what thou hast been commanded by One Who is mighty and ancient. Perchance thereby love shall be generated in his heart, though thy Lord well knoweth what is hidden in the breasts, and whatsoever He commandeth His servants is but a grace from His presence. Verily, He is independent of all worlds.

Spirit, light, glory and splendor be upon thee and upon them that walk with thee on a straight and glorious path.

Then make mention unto thy merciful brother: Say: O servant, remain steadfast in the hour when every light is darkened, every sun setteth, every soul is perturbed, everything waileth, every pillar is demolished, the pillars of every believer are shaken, and the faces of all mankind are transformed save those whom thy Lord willeth, for He, verily, is the Most Merciful, the Compassionate.

O Rahim! We have sent thee a tablet aforetime, then after it another tablet, as a grace from Our presence and a mercy from Us unto thee, that thou mayest be of the thankful. Look upon what hath been revealed unto thee with the eye of thy heart. By God! The sign of God shineth in all things besides Him even as the Sun of eternity shineth from the Most Exalted Horizon, yet the people are heedless within themselves and are of them that are negligent. Cast away what is in the hands of men, then take what is with thy Lord, then be content therewith apart from all the worlds. Thus have We commanded thee in truth and cast upon thee through grace, and verily the grace of thy Lord hath ever been truly magnificent.

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=== START BH00367 ===

He is the One Manifest through My Manifestation, the Mighty, the Impregnable

God testifieth that there is none other God but I, the Rememberer, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Powerful. And I bear witness that I am God, there is none other God but He, the Rememberer, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Powerful. He, verily, hath testified in the heights of His Being to My Being, the Mighty, the Holy, the Luminous. And I, verily, do now testify in the exaltation of My Being to His Being, the Holy, the Mighty, the Luminous. He, verily, calleth within Himself, by Himself, unto Himself, that this is the Beauty unto which have turned all created things from before the time when there was no before, and unto which shall turn all existing things until an end that none among those who remember can recall. And I, verily, do call from My Self, unto My Self, by My Self, within My Self, in the heaven of all things and the earth of all things and the air of all things, that He is the One before Whom have bowed the necks of all existing things from a beginning that no beginning hath preceded, and before Whom shall bow the necks of all created things unto an end that no knower, however learned, can comprehend. By God! He doth in this moment declare above My head that this is He through one drop from the ocean of His knowledge all existing things have appeared and all beings have been manifested, and through Him all things have been attracted, and the letter K did hasten until it reached its beloved which was named N, if ye be of them that hear. And then do I declare above His head that this is He through the overflow from the goblet of His holy favors all existing things were raised up and all beings were dispersed, and thus was the matter in that moment when the Ancient Unseen appeared with that Beauty which the most discerning of beholders might perceive. O Essence of Eternity! Return from that holy air which bloweth within Thy Being unto Thy Being, for the birds of knowledge cannot soar to Thy precincts and the wings of certitude cannot ascend to the heaven of Thy nearness. Descend then and moderate Thy words from the hidden heights above and bring them closer to the lower reaches that perchance the intoxicated ones among the people of the earth might hearken unto Thy melodies and be drawn by Thy verses and taste of Thy bounties and draw nigh unto Thy Beauty, the Mighty, the Wondrous. And in this station wherein He hath been established upon the throne through His manifestation amidst all created things, He testifieth with His tongue and His limbs and every hair of His being that this is He Whom none among created things hath known, Who hath ever dwelt in the unseen of His Being, sanctified above the manifestations of names and attributes, but when He desired to make Himself known to all existing things He manifested Himself through a name among names and named it Ali in the kingdom of creation and between earth and heaven, that perchance the mystics among the eloquent ones might attain unto the holy places and know their Lord, the Most Merciful, in this Paradise which God hath created above all gardens and wherein He hath ordained that which neither the eyes of the monotheists nor the hearts of the sanctified ones have perceived. And then do We testify with My tongue and My limbs and every hair of My being that He is the One Who was hidden in the unseen of His Being and treasured in the heights of His glory, Whom the understanding of the eloquent ones hath not understood and the knowledge of the mystics hath not known. All created things are thunderstruck by a single melody from His holy melodies and all existing things are confounded by a single breath from the breaths of His command. And when He desired the manifestation of His sovereignty and the appearance of His majesty unto all who dwell in the kingdom of command and creation and in the dominion of heaven and earth, He then brought forth a name from among names and named it Husayn in the Concourse on high, that perchance the manifestations of creation might ascend unto the station of holiness in this station wherefrom the knowledge of all things is cut off and […]

O people! This is indeed He Whom ye suspended in the air, and at Whom ye fired bullets, and Whom ye slew with swords. By God, this is His garment, besprinkled with the blood of hatred, at which the dwellers of the pavilions of eternity have covered their faces, and over which the inhabitants of the all-highest Paradise and they that dwell nigh the Ultimate Tree in the most exalted Gardens have raised their lamentations. When He appeared again in another garment, ye rose against Him yet again, and I know not what ye desire, O company of evil ones, or what ye would do to this All-Powerful, All-Chosen Beauty. But by God, We know all that hath befallen Him and shall befall Him, and all is preserved with Us in a Tablet of might and protection. And then it was heard that I wept and cried out in the air before His head, raising such a cry as caused the ears of all created things, and all who dwell in earth and heaven, to be stunned. And I proclaimed: O people! By God, this is He Who appeared among you by the name of Ali, yet ye denied Him and knew Him not, and ye perpetrated against Him that which none hath ever done to another, nor can any pen record or any ink describe, until He returned unto Us. Then ye claimed belief in His beauty and repose beneath the shade of His recognition, yet when We manifested Him once again and sent Him unto you, ye rose against Him with the arrows of hypocrisy and cast at Him the darts of discord. By God, no tongue can utter what ye have done, nor can any ear bear to hear what ye have wrought. Soon shall We make known to you your deeds, and reveal to you what ye have done, and inform you of what your hands have wrought, O company of the polytheists. Then He saith: O people! This is indeed Hussein, whom God hath sanctified from every likeness, similitude, peer, equal, allusion and example. This is that Hussein who, were He to breathe upon the atoms of all created things the breaths that move within His Own Self, by His Own Self, for His Own Self, all things would arise and manifest the beauty of Hussein whom ye knew aforetime, and likewise His temple, His glory, His honor, His light and His radiance. Thus do We teach thee from the mysteries that were hidden beneath the veils of infallibility, which none hath known save My All-Knowing, All-Wise, All-Powerful, All-Mighty Self. Say: By God, this is indeed Hussein - were but a single light from the lights of His glory to appear on the horizons, thou wouldst find naught beside Him in His court, nor could any tree take root in His presence, how much less before the place of His severed head. Thus have We cast upon thee the word of truth, that thou mayest be among those who know. But thou, O Mahdi, sanctify thyself from such allusions, then recite the verses We have sent unto thee. By God, were thou to recite but one verse thereof, it would suffice thee above all the worlds, and thou wouldst find thyself possessed of a power none other among the servants can attain, and thou wouldst recognize within thyself the waves of the ocean of wealth such that were a single drop thereof to be poured upon all created things, it would render them wealthy through the wealth of thy Lord. Thus doth the Pen of Wealth move between the fingers of thy Lord, the Most High […]

When the radiant light shines forth from the countenance of thy glorious and most luminous Beloved, thou shalt understand the mysteries of the Cause and be numbered among those who are firmly grounded. We have bestowed upon thee aforetime the brilliant tokens of holiness, the concealed wings of glory, and the foremost pinions of the Cause, that thou mayest soar in that atmosphere wherein all things shall be seen beneath thy shadow. Then We witness that thou standest upon the ground of allusions. Sanctify thyself therefrom, for We have sanctified thee from all things and made thee the manifestation of Our Cause between the heavens and the earth. Know thou that We have interpreted this verse at the time when We were in Iraq according to what was befitting to possibility, and verily We decree all things in a clear Record. And this is for Husayn who heareth the melodies of the Divine Voice from his own ear, and beholdeth the beauty of His Being with his own eye, and perceiveth the fragrances of holiness from His locks, and there is none besides Him in His holy court who might turn unto Him or expound it or be numbered among the interpreters. And verily thou, interpret what thou willest by Our authority and knowledge from Us, and fear no one, and place thy trust in God, thy Lord, the Mighty, the Beautiful. God shall soon open the gate of thy heart to His knowledge if thou remainest steadfast in His Cause, and the allusions of the veiled ones shall not prevent thee, that thou mayest remain steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord and firm in the religion of thy Ancient Master. The decree concerning this Tree hath already been fulfilled - it had no portion in those days, if ye be of them that know. Although thy Lord God depriveth not anything from anything, yet all that We impart unto you is but one strain of utterance, else We possess other strains whereof were We to voice but one, every lofty and towering mountain would crumble and every possessor of exalted and profound knowledge would be laid low. Yet in these days We turn not Our gaze toward any in the heavens and earth save toward this Most Great Vision that dazzleth the eyes, wherein thou seest people lying prostrate, and beholdest them fallen upon their faces. Thus do We impart unto thee a Word that none can bear save he who hath detached himself wholly from all things and turned with his entire being to My shining and luminous Face. We have veiled the Tree about which thou didst inquire, that thou mayest witness how a single leaf thereof hath overshadowed all the worlds, and that thou mayest know that the tree of opposition besides it was planted at the place of martyrdom of Husayn’s head, if ye be of them that know. And in every city thereof is a leaf and branch, and thus do We inform thee through grace that thou mayest be of them that know. And in its relation to being opposite the place of martyrdom of the head are signs for them that ask, manifestations for them that are certain, and evidences for them that love. Otherwise, God hath sanctified His court from opposition and acceptance, from remoteness and nearness, from love and hate, and from the knowledge of all things and the certitude of all creatures. And whenever We bid you to knowledge and teach you the ways of nearness, this is from Our grace upon you and upon all the peoples of the world. Therefore, turn thy gaze to the Qayyumu’l-Asma, which We have made one of Our most excellent narratives in the kingdom, that thou mayest be of them that know through what We have taught thee in this mighty Tablet. He hath said, and His word is the truth: “O Joseph, O Most Great Gate, turn away from this Tree that hath grown up in the Gate upon the earth without truth, and follow ye the decree of your Lord, the All-Merciful, that ye may be numbered among the steadfast.”

In this verse are manifest tokens unto them that behold the words of God with their own eyes, but they that see with the eyes of others shall not be numbered among the heedful. Indeed He, exalted be His remembrance, hath announced His Beauty that shall be made manifest thereafter, and named His name with that wherewith His name was named in His first manifestation, saying: “O Joseph, O Gate, turn aside!” Then reflect upon what God hath intended therein, for therein is concealed that which shall silence the clamor of the falsifiers and the cry of the opposers. When mention was made in the holy precincts of turning aside, there arose such odors of aversion as stayed this Pen from its movement, this Serpent from its manifestation, this Trumpet from its blast, this Remembrance from its mention, this Horn from its mysteries, this Bell from its secrets, this Sun from its shining forth, this Heaven from its ascension, this Tree from its fruits, this Ocean from its waves, this Fire from its blazing, this Water from its flowing, this Air from its subtlety, and this Earth from its expansion. Thus was the matter, and We have mentioned it unto thee that thou mayest be of them that perceive. O Mahdi! Be not silent within thyself, and forget not the mention of the Calf and the Other, as We informed thee aforetime. This indeed is a bounty from Us unto you, that ye may know the ways of the God-fearing and be assured that all knowledge is within the grasp of thy Lord’s power, and in His dominion revolveth the mystery of the heavens and the earth. Yet most men, wrapped in the veils of their own selves, are among the dead. Free thyself from all things even as thou freest thy body at night from that which thou wearest by day, that thou mayest be able to soar in this atmosphere wherein no sound of the wings of them that are nigh hath been heard, save whom thy Lord, the Most High, the All-Powerful, the All-Wise, willeth. And since We desire not to disappoint thee in what thou hast asked, hearken then unto what this divine Pen conveyeth unto thee, that thou mayest be of them that are steadfast. Know thou that the Tree which was planted opposite the martyrdom-place of Husayn is the name of Ali which hath been combined with this resplendent, transcendent, mighty and inaccessible Name. And the Maiden that was suspended thereon is indeed the very Remembrance itself, its essence and its reality. Then doth He speak the truth, saying: “Verily I am God, there is none other God but Me. I have ever been the Beloved of the mystics, the Goal of the lovers, and the Ultimate Purpose of them that seek.” This Maiden was born of Baha and warbleth upon the mystic branches of the All-Glorious in this Most Exalted Name, saying, exalted be His remembrance: “By God the Truth! I am verily a Maiden born of Baha in a palace of moist red ruby…” and so forth. Thereby do the mystics recognize that which none else hath known, and drink of this Kawthar which floweth from the right hand of glory and power, and which God hath ordained none to drink save His servants that are detached and them that are sincere. With this We are content, and thou too be content with that wherewith We are content in mentioning the mysteries. Then be satisfied with what hath been inscribed by the Pen of Glory, and this sufficeth the peoples of the world. Yet We desire that thou shouldst recognize the Proof by His own Self and His manifestation between the heavens and earth, not by aught else, for allusions befit their own people, and the Lord of Names and Attributes cannot be known through them, if ye be of them that know. Therefore turn thy gaze away from all veils and all things, then toward the Perspective of God, the Resplendent, the Mighty, the Bountiful. And in conclusion, beware lest ye interpret the verse concerning the Calf, nor concerning him that is possessed of sinful lust, the suspicious one.

=== END BH00367 ===

=== START BH00368 ===

Let him be praised who is exalted in his station of glory and power!

Praise be to God, who has singled Himself out to bear sorrows from all who dwell in the realm of possibility, and has distinguished Himself with tribulations from all that can be named as a thing in the dominions of creation. And the more afflictions increased, the more He manifested mighty signs - exalted be the Lord of Names and Creator of Heaven, whom the oppression of the servants did not deter. He has arisen to establish His Cause and has spoken as He willed. He is, verily, the Ruler in the beginning and the end, and the Commander on the Day of Reckoning. Exalted be His power that has encompassed all created things; exalted be His greatness that has overcome all possibilities; exalted be His mercy that has preceded all existence. Blessed is the soul that has drunk from the Kawthar of His good-pleasure, and the face that has turned unto His face, and the tongue that has spoken His praise, and the foot that has arisen to serve His Cause, and the eye that has beheld the horizon of His bounty, and the heart from which the fragrances of His love have wafted, and the hand that has taken hold of His mighty and wondrous Book.

And then: May my soul be a sacrifice for your steadfastness, O you who have been named Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin by the tongue of God, the Creator of all things! The servant has been blessed with receiving your letter, from whose horizon shone the lights of the love of the All-Merciful. I understood its contents, and it ascended and was presented before the Desired One, and its contents were laid before Him. Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that which the nations are powerless to recount, how much less this evanescent servant. I beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist all to do what He loves and is pleased with. There is no refuge save in Him, and no escape except unto His all-encompassing mercy that prevails over the worlds.

As for what you wrote concerning the messenger of Jinab-i-Ismu’llah Jamal, upon him be Baha’u’llah’s Most Glorious Beauty, in these days he is dwelling near the divine mercy, and until now permission for return has not been issued from the Source of the Cause, and the petitions that you had sent have arrived.

One of the afflictions of God is that in most Tablets, matters that cause sedition, corruption, conflict and the clamor of the servants have been explicitly forbidden without interpretation, and likewise all have been commanded to wisdom. Both in the language of verses and in Persian the wisdom, meaning and details thereof have been revealed. Nevertheless, in most lands that which has occurred has occurred. For example, some time ago a person intended to go to the regions of Iran. This servant was himself present in the Most Holy Court when the Ancient Tongue verbally counseled him that he must conduct himself with the utmost wisdom and not speak except what God has decreed in the Tablets. Nevertheless, in these days several petitions have reached the Most Holy Court mentioning details about him that are the cause and reason for corruption, conflict and contention in the world. Consider, for instance, that despite the explicit prohibition revealed in numerous Tablets, every day a group arrives and a group departs, and some of these souls upon returning to every city and land speak contrary to what God has commanded them. And some travelers who were not granted permission for an audience after their arrival have gone and claimed they attained His presence. Among them was one named Haydar-’Ali from N-J who arrived but never attained the presence. Most of the emigrants also interceded but it was not accepted. Similarly, a person previously did not attain the presence and upon returning stole Aqa Ghulam-’Ali’s money and fled. It becomes evident that some souls who remain unemployed in those parts use pilgrimage as a pretext. For instance, some time ago a person arrived in the Holy Land and after being dismissed went to the outlying areas and submitted a petition to the Most Great Branch - may my spirit and being be sacrificed for the dust of His footsteps - stating that his daily expenses were such and such amount and must be provided. Similarly another person submitted a petition asking for a stipend to be given to him. In any case, one remains astonished that these souls have not yet attained a drop from the pure water of the divine Kawthar and remain attached and clinging to their own vain imaginings. Although some also turn toward God out of love for Him, since there is an explicit prohibition in the Book it has never been and is not permissible. Each day the return of a person becomes the cause of conflicting statements, for each one speaks differently wherever they arrive, and it is impossible for all these returning souls to speak with one statement and one word. These conflicting accounts of travelers cause discord among the people of different lands. None knows the wisdom of the prohibition except the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Apart from these matters, the very gathering in this land has been and will be the cause of harm to the Blessed Tree. Now forty-five travelers are residing in this land. The purpose of these submissions is that your honor be informed of certain matters. We beseech God to guide those who claim belief to His Straight Path.

“Blessed is he, again blessed is he, in that he desired to follow the command of his Lord, Who hath desired naught for His servants save what is best for them.” According to His command, it should be given to the destitute of that land, meaning those who have no means of livelihood today. Whatever reaches this land will also be sent to that land with utmost necessity.

Regarding what you had written about Aqa Abdul-Ghani from Sh., his situation was presented. According to His command, two persons have been given permission to attain the Most Holy Presence. In these days, more than two souls are not permitted, given the number of people already present here. Convey greetings on behalf of this evanescent servant to them. Let them engage in their work with the utmost joy and fragrance, or return to their homeland.

Concerning what you wrote about Jinab-i-Aqa Abdul-Karim, it was presented before the Most Holy Presence. He said: “We have accepted his pilgrimage. Let him return to Iran. Another visit is not permitted.”

Regarding the question about the mithqal, what is meant is the Bayanic mithqal which is nineteen nukhuds, and likewise regarding the months, the Bayanic month is intended.

Concerning the question whether the residence and special clothing, in the absence of male offspring, should revert to the House of Justice or be distributed like other properties, this is what was revealed in answer from God, the Mighty, the Bestower: Two-thirds of the house and special clothing revert to the female offspring, and one-third to the House of Justice, which God has made the treasury of the nation.

The question was also asked about the ruling for one whose death or killing is reported - whether it must be proven by the testimony of two just witnesses or by common knowledge. It should be clarified whether the two just witnesses must have seen with their own eyes, or if their certain knowledge and testimony suffices. The answer is that certain knowledge suffices.

Regarding the question about someone claiming a debt from another without witnesses or documentation, what is God’s ordinance in such cases? This is what was revealed from the heaven of God’s will: O Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin, claims of people are established by three things: by valid documentation, or by two just witnesses, or by the oath which settles and resolves it.

Your letter dated the 25th of Muharram arrived after completing the response to your previous letter, and achieved the honor of being received. Praise be to God that the fragrance of grace continuously reaches this evanescent servant, and the soul derives pleasure from it.

Regarding what you wrote about Haji Kazim, permission for him and Jinab-i-Aqa Abdul-Hussein was granted from the horizon of grace some time ago. God willing, news of this has reached you by now.

Concerning what you wrote about Aqa Ali of Khorramabad, it was presented before the Most Holy Presence. His word, exalted be His grandeur: “God willing, may they ever remain steadfast in God’s Cause through the Merciful One’s grace, and soar in the heaven of understanding on the wings of certitude. Verily, He remembers those who remember Him. Thy Lord is indeed the Compassionate, the Merciful.”

O Ali before Muhammad! This is the prison land - it behooveth not any seeker to enter therein. Hold fast to the cord of contentment, for this is better for thee than all that hath been created on earth. To this beareth witness the Lord of Names in this glorious station. The harm that hath befallen the root of the Tree in diverse lands hath been due to the gathering of the friends. Otherwise, God, exalted and glorified be He, hath loved His loved ones, and all have been and shall ever remain beneath His merciful glance.

Concerning Ali-Akbar from the land of Nishapur, of which thou didst write, it was submitted before His presence. His blessed and exalted Word: O Ali before Akbar! Verily the Lord of Power from the Most Sublime Vision calleth thee and saith: Blessed art thou for having believed in God, the Lord of the worlds. We have accepted thy turning unto God. Return to thy home with joy and fragrance, then make mention of this Wronged One, the Prisoner. Grieve not for that from which thou wert forbidden. Verily thy Lord is the All-Wise, the All-Knowing Ordainer. God willing, return with utmost joy and delight and be content with God’s good-pleasure. This is better than the visitation of those who have turned without permission from God. To this testify all atoms, yet most people are among the heedless.

As for what thou didst write concerning Mirza Yusuf, it was submitted. His word, exalted be His majesty: O Yusuf! We have heard thy call and witnessed thy turning to God, the Lord of the heavens and earth, and the Lord of all things visible and invisible. We have commanded all to wisdom and forbidden them from turning toward the Prison, lest there arise the clamor of those who have disbelieved in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Thou must return with the utmost joy and delight and convey to all the command of prohibition, that none may move from their place without permission. In most Tablets, turning to this direction hath been forbidden. Were the consummate wisdom concealed in this prohibition to be mentioned, all would be content with God’s good-pleasure and grateful for His prohibition. The love of God hath taken precedence and shall continue to do so. As thou observest, at all times He is occupied with the mention of God’s friends. Ye must return, perfumed with the fragrances of the All-Merciful, and summon all to wisdom, which is the foundation of the Cause. Any matter that appeareth from anyone without wisdom shall not be acceptable. God hath commanded all souls in the holy Tablets to teach the Cause, but with wisdom and utterance. All must look to the Tablets, not to sayings. Verily thy Lord is the Compassionate, the Bountiful. Matters that cause corruption, conflict and contention have never been and are not beloved. Today is the day of goodly deeds and praiseworthy character. Blessed is he who is adorned with My attributes, who speaketh that which hath been revealed in My Tablets, and who acteth according to what hath been commanded in My Holy and Luminous Book. Blessed art thou, for My Most Exalted Pen hath moved to make mention of thee. Preserve this station, then act according to what thy Lord, the Manifest, the All-Informed, hath commanded thee.

The petitions of Mirza Karim Khan have attained the Most Holy Court, and the petitions of Ali-Akbar - let any who intendeth to depart send them.

Regarding what was written concerning Muhammad Husaynavi, it was submitted before the Most Mighty and Most Holy presence. His word, exalted be His grandeur: […]

O Muhammad! Be not grieved at anything. Rejoice in thy Lord for He hath forgiven thee and will give thee better than what was taken from thee. Be thou assured and be of the thankful ones. Verily thy Lord giveth to whomsoever He willeth whatsoever He pleaseth. Nothing can prevent His command and He is verily the Powerful, the Almighty, the Omnipotent. Convey My greetings to the loved ones of God in Iraq. Say: Rejoice with the Most Great Joy and hold fast unto wisdom in all conditions. He is verily the True Counsellor, the Faithful One.

As to what was asked about whether the Arabic months are determined by the sighting of the moon or whether one can act according to what is specified in the calendar - acting according to the calendar is permissible.

Furthermore, regarding what was asked about the limit of travel for those who fast - the limit has been set at nine hours. If a traveler arrives in a place and intends to stay, it is permissible to fast for three days, but not before; thereafter he may fast. If he arrives in his hometown and it is during the days of fasting, he must fast. If a traveler has been traveling during the days of fasting, he need not make up for what he missed - that is, he need not fast in compensation. God hath pardoned him as a bounty from His presence. Verily He is the Forgiving, the Bountiful. The divine purpose from His wondrous favors is that all should act upon His commandments with joy and fragrance and hold fast to His laws.

And concerning what you wrote about the testimony of two just witnesses - they are souls who are known in every city for their piety and trustworthiness.

=== END BH00368 ===

=== START BH00369 ===

All praise is befitting and worthy of the Most Great Cause, which hath delivered the world and its peoples from the oppression of the polytheists and the hatred of the infidels, and appointed them their station beneath the blessed Lote-Tree of Justice, and gathered them together. Exalted be His grace, magnificent His compassion, glorious His grandeur and His bounty!

O Name of Generosity! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Lord of existence. Two letters from the Name of God “J”, upon him be My glory and favor, attained the Most Holy Court. In truth, they are ever gazing toward the horizon of the Revelation in all conditions, and remain alive and steadfast in hope of rendering service. The Supreme Pen beareth witness to his mention, praise and service, and his answer, should God will and desire it, shall be revealed and sent in detail.

Regarding the matter of souls turning toward various regions for the purpose of teaching God’s Cause and spreading its traces, it is not permissible to insist upon anyone. The proclamation of the decree hath been sent down from the heaven of the Divine Will. Assuredly, none of the friends can remain content with any shortcoming, nor have they fallen short, nor will they fall short, in that which hath proceeded from the Source of the Command. Praise be to God, each one hath attained that which hath no likeness or equal. All this is from God’s grace and favor.

At present, should they turn for a while toward the land of M, it would be acceptable in the sight of God, inasmuch as the friends in that land have not for some time been blessed with the traces. We bear witness that they have arisen, have turned, have heard, and have responded to their Lord, the Speaker, the Utterer, the Caller, the Commander, the All-Wise.

O Name of Bounty! O Javad, upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness! For some time, according to outward appearances, thou hast not been honored with a mention, and the replies to thy letters which thou didst send to the Most Holy Court have until now been delayed. This is due to the turmoil and discord in the world. However, the Ancient Beauty beareth witness before the faces of the world that thou hast attained unto acceptance and the propagation of the Cause of thy Lord, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted. That household and its members have ever been remembered, and the recent affliction hath caused grief. We testify that she attained in the earliest days and took the chalice of certitude in the name of her Lord, the Most Merciful, and drank therefrom, draught after draught, cup after cup, in the name of her Most Glorious Beloved. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to inscribe for her from the Pen of Bounty the reward of attaining His presence and of standing before His countenance. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Generous. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to send down upon her in the highest Paradise, at every moment, mercy from His presence and loving-kindness from His own Self, and to make her among those who circle round His Cause in all His worlds. May He strengthen the people of that household to manifest beautiful patience and noble forbearance. Praise be to God! That honored lady hath ever gazed toward the horizon of manifestation and hath been content with God’s good-pleasure. In the days when destined tribulations befell the Seal of the Prophets–may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for His sake–this blessed verse was revealed from God. His exalted Word: “Wealth and children are an adornment of the life of this world, but the good deeds which endure are better in thy Lord’s sight as a reward, and better as a hope.” By the life of God! Verily she is in an exalted station and a resplendent dwelling place. The glory shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My bounty, and the light radiating from the horizon of My Kingdom, and the glory of My loved ones and chosen ones and of all who dwell in My earth and My heaven, be upon her and upon those who make mention of her through that which hath been revealed from My Pen and the heaven of My Will, which hath encompassed the dominion of earth and heaven. The one bearing the Remembered Name hath mentioned the loved ones of God in each of the villages, and all are illumined before the Divine Throne with the light of remembrance and adorned with the glory of His special favors. We beseech God to aid them to remain steadfast in this Cause, through which, when it was made manifest, the limbs of every idolater trembled while the hearts of them that are sincere were tranquillized. Grace and mercy and loving-kindness from God be upon them and upon His sincere and patient servants.

O Samandar, upon thee be the Glory of God and His bounty! Mention hath been made of his honour Aqa Siyyid Mahmud of the people of Kakan, upon him be the Glory of God, the Lord of the hidden and the manifest. We console and comfort him in that which hath befallen him through God’s irrevocable decree, and bid him to patience and forbearance, and We give him the glad-tidings of that which God, the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful, hath ordained for him. Five descendants of the Apostle of God - may all else besides Him be sacrificed for His sake - among the males, have ascended by the command of the Lord of the Day of Resurrection, and the polytheists uttered unseemly words. Therefore was revealed the blessed Surih “Verily We have given thee the Kawthar,” and likewise the aforementioned blessed verse descended from the heaven of divine bounty, and the revealed verses transformed his grief into supreme joy. We hope that his honour Mahmud will be so seized by divine attraction that he will utter the blessed words: “Thine is the praise, O God of the world, and Thine the glory, O Thou Desire of the nations!” The Word of God hath wrought miracles and manifested wondrous signs, yet the heedless and the doubtful remain deprived and forbidden. Say: O Mahmud! He hath purified thee from thy transgressions and forgiven thee through His grace and His mercy which hath preceded existence itself. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the seen and the unseen, and unto Thee be glory, O Sovereign of generosity and bounty! The friends of that village, both men and women, and likewise those of other villages, have all in this hour been blessed by the fragrances of God’s remembrance. Say: Glad-tidings unto you, O people of the villages! By the life of God, at My remembrance of you, the ocean of My bounty surged and the fragrance of My favor was wafted abroad. Blessed are ye and blessed is he who hath guided you to My straight path. We counsel you to steadfastness in this momentous Cause.

O Samandar! Upon thee be the Glory of God and His bounty. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to open before your faces the gates of His grace and bounty, to assist you in exalting His Word, to protect you through His sovereignty, and to preserve you through the hosts of His wisdom and His utterance. Verily, He is the Strong, the Triumphant, the Almighty. As for what thou hast mentioned regarding the trust of his honor ’Abdu’l-Hadir, who is present before the Throne, in these days wisdom requireth no movement, nor will it require it. Say: My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having given Thy servants to drink of Thy sealed wine through Thy Self-Subsisting Name, and for having made known unto them the horizon of Thy Manifestation and that which hath been sent down from the heaven of Thy bounty and the atmosphere of Thy will. I beseech Thee by Thy radiant and effulgent light, and by Thy mighty and wondrous Name, whereby the realities of names were shaken and the manifestations of wickedness and indecency lamented, to adorn the temples of Thy servants with the raiment of godliness and their heads with the crown of steadfastness and detachment, that they may not be frightened by the might of the oppressors nor the tyranny of the aggressors. O my Lord! Open unto them the gates of Thy bounty and grace, then aid them with the hosts of Thy justice. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, to Whose power the tongues of all created things and the realities of all beings have testified. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Bountiful, the Mighty, the All-Giving. Within Thy grasp lie the reins of all affairs in their beginning and their end.

O Name of Bounty! Mention hath been made of His honor, the Name of God Jamal, and of His honor Aqa Mahmud, upon whom be the glory of God and My loving-kindness, and his son ’Ata’u’llah, and the two sons of the departed and exalted Kamalu’d-Din, upon whom be My glory and loving-kindness - Aqa Nur and ’Ali - and their mother. Praise be to God, they have been and are remembered, both before and after. We have desired to make mention of ’Ata’u’llah, that My call may draw him to a station wherein he shall behold naught save the manifestations of God’s majesty and His signs that have encompassed the kingdom of earth and heaven. We beseech God to assist him in serving the Cause and to enable him to achieve that which He loveth and pleaseth. Verily, He is the Truth, the Knower of things unseen.

We make mention of Aqa Nur who attained My presence and quaffed the choice wine of utterance from the cup of My bounty. We testify that he is among those who have won the mention of My Name in My days and who circled round My Sacred and Beloved House. And We make mention of him who is named ’Ali, who attained My presence at the time of departure from the House. We beseech God to remember him in His Preserved Tablet and to ordain for him that which shall endure as long as My Name, the All-Compelling, shall endure over all who witness and are witnessed.

We make mention of their mother, My handmaiden and My leaf who attained in days when the Light was shining from the horizon of Zawra. We beseech God to ordain for her in the highest Paradise the best of the hereafter and of the former times. Verily, He is the Almighty, the All-Compelling over what was and what shall be.

We make mention of Mahmud who won the mention of My Name in the Scriptures and Tablets, and We have sent down for him that which shall endure as long as My mighty and inaccessible dominion shall endure. O My Most Exalted Pen! Turn thy face toward the land of Ha and Mim, then make mention of My loved ones there, that they may rejoice in the loving-kindness of their Lord, the Lord of existence. By the life of God! We love to make mention of them through verses the like of which the ears of contingent beings have never heard, as a token of Our grace, for I am verily the All-Merciful, the Mighty, the Loving. The loved ones of that land have ever been and are remembered, but the Pen hath outwardly paused from their mention as a wisdom from Us, though inwardly their names have never been erased from the tablet of My heart and My Preserved Tablet.

O Muhammad-i-Baqir! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. We testify that thou didst hear the Call and didst turn unto it when most of the servants turned away, and thou didst drink the choice wine of love when it was forbidden to all in the land save whom God, the Lord of the Promised Day, did will. Thou hast been and art remembered in all conditions. Earth and heaven and all things bear witness to God’s loving-kindness, grace and mercy toward thee and thy kindred. The Prison Land is ever subject to trials, and in most times the idolaters have been a barrier and hindrance. We beseech God to ordain that which shall cause your names and remembrances to endure. Ye have not been and shall never be erased from sight, as attested by what hath been sent down for thee and those with thee in this Clear Tablet.

We make mention of Javad who hath attained that which was inscribed and recorded in the Books of God, the Lord of the worlds. By the life of God! He hath been beneath the gaze of My loving-kindness, as My Clear Book doth testify. Each of his kindred hath been mentioned. We send Our greetings unto them, convey unto them Our peace, and give them the glad-tidings that their names have been inscribed in the Tablet from the presence of One mighty and powerful.

In these days corruption hath appeared from every direction. The loved ones of God must therefore fix their gaze upon reformation, and remain sanctified and pure from corruption. Now, praise be to God, most kings and rulers bear witness to the absence of corruption in this community. In truth, the station of the people of God is that of kindliness, mercy and love towards all peoples. We must give thanks to God, exalted be His glory, in the nights and days that He hath adorned His loved ones with patience, submission and contentment, such that in the land of Ya, despite the flames of hatred and animosity, none arose in defense. That which they were commanded became manifest from them. Blessed are they and joyous are they. For three days the Tongue of Grandeur spoke in praise of those souls, and there was revealed in their name that which hath no likeness or parallel in the realm of utterance. Joy be unto them and a goodly return.

His Honour the Trusted One, upon him be the glory of God, the Lord of the worlds, repeatedly mentioned before imprisonment the loved ones of that land, and likewise mentioned the sons of the Friend and the heirs of Him Who conversed with God. That honoured one should give to all, on behalf of the Wronged One, the glad-tidings of what hath been revealed in the divine Tablet. Say: O sons of the Friend, who have drunk of My choice-sealed wine and have attained unto that which the detached ones and honoured servants have attained! Rejoice in that the Tongue of Grandeur hath moved to mention your names and make remembrance of you from His praiseworthy station. The Trusted One hath mentioned you in various papers, therefore We make mention of you in such wise as to attract the hearts. Grieve not over what hath befallen the loved ones in the land of Ya. We have changed oppression into victory and its signs have appeared, and soon that which lay hidden in God’s knowledge shall be made manifest, the Help in Peril, the Mighty, the Beloved. Take ye the chalice of certitude in the name of your Lord, the All-Merciful, then drink therefrom despite every malicious denier. This is the Day wherein the Mount calleth out with the most exalted call and the Tree uttereth that which hath bewildered minds. By God! That which was concealed from eyes hath appeared and the mystery of God, the Mighty, the Loving, hath been revealed. We counsel you with the wisdom We have sent down in the Tablet and with that which draweth people nigh unto God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. We make mention of My handmaidens there and counsel them with the Most Great Chastity. Blessed is the handmaiden who hath attained unto the mention of her Lord and hath heard what hath been sent down from the Pen of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. We have borne all tribulations for your salvation. To this beareth witness the Tongue of My grandeur in this outspread scroll. We beseech God to protect His sheep from the wolves of the earth and to aid them through the angels and the hosts.

We desired to return to the land of Qaf and adorn this leaf with mention of My loved ones there and My chosen ones whom We have not mentioned outwardly. We testify that they have turned, have attained, and have drunk from the cup of the bounty of their Lord, the Sovereign of sovereigns. Blessed are they and joy be unto them and unto those who love them and who hear their call in remembrance of this forbidden Remembrance. We make mention of My handmaidens and My leaves there and give them the glad-tidings of My manifest and evident grace. God shall soon make manifest their station among the handmaidens and exalt them through His sovereignty which hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. Thus hath My Pen moved and My tongue spoken, as a grace from Me to My loved ones and My handmaidens in this mighty and sublime station. The glory that shineth resplendent from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon those who have cast away idle fancies and vain imaginings and have taken what hath been sent down for them from God, the Omnipotent, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

=== END BH00369 ===

=== START BH00371 ===

In the name of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing!

O thou who art the adornment of them that are nigh unto God! Remind My servants on My behalf, then gladden them with tidings of My mercy and My loving-kindness, then My grace and My generosity, that none may despair of the mercy that hath encompassed all the worlds. Say: By God! Were it not for the Youth, mercy would not have been manifested, nor would the Word have been fulfilled, nor would the Kingdom of God, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Powerful, have been sent down.

Remind, from Our presence, Our servant who hath been named Mahdi and those who are there, that they may give thanks unto God Who created them and aided them to know Him and made them to be numbered with the doers of good. O Mahdi! Grieve not at anything, for thy Lord is possessed of great bounty. Be thou confident in the grace of thy Lord, for He is verily the Forgiving, the Merciful. He will help thee with the truth and will aid thee in His Cause and will make thee speak in praise of His Self, and He, verily, hath power over all things.

Magnify, from Our presence, those servants who have turned unto God, the King, the Mighty, the Powerful. Say: Those who have repented and turned back, God hath forgiven them through His grace, and hath absolved them of their misdeeds, and made them pure as on the day they were born of their mothers. Verily thy Lord doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth.

O Mahdi! Kindle in the hearts of My servants the fire of My love, that it may blaze forth in such wise that the waters of the world shall not quench it. Say: This is a fire which, when it toucheth aught, transformeth it into oil, thereby increasing its blaze, yet the people are in grievous heedlessness. O people! Be steadfast in the Cause in such wise that the clamor of the idolaters shall not prevent you from remembering the name of your Lord. Soon will Satan come unto you with tablets of fire and a book from hell - cast them behind you. Thus have We informed you of the truth that ye may be of them that act.

With thy Lord is the knowledge of all things in a perspicuous Book. They who have been given insight from God, these shall find in their words the exhalations of hell. Say: O people! Purify your hearts from the mention of aught else but Him, then settle yourselves upon the thrones of certitude, then aid your Lord, the All-Merciful, through utterance. This is what He hath commanded you in all the Tablets, if ye be of them that know. And rejoice in that the breezes of forgiveness have wafted over you, and God hath thereby purified you from the defilement of those who have disbelieved in Him on this Day wherein all things bear witness that sovereignty belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the Mighty, the Compeller.

Then remind, from Our presence, Qasim who came unto you with the tablets of God, the King, the Mighty, the Wise. Say: O people! Read ye the verses of God in such wise that the hearts of the heedless may be attracted thereby. Grieve not over what hath escaped you, but in all matters put your trust in Him. Verily, He forsaketh not His servants who place their trust in Him. Thus have We cast upon thee the word of truth as a mercy from Us, and verily He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

O Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin! Praise God that the people of that land have rent asunder the veils and turned their faces toward the Lord of Lords. Whosoever is in the least perceptive and ponders the verses revealed in the Bayan from the Pen of the All-Merciful will assuredly know that today there is no refuge for any soul save in clinging to His Most Firm Cord. Observe the heedlessness of the servants, how some have not even succeeded in pondering why the entirety of the Bayan was made contingent and dependent upon the acceptance of this Most Great Revelation and His leave and good-pleasure. The Divine Manifestations Who were sent forth in former ages would, after proclaiming God’s commandments and prohibitions, make brief mention of the subsequent Revelation, as is evident to every person of insight. The Point of the Bayan, however, exalted be His glory, made mention at all times of this wondrous Remembrance, to such extent that He made Himself, the Bayan, and all that was revealed therein contingent upon a single word that would shine forth from the horizon of the mouth of the Sovereign of meanings. All these degrees were in view of the greatness of this Revelation, the full description of which hath not yet been given. In one of the Tablets, a drop from the ocean of this Most Great Sea was revealed, yet until now no one hath attained unto it. By the life of the Point of the Bayan - may the spirit of all existence be sacrificed for His sake! - I have neither liked nor do I like to mention the revealed verses concerning the loftiness of this Revelation. Indeed, even those matters from which His existence might be inferred have not been beloved by this servant. And this much that hath been mentioned was only due to God’s decisive command and His binding decree, lest weak souls should again fall prey to the vain imaginings of malicious people. Even now it can be observed that each day fabricated words emerge from the direction of the liars. Among these, in recent days they have reported that the Primal Point wrote a letter stating that someone would appear in the year nine claiming to be the Promised One, and that he would be a liar. Now observe to what degree their wickedness hath reached. Your honor hath seen what verses of nine were revealed from the heaven of command, yet they lack even the discernment to realize that if anyone were to attribute falsehood to this Most Great Revelation or deny this grace, that very denial would first and foremost rebound upon themselves, and through such words they have proclaimed the falsehood of the Point and all the Messengers, yet they perceive it not. All this audacity and presumption stems from people’s lack of capacity, for some of the foolish ones would certainly accept whatever they hear from such ignorant souls - otherwise how would they dare to utter such fabricated, slanderous, false words? This, despite the fact that all are aware and any person of understanding would perceive that He had no independent existence from the very beginning, and whatever was mentioned in His name was intended to preserve the Seat of the Cause that was encompassed by the polytheists, as well as other consummate divine wisdoms, some of which have been mentioned in the Tablets. They have also written that the year nine mentioned by the Point of the Bayan refers to the year nine after the […]

Consider Him Whom God shall make manifest at the time of Mustaghath. Observe now - hath any ignorant one ever uttered such words? Nay, by the Lord of all the worlds! They have spread a web of vain imaginings greater than the webs of former peoples. At the time of emergence from between Gog and Magog, who were two polytheists, I sent a box containing blessed writings of the Exalted One and Aqa Siyyid Husayn, along with His seal, to that one who turned away from God. And in the early years of the new Cause, for four years We commanded him to copy from the writings of His Holiness, such that now writings of that apostate in the style of His Holiness exist. In these days he hath begun using those same writings and writing whatever Satan inspires in him, sealing it with His Holiness’s seal and showing it to vile souls like himself. The deceit hath reached such a degree that it cannot be described. Say: O servants! Where hath understanding and wisdom gone? Every word indicateth its author, and from the fragrance of every breeze it is evident from what place it hath arisen and over what it hath passed. The sweet fragrances of the divine paradise are clearly distinct from the stench of putrid carrion. The most wicked of men, namely Siyyid Muhammad, hath claimed divinity, and his purpose in these acts he hath committed was his own self, using another as pretext, even though “This is one of the people of hell” is clearly written on his ill-omened forehead. Nevertheless, these subhuman beings have desired to ascend to the heights of divine glory through him. Such is the state of the servants. Had there been the slightest discernment, or had any soul inhaled the fragrance of God’s garment, they would never consent to walk in the direction where that wicked one dwelleth, let alone turn towards it. But the people do not understand nor comprehend. Today it behooveth you and all the loved ones of God to exert the utmost effort and striving in protecting and preserving the Cause, lest the foul odors of Satan prevent and deprive people from the sweet fragrances of the All-Merciful. The Command is in His hand - He doeth what He willeth, and He is powerful over all things.

In these days Persian Tablets concerning divine ordinances are being revealed. Although all are commanded to use the Persian tongue, since some ordinances were not revealed therein and some were only alluded to, therefore, as a grace upon humanity, they have been revealed in clear and evident expressions so that none might remain deprived of the ocean of bounty and favor. God willing, they shall be sent hereafter.

Concerning what you mentioned about certain servants looking toward forgiveness - God hath forgiven them and purified them from transgression. Verily He is the Possessor of great bounty.

As for what thou didst mention regarding their needs and the healing of illnesses - verily He answereth the prayer of the supplicants. God hath sent down for them what is best for them, and He shall soon send down in truth, for He is the Most Generous of the generous ones.

As for she who gave up her spirit and he who took his own life - God hath forgiven them both through His encompassing grace and admitted them into His vast mercy. Verily He is the most powerful of the powerful ones.

Regarding what thou didst mention about ’Abdu’r-Rahim who believed in God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting - We have not forgotten him and had previously written him a tablet, and before that another tablet, and now We mention him in truth in this Clear Tablet. We beseech God to assist him in His Cause, to make him steadfast in His religion, to make him mindful of His Most Great and Wondrous Remembrance, and to send down upon him what he loveth and is pleased with. Verily He is powerful over all things.

Send a copy of this Tablet to your own land to Jinab-i-Mihdi, and if it be sent to other lands as well, it would be praiseworthy, for the people are like fish and the divine Tablets like water. Although the breezes are ever flowing and never cease, yet in sending forth the Tablets no delay is permissible insofar as possible, for the diffusion of the Words of God among His servants bestows new and exalted spirits. And whatsoever that soul may write concerning the objections of those who are veiled is most acceptable and praiseworthy, that perchance it may be the cause of guidance to the servants. Verily, He aideth those who help Him, and He is the Succorer of those who love Him. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

O servant who gazeth toward God! Weep thou for this Wronged One, the Prisoner, Whom no one hath known and none hath discovered what hath befallen Him save whom thy Lord willeth. Even should they hear, by God, they have not heard, and should mention be made, no mention hath been made. Great, great is My tribulation, and grievous, grievous is My trial. And whoso regardeth the Bayan with the eye of the All-Merciful and what hath been revealed from the Pen of Command in this Revelation shall discover that which hath been concealed from the eyes of men and shall know what hath befallen the Beloved of God and His Purpose. And after discovering this, the hardships and afflictions of the world shall not sadden him. He shall see himself in the Most Exalted Horizon before his Lord, the Most High, the Most Glorious, and shall aid Him at all times. By God, he seeth the world as naught but the eye of a dead gnat, nay less. The carrion befitteth the dogs, and reality befitteth the loved ones of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower.

Consider how wondrously the Point of Being hath made mention of the Intended One in the Bayan, in such wise that nothing higher can be conceived. He even declared that should anyone make a claim, before any evidence from him appeareth, all the kings and rulers and leaders of the earth should, with the utmost submissiveness, humility, resignation and contrition, present their petitions before His Most Pure Seat and send the keys of their treasuries, asking and beseeching that He manifest a proof. And should a Tablet be revealed from the realm of the Will of the King of Oneness as a bounty to the servants, all should submit; and if they accept it not, they should remain silent or again confess their powerlessness. By Him Who shattered the idols of names through the power of His sovereignty! Were creatures to ponder but this one utterance, all would turn to the living waters of the All-Merciful. And it is most evident that the purpose of this utterance was, in the knowledge of that Essence of possibility, this Revelation; otherwise such words would never have been uttered, for many false claimants have appeared before and will appear hereafter, and never have such firm and mighty conditions for the future Manifestation been sent down from the heaven of divine Command. And should souls be enabled to recognize but this one utterance, they would somewhat comprehend the greatness of this Revelation. Nevertheless, every day the idolaters return from one fire to another, and cling to one falsehood after another, making the fresh claim that the Primal Point–may the souls of all else be sacrificed for His sake–stood in a position of servitude to that essence of wickedness and wretchedness. Strange it is that people give ear to such statements. By God, it would have been better for such souls to have been born deaf than to hear and accept such words. Woe unto them! Soon shall they be gathered with their masters in the nethermost fire, and they shall find for themselves neither escape nor deliverance.

Know thou that if all who are in the heavens and on earth were to unite to cast into the firmament of His Cause all the arrows of doubt they possess, it would not even disturb a thread in that web of certitude that hath been woven by Him. The Most High dwelleth ever in His transcendent majesty, and His divine might cannot be described. Even as He hath said: “The eyes attain Him not, but He attaineth the eyes. He is the All-Subtle, the All-Informed.” And they who have fixed their gaze upon His radiant Countenance, who have immersed themselves in the ocean of His verses, who have attained unto His holy presence, who have quaffed from His divine grace, and who have recognized His manifold blessings–these are they who have attained unto the summit of certitude and have reached the ultimate goal. Thus doth the Ancient Beauty expound His exalted teachings, that all men may turn unto Him and recognize His majesty […]

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=== START BH00372 ===

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

Praise befitteth the most holy and exalted court of the Desired One, Who hath, through a single blessed word, barred the way to doubt, misgiving, vain imaginings and idle fancies, and through the power of that same word hath preserved His loved ones from dangers. That blessed word is “He doeth whatsoever He willeth and ordereth whatsoever He pleaseth.” Whosoever is assured of this word is established upon the throne of certitude and abideth in the station of faith. The waves of idle fancies shall not withhold him from the truth of certitude, nor shall the hosts of vain imaginings keep him back from the dawning-place of the Divine Manifestation. Thus doth the Primal Point - may the spirit of all else but Him be sacrificed for His sake - declare: “Should He decree the earth to be heaven, none hath the right to question His authority; and should He decide the heaven to be earth, none dare ask ‘why’ or ‘wherefore’.” This blessed word is a boundless ocean. Blessed is the one who hath attained and clung unto it; he shall be eternally inscribed in the book of steadfastness. Blessed is he! And peace and blessings be upon the loved ones of God, His chosen ones, His leaves and fruits, who move only by the breeze of His Will and Purpose. These are the servants whom God hath described in His Books of the past and future - they are the near ones, they are the triumphant.

Thereafter, the letter from that honored leaf - upon her be the Most Glorious Glory of God - was received. As it was adorned with the mention of God, exalted be His glory, it brought boundless joy, yet as signs of sorrow were apparent therein, it caused endless grief. After its observation, reading and review, approach was made to the Throne, where it was presented and attained the honor of being heard. These are the words that the Tongue of Grandeur uttered while seated upon the Throne of Oneness:

In My Name, the Compassionate, the All-Loving

O My Leaf! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. We were seated upon the Throne when the servant in attendance entered with thy letter and presented it before the face of the Wronged One. We have answered thee with this clear remembrance. We have mentioned thee time and again with a mention that surpasseth all that the peoples possess. To this doth the Lord of Eternity bear witness from His exalted station. Thy verses and prose, and that which thou didst send, have come before Us. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the True, the Trustworthy. We have answered thee with numerous tablets as a grace from Our presence. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Generous. We have sent down for thee that whose fragrance shall never cease to perfume the air for as long as My names and attributes endure. Give thanks unto thy Lord for this great favor. We love Our name “the Faithful” and have ever been observant of it in all conditions. To this testifieth that which hath flowed from My Most Exalted Pen, and those who have attained Our presence and the meeting with God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment. Let nothing among all things, nor any matter, cause thee grief. Verily thy Lord is with thee, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

O My handmaiden! Hear in Persian: The petitions of that honored leaf, both in verse and prose, were received and a special response was revealed. Likewise, the items sent by that leaf over successive years, and some time ago especially for the Leaf of Paradise - upon her be My glory and loving-kindness - and that leaf, special tablets were revealed and sent. Thou hast ever been mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One - the circling ones and visitors are aware and bear witness. Rejoice in what the Most Great Joy hath announced unto thee at this time, and say […]

Praise be unto Thee, O Creator of the heavens and Dayspring of bounty, for having guided me to Thy straight path and given me to drink of Thy sealed wine through the hand of Thy grace, O God of the worlds! Thy handmaiden testifieth to Thy bounty, Thy loving-kindness and Thy mercy that have preceded Thy servants and Thy creation. Can anyone deny Thy gifts and bestowals after witnessing and beholding at every moment the evidences of Thy mercy, the manifestations of Thy favor, and the signs of Thy loving providence? O my Lord! Thou seest Thy handmaiden clinging to the Lote-Tree of Thy Cause and hoping for that which lieth with Thee. I beseech Thee by the fishes in the ocean of Thy knowledge and the splendors of the lights of the Sun of Thy wisdom to assist me in all conditions to remember and praise Thee. O my Lord! I implore Thee by Thy Name through which Thou hast revealed Thyself unto all created things, to assist Thy handmaidens to stand firm in Thy Cause and to hold fast to the cord of Thy bounty. Verily Thou art He Whom the conditions of the world and whatsoever the nations possess cannot hinder. Thou doest what Thou willest and ordainest what Thou desirest. Thou art, in truth, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

God’s grace beareth witness unto itself, and likewise His loving-kindness, mercy and compassion. By the Sun of proof which hath shone forth from the dayspring of possibility by the command of the Beloved of the worlds, this servant hath ever witnessed His loving providence towards the people of that land to such a degree that he is powerless to express it. Whenever that honored leaf’s letter arrived, it was presented both in verse and prose before the presence of them that dwell within the tabernacle of glory and grandeur. After its completion, the effulgences of the Sun of divine loving-kindness shone forth and became manifest, and likewise those who circle round all made mention of that noble lady and continue to do so, and the answer to each letter was revealed. This is what the servant testifieth to, and beyond him our Lord is verily the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. That which was uttered in praise of the Truth, exalted be His glory, was adorned with the ornament of acceptance. The servant beseecheth his Lord to assist thee in remembrance and praise as He hath assisted thee before.

As for what thou didst write concerning the Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet, that thou hast been blessed with it twice - this was from God’s special favor. If the details of the Seven Oft-Repeated Verses of old are kept in view, thou wilt be greatly rejoiced at the dawning of the luminary of this bounty - a joy that hath no peer or likeness. The blessed Surih of Praise was revealed twice, and concerning the excellence of this repetition they have written that which this leaf is incapable of mentioning. Many pages and new pens would be required. Whatever hath appeared and will appear is that Beloved of the soul and the Desire of the spirit.

As for the mention made of Aqa Muhammad-Rida, upon him be the glory of God, it was presented before the Divine Presence. This is what the Speaker of Sinai uttered when seated upon the Throne of Revelation, the word of the Lord, exalted and sanctified is He:

He is the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful

O Muhammad-Rida! Upon thee be the glory of God, the Lord of Names. Rejoice in thy Lord’s loving-kindness. He hath guided thee to His straight path and caused thee to know the Dawning-Place of His signs and the Manifestation of His Self, and hath made thee to hear His wondrous call. Praise be to God, thou hast attained unto that which hath been recorded by the Pen of the Divine Will in God’s Holy Books. Blessed are they that act, and joy be to them that have attained.

This servant also conveyeth his greetings unto him and beseecheth from God, exalted be His glory, that which they have desired. Verily our Lord is the Hearer, the Answerer.

Concerning what you mentioned about a day when a group of the friends were gathered in this servant’s abode, and a soul asked why, given that the Bab - may our souls be sacrificed for His sake - was the Sun and this Most Holy, Most Exalted Station has been called the Sun, what then is the difference between this Revelation and that Revelation. This evanescent one suggested that perhaps this blessed Revelation is like unto the heaven, as He says that all suns rise from the horizon of this heaven and set in the west of this heaven. Someone responded, “No, this is not so - the sun creates the heaven.” Another said, “Heaven is a physical body.” This evanescent one, wishing to prevent disputation, remained silent. After presenting these matters before Him from Whose knowledge nothing escapes, the Lord of the Kingdom of Eternity, He spoke this exalted word: Thus speaks the Lord, exalted and sanctified be He: “O My Leaf! Upon thee be My glory! Thy silence in this matter was acceptable. Convey My greetings to the friends of God and say: Fix your gaze upon this Most Great Verse which hath appeared from the Pen of the Primal Point. He saith: ‘I have written an essence regarding His remembrance, which is that He cannot be known through My allusions, nor through what hath been mentioned in the Bayan.’ They have spoken the truth, and uttered reality - this was and is no jest. Were a soul to meditate upon this blessed word that hath been mentioned, he would testify to the sanctification of this Revelation above all else and its exaltation above any likeness or comparison. Although in these days worn and ancient utterances have been brought forth, claiming the Bayan has been altered - God protect us and you from the evil of those who speak according to their desires. They are assuredly among the most lost in the Book of God, the Lord of all worlds.”

In truth, the mention of the Sun and its like refers to His exalted and sublime station among the servants, otherwise every person of insight beareth witness to the sanctification of His Essence from whatsoever hath been mentioned and the detachment of His Self from whatsoever hath been or shall be comprehended. And that this Most Great Manifestation hath been or may be designated as the heaven is due to the fact that the sun, outwardly speaking, appeareth and becometh visible from the horizon of this expanse which is called heaven, and the heaven dominateth and encompasseth it, as can be observed. Consider ye, then recall what the Point of the Bayan hath spoken concerning this Revelation, saying “Verily, I am the first to worship Him.” The station of the Book, the Mother Book, the Tablet and the Preserved Tablet hath been and is manifest and evident. He saith that the Bayan and whatsoever hath been revealed therein is but a leaf among the leaves of His Paradise and is dependent upon His acceptance. The sun hath ever had diverse manifestations and influences. The sun that riseth from the sign of Aquarius is, upon its appearance, effaced before the sun that ariseth from the sign of Leo. Every person of insight observeth countless differences. However, in these days the Most Exalted Pen hath not desired and doth not desire to occupy itself with such mentions. Whatsoever hath been or may be mentioned is from the effulgences of the lights of the Sun of bounty which hath shone forth specifically upon the friends from the horizon of the Kingdom. For all, We ask that which the comprehension of the people of possibility is powerless and incapable of knowing, especially for those souls who are adorned with the greatest steadfastness and have quaffed from the ocean of the words “He doeth whatsoever He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth.” O My loved ones and My chosen ones! Hearken unto My call from the precincts of My prison. Verily, there is no God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We have mentioned you before and after in such wise as hath gladdened the eyes of them that are nigh unto God. Praise be to God! The detached ones have attained unto the fruits of the Lote-Tree of the utmost boundary. This is the most exalted station, the highest summit and the ultimate purpose. Blessed be they that have attained and they that know. Verily, We make mention of My servants and My handmaidens, remind them of My verses, give them the glad-tidings of My bounty and inform them of My mercy which hath preceded all who are in the heavens and the earth.

The Sun of the All-Merciful’s utterance hath shone forth in such wise that this darksome night hath become even as a luminous day. Glorified be the greatness of our Lord and exalted be His favor! The loved ones of that land have ever been [in heart and soul] and still are, for they have attained unto the descended table and the special bounty. We beseech God - exalted be His glory - and hope that He will preserve these stations through His might, power and authority in such wise that the doubts of the barking ones, the suspicions of the opposers and the intimations of the transgressors will not alter them and will appear as if they had never existed. This servant conveyeth greetings and glorification to each of the loved ones and handmaidens of God, and expresseth with both outer and inner tongue: O my God, my God! Aid them in that which will draw them nigh unto Thee and make them successful in that whose fragrance will never cease to endure throughout the eternity of Thy names and attributes. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent over what Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the All-Compelling, the Self-Subsisting. Glory and praise and remembrance be upon you and upon those who love you for the sake of God and upon all who are firm and steadfast. And praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

After completing the letter, He repaired to the Most Exalted Shrine. Following His presence before the Throne, the Lord, blessed and sanctified be He, spoke thus: We desire to make mention once again of him who traversed the pathway and attained the Ultimate Goal, until he presented himself at the Gate which was opened by the Key of the Will of the Lord of Names, and heard that which ears were created to hear. He was named ’Ali-before-Nabil in the Book of Names. We beseech God to assist him and to reinforce him with the hosts of the seen and the unseen, that he may aid his wronged and exiled Lord. The exile of the Lord hath been mentioned aforetime, even as David, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, hath said: “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” In any case, ’Ali-before-Nabil presented himself before the Face, and mentioned the names of the loved ones of the lands of Kha and Ta and other regions, and beseeched a special bounty for each one, and all attained to that which was the purpose of creation. The friends must all engage in the remembrance and praise of Him Who conversed on Sinai with the utmost joy and gladness. O people of God! Strive ye that ye may attain unto that which shall never perish and shall remain unchanged throughout centuries and ages. Verily your Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Mighty, the Powerful. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon you, O My people, and upon those whom the conditions of men have not frightened in the Cause of God, the Lord of the Throne and of the dust, and the Sovereign of the Hereafter and of this world.

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=== START BH00373 ===

All praise be to God Who hath opened the gate of utterance through the Name whereby all creation was shaken, and Who hath adorned the temple of him whom He desired, at times with His name “the Bearer of the Message” and at other times with the name “the Friend.” Verily, He is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but Him, the Exalted above all understanding. Praise be to God Who hath manifested the Book of Dawn in an age wherein the Lord of Names turned towards the most exalted station of Zawra, then seated Himself upon the throne. Thereupon all things spoke, the Dove cooed, the birds of immortality sang, and the nightingales of the supreme Paradise trilled. The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Creator of heaven. I testify that the Pen is powerless to attain to the description of that Day whereon the fragrance of the All-Merciful was wafted amidst all created things.

Thereafter, the crown of love hath been adorned with the diadem of your letter, the neck of affection hath been bedecked with the pearls of your praise, the eye of yearning with the collyrium of your remembrance, and the locks of the longing one with the fragrance of your utterance. I beseech the Exalted One to ordain for your honor that which befitteth the heaven of His grace, the ocean of His generosity, and the sun of His favors. Verily, He is the Single One, the Bestower, the Ordainer, the Mighty, the Helper. My spirit be a sacrifice for your love.

Although this servant is abashed for not having sent a reply to your distinguished letter, yet considering that several successive months passed without any word being revealed from the heaven of divine Will until these special days when certain Afnans - upon them be the glory of the All-Merciful - received and were sent some Tablets, therefore this servant, in utter bewilderment, did not impose upon your honor. Otherwise, God the One beareth witness that both heart and tongue are at all times adorned with the love and mention of your honor. We beseech God, exalted be He, to delight our eyes by beholding your letter and to honor our ears by hearkening to your words. Verily, He is the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

Thereafter, following the perusal of the letter, having turned towards the Most Holy Court, all that flowed from your honored pen of bounty was presented. His word, exalted be His grandeur: “O thou who bearest My Message and who uttereth My remembrance and praise! For some time the Supreme Pen hath been silent and the rain from the clouds of bounty hath been stayed, for as thou observest, attentive ears are lacking and prepared lands are not to be seen. Although the Sun of Truth is shining with perfect radiance and brilliance, most people are veiled from it by vain imaginings and false traditions. Strange it is that they have not yet understood the Day of God, for had they done so, they would not have occupied themselves with the mention of aught else. He saith: ‘The Kingdom on that Day shall be God’s,’ and likewise He saith: ‘And thy Lord shall come with angels rank on rank.’ Yet all remain heedless and deprived of this sealed wine. Say: This is a Day wherein none shall be mentioned save God alone. Blessed is he who hath dawned from the horizon of certitude and hath attained unto the presence of God, the Self-Subsisting. One should not be saddened by these matters, for the hand of God is above all human hands. Nothing can frustrate Him, nor can any matter harm Him. Verily, He is the Commander, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” End.

As regards the Seyyed of Qum concerning whom you had written, there are many details about him and in truth this servant is ashamed to mention them. However, some will be mentioned so that his condition may not remain hidden from some. He it was who spat on the face of Quddus in the presence of the polytheists in the land of Tabarsi, and who struck the face of the Great One [Baha’u’llah], reviled Him, and professed unbelief, saying what he said - all to preserve his own wicked self for a few days. In Iraq and some other lands he is known as Shemr of Qum. In the days when the Sun of Truth was dawning from the horizon of Iraq, this person often associated with this servant and would present himself in the Most Holy Court, asking whether God, exalted be His glory and might, would forgive his transgressions. He was told: “Guard yourself henceforth.” Several times this servant was present when the Ancient Beauty would say to him that two major flaws were observed in him: First, that the control of his tongue was not in his grasp - it would speak according to its desires as it pleased; and second, that his feet would move in the wilderness of error as they willed. Observe his lack of recognition - it is as though he had never seen a word of the Bayan nor attained to a drop from its ocean of meanings. Thus did the Primal Point - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him - say to one of the Letters of the Living, after sufficient and healing explanations, these exalted words: “All this is so that on the Day of Manifestation thou mayest not remain veiled by names, but rather look to that by which the names of all things, even the mention of the Prophet, are established, for that is created by what God reveals.” And likewise He says, exalted be His mention: “I have written a gem regarding His mention, which is that He shall not be known through My allusion nor by what is mentioned in the Bayan. Yea, by His glory, that word is greater in God’s sight than the worship of all on earth, for the essence of all worship leads to that.” He continues, exalted and glorified be He: “For He is too glorious and exalted to be known through any but Himself or to be referred to by the allusion of His creatures. I am the first servant to believe in Him and His verses, and I have taken from the virginal gardens of His knowledge the gardens of His words. Yea, by His glory, He is the Truth, there is no God but Him, all stand by His command.” And likewise He says: “And await Him Whom God shall make manifest, for you were not created except to meet Him, and He it is Who creates all things by His command. Beware, beware on the day of His manifestation lest thou be veiled by the Vahid of the Bayan, for that Vahid is but a creation before Him, and beware, beware lest thou be veiled by the words revealed in the Bayan, for they are but His own words in the temple of His previous manifestation.”

That Supreme Being observes how exalted is the Cause and its loftiness, while at what level do people comprehend it. He reveals all the Names, and likewise admonishes that ye be not deprived of the mention of the Prophet from the Ancient Beauty. Nevertheless, ye have hearkened to what that heedless one hath said. Should anyone observe these words with the eye of fairness, he would attain unto the lights of the Cause, but the veils of passion have prevented the people from recognizing the Countenance of the Divine Unity. Most strange it is that despite such emphatic statements and utterances of the Exalted Lord, how the people remain in the corners of ignorance and unawareness. He saith: “Be not veiled from the Bayan and what hath been revealed therein from the Divine Lote Tree.” Yet they cling to fabricated traditions and speak that which their desires command them. They have completely forgotten the explicit statements of the Point of the Bayan - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him - and they quote from this one and that one, saying that His Holiness stated He had not lived in the time of Shaykh Ahmad and had not smoked the water-pipe. It is not known about whom this tradition is and for what purpose. Observe the stupidity of these people - how they hesitate about One Who declares “I am sanctified above any reference to Me, recognition of Me, or mention of Me,” while they cling to one whom they have not seen and have not known. Would that these conditions they mention regarding their imaginary successor were true. I swear by the Sun of the heaven of inner meanings that that person insisted greatly on smoking the water-pipe, to such an extent that one of the members of the household once forbade him from it.

Alas, what can this servant say! Would that the person who suggested to His Holiness that it would be good to meet the claimants to the Cause had himself acted upon this. For this servant wrote him a letter in the Land of Mystery and strongly urged him to come and meet that imagined person, that perchance he might rend asunder the veils and attain to the lights of the dawning Sun. After some time it was heard that he had gone to the Land of Ha. Such souls have never been and will never be freed from their vain imaginings, even though they have witnessed that what they possessed was naught but falsehood and calumny. Consider the Shi’ih sect, who counted themselves the most learned, most rightful, most knowledgeable and most pious of all sects, yet after the dawning of the Sun of Revelation it became clear they were the most ignorant of people. Even the Sunnis gained enough understanding from books and traditions to know that the Qa’im - may our souls be sacrificed for Him - would be born, while that sect, despite their extraordinary claims to knowledge, failed to grasp this matter despite its obviousness. The truth of the matter is exactly what shone forth from the horizon of His Holiness’s utterance in reply to that heedless one. Had he truly possessed understanding, he would have instantly acknowledged and repented, for this matter is clear and established among the people of the Bayan - that the traditions of Husayn ibn Ruh and his like caused people to remain veiled from the exalted Truth and to arise with utmost tyranny to extinguish the divine light. Indeed, you have spoken a word which, should any hearing ear hearken to it, would cause them to turn without hesitation toward the Cause. However, not every soul has been or will be worthy of this choice wine. Those who drink of this Kawthar of recognition are of another essence and another realm. Most of the corruption in this Cause appeared through Siyyid Muhammad Isfahani, who called himself Quddus, though he had absolutely no knowledge of the essence of the Cause, and likewise the aforementioned Siyyid. In short, a few deceitful, heedless, ignorant souls have afflicted people with vain imaginings greater than previous ones, and strange it is that they have still not recognized the Day of God. I testify that they are in grievous doubt and schism. The greatness of recognizing the Day of God can be understood from this blessed verse which states: “Allah is He Who raised the heavens without any pillars that you can see; then He established Himself on the throne and made subject the sun and the moon; each one runs its course for a term appointed; He regulates all affairs, explaining the signs in detail, that you may believe with certainty in the meeting with your Lord.” Very rarely are souls seen who manifest from the horizon of certitude and attain to this station, and whoever attains it erases from the tablet of their knowledge all mention of leadership, nobility, guardianship, successorship, and all above or below these. This station is not and has never been for any ignorant and heedless one. This is the sealed nectar that was hidden in the treasure of the Furqan, and this is the concealed mystery whose fragrance wafted from previous holy books. Blessed is he who found and knew. I testify that he is among the assured ones who have attained, and besides him there is no mention nor portion in the Book of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

And if you wish to know the conditions in these regions, it is exactly as your honor had written in your previous letter. All that was revealed in the blessed Surih of Ra’is and the Most Holy Book is being witnessed day by day. But where are the penetrating eyes and the attentive ears? We beseech God to grant the people fairness and not deprive them of the ocean of His abundant grace.

Regarding the Afnan who ascended unto God, a special Tablet of Visitation was revealed by the Supreme Pen. Though brief, by God’s life, it contains mention of what was and what will be. Likewise, several Tablets were revealed specifically for his relatives. We beseech God, exalted be His glory, to grant patience to all and adorn them with the raiment of tranquility and contentment. Your honor may convey these as you deem appropriate.

Convey greetings, glorification, and this servant’s mention of nothingness to His Honor Afnan Aqa Aqa Siyyid M, upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory. This depends on your honor’s kindness. All those circling round, from the people of the pavilion of infallibility, remember your honor with the most wondrous, most impregnable, most glorious mention and most exalted, most supreme glorification. Likewise, all the loved ones in the prison city, one and all, express their pure devotion to your honor. His Honor the Name of God M.H., upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, sends sanctified glorification beyond description and expression. And finally, upon you be every mention, every praise, every loftiness and every glory.

The Servant

19 Rabi’u’th-Thani 1294

Another submission: this servant has written three copies of the revealed Tablet of Visitation specifically for the Afnan, upon them be all the Most Glorious Glory. Your honor will send them. Two Tablets were also revealed from the heaven of grace specifically for Nawwab ’Ala’u’d-Din Khan and Nawwab ’Ali A?ghar Khan, which were sent along with two letters that this ephemeral one wrote. Likewise, a Tablet was revealed specifically for Aqa Mirza ’Abdu’l-?amid, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah]. One Tablet of Visitation with two Tablets should be sent to China, and two Tablets of Visitation and two Tablets should be sent to the land of Ya and the land of Shin. All these matters depend on your honor’s kindness.

The Two Most Exalted Branches, may my spirit be a sacrifice unto the dust of their mighty footsteps, glorify your honor with glorification sanctified from the worlds of creation.

=== END BH00373 ===

=== START BH00374 ===

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

My spirit and heart be a sacrifice unto thee! Thy gracious letter hath reached this lowly servant, and I have attained unto that which the dove of love for our Lord, the Mighty, the Invincible, warbled upon the twigs of its letters and the branches of its words. I have heard the sighs of the fire of thy longing in separation from the Beloved of all horizons. O what a spirit is that fire from which the lights of hearts are made manifest, and by which the lamps of love are kindled in the hearts and breasts, as though it were ignited in the tree of the heart, proclaiming at every moment that there is no God but Him, the Inaccessible, the Mighty, the Most Glorious.

The blessed letter, which was the breath of life itself, bestowed new life and granted boundless spirit, for it was perfumed with the fragrance of the garment of the love of the Beloved. Praise be to God that the sweet-scented breezes from the Ridvan of the mention of the Countenance of Glory and Majesty continually waft from the direction of sanctified hearts and pure souls, and the banners of steadfastness and constancy are raised upon the mountains of hearts and minds. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to extend these musk-laden spiritual breezes through winds that pass over the Ridvan of His glorious and beloved Name, that all created things may be perfumed by these fragrant missives, and all birds may warble in the atmosphere of meanings and utterance. Verily, there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful.

After the blessed letter was presented before the Most Holy and Luminous Countenance, the Sun of inexhaustible grace dawned and shone forth from the horizon of the favor of the Lord of creation upon that essence of faithfulness, and the water of divine mercy flowed from the right hand of the Celestial Throne. Well is it with thee, for the glances of holiness and the gaze of nearness have been directed towards thee, and the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken thy name, and the Pen of Power hath moved for thy sake. A Tablet of transcendent glory hath been specifically sent down from the heaven of loftiness and majesty. We beseech God to grant thee the bounty of attaining His presence and contemplating Him.

God willing, they should, through divine grace, be engaged at all times in rendering assistance to the Cause of God. For the sake of God, they should guide people to the Ancient Law. The Tongue of God hath ever proclaimed this word: It behooveth the sincere ones among the loved ones of God to nurture, with utmost kindliness and compassion, the frozen earth with the water of oneness, that there may grow from it that which God hath purposed for it. They should not consider that some are dormant or remote from the Fountain of nearness. They should awaken every soul through goodly exhortations and exert mighty efforts to unite the hearts of the loved ones of God. This matter hath been greatly emphasized, for all have ever been commanded to manifest love and unity. Nevertheless, certain matters are heard which are not pleasing in the sight of God. The world is not worthy of attention, such that it should cause conflict and contention among the loved ones. Ye must surely give attention to this matter.

It hath been revealed by the divine Pen that in every city several souls should gather specifically to consult about teaching God’s Cause, determining what manner is most advisable and proceeding accordingly. Wondrous and sublime utterances have been specifically revealed from the Court of Divine Unity regarding this matter. God willing, they shall be sent later, for this is the most important of all matters. Likewise, it hath been revealed from the Divine Throne that it is necessary to guide, with wisdom and goodly counsel, any of the kindred who have remained distant from the Fountain of Grace and are occupied with worldly desires and passions, and also those souls who were within the Bayan but later became veiled by veils, for God desireth that none of these souls should remain deprived. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Furthermore, it would be most praiseworthy if souls would, purely for the sake of God, proceed to various regions such as Gilan and other places to teach His Cause. However, the teachers must possess those qualities which have been set forth in the Arabic treatise on conduct revealed by the Pen of God in Iraq. The purpose is that these souls should walk for God, in God, and towards God.

The Divine Command hath issued that the loved ones of God should walk among men with the character of Truth. As can be seen, the greater the afflictions and the more severe the calamities that befell Us, the more firmly did We engage in the promotion of the Cause. Thus did We send forth the Call in the form of a Tablet unto the Pole of all lands, even unto him whom We desired, and all who are in the heavens and on earth were thunderstruck save whom thy Lord willed. Yet in all circumstances wisdom must be observed, and one must deal with people with kindness and compassion, for they are weak. Had they known, they would have circled round the Countenance. The heedless must have a wise counselor - such is God’s decree. All must be seen in complete humility and must, in truth, gird up their loins to serve. Had people heeded the counsels of the Pen of the Divine Command, ye would have beheld all on earth illumined with the lights of guidance and adorned with the Most Glorious Beauty.

No sooner had some measure of tranquility been established in the land than certain ignorant ones in every city laid claim to divinity. Thus from the year when the Most Great Light dawned above the horizon of Iraq until now, numerous souls have cast aside piety and raised the standards of rebellion and transgression. These souls have caused upheaval and revolution in the lands. Ere long ye shall witness that from every land a calf will raise its call. All this We foretold at the time of Our departure from Iraq. Observe how the previous Manifestation informed all peoples of this Most Great Manifestation, even as the son of Zachariah heralded the Son of Mary. They have emphasized this to such a degree that they have said that should anyone speak His verses, none would deny Him. It is quite clear that they would not have uttered such words and their like except after having knowledge of this Most Great Manifestation; otherwise such words would never have been sent down from the heaven of the Divine Command. For it is observed that most people have spoken words and thereby followed the path of pride and arrogance, and were not and shall never be mentioned before God. They have regarded the Cause of God as futile and have not reflected that were God’s Cause to be of this nature, it would never become firmly established.

In brief, the Primal Point - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him - in those days, in view of the existence of this Manifestation and Its dawning, concluded the entire Bayan with this Most Great Remembrance, lest the people of the Bayan be debarred from the All-Merciful. Otherwise, no previous Manifestation had ever foretold a subsequent Manifestation in such manner. If the intention of the Point of the Bayan were what people have understood, then since most people speak verses according to their own fancy, all of them should be true. Any person of understanding would realize how far these people are from the fountain of knowledge and how they have failed to grasp the meaning. By My life! That Point of existence had no purpose except to exalt this Divine Word. Some time ago, the most ignorant of men came with two others like himself from Iran to the great city and, according to his fancy, uttered verses and made claims. He is but in manifest loss and error. God willing, the loved ones of Truth must protect the Sanctified House from the heedless hosts of the polytheists and must counsel the pretenders. The Book of Badi’ which from the tongue of one of the loved ones from the Source and […]

It hath been revealed that they should study it thoroughly and impart it unto others, that perchance they may turn from self to guidance and from pride to humility. It is evident that this Prisoner hath forsaken comfort, glory, prosperity, life itself and the like for the life of the world, and hath shown no compromise with anyone on earth in the Cause of God, much less with others. Now must all unite to exalt this all-embracing Word and, with the utmost diligence and wisdom, engage in teaching God’s Cause with prudence and forbearance. We beseech God to aid them in this. By My life! Were they to become aware of this Revelation and its sovereignty, they would be thunderstruck, let alone draw nigh unto it. Most are ignorant to this day. None hath recognized the divine Tree and its sovereignty, majesty and power, save whom thy Lord willeth. Therefore an expounder is needed. God willing, ye must occupy yourselves with serving the Cause in a manner that befitteth and beseemeth it. We beseech God to make thee a key to unlock the doors of hearts and minds, and to aid thee to assist His Cause. He, verily, is the Mighty, the Powerful. Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken.

Likewise was revealed from the right hand of the Throne: O Ali! From the day that the designated Tablet, which hath been named the Cry, the Hour, and the Trump, was sent forth, the idolaters and deniers have arisen with utmost scheming and plotting. Though outwardly nothing is apparent, thy Lord verily is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. With utmost determination they have sought and continue to seek the Ancient Beauty. In these days, each day witnesseth a fresh occurrence in this land. By the truth of God, never hath there been, nor shall there ever be, any grief from these matters and whatsoever hath occurred before or shall occur hereafter. With such joy doth the Ancient Beauty sit upon the Most Great Throne that were but a whiff thereof to waft over the inhabitants of earth, all would perish from delight, gladness and ecstasy. However, the grief is that the servants are weak, and the Truth, out of kindness and mercy, summoneth them to the ultimate destination through an ocean of tribulations and ordeal, yet these veiled souls perceive it not. O Ali! Exert your utmost effort and protect the edifice of the Cause from the thieves. Consider the physical house: if its guardians be overcome by sleep, surely thieves will enter, but if the guardians remain vigilant in their protection and guard, they shall never gain access. Now it behooveth the sincere ones among the loved ones of God to exercise the utmost endeavor and protect God’s Cause and His edifice from the thieves. Many a thief appeareth in the guise of a guardian. Be ye vigilant and be not of the heedless. Say: Stand guard at the gate, then drive away the evil ones with the flame of the mention of My Name, the Mighty, the Impregnable.

And regarding the names that were mentioned, they were presented before the Throne, and supreme loving-kindness hath shone forth from the Dayspring of the Cause specifically for each one, and the Tongue of Grandeur specifically uttered these words: “The glory of God be upon them.” However, in these days, due to the severity of circumstances, the sending of Tablets is forbidden. Yet I hope they will be revealed from the Most Holy Court and dispatched. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Concerning what you wrote about Nabil, upon him be the glory of God, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the Glorious - it brought much joy and gladness, for he is among those souls who spent time in the presence of the Throne. Few are the souls who have attained to that which he hath attained. By the truth of Truth, this servant was much perplexed and saddened regarding his situation, for there had been perfect fellowship and intimacy with him. I greatly regretted the delay in mentioning him. Praise be to God that after the arrival of your letter, sorrow was transformed into joy. We beseech God to assist him to make mention of Him, enable him to serve Him, and make him a champion of His Cause among the worlds.

Convey infinite expressions of devotion and most glorious, most exalted greetings from this evanescent one to Aqa Muhammad Hasan, his brother - upon them both be the glory of the All-Merciful. I once heard specific mention of him from the Tongue of Grandeur, and from that time until now, mention of him hath remained in the heart of this evanescent one.

As for what you wrote concerning the loved ones throughout the inhabited earth, that all are steadfast in their love for God, the Most Glorious - God willing, through your endeavors and influence, they should be aflame at all times. Convey infinite greetings to all from this evanescent one.

Regarding what you wrote about the daughter of His Name the Luminous - upon him be the glory of God, the Most Glorious - although that sanctified soul, upon him be the breezes of intimacy, requested that she be counted among the servants of the Most Holy House, this servant specifically presented this matter before the Presence: “It behooveth that she be taken by one who turneth unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.” Thus was the matter decreed by the Pen of Wisdom, and the sun of permission shone forth from the horizon of thy Lord’s utterance, the Most High, the Great.

Convey wondrous and sublime greetings specifically to the honored father and mother - upon them both be the mercy of God, His blessings, His grace and His loving-kindness - and likewise to the family members, upon them be the glory of God, His remembrance, the radiance of God, His lights. And the spirit, glory and splendor be upon you, O people of Baha and His loved ones. May the spirit of the servant of Baha be a sacrifice for you.

=== END BH00374 ===

=== START BH00375 ===

He is the Present One, He is the All-Seeing One!

Praise be to God Who hath sent down the verses and manifested the clear proofs and caused all things to speak of His remembrance and praise. He it is Who revealed the Books and sent forth the Messengers as a grace from His presence, and made them guides for all people and lamps of guidance and success. Through them the clouds poured forth their rain and the earth yielded its fruits, and there appeared what had been hidden in His knowledge and stored in the treasuries of His protection. We bear witness that there is none other God but Him, acknowledging His oneness and confessing His singleness. He hath ever been in the heights of power, might and majesty, and will ever abide in the exaltation of glory, grandeur and magnificence. There is none other God but Him, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

And peace, shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of His bounty, be upon His loved ones who were not held back by the veils of the world from turning unto the Most Great Name, and whom the might of nations did not frighten. They turned with illumined hearts and radiant faces toward the supreme horizon and uttered that which the Tongue of Grandeur had uttered before the creation of all things: “Verily, there is none other God but Him, the One, the Single, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

O people of God! The Wronged One remembereth you from the precincts of the Prison and calleth you unto God, the Lord of the worlds. He remembereth you with what hath been revealed from His Most Exalted Pen and giveth you glad tidings of what hath been ordained for you from the presence of a mighty and ancient Lord. Hearken unto the call from the precincts of the Prison, from the Lote-Tree planted in the land of saffron, from the presence of the Most Merciful: Verily, there is none other God but Him, the One, the Single, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Beware lest the veils of humanity hold you back from the Lord of the Throne and Earth, or the conditions of those who have denied the Day of Judgment cause you grief. Ye are the hands of His Cause amongst His servants and the standards of guidance in His lands. Know your stations, holding fast to the grace of God, the Forgiving, the Generous. This is the Day which was announced in God’s Books of old and of which every trusted Messenger gave tidings.

O people of God! We counsel you with that whereby the Cause of God shall be exalted among His servants and your stations shall be made manifest among the peoples. Verily, He is the Sincere Counsellor, the Compassionate, the Merciful. Take hold of the Book of God with the power granted by Him and follow not the desires of those who have turned to the daysprings of idle fancies, turning away from His straight path. This is He Who hath come with the Kingdom of Utterance from the presence of the Most Merciful. Fear God and be not of the heedless. Blessed is the soul that hath attained unto My knowledge, soared in My atmosphere, and held fast unto My strong cord. That which was promised in the Books of God and concealed in His all-encompassing knowledge hath appeared. Every secret hath been revealed and the ocean of knowledge hath surged among all possibilities. Exalted is the Most Merciful, the Manifestation of this mighty Message.

O ’Ali-Qabli-Muhammad! Hearken unto the Voice of the Wronged One, and remind His loved ones of that which hath been sent down from the heaven of the Will of their Lord, the Master of this wondrous Day. Say: The Kawthar of life hath flowed from the Pen of the All-Merciful. Draw ye nigh, O people, and be not of the heedless ones. Beware lest anything whatsoever debar you from the Lord of Names. Cast away your idle fancies. By God! The horizon of the heaven of utterance hath been illumined with the light of certitude. This is a Day wherein naught shall profit you save this Name, at Whose appearance all names have bowed down in submission, whereupon the limbs of every heedless and remote one have quaked. O people! Deprive not yourselves of the breezes of the days of your Lord, the Mighty, the Great. The ocean of knowledge hath surged, and the luminary of proof hath shone forth from the horizon of the Will of your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. My Most Exalted Pen beareth witness that thou hast turned towards God, the Lord of Names and Creator of the heavens, and traversed land and sea until thou didst arrive at a place wherein the remembrance of God, the Lord of all who are in the heavens and on earth, was exalted, and didst attain the presence of the Wronged One, and didst hear His call, and didst succeed in reaching a horizon from which the Sun of utterance hath shone forth by the command of One Who is the Mighty, the Ancient of Days. Thou wert present, and didst hear, and didst witness that which the divines and theologians of Persia were prevented from attaining. Thus have We expounded the verses unto thee that thou mayest know and be of the thankful ones. Say: […]

My God, my God! Praise be unto Thee for having strengthened me, and made me to know Thee, and caused me to hear and to see, and brought me near until I stood before the gate of Thy bounty and grace, and attained unto that which most of Thy servants were deprived of. O Lord! The light of Thy countenance drew me, and the fragrances of Thy Revelation seized me, and separation from Thee weakened me, until Thou didst bring me into Thy presence, and gave me to drink, and provided me with that which was inscribed by Thy Most Exalted Pen in Thy Books and Tablets. O Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Signs, and Thy manifestations in the kingdom of creation, and by the waves of the ocean of Thy utterance amidst all possibilities, and the effulgences of the sun of Thy proof upon all religions, that Thou deprive me not from attaining Thy presence and standing before the throne of Thy grandeur. Then write down for me, O my God, that which Thou hast written for Thy chosen ones and Thy loved ones, whom neither the might of kings deterred from turning to Thy Kingdom, nor the clamor of the peoples prevented from facing the light of Thy dominion. My God, my God! Thou seest me clinging to Thee, holding fast to the hem of the robe of Thy grace, turning to Thy horizon, and speaking Thy praise. I beseech Thee by the lights of Thy countenance to assist me to be steadfast in Thy love in such wise that neither the doubts of Thy servants nor the signs of those in the lands shall prevent me from drawing nigh unto Thee and circling round Thy throne. My God, my God! I know of a certainty that Thou didst create me to know Thee and to exalt Thy Word and to arise to serve Thy Cause. I beseech Thee in all conditions, O Thou the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious, not to deprive me of that for which Thou didst create me, and nurture me for its days, and strengthen me to turn unto it. By Thy might, O God of Names and Creator of heaven! Nothing in the world gladdens me save the manifestations of Thy grace, the tokens of Thy loving-kindness, the signs of Thy mercy, and the evidences of Thy bounty and tenderness. I beseech Thee, O Lord of Eternity and Sovereign of the world, by Thy Most Great Name, to ordain for me all the good Thou hast sent down in Thy Book. Verily, Thou art He Whom nothing whatsoever can frustrate, nor can the Daysprings of Names render powerless. Thou doest what Thou pleasest through Thy sovereignty and ordainest what Thou willest through Thy power. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the fire in the hearts of Thy lovers and the light of the countenance of Thy sincere ones to forgive me and my father whom Thou hast caused to attain unto the station Thou didst ordain for him. O Lord! Purify him through that which hath flowed from the Pen of Thy grace. I testify that Thy forgiveness hath encompassed all created things and Thy mercy hath preceded all contingent beings. O Lord! This is a day whereon the ocean of forgiveness hath surged before Thy face and the clouds of bounty have rained the showers of generosity and bestowal upon the hearts of Thy chosen ones. I beseech Thee not to deprive him of the effulgences of the lights of Thy generosity. Verily, Thou art He to Whose generosity all things have testified. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Bountiful, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

O Ali-Muhammad! Give thanks to God for this supreme bounty! The Wronged One hath turned toward thee from His Most Great Prison and given thee tidings of that which all the treasures of earth and all that the kings and rulers possess cannot equal. Give thanks to God by night and by day, then make mention of Him at all times. He hath aided thee to turn unto Him and hath made thee know His straight and manifest path. Take thou the garment of utterance to the loved ones of the All-Merciful, that they may discover from it the fragrance of the bounty of their Ancient Lord, the All-Bountiful. Verily He will aid them and will acquaint them with that which most of mankind hath been prevented from knowing. To this beareth witness the Truth, the Speaking, the Manifest One. Make mention of Ha before Sin - upon him be My glory and the loving-kindness of God, the Lord of the worlds. Say: Thou wast mentioned before the Wronged One in the Most Great Prison and hast attained that whose fragrance shall endure as long as the Most Beautiful Names of God and His supreme attributes endure. To this testifieth every discerning one. Blessed art thou for having turned unto a station from which the people have turned aside, though they were created to serve His manifest Cause. They awaited My days through centuries and ages, yet when the appointed time came and I revealed Myself, they denied Me, rejected My verses and turned away from My proof, until they pronounced sentence to shed My blood with such injustice as caused the Supreme Paradise and the dwellers of this exalted station to lament. Hear thou the call, time and again, from the Supreme Pen: Verily there is none other God but Him, the Speaking, the All-Wise. Be thou steadfast in the service of My Cause and vocal in My praise with the wisdom We have sent down in the Holy Books and Tablets. Hold thou fast unto it in all conditions, as bidden by the Mighty, the Bestower. Let not the intimations and the power of princes sadden thee. Hold fast unto the cord of the loving-kindness of thy Lord, the Master of all creation. Soon shall the world and all thou seest today perish, and there shall endure for thee that which hath been ordained by the Pen of God, the Lord of Lords. When thou hast attained unto My verses and found the breezes of revelation, say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of Names, for having mentioned me while Thou wert wronged at the hands of them that disbelieved in God when He came with power and sovereignty. Verily He will be with thee and will help thee through His grace, and He is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. We have found the fragrance of thy love and thy turning unto Him, and thy humility and submissiveness. We have mentioned thee in verses that shall not be effaced throughout centuries and ages. We beseech God to aid thee, make thee successful, and grant thee the blessing of His presence. Verily He is powerful over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but Him, the One, the Chosen One. Thou didst desire to attain the presence of the Wronged One, having been seized by the breezes of revelation in the days of thy Lord, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. Give thanks unto God for having illumined the horizon of permission with the sun of acceptance from thy Lord, the Almighty, the Mighty, the Bestower. Fix thy gaze upon the horizon of wisdom, as bidden by thy Lord, the Master of the Day of Return.

We make mention of thy mother and give her the glad tidings of God’s favors and bounty. Convey unto her face greetings from the Wronged One. Verily, He is the Protector of every servant who hath believed and every maidservant who hath turned towards the Dayspring of Lights. O My handmaiden and My leaf! Glorify thy Lord with praise, then make mention of Him at eventide and at dawn. Verily, He hath made mention of thee with a mention before which all mention hath bowed down in humility. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having awakened me through the breezes of Thy Revelation and enabled me to turn towards Thee, O Lord of Lords! I beseech Thee not to withhold from me that which Thy Most Exalted Pen hath ordained for Thy handmaidens who have turned towards Thee in days when most of the inhabitants of the land turned away from Thee. O thou who gazest upon the Countenance! The Sun of loving-kindness hath shone forth upon thee once again, as We desired to make mention of thy wife, whose mention was made before the Wronged One, Who hath called the people unto God, the Lord of all men. O My handmaiden! Hearken unto My call. Verily, He hath made mention of thee with a mention whose fragrance shall endure throughout the duration of thy Lord’s kingdom, the Subduer of winds. We beseech God to aid thee and draw thee nigh unto Him at all times, and to ordain for thee through His Most Exalted Pen the best of the hereafter and of this world. Verily, He is the One with power over whatsoever He willeth. There is none other God but He, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

O name of ?a and Sin! We have desired to make mention of thy son, whom We mentioned before as a token of Our grace, and I am the Mighty, the Compelling. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to strengthen thee and enable thee to remember and praise Him, and to ordain for thee that which befitteth His grace and bounty. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Guardian over those who are in the heavens and on earth. And We make mention of thy daughter who hath attained the honor of serving thee in the days of God, the Manifestor of clear proofs. O My leaf! The Wronged One hath turned toward thee from the precincts of the Prison and calleth thee with the most exalted call and summoneth thee unto God, the Dayspring of verses. Blessed is the leaf that hath clung to the Tree of Proof, and the servant who hath held fast to the cord of God, the Lord of all religions. And We make mention of thy other daughter and give her the glad tidings of My loving-kindness which hath encompassed the horizons. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to enable her and ordain for her that which shall profit her in every world among the worlds of her Lord, the Illuminator of lights. And We make mention of My loved ones whom the doubts of the people have not prevented from God, the Guardian, the Self-Subsisting. This is a day whereon all things have spoken forth: “The appointed time hath come, and that which was hidden in God’s knowledge, the Lord of existence, hath been made manifest.” O people of God! His mercy hath preceded you as a bounty from God, the Lord of the seen and unseen. Verily, He hath aided you and drawn you nigh until He caused you to recognize the ocean of His knowledge and the heaven of His grace and the sun of His generosity, the Guardian over what was and what shall be. Nothing whatsoever escapeth Him. He doeth what He willeth by His sovereignty, and He is the Truth, the Knower of things unseen. Not an atom’s weight in the heavens or in the earth escapeth His knowledge. With Him is the knowledge of all things in a Preserved Tablet. Take ye the chalice of salvation in the name of your Lord, the Creator of all things, then drink ye therefrom in defiance of those who have disbelieved in the Witness and the Witnessed. By God! The verses have been sent down and the signs have appeared, yet the people do not understand. Rejoice in the loving-kindness of your Lord and say: Unto Thee be praise and glory, O Lord of Names, for having enabled us to recognize the Dawning-Place of Thy Revelation and guided us to Thy path and drawn us nigh until Thou didst cause us to hear Thy most sweet call which hath been raised betwixt earth and heaven. We beseech Thee not to disappoint us of that which is with Thee. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the All-Loving, the All-Forgiving.

The splendor shining forth from the horizon of the heaven of My dominion be upon you, O My loved ones, and upon those whom neither ranks nor hosts have deterred from turning to the Praiseworthy Spot. O name of Ha and Sin, upon thee be My glory! We make mention, at the end of the Book, of thy sister whose days in this world have come to an end, and who remained subject to the will of her Lord, the Sovereign of the Kingdom of Names and the Ruler of all humanity. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to forgive her and purify her from the defilement of this world, as a token of His grace. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Loving. Rejoice, O My handmaiden, in that the Tongue of Grandeur hath made mention of thee in this spot round which circle them that are nigh unto God. We beseech Him to ordain for thee what He hath ordained in the Most Exalted Paradise. He, verily, is the One Who has power over whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be” and it is. The glory be upon thee and upon those handmaidens who have believed in God, the Lord of the Unseen and the Seen.

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=== START BH00376 ===

In the Name of our Sustaining Lord! O Most Great Fath! I have taken up the Pen to reveal unto thee that which will gladden thee and kindle within thy heart that which will draw thee to the seat of God, the Most High, the Most Great. When I reached this stage in My utterance, I heard the lamentation of My heart and the sighing of My Pen, and both prevented Me from warbling upon the twigs of the Divine Lote-Tree in the paradise of this transcendent, holy and luminous Tablet. Sorrows overtook Me to such degree that it was as though I had forgotten the melodies of God, and the Spirit was prevented from singing within My breast by reason of that which the hands of the oppressors have wrought. Therefore do Mine eyes weep, and My inner being mourneth, and My heart lamenteth, and My Pen crieth out and saith: “O Fath of eternity! By God, the Ancient Beauty hath fallen into the pit of the enemies through that which the hands of these people have wrought - they who were not ashamed before God and who speak what their own desires command them, and what Satan casteth into their breasts, and who fear not God Who created them by a command from Him. Verily, there is no God but Him. His is the creation and the command, and all return unto Him.”

There have been presented before Us in these days various questions. By God, were I to bear the weight of the heavens and earth, it would be easier for Me than to turn My gaze toward that which thou hast asked about. By My life, this is indeed a grievous calamity. One asked whether God is capable of turning brass into gold, or ruby into ash, or gold into brass. Another asked whether it is possible for man to become dust after he witnesseth this transformation with his own eyes at all times. Likewise were other questions which the Pen loveth not even to mention their names, how much less to expound upon them and what hath been ordained concerning them. Fie upon them for having followed Satan in what he whispered in their breasts, and they were among the polytheists.

I know not of which affliction to complain - shall I complain of their suspicions, or of their questions, or of that which hath befallen My oppressed and sorrowful Self? This, whilst thou knowest they have not understood the Cause and are submerged in the oceans of their vain imaginings to such extent that they desire not to emerge therefrom. Thus have their souls enticed them to a matter whereby they have disbelieved in Him in Whom they had believed, after He appeared with all the signs from God, the Protector, the Mighty, the Powerful.

Would that thou wert present before the Throne to witness what hath befallen the Youth from those whom We protected by the hands of power throughout months and years, and to witness the one who rose against Me and disputed with My Self until he pronounced judgment against Me without any clear proof or luminous Book. Say: O people! If ye dispute about the signs of God, then by what discourse can your faith in God, your Creator, be proven? Bring it forth and be not among the patient ones.

Among those who turned away was he who was known by the letter Jim and was in Iraq. He then drew forth the sword of falsehood and hypocrisy, even as We had informed you before that when the sun setteth, the birds of night begin to stir. Thus appeared what God had informed you of before, and with Him is the knowledge of the heavens and earth, and the knowledge of all things in a clear Book. And besides him was she who believed then disbelieved, and God was innocent of her and her deeds. By God, everyone who hath found the fragrances of purity from the direction of God and discovered the sweet scents of the garment from the holy and luminous Temple fleeth from her actions. Would that thou hadst been informed thereof and hadst not heard this drop from its ocean […]

No one has known what she truly was except Him Who encompasses all things with His all-pervading, all-encompassing knowledge. She arose in opposition after having believed, and fabricated against Me whatever lay within her power. Thereby was she immersed in the ocean of fire, yet she perceived it not. She bartered the love of God for her own calumnies. By God! The Pen is ashamed to recount what she committed against God, the Most High, the Most Great. Say: O people! Slay me not with the swords of opposition. By God! I concealed Myself from you for successive years and desired not that anyone should recognize Me, but God manifested Me and caused Me to speak with truth, and sent Me to you with clear authority. If this be My crime, then pardon Me. I am not the first of transgressors. Indeed, there came before Me ’Ali with what I have brought you, and before him Muhammad, the Messenger of God, with an impregnable Arabic Book. I speak naught except what the Spirit casts into My illumined heart. Among the people are those who object that thou dost claim a different station each day. Say: Yea, by My Lord! I am, at every moment, in a new condition, and I desire not to remain fixed in any station. I beseech God to raise Me at every instant to a station more exalted than before. Without this, the essence of My heart would not be content, were ye but to know. Say: This remembrance is not from Me except according to your capacity. Otherwise, God hath established Me in a station that knoweth neither increase nor decrease. Whatsoever appeareth from Me, God manifesteth it by His command according to a prescribed measure, lest the hearts of the unitarians be disturbed. Remember, O people, when the Revealer of the Bayan came to you with novel and holy verses, saying: “I am the Gate of Knowledge, and whoso believeth concerning Me more than this hath indeed fabricated a calumny and earned for himself a grievous sin.” Then He said: “I am verily the promised Qa’im Whose appearance was promised you in sacred scrolls.” Then did He, exalted be His remembrance, declare: “I am the Primal Point, which is indeed Muhammad, the Messenger of God, as ye have heard and witnessed in the Tablets of God, the Sovereign, the All-Wise.” When the essence of certain souls had been elevated, He then rent asunder the veil and rose from the Holy Dayspring, proclaiming: “I am God, there is no God but Me, your Lord and the Lord of all worlds. I am He Who, from the beginning that hath no beginning, hath been one God, Single, Unique, Alone, Self-Subsisting. I have taken neither partner, nor likeness, nor vizier, nor peer. I have sent Prophets and Messengers from the beginning of beginnings and shall continue to send them unto the end of endings.” Say: O people! Fear God and turn not to anything else, but gaze upon the Most Sublime Vision with the eye that God hath made as the sign of His eye within you, that ye may be among those endowed with insight. Then look to the Manifestation itself and that whereby your faith was established. By God! This is the word of truth, and after truth there is naught but manifest error. If ye find and witness that whereby the mission of every Prophet was established, then oppose Me not, even should We pronounce upon the heaven the decree of earth. Fear God, O people! Wrong not yourselves and be not among the wrongdoers. Speak not concerning this Youth that which God hath not permitted you […]

Be not among the ignorant! By God, O people, I desired nothing for myself and followed all the Manifestations of the past, and aided the Cause of God in every way in those days when faces were veiled in fear of the oppressors. I showed humility to every soul in the Bayan and lowered the wing of submission to every sound believer. By God, O people, I protected my brother and his brethren behind his back to the extent of my power, until the breezes of might wafted from the direction of God, the Powerful, the Almighty. I raised his mention among the servants and taught him through all nights and days, and revealed in his praise what none can reckon save God, the Reckoner, the All-Knowing. There was none in the Bayan but that I revealed Tablets for him, wherein We mentioned him with the most exalted mention, to which every fair-minded and trustworthy one bears witness. By God, besides Whom there is none other God, I concealed myself though I was shining among the servants, and manifested his self through words one letter of which outweighs, in the sight of God, all that exists between the heavens and earth. And you, O people of the Bayan, witness all this, were it not for the veils of self and desire that prevent you. Judge fairly then - did I fall short in any matter? Nay, by the Lord of all worlds! By God, I was among enemies in days when souls trembled for my life from the hosts of the oppressors, and I received the arrows of the enemies with my breast lest they fall upon them. Judge fairly then - could one whose deeds were such as you witnessed be suspected of loving this world, or of seeking to exalt his own mention, or of self-glorification? Nay, by the Lord of the Mighty Throne! By God, O people, that has befallen Me which cannot be mentioned by pen or tongue. Whenever I wish to speak of it, My intense weeping and the sorrow of My heart and the trembling of My limbs prevent Me. To this bears witness what flows from My grieving pen. When My brother saw that the Cause had advanced and My name had become renowned among the loved ones, he desired to kill Me. When God thwarted him in this and I departed from among them, he took up the pen and wrote concerning Me that which I am ashamed to mention, casting the blame upon My wronged and solitary self, attributing every evil to Me in his words to instill hatred in the breasts of the rebellious. His words in his own hand are still in My possession, and whoever wishes to see them may come into the presence of this Youth to see and learn what has befallen Me in this remote prison. Salman has witnessed, and We ask God to make him speak truthfully of what he witnessed with his own eyes, that he may be among those who would not sell the slave of truth for numerous coins of falsehood. When I witnessed and learned what he had written concerning Me, I lamented within Myself with the lamentation of the distressed, and I wept over the Cause, for I knew that what he had committed would cause God’s Cause to be lost among the people, though His Cause is sanctified above being changed by anything. However, people are not all of one capacity, and there must be weak ones among them who will be disturbed by such matters, except those whom God protects through His authority - and He is indeed the Forgiving, the Merciful. By God the Truth, had My blood been shed a thousand times, it would have been better in My sight than for these matters to become known among the servants. But God has decreed what He willed, and He does what He pleases and ordains what He desires[…]

Verily I was cognizant of what was within his soul from former times, yet We concealed it lest it cause the feet of the deluded ones to stumble. When that which was manifest appeared from him, I commanded that the people be informed, that their faith might be preserved and their deeds not be rendered vain, lest they be numbered among the losers. Therefore did We inform the servants and command them with that which they were commanded in all the Tablets from the Ancient Revealer, that they might purify their hearts from all allusions and behold the Manifestation with the eye of the Manifestation, not with the eye of any created thing, for none can perceive Him save through His own hallowed and all-seeing eye. By God! I desired no authority or station for Myself, and even now am imprisoned beneath the hands of the oppressors. O people! Be fair in My Cause and follow not your desires, and be not of the heedless. Verily he who held a knife in his hand and would cut off the head of God writeth in the Tablets that should the Truth be made manifest, whether in the Bayan or elsewhere, whether it be through a servant or a free man, whether black or Ethiopian, “I shall follow Him and be of the believers.” Say: O servant! If thou art truthful in thy words, why dost thou dispute the signs of God, His sovereignty, His might and His power? Hast thou witnessed any Manifestation greater than what hath appeared in truth? Bring forth thy proof if thou art of the truthful ones. Verily He Who hath appeared is more manifest than the sun at high noon. Thou deniest Him and seekest to slay Him and writest that which every seeing eye testifieth to be false. By God! Thou sayest as said the divines of the Qur’an when He came with clear sovereignty. They said: “O people! We await the appearance of God and have hoped to attain His presence and reach His court. We desire naught save what God desireth for us.” Yet they pronounced judgment against God until they slew Him with such injustice as hath no parallel in creation, and God is witness and knowing of this. By God! Such words issued not from their pens and mouths except to confound the Cause of God among His servants and lead them astray from the path. Would that the people were aware of the Cause and were of those who know! By God! As there was love for thee in My heart and We confirmed thee in the Cause, We therefore desire that thou shouldst stand firm in such wise as would astonish every steadfast one, and that thou shouldst behold God with thine illumined eye. And should others among the servants object as they have objected, verily thy Lord is independent of them. Soon shall they know, at the time when the dust of death overshadoweth them and the might of thy Lord, the Almighty, the Powerful, the Omnipotent, seizeth them. Soon shall God destroy their souls and whatsoever of the world is with them, save those who have held fast to the divine cord and were upon a straight path. Arise to serve the Cause, then take the chalice of Baha between earth and heaven, then drink therefrom in the name of thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the Most High. And shouldst thou find a sanctified heart, let it drink thereof and be not of the patient ones. Take hold of the reins of the Cause with the power of thy Lord and fear no one, then detach thyself from all the worlds. And the glory which hath shone forth from the horizon of eternity be upon thee and upon those who love thee in God, thy Lord and the Lord of all creation. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

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=== START BH00377 ===

He is the King, the Beloved, the Most High! Immeasurable praise beseemeth the holy court of the ever-sanctified King Who, from the radiance of His Beauty, created the sun; Who, from the mantle of His Countenance, brought forth the moon; and Who made manifest the stars in the realm of existence. Each of these hath He made a distinct sign from His presence: the first sign He made the manifestation of the Sun of His unseen Reality, the second sign He made a mirror reflecting that Sun, and the third signs He made as lamps kindled from the mirror of manifestation. Through these manifest signs He hath called unto Himself all creation and all that shall be created, and made all that was or shall be aware of His infinite revelations. In every age He hath made manifest the Sun of His mercy in supreme glory and with most resplendent light, causing it to speak and proclaim the most exalted path and way in the realm of existence. Upon it He hath sent down His proof and revealed His decisive verses through its wisdom-laden tongue. He hath called all things wherein is found the breath of life unto His sanctified Being and summoned them to His worship, that all things might ascend from their lowly station to the supreme horizon, and in every moment witness within their own realm of possibility the boundless effusions of their Lord, rising unto the Concourse on High and ascending to the holy horizon, arriving at and making mention of the one incomparable God, single in His Essence and Attributes. And when the infinite creation reached its end, He brought His new creation into being, manifested Himself unto it through its own self, shone forth upon all created things, and made it manifest in that manifestation. After the complete manifestation of that sanctified Being, He raised it up and made manifest the second of His manifestations in the station of all creation, through which He shone forth upon all things. In this way and manner He made manifest His infinite revelations in every age and made evident in every era a Prophet and a Book, calling His creation unto Himself, until He sealed the Messengers with Muhammad, His Apostle, revealed unto Him His Book of Truth which was the true Furqan, and in it called His creation unto the Manifestation of His Self, making him the Manifestation of His Divinity, as He hath revealed in His verses, which are His words, in several instances. And when the new creation reached its end, He brought His unseen manifestation from the horizon of “Thou shalt never behold Me” into the realm of existence, and brought His own sanctified Self from behind the holy veils of pre-existence and eternity into the arena of time and space, and lifting the veil from His unseen countenance, manifested Himself openly and evidently unto His servants, that the entirety of creation might be illumined by His countenance and enlightened by the Sun of His mercy, that they might hear in the manifest outer word the inner hidden meaning, hearken unto the Word of Truth, and present themselves before His Self in the hour of meeting Him, appearing before God in that holy presence.

And becoming illumined by the Sun of His mercy, they outwardly heard the inward, and hearkened unto the Word of Truth, and came into His presence at the time of presenting themselves before Him, becoming as supplicants unto God, and attending that holy gathering. And in this Dispensation, as the divine requirements took effect and His decrees spread forth, some among the servants became veiled and turned away from that holy Being. But those who sought the truth and yearned for the manifestation of reality in that day attained unto the Manifestation of the possible, hearing from the Unseen of the unseen the call that “All things shall perish except His Face.” And becoming illumined by the light of their Lord’s beauty, they brought forth the breeze of life, journeying from the depths of eternity toward the ocean of forever, and from the ocean of forever toward the sea of perpetuity, acquiring the pearls of love and knowledge, glorying and rejoicing therein in the most exalted Paradise. This continued until the divine decrees took effect and His ordinances descended and were fulfilled, and that holy Tree returned to its own truth as it had been before. Then the gates of God’s infinite bounties were cut off and closed, and those in whom remained but a breath of life became afflicted in the darkness of the horizons and souls - some by confinement, some by chains, some by devotion, and some by hunger and nakedness - each one afflicted in some manner, passing these transient days until whatever God willed of the remnants of His Cause that remained from the effulgence of His Manifestation became operative and flowing. Now the Point of Truth is concealed in the throne of His invisibility, watching over His servants, witnessing the Concourse on High, sending down upon them His effulgences, and being aware of their deeds in all that was and will be created. He is the Point of nearness and remoteness - His remoteness is His nearness and His nearness His remoteness, for the Essence of Eternity is sanctified above this, and the Manifestation of Ancient Days is holy beyond such mention. He has placed the sign of His truth in every form, bringing forth within it infinite effulgences, and through that effulgence He has manifested Himself to all creation. Whoever has adopted the character of the spiritual ones and the exalted ones, that sign of effulgence has appeared in them, and they have witnessed in their hearts the mystery that “He is nearer to you than your life-vein.” Whoever has turned away from that sign of truth has entered into remoteness and veiling. Those who are illumined by the dawning-lights of eternity have entered the depths of forever, acquiring the pearls of perpetuity and the coral of faith and certitude in the manifestations of knowledge and ecstasy. Through the sign deposited within their hearts they have drawn near unto their Lord and witnessed the divine effulgence in being “nearer to them than their life-vein,” delivered from the fire of remoteness and attaining the light of nearness, receiving bounty from the Source of Glory, from the never-failing Bestower of Grace, witnessing in the sign of their hearts the divine manifestations and the holy concealed fragrances.

Having inhaled the fragrances of divine mysteries within the signs of their own hearts, and having become that Bird of Truth soaring in the eternal realms of the Concourse on High, ascending to the holy station, they witness at every moment the endless outpourings of God, the All-Glorious, within their heart, soul, spirit and body. They hear the call “Verily I am God, there is no God but Me” from the hidden and treasured verses within their hearts, and through that revelation, inspiration, and divine utterance they behold the manifestations of their own reality. In the mirrors of their hearts, which are the signs of inner consciousness and perception of truth, they witness the mystery that “We are nearer to you than your life-vein,” and observe the holy fragrances in the glass of their hearts. At every moment, through the divine effulgences and the glances of nearness and the manifestations of intimacy, they become attracted and detached from all else but God, with nothing in creation becoming a veil between them and Him.

As for those who have become heedless of the sign of truth and negligent of divine lordship, they have become veiled from the sign of truth, their nearness has been transformed into remoteness, they remain deprived of the radiant lights of eternity in the realm of nothingness, become veiled from the gleaming lights of manifestation on the horizon of Sinai, and have transformed their spirit of truth into an animal spirit. Unaware, they act day and night, remaining separate from both truth and creation, returning to their own nothingness, becoming as clay, bringing about the extinction of their spirit, body and soul, with no mention of them remaining in existence - except for those whom divine grace and mercy have encompassed, upon whom the infinite divine manifestations descend at every moment, upon whom the suns of His glory rise and shine in the orbit of His exaltation, and upon whom the holy stars of His grandeur gleam and radiate.

In their hearts, spirits, souls and bodies, they witness the signs that prove the existence of God, and with the ear of their spirit they hear the call “Hearken unto that which is revealed unto you from your Lord.” Upon their tongues flows the words “Our Lord! We have heard one calling to faith, and we have believed in him,” and entering through the gate of God’s mercy, they utter the word of remission. They enter the City of Oneness while its people are heedless, and dwell in the pavilions of holiness. How blessed are those who behold the manifestations of Truth, whom nothing can veil, who at every moment are illumined by His novel splendor, who witness His signs of glory and creation in their own contingent and created realms, who through nearness itself witness the sign of nearness and draw near unto God, who through remoteness itself witness the sign of remoteness and become remote from all save the divine manifestations, and who behold in their hearts the hidden and treasured manifestation that “He is nearer to you than your life-vein.”

The manifestation of “We are nearer to him than his life-vein” is concealed within that hidden verse in their hearts, and by it they have worshipped their Lord day and night, and through it they have gazed toward God, seeing it as the means of their attainment unto their Creator. They have looked to the truthful words stating that “servitude is an essence the inner reality of which is lordship,” and according to this utterance they have grasped the true knowledge revealed in God’s Book as expressed by the truthful ones, thereby ascending to the Supreme Concourse. Thus, they have ascended to the sacred place as far as possible, and have not regarded the knowledge of the Bayan as they regarded ancient knowledge, for previous knowledge compared to this is as nothingness and extinction before eternity and perpetuity. In previous Manifestations, just words were manifest from the inmost heart, while in this Dispensation divine verses have been revealed in manifest form, attracting all created things past and future, save certain Prophets - upon them be prayers and glory - unto whom the words of truth were revealed. As He says in the Torah, speaking directly to Moses without veil, addressing him and in certain instances calling him Lord and created things as lordly ones. Similarly in the books of all Prophets, as He says to David: “Thou art My son, today have I begotten thee,” and in other instances says: “Thou art the son of My beloved, in thee am I well pleased,” and elsewhere states: “Israel is My firstborn.” Similar divine utterances are found regarding other Prophets, as the people of the Gospel interpret the words of the Torah and Psalms of David regarding Jesus - peace be upon Him - with some considering Him God, others the Son of God, and yet others the intermediary between God and creation, each following their own way. All this knowledge compared to the new knowledge is as darkness to light, as a hidden sun. Therefore strive to grasp true knowledge and know that God’s infinite manifestations have filled heaven and earth, and His all-encompassing revelations have embraced all created things past and future. There is nothing except that God has manifested Himself upon it through a sign of His Self, thus all things proclaim “There is no God but He, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting.” As for what was mentioned in the words of the ancients that “the Friend is nearer to me than myself” - this is a remote saying and strange utterance. How can the created be nearer to the Creator than the Creator’s own Self? God forbid! Unless we say that Friend is the Reality of the Essence in the unseen of unseens within the witness of witnesses, where no mention is made of creation and no existence is referred to therein. However, His nearness and remoteness becomes apparent in one’s recognition and shines forth in one’s knowledge. If one attains unto the Truth, at the moment of attainment there is separation, for the distance between him and the Creator is evident […]

And the Creator is manifest, and if He becomes distant, meaning if one does not attain unto that Reality, in His remoteness there is nearness which is the very essence of separation, for His manifestation is within it. And that is the reality of union which is far from you, for you cannot attain His knowledge, and yet is near to your hearts, for He hath placed therein the signs of His own Reality, through which one attains unto the West and the Reality […]

=== END BH00377 ===

=== START BH00378 ===

In the name of our Lord, the Most Inaccessible, the Most Holy, the Most Mighty, the Most Great, the Most Glorious!

Praise befitteth the peerless Beloved Who hath been and will forever remain sanctified above the description of all created things, the attributes of all beings, the mention of all peoples and the conditions of the world. The banner of “He doeth what He willeth” is even as the sun manifest upon the highest station of the world, and the standard of “He ordaineth what He pleaseth” is resplendent above the most exalted emblems. The gems of all attributes glory in their relation to but one of His signs, and the essence of all praise is blessed and beloved in its nearness to but one of His servants. Through a single light from among the lights of His countenance He hath illumined earth and heaven, and through one word from among His words He hath made manifest all that is in the Books. Blessed is the eye that hath attained unto His light, and blessed the ear that hath hearkened unto the cooing of the Dove of His Revelation from the branches of the Tree of Sinai. This most glorious Day hath been distinguished by the seal of His special bounty and mentioned in former Books through wondrous allusions and references. Its fragrance giveth life and its breeze bestoweth the eternal cup. Well is it with the soul that hath turned unto it and become detached from all else.

Glorified art Thou, O my God and the God of signs and the Sovereign of clear tokens! I beseech Thee by the Name through which Thou didst rend asunder the veils and didst manifest whatsoever Thou didst desire in the kingdom of names and attributes, to aid Thy servants to remember Thee and praise Thee, to serve Thee and obey Thee. O Lord! Leave them not to themselves. Take their hands through Thy bounty and grace, and ordain for them that which beseemeth Thy Revelation and Thy might. This is a Day wherein the ocean of Thy knowledge hath surged and the sun of Thy grace hath shone forth from the horizon of Thy loving-kindness. I beseech Thee by Thine own Self and by the Most Great Word through which Thy sovereignty and power were manifested, to inscribe by Thy Most Exalted Pen that which will draw them nigh unto Thee and enable them to act according to what Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. Thou art, verily, the Omnipotent over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.

I offer praise and salutation upon the Manifestations of Thy unity and the Daysprings of Thy singleness, whom Thou hast made the repositories of Thy knowledge, the dawning-places of Thy revelation, the daysprings of Thy Cause and the sources of Thy laws. These are servants who have held fast unto the cord of Thy grace, detached from Thy creation, who have clung to the hem of Thy bounty, seeking refuge in Thy presence and shelter at Thy court. O Lord! Withhold not from them that which lieth with Thee, but send down upon them from the heaven of Thy mercy that which will purify them from the promptings of self and passion. Thou art, verily, the Lord of all creation and the Ruler of both this world and the next. There is none other God but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

O Lord! Thou seest Thy servants standing before Thy grace, turning toward the sun of Thy bounty, and hastening toward the ocean of Thy bestowals. I beseech Thee not to disappoint them of the wonders of Thy mercy, O Thou Who art the Goal of the world, the Beloved of them that know Thee, and the Ultimate Hope of them that are nigh unto Thee. There is none other God but Thee, the Lord of the worlds and the Object of worship of all in the heavens and on earth.

Thereafter, the submission of this evanescent servant to your eminence is that through the scratching of your pen the world was filled with joy, and through the springtime dew the dust of sorrow was dispelled. Though we have differed in form, we are all journeying toward God and speaking for His sake. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, that He withhold not this wondrous, sublime and blessed bounty, and grant it forever and ever. He is the Omnipotent One - not an atom can escape His treasuries, nor can any matter render Him powerless. Thus, wheresoever we may be and whatsoever we may become, we are in His treasury, and praise be to God, we are of Him, reckoned as His and attributed to Him. Blessed art thou and this evanescent servant.

After reading and perusing your noble handwriting, I sought the Most Exalted Station, the place whose praise the Concourse on High is powerless to render. When I attained the presence and was granted permission, the Countenance of the Beloved turned toward me and uttered that which was like the mercy of spring to the earth and its trees. He spoke, and His sweetest words were:

“God willing, through divine favor they shall unlock the cities of hearts with the key of the Divine Word and water them with the vernal showers of His grace, that from good soil may spring forth the flowers of knowledge, and all may attain to their true purpose. Strive that souls may truly become detached from worldly conditions and arise to serve the Cause of God, fixing their gaze upon the eternal kingdom rather than this transient world and all that is therein. The intent is that the world and its ornaments should not prevent the servants from the everlasting kingdom. How many souls there were who, despite their abundant wealth and riches, arose to serve the Cause and attained unto that which He loves and is pleased with. The Manifestation of Truth, the utterance of truth, and the commandments and prohibitions are all for the sake of the servants, and whatsoever has been revealed from the Supreme Pen has been and shall be the cause of the world’s order, the preservation of nations, and the advancement of souls. Blessed are they who ponder on that which hath been manifested from God, that they may comprehend the purpose. Should heedless souls drink from the ocean of awareness and partake of the lights of the sun of knowledge, all would turn to the Most Glorious Horizon and occupy themselves with the remembrance and praise of God. Their desires have prevented them from God, the Lord of all worlds. Soon shall they find themselves in manifest loss.”

This evanescent servant, with utmost humility and supplication, begs that God, exalted be His glory, may aid all and grant them success in that which pleases Him. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

Regarding what you wrote about attention to the aforementioned direction, it was submitted in the Most Holy and Exalted Presence. He said: “All matters are dependent upon wisdom and consultation. That honored one should be mindful of this blessed word which hath been revealed by the Supreme Pen in the Crimson Book. We have said, and Our Word is the truth: The heaven of divine wisdom is illumined with two luminaries: consultation and compassion.” Consult in affairs with some friends who are in service with you, and whatever becomes apparent, act upon it, trusting in God. Blessed art thou, O thou who hast been mentioned by the Wronged One time after time, while He was imprisoned in this mighty fortress.

As regards what you wrote concerning Janab-i-Rafi’u’d-Din Khan and Muhammad Akbar Khan and Isma’il Khan, upon them be God’s favors and grace, this evanescent servant submitted their names at a most propitious time into the divine presence, and from the heaven of bounty a most holy and exalted Tablet was revealed and sent to each one. God willing, they will drink from the oceans of the All-Merciful’s mercy and divine favors that lie hidden and concealed within the revealed words. God, exalted be His glory, is witness that they will discover the fragrances of the verses and drink from the aforementioned oceans according to their capacity. Surely they will leave the knowledge of creation to creation and turn with heart and soul to the horizon of the All-Merciful. God, exalted be His glory, informs the Seal of the Prophets - may the spirit of all in the kingdoms of command and creation be sacrificed for Him - of a word spoken by the believer of the House of Yasin, and that word is: “Would that my people knew!” If a soul were to comprehend the circumstances under which this blessed word was revealed, he would surely discover the fragrance of the true rose-garden and turn to the Source that transcends all directions. Were this evanescent servant to attempt to properly expound upon this theme, lifetimes would not suffice. God is witness to these words and His testimony has been and will ever be sufficient. This evanescent servant conveys his greetings to each of those gentlemen, the conveying of which is dependent upon your grace.

As for what was written about the book, it has not yet arrived. After its arrival it will be submitted to the Most Holy Court. This evanescent servant beseeches God, exalted be His glory, to aid you in all matters. Verily, He is the Witness, the Helper, the Succourer. Likewise, mention was made of the other souls you had written about before the Most Holy and Exalted Presence, and for each one an exalted Tablet was revealed and sent. God willing, they will attain unto them.

As for recent news, the Imam-Jum’ih of the Land of ?ad, who was the cause and reason for the martyrdom of His Holiness the Name of God ?a’ - upon him be all the most glorious Glory and all the most resplendent Light - within the span of a few days was stripped of that which he prided himself upon, and was banished in utter humiliation to the Land of Kha’. After much pleading and supplication, and through the intercession of a group, he was ordered to return to his place via Yazd and remain in his house. Shortly after his arrival, he was afflicted with a severe ailment. Many from within and without have written that he was howling like a dog. Finally, it reached such a point that his own family avoided him. In short, he returned to the lowest depths with the worst punishment. This rebellious tyrant, who in the Book of God is called Raqsha, was several times more wicked than the oppressor of the Land of ?aff. O beloved of my heart! Such tyranny was manifested by this heedless ignorant one that all minds and souls were bewildered by it. For His Holiness the Name of God ?a’ - may my spirit be sacrificed for him - was one who, beyond his own capacity, attended to this man’s affairs and showed him the utmost consideration, and dealt with all people of every kind with perfect joy and fragrance, kindness and love. Nevertheless, this shameless and impudent one who is called Raqsha, and his companion who is mentioned in the Book of God by the name of Wolf, rose up in opposition and, purely for worldly ornaments, cut down two divine Trees from the Muhammadan Garden with the utmost tyranny. Behold, the curse of God be upon the wrongdoing people.

And concerning the mention of Aqa Siyyid Mu??afa, upon him be the Glory of God, may he ever drink from the sweet water of the imperishable Beloved and abide at rest beneath the shade of the Tree of Providence. Praise be to God, he is remembered at the Most Holy Court, and God willing, he shall act as befitteth. One word that issueth today from the tongue of the Manifestation concerning any soul is more beneficial for him than all the treasures and buried wealth of the earth, for through the divine Word his mention shall endure and persist while all else hath been and shall be ephemeral.

Likewise concerning the mention of Doctor Khabiru’d-Din and his son, and ?akim Imtiyaz Husayn, upon them be the Glory of God - their mention hath been made before His Presence and the Sun of Providence hath dawned from the horizon of grace upon each one. Blessed are they for having attained unto the Most Exalted Word and turned unto the Supreme Horizon on this glorious and wondrous Day.

Furthermore, thou didst mention Haji Siyyid Mahdi, upon him be the Glory of God. After it was presented before Him, He showed favor and the blessed Tongue spoke these blessed words - exalted be His grandeur: “Blessed are they who have on this day drunk of the sealed wine in the name of the Self-Subsisting and have received their portion from the river of mystic knowledge. We make mention of Mahdi and give him glad tidings of that which hath been revealed for him, and We counsel him with that which befitteth the days of his Lord, the Forgiving, the Generous, and to remain steadfast in this Cause whereat the feet of the learned, the rulers and the mystics have slipped, save whom God willeth, the Lord of all worlds.”

This evanescent servant conveyeth greetings to all the friends and beseecheth confirmation and divine assistance for all from the Sender of Messengers and Revealer of Books. His is the command; He doeth what He willeth and decreeth what He pleaseth, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. The Glory be upon you and upon those with you and upon those who have attained unto this mighty and glorious Remembrance. Praise be to God, Lord of all worlds.

Another submission: The Most Great Branch - may my spirit and all spirits be a sacrifice for the atoms of dust beneath His most pure footsteps - hath remembered that honored one with special favors and particular mention, and hath conveyed greetings too sacred for this evanescent one to mention or write. Likewise have the denizens of the pavilion of infallibility and grandeur bestowed most holy, most mighty, most exalted greetings, and the emigrants in the prison land present their pure devotion, greetings, mention and praise to that honored one.

The Servant

13 Shawwal 1298

After completion of this petition, He said: “O thou who art present! Write to the Khan, upon him be the Glory of God - let them not grow weary from the conditions of the world and its affairs. With complete steadfastness, purely for the sake of God, let them remain focused on that which is befitting and proper, that perchance the blind may see and the thirsty may drink. In this Cause both wisdom and steadfastness are necessary. God willing, in the name of Truth they shall deposit enduring seeds in good soil, and now that they have gone there and made mention of the Cause, they must remain until the trees bear fruit and the children attain to maturity.”

=== END BH00378 ===

=== START BH00379 ===

The day-star of words, dawning above the horizon of the utterance of Him Who is the Lord of all names and attributes, hath, at this most blessed of hours, shone forth in all truth with the splendours of the light of God. The spirit of understanding, flowing from the Pen of the All-Glorious, hath, by virtue of His grace, been conferred upon all created things. The mystery of all mysteries, emerging from behind the veils of concealment, hath, in very truth, been revealed to the righteous, as bidden by God, the Almighty, the Unconstrained.

God, the Most Powerful, the Most Exalted, the Most Great, addresseth the holy Beings created through the Primal Word that proceeded from His mouth, and beyond them the Concourse on high, and beyond them those whom He hath sanctified above the comprehension of all who are on earth and in heaven and whom He hath raised up through His hidden and inscrutable Will, saying: “Rejoice in your very souls, for the most auspicious time hath come; and the Hour hath struck round which revolve all the other hours foretold in the Tablets of God, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Most Merciful; and the hidden Morn hath broken forth, in this treasured Name, from the dayspring of divinity, shedding its radiance upon all that hath been and all that shall be.” Blessed be the Lord of all bounty, the source of this supernal grace!

The promised Day of God is come! He Who is the Manifestation of the Adored One hath been established upon the throne of His name, the All-Loving, and the sun of His bounty hath cast its rays upon the seeing and seen alike. Wherefore renounce ye, O denizens of the realms of limitation, that which ye possess, adorn your temples with His glorious vesture, and behold with untainted vision Him Who is the luminous Beauty of God seated upon the throne of glory in His transcendent, His almighty and all-subduing sovereignty. All praise be to the Best-Beloved, Who hath revealed His hidden beauty with such manifest authority!

All days have attained their consummation in this most august of days, and all hours in this noblest of hours, and the Unseen hath willed to confer every grace upon the inmates of earth and heaven, to establish, before all who are in the kingdoms of revelation and creation, the Manifestation of God and His loftiness, and the sovereignty of God and His grandeur, that His favour might be made complete unto His servants and His bounty fulfilled unto His creation. And yet, when once He appeared, the eyes of all who had awaited Him were dazzled, save for those whom His might had protected and from whose sight He had lifted all worldly veils. Blessed, then, be He Who hath been made manifest through the power of truth in this wondrous, this shining vesture!

Since the provided text is already in English, I will return it unchanged:

And when the appointed hour of His Revelation struck on this promised Day, the veils of destiny were rent asunder and the divine decree was fulfilled with the departure of the Luminary of the heaven of eternity from the city of Baghdad. This came to pass by reason of what the hands of the malicious had wrought against this Light–a Light that hath outshone every other in its sacred and wondrous splendour. Blessed, then, be He Who hath sent down these twin Revelations through His most great, His most mighty sovereignty!

At the advent of this Manifestation the realities of all created things were filled with joy, and all seized the cup of ecstasy with the hands of longing and rapture and drank thereof the choicest wine for love of this Beauty–a Beauty that hath appeared through the power of truth, arrayed with the ornament of God, the Sovereign, the Just, the All-Wise. Blessed, then, be He Who, through this Revelation, hath attracted the hearts of the well-favoured of the Lord!

Say: This is the Day for which the Pen of the Most High hath ordained no peer, and whose like the denizens of the Concourse on high and the realities of the Prophets and Messengers of God have never attained. Blessed, then, be He Who hath made manifest this hallowed and sacred, this mighty and wondrous Day!

This is the Day whereon the pillars of the Throne trembled in their yearning for God to establish Himself thereon, the Day whereon the foundations of the most lofty Seat were stirred into motion. Blessed, then, be God, the Source of this rapture that hath seized the entire creation!

This is the Day whereon the Sun of Beauty dawned above the horizon of the countenance of God, the Most Exalted, the Most Great, and the clouds of bounty rained down, and the trees of Paradise yielded such fruits as God hath apportioned to them that turn unto Him with radiant hearts in this Dispensation. Blessed, then, be God, Who hath ordained this surpassing grace!

This is the Day whereon the spirits departed from their bodies in their eagerness to behold the unveiled countenance of the Ancient Beauty. Blessed, then, be the One Who hath manifested this mighty Day!

This is the Day whereon the Most Great Spirit was embodied in the most comely of forms, and, proceeding from the Realm on high, approached the Scene of transcendent glory with such radiance as to delight the Maid of Heaven, until she paused, suspended in the air before Our presence, with such an adorning as to seize with longing the hearts of the Messengers of God. Blessed, then, be God, Who hath created this noble angel!

Thereupon the inmates of Paradise, and beyond them the inhabitants of the retreats of holiness and the realms of communion, and beyond them they that dwell within the habitations of heaven and they that abide beneath the tabernacle of concealment, stepped forth one and all from their lofty mansions, and, conversing in hushed tones, apprised one another of that which had come to pass upon the earth. It was as though the Ancient King had revealed Himself unto Himself, and then, with undisputed sovereignty, unto His servants and His creatures in the realm of creation. Blessed, then, be God, Who bringeth forth whatsoever He pleaseth through the potency of His all-compelling command!

Then the Most Great Spirit raised a call that resounded through the entire creation, saying: “Solaced be your eyes, O ye inhabitants of earth and heaven, O ye manifestations of the divine names and attributes, and O ye who are immersed beneath the oceans of grandeur that lie beyond the worlds of intimation and allusion! This is the Day whereon God Himself, the Most Exalted, the Most High, through His own sacred and glorious Self, beareth round unto every soul, high and low alike, the cup of nearness and reunion.” Blessed, then, be God, Who hath revealed Himself in all His manifold grace on this greatest of all days!

This is the Day whereon the most grievous veil was torn asunder and the Scene of transcendent purity was made manifest; the Day whereon the face of God smiled with the joy of reunion, and the gates of His presence were flung open to the embodiments of His beauty and majesty and to them that had pierced the veils of glory through the power born of God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise; the Day whereon all things visible and invisible cried out: “Hallowed be the Lord, the most excellent of all creators!”

Whereupon the Most Great Spirit was summoned to silence, and the rapture of God seized the inhabitants of the cities of eternity, the inmates of the crimson chambers, and the dwellers of the kingdom of names. One and all they descended from their habitations until they stood betwixt earth and heaven, with utmost humility and submissiveness, before His Countenance. Blessed, then, be God, Who hath made manifest this resistless, this all-glorious and transcendent Cause!

Then were their voices lifted up in praise and exultation on this glorious Day, a Day whose radiance deriveth not from the sun and its rays but from the effulgent light of the Countenance of God, the King, the Exalted, the All-Bountiful. Blessed, then, be He Who hath caused it to appear through the power of truth and Who hath resurrected therein the souls of all humankind!

This is already in English and therefore no translation is needed.

The Ancient Beauty stepped forth, while the Kingdom of Revelation preceded Him and the Heaven of divine Inspiration followed in His wake. On His right strode the Realm of Command, and on His left marched the hosts of the well-favoured ones. All glory be to this manifest and wondrous Cause! And when He reached the courtyard of the House, the concourse of the realm of holiness prostrated themselves at His feet, and the foundations of the House trembled in their separation from God, the All-Powerful, the Almighty, the Most Exalted. The inhabitants of every city cried out, and the hearts of them that circle round God were sorely shaken. How grievous that separation which caused the very pillars of the world to crumble!

Upon hearing the lamentations of the inhabitants of the realm of dust, the Beauty of the All-Beloved lingered a moment, and the Eye of majesty wept sore at their weeping. Indeed, the sighs of His loved ones caused His heart to swell with such grief that none in the heavens or on the earth could bear its weight.

He proceeded until He reached the concealing veil, and there at His feet He beheld a child that had removed itself from its mother’s breast. And this infant clung to the hem of His robe so earnestly and besought Him in such piteous tones to stay, that the dust of sorrow shrouded the face of every perceiving soul and the winds of anguish blew upon the entire creation. How heavy the burden of grief that clouded the countenance of the sincere! Were it not for the protection of God, the seven heavens would at that moment have been cleft asunder, and the earth would have swallowed up all that dwell upon it, and every lofty peak would have been reduced to dust.

The Hand of Power then parted the veil of grandeur, whence the Beauty of the All-Glorious emerged with supreme sovereignty. When He Who is the Self of God, the Almighty, the All-Bountiful, purposed to pass through the gate, the Most Great Spirit made its final proclamation: “By God! The Well-Beloved of the worlds hath departed from His House by reason of what the hands of the oppressors have wrought.”

]

He then wept within Himself with such a weeping that the dwellers of earth and heaven, and those suspended in the air before Him, and those circling round the Countenance of grandeur, wept with Him. And He spoke unto them, saying: “Know ye that in such a departure on the very Day of Our Appearance there are signs and tokens for them that understand. Haply, by reason of Our departure on this most sublime and wondrous Day, the peoples of earth and heaven may emerge from behind the veils of self and passion; draw nigh unto God, the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious; and become detached from whatsoever He hath created or ordained in this world. This is that which God had purposed for them as a bounty from His presence. He, verily, is the All-Bountiful, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous.” Blessed, then, be God, the source of this most manifest, this most exalted bestowal!

The King of Eternity went forth, flanked by the hosts of the seen and the unseen, with His gaze fixed upon the court of the divine decree. Before Him arose the sighs of His lovers, whilst behind Him could be heard the lamentations of them that yearn after Him. When He reached the banks of the river, He parted from His loved ones, and it was as though the very souls of those devoted servants had parted from their bodies. But He exhorted them to patience and fortitude, and summoned them to the fear of God, the All-Powerful, the Almighty, the Unconstrained. And then, crossing the river, He entered the Garden of Ridvan, wherein He ascended the throne of His wondrous sovereignty. Blessed, then, be the All-Bountiful, the Source of this all-encompassing grace!

The Ancient Beauty’s ascent upon His throne took place at the very moment the people arose to offer the afternoon prayer unto God, the Almighty, the Beauteous. Even in this there are signs for those who are well assured, evidences for them that discern, and allusions for such as have been endued with insight. The Beauty of the All-Merciful tarried in the Garden of Ridvan for twelve days, during which the hosts of the Concourse on high, the well-favoured angels of God, and the souls of His Messengers circled day and night round the Tabernacle of grandeur and the Pavilion of inviolable sanctity, guarding and protecting the people of God from the hosts of the Evil One. Blessed, then, be God, Who manifested this incomparable, this glorious station!

During every moment of those days, the inmates of the chambers of Paradise descended from on high, bearing chalices brimming over with the living waters of revelation and cups overflowing with the choice wine of holiness, which they proffered unto the dwellers of the pavilion of glory and the inmates of the tabernacle of resplendent majesty. Blessed, then, be God for this most exalted, this all-encompassing grace!

And when the appointed time of tarrying was fulfilled and the decree of departure was received, the Beauty of the All-Merciful arose and went out from the Ridvan Garden riding upon the finest stallion. Blessed, then, be the All-Glorious, Who appeared in the world of creation with a sovereignty that transcendeth the heavens and the earth!

As He departed, a cry of sorrow ascended from the garden, and its trees, and leaves, and fruits, and walls, and air, and ground, and pavilion, while the dwellers of the deserts and the wilderness, and even the very dunes and the dust of the earth, rejoiced at His approach. Thus did the Beauty of the All-Glorious establish Himself upon the lofty heights of eternity, inasmuch as His gaze was fixed upon the decree which the Finger of God, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious, had inscribed upon the blessed and snow-white Tablet. And thus do We relate unto you the account of the day of Our Manifestation and the circumstances of Our banishment by reason of the machinations of such seditious souls as had disbelieved in and joined partners with God, the All-Powerful, the Almighty, the Most Bountiful.

=== END BH00379 ===

=== START BH00380 ===

In the name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate! Praise be to God Who hath taught the art of exposition through the mysteries of truth, caused to flow from the Pen the symbols of knowledge and wisdom, and clothed in the raiment of manifestation that which lay concealed within existence. We praise Him with such praise as hath adorned the brocade of the Primal Book and caused to shine forth from the Daysprings of Reality the effulgences of the First Creation, whereby the receptacles of being were immersed in the depths of revelation and witness, and the essences of things accepted the limitations of multiplicity, and after testing and trial ascended unto the heights of understanding and knowledge, forsaking their determined limitations and soaring unto the heaven of sanctity on wings of detachment.

And blessings and peace be upon the Guarded Mystery, the Hidden Symbol, and the Treasured Secret, Who in every world among the worlds of God, the Mighty, the Exalted, is called by one of the names of glory and majesty, and in every station is described by one of the attributes of grandeur and magnificence - He Who was honored by the address “But for thee, I would not have created the celestial spheres,” and Who was adorned with the words “When thou didst throw, it was not thou who threw, but God who threw.” And peace be upon His family and companions, an everlasting, eternal, ancient peace.

O God! O Thou through Whose Most Great Name every sick one is immersed in the ocean of healing, and every abased one is seated upon the throne of might and ascension! The mystics and their hearts have been bewildered by the wonders of Thy manifest creation, and the wayfarers have wandered distracted in the wilderness of knowing a trace of Thy firm wisdom. Thou didst create existence from nothing by Thy Word of command, and didst deliver them from the wilderness of the darkness of ignorance through the radiance of the lights of Thy knowledge. When Thou didst observe their inability to know what would harm or benefit them, Thou didst send among them, by the sovereignty of Thy power, pure spirits, luminous persons, and spiritual temples in their form and likeness, that they might teach them what would draw them nigh unto Thee and sanctify them from all that beseemeth them not in Thy presence. This was of Thy beauteous wisdom and Thy sublime grace and compassion, for Thou hast never compelled anyone in anything, but hast given all the choice of acceptance or rejection.

This being so, were the Manifestation of Thy Cause to appear among them in His true spiritual reality and divine attributes, none would have any excuse to reject His Cause, and all would enter beneath the shadow of His Command without distinction between the felicitous and the wretched, the spiritual and the physical. Such acceptance would not be according to the seeking and capacity inherent in the receptivities of the servants’ beings. Verily, Thy Name, the Just, must needs differentiate between them in reward and recompense, for reward and punishment are bound to deeds, and deeds are bound to intention, and intention is bound to the seeking of created things. For this reason hath Thy consummate wisdom necessitated the sending of Thy Prophets in human form, combining both worlds, that the capacity, seeking and receptivity of existence might be made manifest in accepting Thy grace and being illumined by the lights of the Dawning-Place of Thy unity and the Source of Thy singleness.

I beseech Thee, O my God, to assist us to bear what Thou hast entrusted to us of the trust of Thy love, and enable us through Thy power and might to preserve it from the hands of the thieves. Disappoint us not of Thy mercy, and drive us not from the gate of Thy loving-kindness, for Thou hast named Thyself the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Generous.

O thou bird soaring in the atmosphere of love with the wings of affection and the pinions of sincerity and unity! That which was inscribed by the pen and traced upon the tablet in letters from the book of the heart hath been received. When thy love for the loved ones of thy Lord was confirmed, I was commanded to write the reply. I have therefore complied with the decisive decree, and God is He Who guideth to the path of truth.

O thou beloved! I have seen thy letter and understood what thou didst ask concerning the noble Qur’anic verse and the true effulgence manifest in the mirrors of its holy words. Know thou that for the verses of God, exalted be His glory, there are meanings beyond counting and truths beyond reckoning. Were one to desire to reveal that which lieth concealed within the repository of utterance, all the pens in the world would prove powerless to write, and all the scrolls of the nations insufficient to record it. For those endued with knowledge and wisdom, there is in every station an explanation.

Know thou furthermore that each letter of these sacred words hath two aspects - one turning toward the inner meaning and one toward the outer. Would that we could find attentive ears and receptive hearts that could bear to hear the realities of meaning contained within God’s Book and become illumined by the lights of the suns dawning from the horizons of God’s words! Alas! Alas! Due to the people’s lack of capacity, naught appeareth upon the daysprings of the pages save a mere atom of the effulgences of meaning contained within the verses of the Lord of the Day of Judgment.

How can I reveal that which I have not been permitted to disclose? Consummate wisdom requireth that explanation be given only to seekers. Where is the seeking? And how can all that is known be uttered when its time hath not come and its people are not present? By thy Lord, the Lord of the heavens and earth! The dove of utterance in this station hath melodies that attract hearts and notes that cause souls to soar upon hearing them. But alas! All regret! It cannot reveal its warbling for fear of the hunter of envy, the snare of malice, the net of denial, and the arrows of objection and pride.

Since the tongue is fettered and utterance restrained, I shall explain to thee one letter from the book of knowledge and wisdom, leaving aside what is fundamental to the reality of the Qur’an lest souls be disturbed and pillars shake, until the time cometh and the steed of the Pen gallopeth in the arena of exposition and explanation.

O thou questioner! Know that in these mentioned verses there are multiple stations, from the blowing of the trumpet to the illumination of the earth with light. With those possessed of truth and knowledge, all these stations are established in every world. Just as they confirm these in specific receptacles, so too are they realized in absolute, abstract acceptances. As we believe these ranks in the return, we can determine them in the beginning.

We say that the True One, exalted be His station, was alone in His Essence and there was nothing with Him, as mentioned in the sacred tradition: “I was a hidden treasure and loved to be known, so I created creation that I might be known.” When He loved to make Himself known and be described with sanctification and transcendence, He created. He manifested through the lights of His Name, the Creator, and the abstract realities became determined in the world of the particles. In that world, we interpret the first blast as the words “Am I not your Lord?” and the swooning as from the grandeur of God’s supreme Word. Then He blew a second time in the trumpet of power with compassion and mercy, and lo! they stand, beholding […]

O beloved friend! Know thou that created things, with their varying degrees and diverse natures, accept manifestation and visibility only in accordance with their receptivity, yearning, and capacity. For among the essential and established divine attributes is justice. Having affirmed this, we say: How can existence be brought into being except in accordance with acceptance and acquiescence? For the matter resolves to one of four possibilities: either compelling all to obedience, or compelling all to disobedience, or compelling some to obedience and others to disobedience, or giving each its due according to the capacities of contingent beings.

The first two possibilities are invalid, for the purpose of creating contingent beings is the knowledge of God, exalted be His station, and the intent of this knowledge is to convey benefit and mercy to creation. Were we to assume compulsion in either obedience or disobedience, free will would be eliminated, and with its elimination obligation would be nullified, and with its nullification reward and punishment would fall outside the circle of righteousness. It befits not the Just and Wise One to bestow paradise on one who has not performed what merits it, or hell on one who has not done what warrants it. To grant reward after compulsion to obedience is futile, for one has not acted according to his capacity by choice but was compelled, just as if you force someone to pray who would not have prayed without compulsion - his prayer stems not from submission to God’s command but from fear for himself. No rational being would accept such superficial action, how much less the Just and Wise One whose wisdom encompasses all atoms and whose knowledge comprehends all contingent things.

Similarly, compelling disobedience and then punishment during the state of compulsion would be naught but miserliness, and miserliness befits not the Merciful One whose mercy encompasses all and whose bounties overflow. The third possibility is likewise invalid, for its existence would establish preference, and preference without justification accords not with justice - glory be to the Just Ruler, that He should favor some and deprive others.

Having invalidated these three possibilities, the fourth is established: dealing with things according to their seeking, receptivity, station and capacity. This befits the Just and Wise One, the Generous and Merciful One. If you desire clarification of this truth, consider the lamp - suppose it represents the Creative Word, and suppose the degrees of rays around it represent determined essences. These rays, according to their varying receptivities, are established in different positions of proximity and remoteness - some in utmost nearness and connection, some in furthest distance and separation, and some in intermediate states. In the outpouring of the All-Bountiful there is no disparity or increase or decrease; rather, the differences in degrees arise from variations in seeking.

This being the case, no argument remains for the remote one against the Absolute Bestower, for according to his own acceptance and seeking has he settled in that station. Otherwise, there is no suspension in the bounty of the Generous One, no cause for distancing from the source of bounty and generosity, no aversion of the Creator from the created without reason. As God, exalted be He, has said: “Thou seest no imperfection in the creation of the All-Merciful.”

When thou hast comprehended what We have mentioned and understood what We have explained, thou wilt recognize the dawning of the Divine Word upon the receptive vessels of creation in the world of the atoms, and thou wilt realize the first blast in the forms of power and the second blast in the realm of simplicity and mercy.

As for the swooning, except whom God wills, it is the swooning of all contingent and determined beings except man, by the will of the All-Merciful, as God the Exalted has said in the Holy Qur’an: “We offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear it and were afraid of it; but man bore it. Lo! he is unjust, ignorant.” And as for the mentioned rising, it is the response of all things through their acceptance of what the Absolute Bestower has given them according to their seeking, acceptance and capacity. And as for the shining forth, it has manifold ranks and stations, among them the manifestation of the Hidden Essence in the realm of Divine Unity to Itself by Itself, and the contemplation of Its Beauty and Majesty in that station by Its Own Being unto Its Own Being without the existence of any of Its creation. In this station “God was, and there was nothing besides Him,” and now it is as it has ever been. And among them is the appearance of the true lights in the station of Divine Oneness in the Muhammadan Reality, the First Determination and Mystery of Eternity. He said, and His word is the truth: “But for thee, I would not have created the spheres,” and “Thou didst not throw when thou threwest, but God threw,” and He - may my spirit be a sacrifice for Him - said: “I am He and He is I, except that He is He and I am I,” and in another station: “I was a Prophet while Adam was between water and clay.” And among them is the appearance of the gleamings of light upon the Tree of Sinai and the manifestation of His mighty mystery to Moses, He Who spoke with God. Blessed be God, the Mighty, the Wise. His bounty knows no cessation, nor His mercy any delay. O thou beloved! Whenever the Pen desires to reveal meanings and wisdom, the exigencies of the time restrain its reins and prevent it from revealing the realities of thy Lord’s verses. I beseech God to make known to thee the reality of expression without its appearing in the visible world. He is indeed the Generous, the Bestower. There is no God but Him, the Gracious, the Mighty, the Helper.

As for what is meant by “earth,” it is the earth of receptivity, meaning that it shone with the light of the knowledge of its Lord and perceived the manifestation of the Sun of Recognition of its Creator according to its capacity and seeking. And as for the rest of the blessed verse, it indicates the testing and trial in this world, for this world is the world of experience and testing, that the blessed may be distinguished from the wretched, light from darkness, and the misguided from the guided. God the Exalted has said: “And they did not become divided until after clear evidence came to them - a Messenger from God reciting purified pages.” Through the existence of tests, the balance of justice is established, judgment is rendered among creation with justice and grace, and His word is made manifest: “And judgment will be rendered between them with truth, and they will not be wronged.”

O God! O Originator of existence and Sovereign of the unseen and the visible! I beseech Thee by Thy all-encompassing mercy and Thy prevailing and all-embracing compassion to open the eyes of humanity that they may behold Thy Most Great Vision and turn toward Thy direction, detached from their desires and holding fast to the cord of Thy commandments and ordinances. Thou seest them in weakness and lowliness, O Thou Who holdest the kingdom of might and power! Deliver them from the depths of idle fancies and vain imaginings and guide them to Thy path, O my Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Leave them not to themselves and their desires. Take their hands with the sovereignty of Thy power, for in Thy hand is the kingdom of grace and bounty. There is no God but Thee, the Omnipotent over what Thou willest.

O God! Send Thy blessings upon the Mystery of Eternity, the Bearer of the Most Great Name, and the Mystic Symbol concealed and treasured, and upon his family and his companions, with an enduring, eternal, everlasting, ancient peace.

=== END BH00380 ===

=== START BH00381 ===

In His Name, Exalted be His Most August Station, the Glory and Power!

Praise be to the Beloved of the world and the Goal of all nations, Who guided His loved ones to the highest horizon and bestowed upon them their portion of the choice wine of utterance. His path is clear and His proof is evident. Every possessor of insight hath seen and become aware, and every person of understanding and wisdom hath attained to His knowledge. Through His most exalted Word He hath separated between enemies and friends. He is the One Who empowereth and bestoweth might. Blessed are they who have been illumined by the lights of His bountiful Sun and have drunk from the Kawthar of His utterance. Out of pure grace He sent forth Messengers and bestowed Books that all might attain unto that which was the purpose of creation. And these degrees of progress continued until the Messengers culminated in the Seal of the Prophets and the Books in the Qur’an. And He informed all of the Day of Judgment, which is the Day of the Great Gathering. Upon Him be the prayers of God and His peace, and upon His family and companions an enduring, eternal, and everlasting peace.

Thereafter, the letter of that honored brother arrived, speaking of the health and well-being of that beloved of the heart. After being apprised of its contents, he proceeded to the known station and it was presented before the face of his Lord. This is what the Tongue of Utterance hath spoken in the Kingdom of Explanation. I am the Wronged One.

Your Book hath reached Our presence, and We have heard your call and seen what thou didst mention therein. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, by the Daysprings of His Cause, the Sources of His grace, the Dawning-places of His knowledge, by His Will that pervadeth all things, and His Purpose that hath transcended the will of all who dwell on earth and in heaven, to assist His loved ones to act in accordance with that which He hath revealed in His Book, and to enable them to celebrate His praise and glorification amongst His servants with wisdom and utterance. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful.

From the most eloquent tongue We have turned to the luminous tongue. The friends of God must cleave unto wisdom and forbearance, and associate with all the peoples of the world in a spirit of joy and fragrance. In one utterance may be concealed the Water of Life that bestoweth eternal existence, and in another utterance may lie deadly poison. The people of unity must speak with words sweeter than honey and more delicate than the morning dew. They must regard themselves as the well-wishers of all mankind, and supplicate God, glorified be His majesty, by day and by night for that which shall profit all.

Man is the dawning-place of righteousness and the dayspring of bounty and favor. O servant of God! Thy mention hath ever been before the Wronged One. We beseech God to aid thee in that which will exalt the Word of unity. From every direction have tribulations and hardships encompassed the people of unity. Weakness is seen where there should be strength, abasement where there should be glory, and impotence where there should be power. We beseech the peerless Lord to make all aware of what hath been lost, that they may discover the cause of weakness and the like. He is the One Powerful Lord, there is none other God but Him, the Lord of the hereafter and of the former times.

Certain ignorant ones in cities and villages have acted in such wise as to cause people to turn away. We beseech God to guide the ignorant to the ocean of knowledge, to grant them wisdom and bestow upon them vision, that they may turn with pure and sanctified hearts and hold fast to deeds. Convey My greetings to the friends in that land. This Wronged One hath mentioned and continueth to mention each one of them, and supplicateth divine confirmation and assistance for all. Verily, He hath power over all things and is worthy to answer prayer.

First, this evanescent servant wisheth to state that if there be delay in responding to letters, this is not due to negligence or lack of love. That honored one is witness, and God is the All-Seeing, that thou hast ever been and continues to be mentioned, nay, art ever before Our eyes. It is hoped that the love preserved in the heart will never diminish. Thy heart hath testified and continues to testify to what hath been mentioned. The occupations of this evanescent one have reached such a point that the pen is powerless to describe them, and God sufficeth as witness.

Mention was made of the honored friend, Amin Effendi, upon him be the peace of God. During the time when the honored Shaykh Salman, upon him be God’s favor, was journeying towards Us, a Tablet was specifically revealed and sent for him. God willing, it hath been or will be received. I convey greetings to him and beseech God, glorified be His majesty, to ordain for him that which shall endure throughout the kingdoms of earth and heaven.

The petition of Jinab-i-Hakim Rahim, upon him be the peace of God, was received. He had previously been granted permission. After the presentation of his petition, this utterance shone forth from the Dayspring of Knowledge: O Rahim! Every just and fair-minded person beareth witness to this Wronged One’s love for the friends of God. From the beginning of this Cause until now, We have called the peoples of the earth to that which conduceth to their exaltation, elevation, and the manifestation of human stations and ranks. Our purpose hath been that all might hold fast to that which God hath willed and to that which He hath revealed in the Book. At all times We have spoken with clear utterance and in every state We have remembered the name of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. However, certain souls who are deprived of the ocean of knowledge and the lights of the Sun of understanding have risen in opposition and protest, and have committed that which the fair-minded and sincere have witnessed. In this city a certain official manifested such tyranny as transcendeth description and utterance - he would seize what was visible and demand what was hidden. He was so consumed by the fire of greed and avarice that all the treasures and riches of the earth could not satisfy him. God knoweth what We endured at his hands. Although the divine hand of justice removed him from office, yet his actions have caused such commotion in this land that We have delayed permission for companions to come. God is Our witness that ye have been and are mentioned before this Wronged One. Say: My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having caused me to turn toward Thy most exalted horizon and to acknowledge the unity of Thy Being and the sanctity of Thy Self above all attributes and names. I beseech Thee by Thy Prophets and Thy chosen ones who have championed Thy Cause with their wealth and their lives and have striven in Thy path with utmost devotion, to ordain for me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy near servants. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. O my Lord! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and acknowledging what Thou hast revealed in Thy Book. I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy knowledge and the sun of Thy grace to make me, in all conditions, hold fast unto Thee and cling to the hem of the robe of Thy mercy. Thou art, verily, the All-Forgiving, the Most Generous.

O Rahim! Although We have forbidden those who seek and desire to come to this land, and whenever anyone hath arrived We have commanded their return, yet the heedless have uttered that which causeth sighs to ascend and tears to flow.

O Rubin! The Prisoner maketh mention of thee and commandeth thee to be patient. Verily, the Wronged One loveth thee and We beseech God to assist thee with that which will draw thee near unto Him. He is, verily, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful, in the beginning and in the end.

O Khudabakhsh! God hath given and giveth abundantly, for His generosity is great. But the pharaohs of the earth and the tyrants of the lands do not give. Ask thou God not to deprive the people of the world from the lights of the Sun of Justice and to grant them their portion from the ocean of fairness.

O Lalihzar! We have ever called the peoples of the earth to justice, fairness and that which profiteth and draweth them near. They hearkened not, and thus weakness and impotence have encompassed the people of unity. We beseech God to illumine their sight and purify their vision that they may not be deprived of beholding the lights of the Sun of Grace. He is, verily, the Powerful, the Mighty. There is none other God but Him, the Lord of the throne on high and of earth below.

This evanescent servant conveyeth greetings to each one of them and to the friends of that land, upon them be the peace of God. Peace, mercy and loving-kindness be upon them and upon the sincere servants of God who have acknowledged that which God hath revealed in His perspicuous Book and have said: “Praise be to Thee, O God of the worlds and the Goal of them that have known Thee!”

Blessed is what you have written concerning the new life and attainment. God willing, the fifteen souls, upon them be God’s peace and favors, have each attained to the mention of the Divine Purpose and been adorned with the ornament of His grace. After these matters were presented, He said: “Blessed is the trustworthy one. We counsel him with wisdom and utterance, and with that dignity which is a human characteristic. And We make mention of the handmaiden of God who has attained to that which God hath revealed in the Book. Peace be upon them both and upon God’s righteous servants, both men and women.” Thus it ended.

Likewise the petition of the honored master, the secretary, upon him be God’s peace, was received and an answer was sent. This servant beseeches confirmation and divine assistance for him. Praise be to God, he has been and continues to be remembered. We beseech God, the Lord of earth and heaven, to preserve him and ordain for him the good of this world and the next. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

As to what was written concerning the apple of mine eye, Aqa Siyyid Husayn, upon him be God’s peace, after it was presented before His face, He said:

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

O Husayn! Upon thee be the peace of God and the peace of His loved ones. His honor Muhammad-Qabli-’Ali, upon him be God’s peace and grace, and thou have been and continue to be remembered before the Wronged One. Although this Wronged One hath commanded all to act with propriety, and likewise to observe that which God hath revealed in the Book, and had no purpose except the protection of the people of unity and their glory, power and exaltation, yet they have committed that which is beyond mention. The power of the people of the cities of unity and detachment had reached such a degree that the limbs of the polytheists and the heedless trembled in fear of it and their hearts were troubled. Now weakness hath reached such a point that the hostile ones have attacked from all sides. Every day some harm befalleth and some tribulation appeareth. They have denied this bounty and have deemed this justice to be tyranny. Thus the Wronged One is imprisoned in the Most Great Prison. However, tribulation in His path, exalted be He, has been and continues to be beloved. In all conditions We have desired and continue to desire the good of the people of the world. We beseech God to adorn all with the ornament of justice, that they may speak with fairness and observe with sanctified vision. The purpose of what hath been mentioned is that the friends may become aware of what hath transpired and know that this Wronged One hath loved and continues to love meeting with the loved ones, but the heedless servants have become a barrier. O Husayn, say:

My God, my God! I am he who hath turned toward Thee and hath placed his trust in Thee. I beseech Thee by the trees of the gardens of meanings and utterance, and by the leaves of realities and explanation, to ordain for me that which shall profit me. Verily Thou art more knowing of me than I am of myself. There is no God but Thee, the Mighty, the Powerful. And the response is new.

O Husayn! Praise be to God that thou hast attained unto that which most are heedless of. Be not grieved by what hath befallen this Wronged One. Reflect: We have made mention of thee with such remembrance as is the cause of greatest joy. We beseech God to strengthen thee, to prosper thee, and to ordain for thee the good of what He hath revealed in His Book. Verily, He is the Compassionate, the Bountiful, and He is the Most Merciful of the merciful.

This servant too conveyeth his greetings and beseecheth from God, glorified be His majesty, whatsoever conduceth to exaltation and ascendancy. I extend greetings to his honor thy father, upon him be God’s peace and favor. He hath ever been and continueth to be remembered. The servant beseecheth his Lord to protect him and ordain for him the good of both this world and the next. Mention was made of the honored sons Abdul-Mahdi and Abdul-Hadi and Qurratu’l-’Ayn, God’s mercy be upon them. Their greetings and attention were recorded. After their mention was submitted, the Blessed Tongue made mention of each one, and likewise mention was made of the honored leaf of the family, upon both of them be God’s peace, and concerning all was manifested that which testified to favor and loving-kindness. Blessed are they and joy be unto them. This servant too conveyeth his greetings to each one and seeketh divine confirmation. Verily God is the Hearer, the Answerer, and He is the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

Mention was made of Aqa Habibullah, upon him be God’s peace. After it was submitted, these words were uttered: “Verily We have mentioned thee before and at this time, and We beseech God to strengthen thee, prosper thee, and make thee protected, steadfast, firm and immovable in that which He loveth and is pleased with, and to ordain for thee what beseemeth His generosity, exalted be He.”

This servant too conveyeth his greetings and maketh mention with such remembrance as causeth enkindlement. God willing, may they be assisted in all conditions to act with righteousness and with that which exalteth their station amongst the servants. Peace, remembrance and praise be upon you and upon God’s near servants.

The Servant

17th of the month of Sha’ban the Great, 1304

=== END BH00381 ===

=== START BH00382 ===

In the Name of Him Who hath illumined the horizon of the world!

Praise and thanksgiving, glory and radiance beseem the One True Object of all, Who through the motion of His Almighty Finger rent asunder the veils and coverings of the world and obliterated the doubts and allusions of the peoples. The clouds could not prevent the Luminary of His Cause, nor could the mists become a veil. In the name of the Self-Subsisting, He stood before the faces of the people and summoned all to the horizon of proof. The opposition of kings and the indifference of their subjects could not hold Him back from His purpose. Through the tracing of the Most Exalted Pen He rendered His Cause victorious and raised high the pavilion of “Verily there is none other God but Him” in the most exalted station. Blessed are they who have grasped His firm cord and clung to His luminous hem. The might of princes could not prevent them, nor could the clamor of divines deprive them. Glorified be His grandeur, glorified be His power, glorified be His sovereignty, glorified be His proof, and exalted be His praise!

Glory be to God! Despite the fact that the call of the Divine Lote-Tree hath been raised from the most exalted station and the effulgences of the Sun of Truth are manifest and evident, all are found to be veiled, deprived and forbidden. Glory be unto Thee, O Mystery of existence and Lord of the seen and unseen! I beseech Thee by the Word whereby Thou didst subdue Thy servants and illumine the lands, and by the showers of Thy mercy in Thy days whereby the roses of realities and meanings have sprung forth in the gardens of Thy knowledge, and by Thy Name through which Thou didst unlock the cities of hearts and manifest that which was hidden and adorn it with the ornament of being, to assist Thy servants to stand firm in Thy Cause, to turn unto Thy face and to arise to serve Thee. O Lord! Thou hearest the clamor of the barking ones from the cities and their outskirts, who have violated Thy Covenant and Testament and uttered that which caused the dwellers of Thy Paradise and the denizens of the tabernacle of Thy majesty to lament. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the power of Thy Will, the penetrating influence of Thy Purpose, the might of Thy Most Exalted Word, and the power of Thy Most Sublime Pen, to aid Thy servants to preserve the pearls of Thy love and the gems of Thy knowledge and recognition. Thou art He to Whose power all who are in Thy earth and heaven have testified, and to Whose sovereignty all who are in Thy dominion and might have confessed. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Encompassing, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Your letter and what was asked has arrived. You must fix your gaze upon this Most Exalted Word which has shone forth from the horizon of the Supreme Pen: “O peoples of the earth! Abandon this day what the people possess, turning unto God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.” This day is unlike other days and this time unlike all times. You must arise to serve the Cause and illumine the world with the light of true unity. This Wronged One is bewildered as to what to say and what to mention that may spread abroad the fragrance of God’s Day. O thou who hast turned towards God! The breezes of proof, compared to what exists in all creation, are as manifest as the sun, yet the people remain heedless and veiled therefrom. Today from the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree this exalted Word is heard: “This is the Day of God; none shall be mentioned save Him.” Should anyone be blessed to hear this Word, he hath attained unto all good. By God’s life! This Word dispelleth and obliterateth all vain imaginings and idle fancies. Blessed are they that hear! Well is it with him who achieveth this and findeth this remembrance which is the Lord of all remembrance. What hath been said hath been measured and uttered for God’s sake, and the Supreme Pen hath not yet spoken in its own melody as it should. The thieves lie in wait while the treacherous watch from their hiding places, seeking to prevent the servants and to gather the writings of the Supreme Pen - their purpose is evident to God though hidden from men. Though no one stood, yet they installed an imaginary figure with armies of falsehood in an exalted station, built cities with hands of idle fancy and constructed towns and habitations with the tools of vain imaginings. Finally on the Day of Resurrection those fancies and imaginings were transformed into hatred and there befell the Lord of mankind that which caused the eyes of the denizens of the highest Paradise to weep and the Divine Lote-Tree to lament. Ja’far spoke one word in truth and sincerity, yet to this day they call him a liar - such is the state of the manifestations of idle fancies and vain imaginings. In the early years, all the divines of Persia arose to cut down the Blessed Tree and issued the verdict for Its death. Consider now - not one of the divines of that land was aware of the truth of the Cause to the extent of a needle’s eye. Much reflection is needed that you may arise for God’s sake and protect the people from vain imaginings and idle fancies lest they be afflicted again as before. Today the eye of justice weeps because of the oppression of the idolaters and the temple of justice laments. Now the manifestations of idle fancy have strayed from the straight and manifest path and invite people to deadly ways of vain imaginings. Thy Lord knoweth while the people know not. Blessed is he who hath held fast to the cord of justice and been of the fair-minded. They measure Him Whose revelation is equivalent to all the divine Books sent down from the heaven of His Will by their own vain imaginings and deny Him, while affirming the truth of others. If this Great Announcement and this manifest, evident Cause be denied, what then can be proven? God shall assail them! We beseech God to assist you to arise for the triumph of His Cause. Stand firm for God’s sake and speak for His sake. This Wronged One hath not yet mentioned the essence of the Cause, but every person of insight and fairness can perceive from the fragrances of the verses and the manifestation of clear proofs and the arising of the Wronged One before all faces that which is befitting and worthy.

O God, my God, my Aim, my Gracious One, my Merciful One! All souls are from Thee and all power lies within Thy grasp. Whomsoever Thou dost exalt transcendeth the kingdom and attaineth unto the station whereof it is said “We raised him to an exalted station,” and whomsoever Thou dost cast down becomes lower than dust, nay worse than nothingness. O Lord! Despite our corruption, sinfulness and lack of piety, we seek the seat of truth and yearn for the presence of the Sovereign, the All-Powerful. The Command is Thy Command, the decree is Thine, and the realm of power lieth beneath Thy bidding. Whatsoever Thou doest is pure justice, nay rather, pure grace. A single revelation from the revelations of Thy Name, the All-Merciful, would banish and obliterate all trace of disobedience from the world, and a single breeze from the breezes of Thy Day of Manifestation would adorn the world with a new vesture. O Thou Omnipotent One! Grant power to the powerless and bestow life upon the dead, that they may find Thee and find their way to the ocean of Thy knowledge, and remain steadfast in Thy Cause. Should the fragrance of Thy praise be wafted from the diverse languages of the world, all would be beloved of the soul and the heart’s desire, whether in Arabic or Persian; but if deprived thereof, they would be unworthy of mention, whether in word or meaning. O Lord! We beseech Thee to guide and direct all. Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing.

O thou who art mentioned before the Wronged One! Praise be to God, thou hast attained unto the bounty of the Most Exalted Pen and its effects. We beseech God to assist thee, keep thee steadfast, and make thee a standard of guidance among His servants and an ensign of praise throughout all lands. Give thanks unto God, for He hath mentioned thee in such wise as nothing in all creation can equal. Know thou this, preserve it, and be of those who render thanks. We have indeed perceived from thy letter the fragrance of love and devotion. We have mentioned thee in this Perspicuous Tablet, from whose horizon shineth the Sun of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of all worlds. Blessed is the ear that hath heard the Call, and the face that hath turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon, and the eye that hath beheld the Most Great Sign, and the foot that hath arisen to serve the Cause of God, the Lord of the Exalted Throne. The ears were created to hearken unto the call of the All-Merciful, and the eyes to behold His signs. Blessed is he who hath heard and seen, and woe unto the heedless. Verily, the Most Great Ocean desireth to cast upon thee the pearls of wisdom and utterance, that thou mayest rejoice and be of the thankful ones. Say: O people! Fear ye God and follow not those who have changed God’s favor into disbelief. Cast aside this day what the people possess, hastening unto God, the Single One, the All-Informed. Answer the Call of God amongst you, then take Him as your Helper. Verily, He hath come for your salvation, to this testifieth every knowing and discerning one. Say: My God, my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Signs and the Manifestations of Thy power, O Lord of all humanity, and by Thy Cause whereby Thou hast subdued the kingdom of earth and heaven, and by Thy Sealed Wine whose seal was broken by Thy Name, the Self-Subsisting, to assist Thy servants to turn unto Thee, to hold fast unto the cord of Thy loving-kindness, and to cling to the hem of Thy mercy. O Lord! Deprive them not of the pearls of the ocean of Thy knowledge, nor of the table of Thy utterance, nor of that which Thou hast sent down from the heaven of Thy Will. Then adorn them, O my God, with the ornament of piety. Verily, Thou art the Lord of all humanity, and the Lord of the Throne on high and of the dust beneath. There is none other God but Thee, the Hearer, the Answerer, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

In matters of theological inquiry there has been delay, for this Wronged One has not, according to outward appearances, studied the known sciences, entered schools, or been acquainted with scholarly discussions. Having turned away from what is possessed by the people, He has clung to what is with God. The intention is that you should in these days occupy yourself with service to the Cause - this is the most exalted station. If you hold fast to it, God will unveil for you what you desire from the depths of His all-encompassing knowledge. For in these days, preoccupation with such matters keeps one back from the Most Great Cause, the Supreme Horizon, and the Most High Summit.

Previously, matters of learning flowed from the Most Exalted Pen, but in these days We have confined matters to “There is no God but Me, the Almighty, the Powerful.” I have come from the Dayspring of Utterance with a clear proof. In one of the Tablets this blessed verse was revealed: “This is not the day for questions and answers. It behooveth everyone, when hearing the Call from the Supreme Horizon, to arise and say: ‘Here am I, O Desire of the world! Here am I, O Beloved of all in the heavens and the earth!’”

We mention for you what was revealed upon My first arrival in the Prison in response to one who asked about the world, its origin, the cause of its creation and manifestation […] We said: You should not turn to the past or future. Remember this Day and what hath appeared therein - verily it sufficeth all the worlds. The statements and allusions regarding these stations extinguish the heat of being. It behooveth thee to speak today that whereby hearts may be set ablaze and the bodies of the seekers may soar. Walk with the power of the Greatest Name above the world that thou mayest witness the mysteries of eternity and become aware of that which no one hath known. Verily thy Lord is the Helper, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Be like the beating artery in the body of contingent being, that through the heat generated by this motion the hearts of those who hesitate may be quickened. Blessed is he who hath attained unto the outpourings of this Ocean in the days of his Lord, the Munificent, the Wise. Be a promoter of God’s Cause with an utterance that will cause fire to blaze in the trees and will make them proclaim: “There is no God but Me, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.”

Say: Utterance is a substance that seeketh penetration and moderation. As to penetration, it is conditional upon refinement, which in turn is dependent upon hearts that are detached and pure. As for moderation, it is to be combined with wisdom, which We have revealed in the Scriptures and Tablets.

The fragrances of verses have been diffused and the standards of clear proofs have appeared, yet the people are in strange delusions. God willing, thou shalt render assistance through celestial power. Its effects and manifestations have been and are from pure and detached hearts. It is God’s sign in existence and His trust in the hearts and minds. The learned are incapable of comprehending it as it deserves, and the wise are powerless before it. This Most Great Sign rules the world and holds sway over the nations. Names circle round it and all means are manifestations of its attributes. Through the instruments of sight it sees, through the instruments of hearing it hears, and through the instruments of speech it speaks. If no obstacle prevents this power and no veil intervenes, it is penetrating and mighty. It is as a sun that hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of understanding. Were it not for the veils of idle fancies, it would illuminate the world. Neither the might of the world, nor the armies of nations, nor the doubts of the learned, nor the intimations of the jurists can hold back one who attains this most exalted and glorious station from the Lord of Names. This is the station of which the All-Merciful hath spoken in the Qur’an: “Say: ‘God!’ then leave them to their vain discussions.”

Praise be to God! That which was revealed for you - every word of which hath testified and doth testify to the grace and loving-kindness of God - was sent down. Some are playing in their pool, thus hath He Who is Justice Itself spoken: verily thy Lord is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. We praise Him for His grace and loving-kindness, and for His mercy that hath preceded all who are in the heavens and on earth. The Glory be upon you and upon those whom nothing whatsoever hath prevented from the Lord of Names and Creator of Heaven, who heard the Call and turned unto it, saying: “God is our Lord and the Lord of the Mighty Throne.”

=== END BH00382 ===

=== START BH00383 ===

O Heydar-Qabli-’Ali, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God!

In My Name, Who speaketh in the midst of tribulations!

True praise and the essence of glorification beseemeth and befitteth the people of Baha, whom neither the riches, ornaments, and colors of the world of creation prevented from turning to the Most Exalted Horizon, nor were they hindered by the power of tyrants and the authority of oppressors. Through the light of piety and the penetrating influence of the Supreme Word, they adorned the world with a new life and an enduring existence. These are they whom the commerce of the world occupied not, nor did it keep them from turning to the Ancient King. In tribulations they are patient, and in adversities they are tranquil, inasmuch as they have detached themselves from creation and clung unto the Truth. Exalted be their stations and sublime their steadfastness! We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to elevate them among His servants and to adorn them with the ornament of justice in His kingdom, and to ordain for them that which will make them the letters of His Book and the words of His Tablets. Verily, He is the Ruler over what He willeth and the Commander of what He desireth. There is none other God but Him, the Possessor of all creation and the Ruler over all lands.

O Heydar-Qabli-’Ali, upon thee be My Glory! Thou hast ever been and art still remembered in the presence of the Wronged One. Praise be to God that thou hast attained unto that which was recorded and inscribed by the Eternal Pen in the divine Books. That which thou didst mention concerning the devotion and enthusiasm of the loved ones in the Land of Alif and Ra hath been heard. Praise be to God that from the earliest days the light of faith hath dawned, appeared and shone forth from the horizon of that land’s heaven, and especially in this time when from the heaven of bounty of the King of Oneness wondrous and sublime verses have been sent down and dispatched. We beseech God to give them to drink, from the cups of His verses, the Kawthar of His knowledge, and from the goblets of His utterance, the Salsabil of His love and good-pleasure. And we beseech Him to aid them in that which will cause the Cause of God to be exalted throughout all else[…]

That mention has been revealed from the Most Exalted Pen concerning departure from the Land of Sad - the intention is that prolonged stay is not permitted in a city wherein dwells the Wolf. This word had previously issued forth from the Kingdom of God’s Command. Most princes and leaders outwardly show love while inwardly they are engaged in stirring up opposition. Glory be to God! Until now, the mighty deeds and great favors of this Wronged One are not known and no one is aware of them. For nearly forty years We have forbidden the people of God from conflict, corruption, murder, plunder and reprehensible deeds and actions, such that all would testify, were they to be fair, that the supreme grace hath been manifested from this Wronged One. Previously, every year the fire of war was ignited, as all have seen and heard. But after this Wronged One’s arrival in Iraq, no one moved except as this Wronged One desired. Despite the enmity of the heedless and the hatred of the barking ones, not a soul arose to retaliate or defend. The divine counsels and heavenly admonitions had such effect that although they killed and martyred the friends, the friends killed not but left matters to God. Nevertheless neither government nor people showed satisfaction, as though unaware of this deed and hitherto unconscious of this greatest mercy and mightiest favor. Ask ye God to grant awareness and bestow justice. In most Tablets We have mentioned His Majesty the Shah - may God assist him - and have beseeched protection and safeguarding for him from God. In brief, the good deeds of this Wronged One remain concealed while manifestations of denial are countless. What has happened that the ministers and princes pay no heed to measures that would ensure the protection, preservation and tranquility of the world and its peoples? Today one can hold fast to matters that cause the permanence of government and progress of nation, but future days shall not possess this virtue. To this beareth witness He with Whom is the light of knowledge and utterance.

O Haydar-’Ali! If thou wouldst for a few days repair to the land of Kha and fix thy gaze upon wisdom, perchance there might sprout and appear from the Sadratu’l-Muntaha a fruit that would prove the means of mankind’s deliverance. The revealed Tablet that was sent down in the name of His Honour Nabil-i-Akbar, and likewise another Tablet specifically revealed for His Honour Muhammad-’Ali from the heaven of utterance - if these are in thy possession, it would be well. In truth these two Tablets are one and should be bound in a single volume, along with such Suras and Tablets as are the cause of attraction and joy, and the means of guidance and gladness. However, in all circumstances the observance of wisdom is greater than all else. Previously We wrote to thee concerning the preservation of the Tablets, and there is no need to repeat it. Two years ago in the verdant land, a certain person who was known to this Wronged One sought to meet one of God’s loved ones, his purpose being to understand and discover that which was intended by this Most Great Revelation. He did meet with one of the loved ones, yet from that meeting no fruit was garnered, for the session ended in concealment and secrecy, and due to wisdom the matter remained hidden. For wisdom there is a known measure and limit, for if wisdom be observed to such a degree, the people would remain deprived and excluded. In all things moderation is necessary. Now if thou shouldst purpose to journey to those parts to visit and meet the loved ones, results would become manifest. Assuredly, a deed performed for the sake of God will give rise to wondrous and sublime effects and will be adorned with the ornament of influence. Should some behold certain of the revealed Books, Verses and Tablets, this would be well-pleasing and acceptable in the sight of God, for most of the people, being unaware of the root of the Cause, have been and continue to be held back from drawing nigh unto God by the calumnies of the falsifiers and the claims of the cawers. That which is incumbent upon all today is that they should, for the sake of God, observe with their own eyes that which hath appeared and been revealed, and should, in the path of God, be wholly devoted to protecting His servants, that perchance the people of God may not be afflicted with the vain imaginings of the Shi’ih faction. The names have become idols of the people - these must be shattered and cast down by the arm of power and might; and by power and might is meant the power and might of wisdom and utterance. By the life of God! This power hath been and remaineth triumphant, and neither the ranks of the world nor the swords of the nations can weaken or prevent it. Verily thy Lord knoweth and declareth, but most people know not. Ask thou of God that He may reveal the treasures deposited in the earth, and likewise men whom no power can weaken, no strength can disable, and no veils or glories of the earth can hold back. They aid the Cause through speech and utterance. We testify that they are God’s loved ones in His earth and His chosen ones in His lands. Blessed is he who heareth and respondeth, and who acteth in accordance with that which hath been enjoined in the Book.

Concerning those souls for whom thou didst request Tablets, some were sent previously, and now sacred Tablets have been sent specifically for the souls A and R, sons of the late F, and likewise for the sons of the departed R. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to aid them in His remembrance, His praise and the service of His Cause. Verily, He hath power over all things. The people of that land have ever been mentioned in the presence of the Wronged One, but neither complete concealment nor complete disclosure is desirable, for verily the wolf howleth and the dog barketh. O Haydar-’Ali! Supplicate confirmation for all. In that land the seed of wisdom and utterance hath been deposited. Soon will appear that which God, the Lord of the worlds, hath purposed. In every land thou visitest, make mention of the loved ones on behalf of the Wronged One, that their hearts may be attracted by the remembrance of God, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting. Make mention of the loved ones of Shahrud. The glance of Our loving-kindness is directed towards them. We beseech God to preserve them all from the poisonous winds of doubts. Consider the baseness of Hadi. He hath lately uttered words which no discerning ear hath ever wished to hear, nor will. Now “Mirror” and “Successor” and the like have appeared. Say: Cast away these names that obstruct and hold fast unto that which beseemeth the days of God. Today the Speaker on Sinai is seated upon the throne of Revelation, speaking forth, and the Tree is adorned with ripe fruits and is manifest. Say: O my God, my God! I beseech Thee by Thy most great signs, by the rustling of the Divine Lote-Tree, and by the shrill voice of Thy Most Exalted Pen, to assist Thy loved ones to attain unto such steadfastness as shall not be prevented by the hosts of doubts, nor by the ranks of allusions, nor by names and attributes. The people of Baha behold the truth and are detached and free from aught else. The weak ones of the world have clung to the calumnies of the past. They have turned away from the ocean and cling to a pond. They are deprived of the rays of the sun and have turned to the source of darkness. Justice and equity have been laid to rest in Iran and are hidden from eyes and sight. O Haydar-’Ali! These wronged ones were slain in the land of Sad and ’Ishq, yet they showed no opposition nor raised a hand, but held fast to patience and resignation. Nevertheless, the enmity of the people of Iran is observed to be far greater and more complete than before. Upon return, they did that which causeth the tears of those near unto God to flow. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to adorn His lands with His gifts, favors, bounty and loving-kindness. Verily, He hath power over all things. For forty years this Wronged One hath, by God’s will, exalted be His glory, outwardly protected His Majesty the King. Yet no fruit is visible and no trace is manifest. We thank and praise and say: O Illuminator of existence and Concealer of matters! I beseech Thee by the Dawning-Place of Thy Manifestation, the Dayspring of Thy signs, and the Treasury of the pearls of Thy knowledge and wisdom, to assist the heedless to turn toward the ocean of Thy bounty and the sun of Thy grace. Then ordain for them, O my God, that which Thou hast ordained through Thy munificence and loving-kindness. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the All-Choosing.

O Haydar-’Ali! That which is needed today is to prevent the servants from turning towards the Most Exalted Horizon. In truth I declare and with the tongue of reality I mention that every lover who is enkindled with the fire of longing and attainment must act according to what was previously mentioned. By the life of God, in this case he will be recorded by the Supreme Pen in the Crimson Book as one of those who have attained His presence and meeting, and as one of the companions of witnessing and hearkening. Give this glad tiding to the servants. That which hath been revealed and flowed from the Pen of God remaineth and endureth in such wise that neither effacement shall overtake it nor change alter it. Verily thy Lord is the Elucidator, the Compassionate, the Mighty, the Bestower. The path is long and its hardships many. Today all must hold fast to the Divine Word and cling to His Will. That which is revealed from the Kingdom of Command is beloved and to be obeyed. Blessed are they that know and they that act.

Convey greetings from this Wronged One to the loved ones of that land, especially to him who soared in the atmosphere of My love and shone forth from the horizon of detachment in My days, and who drank the choice wine of revelation from the cup of My bounty - he who was named ’Ali before Haydar. Upon him be the glory of God, the Lord of destiny and the Most Sublime Vision. Indeed they have performed that which none else hath manifested in this age. We beseech God to aid all to that which befitteth this accepted and praiseworthy deed.

The letter of his honor the Trustee - upon him be My glory and loving-kindness - arrived, but since outwardly there remaineth no time, the answer is deferred to another occasion. They are ever mentioned in the presence of this Wronged One and are aided to serve. God willing, they may be as an ocean of bounty unto all and as rivers of compassion and love towards everyone. We have aforetime declared: “We have created souls in various stages.” Therefore the Hands of the Cause must show forbearance, for these are the days of Revelation when mercy and kindness have preceded. His honor the Trustee hath shown forbearance from his first arrival in the Most Great Ocean until now. We beseech God to assist him and strengthen him with the hosts of the seen and unseen to mention Him, praise Him and serve His Cause, the firm, the impregnable.

His honor Ibn-i-Abhar shall remain in that land. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to make him a promoter of His Cause in such wise that the tongues of all beings shall speak of his mention, his arising, his steadfastness, and his humility and submissiveness before God, the Lord of the worlds. We send him greetings from this Most Exalted Station and give him the glad tidings of what hath been revealed in this Clear Tablet. O Ibn-i-Abhar! Upon thee be the glory of God, the Lord of destiny. The aforementioned household hath been mentioned and hath attained unto the honor of acceptance. Give them both My glad tidings and We beseech God to assist them and ordain for them that which will draw them nigh unto Him. Verily He is the Hearing, the All-Seeing. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My utterance be upon you, O My loved ones, and upon My maidservants who have turned unto God, heard, and believed in God, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Luminous.

=== END BH00383 ===

=== START BH00384 ===

In the Name of God, transcendent is His Glory in bounty and grace!

God beareth witness that there is none other God but Him, and He Who speaketh before the faces of the world is verily the Hidden Treasure, the Preserved Tablet, and the Concealed Command. Through Him have the rivers of inner meanings and utterance flowed throughout creation, and the ocean of divine knowledge hath surged amidst religions. Through Him hath the breeze wafted and the Word proclaimed: “O concourse of princes and kings! The Possessor hath come, and sovereignty belongeth unto God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting! O manifestations of knowledge! He Who is known hath come with a sovereignty that hath conquered what was and what shall be!”

O Amin! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness! Praise be to God, thou hast been enabled to serve the Cause of God from the earliest days until now, holding fast to the firm cord and turning unto the manifest light. The Tongue of Grandeur hath testified to thy steadfastness, turning unto God, acceptance, and service. Well is it with thee! We beseech God to open through thee the gates of trustworthiness among all creatures. Thy journey to the land of Kha was prompted by the request of him who hath passed away and ascended, and what he desired hath not yet come to pass. The one who truly arose to serve the Cause and was adorned with the ornament of acceptance in the Most Holy Court was serving both the Cause, upon it be My glory, and thyself - that is, in these ranks and stations. Otherwise, praise be to God, all have attained to what God hath sent down in the Book. Truly have the people of Baha performed that which hath no likeness or equal. O Amin! Reflect upon the lovers in all regions who, with perfect submission and contentment, have sacrificed their souls - the most exalted and precious of all things - for the One True Beloved. Likewise those who, through divine power and heavenly training, have engaged in purifying the souls of the earth. Neither the assaults of vice and depravity deterred them from righteousness and godliness, nor did the swords of oppression and tyranny deprive them. Glorified be their Creator, glorified be their Source, and glorified be their Sovereign!

Mention was made of the late Himmat-’Ali Khan. Verily We mentioned him before his passing and after his ascension with verses whose fragrance, traces, and fruits shall never vanish from the earth. We mention him again at this hour. Verily thy Lord loveth His friends. He is the Compassionate, the All-Bountiful.

The resplendent, brilliant Light shining from the horizon of the heaven of utterance be upon thee, O thou who hast turned to the Most Exalted Horizon when most of mankind turned away from it, and who hast answered thy Lord when the Call was raised between earth and heaven, and who hast acknowledged His Manifestation and sovereignty when the sources of tyranny and wickedness denied Him. I testify that thou hast drunk the choice wine of utterance from the cup of thy Lord’s bounty, the All-Merciful, and the Kawthar of eternity from the hands of bestowal. At this moment We have heard the call of all things, crying out and saying: “Blessed art thou, O Himmat! We bear witness that thou hast heard the sweet call of God and acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken in the prison of Akka. We testify that thou hast cast away idle fancies and vain imaginings, and hast taken with thy right hand My sealed nectar and drunk thereof once in My remembrance and again in My Name, the Mighty, the Beloved. Thou hast turned with thy heart to the horizon of the Manifestation in such wise that neither the might of the wicked ones nor the oppression of the evil ones who denied God’s truth and His Manifestation, and His signs and His sovereignty, could deter thee.” We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to cause thee to enter the Most Exalted Paradise and to make thee a companion of His chosen ones and His loved ones, and to send down upon thee at all times mercy from His presence and grace from His own Self and loving-kindness from His side. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, to Whose bounty all created things have testified, and the All-Generous, Whose generosity all contingent beings have acknowledged. There is no God but Thee, the Forgiver of sins, and the Sovereign over the seen and the unseen.

Glory be unto Thee, O my God, my Lord, my Master and my Support! I beseech Thee by him and by his steadfastness in Thy Cause, and by the lights of the sun of his knowledge in Thy days, to forgive those who have visited Thy loved ones and stood before their tombs and recited what Thou didst reveal from Thy Most Exalted Pen in their remembrance and praise. Verily, Thou art the Omnipotent over what Thou willest. O my Lord! Ordain for them that which befitteth the ocean of Thy bounty and the heaven of Thy generosity, then fulfill their needs through Thy grace and munificence. Verily, Thou art the All-Bestowing, the All-Bountiful, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

O Amin! Upon thee be My glory! Convey My greetings to his son on behalf of the Wronged One. Say: “Blessed art thou, O Murad, in that He Who is the Desire of all who are in the heavens and the earth hath turned toward thee. Grieve not for what hath befallen thee. Be content in all circumstances of destiny. Verily thy Lord doeth what He willeth. I testify, and all created things testify, that He is the One praised in His command and obeyed in His judgment.” When thou hearest My call and perceivest the fragrance of My utterance, say:

“My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having guided me to the ocean of Thy bounty and the path of Thy Cause, and for having illumined my heart with the light of Thy knowledge. O my Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I hold fast to the cord of Thy grace. Ordain for me from Thy Most Glorious Pen the good of this world and the next. Verily, Thou art the Lord of earth and heaven, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all affairs. There is no God but Thee, the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the Powerful.”

O Amin! Upon thee be the glory of God, the Lord of the worlds. I testify that thou hast arisen to serve the Cause and hast performed that which hath been adorned with the ornament of acceptance. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to ordain for thee a great reward in the Book. Verily, He is the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

Mention hath been made of him who standeth in service to the Cause–upon him be My glory and loving-kindness. Thou hast spoken with truth and sincerity. Praise be to God, he is at all times engaged in service. In truth, he is a success for the servants of the All-Bountiful. Soon shall the tongues of the world speak his praise and glorification. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

His honor, the Name of Beauty, upon him be My Baha and loving-kindness, has previously submitted that the sum of twenty tumans is with him for the Huquq. We therefore instructed that it be given to two handmaidens of God, but before Our instruction arrived it seems they had given it to you, or the Trustee had not issued payment from previous funds, and We shall not issue it. Verily thy Lord is the Just, the Wise. And he too has committed no fault in this matter. Say: O My Name! Upon thee be My Baha and loving-kindness. Thou hast ever been adorned with the ornament of trustworthiness and righteousness. These two are companions unto thee, and two guardians unto thee, and by God’s leave, two protectors unto thee. The Trustee has ever mentioned thee and thou art the recipient of special favors.

The letter of His honor ?abibu’llah, upon him be My Baha and loving-kindness, reached the Most Holy Court. We read it, that is to say, observed it with the tongue of grandeur, that is to say, with the glance of favor. O Love! The gaze of favor is turned toward thee. Some time ago, a petition from My Name Beauty reached the Most Holy Court, and in that petition he expressed satisfaction with thee and thy mother. In truth these two expressions of satisfaction are as two crowns upon your two heads and two ornaments for your two temples, for the Name of God has arisen to serve the divine Cause and is occupied with praise and glorification, and deeds performed for the sake of God are illumined with the light of acceptance and perfumed with the fragrance of divine good-pleasure. O ?abibu’llah! In these days, due to the lack of capacity of the servants and their occupation with unseemly matters, the station of thy father, that is, My Name Beauty, remains concealed. God will soon reveal that which He desireth and that which was hidden from the eyes of the servants. Verily He loveth the doers of good and His detached servants.

Thy petition reached Our presence, and from each letter thereof devotion and attraction were evident and manifest. Grieve not over the events of the world. We beseech God to open before thy face the gates of His mercy, His loving-kindness and His bounty. Verily thy Lord loveth His loved ones and hath ordained for them from His Most Exalted Pen in His earliest days that which the world and all that is therein cannot equal. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to write for thee that which will exalt thee through His Name amongst His creation. He is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

And regarding thy intention to engage in the occupation thou mentioned - although from the divine perspective, any occupation thou engage in is beloved, yet if thou findest a better one, it would be higher and more beloved in the sight of God. Place thy trust in all matters upon Him and commit them to Him. Verily He is with His trusting servants.

Convey greetings from the Wronged One to thy mother. Say: Within the divine palace itself thou hast rendered steadfast service. If thou knew its station, thou wouldst be content with God, nay, throughout thy life thou wouldst be occupied with “Praise be to Thee, O God of the worlds.”

O Amin! The glance of grace and mercy is turned towards thee. God willing, thou shalt follow the Truth in all conditions - that is to say, thou shalt deal and associate with His creation according to His nature, His disposition, and His grace. Divine success and confirmation have been ordained for thee both before and after. Engage in service with complete assurance. Thy precedence in divine services and thy zeal in matters concerning His loved ones have been inscribed by the Supreme Pen in the Crimson Book. Be thou confident and among those who are firmly established. We beseech God to confirm His servants that they may assist thee for His sake, and recognize and understand thy station. We hope that each day thou wilt attain to that which is the cause of the greatest joy for humanity. Verily, We have mentioned thee, before and after, in such wise as all the books of the world cannot equal. To this beareth witness the Lord of Eternity, Who uttereth in every state that there is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting.

O Amin! Those souls who are engaged in teaching the Cause need attention, for unless the heart is detached, words have no effect. Every being needs sustenance, therefore thou must give attention according to thy capacity. Verily, thy Lord’s mercy hath preceded all things and encompassed all things. Should Ibn-i-Abhar undertake one journey to the land of Ta and its surrounding regions, this would be acceptable and adorned with the ornament of God’s good-pleasure. In no place should he tarry longer than the number of the Greatest Name, unless circumstances require it - that is, unless seekers are found. However, the means of travel should be gathered in moderation, and the fragrance of detachment should waft therefrom. This fragrance is the cause of the world’s acceptance and the peoples’ attraction. In the days of the Manifestation, assured, content, and well-pleasing souls through their detachment have attracted the people of creation and guided them to the straight path. Today is a blessed day, and its station with God transcends the comprehension of those who comprehend. Detached souls must hold fast to wisdom, which is the cause of acceptance, and through utterance take possession of the cities of hearts. These are the cupbearers of the divine Kawthar and Salsabil. Blessed are they and joy be unto them. In all matters thou must hold fast to kindliness, mercy and compassion, although through God’s grace thou hast been and art so characterized. Such mentions are due to the manifestation of care and favors. God willing, may the True One, exalted be His glory, assist thee every day. Verily, He is powerful over all things.

O Amin! His honor Aqa Muhammad, known as Hannasab, dwelleth beneath the blessed Tree and is engaged in service. He hath submitted a detailed account regarding matters concerning his daughter, and the wife of the King of Martyrs, upon them both be God’s care and favors, hath testified in the presence of the wife, confirming what Aqa Muhammad hath stated. In any case, thou art now the Trustee and likewise engaged in serving the Cause. Investigate these matters with justice and fairness for the sake of God, and implement whatever conformeth with justice and fairness. This matter is essential. We beseech God to assist and enable you both to set right the affairs of the world. Verily, He is the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

We sent forth His Honor Afnan Ali, upon him be My Baha and My loving-kindness, to the City of Love for the sale of properties and payment of the known debt, even appointing a deputy for the auction of a house which was in this land along with the aforementioned land. In truth, all must arise to set matters aright with attention to service, and exert mighty effort and endeavor. The Cause of God is mighty and will soon encompass the world. Blessed is the one whom neither vain imaginings nor doubts prevented from the will of the Self-Subsisting Lord, and whom neither the calumnies of the world nor the suspicions of the peoples held back from drawing nigh.

O Amin! Say: My God, my God! All praise be unto Thee for having remembered me in Thy prison in such wise as shall endure throughout the eternity of Thy kingdom and Thy dominion, and for having aided me to arise to serve Thy Cause, and honored me with hearkening unto Thy call and beholding Thy horizon before the throne of Thy Revelation. I beseech Thee, O Thou Who openest the doors and aideth the loved ones, by Thy Most Bountiful Name, to assist them who have turned towards Thee to do that which befitteth Thy sovereignty and beseemeth Thy days. Verily Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Bountiful.

We have repeatedly remembered the loved ones. Give them the glad-tidings of My loving-kindness, illumine them with the light of My knowledge, and remind them of My verses which have encompassed the heavens and the earth. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

=== END BH00384 ===

=== START BH00385 ===

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

Blessed are they who speak the truth and hold fast to wisdom and utterance at all times. These are servants whom the might of creation hath not deterred from that which was enjoined upon them in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds. Blessed are the deeds of those whom veils have not withheld, nor the opposition of the divines and mystics who cast the Command of God behind their backs and followed vain imaginings and idle fancies without any clear proof or enlightening Book. Praise be to God Who hath manifested the proof and revealed the utterance and given glad tidings unto all on this Day which the All-Merciful mentioned in the Qur’an through His words “The Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds.” Praise be to God Who hath spoken and caused all things to speak as befitteth His Day, which was recorded in the ancient Scrolls and inscribed in the hearts of the chosen ones, the pure ones, the Prophets and the Messengers.

Thereafter, the dove of thy remembrance caused Me to hear, and thy love moved Me, O thou who lovest Him Who is our Beloved and your Beloved, our Purpose and the Purpose of all who are in the heavens and the earth, our Object of worship and the Object of worship of all who are in the kingdoms of Command and Creation. When I broke its seal and read it and became aware of its contents, I repaired to the Most Great Scene, the Station wherein the Lord of Destiny speaketh forth every hidden secret - He by Whose finger the heaven was cleft asunder and the moon was split and that which was in God’s knowledge appeared quicker than the twinkling of an eye. When I turned towards it and drew nigh and entered the seat of the Throne, I arose and, having obtained permission, read what was in your letter. Then the glance of my Lord’s loving-kindness turned toward Me, and He revealed that which caused the breezes of the All-Merciful to waft over all possibility, and He said, exalted be His grandeur:

He is the Witness, the Hearer, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

O Sadiq! We have mentioned thee before in verses that caused the ocean of forgiveness to surge in all creation and the fragrance of thy Lord’s mercy, which hath preceded all in the heavens and earth, to waft. And We have revealed unto thee what lay hidden in the treasuries of all the Books. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. He confirmeth whomsoever He willeth among His servants and draweth him nigh unto this Ocean, from whose waves can be heard that which the Interlocutor of Sinai uttered in the Land of Manifestation and the Bird of the Throne when the Ancient Beauty was established upon the seat of His Most Great Name. Say: O concourse of divines! By God, He Who was promised in God’s Books hath come, and He Who was hidden in the knowledge of your Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise, hath been made manifest. Cast aside what ye possess and take hold of that which ye have been bidden by God, the Lord of all worlds. Do ye deny Him to Whom the Tongue of Grandeur bore witness in former ages? Fear God and follow not your idle fancies. Follow ye Him Who hath come to you with a perspicuous Book.

O Sadiq! The servant present hath laid thy letter before the Wronged One, and as the fragrance of acceptance and sincerity wafted from it, these resplendent verses shone forth from the Dayspring of the Divine Pen. Blessed are they who in this Day have attained unto that which God hath willed. Whosoever hath attained unto a single word from the Tongue of Grandeur is recorded before God as one of the denizens of the Most Exalted Paradise and is inscribed in the Book. Strive to preserve this most exalted station and reflect upon the Day of God and its requirements. I swear by the seat of the Most Great Throne! Should anyone recognize the station of this glorious and wondrous Day, which is mentioned in all divine Books as the Day of God, he would attain unto the most great steadfastness, and neither the cawing of the deniers, nor the croaking of the croakers, nor the doubts of the divines, nor the allusions of the composers would debar him from the Dayspring of verses and the Source of revelation. Thus hath the Pen spoken by command of the Ancient King, as a favor from His presence upon thee and upon those who have testified to that whereunto God testified before the creation of the heavens and earth: that there is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The bounties of the Lord of Names and Attributes are evident and manifest through the appearance of resplendent verses. They have no need of mention or presentation by this servant. My mention is according to my capacity and powerlessness, while His mention transcendeth my understanding and the understanding of the peoples of earth and heaven, and my intellect and the intellects of all created things. May God, exalted be His glory and universal be His bounty, confirm this servant and thyself in preserving that which hath been bestowed. The servant beseeches his Lord at all times to protect His loved ones, His chosen ones, and His pure ones from the evil of every misleading croaker and every lying detractor, and from every ignorant scholar and every deceitful atheist.

O My loved one! The world hath been laid waste by vain imaginings. The world hath but one Builder, one Destroyer. The Command is in God’s hands, the Lord of lords. The people are seen to be so heedless that one is astonished. If one veil is rent asunder, they are found to be afflicted with another veil greater than the first. For twelve hundred years and more, the well-known sect was occupied with calumny, slander and the like. At the time of the test, it became clear and evident to every person of insight that that rebellious and transgressing sect was the party of Satan, not the hosts of the All-Merciful. Now those who are veiled in the Bayan follow the same paths. These ignorant ones have not reflected even slightly upon what was the outcome and result of those souls’ deeds and actions. Yea, I have knowledge of their deeds. The fruits thereof were that they pronounced sentence against the Beloved of all worlds, and with manifest tyranny martyred the Beloved One Whose mention they had uttered in nights and days with the words “may God hasten His relief.” Moreover, they martyred souls who had no peer under heaven. Woe unto them for what their hands have wrought on the Day which was mentioned as the Day of God in the Books of the Prophets and Messengers. Let us say and supplicate with utmost lowliness, entreaty, imploring, lamentation and contrition, from the depths of our hearts:

O Thou Beloved of existence and remembered in hearts! I beseech Thee by the Most Great Word whereby the gate of heaven and the kingdom of names was opened, to aid all eyes to behold the horizon of Thy Manifestation and all ears to hearken unto what hath been raised from the scratching of Thy Pen. O Lord! Thou seest Thy servants and creation turning away from Thy face and heedless of what Thou hast revealed through Thy power and might, save for the few letters of Thy face whom Thou hast mentioned in Thy Book and described in Thy verses. O Lord! I beseech Thee by them and by their acceptance and their steadfastness and their remembrances and their attributes and their being wronged and what befell them in Thy days and in Thy path, to send down from the heaven of Thy bounty that which will draw the people of earth nigh unto Thee. Verily Thou art the Source of bounty and its Sovereign, and the Manifestation of grace and its signs. There is no God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

God willing, may all these servants be enabled to remain steadfast in God’s Cause and be aided to protect the helpless people from the veils and doubts and uncertainties and intimations of the chiefs of fancy and vain imaginings.

Concerning what you wrote about the family of His Holiness the Name 66 (Allah-jim-mim), upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, that they were imprisoned and that you wished to substitute yourself for that imprisonment - this matter is evidence, indication, witness and testimony to your faithfulness and your steadfastness. Blessed are ye and joy be unto you.

That you mentioned he sought a guarantor from you against corruption after speaking with the aforementioned person - Glory be to God! Glory be to God! At these words one finds oneself plunged into an ocean of wonderment, for it has become manifest and evident to all the world, like the sun at its meridian, that the Dawning-Place of Divine Revelation, the Manifestation of His Self, and the Day-spring of His verses, has appeared solely for the reformation of the world. In this regard, you should recite those verses which have been sent down in the divine Books, Tablets and Scriptures concerning this Most Great Revelation - all of which proclaim unity and concord, reformation and kindliness, love and compassion, while forbidding corruption, conflict, contention and the like - that all may become aware of that which God, exalted be His glory, has willed and commanded His servants. Although this servant believes that all are and have been aware of this matter, for in most Tablets the friends of God have been strictly forbidden in the Book from unseemly deeds, unpleasing conduct, and base utterances. Pure souls should gather divine verses pertaining to every situation and, with wisdom and appropriateness, convey them in a spirit of joy and fragrance - for instance, verses concerning character, as well as those revealed regarding deeds and words and the prohibition of corruption, contention and conflict, and likewise keep in mind verses for other occasions, reciting them when necessary, that perchance the heedless may become aware and comprehend their purpose. The loved ones of God must reflect upon those matters that conduce to the exaltation and glory of the Cause and that accord with the wisdom revealed in the Tablets, and act accordingly. Were someone to compile the verses sent down from the Kingdom of the divine Command concerning the absence of corruption, conflict and contention, it would surely constitute a mighty book. At times this evanescent servant heard blessed words from His tongue to this effect - His glory be exalted: “Blessed is the state of one who killed not but was killed in God’s path, who harmed no one and became the target of the heedless people’s harm.” And likewise He says, exalted be His grandeur: “I have come for unity and concord, not for hatred and obstinacy.” He further states: “The Truth has come for the reformation of the world, not for corruption.” And likewise He says - exalted be His glory: “God has entrusted the world, both land and sea, to the kings, and that which God regards is and has ever been the hearts of His servants.” The friends of God must, through wisdom, utterance, kindliness and compassion, take possession of hearts and direct them to the supreme horizon. And likewise He says: “God and His loved ones are quit of those who shed blood, who consume people’s wealth unjustly, and who enter houses without the permission of their owners, after all this has been strictly forbidden in the Book. Corruption and conflict befit the beasts of the field, not man. The attribute of man has ever been and will ever continue to be kindliness and […]

One of the passages from the Crimson Tablet is mentioned here, so that all may truly attain to what God has willed. His glory be exalted! The heaven of divine wisdom is illumined with two luminaries: consultation and compassion. In all matters hold fast unto consultation, for it is the lamp of guidance that leadeth the way and bestoweth understanding. Thus doth the All-Informed, the All-Wise, inform you. Likewise, in that same Tablet He saith: The heaven of wisdom is illumined by two suns: forbearance and righteousness. O people of the earth! Hearken unto the counsels of the One Friend and preserve them as the apple of your eye. And again, in another passage, His glory be exalted, He saith: “Glory is not his who loveth his homeland, but glory is his who loveth the world.” Through this word the Kingdom of Utterance is stirred, but the heedless remain in manifest obscurity.

According to His command, your honor should act with the utmost wisdom. It is not permissible to mention the Cause before the government and its officials, for this would be contrary to wisdom. That petitions and correspondence from the friends arrive and their replies are delayed - this has been and will continue to be due to wisdom, for should the authorities become aware, it may result in adverse consequences, as they are not yet cognizant of God’s purpose and believe this holy, pure Cause to be contrary to the welfare and tranquility of government and nation. By God’s life! Had they known, you would have found them among those who arise to serve God’s Cause.

Convey greetings to all the friends on behalf of this evanescent one. God willing, may all associate with all people in love and harmony. If possible, it would be desirable for your honor to proceed to Baku or its surroundings for some time to guide the people, but with the utmost joy and fragrance. The Glory be upon you and upon those who believe in the All-Merciful.

The Servant

5 Ramadan 1298

=== END BH00385 ===

=== START BH00386 ===

HE IS THE GLORY OF GLORIES

This is that which hath descended from the realm of glory, uttered by the tongue of power and might, and revealed unto the Prophets of old. We have taken the inner essence thereof and clothed it in the garment of brevity, as a token of grace unto the righteous, that they may stand faithful unto the Covenant of God, may fulfill in their lives His trust, and in the realm of spirit obtain the gem of Divine virtue.

1. O SON OF SPIRIT!

My first counsel is this: Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart, that thine may be a sovereignty ancient, imperishable and everlasting.

2. O SON OF SPIRIT!

The best beloved of all things in My sight is Justice; turn not away therefrom if thou desirest Me, and neglect it not that I may confide in thee. By its aid thou shalt see with thine own eyes and not through the eyes of others, and shalt know of thine own knowledge and not through the knowledge of thy neighbor. Ponder this in thy heart; how it behooveth thee to be. Verily justice is My gift to thee and the sign of My loving-kindness. Set it then before thine eyes.

3. O SON OF MAN!

Veiled in My immemorial being and in the ancient eternity of My essence, I knew My love for thee; therefore I created thee, have engraved on thee Mine image and revealed to thee My beauty.

4. O SON OF MAN!

I loved thy creation, hence I created thee. Wherefore, do thou love Me, that I may name thy name and fill thy soul with the spirit of life.

5. O SON OF BEING!

Love Me, that I may love thee. If thou lovest Me not, My love can in no wise reach thee. Know this, O servant.

6. O SON OF BEING!

Thy Paradise is My love; thy heavenly home, reunion with Me. Enter therein and tarry not. This is that which hath been destined for thee in Our kingdom above and Our exalted dominion.

7. O SON OF MAN!

If thou lovest Me, turn away from thyself; and if thou seekest My pleasure, regard not thine own; that thou mayest die in Me and I may eternally live in thee.

8. O SON OF SPIRIT!

There is no peace for thee save by renouncing thyself and turning unto Me; for it behooveth thee to glory in My name, not in thine own; to put thy trust in Me and not in thyself, since I desire to be loved alone and above all that is.

O SON OF BEING! My love is My stronghold; he that entereth therein is safe and secure, and he that turneth away shall surely stray and perish.

O SON OF UTTERANCE! Thou art My stronghold; enter therein that thou mayest abide in safety. My love is in thee, know it, that thou mayest find Me near unto thee.

O SON OF BEING! Thou art My lamp and My light is in thee. Get thou from it thy radiance and seek none other than Me. For I have created thee rich and have bountifully shed My favor upon thee.

O SON OF BEING! With the hands of power I made thee and with the fingers of strength I created thee; and within thee have I placed the essence of My light. Be thou content with it and seek naught else, for My work is perfect and My command is binding. Question it not, nor have a doubt thereof.

O SON OF SPIRIT! I created thee rich, why dost thou bring thyself down to poverty? Noble I made thee, wherewith dost thou abase thyself? Out of the essence of knowledge I gave thee being, why seekest thou enlightenment from anyone beside Me? Out of the clay of love I molded thee, how dost thou busy thyself with another? Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting.

O SON OF MAN! Thou art My dominion and My dominion perisheth not; wherefore fearest thou thy perishing? Thou art My light and My light shall never be extinguished; why dost thou dread extinction? Thou art My glory and My glory fadeth not; thou art My robe and My robe shall never be outworn. Abide then in thy love for Me, that thou mayest find Me in the realm of glory.

O SON OF UTTERANCE! Turn thy face unto Mine and renounce all save Me; for My sovereignty endureth and My dominion perisheth not. If thou seekest another than Me, yea, if thou searchest the universe for evermore, thy quest will be in vain.

O SON OF LIGHT! Forget all save Me and commune with My spirit. This is of the essence of My command, therefore turn unto it.

O SON OF MAN! Be thou content with Me and seek no other helper. For none but Me can ever suffice thee.

O SON OF SPIRIT! […]

Ask not of Me that which We desire not for thee, then be content with what We have ordained for thy sake, for this is that which profiteth thee, if therewith thou dost content thyself.

19. O SON OF THE WONDROUS VISION!

I have breathed within thee a breath of My own Spirit, that thou mayest be My lover. Why hast thou forsaken Me and sought a beloved other than Me?

20. O SON OF SPIRIT!

My claim on thee is great, it cannot be forgotten. My grace to thee is plenteous, it cannot be veiled. My love has made in thee its home, it cannot be concealed. My light is manifest to thee, it cannot be obscured.

21. O SON OF MAN!

Upon the tree of effulgent glory I have hung for thee the choicest fruits, wherefore hast thou turned away and contented thyself with that which is less good? Return then unto that which is better for thee in the realm on high.

22. O SON OF SPIRIT!

Noble have I created thee, yet thou hast abased thyself. Rise then unto that for which thou wast created.

23. O SON OF THE SUPREME!

To the eternal I call thee, yet thou dost seek that which perisheth. What hath made thee turn away from Our desire and seek thine own?

24. O SON OF MAN!

Transgress not thy limits, nor claim that which beseemeth thee not. Prostrate thyself before the countenance of thy God, the Lord of might and power.

25. O SON OF SPIRIT!

Vaunt not thyself over the poor, for I lead him on his way and behold thee in thy evil plight and confound thee for evermore.

26. O SON OF BEING!

How couldst thou forget thine own faults and busy thyself with the faults of others? Whoso doeth this is accursed of Me.

27. O SON OF MAN!

Breathe not the sins of others so long as thou art thyself a sinner. Shouldst thou transgress this command, accursed wouldst thou be, and to this I bear witness.

28. O SON OF SPIRIT!

Know thou of a truth: He that biddeth men be just and himself committeth iniquity is not of Me, even though he bear My name.

29. O SON OF BEING!

Ascribe not to any soul that which thou wouldst not have ascribed to thee, and say not that which thou doest not. This is My command unto thee, do thou observe it.

30. O SON OF MAN! […]

Deny not My servant should he ask anything from thee, for his face is My face; be then abashed before Me.

31. O SON OF BEING!

Bring thyself to account each day ere thou art summoned to a reckoning; for death, unheralded, shall come upon thee and thou shalt be called to give account for thy deeds.

32. O SON OF THE SUPREME!

I have made death a messenger of joy to thee. Wherefore dost thou grieve? I made the light to shed on thee its splendor. Why dost thou veil thyself therefrom?

33. O SON OF SPIRIT!

With the joyful tidings of light I hail thee: rejoice! To the court of holiness I summon thee; abide therein that thou mayest live in peace for evermore.

34. O SON OF SPIRIT!

The spirit of holiness beareth unto thee the joyful tidings of reunion; wherefore dost thou grieve? The spirit of power confirmeth thee in His cause; why dost thou veil thyself? The light of His countenance doth lead thee; how canst thou go astray?

35. O SON OF MAN!

Sorrow not save that thou art far from Us. Rejoice not save that thou art drawing near and returning unto Us.

36. O SON OF MAN!

Rejoice in the gladness of thine heart, that thou mayest be worthy to meet Me and to mirror forth My beauty.

37. O SON OF MAN!

Divest not thyself of My beauteous robe, and forfeit not thy portion from My wondrous fountain, lest thou shouldst thirst for evermore.

38. O SON OF BEING!

Walk in My statutes for love of Me and deny thyself that which thou desirest if thou seekest My pleasure.

39. O SON OF MAN!

Neglect not My commandments if thou lovest My beauty, and forget not My counsels if thou wouldst attain My good pleasure.

40. O SON OF MAN!

Wert thou to speed through the immensity of space and traverse the expanse of heaven, yet thou wouldst find no rest save in submission to Our command and humbleness before Our Face.

41. O SON OF MAN!

Magnify My cause that I may reveal unto thee the mysteries of My greatness and shine upon thee with the light of eternity.

42. O SON OF MAN!

Humble thyself before Me, that I may graciously visit thee. Arise for the triumph of My cause, that while yet on earth thou mayest obtain the victory.

43. O SON OF BEING!

If adversity overtake thee, My statutes shall not grieve thee.

In truth, My trust is with thee, and:

“My might shall shield thee, My light shall ever be cast upon thee, and My love shall shelter thee.”

So trust in Me, and fear not.

[Note: The text appears to be a combination of English and Persian/Arabic from The Hidden Words. I have translated the non-English portion to complete the passage.]

If thine heart be set upon this eternal, imperishable dominion, and this ancient, everlasting life, forsake this mortal and fleeting sovereignty.

55. O SON OF BEING!

Busy not thyself with this world, for with fire We test the gold, and with gold We test Our servants.

56. O SON OF MAN!

Thou dost wish for gold and I desire thy freedom from it. Thou thinkest thyself rich in its possession, and I recognize thy wealth in thy sanctity therefrom. By My life! This is My knowledge, and that is thy fancy; how can My way accord with thine?

57. O SON OF MAN!

Bestow My wealth upon My poor, that in heaven thou mayest draw from stores of unfading splendor and treasures of imperishable glory. But by My life! To offer up thy soul is a more glorious thing couldst thou but see with Mine eye.

58. O SON OF MAN!

The temple of being is My throne; cleanse it of all things, that there I may be established and there I may abide.

59. O SON OF BEING!

Thy heart is My home; sanctify it for My descent. Thy spirit is My place of revelation; cleanse it for My manifestation.

60. O SON OF MAN!

Put thy hand into My bosom, that I may rise above thee, radiant and resplendent.

61. O SON OF MAN!

Ascend unto My heaven, that thou mayest obtain the joy of reunion, and from the chalice of imperishable glory quaff the peerless wine.

62. O SON OF MAN!

Many a day hath passed over thee whilst thou hast busied thyself with thy fancies and idle imaginings. How long art thou to slumber on thy bed? Lift up thy head from slumber, for the Sun hath risen to the zenith, haply it may shine upon thee with the light of beauty.

63. O SON OF MAN!

The light hath shone on thee from the horizon of the sacred Mount and the spirit of enlightenment hath breathed in the Sinai of thy heart. Wherefore, free thyself from the veils of idle fancies and enter into My court, that thou mayest be fit for everlasting life and worthy to meet Me. Thus may death not come upon thee, neither weariness nor trouble.

64. O SON OF MAN!

My eternity is My creation, I have created it for thee. Make it the garment of thy temple. My unity is My handiwork; I have wrought it for thee; clothe thyself therewith, that thou mayest be to all eternity the revelation of My everlasting being.

Write the story of My love that thou mayest read it and in the tablet of thy spirit that its meaning may be revealed as light from the essence of thy being. This is My counsel unto thee; follow it well.

Write all that We have revealed unto thee with the ink of light upon the tablet of thy spirit. Should this not be in thy power, then make thine ink of the essence of thy heart. If this thou canst not do, then write with that crimson ink that hath been shed in My path. Sweeter indeed is this to Me than all else, that its light may endure forever.

=== END BH00386 ===

=== START BH00387 ===

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

O My Most Exalted Pen! Make mention of him who turned to God on a day when most of the people turned away, and who drank the sealed wine in My Name, the Self-Subsisting, whilst the people were in manifest error. He heard the Call and turned to the Supreme Horizon, and was so carried away by the rapture of the verses that he attained a station wherein he acknowledged that which the Tongue of Grandeur had spoken: that there is none other God but Me, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. He succeeded in hearkening to the Call when the peoples of the realm of creation had barred themselves therefrom, and took the chalice of utterance from the hand of the bounty of his Lord, the Most Merciful, and drank therefrom despite those who had denied God, the Lord of all worlds. He bore witness to that which God had witnessed in days wherein earthquakes seized all the tribes of the earth save whom God willed, the One, the Single, the Self-Subsisting, the Peerless, the All-Informed.

Behold, behold how the Countenance hath turned toward thee from the direction of the Prison. Hearken, hearken to God’s call from His mighty Throne: “Verily, there is none other God but He, the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.” He speaketh before the faces of the world and summoneth them to a station wherein naught is seen save the lights of the countenance of their Lord, the All-Merciful, the All-Knowing. The seas have surged, the mountains have passed away, and the trees have cried out, yet most of the people remain heedless. The valley hath quaked from the breezes of the days of its Lord, the Possessor of Names, and the sea hath surged by virtue of this Name whereby the faces of the idolaters have been darkened.

Say: O concourse of earth! The Lord of all possibility hath come with the standards of proof. Fear ye the All-Merciful and be not of the transgressors. Turn with radiant faces unto God, the Creator of heaven. Beware lest the promptings of self and passion debar you from this Cause whereby the lips of existence have smiled and all things have spoken. The Desired One hath come from the horizon of might with clear sovereignty. Say: O peoples of creation! The Most Great Throne hath been established in the highest station, and upon it hath sat the Lord of all men. From His right hand floweth the river of mercy and from His left the Kawthar of loving-kindness. Beware lest ye deprive yourselves of this glorious and wondrous bounty. Cast aside what the people possess of superstitions and conjectures, and take what hath been given you by God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment.

This is a day wherein the Mother Book speaketh and saith: “That which was hidden in knowledge and treasured in the vaults of the protection of your Lord, the Ever-Flowing, the Ancient of Days, hath appeared.” By God! The books of the world and whatsoever the nations possess will profit you not except through this perspicuous Book. Read ye the Books of God that ye may become aware of this Revelation which hath been the hope of the Messengers. The Hidden hath appeared and the Treasured hath come, and the command is God’s, the Peerless, the All-Informed. There is no book but hath been revealed in truth and hath given the people glad tidings of this mighty announcement. Fear ye God and reject not the truth by what ye possess, and be not of the losers.

O thou who hast turned unto the Face! We have sent down the verses and manifested the clear proofs and called the servants unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. We have brought forth from the treasuries of My Most Exalted Pen the pearls of wisdom and utterance, yet the people remain behind a thick veil. They have cast aside that which they were commanded by God, the Lord of all beings, clinging to what they possess from the dawning-places of vain imaginings. Verily, they are among the most lost in the Book of God, the Lord of the Sublime Throne. They hear the verses yet turn away from them, and they see the clear proofs yet say this is naught but manifest sorcery. Thus hath the sea revealed the waves of wisdom and utterance, and the Manifestation the light of proof. Blessed is he who hath heard and attained, and woe unto the heedless.

Today the Divine Lote Tree calleth out in the midmost heart of contingent being with this most exalted Word: O peoples of the earth! By God! The Lord of all beings hath come, and He Whose meeting was the desire of the Messengers hath appeared. The Books of God have been adorned with His mention. Beware lest ye deprive yourselves of recognizing Him. Through Him the hidden Secret and the treasured Name have been revealed, and that which was recorded by the Most Exalted Pen in the Sacred Scriptures and Tablets hath been manifested.

Glory be unto God, exalted be His majesty! He hath appeared from a place to which fancy and imagination have no access. He hath emerged from a home not known for learning, sciences, wisdom or mystical knowledge. Every person of insight beareth witness to this fact, and every informed one testifieth to these words. Verses have been sent down in such profusion that minds and understanding are powerless to reckon them, and evidences have appeared in such manner that every fair-minded one hath acknowledged them. Nevertheless, most of the people of the world remain heedless and veiled. They cling to a mere leaf while turning away from the Mother Book, and remain deprived and forbidden from the divine ocean of knowledge and the effulgent lights of the Sun of true Unity.

O thou who hast turned thy face towards the Countenance of God! Truth in all its aspects, deeds, acts and utterances standeth manifest and distinguished from aught else, even as the sun. Yet the veils of vain imaginings have prevented eyes from beholding the Most Exalted Horizon. Today the light of proof shineth forth from the highest horizon of the world and the divine call is raised from the most exalted station, yet the diverse colors of the world and the glory and riches of two days have withheld the people from turning to the everlasting bounty and the heavenly table. Ignorance and heedlessness have reached such a pass as to astonish every person of understanding. In ages and centuries past, the former communities, both learned and ignorant, remained unaware of the manner of the appearance of the Dayspring of Light. Not a single soul among them attained true knowledge or recognized genuine unity. Now again the deniers of the Bayan are occupied with the same vain imaginings and delusions of the past and utter calumnies. That honored one beareth witness, and earth and heaven and stars bear witness, and the sun and moon testify, that from the first days this servant hath arisen before the faces of all, both kings and subjects, and without veil or concealment hath summoned all to the Most Exalted Horizon. The proof hath been sent down and the path made clear. Not for a moment did We conceal Ourselves. For the sake of God We uttered that which the world was created to hear, that they might gain the fruits of the Ultimate Tree from the traces of the Most Exalted Pen and be illumined by the effulgences of true unity. But the chains of vain imaginings have held back all save whom God willeth - thy Lord and the Lord of the Mighty Throne. Now the deniers among the people of the Bayan cling to the deeds of the past and utter the words of that party. They say the Bayan hath been altered, denying whatsoever hath been revealed concerning this Most Great Revelation and Most Great Announcement, attributing it to alteration, although this Cause is self-evident and needeth no mention, and all the books and scriptures of the world are dependent upon its acceptance. Beseech ye God to make the sources of vain imaginings aware and to grant them fairness. They argue from the Book of Certitude for the servants while turning away in heedlessness from its Revealer and Source. It is incumbent and obligatory upon that honored one to arise with complete dedication, that perchance the servants of God may not again be afflicted with doubts and fancies, but may attain the lights of the Day-Star of true unity. Until now they have not comprehended the station of the Day of God and are deprived of His grace. There is no doubt that the days of the Manifestations of God, exalted be His glory, are truly attributed to Him and in one sense are mentioned as the Days of God, but this Day is unlike all days. From the finality of the Seal, the station of this Day is manifest and evident. Prophethood was sealed; the Truth appeared with the banner of power from the Dayspring of the Command. It is not known what the deniers of the Bayan have understood from “the day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds” and what they have comprehended from the blessed words “He doeth whatsoever He willeth.” By My life, O thou who gazest upon My face! If a soul were to drink from the ocean of this word and perceive its fragrance, he would find himself seated upon the throne of steadfastness and assurance. Through the Name of God, preserve those who have turned towards Him from the doubts of the deniers and […]

Command all to praiseworthy character and goodly deeds. Say: O party of God! Through these hosts render victorious the Lord of the seen and unseen, and hold fast to the fear of God. He is the Commander of hosts and Helper of His Cause. No power can withstand His power. Blessed is the soul whose head is adorned with the crown of godliness and whose temple is beautified with the ornament of justice and fairness.

The honored Amin, upon him be Baha, has repeatedly made mention of you. We have commanded all to hearken unto thy word concerning this Most Great Announcement and this firm, mighty Cause. You must awaken the heedless, albeit with wisdom and utterance, that perchance they may discover and know. Today is not the day of names and their attributes. The former parties were deprived of the realm of inner meanings through names and words. They clung to vain imaginings and held fast to conflict and contention - one party Usuli, another Shaykhi, another Sunni, another Shi’i, another Ni’matullahi, and Jalali and Kharabati and Qadiri and Mawlavi. Were you to enumerate the paths of idle fancy, you could not count them. Blessed are the powerful ones who have rolled up these carpets and considered all save Truth as non-existent and null. These are the horsemen in the arena of divine unity and the lights of the horizons of detachment. Upon them be the glory of God, His favors, His grace and His gifts.

Convey greetings from the Wronged One to the party of God. Say: Know ye and recognize the value of this station, preserve it in the name of Truth, and arise as befitteth the Days of God. Whatever is lost today cannot be regained.

O thou who soarest in the atmosphere of thy Lord’s love! The Most Exalted Pen hath ever counseled the servants and commanded them to that which profiteth them. Each word of counsel hath been repeatedly expressed that perchance they may become aware and not exchange the everlasting blessing for things that perish. The rebellion and defiance of the people have deprived them of the rustling of the Divine Pen and the murmuring of the blessed Tree. You must guide the people of that land to the horizon of the favor of the Goal of the worlds through the power of remembrance and utterance. Verily He is with thee and will aid thee with the hosts of proof. The opposition of the world hath yielded no fruit, and the hatred and rancor of the nations have not become a veil. The Word hath penetrated; the Will hath encompassed.

Say: O concourse of men! Behold the Tree and its fruits, the Sun and its radiance, the heaven and its stars, and the sea and its waves. Whosoever desireth to know Him must look with his own eyes. This passage specifically pertaineth to this Revelation. Time and again have these words descended from the heaven of the Divine Will, that perchance all who dwell on earth might become aware and attain unto that from which they are heedless and debarred this day. Again hath the word of perversion been uttered, and the gates of falsehood have been flung open as before, nay even wider. Do they not reflect on what the fruits of the deeds of souls before them have been? In the land of Sad they have uttered that which causeth the Bayan to lament and the Holy Spirit to wail. Their deeds give them the lie, yet they perceive it not. They worship their own desires, yet they understand not. They carve out idols, yet they know not. They behold the signs, yet deny them. Know ye that they recognize not.

In all circumstances must the loved ones of God beseech Him, glorified be His majesty, on behalf of all, that haply they may not be deprived of the ocean of grace nor be forbidden the outpourings of His supreme mercy in these bountiful days. Command ye the people of God to sanctification, detachment, compassion, loving-kindness and wisdom. He verily will assist thee with His verses and support thee with His sovereignty. He is, in truth, powerful over all things.

Say: My God, my God, my Lord and my Support! Illumine the hearts of Thy servants with the light of Thy knowledge, their faces with the lights of Thy countenance, and their temples with the ornaments of the manners Thou hast sent down in Thy Book. O my God and my Quest! Debar them not from the ocean of Thy mercy in Thy days, nor from the dawning-places of the sun of Thy grace, nor from the stars of the heaven of Thy bounty. Thou knowest, O my God, their desires have prevented them from drawing nigh unto Thee, and their imaginings have become a barrier between them and the Dayspring of Thy knowledge and the Dawning-Place of the lights of Thy wisdom. O Lord! Strengthen my heart, my outward being and my inmost reality for Thy service. Then make me in all conditions to stand firm in service to Thy Cause, speaking forth that which Thou hast revealed in Thy Book to Thy servants, and safeguarding Thy Cause amongst Thy creation. Then forgive me and those with me from among my kindred and children who have drunk the choice wine of Thy revelation and whom the doubts of the croakers and the signs of the transgressors have not prevented from turning unto Thee and holding fast unto Thy Book. O Lord! Aid Thy loved ones who have shattered the idols of vain imaginings with the arm of certitude and have turned unto Thee with faces radiant with light, detached from all who are in the heavens and the earth, with such remembrance as will cause the hearts of the world to be attracted and the faces of those who have turned unto Thee to shine forth. Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds and the Goal of the hearts of them that know Thee!

=== END BH00387 ===

=== START BH00388 ===

Praise be to God Who revealed Himself to all created things through the Point that was sanctified above all directions and points, the Point wherein naught is seen save God, the Revealer of verses. It speaks in all things: “There is none other God but Him, the One Who rules over all who are in earth and heaven.” It is the Point that hath adorned the Tablets in the kingdom of creation and embellished the realm of names and attributes. It spoke of that Point, in the station of Names, through the point beneath the letter B from which emerged the letter H. And the Imam Kazim spoke of it, saying: “Praise be to God Who made the Book of Being through the Mystery of Separation with the ornament of the Point from which emerged the letter H with the A, without extension or division.” And verily he meant by the Point the letter B, which when joined with H manifested the Most Great Name, whereby the limbs of nations trembled and all in the world were shaken, and all in the heavens and earth were thunderstruck save whom God willed, the Manifestor of clear signs. And verily He is the One Who spoke to Moses from the Tree on Sinai and speaks from His most glorious horizon, manifest and resplendent: “Verily, there is no God but I, the One sanctified above all mention and allusion.” Blessed is he who speaks and acts according to what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Qur’an through His exalted Word: “Say: God; then leave them to their vain discourse.” This is the Day wherein names are not mentioned, for He Who hath appeared with truth speaks naught but of God, as the Point of the Bayan informed, saying: “Verily He is the One Who speaks in all things: ‘I am God, there is none other God but Me, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.’” This is the Day of which God informed His Beloved One who was honored with the Night Ascension, saying - and His Word is the truth: “Whose is the Kingdom this Day? God’s, the One, the All-Compelling!” Verily, he who hath found the fragrance of the Bayan hath detached himself from all possibility and clung to God alone, and hath testified to that which the Tongue of Grandeur testified before and after. And he who remained heedless and clung to idle fancies hath been veiled from the hidden treasure and the concealed mystery, and circles around the names that were created by the K and N. By God! The names have returned to their Source and Creator, Who, when He willeth a thing, need but say unto it: “Be!” and it is. Praise be to God Who hath fulfilled His promise through the appearance of the Promised One, whereby traces were effaced, fruits fell, names were thunderstruck, leaves turned yellow, mountains crumbled, heaven was cleft asunder, suns were darkened, moons were eclipsed, and the earth and all its powers were shaken. Exalted be His majesty, glorified His power, and magnified His sovereignty, Who hath caused all things to speak in praise of this most wondrous, most holy, most sublime, promised Day. Yet most people understand not. Among them are those who cling to vain imaginings and take them as lords beside God, and among them are those who cast these aside and speak at all times: “God, God! I have believed in Thee, detached from all names and from whatsoever hath appeared in creation.” We bear witness that such a one hath attained unto true unity and the pure water of detachment, and hath recognized the Purpose when He revealed Himself to all in the kingdom of earth and heaven.

O beloved of my heart! The sweet fragrance of your love and the gentle breezes of your affection have stirred me upon beholding your letter time and again. I took up the pen to express what lies in my heart of love for the loved ones of God and His chosen ones, but it cries out saying: “This is an arena wherein one such as I cannot venture, for this is a station before which tongues have confessed their powerlessness to describe and pens their inability to praise.” Yet, while acknowledging my inadequacy and powerlessness, I mention according to my capacity and lowliness, and I beseech God to inspire me with what befits His loved ones and is worthy of His chosen ones. Verily, He is the Inspirer, the Teacher, the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

When I was blessed with your letter and learned of its contents, I turned toward the ultimate goal and the most exalted horizon, and presented it before the Throne. Thereupon the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that which caused the sun of loving-kindness and favor to shine forth. He spoke, and His word is the truth: “O Ali! Praise be to God that thou hast been illumined by the lights of the dawn of His Revelation and hast turned toward the Goal of all worlds, and art mentioned in His presence. Be not grieved by worldly events. Whatsoever divine and consummate wisdom requireth will be made manifest. Verily, He will assist you with the means of the heavens and the earth. He, verily, is the Mighty, the Powerful.

“However, the Supreme Pen counseleth thee and the other friends to observe wisdom and that which God hath revealed in the Book. Today it is necessary and obligatory to follow the divine ordinances, and among the greatest of ordinances is wisdom. All are commanded to observe it, and its details have been revealed in Tablets both Arabic and Persian. They must study these and act accordingly. They must appear among people in such wise that all may perceive from them the fragrance of divine attributes, and they must act upon that which will cause the exaltation of the Cause and its sanctification.

“O Ali! Had souls who accepted the Faith abandoned their own desires and acted according to the Will of God, most of humanity would now be endowed with the recognition of the Truth. For instance, in most Tablets We commanded all to observe wisdom, yet they acted otherwise. Likewise, the Supreme Pen repeatedly and emphatically forbade the servants from turning toward the Most Holy Court; nevertheless, they were heedless of God’s command. Whatsoever the Tongue of God uttereth is and shall be pure good. Blessed is he who hath cast away his desires and held fast unto the Will of God, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting.”

The friends of Truth must at all times hold fast to the cord of wisdom, for in the Divine Book this mighty command hath been repeatedly revealed. Most men have for years been nurtured in vain imaginings, and to rend these asunder all at once is most difficult. The mercy of God, exalted be His glory, hath preceded all; therefore must those souls who have quaffed the wine of inner meaning and attained the Kawthar of divine knowledge treat, with the utmost kindness and compassion, the ailments of the heedless ones with suitable remedies, that their eyes may be cleansed from the film of vain imaginings and their hearts freed from the diseases of idle fancies. Souls like your honor must convey the divine ordinances unto all, that all may become informed thereof and act in accordance with that which God hath willed.

Today certain followers of the Bayan who fancy they have rent asunder the veils and attained their ultimate goal have balked at the blessed words “Verily I am God” which have issued forth from the Dayspring of Revelation, nay rather, because of these words they have turned away. Consider now how far they have strayed from the straight path of truth and how deprived they are of their goal, and this despite prior warnings, as in the Tutunjiyyih Sermon where He saith: “Await ye the speaking of Moses from the Tree on Sinai.” And the Primal Point - may the life of all else be a sacrifice for Him - hath said: “He speaketh in all things saying ‘I am God.’” Yet still they are immersed in the seas of doubt and soar in the atmosphere of idle fancy - how much more the various sects who have not yet understood the Day of God! For on that Day no name among all names is mentioned save His glory, exalted be He. From the highest ranks to the lowliest station thereof, whether it be the mention of Prophethood, Guardianship, the Chiefs, the Nobles, or the Pillars - all these were but to summon mankind unto the Truth. And now, after the appearance of the Hidden Mystery and the Treasured Secret, should anyone fix his gaze upon or hold fast to aught else, he is assuredly deprived of the lofty station of unity and the most exalted rank of divine oneness.

On the Day of Resurrection, they who were called by all these names shall be supplicants for this wondrous grace, for the banner “The Kingdom is God’s, the One, the All-Compelling” shall be raised aloft, and the standard “Verily I am God” shall be planted at the most exalted station in the midmost heart of the world. By the Sun of the horizon of utterance! The people of the world are heedless. Were they to become aware of even less than a needle’s eye of that which hath appeared, shone forth, risen and been made manifest, they would pass beyond all else but God and would cry out: “Here am I! Here am I! O Thou God of all worlds!” Indeed, not every soul is worthy of this spiritual Kawthar. They have not yet understood the meaning of “Seal of the Prophets” as revealed in the Qur’an, for it is clear and evident that after the ending of Prophethood, both implicitly and explicitly, the appearance of God is mentioned and recorded in the Divine Book. To fully expound this station is beyond the power, reckoning and comprehension of this servant and others like him. It is better that I conclude this utterance with these blessed words […]

One day, amongst the companions, both resident and pilgrim, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these words: “This is the Day which hath been announced in His saying, exalted be He: ‘The Day when thy Lord shall come.’ Those who are possessed of insight can perceive that if, in this Day, any soul should cling to or seek after any one of the Names, he would be accounted among the idolaters.” More than this I am not permitted to say. The point is that if one who has attained to the highest degree of certitude and assurance were to mention such utterances to a seeker at the very beginning, that soul would surely perish and would never attain unto eternal life. One must speak according to the station and rank of the hearer, that he may become capable of hearing the divine melody. The wine of mystic knowledge must be given to each soul according to his capacity and measure. Time and again hath this word been heard from the Tongue of Grandeur: that they who quaff the wine of inner meanings and utterance must strive for the education of all the peoples of the world. This station is most exalted, nay, higher than every height and more sublime than every sublimity. Blessed is he who hath attained unto this most glorious, most holy, most impregnable, most great, most exalted station.

I entreat you to ever remember and gladden this evanescent servant through the outpourings of your pen, and convey sublime greetings on behalf of this ephemeral one to the enkindled souls of that land. Tell them that today is the day of steadfastness and the day of service. Strive that ye may achieve that which shall endure throughout the eternity of God. Steadfastness is among the most mighty of all things, for it hath been observed that one who counted himself among the faithful and soared in the atmosphere of certitude was debarred from the truth, exalted and glorified be He, by the mere cawing of a crow. Your honor must, God willing, invite the people with utmost effort and diligence to steadfastness, for all that was foretold regarding the cawing of the cawers and the claims of the false ones, and whatsoever hath been revealed from the Supreme Pen, shall assuredly come to pass. Recite ye the Suriy-i-Ra’is, and likewise the Tablet to the King of Paris which is part of the blessed Suriy-i-Haykal, and also the Tablet of Fu’ad which was revealed specifically for one of the friends. This Tablet was revealed when Fu’ad Pasha, who was the Foreign Minister of Turkey, had returned to his post and had caused the recent upheaval and the exile from the Land of Mystery to ’Akka. There were two who were chiefs of all after the Sultan: one Fu’ad Pasha and one ’Ali Pasha. Sometimes one would be Grand Vizier and the other Foreign Minister, and sometimes vice versa. In that Tablet He saith, exalted be His grandeur: “Soon will We dismiss the one who was like unto him and will lay hold on their chief who ruleth the land, and I am the Mighty, the Compelling.” Likewise, observe in the Most Holy Book concerning the Point between the two seas, which referreth to Constantinople, for on one side is the White Sea and on the other the Black Sea. In brief, all that hath streamed from the Supreme Pen hath come to pass, and the other prophecies contained in the Tablets shall all be fulfilled. We testify that He is the All-Knowing, the Powerful, the Hearer, the Seer, the All-Informed. Therefore must the loved ones of God keep in mind whatsoever hath been revealed in the Tablets, lest they deprive themselves of infinite bounties through a single cawing. We beseech God to aid all His loved ones to achieve that which He hath willed, that all may occupy themselves, with complete humility and submissiveness, with detachment, sanctity and purity, with goodly deeds and praiseworthy character, in glorifying God, exalted be His glory, and teaching His Cause. May the Glory rest upon you and upon those who have adorned themselves with the robe of steadfastness in the Cause of God, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the Wise.

The Servant

12 Jamadiyu’th-Thani 1293

=== END BH00388 ===

=== START BH00389 ===

In the name of our Most Great, Most Luminous, Most Manifest, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Lord!

Praise, eternal and sanctified above all likeness and comparison, befitteth the Lord of existence Who hath caused all things in the world to appear like the letters of a book in their standing, sitting, prostration, bowing, submission and humility. All things have appeared from a single word, yet how vastly different are their effects, fruits, colors, tastes, motions and stillness. The Creator Who, from a single word sanctified above all colors and differences, brought forth these diverse things from nothingness into being. Most things stand in service, yet the hand of men’s understanding falls short.

The cypress declares: “Praise be unto Thee for having made me upright, reflecting every alif revealed in Thy Book.” The meadow grass proclaims: “Thou seest me, O my God, fallen prostrate upon the earth in adoration of Thy Manifestation and sovereignty.” The willow tree uttereth: “O Lord! Thou beholdest my submission, my humility, my rising and falling, my bashfulness and emotion, and my swaying in the winds of Thy will.” The pomegranate speaketh, saying: “O my God, my Lord, my Manifestation and my Creator! Thou seest me bearing witness to Thy manifestation, Thy power and Thy grace. By Thy glory, O my God! The color of my face betokeneth my bashfulness in Thy days, and Thy decree hath prevented me from turning toward the court of Thy glory and arising to serve Thee.”

Every person of insight beholdeth that which most of the world’s peoples are deprived of. Brief mention of this station is more fitting and beloved, lest the readers grow weary and may read with the utmost joy and fragrance. Brevity is among the fruits of the tree of wisdom, and acknowledgment of powerlessness is reckoned among the fruits of the tree of knowledge.

Glorified art Thou, O my God and the God of all that is in the world! I seek Thy forgiveness and turn unto Thee for having mentioned aught in Thy presence, for what my tongue hath uttered and my limbs have wrought, and for my misdeeds which exceed the reckoning of the Pen and the accounting of all in the world. I beseech Thee by the Orator Who speaketh from the loftiest pulpits of existence in Thy Name and sovereignty, and by the Speaker Whom the conditions of Thy servants and creation have not hindered, to open unto Thy loved ones, with the finger of Thy power, the door of Thy relief. O Lord! Thou art the Generous, possessed of great bounty. Take the hands of Thy loved ones with the hands of Thy power, then assist them with the hosts of the unseen through Thy might and sovereignty. O Lord! Thou seest them among the wretched ones of Thy creation and under the rule of those who have adorned their heads with turbans. I testify that they are as cattle in Thy land, nay more astray in their way. I beseech Thee, O Cleaver of the dawn, Illuminator of the horizons, and Judge on the Day of Separation, in this moment wherein I have held fast to the cord of Thy grace and clung to the hem of the robe of Thy generosity, to forgive those who have turned to Thee, heard Thy call, responded to Thy word, and spent their wealth in Thy path and their spirits in Thy love and good-pleasure. O Lord! Aid them to serve Thee and draw them nigh unto the station Thou hast ordained for them from Thy Most Exalted Pen, by Whose movement all beings were set in motion. There is no God but Thee, the Forgiver, the Hearer, the Generous, the Merciful, the Mighty, the Answerer.

After receiving several letters from you, each indicating your devotion, certitude, love and steadfastness - may you ever be confirmed and drink from the Kawthar of steadfastness. Today the station of steadfastness is most mighty and great, for the manifestations of Satan lie in wait with utmost craftiness and deception, hoping to prevent the faithful and deter the wayfarers from the straight path. In all conditions one must take refuge in God, exalted be His glory, from the evil of deceitful and lying souls. God protect us and you from their evil and their calumnies. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Mighty, the Powerful.

After learning of your letters, I approached the Most Holy and Most Exalted Presence, and after receiving permission, presented them before Him. He said: “O Muhammad-Qabli-Sadiq! Praise be to God that by His leave thou hast sought the Greatest Vision and drunk from the Kawthar of meeting the Lord of Destiny. Thou hast witnessed the effulgences of the light of His countenance and heard His utterances with thine outward ear. This bounty hath no likeness or parallel. Be thou thankful and among those who render praise.” Beseech God, exalted be His glory, to aid thee in preserving that which hath been bestowed upon thee. Say:

“Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by the Kawthar of Thy presence and the ocean of Thy reunion, and by the Book wherein Thou hast ordained the rewards of Thy servants and which Thou hast adorned with the traces of Thy Most Exalted Pen in Thy days, to make me steadfast in Thy love and Thy good-pleasure and to protect me from the evil of those who have violated Thy Covenant and Thy Testament. Verily Thou art the Mighty, the Strong, the All-Conquering, the All-Powerful.”

The Sun of divine favor dawns and shines forth from the horizon of every word of the Supreme Utterances. Should a soul arise to offer praise throughout the duration of the kingdom and the heavenly realm, he would fail to adequately thank for even a single letter that His Pen hath revealed concerning him. Praise be unto Him! Again praise be unto Him! Thanks be unto Him! Again thanks be unto Him! Grace be unto Him! Again grace be unto Him! Favor be unto Him! Again favor be unto Him! Unto infinity favor be unto Him! God willing, this letter shall be a cause of joy and delight for you, as it bears divine utterances.

Regarding what you wrote about traveling to other lands specifically for trade - God willing, wherever you may be, may you dwell peacefully under the canopy of the grace of God, exalted be His glory. Verily He is with His accepted servants and His sincere chosen ones. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. This evanescent servant conveys greetings to all the friends in that land and beseeches God to confirm them all in unity, concord, firmness, steadfastness and service. This day has no likeness or parallel. You must regard the time as precious. I swear by the Sun of Truth that every moment of these days has been and is more precious than mountains of gold. O friends! Consider the time precious and act as befits it. Praise be to God - the Goal is present, the Path is manifest, the Kawthar is flowing, Paradise is visible and the Garden is radiant. Blessed is the soul that has recognized the station of these days and has arisen to do what is befitting. Glory be upon you and upon the loved ones of God in those parts and upon those who have testified to that which God hath testified: that there is none other God but Him, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Praise be to God, the Mighty, the Glorious, the Beloved.

Today, being the eighth day of the revered month of Sha’ban, another letter from you arrived which was sent from Tabriz on the 19th of Jumada al-Thani. As the divine fragrances of love wafted from it, it refreshed and gladdened the gardens of the heart with the waters of joy and delight. God willing, may you ever drink from the ocean of divine favor and find repose beneath the shade of the Divine Lote Tree. After perusing it, with wings of joy and elation it was presented in its entirety before the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence. These exalted words descended from the Kingdom of Utterance of the Lord of Names, exalted be His glory: “O Muhammad-i-Qabl-i-Sadiq! Previously your letter was mentioned before the Wronged One through the servant in attendance, and an answer was sent down from the heaven of grace. God willing, may you all be illumined by the light of the commanding Word and be set ablaze by the fire of the Sacred Tree. We, from this station, send Our greetings upon you, your father, your brothers, and upon those who have testified to that which God hath testified: that there is none other God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” End quote. Praise be to God, the lights of the Sun of Divine Grace are shining and evident. Each time your letter arrived, it was honored to be heard by the Truth, exalted be His glory, and was honored with a reply. Blessed are they who have drunk the living waters from the chalices of their Lord’s words, the All-Merciful. Regarding what you wrote about attention to various directions, this has been noted. God willing, the end of all affairs will be for the good, as the reins of every matter have been and will ever be within the grasp of God’s power. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth, and He is the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

As for the mention you made of certain friends, this was presented before the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence, and for each one specifically, a wondrous and sublime Tablet was revealed from the heaven of grace and sent forth. God willing, may the friends attain unto them and arise to serve the Cause.

This is what was revealed for Karbila’i Muhammad of Milan:

He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing!

O Muhammad! The Wronged One remembereth thee from the prison’s direction and counseleth thee with that which hath been revealed in the Book from God, the Lord of all worlds. Cast behind thee idle fancies and vain imaginings, and take hold of that which thou hast been commanded by the All-Wise Ordainer. O servants of the All-Merciful in all lands! Hold fast to the cord of goodly deeds and cling to the hem of trustworthiness, truthfulness, and faithfulness, and to that whereby the Cause of God, the One, the Mighty, the Wise, is advanced. Thus hath spoken the Wronged One in the Most Great Prison as He walketh in this exalted place. The peace that shineth from the horizon of the Abode of Peace be upon thee and upon those who have remained faithful to God’s Covenant and Testament when the Manifestation of Revelation appeared with a clear command.

And this is what was revealed for Mulla Husayn, the scribe in Usku:

He is the All-Witnessing, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed!

[…]

O Husayn! He Who hath summoned all mankind unto God, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting, hath come. The Wronged One hath appeared and revealed that which He was bidden by God, the Mighty, the Loving. Among the people are those who have turned toward the Supreme Horizon, those who have followed their passions and desires, and those who have paused, looking to the right and to the left. Say: None hath any protection this Day save those who have clung to the hem of the robe of their Lord’s loving-kindness, the Knower of the unseen and the seen. Say: This is the Day whereon the breezes of God have wafted, the Cock of the Throne hath crowed, and the Dove of Utterance hath warbled upon the branches. Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Truth, the Knower of the unseen. Take thou the Tablet with the strength granted by Us, and in all matters place thy trust in God, the Lord of what was and what shall be. When the crier raiseth his call, leave him to himself, turning with your hearts toward the Ultimate Lode-Star which speaketh: “Verily, there is none other God but Him, the All-Possessing, the Self-Subsisting.” Thus hath the ocean surged and the fragrance wafted. Be thou thankful and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the Kingdom and all that is therein.”

And this was revealed for Aqa Rasul:

He is God, the Single, the All-Informed

The Supreme Pen maketh mention of His loved ones and commandeth that which is praiseworthy. Blessed is the soul that hath forsaken its own will and held fast unto the Will of God. Today the dark dust of idle fancies and vain imaginings hath prevented the people of the earth from beholding the Supreme Horizon. Beseech ye God to rend asunder the veils that withhold them, that all may not be deprived and debarred from the wondrous bounties of this blessed Day. O Rasul! The Wronged One of the world maketh mention of thee and His loved ones on this night, that ye may all be adorned with divine virtues and arise to serve His Cause. Verily, one pure deed is mightier than assembled hosts. By My life! One truthful word hath been the cause of guidance for multitudes. Whosoever becometh informed of that which came to pass in former ages will testify to that which hath flowed from the Supreme Pen. We beseech God to aid all to that which beseemeth human dignity. Verily, We make mention of thee and thy son, that he may rejoice and be of the thankful. The glory be upon thee, upon him, and upon every patient one who hath shown fortitude in adversity and attained unto the supreme steadfastness in this mighty and momentous Cause.

Praise be to God! The bounties of God, exalted be His glory, have encompassed the souls mentioned, and each one hath been remembered, one by one, by the Supreme Pen. This is a bounty wherewith no other bounty can compare. God willing, may all be illumined and enlightened by the suns of the words of the Revealer of verses, be freed and detached from that which perisheth, and be focused on that which endureth. We implore help and assistance from God, exalted be His glory. He is the Powerful, the Mighty, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing. The might of the world cannot withhold Him, nor can the clamor of the nations prevent Him from His all-encompassing purpose. The glory shining resplendent from the horizon of the heaven of grace be upon thy father, upon thy brother whose letter hath reached the Prison, upon thee, upon all men and women who are with you, upon every steadfast servant and steadfast handmaiden, and praise be to God, the Revealer of verses and the Manifester of clear proofs.

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

Let the beloved of my heart, his honor the Trustee, upon him be the Glory of God and His favors, take note:

Praise be befitting to the Sovereign of the Kingdom and the Lord of the Realm of Might, Who through the key of the Most Great Name hath opened the gate of utterance and guided all to the straight path, to the mighty announcement and the firm and impregnable Cause. He is the Omnipotent, the All-Powerful. There is none other God but Him, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious.

And then, O beloved of my heart! Two days ago a letter was written specifically for your honor, but its dispatch was delayed and this writing was attached to it. The confirmations of God, exalted be His glory, arrive successively, and that beloved one, praise be to God, is wholly engaged in His service and likewise recognizes the stations of grace and favor. Well is it with you and pleasant it is for you! The letters of that beloved one, praise be to God, all begin with mention of the friends and conclude with their remembrance, and likewise mention the cities that are the dwelling places of the friends. Praise be to God, through that beloved one’s endeavors, mention is made in the letter of each city that he has visited, together with its friends, and this was presented at the Most Holy Court. He spoke, and His word is the truth: “O Trustee! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment. Success hath been and shall ever be thy companion, for thou art engaged in service and adorned with justice and fairness. Repeatedly hast thou made mention of the friends in Ardistan. Some time ago mention of each one flowed from the Most Exalted Pen. Ra, Fa, Mim and Ha have been and are remembered. Convey to Mirza Hasan and his mother the greetings of the Wronged One. Say: O Hasan! God willing, mayest thou be assisted to serve His friends. Well-being, health and protection are for those souls who with clear certitude have entered beneath the shade of the Blessed Tree. By My life! They are assuredly among those who enjoy security in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds. O Trustee! Verily We have mentioned every soul thou didst mention in thy letter, that thou mayest give thanks to thy Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Generous. And We have made mention of Our friends in the cities and villages as a command from Our presence, and verily I am the All-Bountiful, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.”

Mention was made of the friends of Pusht-i-Mashhad. After presentation at the Most Holy, Most Exalted Court, these verses were revealed from the heaven of the Divine Will specifically for them. His blessed and exalted Word: “O My loved ones in that place! Hearken unto the call of God, the King, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. He calleth you from the direction of the Prison and giveth you glad tidings of that which He hath ordained for you from His presence. He is the Mighty, the All-Forgiving. The Herald hath proclaimed from every direction: ‘The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of what was and what shall be.’ Verily the Trustee mentioned you time and again; We made mention of you again and again as a bounty from God, the Lord of existence. Take the cup of success in the name of the Cleaver of the Dawn and say: ‘Praise be unto Thee, O Sender of the winds, for having manifested unto us Thy destined Cause and Thy sealed Wine! We beseech Thee by the lights of Thy Throne and by the lands that were honored by Thy footsteps to assist us to make mention of Thee and to praise Thee and to serve Thy Cause. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest, and within Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth.’”

Likewise, especially for the friends of the Gate of Isfahan, these verses from the Kingdom of Utterance of the Goal of all the worlds were revealed, blessed and exalted be His Word:

O Amin! Upon thee be My glory and loving-kindness. We have desired to make mention of My loved ones in that place. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. We have made mention of those whom thou didst mention in thy letter, as a mercy from Us upon thee and upon them. Remind them of the verses of their Lord and give them the glad-tidings of this bounty which hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. Say: Beware lest the doubts of the divines and what they possess hold you back from God, your Lord, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. Say: Cast aside what the people possess and take what hath been sent down unto you from the presence of One mighty and powerful. The glory shining forth from the horizon of My will be upon you and upon every steadfast and firm one.

Thou hast made mention of Qamsar and those who have quaffed the wine of utterance from the hands of the bounty of their Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower. O Amin! We made mention of Khalil before, and revealed for him that which caused the eyes of utterance to rejoice in the garden of the wisdom of God, the Lord of all men. He is of those who have attained unto the verses of God and His remembrance, and the Supreme Pen hath borne witness unto him, and I am the All-Knowing, the Mighty Witness. O Khalil! Take in My Most Glorious Name the reins of the servants and draw them nigh unto the most exalted station. Say: By the life of God! Ye were created for this Day. Fear God and be not of those who have denied the Beginning and the Return. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon those who love thee and hearken unto thy word in this Cause whereby the earth hath quaked and the mountains have crumbled.

We make mention in this noble station of him who was named Abdu’r-Rahim and give him the glad-tidings of God’s loving-kindness, the Lord of Lords. O Rahim! The Lord of Destiny maketh mention of thee from the direction of His Most Great Scene and consoleth thee in what hath befallen thee from the decree of God, the Almighty, the All-Choosing. Grieve not for what hath come upon thee. There hath come upon Us that which hath caused the Supreme Pen to lament at eventide and at dawn. We bid thee to beautiful patience, and I am the Mighty, the All-Patient. We make mention of thy son at this moment with that which shall be a treasure and honor unto him from God, the Lord of all religions. O thou who art mentioned before the Throne! I bear witness that thou didst turn to My horizon and didst hear My call and didst hold fast unto My cord and didst cling to the hem of the robe of thy Lord’s mercy, the Revealer of verses. Thou art he who attained unto acceptance when the divines and jurists of the earth turned away from God. Unto this beareth witness the Mother Book from God, the Lord of creation. We beseech God to send down upon thee each day a mercy from His presence and a blessing from His own Self, and to give thee to drink of the choice wine of utterance at morn and at eventide. Thus have We sent down the verses and expounded them in truth and dispatched them unto thee, O Rahim, that thou mightest give thanks unto thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

Thy letter hath come before the Wronged One, and We have mentioned thee with that which no mention can equal. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having given me to drink of the Kawthar of Thy knowledge and enabled me to turn unto Thee when most of Thy servants had turned away. I beseech Thee, O Lord of existence and King of the seen and unseen, by Thy Name through which the unity of Thine Essence was established beyond all likeness and similitude, to ordain for me from Thy Most Exalted Pen that which will draw me nigh unto Thee in all conditions. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon My loved ones there who were not weakened by the power of the world nor frightened by the might of the nations. They arose and said: The Kingdom is God’s, the Mighty, the Glorious, the Bestower.

As to what you wrote concerning the blessed leaf, the wife of the late Aqa Muhammad Ja’far, and her daughters - upon them be the Glory of God - after this matter was presented, these exalted words were revealed from the horizon of the utterance of the Desired One of all worlds - exalted and blessed be His words:

“The honored lady and her daughters have ever been and continue to be remembered in the Most Holy Court. Give them glad tidings from Me and remind them of My verses. We beseech God to ordain for them the good of the hereafter and this world, and to decree for them the rewards of those who circle round the Throne at eventide and at dawn.”

This Wronged One has ever been speaking and mindful of the mention of the friends of God. O Amin, upon thee be My Glory! The gaze of God in these days is directed toward the pearls of love that lie hidden and concealed within the hearts and souls of His steadfast male and female servants. O Amin! This is the station of grace and the station of mercy that has preceded. At this moment each one has attained the outpourings of the True Bestower of Bounty. Blessed and welcome be it unto them! O Amin! The souls thou hast mentioned, both men and women, have all been blessed by the waves of the ocean of utterance of the Desired One of all worlds. By the life of God! We have mentioned each one with a mention that brings joy to the eyes of the people of the cities of justice and equity.

And likewise mention was made of Aqa Husayn (Givah-Kash) - upon him be the Glory of God. After presentation at the Supreme Height, a most mighty and holy Tablet was revealed from the Dayspring of grace and bounty, that he might give thanks unto God, our Lord and your Lord, the Lord of the mighty Throne. Verses have been revealed, rain has poured forth, the ocean is surging, and grace encompasses all. This servant beseeches for the friends that which leads to the guidance of all beings. In these days the effulgences of the Luminary of grace have shone forth in such wise that this servant is incapable of reckoning or properly mentioning them. In any case, I convey greetings and glorification to him and all other friends, and with the tongue of the secret and the secret of the secret I submit:

“My God, my God! Deprive not Thy friends of the ocean of Thy generosity, and assist them all through Thy near angels that they may, with complete steadfastness, spend these two days in Thy service. Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty.”

In previous letters repeated mention was made of Haji Mulla Ibrahim - upon him be the Glory of God. His petition was presented and his mention repeatedly flowed from the Tongue of Grandeur. After the presentation of his petition before the Divine Presence, a most mighty and holy Tablet was revealed specifically for him, that he might drink the Kawthar of utterance from the words of our Lord, the Most Merciful, and speak among the servants with an assurance by which hearts and souls are made tranquil.

And likewise that beloved of hearts mentioned the friends of Asadabad. Two most mighty and holy Tablets were revealed from the heaven of grace and bounty specifically for Aqa Mirza Muhammad and Haji Shah Muhammad - upon them be the Glory of God - and were sent. Let them be delivered that they may find from the ocean of His verses the pearls of His dear and beloved love. This servant conveys glorification and greetings to all the friends and beseeches for each one that which leads to eternal salvation. At this moment these exalted words were revealed from the tongue of the Lord of all being - blessed and exalted be His words:

“O servant in attendance! Write to Amin that if God, exalted be His glory, were to look with the eye of justice, few souls would be found worthy of mention by the Supreme Pen. However, since He is seated upon the throne of the Most Merciful Name, He looks with the eye of grace and is ever attentive. The Command is in His hands. He speaks as He wishes, and He is the Ancient Commander.”

Likewise, blessed Tablets have been revealed specifically for the friends in the land of Kermanshah - some are being sent this time and some will be sent another time. Give glad-tidings through God’s favor to that beloved of all, for all are mentioned and have attained His grace. At this time, the letter from the spiritual loved ones - his honor Aqa Rasul, his honored brother Haji Muhammad Hasan known as Mi?ri, and his honor Aqa Muhammad ?adiq, upon them be the glory of God - along with that beloved one’s letter which they sent from the land of Qaf, was received. However, there was no opportunity to reply. God willing, it will be sent later. The servant beseeches his Lord to assist them and aid them to help His Cause through wisdom and utterance. Verily He is the Mighty, the Bestower.

A Most Holy and Exalted Tablet was revealed this time specifically for his honor Bayg, upon him be the glory and favor of God, and was sent to his honor Aqa ’Ali-Haydar, upon him be God’s glory, grace and favors, for delivery. In truth, his honor ’Ali-Haydar is engaged in service and is mentioned before God. Blessed is he and joy be unto him. And a Greater Tablet was revealed and sent specifically for the beloved of the heart, his honor Haji Mirza ?-Y, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God. God willing, they will attain unto it.

At this moment in the Most Holy and Exalted Presence, the Tongue of Grandeur spoke these exalted words, glorified be His majesty: “O Amin, convey greetings and glorification from the Wronged One to his honor bearing the Name of Beauty, upon him be My glory and favor. God willing, may they be engaged with complete dedication in serving the Cause of the Lord of all beings through wisdom and utterance. Blessed is he who has turned to Him and heard His mention in this perspicuous Remembrance.

O Amin, mention all the friends in the land of ?a on behalf of the Wronged One. We beseech God to set them ablaze with the fire of the Blessed Tree and illumine them with the lights of revelation until the horizons of the world become bright and radiant. Say: O friends of God! We beseech God to grant strength and bestow resolve, that your transient days may not deprive you from the eternal Kingdom and prevent you from the everlasting bounty. Verily He is the Compassionate, the Generous.”

Mention was made of the two detached essences, the honored brothers Naddafan, upon them be the glory of the All-Merciful. They are among those souls who are mentioned in the Supreme Concourse and the realms of truth, for that which was revealed concerning them testifies with the most exalted call to their acceptance, orientation, sincerity and steadfastness. Upon them and those with them be the glory of God and His favor. Glory, remembrance, exaltation and praise be upon your honor and upon those with you and those who hear your words concerning the Cause of God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of the earthly realm and the Kingdom.

The Servant

24 Shawwal 1305

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=== START BH00391 ===

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

Pure praise and glory befit the King of Eternity and Lord of all the worlds, Who by a single effulgence from the lights of His Beauty caused the Friend to sit in the fire and sent the Sacrifice to the place of offering. The mind is bewildered at what manner of dawning this is - if it falls upon sovereignty, it transcends sovereignty; if it shines upon absolute poverty, it spurns the realm of wealth; and if it turns to complete riches, it forsakes its station and stands in service among the servants. I swear by the Ocean of Divine Knowledge that were He to reveal that which He has concealed, ye would behold all the world as the Friend and see the Sacrifice of this age. Yet these companions of the Friend would not consent to the transformation of the fire, and these companions of the Sacrifice would not turn back from the place of offering. This evanescent servant is bewildered as to what to say and what to submit - he is both bewildered and constrained. In such case he clings to the cord of “Lord, increase my bewilderment in Thee!” Glory be to God! A single call both induces intoxication and bestows consciousness, brings both forgetfulness and confers knowledge of all things. Would that I were permitted to mention what I have seen and known. The Cause is in His hands alone. No one has any station, scope, power or strength except by His leave and grace.

My spirit be a sacrifice for your remembrance and for your steadfastness! In the days when the Mansion was the Greatest Outlook, one day at sunset His Honor the Name of God M.H. (upon him be all the glory of God, the Most Glorious) arrived and attained the Most Holy Court. Afterward he gave this servant a packet containing His Holiness’s handwriting and a letter from His Honor Aqa Mirza Isma’il. That very night it so happened that this servant found the opportunity to present all of them before His countenance. When it reached its end, the Ancient Beauty arose from His seat, walked about and said: “O Afnan! Blessed are ye for having won the grace and knowledge of your Lord and for having turned unto Him, and blessed are they who love you for the sake of God, the Lord of the worlds. We have exalted your stations - soon shall ye behold them. To this beareth witness he who hath turned his face towards My countenance, recognized My Most Great Cause, and set his face towards My Straight Path. O Afnan! The mention of the greatness of the Cause hath been revealed in most of the Tablets. By the life of God! It is greater than every great thing. Were someone to reflect upon and discover the stations of the soul that today is assured of the Cause of God, he would become somewhat aware of the greatness of the Cause. Verily thy Lord openeth the gate of knowledge before whomsoever He willeth. He, verily, is the Ordainer, the All-Wise.”

O Afnan! The grace of God hath ever been and shall continue to be vouchsafed unto you. Fix your gaze upon this utterance which hath shone forth from the Dayspring of Divine Revelation unto one of them that have turned towards Him. O Husayn! Hold fast unto this blessed word, which is even as a ship upon the ocean of the recognition of the Sovereign of all possibility. Though this word be ancient, having been uttered by the Manifestations of the Cause aforetime, yet today it hath appeared adorned with a new and wondrous embellishment, for the true Trump of God hath breathed a fresh spiritual life into the temple of its letters. And it is this: “Whoso is God’s, God is his.” If thou sailest upon this ocean, thou shalt witness thyself endued with a fresh spirit and boundless certitude, and shalt soar on the wings of longing and yearning in the atmosphere of the love of the Day-Star of the horizons. With utmost joy and expansion, delight and gladness, thou shalt walk upon this straight path of justice. O Afnan! Ye have turned unto the Truth, that is, through His grace ye have attained unto this station, and the Truth, with perfect bounty, hath turned unto you. Think not that the fruits of this bounty shall remain hidden. Nay, by My life! God shall soon make them manifest in the earth. He, verily, is your Guardian and Helper. He is, in truth, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. These are the days of manifestation and boundless grace. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Bestower, the Generous One. Under all conditions, keep your gaze fixed upon wisdom and place your trust in God. In His hand lieth the preservation of all things. He, verily, is the Almighty, the All-Powerful. The glory be upon you, and upon them that love you, and upon them that have turned unto you, and have heard your call and made mention of you. They are among those who have attained unto the grace of their Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

And concerning what you wrote about Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Isma’il, his letter was presented in full. They stated that in some of what he mentioned he speaks truth and that kindness and consideration should be shown to him. A Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was also specifically revealed for him from the heaven of grace and has been sent - consider it and forward it. Verily our Lord, the Commander, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. However, the aforementioned Mirza has become very distressed. Although he is in the right - for it was a great matter since its relation was unto God - yet were he to immerse himself somewhat in the ocean of awareness, he would witness that it was and will be the most excellent, most mighty, most straight, most perfect and most exalted of all affairs in the world. When this evanescent servant was in Iraq, the two radiant and martyred Luminaries set out toward Zawra with the intention of visiting the Divine Ka’bah. On their return from the Land of Taff, they attained the Most Holy Court and after hearkening to the Divine Call they truly underwent transformation. The manifestation of favor shown to them, though they were not known among the people, was witnessed to such a degree that some were struck with wonderment and amazement. Then by Divine command they returned to their land, and the Hand of Power exalted them and adorned them with the ornament of glory, and from the clouds of generosity rained bounty upon them until throughout the regions of the world they became known and mentioned by the name of the Lord of Eternity, and in truth they established their station in hearts, as you have witnessed and continue to witness. After arriving in the Land of Sad, two petitions from them reached the Most Holy Court, and likewise in other petitions they beseeched and implored with utmost humility and supplication. What bounty could be greater than this station they attained to - that praise be to God, in this earthly realm they were manifest in the name of Truth, and even the polytheists were seen to be humble in their presence, and in their final days they attained to a station that cannot be confined by this servant’s pen nor encompassed by this evanescent one’s utterance. From the Tablets that have been revealed from the heaven of the Will of the Lord of all beings regarding this supreme calamity, it becomes known and evident - O beloved of my heart - a hundred thousand blessings upon them and a hundred thousand regrets for this servant! It is as though at every moment the tongues of the world cry out “Would that I had been with them!” Consider this matter: the Lord of the world was martyred in the manner that has reached the blessed ears, and they were counted among His servants, yet their martyrdom is seen to have a greater effect, more complete influence, and more intense burning. Exalted is He Who raised them up, exalted is He Who honored them, and exalted is He Who caused them to attain to this station for which the holy ones have sacrificed their souls to reach it. I swear by the Beloved of the world that the regret for this matter will never leave this servant’s heart. I beseech Him, exalted be He, to aid me to do what He loves and is pleased with. Verily He is the Powerful, the Mighty.

Concerning that which you referred matters to God and entrusted them to Him, regarding this He said: “Excellent is what they have done. Verily their Lord, the All-Merciful, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. He reveals whatsoever He willeth through His sovereignty. He, verily, is the One Whom nothing can frustrate, Whom no hosts can prevent, Whom no might of the mighty can weaken, nor the ascendancy of any powerful one overcome. He, verily, is the Ruler over whatsoever He pleaseth and the Doer of whatsoever He willeth.”

In this Most Great Revelation that which hath been witnessed leaveth no room for doubt or uncertainty for any soul, save those who arise in tyranny and speak with sheer and absolute oppression. Whatsoever was revealed in the divine Tablets concerning future events was explicitly stated, without any allusion. Should one examine the Tablet of Fu’ad, the Tablet to Ra’is, the Tablet of Paris, and other Tablets revealed during the tribulations of imprisonment and the opening of its gates, one would be astounded and bewildered. Every letter thereof hath been fulfilled. After the revelation of each of these Tablets, certain assured hearts wondered how these events would come to pass. This servant would submit: “You shall soon see.” One day this servant asked whether, if Ra’is should repent, he might be invested with the robe of forgiveness. Thereupon the Ancient Beauty turned to me and said: “By God, besides Whom there is none other God! All that the All-Merciful hath revealed in the Tablet shall come to pass.” Then in Persian He said: “Were all who are in heaven and earth to gather together, desiring to change but one word of the Tablet of Ra’is, they would be powerless and would never succeed.” Should anyone have seen that blessed Tablet and become aware of what befell Ra’is, his followers, and his domains, he would cry out between earth and heaven in the name of God, our Lord, the Most High, the Most Glorious. In truth the people are asleep, and in this state shall they remain until they observe themselves in the depths, that is to say, in their true stations.

He likewise said: “Write to the Afnan: O My Afnan! Be not saddened by the events of the world. He bestoweth from the clouds of bounty and heaven of generosity whatsoever is meet. If some have suffered harm or injury in this supreme calamity, it mattereth not. He, verily, is the Bestower, the Generous One. He giveth as He hath given, and if there hath been delay in some cases, it hath been due to consummate wisdom. Verily, He knoweth what appeareth, and in His grasp are the reins of all affairs. He, verily, is the Bestower, the All-Forgiving.”

Concerning what you had written to the honored Afnan, Aqa Siyyid Ahmad, upon him be all the most glorious and resplendent Baha, that they should give what is due to the survivors of the martyred and wronged one, upon him be God’s light and mercy - this matter surpasseth all deeds and standeth foremost in the sight of God, exalted be His glory. However, this matter must be carried out after becoming informed of their affairs and gaining full knowledge thereof. For if something should be done in secret and Jinab-i-Aqa Mirza Isma’il should become aware of it, it would surely cause his despair and perhaps create ill-feeling between him and the survivors. Your concern for them is most beloved in the sight of God. The Tongue of Grandeur hath uttered this blessed word: “Blessed is he who seeketh after their affairs and rectifieth that which is lacking.” Indeed, today this matter is of great magnitude. God willing, your honor and the Afnan have been and will continue to be watchful […]

Concerning what you wrote about the claims, calculations and debts of the wronged martyr, it was presented before His presence. He commanded: Trusting in God, proceed according to commercial law. After paying the rights of the Afnan of the Divine Lote-Tree and the general public, the preservation and protection of the heirs’ property is necessary, to the extent that it does not transgress wisdom and does not become a cause of sorrow and vexation. The owner of the property has departed from this world and all within it, and has returned to a station where all the world is incapable of mentioning even the least description of it. The affairs of those left behind are with God, exalted be His station. Verily He is the best Protector and the best Guardian. However, outwardly, holding fast to the means is from God and all are commanded to it. May you be assisted and confirmed in serving the Cause of God in all conditions. In truth, that honorable one bore great hardships in the path of God, and likewise did the honored Afnan, Jinab-i-Aqa Siyyid Ahmad, upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory. Praise be to God that you have attained to this matchless and peerless station. This is the station of praise and thankfulness in all conditions. This evanescent servant begs his Lord to send down upon you from the heaven of His bounty mercy from His presence and grace from His own Self. Verily He is the Generous Giver, and praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds. The Servant. 9th of Shawwal 1296.

Another submission: Word has been received that the goods sent have arrived in Alexandria, and the funds that Jinab-i-Mulla Raj and Jinab [S R] and likewise your honor had sent have reached this evanescent servant through Jinab-i-Ism, upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory. And if separate receipts are needed for each one’s name, they will be sent.

=== END BH00391 ===

=== START BH00392 ===

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

Praise be fitting and worthy unto the Sovereign of existence and the King of the seen and unseen, Who with the hands of grace has planted the trees of wisdom in blessed and goodly soil, and through the rain of mercy and loving-kindness has bestowed the water of grace, until they reached maturity and through the bounty of the All-Merciful produced the fruits of remembrance and utterance. We beseech Him - exalted be His sovereignty and magnificent His signs - to preserve these trees from the poisonous winds of the souls of the idolaters. In this connection, from the Supreme Pen was revealed a word in response to the petition of Maneckji Sahib, who is one of the British subjects. He speaks, and His word is the truth: “We found pure earth and sowed the seed of knowledge. Now let us see what the rays of the sun will do - whether they will burn it up or cause it to grow.” And likewise He says: “Today, through the victory of the Peerless Wise One, the sun of knowledge has risen from behind the veil of the soul, and all the birds of the wilderness are intoxicated with the wine of knowledge and content in the remembrance of the Friend. How excellent is he who finds and comes.” End quote.

With a hundred thousand tongues this evanescent servant beseeches the True One - exalted be His station - not to deprive the trees of human existence, in this spiritual springtime when the lights of the Sun of Manifestation are shining and the cloud of mercy has spread its shade, from His outpourings, and to grant them successive draughts from the ocean of insight and knowledge at all times. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Ruler, the Bestower, the Generous.

The Sun of grace is shining, the Ocean of bounty is manifest, the Heaven of generosity is raised up. Man is bewildered at what has prevented the heedless people. The straight and upright path is manifest and evident like the light of the sun, yet despite this, the people are seen to be afflicted and lost in the rocky wilderness of self and desire. God willing, it is hoped that the veils that have prevented the people and the glories that have been the cause of remoteness and distance will be lifted, and the Beauty of the Beloved of the worlds will be witnessed by eyes that are sanctified from the ophthalmia of idle fancies. Verily, He is the Sovereign Who takes and gives, and rules as He pleases. There is no God but Him, the Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

I submit that your letter, which you had previously written in the name of this evanescent servant, was received. God knows it brought boundless joy. It was as if it were a heavenly spring for the thirst of the heart and a pure wine for the attraction of the soul. It brought happiness and removed grief and increased gladness. Well done to your hand and your arm! However, O my beloved, O my beloved, after this joy there occurred that which caused the hearts of the sincere ones to lament and the eyes of those near to God to weep.

In the Persian tongue I say that after some time news arrived of events in the Land of Sad [Isfahan]. Truly it was the cause of hearts being consumed with grief. This blessed word was revealed from the Supreme Pen addressing the martyrs of the Land of Sad, saying: “Ye are in the highest companionship with joy and fragrance, while your loved ones are in such grief that the clouds weep for them.” Until now nearly a hundred tablets, nay more, have been revealed from the heaven of grace and bounty mentioning those holy souls and have been dispatched to various regions. A hundred thousand regrets that this evanescent servant did not attain to that which they attained. Indeed, the appearance of such matters has been and will continue to be among the bestowals of the Ocean of Generosity. For nearly twenty-five years God, exalted be His glory, had exalted them among His servants, and the rains of blessing, glory, loftiness and steadfastness poured down upon them, to such extent that mention of them spread throughout all the cities of Iran, such that in this calamity from every direction elegies were composed and sent to the Most Holy Court. In any case, after the manifestations of divine favor concerning them, in their final days they attained to the greatest martyrdom and supreme gift which they had been seeking and hoping for from God. Three holy souls in the Land of Sad reached this most exalted and highest station. A hundred thousand times: “Would that I had been with them!” For they attained two great bounties: first the supreme martyrdom, and second that which flowed from the Supreme Pen concerning them, which shall endure as long as the kingdom of earth and heaven endure. A Persian verse was previously revealed from the Supreme Pen, saying:

O thou who art sacrificed in God, from love’s altar turn not away

But give up thy life in the pathway of love this day

The reason and cause of this matter, whose effects will surely become manifest in the earth, was that the Imam-Jum’ih of that land - may he receive his due - owed nearly twenty thousand tumans to those two celestial luminaries of faithfulness, those two martyred and wronged brothers. For a long time he sought to stir up sedition and remove these two innocent ones, until in one of the villages of Isfahan a commotion arose through his instigation and that of others like him. Two of the loved ones of God - one whose blessed name was Kazim and the other Siyyid Aqa Jan - were confronted with hostility. By order of the Imam of the polytheists and Baqir, one of that city’s ignorant ones who is known for his learning, those two noble souls were brought to the city in utter humiliation. They went before the governor and resorted to a hundred thousand lies and calumnies. The governor remained silent. They martyred one of those two noble souls - Kazim - while the governor sent the other out of the city, not handing him over to the polytheists, saying “This man is a Siyyid, I dare not.” Then those two heedless, ignorant ones pursued those two noble souls and arose with all manner of guile and deceit, to the point where they aroused the entire city. The clamor of the polytheists was raised, and those two nightingales took flight to the branches of the eternal Lote-Tree. The details of the martyrdom of these noble ones are many, but this servant has mentioned it briefly. Blessed are they and joy be unto them! They bore what no other among the servants has borne.

Forty days after the martyrdom of those two noble ones - on their fortieth day - the manifest Ruler seized the Imam of the polytheists through His power with an abasement beyond which none can be conceived. The Causer of causes thereafter brought about circumstances that led to complete discord between him and the governor, who is the son of the sovereign. Finally it led to a complaint being made to the seat of sovereignty. From there the order was issued to arrest him and send him to Tihran. Subsequently another person was sent from Tihran, invested with the robe of honor as Imam-Jum’ih and dispatched to the aforementioned city. After the arrival of that tyrannical Imam to the land of ?a, they exiled him to the Holy Mashhad.

Glory be to God! How can man, who witnesses such matters every day, remain heedless and make himself captive to the will of self? A hundred thousand regrets and remorse for those souls who do not gaze with the eye of insight and who remain joyful and occupied with the diverse colors of the world. No other news has occurred in Iran that would be worthy of mention. Since that honored one had requested details of the affairs of those regions, therefore these few words were submitted as an intrusion. During these few days, petitions and letters have arrived from most cities of Iran. Praise be to God, the friends are tranquil and safe. As for the news of these realms which you had requested - inwardly they are in disarray while outwardly there is peace and security. However, due to lack of rain, all things are at the height of inflation. Verily He is the Extender, the Withholder, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

Concerning the seekers of lands of whom you wrote that they have turned to the Most Exalted Horizon and are gazing toward the Dayspring of the Cause, blessed are they, then blessed are they! God willing, they shall at all times drink from the Kawthar of the recognition of the Beloved of the worlds and be occupied with His remembrance. Today there is no deed more excellent than for a soul to attain unto the recognition of the Dawning Place of God’s verses. I beseech the True One to assist them in that which will cause their mention and name to endure in the divine Kingdom. He, verily, is the Powerful, the Mighty.

As to what you wrote concerning His Excellency Nawwab Safdar Ali Khan, mention was made of him in the Most Holy Court, and his letter which he had addressed to this servant was presented in its entirety before the Most Holy Court. A prayer was specifically revealed for him from the heaven of bounty and the Most Great Branch - may my spirit and being be offered up for the dust of His footsteps - was commanded to write it. However, He wrote it in various scripts and it was sent. God willing, he will attain unto it and be enabled to read it. Likewise, a Tablet was specifically revealed and sent for His Excellency Nawwab Mahmud Ali Khan.

Concerning what you wrote about having a grand design in mind and seeking assistance - this was presented in the Most Holy Court. He said: “At the beginning of every matter, consider its end and reflect upon its fruit. In all circumstances, do not depart from wisdom. The assistance of God, exalted be His glory, has been and will, God willing, continue to be with you.” He said that if you reflect yourself, you will declare “there is no power nor strength except through God,” for you will witness the assistance of the King of existence and the Ordainer of the seen and unseen. We beseech the True One to assist your honor in the remembrance and service of His Cause. He is verily the Protector of those who remember Him.

Concerning what you wrote about Siyyid Mustafa who is in your service - this evanescent one conveys his greetings to him and beseeches the True One to make him successful and assist him in recognizing the Dawning Place of His verses. Surely he will be educated in your service. God willing, may he drink from the breast of the world the milk of recognition and from the hidden spring the water of life. Success and grace are in God’s hands; He bestows them upon whomsoever He willeth. He is verily the Bestower, the Generous.

As to what you wrote about your intention to go to China and the conflict between its sovereignty and the English - this was presented before Him. He said: “Be thou assured that thou art of those who are secure.” He said that your honor should strive, with the aid of the Lord of Final Return, that the seeds of recognition of the Beloved might find place and establish themselves in the soil of hearts. This is a deed whose mention will endure throughout the perpetuity of the earthly and heavenly kingdoms. Praise be to God that thou hast been successful in recognizing the Dawning Place of Revelation and His manifestation and in serving Him. Hold fast to this mighty station and say: Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

Concerning what you mentioned about the departed Aqa Mirza Husayn - upon him be the Glory of God - although it caused grief, yet since he was in your service and engaged in the remembrance of God, he is in truth adorned with the ornament of forgiveness and honored with the favors of the Beloved of all possibility. Blessed is he in that he believed in God and migrated for love of Him and soared in exile in His path.

Another submission is that all your letters have arrived, as well as certain items that were sent with the emigrants - upon them be all the Most Glorious Glory. From the Holy Land a chest has also been sent in your name, though it has not yet arrived. News of its arrival in Alexandria has come, and this is submitted for your information. We beseech God to assist your honor and this servant in that which will cause His Cause to be exalted in His lands. Verily, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

Another submission is that, as commanded, I had previously written something regarding your honored mother - upon her be the Glory of God - but you had not written a response. The command is that you should write a special letter to her and send something in her name, so that it may serve two purposes: both the Cause of God and the contentment of her heart. From the Most Holy Court an exalted and most mighty Tablet has been revealed and sent specially for her, and her letter will also arrive. She always inquires about your honor, and in truth, her satisfaction has been and is the cause of good in this world and the next, and of protection both outward and inward.

This evanescent one’s submission is that to each of the holy souls who have drunk from the Kawthar of the Word and turned toward the realm of oneness, convey this servant’s expression of sincere devotion. God willing, may all attain the fruits of the Divine Day and be illumined by the Sun of Truth. Glory be upon your honor and upon those who have turned to and believed in God, our Goal and your Goal and the Goal of all worlds. And praise be to God, the Lord of the Worlds.

=== END BH00392 ===

=== START BH00393 ===

He is God, exalted be His station!

May my spirit and my being be sacrificed for Thee! The letter adorned with the ink of love, which is in truth the cause and reason for, and manifestation of, the unity of the servants in the Cause of the Lord of creation, became the source of joy and gladness and the cause of delight and felicity. Although in these days, due to the abundance of tribulations and the accumulation of afflictions, this servant has not been and is not capable of properly conveying his condition, yet in all circumstances we are thankful for the favors of that Beloved One and are occupied with His mention and praise. We hope that we shall never be deprived of the fragrance of His favor and that we shall ever be blessed by the wafting of the breezes of that Beloved’s grace. Verily, He is the Answerer of the prayers of those who call upon Him.

The conditions in this land remain as previously reported, continuing in the same manner until God decrees what He willeth. In recent times, that accursed Khawwaq has been consorting openly, day and night, with Rida and his sister. After previous incidents, he has written many calumnies and sent them to Beirut where they have been published in one of the newspapers. The curse of God be upon him who hath wronged and fabricated lies. God will soon cause his schemes to rebound upon himself. Verily, He is the Mighty, the Powerful.

Concerning the previous envelope containing documents that did not arrive, beloved one, may I be sacrificed for you, thorough investigation has been made here. According to what they say, and as it apparently must have been, whatever happened occurred there in the Austrian post office. The honored ones wrote to this servant about this matter today and later went themselves for a meeting. What was written and said verbally was that they asked the Haifa ship’s officer about the mail sent on such-and-such date that did not reach the ship and whether my letter remained in Haifa. He replied that there was no separate letter left in Haifa - all letters that existed were within the sealed post and were sent as such. If there was a problem, it occurred in Alexandria. And this servant also observes that this must be how it happened, because the honored ones take the letter when the post is being sealed and wait until it is sealed. Moreover, it is inconceivable that this ship’s officer would act dishonestly for several known reasons. That envelope was given with the package, but when the ship did not come to port, he did not accept the package, stating that since it needed to be sent to Haifa and the sea was turbulent, it could not be trusted to a boatman. The fact is that on that day the ship did not come to this port but went to Haifa. The Lloyd company sent people’s letters in one sealed package according to their usual procedure to Haifa to be given to their ship. The mentioned post did not reach the ship; the Austrian company took it and sent it by their own ship to Alexandria. Your honor was not aware of this matter, and these servants were not aware, and the Lloyd company itself did not know that it would not reach the ship. In any case, when the Lloyd ship arrived, your honor went according to the previous arrangement and there was no letter. And as was heard, there was a three or four day difference between these two ships. It is highly probable that it was in the Austrian post office and those beloved ones were not aware to go collect it. Some Persian saw and took the envelope with Persian seal and writing. There is no doubt that it left here safely, and the details there must apparently have happened this way. The rest God knows. And regarding what you had written about sending copies of those lost documents, they have been obtained and exist. God willing, they will be sent next week. Now was not suitable. There is also a document from the honored 14 [Javad] remaining from before - that too will be sent.

Regarding the petitions of the honored S, it was submitted. They said return to this land is absolutely not permitted. Let them proceed, relying upon God. He is the protector of whoever befriends Him and the helper of those who have no helper. Indeed He is the master of the sincere ones. He teaches whomever He wishes whatever He wishes. Whoever turns to Him, from his heart flows the Salsabil of utterance according to what has been ordained for him in a clear Book.

Please convey this servant’s expressions of devotion and greetings, and likewise to each of the great gentlemen, the honored Sh and the honored Anis, and each of the friends and servants. I request from that beloved one that in whatever manner is appropriate, you mention on behalf of this servant and convey the greetings of this ephemeral servant.

Regarding the Sacred House, a letter arrived last week from Aqa Muhammad-Rida, and he sent four Ottoman liras through this servant, meaning they were given to his honor to send, and confirmation of receipt was received. As to what was written concerning some being informed or uninformed of certain matters, it is clear and evident to your honor that most matters do not occur without his knowledge, as most write to him with details of affairs. For example, Aqa Muhammad-Rida did not write anything to this servant but had written the details of their affairs to him, and he conveyed it to this servant in whatever way possible, as in these days no one is able to correspond directly. Otherwise, it has been and is known that to the extent possible, your beloved’s instructions are carried out. We beseech God to assist me in all that your noble heart loves and your gracious soul desires, verily He has power over what He wills. At present they are in Beirut and their ill health continues. It is hoped that, God willing, there will be no shortcoming in their affairs. Your honor should be assured about these matters. No one has been or will be approached about this, nor will it even be mentioned.

Furthermore, the Holy Branches and the people of the Sacred Household all remember your honor with wondrous and sublime remembrances, and this servant offers greetings, submission, and utter nothingness on behalf of all the friends. And the Glory be upon you.

Dated the 14th of Dhi’l-Hajjih

The Servant

May I be sacrificed for you. As previously mentioned, four tablets in Persian were revealed specifically for four Zoroastrians, and since sending the original tablets by post would damage them, copies are being sent. They are now being sent for dispatch to the Holy Land. One of the four individuals has submitted a petition to the Most Holy Court. According to what has been heard, two individuals have drunk from the Kawthar of faith and the other two are close. In any case, someone must, through divine confirmation, present these tablets to them in a fitting manner. Therefore, it is necessary that the presenter first recite them repeatedly so as to be able to read them properly. We beseech God to assist all in what He loves and desires.

According to the command, his honor Ismu’llah, upon him be the Glory of God, should proceed as follows: Regarding the matter of sending the leaf and the person who should accompany her, if possible they should consult with her mother, upon her be the Glory of God. Whatever consultation decides, they should act accordingly. In any case, if it is accomplished with the utmost joy and fragrance, it is acceptable before His Countenance. The expenses thereof should be paid by his honor Abu’l-Hasan, upon him be the Glory of God. And if in that land and its surroundings any Huququ’llah is received and is spent for this cause, there has been and is no objection. His honor Ismu’llah, upon him be Baha, is authorized to do so. And if his honor Abu’l-Hasan himself accompanies the leaf, it would be most beloved.

Regarding the aforementioned matter, a small place should be acquired, and its cost should be paid by his honor A.H., upon him be Baha, either in their name or his own name or in whatever name they deem advisable to record in the deed. Regarding this matter and the first matter, they should consult with his honor Mulla Ali-Akbar and Mirza Asadu’llah, upon them be the Glory of God and His mercy. Whatever emerges from consultation is the command of God, but they must make a mighty effort to keep it concealed. At present the purpose is protection, lest there befall him what befell in the land of Ta from the hands of the wicked ones. Later, great means shall appear for the station according to what God has willed. Verily, He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

And regarding the teachers, they should be paid from the funds of the Right of God, exalted be His Glory. Previously, his honor Asad, upon him be Baha, was commanded to receive from Huququ’llah and distribute. Now his honor the Trustee, upon him be Baha, has written that his honor A.H., upon him be Baha and My mercy, has agreed to pay the teachers’ expenses. In this case, if it is referred to them, it is most beloved. And in these days the number of teachers should not exceed three or four, as it would cause notoriety, and notoriety is extremely harmful to this Cause.

O My Name! O thou who gazest upon the Sun of My Revelation! We made no mention of the people of Mim and Alif in the Tablet, and therefore We make mention of them at this time, that it may be a treasure and an honor unto them with God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Verily, We have found from that land the fragrance of the All-Merciful. Blessed is he who hath rent asunder the veils and turned unto God, the Lord of all worlds. We have made mention of him who is named ’Ali in that place, and after him certain numbered souls, and after these servants who have turned and said: “We believe in God, the Lord of the worlds.” If thou turnest and beholdest those who have attained unto the mention of God, give them glad tidings from Me and proclaim unto them greetings from the Wronged One, the Stranger. We have made mention of My loved ones in the Crimson Book by My Most Exalted Pen. These are servants from whom We have found the fragrance of steadfastness in this Cause whereby the heaven hath been cleft asunder, the earth hath been rent, the stars have fallen, and the foundations of every firm edifice have been shaken. Soon shall wondrous and lofty fruits be witnessed from the trees of those lands. This is God’s decree, both before and after. Well is it with them that understand.

O people of the land of Mim! This Wronged One, at this hour - being the sixth hour of the first day of the blessed month of Ramadan - while imprisoned in this Most Great Prison with its gates closed fast, maketh mention of you with the most excellent of remembrances. The whole world cannot be compared to a single word from the words of the Lord of Eternity. Hearken, know, and arise with all earnestness to serve the Cause. Today the hosts of Truth are goodly character and praiseworthy deeds. Blessed is the soul that gaineth victory through these hosts. Those lands are blessed, for this Wronged One journeyed from the direction of Shahrud to that region, arriving at Gaz and observing its surroundings, and from there to Ashraf and before that the district of Hazar-Jarib, village by village and city by city, until We arrived in the land of Nur. Praise be to God that in those days all those regions were illumined and blessed by the lights of the Sun of Truth, and the effects thereof shall surely become manifest. That which was planted by the divine hand shall soon yield its fruits in the world’s assemblies. The call of the Beloved is raised from those mountains, for those lands have been blessed by the footsteps of the True One. God willing, may all be enabled to do that which beseemeth the Days of God. O loved ones of the All-Merciful! While time remaineth, strive to make good what hath passed. Verily, He is with you and will aid you in that which befitteth this blessed and wondrous Day. God willing, may all the divine friends drink from the immortal chalice and act according to that which hath been revealed in the Book.

Say: O my God! I beseech Thee by the blood that hath been shed in Thy path, and by the hearts that have melted in their love for Thee, to assist Thy loved ones to be steadfast in Thy Cause and to arise to serve Thee. Thou art, verily, powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and within Thy grasp are the reins of all things. O my Lord! Thou seest them among Thy heedless servants who have cast behind their backs Thy Covenant, violated Thy Testament, and disputed Thy manifest signs. I beseech Thee to send down upon them from the heaven of Thy bounty and the clouds of Thy mercy that which will draw them nigh unto Thee in all conditions. O my Lord! Draw them by Thy most sweet call in such wise that they may behold the world behind them and the deniers beneath their feet. How wonderful is this attraction whereby light hath shone forth and that which the Book proclaimed hath appeared: “Everything shall perish save the face of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.”

=== END BH00393 ===

=== START BH00394 ===

He is God; there is none other God but Him. Verily, we all are assured of this. I have said much concerning this, but most people do not understand. Whatsoever hath been mentioned regarding manifestations of miracles that pertain to this lowly one are falsehoods fabricated by the deniers. And whatsoever hath been attributed to the Primal Point, the Source of Primary Grace, and the established Mirrors thereof, is truth by which the sincere shall gain victory. However, concerning that which hath been sent down from the heaven of bounty and the clouds of mercy in the Bayan, no universal proof or conclusive evidence hath been ordained save the revelation of verses. This hath ever been and shall ever remain God’s proof unto the peoples of the earth. Should any matter appear from the Source of Grace and Glory other than this, it is purely through God’s favor; otherwise, the supreme proof is that which He Himself hath ordained - and who is more truthful in speech than God?

Furthermore, certain ones should not utterly deny the manifestation of that which hath been attributed to the Prophets, for the understanding of servants cannot serve as the criterion. If one observeth with the eye of insight, all that is visible on earth - before its manifestation - was and is and shall ever be beyond the comprehension of all people, both high and low. Observe the sun in the sky, how in its present visible form it giveth joy and light to all on earth from east to west and all other directions. Surely, before witnessing it, the intellect would not have accepted the description and affirmation of such a thing. Likewise, observe all aspects of creation that the mystery of the matter may be revealed, for all things have been and are miracles of the Prophets. Return thy gaze: seest thou any flaw?

In the Qur’an there are many verses proving this. Though the exact verses are not before me, their meanings are thus: “He it is Who created you and sustains you - will ye not then perceive?” And “He it is Who causeth to grow from the earth goodly vegetation - will ye not then believe?” And “He sendeth down water from the sky - will ye not then be thankful?” And “He created the heavens and the earth and what is between them, and fixed the mountains as a favor from Him, yet few among you understand.”

Thus it becometh evident that whatsoever is visible and pertaineth to power is from God. Is there any creator besides God? Say: Glory be to God! There is no creator save Him in Whom the sincere have believed. Yes, if it be said that if the miracles attributed to former Prophets were true, they should also appear now - this argument is not one to which illumined minds and pure hearts would cling. Often things occurred in the past that do not occur now, or vice versa. For every matter there are treasuries with thy Lord; He sendeth them down as He willeth according to His measure. This is your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers. For example, every thirty years by your reckoning and counting, plague appeareth in certain lands. Can one deny its existence due to its delay, saying that if it were real it should appear now? Similarly with other matters that appeared before but not now, or vice versa. And if it be asked why now some matter of manifestation […]

Pure power and absolute authority do not become manifest merely to exalt sublime spirits and elevate sanctified souls. Yea, this is truth, even as ye speak in the Bayan, and unto God belong the most exalted similitudes, did ye but know. Consider this visible river: when it overflows and increases, it moves and flows, and whatever it does, it remains steadfast in its power. When weak souls from all sides cry out that the great dam has burst, or that a certain dam has been destroyed, or that a certain house has been ruined, or that a certain palace has collapsed - it pays no heed, but continues to flow with utmost might, dominion, power and sovereignty, moving equally in all its courses. For instance, before its might, buildings belonging to either king or pauper are judged alike, save those structures that possess an inherent firmness. Thus do We set forth similitudes, that ye may attain certitude in what ye witness.

Make thy vision keen and thy sight subtle, that the sweet fragrance of delight and splendor may touch thy heart and thou mayest be established upon the throne of tranquility. This is the greatest and mightiest of matters, could ye but find it.

Furthermore, observe that should a powerful person attempt to dam the river and seize its reins through the authority of might and the dominion of power, how many houses and dwellings would be destroyed in its return, and how many souls would drown. Yet verily, though parched lands that had long suffered the torment of thirst would be blessed with new life and adorned with fresh and wondrous garments. Thus doth God create what He willeth through His command. There is no God but Him, the Lord of all worlds.

Likewise, consider the mysteries of fate and destiny: whatever hath appeared and shall appear, like this river of affairs, flows and rests in its proper place. Should anything manifest contrary to this, how much opposition would arise in the world. If thou wouldst comprehend this subtle and delicate mystery, which is more hidden than any secret, thou wouldst become independent of all that hath been and shall be asked.

This is why in every age and century when the Invisible Essence and the Eternal Being hath willed to make manifest and cause to flow that true River and real Ocean through a new temple and fresh garment, all those edifices of existence and palaces of deluded souls were drowned and destroyed. In the depths of thirst and the extremity of their parching, they were submerged and annihilated, never realizing enough to take even a single draught thereof. Thus doth God give life to whom He willeth, destroy whom He willeth, confirm whom He willeth, and deny whom He willeth, did ye but know.

Especially when, during the overflow of the River of the Divine Essence which flows from the North of Unity, the eastern winds begin to blow, how many lofty souls, people of heart, mighty palaces and elevated, firm structures would be destroyed and annihilated. By Him Who holdeth the heavens in His grasp and causeth the seas to flow by His command […]

Know that were it not for the hidden shackles in existence, I would have fully revealed all divine similitudes and subtle celestial decrees in this very flowing river. But how can this be when I have no inclination toward any matter due to intense sorrow and overwhelming grief? In these days I am afflicted between the Gog of silence and the Magog of speech. I beseech God to send down an Alexander who might erect a barrier. Divine allusions are concealed within these expressions, and holy letters are treasured within these words. Blessed is he who grasps its pearls, recognizes their worth, and attains their presence.

It has been witnessed and known that the root of all differences, from the highest realms of meaning to the lowest levels of words, stems from the differences in the forms of mirrors. Each one relates and narrates what exists within itself. For example, observe this very river, which flows in one manner and whose relation to all palaces and edifices is equal, yet each valley receives according to its capacity, and each barrier resists according to its strength. Thus, this difference arises from the recipient. Likewise, observe the dawning of the Eternal Sun, which rises with a single effulgence in the heavens of the hearts of all created things, yet its reflection differs in the forms of mirrors according to the mirrors themselves. Hence, some stand at the height of nature and the summit of purpose, while others rest in the depths of rigidity and the abyss of extinction. All have their stations with God, and all return unto Him.

The people of insight must have vision like steel and a heart as vast as existence, so that while opportunity exists, they neither prevent the former from beholding Beauty nor deprive the latter from the sweet water of life, that they might partake of all flavors and receive their portion. What need is there to cling to the words of people or be disturbed by the deeds of servants? All drink from the same water and are given to drink from the same sea, yet each has their degrees with thy Lord, and all proceed according to their condition.

Today, whosoever believes in the Most Exalted Countenance and is certain of His station on the throne after Him, this suffices him above any knowledge or deed. And satisfaction with Him and faith in Him are not realized except through obedience to His command in all things. This is the greatest, most glorious, and most perfect outcome. There is no goal save God and no end besides Him.

All that has been mentioned regarding the qualities of the river was but a similitude that flowed from the pen. Reflect and ponder that all divine mysteries might be unveiled from the veil of nearness and remoteness, of high and low, revealing Beauty. And comprehend that Sea of Seas, before whose greatness all seas are but drops, how it surges in its blessed Essence and blessed Source of attributes. And say: Glory be to Thee! How wondrous is Thy Cause, how great is Thy power, how mighty is Thy sovereignty, how overwhelming is Thy grandeur! We know naught of Thee save what Thou hast taught us from Thy presence through the tongue of the Manifestation of Thy Self, the Source of Thy Essence, the Mine of Thy Command, and the Repository of Thy Wisdom. Verily, Thou art the Knower of all that is created and will be created, and Thou art the Truth, the Knower of the Unseen.

O Javad! I impart unto thee a single word - a token of loving-kindness and compassion - that hath been garnered from the gems of Holy Books and the essences of Sacred Scriptures, that the water of eternity may flow from the clouds of the Divine Unity upon thy reality and the realities of all servants, enabling you to attain unto life everlasting and eternal existence. And it is this: “Possess ye a pure, goodly and illumined heart, that ye may possess a sovereignty imperishable, everlasting, ancient and eternal.” This is a treasure that pertaineth to heaven; should it come to life and be established, it shall never die nor perish. This is a light that shall never be extinguished, a treasure that shall not vanish, a raiment that shall not wear out, and a revelation that shall never be concealed. By it many are led astray, and others are guided aright. Give thanks unto God that thou hast been made the recipient of this all-embracing word, this divine melody, and this celestial song. I found nothing more firm than this word, else would I have imparted it. There exists no greater counsel than this mentioned word. Preserve it, if ye desire to find a way unto Him Who sitteth upon the throne. Out of love for thee hath this servant written this reply, otherwise I have no desire whatsoever to set forth any matter or write any word. God sufficeth Me as witness, and as guardian over you. Arise then with legs of steel upon the path which We have laid upon the white land of the Spirit, and with eyes of flame observe its pillars and foundations, and with ears of ruby hearken unto that which hath appeared therefrom concerning that which thou hast asked, and with hands of gold and fingers of power take what is in it and upon it, and with the tongue of the sword sing and chant and clap and drum that there is no God but He, and that Ali before Muhammad is the Essence of God and His enduring Being, and Muhammad before Ali is the Source of God’s Command and His everlasting Identity, and the Countenance of the Living One is the Repository of God’s decree and His established Self, and the Letters of the Living are the first to believe in God and His signs, and verily we all hold fast unto them, and verily this is the Word that shall distinguish between truth and falsehood until the Day when the Hour shall arise, whereupon all shall be present before God and all shall be upstanding at His bidding. And glory be upon him who believed in Him on the day of His meeting and was among those who stood in His presence.

=== END BH00394 ===

=== START BH00395 ===

In My Name, the Most Glorious, the Most Glorious!

O ’Ali! Bear thou witness that I am the Manifestation of God in the heaven of eternity, His Hidden Mystery in the unseen realm of the divine cloud, the Ancient Beauty in the kingdom of glory, and the Primal Spirit in the most exalted vesture. All were created by My command and circle round Me, all act by My bidding, and all have prostrated themselves before My countenance and clung to the hem of My loving-kindness, even though they perceive it not within themselves in this wondrous Temple. Say: This is the Point from which the words of God have been expounded, and from which have appeared the holy scrolls of detachment and the tablets of glorious preservation. Say: This is the Word of God from which the Points have appeared and unto which they return, then through which they are renewed in an instant. Say: Through it hath appeared the proof in every age, and the Word of God and His evidence unto all worlds have been perfected. Say: Were He to manifest but a single letter, it would surpass all that hath been mentioned in the kingdom from time immemorial and all that hath flowed from the Pen upon preserved tablets of glory. Say: By God! It is sweeter than all that hath been uttered by holy tongues, spoken by the denizens of the most exalted Paradise, or voiced behind the pavilion of sinlessness by those who swim in the depths of praise. Say: By God! By one note thereof hath the Dove warbled upon the branches and the proof of the All-Merciful hath shone forth with mighty sovereignty. Say: O heedless ones! The chastisement and wrath of God have come upon you. Die, then, from the fire which God hath kindled within your souls, then place your fingers of rejection in your ears, then return to the nethermost fire in the depths of hell. Say: This is the thunderbolt of God that hath appeared from the cloud of power, and with it a penetrating flame to prevent the evil ones from hearkening unto these mysteries which lay beneath the veil of power, and to keep them from drawing nigh unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Say: By God! None hath any escape on this Day save by believing in this manifest and glorious proof, this all-sufficient, perfect, wondrous and mighty evidence, or by rejecting God’s proofs of old, His signs, His Messengers and His chosen ones, if ye be of them that know. Say: God will not accept aught from anyone this Day, even should they worship Him forever or remember Him with all that hath been sent down from the heaven of glory in the time of the Messengers, except that they enter this pavilion which hath been raised in truth and beneath whose shade dwell the inmates of the most exalted Paradise. And whosoever entereth not beneath the shade of this countenance hath gone forth from the shade of God, and none shall be exempted from this decree among all the worlds. Say: We were among you for years untold and We veiled Our face from every perceiving eye lest anyone from among the people of the earth should recognize Us, and God is witness and knower of this. When the idolaters persisted, We lifted the veil of concealment from the face of Beauty and made it appear like the sun at high noon. Blessed then be God, the Creator of all creation! Say: The test hath come from the direction of God, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the Great, and the Balance hath appeared with justice whereby all deeds shall be weighed, if ye be of them that bear witness. Say: O people of the earth! If ye desire to hear the melodies of God, hearken unto these sweet and wondrous melodies, and if ye wish to behold the beauty of God, behold this glorious and radiant Beauty. Say: By God! None can hear the call of God today except by purifying his ears from all that he hath heard from the people and […]

O Ali! Say: By God, the Spirit has verily returned in truth in this Beauty, the Eternal, the Everlasting, the Perpetual, the Self-Subsisting, the One, the Ancient. He calls you unto God, the Most High, and to that which was revealed in the Bayan from the presence of a mighty and glorious Sovereign. He brings you glad tidings of God’s good-pleasure and guides you to the shore of holy munificence. Hasten then, O people, to God’s guidance and His presence, and deal not with Him as ye dealt with God’s Messengers of old. Fear God, O people, and be not of the corrupt. O people! Prevent not God’s clouds from their outpouring, nor His breeze from its wafting, nor His beauty from this resplendent ornament. Be fair then unto yourselves, O people of the Bayan! If ye believe not in these verses, in what thing did ye believe before, if ye be of the fair-minded? Are ye content within yourselves to do as the peoples of the Furqan did? Alas for you, O heedless ones! Have ye forgotten when the Sovereign of the Messengers came unto you in the name of Ali with truth, bearing a luminous whiteness, a clear Book and a mighty Tablet? Then rose up against Him the idolaters with such opposition as cannot be compared with aught in the heavens and earth, and they did unto Him what I cannot mention and what no ear of the monotheists can bear to hear. Thus do We recount unto thee what hath come to pass, that perchance the people may become aware within themselves and not do unto His servant more than what was done before, and may be of those who return unto God, unto Whom shall be their return and their abode on the Day when all creatures shall be gathered together.

O Horseman of Glory! Remind the servants of what We caused thee to witness in thy journey when thou didst travel from the Dawning-Place of the divine cloud to the Day-Spring of eternity in the highest pavilions, moving by the holy cord in the atmosphere of the Spirit. Say: We journeyed until We reached beyond the Mountain of Musk in the Spot of Radiance. We beheld people from among the sanctified ones around this Spot, stationed in the name of one of the names, who were sanctifying God from what hath appeared in the worlds of names and attributes and from all that the highest realities of contingent beings comprehend collectively. Then We arose before their eyes and remained among them and revealed Ourselves unto them with the ornament of God, and thus was the matter decreed in truth in the Valley of Glory. And We were in that state for a duration that cannot be limited by the pen, as Our mercy had preceded through grace unto all the worlds collectively, that they might turn to Him Whom they were sanctifying in their days and might recognize their Creator and Lord after they had been calling upon Him in every ancient time. When We found them clinging to the cord of names and heedless of the Sovereign of the Named One, We veiled Our face from them and ascended from their midst and passed by them until We arrived at the holy Paran beyond the Mountain of Ruby in a beloved holy spot. Then We found people who were worshipping God in their standing, their sitting, their bowing and their prostration, and We turned unto them with a holy and manifest Beauty, that perchance they might recognize their Ancient Lord and be honored by His presence and enter beneath a […]

Having found them clinging to the cord of devotions while heedless of the Sovereign of all created things - through but one word from Whom the laws of the Cause were made to flow in the rivers of wisdom - We left them to their vain imaginings and ascended to hidden sanctified destinations, soaring in the atmosphere of nearness until We reached the ultimate station possible in existence: a blessed valley of glory. There We found a people among the unitarians who would unitize God in both private and public, witnessing God’s handiwork in the horizons of possibilities and in themselves - thus was the matter truly witnessed. It was as though in Divine Unity they had reached the furthest limit, a station above which the wings of the possessors of understanding cannot soar, except as God - your Lord, my Lord and the Lord of all worlds - may will. It was as though they witnessed nothing except that they witnessed God established and self-subsisting over it. They were settled upon the thrones of witnessing and unveiling, and upon seats of glorious uniqueness. They remained in that station until the test and trial came to them according to what was ordained in the Tablets and inscribed by the Pen of Destiny upon the Tablet of Command. Then We wafted upon them the breaths of the All-Merciful and sent them the fragrance of the garment from this Youth, that they might perceive these wafting breaths that were sent forth from God’s paradise of good-pleasure. Yet We found them in the realm of heedlessness of these messages - one breath of which transformed all existing things to the court of a praiseworthy nearness. Thereafter We appeared in truth among them with a beloved holy beauty, that perchance the lightning flashes of the Face might remind them and guide them to Him Whom they had been unitizing in their days, and immerse them in the depths of attainment to that station from separation from which the eyes of those near to God were filled with tears. We remained above their heads for countless months and unlimited years, yet found not in them awareness even to the extent of an atom. Thus have We recorded their deeds in this Tablet which was then set upon the thigh of God. Since Our mercy preceded all worlds, We did not abandon them but moved again from above their heads and turned to face their eyes, patiently remaining in that station for a duration beyond the reckoning of the worlds, that they might not be deprived of that for which they were created and for which they had been unitizing Him in their days and numbered years. Yet We found them intoxicated with the matter and heedless of Him through but one word from Whom they had been created in the worlds of names. Finding them in that state, We wept over them and over My solitude and estrangement, and We departed from them as the morning breeze departs from a flourishing holy paradise, until We arrived at the Noble Valley, this spring from which flows the Salsabil upon this Name through which appeared the Kingdom of Names, sanctified above the description of the worlds. And We found a people who welcomed Us with radiant glorious faces and holy unique temples, holding in their hands banners of victory upon which was inscribed in crimson ruby script: “By God, these are indeed God’s banners of victory which were forever raised in the shadow of this Name through the endurance of God.” These were they who loved God in their private and public lives as though they were aware of naught else and naught besides Him was heard by them. They would worship God in the inmost secret according to this secret enshrouded in secrecy, according to the hidden symbol […]

And thus did We make them witnesses and encompassed their Cause which was praiseworthy in the words of God, and verily their deeds and their souls became the very Cause of God itself, without distinction or separation. And they would make mention of God in this Most Perfect, Most Great, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Word in this station which was detached from all directions. Then the Herald proclaimed: “God shall soon raise up one who will cause the people to enter beneath the shadow of these Standards through a sovereignty from Him and a power from His presence, that grace in this dispensation might descend upon all the worlds from the paradise of the Word.” Thus do We impart unto thee what We witnessed in this journey, that thou mayest thereby become acquainted with the mysteries that were hidden in the pavilion of the Cause behind a veil of light. Say: O people! Fear God, then recognize Him Who came to you aforetime in His other vesture, then hearken unto His melodies from these songs that were raised on God’s melody amongst the worlds. Say: By God! If ye recognize Him not in this Beauty and hear not His verses in these verses, your recognition of His own Self on the Day when He came to you with the truth and will come to you with what ye were promised in the preserved tablets of holiness shall not be credited unto you. Say: O people! This is the Youth of God, His servant, His attendant, His proof, His sovereignty, His beauty, His might, His grandeur, His evidence, His testimony, and His grace unto all who are in the heavens and on earth, and thus was the Cause at that time inscribed upon this Tablet by the truth from the heaven of the Command. Whosoever wishes, let him hasten to the presence of God with his heart or his feet, and whosoever wishes, let him return to the wrath which was kindled from the fire of unbelief by God’s command. Can anyone object to these verses while claiming faith in his soul? Nay, by Him Who holdeth my soul in His hand! Rather, he would be one who associates partners with God, His verses, His Messengers and His chosen ones, and to this doth testify this Tablet which speaketh with truth, and behind it a holy and manifest tongue. And if abasement touch thee for My name’s sake, be patient and grieve not, and put thy trust in God, thy Lord, and He will suffice thee against all the worlds. And if thou seest the name of God, Javad, spread thy letter before him that he may read it with his heart and tongue, then make mention of him from Our presence with a gracious mention. Then make mention of him who was with him, that God’s remembrance of them both and of the people might precede in truth. Then make mention of those in thy land who have believed in God and remained steadfast in love. And the Spirit and the Light and the Glory be upon thee and upon those who are with thee, every small one and great one.

=== END BH00395 ===

=== START BH00396 ===

Blessed is this day whereon God’s reed-pen hath moved within the field of remembrance and utterance, and His Most Exalted Pen in the arena of wisdom and exposition. Praise be unto Him, and the spirit of the Spirit unto His favors, for He hath caused us to hear that which the chosen ones and the saints died in their yearning to hear, and hath taught us that which none among the peoples of creation had known. Exalted, exalted be His grace through which existence hath been adorned with the raiment of attainment! Exalted, exalted be His generosity through which the sincere ones have been immersed in the ocean of meeting! By God! The Pen confesseth its powerlessness and the tongue its extinction. There is none possessed of being save he hath confessed his limitation, nor any wielder of authority save in his bewilderment and inability to reach. Exalted, exalted be He Whom if thou describest, thou limitest, and if thou leavest undescribed, thou fallest short of that which thou art commanded. Therefore it behoveth us to hold fast unto that which we have been commanded in His perspicuous Book. He hath said - and His Word is the truth - “Remember Me” and in another place “Thank Me.” Were it not for the permission from the direction of His favor, who could soar in the atmosphere of His praise and who could draw nigh unto the ocean of His remembrance? Every atom testifieth that He is God, there is none other God but Him. He hath ever been sanctified above all things and will ever continue to be as He hath been. There is none other God but He, the Mighty, the Bestower.

Thereafter, the servant was enraptured by your nightingale of utterance which called out upon the branches of love and affection, and attained unto hearing that which warbled with spirit and fragrance. God knoweth that whatsoever appeareth from you is indeed joy for the hearts and delight for the souls. When I attained and visited, I turned toward the Dayspring of Revelation and presented it before the Beloved. Then the tongue of grace spoke and uttered with justice: “O My Name Zayn! Hearken unto the call from the direction of the Most Great Spirit. Verily, there is none other God but He, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Verily, those who desired grace and forgiveness from the heaven of the bounty of their Lord, the All-Forgiving, the All-Generous - say: We have heard your call and forgiven those who sought His forgiveness. Verily their Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Bestower, the Compassionate. Give glad-tidings unto Muhammad with the remembrance of his Lord, that he may praise through these verses which have been sent down from the heaven of the bounty of his Lord, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Say: O people! Hold fast unto that which ye have been commanded in the Book and adorn yourselves with the virtues which We have commanded all to observe in a clear Tablet. Verily, he who acteth in accordance with that which God hath commanded him is of the people of Baha - to this beareth witness the Concourse on High - and he who casteth it behind him is among the heedless.”

As for what thou didst mention concerning him who arrived from the people of Ha and Nun, We have accepted that which thou didst command him. Blessed art thou for having prevented him from turning toward this exalted station. O My Name Zayn! By God! We love Our loved ones - We hear and see their condition, to this all things bear witness, but the people are in a mighty veil. We have commanded them with that which profiteth them, and We write for whomsoever thy Lord desireth that which the treasuries of the heavens and earth cannot equal. The Most Exalted Pen hath not moved upon anything except there was good in it for the servants. Verily thy Lord is the Expositor, the All-Knowing.

As for what you mentioned concerning my name, the letter ?a, by My life, he hath accomplished that which hath amazed the Concourse on High. We have answered his request before his supplication and mention. Verily thy Lord is He Who ordaineth, the Most Exalted, the Mighty, the Beauteous. Thy Lord sayeth: excellent is what he hath written for thee, and excellent is what thou hast written for him. We have heard and We are among those who bear witness. We bid him observe the Greater Wisdom. The first thing enjoined upon him is to protect himself - to this every fair-minded and discerning one beareth witness. Give thanks unto God for having aided both thee and him, and granted you both that which hath been denied to all on earth save those whom the All-Knowing, the All-Wise hath willed.

Regarding what you wrote about the practice of seeking guidance, it is not within this servant’s purview. Ask Jinab-i-Aqa Jamal himself, upon him be the Glory of God. And what was sent from the books with the beloved Jinab-i-?abib, upon him be all Glory most glorious, has arrived.

And concerning what was written about the guest, upon her be the Glory of God, I conveyed her greetings to the people of the pavilion of grandeur. God willing, may they always be engaged in mentioning the Beloved with utmost joy. Convey this servant’s greetings to Jinab-i-?afi and her, upon them both be the Glory of God. And what they have arranged regarding the funds has been accepted in His presence.

Regarding what you wrote about Aqa ’Abdu’l-Ghaffar, it was submitted before His presence. He said: “May he be blessed with God’s infinite bounties and remain firm in a cause from which many men have slipped. Today the wine of steadfastness is desired. Blessed are they who drink thereof, blessed are they who drink thereof!”

God willing, may all be engaged in service, remembrance, praise and attentiveness with pure hearts, radiant faces, expanded breasts, sanctified souls, humble temples, prostrate foreheads, remembering tongues, and attentive ears. Verily We have mentioned the Most Truthful One when thy letter was presented before the Wronged One in this exalted station.

Concerning what you wrote about the funds that Jinab-i-Ism-i-N and Jinab-i-Ism-i-’Ayn, upon them be the Glory of God, have sent, and that you have used some for your debts and bestowed some upon others - this servant submitted this before His presence. He said: “Excellent is what he hath done with it. We had given him permission for this beforehand. Verily We are the Ruler.”

Regarding the book, if a trustworthy, intelligent and experienced person is found, send it. And concerning what you wrote about the mentioned one, would that non-consultation had sufficed. Verily our Lord, the Most Merciful, is the Concealer, the Generous.

And concerning what you wrote about His Holiness Ism-i-?a, upon him be all Glory most glorious, having sent a letter to the land of H.M. with the intention of opening a way for news from the Most Holy Land to arrive quickly - blessed is he and well is it with him. In truth, His Holiness has been and continues to be the guardian of all matters related to the Truth, and his is the excellence of both beginning and end.

As thou didst write regarding Muhammad-Baqir of the people of Nur, who with Asadu’llah had beseeched that their names be mentioned in the Most Holy Court – praise be to God, they attained to this most exalted and sublime station. At the first hour of this night, this evanescent one attained the Most Holy Presence and mentioned them. This is what the Tongue of Knowledge spoke in the Kingdom of Utterance: “O Ornament of the Near Ones! The servant present hath made mention of them both, and We have turned toward them from this Station and have sent down for them that which caused the light to shine forth and the fragrance of the Revelation to be diffused, that they may give thanks unto their Lord and be assured through the grace of God, the Mighty, the Beloved. Make mention of them on behalf of the Wronged One and give them the glad-tidings of the lights of the Sun of the bounty of their Lord, the Almighty, the Self-Subsisting. We beseech God to preserve them and aid them to serve His Cause and draw them nigh in all conditions unto His praiseworthy station. Verily We hear the call of him who hath sought his Lord and We answer him even as We answered the sincere ones before. Thy Lord is, in truth, the Mighty, the Loving.”

And regarding what thou didst write about Darvish Baqir who hath ascended unto God, and thy request for forgiveness – it was mentioned, and a wondrous and exalted bounty was directed towards him. Blessed is he! As for what he hath willed and what is known, carry it out according to the command. Blessed is he who assisteth the House of Blessing. We beseech God to grant him success and bestow upon him the good of this world and the next.

Likewise mention was made of Haji Ghulam-’Ali. The Beloved saith: “Blessed is he in that he heard the Call and entered not the Prison-land without permission from this Wronged One, the Peerless. We make mention of him and pronounce Our greetings upon his face from this distant Station.”

That which Our servant Rida composed after Nabil, and which his sister recited, hath been presented before the Throne. Verily We were listening. We love Our loved ones and make mention of them in truth. Thy Lord is verily the All-Gentle, the All-Forgiving, the Merciful. Then know thou that Our servant who was present made mention of him who was named Muhammad. We had previously mentioned him in such wise that his remembrance would endure throughout the kingdom. The Tablets of the All-Merciful and this exalted Book bear witness to this. Convey My greetings unto him and give him the glad-tidings of this beauteous mention.

As for what thou didst mention regarding Mahmud from the land of Ha and Mim, We have made mention of him as a bounty from Our presence. It behooveth him to place his trust in God in all matters and to hold fast unto the Sure Handle, lest the intimations of the opposers cause him to slip. Say: Blessed is he who hath on this day attained unto the living waters which God causeth to flow by the fingers of grace and bounty between the heavens and the earths. The world hath been illumined by the lights of His countenance, yet the people are sleeping.

And concerning him who desired to come to the Prison, then returned and died – O Zain, observe and then remember when We sent down unto thee regarding that. Thy Lord is verily the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. We informed thee that the people heeded not God’s prohibition and command, and He would prevent them in another way. He is verily the Mighty, the Powerful. We have forgiven him as a bounty from Our presence. It behooveth thee to give thanks and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the worlds!”

As for what remained of the inheritance, let the sugar and tea be used.

As for what you mentioned concerning Aqa Muhammad-Qasim and his father and brother, upon them be the glory of God, it was presented at the Most Holy Court. He said: “Verily We have heard their call and continue to hear it, and We love them and make mention of them in Our Luminous Book. They must follow that which they have been commanded. He, verily, inscribeth for whomsoever desireth it the reward of attaining His presence, time and again. He is, in truth, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. Say: Be not grieved at separation. By the life of God! We love Our loved ones and make mention of them as being near, though they be in a place far distant. Convey My greetings unto them and counsel them with wisdom and that which beseemeth it. By My life! Whoso hath attained unto it hath attained unto a mighty good.”

And as for what thou didst mention concerning ’Ali-Qabli-Akbar, We love to make mention of those whom thou hast mentioned in thy letter, even were they to number as many as the raindrops or the leaves on the trees. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Explaining, the All-Knowing. We make mention at this hour of him who is named ’Ali-Qabli-Akbar, that he may rejoice with the Most Great Joy in the days of his Lord and be of them that have attained. Say: Blessed art thou for having refrained when thou didst hear the command of God. This, verily, is a manifest deed. We have accepted thy work and thy devotion, and make mention of thee on this night wherein the Ancient Beauty hath established Himself upon the Most Great Throne and revealeth verses in such wise that none can transcribe them save him who writeth by My leave, the Mighty, the Wondrous. Be thou steadfast in the Cause. Beware lest the affairs of the world veil thee or the intimations of the heedless sadden thee. Be thou as firm as the immovable mountain upon the earth. Thus doth command thee He Who maketh mention of thee at this hour.

The response to the petition of Aqa Muhammad-Ibrahim was sent. God willing, he will attain unto it.

Likewise, a Tablet hath been revealed from the heaven of the Divine Will specifically for the mother of Aqa Muhammad-Hasan and hath been sent. Read it unto her that she may perchance behold divine love and be not saddened by anything. By thy life, O Beloved of my heart! If a soul were to truly reflect upon this Tablet, he would witness God’s love for the weak and the widows.

As can be inferred from the blessed verses, while pilgrimage to the Most Holy Court is not permitted, they have the choice to either remain in that land or return to the Land of Ta.

Furthermore, the petitions of the Jewish people reached the Most Holy Court, and in response to each one, exalted words were revealed from the heaven of God’s Will and sent forth. God willing, may they attain unto their meaning and act accordingly.

Regarding the inquiry about the day of Naw-Ruz and the first day of the Festival, thy reckoning was correct and in accordance with reality.

This servant beseecheth the favors of that Beloved One that thou mayest convey to all the friends in that land, both those who were previously captives of God and those who have arrived subsequently, one and all, the most wondrous, most holy, most exalted, supreme mention and the most elevated, most mighty, most glorious greetings from this evanescent one. All glory, all glory be upon thee and thy family.

The Servant

19 Rajab 1295

One more submission: This servant hath written a letter to Nabil the traveler, that is, Haji Muhammad-Baqir. Please deliver it to him.

The scroll of verses was also sent.

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=== START BH00397 ===

Beloved of the heart, his honor Aqa Mirza ’Abdu’llah, upon him be the glory of God and His grace. Consider [these words]:

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

Praise befitting and worthy of the Lord of the throne on high and earth below, Who by His conquering might transformed the opposition of the polytheists into acceptance, and adorned the calumnies of the slanderers with acknowledgment and repentance. Exalted be His Cause and exalted be His proof! The noble letter, like a spiritual messenger, illumined and adorned the heart and soul with the light of remembrance and utterance. In truth it brought joy and bestowed bounty. This bounty is specific to the heart, and after gaining knowledge and understanding, and experiencing gladness, delight and joy, it sought the most impregnable, most exalted, most holy, most elevated station. It was presented before His presence, and these manifest verses were revealed from the heaven of will. His word, exalted be His utterance and mighty be His proof:

In My Name, the Speaker, the Trustworthy […]

This is a Day wherein the Mother Book calleth aloud, and summoneth all unto the All-Glorious, the Bountiful. He, verily, is the Lord of all mankind and the Ruler in both the beginning and the end. Blessed is the strong one whom neither the happenings of the world nor the doubts of those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of Lords, have weakened. Say: O people, fear God and follow not every doubtful idolator. This is a Day wherein the Light hath shone forth from the horizon of Sinai, and the Temple of the Manifestation hath been established upon the throne of divine knowledge by God, the Lord of Religions.

O servant of God! We have heard thy call and have answered thee with these verses which God hath sent down from the heaven of grandeur and power. Beware lest the affairs of men sadden thee or the veils of those who have disbelieved in God, the Lord of all beings, hold thee back. We bear witness that thou hast drunk the choice wine of reunion from the hand of My bounty and hast attained unto My presence - a presence which no words can equal, nor the deeds of those who have not broken God’s Covenant, the Revealer of verses. We have remembered thee and given thee glad tidings before, and at this time, through My loving-kindness which hath encompassed all horizons. Soon shall all that thou seest today perish, but there shall endure for thee that which We have adorned with His mention in the Tablets. By My life! Thy grief hath grieved Me, and that which hath befallen thee in the nights and days. We have been with thee in all conditions, have heard thy call, and have sent down in thy name that which hath illumined the earth and the heavens.

Cast aside thy sorrows in My name and take the cup of joy through My remembrance. Then drink thereof at eventide and at dawn. Convey My greetings unto My loved ones and remind them of that which beseemeth the days of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Say: O party of God! Beware lest ye follow vain imaginings. Purify your hearts from the mention of aught else but Me, that I may turn unto them at morn and eventide.

In Persian do I speak, that thou mayest understand and be of the thankful in the days of thy Lord, the Master of the Day of Reckoning. O servant of God! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. At the beginning of night We were walking and communing with all things. The servant presented thy letter and submitted all of it before Our face, and after its completion, suddenly the gates of the treasuries of wisdom and utterance were opened and the ocean of divine knowledge surged. That which was revealed transcended the comprehension of the Manifestations of verses and the understanding of the Dawning-places of clear signs.

I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to assist thee in that which causeth the attention of the servants and the steadfastness of all in the land. Gladden the friends through God’s bounty and favor. Today is the day of mention and praise, of steadfastness and adherence. Soon shall affairs be changed and skins shall quiver - the recompense of those who have disbelieved in the signs of God and denied what hath appeared from Him. By My life! The breezes of chastisement shall encompass them and their joy shall be changed to supreme sorrow. Thus hath spoken the Lord of Destiny while speaking from His exalted station.

Say: O party of God! Know ye with certain knowledge that whatsoever occurreth is the cause of the exaltation of His Word and the elevation of His Revelation. Who can prevent that which God hath raised up in truth and manifested through His sovereignty before the faces of all who are in the heavens and the earth? Say: Know ye the value of these days and recognize your station. The names of the party of God and their remembrances have been and shall be recorded in the books of the world. Blessed are the souls whose deeds have attained unto divine acceptance - these are they who are nigh unto God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. And blessed is the one who hath apprehended the station of the Day of […]

Say: O people of the Furqan! Fear ye the All-Merciful, and arise to make amends for that which hath escaped you in the days of your Lord, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. This evanescent servant hath ever been and continueth to be turned towards the direction of God’s loved ones. The remembrance of the friends of God quickeneth the soul and refresheth and gladdeneth the spirit. Glory be to God! In these days, once again the gates of utterance have been unlocked by the intention of the Lord of all beings, and the effulgences of the Day-Star of Revelation are manifest from all directions. Nevertheless, most remain dejected and sorrowful. God is My witness that whenever this servant remembereth the martyrs of the Land of Ya, he declareth with a myriad visible and invisible tongues: “Would that I had been with them! Would that I had heard their cry! Would that I had circled round them!” The fragrance of that shed blood hath perfumed the world of justice and equity. The oppressors of the world have, by their own hands, cut their own throats, and perceive it not. By the life of Our Purpose! His promise is assured in the Book wherein neither falsehood nor hypocrisy can enter. The Lord of the Covenant beareth witness unto this in this luminous night.

For days and nights the mention of those martyrs hath flowed from the Tongue of Grandeur in such wise that the Holy Spirit was filled with longing and the Spirit of Utterance cried out “Would that I had been!” What heedlessness hath seized the world! We hope that sanctified and assured souls will hold fast unto the Cause of God and remain detached from all else. This year numerous differences have arisen, and from every direction a clamor hath been raised. Some pure and truthful souls have been sullied with vain imaginings. Most strange it is that steadfast, assured and upright souls should cling to the doubts and idle fancies of heedless apostates. The people of the Crimson Ark must manifest such steadfastness that all upon earth shall find themselves powerless to prevent them. We hope that such souls will be raised up and become manifest in these blessed, luminous and promised days beneath the shade of the divine Lote-Tree of the Beloved of all worlds. These are the pearls of God’s treasuries. Well is it with them that attain.

The loved ones of that land have been and are before Our gaze. We beseech God to aid them in that which leadeth to steadfastness, glory and assurance. Verily our Lord is the Almighty, the Powerful. There is no God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. This is the day to manifest love and affection. Say: O friends, deprive not yourselves. Blessed a hundred thousand times is the soul that at the time of utterance holdeth fast unto the divine verses and reciteth them, for its effects are unlike those of all who dwell on earth. The power of hearing is lost. The Call of God is raised from the prison of ’Akka, yet the ears of the world and its peoples are prevented from hearkening, save whom God willeth.

We beseech God, exalted be His glory, to manifest in these days such souls from among His loved ones as shall set the world ablaze and, detached from their own selves, occupy themselves with teaching God’s Cause and exalting His Word. Verily He is the Answerer. There is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Hearing, the All-Uttering, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

As to what was commanded that this servant should, on behalf of Your Honor, attain unto the King of deeds and its possessors - at this moment, when one hour and five minutes have passed from the night of the twenty-ninth of Jamadiyu’th-Thani, having turned towards the Most Exalted Horizon and the Supreme Summit, after seeking permission and leave, he attained unto that which is the hope of all peoples, first and last. Praise be to God, he was honored with acceptance and adorned with His good-pleasure. Well is it with your honor! But another petition is that mention of Your Honor has been and continues to be made in the Most Holy Court, and assuredly its fruit and effect will appear in the visible world. Praise be to God, they have attained unto that which was the ultimate hope of all the Prophets and Messengers - may the Glory of God rest upon them. If outward matters are sometimes delayed in their ordering, this is assuredly due to the requirements of the wisdom of God, exalted be His Glory. And we hope that the Tree of your seeking will yield ripe and fresh fruit. We hold fast to a Cause from which the fragrance of eternity wafts. Whatever comes to pass is beloved to the soul and the purpose of the spirit. We have placed our trust in Him and committed all affairs unto Him. Verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Possessor of Great Grace.

On one side was a letter in the handwriting of the spiritual loved one, Jinab-i-Aqa Hasan Aqa, upon him be the Glory of God. For a time there had been no outward news of him, but praise be to God, this time that which is the cause of joy and gladness appeared. After its reading and presentation before the Throne of the Lord, exalted be His glory, these brilliant verses were revealed - His words, blessed and exalted is He:

O Hasan! We and thou and the world and nations have come from the unseen to the visible realm, from extinction to immortality, and from sheer nothingness to the world of existence for the exaltation of the Word of God. Were it not for His service and the service of His loved ones, by what means could the hearts of servants find joy? By My life, gladness lies in His remembrance, delight in the spreading of His traces and the diffusion of His verses, joy in the mention of His manifestation, and yearning is to arise to serve His chosen ones. We beseech God, blessed and exalted is He, to assist the letter Nun and thee in that which befits His days and is worthy of His manifestation and sovereignty. Convey greetings and salutations from the Wronged One to His loved ones.

The Glory in such days as these stands as a herald before the faces of the world, speaking, remembering, standing, firm and steadfast in the Cause of God, the Lord of nations. All must become intoxicated with the Kawthar of the utterance of the Goal of all the worlds and summon those who are in the realm of possibility to the most exalted horizon. Say: Know your worth and recognize your station. For years you have endured hardships, heard reproaches, and borne difficulties. By My life, this station is most precious. You must preserve it in the name of Truth and, through the hosts of revelation and inspiration which are the divine verses and heavenly evidences, make the people aware and deliver them from heedlessness. These are the counsels of the Most Exalted Pen recorded in various Tablets.

These two days are not worthy of mention, let alone attention to them. The loved ones must protect the servants lest they become afflicted with the vain imaginings of the former party. By the life of God, this Wronged One had no purpose or thought save the exaltation of the Word and the manifestation of the Cause. The enemies are beyond counting. Now the people of Baha must assist Him and turn from what they possess to what God possesses. Know with clear certainty that they have held fast and continue to hold fast to that which causes the elevation and advancement of His friends. The loss of the former party on the Day of Reckoning is most strange. Reflect, O My loved ones, and be among those who are discerning and steadfast.

O Hasan! Upon thee be the Glory of God, the Lord of the hidden and the manifest. Praise be to God that thou hast attained the presence and thy name hath been mentioned from the Tongue of Grandeur on this night. We beseech God, blessed and exalted is He, to assist thee and grant thee success in the service of His Cause, and to give thee to drink, at all times, the Kawthar of utterance from the chalice of certitude. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower.

God is witness and testifier that thou hast ever been before the sight of this servant. It is hoped that from that spiritual loved one there shall appear in the divine days that which shall never lose its fragrance. There is no doubt that these days and all that is witnessed shall return to nothingness. Therefore, to the extent possible, one must attain the good-pleasure of the Beloved. That which appears from Him is everlasting and shall not perish. In these days from the divine verses and […]

Divine words: The people have become receptive; therefore, one must gird up the loins of service firmly and engage in that which promotes the Cause of God. This servant beseeches from the True One that He may aid the loved ones of that land and its surroundings to be firm, steadfast and unwavering, to be faithful and trustworthy, and to attain that which will elevate their stations before God, our Lord and the Lord of all that is seen and unseen, and the Lord of the mighty throne. Praise be to God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Glory, remembrance and praise be upon the Presence of Light, and upon you, and upon every assured believer who is firm and steadfast, who has clung to pure servitude unto God, the True One, and has arisen to promote the Cause of God, detached from all the worlds. And praise be to God, our Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and the earths.

The Servant

29 Jamadiyu’th-Thani 1309

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=== START BH00398 ===

In the Name of our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Glorious Lord!

Praise be unto Him Who cannot be described by utterance, before Whom neither men nor heroes can stand, Who has manifested Himself on the Day of Return. There is no God but He, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High.

Thereafter it is submitted that the letter of S.M., upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah], which he wrote to that person, was presented at the Most Holy Court. This is what has been revealed from the Kingdom of Utterance by the command of the All-Merciful: “O Samandar! The servant present has submitted what thou didst send to the Name of Bounty.”

Concerning what thou didst write about Aqa Murta?a-Quli, it was mentioned before the Wronged One. May the favor of the Beloved of all possibility encompass all the friends and preserve them from loss in all worlds. In truth, loss belongs to those souls who today are deprived and forbidden from the Truth. Otherwise, those souls who have attained the lights of His countenance and are gazing toward the Supreme Horizon possess a station that cannot be equaled by all the treasures of the earth and its riches, the pearls of the sea and the mines of the mountains. When the honored Name of God M.H. was in Iraq, a sum was collected with him, and he intended to send it to the prison of the Land of Mystery. Later, a thief learned of this and stole that money. Jinab-i-Mahdi sent a petition to the Most Holy Court which was filled with lamentation and from which countless sorrows and griefs were evident. These sorrows of his were due to his wishes not being fulfilled. Subsequently, an answer was revealed and sent from the Most Holy Court to this effect: “O Mahdi! Transient things have been and will be befitting only for transient souls. Be not grieved by this event. Rather, rejoice in the remembrance of thy Lord and in that wherewith thy Master remembers thee. Strive to possess that which neither perishes nor can be reached by the hand of the treacherous and the thief.”

O Samandar! How many souls there are who, with the utmost effort and diligence, gather a handful of ornaments and find the greatest joy and happiness in accumulating them. However, in reality, these have been assigned by the Supreme Pen to others - meaning they are not destined for themselves. Often they fall into the hands of their enemies. God protect us and you from such evident loss! Life is wasted, day and night are spent in toil, and wealth becomes the cause of affliction. Most of people’s wealth is not pure. If people would act according to what God has revealed, surely His grace would not leave such souls deprived. In all cases, His bounty will be watchful and His mercy will be directed toward them.

Let Aqa Murta?a-Quli not be sorrowful. God willing, he shall attain that which shall endure in mention throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. For today, every soul is capable of attaining eternal stations. Let them recite this prayer […]

Glorified art Thou, O Thou at Whose separation the near ones are consumed, at Whose exile the unitarians cry out, and at Whose remoteness the sincere ones lament! I beseech Thee by the Name through which Thou didst open the gates of bounties to all who are in the earths and heavens, through which the ship of Thy grace sailed upon the ocean of Thy bestowal, and the streams of Thy mercy flowed throughout the regions of Thy dominion, to assist me in that which Thou lovest and approvest, and to ordain for me that which will protect me from the treachery of every traitor, the schemes of every deceiver, and the harm of those who have denied Thee and Thy signs. O Lord! I have grasped with hope’s hands the hem of Thy generosity, O Thou Possessor of Names! I beseech Thee not to disappoint me from that which Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones who have cast away what they possessed and taken up that which Thou didst command them in Thy Book. Then I beseech Thee, O Thou Goal of the world and the Manifest One among the nations, by the Most Great Name, to send down upon me from the heaven of Thy grace and the clouds of Thy bounty that which will unite what hath been scattered from me. Then ordain for me through Thy loving-kindness that which will make me independent of all save Thee and will benefit me in every world of Thy worlds. Verily, Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest through Thy Name, the All-Dominating over all things. There is no God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Then I beseech Thee by the sovereignty of the Names to send down upon my brother that which will set right his affairs that have prevented him from recognizing Thee. O Lord! Thou knowest him better than I or he himself, and verily Thou art the Most Merciful of the merciful ones.

O Samandar! Let them recite these exalted words which have been sent down from the heaven of loving-kindness, and if they recite them correctly once, it suffices. All matters should be carried out with joy and fragrance. In this Most Holy, Most Exalted Manifestation, We have forbidden the servants to make mention in the streets and marketplaces, as hath been recorded in the Most Holy Book which hath been sent down from the holy divine Kingdom. Blessed is the soul that hath acted according to that which was commanded by the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Ask God, exalted be His glory, to awaken the heedless ones and not to deprive them of the outpourings from the clouds of His loving-kindness. These occurrences that come to pass on earth, such as loss of wealth, the world’s conflicts and its changes - regard all of these as harbingers. They call out to man with most eloquent utterance and inform him of that which shall come upon him in the future. God willing, He will grant hearing ears that all may arise to that which will lead to success and prosperity. The Command is in God’s hands, the Lord of all worlds.

O Samandar! Gladden the heart of his honor M.R., upon him be the Glory of God. Say: It behooveth thee to read the Tablet of Ra’is and the Tablet of Paris, for these two blessed Tablets will enable man to attain the station of certitude, and after certitude and acting upon what We have commanded, assuredly the gates of goodly things will be opened before your face. Grieve not over anything, trust in God, thy Lord, the Generous. Verily, He taketh every hand that is raised toward Him, heareth every mention uttered by His servants, and answereth every supplicant. Hold fast unto His firm and mighty cord. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds. End. On my behalf, convey greetings to him and say: God willing, through the grace of the All-Merciful you shall be successful. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, He is the Mighty, the Powerful.

And likewise you had mentioned the matter of Jinab-i-Aqa ’Abdu’l-Husayn, upon him be the Glory of God, through whom the aforementioned sum was sent from the Land of Peace and the Land of Ha and Mim to ?adba. Regarding this matter, Jinab-i-Haji Mirza Abu’l-Hasan, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah], had also written a letter to this servant from the Land of Ta, inquiring about the sum of thirty tumans which had become available here and was to be sent to the Land of ?adba, as well as from another place. After presenting this to the Most Holy Court, words shone forth from the Dawning-Place of the Cause, and according to His command, a copy of those exalted words should be sent to you for forwarding. His mighty words in response to Mirza Abu’l-Hasan, upon him be 966 [Baha’u’llah], state: “Concerning what you wrote about Mosul, He said it would have been better had they heeded the blessed words ‘We shall surely test you’ followed by ‘and give glad tidings to the patient ones.’ Although famine has overtaken most lands this year, yet the spread of such matters by the friends might cause certain incidents. The mention and spreading of such matters should in all cases occur with permission. Verily He knoweth His servants better than they know themselves. He is indeed the Single One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

And whosoever desires with utmost longing to pay the Huququ’llah should give it to such trusted ones as yourself and obtain a receipt, so that whatever transpires may occur with the permission and leave of the Truth. Verily He is the Teacher, the All-Wise.

And He said: Write, “Blessed art thou, O ’Abdu’l-Husayn, in that thou hast been named with this Great Name. We made mention of thee before and make mention of thee at this time as a token of My favor, and I am the All-Mentioning, the All-Knowing.” The glance of His loving-kindness hath been directed towards you and your services in the path of God were witnessed, and your good intentions were also evident in the Most Holy Court. Be thou thankful unto God for this clear mention.

And concerning what they had written about ?adba, We commanded this servant to write to you what was written to Abu’l-Hasan of the people of Alif and Ra, that you may be informed. I beseech God to make you one who is assisted in that which will exalt His Cause and establish your mention in His wise Book. Praise be to God, the Most High, the Most Great.

And likewise regarding the plot of land they have purchased similar to this servant’s small plot, it was presented before His presence and this response shone forth from the horizon of utterance: “Excellent is what thou hast done. God willing, it shall be counted among the enduring traces, and in this land too, according to His command, a plot of land was acquired that it might be among the enduring traces for whosoever desireth good. Verily the bounty is in His hand - He bestoweth it upon whomsoever He willeth. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days.” Such matters shall endure throughout the dominion of the earthly and heavenly kingdoms, inasmuch as they have occurred in the name of Truth in the days of Truth.

And concerning what you had written about the success of some of the loved ones who occasionally give charity to wayfarers and the poor of the city, it was presented in the Most Holy Court. He said this matter has been and will be most beloved. Blessed is he whom God hath assisted to spend in His path. Verily He sendeth down blessings upon him from the heaven of grace. Verily He is the Protector of the rich and the poor and the needy.

O Samandar! Glorify on My behalf My loved ones in that land whom vain imaginings have not deterred from My straight Path. Say: By God, the True One! Ye shall soon find that which ye have wrought, endured, witnessed and heard in the path of God, the Lord of the worlds. Not an atom’s weight of your deeds escapeth His knowledge. Verily, He witnesseth and seeth, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. All things bear witness to you, yet most people are among the heedless. Soon shall they arise at the breath of chastisement and behold that which they denied through nights and days. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Know thou that We have made mention of Javad with verses that gladden the hearts of them that have turned towards God, and We have sent down for Andalib that which hath diffused the fragrance of thy Lord’s mercy, the Forgiving, the Bountiful.

O Samandar! Convey My glorification to all the friends. All are mentioned before the Throne, and in every instance the Most Exalted Pen turneth toward them and calleth unto them from the precincts of the Prison. God willing, may they truly attain unto this most exalted station at all times, and the fruit of their labors shall appear on earth. His honor Ism-i-Jud, upon him be My glory, hath made mention in this land of those related to him. Give thou the glad-tidings of divine bounty to all and make them joyful with his mention. Verily He remembereth him who remembereth Him, and He is the best of them that remember. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

This evanescent servant desired to send glorification to that beloved one, yet knoweth not in what manner of manner, in what form of forms, with what mention of mentions, with what tale of tales from his own world to make himself conform, that he might make mention or manifest it in the realm of utterance. I testify that I am indeed the weary, the lowly, the poor, the needy, the one in want of God, the Self-Sufficient, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Likewise to mention my beloved, his honor my brother, upon him be the Most Glorious Glory of God, and all the friends of Baha, upon them - the unworthy mentions of this servant are contrary to propriety, yet from all there is hope for pardon. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, to adorn all with the ornament of faithfulness and keep them firm upon the straight path of His Cause. No mention appeareth more beloved than this in my sight. He is indeed the Witness, the All-Seeing.

Another submission is that the traces of that beloved one’s pen arrive continuously. This matter is very good and acceptable, yet it must occur in accordance with wisdom, as was submitted before. Some souls come by a word and go by a word - I know not to whom they go or what aspect they desire. In any case, these souls, at the slightest vexation, mention whatever occurs, and this may perhaps cause agitation. In all circumstances that honored one must be mindful of wisdom. If it can be sent in such way that none become aware, it is beloved; otherwise, some delay is preferable. And this matter came to this servant’s own view, which he mentioned, for it was observed that God, exalted be His grandeur, hath sent down many firm commandments concerning the matter of wisdom. Verily He is the All-Knowing, the Preserver, the Helper, the Mighty, the Powerful.

=== END BH00398 ===

=== START BH00399 ===

A certain person in this city was among the divines of the greater city, and Aqa Jan had dealings with him. He had related to him in detail, saying “I am the Sword of Truth, and soon most lands will be conquered by my hand.” That ignorant scholar, though far from the path of truth, spoke a good word, as if the Holy Spirit had spoken through his tongue. Thus, immediately after the slaying of the idolaters, he appeared with the Pasha of the city over Aqa Jan’s corpse and declared: “This accursed one claimed ‘I am the Sword of Truth.’ Now it has become clear that the Sword of Truth was that which struck his waist and consigned him to the lowest depths of hell.” In any case, praise be to God, after this incident and the return of the idolaters to the lowest depths of hell, the rains of mercy poured forth night and day, after having been withheld for several years during which people were afflicted with famine and hardship.

When We were in Adrianople, that vile one had written a letter to someone. Among other things, We observed that he had stolen a passage from a Tablet revealed in Iraq and written it in his own name. That passage was: “We are as the sun rising and as the moon shining.” That heedless wretch did not realize that the domain of the Phoenix has never been, nor ever will be, the playground of flies, and darkness has no right to claim to be the sun. By God! Since he found some people weak and foolish, he therefore arose with his personal fabrications, such that some have taken his forged writings and read them. The writer and reader have both lost. Through various whisperings and intrigues he prevented people from the Lord of mankind, and through previous delusions led some astray.

Thus did a certain person meet this servant in the marketplace and said he wished to meet with me for an hour, on the condition that no one else be present. This servant had never seen him before. I said “Very well.” A time was set and he came. Various matters were discussed and it became clear that he had dealings with that one who associated partners with God. He mentioned, “I have been told you are of the Shi’ih.” At this point such laughter overcame this servant that all self-control was lost. That person was astonished and asked the reason for the laughter. I said: “O helpless one! Your Shi’ih who are scattered throughout Iran like pebbles - what station have they achieved, or what rank have they held with God, that you now wish to follow in the footsteps of those rejected delusions? Have you not seen that they were all false and in clear error, such that they martyred the exalted Truth with their own hands? Lo! The curse of God be upon the wrongdoing people!” After these words were delivered he became very thoughtful. Then, for the sake of God, I imparted to him some of the exalted words I had heard from the Source of the Cause. It was observed that he was not devoid of capacity. Among other things, I said to him: “Consider - of all that the Shi’ih possessed and counted as fundamental to their religion and faith, which of it was true, that you now wish to follow those same delusions? […]”

Let each one of those sayings which they attributed to themselves and their own people - which of them was true, that you now wish, on the strength of such vain imaginings and false utterances, to enter into the ocean of divine truth and wisdom? Did these Shi’ihs whom you mention truly comprehend the meaning of the Resurrection? He said: No. I asked: Did they recognize the Balance? He said: No. I asked: Did they understand the gathering and raising of the dead? He said: No. That which was mentioned among them concerning the Qa’im - was their understanding of it true? He said: No. Then I stated that you yourself witness that all was false. Now this matter which they have told you - how do you know it to be true? Then I sat upright facing him and spoke what I had preserved of the verses of God, the King, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting, and I conveyed to him that which I was commanded by God, the Mighty, the Beloved. I said: O servant! Have you not heard what the Tongue of Grandeur pronounced when He was established upon His throne, supreme over all that is seen and unseen? He said - and His word is the truth: “Cast aside what you possess of vain imaginings, then hearken unto what the tongue of your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, doth speak. How long will ye follow your desires? The Sun of Guidance hath risen - turn ye unto it, sanctified from that which was aforetime mentioned by your divines. By God! This is the Manifestation of God and the sign of His hiddenness from all else. It cannot be compared with what was mentioned in the eternity of eternities, nor can it be known through the words of the people of contention. Draw nigh unto Him with illumined eyes and radiant faces. Thus have ye been commanded in the Tablets from God, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.” And His word - exalted be His grandeur - addressing someone: “We behold thee immersed in the pool of the veiled ones and the waters of the heedless ones’ imaginings. Come forth therefrom through My name and My sovereignty. Arise and immerse thyself in this Most Great Ocean, every drop whereof proclaimeth ‘There is none other God but Me, the Powerful, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Generous.’”

I said: O man! For the sake of God do I speak, and purely for God do I make mention. Cast aside these vain imaginings and ascend from these base, limited, imaginary stations, that you may soar with the wings of the All-Merciful’s mercy to the heavens of divine command and attain success. This is the day whereof it is said “Say: God; then leave them to their vain discourse.” This blessed verse was revealed aforetime specifically for this Day, for in this Manifestation it hath become clear and evident that the Truth alone, single and solitary, is sovereign over all, and hath not taken, nor will ever take, any partner or likeness unto Himself. Although the people of all religions previously acknowledged this statement, most were lying, for each day they would set up a partner for God. Then in this station this servant submitted whatsoever was befitting. He asked what is required today. I said: To act according to this verse which I mentioned. Leave aside these imaginary souls and their sayings, and enter into this wondrous and novel expanse, that you may drink of the eternal wine from the verse of the All-Merciful’s mercy which declares “Through My manifestation the law of beginning was established, and verily this beginning encompasseth the heavens and the earth.” Pass beyond before and after; behold the Manifestation itself with the eye of manifestation, for all are commanded thus in this Most Great Manifestation, and this is specific to this Manifestation.

O brother! Cast away all these limited, unseemly utterances of the past and soar with new wings in the fresh and wondrous atmosphere, that through divine grace thou mayest drink of the new wine and comprehend this wondrous Cause. Furthermore, certain souls have complained about the actions of some weak ones who circle round the Truth, attributing these to God, exalted be His glory. One person mentioned how it could be that while this Cause which has encompassed the world manifests truth and excellence, certain souls who claim attachment to the Truth engage in unseemly deeds. This matter stems from that person’s heedlessness. It is as though he has not heard the well-known verse among people which states: “Should all creation turn to unbelief, no dust would settle on the hem of His grandeur.”

One day when I was present at the threshold of the Divine Throne, He turned His face toward me and said: “Hast thou heard that the sincere ones are in great danger?” O servant present before the Throne! The outward divines differed concerning the companions of the Messenger as to whom the title of “companion” truly applied. Some said the companions were those who spent a year or more in His service and arose to holy war in the path of God. Others said whoever affirmed the unity of God and met the Messenger was counted among the companions, even if but once. Some said this title applied to those whom the Messenger Himself specifically addressed thus, while others said it referred to those who were trusted by Him and present in His journeys and at home. However, most divines have said that anyone who embraced Islam and saw the Prophet, peace be upon him and his companions, even for the briefest time, was among the companions. Thus at the Farewell Pilgrimage, forty thousand were with Him, and on the day of His passing, one hundred and twenty-four thousand gathered in Medina. According to the latter view, the title of companion applies to all these souls. Nevertheless, only a few had drunk from the pure wine of certitude and attained to the source of divine outpourings.

In any case, such words stem from heedlessness and continue to do so. We beseech God to assist all to do what He loves and is pleased with. O friends of Truth! Be not content with mere hearing, nor attach your hearts to past imaginings. By God! Today malicious souls have prevented the weak ones from the divine law through past imaginings. Hearken to the plea of this servant present before the Throne […]

“Satan will appear in the island of Qaf and will prevent people from the All-Merciful. When that time comes, turn toward the Holy Land from whence the breath of God will pass.” And Qaf is Cyprus, this is well-known, as all Turks call Cyprus “Satan’s Island.” And the Holy Land is known to be where the seat of the Throne is now established. The second passage states: “Habab will appear in the island attributed to him. He is short in stature, with a thick beard, narrow forehead and chest, with yellow eyes and hair, having fur like a deer on his back and hair like red clay on his chest. When that time comes, draw near to Carmel even if crawling on your chest, then turn toward the Holy Valley, the land of gathering, the white spot.” It is known that Habab is the name of Satan, and it says he will appear in the island attributed to him, which is Cyprus, known as Satan’s Island. And it says “When that time comes draw near to Carmel” - Carmel being the mountain facing Akka - “even if crawling on your chest, then turn toward the Holy Valley, the land of gathering, the white spot” - these three being titles of the land of Akka, as is well-known to all and mentioned in the books. Would that someone would go to Cyprus and witness with their own eyes all these described attributes in that person. In any case, O servants of God, the Truth needs not these mentions, and such mentions are purely out of grace, as this lowly servant thought that through such things some might awaken from the sleep of heedlessness. Otherwise, God is sanctified above the mention of this or that. He cannot be known except through Himself, nor can He be described except by what His Essence has described for His Essence. All else is created by His command and returns to its place in the worlds of His creation and invention. We hope that as the petitions of this servant were submitted purely for the sake of God, they may prove a healing for hearts and a light for breasts, that all may arise in the love of God in such wise that none will have any excuse to turn away or object, and may consider as utter nothingness all that the polytheists have said or will say. Therefore I say: I turn to Thee in repentance, O my God, for what I have ventured in Thy presence. Forgive me by Thy sovereignty and grace, for Thou art the Most Generous of the generous ones. And praise be to Thee, O God of the worlds. The Servant of God.

=== END BH00399 ===

=== START BH00400 ===

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

O beloved of my heart! Some time ago, your noble letter which you sent to the honored Ism-i-Jud, upon him be all the Most Glorious Beauty, was forwarded to the Most Holy Court and presented in its entirety. From the heaven of bounty, an exalted Tablet was revealed and sent in this lowly one’s handwriting. God willing, they will attain to its perusal. Mention was made of Andalib and Muhammad Aqa’s petition. Regarding Andalib, upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, the grace of God is evident and manifest, and likewise a Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet was specifically revealed for Muhammad Aqa and sent in this servant’s handwriting. That beloved one will write the details to Andalib. I beseech you to convey my greetings to the friends in that land and also in Andalib’s territory. God is my witness that this ephemeral one is ever occupied with the mention of the divine friends. I beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist His loved ones in His remembrance and praise, and to aid them in the service of His mighty Cause. Last week, your second letter to Ism-i-Jud, upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, was sent. He himself has been indisposed for some time and does not leave his house. He forwarded your letter, and this servant was filled with the utmost joy and delight upon seeing it. Praise be to God that you and Nabil-ibn-Nabil are engaged in the mention of the Friend and service of the Cause, speaking and standing firm, steadfast and immovable. And since this steadfastness and firmness and remembrance and praise have appeared for the sake of God, they will surely have influence and make a complete impression upon receptive hearts. Praise be to God in all conditions.

And then this servant reached a point that was mentioned by that beloved one concerning the worlds after death, and they wrote that in these days specifically someone asked this question of that honorable one, and that honorable one read to him the answer to Mulla ’Abdu’r-Razzaq’s question and similar statements. And then they wrote that after several days one of the friends arrived and by chance that very same person asked this question in this house from that person. They explicitly, without delay or interpretation, denied the worlds after death. I remained bewildered and observed that if I were to say something, there was fear it would lead to lengthy discourse, and this double-speak is contrary to unity in expression. Up to this point was the writing of that beloved one.

Glory be to God! According to that beloved one’s account, that respondent spoke very much outside of wisdom. Today all are commanded to wisdom. In one of the Tablets He states: “Milk must be given in measure so that the children of the age may enter the world of maturity,” and so forth, glory and might be to Him. Setting aside whether what was said was sound or unsound, this utterance was outside of wisdom in the view of people of understanding. The Supreme Pen has commanded wisdom in countless instances, and in truth the essence of wisdom consists in words that cause the revival of souls. In one of the earlier Tablets it was seen that He states: “One word is like the spring breezes, effective and the cause of life, and another word is the messenger of death.” Thus both the trumpet of Israfil and the messenger of death appear from the word. And in another place He states: “One word is like the spring winds that make fresh and alive a withered and dead world, and one word is like the poisonous wind that makes a world of freshness and delicacy and joy withered and drooping, nay rather, non-existent.”

Today everyone who considers themselves among the people of God or counts themselves as wise should speak words that cause enkindlement and unity and harmony and agreement and life. I beseech Him, exalted be He, to aid all to what He loves and is pleased with. This servant is greatly amazed at such statements. God willing, it is hoped that the speaker will reflect and utter what is befitting. If the levels of people’s understanding were sufficient, surely these matters would become evident. And if divine worlds were limited to this world, surely the Dawning Places of revelation and Rising Points of the Cause and Manifestations of the All-Merciful would not have borne countless afflictions. Every person of insight has affirmed and affirms this word. Some Prophets were afflicted with the utmost persecution each day, yet the next morning they would speak more powerfully than the day before. By God’s life! This is an ocean from which not everyone has had or has a share. Bounty and favor are in God’s hand - He bestows on whomsoever He wills. Often a servant comprehends a matter of which the Master is unaware. Jesus son of Mary states that He bestowed upon children that of which the wise ones and mystics and learned ones were deprived. By Thy life, O beloved! Reason is seen to be very deficient in this station. The comprehension of reason is limited, say […]

Sight precedes perception. Before seeing, the knowledge of all things is concealed from the intellect. Can any wise one, before seeing, perceive in a seed the world of trees, fruits, leaves, branches and boughs? No, by God! When through sight these matters are discovered, the mind then becomes aware of their individual comprehension. Likewise, observe and ponder upon other things. God is witness that this servant’s purpose has not been acceptance or rejection, and praise be to God that that beloved one has not mentioned that person’s name. Rather, the purpose is that whatsoever today conduces to the exaltation of the Word, the enkindlement of souls, and the elevation of being, is and shall be beloved in the sight of God. The friends of Truth must speak such words as will immediately make beings receptive, and adorn themselves with goodly deeds, pleasing character, and praiseworthy conduct which are the cause and means of the world’s tranquility and the order of nations. Since that beloved one mentioned this explanation, this evanescent one felt compelled to venture these few words, otherwise what claim have I, what station have I, what position have I? Blessed is he who manifests wisdom, commands wisdom, and speaks with wisdom. By the Sovereign of existence! Were that which is hidden to become manifest, all would be struck with wonder and amazement, crying out “Oh, woe unto us!” In any case, such mentions have not been and are not the cause and means of growth. God willing, may the friends speak that which God has willed and mention that which attracts the hearts of the servants. May they regard human beings as fields, sow the seeds of wisdom, and water them with the waters of utterance. Another matter: The details of this matter were not presented at the Most Holy Court, that is, this servant did not wish to mention it. Another matter: Two items were previously sent specifically for the son of Jenab-i-Abhar, upon him be all the most glorious Glory. One item remains which must be sent. God willing, that beloved one must deliver them. In all circumstances, you must counsel all to wisdom. For nearly two or three months, more than ever before, the Supreme Pen has revealed concerning this matter, namely wisdom, and sent it to all regions, lest any matter arise that would cause general commotion among the people. Strange that some friends still consider mischief as righteousness, despite being forbidden night and day from mischief, conflict and contention. We beseech God, exalted be His glory - this beloved one, this servant and all other friends - to enable and assist all to achieve that which He loves and is pleased with. The sword of wisdom and utterance is sharper than the sword of steel, would that they understood.

At this moment when this servant reached this point in writing, another melody arose from the throat of the realm of divine friendship and a new messenger arrived with fresh tidings - that is, this evanescent one attained unto the letter of his honor Name 66 [Allah] J.M., upon him be the Most Glorious Beauty of God, and that of your honor and his honor Ibn-i-Abhar, upon him be the Glory of God. Praise be to God, all are well and engaged in serving the Cause. The matters that occurred were presented. They stated these had and have no importance and are less significant than what was written. Let them be assured. And this Most Exalted Word shone forth from the Dayspring of the Cause. Some friends were observed to be fearful - fearful of what and whom? This earthly temple has no worth and this frame of dust has no station. If they act according to what was revealed in the Book, they will witness that a fly is more excellent in the sight of God than every heedless scholar and doubting commander. Act with wisdom and observe things with pure, sanctified hearts and watchful eyes, and reflect. Verily He is with you in all conditions and preserves that which My Name, the Beauty, hath mentioned, and We make mention of it as befitteth, as a favor from Us to him and to her. And I am the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. End. At this moment this news arrived and at this moment too the letter must be sent. This servant did not have the opportunity to present all the details of affairs before the Throne, and even what was presented, he is unable to mention what was heard, as time is lacking and opportunity is not apparent. The servant begs your pardon.

In the letter of his honor Name 66 [Allah] J, upon him be all 9 [Glory] most glorious, this word was seen. They had written that your honor mentioned that some prominent souls had made statements contrary to the divine Tablets. Praise be to God that this servant is not aware who that person was or is, as his name was not mentioned. However, this much this evanescent one submits: every soul’s utterance and deeds are a mirror and his reality is known through these two. If the friends of Truth observe carefully, they will soon become aware of the conditions and stations of such souls and will proclaim “we are innocent.” Such souls expressing such mentions are most strange. God knows that such souls were not and are not worthy of mention.

Furthermore, his honor Name 66 [Allah] had written asking if permission would be granted to go before the second Ayn. They said: God forbid! God forbid! God forbid! By no means can anything be achieved through him, and even if it could - which it cannot - it would not be acceptable. A denier is a denier, whether the first Ayn or the second Ayn. Even thinking of such matters is not permissible, as it has been and will be the cause of endless harm. End. And They said turning toward this land is also not permissible. In these days some incidents have also occurred in this land. That beloved one should quickly convey these passages to them. The Glory be upon your honor and upon Nabil son of Nabil and upon those who love you and upon those who speak that by which the spirit of life flows through all possibility.

Among the words that were overlooked during the presentation was this word which has now come to mind: Praise be to God, in another letter which his honor Ism’ullah had written to this lowly one, he had requested two matters to be presented at the Most Holy Court. They were presented. Regarding the first, He said: “God willing, may he be confirmed,” and previously mention was made of the supplication on his behalf. And regarding the second matter, wherein he had asked for the unveiling of the realm after death, He said: “This matter will be granted if he acts according to what has been commanded. However, they must make no mention of this station whatsoever and must not discuss it. This station will be unveiled to him of itself, and he will come to perceive the sweetness of tribulations in the path of the Lord of Names, and will become aware of the ways of the Prophets and Messengers.” End quote. It is most strange to make mention of such matters. Today, upright souls must strive to exalt the Word of God and to find themselves detached and free. A most mighty and holy Tablet was specifically revealed from the heaven of bounty for his honor Nabil-ibn-Nabil, upon him be the glory of his Lord, and was dispatched. God willing, may he attain unto it.

=== END BH00400 ===

=== START BH00401 ===

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

Let the beloved of my heart, His Eminence Ali-Qabli-Akbar, upon him be the Glory of God the Most Glorious, take note.

This lowly servant is bewildered and perplexed as to what he should mention, whom he should describe and praise. The True One, exalted be His glory, is assuredly sanctified above the description of all else and is holy and detached from the mention of aught else. Therefore, this station returns to the words of the Book and the letters of the words, which are the source of remembrances, the dawning-places of attributes, and the rising-points of divine laws and commandments. For they are the spreaders of the Cause and the helpers and supporters of the servants from God, the Lord of creation. Thus did praise and glorification first reflect upon the second. In this station, those souls who have drunk from the Kawthar of certitude and have arisen with complete assurance to exalt the Word have been and are worthy and deserving of description, praise, mention, and glorification.

Glorified art Thou, O Revealer of verses and Manifester of clear signs! How can this servant make mention of one who has arisen to serve Thy Cause, to aid Thee in Thy lands, to promote Thy laws in Thy realm, and to reform Thy servants who did not arise in Thy days and did not turn to Thy horizon? Heedlessness prevented them from turning to the lights of Thy countenance and from standing before the gate of Thy grandeur, and they received the recompense of their deeds on a day wherein Thou didst reveal the mysteries of Thy Book and the waves of the ocean of Thy utterance. O my Lord! Thou seest that this servant desired to make mention of one of Thy loved ones who turned to Thee on a day wherein Thy sweetest call was raised and the scratching of Thy Most Exalted Pen was heard. I testify, O my God, that the servant, in making mention of him, desired naught but to show his love and submission to Thy loved ones and chosen ones whom the veils of the world did not prevent from turning to Thee and from delivering Thy Cause, which Thou hast made the king of all deeds through Thy will and purpose. O God! Send Thy blessings upon him and upon those who have made their sleep and wakefulness, their rising and sitting, their motion and stillness for the sake of Thy Most Glorious Face and Thy Most Great and Most Exalted Announcement. Send down upon him, O my God, from the heaven of Thy bounty the rain of Thy mercy and loving-kindness. Then provide him at all times with the table of Thy knowledge and the blessing of utterance through Thy generosity and munificence. O my Lord! He is the one who hastened to the Most Great Ocean, Thy Great Announcement, and Thy Straight Path. I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thy pervading Command and Thy decisive Judgment, to assist him in all conditions to spread Thy commandments and laws with wisdom and utterance. Verily, Thou art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower.

Thereafter, while I was dwelling in that place and writing down the verses of our Lord, the All-Merciful, a bearer of glad-tidings entered. I saw in his face the radiance of Glory, and in his hand was a letter. I took it and opened it, and found therein that which neither the fragrance of the world nor what the nations possess of flowers, blossoms, and perfumes could equal. For what exists in the world is attributed to it and to those who dwell therein, but the servant found that it was attributed to the garment of the Desired One and to the sweet-scented flowers of the garden of utterance of one of His chosen ones. When I read and understood it, I set out for the Most Exalted Paradise and flew on the wings of longing until I arrived and attained and presented it. Then the Tongue of Grandeur spoke that before which bowed the necks of the fair-minded and the heads of the monotheists. His blessed and exalted Word is:

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

The Book hath come from the Wronged One, and with it My bountiful grace, the Kawthar of Mine utterance, the chalice of My knowledge and the ocean of My bounty which surgeth before the faces of My servants and My creatures, that he who loveth Me may be drawn by the fragrances of My Revelation and the breezes of the Dayspring of My manifestation to a station wherein He Who conversed with God was established upon the Throne of Revelation, and wherein the Point of the Bayan declared: “Praise be unto Thee, O Thou Who art the Goal of the mystics and the Beloved of the sincere ones.” God hath made this most exalted Station, this supreme Summit, sanctified above all names, yet the people are in manifest doubt. The very stones cry out, and the dust glorifieth God, the Lord of all worlds. The evidences have appeared and the signs have encompassed the dwellers of earth and heaven, yet the people remain in strange delusion. They hear the Call, yet deny it; they behold the signs, yet turn away from them. These, verily, are among the most lost in My mighty Book.

O ’Ali-Akbar! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. The tale of vain imaginings hath again been told, and the people of the Bayan speak as spoke the people of the Furqan from among the divines of Persia and their followers, who violated God’s Covenant and Testament, disbelieved in His proof, and disputed His signs, until they pronounced against Him that which caused the countenances in the most exalted Paradise to pale, and the Supreme Paradise to lament with the lament of the bereaved. Thus doth My Most Exalted Pen recount unto thee in this sublime station. We have found them more lost than the former people. To this beareth witness the Mother Book which speaketh the truth, to the shame of those who have denied this supreme grace.

The servant who was present hath brought thy letter. We have heard its contents and have answered thee in such wise that from every letter of My words thou shalt find the fragrance of My loving-kindness and My mercy, which have encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. Thou wert remembered by the Wronged One in the earliest days when the people were behind the veil. When the light shone forth from the horizons of all lands, they came forth with swords of hatred and committed that which the tongues of the eloquent are powerless to recount. When thou art illumined by the lights of Mine utterance and hast attained the presence of My Tablet, say:

My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having honored me with Thy presence and given me to drink of the Kawthar of Thy reunion, and for having caused me to turn toward Thy most exalted horizon on a day wherein all mankind turned away from Thee save those whom the hand of Thy will and purpose had delivered. I beseech Thee, O Thou Who bestoweth all gifts and quickeneth the nations, by Thy Most Great Name through which the limbs of all names trembled and the hearts of all who dwell in the realm of creation were shaken, to grant me the bounty of Thy presence yet again. Alas, alas, O Thou Who art my Goal and the Goal of all who are in Thy heaven and earth, for what hath befallen Thee at the hands of Thy creatures and the people of Thy realm! By Thy might, O Lord of all names and Creator of heaven! Hearts have melted by reason of what hath befallen Thee through the tyranny of Thine enemies who claim to be of the Bayan, yet perpetrate what causeth its Revealer, its Sovereign, and its Sender to lament. O Lord! Relieve the anguish of Thy loved ones through Thy bounty and generosity, and transform their sorrow into supreme joy, and their weakness into Thy power and might. O my God! The fire of separation from Thee hath consumed me, and Thy remoteness and my banishment from Thy presence have destroyed me. I beseech Thee by the waves of the ocean of Thy mercy and the lights of the Sun of Thy utterance to ordain for me that which shall gladden my heart and the hearts of Thy chosen ones who have believed in Thee and Thy signs, and whom neither the swords of Thy creatures nor the darts of the oppressors among Thy creation have deterred. Verily Thou art powerful to do what Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth.

Praise be to God! The oceans of loving-kindness are manifest, the stream of mercy is flowing, and the Kawthar of utterance is evident. O beloved of my heart! Man is bewildered and amazed at what has come to pass, for the people of the Bayan have clung to the practices of the former people. The same names have appeared and the same utterances. At times they speak of alteration and are commanded to avoid meeting and turning towards [Him]. Surely the verse “they thrust their fingers in their ears” is before His blessed vision. There is no need for elaboration. Whatever indicates and proves the manifestation of Truth, they claim has been altered. Those who are veiled from the root of the Cause have risen in opposition. Glory be to God! They have denied the ocean of divine verses. The rain is pouring before their faces, yet still they cling to rejection and denial. Do they not consider what was the fruit of the Shi’ih’s deeds for twelve hundred years and what became of it? These souls too have desired to occupy themselves with vain imaginings like the former people. The atoms of creation are bewildered by these deluded, ignorant souls. They do not reflect for a moment upon the matters which were mentioned from pulpits for twelve hundred years regarding the Manifestation - what became of them? From whom were those calumnies? From whom were those lies? Now again Mirza Hadi Dawlat-Abadi and his like are casting forth exactly the same matters as before. Where is that power and might that rolled up the carpet of names? Where are the steadfast ones? Where are the firm ones? Where are those who stand firm? In truth these people were not and are not worthy of this Most Great Revelation and the Great Announcement. They have ever been worshippers of idols, that is, their leaders. Now Hadi has become the leader. “Soon will he lead his people to the abode of perdition.” God, the Exalted, the Great, speaks the truth. Would that they had attained to justice and fairness and held fast to a balance. We must ask from the Truth that which is the cause and means of guidance and salvation for the world. The recompense of deeds will bring about strange events and remarkable occurrences. The Command is in His hand. He doeth what He willeth and ordaineth what He pleaseth. He is the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy.

My God, my God! Have mercy upon Thy weak servants, then send down upon them that which will draw them nigh unto Thy most exalted station. O Lord! Vain imaginings have prevented them from turning unto Thee and entering the depths of the ocean of Thy oneness. I beseech Thee by the power that hath encompassed all created things and by the might before which all possibilities have bowed down, that Thou assist Thy weak servants to turn unto Thee and to behold the lights of Thy countenance. Thou art He to Whose forgiveness, generosity and mercy all things have testified. Aid Thy servants through Thy bounty, Thy favors and Thy might, O Thou Goal of the world! Shouldst Thou regard their deservedness, Thou wouldst decree for them eternal existence in the fire. I beseech Thee, O Ocean of Giving and Sovereign of Names, by the heaven of Thy mercy, the sun of Thy forgiveness and the sea of Thy pardon. Verily Thou art the Single, the One, the Compassionate, the Forgiving, the Merciful. Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of Lords, and thanksgiving be unto Thee, O Thou Who speakest in the Final Return.

In truth, this servant acknowledges his negligence, as for a long time the response to that beloved one’s letter has been delayed. This confession itself merits forgiveness. I hope that henceforth there will be no neglect. The great glad tidings are that in the days when ordinances were being revealed from the heaven of the will of the Lord of all beings, some were sent and some were, as commanded, taken from the Book. Among these was the prayer, until at this time before His countenance He turned to me and said: “We desire to bestow Our favor once again upon ’Ali-Qabl-i-Akbar, upon him be My glory. Send the verses that were revealed in previous years specifically concerning prayer, and write that by the life of God, its fragrances will attract the lovers, move those who are still, awaken the heedless, and bestow life upon the fair-minded. However, firstly, one should perform it whenever one finds in oneself a state of devotion and humility; secondly, in the morning, at noon, and in the evening; and thirdly, from noon to noon.” Thus did it end. In truth, this matter is a mighty favor and a great bounty.

Another glad tiding, which truly speaks of the heaven of grace, the ocean of generosity, and the luminary of the bounty of the Sovereign of existence, is that the sun of permission has risen in this blessed night, at half past one, from the horizon of the heaven of God’s command. Blessed be your honor, and congratulations to your person. We too have a share in this portion, and that is the presence of that beloved one and this servant beneath the canopies of the mercy of God, exalted be His glory. However, They have made permission contingent upon wisdom. That spiritual beloved one must be mindful of the revealed wisdom in all conditions, so that all servants may follow the example and act accordingly. Who can reckon the rain of His mercy and the waves of the ocean of His favor? Nay, by His Self, the Truth! We are all powerless, we all confess, we all acknowledge.

I request that you convey greetings and salutations to the friends in that land on behalf of this evanescent servant. By the life of our Lord! They have always been and are in my thoughts. I beseech God to make each one a banner of guidance and a standard of glory, so that each may, with complete certitude and faith, hold fast to that which will cause the exaltation of the Word of God and their own stations. Let them consider the time precious and not lose hold of the spiritual sustenance. Today man is capable of deeds that were and are impossible for anyone else afterward. How excellent is what was spoken before: “What can I say when not a vein of mine is sober?” It is better and more pleasant that I bring this burden to an end. Glory and praise and honor be upon your honor, and upon those with you, and upon those who hear your words concerning the Cause of God, our Lord and your Lord and the Lord of all who are in the heavens and earths. Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

The Servant

9th of Safar 1305

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=== START BH00402 ===

This is what hath been sent down from the heaven of God’s dominion, the Mighty, the Glorious, the Sublime, unto His servant who was named Isma’il, as a token of His grace - and verily He is the All-Bountiful, the Beautiful.

He is God, the Most Invincible, the Most Exalted, the Most Wondrous, the Most Holy, the Most High!

Thy letter hath come before the Throne, and the glances of God, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Omnipotent, have been directed towards it. We have understood that which thou didst call upon God, thy Lord and the Lord of all creation. We have sent down unto thee that which shall enrich the hearts of all peoples, should they turn their gaze toward the direction of thy Lord’s mighty Throne. Hearken unto that which is revealed unto thee from the right side of the heavenly Paradise, the Spot wherein the Ancient Beauty speaketh and calleth out to all created things with His holy, supreme, and wondrous verses: “I am God, your Lord and the Lord of your forebears of old! Hear ye My Word, then detach yourselves from all directions and turn toward the holy precincts, the abode of God, the Mighty, the Generous.”

Know ye that on this Day nothing shall profit anyone, even should he cling to all who are in the heavens and on earth, except that he sever himself from them and hasten with his heart toward the Throne, seeking forgiveness for his hesitation in the Cause of his Lord, and be of them that repent. Say: O people! Cleanse your souls with this water that floweth from the direction of the Throne, and tarry not in this, that perchance ye may ascend unto the heaven of holiness and behold the beauty of God, the Mighty, the Luminous. Thus hath the Kawthar of knowledge flowed from the Pen of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Therefore, O ye peoples of the worlds, fear ye the Beauty of the All-Glorious, and be not of them that turn aside.

Then know, O Greatest Sacrifice, that thy Lord hath been sacrificed at every moment by the swords of hatred wielded by the hands of the wicked ones, as all things do testify, if thou be of them that hear. I was slain for no reason save that the Spirit spoke within My breast, that the Most Great Spirit called out above My head, and that the Holy Spirit circled round about Me. This is My crime amongst these people, if thou be of them that know. By God! This is indeed His garment which We have sent unto thee in truth, and thou shalt find it pierced by the arrows of hatred from these idolaters. Thereupon did the Ancient King bare His head, and the Maids of Paradise cried out in their exalted chambers, and verily if thou wouldst turn toward all things, thou wouldst hear their wailing and their outcry at that which hath befallen the Beauty of the All-Glorious through that which hath proceeded from the mouths of the deniers.

Know then, O Sacrifice, that when the hosts of thy Lord’s revelation descended with the standards of verses, the people of allusions rose against My Beauty and denied the proof of God, the Supreme, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Say: O people! If ye possess a proof greater than that which hath appeared from the Dayspring of the Spirit with the sovereignty of My Most Great Name, then bring it forth, and wait not if ye be of the truthful. Then thou shalt find their heads bowed to the earth and their eyes dimmed, and thus have We taken account of the matter in My Self, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Great.

Thus hath the sun of utterance shone forth from the horizon of the finger of the King of Names and Attributes. Therefore, fall thou prostrate upon thy face before God, thy Lord and the Lord of all the worlds. O Sacrifice! Verily We have been tried amongst those who have denied the signs and proof of God and who were of the transgressors. At every moment they strike at Me with the swords of hatred, then cry out within themselves that they might cast doubt into the hearts of the seekers. Thus did the servants who denied God scheme aforetime, and these idolaters continue to scheme. Say: O people! Have ye not witnessed the sovereignty of God and His power after He appeared in truth and all lofty necks bowed before Him? Have I not sacrificed Myself at all times for the love of God […]

O thou beloved of the mystics! As to the triumph of My Cause, verily the banners of victory have been unfurled throughout all lands. Then did the Beauty of Holiness appear from the realm of God, the All-Possessing, the Mighty, the Glorious, the Bountiful. By My Life! Through My establishment hath the Temple of Holiness been seated upon the Most Great Throne, and by My ascendancy upon all thrones have I renewed the temples of all created things with the garment of grace. The Tongue of God beareth witness to this at the time when He was established upon the throne of His name, the All-Merciful, the Compassionate. And thou - emerge from the abode of silence, then speak forth My melody between the heavens and the earths. Take care to rend asunder all veils, then cast aside all allusions, then place all indications beneath thy right foot. And if thou findest thyself subdued, then seek inspiration from this Tree wherein the crimson fire was kindled, which speaketh between earth and heaven and calleth out to the denizens of the Supreme Concourse and the realms below, saying: “Verily, I am God, there is none other God but Me. I have created all things by My command and raised them up by My will. Yet My creation hath grown heedless of My sovereignty and power, and they are among the negligent.”

Take heed that thou fear no one, then walk in the footsteps of God and sing the sweetest melodies through that which the Spirit hath spoken unto thee in this luminous and resplendent Tablet. By God! A single letter thereof is proof against all who are in the kingdom and is supreme over all who are in the heavens and the earth. Take thou the Tablet of God and preserve it through the power bestowed by Us, then enter unto the seat of the idolaters and say: “O people! By God, I have come unto you from the Dayspring of the Cause with tidings from the Spirit, and this is a proof that hath come with truth despite those who have denied the signs of God and were among the veiled ones.” Then remind them of that which the Spirit hath cast into thy heart, then spread the words of God among them that perchance they may discover the sweet savors of the All-Merciful from the garment of His name, the Bestower, and may return unto the Ridvan, the seat of thy Lord, the Most High, the Supreme, the Holy, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

And if the idolaters turn away from thee in rejection, be not grieved but remember My oneness, then My exile, then My tribulation among these erring ones. By God! I have been tried among all peoples and beyond them the people of the Bayan, and to this doth bear witness the tongue of your Lord, the All-Merciful, from this purified, transcendent, holy and mighty Tongue. Take care that thou be not impatient in the Cause of thy Lord. Deliver His messages according to thy capacity, for this is My command unto thee if thou be of them that hearken. Then be steadfast when Satan approacheth thee with a tablet of fire and calleth thee to the Samiri and preventeth thee from the love of God and the Manifestation of His Being. Thus do We inform thee of the tidings of the unseen that thou mayest be among them that are firmly established in the Cause of thy Lord.

Say: O people! Do ye call others to the words of God, then prevent them from His Beauty? Woe unto you, O heedless ones! Do ye write the verses of God with the fingers of heedlessness, then dispute with His own Self, the Most High, the Most Great? Then doth the Tongue of God, the Most High, the Most Exalted, call out from the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, addressing the people of the Bayan: “O people! Did We not command you in all the Tablets to be submissive before the All-Merciful, and did We not forbid you from all else at the time of His appearance? Why then have ye denied that wherein ye believed, and turned away from His Beauty after He appeared in such wise as the eyes of creation have never seen the like thereof, nor the eyes of invention beheld its similitude, and all signs have appeared from Him, and around Him circle the kingdoms of God, the Mighty, the Most High, the Most Great […]”

Verily We have made all utterance dependent upon His Word and all deeds upon His good-pleasure, yet ye have pursued all that We forbade you and have committed that which your selves and your desires have commanded you. Woe unto you, O company of the heedless! Arise from the couches of vain desire, then turn unto God, your Creator, the Most Exalted, the Most High, that He may forgive you and absolve you of your evil deeds, and send down upon you from His traces that which shall draw you nigh unto His Self, the All-Subduing, the Almighty, the All-Powerful. And if thou seest Our Name “The Letter Ha,” remind him of the verses of his Lord, that he may perchance call them to mind within himself, become God-fearing, and return unto God with a sincere heart. Say: O servant, by God the Truth, there hath never been hatred for anyone in My heart, as ye yourselves would testify, were ye to be fair-minded. We opposed not Our enemies despite Our power, and We pardoned them despite Our knowledge; how much more then Our loved ones, were ye but to observe! And all that We have revealed unto thee had no purpose save thy detachment from all who are in the heavens and on earth, and thy drawing nigh unto God, thy Ancient Lord. And from thy veiling was My heart saddened, for thou wert submissive unto God and believing in His verses, and thy brother was with Me at the time when the fire of God was kindled behind the pavilion of concealment, beyond the veils of thy Lord’s protection, the All-Concealing, the Strong, the All-Wise. Follow what is revealed unto thee and turn not unto anyone besides Me, for all else was created by My Word, as attesteth that which hath appeared from My fingers, if thou be of them that bear witness. Ponder upon that which hath been sent down from the clouds of might and power, that haply it may draw thee to the beauty of thy Chosen Lord, that thou mayest recognize Him in His other beauty and be of the assured ones. Say: Verily thy Lord, were He to desire to make all men one community, would be able to do so through a word from His presence, yet He hath withheld this for a wisdom from His side, which none knoweth save they who are endowed with clear vision. Beware lest thou be veiled by allusions. By God! Not a single letter was revealed in the Bayan except concerning My Cause, and God hath taken My covenant from you in the atoms of the Bayan, then from Muhammad in the atoms of the Furqan, then from the Spirit in the atoms of the Gospel, then from Him Who conversed with God in the atoms of the Torah, then from the Friend of God in the atoms of sacred and preserved scrolls. Beware lest thou dispute with God or contend against His Self. Rather, purify thyself with the water that floweth from the direction of the Throne and say within thyself: In the Name of God, the Most Unapproachable, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the All-Glorious. Then lift thy right foot from the left of fancy and place it upon the right of certitude by My leave, for I am the All-Powerful, the All-Ruling, the All-Knowing. Say: By God! The Spirit speaketh not of his own desire, but rather by what the Holy Spirit warbleth within his most pure and crystal breast, as witnessed by that which hath descended from the most exalted Dominion at the Lote-Tree of the Utmost Boundary in His sweetest melodies, were ye but to hearken. Thus hath the tongue of the Spirit warbled unto thee, and the favor of thy Lord been perfected upon thee, that thou mayest be of them that attain. O Dhabih! If thou seest him, deliver unto him the message of thy Lord. If thou findest him receptive, then turn unto him; otherwise, verily thy Lord is independent of him and of the acceptance of both worlds. Strive then, O servant, within thyself, lest thy feet slip when the feet of the mystics slip. Read what We revealed aforetime in the Qayyumu’l-Asma’. By God! It is indeed My Remembrance unto all the worlds, and therein is sufficient for all that the servants desire, and God is witness unto this.

Know thou that We have not commanded the servants in this matter except because of their weakness; otherwise, thy Lord is in truth independent of aught else to establish His Cause. Verily, He is known through His own Self, and all else is known through Him, were ye of them that perceive. And if thou seest the Friend, glorify Him before His face from Us, then remind him of the sacred heights, that he may perchance find in himself a way unto Him Who is enthroned on high. Say: O servant! When We journeyed from the land of creation to the most distant stations and encompassed all things through Our sovereignty and command from Us, then did We find thee standing in the land of bewilderment between Paradise and the Fire, at times ascending in thyself and at other times descending. This beseemeth thee not, for there hath been ordained for thee a station from among the stations on well-preserved holy tablets. Magnify thyself, then turn toward the direction of Paradise, then enter therein by thy Lord’s leave, and be thou of them that are secure. Say: Today naught escapeth His knowledge, and not an atom stirreth between the heavens save by My leave, and this is a certain truth. Be thou steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord in such wise that should all who are in the realm oppose thee, thou wouldst find them but as a handful of clay. Without this, none shall ever attain unto the heaven of My Cause, nor shall any soul enter the paradise of My good-pleasure. Thus doth the Tongue of truth and knowledge inform thee. Abandon the world and whatsoever is upon it and within it in thy shadow, then observe with the eye of fairness that wherewith the splendors of the Cause have shone forth between the heavens and the earths. By My Beauty! If thou wouldst purify thy sight, thou wouldst witness all that appeareth from the traces of thy Lord as a luminous lamp and a brilliant light between the heavens and the earth, whereby each one of them guideth the people unto the holy and impregnable paradise. Beware lest thou veil thyself with the veil of self, and withhold thy spirit from that which hath been ordained in thy Lord’s paradise. This is Our command upon thee, that thou mayest be of them that act. Then make mention from Us unto all who have entered Iraq and attained the presence of the Throne and were of them that have succeeded, and unto them that have believed in God and His signs and were steadfast in manifest constancy. And the Spirit and glory and splendor be upon thee and upon whomsoever heareth thy word concerning the Cause of thy Lord and is of them that are firm.

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=== START BH00403 ===

O beloved of my heart and the one remembered in my soul! The decree of destiny has brought me joy while the imprisonment of the righteous and chosen ones has brought me sorrow. I praise God for his patience and forbearance, and for the mercy that preceded His servants. However, this servant sees what he dare not mention and knows what he does not wish to reveal. In this Revelation, God has seized His transgressing and oppressive servants after there descended from the kingdom of His utterance that which would sacrifice the spirits of those drawn nigh. He spoke, and His word is the truth: “Do not transgress against those who have transgressed against you, so that your grace and kindness may be manifest among the servants.” Thus was it sent down before from the heaven of our Ancient Lord’s will.

Glory be to God! Despite witnessing with their own eyes what has befallen the deniers, transgressors and oppressors, they remain heedless and veiled. How long will this heedlessness continue? By God’s life, the intoxication of worldly ornaments and bounties has made people heedless and prevented them from the Truth, exalted be His glory. What has occurred in these regions has occurred, and every possessor of hearing and sight has seen and heard it. What appeared in the Land of Sad is known to all, and that which is in the Land of Ta is not far from them. The liar was seized with great might, then he who spoke with oppression was taken with severe punishment.

More than this cannot be expressed. In this Most Great Revelation, the Truth has not given and will not give respite. Despite this, people’s heedlessness increases daily and the veils grow thicker with each passing day. Reflect on God’s compassion, grace and mercy, and likewise on the oppression of the rebellious tyrants. In most Tablets He says that if an oppressor transgresses against you, hold fast to the cord of patience, and if he harms you, forgive him. They have forbidden conflict, contention, corruption, killing, plunder and pillage to such an extent that most servants are aware and bear witness to this.

Nevertheless, they have imprisoned His Holiness Ismu’llah Mahdi - upon him be the Most Glorious Glory - without any proof or evidence. He is among those souls who sought only pure good for all from the Truth, exalted be His glory, and not even a mustard seed’s worth of harm came from him to anyone. He moved for God’s sake, and from this movement had no purpose except endearing creation, unifying souls, and bringing harmony and agreement among the servants - this too in a spirit of possibility and joy.

Despite this, such a soul and other friends who for nearly thirty years have borne trials and tribulations in God’s path and have not transgressed against anyone, they have seized with utmost oppression and tyranny and placed in prison. By God’s life, this imprisonment has become and will become the cause of glory, elevation of station, exaltation of worth, spread of knowledge, and expansion of the carpet of justice. However, this servant has been and remains utterly perplexed by one thing among all that has occurred, and that is the fear of some of the friends of God. Now one must reflect and speak with justice - was it better for the crown of thorns to be placed upon the blessed head of His Holiness the Spirit of God (Jesus) - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him - in God’s path and […]

If Herod, who was governor and ruler, wore a crown of jewels, the rebellion of the obstinate Jews and their heinous deeds and abominable actions became the cause of the exaltation of the Word, the proclamation of the Cause, and the elevation and ascendancy thereof, as is evident to all the peoples of the world. One must, as commanded, act with wisdom–that is, speak to each soul according to their capacity and station, and strive to refine souls, improve existence, and manifest kindness and affection to all creation for the sake of God. In this state, when his heart is illumined and his deeds are pure and sincere and his face is turned toward God, the water of life and the heavenly feast have been and will be his portion. If people were aware of the sweetness of death, they would seek this cup with a hundred thousand yearnings and joy.

Today is the day of dying. By the life of our Beloved and the Beloved of all who are in the heavens and earth, the springtime of ascension and rising has been and is in these days, for one attains infinite divine bounties and likewise the mention of the Supreme Pen, which cannot be equaled by all the treasures of the earth, and likewise the mention and attention of all things. Who can describe this most exalted, most sublime station or detail what lies therein? Most wondrous of all is that from the Supreme Pen has been revealed the preservation of all, yet sorrow and fear have seized some. And if something should come to pass, it would be for the sake of the life of the world and the manifestation of what is hidden therein, and this is the ultimate hope of all who hope.

God is witness and testament that this servant, many nights when verses of protection were being revealed, observed himself in sorrow, fearing lest I be deprived of the blessing of martyrdom and prevented from His grace, although I was not and am not worthy of this most exalted station and supreme pinnacle except through His wondrous grace and His all-encompassing favor. The servant asks, in weakness and supplication, and He is the Answerer, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.

Where can these days be found, and when do such times fall to everyone’s lot? A single moment thereof cannot be equaled by centuries and ages. Any deed that is performed for God’s sake is recorded as the king of deeds in God’s Book. Thus did my ear hear from my Lord, the Speaking, the Hearing, the All-Seeing. We beseech God to assist this evanescent one and other friends to arise to accomplish what has been missed. He is indeed the Powerful, the Mighty.

O beloved of my heart! Every person of insight and knowledge has loved and loves patience, but sometimes the oppression of aggressors reaches such a degree that one involuntarily cries out. Therefore I present to you what was sent down from the heaven of our Lord’s will in a Tablet He revealed to His Name, the Generous–upon Him be His most glorious glory. He said–and His word is the truth: “O My Name! You were with Me and witnessed the cord of My tranquility and the ocean of My patience. Consider what caused Me to cry out between the heavens and the earth” to the end of His exalted words. This blessed verse was revealed in the Land of Mystery.

Thus far scattered matters have been presented. Now I venture to present the main subject. O my beloved! The exalted letter dated the seventh of Jumada II […]

Praise and gratitude be to God that in such days, amidst the clamor of the ignorant and the burning flames of passion and desire, they have arrived in that land, trusting in God and clinging to the cord of His service. This evanescent servant beseeches the True One, exalted be His glory, to aid that beloved one in all conditions and to grant him success in all that He desires for His path. Verily, He has power over what He willeth. What joy and delight was experienced from the presence of that beloved one and His Honour Mirza and His Honour Haji Siyyid Asadu’llah, upon them both be the glory of God. The servant beseeches the Lord of the worlds and the Goal of all nations to prepare for your honour the means and to manifest for your eminence the affairs in such wise that you shall see them in your right hand and within your grasp. And after being apprised of what was in the Kingdom and presenting it before the Throne, thus spoke the Lord of the worlds - His word is the truth:

O thou who art mentioned before the Throne and inscribed in the Book! Convey from Me My greetings, My glorification and My loving-kindness to My Name who was imprisoned without evidence and without any command from God, the Lord of the worlds. Then to him who spoke with justice when questioned about this mighty News. Verily, We have remembered him and those who were imprisoned, as a grace from Us and a mercy from Our presence. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Generous. O thou who gazest toward My horizon and standeth firm in the service of My Cause! Gladden the fearful and sorrowful souls with the remembrance of God, exalted be His glory, and give them to drink from the chalice of assurance in the name of the Beloved of all possibility. There hath befallen them in the path of God that which hath caused the dwellers of Paradise to lament, and the people of this noble station. We found some in seclusion and some in evident agitation. God hath pardoned them and recorded for them the reward of what befell them on this straight path. Say: Beware lest anything prevent you from God or the might of the heedless cause you to fear. Do thou beseech God, thy Lord, to aid those who have been wronged and to grant them success in turning back and returning. Verily, He is the Oft-Returning, the Merciful.

And We make mention of Haydar who confined all matters to the mention of this Most Great Remembrance. Blessed is he and those who followed him in this firm and impregnable Cause.

We make mention of him who is named Asadu’llah who traveled with thee. Convey My greetings unto him and gladden him with this gracious remembrance. Convey the greetings of the Wronged One to all the friends in that land and say: Martyrdom is like the supreme elixir - rare, nay unobtainable - and hath not been and is not destined for every soul save by His binding and wise command. Let them not be perturbed nor fear the doings of the oppressors. Let them move and speak with the utmost joy and fragrance. He verily protecteth them in truth and He is the Protector, the Helper, the Almighty, the Powerful. Let them pray for the heedless and the oppressors and beseech God, exalted be His glory, for their guidance. And if they prove unworthy of guidance, He verily is the Stern, the All-Compelling, Who will seize them as He hath seized others in this Revelation. Brief was and is the respite. Say: Reflect on that which hath been sent down in this Revelation and hath been manifested by His penetrating, mighty, triumphant and powerful command. Gather together the sheep of God and remind them. Say: Beware lest the doings of the heedless frighten you, and beware lest ye cling to the flimsiest of houses for your protection. Put your trust in God, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers. He is with you and will protect and help you, and if He ordaineth martyrdom for you, this is of His great bounty. He desireth it for you only after your acceptance and your seeking it. All things bear witness to this, if ye be of them that know. We have adorned Hasan and Husayn and Kazim with a garment that will never wear out and with a glory that will never be followed by abasement, through the eternity of My Best Names. Blessed be the letters Ha and Sin who attained the supreme martyrdom and that which none knoweth save every tried, truthful and trustworthy mystic. Say: Fear not, neither be ye grieved. Be as mountains in the Cause of God, the Lord of the exalted Throne. Glory be upon thee and upon them and upon those whom neither commerce nor trade nor might nor wrath nor clamor hath deterred from the remembrance of God, the Mighty, the All-Praised.

O my beloved! Blessed are they whom neither the might of the world nor the assaults of the nations have deterred. This servant beseecheth God, exalted be His glory, to preserve all through His complete power from that which was and is unworthy, and to give them to drink at all times from the cup of awareness. Verily our Lord, the Most Merciful, is the Hearer, the Answerer.

The reply to this letter was submitted and sent in haste, and likewise previously multiple correspondences were dispatched to your presence along with two packages of passages in the blessed handwriting of the Most Great Branch - may my spirit, my being, and my essence be a sacrifice for the dust of His most pure footsteps. God willing, all have arrived and will arrive. And regarding the two letters from that beloved one dated before this letter, due to considerations of wisdom and timing, no reply was submitted. God willing, they will be sent later as appropriate. I convey greetings and salutations to the honored beloved, His Holiness Ha before Dal, and likewise to Haji who shares thy name, and to all other friends. May God, exalted be His glory, cause them all to soar on the wings of freedom in the atmosphere of inner meanings. May the glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of the bounty of our Lord and your Lord be upon your honor and upon those with you and upon those who have turned with illumined hearts to the Most Exalted Horizon and have testified to that whereunto God testified before the creation of earth and heaven - that there is none other God but Him, the Single, the One, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. And praise be to God, the Most High, the Most Great.

=== END BH00403 ===

=== START BH00404 ===

In the name of our Lord, the Most Holy, the Most Great, the Most Exalted, the Most Glorious!

Praise be to God Who hath adorned the leaves of the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing with mysteries known to none save His exalted Self. When the Hidden Mystery desired to reveal Himself in the kingdom of creation, He shone forth through one of the Names, whereupon the denizens of the highest Paradise and those who dwell in the most exalted Garden were drawn unto Him. Glorified be the Creator of the heavens and the Originator of all things, Who hath caused to proceed from the Pen that which hath illumined the world. Blessed is he who hath sought the One Who is sought, and the seeker who hath sought the Desired One, and the learned who hath desired the Known One, and the mystic who hath turned toward the Recognized One. Woe unto every learned one whom knowledge hath withheld from the Sovereign, the Self-Subsisting, and every mystic whom vain imaginings have veiled from the Hidden Name. By the life of God! Those who pride themselves on their knowledge in the days of God and occupy themselves therewith without His leave are indeed among the worshippers of names, as recorded in the Crimson Book. To this beareth witness the Mother Book, which speaketh in the Prison that there is none other God but He.

Glory be to Thee, O Beloved of all possibility! I beseech Thee by the leaves of the Tree of Thy knowledge, and the fruits of the Tree of Thine utterance, and the cooing of the doves of Thy remembrance in Thy lands, and the warbling of the nightingales of Thy love in Thy dominion, to assist Thy loved ones to stand firm in Thy Cause, to hold fast to the cord of Thy bounty, and to cling to the hem of Thy grace in such wise that the oppression of the aggressive ones in Thy days shall not deter them, nor shall the doings of the wrongdoers prevent them from turning toward Thy horizon. O Lord! Illumine their hearts with the lights of Thy knowledge, then give them to drink from the Kawthar of Thy love that they may recognize what Thou hast ordained for them from the Pen of Thy decree. O Lord! Unveil unto them what hath been hidden from them through Thy grace and favor, for verily, O my God, my Lord and my Support, were they to become aware of what Thou hast ordained for those of Thy servants who are nigh unto Thee, they would cast away the world and all that is therein, turning with their faces, their eyes and their hearts unto Thee. O Lord! Make known unto them their stations and aid them to preserve them through Thy Name, Thy sovereignty, Thy might and Thy power. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed, the Bestower, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Thereafter, as thy letter was enkindled with the fire of divine love, it added to its flame. God willing, may thy heart and the hearts of the loved ones of God ever be aflame with this fire which precedeth light itself and hath precedence over it. Were the pens of all who possess the power of composition to be engaged from the beginning that hath no beginning unto the end that hath no end in elaborating this theme, they would assuredly fail to pay befitting tribute to its praise. A single gleam of that fire shone forth upon the Mount, whereupon was witnessed what was witnessed and was heard what was heard. Exalted be He Who created it and caused it to appear and to speak. After this servant had perceived its heat and hearkened unto its sighing, I turned toward the Most Exalted Horizon and presented myself before His Face. Then did the Tongue of Grandeur speak that which the denizens of the kingdom of creation are powerless to mention or comprehend. At the end of the revealed verses, these exalted words were sent down from the heaven of divine Will – exalted be His grandeur:

In the name of the Wronged One, the Prisoner […]

O Abu’l-Hasan! Fix thy gaze upon this hallowed, exalted, blessed and perfect Word, which is as a pearl from the ocean of knowledge of the Best-Beloved of all creation: “Aid ye your Lord, the All-Possessing, the Most High, through goodly character and deeds.” O Abu’l-Hasan! Convey the Word of the Friend to His friends, that perchance they may drink of the life-giving waters concealed therein. The Supreme Pen hath, throughout the nights and days, counselled the loved ones of God to manifest goodly utterances and praiseworthy, well-pleasing deeds. If those who claim relationship with God, exalted be His glory, were to act in accordance with that which hath been enjoined, assuredly would its influence and fragrance encompass the world and illumine the embodiments of idle fancies and vain imaginings with the lights of certitude. Say: The intoxication of selfish desire hath withheld men from the Lord of all being and the Supreme Horizon. All were created for this Most Great Day, yet they remain veiled from it. Say: Strive ye, and let not this time slip from your grasp. I swear by the Divine Ocean of knowledge that these days have neither peer nor likeness. In all things hold fast unto wisdom and take firm hold of consultation. God hath manifested Himself in such wise that no fair-minded soul hath any cause to hesitate. Should anyone observe with an eye of fairness that which hath streamed forth in this Revelation from the Supreme Pen in Adrianople, Baghdad and the Most Great Prison, and ponder thereon, he would proclaim the blessed words “The Truth hath appeared!” All previous Books bear witness to this Most Holy, Most Exalted Day, and all the Prophets and Messengers have testified to the greatness of this Most Great Day. Nevertheless, all remain heedless save whom God willeth. Reflect upon the followers of the Bayan. By Him Who hath set all things in motion through the movement of His Most Exalted Pen, they have no knowledge of the source of their vain imaginings and idle fancies to which they cling. Say: O ye that are bereft of vision! Consider with fairness and insight the divine verses and heavenly manifestations, and ponder upon them. Should anyone, detached from all else, gaze upon that which hath been revealed, he would surely perceive the fragrance of divine revelation and distinguish it from aught else.

O Abu’l-Hasan! We make mention at this moment of God’s loved ones and His friends in that land who have quaffed the choice wine, turning away from the cawing that hath been raised from the direction of vain imaginings, without any clear proof or evidence. We give them the glad-tidings of Our manifestation, Our remembrance and Our utterance, even as We gave them glad-tidings aforetime in the Scriptures and Tablets. Say: The Wronged One calleth you to the Dayspring of certitude and giveth you to drink of the sealed wine from the hands of His grace and favors. O My loved ones! Turn not your gaze toward the world and all that is therein. Ask ye God, the Lord of all being and the Sovereign of the throne on high and of earth below, to aid you to act in accordance with that which will cause your mention to endure throughout the eternity of His most excellent names. There is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. We counsel you with that which We counselled you before, and We command you to do that which will draw you nigh unto God, the Lord of all mankind. Glory be upon you and upon My handmaidens whom the Most Great Veil hath not kept back from the Lord of Destiny Who speaketh from the Most Great Prison. The Kingdom is God’s, the Lord of all Lords.

Blessed art thou, nay, a hundred thousand times blessed art thou and the friends of God, for ye are drinking the choice wine from the chalices of the utterance of the All-Merciful. One drop thereof is more precious in the estimation of the Concourse on High than the blessings of both worlds. How far are these minds and souls from comprehending a station the praise of which hath been uttered by the tongue of the Lord of all names! The likes of us weak ones are unable to traverse this field save through the special assistance of God, exalted be His glory. Verily, He aideth whomsoever He willeth, and He is the All-Powerful, the Almighty.

Concerning what you wrote about the friends of the land of Za, it was presented at the Most Holy, Most Exalted Presence. This is what the Tongue of Grandeur spoke forth from His Most Glorious Horizon - glorified be His majesty: “Our gaze of loving-kindness hath been directed towards the servants and handmaidens of that land. Blessed are they who, for the sake of God, show love unto those who are related to Abu-Basir - he who proclaimed this Most Great Name and offered up his spirit in the path of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting - and likewise unto those who are related to Jinab-i-Ashraf, upon him be the glory of God, who drank what they drank from the choice wine of steadfastness and certitude in the Cause of the All-Merciful. These are My loved ones who dwell beneath the canopies of My grace. Upon them be My glory and the glory of all who are in the heavens and the earth.” God willing, may the friends of that land attain unto that which God loveth.

As for what you wrote concerning the garden, it hath been accepted. However, according to His command, it must remain in their possession and they should use its proceeds until such time as the Command is revealed from the presence of the Wise Ordainer. And if you wish to know about earthly matters, the Tongue of Grandeur uttereth decisive verses night and day, and this evanescent servant is occupied with recording them. I beseech God - exalted be His glory and great be His bounty - to grant success and aid in this momentous task. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

Some time ago, Jinab-i-Aqa Muhammad-Sadiq, upon him be the glory of God, arrived in the Holy Land. He saw, heard, drank, and attained. He came with the utmost joy and departed with the utmost joy after receiving permission. His letter arrived from the great city, from whence he intended to return to his home. I beseech God - exalted be His glory - to illumine that community and the people of that region with the lights of the Countenance of the Beloved of all possibility, that all may gaze toward the Supreme Horizon and act according to that which God hath revealed in the Book.

This Persian verse was revealed from the Most Exalted Pen in previous years. He spoke, and His sweetest utterance is:

O Baha’u’llah, when Thy fire blazed forth

It consumed the very existence of Thy lovers

With but one spark cast upon hearts

Thou didst raise a thousand Sinais in breasts

The Kawthar of love is concealed in these resplendent words. Outwardly, the word “fire” is mentioned, but inwardly it is light upon light. The flame of love is manifest and evident in the Sadratu’l-Bayan. God willing, hearts and souls shall be ignited by that fire and illumined by that light. In these days, and previously, several letters and missives arrived from Aqa Muhammad Hasan, upon him be the Glory of God, wherein were mentioned the names of certain devoted, assured and enkindled souls. For each one, a Most Glorious Tablet was revealed from the Supreme Horizon - some in the blessed handwriting of the Most Great Branch (may my spirit, my being, and my essence be a sacrifice for the dust of His footsteps), and some written by this servant were sent. In all conditions, all the friends who have truly partaken of the Most Pure Wine and are focused on the Greatest Scene must observe wisdom. The matter of wisdom is mentioned and accepted before God to such a degree that this year the Most Great Festival of the Birth was not celebrated. He said: “We have prohibited this festival to exalt the station of wisdom and to elevate its rank.” From this comprehensive, decisive and blessed word, the significance of wisdom becomes clear and evident. And these holy, sublime, blessed and revealed Tablets that were specifically revealed and sent for the friends of that land - if wisdom does not permit, let them remain with His Holiness Afnan (upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory). Great effort must be made to preserve the Tablets and Divine verses. It seems some have been negligent in this matter, as evidenced by the fact that when some friends were arrested in certain lands, their writings were discovered before they themselves were apprehended. In any case, mention of the Land of the Prison, as well as the Tablets, must remain concealed. Complete concealment is what behooveth us, and He is the Preserver, the Helper, the Mighty, the Great.

This servant’s request is that you convey greetings to all the friends of that land on behalf of this evanescent servant, and remind them of what has been mentioned, so that all may hold fast to the firm and strong cord and become detached from all else but God. These days and nights, these months and years, these hours and minutes - all have passed and are passing. God willing, may vision be fixed upon the Greatest Scene and may all our pillars attain to that which was ordained in the Book. Glory be upon you and upon those who have found and recognized the breeze that wafted in the dawn of God’s Day - our Beloved and your Beloved, our Goal and your Goal, and the Goal of all who are in the heavens and the earth. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

The Servant

22 Muharram 1299

Another matter: A letter was received mentioning that a mule belonging to His Holiness Afnan (upon him be all Glory) was sold by Jinab-i-Amin (upon him be the Glory of God, His light and His favors) to Muhammad Bey (upon him be the Glory of God). A letter from the servant arrived requesting that the payment be sent. What kind of situation is this? This payment had no connection to the Holy Threshold that it should be requested. The property belongs to His Holiness Afnan and the payment should reach him. Now, since Jinab-i-Bey does not have the funds available, as commanded, do not request it and pay it from the Huququ’llah. As commanded, convey wonderful greetings to your relatives on behalf of God, exalted be His Glory, and give each the glad tidings of His special favors. This is from God’s grace upon you and upon those with you - know this and be among the thankful ones.

=== END BH00404 ===

=== START BH00405 ===

The Tablet of God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting

He is the Rememberer, the Speaker, the All-Knowing

Praise be to God Who hath appeared from the Dayspring of His signs, the Dawning-Place of His evidences, and the Source of His commandments and ordinances. He is the One through Whom mysteries were revealed, trees did speak, rivers did flow, and oceans did surge. Blessed is he who hath attained unto His knowledge, heard His call, and acted according to that which was commanded in His Book. And woe unto him who hath cast His Book behind him, disputed His verses, denied His proof, and rejected His testimony whereby the doors of bounties and favors were opened, and the Luminary of Justice shone forth from all directions, and the Herald proclaimed: “The Kingdom belongeth to God, the Lord of the Beginning and the End!”

The Light shining from the horizon of God’s will, the Lord of Lords, and the Glory dawning from the horizon of Divine Will and favors, and the glorification manifest from the tongue of the Lord of creation be upon the hands of His Cause who broke not His covenant and testament, who aided His Cause amongst His servants, and who spoke His praise throughout His lands. These are the keys to the doors of hearts and souls, and the dawning-places of the names of God, the Sovereign of sovereigns. Through them the clouds did rain, and the treasures of the earth were revealed, and whatsoever was hidden therein and concealed beneath its layers.

Glorified art Thou, O Lord of existence and the One Who holdeth dominion over the seen and unseen! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Name, through which the mysteries of the Books and whatsoever was recorded in the Scrolls were made manifest, to assist Thy loved ones to aid Thy Cause through wisdom and utterance. O my Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy power that hath encompassed all created things, and by Thy might that hath surrounded all existence, to make me and Thy chosen ones the standards of Thy guidance in Thy land and the banners of Thy Cause amidst Thy creation.

Thou seest, O my God, what the oppressors and pharaohs have wrought. O Lord! Take the reins of their pride in the grasp of Thy power, and the bridles of their rebellion in the right hand of Thy will. Aid the oppressed with Thy hosts, then protect them from the evil of Thine enemies who have denied Thee and Thy signs, and who have risen to frustrate Thy Cause. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest, and within Thy grasp are the reins of all who are in the heavens and on earth. There is none other God but Thee, the Supreme, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O thou who soarest in the atmosphere of My love! As to what they have mentioned regarding the enthusiasm of the friends in that land, praise be to God, they have drunk the choice wine of utterance from the hands of the bounty of the Goal of all the worlds, and have attained unto that which God hath revealed in His Books. Illumine each one of them with the light of utterance from the Wronged One. They are the primary temples who have drunk the Kawthar of utterance from the hand of the bounty of the Dawning-Place of the Light of Oneness, and who have attained unto the station of maturity through the aid of the Most Exalted Word. We have mentioned them before, and at this time with verses from each letter of which have flowed the rivers of wisdom and utterance throughout all possibility. Blessed are they and happy are they. We bear witness that they have attained unto the hearing of My sweetest call and the rustling of My Most Glorious Pen. These are servants whom God hath described in His Books of old and to come. Verily, He is the Protector of those who do good, and He wasteth not the reward of the doers of good.

We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to aid them to achieve such steadfastness as cannot be shaken by the hosts of the world nor the power of the nations. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Bountiful.

Mention hath been made of him who remembereth and counseleth. Verily, he hath attained unto acceptance and hath spoken in remembrance and praise. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to strengthen him with the hosts of utterance and to guard him through His might and power which have encompassed all regions. O […]

Verily We have heard thy call and made mention of thee aforetime in a Tablet that hath shone forth from the luminous horizon of God’s loving providence, the Lord of all worlds. Blessed is the tongue that hath spoken My remembrance, and the heart that hath attained the warmth of My love, and the eye that hath been honored to behold My traces, and the hand that hath taken My Book, detached from the earth and its ornaments, its favors and its wealth.

O Ta, the Wronged One maketh mention of thee from the precincts of the Prison with that which shall assist thee to quicken souls once again and to refine them. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing Speaker. Say: O people, cast away what ye possess of idle fancies and vain imaginings, and take what hath been given you from God, the Lord of the mighty Throne. Say: My God, my God! Illumine the hearts of Thy servants with the lights of Thy knowledge and adorn their heads with the crowns of Thy love and their temples with the robes of detachment in Thy days. Verily Thou art the Powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Powerful, the All-Wise.

God willing, may His glory be glorified, may He ordain for that honored one the living waters. O concourse of the dead! May they attain unto new life through the breezes of utterance. Verily He is the One Who hath power over whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be” and it is.

Mention was made of Mirza ’Abdu’l-Husayn who hath intended to attain the Most Exalted Horizon. Blessed is he and well is it with him. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to aid him to serve His Cause and to adorn him with the ornament of steadfastness in such wise that the names shall not prevent him from their Owner, their Quickener and their Ordainer.

O ’Abdu’l-Husayn, hearken with the ear of thy soul to the call of the Wronged One […] The year the Shi’ih faction was devoted to mere names while heedless of the Truth […] Pride reached such a state that they […] When the dawn of the Day of Manifestation broke, all inflicted upon the Dayspring of Divine Revelation and the Fountainhead of heavenly inspiration that which caused the white stone to lament […]

Say: My God, my God! I testify to Thy Manifestation and Thy establishment upon the throne of knowledge at the midmost heart of contingent being, and to Thy standing before the faces of all religions. I beseech Thee, O Lord of the Kingdom and Sovereign of might, by Thy Name through which Thou didst subdue the hearts of the nations and by the light of Thy Cause wherewith Thou didst illumine the world, to protect me from the evil of the oppressors. O my Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I have turned to Thee, detached from all else but Thee, and I desire from Thee the wonders of Thy bounty and bestowal. O my Lord! Disappoint me not from the ocean of Thy utterance and the sun of Thy generosity. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Mention was made of his honor Ibrahim. We make mention of him from this most exalted station and give him the glad-tidings of that which hath been sent down for him from the heaven of God’s utterance, the Lord of all worlds. O Ibrahim! Hear the call from the Most Exalted Pen - sovereignty belongeth unto God, the Mighty, the Wise. We beseech God to grant thee the heavenly table that hath been sent down from the heaven of the bounty of thy Lord, the Generous, for it is His utterance through which the hearts of those who are nigh and the sincere ones have been attracted. Say: Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having given me to drink of Thy sealed wine and for having made known to me Thy straight path. I beseech Thee to adorn me with the ornament of trustworthiness amongst Thy creatures, then open before my face, through the key of Thy Most Great Name, the doors of grace and […]

Bounty and generosity are Thine, verily Thou art the One with power over whatsoever Thou willest. There is no God but Thee, the Single, the One, the Mighty, the Omnipotent. O Ghulam-Qabl-Husayn! We have counseled the friends of God, both past and present, in numerous Tablets concerning trustworthiness, religious devotion and chastity. However, most heeded not what God counseled and exchanged righteousness and godliness for […] and wickedness. Soon shall they find themselves in manifest loss. The bounty of this Revelation has been beyond […]. […] what strife, contention and corruption have been strictly forbidden in the Holy Books and Tablets. We beseech God that He may aid thee in that which will cause the sanctification of the servants and the exaltation of His Word. Verily He is the Helper, the Counselor, the All-Wise.

O Rida-Qabli! He who loved Me made mention of thee, and We make mention of thee with wondrous mention. The horizons have been filled with the signs of thy Lord, the Master of the Day of Meeting, yet the people are in evident doubt. We beseech God to aid thee to rend all veils asunder and draw thee nigh unto Him. Verily He is the Mighty, the All-Knowing.

We make mention at this time of him who was named ’Ali, then of him who hath raised in the edifice of God that which none of My Branches hath raised - he who was named Badi’u’llah in My perspicuous Book. We beseech God to protect them both and aid them in that which befitteth this blessed, mighty and wondrous Day. Verily He heareth that which proceedeth from the mouths of His servants. Thy Lord is, in truth, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

O My loved ones! This Day is the Day of assistance, albeit through wisdom and utterance. We counsel all to such deeds as will cause the peoples of the world to turn towards Him. Some in various regions have departed from wisdom. We beseech God to grant them success and aid them in that which will attract the hearts of His servants. Verily He is the Mighty, the Omnipotent.

O Khalil! Upon thee be My glory and mercy. Each of the souls mentioned hath attained unto the Most Great Remembrance […]. Today the station of the Word of God is not known to some. Blessed is the affliction of one who hath attained unto this with evident certitude. Know ye that every word […] that hath issued forth from the mouth of the Will in the name of anyone is like unto a lofty, towering and blessed Tree, whose fruits, signs and leaves are ever fresh and verdant. Blessed are they that understand and they that have attained.

The glory that hath dawned from the horizon of the heaven of My Kingdom be upon you, O My loved ones, and upon those whom the names have not prevented from drawing nigh unto God, the One, the Single, the Mighty, the Powerful.

O My Most Exalted Pen! Blessed art thou for that which We have caused to appear through thee of the pearls of wisdom and utterance, and that wherewith the ocean of exposition hath surged throughout creation. Exalted is the All-Merciful Who hath caused all things to speak even as the Tree of the Mount spoke unto Moses, son of ’Imran. Make mention of him who loved Me and drank the choice wine of reunion from the hand of My bounty when he was present before the Wronged One with such humility as caused all directions to bow down before it. Verily, he was named ’Ali-’Askar in the Book of Names by God, the Revealer of verses. Blessed art thou for having inhaled the fragrance of utterance and having set thy face towards the Ultimate Goal and the Supreme Summit, until thou didst attain His presence and win that which most of the servants were debarred from. We made mention of thee before, and We make mention of thee now with that which causeth the hearts of them that are nigh to be attracted in the Tablet of God, the Lord of lords. Be thou steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord in such wise that the might of […]

The Glory which hath dawned from Us be upon thee and upon those who have turned towards thee and have said: “Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of all mankind!” We make mention of Our loved ones in Mim and Ya and give them glad tidings of that which hath been ordained for them by the Most Exalted Pen in the Books and Tablets. Blessed art thou, O Land of Mim and Ya, by reason of that which God hath manifested in thee through His beloved one who was named with Alif and Ha, whose mention We have sent down in the Crimson Scroll from My Most Exalted Pen. Blessed is he and blessed is he who loveth him, as decreed by the Lord of creation.

Verily, We have mentioned and continue to mention Our loved ones there who were not held back by swords from drawing nigh unto God, the Dayspring of Inspiration. Take ye the cup of steadfastness from the hand of bounty, then drink therefrom in the name of your Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower. Grieve not over that which hath proceeded from every lying impostor who hath exchanged trustworthiness for treachery and truth for falsehood. Indeed, they have cast the Book of God behind their backs and have denied His verses, before which all remembrances bow down when they are revealed. Rejoice in My remembrance, then aid Me through deeds from which the fragrance of acceptance is wafted. Thus hath the Pen spoken while the Wronged One was in the hands of the wicked. The splendor of the All-Merciful shall come upon you.

O friends of that land! We have made mention of you and continue to do so. Blessed is the face that hath turned, the heart that hath advanced, the tongue that hath spoken, and the hand that hath taken hold of My perspicuous Book. These are the days of revelation and He Who conversed on Sinai is seated upon the throne of utterance. Strive ye, that haply ye may attain unto that which is everlasting and enduring.

His honor the Trustee - upon him be My glory and loving-kindness - hath repeatedly made mention of the friends of that land and its surroundings and hath sent word to the Most Holy Court. We beseech God to assist you to remain steadfast in His Cause and to adorn you with the ornament of His bounty. Today the Pen is in joy, and the Tablet in rapture and delight. Blessed is the soul that hath been awakened by the call of the Most Exalted Pen 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 all creation nor likeness among His servants. Make mention of the devoted handmaidens on behalf of the Wronged One and illumine them with the lights of the utterance of Him Who is the Goal of all existence. The resplendent and gleaming 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.

=== END BH00405 ===

=== START BH00407 ===

In the Name of Our Most Holy, Most Great, Most Exalted, Most Glorious Lord!

Praise be to God Who hath illumined hearts through the remembrance of His loved ones, His chosen ones, and His friends, and hath manifested whatsoever He hath willed through His command, His power, and His sovereignty. He hath created all beings and moved them through His most sweet call until they arose and hastened to the supreme horizon, except those who were veiled by the veils of idle fancies and were held back by the daysprings of vain imaginings - they who denied God, the Lord of all men. I pray, offer salutations, and glorify His ambassadors, His friends, and His chosen ones who have not preceded Him in speech and have acted according to what they were commanded by Him in a manifest and resplendent manner. These are servants upon whom the Concourse on High and the dwellers of the cities of names send their blessings, both in the evening and at dawn.

Thereafter, this evanescent servant submits that a response to your letter, which was brought by Sheikh S, was written, but since it appeared that the Sheikh’s journey might be prolonged, it was not sent. In these days, another petition and letter written in the hand of the beloved of hearts, Haji Kamal-ud-Din (upon him be Baha’u’llah, the Lord of the worlds), addressed to your honor, arrived. It brought joy and bestowed the blessing of news of your well-being and his. God willing, may you both ever remain at rest beneath the shadow of the Beloved’s grace through all times, seasons, months and years, occupied in the service of His Cause. After your petition was submitted to the Most Holy Court, one most wondrous and impregnable Tablet was revealed from the heaven of will specifically for your honor and was sent. Previously also, two glorious and sublime Tablets were sent in the company of the Sheikh, specifically for your honor and for the leaf (female believer), upon her be Baha’u’llah. May they attain unto them and drink from the flowing rivers of wisdom and utterance from the fountainhead of the words of the Beloved of all possibility.

Regarding what you wrote about the daughter of the martyr, Aqa Abdul-Rasul (upon him be Baha’u’llah) - may God grant you the best of rewards and ordain for your honor what befits His generosity, bounty, grace and beneficence. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Generous, the Bountiful. It is known that your honor is engaged in service to the Truth and have not, and will not, fall short in whatever can be done for the friends. This station is most great. Blessed is the one who recognizes it and holds fast unto it. This station is more glorious than all stations that have been witnessed or heard of. The Book of God, the Lord of the worlds, beareth witness to this. Likewise, the letter which Aqa Mirza Hussein, son of the elevated Ustad Baqir Najjar (upon them both be Baha’u’llah), sent to your honor was received and this evanescent one beheld it. It is hoped that whatever lies within your power regarding them and the daughter of the honored martyr (upon them be Baha’u’llah) will not be neglected, so that perhaps these two souls might attain their rights. Verily, He does not suffer to be lost the reward of the doers of good.

The special announcement is that the beloved missives from his honor Haji Mirza Kamal al-Din - upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory - illumined the world of joy with the mention of the Beloved One and brightened the heaven of love with the luminary of the name of the Desired One. May they ever and always drink from the ocean of utterance and with perfect wisdom bestow it upon the people of contingent being. This glad tiding is conveyed to them: repeatedly was mention made of them from the Tongue of Grandeur, and in each instance the bounty of the True One was manifested in wondrous ways. May they arise with perfect steadfastness in the Cause of God in such wise that should anyone speak contrary to the good-pleasure of God, exalted be His glory, or transgress the station of servitude, they would regard that one as utter nothingness and absolute non-existence. In all conditions may they fix their gaze upon God alone and deal with the friends of God with perfect love and moderation. This utterance hath appeared from the Kingdom of will out of pure grace so that all the friends might become aware of the Purpose and preserve the reins of the Cause. Blessed is he whom naught besides God deterreth from the Truth and whom nothing causeth to deviate from the good-pleasure of the Beloved of the worlds. When mention is made of them most times, the days of reunion, unity and gathering come to mind. In truth, the world becometh a world of joy. I beseech the Exalted True One to assist them in that which hath flowed from the Supreme Pen.

O my God, my Beloved, my Purpose! I beseech Thee by Thy imprisonment among Thy servants and Thy trials among the people of Thy realm to assist him and Thy servants to aid Thy Cause through wisdom and utterance. O Lord! He is the one who hath drunk the Kawthar of Thy presence and attained the honor of visiting Thy countenance. I beseech Thee not to disappoint him of the wonders of Thy generosity and bounty. Verily Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest and within Thy grasp is the kingdom of the dominion of the heavens and earths. Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds!

Another glad tiding is that at this moment he is present before the Throne and this Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet hath been revealed from the heaven of favor especially for them. May they attain unto it and be refreshed and gladdened by its fragrance to such extent that the darkness of the world shall not prevent them from remaining fresh. His word, exalted be His grandeur:

He is the One manifest through His name, the Self-Subsisting […]

O Most Exalted Pen! We wish to make mention of him who attained unto the light of the Countenance whilst behind the veil. He is among those who attained the presence of God when the ocean of reunion surged in Baghdad by the command of God, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. He departed from his home, turning towards the Most Exalted Horizon until he entered, heard and attained that which was promised in the Books of God, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High. O Kamal! Rejoice in that the Wronged One maketh mention of thee from the prison, drawing thee unto the station of nearness, of holiness and of beauty. Behold and then remember when thou wert present before the Throne and didst hear the Voice of Him Who conversed upon Sinai, which when it came from the heaven of the Cause caused all things to proclaim: “The Lord of the Day of Reckoning is come!” Rejoice thou in this most great favor. By the life of God! All the treasures of the world cannot equal it. He Who rode upon the clouds and walked upon the horizons of the earth with power and sovereignty doth testify to this.

O Kamal! Today the stations of divine favors are veiled, for the realm of existence hath not had, nor hath it now, the capacity to bear their revelation. But soon will He manifest His Cause by His behest. No force of hosts can weaken Him, nor can the might of kings enfeeble Him. He speaketh the truth and summoneth all unto the One, the All-Informed. All have been created for the betterment of the world. By the life of God! The attributes of the beasts of prey befit not man. The station of man is and shall ever be mercy, love, compassion and forbearance towards all the peoples of the world. Say: O friends! Drink ye of this pure fountain that floweth from the finger of the grace of the Lord of all names, and give others to drink in His name, that the denizens of earth may know with clear certainty why the Truth hath come and for what purpose they were created.

Thy letters have arrived in these days and all were presented at the Most Holy Court, and thou hast been blessed with the favors and bounties of the Wronged One of the horizons. Today steadfastness is among the most mighty matters in the sight of God, and shall continue to be so, for the manifestations of idle fancies and the dawning-places of vain imaginings are engaged in misleading the servants. Say: O friends! Lay hold of the Salsabil of steadfastness which floweth from the spring of divine utterances, and drink thereof in His name, that ye may find yourselves possessed of such a station that should the whole world appear with all its books, scrolls and scriptures, ye would regard them as utter nothingness. Thus hath the Tongue spoken in the Kingdom of utterance, that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. The glory be upon thee, upon thy wife, upon thy children, upon thy two sisters, and upon those women who have believed in God, the Most High, the Great.

Special Tablets, wondrous and sublime, have been sent down from the heaven of Will for the friends of that land. God willing, they shall receive them and attain unto them. Glory be to those who have turned unto God and are firm, and light be upon those who have heard and are steadfast.

Praise be to God! They have been and are blessed with the favors of the Desired One of all the worlds. In truth, the verses themselves speak of the compassion, favor, mercy and loving-kindness of the Beloved of all who are in the heavens and the earth. There is no need for mention and explanation by this servant.

Likewise mention was made of His honor Aqa Mirza Mahdi, son of His Holiness the Martyr, upon both of them be the glory of God. This was presented in the Most Holy and Most Exalted Court. This is what the Tongue of the All-Merciful spoke in the Kingdom of utterance - exalted be His glory: He is the All-Knowing Witness.

O Mahdi! Blessed is thy father who emigrated from his home in his longing to attain the presence of God and presented himself before the Throne when the Cause was still veiled behind a manifest veil. He drank from the Kawthar of reunion before its manifestation and attained unto the Hidden Mystery before its revelation. To this testifieth He with Whom is the mighty Book. He was with Me in prison for a number of days in the land of Mim. Thus doth his Ancient Lord make mention of him - He Who proclaimeth at the heart of the world: “There is none other God but Me, the Single, the All-Informed.” He was among those who were martyred in the path of God and who drank the cup of nearness and good-pleasure from the hand of the bounty of his Lord, the Gracious. Blessed is he, again blessed is he, and blessed are they who visit him, according to that which the Tongue of Grandeur hath spoken in His mighty prison. The glory shining forth from the horizon of My loving-kindness be upon him and upon the martyr who ascended unto God, the Lord of all worlds. We have made mention of him in such wise as nothing possessed by men can equal, and We make mention of him as a token of Our grace. Verily, I am the Forgiving, the Merciful.

O Mahdi! We have heard thy call and have answered thee with this Tablet that thou mayest rejoice and be of them that are thankful. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having remembered me while I was among the heedless. I beseech Thee to assist me in Thy remembrance and praise and in that which Thou hast revealed in Thy perspicuous Book. And I beseech Thee to forgive me and my father and my uncle, and to remit our sins through Thy grace and generosity, O Thou through Whose Name the ocean of forgiveness surgeth in all creation, and through Whom the fragrance of generosity is wafted and the sweet savors of bounty are diffused throughout existence. Verily, Thou art the Possessor of the hidden and the manifest. There is none other God but Thee, the Omnipotent, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. And praise be unto Thee, O God of all worlds.

This evanescent servant conveyeth wondrous and sublime greetings unto them and beseecheth God to assist them to that which is His good-pleasure. Verily our Lord, the All-Merciful, is the Hearing, the Answering.

And likewise concerning Aqa Mirza Aqa [upon him be Baha’u’llah], who is among thy kinsmen, what was written was presented before the Most Holy Court. This is what the All-Merciful hath sent down from the Kingdom of Utterance. His words, exalted be His grandeur:

He is the Speaker, the Manifest, the All-Knowing!

The world hath been set ablaze by the lights of the Most Great Name, yet the peoples remain in heedlessness and behind a veil. The light hath shone forth from the horizon of the heaven of Revelation and the Divine Lote-Tree hath called out: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Lord of lords!” Every book hath been honored by this Most Great Book, and every verse by these verses which, when sent down, caused the Cry to be raised and the mountains to pass away. This is the Day of God, to which the atoms themselves bear witness, and beyond them every fair-minded and discerning one. O thou who art mentioned before the Throne in the Most Great Prison! Hearken unto My call, for it will draw thee unto My Kingdom and unto stations which none save God, the Manifestation of verses, hath comprehended. Be thou thankful unto God for having sent down unto thee that whereby the hearts of them that are endued with understanding have been attracted. We counsel thee and Our loved ones to manifest supreme steadfastness, for the Calf belloweth and the Raven croaketh and the feeble one crieth out “I am the All-Knowing Speaker!” Thus have We made mention of thee that thou mayest thank thy Lord, the Lord of all return.

As commanded, this servant wrote the revealed verses on separate pages and sent them. I beseech God that all may discover their fragrance and move among the servants with perfect wisdom in a state of spiritual intoxication, lest any matter arise that would cause turmoil and uproar and prevent weak souls from reaching the highest horizon. This evanescent servant offers greetings to them and to all who drink from the Kawthar of divine knowledge, and beseeches God, exalted be His glory, to aid all to achieve His good-pleasure and to confirm them. Verily the Glory that is manifest, resplendent, luminous, fragrant, penetrating, flowing, moving and prevailing be upon you and upon those who have been named with perfection in the Kingdom of Names, and upon those who are with him and with you, and upon those who have drunk the wine of steadfastness and have arisen to serve the Cause with resolve, constancy and firm persistence. And praise be to God, the Mighty, the Wise.

=== END BH00407 ===

=== START BH00408 ===

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

Praise be unto Him Who is sanctified above all mention and thought, the Ever-Living Lord of all, Who hath illumined the horizon of proof on the Day of Resurrection with the Sun of utterance, and Who hath, through the breaths of His Most Exalted Word, conferred new life upon all within creation. He hath adorned the heavens of wisdom and inner meaning with the stars of the utterances of them who are nigh unto Him and sincere in their love. He is the One Incomparable in power, the One Peerless Expounder, the One Unique Proclaimer. From the Primal Point He hath caused countless books to appear, and through His perfect might hath made a single word the cause of life and death, and the manifestation of all that is recorded and concealed. Nevertheless, how can this unworthy servant be fitted to plumb the depths of this ocean, or to tread upon this carpet, or to tarry in this station? Glory be unto Him, glory be unto Him, above all that hath been or shall be presented or mentioned! I seek His forgiveness for my praise and glorification of Him, and for all that my heart hath comprehended or my soul hath known.

By Thy life, O Beloved of my heart! Whensoever I consider my existence, my rising up and my sitting down, my movement and my stillness, my sleep and my wakefulness, my attention and my thoughts and my mention, I am abashed and ashamed, and I say with my inner and outer tongue: I seek Thy forgiveness, I seek Thy forgiveness, O God of the worlds, and I turn in repentance unto Thee, O Thou Goal of them that know Thee!

I had intended in my own mind to compose an oration, that I might adorn the opening of this petition with praise and glorification of the Lord of Unity. Suddenly I became aware that a grave matter had arisen, namely, my attention to my own mention, my self, and my existence. I seek God’s forgiveness for this and turn unto Him in repentance.

Glory be unto Thee, O God of existence and Lord of the seen and unseen! Thou beholdest me powerless before the surging oceans of Thy knowledge and the billowing seas of Thy grace, abject before the manifestations of Thy might and majesty, impotent before the evidences of Thy strength and power, incapable of soaring in the atmosphere of Thy remembrance, and heedless of understanding that which Thou hast sent down in Thy scrolls and books. How can the blind behold the lightning flashes of the Sun of Thy manifestation? How can the deaf hear the melodies of the Dove of Thy oneness? How can the dumb speak when Thy verses descend from the heaven of Thy Will? By Thy glory! The signs of Thy power have so encompassed me that I am powerless to do aught, and I behold my essence and being unable even to mention inability, let alone aught else. Yet since Thou hast made the mention of Thyself the sustenance of my soul, Thy praise and prayers unto Thee the nourishment of my spirit, and the elixir of Thy utterance the cause of my survival, therefore do I remember Thee through what Thou hast taught me and made known unto me. I beseech Thee, O Creator of the heavens and Lord of all names, to assist me to serve Thy chosen ones and Thy loved ones, unto whom Thy countenance hath turned from the horizon of Thy grace. Thou art He Who hath ever been powerful over Thy Cause and dominant over all that dwell in Thy heaven and earth. O my Lord! Thou seest me, despite my powerlessness, poverty, and the extinction of my being, desiring to make mention of him whom Thou hast made a teacher in Thy Book and immortalized in the paradise of Thy remembrance, and whom Thou hast named ‘the Friend’ in Thy Tablets–Tablets of which a single letter cannot be equaled by all that exist in the kingdom of creation. O my Lord! I beseech Thee by Thy hidden knowledge and Thy treasured, concealed secrets to grant me success in mentioning him in the court of Thy glory and in loving him throughout the endurance of Thy kingdom and Thy dominion. Verily, Thou art the Answerer of whosoever calleth upon Thee and the Helper of whosoever imploreth Thee. There is none other God but Thee, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

My being is a sacrifice to Thy remembrance, and my soul a ransom for Thy Cause. Time and again hath this evanescent one been blessed with the traces of Thy pen. God knoweth that the spheres of my love have been set in motion by their fragrance, and the cities of my affection have been perfumed by their sweet savors. From each letter have I drunk the Kawthar of meeting Thee and the choice wine of attaining Thy presence. I beseech God to perpetuate this bounty which is far beyond my station and rank. He, verily, is the Answerer, the Mighty, the Best-Beloved.

This evanescent servant hath repeatedly been blessed with the receipt of your esteemed letter. Regarding what you wrote about having sent the revealed Tablets, it is evident that your honor hath ever been and continue to be occupied with service to the Cause of God. O beloved of my heart! The heedlessness and lack of capacity of the servants hath reached such a degree that for some time the ocean of utterance hath been stilled, and only occasionally do its drops appear. In one of the Tablets revealed to one of the friends in the land of Shin, He saith words to this effect: The face of the world is turning toward irreligiosity, and this condition shall persist thus for some time, increasing day by day until its appointed time which hath been set down in the Book of God. And when that time is fulfilled, the Cause of God shall be raised up despite the opposition of the servants. Thus hath it been decreed aforetime by the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

It is evident that were people ready, the clouds of mercy would not be withheld, the sun of bounty would not remain concealed, and the ocean of inner meanings would not be stilled. Yes, the people are ignorant and heedless of that which today shineth forth from the horizon of God’s will. I swear by the Sun of the horizon of Revelation that were they to become aware of but a drop from the waves of the Most Great Ocean, they would become detached from all that they possess. The veils of selfish desires have become so thick and dense that their rending is most difficult save by the finger of the power of our Lord, the Mighty, the Powerful.

Regarding what you wrote about the condition of the friends being good, provided their pettiness allows it - at this they smiled greatly. Thus did the Tongue of Grandeur speak: O Khalil! If souls who have accepted the Faith were to act upon the divine counsels and revealed deeds, surely all creation would cry out in the wilderness of detachment, after hearing the call, “Here am I, O my God, here am I!” Man becomes proud through his garment and transgresses through his pettiness, save whom God willeth. Were words moderate and matched by deeds, they would surely become the cause of the salvation of the world and the preservation of nations. In one instance the Supreme Pen hath revealed that utterance should be adorned with the nature of mother’s milk and fatherly affection, that the children of the world might thereby be educated and reach maturity. Should one speaking go beyond the comprehension of the hearer, he hath departed from justice. I beseech the True One to make all accepting souls aware of the degrees of wisdom revealed in the Book. He, verily, is the Ordainer, the All-Wise.

O thou who art a herald! I have left the Most Great Prison, and We have made the Ridvan Our throne’s seat, then this lofty mansion. God hath fulfilled what He revealed on His first arrival in the land of the Prison, and kept His promise in the Book. He, verily, is the Fulfiller, the All-Informed. The land hath been honored by the advent of the Most Great Sea - exalted be God, the King, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. We love to make mention of thee after We had restrained the Pen from remembrance and utterance. Thus doth the All-Merciful give thee glad tidings that thou mayest be of those who rejoice. Grieve not at anything, for He is with thee. Soon shall pass away that wherein the heedless take delight. The leaf springeth from the tree and cleaveth unto it, moveth upon it and smileth at its rustling, drawing hearts by its ways - all this thou beholdest in the morning, yet in the evening thou seest it fallen, yellowed, upon the ground. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Explaining, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. By thy life! That wherein the most exalted servants rejoice was as naught to those who have turned towards the Countenance, for they see nothing but they perceive its passing away and God’s decree standing over it. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Rejoice thou in My remembrance, My manifestation, My effulgence, My call, My favors and My bounties which have encompassed the worlds. Thy letter hath come before Us. We have seen it, read it, and made mention of thee in this Perspicuous Tablet. We have found from it the fragrance of thy sincerity, thy longing, and thy turning toward God, the Goal of all seekers. By God’s life! He hath ordained for thee that which shall gladden the eyes of the sincere ones.

Concerning the Siyyid - upon him be what is upon him - they had written; from His Holiness’s first writing the nature of it became clear. Such heedless souls assuredly were not and are not capable of movement in the arena of His Holiness’s utterance. How blessed is the word that His Holiness spoke: “Leave them in their vain discourse, nay rather in their playground sporting.” The people have been and remain greatly veiled, have not become aware of the ascents of witness, and have not attained to the ladder of knowledge. They have not yet comprehended a drop from the divine utterances. The very claim of the Bab’s station by His Holiness - may the spirit of all else be sacrificed for Him - was indicative and manifested the condition of the people. In one station He even denied from Himself the specific Babhood, for all were standing in the valley of conjecture and fancy, unable to comprehend the effulgences of the Sun of Certainty, save whom God willeth. In every utterance that appeared from the Dayspring of the All-Merciful’s will, most were concerning the mention of certain souls of the past, and had the people been capable, naught but mention of the Sun of Truth and the Spiritual Heaven would have flowed from His Holiness’s tongue and pen, as can be understood from certain blessed verses. Yea, meat is harmful to the suckling. Glory be to Him Who giveth to everything its due right. A word concerning Husayn ibn Ru? appeared from the horizon of His Holiness’s Pen: “Blessed art thou, then joy be to thee, through the everlasting names and attributes of God, in that ye have known him from before.” Between these people and these souls, one must at all times hold fast to “Not all that is known should be uttered.” Praise be to the Goal of all worlds Who raised the banner of “the Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds” and caused “the Kingdom on that Day shall be God’s” to appear from the Dayspring of creation. He, verily, is the Powerful, the Transcendent, the Mighty, the Wise.

As regards the matter of the esteemed Sarkar Khan, they had sent certain items which arrived in this land with great difficulty, for at the customs house in Alexandria they opened the items and valued them according to their own discretion, collecting substantial duties. Likewise at the customs house in Haifa they opened them again, saying the declaration did not match these goods, whereupon they collected duties once more from his honor M.H., upon him be 96 [Baha’u’llah’s] Most Glorious Beauty. Furthermore, after arrival here some items did not match the inventory, and besides this, in this place only carnelian rings are used. What more can this servant say? I beseech God to assist all to that which He loves and is pleased with. And regarding what was written about them, it was conveyed. These words issued forth from the Source of Utterance - exalted be His glory: “Those souls who turn toward different regions must act according to what hath been revealed in the Book, be detached from all who dwell on earth, and in each of their members, organs, limbs, veins, features and strands of hair perceive a heart, and that heart must be turned toward God. At no time should they let go of wisdom, for verily it is the mightiest foundation from God, the Lord of the worlds.” However, whatsoever your honor hath done was truly the essence of wisdom and is acceptable before God, and this servant sayeth: “O my God! Make his affairs prosper.”

Concerning his honor Aqa Mirza ’Ali-Naqi, upon him be the Glory of God and His mercy, about whom you had written - the aforementioned soul hath ascended unto God. Since in his final days he attained the honor of the presence, the word of forgiveness was revealed concerning him from the Dayspring of the Cause. Those who circle round the Throne, one and all, convey their most hallowed greetings to your honor.

The Servant

22 Dhi’l-Qa’dih 1294

This servant hath written a letter to them which your honor may peruse. The Most Great Branches - may my spirit and all God hath given me be a sacrifice for Their majesty - and the Afnans of the Blessed Tree offer their most sublime and impregnable greetings to your honor.

May I be a sacrifice for you - the letter from his honor the Afnan of China, upon him be every most glorious glory, arrived with the items. God willing, in the next post a petition will be submitted to their presence.

[Sorry, but this appears to be an incomplete editorial note or annotation rather than the actual text to be translated. Please provide the full text you would like me to translate.]

=== END BH00408 ===

=== START BH00409 ===

He is God, exalted be His station, the Most Great, the Most Glorious!

As to what the questioner asked concerning the saying of the philosophers that “the Simple Reality is all things,” say: Know that what is meant by “things” in this context is none other than existence and the perfections of existence insofar as it is existence, and by “all” is meant that which possesses and encompasses. This “all” admits of no part, nor is it opposed by any portion. In essence, since the Simple Reality is simple from all aspects, it possesses and encompasses all perfections that are without limit or end, as has been said: “His creation has no bounded limit.”

In Persian it may be expressed thus: The philosopher’s intent by “things” in the aforementioned statement refers to the perfections of existence insofar as it is existence, and by “all” is meant possession - that is, the possession and encompassing of all infinite perfections in a simple way. Such statements have been made in contexts discussing unity, and the power and intensity of existence. The philosopher did not mean that the Necessary Being dissolves into infinite existences - glorified, glorified be He above that! As the philosophers themselves have said: “The Simple Reality is all things yet is not any of the things,” and in another context: “The lights of the Simple Reality are seen in all things.” This depends on the vision of the beholder and the perspective of the observer. Those of penetrating sight behold in all things the signs of divine unity, for all things are and have ever been manifestations of the divine names, while the Truth has ever been and will ever be sanctified above ascent and descent, limitations, conjunction and connection. Things exist and are witnessed in their limited places, as they have said: “Though the existence of the Necessary Being is of perfect power and intensity such that, were it possible, it would dissolve into infinite existences, yet this is not possible and has not occurred.”

There is much that could be said about this statement, and were the full intent of the philosophers to be expressed, the matter would become lengthy. As the hearts of the free are perceived to be subtle and sensitive, therefore the pen has chosen to be brief. Two stations are observed in unity: existential unity, which is the negation of all through “no” and the affirmation of the Truth through “except” - meaning they do not consider anything other than the Truth to exist, in the sense that all things are and will be utter nothingness before His manifestation and mention. “All things perish except His face” means that in His presence, none is worthy of existence nor can existence be attributed to them, as has been said: “God was, and there was nothing else beside Him, and now it is as it was before” - even though things are observed to exist now as they did before. The meaning is that in His presence, nothing has or had existence. In existential unity, all is perishing and evanescent while the Face, which is the Truth, is eternal and everlasting. Witnessed unity is that in all things are beheld the signs of unity, the manifestations of eternity, and the revelations of the light of divine oneness, as has been revealed in the Divine Book: “We shall show them Our signs in the horizons and in themselves.” In this station, the manifestations of the signs of the Simple Reality are visible and evident in all things. The philosopher did not mean that the Truth dissolves into infinite existences - exalted, exalted is He above dissolving into anything […]

He was never bounded by bounds nor joined with anything in creation. He has ever been sanctified above all else and exalted beyond aught besides Him. We testify that He was one in His essence and one in His attributes, and all are within the grasp of His power that dominates the worlds. And in one station, all that hath been or will be mentioned returneth unto the First Mention, for the Truth, glorified and exalted be He, is an impenetrable Mystery that cannot be comprehended. In this station, He was and ever shall be sanctified beyond all mentions and names, and exalted above the understanding of all created things. The way is barred and the quest forbidden. Therefore, whatever wondrous mentions and exalted descriptions flow from the tongue and pen refer to the Most Great Word, the Supreme Pen, the Primal Point, the true Home, and the Dawning-Place of the All-Merciful Revelation. He is the Source of unity and the Manifestation of the light of oneness and detachment. In this station, all the most beautiful names and most exalted attributes return unto Him and go not beyond Him, as it hath been said that the Unseen is sanctified beyond all mentions, and the station of the light of unity, though outwardly designated by a name and limited by bounds, is in its inner reality simple and sanctified beyond all limitations - though this simplicity is relative and comparative, not absolute in all respects. In this station the meaning is thus: the Primal Word and the Dawning-Place of the light of oneness is the educator of all things and possesseth infinite perfections. Concerning this Word in this station there is an explanation hidden in the treasuries of infallibility and inscribed in the Preserved Tablet which it is not fitting to mention at this time. God willing, He shall reveal it, for He is verily the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Furthermore, the objection of some to the words of the philosopher was without proof, for they understood not the speaker’s intent. In truth, one cannot be content with the outward meaning of words and rise up in derision, except in the case of those who openly profess unbelief and idolatry, whose words admit of no interpretation. The philosophers have been and are of different schools. Some derived their statements from the Books of the Prophets. The first to study philosophy was Idris, hence he was named thus, and he was also called Hermes. In every tongue he has a name, and in every branch of wisdom he gave sufficient and complete explanations. After him, Balinus extracted certain sciences from the Hermetic tablets, and most philosophers derived their scientific and philosophical arts from his words and explanations. In any case, this philosopher’s statement is susceptible to both praiseworthy and limited interpretations. Some of the mature ones, to safeguard God’s Cause, have outwardly rejected it, but this imprisoned servant mentioneth naught but good. Moreover, today is not the day for man to occupy himself with understanding such statements, for knowledge of this and similar statements hath never made man self-sufficient, nor will it ever do so. For instance, the philosopher who uttered these words, were he present today, and those who agreed with what he said, and those who objected to him - all are observed to be in the same position. Each one, after the raising of the Call of the Lord of Names from the right side of the new spot […]

Whoso hath attained unto the word “yea” is accepted and praiseworthy, and all else are rejected. How many souls who deemed themselves to be at the highest pinnacle of knowledge and understanding, to such extent that they imagined whatsoever proceeded from their mouths to be the balance by which all utterances are weighed, and the astrolabe whereby the beginning and end of all things are measured - yet when the spring-time of the All-Merciful appeared and the winds of trials blew, We found in them neither acceptance nor steadfastness. Should anyone today encompass all the sciences of the earth, yet hesitate at the word “yea,” he shall not be mentioned before God and shall be accounted among the most ignorant of people. For the purpose of all knowledge hath been the recognition of the True One. Whosoever remaineth deprived of this most exalted and holy distinction is recorded among the dead in the Tablets.

O Husayn! The Wronged One declareth: Words require deeds. Words without deeds are as bees without honey, or as trees without fruit. Consider the Sage of Sabzivar - in his verses he hath penned poetry suggesting that no Moses existeth, else would the cry “Verily I am God” be heard from every tree. He hath uttered these words in exposition, meaning that one who knoweth God ascendeth to such heights that his eyes are illumined by beholding the lights of divine manifestation, and his ears are privileged to hear His call from all things. The aforementioned sage had no share of these stations, as is evident. This was mere utterance, but when it came to deeds, we observe that he hearkened not at all to the call of the Divine Lote-Tree, raised explicitly and without interpretation from the most exalted spot in the wilderness, calling aloud unto all. Had he truly hearkened, he would have arisen to proclaim it. Now we must say either these words were borrowed and merely passed his lips, or from fear of shame and love of fame he remained deprived of this station and its acknowledgment. He knew yet concealed, recognized yet denied.

How many souls have spent their entire lives establishing their own vain imaginings, yet remained deprived when the lights of the Known One shone forth from the horizon of the Self-Subsisting Name. The command is in God’s hands - He giveth whom He willeth what He willeth, and withholdeth from whom He pleaseth what He desireth. Verily He is the One praised in His command and obeyed in His decree. There is none other God but Him, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

In these days it was revealed in one of the Tablets: How many turbaned ones have rejected and turned away, and how many veiled ones have recognized and accepted, saying “Praise be to Thee, O God of the worlds!” Thus have We made their highest ones lowest, and their lowest ones highest. Verily thy Lord is the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth.

O Husayn! Say to the one who asked: Leave the pond when the Most Great Ocean is before thee. Draw nigh unto it, then drink therefrom in the name of thy Lord, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. By My life! It will bring thee to a station wherein thou shalt see in the world naught save the manifestation of the Ancient Beauty, and shalt hear from the Lote-Tree raised upon the Standard: “Verily there is no God but Him, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the All-Compelling.” This is a Day wherein it behooveth every soul, when hearing the Call from the Dayspring of the Beginning, to leave all else behind, arise and say “Yea, O my Heart’s Desire!” then “Here am I, O Beloved of the worlds!”

Say: O questioner! Were the wine of thy Lord’s utterance to intoxicate thee, and wert thou to recognize the wisdom and exposition contained therein, thou wouldst renounce all possibility and arise to aid this wronged and lonely One, and proclaim: “Glorified be He Who hath manifested the flowing in the frozen, the finite in the boundless, and the hidden in the manifest - He Who, when beheld outwardly, appeareth in human temple before the hands of the oppressors, yet when pondered inwardly, is seen to be supreme over all who are in the heavens and on earth!”

Hearken unto that which the Fire proclaimeth from the luminous Lote-Tree raised upon the crimson spot: “O people! Hasten with your hearts toward the direction of the Beloved.” Thus hath the decree been fulfilled and the command gone forth from the presence of a mighty, faithful One.

O questioner! Thy mention hath been made before the Countenance in this manifest prison. Therefore hath this Tablet been sent down, from whose horizon hath shone the sun of thy Lord’s favors, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Know thou its worth and cherish its value, for this is better for thee, shouldst thou be of them that comprehend. We beseech God to assist thee in His Cause and His remembrance, and to ordain for thee what is best for thee in this world and in the world to come. Verily, He is the Answerer of the prayers of them that supplicate, and the Most Merciful of the merciful.

O servant! When thou art attracted by the sweet savors of the intimations of the Lord of Names, and illumined by the lights of the Face that hath dawned from the Dayspring of eternity, turn thou toward the Supreme Horizon and say:

O Creator of the heavens and Lord of Names! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou hast opened unto Thy creation the doors of meeting with Thee, and caused the sun of Thy loving kindness to shine upon all within Thy dominion, to make me steadfast in Thy love, detached from all else save Thee, standing firm in Thy service, gazing toward Thy face, and speaking forth Thy praise. O Lord! Aid me in the days of the Manifestation of Thy Self and the Dawning-Place of Thy Cause to such extent that I may, through Thy grace and bounty, rend asunder the veils and burn away the coverings through the fire of Thy love. O Lord! Thou art the Mighty, and I am the weak; Thou art the Wealthy, and I am the poor. I beseech Thee, by the ocean of Thy bounty, not to deprive me of Thy grace and Thy gifts. All things testify to Thy greatness, Thy glory, Thy power and Thy might. Take my hand with the hand of Thy will and deliver me through Thy sovereignty. Then write down for me what Thou hast written for Thy chosen ones who have turned toward Thee, fulfilled Thy covenant and Thy testament, soared in the atmosphere of Thy will, and spoken Thy praise amongst Thy creatures. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Supreme, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Generous.

=== END BH00409 ===

=== START BH00410 ===

O he who is named the Luminous One, Mirza Aqa, upon him be the Glory of God! He is the Most Mighty, the Most Exalted, the Most Impregnable, the Most Holy, the Most Glorious!

O thou Inscribed Tablet! Hearken unto the call of thy Lord from the direction of His inhabited House, that His joyous fragrances may attract thee to the sacred, mighty and generous seat of God. O thou who art named the Luminous One of God! Hear what the Spirit imparteth unto thee in this hour when sorrows have encompassed Him through the hosts of Satan, to such extent that His tongue moveth not in remembrance of the Beloved nor of the Friend, and whenever a word issueth forth from Him, it is accompanied by sighs and lamentations that consume the hearts of all beings - yet most of the people remain heedless thereof, having occupied themselves with earthworms, and thus their deeds have come to naught and God hath erased their names from the preserved Tablet of holiness.

And thou, O servant, when thou findest none steadfast in the Cause of God thy Lord, then suffice thou with thyself, remain firm, and be steadfast with manifest steadfastness. Behold the Concourse of the Bayan and that which issueth from their mouths. Among them are those who say: “Can the fruit of the Tuba tree possibly be transformed?” Say: Yea, by my life, the All-Merciful! First, We do not confirm thy vain imagination in what thou hast imagined, for neither thou nor anyone else hath any knowledge of His Cause. And should anyone claim such knowledge, he hath indeed lied against the Lord of all worlds. And even if We were to accept what thou sayest - woe unto thee! Dost thou entertain doubts about the Tuba tree, or its like such as the Lote-Tree of the Uttermost End, the Farthest Tree, and whatsoever else hath been mentioned by the Pen of God, the Mighty, the Supreme, the Powerful?

Say: Beware lest thou imagine vain things and render these names objects of fancy. Know thou that all these names which are mentioned in the Book have no other purpose save Our unified servants - they are the blessed tree, the Farthest Tree, and the Lote-Tree of the Uttermost End. Likewise, every goodly name returneth unto these, if ye be of those who know. These names are true for them in the time of their faith in God, and after their turning away, every name that is not goodly returneth to them, if ye be of those who witness. How many a tree of affirmation is transformed into a tree of negation at the time of manifestation, and likewise the reverse, if ye be of those who perceive.

[…]

Know thou that if He wisheth to transform a ruby into any other thing, He is able to do so by His compelling, firm, and mighty command. Place thou the ruby in fire and observe how it changeth, for fire altereth all that is sound and soundeth all that is altered. Likewise, whosoever placeth the ruby of his faith upon the fire of self and desire, it shall be transformed in an instant. This is of the wisdom which none shall comprehend save those whose eyes God hath opened, and who are among the perceiving ones.

Among the people are those who claim authority of successorship in him whom they have taken as lord besides God. Say: Woe unto you, O company of liars! Verily We have effaced this name and its like in the Bayan, lest anyone be veiled by these names from their Source, and lest they be among the deluded ones.

Say: Have ye not witnessed that Prophethood and Messengership were sealed with Muhammad, the Messenger of God, through His word “but He is the Messenger of God and the Seal of the Prophets”? And have ye not heard that He Who appeared in the year sixty is the Manifestation of God among the worlds?

Beware, O people! Ascribe not to God any peer, opposite, partner, minister, successor, or guardian. For all these are equal in His sight, all were created by His command, and all are among those who bow down before Him. God hath no worldly treasures to be distributed by His successor, His Cause abideth with Him and departeth not from Him that He should need another. This is what hath been sent down in truth, a revelation from One Mighty, Wise.

Moreover, have ye not heard what the previous Manifestation uttered: “Verily I am alive in the Most Glorious Horizon”? After His appearance and His establishment of His Cause, doth He need anyone besides Him? Nay, by His Own Self, the Powerful, the Exalted, the Great!

Verily He hath ordained mirrors in the tablets, and hath not limited them by bounds, if ye be of those who witness. For instance, behold in these days if all the mirrors of creation were to face this Sun which hath dawned from the horizon of eternity, the lights of this Sun would be reflected in them. After turning away, the light returneth to its source and the created thing returneth to its form and likeness, as ye observe and are of those who perceive. After turning away, the designation of mirror no longer applieth to it; rather, every name save good returneth to it, if ye be of those who know.

Say: O people! Fear God, then efface from your hearts these allusions, then ascend to the station wherein ye shall witness all things under the shadow of a name from among the names of your Lord, the Most High, the Most Exalted - how much more His Own holy, inaccessible, and glorious Self! Whoso harbors in his heart any allusion from among the people’s allusions, or any expression from what they utter, the radiance of the Sun’s lights shall never be impressed upon him. The Tongue of God, the Sovereign, the Mighty, the Glorious, beareth witness to this.

Though all who are on earth today be near ones, chosen ones, mirrors, letters and beyond these, should they hesitate in this Cause, they shall instantly return to their former station. Thus have We detailed the matter in all the tablets, and We detail it now as a grace from Us to those who have believed in God in these days wherein the faces of the veiled ones have been darkened.

And concerning what thou hast written about the Sacrifice (Dhabih) from the Land of Kaf, that he desires to attain the presence of the Countenance - this is befitting for him and for Our sincere servants. When thou seest him, convey My remembrance unto him and say: O thou Sacrifice! Arise, warn the people, then gladden them with the Most Great Paradise. Put thy trust in God, the Ancient King. Then rend asunder the veils at their roots and bonds, and speak forth the remembrance of thy Lord between the heavens and the earth. Then write concerning this Cause that which God hath cast into thy heart, that those who seek the Countenance and have been held back by the allusions of the idolaters may be guided thereby. Then deliver the Cause of thy Lord to the extent thou art able, tarry not, and be not of the patient ones. And if thou findest thyself in such station that were the whole earth to be filled with impenetrable mirrors, divine rubies, eternal crystals and more besides, and were they all to pause in this Cause for less than a moment, thou wouldst detach thyself from them and regard them as though not one of them had ever been mentioned. Then shalt thou be able to enter the pavilion which God hath sanctified from the knowledge of every knower, purified from the indication of every indicator, and exalted above the allusion of every sinful idolater. By God, O Our radiant Name! We love to behold him and have him appear before Us, to be apprised of that which none before hath been apprised, and to be among those who are certain. If he is able and hath the power to journey unto God with utmost secrecy such that no one becomes aware thereof, then We grant him leave to be among the emigrants. Say: O Sacrifice! By God, all that thou hast heard before hath appeared from Us, but We concealed it as a wisdom from Our presence, and none knew of it save God, thy Lord and the Lord of all worlds. When We revealed the Cause and the breezes of assurance wafted, then he emerged from behind the veil - he whom, by the True One, I had nurtured as a tender father nurtures his child - and arose to oppose the Countenance that created him by His will. Then his name and mention became renowned among all creatures. And wert thou to appear before the Throne, thou wouldst be apprised of mysteries of which none hath been apprised, and besides this thou shalt perceive naught except what God casteth into thy heart, for He is the best of inspirers. Beware, beware lest thou be veiled by his words or by the fame of his name. By God, none hath any refuge today except to believe in God or to deny what He hath sent from the beginning that hath no beginning, and God is witness and knowing of this. Say: O people, behold Me with Mine own eye, not with any other, that ye may find a path to your Lord, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. O people, know God by God, not by aught else, for He is now manifest, speaking, uttering, witnessed among the worlds. And when thou seest him, impart what the Spirit hath imparted unto thee; otherwise send him the divine fragrances wafting from the direction of the Tablet, that he may rejoice within himself and be among the glad ones. Then know that the braying of the idolaters hath risen, then their cawing hath appeared, and thereby doth God test the hearts of His servants to distinguish between the monotheists and the idolaters. And were We to mention to thee what hath befallen Us, thou wouldst be grieved in thy soul. Therefore We have not detailed it for thee, to protect thee lest thou be saddened and […]

Be not among those who grieve, but know that, by God the Truth, all that they have wrought by their own hands, uttered with their tongues, and earned for themselves has returned unto God, the Purifier, the Holy, the Luminous, the Resplendent. With this verse We have sufficed, excluding all else. Therefore, draw forth from it whatsoever thou desirest to learn concerning the Cause of thy Lord, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing. Know thou moreover that We have previously revealed Tablets which were named “The Hidden,” and We desired to send them to thee, but found no messenger. We shall send them in due time that thine eyes may be solaced thereby and thou mayest be filled with evident joy and gladness. Finally, beware lest thou be patient in the Cause of thy Lord. Rather, rend asunder all the veils of men through the power of God, thy Lord, and be not of the patient ones. This is My bidding unto thee, both before and hereafter, and therein lieth a great good. We had previously sent thee a Tablet in the Persian tongue, perspicuous and clear. God will assuredly bring it to thee, a promise from His presence, and He is the best of those who bring. Upon thee be glory, and splendor, and radiance, and upon those who hearken to thy words concerning God, thy Lord and the Lord of thy forebears of old. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

He is the Wondrous! Were We to mention all that hath befallen Us, it would be impossible. This much is known: even as the pure essence of truth and holiness hath become manifest and evident, so too hath the very essence of falsehood, misery, tyranny, indecency, lies, and opposition been made apparent. The curse of God be upon him who wronged the Primal Point in His latter Manifestation, who warred against Him, then calumniated Him. As for the known person who desired to attain Our presence and had expressed this in the previous year - if it be possible without harm and the touch of sorrows, permission is granted; if not, then nay. Perchance he may come and learn what hath befallen Us, and be among those who know. God willing, at all times and moments, detached from all contingent beings and existence, you shall speak the mention of Truth and prevail over the enemies, though indeed you have been and shall ever be victorious, even if no one be with you. Upon thee and those with thee be glory, mercy and praise.

No word hath yet been received from Mulla Muhammad. Write of his news, though verily thy Lord is aware of all things. Two Tablets were previously revealed and sent specifically for him.

=== END BH00410 ===

=== START BH00411 ===

In the Name of the One God

O thou who dost circle round the Throne! The numerous letters which the loved ones of God - upon them be the Glory of God - have written to thee from the land of Kha were presented before the Throne, and this servant laid them all before His holy Presence. We beseech the Most High to aid them to remember and praise Him and to strengthen them to remain steadfast in this Cause in such wise that neither the veils nor the signs of the peoples of the earth shall hinder them. Verily He is the Revealer of verses, there is none other God but Him, the Holy, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Among these was mention of the Leaf of Paradise - upon her be the light of her Lord. Praise be to God, she hath drunk from the choice wine of immortality and hath attained the most exalted horizon. In most years mention of her hath been made from the Tongue of Grandeur. By the life of God! This sufficeth her, as doth testify that which was created by the Word of God, the Most High, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. God willing, a Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet will be revealed especially for her and will afterwards be dispatched. Verily, give her the glad-tidings of this great bounty.

Mention was made of the ascension of Mulla Mirza Muhammad - upon him be the Glory of God. Verily We were present when his spirit ascended to the Most Exalted Companion. Blessed is he and joy be unto him! He is of them that heard the sound of the wings of the Bird of the Throne from this atmosphere which God hath sanctified above the mention of all who are on earth. Thus was the matter decreed, but most of the people are heedless.

O Muhammad! Rejoice in that the Supreme Pen maketh mention of thee from this Most Exalted, Most Glorious Station and sayeth: The first light that shone forth from the heaven of the Manifestation of thy Lord be upon thee, O thou who hast cast away vain imaginings and held fast unto certitude on a Day wherein trembling and trepidation seized the inhabitants of earth and heaven, save whom God did will, the Lord of all worlds. I testify that thou didst fulfill God’s Covenant and His Testament, and didst circle round His Cause, and didst achieve the most great steadfastness when the limbs of all names did quake with fear. Thus doth the Lord of all creation make mention of thee in this wondrous Tablet. Joy be unto him who hath loved thee and visited thee, by virtue of that which hath flowed from the Pen of God, the Most High, the Most Great.

Likewise mention was made of the ascension of Mulla Muhammad-Husayn - upon him be the Glory of God. And the True One, exalted be His station, exalted be His sovereignty, and great be His might, maketh mention of him. By the pearls of the ocean of inner meanings! The entire world cannot equal one word of the divine words, and for every soul that hath attained unto a divine word there are ordained stations such that were but one of these to be revealed unto the people of the earth, all would be amazed and would exclaim “Would that we had been with him!” Verily We make mention in this station of Our servant Muhammad-Qabli-Husayn who hath ascended unto God, the Lord of Names, that it may be a remembrance and honor unto him for as long as God, the Lord of all worlds, shall endure. We made mention of thee during thy life and We make mention of thee after thy ascension, as a grace from Us, and verily We are the All-Bountiful, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful. The breeze of forgiveness did take thee at the time of thy ascension unto the All-Merciful. Thus did His grace encompass all who turned unto Him when He appeared with manifest sovereignty. The Glory which hath dawned and shone forth, and the Light which hath gleamed and flashed, be upon thee, O thou who didst believe in Him Who was promised when He came with truth through a Command that hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth.

We make mention of Our loved ones in that place, that they may rejoice in the remembrance of God, the Lord of all men. God willing, all the friends of Truth must today be united and in full accord upon the universal Word of God. This blessed Word hath been heard at this moment from the rustling of the Most Exalted Pen, saying: The beginning of the Cause hath ever been and shall ever be faith in God, and its end steadfastness in His love, for the dwellers of hell lie in ambush and appear with a hundred thousand wiles and deceits that perchance they may prevent steadfast souls from the Truth. Should anyone come unto you with the book of hell, leave him behind you and say: “We have believed in Him through Whom the horizon of utterance hath shone forth and the nightingale of the All-Merciful hath warbled upon the branches. Verily, there is no God but Him, the Manifest, the Concealed.”

In all conditions, hold fast unto the cord of steadfastness. The clamor hath been raised and shall be raised in every city, even as We have informed all beforehand. He, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

All the names that were mentioned in the letter have attained unto the grace of God and have been remembered before the Throne. And the spiritual letter of her, upon whom be the Glory of God, was observed. The Most Exalted Pen hath testified to her acceptance, her faith, her love, and her submissiveness in days wherein every learned one turned away, every mystic was heedless, every mighty one objected, and every man denied, save whom God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting, did will.

They must at all times be occupied with the mention of the Beloved of all worlds, for through His grace they have drunk from the ocean of His knowledge, partaken of the stream of His mercy, and received their portion from the Kawthar of His love. By the life of God! This brief mention hath been and shall ever be an enduring trace, and shall remain as long as the kingdom of earth and heaven endure - how much more the sanctified and exalted Tablets that were specifically revealed and sent down for her from the heaven of the Divine Will. We give her the glad tidings of My grace, My loving-kindness, and My mercy that have preceded all worlds. Whatever she desireth, God shall graciously bestow. However, what is beloved is that one should be seen as extinct in one’s own will and desire, and living through the Will of God. This is a mighty and most exalted station.

Letter of Muhammad-Qabli-’Ali was noted. Praise be to God, again and again did he turn to God and endured hardships of travel in His path, traversing sea and land until he reached the shore of the Most Great Ocean. It behooveth him to render thanks unto God, his Lord, for having enabled him to attain His presence, to voice His praise, to stand before His gate and to present himself before His throne. Now must they occupy themselves with the remembrance of God, that perchance some withered one may be refreshed, or some sleeping one may be awakened, or some wanderer may find the straight path. Whosoever attaineth unto this service hath attained unto the most exalted station. He hath been and is remembered in the Most Holy Court. God hath loved and doth love faithfulness. We counsel him and those who have believed to that whereby the Cause of God will be exalted among all else, and to steadfastness, the decree of which hath been revealed in most of the Tablets. At all times let them fix their gaze upon this blessed word and preserve it, for by God’s testimony this blessed word is the essence of all utterance. It is the Lamp of utterance, the Ocean of utterance, the Heaven of utterance, the Sun of utterance, the Light of utterance, and the Spirit of utterance. This blessed word was revealed from the Pen of My Herald, the Primal Point, when one of the Letters of the Living asked concerning Him Whom God shall make manifest - exalted be His grandeur, exalted be His might, exalted be His manifestation, exalted be His arising, exalted be His tribulation, and exalted be His imprisonment. Complete and sufficient explanations were revealed from the divine Kingdom of utterance, including this blessed word which is the essence of all utterance. His word, exalted and glorified be He:

“And I have written the essence concerning His remembrance, and it is that He shall not be known by My mention nor by what hath been revealed in the Bayan. Yea, by His glory, that word is greater in God’s estimation than the worship of all on earth, for the essence of all worship leadeth unto that. Therefore, as thou hast known God, know Him Whom God shall make manifest, for He is too glorious and exalted to be known through any but Himself or to be described by the description of His creatures. And verily, I am the first to believe in Him and in His verses.”

This utterance must at all times be before the eyes of the loved ones of God, so that should any cawer be found, his tongue may be cut off by the sword of this word. Consider now those followers of the Bayan who have turned away from the Truth, how far they have strayed from the straight path and how they are deprived of the mighty Truth, although they have never had nor have any knowledge of the foundation of this Cause. By the life of God! They are more veiled than the people of the Furqan and the peoples of former times. Every fair-minded and insightful person beareth witness to this. One veil had not yet been rent when they became afflicted with a hundred thousand other veils. Behold! They are among the dead in the mighty Book. None shall today attain unto this most mighty, most glorious and most exalted station except through effacing what he hath previously heard. Rejoice, O My loved ones, in My remembrance of you, My turning toward you, and My directing My face toward your faces from this Station that is both near and far.

Drink ye, God willing, from the chalice of steadfastness in such wise that neither the books, nor the scriptures, nor the pages, nor the words, nor the utterances, nor the speech of the world shall keep you back from the Lord of Eternity–how much less the leaves of the infernal tree. Thus doth He Who hath in His possession the Preserved Tablet inform you. Most men are observed to be heedless today, but ere long they shall be observed in utter regret, remorse and lamentation.

Say or write to the brother of Jinab-i-Mirza Muhammad-’Ali of Qa’in who now circleth round: O thou heedless one! For the sake of two fleeting days, deprive not thyself of the immortal Kingdom and for the vanities of the world shut not thyself out from the Lord of all mankind. While time remaineth and opportunity persisteth, arise to redress what thou hast missed. Reflect upon the peoples of ancient times. Where are their treasures and their buried wealth, their might and their riches, their power and their dominion, their lofty palaces and their trellised gardens, and their marshalled hosts? The hand of power hath brought them down from their palaces to their graves. This Persian verse is well suited to this occasion:

Take ye warning, O ye whose dark locks have usurped the place of warning;

Take ye warning, O ye whose cheeks are sprinkled with white.

Hearken unto the voice of the Wronged One and from the wilderness of heedlessness turn thy face toward the realm of understanding and knowledge, that perchance in these last days thou mayest not remain deprived of the outpourings of the cloud of divine mercy. Reflect thou somewhat and adorn thyself with the ornament of fairness, that haply what hath been said may be heard with the ear of the soul, that it may deliver thee from the wilderness of heedlessness and lead thee to the heart-ravishing expanse of awareness. Verily He speaketh the truth and guideth the way, and praise be to God, the Mighty, the Glorious, the Beautiful.

The Most Exalted Pen, with the most exalted call, addresseth those who have turned towards God and other regions, and counseleth them with that which beseemeth the Day of God. All faithful, assured, contented and well-pleasing souls are remembered in the presence of the Wronged One, and all their names are recorded in the Divine Book. They must be so firm in the Cause of God that all the peoples of the earth shall be powerless to deter them, and shall find themselves impotent before the people of truth. O Ja’far! Mention was made of thee before the Throne, and We have mentioned thee with that whereby eyes are consoled. We make mention of those who have turned with radiant faces toward the Supreme Horizon and have believed in God, the Dawning-Place of verses. We have heard thy call and have known what thou didst desire. Verily thy Lord is the Answerer of prayer, the Bestower, the Mighty, the All-Bountiful.

O My loved ones! Be not grieved by the world and what appeareth therein. By the life of God! That which hath been ordained for you is such as no pen can recount. Behold ye and call to mind the vestiges of the earth and its chronicles. Where are the kings and the sons of kings? Where are the nobles and the sons of nobles? Where are the Chosroes, the Pharaohs, and the Caesars? Where are their swords and their steeds and their dominion and their hosts? Where are they who subdued the world and prided themselves on its riches and ornaments and bounties? By My life! Those who have wronged now wail and cry out, and find for themselves neither protector, nor helper, nor supporter. Thus have We adorned the heaven of the Tablet with the sun of wisdom of your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. God willing, walk ye with perfect fellowship and love and unity upon His straight path and remain firm and steadfast in His Cause. Glory and wealth and strength and power and loftiness and elevation, and above that and far above that, all have been created for the loved ones of God. When the appointed time is fulfilled, it shall be made manifest in truth. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Knowing. Strive ye that through you may appear that which shall endure throughout the kingdom of earth and heaven. Those souls who have drunk from the living waters are mentioned in the presence of the Countenance, though they may not be outwardly mentioned. Verily He is the Hearer, verily He is the Seer. He heareth and seeth and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

=== END BH00411 ===

=== START BH00412 ===

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

All praise befitteth the peerless Lord Who began with the letter Ba and made manifest the final Alif, and adorned the form of Ha with these two luminaries. Thus were completed the pillars of the all-embracing Word, and the mystery of God, Lord of all creation, was revealed. Blessings and peace be upon the Dawning-Place of the Light of Oneness and the Dayspring of the signs of Divine Unity, through Whom God united all hearts and minds and revealed what was hidden from sight and understanding. And upon His family and companions, whom God made as waves of the ocean of His utterance and manifestations of the effulgences of the Orb of His knowledge - those honored servants whom neither armies and hosts could frighten, nor the might of those who denied the Promised Day. They conquered cities and lands in the name of their Chosen Lord. The power of the world and might of nations failed to stop them. Through them the fragrance of religion was diffused and the Cause of God was spread among the monotheists and polytheists.

Glory be to Thee, O my God, Purpose of my heart, Beloved of my soul, Master of my tears, and Sovereign of my sighs! Thou dost witness and see what hath befallen Thy chosen ones at the hands of the oppressors among Thy creatures. Tears have flowed and hearts and souls have been troubled by the injustice of those who cast behind them the manifestations of Thy justice and bounty, and the signs of Thy forgiveness and grace. I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which Thou didst manifest Thy religion among Thy servants and Thy decree in Thy lands, to assist all peoples to servitude before the manifestations of Thy Lordship and the revelations of the lights of Thy grandeur. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Thereafter, O beloved of my heart, the two blessed letters - each of which was truly a volume in mention of the Purpose of all worlds and a book in praise and glorification of the Lord of all religions - illumined the court of the heart and dispelled the darkness of care and grief. Its power was manifest from God’s power and its strength evident from the arm of might. After perusal and reading, proceeding to the station, it was presented before the face of the Master, Who said: “O Amin, upon thee be 96 [Baha’u’llah]. The light of the horizons hath been veiled by the darkness of discord. God, exalted be His glory, desired unity but they created division. He sought concord but upheaval appeared. They rejected His counsels and refused His favors. Treachery, like the swords of oppressors, hath shed the blood of trustworthiness. This supreme blessing, which was truly the cause of wealth and assurance for all beings, they failed to recognize its station and let slip from their grasp. In the great city there were two souls, in hope that the door of trustworthiness, religion, praiseworthy character and goodly deeds would be opened. However, the door of discord, treachery, dissension and abasement was opened instead. Finally matters reached such a pass that trustworthiness chose to migrate from that place, and it is not known where that helpless one has gone or into whose hands it has fallen. In any case, one of those two made peace with the enemy and attacked the friend, and did not manifest the name of the Concealer. These words flowed repeatedly from the Pen to express His grief and reveal His sorrow. The end result was the loss of human stations and the ranks of trustworthiness and religion. Well was it said […]”

The flood of Noah, in my lamentation, is as my tears,

And the kindling of the fires of the Friend [Abraham] is as my anguish.

The Pen is thunderstruck at this moment and the ink bewildered. Your letters arrived and each was read before Our face. We heard and We saw. We beseech God to protect you and those with you, and to set right through you both that which has been corrupted. Verily, He is the Lord of all beings and the Judge on the Day of Reckoning.

O Amin! I do not complain of my grief to you, nor to anyone else, nor even to God. Rather, I thank Him, praise Him, and show patience as did those possessed of constancy and resolve. We make mention of the honored Afnan and those with him - may God’s peace be upon them - and We congratulate them, and We beseech from the Truth for each one that which will cause the knowledge of His sacred Being to be exalted. Verily, He is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist His Afnans and to ordain for them that which will cause their influence to spread throughout the realm. Verily, He has power over all things.

This evanescent servant has been seized with bewilderment at the events that have transpired, swimming in an ocean of perplexity and contemplation, for what has occurred in the Great City has harmed the trustworthiness, religiosity, truthfulness and sincerity of the believers. The rest is clear to that beloved one - what has passed and what is now passing. Aqa Muhammad ’Ali’s (of the Land of Sad) occupation was separate, his affairs distinct, having no connection whatsoever with the Shaykh - upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah]. Nevertheless, he tore away the veil of contentment and arose with complete greed to harm and show enmity toward the Shaykh. Would that he had sufficed with himself alone! Day and night, before those within and without, he was aflame with the fire of greed and strove diligently to destroy the Shaykh’s work. And according to what is known, the Shaykh’s trade was also confused for two reasons: for whatever one would build up, another would tear down, and in some transactions losses occurred.

Glory be to God! The aforementioned soul ignited a fire which all reformers declared themselves powerless to extinguish. The honored master, his eminence the Afnan of the Land of Ya, upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah] the Most Glorious, wrote a detailed letter to this servant. Among other things, he complained about the trade in the Great City and mentioned that his honored eminence the Afnan of the Land of Ha and he himself deemed it advisable to close the door of trade in that city, as did the other honored Afnans - upon them be the Most Glorious Glory of God. They wrote that if it is necessary for an establishment to remain open in that city, that is another matter and depends upon the will - whatever is commanded shall be done. In truth, they should consider whether any benefit from trade can be conceived - there would be no harm in that. However, it does not appear that with the presence of that person the fire of greed will be quelled or any fruit will be yielded. In one instance, this exalted word was heard from the Lord. He said: It would be difficult for that ship, with the weight of a world of its own merchandise of suspicions, vain imaginings, greed and avarice, to reach its destination except by the will of God, the Lord of all worlds.

Furthermore, that beloved of the heart will arrive there and become aware of the state of affairs and what has transpired. Whatever they deem advisable will surely be carried out. To the honored master, his eminence the Afnan - upon him be 9 66 [Baha’u’llah] the Most Glorious - I know not what to submit or what to express. Thanks be to God […]

Praise be to the One True God who hath exalted them to such heights that no abasement can reach them, and adorned them with such glory that neither the might of the world nor the power of nations can diminish it. Glorified be He Who hath raised them through His grace and strengthened them through His justice and illumined their eyes with the light of revelation and witnessing, and their hearts with the radiance of the luminous orb of His knowledge and recognition. Verily our Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous. No mention is worthy to be mentioned with His mention, nor are the bestowals of the world comparable to His bestowals. This servant beseecheth his Lord to make them repositories of His knowledge and treasuries of His wisdom. Verily He is the Helper, the All-Knowing. Peace, remembrance and praise be upon you and upon God’s righteous servants. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

The Servant

29 Rajab 1306

He is God, exalted is He!

At this moment when the letter was concluded, other passages came to mind, the expression of which would both manifest the degrees of love and affection and also answer the queries of that beloved of the heart. In all conditions I seek assistance from the Self-Sufficient One and beseech Him that whatsoever floweth from the pen may be adorned with love, justice and fairness. Verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer, and He is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Therefore, I begin anew with this most blessed and supreme word:

In the Name of God, the Most Merciful, the Most Compassionate

Praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds, and blessing and peace be upon the Lord of the Messengers and Master of the mystics and Dawning-Place of the names of God, the King of the Day of Judgment and the Source of His knowledge for all who are in the heavens and the earth. Through Him was sent down the heavenly table, mercy preceded, and the bounty and proof were perfected. And upon His family and companions through whom God manifested His Cause and revealed His verses and made evident His clear proofs, and through whom the Herald proclaimed that there is no God but Him, the Single, the One, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

And then, another letter from that beloved of the heart - its place was the heart and its station the breast, for it was illumined with the light of the luminous orb of unity and adorned with the mention and praise of the Glorious Lord. Although the unity and oneness we servants express is like the description of an ant, as the saying goes, yet as long as the mention of the Beloved exists, the heart hath not chosen and will not choose any other mention. This too is from the results of His favors and the fruits of His bounties. The contents therein, together with the letter in its entirety, were presented before the Master. He said: “O Amin, upon thee be the peace of God, the Lord of the worlds. Due to your movement and attention and mention of today and tomorrow, the answer to the petitions was delayed. If Mount Alburz in the land of ?a had moved, it would have reached its destination sooner than you. Patience hath surpassed Job, and stillness is more firm, more steady, and more secure than any stationary thing. A hundred thousand mercies upon staying still! This journey was like a moving stationary object that was mentioned before. In any case, praise be to God, the hand of grace bestowed favor, showed kindness, moved the Afnan through a hundred thousand means, and preserved him through the hosts of the seen and unseen. Verily He is the Protector of His Afnan and of the sincere ones among His servants and the righteous ones among His bondsmen. We beseech Him, exalted be He, to cool your eyes through beholding the Most Great House and to give you to drink of the choice wine of acceptance from the hand of the bounty of His Most Ancient Name. Verily He is the All-Bountiful in the beginning and in the end. There is no God but He, the Self-Sufficient, the Most Exalted.” End.

As to the matters mentioned concerning the Huquq and other things, authority has been delegated to that beloved one. The matter of Haji Muhammad Kazim, upon him be God’s peace, has also been referred to you according to the command, and it was arranged that the mentioned amount should reach that beloved one. Likewise, whatever is in that place is according to your mention, and if it can be obtained it would be most fitting and appropriate. They said: “We have incurred some debt in the Land of Ta. God willing, after attaining the presence it will be mentioned and instructions will be given for its payment.” The amount for the Land of Ha has not yet arrived, but it has been assigned and will arrive. They said: “O Amin, upon thee be My peace and My glory! These matters have passed and will pass. This year some holy souls attained Our presence and We accepted an amount of Huquq they brought, which We then bestowed upon them. After attaining, hearing and witnessing, they turned toward the House of God, and upon returning from the House some came to this land and, having obtained permission, returned to their homes in the lands of Iran. However, what occurred in the Great City was affecting - truly sanctity was violated and the dignity of souls was transformed to abasement. It was not expected that a friend would conspire with the enemy against the loved ones and would sully pure, holy and pleasing characters with the filth of self and passion. He did what no heedless one had done. In any case, beseech God to confirm him in returning, that he may cut himself off from the opposers and strengthen the cord of love with the loved ones. We beseech God to confirm him and those who have believed in what He loves and accepts.” The reason for the delay in responding to that beloved one’s letters was those reports that arrive today and tomorrow. Some came but the one who should have come did not come, namely his honor Afnan and that beloved one. In any case, I beseech confirmation and assistance from God, exalted be His glory. Another submission is that some of the honored gentlemen have delivered some funds - for example they gave the amount for the House in Iraq, and likewise what they gave according to the assignment to the family of his honor the Nazir, upon him be 96 [Baha’u’llah]. The purpose is that the account should be settled and completed with justice. Whatever else Amin does or arranges will be acceptable.

=== END BH00412 ===

=== START BH00413 ===

In the Name of Him Who is the All-Powerful over those on earth and in heaven!

Glorified be He Who hath manifested Himself as He pleased and willed, at a time when the hearts of the wise could not comprehend Him and when the servants who followed vain imaginings rose in opposition against Him. Among them were those who said He appeared too soon. Say: By my Lord, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High! Doth the Cause rest in His hands or in yours? Be fair, O ye heedless ones! He judgeth as He pleaseth and ordaineth what He willeth. He, verily, is the All-Powerful over what He desireth. Say: This is the Wondrous One of the heavens and earth, if ye be of those who see. He is not bound by time nor by any other limitations. He is the Render of veils. But for Him, the law of creation would not have appeared in the world of existence, and but for Him, the Dove of the Cause would not have warbled upon the branches. This is He the like of Whom hath not appeared in creation. This is the Wondrous One at Whose recognition all who are in the heavens and on earth are bewildered. Say: Even as His Essence cannot be known, neither can the time of His appearance be recognized. Thus hath the decree been ordained by the Lord of the Pens.

When the promise came to pass, He dawned from the horizon of the Cause and appeared in a way that pleased not the desires of those who denied God, the Revealer of verses. Say: He cannot be comprehended by what ye possess. Read ye the Bayan, that ye may be informed of the mystery of this Manifestation whereby the horizons have been illumined. This is a Cause which no one had known before, nor had those possessed of insight comprehended it. At His appearance the Bell rang out, the Dove cooed, and the Trump proclaimed: “The Kingdom is God’s, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Compelling!”

Say: Whither will ye flee? Today there is no refuge for you. Blessed is he who hath stood firm in this Cause, at whose appearance the heaven of idle fancies was cleft asunder and the hearts of the wicked were shaken. Say: O people! Behold Me with Mine own eyes. This is what God hath enjoined upon you in the Scriptures and Tablets. Blessed is he who hath cast away all else, turning to My countenance in such wise that neither the veils of allusions nor the words of those that are veiled have hindered him. We have ordained that turning unto Us should be with the hearts, inasmuch as the barking of dogs hath increased around the city wherein the call of God, the Lord of lords, hath been raised. When they see any of the loved ones turning to the All-Giving, they rise against him. They are indeed of the hypocrites.

O Afnan of the Divine Lote-Tree! Blessed are ye for having kept the covenant and testament of God and cast away that which the wayward have clung to. Ye are of those who have rent the greatest veil when the Lord of Destiny came with majesty and power. Should anyone from the wilderness of phantoms come unto you, seek refuge in God, Creator of the realm of might, Who hath come with the kingdom of proof. What We tell you is the truth from God. He, verily, is the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Soon shall the crier cry out and the croaking of the raven be heard.

O Pen of the Cause! Turn unto him who hath turned unto thee, then let him hear thy rustling in this remembrance whereby all creation hath been set in motion. Hearken unto the call of God from this most exalted station, from the Divine Lote-Tree: Verily, there is no God but Him, the Mighty, the Self-Subsisting. May the attraction of the Merciful’s utterance seize thee in such wise that the affairs of the world disturb thee not, and thou findest within thyself a joy that no sorrow can alter. We bear witness that thou art among those who turned to God and faced Him on a day when feet did slip. Rejoice in God’s testimony and remain steadfast in the love of thy Lord. This verily is the greatest of all deeds. Blessed art thou, for thy letter hath reached the Most Great Prison while the Wronged One calleth upon His Lord in private and in public. When We broke its seal, the fragrance of thy Lord’s love, the Manifestor of religions, wafted forth. We beseech God to […]

He will assist thee under all conditions, and will make thee steadfast in this Cause from which the transgressors have fled. Sorrow not over anything, for verily He is with thee and hath ordained for thee that which is better than all that hath been created in the realms of existence. Thus did the ocean of thy Lord’s bounty surge when the Dayspring of His Cause was in the hands of the ungodly. Counsel Our servants with a word from Us–this is what the Wronged One of the land commandeth thee. Say: Hearken not unto that which is unworthy to be heard, and fix not your gaze upon that which hath flowed from the pen of the wicked. Leave behind what the people possess and take what is with your Lord, the Master of all necks.

God willing, through the grace of the All-Merciful, Who hath ever been and ever shall be, may you abide at rest beneath the shade of the Beloved, the Self-Sufficing, detached and free from all else but Him. Your letter reached the Most Great Prison and in truth brought joy to the sorrowing heart of this Prisoner, for the divine Tree hath ever loved and continues to love the bearing of Its branches and Their fragrances. Praise be to God that through the attraction of the utterances of the All-Merciful and the influence of the pen of the Beloved of all possibility, all have attained unto God’s eternal Law and have been blessed by the outpourings of the rain of His mercy. This is what We desired aforetime and revealed in the Tablets. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed.

Concerning what you wrote about petition-writing being a cause of added disgrace and sin - this is not so. Rather, it is the essence of what is right and the reality of what is meritorious, and will continue to be so. Write whatever you wish and say whatever you desire, for verily He loves to hear your words and to find the fragrance of your love, O beloved of those who know Him. What is desired this day from you and from all is steadfastness in the love of God, to such a degree that no one can cast upon you the vain imaginings of the deluded ones or the words of the idolaters. This station is most exalted, for the satans lie in wait and the hosts of the polytheists appear with utmost hatred. Whosoever wishes to attain to this station must be wholly detached from all save God, that he may achieve that most great steadfastness which is the foundation of all good. This matter is in one respect most mighty, and in another respect most simple. Its might is evident and manifest and is recorded in the Tablets of God. Its simplicity and ease lie in a single word - if people would be assisted to grasp that divine word which encompasses the infinite words of the Lord, it would suffice them all and keep them firm upon the straight path of His Cause, in such wise that at all times they would drink and give to drink the water of life from the hand of the All-Merciful’s bounty. And that word is His saying: “Behold Him with His eye, not with your eyes.” This is a statement which, should any soul hear it with the ear of the heart, would never stray from the straight path nor remain far from the Beloved of the worlds. Most people have remained deprived of the purpose of the world due to the vain imaginings of the past and tales of the ancients. One must detach oneself from whatever stories, words and allusions exist in the hands of people, and turn with heart and soul to the precinct of the All-Merciful. If a soul looks to past imaginings, he will never drink from the incomparable pure wine. This most pure wine has no likeness or similarity by which analogies might comprehend it. Observe the people of the Qur’an - how tales of the past and vain imaginings kept them all far from the path of the Lord of all beings. Had they closed their eyes to the signs, traditions and imagined conditions they possessed, and beheld with His eye, they would surely have attained to the lights of the divine countenance and the manifestations of the Lord’s effulgences. The matter of those souls is simple. Reflect upon the people of the Bayan: despite having witnessed that what they previously possessed was pure fancy, and having failed to truly comprehend even one statement from the divine utterances concerning the Resurrection, the Hour, the Path, the Balance, the gathering and dispersal, the Qa’im and His appearance - just as for centuries and ages they had been worshipping vain imaginings unknowingly while counting themselves the greatest, most exalted, most ascetic and most God-fearing of all on earth - nevertheless through other veils some today remain deprived of the life-giving waters of the All-Merciful and the ocean of divine knowledge. Fie upon them and their loyalty! Had they acted upon the divine word that was mentioned, they would never have remained veiled. Say: O friends! Behold the Truth with His eye, for with other than His eye you will never see Him[…]

Know ye not! This is the Word of Truth that hath appeared and shone forth from the Dayspring of the utterance of the All-Merciful. Blessed are they that comprehend, blessed are they that behold, blessed are they that are steadfast, blessed are they that are sincere, and blessed are they that attain. Today the world-illumining Sun of Truth shineth with perfect radiance and light, and the heaven of knowledge is adorned and made visible with the stars of wisdom and utterance. Blessed are the souls that have turned with their own vision and attained thereunto.

And as for that which thou didst desire concerning the sun of thy Lord’s bounty, it is most evident and clear that the attribute of the Self-Sufficient, the Most High, hath been and ever shall be to bestow. In whatsoever manner that honored one desireth, He bestoweth His grace. The heavens and the earth and whatsoever is between them have been created for His loved ones. Thus hath it flowed from the Most Exalted Pen when it moved across the Tablet by the leave of thy Lord, the Mover, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Be assured that ye have been and will be, God willing, under the shelter of the favors of the Lord of all beings, and whatsoever He deemeth expedient He will assuredly bring to pass, inasmuch as ye are reckoned as His own and are related unto Him. If in such matters there hath been delay or postponement, it hath been due to God’s all-encompassing wisdom, and will continue to be so. Henceforth, be not sorrowful, for ye are accounted before His Presence among those who are nigh, and praise be to God, ye have, at the Dayspring of Days, drunk from the hands of the Lord of all beings the Kawthar of reunion and have attained thereunto.

We have written for him who is steadfast in the Cause and hath detached himself from all else the reward of those who have stood before the Presence at eventide and at dawn. We beseech God to give thee to drink from the choice wine of joy and to enable thee to attain unto a station wherein thou mayest soar at all times on the wings of the spirit and sweet fragrance in the atmosphere of the love of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Powerful.

Let them persevere in this prayer: Say: […]

Glorified art Thou, O my God, my Purpose, my Hope and my Beloved! Verily the sweet-scented breezes of Thy Revelation have drawn me to the horizon of Thy favors, and the fragrances of Thine inspiration have turned me toward the realm of Thy bestowals, and the call from the Dayspring of Thy Cause hath awakened me in Thy days. Therefore, O my God, I have turned to Thee with my whole being, detached from all else but Thee, and standing before the door of Thy grace which Thou hast opened to all who are in earth and heaven. I beseech Thee by Thy Word through which Thou hast subdued all created things, through which all possibilities have been moved, and through which Thou hast given the sincere ones to drink of the Kawthar of Thy presence and the pure in heart the choice wine of reunion with Thee, and by Thy Name through whose revelation the Hidden Secret and the Treasured Mystery were unveiled, to make me in all conditions one who remembers Thee and utters Thy praise, who soars in the atmosphere of Thy knowledge and walks in the kingdoms of Thy Cause and power. O Lord! I have hastened to Thy shelter and turned my face toward Thy countenance. Deny me not the waters of Thy mercy nor the ocean of Thy bounty. Every limb of my body testifieth to Thy dominion over all things and Thy power over all who dwell in earth and heaven. Ordain for me that which will make me detached from all else save Thee, that I may behold myself as a sign of Thy detachment in Thy realm and an evidence of Thy sanctification in Thy lands. Moreover, decree for me, O my God, what Thou hast intended from the heaven of Thy generosity and the clouds of Thy grace. Verily Thou art He Whose beneficence hath encompassed all in existence and Whose bounty hath embraced all in creation. Then choose for me, O my God, what will profit me in this world and the next. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent over what Thou willest, and Thou art the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. And I beseech Thee, O Possessor of existence and Educator of the seen and unseen, to immerse me at all times in the ocean of Thy good-pleasure, that I may be moved by Thy Will, actuated by Thy Purpose, and focused on what Thou hast intended for me from the wonders of Thy favors. O Lord! I have clung to the cord of Thy love. I beseech Thee to inscribe me among those who have circled round Thy throne throughout the everlastingness of Thy might and Thy dominion and Thy glory, O God of the worlds and Desired One of those who have recognized Thee! This is my request, my hope, my desire and my aspiration. Thou art He Who hath bidden me to pray and hath promised to answer. Therefore answer what I have asked through Thy grace and generosity, Thy bounty and favor. Verily Thou art the Giver, the Bestower, the Inaccessible, the Most Exalted, the Forgiving, the Merciful. O Lord! Send Thy blessings upon the people of Baha who have remained firm in the Ark of Steadfastness by Thy command and authority, and in the Ship of Constancy by Thy power and might, and whom Thou hast assisted to manifest Thy Cause amongst Thy creatures and to demonstrate Thy sovereignty among Thy servants. Verily Thou art the Omnipotent, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

=== END BH00413 ===

=== START BH00414 ===

O Joseph! Upon thee be the Most Great, the Most Glorious Beauty of God! From the horizon of the Cause there hath dawned the Sun, whereon hath been inscribed by the Most Exalted Pen: “The Kingdom belongeth unto God, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the All-Choosing.” The moon of knowledge hath been eclipsed when the Self-Subsisting appeared, riding upon the clouds. Blessed art thou, for thou hast inhaled the fragrance of holiness from this Garment through which the breezes of divine revelation have wafted throughout all creation. Drink thou the Kawthar of purity in the name of the Lord of the Manifestation, then the Salsabil of utterance in the name of the All-Merciful. Thus hast thou been commanded by thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

Leave the idolaters to their vain imaginings. They wander astray even as their forefathers wandered before. Take what We have sent unto thee. By My life, through it the horizons have been illumined. This is not a day for tarrying. Soar in the atmosphere of detachment in the name of thy Lord, the Creator of all things. Thus doth the Pen of Command direct thee from God, the Mighty, the Bountiful.

Say: O concourse of the learned! Abandon your sciences, for the All-Knowing hath come with the banners of His signs. Rend ye the greatest veil in the name of the Lord of Destiny, then turn with your hearts to the Most Pure Horizon, the station wherein the Tongue of Revelation speaketh with the sovereignty of might and power. Say: Rend ye the veils! This is the Lord of Lords Who hath come with the Kingdom of grandeur and majesty. Among the people are those who have clung to falsehood, turning away from the Kingdom. Say: Woe unto thee, O thou idolatrous doubter! We have manifested the Cause in such wise that all necks have been humbled before it. How many a learned one hath been kept back by the veils of fancy, and how many a child hath rent the veils through My Name. How many a wise one hath turned away from the Divine Dominion, and how many a heedless one hath drawn nigh until he entered the Kingdom of his Lord, the Mighty, the Most High.

Say: Grace is in the hand of God; verily He is the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth. Say: Drink ye the water of life from the utterance of your Lord, the All-Merciful, not that by which minds are veiled. Fear God, O ye who are endued with understanding. When ye have drunk the wine of immortality through this Name that hath dawned from the horizon of destiny, and have delighted in the meats which have descended from heaven, say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou in Whose hand is the Kingdom of names. We testify that Thou art the Powerful over what Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the All-Compelling.

O Joseph! Illumine the hearts with the remembrance of the Beloved and the faces with this Name whereby earthquakes have seized all the tribes and the idols have lamented. Blessed be thy tongue for having been moved to remember thy Lord, and thy heart for having turned to the Dayspring of lights. We hear thy mention in this Most Great Remembrance. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Thus have We addressed thee and sent down for thee the verses that the breezes of utterance might seize thee in this Day wherein the Dove hath warbled and the Raven hath croaked. Grieve not at what thou hearest from the people. Soon shall they glory in thy name, though today they are in heedlessness and error. And the Glory be upon thee and upon those who hear thy call in the Cause of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Forgiving.

O Pen of the Most Ancient, remind the nations through My Most Great Name, that the utterance may draw them to God, their Lord, the All-Merciful. Then make mention of Taha who turned to the Countenance and whom vain imaginings deterred not from the path of God, Lord of all men. The wine of love so intoxicated him that when he heard the call from the direction of his Lord, the Most Glorious, he said: “Yea, O Lord of Lords!” Blessed is the eye that hath seen, the heart that hath turned, and the face that hath directed itself toward the Dawning-Place of inspiration. Grieve not because of those who have wronged. Soon shall We seize them as We seized the factions before them. Through their oppression hath the Cause been uplifted and the mention of thy Lord’s name spread throughout the lands. Through their opposition hath acceptance appeared and through their tyranny hath the sun of justice dawned. Ponder that ye may understand, O people of insight! Thus hath the matter been decreed in the Tablet from thy Lord, the Revealer of verses. God shall soon raise the banners of His sovereignty in every city and the traces of those who disbelieved in the Day of Return shall be destroyed. Be thou independent of all save God in all conditions, then remember Him at morn and eventide. He is verily the Mighty, the All-Bestowing.

O thou who sittest still! This is not the day for sitting. By My life, the Spirit hath arisen to serve thy Lord. Beware lest thou be of them that remain seated. Arise to serve thy Lord with such arising whereby all created things shall arise. This behooveth thee and those who have laid hold on this cord through whose movement all things were moved. Thus hath the matter been decreed by One mighty and powerful. Be thou steadfast in serving thy Lord at all times in such wise that the censure of the censurers deterreth thee not. Verily he who hath been illumined by the light of the Countenance remaineth standing, by the Lord of the Mighty Throne. Sleep overtaketh him not though he may slumber this day, but the people are in evident obscurity. He is standing though thou mayest see him seated. When he lieth down the tongue of his heart proclaimeth “The Desired One hath come,” and when he ariseth he pointeth with the finger of certitude toward the direction of the Adored One, saying: “This is the Dawning-Place of the verses of your Lord, the All-Merciful, the Most Compassionate.” How many who stand are among those who sit, and how many who sit are among those who stand! How many who speak are silent before thy Lord, and how many possessed of life are among the dead! He who speaketh of My remembrance, he is the speaker; he who turneth away therefrom is a mere noise-maker though he be among the speakers. Blessed is he who hath been quickened by this life-giving spirit - by My Lord the All-Merciful, he is among the triumphant. When thou hast received the Tablet, read it and say: “My spirit be a sacrifice for Thy prison, O Thou through Whom the spirits soared and the faces of them that are nigh were illumined!”

O Sa’id! God hath indeed made thee happy through His recognition and aided thee until thou didst turn to the Qiblih of existence and believe in God, the Lord of the seen and unseen. Hearken unto His call once again from the direction of My Most Glorious Name in the white spot from the crimson Tree: “Verily there is no God but I, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting.” Blessed is he whom the attraction of the Almighty hath so seized that it hath severed him from all else, turning him toward his Lord, the Mighty, the Loving. When the Chosen One appeared, the transgressors objected. Among them were those who said: “Where is the straight path?” Say: “It hath been set up, by the Lord of what was and what shall be.” Among them were those who said: “Hath the Hour come?” Say: “Nay, it hath passed, by this Name that dominateth all that witness and are witnessed.” And among them were those who said: “Where are the earthquakes?” Say: “The tribes have been seized while ye rush toward the Fire and perceive it not.” Say: “This is God’s path for all who are in the heavens and on earth, and His balance for all who are in the kingdom of Command and Creation. Blessed are they who know.” The smoke of doubt hath enveloped them and they are a blind people. Those who clung to vain imaginings when the Sun of Certitude shone forth from the horizon of the All-Merciful are deaf and blind. By My life, they shall not be victorious.

Unite, O loved ones of God! By this shall the hearts of them that have denied the Promised Day be sorely troubled. Aid ye God with wisdom. Thus hath the Lord of all creation commanded you. He, verily, is the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth through His word “Be” and it is. Blessed is the strong one who hath stood firm in the Cause, and the one who remembereth and causeth the people to remember this Remembrance whereby faces are illumined. The people are drunk with the wine of vain imaginings and are as dead, save those whom thy Lord hath willed. With Him is the knowledge of all things, yet the people comprehend not.

O Pen of destiny! Make mention of Ja’far who hath turned toward the Most Great Scene, that the remembrance of thy Lord, the Lord of mankind, may draw him to a station that was recorded by the Pen of the All-Merciful in the Mother Book. Blessed art thou for having cast aside vain desire and taken hold of that which thy Lord, the Most Glorious, hath commanded thee on a day when the light was visible from the horizon of His countenance. Let not the multitude of enemies grieve you. God shall soon render them as dust, and thou shalt hear their clamor as no more than the buzzing of flies. He, verily, is cognizant of all things. Can anything withstand His Cause, or can the tyranny of the oppressors defeat it? Nay, by My true Self! Soon shall they that are possessed of unity behold the standards of the Cause upon the highest heights. Thy Lord, verily, hath power over all things.

Say: O concourse of ardent lovers! This is your day, for the Day Star of the horizons hath dawned. Turn ye unto Him with hearts illumined by the lights of the Throne. The head of Baha hath been adorned with the crown of tribulation. Thus hath it been decreed in a Tablet sealed with God’s seal. Take heed lest tribulation deter thee from the remembrance of thy Lord, the Lord of all names. Leave all created things behind thee. He, verily, shall suffice thee. He, verily, is wise over all things. Despair not of God’s Spirit and His mercy. Blessed is he who hath detached himself and taken unto himself a path. Among the idolaters are those who have opposed God and taken Satan for their friend. Say: This day shall nothing profit anyone, even should he cling to all who are in the heavens and on earth, except that he repent and return unto God Who created all things by His command. Thus hath judgment been decreed in a Tablet inscribed by the finger of glory. This is the lamp of the All-Merciful unto all who dwell in the realms of being, and His Most Great Name amongst the nations. Blessed is he who hath turned unto it and sought shelter beneath the pavilion that hath been raised up in God’s name. Say: Associate not partners with God. This is the Sun of Divine Unity that hath shone forth from the horizon of detachment with lights that encompass the worlds. They who have ascribed partners unto Him are lost in the wilderness of error and shall find no helper.

O Pen of Command! Make thou mention of Our servant Salih in this noble Book which hath been sent down from God, the Mighty, the Wise. He is among those who turned unto God on a day whereon the faces of the ascetics who had visited the House were darkened, and who, when He came Who fulfilled through His utterance “the House,” denied Him, even to the point where they pronounced their verdict against Him. These, verily, are among the abased ones. How many a man of understanding hath been kept back from the truth by that which he had formerly committed, and how many a heedless one hath attained to it and said: “Praise be unto Thee, O God of the worlds!” Remember when Muhammad, the Apostle of God, came, he who was chief among the people in learning turned away from Him, while he who was but a shepherd believed in Him. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. How many a maidservant hath turned unto Him and prospered, and how many a man thou beholdest among the heedless ones! Say: The Cause is in God’s hands. He giveth to whom He willeth what He willeth. He, verily, is the Ruler over what He willeth. They who have turned away this day shall soon find themselves in manifest loss. Blessed is the strong one who hath rent the veils asunder through the power of his Lord, the Almighty, the All-Bestowing, and hath turned with his heart to the Qiblih of all who are in the heavens and on earth. Are they who have turned away possessed of any authority? Nay, by the Lord of the Mighty Throne!

Arise in My Name and say: O people! The Day hath come and that which ye were promised in the Tablets of God, the Almighty, the All-Praised, hath been manifested. Verily, it is the Manifestation of God among you, His proof unto you and His testimony unto all who dwell on earth. Cast away vain imaginings, for your Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, hath appeared. This is better for you than all that ye possess, as every discerning and informed one doth testify. The wine of idle fancy hath intoxicated the dwellers of the kingdom of creation, save those who have detached themselves from all that is with the people and have turned unto the countenance of God, the Radiant, the Luminous. Blessed art thou for having attained unto the days of God and discovered the fragrance of His Robe. Be thou thankful and numbered among them that praise Him. Be thou mindful of wisdom in thy remembrance and utterance, then conceal what We have revealed unto thee lest that occur which would disturb the hearts of them that have turned unto Him.

O Pen of Utterance! Make mention of him who beareth the name of the Sultan. Say: Hearken unto the call of the All-Merciful from this Lote-Tree raised above the horizon of possibility - verily there is no God but Me, the Mighty, the Single, the All-Informed. I have created hearts for My knowledge, tongues for My praise, bodies for My service, and eyes for My beauty. Behold this Face, radiant and luminous! Say: This is the Pen through whose movement all created things are moved, and through whose stillness souls find repose in their bodies. Exalted is this Moving, this Still One, the Mighty, the Wondrous.

Preserve ye the pearls of the Beloved’s love within the vessels of hearts through this Name whereby the idol hath lamented and the Spirit of God hath called out. O Muhammad! Be thou steadfast in the Cause of thy Lord in such wise that neither the might of kings nor the turning away of the subject shall deter thee. This beseemeth thee and those who hold fast unto this Name whereby the eyes of them that are nigh unto God have been solaced. Seest thou any permanence in what thou beholdest? Nay, by My Name that ruleth over the worlds! The world and all that is therein shall pass away, and sovereignty shall remain with God, the Mighty, the Powerful. Can the clamor of men prevent that which thy Lord, the Possessor of Destiny, hath willed? Nay, by His most luminous Beauty! From this Most Great Scene He summoneth all unto God, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The Sun of Baha hath dawned from the horizon of tribulation in such wise that the veils of them that are wrapped in veils have failed to obscure it. Hold thou fast unto the cord of thy Lord’s mercy and cling to the hem of the Ancient of Days. Give thanks unto God for having remembered thee from the Pen of the Ancient of Days and revealed thy name in this holy and luminous Tablet. Can the treasures of earth equal this bounty? Nay, by the Dayspring of Revelation, wert thou of them that know! The infant distinguisheth not between the pearl and the stone; when he attaineth maturity, he understandeth and becometh of the thankful. Blessed is he who, having attained unto maturity, recognizeth the station of this Day and in My love detacheth himself from the idolaters.

=== END BH00414 ===

=== START BH00415 ===

We have heard that which you addressed to God through what He had taught you aforetime. Repeat this verse as We repeat: “O my God! I beseech Thee by the appearance of Thy Name, the Self-Subsisting after the Arising One, that Thou separate me not from Thee, neither in this world nor in the world to come. Verily Thou art the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.” This is of My favor unto thee. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Ancient of Days.

That which was sent from the handmaidens in thy land hath been presented. We have accepted it as a token of Our grace. Verily thy Lord doth not suffer to be lost the reward of him who hath turned unto Him, having detached himself from all who are in the heavens and the earth. Convey My greetings unto them both, then send what We have sent of the garment of My Name, the All-Forgiving, the Most Merciful, that it may attract them unto God, the Lord of all worlds. Verily thy Lord remembereth whomsoever He willeth. He is the Protector of good deeds and the Guardian of the righteous.

There hath been presented before Our face the letter sent from the land of Sad, and there had been revealed aforetime unto Our servant K and those around him clear verses that none in all the worlds can equal. We sent them by the hand of Sin. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the Bountiful. Once again do We send down unto them from the supreme verses of their Lord. This indeed is a great favor unto you, O My loved ones in that land. My fragrances, My remembrance, and My praise be upon you. Blessed are ye for having turned unto God, your Lord and the Lord of your fathers of old. Rejoice ye in My remembrance of you, for naught can equal it. Soon shall appear unto you that whereof the True One, the Trustworthy, shall inform you. Drink ye the wine of utterance with wisdom and clear exposition, to spite those who have denied the All-Merciful. Lo! they are among the lost ones in a perspicuous Book.

We have pardoned him who desired pardon and have ordained salvation for whosoever sought it. Verily thy Lord is the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth. We have sent down for each one of them that which gladdeneth the heart of the world. This is of My bounty unto them and unto the peoples. Blessed is he who hath found the fragrance of loving-kindness and hath turned with his heart unto this noble prospect. Convey My greetings unto them and unto those handmaidens who were mentioned in their letter, and give them and these women the glad tidings of that which hath moved the Supreme Pen through their names and that which the tongue of their Most Glorious Lord hath spoken in their remembrance from this resplendent station.

O favored Darvish-’Ali! Fortunate indeed wert thou that by thine own choice thou didst turn to the countenance of the All-Chosen One. Praiseworthy is that vision which is fixed upon and beholdeth the Most Exalted Horizon, and now from that Horizon the Most Glorious Eye gazeth upon thee. Blessed art thou that thy Persian words were presented before His presence and were accepted. Praise the Best-Beloved of the worlds that thou hast attained to this exalted station and this beauteous mention, while most of the eloquent and learned remain distant and deprived. Every lowly one who turned unto Him found Him to be as a pearl, and every sweet thing that was kept from Him became bitter.

O Darvish! If thou shouldst discover the sweetness of divine utterance in these brief and concise words, thou wouldst be seized with such joy as no sorrow could ever overtake or grasp, and with both outer and inner tongue thou wouldst proclaim these blessed words: “I am content with Thy good-pleasure and have believed in Thy decree, O Thou Repository of tribulation and Dayspring of destiny!”

Thy letter in its entirety was repeatedly presented before His presence. Be thou thankful unto thy Lord for this manifest bounty and evident favor. Thy services in God’s path shall never be lost. The reward of those consumed by the fire of separation and enkindled by the flame of longing hath been ordained for thee. In these days the Supreme Pen hath revealed the most great prohibition, therefore all must be content with it. Be not grieved by separation, for all matters depend upon God’s acceptance. Praise be to God, thou hast attained unto it. This indeed is the good and its source - seize thou upon it and be of the thankful ones.

The mention of two souls from N and R that was in thy letter was presented before His presence. Give them glad-tidings of My favor unto them. God hath forgiven their misdeeds. Verily thy Lord forgiveth whom He willeth and chastiseth whom He willeth. Within His grasp is the dominion of all things. He, verily, is powerful over all things. Then give glad-tidings to the son of H of what hath been revealed for him from the heaven of his Lord’s favor, the Most Glorious, that he may praise his Lord and be of the thankful ones.

Blessed art thou, O Zayn, for having sent to Me My Writings. We have accepted them and bestowed them upon the Branch as a favor from Us unto thee. Write thou in all thy days the verses of thy Lord, that His mention may through thee be spread throughout the lands. He is, verily, the Protector of them that remember Him.

We have heard that which Haydar-’Ali called out to his Lord, the Most High, the All-Chosen. We beseech God to aid him to be steadfast in His love and to ordain for him that which shall be a companion and friend to him in this world and the next, and to make him independent of His creatures and focused on His Throne, the Mighty, the Luminous. The mention of Our servant Rahim was made in thy letter and We heard that which he uttered. We beseech God to preserve him beneath the shadow of His Name, the Preserver, the Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

And concerning what thou didst mention about two souls from the people of Riz, this is what was revealed for them from the presence of the Mighty […]

O Husayn! Hearken unto the call of the Lord of nations from His Most Great Prison. Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Almighty, the Glorious, the All-Bestowing. A letter hath come from him whom We have named Zaynu’l-Muqarrabin in the Kingdom of Names, wherein was mentioned thy name. Therefore hath the sun of loving-kindness and bounty dawned from the horizon of thy Lord’s favor, that it might draw thee to the horizon illumined by the lights of thy Lord’s countenance, the Mighty, the Gracious. Be thou steadfast in the love of God and His remembrance in such wise that the proofs of the wicked ones who follow their vain desires and point with the fingers of idle fancy toward Him Who hath disbelieved in God, the Self-Sufficient, the Most High, shall not deter thee. Blessed is he who hath attained unto the knowledge of God in His days and hath shattered the idol of fancy with the hand of certitude. Be thou grateful for having been mentioned and for that which hath been revealed unto thee whereby eyes are gladdened. Preserve the verses of thy Lord, then recite them in the night season and in the daytime. Aid thy Lord through utterance and trust in Him in all matters. Verily, He heareth and beholdeth His servants in all conditions.

O Hashim! Hearken unto the scratching of the Most Exalted Pen which hath been raised between earth and heaven. Verily, there is none other God but Him, the Mighty, the Wise. The face of God hath turned toward thee inasmuch as thy name was mentioned before His great throne. Say: O my God and my Lord! All praise be unto Thee for the wonders of Thy gifts and the manifestations of Thy grace and favor. Thou hast mentioned me though I was not worthy thereof. I testify that Thou art the All-Bountiful, that Thou art the Giver, that Thou art the Bestower, the Forgiving, the Merciful. O my God! Strengthen me to serve Thee and to remember Thee, then make me of those who were drawn to Thy love and attained unto Thy knowledge in Thy days. Then ordain for me that which Thou hast ordained for Thy servants who have circled around Thee, purely for Thy sake. Verily, Thou art powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Wise. O my Lord! I know not what profiteth me with Thee. The knowledge of all things is with Thee, therefore send down unto me that which is best in Thy sight. Verily, Thou art the Most High, the All-Knowing.

Should there be present one named ’Ali, give him the glad-tidings of his Lord’s remembrance of him. Verily, He is the Forgiving, the Bountiful. Say: Blessed art thou, O ’Ali, for having drawn nigh unto the City of God and having inhaled the fragrance of the garment of thy Beloved. When thou wert prevented, thou didst obey the command of God, the Supreme, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy, and didst return to thy home with devotion. For this do the denizens of the heavens and honored servants pray for thee. Rejoice in My remembrance of thee. By God! Nothing that hath been created in the heavens and earth can equal it, but the people are heedless. When thou attainest unto the Tablet of God and its effects, turn with thy heart to the Most Great Scene. Say: […]

O my God and the God of all worlds, my Goal and the Goal of all who dwell in the heavens and the earth! O Thou towards Whose heaven of grace all hands are upraised, towards Whose horizon of bounty and favor all eyes are fixed, and by the sweet savors of Whose days of reunion and the fragrances of Whose robe of nearness and meeting all hearts are stirred! I beseech Thee by Thy Name, through which Thou wert wronged amongst Thy creation and imprisoned amidst Thy creatures, to preserve me beneath the shade of the Tree of Thy mercy. Then ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones, and decree for me the reward of those who have attained unto Thy presence and stood before Thy face. Thou, verily, art the Omnipotent over whatsoever Thou willest. There is none other God but Thee, the Mighty, the Loving.

O my God! Thou seest my face turned towards Thee and my heart drawn to the Heart of all possibilities, through which the breezes of Thy revelation waft through Thy domains and the winds of Thy mercy blow throughout Thy lands. Make me steadfast in Thy Cause and in Thy love, and send down upon me from the clouds of Thy mercy that which will purify me from all else but Thee and turn me wholly toward Thy face, such that I may turn to none but Thee and follow naught but Thy commandments and what hath been sent down from Thee. Verily, Thou doest what Thou willest, and Thou art the Mighty, the Forgiving.

As for what thou didst mention regarding Hassan and Habib, convey My greetings to them both and give them glad tidings of God’s favors. They possess an honored station. May glory rest upon the Messenger and His people from the All-Glorious, the Resplendent, the Mighty, the Inaccessible.

The letter that was sent in the company of Aqa Rafi’ - since in those days tablets were not sent by post and no special courier was departing, the reply was consequently delayed. If the postal service is reliable, there shall never be any delay in replies. God willing, it shall be sent hereafter. Regarding the blessed verse in the Surih of the Kings that was mentioned, both versions are correct, though if the first remains as it is, it would be sweeter and better.

Concerning the passage revealed in the Tablet of Mulla Husayn and his son, it was “and glory be upon him and upon his son.” The letter ha had been written in error. God willing, all must be occupied with service to the Cause through divine grace. Convey abundant greetings to all on behalf of the Truth and adorn them with the ornament of the love of the Beloved of all worlds. And glory be upon thee and upon those who have migrated in the path of God, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting.

As to the matter of statements attributed to Shaykh Ahmad-i-Ahsa’i, upon him be all the Most Glorious Glory of God: the original statements were written by one of the Shaykhi school who inquired about them in Iraq. Several errors were observed therein, but no attention was paid to correcting them. The statements were copied exactly as written by the scribe, as is also referenced in the Tablet to Mir Karim Khan. One passage from these statements will be mentioned, that thou mayest be assured that thy Lord is indeed the All-Knowing, the All-Wise: “The letter Vav comprises three letters making six, and one Alif, and six, and six days have passed.” This refers to the creation of the heavens and earth in six days. They say that creation was completed, and the Alif between the two Vavs indicates the completion of the first six, and that Alif represents the station of the arising of the Qa’im, as was made manifest. And the other Vav refers to the creation of new heavens through the manifestation of the Qayyum in the latter six days. After the appearance of this station, the mystery of inversion is witnessed, according to the symbol of “the chief,” as thou hast heard: “He maketh their highest to become their lowest.” The Shaykh’s intent was that what was created in six days has passed and ended with the Alif standing between the two letters, and in another six days that which was raised before will be raised again. Then all matters will be transformed as thou hast seen and known. Thus was the matter completed through the Proof, and the Most Great Name appeared among creation. His is the praise for this. In these days the Supreme Pen is not inclined to interpretation. He loveth to speak at all times: “There is no God but I, the Powerful, the Mighty, the Bestower.” These two words were also revealed for that person without his asking. In truth, through these two words alone all the statements of the Shaykh have been interpreted. The purpose of mentioning him in the tablet to the ignoble one was that perchance he might recognize his own impotence and inquire of the Truth. But due to pride and vainglory, despite his soul’s helplessness, he did not inquire nor turn unto God. Lo! He is among the losers. All the Shaykhis, by their own admission in Iraq, were unable to understand its meaning. They even mentioned that they presented it to the late Siyyid, but he concealed the matter and did not reveal an answer. Thus have We related unto thee what We intended. Verily thy Lord is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

“The original copy of this blessed tablet which appears to be incomplete is under number […]”

Without the actual text of the tablet itself, I cannot provide a translation. Please provide the text you would like translated.

=== END BH00415 ===

=== START BH00416 ===

O Samandar, upon whom be the Glory of God, the Most Glorious!

He is the Comforter in this great and mighty station.

O Samandar! The Lord of Destiny consoles Himself for what hath befallen Him at the hands of those who have embraced tyranny and cast justice behind their backs, following every froward devil. The tribes of ’Ad and Thamud did unto ?ali? and Hud that which caused the Divine Lote-Tree to lament and the Concourse on High to cry out, as doth testify this wronged, grief-stricken and lonely One. By God! They crucified the Spirit, hamstrung the She-Camel, and shattered the Ark. Thy Lord is verily the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. He lamenteth for His chosen ones and consoleth His loved ones in this calamity whereby justice hath wailed and the Faithful Spirit hath cried out. They have slain My chosen ones and plundered their possessions. Thus hath the matter been decreed, yet most of the people remain heedless.

O Samandar! We have witnessed Joseph the Beloved between the fangs of wolves, and Husayn beneath the claws of the oppressors. By God’s life! The people have committed that which neither the Jews did unto the Spirit, nor Abu-Jahl unto Muhammad, My Messenger, whom We adorned with the ornament of the Seal and sent unto all who are in the heavens and on earth. They have perpetrated that which none in the world hath ever perpetrated, as doth bear witness the Lord of Eternity from this glorious horizon. When Hasan and Husayn were martyred and their days were ended, We seized the source of tyranny and oppression with a sovereignty from Our presence. Verily thy Lord is the Almighty, the Powerful. Blessed are they who drew nigh unto them and visited their resting-places. They are the people of God in the Kingdom of creation. Thus hath the Supreme Pen decreed in this wondrous and glorious Book.

Woe unto those who have cast the Tablet of God behind their backs and followed every remote transgressor. Ponder, O Samandar, on My forbearance despite My power, My patience despite My might, and My silence despite the influence of My Word that hath dominated the world. Were We to so desire, We could seize those who have committed injustice through a mere servant or through the angels of the near ones. We act according to the wisdom We have made a lamp unto Our creation and the people of Our dominion. Thy Lord is verily the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Soon shall We seize those who have oppressed even as We seized them aforetime. Thy Lord is verily the Ruler over whatsoever He willeth.

God willing, thou hast been and wilt ever remain the recipient of God’s favors and engaged in His service. He hath testified that thou hast been faithful to His Covenant and hast arisen to serve His Cause. Blessed art thou, and thy brother, and thy father who hath ascended unto God, the Lord of the worlds.

O Samandar! Thou must act with the utmost wisdom. Trust not every speaker, reveal not what thou knowest to every visitor, and disclose not to every seeker. How many a servant claims with his tongue that which hath never entered his heart. Be seated upon the throne of wisdom, walk in the path of wisdom, and hold fast to the hem of wisdom. Thus doth the Lord of creation counsel thee. He is verily the Faithful Counselor.

These are days wherein some, for the purpose of learning about matters or for other motives, make claims of sincerity and faith. Thou must be vigilant in all respects that nothing might occur contrary to wisdom.

For each of the souls mentioned in thy letter, wondrous and sublime verses have been revealed from the heaven of divine Will. Blessed are they for having attained unto My verses in My days and unto My mercy that hath preceded all worlds. Make mention of thine uncle on My behalf. Say: Grieve not for what hath befallen thee. The Beloved remembereth thee and hath turned toward thee out of His grace. He is verily the Almighty, the All-Bountiful.

O Muhammad-Qabli-Rahim! Blessed art thou for having turned unto God, hearkened unto His Call, and directed thyself toward Him with a heart that was turned to the Qiblih of the horizons. Let not the affairs of the world grieve thee. Verily, the ocean of joy remembereth thee in the midst of sorrows. The banner of tyranny hath been raised in the land of Sad, whereat the Lote-Tree of existence hath lamented and the Rock of reality hath cried out. God hath seized the root of oppression through His sovereignty. He, verily, is the Almighty, the All-Choosing.

Say: Praise be unto Thee, O my God, for having remembered me in Thy Most Great Prison. I beseech Thee, by Thy Name, the All-Subduing Ruler of the world, to ordain for me through the Pen of Thy decree that which shall profit me in every world of Thy worlds. O Lord! Thou knowest what is within me, and I know not what is with Thee. Thou art, verily, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

We make mention of him who is named Ibrahim, that he may hear the Call of the Glorious One which hath been raised from this exalted Station. Be thou mindful of My remembrance, proclaiming My Name and voicing My beauteous praise. Give thanks unto God for having aided thee to recognition and for having revealed unto thee that which shall profit thee throughout the duration of His kingdom and dominion, shouldst thou remain steadfast in this Cause whereby the feet of the learned have slipped and the hearts of the mystics have been perturbed, save whom God hath willed, thy Lord, the Lord of all worlds. Thus hath the Dayspring of Revelation mentioned thee in His days, that thou mayest give thanks unto thy Gracious Lord.

We make mention in this Book of him who is named Ali, from which the fragrance of utterance hath been wafted to all who dwell in the realm of creation and the perfume of the garment hath been diffused amongst those who are near unto God. O Ali! We counsel thee to be steadfast in this mighty Cause. How many a servant hath claimed steadfastness within himself, yet when We tested him with but a word he faltered and was among the losers. Cast aside vain imaginings in the name of thy Lord, the Mighty, the All-Knowing, and hold fast unto the cord of certitude from God, the Most High, the Most Great. Thus hath the Spirit spoken, and the Cock of the Throne hath crowed, and the Nightingale hath warbled. Blessed is he who hath turned and hearkened, and woe unto the heedless. The glory be upon thee and upon whosoever hath held fast unto the cord of God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment.

O Most Exalted Pen! We desire to make mention of one of My handmaidens who heard My call, turned unto My horizon, discovered the fragrance of My garment, arose to render My praise and glorification, circled round My Cause, sought refuge in My presence, and found shelter beneath the shade of the Tree of My loving providence, who bore the afflictions of the world for love of Me and My path, and cast aside the idle fancies of the nations through the sovereignty of My commandments and ordinances. She is the one who was in the presence of Our Name, who was named Abdul-Rahim, in this luminous Scene. O Samandar! By My life, We have veiled his station in this vain life and have made mention of him in My hidden, treasured and concealed scroll with such mention as hath enraptured the hearts of the mystics. Blessed is he who attained his presence in his days and visited him after his ascension. We bear witness that he is among the triumphant. Blessed is he who draweth nigh and standeth before his resting place and saith […]

Peace be upon thee from God and His chosen ones and His trustees and the Dawning-Places of His revelation and the Day-Springs of His inspiration and the Manifestations of His Cause and the bearers of His throne and His angels, O thou who art radiant with the light that shineth from the horizon of certitude and who speaketh in praise of thy Lord, the Possessor of all possibilities. I testify that thou didst arise when thou didst hear the call and didst answer thy Lord, and hastened with thy heart to His most exalted horizon and His most glorious vision, and didst take the choice wine of knowledge from the hand of the bounty of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower. And I testify that thou wert steadfast in the Cause of God in such wise that neither the clamor of the heedless, nor the blame of the ignorant, nor the turning away of the opposer, nor the objection of the spiteful, nor the evil of the wicked, nor the barking of the hateful could deter thee. Thou art he who was mentioned by the Most Exalted Pen and who didst win the verses of God, the Lord of Names, and didst drink the Kawthar of utterance from the cup of the wisdom of God, the Lord of the worlds. And I testify that thou didst acknowledge that which God acknowledged on a day wherein earthquakes seized all who were on earth save whom God willed, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. Thou art he who heard in the path of God that which no one had heard and bore in the love of God that which no soul among the servants had borne. Thou art he who cast behind thee vain imaginings and placed doubts beneath thy feet, and turned toward the Qiblih of the horizons with a heart purified from the signs of the deniers and the whisperings of those who disbelieved in God, the Lord of the Day of Judgment. Blessed art thou and blessed is he who draweth nigh unto thee and visiteth thee in thy resting-place and who remembereth thee and what befell thee at the hands of those who denied God and disputed His signs and turned away from His presence and objected to His Self and arose to extinguish His light whereby the heavens and earth were illumined. We testify that they are the companions of the fire in the Book of God, the Sovereign, the Just, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. Verily, We make mention of Muhammad-Qabli-’Ali who was mentioned by name in thy book. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the Bestower. Grieve not at separation, for He prescribeth for whomsoever He willeth whatsoever He desireth. Verily thy Lord is the All-Powerful, the All-Choosing. Be not grieved at anything, but rejoice in the days of thy Lord and say […]

Praise be unto Thee, O Sovereign of earth and heaven! I testify that the earth hath been ennobled by Thy footsteps, the atmosphere hath been perfumed by Thy breaths, the sun hath been illumined by the light of Thy countenance, the heaven hath been raised up by Thy will and hath smiled at Thy manifestation, and the world hath quivered with longing to meet Thee. O Lord! I beseech Thee by the tribulations that have befallen Thee to inscribe for me, by Thy Most Exalted Pen, that which befitteth the heaven of Thy bounty and the ocean of Thy generosity. O Lord! I testify that Thou didst create me and all things to attain Thy presence, to stand before the throne of Thy grandeur, and to appear at the gate of Thy mercy. Despite my knowledge of all this and my certitude in what Thou hast willed before Thy face, should Thou command me to stand still, I would be content with Thy command, and should Thou forbid me, I would say: “Praise be unto Thee, and Thine is the command, O Thou in Whose hand lies the kingdom of all things and in Whose grasp is the dominion of names. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

O Lord! I beseech Thee by those who have arisen to aid Thy Cause and by those who were martyred in the Land of Sad for Thy sake - those whose tribulations caused the Concourse on High and the denizens of the Kingdom of Names to weep - to ordain for me, by the Pen of [Thy grace], the reward of attaining Thy presence and the recompense of those who hastened to the Dayspring of Thy Revelation in such wise that neither the waves of the seas deterred them from Thy path, nor the hosts of the wicked from the direction of Thy grace, until they entered Thy Most Great Prison, stood before Thy throne, heard Thy call, were illumined by the lights of Thy countenance, and sought shelter in the hem of Thy bounty. O Lord! I am the poor one, and Thou art the Rich; I am the impotent one, and Thou art the Powerful. I have raised my hands of supplication to the heaven of Thy gifts. If Thou renderest me deprived, verily Thou art the best of judges, and if Thou sendest down upon me what Thou hast willed of Thy grace, verily Thou art the best of givers. I testify in all circumstances that Thou art praiseworthy in Thy deeds and obeyed in Thy command. There is none other God but Thee, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

O Pen of the Most Merciful! Make mention of him who was named Hasan-i-Qabl-i-Khan, that he may rejoice in My remembrance and arise to that which will profit him in the worlds of My Command and My Kingdom, the Mighty, the Impregnable. Be thou in such wise that neither the happenings of the world nor the clamor of the nations shall deter thee. Thus doth the Ancient King command thee from this luminous spot. Say: The heedless ones have imprisoned Him in this mighty fortress, yet in all conditions He calleth them who are in the kingdom of creation unto God, the Creator of heaven. However, most people are among the heedless. Some have heard, some remained heedless, some heard and turned away, and some heard, hastened, and answered their Ancient Lord. This is a day whereon it behooveth the whole world to become a single ear, that it may hear this most sweet call which hath been raised betwixt earth and heaven. Thus doth the Lord of all mention thee in this great prison. Be thou thankful unto thy Lord for having remembered thee through these verses whereby the eyes of those near unto God have been solaced.

O Husayn! The face of the Wronged One hath turned toward thee from this spot, and He saith: Blessed is the stranger who hath recognized his supreme home, blessed is the hearer who hath heard the call of the Lord of all creation, blessed is the seer who hath beheld My Most Glorious Horizon, and blessed is the speaker who hath uttered My beauteous praise. Verily, the Wronged One calleth thee and counseleth thee with that which the All-Merciful hath revealed in His wondrous Book. Hold fast unto God and His commandments, and be thou in such wise that all who possess the sense of smell may inhale from thee the fragrance of the love of God, the Lord of the worlds. Thus hath My Most Exalted Pen spoken out of grace from His presence, and I am the All-Bountiful, the Most Generous.

O Samandar! It behooveth thee to offer thanksgiving and praise unto thy Lord for having revealed, for every name recorded in thy book, that which will enable the sincere ones to inhale the fragrance of My Revelation and the sweet-scented savour of My luminous garment. The glory rest upon thee and upon them and upon him who hath attained unto My presence and My service, and verily he is exalted after Nabil. We make mention of him at the end of the Book that he may rejoice in the remembrance of his Lord, the All-Informed, the One Who uttereth. We send Our greetings unto his face from this Station, and call to mind the days wherein he was present before the Throne and hearkened unto the voice of his Lord, the Mighty, the All-Praised. And the glory rest upon thee and upon him and upon both your families and upon those who are with you and those who have believed in God, the Lord of the Mighty Throne. And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

=== END BH00416 ===

=== START BH00417 ===

He is the All-Knowing, All-Wise Utterer

O Nightingale! Upon thee be My glory and My loving-kindness. The Most Great Branch was at this moment present before the Face of the Wronged One, and We made mention of thy mention in such wise as caused the lights to shine forth from the horizons of the heaven of thy Lord, the Chosen One. Blessed art thou for having voiced the praise of thy Lord and spoken that whereby the heart of every seeking soul was attracted and the faces of them that are nigh and sincere were illumined. Thou didst make mention of the loved ones and requested the Most Holy, Most Exalted Tablet for some. We have answered thee as a token of My grace and as a mercy from thy Lord, the All-Bountiful. Shouldst thou ask for all who are on earth, We would surely fulfill thy need and would send down from the heaven of My generosity, for each one of them, the signs of My grandeur and My clear tokens. And I am verily the Answerer, the Hearer, the Compassionate, the Forgiving, the Merciful.

This is what was revealed for him who was named Asadu’llah, upon him be the Glory of God:

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

Praise be to the Ancient Lord Who, through the Most Exalted Word, hath guided the world and the peoples to the straight path and the mighty announcement. He is the One Who is so powerful that the tyranny of the pharaohs among His servants and the oppressors in diverse lands did not hold Him back from His purpose. He arose before all faces and spoke that which is the cause of salvation, preservation, bounty and wealth for the peoples of the world. Among them are those who have turned towards Him and those who have turned away, and he who hath turned towards Him is assuredly among the people of this glorious and exalted station. O Asad! We beseech God, exalted be He, to make thee steadfast in His Cause and firm in His love in such wise that neither the tempests of idle fancies nor the thunderbolts of vain imaginings may move thee. Speak forth My Name amongst My servants and draw them nigh unto the gate of My majesty which hath been opened before the faces of all who are in the heavens and the earth. Take thou the chalice of utterance by My command, then drink therefrom and say: “Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of all names and Creator of heaven, for having remembered me in Thy prison and for having sent down unto me that which shall endure as long as Thy names and attributes endure. I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy verses to ordain for me through Thy bounty, O Lord of all being, and through Thy generosity, O Lord of eternity, that which will exalt me through Thy name amongst Thy creation. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.”

And this is what was revealed for Muhammad-i-Qabl-i-Baqir, upon him be the Glory of God:

In My Name, the One Who domineth over all names

O Muhammad-i-Qabl-i-Baqir! Should anyone ask thee concerning the Ark of God, say: “It is amidst the waves,” and concerning the Lamp of utterance, say: “It is amid the winds.” Thus hath the Tongue of Grandeur spoken, while walking in this prison in the path of God, the Lord of all worlds. Give thanks unto thy Lord for having remembered thee with verses before which the necks of the idolaters have bowed down. When thou dost inhale the sweet savors of My utterance and drinkest the choice wine of My recognition from the hand of My bounty, say:

“My God, my God! Praise be to Thee for having sent down unto me from the heaven of Thy mercy that which shall cause my name to endure in Thy Manifest Book. I beseech Thee, O Thou Who hast subdued the hearts of them that are nigh through Thy clear command and Thy mighty announcement, to ordain for me that which beseemeth each world of Thy worlds. Thou art, verily, the All-Bountiful, the All-Forgiving, the All-Merciful.”

This is what was revealed for him who was named Zaynu’l-’Abidin, upon him be the Glory of God:

In My Name, the Warbler upon the branches

[…]

O Zaynu’l-’Abidin! Hear thou the call of the Wronged One from the prison of ’Akka. Verily, He guideth thee to His path, directeth thee to His glory, draweth thee nigh unto His court, and illumineth thee with the light of His Cause which hath encompassed all who are in the heavens and on earth. Were We to recount unto thee what hath befallen the Wronged One, thou wouldst lament as those who are bereft. We have manifested the Cause and revealed that by which the weary found utterance, the sick were healed, and the prostrate arose, yet the people are in grievous doubt. As for thy desire to attain His presence, We beseech God to ordain for thee the reward of meeting Him and to draw thee nigh unto Him. Verily, He is the Hearer, the Answerer. This is what hath been ordained both inwardly and outwardly. Wisdom doth not permit attainment of His presence and meeting in such days as these. To this testifieth this All-Knowing Expounder. We beseech God, exalted be He, to forgive thee and thy father. Verily, He is the Generous. There is none other God but Him, the Compassionate, the Bountiful, the Giving, the Forgiving, the Merciful. The glory from Us be upon thee and upon thy mother and those who are with thee, and upon every steadfast and firmly established one, and every well-grounded and perspicuous one.

This was revealed for him who was named Muhammad, upon him be the glory of God:

In My Name, the Caller between earth and heaven!

O Muhammad! Every call hath reached its end and every fire hath been extinguished and every light hath remained veiled. What fire is this that the oceans of rejection and denial could not quench? What light is this that the veils of the world and the harm of nations could not conceal? What call is this that the clamor of the oppressors and the rattling of chains of the transgressors could not silence? In most nights and days the Tongue speaketh and the Call is raised. Blessed is he who hath heard and recognized, and woe unto the heedless! We beseech the True One to protect this people and illumine them with the lights of true unity. The people of the past would each day take a lord and cling to a vain imagination, until finally the fruit and effect of that was witnessed when they hanged and martyred the Dawning-Place of divine revelation. Blessed is he who hath clung to the cord of unity, detached from all who are in the heavens and on earth. In these days consummate wisdom hath caused a delay in permission, for the deniers and the opposers stand as barriers. We beseech God to remove them through His sovereignty and to aid His loved ones with the power that hath conquered all things and the might that hath encompassed earth and heaven. Verily, He is the Powerful, the Mighty. And We beseech God, exalted be He, to assist thee in what He hath ordained for thee and to benefit thee in every world of His worlds. Verily, He is the Mighty, the All-Bestowing. The glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon thy mother and thy family and upon those who have taken the Book of God with power from Him and authority from His presence. Verily, He is the Helper, the All-Wise.

This was revealed for him who was named Ahmad, upon him be the glory of God:

In My Name, the Speaker, the Rememberer before all faces […]

Praise be unto the Most Great Cause, which is worthy and befitting, for He hath illumined the world and its peoples with the effulgent rays of the Luminary of utterance, and made manifest the path of guidance and salvation for all. Exalted be His dominion, exalted His proof, exalted His Word, and glorious His signs! O Ahmad, upon thee be My glory! This Wronged One in the Most Great Prison hath guided the friends to the supreme horizon, and at every moment there appear and shine forth before all faces the pearls of wisdom and utterance from the treasuries of the Most Exalted Pen. Blessed are they who have attained thereunto, and woe unto the heedless servants who have turned away. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to preserve thee through His bounty, to guard thee by His hosts, to aid thee through His signs, and draw thee nigh unto His path, the Mighty, the Wondrous. By the life of God! At this moment when the pearls of remembrance and utterance have appeared from the treasury of thy Lord, the Most Merciful, the ocean of forgiveness hath surged, and the fragrance of the loving-kindness of the Lord of all religions hath wafted - a bounty from His presence upon thy father and upon him who was named Husayn. Verily thy Lord is the Mighty, the All-Bountiful. The Glory from Us be upon thee, upon thy son, and upon him whose mention thou hast desired. Verily thy Lord’s grace hath encompassed the world. To this the Mother Book beareth witness in this station.

This is what was revealed for him who was named Siyyid Abu’l-Qasim, upon him be the glory of God:

In My Name, the Hearer, the Answerer

Praise be to God Who, through His Most Exalted Word, hath transformed remoteness into nearness, ignorance into knowledge, darkness into light, and heedlessness into awareness. Glorious is His loving-kindness and glorious His mercy that hath preceded the decree of the Kaf and the Nun. He is verily the Omnipotent, the Supreme, the Self-Subsisting. O Abu’l-Qasim! At this moment the Most Great Branch gained admittance to Our presence and mentioned thy name which was recorded in the letter of ’Andalib, upon him be My glory and loving-kindness, and it was heard. Blessed art thou for God hath aided thee to turn and direct thyself to the light of His Countenance and adorned thee with the ornament of His remembrance, the Mighty, the Wondrous. This is the Day of effort and steadfastness. Steadfastness is the essence of all essences and appeareth from the mine of humanity. None can determine the value of this precious pearl, nor can any writer describe its qualities. Its station hath been hidden in God’s knowledge, the Lord of all worlds. Today the friends must be illumined with the light of steadfastness and summon the people of the world to the supreme horizon through wisdom and utterance. This is the firm decree which hath in this moment been sent down from the heaven of the will of the Lord of eternity. Blessed art thou and blessed is he who acteth according to what is commanded in My perspicuous Book. In these days the manifestations of conjecture and idle fancy are intervening and preventing attainment unto His presence. We beseech God to ordain for thee the reward of meeting Him and to decree for thee what He hath decreed for His chosen ones. Verily thy Lord is the Forgiving, the Merciful. The Glory shining from the heaven of My loving-kindness be upon thee and upon those who have cast away corruption and conflict and have taken hold of righteousness and reconciliation. Thus hath the Pen spoken when the Lord of eternity was walking in His exalted and impregnable station.

This is what was revealed for the daughter of him who was named Muhammad-Shafi’, who arose to serve the Cause in the earliest days:

In My Name, the Rememberer, the Answerer

[…]

Praise be to God! The Sun of utterance is resplendent, the Light of the Cause is radiant, the Ocean of bounty is surging, and the Star of guidance is advancing and shining before all faces. Blessed is the servant who has attained to the outpourings of this blessed Day, and blessed is the leaf who hearkened unto the call of the Lote-Tree of Sinai and clung fast unto it. O My handmaiden and My leaf! Thy father, who soared in My atmosphere, cast aside all else save Me, and held fast to My mighty cord, hath made mention of thee. We make mention of thee with that which causeth the eyes of the chaste ones in their chambers to be consoled, as a token of grace from God, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Say: Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of the world, and glory be unto Thee, O Master of eternity, for having remembered Thy handmaiden who hath turned unto Thee. I beseech Thee to inscribe my name in the place wherein Thou hast made mention of those women who circled round the throne of Thy grandeur and drank the choice wine of utterance from the hands of Thy bounty. Verily, Thou art the One Who hath power over whatsoever He pleaseth. There is none other God but Thee, the Commander, the Mighty, the Wise.

And this is what was revealed for him who was named Mirza Qasim, upon him be the Glory of God:

In My Name, that speaketh before the peoples of the world! O Qasim! Knowest thou Who maketh mention of thee? Say: Yea, my Lord, the All-Bountiful, remembereth me. And knowest thou Who hath turned toward thee from the direction of the Prison? Say: Yea, verily, He is my Goal, the Mighty, the Praiseworthy. Thou didst make mention of the Huquq; it hath been accepted. Excellent is that which thou hast done. We have approved thy deed as a bounty from Our presence. Verily thy Lord is the All-Bountiful, the Gracious. We beseech God, exalted be He, to assist thee in completing the House. Verily He is the Helper, the Mighty, the All-Knowing. Grieve not over anything. In all matters place thy trust in the Strong, the Almighty. Arise to serve the Cause with such steadfastness as cannot be hindered by the imaginings of the deluded ones, the doubts of the aggressive ones, or the oppression of the tyrannical ones. Thus hath the Pen spoken that thou mayest be assured that thy Lord is the Manifest Bestower, the All-Bountiful, the Gracious.

O Nightingale! Upon thee be My Glory and My loving-kindness. We have mentioned every name that was in thy letter as a bounty from Our presence upon thee and upon them and upon all who are in the heavens and on earth. In these days the loved ones must all arise to render victory, and victory is in teaching the Cause. This Day is blessed, and whatsoever hath occurred in the land, even the martyrdom of the loved ones, hath made the world ready to hearken unto the Word of God. All must hold fast unto wisdom and through utterance illumine the people of the world with the light of guidance. This Wronged One maketh mention of the loved ones and counseleth them with that which is the cause of everlasting wealth and riches. It is hoped that they will not deprive themselves. Soon will the Most Great Word encompass all and everyone will attain supreme joy. Especially for his honour Haji Muhammad-Rida and his namesake, two Tablets have been sent down from the heaven of the Divine Will. They have ever been and still are remembered. By My life! God hath created them for the exaltation of His Word and the manifestation of His Cause through wisdom and utterance. Verily thy Lord is the All-Explaining, the All-Knowing, the Wise. We beseech God, blessed and exalted be He, to protect them with the hosts of the seen and the unseen, and to change their loss into the Most Great Profit. Verily He is the Hearer, the Answerer, the Bestower, the All-Bountiful, the Gracious. The Glory shining from the horizon of the heaven of My mercy be upon thee and upon them and upon My loved ones who have clung to My luminous hem.

=== END BH00417 ===

=== START BH00418 ===

Praise be to God Who has dawned forth with the sovereignty of Names upon all created things, whereupon all beings were attracted, all possibilities were set in motion, the free were uplifted, the trees swayed, the flowers smiled, the seas were stirred, and the stones spoke forth. Verily, there is no God but Him, the Single, the One, Who has ever been sanctified above what is mentioned in creation and Who will ever be exalted above what the peoples of earth and heaven utter. He has encompassed all things through His Name, the All-Subduing over all who are in the heavens and earths. And praise be to God Who has concealed the faults of His servants while being seated upon the throne of His Name, the Concealer. Exalted be the All-Choosing One through Whom the greatest veil was rent asunder and from the highest horizon shone forth the Sun of His Most Glorious Beauty, whereupon the face of heaven beamed with joy, the furthest limit drew near, and the Divine Lote-Tree spoke forth: “Verily, there is no God but Him.” Verily, He is the Self-Subsisting One Whom the veils of creation have not hindered nor the conditions of the Cause obscured. He doeth what He willeth in His dominion. There is no God but Him, the Almighty, the Most Exalted, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

The letter from your honor reached this evanescent servant, and as it expressed your love for the Beloved of all worlds, it brought boundless joy and limitless delight. God willing, may you ever be engaged in the praise and glorification of the Lord of all possibility, and occupied with fostering love among the friends. After reading the letter, it was observed that your honor, like the noble recording angels, had written numerous tablets mentioning certain souls. However, according to previous accounts, the recording angels are charged with recording both good and evil deeds, while your honor has recorded only the misdeeds of each one. This matter caused great astonishment. O my brother, what I say, I say for God’s sake. If the True One, exalted be His glory, were to deal with this evanescent servant and other friends with justice, and were to bring forth the balance of justice, none would find refuge or escape. However, as these are the days of the Most Great Manifestation, He has dealt and continues to deal with all through His greatest bounty. In truth, were anyone to observe with the eye of fairness, they would see their very existence, being, mention and praise as a grievous error, let alone their unworthy and rejected deeds and words. Therefore, this servant and your honor must hold fast to the cord of God’s favor and beseech Him with utmost humility and supplication to protect all the friends from the promptings of self and passion, and to direct them to the highest horizon. It is known that all created things are prone to error and ever shall be, but today, as the Sun of generosity is shining and the ocean of mercy is surging, God’s gaze is fixed upon the goodly deeds of souls who have turned to Him. This is naught but His grace and generosity toward His servants, and His mercy and bounty toward His loved ones. One day, Jesus son of Mary - may my spirit be sacrificed for Him - was walking with several of His disciples when they came upon a dead dog. They expressed disgust, saying they detected a foul odor. That Source of compassion and mercy said, “How white are its teeth!” Observe now how He concealed the fault - may my spirit be sacrificed for His loving-kindness. This was solely to teach His companions that all should fix their gaze upon the good deeds of others and conceal one another’s faults. We bear witness that He is verily the All-Knowing, the Wise Teacher. Perfect infallibility has been and shall ever be confined to God, exalted be His glory. None has had or shall have a share of this most pure fountain, and assuredly all but God have been and shall ever be prone to error.

As to the esteemed Mirza Muhammad Husayn, the physician, upon him be the Glory of God, concerning whom mention was made, this servant now relates one of his good deeds, which was thus: At a time when all the people of Iraq had risen in opposition and protest, and were occupied in the streets and bazaars with beating and abusing the friends of God, some of the friends along with the aforementioned physician were taken to the seat of government. At that time, he conversed with an interpreter of one of the foreign powers. After some dispute, the interpreter said, “Who are you to speak to me in such a manner face to face?” The honored physician replied, “And who are you?” He answered, “I am the government’s interpreter.” The honored physician then declared, “And I am the interpreter of the people!” Indeed, in that gathering where all the opponents from among the notables of the realm were present, and likewise the rulers were assembled, he nonetheless spoke with perfect steadfastness, strength and power. This incident shall never be effaced from the tablet of the world, for he spoke for the exaltation of the Word of God, and neither the might of the state nor the clamor of the people could deter him from the love of God. And afterward, you have surely heard how they took him and the friends as captives from Iraq and sent them to Mosul. Now the divine gaze is fixed upon this deed of his, which transcends all deeds, for which there descended from the Kingdom of Grace that which you have heard and seen specifically for him. In brief, I state this much: Do not imagine that even an atom of anyone’s deeds remains concealed. I swear by the Day-star of the horizon of utterance that all the deeds, actions and words of people are evident and manifest in the Most Holy Court. This is the Day wherein all secrets shall be searched out, and it is the Day concerning which He says: “If it be the weight of a mustard seed and though it be in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, God will bring it forth.” And likewise He says: “Every man’s fate We have fastened on his neck: on the Day of Judgment We shall bring out for him a scroll, which he will see spread open.” No matter has been or shall be hidden, but since the Sun of grace is shining and the ocean of bounty is surging, He therefore regards with utmost kindness and mercy His loved ones who have borne hardships in His path and migrated from land to land due to the oppression of the polytheists. “God blots out or confirms what He pleases, and with Him is the Mother of the Book.” Reflect upon the essence of this Revelation. God has done and will do whatsoever He willeth. If today He should bar an entire world from the ocean of nearness, and establish an ignorant one upon the throne of proximity, none has been or shall be entitled to object. These matters are found in former traditions which state: “Whoso says ‘why’ or ‘wherefore’ has indeed denied God and His verses.” And if a soul should be mindful of this station and comprehend it, he would pass beyond self and others in the path of God, and would observe himself in perfect contentment and submission. The goodness of one’s end remains hidden, none knoweth it save God, the Single, the All-Informed.

Concerning what you mentioned about Nabil, from the first appearance of the Most Great Luminary from the horizon of the world, he hearkened unto the Call of God and arose to serve His Cause. Thus, after the Word was exalted and the Cry was raised, he, all alone, turned from the Land of ?a to the Land of Kha, summoning all people to the Truth. What tribulations and hardships descended upon him! Nevertheless, night and day, in both prose and verse, he continued to extol the praises of the Truth and promote His Cause. Such a person will surely be the object of God’s loving providence, and the rain-clouds of His generosity will assuredly encompass him. Despite such evident services and arduous deeds which he bore in the path of the Beloved of the worlds, should any error proceed from him, divine forgiveness will surely embrace him. The intention he harbored regarding Muhammad-Qabli-’Ali was indeed an error, for in all divine Tablets and heavenly Books, contention, disputation, sedition, corruption and the shedding of blood have been forbidden. He himself acknowledged his error, for after becoming aware of his mistake, he expressed remorse and sought forgiveness. Verily thy Lord is the All-Forgiving, the All-Bountiful.

All the beloved are commanded today to associate with one another in fellowship, unity, humility and lowliness. Blessed is he who acteth according to that which he is bidden, and woe unto the heedless. I present one word that hath shone forth from the Dayspring of the Divine mouth, that all may become aware of God’s all-encompassing grace. His word, exalted be His glory, is: “Glory is not his who loveth his country, but glory is his who loveth the world.” Behold now how His all-embracing mercy hath encompassed all. And in another instance He saith, exalted be His glory: “Blessed is he who ariseth for the service of all mankind.”

In the Most Holy Book, all have been given permission to associate with the various peoples of the world in the utmost joy and radiance for the purpose of delivering God’s Word, for if they were to avoid them, none would become aware of the Cause of God or attain unto the supreme horizon. O brother, what shall I say? Beseech ye God to bestow attentive ears upon mankind and grant them illumined hearts, that all may taste the sweetness of the utterance of the All-Merciful. Most people are heedless, wandering in the wilderness of ignorance, and even those who, by their own admission, have drunk the wine of inner meanings from the hand of divine bounty have not attained, as they should, to obedience to divine commands. Thus in most Tablets, they have forbidden turning towards the Most Great Prison, and this matter hath been revealed from the Supreme Pen to such an extent that none can reckon it. Nevertheless, most have turned and continue to turn without permission. Had we acted according to that which hath proceeded from the Pen of the Ancient of Days, we would surely have beheld all the world oriented towards the horizon of the Cause. We must supplicate night and day, beseeching God to enable all to be obedient. Were the people of the contingent world to become aware of what hath appeared in these days, all would sacrifice their lives and possessions and arise to serve the Cause. But what profit is there when all are veiled by their own imaginings and cling to the idols of their desires? We beseech Him, exalted be He, to assist mankind to recognize Him and not to deprive them of His days. Verily, He is the Almighty, the All-Powerful.

And regarding what you wrote about Khan, his praiseworthy attributes have not been and are not hidden. What bounty could be greater than that, praise be to God, they have turned with perfect steadfastness and assurance to the Dawning-Place of Divine Revelation? However, it is incumbent upon the loved ones to conduct themselves in such a way as not to cause his sadness. God does not suffer the work of the doers to perish. This evanescent servant’s counsel to you is that you strive to the extent possible to harmonize hearts and unite souls, so that no one may detect the slightest scent of discord among the loved ones, and all may be seen united upon God’s all-encompassing Word. A Tablet has been specifically revealed and sent to you - God willing, you will attain to its perusal. Likewise, the three Tablets that were requested have been revealed from the heaven of the Divine Will out of pure bounty and grace, for in the days when the Seat of the Throne was in the Land of Mystery, a Tablet was revealed from the heaven of favor whose purport was this: should all who dwell on earth beseech the True One, exalted be His glory, for sublime and wondrous Tablets, tablets would be revealed from the heaven of grace specifically for each one. May my soul be a sacrifice for His bounty! O my brother! Today is the day when we must all turn to ourselves and arise to perform good and pleasing deeds through divine grace. Let us close our eyes to others’ faults. Today is the day of deeds. Ask God that He may enable all to conform to His good-pleasure, that all may arise and succeed, in utmost sanctity and detachment, to perform such deeds as will cause the elevation of His Cause. Verily He guides whom He pleases to His straight path. I convey greetings to all the friends and remember them all before the Throne. We beseech God to enable us and them to do what befits these days wherein the Tree exclaims: “There is no God but He, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.” And praise be to God, the Lord of the worlds.

=== END BH00418 ===