EPISTLE TO THE SON OF THE WOLF
(U.S., 1988 pocket-size ed.)
Filename: ESW.ZIP
Filedate: 11-19-93
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In the name of God, the One, the Incomparable,
the All-Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
Praise be to God, the Eternal that perisheth not,
the Everlasting that declineth not, the Self-Subsisting
that altereth not. He it is Who is transcendent in
His sovereignty, Who is manifest through His signs,
and is hidden through His mysteries. He it is at
Whose bidding the standard of the Most Exalted
Word hath been lifted up in the world of creation,
and the banner of "He doeth whatsoever He willeth"
raised amidst all peoples. He it is Who hath revealed
His Cause for the guidance of His creatures, and sent
down His verses to demonstrate His Proof and His
Testimony, and embellished the preface of the Book
of Man with the ornament of utterance through His
saying: "The God of Mercy hath taught the &Qur'an,
hath created man, and taught him articulate speech."
No God is there but Him, the One, the Peerless, the
Powerful, the Mighty, the Beneficent.
The light that is shed from the heaven of bounty,
and the benediction that shineth from the dawning-place
of the will of God, the Lord of the Kingdom
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of Names, rest upon Him Who is the Supreme Mediator,
the Most Exalted Pen, Him Whom God hath
made the Dawning-Place of His most excellent
names and the Dayspring of His most exalted attributes.
Through Him the light of unity hath shone
forth above the horizon of the world, and the law of
oneness hath been revealed amidst the nations, who,
with radiant faces, have turned towards the Supreme
Horizon, and acknowledged that which the Tongue
of Utterance hath spoken in the kingdom of His
knowledge: "Earth and heaven, glory and dominion,
are God's, the Omnipotent, the Almighty, the Lord
of grace abounding!"
Give ear, O distinguished divine, unto the voice of
this Wronged One. He verily, counselleth thee for
the sake of God, and exhorteth thee unto that which
will cause thee to draw nigh unto Him under all
conditions. He, in truth, is the All-Possessing, the
Exalted. Know thou that the ear of man hath been
created that it may hearken unto the Divine Voice
on this Day that hath been mentioned in all the Books,
Scriptures, and Tablets. Purify thou, first, thy soul
with the waters of renunciation, and adorn thine
head with the crown of the fear of God, and thy temple
with the ornament of reliance upon Him. Arise,
then, and, with thy face set towards the Most Great
House, the Spot round which, as decreed by the
Eternal King, all that dwell on earth must circle,
recite:
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"O God, my God, and my Desire, and my Adored
One, and my Master, and my Mainstay, and my utmost
Hope, and my supreme Aspiration! Thou seest
me turning towards Thee, holding fast unto the cord
of Thy bounty, clinging to the hem of Thy generosity,
acknowledging the sanctity of Thy Self and
the purity of Thine Essence, and testifying to Thy
unity and Thy oneness. I bear witness that Thou
art the One, the Single, the Incomparable, the Ever-Abiding.
Thou didst not take unto Thyself a partner
in Thy dominion, nor didst Thou choose a peer for
Thyself upon earth. All created things have borne
witness unto that which the Tongue of Thy grandeur
hath testified ere their creation. Verily Thou art
God; there is none other God but Thee! From everlasting
Thou wast sanctified from the mention of
Thy servants, and exalted above the description of Thy
creatures. Thou beholdest, O Lord, the ignorant
seeking the ocean of Thy knowledge, the sore athirst
the living waters of Thine utterance, the abased the
tabernacle of Thy glory, the poor the treasury of Thy
riches, the suppliant the dawning-place of Thy wisdom,
the weak the source of Thy strength, the
wretched the heaven of Thy bounty, the dumb the
kingdom of Thy mention.
"I testify, O my God, and my King, that Thou hast
created me to remember Thee, to glorify Thee, and
to aid Thy Cause. And yet, I have aided Thine enemies,
who have broken Thy Covenant, who have cast
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away Thy Book, disbelieved in Thee, and repudiated
Thy signs. Alas, alas, for my waywardness, and my
shame, and my sinfulness, and my wrong-doing that
have withheld me from the depths of the ocean of
Thy unity and from fathoming the sea of Thy mercy.
Wherefore, alas, alas! and again alas, alas! for my
wretchedness and the grievousness of my transgressions!
Thou didst call me into being, O my God, to
exalt Thy Word, and to manifest Thy Cause. My
heedlessness, however, hath deterred me and compassed
me about, in such wise that I have arisen to
blot out Thy signs, and to shed the blood of Thy
loved ones, and of the dawning-places of Thy signs,
and of the daysprings of Thy revelation, and of the
repositories of Thy mysteries.
"O Lord, my Lord! and again, O Lord, my Lord!
and yet again, O Lord, my Lord! I bear witness that
by reason of mine iniquity the fruits of the tree of
Thy justice have fallen, and through the fire of my
rebelliousness the hearts of such of Thy creatures as
enjoy near access to Thee were consumed, and the
souls of the sincere among Thy servants have melted.
O wretched, wretched that I am! O the cruelties,
the glaring cruelties, I inflicted! Woe is me, woe is
me, for my remoteness from Thee, and for my waywardness,
and mine ignorance, and my baseness, and
my repudiation of Thee, and my protests against
Thee! How many the days during which Thou didst
bid Thy servants and Thy loved ones to protect me,
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whilst I commanded them to harm Thee and to harm
them that Thou didst trust! And how numerous the
nights during which Thou didst graciously remember
me, and didst show me Thy path, whilst I turned
away from Thee and from Thy signs! By Thy glory!
O Thou Who art the Hope of such as have acknowledged
Thy unity, and the Desire of the hearts of them
that are rid of all attachment to any save Thee! I
find no succorer except Thee, nor king, nor refuge,
nor haven besides Thyself. Alas, alas! My turning
away from Thee hath burnt up the veil of mine
integrity, and my denial of Thee hath rent asunder
the covering cast over mine honor. O would that I
were beneath the depths of the earth, so that my evil
deeds would remain unknown to Thy servants! Thou
seest the sinner, O my Lord, who hath turned towards
the dawning-place of Thy forgiveness and Thy
bounty, and the mountain of iniquity that hath
sought the heaven of Thy mercy and pardon. Alas,
alas! My mighty sins have prevented me from approaching
the court of Thy mercy, and my monstrous
deeds have caused me to stray far from the
sanctuary of Thy presence. Indeed, I am he that
hath failed in duty towards Thee, and hath broken
Thy Covenant and Thy Testament, and committed
that which hath made the dwellers of the cities of
Thy justice, and the dawning-places of Thy grace
in Thy realms, to lament. I testify, O my God, that
I have put away Thy commandments, and clung to
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the dictates of my passions, and have cast away the
statutes of Thy Book, and seized the book of mine
own desire. O misery, misery! As mine iniquities
waxed greater and greater, Thy forbearance towards
me augmented, and as the fire of my rebelliousness
grew fiercer, the more did Thy forgiveness and Thy
grace seek to smother up its flame. By the power of
Thy might! O Thou Who art the desire of the world
and the Best-Beloved of the nations! Thy long-suffering
hath puffed me up, and Thy patience hath emboldened
me. Thou beholdest, O my God, the tears
that my shame hath caused to flow, and the sighs
which my heedlessness hath led me to utter. I
swear by the greatness of Thy majesty! I can find
for myself no habitation save beneath the shadow of
the court of Thy bounty, nor any refuge except
under the canopy of Thy mercy. Thou seest me in
the midst of a sea of despair and of hopelessness, after
Thou didst cause me to hear Thy words "Despair
not." By Thy power! My sore injustice hath severed
the cord of my hope, and my rebellion hath darkened
my face before the throne of Thy justice. Thou
beholdest, O my God, him who is as one dead fallen
at the door of Thy favor, ashamed to seek from the
hand of Thy loving-kindness the living waters of Thy
pardon. Thou hast given me a tongue wherewith to
remember and praise Thee, and yet it uttereth that
which hath caused the souls of such of Thy chosen
ones as are nigh unto Thee to melt, and the hearts of
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the sincere amongst the dwellers of the habitations
of holiness to be consumed. Thou hast given me eyes
to witness Thy signs, and to behold Thy verses, and
to contemplate the revelations of Thine handiwork,
but I have rejected Thy will, and have committed
what hath caused the faithful among Thy creatures
and the detached amidst Thy servants to groan. Thou
hast given me ears that I may incline them unto Thy
praise and Thy celebration, and unto that which Thou
didst send down from the heaven of Thy bounty and
the firmament of Thy will. And yet, alas, alas, I
have forsaken Thy Cause, and have commanded Thy
servants to blaspheme against Thy trusted ones and
Thy loved ones, and have acted, before the throne of
Thy justice, in such wise that those that have recognized
Thy unity and are wholly devoted to Thee
among the dwellers of Thy realm mourned with a
sore lamentation. I know not, O my God, which
among my evildoings to mention before the billowing
ocean of Thy favor, nor which of my trespasses
to declare when face to face with the splendors of
the suns of Thy goodly gifts and bounties.
"I beseech Thee, this very moment, by the mysteries
of Thy Book, and by the things hid in Thy knowledge,
and by the pearls that lie concealed within the
shells of the ocean of Thy mercy, to reckon me among
such as Thou didst mention in Thy Book and describe
in Thy Tablets. Hast Thou decreed for me, O my
God, any joy after this tribulation, or any relief to
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succeed this affliction, or any ease to follow this
trouble? Alas, alas! Thou hast ordained that every
pulpit be set apart for Thy mention, and for the
glorification of Thy Word, and the revelation of Thy
Cause, but I have ascended it to proclaim the violation
of Thy Covenant, and have spoken unto Thy
servants such words as have caused the dwellers of
the Tabernacles of Thy majesty and the denizens of
the Cities of Thy wisdom to lament. How often hast
Thou sent down the food of Thine utterance out of
the heaven of Thy bounty, and I denied it; and how
numerous the occasions on which Thou hast summoned
me to the soft flowing waters of Thy mercy,
and I have chosen to turn away therefrom, by reason
of my having followed my own wish and desire! By
Thy glory! I know not for which sin to beg Thy
forgiveness and implore Thy pardon, nor from which
of mine iniquities to turn aside unto the Court of Thy
bounteousness and the Sanctuary of Thy favor. Such
are my sins and trespasses that no man can number
them, nor pen describe them. I implore Thee, O Thou
that turnest darkness into light, and revealest Thy
mysteries on the Sinai of Thy Revelation, to aid me,
at all times, to put my trust in Thee, and to commit
mine affairs unto Thy care. Make me, then, O my
God, content with that which the finger of Thy decree
hath traced, and the pen of Thy ordinance hath
written. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee,
and in Thy grasp are the reins of all that are in heaven
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and on earth. No God is there but Thee, the All-knowing,
the All-Wise."
O &Shaykh! Know thou that neither the calumnies
which men may utter, nor their denials, nor any cavils
they may raise, can harm him that hath clung to the
cord of the grace, and seized the hem of the mercy,
of the Lord of creation. By God! He, the Glory of
God (&Baha), hath spoken not from mere impulse.
He that hath given Him a voice is He that hath given
a voice unto all things, that they may praise and
glorify Him. There is none other God but Him, the
One, the Incomparable, the Lord of strength, the
Unconditioned.
They whose sight is keen, whose ears are retentive,
whose hearts are enlightened, and whose breasts are
dilated, recognize both truth and falsehood, and distinguish
the one from the other. Recite thou this
prayer that hath flowed from the tongue of this
Wronged One, and ponder thereon with a heart rid
of all attachment, and with ears that are pure and
sanctified, be attentive to its meaning, that haply
thou mayest inhale the breath of detachment and
have pity upon thyself and upon others:
"My God, the Object of my adoration, the Goal
of my desire, the All-Bountiful, the Most Compassionate!
All life is of Thee, and all power lieth within
the grasp of Thine omnipotence. Whosoever Thou
exaltest is raised above the angels, and attaineth the
station: `Verily, We uplifted him to a place on
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high!'; and whosoever Thou dost abase is made lower
than dust, nay, less than nothing. O Divine Providence!
Though wicked, sinful, and intemperate, we
still seek from Thee a `seat of truth,' and long to
behold the countenance of the Omnipotent King.
It is Thine to command, and all sovereignty belongeth
to Thee, and the realm of might boweth before Thy
behest. Everything Thou doest is pure justice, nay,
the very essence of grace. One gleam from the splendors
of Thy Name, the All-Merciful, sufficeth to
banish and blot out every trace of sinfulness from the
world, and a single breath from the breezes of the
Day of Thy Revelation is enough to adorn all mankind
with a fresh attire. Vouchsafe Thy strength,
O Almighty One, unto Thy weak creatures, and
quicken them who are as dead, that haply they may
find Thee, and may be led unto the ocean of Thy
guidance, and may remain steadfast in Thy Cause.
Should the fragrance of Thy praise be shed abroad
by any of the divers tongues of the world, out of
the East or out of the West, it would, verily, be prized
and greatly cherished. If such tongues, however, be
deprived of that fragrance, they assuredly would be
unworthy of any mention, in word or yet in thought.
We beg of Thee, O Providence, to show Thy way
unto all men, and to guide them aright. Thou art,
verily, the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the All-Knowing,
the All-Seeing."
We beseech God to aid thee to be just and fair-minded,
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and to acquaint thee with the things that
were hidden from the eyes of men. He, in truth, is
the Mighty, the Unconstrained. We ask thee to reflect
upon that which hath been revealed, and to be fair
and just in thy speech, that perchance the splendors
of the daystar of truthfulness and sincerity may
shine forth, and may deliver thee from the darkness
of ignorance, and illumine the world with the light
of knowledge. This Wronged One hath frequented
no school, neither hath He attended the controversies
of the learned. By My life! Not of Mine own volition
have I revealed Myself, but God, of His own
choosing, hath manifested Me. In the Tablet, addressed
to His Majesty the &Shah--may God, blessed
and glorified be He, assist him--these words have
streamed from the tongue of this Wronged One:
"O King! I was but a man like others, asleep upon
My couch, when lo, the breezes of the All-Glorious
were wafted over Me, and taught Me the knowledge
of all that hath been. This thing is not from Me, but
from One Who is Almighty and All-Knowing. And
He bade Me lift up My voice between earth and
heaven, and for this there befell Me what hath caused
the tears of every man of understanding to flow.
The learning current amongst men I studied not;
their schools I entered not. Ask of the city wherein
I dwelt, that thou mayest be well assured that I am
not of them who speak falsely. This is but a leaf
which the winds of the will of thy Lord, the Almighty,
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the All-Praised, have stirred. Can it be still
when the tempestuous winds are blowing? Nay, by
Him Who is the Lord of all Names and Attributes!
They move it as they list. The evanescent is as nothing
before Him Who is the Ever-Abiding. His all-compelling
summons hath reached Me, and caused
Me to speak His praise amidst all people. I was indeed
as one dead when His behest was uttered. The hand
of the will of thy Lord, the Compassionate, the Merciful,
transformed Me."
Now is the moment in which to cleanse thyself
with the waters of detachment that have flowed out
from the Supreme Pen, and to ponder, wholly for the
sake of God, those things which, time and again, have
been sent down or manifested, and then to strive, as
much as lieth in thee, to quench, through the power
of wisdom and the force of thy utterance, the fire of
enmity and hatred which smouldereth in the hearts
of the peoples of the world. The Divine Messengers
have been sent down, and their Books were revealed,
for the purpose of promoting the knowledge of God,
and of furthering unity and fellowship amongst men.
But now behold, how they have made the Law of God
a cause and pretext for perversity and hatred. How
pitiful, how regrettable, that most men are cleaving
fast to, and have busied themselves with, the things
they possess, and are unaware of, and shut out as by
a veil from, the things God possesseth!
Say: "O God, my God! Attire mine head with the
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crown of justice, and my temple with the ornament
of equity. Thou, verily, art the Possessor of all gifts
and bounties."
Justice and equity are twin Guardians that watch
over men. From them are revealed such blessed and
perspicuous words as are the cause of the well-being
of the world and the protection of the nations.
These words have streamed from the pen of this
Wronged One in one of His Tablets: "The purpose
of the one true God, exalted be His glory, hath been
to bring forth the Mystic Gems out of the mine of
man--they Who are the Dawning-Places of His
Cause and the Repositories of the pearls of His knowledge;
for, God Himself, glorified be He, is the Unseen,
the One concealed and hidden from the eyes of men.
Consider what the Merciful hath revealed in the
&Qur'an: No vision taketh in Him, but He taketh in
all vision, and He is the Subtile, the All-Informed!"
That the divers communions of the earth, and the
manifold systems of religious belief, should never be
allowed to foster the feelings of animosity among
men, is, in this Day, of the essence of the Faith of
God and His Religion. These principles and laws,
these firmly-established and mighty systems, have
proceeded from one Source, and are rays of one Light.
That they differ one from another is to be attributed
to the varying requirements of the ages in which they
were promulgated.
Gird up the loins of your endeavor, O people of
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&Baha, that haply the tumult of religious dissension
and strife that agitateth the peoples of the earth may
be stilled, that every trace of it may be completely
obliterated. For the love of God, and them that
serve Him, arise to aid this sublime and momentous
Revelation. Religious fanaticism and hatred are a
world-devouring fire, whose violence none can
quench. The Hand of Divine power can, alone,
deliver mankind from this desolating affliction. Consider
the war that hath involved the two Nations,
how both sides have renounced their possessions and
their lives. How many the villages that were completely
wiped out!
The utterance of God is a lamp, whose light is
these words: Ye are the fruits of one tree, and the
leaves of one branch. Deal ye one with another with
the utmost love and harmony, with friendliness and
fellowship. He Who is the Daystar of Truth beareth
Me witness! So powerful is the light of unity that it
can illuminate the whole earth. The One true God,
He Who knoweth all things, Himself testifieth to the
truth of these words.
Exert yourselves that ye may attain this transcendent
and most sublime station, the station that can
insure the protection and security of all mankind.
This goal excelleth every other goal, and this aspiration
is the monarch of all aspirations. So long, however,
as the thick clouds of oppression, which obscure
the daystar of justice, remain undispelled, it would
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be difficult for the glory of this station to be unveiled
to men's eyes. These thick clouds are the exponents
of idle fancies and vain imaginings, who are none
other but the divines of Persia. At one time We spoke
in the language of the lawgiver; at another in that
of the truth-seeker and the mystic, and yet Our
supreme purpose and highest wish hath always been
to disclose the glory and sublimity of this station.
God, verily, is a sufficient witness!
Consort with all men, O people of &Baha, in a spirit
of friendliness and fellowship. If ye be aware of a
certain truth, if ye possess a jewel, of which others
are deprived, share it with them in a language of
utmost kindliness and goodwill. If it be accepted,
if it fulfill its purpose, your object is attained. If
anyone should refuse it, leave him unto himself, and
beseech God to guide him. Beware lest ye deal unkindly
with him. A kindly tongue is the lodestone
of the hearts of men. It is the bread of the spirit, it
clotheth the words with meaning, it is the fountain
of the light of wisdom and understanding.
By "divines" in the passage cited above is meant
those men who outwardly attire themselves with the
raiment of knowledge, but who inwardly are deprived
therefrom. In this connection, We quote from the
Tablet addressed to His Majesty the &Shah, certain
passages from the "Hidden Words" which were revealed
by the &Abha Pen under the name of the "Book
of &Fatimih," the blessings of God be upon her!
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"O ye that are foolish, yet have a name to be wise!
Wherefore do ye wear the guise of the shepherd, when
inwardly ye have become wolves, intent upon My
flock? Ye are even as the star, which riseth ere the
dawn, and which, though it seem radiant and luminous,
leadeth the wayfarers of My city astray into the
paths of perdition."
And likewise He saith: "O ye seeming fair yet
inwardly foul! Ye are like clear but bitter water,
which to outward seeming is crystal pure but of
which, when tested by the Divine Assayer, not a drop
is accepted. Yea, the sunbeam falls alike upon the
dust and the mirror, yet differ they in reflection even
as doth the star from the earth: nay, immeasurable is
the difference!"
And also He saith: "O essence of desire! At many
a dawn have I turned from the realms of the Placeless
unto thine abode, and found thee on the bed of
ease busied with others than Myself. Thereupon, even
as the flash of the spirit, I returned to the realms of
celestial glory, and breathed it not in My retreats
above unto the hosts of holiness."
And again He saith: "O bond slave of the world!
Many a dawn hath the breeze of My loving-kindness
wafted over thee and found thee upon the bed of
heedlessness fast asleep. Bewailing then thy plight it
returned whence it came."
Those divines, however, who are truly adorned
with the ornament of knowledge and of a goodly
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character are, verily, as a head to the body of the
world, and as eyes to the nations. The guidance of
men hath, at all times, been, and is, dependent upon
such blessed souls. We beseech God to graciously aid
them to do His will and pleasure. He, in truth, is
the Lord of all men, the Lord of this world and of the
next.
O &Shaykh! We have learned that thou hast turned
away from Us, and protested against Us, in such wise
that thou hast bidden the people to curse Me, and
decreed that the blood of the servants of God be shed.
God requite him who said: "Willingly will I obey the
judge who hath so strangely decreed that my blood
be spilt at Hill and at &Haram!" Verily I say: Whatever
befalleth in the path of God is the beloved of
the soul and the desire of the heart. Deadly poison
in His path is pure honey, and every tribulation a
draught of crystal water. In the Tablet to His
Majesty the &Shah it is written: "By Him Who is the
Truth! I fear no tribulation in His path, nor any
affliction in My love for Him. Verily God hath made
adversity as a morning dew upon His green pasture,
and a wick for His lamp which lighteth earth and
heaven."
Set thine heart towards Him Who is the Kaaba of
God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, and raise
thou thine hands with such firm conviction as shall
cause the hands of all created things to be lifted up
towards the heaven of the grace of God, the Lord of
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all worlds. Turn, then, thy face towards Him in
such wise that the faces of all beings will turn in the
direction of His shining and luminous Horizon, and
say: "Thou seest me, O my Lord, with my face
turned towards the heaven of Thy bounty and the
ocean of Thy favor, withdrawn from all else beside
Thee. I ask of Thee, by the splendors of the Sun of
Thy revelation on Sinai, and the effulgences of the Orb
of Thy grace which shineth from the horizon of Thy
Name, the Ever-Forgiving, to grant me Thy pardon
and to have mercy upon me. Write down, then, for
me with Thy pen of glory that which will exalt me
through Thy Name in the world of creation. Aid
me, O my Lord, to set myself towards Thee, and to
hearken unto the voice of Thy loved ones, whom the
powers of the earth have failed to weaken, and the
dominion of the nations has been powerless to withhold
from Thee, and who, advancing towards
Thee, have said: `God is our Lord, the Lord of all who
are in heaven and all who are on earth!'"
O &Shaykh! Verily I say, the seal of the Choice
Wine hath, in the name of Him Who is the Self-Subsisting,
been broken; withhold not thyself therefrom.
This Wronged One speaketh wholly for the
sake of God; thou too shouldst, likewise, for the sake
of God, meditate upon those things that have been
sent down and manifested, that haply thou mayest,
on this blessed Day, take thy portion of the liberal
effusions of Him Who is truly the All-Bountiful, and
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mayest not remain deprived thereof. This indeed
would not be hard for God. Dust-made Adam was
raised up, through the Word of God, to the heavenly
throne, and a mere fisherman was made the repository
of Divine wisdom, and &Abu-Dhar, the shepherd,
became a prince of the nations!
This Day, O &Shaykh, hath never been, nor is it
now, the Day whereon man-made arts and sciences
can be regarded as a true standard for men, since it
hath been recognized that He Who was wholly unversed
in any of them hath ascended the throne of
purest gold, and occupied the seat of honor in the
council of knowledge, whilst the acknowledged exponent
and repository of these arts and sciences
remained utterly deprived. By "arts and sciences"
is meant those which begin with words and end with
words. Such arts and sciences, however, as are
productive of good results, and bring forth their
fruit, and are conducive to the well-being and tranquility
of men have been, and will remain, acceptable
before God. Wert thou to give ear to My voice, thou
wouldst cast away all thy possessions, and wouldst set
thy face towards the Spot wherein the ocean of wisdom
and of utterance hath surged, and the sweet
savors of the loving-kindness of thy Lord, the Compassionate,
have wafted.
We deem it advisable, in this connection, to recount
briefly some past events, that perchance they
may be the means of vindicating the cause of equity
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and justice. At the time when His Majesty the &Shah,
may God, his Lord, the Most Merciful, aid him
through His strengthening grace, was planning a
journey to &Isfahan, this Wronged One, having obtained
his permission, visited the holy and luminous
resting-places of the &Imams, may the blessings of God
be upon them! Upon Our return, We proceeded to
&Lavasan on account of the excessive heat prevailing
in the capital. Following Our departure, there occurred
the attempt upon the life of His Majesty, may
God, exalted and glorified be He, assist him. Those
days were troublous days, and the fires of hatred
burned high. Many were arrested, among them this
Wronged One. By the righteousness of God! We
were in no wise connected with that evil deed, and
Our innocence was indisputably established by the
tribunals. Nevertheless, they apprehended Us, and
from &Niyavaran, which was then the residence of
His Majesty, conducted Us, on foot and in chains,
with bared head and bare feet, to the dungeon of
&Tihran. A brutal man, accompanying Us on horseback,
snatched off Our hat, whilst We were being
hurried along by a troop of executioners and officials.
We were consigned for four months to a place foul
beyond comparison. As to the dungeon in which this
Wronged One and others similarly wronged were
confined, a dark and narrow pit were preferable.
Upon Our arrival We were first conducted along a
pitch-black corridor, from whence We descended
+P21
three steep flights of stairs to the place of confinement
assigned to Us. The dungeon was wrapped in thick
darkness, and Our fellow prisoners numbered nearly
a hundred and fifty souls: thieves, assassins and highwaymen.
Though crowded, it had no other outlet
than the passage by which We entered. No pen can
depict that place, nor any tongue describe its loathsome
smell. Most of these men had neither clothes
nor bedding to lie on. God alone knoweth what befell
Us in that most foul-smelling and gloomy place!
Day and night, while confined in that dungeon,
We meditated upon the deeds, the condition, and the
conduct of the &Babis, wondering what could have led
a people so high-minded, so noble, and of such intelligence,
to perpetrate such an audacious and outrageous
act against the person of His Majesty. This
Wronged One, thereupon, decided to arise, after His
release from prison, and undertake, with the utmost
vigor, the task of regenerating this people.
One night, in a dream, these exalted words were
heard on every side: "Verily, We shall render Thee
victorious by Thyself and by Thy Pen. Grieve Thou
not for that which hath befallen Thee, neither be
Thou afraid, for Thou art in safety. Erelong will
God raise up the treasures of the earth--men who
will aid Thee through Thyself and through Thy
Name, wherewith God hath revived the hearts of
such as have recognized Him."
And when this Wronged One went forth out of
+P22
His prison, We journeyed, in pursuance of the order
of His Majesty the &Shah--may God, exalted be He,
protect him--to &Iraq, escorted by officers in the
service of the esteemed and honored governments of
Persia and Russia. After Our arrival, We revealed,
as a copious rain, by the aid of God and His Divine
Grace and mercy, Our verses, and sent them to various
parts of the world. We exhorted all men, and particularly
this people, through Our wise counsels and
loving admonitions, and forbade them to engage in
sedition, quarrels, disputes and conflict. As a result
of this, and by the grace of God, waywardness and
folly were changed into piety and understanding,
and weapons converted into instruments of peace.
During the days I lay in the prison of &Tihran,
though the galling weight of the chains and the
stench-filled air allowed Me but little sleep, still in
those infrequent moments of slumber I felt as if something
flowed from the crown of My head over My
breast, even as a mighty torrent that precipitateth
itself upon the earth from the summit of a lofty
mountain. Every limb of My body would, as a result,
be set afire. At such moments My tongue recited
what no man could bear to hear.
We shall herewith cite a few passages from Tablets
specifically revealed to this people, so that every
one may know of a certainty that this Wronged One
hath acted in a manner which hath been pleasing and
+P23
acceptable unto men endued with insight, and unto
such as are the exponents of justice and equity:
"O ye friends of God in His cities and His loved
ones in His lands! This Wronged One enjoineth on
you honesty and piety. Blessed the city that shineth
by their light. Through them man is exalted, and
the door of security is unlocked before the face of all
creation. Happy the man that cleaveth fast unto
them, and recognizeth their virtue, and woe betide
him that denieth their station."
And in another connection these words were revealed:
"We enjoin the servants of God and His handmaidens
to be pure and to fear God, that they may
shake off the slumber of their corrupt desires, and
turn toward God, the Maker of the heavens and of
the earth. Thus have We commanded the faithful
when the Daystar of the world shone forth from the
horizon of &Iraq. My imprisonment doeth Me no
harm, neither the tribulations I suffer, nor the things
that have befallen Me at the hands of My oppressors.
That which harmeth Me is the conduct of those who,
though they bear My name, yet commit that which
maketh My heart and My pen to lament. They that
spread disorder in the land, and lay hands on the
property of others, and enter a house without leave
of its owner, We, verily, are clear of them, unless
they repent and return unto God, the Ever-Forgiving,
the Most Merciful."
+P24
And in another connection: "O peoples of the
earth! Haste ye to do the pleasure of God, and war
ye valiantly, as it behooveth you to war, for the sake
of proclaiming His resistless and immovable Cause.
We have decreed that war shall be waged in the path
of God with the armies of wisdom and utterance,
and of a goodly character and praiseworthy deeds.
Thus hath it been decided by Him Who is the All-Powerful,
the Almighty. There is no glory for him
that committeth disorder on the earth after it hath
been made so good. Fear God, O people, and be not
of them that act unjustly."
And again in another connection: "Revile ye not
one another. We, verily, have come to unite and weld
together all that dwell on earth. Unto this beareth
witness what the ocean of Mine utterance hath revealed
amongst men, and yet most of the people have
gone astray. If anyone revile you, or trouble touch
you, in the path of God, be patient, and put your
trust in Him Who heareth, Who seeth. He, in truth,
witnesseth, and perceiveth, and doeth what He pleaseth,
through the power of His sovereignty. He,
verily, is the Lord of strength, and of might. In the
Book of God, the Mighty, the Great, ye have been
forbidden to engage in contention and conflict. Lay
fast hold on whatever will profit you, and profit the
peoples of the world. Thus commandeth you the
King of Eternity, Who is manifest in His Most Great
Name. He, verily, is the Ordainer, the All-Wise."
+P25
And yet again in another connection: "Beware lest
ye shed the blood of any one. Unsheathe the sword of
your tongue from the scabbard of utterance, for
therewith ye can conquer the citadels of men's hearts.
We have abolished the law to wage holy war against
each other. God's mercy hath, verily, encompassed
all created things, if ye do but understand."
And yet again in another connection: "O people!
Spread not disorder in the land, and shed not the blood
of any one, and consume not the substance of others
wrongfully, neither follow every accursed prattler."
And still again in another connection: "The Sun
of Divine Utterance can never set, neither can its
radiance be extinguished. These sublime words have,
in this day, been heard from the Lote-Tree beyond
which there is no passing: `I belong to him that loveth
Me, that holdeth fast My commandments, and casteth
away the things forbidden him in My Book.'"
And still again in another connection: "This is the
day to make mention of God, to celebrate His praise,
and to serve Him; deprive not yourselves thereof.
Ye are the letters of the words, and the words of the
Book. Ye are the saplings which the hand of Loving-kindness
hath planted in the soil of mercy, and
which the showers of bounty have made to flourish.
He hath protected you from the mighty winds of
misbelief, and the tempestuous gales of impiety, and
nurtured you with the hands of His loving providence.
Now is the time for you to put forth your
+P26
leaves, and yield your fruit. The fruits of the tree
of man have ever been and are goodly deeds and a
praiseworthy character. Withhold not these fruits
from the heedless. If they be accepted, your end is
attained, and the purpose of life achieved. If not,
leave them in their pastime of vain disputes. Strive,
O people of God, that haply the hearts of the divers
kindreds of the earth may, through the waters of your
forbearance and loving-kindness, be cleansed and
sanctified from animosity and hatred, and be made
worthy and befitting recipients of the splendors of
the Sun of Truth."
In the fourth &Ishraq (splendor) of the &Ishraqat
(Tablet of Splendors) We have mentioned: "Every
cause needeth a helper. In this Revelation the hosts
which can render it victorious are the hosts of praiseworthy
deeds and upright character. The leader and
commander of these hosts hath ever been the fear of
God, a fear that encompasseth all things, and reigneth
over all things."
In the third &Tajalli (effulgence) of the Book of
&Tajalliyat (Book of Effulgences) We have mentioned:
"Arts, crafts and sciences uplift the world of
being, and are conducive to its exaltation. Knowledge
is as wings to man's life, and a ladder for his ascent.
Its acquisition is incumbent upon everyone. The
knowledge of such sciences, however, should be acquired
as can profit the peoples of the earth, and not
those which begin with words and end with words.
+P27
Great indeed is the claim of scientists and craftsmen
on the peoples of the world. Unto this beareth witness
the Mother Book in this conspicuous station."
In truth, knowledge is a veritable treasure for man,
and a source of glory, of bounty, of joy, of exaltation,
of cheer and gladness unto him. Happy the man
that cleaveth unto it, and woe betide the heedless.
It is incumbent upon thee to summon the people,
under all conditions, to whatever will cause them to
show forth spiritual characteristics and goodly deeds,
so that all may become aware of that which is the
cause of human upliftment, and may, with the utmost
endeavor, direct themselves towards the most
sublime Station and the Pinnacle of Glory. The fear
of God hath ever been the prime factor in the education
of His creatures. Well is it with them that
have attained thereunto!
The first word which the &Abha Pen hath revealed
and inscribed on the first leaf of Paradise is this:
"Verily I say: The fear of God hath ever been a sure
defence and a safe stronghold for all the peoples of the
world. It is the chief cause of the protection of mankind,
and the supreme instrument for its preservation.
Indeed, there existeth in man a faculty which
deterreth him from, and guardeth him against, whatever
is unworthy and unseemly, and which is known
as his sense of shame. This, however, is confined to
but a few; all have not possessed, and do not possess, it.
It is incumbent upon the kings and the spiritual
+P28
leaders of the world to lay fast hold on religion, inasmuch
as through it the fear of God is instilled in
all else but Him."
The second word We have recorded on the second
leaf of Paradise is the following: "The Pen of the
Divine Expounder exhorteth, at this moment, the
manifestations of authority and the sources of power,
namely the kings and rulers of the earth--may God
assist them--and enjoineth them to uphold the cause
of religion, and to cleave unto it. Religion is, verily,
the chief instrument for the establishment of order
in the world, and of tranquillity amongst its peoples.
The weakening of the pillars of religion hath
strengthened the foolish, and emboldened them, and
made them more arrogant. Verily I say: The greater
the decline of religion, the more grievous the waywardness
of the ungodly. This cannot but lead in the
end to chaos and confusion. Hear Me, O men of
insight, and be warned, ye who are endued with
discernment!"
It is Our hope that thou wilt hear with attentive
ears the things We have mentioned unto thee, that
perchance thou mayest turn men away from the
things they possess to the things that God possesseth.
We entreat God to deliver the light of equity and the
sun of justice from the thick clouds of waywardness,
and cause them to shine forth upon men. No light
can compare with the light of justice. The establishment
+P29
of order in the world and the tranquillity of
the nations depend upon it.
In the Book of Utterance these exalted words have
been written down and recorded: "Say, O friends!
Strive that haply the tribulations suffered by this
Wronged One and by you, in the path of God, may
not prove to have been in vain. Cling ye to the hem
of virtue, and hold fast to the cord of trustworthiness
and piety. Concern yourselves with the things
that benefit mankind, and not with your corrupt and
selfish desires. O ye followers of this Wronged One!
Ye are the shepherds of mankind; liberate ye your
flocks from the wolves of evil passions and desires,
and adorn them with the ornament of the fear of
God. This is the firm commandment which hath, at
this moment, flowed out from the Pen of Him Who
is the Ancient of Days. By the righteousness of God!
The sword of a virtuous character and upright conduct
is sharper than blades of steel. The voice of the
true Faith calleth aloud, at this moment, and saith:
O people! Verily, the Day is come, and My Lord
hath made Me to shine forth with a light whose
splendor hath eclipsed the suns of utterance. Fear ye
the Merciful, and be not of them that have gone
astray."
The third word we have recorded on the third leaf
of Paradise is this: "O son of man! If thine eyes be
turned towards mercy, forsake the things that profit
+P30
thee, and cleave unto that which will profit mankind.
And if thine eyes be turned towards justice, choose
thou for thy neighbor that which thou choosest for
thyself. Humility exalteth man to the heaven of
glory and power, whilst pride abaseth him to the
depths of wretchedness and degradation. Great is the
Day, and mighty the Call! In one of Our Tablets
We have revealed these exalted words: `Were the
world of the spirit to be wholly converted into the
sense of hearing, it could then claim to be worthy
to hearken unto the Voice that calleth from the
Supreme Horizon; for otherwise, these ears that are
defiled with lying tales have never been, nor are they
now, fit to hear it.' Well is it with them that hearken;
and woe betide the wayward."
We pray God--exalted be His glory--and cherish
the hope that He may graciously assist the manifestations
of affluence and power and the daysprings of
sovereignty and glory, the kings of the earth--may
God aid them through His strengthening grace--to
establish the Lesser Peace. This, indeed, is the greatest
means for insuring the tranquillity of the nations.
It is incumbent upon the Sovereigns of the world--
may God assist them--unitedly to hold fast unto
this Peace, which is the chief instrument for the protection
of all mankind. It is Our hope that they will
arise to achieve what will be conducive to the well-being
of man. It is their duty to convene an all-inclusive
assembly, which either they themselves or
+P31
their ministers will attend, and to enforce whatever
measures are required to establish unity and concord
amongst men. They must put away the weapons of
war, and turn to the instruments of universal reconstruction.
Should one king rise up against another,
all the other kings must arise to deter him. Arms and
armaments will, then, be no more needed beyond
that which is necessary to insure the internal security
of their respective countries. If they attain unto this
all-surpassing blessing, the people of each nation will
pursue, with tranquillity and contentment, their own
occupations, and the groanings and lamentations of
most men would be silenced. We beseech God to aid
them to do His will and pleasure. He, verily, is the
Lord of the throne on high and of earth below, and
the Lord of this world and of the world to come. It
would be preferable and more fitting that the highly
honored kings themselves should attend such an assembly,
and proclaim their edicts. Any king who will
arise and carry out this task, he verily will, in the
sight of God, become the cynosure of all kings.
Happy is he, and great is his blessedness!
In this land, every time men are conscripted for
the army, a great terror seizeth the people. Every
nation augmenteth, each year, its forces, for their
ministers of war are insatiable in their desire to add
fresh recruits to their battalions. We have learned
that the government of Persia--may God assist them
--have, likewise decided to reinforce their army. In
+P32
the opinion of this Wronged One a force of one hundred
thousand fully-equipped and well-disciplined
men would suffice. We hope that thou wilt cause the
light of justice to shine more brightly. By the
righteousness of God! Justice is a powerful force.
It is, above all else, the conqueror of the citadels of
the hearts and souls of men, and the revealer of the
secrets of the world of being, and the standard-bearer
of love and bounty.
In the treasuries of the knowledge of God there
lieth concealed a knowledge which, when applied,
will largely, though not wholly, eliminate fear. This
knowledge, however, should be taught from childhood,
as it will greatly aid in its elimination. Whatever
decreaseth fear increaseth courage. Should the
Will of God assist Us, there would flow out from the
Pen of the Divine Expounder a lengthy exposition of
that which hath been mentioned, and there would be
revealed, in the field of arts and sciences, what would
renew the world and the nations. A word hath, likewise,
been written down and recorded by the Pen
of the Most High in the Crimson Book which is
capable of fully disclosing that force which is hid
in men, nay of redoubling its potency. We implore
God--exalted and glorified be He--to graciously assist
His servants to do that which is pleasing and acceptable
unto Him.
In these days enemies have compassed Us about,
and the fire of hatred is kindled. O peoples of the
+P33
earth! By My life and by your own! This Wronged
One hath never had, nor hath He now any desire for
leadership. Mine aim hath ever been, and still is, to
suppress whatever is the cause of contention amidst
the peoples of the earth, and of separation amongst
the nations, so that all men may be sanctified from
every earthly attachment, and be set free to occupy
themselves with their own interests. We entreat Our
loved ones not to besmirch the hem of Our raiment
with the dust of falsehood, neither to allow references
to what they have regarded as miracles and prodigies
to debase Our rank and station, or to mar the purity
and sanctity of Our name.
Gracious God! This is the day whereon the wise
should seek the advice of this Wronged One, and ask
Him Who is the Truth what things are conducive to
the glory and tranquillity of men. And yet, all are
earnestly striving to put out this glorious and shining
light, and are diligently seeking either to establish
Our guilt, or to voice their protest against Us. Matters
have come to such a pass, that the conduct of
this Wronged One hath, in every way, been grossly
misrepresented, and in a manner which it would be
unseemly to mention. One of Our friends hath reported
that among the residents of the Great City
(Constantinople) he had heard with the greatest
regret someone state that, each year, a sum of fifty
thousand tumans was being despatched from his native
land to &Akka! It hath not, however, been made
+P34
clear who had disbursed the sum, nor through whose
hands it had passed!
Briefly, this Wronged One hath, in the face of all
that hath befallen Him at their hands, and all that
hath been said of Him, endured patiently, and held
His peace, inasmuch as it is Our purpose, through the
loving providence of God--exalted be His glory--
and His surpassing mercy, to abolish, through the
force of Our utterance, all disputes, war, and bloodshed,
from the face of the earth. Under all conditions
We have, in spite of what they have said,
endured with seemly patience, and have left them to
God. In answer to this particular imputation, however,
We have replied, that if that which he affirmeth
be true, it behooveth him to be thankful to Him Who
is the Lord of all being, and the King of the seen and
unseen, for having raised up in Persia One Who,
though a prisoner and with none to help and assist
Him, hath succeeded in establishing His ascendency
over that land, and in drawing from it a yearly revenue.
Such an achievement should be praised rather
than censured, if he be of them that judge equitably.
Should anyone seek to be acquainted with the condition
of this Wronged One, let him be told that these
captives whom the world hath persecuted and the nations
wronged have, for days and nights, been entirely
denied the barest means of subsistence. We are loth
to mention such things, neither have We had, nor
do We have now, any desire to complain against Our
+P35
accuser. Within the walls of this prison a highly
esteemed man was for some time obliged to break
stones that he might earn a living, whilst others had,
at times, to nourish themselves with that Divine sustenance
which is hunger! We entreat God--exalted
and glorified be He--to aid all men to be just and
fair-minded, and to graciously assist them to repent
and return unto Him. He, verily, heareth, and is
ready to answer.
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! Thou seest
what hath befallen this Wronged One at the hands
of them that have not associated with Me, and who
have arisen to harm and abase Me, in a manner which
no pen can describe, nor tongue recount, nor can any
Tablet sustain its weight. Thou hearest the cry of
Mine heart, and the groaning of Mine inmost being,
and the things that have befallen Thy trusted ones
in Thy cities and Thy chosen ones in Thy land, at
the hands of such as have broken Thy Covenant and
Thy Testament. I beseech Thee, O my Lord, by the
sighs of Thy lovers throughout the world, and by
their lamentation in their remoteness from the court
of Thy presence, and by the blood that hath been
shed for love of Thee, and by the hearts that have
melted in Thy path, to protect Thy loved ones from
the cruelty of such as have remained unaware of the
mysteries of Thy Name, the Unconstrained. Assist
them, O my Lord, by Thy power that hath prevailed
over all things, and aid them to be patient and long-suffering.
+P36
Thou art the All-Powerful, the Almighty,
the All-Bountiful. No God is there but Thee, the
Generous, the Lord of grace abounding.
In these days there are some who, far from being
just and fair-minded, have assaulted Me with the
sword of hatred and the spear of enmity, forgetting
that it behooveth every fair-minded person to succor
Him Whom the world hath cast away and the nations
abandoned, and to lay hold on piety and righteousness.
Most men have until now failed to discover the
purpose of this Wronged One, nor have they known
the reason for which He hath been willing to endure
countless afflictions. Meanwhile, the voice of Mine
heart crieth out these words: "O that My people
knew!" This Wronged One, rid of attachment unto
all things, uttereth these exalted words: "Waves have
encompassed the Ark of God, the Help in Peril, the
Self-Subsisting. Fear not the tempestuous gales, O
Mariner! He Who causeth the dawn to appear is,
verily, with Thee in this darkness that hath struck
terror into the hearts of all men, except such as God,
the Almighty, the Unconstrained, hath been pleased
to spare."
O &Shaykh! I swear by the Sun of Truth Which
hath risen and shineth above the horizon of this
Prison! The betterment of the world hath been the
sole aim of this Wronged One. Unto this beareth
witness every man of judgment, of discernment, of
insight and understanding. Whilst afflicted with
+P37
trials, He held fast unto the cord of patience and
fortitude, and was satisfied with the things which
have befallen Him at the hands of His enemies, and
was crying out: "I have renounced My desire for
Thy desire, O my God, and My will for the revelation
of Thy Will. By Thy glory! I desire neither Myself
nor My life except for the purpose of serving Thy
Cause, and I love not My being save that I may sacrifice
it in Thy path. Thou seest and knowest, O my
Lord, that those whom We asked to be fair and just,
have, unjustly and cruelly, risen up against Us.
Openly they were with Me, yet secretly they assisted
My foes, who have arisen to dishonor Me. O God,
my God! I testify that Thou hast created Thy servants
to aid Thy Cause and exalt Thy Word, and
yet they have helped Thine enemies. I beseech Thee,
by Thy Cause that hath encompassed the world of
being, and by Thy Name wherewith Thou hast subjected
the seen and unseen, to adorn the peoples of
the earth with the light of Thy justice, and to illuminate
their hearts with the brightness of Thy knowledge.
I am, O my Lord, Thy servant and the son of
Thy servant. I bear witness unto Thy unity, and
Thy oneness, and to the sanctity of Thy self and the
purity of Thine Essence. Thou beholdest, O my
Lord, Thy trusted ones at the mercy of the treacherous
among Thy creatures, and the calumniators
amidst Thy people. Thou knowest what hath befallen
Us at the hands of them whom Thou knowest
+P38
better than we know them. They have committed
what hath torn the veil from such of Thy creatures
as are nigh unto Thee. I beseech Thee to assist them
to obtain that which hath escaped them in the days
of the Dawning-Place of Thy Revelation and the
Dayspring of Thine Inspiration. Potent art Thou
to do what pleaseth Thee, and in Thy grasp are the
reins of all that is in heaven and all that is on earth."
The voice and the lamentation of the true Faith have
been raised. It calleth aloud and saith: "O people!
By the righteousness of God! I have attained unto
Him Who hath manifested me and sent me down.
This is the Day whereon Sinai hath smiled at Him
Who conversed upon it, and Carmel at its Revealer,
and the Sadrah at Him Who taught it. Fear ye God,
and be not of them that have denied Him. Withhold
not yourselves from that which hath been revealed
through His grace. Seize ye the living waters of immortality
in the name of your Lord, the Lord of all
names, and drink ye in the remembrance of Him,
Who is the Mighty, the Peerless."
We have, under all circumstances, enjoined on men
what is right, and forbidden what is wrong. He Who
is the Lord of Being is witness that this Wronged One
hath besought from God for His creatures whatever
is conducive to unity and harmony, fellowship and
concord. By the righteousness of God! This Wronged
One is not capable of dissimulation. He, verily, hath
revealed that which He desired; He, truly, is the Lord
of strength, the Unrestrained.
+P39
We once again refer unto some of the sublime words
revealed in the Tablet to His Majesty the &Shah, so
that thou mayest know of a certainty that whatever
hath been mentioned hath come from God: "O King!
I was but a man like others, asleep upon My couch,
when lo, the breezes of the All-Glorious were wafted
over Me, and taught Me the knowledge of all that
hath been. This thing is not from Me, but from
One Who is Almighty and All-Knowing. And He
bade Me lift up My voice between earth and heaven,
and for this there befell Me what hath caused the
tears of every man of understanding to flow. The
learning current amongst men I studied not; their
schools I entered not. Ask of the city wherein I
dwelt, that thou mayest be well assured that I am
not of them who speak falsely. This is but a leaf
which the winds of the will of thy Lord, the Almighty,
the All-Praised, have stirred. Can it be still
when the tempestuous winds are blowing? Nay, by
Him Who is the Lord of all Names and Attributes!
They move it as they list. The evanescent is as nothing
before Him Who is the Ever-Abiding. His all-compelling
summons hath reached Me, and caused
Me to speak His praise amidst all people. I was indeed
as one dead when His behest was uttered. The
hand of the will of thy Lord, the Compassionate,
the Merciful, transformed Me. Can anyone speak
forth of his own accord that for which all men, both
high and low, will protest against him? Nay, by Him
Who taught the Pen the eternal mysteries, save him
+P40
whom the grace of the Almighty, the All-Powerful,
hath strengthened.
"Look upon this Wronged One, O King, with the
eyes of justice; judge thou, then, with truth concerning
what hath befallen Him. Of a verity, God
hath made thee His shadow amongst men, and the
sign of His power unto all that dwell on earth. Judge
thou between Us and them that have wronged Us
without proof and without an enlightening Book.
They that surround thee love thee for their own
sakes, whereas this Youth loveth thee for thine own
sake, and hath had no desire except to draw thee
nigh unto the seat of grace, and to turn thee toward
the right-hand of justice. Thy Lord beareth witness
unto that which I declare.
"O King! Wert thou to incline thine ears unto the
shrill voice of the Pen of Glory and the cooing of the
Dove of Eternity, which on the branches of the Lote-Tree
beyond which there is no passing, uttereth
praises to God, the Maker of all Names and the
Creator of earth and heaven, thou wouldst attain
unto a station from which thou wouldst behold in
the world of being naught save the effulgence of the
Adored One, and wouldst regard thy sovereignty as
the most contemptible of thy possessions, abandoning
it to whosoever might desire it, and setting thy face
toward the Horizon aglow with the light of His
countenance. Neither wouldst thou ever be willing
to bear the burden of dominion save for the purpose
+P41
of helping thy Lord, the Exalted, the Most High.
Then would the Concourse on high bless thee. O how
excellent is this most sublime station, couldst thou
ascend thereunto through the power of a sovereignty
recognized as derived from the Name of God!"
Either thou or someone else hath said: "Let the
&Surih of &Tawhid be translated, so that all may know
and be fully persuaded that the one true God begetteth
not, nor is He begotten. Moreover, the &Babis
believe in his (&Baha'u'llah's) Divinity and Godhood."
O &Shaykh! This station is the station in which
one dieth to himself and liveth in God. Divinity,
whenever I mention it, indicateth My complete and
absolute self-effacement. This is the station in which
I have no control over mine own weal or woe nor
over my life nor over my resurrection.
O &Shaykh! How do the divines of this age account
for the effulgent glory which the Sadrah of Utterance
hath shed upon the Son of &Imran (Moses) on the
Sinai of Divine knowledge? He (Moses) hearkened
unto the Word which the Burning Bush had uttered,
and accepted it; and yet most men are bereft of the
power of comprehending this, inasmuch as they have
busied themselves with their own concerns, and are
unaware of the things which belong unto God. Referring
to this, the Siyyid of Findirisk hath well said:
"This theme no mortal mind can fathom; be it even
that of &Abu-Nasr, or &Abu-'Ali &Sina (Avicenna)."
What explanation can they give concerning that
+P42
which the Seal of the Prophets (&Muhammad)--may
the souls of all else but Him be offered up for His
sake--hath said?: "Ye, verily, shall behold your Lord
as ye behold the full moon on its fourteenth night."
The Commander of the Faithful (&Imam &Ali)--peace
be upon him--moreover, saith in the &Khutbiy-i-Tutunjiyyih:
"Anticipate ye the Revelation of Him
Who conversed with Moses from the Burning Bush
on Sinai." &Husayn, the son of &Ali--peace be upon
him--likewise saith: "Will there be vouchsafed unto
anyone besides Thee a Revelation which hath not
been vouchsafed unto Thyself--A Revelation Whose
Revealer will be He Who revealed Thee. Blind be
the eye that seeth Thee not!"
Similar sayings from the &Imams--the blessings of
God be upon them--have been recorded and are
widely known, and are embodied in books worthy
of credence. Blessed is he that perceiveth, and speaketh
the pure truth. Well is it with him who, aided
by the living waters of the utterance of Him Who
is the Desire of all men, hath purified himself from
idle fancies and vain imaginings, and torn away, in
the name of the All-Possessing, the Most High, the
veils of doubt, and renounced the world and all that
is therein, and directed himself towards the Most
Great Prison.
O &Shaykh! No breeze can compare with the
breezes of Divine Revelation, whilst the Word which
is uttered by God shineth and flasheth as the sun
+P43
amidst the books of men. Happy the man that hath
discovered it, and recognized it, and said: "Praised
be Thou, Who art the Desire of the world, and thanks
be to Thee, O Well-Beloved of the hearts of such
as are devoted to Thee!"
Men have failed to perceive Our purpose in the
references We have made to Divinity and Godhood.
Were they to apprehend it, they would arise from
their places, and cry out: "We, verily, ask pardon of
God!" The Seal of the Prophets--may the souls of
all else but Him be offered up for His sake--saith:
"Manifold are Our relationships with God. At one
time, We are He Himself, and He is We Ourself.
At another He is that He is, and We are that We are."
Aside from this, why is it that thou didst not
mention those other stations which the &Abha Pen
hath disclosed? The tongue of this Wronged One
hath, many a day and night, given utterance to these
sublime words: "O God, my God! I bear witness to
Thy unity and Thy oneness, and that Thou art God,
and that there is none other God but Thee. Thou
hast everlastingly been sanctified above the mention
of any one but Thee and the praise of all else except
Thyself, and Thou wilt everlastingly continue to be
the same as Thou wast from the beginning and hast
ever been. I beseech Thee, O King of Eternity, by
the Most Great Name, and by the effulgences of the
Daystar of Thy Revelation upon the Sinai of Utterance,
and by the billows of the Ocean of Thy knowledge
+P44
among all created things, to graciously assist Me
in that which will draw Me nigh unto Thee, and
will detach Me from all except Thee. By Thy glory,
O Lord of all being, and the Desire of all creation!
I would love to lay My face upon every single spot
of Thine earth, that perchance it might be honored
by touching a spot ennobled by the footsteps of Thy
loved ones!"
By the righteousness of God! Idle fancies have
debarred men from the Horizon of Certitude, and
vain imaginings withheld them from the Choice
Sealed Wine. In truth I say, and for the sake of God
I declare: This Servant, this Wronged One, is abashed
to claim for Himself any existence whatever, how
much more those exalted grades of being! Every
man of discernment, while walking upon the earth,
feeleth indeed abashed, inasmuch as he is fully aware
that the thing which is the source of his prosperity,
his wealth, his might, his exaltation, his advancement
and power is, as ordained by God, the very earth
which is trodden beneath the feet of all men. There
can be no doubt that whoever is cognizant of this
truth, is cleansed and sanctified from all pride, arrogance,
and vainglory. Whatever hath been said hath
come from God. Unto this, He, verily, hath borne,
and beareth now, witness, and He, in truth, is the
All-Knowing, the All-Informed.
Beseech God to grant unto men hearing ears, and
sharp sight, and dilated breasts, and receptive hearts,
+P45
that haply His servants may attain unto their hearts'
Desire, and set their faces towards their Beloved.
Troubles, such as no eye hath beheld, have touched
this Wronged One. In proclaiming His Cause, He,
in no wise, hesitated. Addressing Himself unto the
kings and rulers of the earth--may God, exalted be
He, assist them--He imparted unto them that which
is the cause of the well-being, the unity, the harmony,
and the reconstruction of the world, and of the
tranquillity of the nations. Among them was Napoleon III,
who is reported to have made a certain statement,
as a result of which We sent him Our Tablet
while in Adrianople. To this, however, he did not
reply. After Our arrival in the Most Great Prison
there reached Us a letter from his Minister, the first
part of which was in Persian, and the latter in his
own handwriting. In it he was cordial, and wrote
the following: "I have, as requested by you, delivered
your letter, and until now have received no answer.
We have, however, issued the necessary recommendations
to our Minister in Constantinople and our
consuls in those regions. If there be anything you
wish done, inform us, and we will carry it out."
From his words it became apparent that he understood
the purpose of this Servant to have been a
request for material assistance. We, therefore, revealed
in his (Napoleon III's) name verses in the
&Suratu'l-Haykal, some of which We now quote, that
thou mayest know that the Cause of this Wronged
+P46
One hath been revealed for the sake of God, and
hath come from Him:
"O King of Paris! Tell the priest 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
Unconditioned is come, in the clouds of light, that
He may quicken all created things with the breezes
of His Name, the Most Merciful, and unify the
world, and gather all men around this Table which
hath been sent down from heaven. Beware that ye
deny not the favor 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
+P47
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
(Jesus Christ) 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 (&Baha'u'llah), on this
Day which God hath exalted above all other days,
and whereon the All-Merciful hath shed the splendor
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.
+P48
"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 (Jesus Christ) hath announced,
when He came with truth unto you, He
with Whom the Jewish doctors disputed, till at last
+P49
they perpetrated what hath made the Holy Spirit to
lament, and the tears of them that have near access
to God to flow.
"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 behooveth
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 (Jesus Christ) could find no place
wherein to abide, nor where to lay His head, by
reason of what the hands of the treacherous had
+P50
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 (Crimean 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
+P51
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 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
(Jesus Christ) 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 the heedless.
It behooveth 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
(&Sultan of Turkey) We set Our steps in his direction.
+P52
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!"
And further We have said: "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 (Jesus Christ), and yet earlier He Who conversed
with God (Moses). 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."
And further We have said: "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
+P53
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. 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."
And further We have said: "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,
+P54
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."
And further We have said: "Doth it behoove 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. 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!"
And further We have said: "Deal not treacherously
with the substance of your neighbor. Be ye trustworthy
+P55
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. 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."
And further We have said: "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
+P56
dissension. 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 (&Akka), 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 bade a Christian dispatch this Tablet, and he
informed Us that he transmitted both the original
and its translation. God, the Almighty, the All-Knowing,
hath knowledge of all things.
One of the sections of the &Suratu'l-Haykal is the
Tablet addressed to His Majesty, the Czar of Russia--
may God, exalted and glorified be He--assist him:
+P57
"O Czar of Russia! Incline thine ear unto the
voice of God, the King, the Holy, and turn thou
unto Paradise, the Spot wherein abideth He Who,
among the Concourse on high, beareth the most excellent
titles, and Who, in the kingdom of creation, is
called by the name of God, the Effulgent, the All-Glorious.
Beware that nothing deter thee from setting
thy face towards thy Lord, the Compassionate,
the Most Merciful. We, verily, have heard the thing
for which thou didst supplicate thy Lord, whilst
secretly communing with Him. Wherefore, the
breeze of My loving-kindness wafted forth, and the
sea of My mercy surged, and We answered thee in
truth. Thy Lord, verily, is the All-Knowing, the
All-Wise. Whilst I lay, chained and fettered, in the
prison of &Tihran, one of thy ministers extended Me
his aid. Wherefore hath God ordained for thee a
station which the knowledge of none can comprehend
except His knowledge. Beware lest thou barter
away this sublime station."
And further We have said: "He Who is the Father
is come, and the Son (Jesus Christ), in the holy vale,
crieth out: `Here am I, here am I, O Lord, my God!',
whilst Sinai circleth round the House, and the Burning
Bush calleth aloud: `The All-Bounteous is come
mounted upon the clouds! Blessed is he that draweth
nigh unto Him, and woe betide them that are far
away.'
"Arise thou amongst men in the name of this all-compelling
+P58
Cause, and summon, then, the nations
unto God, the Mighty, the Great. Be thou not of
them who called upon God by one of His names,
but who, when He Who is the Object of all names
appeared, denied Him and turned aside from Him,
and, in the end, pronounced sentence against Him
with manifest injustice. Consider and call thou to
mind the days whereon the Spirit of God (Jesus
Christ) appeared, and Herod gave judgment against
Him. God, however, aided Him with the hosts of
the unseen, and protected Him with truth, and sent
Him down unto another land, according to His
promise. He, verily, ordaineth what He pleaseth.
Thy Lord truly preserveth whom He willeth, be he
in the midst of the seas or in the maw of the serpent,
or beneath the sword of the oppressor."
And further We have said: "Again I say: Hearken
unto My voice that calleth from My prison, that it
may acquaint thee with the things that have befallen
My Beauty, at the hands of them that are the
manifestations of My glory, and that thou mayest
perceive how great hath been My patience, notwithstanding
My might, and how immense My forbearance,
notwithstanding My power. By My life!
Couldst thou but know the things sent down by My
Pen, and discover the treasures of My Cause, and the
pearls of My mysteries which lie hid in the seas of
My names and in the goblets of My words, thou
wouldst for longing after His glorious and sublime
+P59
Kingdom, lay down thy life in the path of God.
Know thou that though My body be beneath the
swords of My foes, and My limbs be beset with incalculable
afflictions, yet My spirit is filled with a gladness
with which all the joys of the earth can never
compare."
Likewise, We mention some verses from the Tablet
of Her Majesty, the Queen (Queen Victoria)--may
God, exalted and glorified be He, assist her. Our
purpose is that haply the breezes of Revelation may
envelop thee, and cause thee to arise, wholly for the
sake of God, and serve His Cause, and that thou
mayest transmit any of the Tablets of the kings
which might have remained undelivered. This mission
is a great mission, and this service a great service.
In those regions distinguished divines are numerous,
among whom are those Siyyids who are renowned for
their eminence and distinction. Confer with them,
and show them what hath flowed out of the Pen of
Glory, that haply they may be graciously aided to
better the condition of the world, and improve the
character of peoples of different nations, and may,
through the living waters of God's counsels, quench
the hatred and the animosity which lie hid and
smolder in the hearts of men. We pray God that
thou mayest be assisted therein. And this, verily,
would not be hard for Him.
"O Queen in London! Incline thine ear unto the
voice of thy Lord, the Lord of all mankind, calling
+P60
from the Divine Lote-Tree: Verily, no God is there
but Me, the Almighty, the All-Wise! Cast away all
that is on earth, and attire the head of thy kingdom
with the crown of the remembrance of Thy Lord,
the All-Glorious. He, in truth, hath come unto the
world in His most great glory, and all that hath been
mentioned in the Gospel hath been fulfilled. The land
of Syria hath been honored by the footsteps of its
Lord, the Lord of all men, and North and South
are both inebriated with the wine of His presence.
Blessed is the man that hath inhaled the fragrance
of the Most Merciful, and turned unto the Dawning-Place
of His beauty, in this resplendent Dawn. The
Mosque of &Aqsa vibrateth through the breezes of its
Lord, the All-Glorious, whilst &Batha (Mecca) trembleth
at the voice of God, the Exalted, the Most High.
Every single stone of them celebrateth the praise of
the Lord, through this Great Name."
And further We said: "We make mention of thee
for the sake of God, and desire that thy name may
be exalted through thy remembrance of God, the
Creator of earth and of heaven. He, verily, is witness
unto that which I say. We have been informed
that thou hast forbidden the trading in slaves, both
men and women. This, verily, is what God hath
enjoined in this wondrous Revelation. God hath,
truly, destined a reward for thee, because of this. He,
verily, will pay the doer of good, whether man or
woman, his due recompense, wert thou to follow
+P61
what hath been sent unto thee by Him Who is the
All-Knowing, the All-Informed. As to him who
turneth aside, and swelleth with pride, after that the
clear tokens have come unto him, from the Revealer
of signs, his work shall God bring to naught. He, in
truth, hath power over all things. Man's actions are
acceptable after his having recognized (the Manifestation).
He that turneth aside from the True One
is indeed the most veiled amongst His creatures. Thus
hath it been decreed by Him Who is the Almighty,
the Most Powerful.
"We have also heard that thou hast entrusted the
reins of counsel into the hands of the representatives
of the people. Thou, indeed, hast done well, for
thereby the foundations of the edifice of thine affairs
will be strengthened, and the hearts of all that are
beneath thy shadow, whether high or low, will be
tranquillized. It behooveth them, however, to be
trustworthy among His servants, and to regard themselves
as the representatives of all that dwell on earth.
This is what counselleth them, in this Tablet, He Who
is the Ruler, the All-Wise. And if any one of them
directeth himself towards the Assembly, let him turn
his eyes unto the Supreme Horizon, and say: `O my
God! I ask Thee, by Thy most glorious Name, to aid
me in that which will cause the affairs of Thy servants
to prosper, and Thy cities to flourish. Thou, indeed,
hast power over all things!' Blessed is he that entereth
the Assembly for the sake of God, and judgeth between
+P62
men with pure justice. He, indeed, is of the
blissful.
"O ye members of Assemblies in that land and in
other countries! Take ye counsel together, and let
your concern be only for that which profiteth mankind,
and bettereth the condition thereof, if ye be
of them that scan heedfully. Regard the world as the
human body which, though at its creation whole
and perfect, hath been afflicted, through various
causes, with grave disorders and maladies. Not for
one day did it gain ease, nay, its sickness waxed more
severe, as it fell under the treatment of ignorant
physicians, who gave full rein to their personal desires,
and have erred grievously. And if at one time,
through the care of an able physician, a member of
that body was healed, the rest remained afflicted as
before. Thus informeth you the All-Knowing, the
All-Wise. We behold it, in this day, at the mercy
of rulers, so drunk with pride that they cannot discern
clearly their own best advantage, much less
recognize a Revelation so bewildering and challenging
as this."
And further We have said: "That which God hath
ordained as the sovereign remedy and mightiest instrument
for the healing of the world is the union
of all its peoples in one universal Cause, one common
Faith. This can in no wise be achieved except through
the power of a skilled, an all-powerful, and inspired
+P63
Physician. By My life! This is the truth, and all
else naught but error. Each time that Most Mighty
Instrument hath come, and that Light shone forth
from the Ancient Dayspring, He was withheld by
ignorant physicians who, even as clouds, interposed
themselves between Him and the world. It failed
therefore, to recover, and its sickness hath persisted
until this day. They indeed were powerless to protect
it, or to effect a cure, whilst He Who hath been
the Manifestation of Power amongst men was withheld
from achieving His purpose, by reason of what
the hands of the ignorant physicians have wrought.
"Consider these days in which He Who is the
Ancient Beauty hath come in the Most Great Name,
that He may quicken the world and unite its peoples.
They, however, rose up against Him with sharpened
swords, and committed that which caused the Faithful
Spirit to lament, until in the end they imprisoned
Him in the most desolate of cities, and broke the grasp
of the faithful upon the hem of His robe. Were
anyone to tell them: `The World Reformer is come,'
they would answer and say: `Indeed it is proven that
He is a fomenter of discord!', and this notwithstanding
that they have never associated with Him, and
have perceived that He did not seek, for one moment,
to protect Himself. At all times He was at the mercy
of the wicked doers. At one time they cast Him into
prison, at another they banished Him, and at yet
+P64
another hurried Him from land to land. Thus have
they pronounced judgment against Us, and God,
truly, is aware of what I say."
This charge of fomenting discord is the same as
that imputed aforetime by the Pharaohs of Egypt
to Him Who conversed with God (Moses). Read
thou what the All-Merciful hath revealed in the
&Qur'an. He--may He be blessed and glorified--saith:
"Moreover We had sent Moses of old with Our signs
and with clear authority to Pharaoh, and &Haman,
and &Qarun: and they said: `Sorcerer, impostor!' And
when He came to them from Our presence with the
truth, they said: `Slay the sons of those who believe
as He doth, and save their females alive,' but the
stratagem of the unbelievers issued only in failure.
And Pharaoh said: `Let me alone, that I may kill
Moses; and let him call upon his Lord: I fear lest he
change your religion, or cause disorder to show itself
in the land.' And Moses said: `I take refuge with my
Lord, and your Lord from every proud one who
believeth not in the Day of Reckoning.'"
Men have, at all times, considered every World
Reformer a fomenter of discord, and have referred
unto Him in terms with which all are familiar. Each
time the Daystar of Divine Revelation shed its
radiance from the horizon of God's Will a great
number of men denied Him, others turned aside from
Him, and still others calumniated Him, and thereby
withheld the servants of God from the river of loving
+P65
providence of Him Who is the King of creation. In
like manner, they who, in this day, have neither met
this Wronged One nor associated with Him have
said, and even now continue to say, the things thou
hast heard and hearest still. Say: "O people! The
Sun of Utterance beameth forth in this day, above
the horizon of bounty, and the radiance of the Revelation
of Him Who spoke on Sinai flasheth and
glisteneth before all religions. Purge and sanctify
your breasts, and your hearts, and your ears, and your
eyes with the living waters of the utterance of the
All-Merciful, and set, then, your faces towards Him.
By the righteousness of God! Ye shall hear all things
proclaim: `Verily, He the True One is come. Blessed
are they that judge with fairness, and blessed they
that turn towards Him!'"
Among the things they have imputed to the Divine
Lote-Tree (Moses) are charges to the falsity of which
every discerning man of knowledge, and every wise
and understanding heart, will witness. Thou must,
no doubt, have read and considered the verses which
have been sent down concerning Him Who conversed
with God. He--may He be blessed and glorified--
saith: "He said: `Did We not rear thee among
us when a child? And hast thou not passed years
of thy life among us? And yet what a deed is that
which thou hast done! Thou art one of the ungrateful.'
He said: `I did it indeed, and I was one of
those who erred. And I fled from you because I
+P66
feared you; but My Lord hath given Me wisdom and
hath made Me one of His Apostles.'" And elsewhere
He--may He be blessed and exalted--saith: "And
He entered a city at the time when its inhabitants
would not observe Him, and found therein two men
fighting, the one, of His own people; the other, of
His enemies. And he who was of His own people
asked His help against him who was of His enemies.
And Moses smote him with His fist and slew him.
Said He: `This is a work of Satan; for he is an enemy,
a manifest misleader.' He said: `O my Lord! I have
sinned to mine own hurt, forgive me.' So God forgave
Him; for He is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
He said: `Lord! because Thou hast showed me this
grace, I will never again be the helper of the wicked.'
And in the city at noon He was full of fear, casting
furtive glances round Him, and lo, the man whom He
had helped the day before, cried out to Him again
for help. Said Moses to him: `Thou art plainly a
most depraved person.' And when He would have
laid violent hands on him who was their common
foe, he said to Him: `O Moses! Dost Thou desire to
slay me, as thou slewest a man yesterday? Thou desirest
only to become a tyrant in this land, and
desirest not to become a peacemaker.'" Thine ears
and thine eyes must needs now be cleansed and sanctified,
that thou mayest be able to judge with fairness
and justice. Moses Himself, moreover, acknowledged
His injustice and waywardness, and testified
+P67
that fear had seized Him, and that He had transgressed,
and fled away. He asked God--exalted be
His glory--to forgive Him, and He was forgiven.
O &Shaykh! Every time God the True One--exalted
be His glory--revealed Himself in the person of His
Manifestation, He came unto men with the standard
of "He doeth what He willeth, and ordaineth what
He pleaseth." None hath the right to ask why or
wherefore, and he that doth so, hath indeed turned
aside from God, the Lord of Lords. In the days of
every Manifestation these things appear and are
evident. Likewise, they have said that about this
Wronged One, to the falsity of which they who are
nigh unto God and are devoted to Him have borne,
and still bear, witness. By the righteousness of God!
This Hem of His Robe hath ever been and remaineth
unsullied, though many have, at the present time,
purposed to besmirch it with their lying and unseemly
calumnies. God, however, knoweth and they
know not. He Who, through the might and power
of God, hath arisen before the face of all the kindreds
of the earth, and summoned the multitudes to
the Supreme Horizon, hath been repudiated by them
and they have clung instead unto such men as have
invariably withdrawn themselves behind veils and
curtains, and busied themselves about their own
protection. Moreover, many are now engaged in
spreading lies and calumnies, and have no other intention
than to instill distrust into the hearts and
+P68
souls of men. As soon as someone leaveth the Great
City (Constantinople) to visit this land, they at
once telegraph and proclaim that he hath stolen
money and fled to &Akka. A highly accomplished,
learned and distinguished man visited, in his declining
years, the Holy Land, seeking peace and retirement,
and about him they have written such things as have
caused them who are devoted to God and are nigh
unto Him to sigh.
His Excellency, the late &Mirza &Husayn &Khan,
&Mushiru'd-Dawlih,--may God forgive him--hath
known this Wronged One, and he, no doubt, must
have given to the Authorities a circumstantial account
of the arrival of this Wronged One at the
Sublime Porte, and of the things which He said and
did. On the day of Our arrival the Government
Official, whose duty it was to receive and entertain
official visitors, met Us and escorted Us to the place
he had been bidden to take Us. In truth, the Government
showed these wronged ones the utmost
kindness and consideration. The following day Prince
&Shuja'u'd-Dawlih, accompanied by &Mirza &Safa, acting
as the representatives of the late &Mushiru'd-Dawlih,
the Minister (accredited to the Imperial
Court) came to visit Us. Others, among whom were
several Ministers of the Imperial Government, and
including the late &Kamal &Pasha, likewise called on Us.
Wholly reliant on God, and without any reference
to any need He might have had, or to any other
+P69
matter, this Wronged One sojourned for a period of
four months in that city. His actions were known
and evident unto all, and none can deny them except
such as hate Him, and speak not the truth. He that
hath recognized God, recognizeth none other but
Him. We have never liked, nor like We, to make
mention of such things.
Whenever high dignitaries of Persia came to that
city (Constantinople) they would exert themselves
to the utmost soliciting at every door such allowances
and gifts as they might obtain. This Wronged One,
however, if He hath done nothing that would redound
to the glory of Persia, hath at least acted in a
manner that could in no wise disgrace it. That which
was done by his late Excellency (&Mushiru'd-Dawlih)
--may God exalt his station--was not actuated
by his friendship towards this Wronged One, but
rather was prompted by his own sagacious judgment,
and by his desire to accomplish the service he secretly
contemplated rendering his Government. I testify
that he was so faithful in his service to his Government
that dishonesty played no part, and was held
in contempt, in the domain of his activities. It was
he who was responsible for the arrival of these
wronged ones in the Most Great Prison (&Akka).
As he was faithful, however, in the discharge of his
duty, he deserveth Our commendation. This Wronged
One hath, at all times, aimed and striven to exalt
and advance the interests of both the government
+P70
and the people, not to elevate His own station. A
number of men have, now, gathered others about
them, and have arisen to dishonor this Wronged One.
He, nevertheless, beseecheth God--hallowed and glorified
be He--to aid them to return unto Him, and
assist them to compensate for that which escaped
them, and repent before the door of His bounty. He,
verily, is the Forgiving, the Merciful.
O &Shaykh! My Pen, verily, lamenteth over Mine
own Self, and My Tablet weepeth sore over what hath
befallen Me at the hands of one (&Mirza &Yahya) over
whom We watched for successive years, and who,
day and night, served in My presence, until he was
made to err by one of My servants, named Siyyid
&Muhammad. Unto this bear witness My believing
servants who accompanied Me in My exile from
&Baghdad to this, the Most Great Prison. And there
befell Me at the hands of both of them that which
made every man of understanding to cry out, and
he who is endued with insight to groan aloud, and
the tears of the fair-minded to flow.
We pray to God to graciously assist them that
have been led astray to be just and fair-minded, and
to make them aware of that whereof they have been
heedless. He, in truth, is the All-Bounteous, the Most
Generous. Debar not Thy servants, O my Lord, from
the door of Thy grace, and drive them not away
from the court of Thy presence. Assist them to
dispel the mists of idle fancy, and to tear away the
+P71
veils of vain imaginings and hopes. Thou art, verily,
the All-Possessing, the Most High. No God is there
but Thee, the Almighty, the Gracious.
I swear by the Daystar of God's Testimony that
hath shone from the horizon of certitude! This
Wronged One, in the daytime and in the night-season,
occupied Himself with that which would
edify the souls of men, until the light of knowledge
prevailed over the darkness of ignorance.
O &Shaykh! Time and again have I declared, and
now yet again I affirm, that for two score years We
have, through the grace of God and by His irresistible
and potent will, extended such aid to His
Majesty the &Shah--may God assist him--as the exponents
of justice and of equity would regard as incontestable
and absolute. None can deny it, unless he
be a transgressor and sinner, or one who would hate
Us or doubt Our truth. How very strange that until
now the Ministers of State and the representatives
of the people have alike remained unaware of such
conspicuous and undeniable service, and, if apprized
of it, have, for reasons of their own, chosen to ignore
it! Previous to these forty years controversies and
conflicts continually prevailed and agitated the servants
of God. But since then, aided by the hosts of
wisdom, of utterance, of exhortations and understanding,
they have all seized and taken fast hold
of the firm cord of patience and of the shining hem
of fortitude, in such wise that this wronged people
+P72
endured steadfastly whatever befell them, and committed
everything unto God, and this notwithstanding
that in &Mazindaran and at &Rasht a great many
have been most hideously tormented. Among them
was his honor, &Haji &Nasir, who, unquestionably, was
a brilliant light that shone forth above the horizon
of resignation. After he had suffered martyrdom,
they plucked out his eyes and cut off his nose, and
inflicted on him such indignities that strangers wept
and lamented, and secretly raised funds to support
his wife and children.
O &Shaykh! My Pen is abashed to recount what
actually took place. In the land of &Sad (&Isfahan)
the fire of tyranny burned with such a hot flame
that every fair-minded person groaned aloud. By
thy life! The cities of knowledge and of understanding
wept with such a weeping that the souls
of the pious and of the God-fearing were melted.
The twin shining lights, &Hasan and &Husayn (The
King of Martyrs and the Beloved of Martyrs) offered
up spontaneously their lives in that city. Neither
fortune, nor wealth, nor glory, could deter them!
God knoweth the things which befell them and yet
the people are, for the most part, unaware!
Before them one named &Kazim and they who
were with him, and after them, his honor &Ashraf,
all quaffed the draught of martyrdom with the utmost
fervor and longing, and hastened unto the
Supreme Companion. In like manner, at the time
+P73
of &Sardar &Aziz &Khan, that godly man, &Mirza
&Mustafa, and his fellow martyrs, were arrested, and
despatched unto the Supreme Friend in the All-Glorious
Horizon. Briefly, in every city the evidences
of a tyranny, beyond like or equal, were unmistakably
clear and manifest, and yet none arose in self-defence!
Call thou to mind his honor &Badi', who was
the bearer of the Tablet to His Majesty the &Shah,
and reflect how he laid down his life. That knight,
who spurred on his charger in the arena of renunciation,
threw down the precious crown of life for
the sake of Him Who is the Incomparable Friend.
O &Shaykh! If things such as these are to be denied,
what shall, then, be deemed worthy of credence?
Set forth the truth, for the sake of God, and be not
of them that hold their peace. They arrested his
honor &Najaf-'Ali, who hastened, with rapture and
great longing, unto the field of martyrdom, uttering
these words: "We have kept both &Baha and the
&khun-baha (bloodmoney)!" With these words he
yielded up his spirit. Meditate on the splendor and
glory which the light of renunciation, shining from
the upper chamber of the heart of &Mulla &Ali-Jan,
hath shed. He was so carried away by the breezes of
the Most Sublime Word and by the power of the
Pen of Glory that to him the field of martyrdom
equalled, nay outrivalled, the haunts of earthly delights.
Ponder upon the conduct of &Aba-Basir and
Siyyid &Ashraf-i-Zanjani. They sent for the mother
+P74
of &Ashraf to dissuade her son from his purpose. But
she spurred him on until he suffered a most glorious
martyrdom.
O &Shaykh! This people have passed beyond the
narrow straits of names, and pitched their tents upon
the shores of the sea of renunciation. They would
willingly lay down a myriad lives, rather than breathe
the word desired by their enemies. They have clung
to that which pleaseth God, and are wholly detached
and freed from the things which pertain unto men.
They have preferred to have their heads cut off
rather than utter one unseemly word. Ponder this
in thine heart. Methinks they have quaffed their fill
of the ocean of renunciation. The life of the present
world hath failed to withhold them from suffering
martyrdom in the path of God.
In &Mazindaran a vast number of the servants of
God were exterminated. The Governor, under the
influence of calumniators, robbed a great many of
all that they possessed. Among the charges he laid
against them was that they had been laying up arms,
whereas upon investigation it was found out that
they had nothing but an unloaded rifle! Gracious
God! This people need no weapons of destruction,
inasmuch as they have girded themselves to reconstruct
the world. Their hosts are the hosts of goodly
deeds, and their arms the arms of upright conduct,
and their commander the fear of God. Blessed that
one that judgeth with fairness. By the righteousness
of God! Such hath been the patience, the calm, the
+P75
resignation and contentment of this people that they
have become the exponents of justice, and so great
hath been their forbearance, that they have suffered
themselves to be killed rather than kill, and this
notwithstanding that these whom the world hath
wronged have endured tribulations the like of which
the history of the world hath never recorded, nor the
eyes of any nation witnessed. What is it that could
have induced them to reconcile themselves to these
grievous trials, and to refuse to put forth a hand to
repel them? What could have caused such resignation
and serenity? The true cause is to be found
in the ban which the Pen of Glory hath, day and
night, chosen to impose, and in Our assumption of
the reins of authority, through the power and might
of Him Who is the Lord of all mankind.
Remember the father of &Badi'. They arrested that
wronged one, and ordered him to curse and revile
his Faith. He, however, through the grace of God
and the mercy of his Lord, chose martyrdom, and
attained thereunto. If ye would reckon up the martyrs
in the path of God, ye could not count them.
Consider his honor Siyyid &Isma'il--upon him be the
peace of God, and His loving-kindness--how, before
daybreak he was wont to dust, with his own turban,
the doorstep of My house, and in the end, whilst
standing on the banks of the river, with his eyes
fixed on that same house, offered up, by his own
hand, his life.
Do thou ponder on the penetrative influence of
+P76
the Word of God. Every single one of these souls
was first ordered to blaspheme and curse his faith,
yet none was found to prefer his own will to the
Will of God.
O &Shaykh! In former times he that was chosen
to be slain was but one person, whereas now this
Wronged One hath produced for thee that which
causeth every fair-minded man to marvel. Judge
fairly, I adjure thee, and arise to serve thy Lord.
He, verily, shall reward thee with a reward which
neither the treasures of the earth nor all the possessions
of kings and rulers can equal. In all thine
affairs put thy reliance in God, and commit them
unto Him. He will render thee a reward which the
Book hath ordained as great. Occupy thyself, during
these fleeting days of thy life, with such deeds as will
diffuse the fragrance of Divine good pleasure, and
will be adorned with the ornament of His acceptance.
The acts of his honor, &Balal, the Ethiopian, were so
acceptable in the sight of God that the "&sin" of his
stuttering tongue excelled the "&shin" pronounced by
all the world. This is the day whereon all peoples
should shed the light of unity and concord. In brief,
the pride and vanity of certain of the peoples of the
world have made havoc of true understanding, and
laid waste the home of justice and of equity.
O &Shaykh! That which hath touched this Wronged
One is beyond compare or equal. We have borne it
all with the utmost willingness and resignation, so
+P77
that the souls of men may be edified, and the Word
of God be exalted. While confined in the prison of
the Land of &Mim (&Mazindaran) We were one day
delivered into the hands of the divines. Thou canst
well imagine what befell Us. Shouldst thou at some
time happen to visit the dungeon of His Majesty
the &Shah, ask the director and chief jailer to show
thee those two chains, one of which is known as
&Qara-Guhar, and the other as &Salasil. I swear by
the Daystar of Justice that for four months this
Wronged One was tormented and chained by one
or the other of them. "My grief exceedeth all the
woes to which Jacob gave vent, and all the afflictions
of Job are but a part of My sorrows!"
Likewise, ponder thou upon the martyrdom of
&Haji &Muhammad-Rida in the City of Love (&Ishqabad).
The tyrants of the earth have subjected that
wronged one to such trials as have caused many foreigners
to weep and lament for, as reported and
ascertained, no less than thirty-two wounds were
inflicted upon his blessed body. Yet none of the
faithful transgressed My commandment, nor raised
his hand in resistance. Come what might, they refused
to allow their own inclinations to supersede
that which the Book hath decreed, though a considerable
number of this people have resided, and still
reside, in that city.
We entreat His Majesty the &Shah,--may God, hallowed
and glorified be He, assist him--himself to
+P78
ponder upon these things, and to judge with equity
and justice. Although in recent years a number of
the faithful have, in most of the cities of Persia, suffered
themselves to be killed rather than kill, yet the
hatred smouldering in certain hearts hath blazed
more fiercely than before. For the victims of oppression
to intercede in favor of their enemies is, in
the estimation of rulers, a princely deed. Some must
have certainly heard that this oppressed people have,
in that city (&Ishqabad), pleaded with the Governor
on behalf of their murderers, and asked for the mitigation
of their sentence. Take, then, good heed, ye
who are men of insight!
O &Shaykh! These perspicuous verses have been
sent down in one of the Tablets by the &Abha Pen:
"Hearken, O servant, unto the voice of this Wronged
One, Who hath endured grievous vexations and trials
in the path of God, the Lord of all Names, until
such time as He was cast into prison, in the Land of
&Ta (&Tihran). He summoned men unto the most
sublime Paradise, and yet they seized Him and
paraded Him through cities and countries. How
many the nights during which slumber fled from the
eyes of My loved ones, because of their love for Me;
and how numerous the days whereon I had to face
the assaults of the peoples against Me! At one time
I found Myself on the heights of mountains; at another
in the depths of the prison of &Ta (&Tihran), in
chains and fetters. By the righteousness of God!
+P79
I was at all times thankful unto Him, uttering
His praise, engaged in remembering Him, directed
towards Him, satisfied with His pleasure, and lowly
and submissive before Him. So passed My days, until
they ended in this Prison (&Akka) which hath made
the earth to tremble and the heavens to sigh. Happy
that one who hath cast away his vain imaginings,
when He Who was hid came with the standards of
His signs. We, verily, have announced unto men
this Most Great Revelation, and yet the people are in
a state of strange stupor."
Thereupon, a Voice was raised from the direction
of &Hijaz, calling aloud and saying: "Great is thy
blessedness, O &Akka, in that God hath made thee
the dayspring of His Most Sweet Voice, and the
dawn of His most mighty signs. Happy art thou in
that the Throne of Justice hath been established upon
thee, and the Daystar of God's loving-kindness and
bounty hath shone forth above thy horizon. Well
is it with every fair-minded person that hath judged
fairly Him Who is the Most Great Remembrance,
and woe betide him that hath erred and doubted."
Following upon the death of some of the martyrs,
the &Lawh-i-Burhan (Tablet of the Proof) was sent
down from the heaven of the Revelation of Him
Who is the Lord of Religions:
"He is the Almighty, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise!
The winds of hatred have encompassed the
Ark of &Batha (Mecca), by reason of that which the
+P80
hands of the oppressors have wrought. O thou who
art reputed for thy learning! Thou hast pronounced
sentence against them for whom the books of the
world have wept, and in whose favor 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 judgment 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 discernment 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 unto 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
Daystar of knowledge shining from this resplendent
Horizon. Thou hast torn in pieces a remnant of the
Prophet Himself, and imagined that thou hadst
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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 (&Fatimih) 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 (Jesus
Christ), 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 ways,
nay, hast surpassed them in their cruelty, and hast
deemed thyself to be helping the Faith and defending
the Law of God, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
By Him Who is the Truth! Thine iniquity hath
made Gabriel to groan, and hath drawn tears from
the Law of God, through which the breezes of justice
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have been wafted over all who are in heaven and on
earth. Hast thou fondly imagined that the judgment
thou didst pronounce hath profited thee? Nay, by
Him Who is the King of all Names! Unto thy loss
testifieth He with Whom is the knowledge of all
things as recorded in the preserved Tablet.
"O thou who hast gone astray! Thou hast neither
seen Me, nor associated with Me, nor been My companion
for the fraction of a moment. How is it,
then, that thou hast bidden men to curse Me? Didst
thou, in this, follow the promptings of thine own
desires, or didst thou obey thy Lord? Produce thou
a sign, if thou art one of the truthful. We testify
that thou hast cast behind thy back the Law of God,
and laid hold on the dictates of thy passions. Nothing,
in truth, escapeth His knowledge; He, verily, is
the Incomparable, the All-Informed. O heedless one!
Hearken unto that which the Merciful hath revealed
in the &Qur'an: `Say not to every one who meeteth you
with a greeting, "Thou art not a believer."' Thus
hath He decreed in Whose grasp are the kingdoms
of Revelation and of creation, if thou be of them
that hearken. Thou hast set aside the commandment
of God, and clung unto the promptings of thine
own desire. Woe, then, unto thee, O careless one that
doubtest! If thou deniest Me, by what proof canst
thou vindicate the truth of that which thou dost
possess? Produce it, then, O thou who hast joined
+P83
partners with God, and turned aside from His sovereignty
that hath encompassed the worlds!
"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.
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 has foundered, and the She-Camel
was hamstrung, and the Spirit (Jesus) groaned
in His sublime retreat. Disputest thou with Him
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Who hath come unto thee with the testimonies of
God and His signs which thou possessest 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
+P85
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 &Qur'an.
He saith: `Wish ye, then, for death, if ye are sincere.'
Who is to be preferred, he that hath sheltered himself
behind curtains, or he that hath offered himself
in the path of God? Judge thou fairly, and be not of
them that rove distraught in the wilderness of falsehood.
So carried away have they been by the living
waters of the love of the Most Merciful, that neither
the arms of the world nor the swords of the nations
have deterred them from setting their faces towards
the ocean of the bounty of their Lord, the Giver,
the Generous.
"By God! Troubles have failed to unnerve Me, and
the repudiation of the divines hath been powerless to
weaken Me. I have spoken, and still speak forth
before the face of men: `The door of grace hath
been unlocked and He Who is the Dayspring of
+P86
Justice is come with perspicuous signs and evident
testimonies, from God, the Lord of strength and of
might!' Present thyself before Me that thou mayest
hear the mysteries which were heard by the Son of
&Imran (Moses) upon the Sinai of Wisdom. Thus
commandeth thee He Who is the Dawning-Place of
the Revelation of thy Lord, the God of Mercy, from
His great Prison."
Thereupon hath the cry and the lamentation of
the true Faith been raised once again, saying: "Verily,
Sinai calleth aloud and saith: `O people of the &Bayan!
Fear ye the Merciful. Indeed have I attained unto
Him Who conversed upon me, and the ecstasies of
my joy have seized the pebbles of the earth and the
dust thereof.' And the Bush exclaimeth: `O people
of the &Bayan! Judge ye fairly that which hath in
truth been manifested. Verily the Fire which God
revealed unto the One Who conversed with Him is
now manifested. Unto this beareth witness every
man of insight and understanding.'"
We have made mention of certain martyrs of this
Revelation, and have likewise cited some of the verses
which were sent down concerning them from the
kingdom of Our utterance. We fain would hope
that, rid of all attachment to the world, thou wilt
ponder the things which We have mentioned.
It behooveth thee now to reflect upon the state of
&Mirza &Hadi &Dawlat-Abadi and of &Sad-i-Isfahani
(&Sadru'l-'Ulama), who reside in the Land of &Ta
+P87
(&Tihran). No sooner had the former heard that he
had been called a &Babi than he became so perturbed
that his poise and dignity forsook him. He ascended
the pulpits and spoke words which ill befitted him.
From time immemorial the clay clods of the world
have, wholly by reason of their love of leadership,
perpetrated such acts as have caused men to err.
Thou must not, however, imagine that all the faithful
are such as these two. We have described unto thee
the constancy, the firmness, the steadfastness, the certitude,
the imperturbability and the dignity of the
martyrs of this Revelation, that thou mayest be well-informed.
My purpose in citing the passages from the
Tablets to the kings and others hath been that thou
mayest know of a certainty that this Wronged One
hath not concealed the Cause of God, but hath proclaimed
and delivered, in the most eloquent language,
before the face of the world, the things He had been
commissioned to set forth. Certain faint-hearted
ones, however, such as &Hadi and others, have tampered
with the Cause of God and have, in their concern
for this fleeting life, said and done that which
caused the eye of justice to weep and the Pen of Glory
to groan, notwithstanding their ignorance of the
essentials of this Cause; whereas this Wronged One
hath revealed it for the sake of God.
O &Hadi! Thou hast gone unto My brother and
hast seen him. Set now thy face towards the court
of this Wronged One, that haply the breezes of Revelation
+P88
and the breaths of inspiration may assist thee
and enable thee to attain thy goal. Whoever gazeth
this day on My signs will distinguish truth from falsehood
as the sun from shadow, and will be made
cognizant of the goal. God is aware and beareth Me
witness that whatever hath been mentioned was for
the sake of God, that haply thou mayest be the
cause of the guidance of men, and mayest deliver the
peoples of the world from idle fancies and vain
imaginings. Gracious God! Until now they that have
turned aside and denied Me have failed to recognize
Who despatched that which was delivered unto the
Herald--the Primal Point! The knowledge of it is
with God, the Lord of the worlds.
Exert thyself, O &Shaykh, and arise to serve this
Cause. The Sealed Wine is disclosed in this day before
the faces of men. Seize it in the name of thy Lord,
and quaff thy fill in remembrance of Him Who is
the Mighty, the Incomparable. Night and day hath
this Wronged One been occupied in that which
would unite the hearts, and edify the souls of men.
The events that have happened in Persia during the
early years have truly saddened the well-favored and
sincere ones. Each year witnessed a fresh massacre,
pillage, plunder, and shedding of blood. At one time
there appeared in &Zanjan that which caused the
greatest consternation; at another in &Nayriz, and at
yet another in &Tabarsi, and finally there occurred
the episode of the Land of &Ta (&Tihran). From that
+P89
time onwards this Wronged One, assisted by the One
True God--exalted be His glory--acquainted this
oppressed people with the things which beseemed
them. All have sanctified themselves from the things
which they and others possess, and have clung unto,
and fixed their eyes upon that which pertaineth unto
God.
It is now incumbent upon His Majesty the &Shah--
may God, exalted be He, protect him--to deal with
this people with loving-kindness and mercy. This
Wronged One pledgeth Himself, before the Divine
Kaaba, that, apart from truthfulness and trustworthiness,
this people will show forth nothing that can in
any way conflict with the world-adorning views of
His Majesty. Every nation must have a high regard
for the position of its sovereign, must be submissive
unto him, must carry out his behests, and hold fast
his authority. The sovereigns of the earth have been
and are the manifestations of the power, the grandeur
and the majesty of God. This Wronged One hath at
no time dealt deceitfully with anyone. Every one is
well aware of this, and beareth witness unto it. Regard
for the rank of sovereigns is divinely ordained,
as is clearly attested by the words of the Prophets
of God and His chosen ones. He Who is the Spirit
(Jesus)--may peace be upon Him--was asked: "O
Spirit of God! Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar
or not?" And He made reply: "Yea, render to Caesar
the things that are Caesar's and to God the things
+P90
that are God's." He forbade it not. These two sayings
are, in the estimation of men of insight, one
and the same, for if that which belonged to Caesar
had not come from God, He would have forbidden it.
And likewise in the sacred verse: "Obey God and
obey the Apostle, and those among you invested with
authority." By "those invested with authority" is
meant primarily and more especially the &Imams--
the blessings of God rest upon them! They, verily,
are the manifestations of the power of God, and the
sources of His authority, and the repositories of His
knowledge, and the daysprings of His commandments.
Secondarily these words refer unto the kings
and rulers--those through the brightness of whose
justice the horizons of the world are resplendent and
luminous. We fain would hope that His Majesty
the &Shah will shine forth with a light of justice whose
radiance will envelop all the kindreds of the earth.
It is incumbent upon every one to beseech the one
true God on his behalf for that which is meet and
seemly in this day.
O God, my God, and my Master, and my Mainstay,
and my Desire, and my Beloved! I ask Thee
by the mysteries which were hid in Thy knowledge,
and by the signs which have diffused the fragrance
of Thy loving-kindness, and by the billows of the
ocean of Thy bounty, and by the heaven of Thy
grace and generosity, and by the blood spilt in Thy
path, and by the hearts consumed in their love for
+P91
Thee, to assist His Majesty the &Shah with Thy power
and Thy sovereignty, that from him may be manifested
that which will everlastingly endure in Thy
Books, and Thy Scriptures, and Thy Tablets. Hold
Thou his hand, O my Lord, with the hand of Thine
omnipotence, and illuminate him with the light of
Thy knowledge, and adorn him with the adornment
of Thy virtues. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth
Thee, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all created
things. No God is there but Thee, the Ever-Forgiving,
the All-Bounteous.
In the Epistle to the Romans Saint Paul hath
written: "Let every soul be subject unto the higher
powers. For there is no power but of God; the
powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever
therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance
of God." And further: "For he is the minister of
God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that
doeth evil." He saith that the appearance of the
kings, and their majesty and power are of God.
Moreover, in the traditions of old, references have
been made which the divines have seen and heard.
We beseech God--blessed and glorified be He--to
aid thee, O &Shaykh, to lay fast hold on that which
hath been sent down from the heaven of the bounty
of God, the Lord of the worlds. The divines must
needs unite with His Majesty, the &Shah, and cleave
unto that which will insure the protection, the security,
the welfare and prosperity of men. A just king
+P92
enjoyeth nearer access unto God than anyone. Unto
this testifieth He Who speaketh in His Most Great
Prison. God! There is none other God but Him, the
One, the Incomparable, the Almighty, the All-Knowing,
the All-Wise.
Wert thou, for the sake of God, to ponder, though
it be but for an hour, upon the things which have
occurred in former times and more recently, thou
wouldst turn away from the things thou dost possess
unto the things which belong unto God, and wouldst
become a means for the exaltation of His Word.
Hath, from the foundation of the world until the
present day, any Light or Revelation shone forth
from the dayspring of the will of God which the
kindreds of the earth have accepted, and Whose Cause
they have acknowledged? Where is it to be found,
and what is its name? Since the Seal of the Prophets
(&Muhammad)--may all else but Him be His sacrifice--
and before Him the Spirit of God (Jesus), as
far back as the First Manifestation, all have at the
time of Their appearance suffered grievously. Some
were held to be possessed, others were called impostors,
and were treated in a manner that the pen is ashamed
to describe. By God! There befell Them what hath
made all created things to sigh, and yet the people
are, for the most part, sunk in manifest ignorance!
We pray God to assist them to return unto Him,
and to repent before the door of His mercy. Potent
is He over all things.
+P93
At this moment the shrill voice of the Most Sublime
Pen hath been raised, and hath addressed Me
saying: "Admonish the &Shaykh even as Thou hast
admonished one of Thy Branches (sons), that haply
the breezes of Thine utterance may attract and draw
him nigh unto God, the Lord of the worlds."
"Be generous in prosperity, and thankful in adversity.
Be worthy of the trust of thy neighbor,
and look upon him with a bright and friendly face.
Be a treasure to the poor, an admonisher to the rich,
an answerer to the cry of the needy, a preserver of
the sanctity of thy pledge. Be fair in thy judgment,
and guarded in thy speech. Be unjust to no man,
and show all meekness to all men. Be as a lamp unto
them that walk in darkness, a joy to the sorrowful,
a sea for the thirsty, a haven for the distressed, an
upholder and defender of the victim of oppression.
Let integrity and uprightness distinguish all thine
acts. Be a home for the stranger, a balm to the suffering,
a tower of strength for the fugitive. Be eyes
to the blind, and a guiding light unto the feet of the
erring. Be an ornament to the countenance of truth,
a crown to the brow of fidelity, a pillar of the temple
of righteousness, a breath of life to the body of mankind,
an ensign of the hosts of justice, a luminary
above the horizon of virtue, a dew to the soil of the
human heart, an ark on the ocean of knowledge, a
sun in the heaven of bounty, a gem on the diadem
of wisdom, a shining light in the firmament of thy
+P94
generation, a fruit upon the tree of humility. We
pray God to protect thee from the heat of jealousy
and the cold of hatred. He verily is nigh, ready to
answer." Thus hath My tongue spoken unto one of
My Branches (sons), and We have mentioned it unto
such of Our loved ones as have cast away their idle
fancies, and clung unto that which hath been prescribed
unto them in the day whereon the Daystar
of Certitude hath shone forth above the horizon of
the will of God, the Lord of the worlds. This is the
day on which the Bird of Utterance hath warbled
its melody upon the branches, in the name of its
Lord, the God of Mercy. Blessed is the man that
hath, on the wings of longing, soared towards God,
the Lord of the Judgment Day.
The one true God well knoweth, and all the company
of His trusted ones testify, that this Wronged
One hath, at all times, been faced with dire peril.
But for the tribulations that have touched Me in the
path of God, life would have held no sweetness for
Me, and My existence would have profited Me nothing.
For them who are endued with discernment,
and whose eyes are fixed upon the Sublime Vision, it
is no secret that I have been, most of the days of My
life, even as a slave, sitting under a sword hanging
on a thread, knowing not whether it would fall soon
or late upon him. And yet, notwithstanding all this
We render thanks unto God, the Lord of the worlds.
Mine inner tongue reciteth, in the daytime and in
+P95
the night-season, this prayer: "Glory to Thee, O my
God! But for the tribulations which are sustained
in Thy path, how could Thy true lovers be recognized;
and were it not for the trials which are borne
for love of Thee, how could the station of such as
yearn for Thee be revealed? Thy might beareth Me
witness! The companions of all who adore Thee are
the tears they shed, and the comforters of such as seek
Thee are the groans they utter, and the food of them
who haste to meet Thee is the fragments of their
broken hearts. How sweet to my taste is the bitterness
of death suffered in Thy path, and how precious
in my estimation are the shafts of Thine enemies
when encountered for the sake of the exaltation of
Thy Word! Let me quaff in Thy Cause, O my God
and my Master, whatsoever Thou didst desire, and
send down upon me in Thy love all Thou didst ordain.
By Thy glory! I wish only what Thou wishest, and
cherish what Thou cherishest. In Thee have I, at all
times, placed My whole trust and confidence. Thou
art verily the All-Possessing, the Most High. Raise
up, I implore Thee, O my God, as helpers to this
Revelation such as shall be counted worthy of Thy
Name and of Thy sovereignty, that they may remember
Thee among Thy creatures, and hoist the
ensigns of Thy victory in Thy land, and adorn them
with Thy virtues and Thy commandments. No God
is there but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting."
+P96
Thereupon the voice of the true Faith was lifted
up, calling aloud again and again and saying: "O
concourse of the earth! By God! I am the true Faith
of God amongst you. Beware that ye deny Me not.
God hath manifested Me with a light that hath encompassed
all that are in the heavens and all that are
on earth. Judge ye equitably, O people, My manifestation,
and the revelation of My glory, and the
radiance of My light, and be not of them that act
unjustly."
O &Shaykh! This Wronged One beseecheth God--
blessed and glorified be He--to make thee the one who
will open the door of justice, and reveal through thee
His Cause among His servants. He, verily, is the
All-Powerful, the Almighty, the All-Bounteous.
O &Shaykh! Entreat thou the one true God to
sanctify the ears, and the eyes, and the hearts of
mankind, and to protect them from the desires of
a corrupt inclination. For malice is a grievous malady
which depriveth man from recognizing the Great
Being, and debarreth him from the splendors of the
sun of certitude. We pray and hope that through
the grace and mercy of God He may remove this
mighty obstacle. He, verily, is the Potent, the All-Subduing,
the Almighty.
At this moment a Voice was raised from the right-hand
of the Luminous Spot: "God! There is none
other God but Him, the Ordainer, the All-Wise!
Recite Thou unto the &Shaykh the remaining passages
+P97
of the &Lawh-i-Burhan (Tablet of the Proof) that
they may draw him unto the horizon of the Revelation
of his Lord, the God of Mercy, that haply he
may arise to aid My Cause with perspicuous signs
and exalted testimonies, and may speak forth amongst
men that which the Tongue of Testimony hath
spoken: `The Kingdom is God's, the Lord of the
worlds!'"
"Peruse thou the &Kitab-i-Iqan (Book of Certitude)
and that which the All-Merciful hath sent
down unto the King of Paris (Napoleon III) and to
such as are like him, that thou mayest be made aware
of the things that have happened in the past, and be
persuaded that We have not sought to spread disorder
in the land after it had been well-ordered. We exhort,
wholly for the sake of God, His servants. Let him
who wisheth turn unto Him, and him who wisheth
turn aside. Our Lord, the Merciful, is verily the All-Sufficing,
the All-Praised. O concourse of the kindreds
of the earth! This is the day whereon nothing
amongst all things, nor any name amongst all names,
can profit you save through this Name which God
hath made the Manifestation of His Cause and the
Dayspring of His Most Excellent Titles unto all
who are in the kingdom of creation. Blessed is that
man that hath recognized the fragrance of the All-Merciful
and been numbered with the steadfast. Your
sciences shall not profit you in this day, nor your
arts, nor your treasures, nor your glory. Cast them
+P98
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 people, the things
ye have composed with the pen of your idle fancies
and vain imaginings. By God! The Daystar of
Knowledge hath shone forth above the horizon of
certitude.
"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.
+P99
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 any one
concerning that which hath befallen the Cause of
God. It behooveth 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
wellspring 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 heedless one! Rely not on thy glory, and thy
power. Thou 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 (&Muhammad)
lamented, and the Chaste One (&Fatimih) cried out,
+P100
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 clamor, and thereby was he deterred from
achieving his purpose, while the land remained fallen
in clear ruin.
"O My Supreme Pen! Call Thou to remembrance
the She-Serpent (&Imam-Jum'ih of &Isfahan) 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 (&Fatimih) 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 (King of Martyrs and Beloved of
Martyrs), 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 &Salih, nor the Jews with the Spirit
of God (Jesus), the Lord of all being. Gainsayest
thou the signs of thy Lord which had no sooner
+P101
been 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! Erelong 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 (Ishmael)
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
+P102
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. O foolish one!
Thou hast slain the children of the Apostle and
pillaged their possessions. 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; erelong 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
+P103
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!"
O &Shaykh! We have enabled thee to hear the melodies
of the Nightingale of Paradise, and unveiled to
thine eyes the signs which God, by His all-compelling
behest, hath sent down in the Most Great Prison, that
thine eye might be cheered, and thy soul be well-assured.
He, verily, is the All-Bounteous, the Generous.
Arise thou through the power of His testimony
to serve the Cause of God, thy Lord, the God
of Mercy. If thy faith be fearful, seize thou My
Tablet, and preserve it in the bosom of trust. And
when thou enterest into the place of resurrection,
and God asketh thee by what proof thou hast believed
in this Revelation, draw forth the Tablet and
say: "By this Book, the holy, the mighty, the incomparable."
Thereupon all will lift up their hands
towards thee, and will seize the Tablet, and will press
it to their eyes, and will inhale therefrom the fragrance
+P104
of the utterance of God, the Lord of the
worlds. Were God to torment thee for having believed
in His signs in this Revelation, for what reason
could He then torment such as have disbelieved in
&Muhammad, the Apostle of God, and before Him in
Jesus, the Son of Mary, and before Him in the One
Who conversed with God (Moses), and before Him
in the One Who is the Friend of God (Abraham),
and as far back as the One Who was the First Manifestation,
Who was created by the will of thy Lord,
the Potent, the All-Encompassing. Thus have We
sent down Our verses unto one before thee, and
recalled them unto thee, in this day, that thou mayest
understand, and be of them who are well assured.
O thou who assumest the voice of knowledge! This
Cause is too evident to be obscured, and too conspicuous
to be concealed. It shineth as the sun in its
meridian glory. None can deny it unless he be a
hater and a doubter.
At this moment it behooveth us to turn unto the
Desired One, and cleave unto these most sublime
words: "O God, my God! Thou hast lighted the
lamp of Thy Cause with the oil of wisdom; protect it
from contrary winds. The lamp is Thine, and the
glass is Thine, and all things in the heavens and on
earth are in the grasp of Thy power. Bestow justice
upon the rulers, and fairness upon the divines. Thou
art the All-Powerful, Who, through the motion of
Thy Pen, hast aided Thine irresistible Cause, and
+P105
guided aright Thy loved ones. Thou art the Possessor
of power, and the King of might. No God is there
but Thee, the Strong, the Unconstrained." Say thou
also: "O God, my God! I yield Thee thanks inasmuch
as Thou hast made me to drink of Thy Sealed Wine
from the hand of the bounty of Thy Name, the Self-Subsisting.
I entreat Thee by the splendors of the
Dayspring of Thy Revelation, and by the potency
of Thy Most Sublime Word, and by the might of
Thy Most Exalted Pen, through Whose movement
the realities of all created things have been enraptured,
to aid His Majesty the &Shah to render Thy
Cause victorious, and to turn towards the horizon of
Thy Revelation, and to set his face in the direction
of the lights of Thy countenance. Assist him, O my
Lord, to draw nigh unto Thee. Help him, then, with
the hosts of the heavens and of earth. I implore
Thee, O Thou Who art the Lord of all Names and
the Maker of the heavens, by the light of Thy Cause,
and by the fire of the Lote-Tree of Thy loving-kindness,
to help His Majesty to reveal Thy Cause amidst
Thy creatures. Open, then, before his face the doors
of Thy grace, and Thy mercy, and Thy bounty.
Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee by Thy
word: `Be, and it is.'"
O &Shaykh! We had seized the reins of authority
by the power of God and His Divine might, as He
alone can seize, Who is the Mighty, the Strong. None
had the power to stir up mischief or sedition. Now,
+P106
however, as they have failed to appreciate this loving-kindness
and these bounties, they have been, and will
be, afflicted with the retribution which their acts
must entail. The State officials, considering the secret
progress of the Extended Cord have, from every
direction, incited and aided Mine adversaries. In the
Great City (Constantinople) they have roused a considerable
number of people to oppose this Wronged
One. Things have come to such a pass that the
officials in that city have acted in a manner which
hath brought shame to both the government and
the people. A distinguished siyyid, whose well-known
integrity, acceptable conduct, and commercial reputation,
were recognized by the majority of fair-minded
men, and who was regarded by all as a highly
honored merchant, once visited Beirut. In view of
his friendship for this Wronged One they telegraphed
the Persian Dragoman informing him that this siyyid,
assisted by his servant, had stolen a sum of money
and other things and gone to &Akka. Their design in
this matter was to dishonor this Wronged One. And
yet, far be it from the people of this country to allow
themselves to be deflected, by these unseemly tales,
from the straight path of uprightness and truth.
Briefly, they have assaulted Me from every side, and
are reinforcing Mine adversaries. This Wronged One,
however, beseecheth the one true God to graciously
assist every one in that which beseemeth these days.
Day and night I fix My gaze on these perspicuous
+P107
words, and recite: "O God, my God! I beseech Thee
by the sun of Thy grace, and the sea of Thy knowledge,
and the heaven of Thy justice, to aid them that
have denied Thee to confess, and such as have turned
aside from Thee to return, and those who have calumniated
Thee to be just and fair-minded. Assist them,
O my Lord, to return unto Thee, and to repent before
the door of Thy grace. Powerful art Thou to do what
Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all
that is in the heavens and all that is on earth. Praise
be unto God, the Lord of the worlds."
The time is at hand when whatsoever lieth hid in
the souls and hearts of men will be disclosed. This
Day is the Day whereof &Luqman spoke unto his son,
the Day which the Lord of Glory announced and with
which He acquainted Him Who was His Friend
(&Muhammad) through these, His words--exalted be
He:--"O my son! Verily, God will bring everything
to light, though it were but the weight of a
grain of mustard-seed, and hidden in a rock or in
the heavens or in the earth; for God is Subtile, informed
of all." This Day the deceitful of eye, and all
that men's breasts conceal, are made known and laid
bare before the throne of His Revelation. Nothing
whatsoever can escape His knowledge. He heareth
and seeth, and He, in truth, is the All-Hearing, the
All-Seeing. How very strange that they discern not
between the trustworthy and the treacherous!
Would that His Majesty the &Shah of Persia--may
+P108
God perpetuate his sovereignty--would inquire from
the Consuls of the honored Persian Government who
have been in this country, that he might become
acquainted with the activities and behavior of this
Wronged One. Briefly, they have incited a great
many such as &Akhtar and others, and are busying
themselves in spreading calumnies. It is clear and
evident that they will surround with their swords
of hatred and their shafts of enmity the one whom
they know to be an outcast among men and to have
been banished from one country to another. This
is not the first time that such iniquity hath been
perpetrated, nor the first goblet that hath been dashed
to the ground, nor the first veil that hath been rent
in twain in the path of God, the Lord of the worlds.
This Wronged One, however, remained calm and
silent in the Most Great Prison, busying Himself with
His own affairs, and completely detached from all
else but God. Iniquity waxed so grievous that the
pens of the world are powerless to record it.
In this connection it is necessary to mention the
following occurrence, that haply men may take fast
hold of the cord of justice and truthfulness. &Haji
&Shaykh &Muhammad &Ali--upon him be the glory of
God, the Ever-Abiding--was a merchant of high
repute, well-known unto most of the inhabitants of
the Great City (Constantinople). Not long ago,
when the Persian Embassy in Constantinople was
secretly engaged in stirring up mischief, it was noticed
+P109
that this believing and sincere soul was greatly distressed.
Finally, one night he threw himself into the
sea, but was rescued by some passers-by who chanced
to come upon him at that moment. His act was
widely commented upon and given varied interpretations
by different people. Following this, one night
he repaired to a mosque, and, as reported by the
guardian of that place, kept vigil the whole night,
and was occupied until the morning in offering,
ardently and with tearful eyes, his prayers and supplications.
Upon hearing him suddenly cease his
devotions, the guardian went to him, and found that
he had already surrendered his soul. An empty bottle
was found by his side, indicating that he had poisoned
himself. Briefly, the guardian, while greatly astonished,
broke the news to the people. It was found out
that he had left two testaments. In the first he recognized
and confessed the unity of God, that His
Exalted Being had neither peer nor equal, and that His
Essence was exalted above all praise, all glorification
and description. He also testified to the Revelation
of the Prophets and the holy ones, and recognized
what had been written down in the Books of God,
the Lord of all men. On another page, in which
he had set down a prayer, he wrote these words in
conclusion: "This servant and the loved ones of God
are perplexed. On the one hand the Pen of the Most
High hath forbidden all men to engage in sedition,
contention or conflict, and on the other that same
+P110
Pen hath sent down these most sublime words:
`Should anyone, in the presence of the Manifestation,
discover an evil intention on the part of any soul,
he must not oppose him, but must leave him to God.'
Considering that on the one hand this binding command
is clear and firmly established, and that on the
other calumnies, beyond human strength to bear or
endure, have been uttered, this servant hath chosen
to commit this most grievous sin. I turn suppliantly
unto the ocean of God's bounty and the heaven of
Divine mercy, and hope that He will blot out with
the pen of His grace and bounteousness the misdeeds
of this servant. Though my transgressions be manifold,
and unnumbered my evildoings, yet do I cleave
tenaciously to the cord of His bounty, and cling unto
the hem of His generosity. God is witness, and they
that are nigh unto His Threshold know full well,
that this servant could not bear to hear the tales
related by the perfidious. I, therefore, have committed
this act. If He chastise me, He verily is to
be praised for what He doeth; and if He forgive me,
His behest shall be obeyed."
Ponder, now, O &Shaykh, the influence of the word
of God, that haply thou mayest turn from the left
hand of idle fancy unto the right hand of certitude.
This Wronged One hath never acted hypocritically
towards any one, in the Cause of God, and hath
loudly proclaimed the Word of God before the face
of His creatures. Let him who wisheth turn thereunto,
+P111
and let him who wisheth turn aside. If these
things, however, that are so clear, so manifest and
indubitable, be denied, what else can be deemed
acceptable and worthy of credence in the estimation
of men of insight? We beseech God--blessed and
glorified be He--to forgive the aforementioned person
(&Haji &Shaykh &Muhammad-'Ali), and change his
evil deeds into good ones. He, verily, is the All-Powerful,
the Almighty, the All-Bounteous.
Such things have appeared in this Revelation that
there is no recourse for either the exponents of
science and knowledge or the manifestations of justice
and equity other than to recognize them. It is
incumbent upon thee, in this day, to arise with celestial
power and dissipate, with the aid of knowledge,
the doubts of the peoples of the world, so that all
men may be sanctified, and direct their steps towards
the Most Great Ocean and cleave fast unto that which
God hath purposed.
Every one who hath turned aside from Me hath
clung to his own idle words, and therewith voiced
his objections to Him Who is the Truth. Gracious
God! Such references as have been made to Divinity
and Godhead by the holy ones and chosen ones of
God have been made a cause for denial and repudiation.
The &Imam &Sadiq hath said: "Servitude is a
substance, the essence of which is Divinity." The
Commander of the Faithful (&Imam &Ali) answered
an Arab, who had questioned him concerning the
+P112
soul, as follows: "The third is the soul which is divine
and celestial. It is a divine energy, a substance,
simple, and self-subsistent." And further he--peace
be upon him--said: "Therefore it is the Most Sublime
Essence of God, the Tree of Blessedness, the
Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, the
Garden of Repose." The &Imam &Sadiq hath said:
"When our &Qa'im will arise, the earth will shine
with the light of her Lord." Likewise, a lengthy
tradition is attributed to &Abi-'Abdi'llah--peace be
upon him--in which these sublime words are found:
"Thereupon will He Who is the All-Compelling--
exalted and glorified be He--descend from the clouds
with the angels." And in the mighty &Qur'an: "What
can such expect but that God should come down to
them overshadowed with clouds?" And in the tradition
of &Mufaddal it is said: "The &Qa'im will lean
His back against the Sanctuary, and will stretch forth
His hand, and lo, it shall be snow-white but unhurt.
And He shall say: `This is the hand of God, the right
hand of God, that cometh from God, at the command
of God!'" In whichever manner these traditions are
interpreted, in that same manner let them also interpret
that which the Most Sublime Pen hath set
down. The Commander of the Faithful (&Imam &Ali)
hath said: "I am He Who can neither be named, nor
described." And likewise He hath said: "Outwardly
I am an &Imam; inwardly I am the Unseen, the Unknowable."
&Abu-Ja'far-i-Tusi hath said: "I said to
+P113
&Abi &Abdi'llah: `You are the Way mentioned in the
Book of God, and you are the Impost, and you are
the Pilgrimage.' He replied: `O man! We are the
Way mentioned in the Book of God,--exalted and
glorified be He--and We are the Impost, and We
are the Fast, and We are the Pilgrimage, and We are
the Sacred Month, and We are the Sacred City, and
We are the Kaaba of God, and We are the Qiblih of
God, and We are the Face of God.'" &Jabir hath said
that &Abu-Ja'far--peace be upon him--spoke to him
as follows: "O &Jabir! Give heed unto the &Bayan
(Exposition) and the &Ma'ani (Significances)." He
--peace be upon him--added: "As to the &Bayan, it
consisteth in thy recognition of God--glorified be
He--as the One Who hath no equal, and in thy adoration
of Him, and in thy refusal to join partners with
Him. As to the &Ma'ani, We are its meaning, and its
side, and its hand, and its tongue, and its cause, and
its command, and its knowledge, and its right. If
We wish for something, it is God Who wisheth it,
and He desireth that which We desire." Moreover,
the Commander of the Faithful (&Imam &Ali)--peace
be upon him--hath said: "How can I worship a Lord
Whom I have not seen?" And, in another connection,
he saith: "Nothing have I perceived except that I
perceived God before it, God after it, or God with it."
O &Shaykh! Ponder upon the things which have
been mentioned, perchance thou mayest quaff the
Sealed Wine through the power of the name of Him
+P114
Who is the Self-Subsisting, and obtain that which no
one is capable of comprehending. Gird up the loins
of endeavor, and direct thyself towards the Most
Sublime Kingdom, that haply thou mayest perceive,
as they descend upon Me, the breaths of Revelation
and inspiration, and attain thereunto. Verily,
I say: The Cause of God hath never had, nor hath it
now, any peer or equal. Rend asunder the veils of
idle fancies. He, in truth, will reinforce thee, and
assist thee, as a token of His grace. He, verily, is
the Strong, the All-Subduing, the Almighty. While
there is yet time, and the blessed Lote-Tree is still
calling aloud amongst men, suffer not thyself to be
deprived. Place thy trust in God, and commit thine
affairs unto Him, and enter then the Most Great
Prison, that thou mayest hear what no ear hath ever
heard, and gaze on that which no eye hath ever seen.
After such an exposition, can there remain any room
for doubt? Nay, by God, Who standeth over His
Cause! In truth I say: On this day the blessed words
"But He is the Apostle of God, and the Seal of the
Prophets" have found their consummation in the verse
"The day when mankind shall stand before the Lord
of the worlds." Render thou thanksgiving unto God,
for so great a bounty.
O &Shaykh! The breezes of Revelation can never
be confounded with other breezes. Now the Lote-Tree
beyond which there is no passing standeth laden
with countless fruits before thy face; besmirch not
+P115
thyself with idle fancies, as have done the people
aforetime. These utterances themselves proclaim the
true nature of the Faith of God. He it is Who witnesseth
unto all things. To demonstrate the truth of
His Revelation He hath not been, nor is He, dependent
upon any one. Well nigh a hundred volumes
of luminous verses and perspicuous words have
already been sent down from the heaven of the will
of Him Who is the Revealer of signs, and are available
unto all. It is for thee to direct thyself towards
the Ultimate Goal, and the Supreme End, and the
Most Sublime Pinnacle, that thou mayest hear and
behold what hath been revealed by God, the Lord
of the worlds.
Ponder a while upon the verses concerning the
Divine Presence, which have been sent down in the
&Qur'an by Him Who is the Lord of the kingdom of
names, perchance thou mayest discover the Straight
Path, and be made an instrument for the guidance
of His creatures. Such a one as thou must needs in
this day arise to serve this Cause. The abasement of
this Wronged One as well as thy glory shall both
pass away. Strive thou, that haply thou mayest
achieve a deed the fragrance of which shall never
fade from the earth. Concerning the Divine Presence
there hath been sent down what no denier hath been
or is now able to refute or repudiate. He--blessed
and exalted be He--saith: "It is God Who hath
reared the heavens without pillars thou canst behold;
+P116
then mounted His throne, and imposed laws on the
sun and moon: each traveleth to its appointed goal.
He ordereth all things. He maketh His signs clear,
that ye may have firm faith in the Presence of your
Lord." He also saith: "To him who hopeth to attain
the Presence of God, the set time of God will surely
come. And He is the Hearer, the Knower." And
further He--exalted be He--saith: "As for those who
believe not in the signs of God, or that they shall
ever attain His Presence, these of My mercy shall
despair, and these doth a grievous chastisement
await." And likewise He saith: "And they say,
`What! when we shall have lain hidden in the earth,
shall we become a new creation?' Yea, they deny that
they shall attain the Presence of their Lord." And
likewise He saith: "They truly doubt the Presence
of their Lord. He, verily, overshadoweth all things."
And likewise He saith: "Verily, they who hope not
to attain Our Presence, and find their satisfaction in
this world's life, and rest on it, and who of Our signs
are heedless--these! their abode the fire, in recompense
of their deeds!" And likewise He saith: "But when
Our clear signs are recited to them, they who look
not forward to attain Our Presence, say, `Bring a
different &Qur'an from this, or make some change in
it.' Say: It is not for Me to change it as Mine own
soul prompteth. I follow only what is revealed to
Me: verily, I fear, if I rebel against My Lord, the
punishment of a great day." And likewise He saith:
+P117
"Then gave We the Book to Moses--complete for
Him who should do right, and a decision for all
matters, and a guidance, and a mercy, that they
might believe in the Presence of their Lord." And
likewise he saith: "They are those who believe not
in the signs of the Lord, or that they shall ever attain
His Presence. Vain, therefore, are their works; and
no weight will We allow them on the Day of Resurrection.
This shall be their reward--Hell. Because
they were unbelievers, and treated My signs and My
Apostles with scorn." And likewise He saith: "Hath
the history of Moses reached thee? When He saw a
fire, and said to His family, `Tarry ye here, for I
perceive a fire; haply I may bring you a brand from
it, or find at the fire a guide.' And when He came
to it, He was called to, `O Moses! Verily, I am Thy
Lord; therefore pull off Thy shoes, for Thou art in
the holy vale of Towa. And I have chosen Thee;
hearken then to what shall be revealed. Verily, I am
God, there is no God but Me. Therefore, worship
Me.'" And likewise He saith: "Have they not considered
within themselves that God hath not created
the heavens and the earth and all that is between them
but for a serious end, and for a fixed term? But truly
most men believe not that they shall attain the Presence
of their Lord." And likewise He saith: "What!
Have they no thought that they shall be raised again
for the Great Day, the Day when mankind shall
stand before the Lord of the worlds?" And likewise
+P118
He saith: "We heretofore gave the Book to Moses.
Have thou no doubt as to His attaining Our Presence."
And He saith: "Aye! But when the earth
shall be crushed with crushing, crushing, and thy
Lord shall come and the angels rank on rank." And
likewise He saith: "Fain would they put out the
light of God with their mouths! But though the
infidels hate it, God will perfect His light." And
likewise He saith: "And when Moses had fulfilled
the term, and was journeying with His family, He
perceived a fire on the mountain side. He said to His
family: `Wait ye, for I perceive a fire, haply I may
bring you tidings from it, or a brand from the fire
to warm you.' And when He came up to it, a Voice
cried to Him out of the Bush from the right side of
the Vale in the sacred Spot: `O Moses, I truly am
God, the Lord of the worlds!'"
In all the Divine Books the promise of the Divine
Presence hath been explicitly recorded. By this Presence
is meant the Presence of Him Who is the Dayspring
of the signs, and the Dawning-Place of the
clear tokens, and the Manifestation of the Excellent
Names, and the Source of the attributes, of the true
God, exalted be His glory. God in His Essence and
in His own Self hath ever been unseen, inaccessible,
and unknowable. By Presence, therefore, is meant
the Presence of the One Who is His Vicegerent
amongst men. He, moreover, hath never had, nor
hath He, any peer or likeness. For were He to have
+P119
any peer or likeness, how could it then be demonstrated
that His being is exalted above, and His
essence sanctified from, all comparison and likeness?
Briefly, there hath been revealed in the &Kitab-i-Iqan
(Book of Certitude) concerning the Presence and
Revelation of God that which will suffice the fair-minded.
We beseech Him--exalted be He--to aid
every one to become the essence of truthfulness, and
to draw nigh unto Him. He, verily, is the Lord of
strength and power. No God is there but Him, the
All-Hearing, the Lord of Utterance, the Almighty,
the All-Praised.
O thou who art reputed for thy learning! Bid
men to do that which is praiseworthy, and be not of
such as tarry. Observe thou with a keen eye. The
Sun of Truth shineth resplendently, at the bidding
of the Lord of the kingdom of utterance, and the
King of the heaven of knowledge, above the horizon
of the prison-city of &Akka. Repudiation hath not
veiled it, and ten thousand hosts arrayed against it
were powerless to withhold it from shining. Thou
canst excuse thyself no longer. Either thou must
recognize it, or--God forbid--arise and deny all the
Prophets!
Reflect, O &Shaykh, upon the &Shi'ih sect. How
many the edifices which they reared with the hands
of idle fancies and vain imaginings, and how numerous
the cities which they built! At length those vain
imaginings were converted into bullets and aimed
+P120
at Him Who is the Prince of the world. Not one
single soul among the leaders of that sect acknowledged
Him in the Day of His Revelation! Whenever
His blessed name was mentioned, all would say:
"May God hasten the joy His coming will bring!"
On the day of the Revelation of that Sun of Truth,
however, all, as hath been observed, have exclaimed,
saying: "May God hasten His chastisement!" He Who
was the Essence of being and Lord of the seen and
unseen they suspended, and committed what made
the Tablet to weep, and the Pen to groan, and the
cries of the sincere to break forth, and the tears of
the favored ones to flow.
Meditate, O &Shaykh, and be fair in what thou
sayest. The followers of &Shaykh-i-Ahsa'i (&Shaykh
&Ahmad) have, by the aid of God, apprehended that
which was veiled from the comprehension of others,
and of which they remained deprived. Briefly, in
every age and century differences have arisen in the
days of the manifestation of the Daysprings of Revelation,
and the Dawning-Places of inspiration, and
the Repositories of Divine knowledge, differences
which have been caused and provoked by lying and
impious souls. To expatiate on this is not permissible.
Thou art thyself better acquainted and more familiar
with the idle fancies of the superstitious and the
vain imaginings of the doubters.
In this day, this Wronged One requesteth thee and
the other divines who have drunk of the cup of the
+P121
knowledge of God, and are illumined by the shining
words of the Daystar of Justice, to appoint some
person, without informing any one, and despatch him
to these regions, and enable him to remain a while in
the island of Cyprus, and associate with &Mirza &Yahya,
perchance he may become aware of the fundamentals
of this Faith and of the source of the Divine laws
and commandments.
Wert thou to ponder a while, thou wouldst bear
witness unto the wisdom, and the power, and the
sovereignty of God, exalted be His glory. The few
who were unaware of this Cause, and had not met
Us, have spoken in such a manner that all things,
and those souls who are well assured, pleased, and
pleasing unto God, have testified unto the imposture
of these heedless ones. Wert thou now to exert thyself,
the truth of this Cause would be made apparent
unto mankind, and the people would be delivered
from this grievous and oppressive darkness. Who
else but &Baha can speak forth before the face of men,
and who else but He can have the power to pronounce
that which He was bidden by God, the Lord
of Hosts?
This heedless one hath now clung to the practice
of &Rawdih-khani (traditional lamentation for the
&Imam &Husayn). He--I swear by God--is in evident
error. For it is the belief of this people that during
the Revelation of the &Qa'im, the &Imams--may the
peace of God be upon them--have arisen from their
+P122
sepulchres. This verily is the truth, and no doubt
is there about it. We beseech God to bestow upon the
superstitious a portion of the living waters of certitude
which are streaming from the wellspring of
the Most Sublime Pen, that all may attain unto that
which becometh these days.
O &Shaykh! While hemmed in by tribulations this
Wronged One is occupied in setting down these
words. On every side the flame of oppression and
tyranny can be discerned. On the one hand, tidings
have reached Us that Our loved ones have been
arrested in the land of &Ta (&Tihran) and this notwithstanding
that the sun, and the moon, and the
land, and the sea all testify that this people are
adorned with the adornment of fidelity, and have
clung and will cling to naught except that which
can ensure the exaltation of the government, and the
maintenance of order within the nation, and the
tranquillity of the people.
O &Shaykh! We have time and again stated that for
a number of years We have extended Our aid unto
His Majesty the &Shah. For years no untoward incident
hath occurred in Persia. The reins of the stirrers
of sedition among various sects were held firmly in
the grasp of power. None hath transgressed his
limits. By God! This people have never been, nor
are they now, inclined to mischief. Their hearts are
illumined with the light of the fear of God, and
adorned with the adornment of His love. Their
+P123
concern hath ever been and now is for the betterment
of the world. Their purpose is to obliterate
differences, and quench the flame of hatred and enmity,
so that the whole earth may come to be viewed
as one country.
On the other hand, the officials of the Persian
Embassy in the Great City (Constantinople) are
energetically and assiduously seeking to exterminate
these wronged ones. They desire one thing, and God
desireth another. Consider now what hath befallen
the trusted ones of God in every land. At one time
they have been accused of theft and larceny; at another
they have been calumniated in a manner without
parallel in this world. Answer thou fairly. What
could be the results and consequences, in foreign
countries, of the accusation of theft brought by the
Persian Embassy against its own subjects? If this
Wronged One was ashamed, it was not because of
the humiliation it brought this servant, but rather
because of the shame of its becoming known to the
Ambassadors of foreign countries how incompetent
and lacking in understanding are several eminent
officials of the Persian Embassy. "Flingest thou thy
calumnies into the face of Them Whom the one true
God hath made the Trustees of the treasures of His
seventh sphere?" Briefly, instead of seeking, as they
should, through Him Who occupieth this sublime
station, to attain unto the most exalted ranks, and
to obtain His advice, they have exerted themselves
+P124
and are striving their utmost to put out His light.
However, according to what hath been reported, His
Excellency the Ambassador &Mu'inu'l-Mulk, &Mirza
&Muhsin &Khan--may God assist him--was, at that
time, absent from Constantinople. Such things have
happened because it was believed that His Majesty
the &Shah of Persia--may the All-Merciful assist him
--was angry with them that have attained and revolve
round the Sanctuary of Wisdom. God well
knoweth and testifieth that this Wronged One hath,
at all times, been cleaving fast unto whatever would
be conducive to the glory of both the government
and the people. God, verily, is sufficient Witness.
Describing the people of &Baha, the Most Sublime
Pen hath sent down these words: "These, verily, are
men who if they come to cities of pure gold will
consider them not; and if they meet the fairest and
most comely of women will turn aside." Thus hath
it been sent down by the Most Sublime Pen for the
people of &Baha, on the part of Him Who is the
Counsellor, the Omniscient. In the concluding passages
of the Tablet to His Majesty the Emperor of
Paris (Napoleon III) these exalted words have been
revealed: "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
+P125
it, and turn thou unto Him Who is the Desire of the
world."
God alone--exalted be His glory--is cognizant of
the things which befell this Wronged One. Every
day bringeth a fresh report of stories current against
Us at the Embassy in Constantinople. Gracious God!
The sole aim of their machinations is to bring about
the extermination of this servant. They are, however,
oblivious of the fact that abasement in the
path of God is My true glory. In the newspapers
the following hath been recorded: "Touching the
fraudulent dealings of some of the exiles of &Akka,
and the excesses committed by them against several
people, etc...." Unto them who are the exponents
of justice and the daysprings of equity the intention
of the writer is evident and his purpose clear. Briefly,
he arose and inflicted upon Me divers tribulations,
and treated Me with injustice and cruelty. By God!
This Wronged One would not barter this place of
exile for the Most Sublime Habitation. In the estimation
of men of insight whatsoever befalleth in the
path of God is manifest glory and a supreme attainment.
Already We have said: "Glory to Thee, O my
God! But for the tribulations which are sustained
in Thy path, how could Thy true lovers be recognized;
and were it not for the trials which are borne
for love of Thee, how could the station of such as
yearn for Thee be revealed?"
Such abasement hath been inflicted that each day
+P126
they spread fresh calumnies. This Wronged One,
however, cleaveth to seemly patience. Would that
His Majesty the &Shah of Persia would ask for a report
of the things which befell Us in Constantinople,
that he might become fully acquainted with the
true facts. O &Shah! I adjure thee by thy Lord, the
God of Mercy, to look into this matter with the eye
of fairness. Is there to be found a just man who will
judge in this day according to that which God hath
sent down in His Book? Where is the fair-minded
person who will equitably consider what hath been
perpetrated against Us without any clear token or
proof?
O &Shaykh! Ponder the behavior of men. The
inmates of the cities of knowledge and wisdom are
sore perplexed asking themselves why it is that the
&Shi'ih sect, which regarded itself as the most learned,
the most righteous, and the most pious of all the
peoples of the world, hath turned aside in the Day
of His Revelation, and hath shown a cruelty such as
hath never been experienced. It is incumbent upon
thee to reflect a while. From the inception of this
sect until the present day how great hath been the
number of the divines that have appeared, none of
whom became cognizant of the nature of this Revelation.
What could have been the cause of this waywardness?
Were We to mention it, their limbs would
cleave asunder. It is necessary for them to meditate,
to meditate for a thousand thousand years, that haply
+P127
they may attain unto a sprinkling from the ocean of
knowledge, and discover the things whereof they are
oblivious in this day.
I was walking in the Land of &Ta (&Tihran)--the
dayspring of the signs of thy Lord--when lo, I heard
the lamentation of the pulpits and the voice of their
supplication unto God, blessed and glorified be He.
They cried out and said: "O God of the world and
Lord of the nations! Thou beholdest our state and
the things which have befallen us by reason of the
cruelty of Thy servants. Thou hast created us and
revealed us for Thy glorification and praise. Thou
dost now hear what the wayward proclaim upon us
in Thy days. By Thy might! Our souls are melted
and our limbs are trembling. Alas, alas! Would that
we had never been created and revealed by Thee!"
The hearts of them that enjoy near access to God
are consumed by these words, and from them the
cries of such as are devoted to Him are raised. Time
and again have We, for the sake of God, admonished
the distinguished divines, and summoned them unto
the Most Sublime Horizon, that perchance they
might, in the days of His Revelation, obtain their
portion of the ocean of the utterance of Him Who
is the Desire of the world, and remain not utterly
deprived thereof.
In most of Our Tablets this most weighty exhortation
hath been sent down from the heaven of His
all-encompassing mercy. We said: "O concourse of
+P128
rulers and divines! Incline your ears unto the Voice
calling from the horizon of &Akka. Verily, it aideth
you to proceed aright, and draweth you nigh unto
Him, and directeth your steps towards the station
which God hath made the Dayspring of His Revelation
and the Dawning-Place of His splendors. O
peoples of the world! He Who is the Most Great
Name is come, on the part of the Ancient King,
and hath announced unto men this Revelation which
lay hid in His knowledge, and was preserved in the
treasury of His protection, and was written down
by the Most Sublime Pen in the Books of God, the
Lord of Lords. O people of &Shin (&Shiraz)! Have ye
forgotten My loving-kindness and My mercy that
have surpassed all created things, and which proceeded
from God Who layeth low the necks of men?"
In the &Kitab-i-Aqdas (Most Holy Book) the following
hath been revealed: "Say: O leaders of religion!
Weigh not the Book of God with such standards
and sciences as are current amongst you, for the
Book itself is the unerring Balance established amongst
men. In this most perfect Balance whatsoever the
peoples and kindreds possess must be weighed, while
the measure of its weight should be tested according
to its own standard, did ye but know it. The eye
of My loving-kindness weepeth sore over you, inasmuch
as ye have failed to recognize the One upon
Whom ye have been calling in the daytime and in
the night season, at even and at morn. Advance, O
+P129
people, with snow-white faces and radiant hearts,
unto the blest and crimson Spot, wherein the Tree
beyond which there is no passing is calling: `Verily,
there is none other God beside Me, the Omnipotent
Protector, the Self-Subsisting!' O ye leaders of religion
in Persia! Who is the man amongst you that can
rival Me in vision or insight? Where is he to be
found that dareth to claim to be My equal in utterance
or wisdom? No, by My Lord, the All-Merciful!
All on the earth shall pass away; and this is the face
of your Lord, the Almighty, the Well-Beloved. We
have decreed, O people, that the highest and last
end of all learning be the recognition of Him Who is
the Object of all knowledge; and yet behold how ye
have allowed your learning to shut you out, as by a
veil, from Him Who is the Dayspring of this Light,
through Whom every hidden thing hath been revealed.
Say: This, verily, is the heaven in which the
Mother Book is treasured, could ye but comprehend
it. He it is Who hath caused the Rock to shout, and
the Burning Bush to lift up its voice upon the Mount
rising above the Holy Land, and proclaim: `The
Kingdom is God's, the sovereign Lord of all, the All-Powerful,
the Loving!' We have not entered any
school, nor read any of your dissertations. Incline
your ears to the words of this unlettered One, wherewith
He summoneth you unto God, the Ever-Abiding.
Better is this for you than all the treasures of
the earth, could ye but comprehend it. Whoso interpreteth
+P130
what hath been sent down from the heaven
of Revelation, and altereth its evident meaning, he,
verily, is of them that have perverted the Sublime
Word of God, and is of the lost ones in the Lucid
Book."
Thereupon We heard the groaning of the true
Faith, and said unto it: "Wherefore, O true Faith,
do I hear Thee cry out in the night season, and groan
in the daytime, and utter Thy lamentations at daybreak?"
She made reply: "O Prince of the world that
standest revealed in the Most Great Name! The
heedless ones have hamstrung Thy white She-Camel,
and caused Thy Crimson Ark to founder, and wished
to put out Thy Light, and to veil the face of Thy
Cause. Wherefore hath the voice of My lamentation
been lifted up, as well as the voice of the lamentation
of all created things, and yet the people are for
the most part unaware." The true Faith hath laid
fast hold, in this day, on the hem of Our bounty,
and circleth about Our Person.
O &Shaykh! Enter thou My presence, that thou
mayest behold what the eye of the universe hath never
beheld, and hear that which the ear of the whole
creation hath never heard, that haply thou mayest
free thyself from the mire of vague fancies, and set
thy face towards the Most Sublime Station, wherein
this Wronged One calleth aloud: "The Kingdom is
God's, the Almighty, the All-Praised!" We fain
would hope that through thine exertions the wings
+P131
of men may be sanctified from the mire of self and
desire, and be made worthy to soar in the atmosphere
of God's love. Wings that are besmirched with mire
can never soar. Unto this testify they who are the
exponents of justice and equity, and yet the people
are in evident doubt.
O &Shaykh! Protests have been voiced against Us
from every side--protests such as Our pen craveth
pardon for setting down. Nevertheless, by reason of
Our great mercy, We have replied unto them, in
accordance with the understanding of men, that
haply they may be delivered from the fire of negation
and denial, and become illumined with the light of
affirmation and acceptance. Equity is rarely to be
found, and justice hath ceased to exist.
Among others, these perspicuous verses have, in
answer to certain individuals, been sent down from
the Kingdom of Divine knowledge: "O thou who
hast set thy face towards the splendors of My Countenance!
Vague fancies have encompassed the dwellers
of the earth and debarred them from turning
towards the Horizon of Certitude, and its brightness,
and its manifestations and its lights. Vain imaginings
have withheld them from Him Who is the Self-Subsisting.
They speak as prompted by their own
caprices, and understand not. Among them are those
who have said: `Have the verses been sent down?'
Say: `Yea, by Him Who is the Lord of the heavens!'
`Hath the Hour come?' `Nay, more; it hath passed,
+P132
by Him Who is the Revealer of clear tokens! Verily,
the Inevitable is come, and He, the True One, hath
appeared with proof and testimony. The Plain is disclosed,
and mankind is sore vexed and fearful. Earthquakes
have broken loose, and the tribes have lamented,
for fear of God, the Lord of Strength, the
All-Compelling.' Say: `The stunning trumpet blast
hath been loudly raised, and the Day is God's, the
One, the Unconstrained.' `Hath the Catastrophe
come to pass?' Say: `Yea, by the Lord of Lords!' `Is
the Resurrection come?' `Nay, more; He Who is
the Self-Subsisting hath appeared with the Kingdom
of His signs.' `Seest thou men laid low?' `Yea, by my
Lord, the Exalted, the Most High!' `Have the tree-stumps
been uprooted?' `Yea, more; the mountains
have been scattered in dust; by Him the Lord of
attributes!' They say: `Where is Paradise, and where
is Hell?' Say: `The one is reunion with Me; the
other thine own self, O thou who dost associate a
partner with God and doubtest.' They say: `We see
not the Balance.' Say: `Surely, by my Lord, the God
of Mercy! None can see it except such as are endued
with insight.' `Have the stars fallen?' Say: `Yea,
when He Who is the Self-Subsisting dwelt in the
Land of Mystery (Adrianople). Take heed, ye who
are endued with discernment!' All the signs appeared
when We drew forth the Hand of Power from
the bosom of majesty and might. Verily, the Crier
hath cried out, when the promised time came, and
+P133
they that have recognized the splendors of Sinai have
swooned away in the wilderness of hesitation, before
the awful majesty of thy Lord, the Lord of creation.
The trumpet asketh: `Hath the Bugle been sounded?'
Say: `Yea, by the King of Revelation!, when He
mounted the throne of His Name, the All-Merciful.'
Darkness hath been chased away by the dawning-light
of the mercy of thy Lord, the Source of all
light. The breeze of the All-Merciful hath wafted,
and the souls have been quickened in the tombs of
their bodies. Thus hath the decree been fulfilled by
God, the Mighty, the Beneficent. They that have
gone astray have said: `When were the heavens cleft
asunder?' Say: `While ye lay in the graves of waywardness
and error.' Among the heedless is he who
rubbeth his eyes, and looketh to the right and to the
left. Say: `Blinded art thou. No refuge hast thou
to flee to.' And among them is he who saith: `Have
men been gathered together?' Say: `Yea, by my
Lord!, whilst thou didst lie in the cradle of idle fancies.'
And among them is he who saith: `Hath the
Book been sent down through the power of the true
Faith?' Say: `The true Faith itself is astounded. Fear
ye, O ye men of understanding heart!' And among
them is he who saith: `Have I been assembled with
others, blind?' Say: `Yea, by Him that rideth upon
the clouds!' Paradise is decked with mystic roses,
and hell hath been made to blaze with the fire of the
impious. Say: `The light hath shone forth from the
+P134
horizon of Revelation, and the whole earth hath been
illumined at the coming of Him Who is the Lord of
the Day of the Covenant!' The doubters have perished,
whilst he that turned, guided by the light of
assurance, unto the Dayspring of Certitude hath
prospered. Blessed art thou, who hast fixed thy gaze
upon Me, for this Tablet which hath been sent down
for thee--a Tablet which causeth the souls of men to
soar. Commit it to memory, and recite it. By My
life! It is a door to the mercy of thy Lord. Well is it
with him that reciteth it at eventide and at dawn.
We, verily, hear thy praise of this Cause, through
which the mountain of knowledge was crushed, and
men's feet have slipped. My glory be upon thee and
upon whomsoever hath turned unto the Almighty,
the All-Bounteous. The Tablet is ended, but the
theme is unexhausted. Be patient, for thy Lord is
patient."
These are verses We sent down previously, soon
after Our arrival in the prison-city of &Akka, and
We have sent them unto thee, that thou mayest be
acquainted with what their lying tongues have
spoken, when Our Cause came unto them with might
and sovereignty. The foundations of idle fancies
have trembled, and the heaven of vain imaginings
hath been cleft asunder, and yet the people are in
doubt and in contention with Him. They have denied
the testimony of God and His proof, after He came
from the heaven of power with the kingdom of His
+P135
signs. They have cast away what had been prescribed,
and perpetrated what had been forbidden them in
the Book. They have abandoned their God, and
clung unto their desires. They truly have strayed and
are in error. They read the verses and deny them.
They behold the clear tokens and turn aside. They
truly are lost in strange doubt.
We have admonished Our loved ones to fear God,
a fear which is the fountain-head of all goodly deeds
and virtues. It is the commander of the hosts of
justice in the city of &Baha. Happy the man that hath
entered the shadow of its luminous standard, and
laid fast hold thereon. He, verily, is of the Companions
of the Crimson Ark, which hath been mentioned
in the &Qayyum-i-Asma.
Say: O people of God! Adorn your temples with
the adornment of trustworthiness and piety. Help,
then, your Lord with the hosts of goodly deeds and a
praiseworthy character. We have forbidden you dissension
and conflict in My Books, and My Scriptures,
and My Scrolls, and My Tablets, and have wished
thereby naught else save your exaltation and advancement.
Unto this testify the heavens and the stars
thereof, and the sun and the radiance thereof, and
the trees and the leaves thereof, and the seas and the
waves thereof, and the earth and the treasures thereof.
We pray God to assist His loved ones, and aid them
in that which beseemeth them in this blest, this
mighty, and wondrous station.
+P136
Further, in another Tablet, We have said: "O thou
who hast fixed thy gaze upon My countenance!
Admonish men to fear God. By God! This fear is
the chief commander of the army of thy Lord. Its
hosts are a praiseworthy character and goodly deeds.
Through it have the cities of men's hearts been opened
throughout the ages and centuries, and the standards
of ascendancy and triumph raised above all other
standards."
"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
+P137
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."
This Wronged One hath, at all times, summoned
the peoples of the world unto that which will exalt
them, and draw them nigh unto God. From the
Most Sublime Horizon there hath shone forth that
which leaveth no room unto any one for vacillation,
repudiation or denial. The wayward, however, have
failed to profit therefrom; nay, it shall only increase
their loss.
O &Shaykh! It is incumbent upon the divines to
unite with His Majesty, the &Shah--may God assist
him--and to cleave day and night unto that which
will exalt the station of both the government and
the nation. This people are assiduously occupied in
enlightening the souls of men and in rehabilitating
their condition. Unto this testifieth that which hath
been sent down by the Most Sublime Pen in this lucid
Tablet. How often have things been simple and
easy of accomplishment, and yet most men have been
heedless, and busied themselves with that which
wasteth their time!
One day, while in Constantinople, &Kamal &Pasha
visited this Wronged One. Our conversation turned
+P138
upon topics profitable unto man. He said that he
had learned several languages. In reply We observed:
"You have wasted your life. It beseemeth you and
the other officials of the Government to convene a
gathering and choose one of the divers languages,
and likewise one of the existing scripts, or else to
create a new language and a new script to be taught
children in schools throughout the world. They
would, in this way, be acquiring only two languages,
one their own native tongue, the other the language
in which all the peoples of the world would converse.
Were men to take fast hold on that which hath been
mentioned, the whole earth would come to be regarded
as one country, and the people would be
relieved and freed from the necessity of acquiring
and teaching different languages." When in Our
presence, he acquiesced, and even evinced great joy
and complete satisfaction. We then told him to lay
this matter before the officials and ministers of the
Government, in order that it might be put into
effect throughout the different countries. However,
although he often returned to see Us after this, he
never again referred to this subject, although that
which had been suggested is conducive to the concord
and the unity of the peoples of the world.
We fain would hope that the Persian Government
will adopt it and carry it out. At present, a new language
and a new script have been devised. If thou
desirest, We will communicate them to thee. Our
+P139
purpose is that all men may cleave unto that which
will reduce unnecessary labor and exertion, so that
their days may be befittingly spent and ended. God,
verily, is the Helper, the Knower, the Ordainer, the
Omniscient.
God willing, Persia may be adorned with, and attain
unto, that whereof she hath thus far been
deprived. Say: "O &Shah! Exert thyself so that all
the peoples of the world may be illumined with the
effulgent splendors of the sun of thy justice. The
eyes of this Wronged One are turned towards naught
save trustworthiness, truthfulness, purity, and all
that profiteth men." Regard Him not as a traitor.
Glorified art Thou, O my God, and my Master, and
my Mainstay! Aid Thou His Majesty the &Shah to
execute Thy laws and Thy commandments, and show
forth Thy justice among Thy servants. Thou art,
verily, the All-Bounteous, the Lord of grace abounding,
the Almighty, the All-Powerful. The Cause of
God hath come as a token of His grace. Happy are
they who act; happy are they who understand; happy
the man that hath clung unto the truth, detached
from all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth.
O &Shaykh! Seek thou the shore of the Most Great
Ocean, and enter, then, the Crimson Ark which God
hath ordained in the &Qayyum-i-Asma for the people
of &Baha. Verily, it passeth over land and sea. He
that entereth therein is saved, and he that turneth
aside perisheth. Shouldst thou enter therein and
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attain unto it, set thy face towards the Kaaba of God,
the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, and say: "O
my God! I beseech Thee by Thy most glorious light,
and all Thy lights are verily glorious." Thereupon,
will the doors of the Kingdom be flung wide before
thy face, and thou wilt behold what eyes have never
beheld, and hear what ears have never heard. This
Wronged One exhorteth thee as He hath exhorted
thee before, and hath never had any wish for thee
save that thou shouldst enter the ocean of the unity
of God, the Lord of the worlds. This is the day
whereon all created things cry out, and announce
unto men this Revelation, through which hath appeared
what was concealed and preserved in the
knowledge of God, the Mighty, the All-Praised.
O &Shaykh! Thou hast heard the sweet melodies
of the Doves of Utterance cooing on the boughs of
the Lote-Tree of knowledge. Hearken, now, unto
the notes of the Birds of Wisdom upraised in the
Most Sublime Paradise. They verily will acquaint
thee with things of which thou wert wholly unaware.
Give ear unto that which the Tongue of Might and
Power hath spoken in the Books of God, the Desire
of every understanding heart. At this moment a
Voice was raised from the Lote-Tree beyond which
there is no passing, in the heart of the Most Sublime
Paradise, bidding Me relate unto thee that which
hath been sent down in the Books and Tablets, and
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the things spoken by My Forerunner, Who laid down
His life for this Great Announcement, this Straight
Path. He hath said--and He, verily, speaketh the
truth: "I have written down in My mention of Him
these gem-like words: `No allusion of Mine can allude
unto Him, neither anything mentioned in the
&Bayan.'" And further, He--exalted and glorified be
He--saith, concerning this most mighty Revelation,
this Great Announcement: "Exalted and glorified is
He above the power of any one to reveal Him except
Himself, or the description of any of His creatures.
I Myself am but the first servant to believe in Him
and in His signs, and to partake of the sweet savors
of His words from the first-fruits of the Paradise
of His knowledge. Yea, by His glory! He is the
Truth. There is none other God but Him. All have
arisen at His bidding." Such are the words sung by
the Dove of Truth on the boughs of the Divine Lote-Tree.
Well is it with him that hath given ear unto its
Voice, and quaffed from the oceans of Divine utterance
that lie concealed in each of these words. In
another connection hath the Voice of the &Bayan
called aloud from the loftiest branches. He saith--
blessed and glorified be He: "In the year nine ye will
attain unto all good." On another occasion He saith:
"In the year nine ye will attain unto the Presence
of God." These melodies, uttered by the Birds of the
cities of Knowledge, conform with that which hath
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been sent down by the All-Merciful in the &Qur'an.
Blessed are the men of insight; blessed they that attain
thereunto.
O &Shaykh! I swear by God! The River of Mercy
floweth, and the Ocean of Utterance surgeth, and
the Sun of Revelation shineth forth resplendent.
With a detached heart, and a dilated breast, and an
utterly truthful tongue, recite thou these sublime
words that have been revealed by My Forerunner--
the Primal Point. He saith--glorified be His utterance--
addressing his honor, &Azim: "This, verily, is
the thing We promised thee, ere the moment We
answered thy call. Wait thou until nine will have
elapsed from the time of the &Bayan. Then exclaim:
`Blessed, therefore, be God, the most excellent of
Makers!' Say: This, verily, is an Announcement
which none except God hath comprehended. Ye,
however, will be unaware on that day." In the year
nine this Most Great Revelation arose and shone forth
brightly above the horizon of the Will of God. None
can deny it save he who is heedless and doubteth.
We pray God to aid His servants to return unto Him,
and beg forgiveness for the things they committed
in this vain life. He, verily, is the Forgiving, the
Pardoner, the All-Merciful. In another connection
He saith: "I am the first servant to believe in Him,
and in His signs." In like manner, in the Persian
&Bayan, He saith: "He, verily, is the One Who, under
all conditions, proclaimeth: `I, in very truth, am
+P143
God!'" and so on--blessed and glorified be He. That
which is meant by Divinity and Godhead hath previously
been stated. We have in truth rent the veils
asunder and disclosed that which will draw men nigh
unto God, Who layeth low the necks of men. Happy
the man that hath attained unto justice and equity in
this Grace that hath encompassed all that is in the
heavens and all that is on earth, as bidden by God,
the Lord of the worlds.
O &Shaykh! Hearken unto the melodies of the
Gospel with the ear of fairness. He saith--glorified
be His utterance--prophesying the things that are
to come: "But of that Day and Hour knoweth no
man, no, not the angels of heaven, nor the Son,
but the Father." By Father in this connection is
meant God--exalted be His glory. He, verily, is the
True Educator, and the Spiritual Teacher.
Joel saith: "For the Day of the Lord is great and
very terrible; and who can abide it?" Firstly, in the
sublime utterance set forth in the Gospel He saith
that none is aware of the time of the Revelation, that
none knoweth it except God, the All-Knowing, Who
is cognizant of all. Secondly, He setteth forth the
greatness of the Revelation. Likewise, in the &Qur'an
He saith: "Of what ask they of one another? Of
the Great Announcement." This is the Announcement,
the greatness of which hath been mentioned
in most of the Books of old and of more recent times.
This is the Announcement that hath caused the limbs
+P144
of mankind to quake, except such as God, the Protector,
the Helper, the Succorer, hath willed to exempt.
Men have indeed with their own eyes witnessed
how all men and all things have been thrown
into confusion and been sore perplexed, save those
whom God hath chosen to exempt.
O &Shaykh! Great is the Cause, and great the Announcement!
Patiently and calmly ponder thou upon
the resplendent signs and the sublime words, and all
that hath been revealed in these days, that haply
thou mayest fathom the mysteries that are hid in the
Books, and mayest strive to guide His servants.
Hearken with thine inner ear unto the Voice of Jeremiah,
Who saith: "Oh, for great is that Day, and it
hath no equal." Wert thou to observe with the eye
of fairness, thou wouldst perceive the greatness of
the Day. Incline thine ear unto the Voice of this
All-Knowing Counsellor, and suffer not thyself to be
deprived of the mercy that hath surpassed all created
things, visible and invisible. Lend an ear unto the
song of David. He saith: "Who will bring me into
the Strong City?" The Strong City is &Akka,
which hath been named the Most Great Prison, and
which possesseth a fortress and mighty ramparts.
O &Shaykh! Peruse that which Isaiah hath spoken
in His Book. He saith: "Get thee up into the high
mountain, O Zion, that bringest good tidings; lift up
Thy Voice with strength, O Jerusalem, that bringest
good tidings. Lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the
+P145
cities of Judah: `Behold your God! Behold the Lord
God will come with strong hand, and His arm shall
rule for Him.'" This Day all the signs have appeared.
A Great City hath descended from heaven, and Zion
trembleth and exulteth with joy at the Revelation
of God, for it hath heard the Voice of God on every
side. This Day Jerusalem hath attained unto a new
Evangel, for in the stead of the sycamore standeth
the cedar. Jerusalem is the place of pilgrimage for
all the peoples of the world, and hath been named
the Holy City. Together with Zion and Palestine,
they are all included within these regions. Wherefore,
hath it been said: "Blessed is the man that hath
migrated to &Akka."
Amos saith: "The Lord will roar from Zion, and
utter His Voice from Jerusalem; and the habitations
of the shepherds shall mourn, and the top of Carmel
shall wither." Carmel, in the Book of God, hath been
designated as the Hill of God, and His Vineyard. It
is here that, by the grace of the Lord of Revelation,
the Tabernacle of Glory hath been raised. Happy
are they that attain thereunto; happy they that set
their faces towards it. And likewise He saith: "Our
God will come, and He will not be silent."
O &Shaykh! Reflect upon these words addressed by
Him Who is the Desire of the world to Amos. He
saith: "Prepare to meet thy God, O Israel, for, lo,
He that formeth the mountains and createth the
wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought,
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that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon
the high places of the earth, the Lord, the God of
Hosts, is His name." He saith that He maketh the
morning darkness. By this is meant that if, at the
time of the Manifestation of Him Who conversed on
Sinai anyone were to regard himself as the true morn,
he will, through the might and power of God, be
turned into darkness. He truly is the false dawn,
though believing himself to be the true one. Woe
unto him, and woe unto such as follow him without
a clear token from God, the Lord of the worlds.
Isaiah saith: "The Lord alone shall be exalted in
that Day." Concerning the greatness of the Revelation
He saith: "Enter into the rock, and hide thee
in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory
of His majesty." And in another connection He
saith: "The wilderness and the solitary place shall be
glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice, and blossom
as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and
rejoice even with joy and singing: the glory of Lebanon
shall be given unto it, the splendor of Carmel
and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the Lord, and
the splendor of our God."
These passages stand in need of no commentary.
They are shining and manifest as the sun, and glowing
and luminous as light itself. Every fair-minded
person is led, by the fragrance of these words, unto
the garden of understanding, and attaineth unto that
from which most men are veiled and debarred. Say:
+P147
Fear God, O people, and follow not the doubts of
such as shout aloud, who have broken the Covenant
of God and His Testament, and denied His mercy
that hath preceded all that are in the heavens and
all that are on earth.
And likewise, He saith: "Say to them that are of
a fearful heart: be strong, fear not, behold your God."
This blessed verse is a proof of the greatness of the
Revelation, and of the greatness of the Cause, inasmuch
as the blast of the trumpet must needs spread
confusion throughout the world, and fear and trembling
amongst all men. Well is it with him who hath
been illumined with the light of trust and detachment.
The tribulations of that Day will not hinder
or alarm him. Thus hath the Tongue of Utterance
spoken, as bidden by Him Who is the All-Merciful.
He, verily, is the Strong, the All-Powerful, the All-Subduing,
the Almighty. It is now incumbent upon
them who are endowed with a hearing ear and a seeing
eye to ponder these sublime words, in each of
which the oceans of inner meaning and explanation
are hidden, that haply the words uttered by Him
Who is the Lord of Revelation may enable His
servants to attain, with the utmost joy and radiance,
unto the Supreme Goal and Most Sublime Summit--
the dawning-place of this Voice.
O &Shaykh! Wert thou to perceive, be it less than
a needle's eye, the breaths of Mine utterance, thou
wouldst abandon the world and all that is therein,
+P148
and wouldst set thy face towards the lights of the
countenance of the Desired One. Briefly, in the sayings
of Him Who is the Spirit (Jesus) unnumbered
significances lie concealed. Unto many things did
He refer, but as He found none possessed of a hearing
ear or a seeing eye He chose to conceal most of these
things. Even as He saith: "But ye cannot bear them
now." That Dawning-Place of Revelation saith that
on that Day He Who is the Promised One will reveal
the things which are to come. Accordingly in the
&Kitab-i-Aqdas, and in the Tablets to the Kings, and
in the &Lawh-i-Ra'is, and in the &Lawh-i-Fu'ad, most
of the things which have come to pass on this earth
have been announced and prophesied by the Most
Sublime Pen.
In the &Kitab-i-Aqdas the following hath been revealed:
"O Land of &Ta (&Tihran)! Let nothing grieve
thee, for God hath chosen thee to be the source of
the joy of all mankind. He shall, if it be His Will,
bless thy throne with one who will rule with justice,
who will gather together the flock of God which
the wolves have scattered. Such a ruler will, with joy
and gladness, turn his face towards, and extend his
favors unto, the people of &Baha. He indeed is accounted
in the sight of God, as a jewel among men.
Upon him rest forever the glory of God, and the
glory of all that dwell in the kingdom of His revelation."
These verses were revealed previously. Now,
however, the following verse hath been sent down:
+P149
"O God, my God! &Baha beseecheth Thee and imploreth
Thee, by the lights of Thy countenance and
the billows of the ocean of Thy Revelation, and the
effulgent splendors of the Sun of Thine utterance,
to aid the &Shah to be fair and equitable. If it be Thy
wish, bless Thou, through him, the throne of authority
and sovereignty. Potent art Thou to do what
pleaseth Thee. There is none other God but Thee,
Who hearest, Who art ready to answer." "Rejoice
with great joy, O Land of &Ta (&Tihran), for God
hath made thee the dayspring of His light, inasmuch
as within thee was born the Manifestation of His
glory. Be thou glad for this name that hath been
conferred upon thee--a name through which the
Daystar of grace hath shed its splendor, through
which both earth and heaven have been illumined.
Erelong will the state of affairs within thee be
changed, and the reins of power fall into the
hands of the people. Verily, thy Lord is the All-Knowing.
His authority embraceth all things. Rest
thou assured in the gracious favor of thy Lord. The
eye of His loving-kindness shall everlastingly be
directed towards thee. The day is approaching when
thy agitation will have been transmuted into peace
and quiet calm. Thus hath it been decreed in the
Wondrous Book."
And likewise, in the &Lawh-i-Fu'ad, and in the Tablet
of the King of Paris (Napoleon III), and in other
Tablets, there hath been revealed that which will lead
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every fair-minded person to testify unto the power,
and the majesty, and the wisdom of God--exalted be
His glory. Were men to observe with the eye of justice,
they would be made aware of the secret of this
blessed verse: "Neither is there a thing green or sere,
but it is noted in a distinct writing," and would comprehend
it. On this day, however, men's repudiation
of the truth hath prevented them from understanding
what hath been sent down in truth by Him Who
is the Revealer, the Ancient of Days. Gracious God!
Perspicuous signs have appeared on every side, and
yet men are, for the most part, deprived of the privilege
of beholding and of comprehending them. We
beseech God to bestow His aid, that all men may
recognize the pearls that lie hid within the shells of
the Most Great Ocean, and exclaim: "Praised be
Thou, O God of the world!"
O concourse of the fair-minded! Observe and
reflect upon the billows of the ocean of the utterance
and knowledge of God, so that ye may testify with
your inner and outer tongues that with Him is the
knowledge of all that is in the Book. Nothing escapeth
His knowledge. He, verily, hath manifested
that which was hidden, when He, upon His return,
mounted the throne of the &Bayan. All that hath been
sent down hath and will come to pass, word for
word, upon earth. No possibility is left for anyone
either to turn aside or protest. As fairness, however,
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is disgraced and concealed, most men speak as
prompted by their own idle fancies.
O God, my God! Debar not Thy servants from
turning their faces towards the light of certitude,
that hath dawned above the horizon of Thy will,
and suffer them not to be deprived, O my God, of
the oceans of Thy signs. They, O my Lord, are Thy
servants in Thy cities, and Thy slaves in Thy lands.
If Thou hast not mercy upon them, who, then, will
show them mercy? Take Thou, O my God, the hands
of such as have been drowned in the sea of idle fancies,
and deliver them by Thy power and Thy sovereignty.
Save them, then, with the arms of Thy might. Powerful
art Thou to do what Thou willest, and in Thy
right hand are the reins of all that is in the heavens
and all that is on earth.
In like manner, the Primal Point saith: "Behold
ye Him with His own eyes. Were ye to behold Him
with the eyes of another, ye would never recognize
and know Him." This referreth to naught else
except this Most Great Revelation. Well is it with
them that judge fairly. And likewise, He saith: "The
year-old germ that holdeth within itself the potentialities
of the Revelation that is to come is endowed
with a potency superior to the combined forces of
the whole of the &Bayan." These glad-tidings of the
&Bayan and of the Books of former times have been
repeatedly mentioned under divers names in numerous
+P152
books, that perchance men might judge equitably
that which hath arisen and shone forth above the
horizon of the will of God, the Lord of the Mighty
Throne.
O &Shaykh! Tell the people of the &Bayan: "Ponder
ye these blessed words. He saith: `The whole of the
&Bayan is only a leaf amongst the leaves of His Paradise.'
Be fair, O people, and be not of such as are
accounted as lost in the Book of God, the Lord of
the worlds." The blessed Lote-Tree standeth, in this
day, before thy face, laden with heavenly, with new
and wondrous fruits. Gaze on it, detached from all
else save it. Thus hath the Tongue of might and
power spoken at this Spot which God hath adorned
with the footsteps of His Most Great Name and
Mighty Announcement.
And likewise, He saith: "Ere nine will have elapsed
from the inception of this Cause, the realities of the
created things will not be made manifest. All that
thou hast as yet seen is but the stage from the moist
germ until We clothed it with flesh. Be patient, until
thou beholdest a new creation. Say: `Blessed, therefore,
be God, the most excellent of Makers!'" And
likewise, He hath said regarding the power of this
Revelation: "Lawful is it for Him Whom God will
make manifest to reject him who is greatest on earth,
inasmuch as such a one is but a creature in His grasp,
and all things adore Him. After &Hin (68) a Cause
shall be given unto you which ye shall come to know."
+P153
And also He saith: "Know thou with absolute certainty,
and through the firmly established and most
irrevocable decree, that He--exalted be His glory,
and magnified be His might, and sanctified be His
holiness, and glorified be His grandeur, and lauded
be His ways, maketh each thing to be known through
its own self; who then can know Him through any
one except Himself?" And further, He saith--exalted
and glorified be He: "Beware, beware lest, in
the days of His Revelation, the &Vahid of the &Bayan
(eighteen Letters of the Living) shut thee not out as
by a veil from Him, inasmuch as this &Vahid is but a
creature in His sight. And beware, beware that the
words sent down in the &Bayan shut thee not out as
by a veil from Him." And again, He--exalted be
He--saith: "Look not upon Him with any eye except
His own. For whosoever looketh upon Him with
His eye, will recognize Him; otherwise he will be
veiled from Him. Shouldst thou seek God and His
Presence, seek thou Him and gaze upon Him." And
likewise, He saith: "Better is it for thee to recite
but one of the verses of Him Whom God shall make
manifest than to set down the whole of the &Bayan,
for on that Day that one verse can save thee, whereas
the entire &Bayan cannot save thee."
Say: O people of the &Bayan! Be fair, be fair; and
again, be fair, be fair. Be ye not of them who have
made mention of the Manifestation of the Cause of
God in the daytime and in the night season, and
+P154
who, when He, through His grace, appeared, and
when the Horizon of Revelation was illumined,
pronounced against Him such a judgment as hath
provoked the lamentations of the inmates of the
Kingdom and of the Realm of Glory, and of such
as have circled about the will of God, the All-Knowing,
the All-Wise.
Meditate upon these sublime words. He saith: "I,
verily, am a believer in Him, and in His Faith, and in
His Book, and in His Testimonies, and in His Ways,
and in all that proceedeth from Him concerning
them. I glory in My kinship with Him, and pride
Myself on My belief in Him." And likewise, He
saith: "O congregation of the &Bayan and all who
are therein! Recognize ye the limits imposed upon
you, for such a One as the Point of the &Bayan Himself
hath believed in Him Whom God shall make
manifest, before all things were created. Therein,
verily, do I glory before all who are in the kingdom
of heaven and earth." By God! All the atoms of the
universe groan and lament at the cruelty perpetrated
by the froward among the people of the &Bayan.
Whither are gone they who are endued with insight
and hearing? We beseech God--blessed and glorified
be He--to summon them and exhort them unto that
which will profit them, and withhold them from
that which will harm them. He, in truth, is the
Strong, the All-Subduing, the Almighty.
And likewise, He saith: "Suffer not yourselves to
+P155
be shut out as by a veil from God after He hath
revealed Himself. For all that hath been exalted in
the &Bayan is but as a ring upon My hand, and I
Myself am, verily, but a ring upon the hand of Him
Whom God shall make manifest--glorified be His
mention! He turneth it as He pleaseth, for whatsoever
He pleaseth, and through whatsoever He
pleaseth. He, verily, is the Help in Peril, the Most
High." And likewise, He saith: "Were He to make of
every one on earth a Prophet, all would, in very truth,
be accounted as Prophets in the sight of God." And
likewise, He saith: "In the day of the revelation of
Him Whom God shall make manifest all that dwell
on earth will be equal in His estimation. Whomsoever
He ordaineth as a Prophet, he, verily, hath been a
Prophet from the beginning that hath no beginning,
and will thus remain until the end that hath no end,
inasmuch as this is an act of God. And whosoever
is made a Vicegerent by Him, shall be a Vicegerent
in all the worlds, for this is an act of God. For the
will of God can in no wise be revealed except through
His will, nor His wish be manifested save through His
wish. He, verily, is the All-Conquering, the All-Powerful,
the All-Highest."
Briefly, in every instance He hath stated that which
is conducive to the conversion, the advancement, the
exaltation, and the guidance of men. A few unfair
ones, however, have become a veil, and an insurmountable
barrier, and debarred the people from
+P156
turning towards the lights of His Countenance. We
pray God to cast them out by His sovereignty, and
seize on them with His seizing power. He, verily, is
the Lord of Strength, the Mighty, the All-Wise.
And likewise, He saith: "He--glorified be His
mention--resembleth the sun. Were unnumbered
mirrors to be placed before it, each would, according
to its capacity, reflect the splendor of that sun,
and were none to be placed before it, it would still
continue to rise and set, and the mirrors alone would
be veiled from its light. I, verily, have not fallen
short of My duty to admonish that people, and to
devise means whereby they may turn towards God,
their Lord, and believe in God, their Creator. If, on
the day of His Revelation, all that are on earth bear
Him allegiance, Mine inmost being will rejoice, inasmuch
as all will have attained the summit of their
existence, and will have been brought face to face
with their Beloved, and will have recognized, to the
fullest extent attainable in the world of being, the
splendor of Him Who is the Desire of their hearts.
If not, My soul will indeed be saddened. I truly have
nurtured all things for this purpose. How, then,
can anyone be veiled from Him? For this have I
called upon God, and will continue to call upon Him.
He, verily, is nigh, ready to answer."
And likewise, He saith: "They will even refuse
unto that Tree, which is neither of the East nor of
the West, the name believer, for were they so to name
+P157
Him, they would fail to sadden Him." Hath thine
ear, O world, heard with what helplessness these
words were revealed from the dayspring of the will
of Him Who is the Dawning-Place of all names? He
saith: "I have educated all men, that they may recognize
this Revelation, and yet the people of the &Bayan
refuse to concede even the name believer to that
blessed Tree that belongeth neither to the East nor to
the West." Alas, alas, for the things which have befallen
Me! By God! There befell Me at the hands of
him whom I have nurtured (&Mirza &Yahya), by day
and by night, what hath caused the Holy Spirit, and
the dwellers of the Tabernacle of the Grandeur of
God, the Lord of this wondrous Day, to lament.
Likewise, refuting certain disbelievers, He saith:
"For none knoweth the time of the Revelation except
God. Whenever it appeareth, all must acknowledge
the Point of Truth, and render thanks unto God."
They that have turned aside from Me have spoken
even as the followers of John (the Baptist) spoke.
For they, too, protested against Him Who was the
Spirit (Jesus) saying: "The dispensation of John hath
not yet ended; wherefore hast thou come?" Now, too,
they that have repudiated Us, though they have never
known Us and have been at all times ignorant of the
fundamentals of this Cause, knowing not from
Whom it proceeded or what it signifieth, have spoken
that which hath made all created things to sigh and
lament. By My life! The mute can never confront
+P158
the One Who incarnateth in Himself the kingdom
of utterance. Fear God, O people, and peruse, then,
that which hath been sent down with truth in the
eighth Chapter of the sixth &Vahid of the &Bayan, and
be not of such as have turned aside. He, likewise,
hath commanded: "Once every nineteen days this
Chapter should be read, that haply they may not be
veiled, in the time of the revelation of Him Whom
God shall make manifest, by considerations foreign
to the verses, which have been, and are still, the
weightiest of all proofs and testimonies."
John, son of Zacharias, said what My Forerunner
hath said: "Saying, repent ye, for the Kingdom
of heaven is at hand. I indeed baptize you with
water unto repentance, but He that cometh after Me
is mightier than I, Whose shoes I am not worthy to
bear." Wherefore, hath My Forerunner, as a sign of
submissiveness and humility, said: "The whole of the
&Bayan is only a leaf amongst the leaves of His Paradise."
And likewise, He saith: "I am the first to
adore Him, and pride Myself on My kinship with
Him." And yet, O men, the people of the &Bayan
have acted in such a manner that &Dhi'l-Jawshan, and
Ibn-i-Anas, and &Asbahi have sought and still seek
refuge with God against such deeds. This Wronged
One hath, in the face of all religions, busied Himself
day and night with the things that are conducive unto
the exaltation of the Cause of God, whereas those men
+P159
have clung unto that which is the cause of humiliation
and injury.
And likewise, He saith: "Recognize Him by His
verses. The greater your neglect in seeking to know
Him, the more grievously will ye be veiled in fire."
O ye among the people of the &Bayan that have turned
aside from Me! Ponder upon these most sublime
words, that have proceeded from the wellspring of
the utterance of Him Who is the Point of Knowledge.
Hearken ye, at this moment, unto these words.
He saith: "On that Day, the Daystar of Truth will
address the people of the &Bayan and will recite this
&Surih of the &Qur'an: `Say: O ye unbelievers! I worship
not that which ye worship, and ye do not worship
that which I worship. I shall never worship that
which ye worship, neither will ye worship that which
I worship. To you be your religion, to Me My religion.'"
Gracious God! Notwithstanding these lucid
statements, and these shining and luminous tokens all
are occupied with their vain imaginings, and are
unaware of, and veiled from, the Desired One. O ye
that have gone astray! Awake from the sleep of
heedlessness, and give ear unto these words of My
Forerunner. He saith: "The tree of affirmation, by
turning aside from Him, is accounted as the tree of
denial, and the tree of denial, by turning towards
Him, is accounted as the tree of affirmation." And
likewise, He saith: "Should anyone lay claim unto a
+P160
Revelation, and fail to produce any proof, do not
protest, and sadden Him not." Briefly, this Wronged
One hath, night and day, been uttering the words:
"Say: O ye unbelievers!", that haply this may be
the means of awakening the people, and may adorn
them with the adornment of fairness.
And now, meditate upon these words, which diffuse
the breath of despair, in His sorrowful invocation
unto God, the Lord of the worlds. He saith: "Glorified
art Thou, O My God! Bear Thou witness that,
through this Book, I have covenanted with all created
things concerning the Mission of Him Whom Thou
shalt make manifest, ere the covenant concerning
Mine own Mission had been established. Sufficient
witness art Thou and they that have believed in Thy
signs. Thou, verily, sufficest Me. In Thee have I
placed My trust, and Thou, verily, takest count of
all things."
In another connection He saith: "O Sun-like Mirrors!
Look ye upon the Sun of Truth. Ye, verily,
depend upon it, were ye to perceive it. Ye are all
as fishes, moving in the waters of the sea, veiling
yourselves therefrom, and yet asking what it is on
which ye depend." And likewise, He saith: "I complain
unto thee, O Mirror of My generosity, against
all the other Mirrors. All look upon Me through their
own colors." These words were sent down from the
Source of the Revelation of the All-Bounteous, and
were addressed to Siyyid &Javad, known as &Karbila'i.
+P161
God testifieth, and the world beareth Me witness that
this Siyyid stood by this Wronged One, and even
wrote a detailed refutation against them that turned
aside from Me. Two communications, moreover, in
which he hath borne witness unto the Revelation of
the True One, and in which the evidences of his
turning away from all else but Him, are clear and
manifest, have been sent by Us to &Haydar-'Ali. The
handwriting of the Siyyid is unmistakable, and is
known unto everyone. Our purpose in doing this was
that perchance they that have denied Us might attain
unto the living waters of acknowledgment, and such
as have turned aside be illumined with the light of
conversion. God is My witness that this Wronged
One hath had no purpose except to convey the Word
of God. Blessed are the fair-minded, and woe betide
them that have turned aside. They that have turned
away from Me have schemed many a time, and acted
deceitfully in divers ways. They have, on one occasion,
secured a picture of this Siyyid, and pasted it
on a sheet with that of others, surmounted by the
portrait of &Mirza &Yahya. Briefly, they have seized
upon every means in order to repudiate the True
One. Say: "The True One is come evident as the
shining sun; O pity that He should have come into
the city of the blind!" The afore-mentioned Siyyid
admonished the deniers, and summoned them unto
the Most Sublime Horizon, but failed to impress
these stones that can take no imprint. Concerning
+P162
him they have said things against which he sought
refuge with God--exalted be His glory. The supplications
which he hath sent to this Holy Court are now
in Our possession. Happy are the fair-minded.
Ponder now upon the complaint of the Primal
Point against the Mirrors, that haply men may be
awakened, and may turn from the left hand of idle
fancies and imaginings unto the right hand of faith
and certitude, and may be made cognizant of that
wherefrom they are veiled. It is indeed for the purpose
of recognizing this Most Great Cause that they
have come out of the world of non-existence into the
world of being. And likewise He saith: "Consecrate
Thou, O my God, the whole of this Tree unto Him,
that from it may be revealed all the fruits created by
God within it for Him through Whom God hath
willed to reveal all that He pleaseth. By Thy glory!
I have not wished that this Tree should ever bear
any branch, leaf, or fruit that would fail to bow
down before Him, on the day of His Revelation, or
refuse to laud Thee through Him, as beseemeth the
glory of His all-glorious Revelation, and the sublimity
of His most sublime Concealment. And shouldst
Thou behold, O my God, any branch, leaf, or fruit
upon Me that hath failed to bow down before Him,
on the day of His Revelation, cut it off, O My God,
from that Tree, for it is not of Me, nor shall it return
unto Me."
O people of the &Bayan! I swear by God! This
+P163
Wronged One hath had no other intention except to
manifest the Cause He was commissioned to reveal.
Were ye to incline your inner ears unto Him, ye
would hear from every limb and member and vein
and even from every single hair of this Wronged One
that which would stir and enrapture the Concourse
on high and the world of creation.
O &Hadi! The blind fanaticism of former times
hath withheld the hapless creatures from the Straight
Path. Meditate on the &Shi'ih sect. For twelve hundred
years they have cried "O &Qa'im!", until in the
end all pronounced the sentence of His death, and
caused Him to suffer martyrdom, notwithstanding
their belief in, and their acceptance and acknowledgment
of, the True One--exalted be His glory--and
of the Seal of the Prophets, and of the Chosen Ones.
It is now necessary to reflect a while, that haply that
which hath come between the True One and His
creatures may be discovered, and the deeds which
have been the cause of protest and denial be made
known.
O &Hadi! We have heard the moaning of the
pulpits which, as attested by all, the divines of the
age of this Revelation have ascended, and from which
they have cursed the True One, and caused such
things to befall Him Who is the Essence of Being
and His companions as neither the eye nor the ear
of the world hath seen or heard. Thou hast now summoned,
and art still summoning the people, claiming
+P164
to be His vicegerent and mirror, despite thine ignorance
of this Cause as a result of thy not having been
in Our company.
Every one of this people well knoweth that Siyyid
&Muhammad was but one of Our servants. In the days
when, as requested by the Imperial Ottoman Government,
We proceeded to their Capital, he accompanied
Us. Subsequently, he committed that which
--I swear by God--hath caused the Pen of the Most
High to weep and His Tablet to groan. We, therefore,
cast him out; whereupon, he joined &Mirza
&Yahya, and did what no tyrant hath ever done. We
abandoned him, and said unto him: "Begone, O heedless
one!" After these words had been uttered, he
joined the order of the Mawlavis, and remained in
their company until the time when We were summoned
to depart.
O &Hadi! Suffer not thyself to become the instrument
for the dissemination of new superstitions, and
refuse to set up once again a sect similar to that of
the &Shi'ihs. Reflect how great the amount of blood
which hath been spilt. Thou amongst others, who
hast laid claim to knowledge, and likewise the &Shi'ih
divines, have, one and all, in the first and ensuing
years, cursed the True One, and decreed that His
most holy blood be shed. Fear God, O &Hadi! Be not
willing that men be again afflicted with the vain
imaginings of former times. Fear God, and be not of
them that act unjustly. In these days We have heard
+P165
that thou hast striven to lay hands on and destroy
every copy of the &Bayan. This Wronged One requesteth
thee to renounce, for the sake of God, this
intention. Thine intelligence and judgment have
never excelled, nor do they now excel, the intelligence
and judgment of Him Who is the Prince of
the World. God testifieth and beareth Me witness
that this Wronged One hath not perused the &Bayan,
nor been acquainted with its contents. This much,
however, is known and is clear and indubitable that
He hath ordained the Book of the &Bayan to be the
foundation of His works. Fear God, and meddle not
in matters which far transcend thee. For twelve hundred
years they that resemble thee have afflicted the
hapless &Shi'ihs in the pit of vain fancies and idle
imaginings. Finally, there appeared, on the Day of
Judgment things against which the oppressors of old
have sought refuge with the True One.
Apprehend now the cry of Him Who is the Point
as raised by His utterance. He supplicateth God that
if there should appear from this Tree--which is His
blessed Self--any fruit, or leaf, or branch that would
fail to believe in Him, God should cut it off forthwith.
And likewise, He saith: "Should any one make
a statement, and fail to support it by any proof,
reject him not." And yet, now, though supported
by a hundred books, thou hast rejected Him and
rejoicest therein!
Again I repeat, and plead with thee to carefully
+P166
scrutinize that which hath been revealed. The breezes
of utterance in this Revelation are not to be compared
with those of former ages. This Wronged One
hath been perpetually afflicted, and found no place
of safety in which He could peruse either the writings
of the Most Exalted One (the &Bab) or those of
any one else. About two months after Our arrival
in &Iraq, following the command of His Majesty the
&Shah of Persia--may God assist him--&Mirza &Yahya
joined Us. We said unto him: "In accordance with
the Royal command We have been sent unto this
place. It is advisable for thee to remain in Persia.
We will send Our brother, &Mirza &Musa, to some
other place. As your names have not been mentioned
in the Royal decree, you can arise and render some
service." Subsequently, this Wronged One departed
from &Baghdad, and for two years withdrew from
the world. Upon Our return, We found that he had
not left, and had postponed his departure. This
Wronged One was greatly saddened. God testifieth
and beareth Us witness that We have, at all times,
been busied with the propagation of this Cause.
Neither chains nor bonds, stocks nor imprisonment,
have succeeded in withholding Us from revealing
Our Self. In that land We forbad all mischief, and
all unseemly and unholy deeds. Day and night We
sent forth Our Tablets in every direction. We had
no other purpose except to edify the souls of men,
and to exalt the blessed Word.
+P167
We especially appointed certain ones to collect the
writings of the Primal Point. When this was accomplished,
We summoned &Mirza &Yahya and &Mirza &Vahhab-i-Khurasani,
known as &Mirza &Javad, to meet in
a certain place. Conforming with Our instructions,
they completed the task of transcribing two copies
of the works of the Primal Point. I swear by God!
This Wronged One, by reason of His constant association
with men, hath not looked at these books, nor
gazed with outward eyes on these writings. When
We departed, these writings were in the possession of
these two persons. It was agreed that &Mirza &Yahya
should be entrusted with them, and proceed to Persia,
and disseminate them throughout that land. This
Wronged One proceeded, at the request of the Ministers
of the Ottoman Government to their capital.
When We arrived in Mosul, We found that &Mirza
&Yahya had left before Us for that city, and was
awaiting Us there. Briefly, the books and writings
were left in &Baghdad, while he himself proceeded to
Constantinople and joined these servants. God beareth
now witness unto the things which have touched
this Wronged One, for after We had so arduously
striven, he (&Mirza &Yahya) abandoned the writings
and joined the exiles. This Wronged One was, for a
long period, overwhelmed by infinite sorrows until
such time when, in pursuance of measures of which
none but the one true God is aware, We despatched
the writings unto another place and another country,
+P168
owing to the fact that in &Iraq all documents must
every month be carefully examined, lest they rot and
perish. God, however, preserved them and sent them
unto a place which He had previously ordained. He,
verily, is the Protector, the Succorer.
Wherever this Wronged One went &Mirza &Yahya
followed Him. Thou art thyself a witness and well
knowest that whatever hath been said is the truth.
The Siyyid of &Isfahan, however, surreptitiously duped
him. They committed that which caused the greatest
consternation. Would that thou wouldst inquire from
the officials of the government concerning the conduct
of &Mirza &Yahya in that land. Aside from all
this, I adjure thee by God, the One, the Incomparable,
the Lord of Strength, the Most Powerful, to carefully
look into the communications addressed in his name
to the Primal Point, that thou mayest behold the
evidences of Him Who is the Truth as clear as the
sun. Likewise, there proceeded from the words of
the Point of the &Bayan--may the souls of all else but
Him be sacrificed for His sake--that which no veil
can obscure, and which neither the veils of glory nor
the veils interposed by such as have gone astray can
hide. The veils have, verily, been rent asunder by
the finger of the will of thy Lord, the Strong, the
All-Subduing, the All-Powerful. Yea, desperate is
the state of such as have calumniated Me and envied
Me. Not long ago it was stated that thou hadst
ascribed the authorship of the &Kitab-i-Iqan and of
+P169
other Tablets unto others. I swear by God! This is
a grievous injustice. Others are incapable of apprehending
their meaning, how much more of revealing
them!
&Hasan-i-Mazindarani was the bearer of seventy
Tablets. Upon his death, these were not delivered
unto those for whom they were intended, but were
entrusted to one of the sisters of this Wronged One,
who, for no reason whatever, had turned aside from
Me. God knoweth what befell His Tablets. This
sister had never lived with Us. I swear by the Sun
of Truth that after these things had happened she
never saw &Mirza &Yahya, and remained unaware of
Our Cause, for in those days she had been estranged
from Us. She lived in one quarter, and this Wronged
One in another. As a token, however, of Our loving-kindness,
our affection and mercy, We, a few days
prior to Our departure, visited her and her mother,
that haply she might quaff from the living waters
of faith, and attain unto that which would draw her
nigh unto God, in this day. God well knoweth and
beareth Me witness, and she herself testifieth, that I
had no thought whatsoever except this. Finally, she
--God be praised--attained unto this through His
grace, and was adorned with the adornment of love.
After We were exiled and had departed from &Iraq
to Constantinople, however, news of her ceased to
reach Us. Subsequent to Our separation in the Land
of &Ta (&Tihran), We ceased to meet &Mirza &Rida-Quli,
+P170
Our brother, and no special news reached Us
concerning her. In the early days we all lived in one
house, which later on was sold at auction, for a negligible
sum, and the two brothers, &Farman-Farma
and &Hisamu's-Saltanih, purchased it and divided it
between themselves. After this occurred, We separated
from Our brother. He established his residence
close to the entrance of &Masjid-i-Shah, whilst We
lived near the Gate of &Shimiran. Thereafter, however,
that sister displayed toward Us, for no reason
whatever, a hostile attitude. This Wronged One held
His peace under all conditions. However, Our late
brother &Mirza &Muhammad-Hasan's daughter--upon
him be the glory of God and His peace and His mercy
--who had been betrothed to the Most Great Branch
(&Abdu'l-Baha) was taken by the sister of this
Wronged One from &Nur to her own house, and from
there sent unto another place. Some of Our companions
and friends in various places complained
against this, as it was a very grievous act, and was
disapproved by all the loved ones of God. How
strange that Our sister should have taken her to her
own house, and then arranged for her to be sent elsewhere!
In spite of this, this Wronged One remained,
and still remaineth, calm and silent. A word, however,
was said in order to tranquilize Our loved ones.
God testifieth and beareth Me witness that whatever
hath been said was the truth, and was spoken with
sincerity. None of Our loved ones, whether in these
+P171
regions or in that country, could believe Our sister
capable of an act so contrary to decency, affection and
friendship. After such a thing had occurred, they,
recognizing that the way had been barred, conducted
themselves in a manner well-known unto thyself and
others. It must be evident, therefore, how intense
was the grief which this act inflicted upon this
Wronged One. Later on, she threw in her lot with
&Mirza &Yahya. Conflicting reports concerning her are
now reaching Us, nor is it clear what she is saying
or doing. We beseech God--blessed and glorified be
He--to cause her to turn unto Him, and aid her
to repent before the door of His grace. He, verily,
is the Mighty, the Forgiving; and He is, in truth, the
All-Powerful, the Pardoner.
In another connection He, likewise, saith: "Were
He to appear this very moment, I would be the first
to adore Him, and the first to bow down before
Him." Be fair, O people! The purpose of the Most
Exalted One (the &Bab) was to insure that the proximity
of the Revelation should not withhold men
from the Divine and everlasting Law, even as the
companions of John (the Baptist) were prevented
from acknowledging Him Who is the Spirit (Jesus).
Time and again He hath said: "Suffer not the &Bayan
and all that hath been revealed therein to withhold
you from that Essence of Being and Lord of the
visible and invisible." Should any one, considering
this binding injunction, cling unto the &Bayan, such a
+P172
one hath, verily, passed out of the shadow of the
blessed and exalted Tree. Be fair, O people, and be
not of the heedless.
And likewise, He saith: "Let not names shut you
out as by a veil from Him Who is their Lord, even
the name of Prophet, for such a name is but a creation
of His utterance." And likewise, He, in the
seventh chapter of the second &Vahid, saith: "O people
of the &Bayan! Act not as the people of the &Qur'an
have acted, for if ye do so, the fruits of your night
will come to naught." And further, He saith--glorified
be His mention: "If thou attainest unto His
Revelation, and obeyest Him, thou wilt have revealed
the fruit of the &Bayan; if not, thou art unworthy of
mention before God. Take pity upon thyself. If
thou aidest not Him Who is the Manifestation of the
Lordship of God, be not, then, a cause of sadness unto
Him." And further He saith--magnified be His
station: "If thou attainest not unto the Presence of
God, grieve not, then, the Sign of God. Ye will renounce
that which can profit them that acknowledge
the &Bayan, if ye renounce that which can harm Him.
I know, however, that ye will refuse to do so."
O &Hadi! Methinks it is by reason of these indubitable
utterances that thou hast determined to blot
out the &Bayan. Give ear unto the voice of this
Wronged One, and renounce this oppression that hath
made the pillars of the &Bayan to tremble. I have been
neither in &Chihriq nor in &Mah-Ku. At the present time
+P173
statements have been circulated among thy disciples
identical with those made by the &Shi'ihs who have
said that the &Qur'an is unfinished. These people
also contend that this &Bayan is not the original one.
The copy in the handwriting of Siyyid &Husayn is
extant, as is also the copy in the handwriting of &Mirza
&Ahmad.
Regardest thou as one wronged he who in this
world was never dealt a single blow, and who was
continually surrounded by five of the handmaidens
of God? And imputest thou unto the True One,
Who, from His earliest years until the present day,
hath been in the hands of His enemies, and been tormented
with the worst afflictions in the world, such
charges as the Jews did not ascribe unto Christ?
Hearken unto the voice of this Wronged One, and
be not of them that are in utter loss.
And, likewise, He saith: "How many the fires
which God converteth into light through Him Whom
God shall make manifest; and how numerous the
lights which are turned into fire through Him! I
behold His appearance even as the sun in the midmost
heaven, and the disappearance of all even as that of
the stars of the night by day." Hast thou ears, O
world, wherewith to hear the voice of the True One,
and to judge equitably this Revelation Which, as soon
as it appeared, Sinai exclaimed: "He that discoursed
upon Me is come with evident signs and resplendent
tokens, in spite of every heedless one that hath gone
+P174
far astray, and of every lying calumniator, who hath
wished to quench the light of God with his calumnies,
and blot out the signs of God through his
malice. They, verily, are of such as have acted unjustly
in the Book of God, the Lord of the worlds."
And likewise, He saith: "The &Bayan is from beginning
to end the repository of all of His attributes,
and the treasury of both His fire and His light."
Great God! The soul is carried away by the fragrance
of this utterance, inasmuch as He declareth, with
infinite sadness, that which He perceiveth. Likewise,
He saith to the Letter of the Living, &Mulla &Baqir--
upon him be the glory of God and His loving-kindness:
"Haply thou mayest in eight years, in the day
of His Revelation, attain unto His Presence."
Know thou, O &Hadi, and be of them that hearken.
Judge thou equitably. The companions of God and
the Testimonies of Him Who is the Truth have, for
the most part, suffered martyrdom. Thou, however,
art still alive. How is it that thou hast been spared?
I swear by God! It is because of thy denial, whereas
the martyrdom of the blessed souls was due to their
confession. Every just and fair-minded person will
bear witness unto this, inasmuch as the cause and
motive of both are clear and evident as the sun.
And likewise He addresseth &Dayyan, who was
wronged and suffered martyrdom, saying: "Thou
shalt recognize thy worth through the words of Him
Whom God shall make manifest." He, likewise, hath
+P175
pronounced him to be the third Letter to believe in
Him Whom God shall make manifest, through these
words: "O thou who art the third Letter to believe
in Him Whom God shall make manifest!" And likewise
He saith: "Should God, however, be willing, He
will make thee known through the words of Him
Whom God shall make manifest." &Dayyan, who,
according to the words of Him Who is the Point--
may the souls of all else but Him be sacrificed for
His sake--is the repository of the trust of the one
true God--exalted be His glory--and the treasury of
the pearls of His knowledge, was made by them to
suffer so cruel a martyrdom that the Concourse on
high wept and lamented. He it is whom He (the
&Bab) had taught the hidden and preserved knowledge
and entrusted him therewith, through His words:
"O thou who art named &Dayyan! This is a hidden
and preserved Knowledge. We have entrusted it unto
thee, and brought it to thee, as a mark of honor from
God, inasmuch as the eye of thine heart is pure. Thou
wilt appreciate its value, and wilt cherish its excellence.
God, verily, hath deigned to bestow upon the
Point of the &Bayan a hidden and preserved Knowledge,
the like of which God hath not sent down prior
to this Revelation. More precious is it than any other
knowledge in the estimation of God--glorified be He!
He, verily, hath made it His testimony, even as He
hath made the verses to be His testimony." This
oppressed one, who was the repository of the knowledge
+P176
of God, together with &Mirza &Ali-Akbar, one
of the relatives of the Primal Point--upon him be
the glory of God and His mercy--and &Abu'l-Qasim-i-Kashi
and several others suffered martyrdom
through the decree pronounced by &Mirza &Yahya.
O &Hadi! His book which he hath entitled "Mustayqiz"
is in thy possession. Read it. Although thou
hast seen the book, peruse it again, that haply thou
mayest obtain for thyself a lofty seat beneath the
canopy of truth.
In like manner, Siyyid &Ibrahim, concerning whom
these words have flowed from the Pen of the Primal
Point--magnified be His utterance: "O thou who
art mentioned as My friend in My scriptures, and as
My remembrance in My books, next to My scriptures,
and as My name in the &Bayan"--such a one, together
with &Dayyan, hath been surnamed by him (&Mirza
&Yahya) Father of Iniquities and Father of Calamities.
Judge thou fairly, how grievous hath been
the plight of these oppressed ones, and this notwithstanding
that one of them was occupied in serving
him, whilst the other was his guest. Briefly, I swear
by God, the deeds he committed were such that Our
Pen is ashamed to recount.
Reflect a while upon the dishonor inflicted upon
the Primal Point. Consider what hath happened.
When this Wronged One, after a retirement of two
years during which He wandered through the deserts
and mountains, returned to &Baghdad, as a result of
the intervention of a few, who for a long time had
+P177
sought Him in the wilderness, a certain &Mirza
&Muhammad-'Ali of &Rasht came to see Him, and
related, before a large gathering of people, that which
had been done, affecting the honor of the &Bab, which
hath truly overwhelmed all lands with sorrow. Great
God! How could they have countenanced this most
grievous betrayal? Briefly, We beseech God to aid
the perpetrator of this deed to repent, and return
unto Him. He, verily, is the Helper, the All-Wise.
As to &Dayyan--upon him be the glory of God
and His mercy--he attained Our presence in accordance
with that which had been revealed by the pen
of the Primal Point. We pray God to aid the heedless
to turn unto Him, and such as have turned aside
to direct themselves towards Him, and them that
have denied Him to acknowledge this Cause, which,
no sooner did it appear than all created things proclaimed:
"He that was hidden in the Treasury of
Knowledge, and inscribed by the Pen of the Most
High in His Books, and His Scriptures, and His
Scrolls, and His Tablets, is come!"
In this connection it hath been deemed necessary
to mention such traditions as have been recorded
regarding the blessed and honored city of &Akka, that
haply thou mayest, O &Hadi, seek a path unto the
Truth, and a road leading unto God.
In the name of God, the Compassionate, the
Merciful.
The following hath been recorded concerning the
+P178
merits of &Akka, and of the sea, and of &Aynu'l-Baqar
(The Spring of the Cow) which is in &Akka:
&Abdu'l-'Aziz, son of &Abdu'-Salam, hath related
unto us that the Prophet--may the blessings of God
and His salutations be upon him--hath said: "&Akka
is a city in Syria to which God hath shown His
special mercy."
&Ibn-i-Mas'ud--may God be pleased with him--
hath stated: "The Prophet--may the blessings of God
and His salutations be upon Him--hath said: `Of
all shores the best is the shore of Askelon, and &Akka
is, verily, better than Askelon, and the merit of &Akka
above that of Askelon and all other shores is as the
merit of &Muhammad above that of all other Prophets.
I bring you tidings of a city betwixt two mountains
in Syria, in the middle of a meadow, which is called
&Akka. Verily, he that entereth therein, longing for
it and eager to visit it, God will forgive his sins, both
of the past and of the future. And he that departeth
from it, other than as a pilgrim, God will not bless
his departure. In it is a spring called the Spring of
the Cow. Whoso drinketh a draught therefrom, God
will fill his heart with light, and will protect him
from the most great terror on the Day of Resurrection.'"
Anas, son of &Malik--may God be pleased with
him--hath said: "The Apostle of God--may the
blessings of God and His salutations be upon Him--
hath said: `By the shore of the sea is a city, suspended
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beneath the Throne, and named &Akka. He that
dwelleth therein, firm and expecting a reward from
God--exalted be He--God will write down for him,
until the Day of Resurrection, the recompense of such
as have been patient, and have stood up, and knelt
down, and prostrated themselves, before Him.'"
And He--may the blessings of God and His salutations
be upon Him--hath said: "I announce unto
you a city, on the shores of the sea, white, whose
whiteness is pleasing unto God--exalted be He! It is
called &Akka. He that hath been bitten by one of
its fleas is better, in the estimation of God, than he
who hath received a grievous blow in the path of
God. And he that raiseth therein the call to prayer,
his voice will be lifted up unto Paradise. And he that
remaineth therein for seven days in the face of the
enemy, God will gather him with &Khidr--peace be
upon Him--and God will protect him from the
most great terror on the Day of Resurrection." And
He--may the blessings of God,--exalted be He--and
His salutations be upon Him--hath said: "There are
kings and princes in Paradise. The poor of &Akka are
the kings of Paradise and the princes thereof. A
month in &Akka is better than a thousand years elsewhere."
The Apostle of God--may the blessings of God
and His salutations be upon Him--is reported to have
said: "Blessed the man that hath visited &Akka, and
blessed he that hath visited the visitor of &Akka.
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Blessed the one that hath drunk from the Spring of
the Cow and washed in its waters, for the black-eyed
damsels quaff the camphor in Paradise, which hath
come from the Spring of the Cow, and from the
Spring of &Salvan (Siloam), and the Well of Zamzam.
Well is it with him that hath drunk from these
springs, and washed in their waters, for God hath forbidden
the fire of hell to touch him and his body
on the Day of Resurrection."
The Prophet--may the blessings of God and His
salutations be upon Him--is stated to have said: "In
&Akka are works of supererogation and acts which
are beneficial, which God vouchsafed specially unto
whomsoever He pleaseth. And he that saith in &Akka:
`Glorified be God, and praise be unto God, and there
is none other God but God, and most great is God,
and there is no power nor strength except in God,
the Exalted, the Mighty,' God will write down for
him a thousand good deeds, and blot out from him
a thousand evil deeds, and will uplift him a thousand
grades in Paradise, and will forgive him his transgressions.
And whoso saith in &Akka: `I beg forgiveness
of God,' God will forgive all his trespasses. And
he that remembereth God in &Akka at morn and at
eventide, in the night-season and at dawn, is better
in the sight of God than he who beareth swords, spears
and arms in the path of God--exalted be He!"
The Apostle of God--may the blessings of God and
His salutations be upon Him--hath also said: "He
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that looketh upon the sea at eventide, and saith: `God
is Most Great!' at sunset, God will forgive his sins,
though they be heaped as piles of sand. And he that
counteth forty waves, while repeating: `God is Most
Great!'--exalted be He--God will forgive his sins,
both past and future."
The Apostle of God--may the blessings of God and
His salutations be upon Him--hath said: "He that
looketh upon the sea a full night is better than he
who passeth two whole months betwixt the Rukn
and the &Maqam. And he that hath been brought up
on the shores of the sea is better than he that hath
been brought up elsewhere. And he that lieth on the
shore is as he that standeth elsewhere."
Verily, the Apostle of God--may the blessings of
God, exalted be He, and His salutations be upon
Him--hath spoken the truth.